An Interview with Greg Martin of Next Level Productions: The Man Behind the Rock the Sound Benefits

Spend some time with Greg Martin and it won’t take long to realize what a truly upstanding person he is. In addition to being a devoted husband, father and a working man, Martin is one of the most dedicated local music fans in the city. His sharp organizational skills and hustle have served him well over time as he has become an experienced and efficient promoter with his company Next Level Productions.

Martin is the man behind the annual Rock the Sound benefits, the 2010 version of which  is being held April 3rd at Scatz in Middleton. Six bands will hit the stage for the rock event of the year and the proceeds will go toward the Madison Area Music Association. The event is presented by Next Level Productions and Bellatoria Pizza with lots of assistance from WJJO, Maximum Ink, Scatz, Guitar Center, Capital Brewery, Megatone Studios, Nuclearview Communication Studio, Raintite Construction and Design One Apparel. WJJO will be on hand and will do a live remote. (More info on the 2010 Rock the Sound is below and here.)

Local Sounds had some time to talk with Martin recently.

LSM:  What is Rock the Sound and how did it get started?

GM:  Rock the Sound is a reoccurring benefit concert that started in 2007. My daughter was a member of Capital Sound Drum and Bugle Corps and my wife Jodi and I had become the volunteer coordinators for the corps. Capital Sound was always looking for new and interesting ways to raise money and my wife suggested putting together a fundraising show. I booked shows for my bands in the past and been involved in fundraisers like this before so it was kind of a “no brainer.” It was intended to be just a couple of local Sauk bands playing at the Dorf Haus in Roxbury, but at the suggestion of my brother Dave to contact Muzzy Luctin it became something much bigger. Paul Schluter suggested Cudasigh and Sand for the bill, and the two Sauk Bands, Apparatus and Section 8 made up the rest of it.    The first Rock the Sound took place at the Dry Bean in Fitchburg on April 14, 2007. We packed 450 people into the Dry Bean and the show was a complete success. It was also at this time that Next Level Productions was born.   There were just too many people telling me I needed to keep doing stuff like this.

LSM:  What can people expect to happen at Rock the Sound?

GM:   A “balls to the wall” rock concert that will rival any national act that has ever stepped foot on the Scatz stage. We are bringing in extra lighting and video crews as well as tons of Rock the Sound, Next Level Productions, MAMAs, and band merch that includes the Rock the Sound compilation disk that features all the bands on the bill and many more. Kurt Barron from WJJO will be there to introduce bands and will be doing on-air interviews. We will be giving away tons of CDs and t-shirts. Guitar Center will be giving away an electric guitar as well. Beltline Buttons will be displaying samples of their merch and giving away Rock the Sound buttons. We will be giving away free samples of pizza courtesy of our presenting level sponsor Bellatoria Pizza. The line-up features headliner Faces for Radio with new drummer Phil Buerstatte from Last Crack. Muzzy Luctin, Cudasigh, Don Bakken, The Motherhive Syndicate, and Shawn Brown’s new band The Viscous Circle will also be performing. “I think if anybody misses this show they’re kinda  nuts.”

LSM:  Will this continue to be an annual event?

GM:   As long as the Madison Area Music Association is around and they are happy with this I don’t see why not.   I t was my intention all along to have it be an annual thing.

LSM:  Tell us a bit about Next Level Productions and what you do.

GM:    Next Level Productions produces, promotes and books shows for the local band, along with some management of a select few.  I have never claimed to be a miracle worker. I just do what I can, for no reason other than I enjoy doing it.  I don’t work with a lot of cover bands, mainly just because of personal choice.  I just have so much respect for the original bands out there who work there tails off just to be able to play on a show like Rock the Sound.  I just love the chance to be able to help how ever I can.  Whether it’s promoting a show or just printing some demo CDs for someone.  My goal with Next Level was never to get rich doing it, it was more to help the great original bands that this city has to offer.  There is so much under appreciated talent in this town it kind of makes me sad.

LSM:  How did you get involved with the Madison Area Music Association?

GM:  Capital Sound dissolved a few months after the first Rock The Sound and I was left wondering what to do about the show.  I would always have people ask me if there was going to be another one, and I knew I wanted to continue with it, but it had to be for just the right organization….and music oriented of course.   I think I posted something on mySpace or Facebook about what to do it for.   I got an email from Scottie Madsen from Gladstone to contact the Rick Tvedt form the MAMAS,  which I did.  It took a while to get anything real solid going, but Rick got a thumbs up came from the MAMAs’ board of directors  and everything has kind of snowballed from there.

LSM:  What are some of Next Level Productions’ future projects?

GM:  That’s an easy one.  Get ready for CD releases  from Muzzy Luctin, Sweet Oblivion and Audio*Otic.  These albums have been in the works for a long time and I’ll be pulling out all the stops on these babies.  The other thing I hope to ad next year – to the Next Level  repertoire – is video production.  It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and being that you either have to know someone or pay out the nose for it.  It would really be nice to be able to help the bands I work with, to create some quality video.

LSM:  What’s your message to the city about local music?

GM:  Don’t only go to see the cover bands and your friend’s band.  There is a crapload of awesome original bands to see in this town. Take a chance and go see someone you’ve never heard of before.  There’s a real good chance you’ll love what you here and have a great time doing it.  When a special show like Rock the Sound comes about, that supports local music on so many different levels, make that special effort to get there and show your support.  We need everyone involved with music in this town to help grow our music scene and promote our youth into it also.  Come to Scatz on April 3^rd and show that you care about the music scene the way everyone says they do.

LSM:  What keeps you going?

GM: I have to give credit to my wife, Jodi.  I could never do the things I do with out her.  No matter what the venture has been she has always been behind me 100% and I love her for that.

SHOW DETAILS

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Doors Open at 7:00pm

Scatz Sports Bar & Nightclub in Middleton

The Lineup

Muzzy Luctin / Faces for Radio / Cudasigh / Don Bakken / The Motherhive Syndicate / The Viscous Circle

The MAMAs Kick Off a New Year With Lots of Changes

MAMA, Inc. has announced that registration is open for the 7th Annual Madison Area Music Awards. You can link to the registration site at their homepage: www.themamas.org.

Musicians have until January 15th, 2010 to submit their eligible songs, videos and albums. Categories are also available for the Performer of the Year awards which do not require music to be released during 2009. In addition, a 2009 release is not required to enter the Vocalist and  Instrumentalist categories which were expanded last year to cover guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummers, etc. There are three categories for youth musicians: Youth Ensemble, Youth Vocalist and Youth Instrumentalist. An overall Artist of the Year category is again being sponsored by Smart Studios and the recipient receives a day of recording at Smart along with other winnings. Write-in categories are available for other music-related areas such as Live Music Venue, Local Music CD and Record Outlet, Local Music Radio Station and several more.

Fans can register to vote now as well, and may do so right up until the last day of voting in the final round.

Registration as a musician or fan requires a $5 membership donation that goes directly into the MAMAs’ charitable fund. The MAMAs is a non-profit organization that works to put musical instruments in kids’ hands and to fund youth music programs. The MAMAs website contains a complete history of charitable giving the organization has accomplished.

What’s New For 2010

The big news right now is that the MAMAs have moved to the Capitol Theater in the Overture Center, bringing the awards show back to Madison’s downtown. Through the Overture Center’s Community Partnership Program, a new application-driven outreach effort, the MAMAs qualified to use the space and equipment at little to no charge.  MAMA, Inc. sees this as a major step toward getting the city more involved with their efforts.

The other big news is that the MAMAs have adopted a new approach to sponsorships, seeking out sponsors at a manageable level to sponsor award categories. Broadjam, Inc., the company that also contributes their online voting systems for the MAMAs use, will be sponsoring the album categories.  Each eligible album will receive one sponsored entry, which means it won’t be subject to the $10 registration fee. For instance, an album could be entered into the rock genre and Broadjam’s sponsorship will be $10. If the artist wishes to submit the album into another genre, blues for instance, then the $10 registration fee once again applies. Likewise, Good-n-Loud Music, a long-time supporter of the MAMAs and youth music programs, will sponsor the instrumentalist and youth categories.  Local Sounds (www.localsounds.org) will be sponsoring the write-in categories, also known as the People’s Choice Awards, picking up the costs of the trophies.

Although the Song and Performance categories don’t have sponsors this year, MAMA, Inc. feels that next year each category may have a sponsor, drastically shifting the costs to sponsors and away from musicians. Though everyone in the MAMAs organization wishes the event were fully funded sooner, the revenue from registrations is what has allowed the MAMAs to stay in the black and survive, even through financially troubled times. Shrewd cost-cutting measures employed in 2009 also helped to see the organization through an economically questionable period.

There are only a few changes to the award categories. This year the MAMAs is bringing back the Hard Rock/Punk category, which was eliminated a few years ago due to lack of participation.  A new write-in category, Studio Sound Engineer was also added after confusion arose last year over a new Live Sound Engineer award (many people wrote in studio engineers).

What’s to Come

There are many more announcements forthcoming from the MAMAs and several future press releases are planned. For now, here is the calendar of significant dates:

October 5, 2009 – Open registration

January 15, 2010 – Registration ends

February 1, 2010 – First voting round begins

March 18, 2010 – First voting round ends

March 27, 2010 – Nominee Announcement Party at the Brink Lounge

March 28, 2010 – Final round of voting starts

April 28, 2010 – Final voting ends

May 8, 2010 – 7^th Annual Madison Area Music Awards – Overture Center, Capitol Theater 

Red Carpet at 6PM, Awards Show 7-10 PM

MAMAs on the Terrace

We had a great time at the second annual MAMAs on the Terrace on Saturday night.  The raindrops were effectively dodged and the turnout was spectaular. Local Sounds TV was also on hand so look for an edit of the event there soon.

VO5 really lit up the night with their funky Kool & the Gang-syle of disco covers.  You’ve got to hand it to these guys even if you hate disco – which I do. They can sing! I believe there were six vocalists in all, although it was a little difficult to see over the bouncing pink bunnines. No shit, there were bouncing pink bunny people. I knew leaving my Orange Sunshine at home was a mistake. My favorite dude has to be bassist Drew Szabo who stood about seven feet tall including his platforms.  The group is led by former members of The Merkins Catherine Capellaro (vocals, trumpet) and Andrew Rohn (vocals, keyboard), authors of “Walmartopia.” Rohn appears to be the maestro and the group covers several tough numbers including “Thriller,” a song I have never heard a band cover.

Sunspot also turned in an inspired set. These guys never cease to amaze me. I’ve seen them numerous times and I can’t think of a band that works harder, is more prolific and has more fun. They played several songs from their new release, Singularity, a full-length album that includes a DVD with videos for each song. Now that’s ambition! Bassist/vocalist Mike Huberty caught me on video doing a disco dance complete with self-inflicted reacharounds so hopefully that won’t surface online somewhere.

 Danielle Brittany, winner of the Female Vocalist of the Year award, put on an energetic set that drew a good response from the audience. She was so excited because Brittany, now 23, had a goal of playing the Terrace someday. Her popalicious sounds went well with the setting sun and the lake breeze. Brittany has a band assembled for the occasion that included Matt Nelson, guitarist for the Dorothy Heralds.

Gladstone got things rolling with their brand of pop/rock; a good start to the festivities. They go down easy and the highlight of the band is their ability to sing multiple harmonies. Gladstone won the New Artist of the Year award and the Pop Album of the Year award for Paper Sky. Their set featured these selections mingled with a few covers by U2 and Coldplay.

 
As a former MAMAs musical director and selection committee chairman, I know the huge amount of effort and energy that goes into making this event and this organization the success that it most certainly is.  I also know the vast effort involved in making it an honest and forthright organization, responding to the community and working hard to be fair.  However, as a musician in a heavy rock band, the lack of representation by the hard rock and heavy metal contingent in the MAMAs makes me question if the “best” are really being involved.  As a piano teacher and an advocate for music education in our schools, I am beyond amazed that this organization has weathered as much as it has and continues to help local kids thrive in their musical endeavors while honoring the efforts of the teachers who inspire and motivate the next generation of rock stars.  However, as a fan of local music, seeing certain acts dominate while other deserving acts are never heard from at these awards makes me question the method by which the MAMAs determine the “best” this town has to offer.

I sat in my seat at this year’s event with Kaya, my 14 year-old piano student, sitting next to me.  I’ve been struggling to keep her interested in the piano as her exuberance towards her boyfriend, her cell phone and Guitar Hero continually dominate her attention.  I hoped that this event might motivate her by showing the respect and love that this community bestows on our musicians while hearing some incredible musicians perform incredible music.  It did. 

The show opened to a packed house with a video of a group of children performing Coldplay with all the exuberance and passion they had in their tiny little bodies as a young music teacher led them.  I really felt it.  I felt pride for music teachers.  I felt joy for those among us who are just now learning what music can mean and what performing music can do for our souls.  I looked over at Kaya and I smiled as her eyes remained glued to the screen, obviously moved by the performance.  This is what the MAMAs do well.  They inspire with the promise of the next generation of musicians finding their voice and singing.

Rising Gael (Photo by Dave Newton)

This year’s event seemed uniquely focused on honoring the hard work of music teachers and, sitting there with Kaya, I felt quite proud.  I found myself moved and emotionally engaged throughout the night.  From child musicians playing hip-hop on violins to experienced, dedicated teachers feeling the deserved pride of a lifetime fostering creativity, from the style and history of Clyde Stubblefield to the rousing energy and creativity of Rising Gael, the night was mesmerizing.  The music was incredible with a fantastic line-up, thanks to this year’s musical director, Katy Tomlinson. 
When Rick was honored with a citation from the governor, I was moved that his years of hard work and dedication to this organization and this community was being held up for the praise it deserves.  I have worked with him for years, from Rick’s Café to the MAMAs, and consider him to be one of the most dedicated and stalwart supporters of the arts in this community.  It was incredible to see him humbled by this recognition of his hard work.  As I stood along with everyone else to applaud, Kaya stood and applauded, too. 

Rick's Acceptance Speech (Photo by Dave Newton)

The show was awesome, as it is every year.  The music was great, the set was excellent and the professionalism of the presentation is unlike anything else this town has to offer.  It is remarkable how much good has come from this organization and I’m proud to be a MAMAs member and supporter.  As we walked out, Kaya was feverishly texting her boyfriend, making plans to attend next year’s event.  She was impressed and that’s not an easy thing to do.

However, there is another side that is straining to balance my unbridled enthusiasm for this organization, for Rick and Roy and the entire board, for the good they do in this community and for the instruments now making noise in the hands of so many kids.  The problem is not the organization.  The problem is not the show.  The problem is with how the “best” in this town is decided by this program.

I’m certainly not the first to express this concern.  The Isthmus ran a recent story claiming the same thing and calling for a group of music professionals to help determine the winners.  While I cringe at the very notion of agreeing with the Isthmus, being the true Rick’s Café veteran that I am, this echoes some of my own concerns.  After all, as talented a man as Lucas Cates is, being awarded for Country/Bluegrass, Folk/Americana, Pop, Rock and artist of the year is evidence enough that the voting system in place at the MAMAs not only can be abused, but has and continues to be abused. 

2009 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Marvin J. Rabin (Photo by Dave Newton)

There was not a single heavy rock ‘n’ roll act nominated for any awards this year.  And we live in a town with bands like the Skintones, Brainerd, Droids Attack and the rest of the Crustacean acts not to mention the huge contingent of hard rock bands dominating the stages of virtually every club virtually every weekend. 

This is not a problem of an organization not recognizing these great unsung artists.  The problem is that the only bands nominated are those that submit their music to an Internet audience, hoping to get a fair shake.  It comes from a system that allows bands to enter their music in categories that bear no resemblance to their actual musical identity and then winning because their Internet audience and on-line mailing lists are big enough to sway the vote.

I was there when the decision was made to go this route with the voting and, in all honesty, while I disagreed, I understand how the MAMAs came to this decision.  Several years ago I held the chair for the MAMAs selection committee.  I gathered a group of highly talented and open-minded musical professionals, from DJs to journalists to producers to music enthusiasts.  We painstakingly sorted through submissions and, when realizing certain acts hadn’t submitted material but deserved to be considered among Madison ’s top talent, we contacted them to solicit material.  There were long meetings filled with passionate arguments for going one direction or another, for what category a band should be included in and what category it shouldn’t, for what the difference is between hard rock and heavy metal, between country and bluegrass, between pop and rock.

I was amazed at the dedication this committee gave to the process and the results were impressive.  We managed to truly get down to the best music that came out of this town that year and we recognized it as the stand-out music that it most certainly was.  But others disagreed.

Natty Nation (Photo by Dave Newton)

The press questioned how these winners were decided and thought our methods were questionable.  It was recommended by both those in the press and the larger musical community that we allow the public more of a say and allow internet voting, a system The Isthmus decries in their most recent criticism.  Questions came from critics and thwarted nominees thinking this band isn’t hard enough to be get the metal award and this other band should have been in jazz and that whoever was running this thing had no idea what the hell they were doing.

Let me tell you first hand that these criticisms were absolute bullshit.  Stupid, uninformed, misguided bullshit.  Not one of those that criticized our methods ever contacted me to find out what the process had been.  They spewed baseless crap based on innuendo and misunderstandings.  And those same sources this year call foul for the MAMAs moving towards their earlier position. 

The following year we mixed public voting with a committee.  The public had an equal voice to the committee.  It was convoluted and difficult to understand, but it was the result of a valiant attempt to please the public.  That still wasn’t enough for critics.  The following year, the committee was abolished and the awards have since been decided by only considering votes of paid MAMA members on-line with all the proceeds going directly to help kids get their instruments. 

Kids Performing for Marvin Rabin (Photo by Dave Newton)

So, while I may critique the method the MAMAs uses to determine winners, my critique of the fickle press and on-line forum dwellers that decry this organization and its motives are far more pronounced.  There’s no doubt the MAMAs was trying their best to be as fair as possible.  The same can’t be said for the critics and their digs at the integrity of the organization.

This isn’t a perfect system.  There is no such thing as a perfect system.  And no matter what the MAMAs decides going forward, the fickle press and the forons will most certainly feel obligated to shit all over the process.  And here I am, a member of the fickle press, adding my shit to the stinking pile.  Who do I think I am?  Why won’t I just shut up?

I felt all of these feelings clash as I sat there, proud at being a music teacher and seeing the success of this organization in fulfilling its noble mission alternating with my annoyance at yet another Lucas Cates award, as admittedly talented and impressive as he and his music is.  It also seemed clear that the typical critics would bear their teeth over the next week as sore losers meld with a misunderstanding and misguided press to dull the sheen of an incredible event for an even more impressive cause. 

But as the din wanes and the naysayers find something else to whine about from the cozy confines of their laptops, the MAMAs are planning ways to get more instruments into the hands of more children.  The reason Rick, Roy and the rest of the MAMAs crew keep doing this isn’t to please the masses and vacillate with the shifting winds of the Madison music community.  They do it to get kids instruments.  That’s it.

I’m not sure how the MAMAs voting system will go next year or the year after that.  But I don’t really care either.  Next year and the year after that, there will still be kids that want to rock and the MAMAs will still be there to help them do just that.  I’m hopeful that a system can be devised that will correct some of these legitimate concerns.  I’m also hopeful that those who feel outside the system will join the MAMAs, submit their music, and get involved. 

But no voting system will ever be infallible and there is no chance that all of the apathetic bands and critics out there bitching will actually get involved and contribute.  But what will happen, with all certainty, is that as long as the MAMAs continue their work, as long as this community continues to support them, more kids will get more instruments.