10 Questions with ... Scott Perlewitz

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started out going to college for Medicine, ended up with a mohawk and a Fine Art degree in Wisconsin. Got into the music business while getting master’s degree from USC (Annenberg School of Communication). Worked in music video promotion, concert promotion, television, and artist development before getting roped into radio promotion.

1. How did you become interested in the record business?

I've always loved music for as long as I could remember. Growing up in Wisconsin it was extremely limited, but I accumulated a substantial record collection that continued to grow throughout college. I never seriously considered a career in music until I was in LA. Before that it was just something I thought you had to be born into or something.

2. What stands out the most from your first job?

My first job was video music promotion for a company called Vis-Ability. It was during the whole MTV birth and explosion. To be in LA at that time and in the midst of so many different types of music was awesome. Of course, it's all perspective, but I really was at the right place at the right time. The company I worked for was brand new and an offshoot of a company, Image, who did a lot of retail promotion, and their biggest client was Warner Bros, so we had a great deal of access to some incredible artists. In fact, I still have an original still from that a-ha video, hand drawn and sitting in a box somewhere.

3. What do you like best about working at Sub Pop?

I feel so lucky to be here. It's such an incredible place with an amazing history that continues to thrive amidst the sea changes in the industry. The folks who work here are some of the best that I've ever had the pleasure of working with. It's really more like a huge, insane extended family than an office. I also have a much closer relationship with our artist than I did with the major labels. Part of that is just because there are less folks doing the work. We also generally take artists who are just starting on their journeys and before they become surrounded by an ‘inner circle’ either by choice or necessity. I think it’s incredibly gratifying to feel you’ve helped an artist realize their dreams in some small way.

4. Where do you get your greatest pleasure in doing record promotion?

Since I utterly lack any musical skills it's as close as I'll ever get to actually participating in a sort of creative process as it relates to music.

5. What may surprise people the most to learn about Sub Pop?

That’s always a tough one. I’ve been here for over 12 years now and so it seems like there are folks who know Sub Pop and what it means, especially in Seattle and the Northwest. Then there are those who wander into the Sub Pop store at SEATAC and ask, “what is a sub pop?” Many of those folks are delighted to find out about us and usually end up buying a LOT more stuff than they intended when they walked in. We also have a second retail store on the Amazon campus close to our office, so maybe that we’re not only a record label, but a retail behemoth.

6. What is the toughest part of your job?

I would say that the consolidation at radio has severely limited the number of outlets at commercial radio for our artists. It’s also abundantly clear that the folks who have remained are severely overworked. I think that formats like NonComm have become our ‘happy place’ because of their shared sense of community and a willingness to embrace new artists. They also frequently have great studios and staff who are able to facilitate sessions and interviews (assuming that all returns soon). Our marketing plans have definitely pulled back on relying on radio to lead in our efforts. That doesn’t mean radio is not important in amplifying the success of an artist. It’s just a paradigm shift and we need to adjust the game plan accordingly.

7. Where is your favorite market you like to visit and why?

This is a tough one because I haven’t really done a lot of travel for work in the last two years. My favorite markets have the following: my favorite programmers, good venues, a good dog-friendly hotel close to the venue, world class art, and killer coffee close to all of it.

8. What would surprise people the most about you?

I think maybe that I am working on a future side hustle as a painter. I was well on my way before a tornado literally destroyed my painting studio and everything in it. Until we find a new home a lot of my stuff has been sitting in storage, which is kind of a drag. Hopefully, I’ll be back at it soon.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _______ ?

Coffee. Black coffee. I cannot survive without it.

10. Favorite band of all-time?

Hands down the Clash. You cannot top "Sandinista" in my book. It's everything I love about music on three discs. I would also mention David Bowie, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Thelonious Monk, and X.

What are your hobbies?

Painting, yoga, cooking, and long walks with Chip and our dog Memphis.

Last non-industry job?

Eight years in a bakery. I'm a damn good baker.

First record ever purchased?

Sly And The Family Stone "Family Affair"

First concert?

Johnny Cash and The Carter Family in 1968. I still remember it clearly and when I met him later in life, I told him about it. He seemed genuinely touched.