Tunejar iChat interview with Gabby.
By TJ Stafford
Note: the author wishes to apologize for his lack of punctuation and his fascination with the wink faced emoticon

So how many jobs do you have right now?

Hahaha- Well… technically speaking, 2, but my title at EMI is extensive… EMI went through a massice restructure… and, from that…my new title; College and Specialty Radio Marketing Manager for the Capitol Music Group (includes, Capitol, Virgin, Astralwerks, Blue Note and Manhattan records) …yeah…2 formats for all of EMI run by only me. My 2nd job is Managing the band Paper Rival.

EMI’s not much for short job titles huh? Maybe they could’ve saved some paper and not laid off so many people.

Hahaha….we like making a splash with our job titles!

I’ll get to the EMI job in a second. What was the path that eventually lead there? How’d you get started in music?

At 19 I met 2 guys at my college who were jocks at the alt. rock station (Monterey, CA) we started talking about music and bands, they asked me to come in and see if I’d like interning… started in December of 2002…. after 6 months, I was named music director and had the mid day shift. (Over those 6 months…those guys kept putting me on their shifts with them. they were training me to be an on air personality without me knowing) after a few months, I had a sat. Night shift 8-10pm. 9-10 I played only new music, on my specialty show.

After doing that for a while, I asked for more time. It became 6-10 and 8-10 was my specialty show…then, I got handed mid days on top of it. I was at KMBY for 3 years until the station flipped formats… June 2006. Through networking and my industry contacts…I was linked to a Programming director in Albany NY. WHRL needed a music director/mid day host. In August of 2006, I moved to Albany. Clear channel made lots of changes and in April of 07, I had 4 interviews in one day…ranging from MTV, to AOL to Atlantic Records and here, Astralwerks. This was the 2nd time Astralwerks knocked on my door …and I figured, there was something behind that. I took the Astralwerks gig and said peace out to radio. I started taking care of college and specialty radio… and it’s extended from Astralwerks to all of EMI now.

My “interview” here, consisted of listening to new music with my current boss, Dave Lombardi. Besides that he’s an amazing boss to have; he played me amazing bands. The first band Dave played was Air Traffic and the song was “Shooting Star.” About 13 seconds into the song, I said..”OK! Sign me up! If that’s who/what I get to work, I’m in!!”

I’m fortunate enough to be involved in the lives of bands like Air Traffic, We Are Scientists, The Kooks and 30STM. Those bands continuously encourage me to climb the mountains that lay in my paths. Couldn’t ask for anything better.

So, not really peace out to radio…you’re still in it to an extent.
Are you now the heavy label hand that tells them what to play?

I’ve always told’em what to play, but now I do it on the record side, and for more than one label

How has radio’s relevance changed since you’ve been involved in it? From your perspective, is its relevance still significant? The same? Changing? What’s its role in a bands progression, especially with the significant use of the Internet in promotion? And how do you fit in that progression?

Ok let me think about that one…

Take your time…pretty soon I’m hittin’ you with the personal questions. Gotta create some scandal, maybe get you in US Weekly

HA…Great. Radio is and always will be a very vital element to the success of music and a bands progression. The way it functions and its uses will, however, continuously evolve. What the music industry is trying to do is catch up. There’s multiple outlets in radio…not just a cracked mic over the air, there’s websites, and using things like podcasts. There are stations that do email and/or text blasts to their listeners. The key is getting your band in front of those listeners…now not all radio promo is great, but they are all worth something. Having your band play acoustic at a station for a bunch of listeners does work…if each person tells 2 friends about the band, you’ve done your job. My ultimate goal is to help bands. It’s very simple sounding but very extensive in result and progression…

You feel like radio’s grasped the new model a little better than the labels have? Shocking Have you found your purist approach more difficult since working at a major label?

There’s an element of negativity in all industries, especially music (recently). People seem to forget why we fell into this circus and why we cared in the first place. Bands are THE hardest working people I know and, to continue working that hard, they need to know there are people in this industry and people working behind/around them that still have faith, believe in what we’re working towards. It is very difficult to let the negativity and $ driven promotions cloud your eyes but my passion and the passion that I watch in bands, keeps me level headed and driven. Radio will always be faster than the labels… because radio is a daily and hourly driven force, plus a listener oriented element. Labels are dipping in 18 baskets at once, every second of the day. And, a lot of the time the consumer is forgotten or neglected. Radio has a focused purpose: gain listeners, play as much new music as you can, respect the bands that built the genre base before now, entertain the listeners, keep them engaged and, keep up with technology. Radio is always trying to improve and beat their competitor…in every way.

Many of the major labels have taken a ’sky is falling’ approach with the progression of music and the Internet. You feel that at EMI? Or has it started to grasp the grass roots approach that the Internet has created? How do you see those two worlds melding?
By the way, this is great stuff…. you sound really smart over iChat

Lol, thanks. Labels are doing the same thing, but I see it as too many things are happening at once. Instead of working on one major issue at a time to improve the rest, and possibly make those things easier to deal with…there’s a lot of whirlwind. I don’t feel that at EMI or, I wouldn’t be here. It’s not the end of the world; it’s the end of an era. EMI has been completely fantastic with the evolvement of online capability.

I can proudly say Astralwerks alone has become majority digital sales driven. That’s the end all goal. Because as Virgin Mega Stores close their doors and Amazon hops on the digital download train, we have to find ways to stay in the game without shipping 15k records to a population that isn’t interested in reading liner notes or buying more CD shelving. EMI realized and continues to realize what could be the defeat and currently, I really feel the pieces falling in to place to change with the flow of iTunes and blogs.

Speaking of what you personally do in the industry, I happened to spend a lot of time with you at SXSW, and I noticed a lot of drinking at different events and shows. If that was all on the EMI tab, I’m bummed I didn’t get more drinks bought for me, you get my job application, by the way?

Hahahahah yeah…about that…

How do you fit managing an up and coming band like Paper Rival into the load you carry at the label? Do the two fit together? And how do those two perspectives compliment each other?

Paper rival is a band I’ve believed in for the last 4 years. I’ve seen them change drummers, change genres and even, change band names. They completely fit into my puzzle of wanting to help, and proving to bands; there are real music people left in this industry. I know key elements to making a band work. Tour tour tour, be in front of as many people as you can and on a constant basis…be it, youtube videos, sitting at your merch table after every show, myspace blogs or even calling in for a radio station phone interview. I’ve been the programmer and now, I’m the one telling a programmer what to play. In and around those two things, I’ve watched and analyzed bands, and become close to many of them. I am the band “Mom” if you will.

“Hot mom”…..if I may.

LOL… Gee thanks

P.R. has never had a manager…. which is basically the upper, guiding hand. When they started having creative differences with their label, I stepped into that “buffer” zone. It’s definitely a learning process, but one I’m willing to adapt to. Most bands just need someone to remind them, “What you’re doing does and will matter” reminding them that their dream wasn’t lost in the process. Bands can easily be discouraged…I’m tired of that happening, and I definitely won’t let it happen to Paper Rival.

I know you were a part of the launch of TuneJar at SXSW in Austin and continue to spread the word as a team member. What sets TuneJar apart in your opinion?

TuneJar is a brilliant concept. It’s a diverse group of professionals that grasp the new model, are sick of the old one, and want to promote good music for the music’s sake. They give bands a chance to be heard that usually wouldn’t have a chance, and their unique position in the entertainment industry puts the bands in front of people that can make big things happen. It’s not about how many “friends” you have, or how many plays you get a day. Tunejar is about exposure, development and growth. Along with that, Tunejar gives each and every band a priority spotlight. The exclusivity and quality of the site ensure that there’s not an ounce of wasted spotlight. It’s definitely exciting to watch and be a part of.

To the real question: how does your dating life fit in? Or is it just another piece of your life you use to further the music revolution?

Dating life? What’s that? Put it this way… I’ve always been vry driven and determined. I fell into radio, and kept having opportunities put at my feet. By all means, I earned every one but always continue to learn along the way… I see it as; I’m dating a roster of bands and every single one of them depends on me for emotional, and mental support along with rock star success in this industry. It’s easiest to either stay single or, find someone who isn’t necessarily in it, but understands it… that’s extremely tough to find.
I grew up with 2 older brothers and in a big Italian family. We’ve always functioned differently than your average group. I matured with a broad mind and have always been comfortable around guys. I find that usually because of that, I’m the “oooh you’re fun and you think logically.. your life is so exciting and intriguing” kind of girl…then, after 2 weeks of going to a show with me every night…watching me be surrounded by guys and “rock stars” on a constant basis…watching me answer managers or band phone calls at 3 am on a Tuesday… they say “ok ok! Oh my god, I can’t do it!” I’m tough to keep up with. Most guys can’t deal with a chick that is always surrounded by guys and, has 2 cell phones And I won’t break my golden rule of “no bands and no industry guys..” that’s just a little too much to handle. Since that’s all I’m surrounded by…I’ve just hung on the single wagon.

Musical whore…. metaphorically speaking maybe that can be the title of the interview

HAHAHAHA…

Gabriella D’Agostino is currently the College and Specialty Radio Marketing Manager for the Capitol Music Group, EMI. (Astralwerks, Capitol, Virgin and Blue Note) Living in NYC

www.paperrival.com
www.astralwerks.com