MusicTAP (Matt Rowe):
Colie, give us a little background on your growing up years, the formative years.
Colie Brice (Aeria Records): I was born June 3, 1968 in Point Pleasant, NJ and grew up all over central NJ eventually ending up in Sayreville, New Jersey to attend the same high school as John Bon Jovi & the same Jr. High School as Michael Romeo of Symphony X. Unfortunately growing up life was sometimes anything but pleasant... My folks split up when my twin sister and I were really young and my upbringing was profoundly dysfunctional. Music was my refuge. A place to create my own world, lick my wounds, vent intense pain, contemplate the deeper meaning of things, and facilitate personal growth and healing.
MT: At what age did you begin to notice music in earnest?
CB: At 4, I jumped onstage at a local bar at the Jersey Shore. When I was 9, I traded my best new Christmas toys to a neighbor's kid for an old acoustic guitar with 5 strings. As a teen, I snuck into places to play the piano and played guitar for 5-6 hours at a time.
MT: What bands caught your attention during the early years of your musical development once you started listening intently?
CB: The BEATLES, Elvis, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, the Doors, Journey, Yes, the Four Seasons, Blondie, Cheap Trick - any vinyl that I could beg, borrow, or steal! I also went to school with Michael Romeo of Symphony X. It was readily apparent even at that time, that he was a true prodigy. My friend, Bob Nelson, was a great drummer and also a great inspiration
MT: Who IS the best all-time band in your estimation?
CB: BEATLES!
MT: Guitarist? Drummer? Keyboardist? Bassist?
CB: All this depends on the genre. My personal favorites include, but are not limited, to Albert King on guitar, Bob Nelson on drums, Ben Folds on piano, Bootsy Collins on bass.
MT: I really enjoy asking what song was THE song from the perspective of the listener. In your estimation, what is the greatest single (45 hit) in history?
CB: Simple. The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand".
MT: What radio station did you grow up listening to?
CB: WNEW in New York - Carol Miller, Scott Muni, et al.
MT: Give me your honest estimation of music today versus decades ago. Do you feel that we have gotten better musically or fallen into a crack and we can’t get out?
CB: Nothing will ever be better or have more impact than some of those early explorations of rock & roll, but conversely we live in an era where the means of production are available to the masses - not just a chosen few. Think of the infinite potential in that. Somewhere right now some kid is probably making the next Sgt. Pepper on his iMac :)
MT: As an aside…do you miss those earlier years of music, the years you grew up in?
CB: I'm learning to enjoy the here and now :)
MT: You have worked some years at Mobile Fidelity. What do you do there?
CB: I met Michael Grantham from Mobile Fidelity in 1992 and used to help him when he came to PolyGram's vault to research original master recordings for Ultradisc II reissues. I always thought the MoFi guys were absolutely bad ass with their team MoFi flight jackets and mysterious black boxes:) I used to get free copies of all the MoFi stuff, I wish I had kept some!
Primarily, I'm the Marketing & Communications Director. I try to get press coverage for our products, stay close to the customers, do lots of grassroots new media marketing, keep up strong public relations, etc. In reality we're a small company and we all wear many hats on any given day. It is a profound honor to work for Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. The company's history is iconic and we are doing our best to preserve and expand MFSL's impeccable legacy.
MT: Polygram?! Tell us about those years.
CB: At the time, I was too young to fully appreciate the magnitude of my gig at PolyGram. It was an absolutely incredible education and experience. I learned a lot about audio production from some great staff engineers and even got to meet some true legends - people like Wilma Cozart Fine, Eddie Kramer, etc. I apprenticed under GRAMMY winning engineers like Tom Ruff and Joe Palmaccio, did project research for GRAMMY winning producers like Bill Levenson, Harry Weinger, etc..
Most importantly, I got to hear ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDINGS everyday! For example, if a new U2 album came in, we'd take the master into the studio and listen to it, I heard more master tapes then you could imagine -from Motown, A&M, Island, Mercury, Verve, Capricorn, Polydor, ECM, Deutsch Grammaphone - you name it. Everything from the 40's Hit Parade to the 90's Grunge movement. Simultaneously I was in a signed band and had analog/midi hybrid studio at home to experiment with. It was music 24/7 - listening, performing, recording, mixing, mastering - full immersion.
MT: You work for a company that STILL believes in SACD product. Do you see it growing further as a format or is it destined to remain a niche product until the next “best thing?”
CB: Niche product.. Blu Ray looks like the new kid on the block and flavor du jour.
MT: Is Mo-Fi working on new product that we would find interesting?
CB: Yes the 24 karat Gold archival quality Ultradisc DVD-R.
MT: You’re living an entrepreneurial dream with your new label. While we’re well aware that labels are not easy startups, they still represent an independence that is admired. What gave you the idea to branch out and begin your own label?
CB: Dream? You mean nightmare:) My motivation stems primarily from hearing so many talented new artists that never even get one album out there. It was so hard for me to know what to do business wise at a young age, now I just want to help give folks half a chance.. Its also a counter balance to my work with MFSL which primarily involves reissue of established artists. I really love new music too, so AERIA provides an excellent outlet for putting out the new music that I love and believe should come out of the herd and be heard.. We're not Warner Brothers. MFSL pays my bills, so AERIA is more like a farm team. I provide leadership and guidance, but a lot of the sweat equity has to come from the artists themselves.
MT: What does it take to start a label?
CB: Masochism, massive energy, absolute passion, patience, ability to wear many hats while juggling many balls and navigating many different personalities.. Tolerance for poverty. Good ears.
MT: Do you sign artists with an advance; pay for their recording costs and hope to recoup; or do you take finished tapes, put it out on your own label and pay out predetermined royalties based on units sold or after a certain label cost has been met such as a breakeven point. When I produced concerts, deals with bands typically ran percentage of gross AFTER breakeven. I assume that is the same for album sales.
CB: Every deal is different. Each artists or band requires different resources. Some are more self- contained than others. Generally our deals consist of a 50/50 split on net profits after we've paid back mutually agreed upon expenses.
MT: What criteria do you utilize to select a band or artist that you’d like to sign?
CB: I have to be their biggest fan. The music has to move me personally - artistically, emotionally, spiritually. I can't promote something I don't believe in.
MT: Are you always on the lookout for new bands?
CB: Not especially. Serendipity just seems to make certain things fall into place when the time is right.
MT: Do you accept demos, answer inquiries, or other such things?
CB: Yes.
MT: Do you relegate your band choices to your area where you live or do you welcome from all over the world?
CB: Usually. So far at least. I've got a soft spot and loyalty to the Asbury Park music scene. Though we are working currently with a brilliant indie band from Hollywood called Candyland Riots!
MT: What drew you to St Christopher?
CB: St. Christopher used to be a heavy metal shredder! His evolution into this ultra smooth pop, chill out vibe utterly fascinates me. He's got a unique, contemporary production style, a soothing angelic voice, and plays utterly tasteful, masterful, fluent guitar solos. I love observing an artistic soul's evolution and journey.
MT: To Agency?
CB: I used to be in a band with Brian Saint and always loved his resonant baritone voice, intelligent, heart felt lyrics, and dynamic, gladiator like stage persona. Agency is a true band's band. The sum is greater than the individual parts, and they project a tremendous, spiritually charismatic power live. I'm also a big fan of their guitarist Michael Scotto - a total effects wizard with a mastery of minimalism and sheer taste.
MT: To Juggling Suns?
CB: I tripped out at a Grateful Dead show once and never fully came back to my former self. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a hypocritical asshole, but for one night, I tasted existence beyond the ego and into pure consciousness. The Juggling Suns provide a similar portal of opportunity for additional inquiring soul seekers, and I'm honored to help their efforts to provide "Tranzmutation" for migrant souls and fellow seekers :)
Rick Barry's Declaration of Codependence will be our next release. Its a simple, live folk recording made by Rick himself during a manic/depressive haze of prolific writing last summer. I mastered and edited it myself. Its the real deal. Rick's tune "Courage For A Rainy Day" won the grand prize in the John Lennon songwriting contest and may very well be the most important, relevant songs of our time.
MT: Has Aeria signed any artists to multi-album deals or does it work in a album by album framework?
CB: Album by album.. I want artists to work with other labels, as every label has different connections, expertise, strong suits and weaknesses.. I say spread your catalog around to cross pollinate the market potential. We're not trying to find the next Elvis and own him for life. We're just going to walk one step at a time, go from one project to another and see where the path leads...
MT: When you look at the processes that many new labels have to go through, the fact that you got national distribution via a nationally known label almost immediately is a pretty amazing feat. I chalk that up to your marketing skills and business acumen. How were you able to effect such a deal?
CB: Writing a compelling business plan that articulated my vision for a specific niche. Knowing the right people. Waiting, waiting, and waiting.. Sacrificing goats during the full harvest moon.
MT: Where do you see Aeria in the next 5-10 years?
CB: As an institution that has made a solid contribution to America's cultural vernacular by supporting and launching developing artists within the authentic, virile American music scene of Asbury Park, NJ - epicenter of the Jersey Shore sound and beyond :).
MT: Let’s dive into what it takes to start a label. From conceptual idea to basic beginnings, what does one have to do in order to startup a label?
CB: Again, find a niche and an identity - don't try to be all things to all people. Make a tribe. Align yourself with artists you truly believe in, LOVE, and believe will help you articulate/exemplify your vision. The love will sustain you during the dark times and disillusion. Persevere. Keep working the records you release. Work harder than you thought possible. Explore new ways to promote your releases. Never give up and keep trying. Marry someone with good credit, compassion and patience. Coat your soul with WD-40 :)
AERIA Records have a collection of albums available. We suggest that you check them out. We're sure that you'll find something that you like.
We want to thanks Colie for taking time out of a very busy schedule, to give us his thoughts on everything. Thanks, Colie!!
But, it's all beautiful at the end of the day.
