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February 4, 2012 |
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Publicist Heather Smith
June 10, 2005
By Tony Antunovich
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Century Media Records is one of the largest, most prosperous independent metal record labels in the world. Since 1988, they have been delivering the finished products of some of the biggest names in the metal industry, which has essentially been a non-stop feast of metal gems year after year. And guess what? This year is no different. With recent landmark releases such as MERCENARY's "11 Dreams" and NAPALM DEATH's "The Code Is Red...Long Live The Code", and highly anticipated works coming from mainstays like ARCH ENEMY and NEVERMORE, Century Media is building one huge tower upon a new metal empire. Playing a major role in this construction is Heather Smith, one of the hardest-working publicists currently in the business. Her dedication not only to Century Media, but to the metal scene as a whole, is unwavering, and is just one reason why the scene is doing as well as it is.
Can you tell me what new and exciting things are happening at Century Media right now?
Well, we have five bands on Ozzfest! Is there anything that could be more new and more exciting than that? - to think that metal has come so far that we are now on the main stage. Two years in a row is just phenomenal, being that I remember when our releases were THE GATHERING's "Mandylion" and ICED EARTH's "Burnt Offerings", and those albums really only got to 10-20,000 and now we're looking at breaking 200,000 with LACUNA COIL's album ("Comalies") with SHADOWS FALL. To think that we've done that is just incredible to see.
Yes, this year's Ozzfest is definitely shaping up to be something really great.
Something very metal! I thought they weren't going to top the metallicness of last year. And you see everybody becoming much more metal across the country as well.
You've been with Century Media now since the end of 2000.
Actually, I started the day after Christmas. I started doing inventory. They needed extra hands because there were only a few of us, so I helped out with inventory right after Christmas. I moved into my apartment Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and started bright and early in a very cold and wet warehouse - it was very grim - and counting CDs one by one.
How did it all come together? How did you land the gig?
Well, Marco (Barbieri - Century Media President) actually called me. I was publishing my own magazine called "Lacerated", and I had worked with Marco very closely with that magazine and also arranging interviews etc., and he knew that they were incorporating Nuclear Blast (America) into the fold right at that time. Of course, that wasn't public knowledge. He called me in early December and asked me which of five positions I wanted at Century Media. So, I thought about what I wanted and I started out as a purchasing manager here, and after a year, they asked me to take over as the direct sales manager. Then after two years, the publicity position was open and I asked to be transferred. So after several candidates were interviewed, they decided that someone with a lot of experience with the bands and a big history in writing should fill that position, and that was me! So, I took over at the beginning of 2004, and I'm really happy. In fact, this is the position I've been most happy with here.
Century Media is an interesting company to work for. It's the most fun you'll ever have, but you can't lose sight of the fact that it's work. Yeah, we get to put out some of the world's most interesting music, but the reason everybody ends up staying here is because they are debatably the hardest working people in metal across the country.
As we discussed, you owned and operated your own magazine, "Lacerated". Can you tell me a bit about that?
I only did "Lacerated" for about a year. Before that, I was the assistant editor at another magazine that was put out through Hot Topic, called "Transcendence". The reason why I didn't keep going with "Lacerated" was because of my job here. It eats all my time. There is not any more time to do a separate thing outside of my job. I came to do my own zine because I wanted editorial control of what was happening. The guy who was doing "Transcendence" stopped printing his magazine. I wanted to do something that was free and that highlighted the local music scene, because there's a lot of great bands here, and I thought that they weren't being covered. While I also covered a lot of the cool international metal, I also put in about a third of the magazine for just local bands.
The local L.A. bands?
Yeah, the local L.A. black, death, and power metal bands. They always had at least about a third of the space in "Lacerated", including demo reviews and all. It was a lot of fun. I liked the layout. I love the creativity of doing a layout. I had a static page online so that people could fine me, but it was print. I loved it!
You also sang in a band. Can you tell me more about that?
Yeah, in college I had a band, and then I played bass in a cover band throughout the '90s. We were called DROP ZONE BOB. We did lots of covers like from METALLICA to IRON MAIDEN to THE CULT to THE CURE. We did just a lot of really cool basic blues stuff and a lot of METALLICA. It was a lot of fun.
Do you still play bass?
My bass and my bass gear went on tour with BEHEMOTH with my ex-boyfriend. I haven't picked up my bass up in as long as I haven't published my magazine, and the same time I quit working out, which was all the day I got my job at Century Media. I mean literally, it takes my whole life's experience. My personal life is my work life is my professional life. But I still wouldn't trade it.
What ONE metal album got you into metal and made you never look back?
I remember it very, very, very vividly. When I was 11, my brother leant me IRON MAIDEN - Killers, and it's been metal ever since.
Century Media boasts one of the largest and most promising roster of metal bands currently in the business. How does it feel to be part of such a great company and family?
When I started here, I was employee #16. We now have 50 employees here and this is just in the U.S. It feels like pushing a rock uphill. I remember when I first started here, people would say to me, "Century who??", and now people search us out and we're the "cool kids" on the block. How does it feel? It feels like I'm vindicated. I mean I kept jumping up and down about these bands for years. Like I said, to me, Century Media - for me - started with some of the first releases like ASPHYX and MORGOTH. I've hung onto this "European metal" and pushed it to my friends and got a lot of people involved in it and said, "This is great music and you should be listening up!" It's just wonderful that kids are; that they're really going for something with talent. They're turning and voting with their feet, their money, and their pocket books and our sales, workload and staff increases all indicate that people are listening to what I've tried to say for years.
And it feels great, although it is a lot of work and every day it's more and more work. It's self-defeating, you know. You think that it'll get easier, but it hasn't gotten any easier. In fact, there's more work, but we also are hiring more people and it's wonderful in its own way. We learn by our own mistakes. We cut our teeth on the older bands and maybe at one point, we weren't able to make some bands that should have been a lot bigger, bigger. That's just from the learning process. But we're really able to help our bands out now - the ones that we're working with. I mean, look at what we've done for SHADOWS FALL! This is only their second release with Century Media and they're at 200,000 and they haven't even gotten to the main stage of Ozzfest yet. What's going to happen for these kids, you know? It's incredible, and just startling to watch. It's an amazing new thing to think that we've been able to do that. That's OUR work.
How would you compare the versatility of Century Media's roster to other big labels like Nuclear Blast, Metal Blade, and SPV?
Well, I think everybody covers a lot of diverse artists. I think that Century Media is no more diverse than the labels you mentioned, except I think that Metal Blade is less diverse. They tend not to go into some of the more melodic stuff that we do. I think that Nuclear Blast and Century Media have rosters that are very similar in their diversity, but I also think that if you look for a running theme throughout all of them, you'll find quality in music and that the bands are the best at what they're doing. Bands on the Century Media front, you have NAGLFAR and then you look across the waters at Nuclear Blast and you have DIMMU BORGIR. You look back at Century Media and you've got a band like NEVERMORE, and then you look over there and they've got NIGHTWISH - and you go on and on and you can almost tick it off on your fingers. In the same way, they're diverse. But it's funny that sometimes the same fans that are at the DIMMU BORGIR shows are down at the NEVERMORE and HYPOCRISY shows.
It's because they love the musicality of what's going on. They are fans of the bands in particular, but they're also fans of wonderful, aggressive music whether it's NIGHTWISH or THE GATHERING or LACUNA COIL or SHADOWS FALL. It's the quality of music that they're really coming after.
You've been in charge of promoting a slew of bands over the years. What bands have you MOST enjoyed working with?
It's really hard when a band gets busy. To me it's my job - that I have to get these interviews or reviews done or get the bands attention. Some bands are real easy. What I find is the biggest bands are usually the bands that are big because they are professional at it. NAPALM DEATH - Barney (Greenway) never misses an interview, and if something is the matter, he calls me right up. Timo Kotipelto never missed an interview - 8/9 interviews a day, and he ticked them right off. The smaller bands sometimes are the ones that are "rock stars", you know? They can't be bothered, or they missed their interviews or they don't let you know that they missed their interviews, or whatever. So sometimes you look at it and you know why a band got as popular as they did because somebody was working it day after day. They considered it a job and business as well as their art and industry. When a band gets tied up with other projects, they get distracted from the project that I'm working.
So there have been a couple bands where there are other things going on for them at present and they don't give me enough interview days or they don't answer their e-mail interviews or they just don't have time for this particular release. But then in the long run when they ask why there weren't great record sales, they have to realize that it's because they didn't do the promotions that were needed to sell the albums.
Among one of the bands to be signed to Century Media is MERCENARY. What are your comments on them?
I knew it from the moment I popped that disc in ("11 Dreams"). I'd followed the band; I'd seen them at ProgPower (USA) a couple of years ago on the "Everblack" release. I knew that this band had the potential to write the album that they did. That album is an amazing album and I went out on a limb when I sent advances out to people saying that they (the metal media) are now holding the "next" album - that if they could go back when the first SOILWORK album, the first DIMMU BORGIR album, the first CHILDREN OF BODOM album - if they could go back to that time and jump up and down and promote the band the way they would knowing what they know now, that this MERCENARY album is that album. The greatest vindication of going out on a limb like I did was when Martin Popoff (BW&BK Editor In Chief) wrote me and told me that he wished he listened to it a couple weeks prior to when he did listen to it and he gave that album a "10/10", because he doesn't do that very often.
The press' reaction to that album has been huge and the doors are opening for that band in Europe amazingly. Hopefully they will get to tour here in the next couple of years. But their creativity and talent in writing, playing and composing lyrics, is immense, and I do hope that people respond to them on a mass scale the way that they should.
What bands do you think are going to break new ground in the future?
I think NEVERMORE still has lots to do. I think that SHADOWS FALL will break new ground - not musically, but they will break new ground for metal and they will convert a lot of kids the way SLIPKNOT did. I think INTO ETERNITY will break huge ground here in the U.S. and MERCENARY likewise in Europe. I don't know whether or not MERCENARY will transfer over here. I know that INTO ETERNITY is transferring over there. We'll see. You know, it's funny, but I think that EDGUY is going to grow a lot of fans here in the U.S. and I think that what they're going to do is introduce the U.S. to some of that "Germanic style". They have a very German style where they don't take themselves so seriously, especially on stage. EDGUY is going to pave the way for bands like SONATA ARCTICA, who have a very strong following. I also think that NIGHTWISH is doing a beautiful job at breaking ground for symphonic metal.
What's your take on the North American metal scene?
When George Bush and Al Gore were running for office, I said to people, "If George Bush wins, you will see metal come back at the forefront of music", which will be great for Century Media because people hate, they're frustrated, and they have lots of pent-up aggression and anger. You need to take it out and they take it out with their entertainment. If you look, there are more and more horror flicks out every day - more and more deals with the devil - and lots and lots of metal. And when this guy got re-elected, I knew that we would see a rise in metal again. What do I attribute it to? To some degree, kids are out there with less to do, more angst about what they ARE going to do for the rest of their lives, and less freedom - and they're pissed! The point is that they don't really know what they're pissed about. They're just angry. They don't see the opportunity. I mean, they're restricting the way to get a higher education yet more and more. The jobs that pay anything require a higher education.
So if the government isn't going to lend you money to go get a college degree - most kids can't afford it - so now they're stuck working service jobs and earning $5.50 an hour. Wouldn't you be pissed? I encourage people to go and get a higher education, especially in the U.S. because we do such a poor job of educating our population.
As a publicist, what is the best part of your job and what is the worst?
Well, there are a couple of good parts. One of them is when people respond to the album the way you hope they do - press - like the MERCENARY CD. That was just an album I loved. It really affected me when people liked it as much as I did. It was personally exhilarating. The other thing that is exciting is when the artist appreciates the amount of work it took to get the press that they received. INTO ETERNITY took a look at their press kit and were floored by it. I mean, that thing could weigh down a fat man in the ocean - just the amount of paper and web space that they have received from this album ("Buried In Oblivion"), just in the U.S. alone is tremendous. Sales of this one CD reflect that and it just sets up for the next album to be larger and the fact that they have two more tours coming is fabulous. What's the worst part of my day? When I try to call about getting a feature or a review and the Editor says "no".
I understand that they can't give space to every band, but when it's your band, and you care about it, and then they say "no", it's disappointing.
Throughout your career as a publicist, have you ever had the misfortune of having to deal with a situation that was either unpleasant or beyond your control?
I'm really positive and I think on my feet really hard and really fast, and through persistence, even the worst scenario ends up working out because I just don't let it happen to me. An example would be when I got to New York City with TAD MOROSE last year, I got to the venue with the band and there was no back line, meaning there was no cabinet or drums for them to play. This is a really bad situation because not only now have we flown a band in from Sweden at great expense, but there are kids who are expecting to see this band and there is absolutely nothing for them to play. So, I got in touch with EDGUY and found out what they had and was able to work with them to use their back line. So a bad scenario did turn into an okay situation. Here's a funny story: I was counting money in NAPALM DEATH's dressing room and because it was quite a large amount of money, I HAD to be in there.
We couldn't open or close the doors because we were counting this money.... and somebody farted (laughs).... and it was the most disgusting fart and we were all trapped in there. I couldn't leave; I couldn't put the money down; I couldn't not count it. It was so disgusting and I just started yelling at them, "Dammit! I can't believe you did that!" (laughs) - and there were a couple other members from a couple of different bands in there and we wouldn't let them leave either. They were like, "We've got to get out of here!" - and I'm like, "I'm counting money! You cannot open that door!" It was really funny (laughs). It sucked! It was so disgusting.
What other band members were in there?
There were a couple of guys from DIMMU in that dressing room, a guy from CANNIBAL CORPSE, and I think KATAKLYSM.
I suppose they were all infected from the smell as well.
It was like permeating the whole place. It was so disgusting.
The question is, did you ever find out who the guilty party was?
Oh I know who the guilty party is! Oh, I know! We all know! Everybody knows! He knows! I'm going to make him read this too! (laughs)
As part of the music business, what is your take on the whole Internet downloading thing?
I have a real opinion on this. Our sales are up - way up. Last year they rose 55%; the year before that, 20%; and the year before that, 20%. Why!? If downloading hurts everybody so badly, then why are sales actually up? - Quality of music! If you are Britney Spears or Snoop Dog or Eminem, and somebody can listen to your whole album before they have to buy it, would they buy it? No, because the music isn’t quality. However, if you are MERCENARY or DIMMU BORGIR, and someone downloads your whole album - gets in their car and blasts it - are they doing to say, "Damn! I have to have this! I want to read the lyrics and I want to see the artwork." They're going to go buy it! So, if you're a major label, and you've signed a real safe artist who has two good songs on their album, and kids can download the whole album and decide that it isn't good music, and that they're not going to bother buying it, then they just don't bother buying it.
But if they can download a great SHADOWS FALL or DIMMU BORGIR or HYPOCRISY or SOILWORK album, they usually go out and BUY that album because they've tried it out and they've decided, "You know what? This is really good and I have to have this." And our sales prove that theory. I mean, if METALLICA want to cry that "St. Anger" was downloaded and that's why it didn't sell, all you really need to do is go put that album on (laughs).
(Laughs)
I mean, you put ORPHANED LAND's album on ("Mabool") and if you like progressive power metal, you want that album, and you want to own it. You want to own the artwork. I mean, go back to the time when you were 15 or 16 and starting to collect all this stuff and you would get cassette tapes from your friends. I still have a cassette tape of RUSH - 2112 still. Did I go out and buy the album? Yes. Did I keep the cassette copy that my friend made me? Yes. So if those are the answers that you have in your head, then that's probably the same way kids feel about CDRs and CDs. I mean a CDR is a pauper version of the whole album and I think that kids know the difference. I mean, I knew the difference. It's just a copy. And you don't have the artwork and you can't read the lyrics. I remember writing out the lyrics to the whole "Wish You Were Here" album (PINK FLOYD), because I knew that album so well.
I still read lyrics from albums I really care about - MERCENARY, NAPALM DEATH lyrics, just because he's got a lot to say. The new SENTENCED album ("The Funeral Album") - there's one album that describes my own truth with depression so well that I had to talk to them about that. "Her Last 5 Minutes" is pretty depressing. Depression is a huge problem in this world and it should be addressed and people should know that it's okay. The more people know that they're not alone with it, the more they might reach out for help.
You mentioned ORPHANED LAND earlier. It must be exciting to be able to bring them over here for this year's ProgPower USA.
Yeah. We started talking to Glenn Harveston (promoter for ProgPowerUSA) about that. He approached us at ProgPower 2004 about ORPHANED LAND, and we've been working really hard with the band to arrange it so that can happen. It was really hard on the visa front. We've been working really hard for six months before we could really cement that that would happen. A lot of people don't realize that all that work goes in sometimes a year or year and a half before the actual event. Do you remember when NIGHTWISH missed their first three dates in the U.S. because of visa issues?
Yes.
You know that eight months before that they had asked me to send in their press kit to start their visa application. I had mailed all that stuff off to start the visas for that tour. I know that maybe a lot of people out there probably thought that it was some hold-up at the label. And they want to blame somebody, but it wasn't us - I promise. I started on that a long time before, and they technically weren't even our band anymore. I was doing it because I love the band and their music.
You attended last year's ProgPower festival.
I will attend any Glenn Harveston event there is! I love Glenn Harveston (laughs). He rules! ProgPower is an amazing festival. It is the most perfect festival there is in the world, and I have been to a lot of festivals. Glenn Harveston takes care of his people and his bands. Everybody's happy; the fans are happy; the bands are happy. Everybody is comfortable, safe, and dry. They walk everywhere; there's no need for transportation. He's done a wonderful job. I've been to three or four ProgPowers now. Before ProgPower 2004, I already had my plans for 2005. So, I will be there with bells on.
Best metal male vocalist?
Let's see... it could be a few. Warrel Dane from NEVERMORE, Timo Kotipelto, Urban Breed from TAD MOROSE, and ICS Vortex from DIMMU BORGIR.
Best metal female vocalist?
Tarja (Turunen).
Best guitarist?
In metal, I would say Mikael Åkerfeldt (OPETH) or Jeff Loomis (NEVERMORE).
Best drummer?
Flo Mounier from CRYPTOPSY - because he can do it without triggers - or Gene Hoglan (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD). But Flo runs a marathon. That man is the deal.
Best bassist?
John Myung from DREAM THEATER.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
At the end of the year, I get my Century Media five-year plaque. I have no other plans! (laughs) I don't know what I'm going to do after that. [FIN]
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