We are always so honored and humbled here at Aderra Media to be able to do great works for our clients.   Aderra Media have worked with some of the best and brightest talents around in the 21 century as well a some legends from the 20th century.  What works is that fans and bands love what we do.  

Artist Interview: Alex Dezen – Singer, The Damnwells

1) At what point did you know you needed a manager?

I always had one. I had a manager before I had a band.

2) What mistakes should artists avoid when they start touring?

 Thinking you’re worth any tickets, that you’ll get a soundcheck, that you’re doing anyone a favor by playing in their venue/town.

3) When did you start working with a merch company?

At around the second record.

4) Did you actively search for a record deal or did the label(s) come to you?

A little of both. The labels we signed to sought us out. I don’t know if that’s any better.

5) What is the one thing you wish you had known when you began your career?

 To keep my mouth shut.

www.thedamnwells.com 

1) At what point did you know you needed a manager?

I’ve been a professional independent Hip Hop artist for 15 years now.

For a good 12 of those years I didn’t have a manager at all but I felt

like I needed one for almost a decade. I recently brought on a friend

of mine Eamon Mulligan to help manage my career.

He helps me cover more ground and keeps projects running closer to

schedule than I would alone.

2) What mistakes should artists avoid when they start touring?

First off, make sure you have a show that people who are paying actual

money want to see. Seems like a no brainer but you’d be surprised how

many artists don’t know how to hold a mic or project their voices

effectively for a live show. Second, I think a lot of artists make the

mistake of hitting the road too early expecting to find a crowd and it

doesn’t show up. Artists should first build a nice following and buzz

in their hometowns and surrounding areas. Once that’s established then

take regional runs with artists who already have fans in other areas

and win them over. After all those bases are covered and you’re

finally selling out venues nation or worldwide, don’t waste your time

on groupies, drugs and alcohol. That only takes the momentum you’ve

gained and slows it down.

3) When did you start working with a merch company?

I’ve been manufacturing and selling merchandise since day one. I came

up as an independent artist and that’s all I know. When other artists

were making demos for record labels to tell them weather or not they

were good enough, my group and I were in Kinkos copying our own hand

drawn cassette covers and dubbing tapes at home to sell on the street.

We designed our own T-shirts, sweatshirts, posters, hats, skateboards,

cds etc and got them manufactured. I always have a merchandise booth

at

my shows as well as a thorough internet based store as part of my website.

4) Did you actively search for a record deal or did the label(s) come to you?

I’ve always thought of a record company as a bad loan. I like to pay

for things up front and actually make money when I sell units. I find

that being an independent artist works best for me. It has it’s ups

and downs and there were times when I wished labels would come beating

at my door but to be honest it never really happened like that in my

experience. I believe in surrounding myself with a team of people who

believe in my music and know where I’m from and where I want to go.

Most of the people I work with are family to me.