The Baltic
Date Signed: March 6, 2016
Label: Misra Records, misrarecords.com
Band Members: Adam Dankowski, guitar, vocals; Graham Epstein, drums, vocals; Jose Chalit, guitar; Josh Kaplan, bass.
Management: N/A
Booking: N/A
Legal: Arnold R. Kaplan - Spencer Fane
Publicity: Justin Kreitzer
Web: facebook.com/thebaltic
A&R: John Kuker, Jeff Betten
Is it a problem if your bandmates are not all living in the same city, and are not always available to tour? Usually, that is seen by most labels as a dealbreaker. Says the Baltic’s Graham Epstein, “A lot of labels didn’t like that we were attending different colleges, but Misra Records believed in us.” Besides loving their shoegaze “dream rock” sound, Misra appreciated the band’s dedication to craft. Being fans of Misra acts like Great Lake Swimmers and Shearwater made the offer attractive to the Baltic. “It was hard for us to book shows,” admits Epstein. “A lot of clubs didn’t take us seriously because of our age. We needed [a label] who believed in us.” Even better, Misra is distributed worldwide by Redeye and licensed by legendary Sub Pop Records, a connection that might later pay off.
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Tate Kobang
Date Signed: July 2015
Label: 300 Entertainment/D1 Entertainment Management: O. Lloyd, [email protected]
Booking: [email protected]
Legal: Mintor & Assoc.
Publicity: Aishah White - AKW PR, [email protected]
Web: 300ent.com/roster/tate-kobang
A&R: Selim Boubab, [email protected].
Somewhere between a month and six weeks after the rapper’s self-released breakthrough joint “Bank Rolls” began climbing the charts in 2015, 300 Entertainment (Fetty Wap, Young Thug, Coheed and Cambria) knocked on rapper Tate Kobang’s door. And from his first meeting with the label’s Selim Boubab and Todd Moscowitz, the Baltimore rapper kept his cool. Kobang (“King Of Baltimore And N*ggas’ Girls”) made certain the deal, centering around a single with a two-album option, was scrutinized before making his decision. Never forget, he advises, to hold strong with potential labels and insist upon your worth. “Let it be known you’re not going to get pushed over,” he insists. “You’re not just going to let them do anything with you. At the end of the day, you need them but they need you more.”
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Angelica Garcia
Date Signed: August 2014
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Management: Wendy Laister & Tim Vigon - Magus Entertainment
Booking: Frank Riley - High Road Touring Legal: Peter Paterno & Marjorie Garcia - King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano
Publicity: [email protected]
Web: angelicagarcia.net
A&R: Lenny Waronker
“I never thought one little show could change my life,” marvels spunky newcomer Angelica Garcia. “Now, I know I have to be on my toes at all times.” A rockin’ singer/songwriter, Garcia and her band played a House of Blues Battle of the Bands competition that got her noticed by a manager, who then recommended her to Warner Bros. Records. The draw of aligning with such a deeply songwriter-oriented label proved irresistible to Garcia, and when label president Lenny Waronker openly declared her a career artist, her decision was cemented.
“The most important thing is to have a core team who really believe in the project,” asserts the humble spitfire, whose deal grants her final say regarding all creative materials. “As long as you have that, you can still do exactly what you want with your music.”
