Page 34 - ION Indie Magazine MarchApril 2019

KP: This might seem like a strange question, but what is the worst piece of advice
you’ve ever received in the music business…and why?

DM: Hmm…let me give this one a bit of thought. I’ve been given a lot of bad advice
over the years as most have. One particular piece of bad advice comes to mind --
although it might not be considered ‘bad’ advice depending on the situation. But the
impact it had would eventually hurt as well as help me, as well as a lot of other bands

and artists. I would often hear over and over back in the early to mid-90s that a band
or artist absolutely must be signed to a major label to get anywhere in the music biz.
This advice was right in the middle of being true and false. The industry was changing
rapidly with the digital age catching fire, and many of the bands and artists were
beginning to shy away from labels and go on their own. I can talk about this window of
time in the ever-changing music business all day, but I think you get the jest of where

I’m going. The hardcore ‘get signed by a label’ advice that once was extremely true had
now found its way into a huge gray area. I call it a ‘gray area’ because most artists
didn’t really understand the options at that time. I have to admit that I was one of
them. Label or no label? Artists now had a choice. And it was an extremely important
and pivotal choice -- quite possibly the difference in making it or not making it in the
music world. Even though it’s much clearer these days as the majority of bands and
artists understand much better how the system works, the age-old question still
remains…label or no label?

KP: They say there are key defining moments in everyone’s life. Is there a particular
person or event that has most inspired you to pursue a career in music?

DM: I think the majority of artists these days (especially the older ones) most all would
give pretty much the same answer, Kiki. That would be the night back in 1964 when
The Beatles took the stage on the old Ed Sullivan Show. We were all glued to our seats
that night. Little did we know that we were watching the history of music change
forever on that fateful night. I’ve never forgotten that moment. It sure changed my life
– even at the young age of 11 years old.

KP: How do you choose what artist or band you will produce? What is your criteria
for making these sorts of decisions?

DM: A short but extremely important answer, Kiki: Attitude, talent, and hunger for
success…and all in that exact order. All of the talent in the world will seldom get you

anywhere, much less keep you there, without the right attitude and the hunger to get
there and to then stay there. It just rarely ever happens on talent alone. I’m currently
working very closely with the super and vastly talented rock group Black Water Greed.
Before deciding to work with them, I first wanted to make sure that they not only had
the much-needed talent, but that they also had the other very important attributes
that I spoke of earlier, and that they practiced them and deeply believed in them. They
did – and it shows not only in their music but in their work ethics and how they handle
themselves.

KP: By the same token…how does a band or artist go about selecting the right
Producer? What should they take into consideration?