As the creative force behind genre-hopping alternative band Self, Matt Mahaffey played an integral role in the founding and growth of Murfreesboro’s Spongebath Records scene of the mid ‘90s and early ‘00s.
In the ensuing years, he also found success as a studio wiz producing other bands and composing for films and commercials. After a decade in Los Angeles he recently returned to his Tennessee roots with his family and built Fresh Imperial, his new home studio in Franklin.
“I realized I get most of my work through my email,” he explains of the move. “I don’t really need to be sitting out there [in Los Angeles] because it is so expensive and we couldn’t afford to buy a place. We were just renting for 10 years. But we could buy a house here and build a studio. My daughter will be two in February. [Tennessee is] way more kid friendly and the schools are amazing. It was a no-brainer for us.”
Mahaffey originally relocated to Los Angeles while Self was making records under DreamWorks, a short-lived deal that nevertheless earned him a following and his first production clients after the label folded. He found early success with Hellogoodbye, whom he co-produced with Jeff Turzo (of ‘90s electro rockers God Lives Underwater). The group’s “Here (In Your Arms)” eventually hit platinum status and earned him a steady string of work.
“We would just tag team bands just one right after the other for a good 6-7 years straight,” says Mahaffey. “It was a lot of work and as the industry was dissolving, budgets kept getting smaller so for us to split things 50/50 just became impossible.”
Mahaffey was also moonlighting in the film and commercial business, thanks to his DreamWorks ties. He’s contributed to many of the studio’s early animated features like Shrek and Shark’s Tale as well as producing the surprise musical endings for all the Shrek DVDs. He also did two seasons of music for Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, a Nickelodeon show about a Chinese-American household, and (along with his brother Mike) composed the unforgettable Expedia.com tagline. But trying to produce records and write music for film/tv in LA proved exhausting.
“It was like three jobs all the time,” he recalls. “So one of the main reasons for the move was just to slow down a little bit. It was just brutal, constant, around the clock work.”
The return move to Tennessee afforded him the ability to build Fresh Imperial, with the aid of studio designer Mark Wenner. The space totals 1100 square feet and offers large control and tracking rooms.
“I’m used to operating out of a bedroom or office room and running cable,” notes Mahaffey. “Now I can actually have a drum kit set up, keep it up, and keep tweaking my sound—change out mics, try different EQs, different pre amps, as opposed to being like ‘Okay we’ve got two days to do drums,’ throw it up, then move that because we have to do bass.”
Mahaffey says the large tracking room set up is conducive for songwriting work and creative jam sessions.
“My whole thing is to eliminate the demo phase,” he explains. “Have everything up, let’s make a master right when we’re thinking of it. It’s spontaneous and you’re never going to capture that again if you keep re-recording it, massaging it, and lacquering it.”
Also helping to get the creative juices flowing are interior design motifs pulled from sci-fi and music geek heaven.
“The control room is Death Star-themed, like if Darth Vader wanted to lay down some ill beats,” he laughs. “It’s gray and clinical and then there’s a life size Darth Vader. The floor is black stained concrete. There are these two huge red things that give it this Imperial feel. The tracking room is colorful, with graffiti, more of an ‘80s Keith Haring hip-hop vibe.”
And despite the geographical separation, Los Angeles and points further abroad are still calling for Mahaffey’s expertise. He’s currently composing music for a Disney cartoon that has writers in Dublin and producers in London.
“It’s all just synching it up and working together,” he says. “There’s no need to be on the phone all the time when you can just email or Skype and see someone.”
And importantly, it allows Mahaffey the freedom to spend time with his family and see his daughter grow up.
“When were moving I looked at places to have a spot,” he says, “but if I did that I really wouldn’t see my family. It’s important that you’re around. I try to treat it like a job—I try to get up and be in the studio by 9 and be out of the studio by 6:30-7.”
Mahaffey’s next couple months will be focused on writing songs for his upcoming Disney cartoon, and another Hellogoodbye album is reportedly on the horizon. Self fans also have cause for celebration, because Mahaffey is currently working on a new album for his old musical guise.
“I’ve got half a dozen songs done already and I just started this month,” he says. “I’m just forcing myself to write. I saw a really good Ira Glass quote and the gist of it was you have to force yourself to write everyday, be creative everyday. No matter if it’s good or bad, you have to do it. That just seems to be the smart thing that any writer should do.”
Coy Taylor Signs Management Agreement
/by Caitlin Rantala“Coy has everything I look for in a new artist,” said Harmon. “He is a tireless self promoter, he takes advantage of every professional opportunity afforded to him, he is great songwriter and a talented singer. Realizing that the music industry is all about working hard to help yourself, Coy Taylor and Average Joe’s Entertainment are going to have a bright future together.”
Over the last year Taylor has crossed the country visiting radio and opening shows for Mark Chestnut, Joe Diffie, Colt Ford and more. In the studio, he’s been working with Brady Seals (Little Texas) and recorded with Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens on a remake of “Out Behind the Barn.”
To celebrate his signing with Average Joe’s, Taylor will perform a free showcase today (Jan. 24) at 6 p.m. at 12th & Porter (114 12th Ave. North).
CRS 2012 Update: Hall of Fame After Party, New Panelists
/by Freeman(L-R): Jerrod Niemann, Brent Anderson, and Wade Bowen
On Feb. 21, prior to the official kickoff of Country Radio Seminar 2012, Sony Music Nashville and Sea Gayle Records will stage the Official Country Radio Hall of Fame After Party with Brent Anderson, Wade Bowen and Jerrod Niemann. The full-band show will be held at 8:30 PM in the Renaisannce Hotel’s Music City Ballroom immediately following the Country Radio Hall of Fame dinner and induction.
“This is the first time that Sea Gayle Records and Sony Music Nashville have had the opportunity to collaborate on a special event,” says Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Gary Overton. “We are proud and excited to be able to bring the music of Brent, Wade and Jerrod to all CRS attendees. It is such an honor for us to celebrate this year’s Country Radio Hall of Fame inductees.”
The following day Feb. 22 begins the educational portion of Country Radio Seminar, which will feature some of the music industry’s big thinkers in a series of informative panels. Included on the docket are John Dimick of Lincoln Financial Media, Todd Cassetty of Hi Fi Fusion, Thompson Square, Owen Grover of iHeartRadio and many others. They join previously announced speakers including Clear Channel’s Bob Pittman, CMT’s Stephen Linn, David Houle, and Twitter For Dummies co-author Laura Fitton.
CRS 2012 regular registration rate of $499 ends on Friday, Jan. 27. Starting Jan. 28, the price increases to $599. Register here.
TuneSat Debuts Exclusive Internet Monitoring Technology
/by Sarah SkatesTuneSat essentially serves as an outside auditing service for rights holders to cross-reference their royalty and licensing statements. Since its founding, the company has monitored television and film for public performances of musical compositions. TuneSat detects music in noisy broadcast environments, including under dialogue, sound effects, or voiceovers.
Tech-savvy composers and producers Scott Schreer and Chris Woods founded TuneSat, which uses audio fingerprint technology to search for usages and deliver reports to clients’ online dashboards. Based in New York City, the company actively monitors hundreds of broadcast channels and millions of websites around the world.
The company’s new Internet multi-media monitoring searches publicly available domains, identifying music used in streaming audio, video, podcasts, flash and other multimedia files. TuneSat monitors the Web around the clock, immediately posting the results in a secure online interface. These detections could include files posted moments before the search, or those put online several years ago. Every detection includes a link to the site where the music is found, and the site where the content is hosted (for example, a website may offer a video embedded from elsewhere).
In the event of a royalty discrepancy, TuneSat subscribers can pursue the claim themselves, or hire the company’s newly-launched Administrative Services branch to pursue unlicensed and unpaid uses of their music.
“TuneSat’s Internet monitoring service is history in the making, providing sophisticated, worldwide detection easily available to all music rights holders, even for just one song,” explained Scott Schreer, CEO and Founder. “TuneSat’s data tames the Wild Wild West of the Web, pinpointing the use of music online and providing the information needed to monetize those uses, putting dollars back into the pocket of musicians.”
“TuneSat’s detection data, coupled with the legal resources and expertise of our Administration Services, is a one-two punch for music rights holders,” said Chris Woods, Co-Founder and COO. “Monitoring multi-media content on the Internet can reveal more than just music videos—TuneSat clients have discovered movie trailers, TV synchs, and other media usages that were unlicensed. Further, we now provide access to the Administrative resources needed to ensure the rights holder is compensated for the use of their work.”
Monthly TuneSat subscription rates start at $10 per month and vary by number of tracks and type of service.
Check MusicRow.com later this week for Publisher Sherod Robertson’s exclusive interview with Chris Woods.
Currington Announces First Headlining Tour
/by Caitlin Rantala“I have learned a lot over the years touring with some of the biggest names in country music,” said Currington. “I am excited to put that knowledge to use on this tour by giving fans a great show as a thank you for all of their support. It will also be a great way to test out some new music!”
Fans can go to www.billycurrington.com to get more information about on-sales and an up-to-date tour itinerary.
2012 Billy Currington Tour:
March 24 – Biloxi, MS – Hard Rock Live
April 13 – San Antonio, TX – Cowboy’s Dance Hall
April 20 – Kingston, ON – K-Rock Centre
April 21 – Orillia, ON – Casino Rama
April 27 – Huntington, WV – Big Sandy Arena
April 28 – Knoxville, TN – Civic Auditorium
May 3 – Lowell, MA – Tsongas Arena
May 4– Wallingford, CT – Oakdale Theatre
May 17 – Asheville, NC – NC Civic Center
May 18 – Charlotte, NC – Uptown Amphitheatre
May 19 – Rome, GA – Rome River Jam
Matt Mahaffey Returns To Tennessee With New Studio
/by FreemanIn the ensuing years, he also found success as a studio wiz producing other bands and composing for films and commercials. After a decade in Los Angeles he recently returned to his Tennessee roots with his family and built Fresh Imperial, his new home studio in Franklin.
“I realized I get most of my work through my email,” he explains of the move. “I don’t really need to be sitting out there [in Los Angeles] because it is so expensive and we couldn’t afford to buy a place. We were just renting for 10 years. But we could buy a house here and build a studio. My daughter will be two in February. [Tennessee is] way more kid friendly and the schools are amazing. It was a no-brainer for us.”
Mahaffey originally relocated to Los Angeles while Self was making records under DreamWorks, a short-lived deal that nevertheless earned him a following and his first production clients after the label folded. He found early success with Hellogoodbye, whom he co-produced with Jeff Turzo (of ‘90s electro rockers God Lives Underwater). The group’s “Here (In Your Arms)” eventually hit platinum status and earned him a steady string of work.
“We would just tag team bands just one right after the other for a good 6-7 years straight,” says Mahaffey. “It was a lot of work and as the industry was dissolving, budgets kept getting smaller so for us to split things 50/50 just became impossible.”
Mahaffey was also moonlighting in the film and commercial business, thanks to his DreamWorks ties. He’s contributed to many of the studio’s early animated features like Shrek and Shark’s Tale as well as producing the surprise musical endings for all the Shrek DVDs. He also did two seasons of music for Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, a Nickelodeon show about a Chinese-American household, and (along with his brother Mike) composed the unforgettable Expedia.com tagline. But trying to produce records and write music for film/tv in LA proved exhausting.
“It was like three jobs all the time,” he recalls. “So one of the main reasons for the move was just to slow down a little bit. It was just brutal, constant, around the clock work.”
The return move to Tennessee afforded him the ability to build Fresh Imperial, with the aid of studio designer Mark Wenner. The space totals 1100 square feet and offers large control and tracking rooms.
“I’m used to operating out of a bedroom or office room and running cable,” notes Mahaffey. “Now I can actually have a drum kit set up, keep it up, and keep tweaking my sound—change out mics, try different EQs, different pre amps, as opposed to being like ‘Okay we’ve got two days to do drums,’ throw it up, then move that because we have to do bass.”
Mahaffey says the large tracking room set up is conducive for songwriting work and creative jam sessions.
“My whole thing is to eliminate the demo phase,” he explains. “Have everything up, let’s make a master right when we’re thinking of it. It’s spontaneous and you’re never going to capture that again if you keep re-recording it, massaging it, and lacquering it.”
Also helping to get the creative juices flowing are interior design motifs pulled from sci-fi and music geek heaven.
“The control room is Death Star-themed, like if Darth Vader wanted to lay down some ill beats,” he laughs. “It’s gray and clinical and then there’s a life size Darth Vader. The floor is black stained concrete. There are these two huge red things that give it this Imperial feel. The tracking room is colorful, with graffiti, more of an ‘80s Keith Haring hip-hop vibe.”
And despite the geographical separation, Los Angeles and points further abroad are still calling for Mahaffey’s expertise. He’s currently composing music for a Disney cartoon that has writers in Dublin and producers in London.
“It’s all just synching it up and working together,” he says. “There’s no need to be on the phone all the time when you can just email or Skype and see someone.”
And importantly, it allows Mahaffey the freedom to spend time with his family and see his daughter grow up.
“When were moving I looked at places to have a spot,” he says, “but if I did that I really wouldn’t see my family. It’s important that you’re around. I try to treat it like a job—I try to get up and be in the studio by 9 and be out of the studio by 6:30-7.”
Mahaffey’s next couple months will be focused on writing songs for his upcoming Disney cartoon, and another Hellogoodbye album is reportedly on the horizon. Self fans also have cause for celebration, because Mahaffey is currently working on a new album for his old musical guise.
“I’ve got half a dozen songs done already and I just started this month,” he says. “I’m just forcing myself to write. I saw a really good Ira Glass quote and the gist of it was you have to force yourself to write everyday, be creative everyday. No matter if it’s good or bad, you have to do it. That just seems to be the smart thing that any writer should do.”
BMI Taps Penny Everhard For Writer/Publisher Relations
/by Sarah SkatesPenny Everhard is the newest member of BMI's Writer/Publisher Relations team.
Penny Everhard has joined Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) as Associate Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, it was announced today by Jody Williams, Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville for BMI. Everhard will report to Williams and Clay Bradley, Associate Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.
In her new position at the performing right organization, Everhard will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with BMI songwriters and music publishers in Nashville and throughout the Southeast region. She will also assist BMI writers and publishers with administrative and creative functions and help coordinate local and national songwriter events, showcases and seminars.
“Penny exemplifies the qualities that make a great writer relations executive,” said Williams. “She knows music, and she’s personable, focused and organized. Her contribution to our writers and publishers will be substantial. BMI is lucky to have her.”
Prior to joining BMI, Everhard served as a song plugger and creative manager at both Tom-Leis Music and Love Monkey Music in Nashville, where she created and executed opportunities for staff writers, including top-tier artist and writer co-writes. In addition to also scouting and developing new talent, she oversaw day-to-day office management, and served as production assistant for all sessions, which included hiring musicians, booking studios and processing billing. Everhard studied Business Administration at Belmont University in Nashville, where she graduated with a BBA in Music Business.
Congratulate her at peverhard@bmi.com or (615) 401-2727.
30A Songwriters Festival: Q&A with Joanna Cotten
/by Sherod RobertsonMusicRow spoke exclusively with one of its talented participants, singer/songwriter Joanna Cotten about her first experience at the festival.
MusicRow: As a first-time performer and attendee, how would you describe the culture of the 30A Songwriters Festival?
Joanna Cotten: Even though this was my first year participating in the festival, I am certainly no stranger to 30A. The area is a string of small coastal communities, and since January is slow season for them it allows the festival to be the focus in the area. The venues included various bars, restaurants and performing halls all along 30A that were run mainly by volunteers. You could tell they put a lot of effort into this and really came together to pull something like this off. The atmosphere there is very relaxed and I think the white-sand beaches are some of the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen. I’ve done several writers retreats down there and even got married on 30A, so that tells you how much I love it. I felt an excitement from the local people about the festival, and every audience I encountered was so eager to hear music and was very appreciative of the talent that was there to share their gifts.
MR: What was a personal highlight from participating in the festival?
JC: They created a true listening environment at the festival, which allows us as artists and writers to share the messages and gifts that we have. So, personally, any time I get to share my music directly with people, that is why I participate. We were also able to connect with other songwriters and see them play and get to know them a bit, so hopefully it will open doors for future co-writes and gigs.
MR: Were there any special moments that you came back with?
JC: I had a lady come up to me who saw me play the first night of the festival and tell me that she wanted to make sure that she saw me the second night. So she went to the venue at noon to get a good seat and waited until we played…at 9:30 p.m.! It’s always nice to get positive feedback from your gift and to know it’s touching people in a way that will make them wait that long to see more!
MR: Who are some of the other performers you connected with?
JC: The first round I participated in was with Lenny LeBlanc (Dove award winning writer for “Above All” recorded by Michael W. Smith) and Teddy Gentry (of the group Alabama). It’s always a humbling experience to know you are on the stage next to guys who have sold millions of records! I was also really excited to get to hang with Lori McKenna. We were on Warner Bros. together and never got a chance to meet, so we had a lot of funny stories about being on a major label and moving away from that to what we do today. Also, Mary Gauthier and I were able to meet and it turns out she had heard the project I did on Warner Bros. through Peter Collins, the producer of that record. I have heard so much about her music and was able to go see her show and now I am a total fan! She is a brilliant writer.
MR: This festival seems to offer a broad spectrum of talent. Is that what you found?
JC: I thought the talent was amazing. You’ve got everybody from up-and-comers like Davin McCoy all the way to legends like Randall Bramlett. There was actually so much going on that I was sad that some of the show times conflicted with my show, because I really wanted to go see as many people as I could. Jeffrey Steele is always so much fun to see play live, and of course you had The Bangles and John Oates, so the spectrum of artists I thought gave all music lovers something to see within the genre they enjoy.
JC: I always love to see so many creative types in one area. There were singer/songwriters and bands from all over the United States, including some from the area there in Florida, and it was fun to connect with different people and not just the same writers we run into here on Music Row. It reminds me that there are a lot of other artists walking down the same path, just trying to share their music with people.
MR: Describe the audience at the festival.
JC: I found the audience to be very sophisticated and so eager to hear music. They were intently listening to every word, and I would see people with their schedule all stretched out over a table at a restaurant mapping out their plan to see as many acts as they could. It’s so refreshing to see people who just love music that much. It gives us hope in this ever-changing industry that music still touches people. The CD may die and it may get harder and harder to get on radio, but one thing that is still going strong is live performance, and I can assure you that there are many, many people out there who still support that.
MR: Other than you, who was the craziest one there (we promise not to tell!)?
JC: Lord, you know with that many creative types all in one place, that’s a hard question because we are all somewhat crazy just to be doing this! I would have to say it was Tommy Womack. I wasn’t able to meet him but I did see him play in a round and he sang some of the craziest, funniest songs that I could tell were from personal experience! So I would have to say if he has lived half of what he’s singing about, his journey has been full of adventure!
MR: Do events like these offer opportunities that may lead to future writing collaborations? If so, anything in particular?
JC: I think for sure it will. Personally, I like to collaborate with artists and writers who have a similar musical style, which for me always leans towards the soulful side. It’s helpful to be able to see performers live and meet them in a setting like the after-party for this festival so you can get to know each other a little bit, as opposed to being thrown in a writing room with somebody you don’t know. Seeing them perform gives you a good idea if your musical styles work together. And getting to hang out lets you know if your personalities click, because half the time writing a song is about just enjoying the person you are in a room with. If it’s fun, you usually come out with a pretty cool song.
MR: Sounds like a great experience for both songwriters and music lovers. And if you’re jonesing for some Joanna, you can catch her playing 3rd & Lindsley on Fri., Feb. 3rd at 7:00 p.m.
Casey James To Release Debut Album
/by Freeman“I’m excited to be releasing my debut album,” says Casey. “I’m thankful that I had the freedom to make the record that represents me as a musician and singer-songwriter.”
“I played 11 years of hard gigs in every bar and restaurant in North Texas and not many people even knew my name,” he continues. “That being said, I’m very thankful to American Idol for the opportunities the show gave me. I could’ve released a record right when the season was over, but I wanted to make an album deserving of all the fans that put me in this position.”
Casey had a hand in writing nine of the album’s 11 tracks, including current single “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night,” and contributed guitar throughout. He also co-produced the album with Chris Lindsey, who co-wrote the album’s finale track “Miss Your Fire” with Casey and Aimee Mayo.
Casey James tracklist:
1. The Good Life (Casey James/Scooter Carusoe)
2. Crying On A Suitcase (Lee Thomas Miller/Tom Shapiro/Neil Thrasher)
3. Let’s Don’t Call It A Night (Casey James/Brice Long/Terry McBride)
4. Drive (Casey James/Brad Warren/Brett Warren)
5. Love The Way You Miss Me (Casey James/Brice Long/Terry McBride)
6. Undone (Casey James/Scooter Carusoe)
7. So Sweet (Casey James/Dallas Davidson/Patrick Davis)
8. She’s Money (Casey James/Jaren Johnston)
9. Tough Love (Casey James/Brett James/David Lee Murphy)
10. Workin’ On It (Bob DiPiero/Brandon Kinney/Daniel Tashian)
11. Miss Your Fire (Casey James/Chris Lindsey/Aimee Mayo)
Rethink Music Conference Offers Genesis Competition
/by bossrossPanelists already added to the growing list for next spring include;
Chris Kaskie, President, Pitchfork
Kenneth Parks, Chief Content Officer, Spotify
Jim Lucchese, CEO, The Echo Nest
Rio Caraeff, President & CEO, VEVO
Cecily Mak, VP/General Counsel, Rhapsody International, Inc.
Jim Griffin, Managing Director OneHouse LLC
Anita Elberse, Associate Professor, Harvard Business School
Rethink Music will also host a Hacker’s Weekend April 21st & 22nd in Cambridge, MA at Microsoft’s New England Research & Development Center. (Microsoft N.E.R.D, 1 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA) This will be a weekend for developers, designers, programers, industry insiders and musicians to come together to create new and unique applications across many different platforms. Hackers will have the weekend to build their hack and the three best will be presented at the Rethink Music Conference.
Industry Celebrates Brantley Gilbert’s “Country Wide” No. 1
/by Caitlin Rantala(L-R): Jon Freeman, Brantley Gilbert, Scott Borchetta and George Briner. Photo: Caitlin Rantala
Tuesday night (1/17), music industry professionals joined the Valory Music Co. in congratulating Brantley Gilbert on his first no. 1 hit as an artist, “Country Must Be Country Wide.” The party gathered at Cabana in Nashville, where Gilbert and the single’s songwriters Colt Ford and Mike Dekle were honored.
BMI’s Clay Bradley shared that each time he hears the chorus “In every state, there’s a station / Playing Cash, Hank, Willie and Waylon,” he gets, what he referred to as, the “Music City measles,” causing the hair on the back of his neck to rise. ASCAP’s Marc Driskill and Big Machine Label Group Pres./CEO Scott Borchetta also shared Bradley’s enthusiasm for the song, as they each handed out their congratulatory plaques.
MusicRow also presented the country singer with a no. 1 plaque. Jon Freeman, managing editor and chart director of MusicRow did the honors, noting that “Country Must Be Country Wide” went no. 1 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart on Oct 27, 2011.
Dekle, Ford and Gilbert each shared their gratitude with the crowd.
(L-R): ASCAP’s Marc Driskill, Average ZJs Music Publishing’s Noah Gordon, producer Dann Huff, co-writers Colt Ford and Mike Dekle, Brantley Gilbert, Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation’s Steve Markland, and BMI’s Clay Bradley. Photo by Eric England
“I cried like you hit me with a trace train,” Dekle said, referring to the first time he heard Gilbert’s “Country Must Be Country Wide.”
Ford teared up for a moment when he was given the mic. He expressed how happy he was to see Gilbert greeted with so much success.
But Gilbert was quick to pass the credit on, pointing into the audience to single out his band members. “I’ve got the best band in world,” he said proudly of the musicians, who not only tour with him but also play on his album.
While “Country Must Be Country Wide,” produced by Dann Huff, is Gilbert’s first no. 1 as an artist, it’s not the first time his talent has been recognized. Gilbert also wrote Jason Aldean’s “My Kind Of Party” and “Dirt Road Anthem.” Both songs reached no. 1 status.
After the celebration, Gilbert was headed out of town with Eric Church Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour. The tour kicks off today (1/19) in Fort Smith, AR.