Category: First Person

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You Sing I Write Adventures: A Day In the Life with Annie Reuter

Photo Credit: Emily Tan

I was talking with my friend and colleague, Monica (photo above), about the blog this past week and she said she wants to read more about my adventures. In her words, “I find you more interesting than some of the bands out there.” She suggested I start a column with a behind-the-scenes look at a day in my life. I figured I’d give it a whirl this week since the past month has been surreal. Love to know your thoughts and feedback!

INTERVIEWING HANSON
 
A few weeks ago, I received an email from Hanson’s publiscist about setting up an interview. Since I’ve been writing for a few publications, I wasn’t sure if he found me through another outlet or my blog, so I asked him. Turns out he found my blog and reached out to me directly.

HANSON.

“MMMBOP.”

The band my friends had huge crushes on in middle school.

My seventh grade self was in disbelief. When I got word I’d be interviewing heartthrob Taylor Hanson, I had to message one of my best friends from middle school to tell her the news.

The interview went really well and Taylor proved to be extremely considerate and detailed with every answer. I was a little worried when he took nearly six minutes to answer my first question, but luckily I was able to ask everything I needed within our nearly half hour chat. This totally made up for my awkward days in middle school.

And guess what, he says he isn’t tired of performing “MmmBop” after all these years. I find that hard to believe. Check out their latest video below for single “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin'” based on film, The Blues Brothers. Stay tuned for my complete interview in the upcoming weeks.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmG0DqhfDbY]

MEETING GASLIGHT ANTHEM IN BROOKLYN

Last Friday, Monica, Wendy and I headed into Brooklyn to celebrate friend and fellow music journalist Emily’s birthday. After an artery clogging meal at Chip Shop, frozen hot chocolate to die for, an impromptu stop at Southpaw and a few packed vintage stores later, we headed back to the car. Coming out of a restaurant with takeout bags in their hands were two guys that HAD to be in a band. After getting a closer look I realized they were from Gaslight Anthem, Jersey’s very own up-and-coming rock stars, and a group I’ve been trying to interview for nearly two years now.

I wish I could say I didn’t act like a stalker and casually continued to the car, but I HAD to say hi! I approached the guys and asked rather eagerly if they were Gaslight Anthem to which they said yes and we chatted for a few minutes.

Monica and I told lead singer Brian Fallon that we used to work with drummer Benny Horowitz in college at Rutgers’ newspaper, The Daily Targum. He told us about moving to Brooklyn, missing Jersey and their current tour schedule. Meanwhile, I tried to maintain my composure without sounding like a crazy fan because they’re all I listen to at full blast while driving around Jersey. Apparently, I’m the first person that’s recognized them on the street, although bassist Alex Levine told me they’ve been mistaken for Depeche Mode.

As we were saying our goodbyes, they told me to reach out to their publicist about setting up an interview. Hopefully, this time around it’ll actually happen. I’ll keep you posted!


VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH COLBIE CAILLAT

Last weekend was jam-packed with Brooklyn festivities, my friend Sarah’s bridal shower and bachelorette party and an interview with Colbie Caillat. I’ve interviewed Colbie on the phone before, so I was excited to chat in person. I’ve been listening to her for the past three years, ever since my cousin from California tuned me onto her music, so I was especially looking forward to finally meet her.

Colbie turned out to be so incredibly sweet and such a great interview. She told me of her stage fright and how she still gets nervous before every performance. This put me at ease, because I also get nervous before each interview. Up until the moment I sit down and ask my first question I’m freaking out inside, regardless the artist or if it’s a phoner or in-person interview. It’s always a relief to know I’m not the only one!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MHl1HDTe3s]

BACKSTREET’S BACK

Monday, I relived my childhood when catching Backstreet Boys perform a free show in New York. Wendy and I showed up a little after 8 a.m. and right away got a wave from Brian Littrell (Gasp! He was my childhood crush). If you knew me back in middle and high school, I was a BSB fanatic. Posters covering every inch of my room, concert tickets to each tour, and knowing every obscure bit of trivia about each member in the band. Heck, I was seriously convinced I would marry a Backstreet Boy one day. (I’m not even joking…)

Crazy, I know. But, this music obsession is what led me to who I am today. So, I guess I have BSB to thank for becoming a music journalist.

After their on-camera interview and performance, Brian came to the back of the stage and told Wendy, “See, I told you I’d come say hi,” before shaking both our hands. (!!!!!)

While we’re no longer 13-years-old and convinced we’ll date a BSB, it was still a gesture I’ll remember in the years to come. Let’s just hope I interview them sometime too.

If I learned anything this past week it’s that sometimes life isn’t always what you’ve imagined it would be, it’s even better. If you wait long enough and chase your dreams (no matter how crazy people think you are), at the end of the day, it will be worth every second. KTBSPA.

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Features First Person

You Sing, I Write’s Top 5 Moments of 2009

Photo Credit: Wendy Hu

As 2009 rolls to a close all the major publications and music sites are doing year end and decade album favorites. While I’ve considered doing a similar write-up, I really feel that the results are completely subjective. Who’s to say what the No. 1 album of the year is? We all have different music taste and while my favorite album may be within the country genre, you might disagree.

Instead, I’ve decided to pick my top 5 moments of 2009. Whether it was traveling on my own to a festival or interviewing one of my favorite bands, since you’ve all been following my adventures on the blog and Twitter I thought you’d be interested in some of my favorites. I’d absolutely love to hear which show or interview you’ve enjoyed reading about in the comments. 2010 will be a big year for You Sing, I Write and I cannot wait to share it with you. Thanks so much for your support over the years. Without your continuous comments and feedback, You Sing, I Write wouldn’t be what it is today.

Top 5 Music Moments of 2009

5. Becoming a Country Music Fan

This may seem peculiar as a top moment, but since attending the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee, in June I have become a country music addict. Whether it’s subscribing to numerous country newsletters or watching music videos on CMT and GAC, I can’t get enough! While I’m sure Taylor Swift had something to do with it, I’ve come to realize that the country genre is unlike any other.

The community between artist and fan is phenomenal and even the press are extremely welcoming. I remember my first night in the CMA press conference and being extremely nervous because the biggest country stars would be there for interviews. Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley! A Jersey girl covering the Nashville music scene, I was definitely a country newbie. I kept raising my hand throughout the night in hopes to squeeze a question in and quickly learned you have to be aggressive and shout out your questions to the artists. Lucky for me, Darius Rucker noticed my continuous unsuccessful attempts and while the PR person was ushering him off the stage he pointed to me and said, “You’ve been so patient this whole time. What’s your question?” I was shocked and humbled.

Later that night, the concert at LP Field was postponed three hours because of a storm, and Rucker was mingling with fans in the rain until the show continued. I don’t know many artists who would wait alongside their fans for three hours in the rain. This is just one example of many in how I fell in love with country music. Interviewing Martina McBride, Holly Williams, David Nail, Taylor Swift and Jake Owen (pictured above) are moments I’ll never forget.

4. Festival Coverage

From past internships at MTV and Rolling Stone, I was always super jealous of the editors who traveled the country and covered festivals like South By Southwest and Lollapalooza. While I always aspired to work for a publication that would send me for free, I never fathomed attending one for myself. However, this was the case of South By Southwest.

Having been laid off at my full-time job back in February and becoming frustrated with the job search, I decided March needed a change of scenery. After talking to a fellow Jersey girl who was looking for a roommate in Austin, Texas, and being promised that I’d be able to purchase a badge when I arrived, I decided, on a whim, to attend South By Southwest.

My first trip anywhere by myself, I hopped on the plane a bit skeptical, but extremely excited nonetheless. I set up a few interviews for the blog and wound up covering my adventures for Marie Claire. By far one of my most memorable life experiences, South By Southwest was the start of my festival-filled year. The Country Music Festival and All Points West soon followed where I traveled with friends to Nashville and later Liberty State Park to interview some incredible up-and-coming bands who later exploded onto the music scene. For a music journalist, there is nothing better than that.

3. Attending Zootopia, Jingle Ball and the VMA’s

If you told me 10 years ago that I’d be attending and interviewing the performers of New York ra
dio station Z100’s Zootopia and Jingle Ball concert I would have never believed you. I grew up listening to Z100 and would frequently call to win tickets to their two biggest shows of the year. To be backstage and in the press ro
om interviewing the bands before they took the stage was incredible and something I could only wish for as a child. Now, if only one of the bands there were the Backstreet Boys my life would be complete!

As for MTV’s Video Music Awards, it was always a dream to attend and witness one of the most talked about award shows live. Whether it was being part of Taylor Swift’s performance or talking to the artists on the red carpet, the VMA’s really were exactly what I dreamed them to be. Although, I never imagined all the drama that one artist (ahem, Kanye) could create. A memory nonetheless. From Zootopia to the VMA’s, both events deepened my life motto to follow your bliss.

2. Hosting a benefit concert for To Write Love On Her Arms with Monica

I talked about our benefit concert for TWLOHA last week and how it started with an article I wrote three years ago in college. While depression, self mutilation and addiction continue to be taboo topics, the word is slowly getting out. It was our hope to present awareness to these issues through music. Throughout our planning over the past few months, we often said the only thing we couldn’t control was the weather and that proved to be true when the blizzard of 2009 reigned on us last Saturday afternoon.

I’m a huge believer in everything happens for a reason. So, when the weather forecasters predicted 10 inches of snow I was hoping mother nature would prove them wrong. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. With two band cancellations and constant messages from people saying they wouldn’t be able to make it, we were a bit worried. But, there is no person I could have relied on more in a time of crisis than Monica. We both dealt with our frustrations and with the help of Chloe from TWLOHA found a last minute performer to the lineup.

Despite the snow, we drew over 100 people to our benefit concert (including founder Jamie Tworkowski!), raised hundreds of dollars for TWLOHA and introduced the crowd to four new artists who are sure to make waves in the music scene. Knowing that so many would risk their lives and make the trek in a blizzard for a worthy cause was humbling and we were extremely grateful.

1. Visiting Graceland

I’ve been listening to Elvis Presley for as long as I can remember and it’s always been a dream of mine to visit his home at Graceland. Just walking through his house and seeing the Jungle Room, countless exhibits and making my way outside to his firing range, stables and memorial was incredibly surreal. He had such an impact on the music world and to be able to experience his sanctuary and place of escape was an experience I will never forget.

What do you think of my top 5 list? I’d love to know what you enjoyed reading this year, whether it be interviews or concert reviews, let me know!

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Features First Person News

The Article That Began It All

While being interviewed recently by Planet Verge about my blog and the benefit for To Write Love On Her Arms this coming Saturday, I was asked how I first became interested in TWLOHA. It’s something I’ve been talking about a lot lately and I thought I’d share my answer with you and the article that started it all below.

You aren’t just another girl writing about “must know” bands; you’re also involved with the organization, To Write Love On Her Arms. Can you tell us about how you first became interested in collaborating with TWLOHA?
I’m a huge Switchfoot fan and it was through them that I first heard about TWLOHA. I can’t exactly remember if it was at a show, or seeing Jon Foreman wearing their T-shirt in photos, but I was curious about the organization and did some research. I really liked the idea behind TWLOHA, presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide, and wrote about them for a paper in college.

From interviewing three girls in college struggling with depression and self-injury, I realized this was an issue that needed to be talked about. I pitched my article to a few of my internships, but for one reason or another they never ran the article. I was brainstorming with my friend Monica of The Jew Spot (who is hosting the benefit show with me) over the summer and we wanted to celebrate our blog anniversaries, but also raise money for a good cause and I suggested TWLOHA. In a way, this benefit is getting word out about the organization where my unpublished article failed.

You can read the rest of the Planet Verge interview with me here.

As for my article, I will post it in it’s entirety below. Submitted to my magazine writing class in December of 2006, I find it strikingly serendipitous that I was writing it just around this time three years ago, don’t you? Read below as I interview three girls who have struggled with depression and self-mutilation as well as a counselor at Rutgers and former TWLOHA staffer.

CUTTING
December 20, 2006

The Dangerous Coping Mechanism
By Annie Reuter

Paige* started cutting the summer of freshman year of high school. For Paige, cutting gave her control. While she typically used a razor, she said once she shattered a mirror and used that. “I hated myself. I liked cutting because I could control how much I bled,” she says.

Her depression began in middle school after her neighbor started raping her when she babysat for his little sister. In middle school Paige was depressed, stopped eating and had poor self esteem. She eventually went with a friend to her youth minister and told him about cutting and that she needed help. Paige’s youth minister accompanied her home to tell her parents, who were in shock. “No one really understands why you cut yourself. No one wants to say anything about it,” she said.

For many, cutting is a way to cope with inside pain or emotional pain, explained Marta Aizenman, a counselor with a practice in Princeton and director of the counseling and psychological services at the School of Environment and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University.

“When a person does not know what to do or how to cope what they are experiencing, their body becomes the vehicle to experience that. It’s similar to how a painter experiences painting. A person uses their body to express what they are feeling and what they are feeling is a lot of negative emotion,” Aizenman said.

While cutting tends to start in adolescents or earlier, it’s also frequently seen in high school and college.

Eventually Paige started counseling, but was reluctant. “I didn’t want to go at first,” she says. “It’s like you’re admitting you have a problem and you want to fix it on your own, not go to counseling.”

Therapy is often a major way to combat cutting. “Therapy is very important here because the result is something the person is feeling and those feelings are a result of something that happened in their life. If they find ways to cope, or process ways to cut they feel better,” Aizeman said. She says cutters should take alternative routes to cutting, such as go for a walk or find other ways to release tension.

While even today cutting isn’t talked about completely, there are organizations reaching out to help others deal with depression. One such organization came about rather unexpectedly, from an article written in Relevant Magazine by Jamie Tworkowski. His story was about one girl, Renee, and five days of her life before she went to a clinic for cutting. Lauren Ranzino, director of counseling and organizations for To Write Love On Her Arms talked of how it all began.

“Basically someone brought Renee to treatment. She was addicted to cutting, attempted suicide and was so bad to the point that they said, ‘We can’t take you, and we don’t have the facilities to take you, come back in five days.’ Jaime asked her if he could write about it in Relevant Magazine and he wrote her story, called To Write Love On Her Arms,” Ranzino said.

A group of people, who now work for the organization, started selling shirts to raise money for Renee’s rehab, lead singer/guitarist Jon Foreman of Switchfoot being the first person to wear the shirt. Anberlin, Underoath, and Memoranda are some other bands that have also been wearing the shirts and involved in the Stop the Bleeding Tour, which brings music, counselors, and awareness to the issue of cutting. “The tour is more doing what we do everyday on the road so people can put a face to everything and talk to us in person and meet counselors in their area who come to the event,” Ranzino said.

To Write Love On Her Arms is mainly based out of their MySpace page, where people can leave comments and emails. “We don’t solicit people. We don’t go and try to find people necessarily. We’ll get emails written or messages on MySpace everyday. People come to us and don’t feel condemned or crazy. It’s a place to find hope, help and healing,” Ranzino says.

Ranzino feels part of the huge response to the organization is the anonymity of everything. “Remaining anonymous in the beginning is a v
ery serene thing because they don’t need to be found out by
their family. We want to know if they want to tell us, but we don’t force anything out of them.” In fact, in many instances, when Ranzino asks who else knows about the person’s cutting, no one else does. “It’s a very secretive thing and for anyone to come to us is an honor and a very unique place to be.”

To Write Love On Her Arms are not trained professionals or counselors and they make sure the people they’re reaching know this. “A lot of what I do is encourage them, tell them you’re not crazy if you go to a psychologist, they’re there to help us cope with things,” Ranzino said. While Ranzino says there are many different reasons as to why someone decides to cut themselves, she feels that at the core of it, people don’t have anyone to talk to about their problems.

This was the case for Emily.

While many events led Emily into experimenting with cutting, one of her reasons was a loss of feeling she had a confidant to tell things to. One of her friends was in treatment for nine months for cutting, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder and her close friends had been superficial and judgmental of that friend.

Emily began cutting when she was 15 years old and cut regularly, at least three or four times a week until July of her sophomore year when she was hospitalized for suicidal thoughts and her parents found out about her cutting. She suffered from anorexia as well, and cutting became a common routine if she didn’t live up to her ideal daily calorie intake. Since then, Emily has gone back to cutting in instances when she’s feeling intense emotions or is upset about making a bad decision. “Basically, if I can’t verbalize, or feel as though the feelings I feel are wrong or inappropriate, I cut.”

Currently, Emily works at a psych hospital and says many of the adolescents and adults she’s come in contact with have problems with self-mutilation. “It’s like people are crying for help, showing that we’re in pain and we need something, anything, and no one wants to talk about what can help us get through it. There is very little research in the psychology literature and people are so ashamed.”

However, Emily is no longer ashamed of cutting. “I don’t want my family to know that I’ve relapsed right now, because I feel like I’ve let them down and it scares them, the whole idea of hurting your own body intentionally. But with friends that I truly trust and with my therapists I am totally open with the fact that I have this maladaptive coping mechanism. It’s what I do. I want help, I want to stop again, but right now, it’s how I deal.”

The years of adolescence are often a hard adjustment for many girls. Confusion of changing bodies, sexual identity, and uncertainty may lead some to cutting. This was the case of Michelle**, 20, who started cutting in eighth grade. “A lot of it is tied up with development and sexuality, but I had been feeling depressed and unsure about myself and where I was going in life independently of that.” Luckily for Michelle, in ninth grade she found a group of friends who helped her feel less depressed and her cutting decreased. “Cutting became a way for me to calm down from specific stressful situations instead of a gesture of depression.”

However, as her academic pressures built up throughout high school she became more dependent on cutting to focus and get through long nights of work. “I would feel lots of anxiety about starting a paper or being able to finish all my work on time, and cutting myself would help me feel calmer about it all,” she says. Once she entered college she continued cutting, with more intense periods around finals, but she has decided to stop cutting.

“Taking the semester off and admitting this is a real problem in my life has dedicated me to that course of action. My boyfriend and the friends who know I cut are proud of me for this, and their support has been incredibly helpful. I’ve realized I can’t keep dealing with my emotions in such an indirect, self-destructive manner, and that cutting is preventing me from achieving the happiness and confidence that I want in my life. I know I can stop; I have always known that once I decided to stop I would stop.”

In order to change any behavior, including cutting, the person doing harm to herself has to want to change. While it is proven that counseling can help, the person has to decide, like Michelle, on her own that it is time to stop. With organizations such as TWLOHA and more women speaking out about their experiences cutting, society may be able to get over its fear of self-mutilation through spreading awareness and understanding.

*Wishes to use first name only
**Name changed upon request

Related Links:
• Two Year Blog Anniversary/Benefit Concert Saturday!
• You Sing, I Write + The Jew Spot Present A Benefit For TWLOHA
• You Sing, I Write Celebrates Two Years
• Why Benefit To Write Love On Her Arms?

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Features First Person

“I Want To Work For Diddy 2? Audition Recap

Those of you who know me are already aware that I’m not the most outspoken person in the world. In fact, I’m more the sit back and observe type of girl. In normal circumstances this isn’t the end-all, but when trying out for a reality show it definitely won’t get you hired. At least that’s what I learned today, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I have to be honest, I was debating all week about auditioning. After watching countless videos about Diddy and doing some research, he doesn’t seem like the easiest man to work for. One of the most highly regarded figures in the Hip-Hop world, Diddy is as business savvy as they come. Musician, producer, actor, designer, — the list goes on and on. Does he ever sleep? Nope, that’s what I learned. His personal mantra is “You can sleep when you’re dead.” You can get a pretty good idea of how intense working for Diddy really is from the video below.

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

So, after watching this video you can understand why I was a bit hesitant to go to the audition today. But, I stuck it out and since many of you voted for me to apply and have been giving me tons of encouragement, I decided to go. If anything, it makes for a good blog post, right?

I arrived at the audition location shortly after 9:30 a.m. and there was already a line. Thankfully, I befriended two girls in front of me, one who also turns out to be a writer, so the nearly two hours didn’t seem so bad. When they finally ushered us into the venue there was yet more waiting and my nerves started to get the best of me. You know, your heart pounding through your throat and feeling like it’s going to explode out of your chest. Ten of us were showed into the room and asked to sit down so we could see each other and then the introductions began.

“Tell me your name, where you’re from and why you’d be an asset to Diddy,” Douglas told the crowd. “And pay attention to familiarize yourself with each contestant,” he continued.

The first seven people before me introduced themselves before someone came over to Douglas (the moderator) and he stepped away for a minute — of course right before my turn. My heart was beating and I could feel myself break out into a cold sweat. “Why am I an asset to Diddy?” I kept thinking. Dedicated, hard working, blah blah blah that’s what everyone says.

Douglas came back and it was my turn and I’m pretty sure my voice was shaking. “Hi, I’m Annie Reuter — also a Jersey girl (most of the people in my group were from Jersey).” To be honest I really don’t know what I said after that. I’m sure it was something along the lines of “I’m a freelance writer” but I just blanked out and just said whatever came to mind.

The two people after me introduced themselves to the group and then Douglas said, “Alright. So now you all know each other. I want you to tell me who in this group doesn’t deserve to be here.” I had an idea this was coming, but never really imagined what would happen next. Right away this girl called another girl out, making some remark about the heels she was wearing and how she seems to think she’s better than everybody else. A verbal fight erupted and I’m sitting there flabergasted. I mean, I know girls can be mean but this was pretty intense. Then a few guys got into it and start insulting everyone. While I know I should speak up to show that I could handle a situation like this, I just had nothing to say. How am I supposed to tell how well of an assistant a person could be if I just met them? It was all a bit bizzare to me.

Obviously, the people who made it to round two were the outspoken insult-throwing leaders of the pack and that’s just fine with me. While I’m sure I have to be a bit tougher to thrive in this industry, name calling and harping on a person’s choice of clothing attire are just not something I care to be involved in. At the end of the day, you have to live with yourself and the decisions you make.

A wise man once wrote (aka Mark Twain) “Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest.” After today, I couldn’t agree more.

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First Person

Poll of the Week: Should I Apply To Work For Diddy?

According to last week’s poll question, What Do You Enjoy Most on You Sing, I Write? many like my artist interviews the most, so I’ll be sure to set up new interviews for you soon! I received some really great comments and suggestions and from the sound of it, you all seem to like what I’ve been doing so I won’t change the structure of my blog too much. Like anything, it’s a work in progress and there are always ways to make it better. If you have any tips/suggestions, never hesitate to contact me!

Now onto this week’s poll question, a bit random perhaps, but music related as always!

Should I Apply to Work for Diddy?

I’m constantly perusing the job boards in search of more writing opportunities and freelance work and this week I stumbled upon an ad to sign up for VH1’s show, “I Want To Work For Diddy 2.” Basically, it’s a search to be P. Diddy’s personal assistant. While I’ve continuously told my friends that I could never picture myself on a reality show, this seems different and who knows, it could lead to a full time career in the music business.

I know what you’re thinking, “Is she crazy?” Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone. My aunt gave me a mug as part of my graduation gift a few years ago that had this quote written on it: “Live Boldly. Take Risks. Make somebody say, ‘What the hell was that all about?'” and I read that quote everyday when getting ready. I feel like my life has been a crazy roller coaster ride this past year (in a good way) and maybe it’s time to branch out once again and try something new.

What do you think? Read the application here and let me know in this week’s poll. Comments are always welcome as I’d love to hear what you REALLY think about me applying. Auditions are next Monday so I really have to make up my mind soon and would appreciate your help!

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Festivals First Person

CMJ Lessons Learned

Now that CMJ is officially over I can rest a little bit easier and not plan my entire day around trying to show up to work and be productive all while scheduling in various interviews, panels and concerts. But, let’s be honest I’d much rather have my day job be an ongoing music festival . . . how can I go about finding that job? Hmmm . . . time to do some serious research.

I put together a brief outline of things I’ve learned this week for my amusement on my commute throughout the week. Be sure to keep checking out the CMJ blog, as I’ve been compiling all my reviews and interviews and much more should be posted this week!

Top 5 CMJ Lessons:

1. Don’t assume that just because three fellow CMJ badge holders are on the same subway as you that you’re going to the same place.
I know, stupid right? But it was my first time covering CMJ and I didn’t realize just how huge CMJ was. So, when I saw three guys from a college radio station with their CMJ badges and welcome bags, I assumed we were all going to the same meet and greet and asked if I could tag along. Little did I know until we got off the subway stop at Delancey that we were going to two entirely different places. Not a huge deal, just jumped back on the subway and got off the stop I was supposed to get off at originally.

2. People like to talk, whether it be a band, a cab driver or managers.
This seems obvious. Everyone likes to talk about themselves. I pride myself in being a good listener, and being a journalist this often comes in handy. One of my professors used to always say, “Don’t be afraid of silence.” Sometimes during an interview, if you pause for a bit after the interviewee answers a question he will continue his thought or will bring you to an entirely different direction that you never considered. This is often the best part of an interview and you’ll find out something you never thought to ask. It’s so easy to go through the motions during an interview by asking the same questions over and over again. But, every so often you’ll make a connection and the interviewee will bring out an insecurity they may have that lets you get to know him a little better and see where he’s coming from. This is priceless.

3. You can sleep when you’re dead.
This has often been my catch phrase throughout college when roommates wondered if and when I ever slept. Sleep is important of course, but not always realistic when covering a festival like CMJ. Some drink coffee or Redbull to keep them awake, I haven’t found the best caffeine fix for myself yet, still working on that.

4. Make sure you’re allowed to video tape at a venue BEFORE you get there.
I had no clue that some venues make you sign wavers or release forms to film. They basically want to make sure you’re not selling your interview or sound check footage and making money off it. I never thought of even looking into this before an interview since for the most part I do audio interviews. You have to learn the hard way sometimes. Now I know for next time.

5. Go with the flow.
There is absolutely no way you can possibly see every band you want at a festival like CMJ. By leaving room for the unexpected you may get lucky and discover the next great band at a showcase when you originally only planned on seeing the first band. Who knows, lightning could strike.

Be sure to check back on the blog throughout the week for show reviews and interviews. You can check out my video interview and sound check with Matt Duke below! Special thanks to John Hendrickson for filming and editing this for the UWire CMJ blog.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMwGy2EmqGg]

Categories
First Person

College Reminiscing

This past week has continually reminded me of why I first decided to become a music writer. While preparing for an edit test, I began paging through various notes from journalism classes I had taken at Rutgers (still in disbelief that it’s been over a year since I graduated). I came across one of the first music-related assignments I wrote in my junior year. I still remember the class, it was Professor Fitzpatrick’s News Reporting and Writing and while my news writing wasn’t the strongest, I took full advantage of writing feature and entertainment-related articles in his class, this specific assignment being no different. We were assigned to write a profile on whomever we wished — politician, entertainer, etc. — and I decided on my favorite artist at the time, Kanye West. When reading through my profile assignment I was thoroughly impressed by my research and could clearly see that even back then, well over two years ago, it was evident that becoming a music journalist was in my future.

Even before interning at MTV News or Rolling Stone, you can see in my earlier articles that this is what I excelled at and had passion for, despite not realizing it for myself at the time. I had always wanted to write thought-provoking, moving pieces as well and partly, I think this is why I love discovering and featuring new bands on my blog. In a way, by me writing about lesser known bands and getting readers interested in listening to a song or checking out their MySpace, I’m making a difference, even if it is in a very small way.

This week I’ve decided to roll back the clock and post some of my very first music-related articles. Whether it be my first artist profile on Kanye, first concert review or in-depth magazine writing assignment, I hope it gives you a little taste of how it all began and motivates me to keep pursing music writing when the career path isn’t always clearly laid out for me.

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Features First Person

I’m With the Band

Growing up during the height of the boy band era and attending all their concerts (you name it, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, N’Sync I’ve been to them all) I’ve always wondered what it’s like being on the other side. Not the fan waiting anxiously for the doors to open to get that perfect spot right by the stage, but to be behind the scenes. Whether it be the crew, security, or the band itself, that life seemed so much more exciting to me.

This past weekend I got to be on the other side of concert life when I toured with Army of Me for two of their concert dates on the “Get A Life” tour with The Used, Straylight Run, Street Drum Corps and Lights Resolve. The movies make it all seem so glamorous – sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. The groupies, the parties, the unlimited highs (whether it be natural or drug-induced) of the touring lifestyle. I learned this weekend that touring isn’t all what it’s portrayed to be in the movies. Sure, it’s a lot of fun hanging out with new people and different bands and I’m sure nothing beats that feeling when you walk off the stage after putting on an amazing set, but it’s also a lot of hard work – physically, mentally and emotionally. Often, you’re traveling in a small van, packed in with equipment, suitcases and whatever else you may need for those months on tour and sometimes it can start to smell as half eaten food and dirty clothes add up. Going from hotel to venue every day can get tiresome and the downtime between unloading and performing seems like an eternity.

Regardless, being in a band is a full-time job in itself. Whether it’s practicing for a show later that night or writing new music, it’s another way of life and band members have to make a living too. Contrary to popular believe, they are “real” people and have to eat, pay rent and bills. Who knew?! In a way though, being on tour seems like an escape from the so called “real world.” These people are doing what they love each and every day – performing, traveling, meeting fans and my experience was almost surreal. I tried to take in as much as I could and lucked out because all the guys in each band were so nice and down-to-earth. I was able to interview everyone from Army of Me as well as Jeph from The Used on their tour bus (don’t worry, there are pictures coming too!) I’ll definitely be posting these interviews in the upcoming week . . . not sure how much I’ll actually transcribe for you to read though, but I’ll try my best. Pretty much all of your questions about touring, groupies, and performing were answered so stay tuned for the interviews!

Categories
Features First Person

I’m not a groupie…a music lover’s tale of getting that interview.

Despite popular belief, I am not a groupie. I’m a journalist. Sure, I hang around tour buses to get an interview with a band. But, that’s my job. Music has always been a passion of mine. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I thought I could make a career out of it — music reporting that is. I still remember the concert. I was a correspondent at my college paper at the time, The Daily Targum at Rutgers University, when I covered the Gavin DeGraw concert on campus. Tickets sold out in record number, being that his song, “I Don’t Want To Be” was the theme song to a new hit TV show on the WB, “One Tree Hill.” His single began getting radio air time and popularity ensued.

I was standing in the front row, notebook in one hand, camera in the other when it hit me — I could do this for the rest of my life! I’ve always loved going to concerts and trying to meet the band. I did it for fun, but I could actually make a living out of it. Soon afterwards I began writing for my college paper’s entertainment section and while I’ve always enjoyed writing, music writing became my passion. I’d cover concerts on campus, in NYC, at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ, a short drive from campus. You name the concert, I was there.

I was lucky enough to intern at Jane magazine as well as MTV News Online during my last year of college and learned more about the magazine/music industry and am confident that this is the field I want to go into. Since my current job isn’t a writing job I’ve decided to blog a bit on what I love — music. I’ll be going to some concerts and hopefully getting interviews as well as doing album reviews. In the meantime, I figure I’ll post past interviews with some bands I’ve covered and will hopefully get those up on the blog soon. If anyone knows of any good concerts or suggestions for this blog please let me know!

-Annie