IMA News & Updates
We devote this special edition of the IMA BUZZ to announce the first wave of judges for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards.
Why have we asked these particular artists and industry pros to be IMA Judges?
Quite simply, this distinguished and accomplished panel is culled from a broad range of genres and industry backgrounds. They are known as music fans as well as industry influencers.
Why have they agreed to clear their busy calendars and devote time to carefully evaluate submitted tracks?
Because they share a commitment to supporting independent and original music.
Below we have included profiles of some of this year's IMA panelists. More judges and more judges' profiles will be included in upcoming editions of the IMA Buzz.
More IMA Judges will be announced at the IMA site.
Mavis Staples
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Mavis Staples is a force of nature. A 40-year veteran performer, recording artist and collaborator, Staples is a Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and one of VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll." With The Staple Singers and on her own, she is responsible for blazing a rhythm & blues trail while never relinquishing her gospel roots. Her voice has influenced artists from Bob Dylan to Prince, who dubbed her "the epitome of soul." She has appeared alongside everyone from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Presidents Kennedy, Carter, and Clinton, to Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, Santana, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. She is also featured on recordings with Bob Dylan, Los Lobos, Aretha Franklin, Marty Stuart and many others.
Duncan Sheik
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Duncan Sheik just added multiple Tony Award Winner to his resume for his score and orchestrations for Broadway's "Spring Awakening." The play swept the ceremony, claiming eight wins, including the top prize, for Best Musical. Before his Broadway debut, Sheik was best known for his eponymous Atlantic Records debut, which was certified Gold and spawned the 1996 hit single "Barely Breathing," which earned him a Grammy Award nomination.
Suzanne Vega
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Known for her highly literate lyrics and eclectic folk-inspired music, Suzanne Vega became a household name in 1985 when her self-titled debut reached platinum status in Britain. Her next effort, Solitude Standing, garnered critical and commercial success including two hit singles, "Tom's Diner" and "Luka," which was an international success. Vega followed this breakthrough album with four critically and commercially successful releases and then a 21-song greatest hits compilation, Retrospective: The Best of Suzanne Vega. In 2006, Vega became the first major recording artist to perform live in the online, virtual universe called "Second Life." She is currently gearing up for the July 17, 2007 release of her seventh album, Beauty and Crime, her first recording on Blue Note Records.
Chad Smith
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chad Smith is indisputably one-half of the most slamming, funky rhythm sections to grace recorded music since the dawn of wax. And in fact, it's the one-two collaboration of Smith and ace bassist Flea that stokes the Peppers' furnace.
Although he is known principally as a member of the multiple Grammy Award-wining, headlining band, Smith's drumming is featured on over a hundred albums. He has also toured the world extensively performing drum clinics, and he recently did a series of clinics with Deep Purple's Ian Paice.
Mobb Deep
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Mobb Deep is comprised of Havoc and Prodigy, who have powered this eminent group to the top of the hardcore rap scene through their straightforward narration of street life. The duo is best known for releasing one of the most influential Hip-Hop albums of the East Coast hardcore rap genre, The Infamous, featuring the hit single, "Shook Ones Pt. II." In 1999, the album Murda Muzik debuted at Number 3 on the Billboard charts and quickly went platinum. Prodigy and Havoc announced that they had inked a deal with 50 Cent's label G-Unit Records in 2005 and went on to release their seventh album, Blood Money. It featured G-Unit members 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck, as well as Mary J. Blige and Nate Dogg. Mobb Deep made history on November 3, 2006, by becoming the first ever American rap act to perform in India, via "VH1's Hip Hop Hustle."
Chris Douridas KCRW-FM DJ/Tastemaker
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Boasting a wealth of music industry accomplishments, Chris was recently the creative programming consultant for the iTunes Music Store and created the store's live performance and interview series, iTunes Originals that features new and exclusive tracks from Alanis Morissette, Sting, LL Cool J, Bjork, PJ Harvey, and others. Additionally, Douridas created the iTunes Essentials, an ongoing series of downloadable music playlists for the iPod culture. Chris has also been nominated for Grammy awards for his work on the films Shrek 2 and American Beauty. He continues his dedication to discovering and nurturing unsigned artists through a new nationally syndicated weekly radio program called newground, heard on Radio@iTunes, and KCRW-FM in Los Angeles.
Carrie Hughes MTV Music Supervisor
2008 IMA Industry Judge
As if her daily responsibilities as music supervisor for MTV weren't enough to keep her occupied, Hughes recently launched her own management firm, Reflection Music Management, to shepherd the careers of artists and bands she uncovers along the way. Prior to joining the MTV staff, she coordinated the music for the venerable TV reality-based, docudrama syndicator Bunim Murray Productions. Hughes has also held positions with Dreamworks Records, Universal Records, Aware Records and was the head of Campus Entertainment at CSU.
Anthony DeCurtis Rolling Stone Contributing Editor
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Anthony DeCurtis is a contributing editor at "Rolling Stone," a position he's held since 1980. Among the many subjects he has interviewed throughout his career are: Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Pete Townsend, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Eminem, Trent Reznor and a multitude of others. DeCurtis is the author of "Rocking My Life Away: Writing About Music and Other Matters" and editor of "Present Tense: Rock & Roll & Culture." DeCurtis is co-editor of "The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll" and "The Rolling Stone Album Guide" (third edition). His essay that accompanies the Eric Clapton "Crossroads" box set won a Grammy in the "Best Album Notes" category.
Kevin Lyman Founder & Producer of Vans Warped Tour
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Music industry leader Kevin Lyman is best known as the creator and producer of the hugely successful Vans Warped Tour - the longest-running music and extreme sports festival tour in the world. Now in its 13th year, the tour reaches more than 600,000 kids each summer, and has spawned a host of imitators.
Lyman began his career booking bands for his university, and working as a roadie for then-unknown acts such as The Untouchables, The Bangles and Bad Religion. After college, Kevin began working with up-and-coming independent promoter Goldenvoice, serving as production manager for seminal punk rock and metal bands such as The Germs, Metallica, the Circle Jerks, Anthrax and Jane's Addiction.
Joe Boyd Producer, Author & Music Maven
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Joe Boyd recently chronicled his formative years in the music business in the eminently engaging memoir, "White Bicycles." The book is a must-read for anyone who wants an insider's view of the continually burgeoning, music business careerist.
Boyd became best-known for his work with British folk and folk rock artists, including the Incredible String Band, Nick Drake, John Martyn, Fairport Convention and Richard Thompson.
Boyd returned to the States in the 1970s, assembling footage for the eponymous film documentary on Jimi Hendrix (1973) and producing records by Maria Muldaur and Kate and Anna McGarrigle among others. He went on to found his own Hannibal label (now a part of Rykodisc) which released records by the likes of Richard Thompson, and various discs of so-called world music. Boyd also produced R.E.M.'s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction, and records by Billy Bragg and 10,000 Maniacs.
Partners Spotlight
GoGirlsMusic.com is a unique organization that focuses on advancing the careers of independent female artists. Its mission is to promote, support and empower its members. The only requirement is one female in a group.
Founded in early 1996, the organization works tirelessly to help artists
through education, networking, and events like the GoGirlsMusicFest,
Invasion of the GoGirls, Battle of the GoGirls, and more. Artists who become involved have the opportunity to perform, have their work reviewed, and get involved with a hardworking group of women who "get things done" in the music scene.
Entries Must Be Postmarked by July 27, 2007
For Details and Entry Forms go to: www.IndependentMusicAwards.com
Support Independent music, become an IMA Sponsor
Contact Joelle: Joelle@IndependentMusicAwards.com
