Aug. 18, 2008

• It's been too long since I've updated this page! This can partly be attributed to being happily busy. In addition to the magazine work I was already doing, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame has added the co-curation of two upcoming exhibits, some PR and marketing work, and fresh bios for all of its inductees.
  

July 26, 2008

• Client Fringe Atlanta is on the verge of announcing its second season. It's first, which expertly packaged well-performed classical chamber music in an appealing "art opening" environment (and was a tough ticket by the final performance), will be back in September. (And our news releases on Season 2 offerings will be done this week.) We predict sellouts and SRO crowds.
  

July 23, 2008

• I'm late by a day, but the full-length debut from bio client Low Vs. Diamond came out yesterday, and I recommend snagging a copy. The band will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman next Tuesday, July 29. Tune in, or set your TiVos! 

July 21, 2008 

• When Craig Finn writes the bio for his own band, Brooklyn's The Hold Steady, I can't really complain about not having been hired for the job. Finn proves himself as good a storyteller on paper as he is in his songs.
• As you may have noticed, tastemakercommunications.com is pretty well fleshed out these days, with a good assortment of work posted and the news section being updated semi-regularly. Obviously, there are always more clips I can post, but the site is at least at the "1.0" mark. Please feel free to share what you see here with anyone who stands to benefit from our services.
  

July 14, 2008 

• Bio client Ralph Covert (Ralph's World) has been recently added to the Disney Music Block Party Tour. I was pleased to see that they're using my copy on the page devoted to Ralph. A good bio comes in handy in lots of ways! Want one of your own? Please contact me!
  

July 11, 2008

• It's been a very busy month here at Tastemaker Communications world headquarters. We just finished off the summer issue of Georgia Music magazine, with a fantastic R.E.M. cover story and some nice bits of rarely seen photography courtesy of our pals in R.E.M. Athens office. (R.E.M. art director Chris Bilheimer deserves special thanks for his timely assistance.)
• Idiosyncratic British singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock is putting out a five disc box-set reissue on Yep Roc this fall. Guess who was foolhardy enough to write a Paste lead reissue review on this embarrassment of riches? Yep, that would be me.
  
• Along the same lines, I'll be writing my first book review for Paste, this one on Graeme Thomson's I Shot A Man In Reno: A History Of Death by Murder, Suicide, Fire, Flood, Drugs, Disease and General Misadventure as Related in Popular Song. Intriguing? You bet!
• The artist bios keep a-comin'. Latest one finished: Michael Gungor for Brash Music.
• Lastly but not leastly, while the last month has been busy, the next month has openings. Need a speech, a marketing brochure, a website, or anything written? Give us a call or drop us a line!
  

June 16, 2008

• Two new reviews are live at Pastemagazine.com today (and, we assume, on their way to us on the printed page.) My Brightest Diamond's latest, A Thousand Shark's Teeth, is given the longer-format treatment, while Joan As Police Woman's To Survive is tackled in  150-words-and-punchy style. Enjoy!
• Speaking of reviews, Down To Earth the latest by pop/electronica soundtrack darling Jem has been reviewed and is on its way to Paste as well. Watch this space in about two months for it to go live. 

June 13, 2008

• Bio client Echo Jet has announced a release party for its self-titled debut at L.A.'s Roxy on June 18 at 7 pm. (9009 Sunset Blvd.) The band's new single, "Wave," is our sleeper pick for "feel good hit of the summer."
• Georgia Music magazine's Summer issue is coming together rapidly! All of the mag's features are  in the editing queue -- we'll have R.E.M. on the cover, with features on rising Athens, Ga. rock bands, uberproducer Jermaine Dupri and gospel music pioneer Thomas A. Dorsey.
• New artist bio just begun: singer/songwriter Amy Kuney. She's young but exceedingly talented. We're delighted to help introduce her to a larger audience.
• I attended an eye-opening seminar on networking via LinkedIn this week, sponsored by the fine folks at IABC Atlanta. If you've ever crossed paths with me in any way, expect an invite to connect!