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10 Questions with ... Howie Gabriel
July 31, 2017
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I have been in the music business my entire adult life: I started out in a mailroom at Mainstream Records; then worked at Blues label Yazoo/Blue Goose. I got involved in the NYC downtown scene and produced some wonderful jazz artists.
From there I became VP/Marketing and helped start RED/Relativity Records, where we did everything from Broadway to Metal and Guitar Gods. Spent time at RCA and EMI and back to RED when Sony bought the company. I've been involved in artist development my entire career. Finally I left RED and joined Warner Brothers as EVP/Marketing for a short time before becoming President of Cooking Vinyl America.
1. What got you interested in the record business?
I have always loved music and had been involved as a teenager in high school. It was either the music biz or jail!
2. What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
I grow up listening to WMCA -- The Good Guys -- and then graduated to WNEW-FM and then WRVR, which was the New York City jazz station.3. Tell us a bit about the history of Cooking Vinyl Records.
Cooking Vinyl is a London-based label started by Martin Goldschmidt. It originally was a Folk label but the repertoire has expanded to all genres. CV is now celebrating its 30th anniversary. Not many labels can claim that accomplishment.
4. What may surprise people the most about Cooking Vinyl Records?
Cooking Vinyl is one of the first labels to work with artists as a true label services company. Artist come first.
5. Tell us about the new signings you are most excited about.
Besides some of the great new U.K. signings like Lewis Watson, Nina Nesbitt and The Darkness, we are very excited about new U.S. signings including Noah Gundersen, Fantastic Negrito, Gogol Bordello and 68. These new acts truly complement the existing roster.
6. What are some of the challenges of an independent label?
There is a combination of challenges for an indie label. How do you balance art and commerce? It's harder than ever to make a profit and properly expose your artists' talents. Another challenge is try and slow the clock down so that you can cut through all the media noise and make a difference for your artists.
7. How does your label increase exposure of your artists outside of traditional radio promotion?
Radio is only a small part of the puzzle. You need all aspects of a marketing plan to be working for you to be successful at radio. Creativity and hard work with a talented team that includes great management will add to the potential of having success.
8. Biggest change that you'd like to see in the business?
I would like to see industry execs giving deserving and talented artists more opportunities to expose their music.
9. What has been your biggest career highlight?
Every day I love waking up and knowing that I am helping talented artists achieve their dreams. In our business we work with many artists, but individually these artists are putting everything they have in our hands. Hopefully we deliver for a good percentage of them.
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ...
... listening to some great music and having a great cup of coffee.
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