Interview with Pro Boxer and IBF Holder Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi

I recently had the honor of interviewing renowned boxer Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi. I was very much looking forward to this interview for many reasons. First, I am from Brooklyn, so I support my home town heroes vehemently from afar. Secondly, his personality in the ring and mere presence on television are so strong, that I was curious to see if that cocky attitude would come across in the interview.

But I have to say, Paulie was incredibly honest and humble. I was almost stunned by his answers and I think that there is a remarkable depth and sense of self to Paulie. If more boxers knew how to put on a show but also reveal their true selves as Paulie did, this would be an even greater sport. Thank you, Paulie.

And yes... I did reply to his question for me about Amir Khan!

INTERVIEW WITH PAULIE "MAGIC MAN" MAGNAGGI

1. How would you best describe your boxing style? Do you feel that your style developed early on in your training or has evolved over time? I would consider my self a slick boxer, this is the sport of boxing. So, I like to box and move. You always evolve in this sport, you can only keep learning and changing different things as you go along.

2. Do you sense a renewed and greater interest in boxing now than in recent years? If so, do you attribute this to the incredible star-like popularity of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather or to just trends in what people like/follow sports-wise over the years?

Honestly, not sure if boxing has a renewed interest, hopefully it changes.

3. What has been your most memorable fight and why?

Probably the Cotto fight has to be my most memorable fight, but also winning the IBF belt as well. The Cotto was just the highlight of my career, it put Malignaggi on the map. It had a great crowd, great atmosphere, I won't forget that day.

4. Is there anyone you have not fought that you would like to fight? Everyone knows Paulie Malignaggi will fight anyone, I always stepped up to the plate.

5. Did you expect Amir Khan to be such a strong opponent?

Personally, I was a bit surprised so I am curious to know what you thought. He was just a great opponent period, just had skills. He's an all around fighter, that will go far in this sport.

6. You can’t deny that you are somewhat of a polarizing “personality” in boxing. People seem to love or hate you; oddly enough more based on your choice of fashion, your vibrant personality and persona in the ring. Are you just being you or do you deliberately want to bring this element to boxing?

That's just me being me, I have fun with this sport, if you can't enjoy what your doing, no sense of doing it. If people dislike me, then I accept that, it comes with the territory.

7. Do you have any fights scheduled for the near future?

Nothing right now, shooting towards the end of the year, possibly in Italy. I'm filming a movie right now and that has my focus.

8. Any last words or anything you’d like to share with the public?

I'd like to thank everyone for supporting me, and standing behind me 100 percent! I've got the best fans in the world. Also check out my website www.officialmalignaggi.com and follow me on twitter!!! twitter.com/paulmalignaggi

Terry Currier's Record Store Insights!

We recently had the pleasure of an interview with Terry Currier of Music Millennium, who graciously agreed to answer questions on the changing state of the music industry and the status of indie music. The Portland, OR. based record store is the oldest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, and not just a local favorite! SPIN Magazine ranked it the 9th Best Indie Record Store in America, and Paste Magazine named it one of the Coolest Record Stores in America. In anticipation of the Independent Music Conference in MA in November, we asked Terry about his extensive experience selling music and what indie artists can and should be doing. The IMC is an opportunity for indie artists to gather and learn from both each other and industry professionals. Workshops, lectures, and performances, will help independent musicians learn how to promote themselves and create the opportunities they need to succeed.

1. How have you managed to stay open and thrive in the midst of the virtual collapse of all retail outlets, both large and small?

It has not been easy. Business has continued to be on the slide since 2001. The past two years have been the toughest as not only are we dealing with the problems faced by the industry but the economy really hit us and other record music stores hard. There were 7500 record stores in the country in 2002 and less than 2000 today. One of the big problems with today’s landscape of music retail is that almost 80% of the business is being done in the big box retail stores like Wall-Mart, Best Buy and Target. Only 20% of the physical goods business is being done in record store. This is the opposite of what was being done in the mid-70's when the industry was thriving. 80% of the business is being done by people who really don't have any passionate people working on the floor and turning people on to all the great music that still comes out. Most physical music consumers do not go away from those places remembering a good music experience...they definitely are not getting turned onto music there.

2. How familiar are you with the Independent Music Conference?(http://www.imc2010.com/) ? I've heard it is a great place for artists to get a good education on getting their music out to the world. That’s so important and I am glad that there are people who want to share their expertise directly with the musician.

3. Have you noticed any recent trends? For example, are people coming back around, so to speak, to wanting something tangible (ie: CDs, Vinyl, etc)

Vinyl is seeing some revival. Some young music fans are getting into vinyl in a good way. They may have never bought a CD or may digitally download their music but they love the realness of vinyl. CDs should be doing better than they are as prices have dropped quite a bit in recent years, especially on catalog CDs. You can get Ramones classic titles for $7.99....that's a steal! The industry has not done a good job of exploiting this fact to consumers. There are so many great CDs that are cheaper to get than buying the digital album so why are CDs not doing better?

4. What is the percentage of your online sales vs. in-store sales?
Online sales are only about 1% of our business for new product. For used it is about 5%. We have had an online store for over 10 years but it's hard to compete with Amazon , who really has a big lock on the physical goods in the recorded music industry. We have to remember they were spending as much as $15 per CD sold in the beginning to promote what they were doing. They lost tons of money for those first 5 years doing that but they built a brand that a great deal of consumers think of when they think about buying physical recorded music.

5. You still do wonderful things like in-stores and artist promotions. Have you noticed a change in attendance, do you see these appearances impact sales, and how do you select the artists you feature?

We pioneered live music in a record store in 1989 when we put in a permanent stage with a sound system. In 1995 we moved our second location in to a location with live music a main focus of the design. We were doing over 300 live performances a year there. We were forced to shut that location 3 years ago due to rising rents. We still do about 150 performances a year at this location . With the layout of the multi-room store, we can only accommodate up to 250 people to see a performance and that is sardine snug but still a great intimate experience for music fans. Most of the instore performances are not that large as we do a lot of upcoming artists, both local and national. Some instores really help sell product. We have noticed that a certain younger demo that is attracted to some of the performances don't. In many cases they may be digital downloaders and don't buy physical goods. Then there are others where the younger demo will buy the artist on vinyl. We did a street date instore performance with Menomena, a great Portland band on Barsuk Records. We sold 41 Vinyl and 83 CDs that day. That meant about every other person bought something....that is great success for an instore. The most interesting fact to me in that equation is the fact that we sold 1 vinyl to every 2 CDs sold. That is a bright spot to see.

6. Can true Indie artists (self-released) get their product into your store? How?

We really try to back the indie artist all we can. We will take any title in on consignment. We go the extra mile for local artist especially. It's hard for an unknown artist in Pennsylvania to sell in our store if they are not doing something to create a story here in our town so it doesn't make sense to put product in our store all the time. If you are going to tour through here or you get some press in the area (or a national press outlet) by all means you should try to put a few pieces in the store. We will do an instore with a totally unknown band if we like their music. It's important that the artist is trying to do all they can to create a fan base in the area. It doesn't do a lot of good to go through the motions of setting up a live performance in the store for us or the artist if no one is going to come. We will always do what we can on our end and send out press releases to all the local media, twitter, Facebook, displays, etc. However there has to be a compelling reason to get people to make a detour in their lives to come see you. Artists have to remember that great music is not going to get people off their rears unless the people have heard it or someone they believe in endorses it.

7. Any suggestions you have for indie musicians regarding the current state of retail, dealing with stores, and getting their product out there?

I always say that an artist needs to draw a circle with their home-base/fan-base in the center. Once you have done a good job of getting the word out and building that core fan-base you can make that circle bigger by expanding your live shows to other towns, possibly states and growing your fan-base. With modern technology you can also so this on the internet. The music is always the most important piece of the equation. You have to have something that is good and that you really believe in. Do your music because of the music. You then have to look at your musical career as a job and you have to put time into it. You need to learn for others who have done this before and try to learn as much as you can and avoid the pitfalls they may have gone through to get to this point. You need to surround yourself with people that can help you. Not all artists are capable of promoting themselves, managing themselves, putting together their first recorded music project, etc. I bet most have enthusiastic friends or fans that can help them. After building up a following they may even find professionals who want to work with them or professionals they can now afford to help them get press, do marketing, etc.

Thanks to Terry Currier of Music Millennium for taking the time to share his experience! Check out the Independent Music Conference, where people will be gathering to do exactly this: learn from the experts how to make 'indie' a positive and not a negative. We'll be doing more interviews on the same theme and posting them over here, so don't forget to check back there for more industry insights. And for those of you living in Portland, there's a bus, bike, or car waiting to take you to 3158 E. Burnside.

Laurena Selected as the 2010 Independent Music Conference Publicist

GRIT is thrilled to announce that Laurena Marrone Campos has been selected as the official publicist for the 2010 Independent Music Conference! In addition to handling the PR for the conference, she will also offer a workshop for musicians and participate in the music industry panels, representing Indie PR & Promotion. To give a little taste of what is to come, Laurena asked Noel Ramos, Executive Director of the Independence Music Conference, a few questions about independent music and what makes the IMC different and beneficial for you.

Laurena: Give us a brief history of the IMC, please.

Noel: I spent years working with other music conferences, and I found a large number of problems with them. Most notable was the "showcase for us and you might get signed" hype that many of them used to entice musicians to pay $25 to $40 as a "showcase application fee." In truth, no act ever got signed after playing one gig at one music conference. Over the last three decades, hundreds of thousands of bands have "showcased," so if their claims were true, there should have been tens of thousands of signings as a result of all those conference "showcases."

The baloney used to cajole artists into submitting an "application" created an ethos in the music industry like no other profession. Do Teachers, Doctors, Lawyers etc. attend their annual conferences with no other goal in mind than to party, hang out in bars and completely avoid the actual workshops? No, those professionals attend their annual gatherings to learn, network and advance their respective disciplines. I founded the Independent Music Conference as a true professional industry conference for the new independent music market, which I have been heavily involved in since the earliest days of its creation.

The IMC's Mission Statement reads as follows...

The Independent Music Conference seeks first and foremost to help independent musicians achieve their goals as entrepreneurial business owners through the presentation of educational seminars, workshops, panel discussions, mentor sessions networking opportunities, performance instruction, evaluation and critique, and live performances. Secondarily, the IMC seeks to positively affect the entire music conference industry, which for too long, has not presented true professional conferences to the music industry in keeping with standards set by other professions. The IMC seeks to alter the erroneous perceptions of conferences as "festivals," "gigs," and "concerts." The main purposes of any worthwhile industry conference should focus on education and networking. At the Independent Music Conference, musicians are treated like any other professional business person, and by setting a higher standard for music conferences in general, the IMC helps encourage and promote the profession of music to the benefit of all.

Laurena: What do you feel are the top 3 things that set IMC apart from other music conferences?

Noel:
1.) No "showcases," "showcase application fees" or "selections." We charge an extremely low registration fee, that's it. There are no other fees to attend, learn and perform at the IMC. All registrants are encouraged to perform and slots are filled on a first-come first served basis. There is no arbitrary, unrealistic "selection" process. Artists are not promised an audience of "industry people" and no wild claims are made about the performance aspect of the event. Our focus is where it should be, on the education and networking.

2.) Our fee is the lowest, and our conference is the most fully packed with workshops, panels, seminars, mentor sessions, performance instruction and critique, networking opportunities and more. The IMC costs as little as $35 for four full days and nights of intensive education. For the last seven years and 11 events The IMC has consistently attracted over 100 of the most experienced, accessible and knowledgeable industry instructors in the independent music business.

3.) Our track record of credibility. Since 2003 The IMC has persevered using the very same indie methodologies that we teach. For 7 years and more than 11 events The IMC has overcome the same obstacles our attendees face, survived, grown, and expanded into cities all over the country. What we offer is clearly worthwhile, and needed by the serious, professional independent musicians who attend. Most conferences see less than 10% of their registrants actually attending the workshops, but at the IMC we consistently see between 75% - 90%! The core values driving the IMC are, honesty, integrity, courage, commitment, dedication, motivation, inspiration, and perspiration. We strive to educate by example, and remain flexible and adaptive, always seeking to be cutting edge, and present information, contacts, resources and services which are aimed at the future, but rooted in reality.

Laurena: Historically, where have most of the musicians who attend come from (mostly the NE or all over, etc)? Any international participants?

Noel: We have always drawn a significant number of attendees from great distances! Since its inception the IMC has been a truly national conference, with attendees traveling from all over the United States, and from as far away as Canada, Australia, Iceland, Japan and Europe.

Laurena: Media has really exploded over the past year. How will the IMC help to educate musicians as to how to keep up with it all?

Noel: In the 90s, I founded the very first email discussion group for independent music on the web. Since the late 80s I've been a trailblazer for the independent music market, and as an early adopter, I used the internet to promote and advance the industry, helping it grow from a handful of artists and businesses into a multi-billion dollar, global industry. The IMC has always been on the cutting edge of the internet and new technologies. We have long been teaching the techniques, tactics, tips and methods for utilizing social networking sites as well as all other effective technologies that indies can use to their advantage. We help our attendees zero in on what works and what will only distract. In an age of media overload, sometimes less is more, and effectiveness is always key. Each IMC features a number of panels, workshops and mentor sessions specifically geared toward helping our attendees stay focused and make sense of it all.

Laurena: What can an unsigned indie artist expect to take away from the Conference?

Noel: Well we don't feel that "getting signed" was ever a truly viable business model. Therefore we don't invite "unsigned" artists, we invite independent entrepreneurs, who may or may not wish to sign a contract with a company that might serve as their "record label" dependent on any number of factors. So I'd say that's one of the most important take-aways right there... we help them define their business goals, and implement a plan to achieve them. None of our attendees are "UN" anything! They are "IN," as in independent, and even if they choose to enter into various contractual relationships to advance their career, they will still remain; INdependent, IN charge, IN control, INspired and INvincible!

Laurena: What made you decide against paid "showcases"? About how many artists will be performing and at how many venues?

Noel: I detailed most of my reasons in my answer to question no.1, but let me add that I call it the "S-word" because to me it's become much like a curse word that represents all that was wrong with the music conference industry. Over the years, "showcases" have been at the root of all the dissatisfaction, unrealistic expectations, missed opportunities and in many cases blatant scams that have plagued the events that SHOULD have been professional industry gatherings, not an excuse to exploit the musicians.

At IMC2010, we expect to have well over 100 performances. We currently have 5 stages confirmed. Other venues may confirm their involvement, which will increase our capacity for more shows. I'd like to have as many as 150 performances occurring over 4 nights at the hotel itself and throughout Northampton.

Laurena: How do the sponsors interact with the participants, what is their role?

Noel: Sponsors are the life-blood of the IMC, more so than any other conference, because in the independent music industry, we all wear many hats, so our sponsors are also instructors, staff members, volunteers, Mentors, Panelists, performers and more. The IMC has been extremely fortunate to have the support of a large number of key industry people who have been with us since the very beginning. Their contributions of time, money, goods and services, experience, knowledge, skill, networking and most importantly BELIEF and SUPPORT are what make each IMC as effective and successful as they have been.

Laurena: What should a musician do to make the most out of the conference?

Noel: I wrote an entire Primer on the subject, entitled appropriately, "How to Get the Most Out of Attending a Music Conference" and I invite musicians to download it for free:
http://intermixx.com/downloads

Laurena: What types of industry representatives take part in the conference? (DJs, label owners, distributors, etc)

Noel: Each IMC has featured a large number of industry attendees, more than most conferences, even those that are much larger and more expensive. Sometimes as many as 125 independent music industry people converge on the IMC, to teach, network, Mentor, instruct, critique, demonstrate their products and services, and contribute to the conference in many ways. They come from every corner of the market: Managers, Booking Agents, Venue Owners, Authors, Publicists, Media People, Recording Studio owners, Performance Coaches, Producers, Lawyers, Financial Experts, Technology Gurus, Internet pioneers, indie label owners, successful musicians, music organization owners, industry icons and famous performers and so many more...

Laurena: Are there any artists we may be familiar with scheduled to perform?

Noel: That's a topic we discuss actually! What is the new definition of "success?" Does an artist have to be "famous" in order to succeed? If "we" don't recognize their name, does that mean they are not famous, or successful, or... HAPPY? There are many artists scheduled to perform who are famous... to their fans, and in the new independent music market, that is more valid than you might imagine.

Laurena: Tell us how to register and if there's a limit on the number of registrations.

Noel: No limit! http://www.IMC2010.com, click the REGISTER link.

Laurena: Thank you!!

We'll post more news here as we move towards the Conference! If you like what you've heard, or just want an excuse to visit beautiful Massachusetts in the fall, head on over and check out the agenda.

Grit PR Expands Into the Athletic Arena

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
August 4, 2010 -- Amateur and professional athletes looking for a publicist have a new option: independent PR firm Grit PR & Consulting LLC. Already an accomplished firm with clients like the Emmy-nominated musicians Gangstagrass, Grit PR is officially opening its doors to athletes, with a particular focus on boxers. The firm provides their clients with publicity, marketing, radio promotion, tour press, product launches, social networking and more.
"Our client base is so diverse that this is a natural expansion," said Laurena Marrone Campos, the firm's president. Representing music groups, fashion designers, and even clowns, Grit PR has already established a colorful clientele. Selecting athletics generally and boxers specifically was a natural next step for the firm. A boxer herself, Ms. Campos's love of the sport drove her to represent athletes hoping to establish a name for themselves in both the professional and amateur worlds. "I love the sport," Ms. Campos said, "I love the complexity, the challenge and the camaraderie."
This will undoubtedly be a boon for athletes as there are currently very few economical publicists in sports. Sports franchises Alive MMA and Jana Simms Boxing have already signed up, and more are expected soon. Interested candidates can contact Grit PR at gritpc@gmail.com, or call (503)887-2644. The firm is currently reviewing candidates for an introductory 3 month complimentary media and marketing campaign.
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Interview with Emmy Award Winning Makeup Artist Patterson Regarding NOVA Fashion Week!

Interview with Emmy Award Winning Makeup Artist Susan Patterson

1. What made you decide to participate in NOVA Fashion Week (NOVAFW) and how do you feel about the event concept and location overall?
I have always wanted to become involved in a community based event in my hometown region that was a good fit for my professional talents and cosmetics retail business, and that shared a passion for charity work. NOVAFW was that perfect opportunity that finally came along, and I jumped at the chance to be a part of a fast growing popular event that was very successful in its maiden run last year. I very much like the fact that this is run like good business plan which, as a business owner, I can really identify with! Best of all, their business focus is on raising money for worthy charities.

2. As an artist working with another artist (the designer), do you incorporate and/or suggest your own ideas for each model?
I definitely think that good collaboration between the clothing designer and the makeup/hair stylists is essential in pulling off a fabulous look for the model that shows the piece well on the runway. The designers are just as visual as the artists, so they often contribute great ideas that help build the budding concept into the best design achievement. It’s very much similar to the way a movie or TV series makeup/hair department is run. We will have production meetings with the director’s conceptual input on the character’s look that we incorporate in to our makeup designs. We then work up charting within the actor’s ability to carry off the look.

As the show’s makeup and hair department head, I have to have the best Key Makeup Artist on the line with the best makeup artists and assists working under her. My key on this event, Victoria Stiles, is a highly accomplished Virginia fashion/editorial/print makeup artist in her own right and fashion shows are one of her specialties. The hair stylists we bring in will also be working with us to bring the concept full circle in hair design.

3. Can you please tell me a little about your Emmy(s) and what that means to you as an artist?
It was a great honor to be nominated again, and this year for a National Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Design. It was for special makeup effects on an Easter special shown on CBN-TV last year. My previous win was a Regional Team Emmy for a commercial for the ABC-TV regional series, Choose to Save. It also involved special makeup effects.

Just being nominated for Televisions’ highest award is a great achievement because it comes from your peers who are at the top of the craft, and who find your work worthy of this prestigious nod.

4. Is there a particular makeup line that you use/endorse?
Having worked in film and television for so many years you come to depend on high performance makeup that not only meets or exceeds the criteria of a long shoot day, but looks completely natural on or off the set, especially in HDTV. Graftobian Makeup and Natural Born Cosmetics are two of my staple lines that I use almost exclusively now because they meet my high standards for the work I have to do in HDTV. I particularly love the skin care from Natural Born, because it was formulated for very hyper-sensitive skins, like mine, so I am definitely a walking testimony to the effectiveness of this line. Good skin care is really crucial now for actors, especially those appearing in HD. It is now more about how good the skin is under makeup rather than how good the makeup looks on the skin! You can see more of the skin in high resolution (HD) than you ever could before, so actors are really having to step up their skin care with good products that really do work.

5. What are two things about you that the media doesn't know, but you wish they did?
Number 1: Our store, Paint and Powder Cosmetics was created nearly 6 years ago solely as a source of income for the charity we support in South Africa, called Baby Haven. All of the proceeds of our sales go to them in support of their work in saving the lives of abandoned and dying newborn aids babies and toddlers.

Number 2: I have been working with the military for the past 7 years utilizing my special makeup effects skills in helping to train military combat medics in casualty simulation. This is the most rewarding experience that I have been involved in, and it’s a tremendous feeling knowing you are using your skills towards an end that may directly help save a life on the battlefield! On a very personal side: as the wife of an Army Colonel, and the mom of two soldiers who served valiantly in Iraq, this is particularly meaningful to me, that I can serve my country this way.

Thank you to Suzanne, a kind and incredible artist. We wish you much continued success!