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10 Questions with ... Brett Greenberg
June 23, 2009
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NAME:Brett GreenbergTITLE:Radio PromotionCOMPANY:Victory RecordsFORMATS:Active, Alternative, Rock and MetalLOCATION:ChicagoBORN:PhiladelphiaRAISED:South Florida
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
WSHE/Miami -- AOR Music Coordinator/Research Coordinator 1986-1989
WQAM/Miami -- Sports Talk PD 1989-1991
Sony Music/Tampa -- Field Marketing Rep 1991-1994
Sony Music/Atlanta -- Alternative Marketing Rep 1994-1998
Epic Records/Charlotte/Atlanta/Miami -- Radio 1998-2001
Capitol Records/Atlanta -- Radio 2001-2003
Red Dist/Atlanta -- Sales 2003-2005
Victory Records/Chicago -- 2005-2007
Epic Records/Dallas -- 2007-2009
Victory Records/Chicago -- 2009-Present1. What made you want to get into the music business? Early mentors? First job?
I would say Dusty Rhoades and the Sex Pistols were the reason the path I chose. Mentors? Barry Mog, Branch Manager of Sony Atlanta. A great man. Jacqueline Saturn at Epic Records; my boss and a great mommy. Josh Rosenthal, the original alternative marketer. Tony Brummel at Victory for his independence and vision. Charlie Kendall, my first PD and Metal Shop legend. Charlie Walk, Dale Connone and so many others who have educated me, gave me a living and would always take my call. Without friends I would be nowhere.
First job? My first job was washing dishes at the Village Inn in Tucson. I was in 9th grade in 1980. My dishwashing partner introduced me to whip-it's in the walk-in and doobies taking out the garbage.
First Concert? The Cars 1979 Hollywood Sportatorium "The Sport Hole"
First Record Bought? On 45, "Ringo" by Lorne Green
My first radio job? Which I did not list above was at WSRF "Surf 16" in
Ft Lauderdale. It was a Gospel station that played sermons and gospel music. Brother Buddy Tucker was my boss and it was like magic when I cracked the mic and said, "This is Brother Brett and I'm giving you a double shot of the Mighty Clouds of Joy on Surf 16."
This nice Jewish kid's career was off and running.
Down the hall was WSHE. "She's Only Rock & Roll" John Tenaglia owned the stations and it was located in the Silver Oaks trailer park by the Hungry Howies and the Hot N Now.
The air staff during my time was Charlie Kendall, Lisa Kendall, Randi Rhoades, Mark Stevens, Susanadana, Liz Wilde, Glenn Richards, Bill Murphy, Pat Evans, Tom Robinson -- and even the world famous Joey Reynolds did mornings for a spell. Back then you could smoke in the studio. Artists had beers on the air with the staff and club night always meant a $300 bar tab.
This was the last great wave of the homeless DJ. Everyone ended up in Miami.
I certainly know Randi very well. :)
2. Too many records, too few slots. What data seems to be most important to you when jockeying for an open slot on a radio station and why? Ticket sales? Tour info? Prior success? Retail? Other stations?
All the above, plus a lot of hard team work, a little luck, kind programmers and good friends.
3. It seems that set-up is more important now than ever. What do you do to inspire your staff for success in the field on a daily basis with the amount of material that recording companies are releasing in today's market place?
We have a staff of warehouse men, graphic designers, sales, marketing, screen printers, assault teams, street teams and interns who set them up and do amazing work. Regardless of what other labels tell you, we here at Victory have the hardest working bands in show business Victory bands travel the country many times over, sell thousands of records, develop their fan base and when we connect those dots, we have found success at radio.
Thursday, Taking Back Sunday, Atreyu, Hawthorne Heights. These are bands that had radio success after everything else was in place. We have bands now like A Day To Remember, who have sold hundreds of thousands of units, have toured and toured and before going to radio. Their latest release, "Homesick," has sold 89,000 copies. Another is Bury Your Dead -- 200,000 units sold combined, have played your city and are a deadly threat live. Let us not forget OTEP! She has sold a half-million records and has had very little support in the past. It's her time and we are ready.
4. Things are changing rapidly in our business. Were it up to you, what would you change in our "system" to give your bands a better shot?
It is what it is. I would not change a thing. Victory wants to operate and be a contender within the "system."
5. Who do you consider the current tastemakers in the ROCK world?
Those who have true grit:
Vince Richards for being Vince Richards ...A true man!
Chris Ryan at KEGL ... Mr. Rock Steady
Jeff Cage at KDJE ... For his passion and true love of punk!
Chris Baker and Jake Daniels at KATT ... Gentleman!
Shellie Hart at KFNK ... Because she has a lot of heart!
Rob Cressman at WLZX ... The good times!
Alex Duran at KFRQ ... For always being a friend to such a needy person.
Lynn Barstow and Tony Wong at KROX ... The king of cool and the Mayor of Austin!
John D and Bobby Sato at KCXX ... Never scared to take a shot!
Kenny Wall at KMYZ .... I will always bet on K'Dub to win!
LA Lloyd at KISS ... He lives it!
Paula and Monte at KNCN ... 100% SOLID!
Dave Jackson at KXNA ... D-Day Rocks!
Randy and Blake at WJJO ... You think they gamble but they rock and know how to win! Being #1 never looked so easy.
Courtney Nelson and Glenn Garza at KLAQ ... for rocking hard on the mean streets of El Paso. Just ask John Wesley Hardin!
Gina Juliano at Yahoo ... A pro.
Jeremy and Jeremi at KQXR ... For hitting it early, hitting it hard and hitting it often. And then there are the records they play!
Tommy Mattern for telling me how it is when I ask.
Scott Less - Kris Siebers- Tony Labrie- Brad Steven- Wes Nessman-Frank Pain for making me feel welcomed....6. It has become apparent that in this research-driven time, records are taking much longer to "test." How do you go about making sure that your record will be given a fair shot?
After three years, we are ready to have a record in research. We cannot wait. We welcome it. Bring it on!
7. Repetition breeds familiarity. How does your label increase exposure of your artists outside of traditional radio promotion?
Ahh, ancient Victory secret! Retail knows. Smart programmers know!
8. Every promotion person has a record close to their heart that for one reason or another never broke through, "The One That Got Away." What is your "One that Got Away" and what did you learn from that record?
Not everything is a hit regardless of how much we love it and how much time we invest in our artists lives. I always look to the future and try remembering the mistakes of the past. If there was one artist I worked with that didn't quite get his due during his lifetime, it would have to be Jeff Buckley. There was success, sure, but if we are talking radio, it wasn't really there. Jeff was one of the great artists of our lifetime.
9. What are the most important tools/resources you use to stay on top of the rock formats growth and constant daily changes?
My radio friends, All Access, Mediabase, Tony Brummel, Jack Ponte and my eyes and ears.
10. The lost art of artist development. What do you do to ensure your artist is building a career as opposed to just breaking a song? And does it even matter anymore?
Many labels today define artist development by scheduling a promo tour, setting up a MySpace page, buying into the right tour, getting a song featured on "The Hills" and bringing it all home with a great promotional team. It will help sell singles and records ... sometimes many millions of units ... but when radio doesn't come to the dance, it usually just falls apart.
By the way, A Day To Remember "Downfall Of Us All," Bury Your Dead 'Without You," and Otep "Smash The Control Machine" would be perfect for "The Hills." As you may know, Victory Records is Artist Development
Victory bands will travel the country 20 times over playing every dive bar, house party, VFW hall, then graduate to bigger venues, build their fan base, sell thousands of records and when we go to radio, it works When radio does not come to the party we planned, the bands still sell thousands of records and still have their fan base intact.
Attn Radio: We provide an amazing base. A little water and our bands bloom.
Bonus Questions
You are the remaining survivor on a remote tropical island with no chance for rescue. You have a CD/DVD player with endless power. What five CDs are a "must" to have with you? What five movies?
CDs:
1. Waterboys "Fishermans Blues"
2. Sex Pistols "Never Mind The Bollocks"
3. Jeff Buckley "Grace"
4. Neva Dinova "One Jug of Wine"
5. The Harder They Come SoundtrackMOVIES
1. Godfather Trilogy
2. Goodfellas
3. Buckstone County Prison
4. Hollywood Knights
5. GorpBOOKS:
1. The Rise And Fall Of The Jewish Gangster In America -- Fried
2. To Drop A Dime -- Hoffman
3. Wyatt Earp's Tombstone Vendetta -- Boyer
4. Murder In Tombstone -- Lubet
5. Where The Money Was -- Willie Sutton -
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