IMA News & Updates
Today is a special day for the IMAs. Not only are we announcing our second wave of judges for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards, but we are launching our partnership with the ultra-hip networking site, Trig.com.
Below, meet more of the distinguished and accomplished music industry veterans who comprise our judging panel. They were chosen to be part of the IMAs because of their commitment to supporting independent and original music.
Then, head over to http://trig.com/independentmusicawards/invite and join this next generation community with a focus on creative people in all areas, including musicians, artists, photographers, writers and fashion designers. Cutting-edge and stylish because its members are-Trig is an entertainment platform with some of the best online music, images and information available.
To view an up-to-date list of IMA judges, visit: http://independentmusicawards.com/ima/imajudges2008.asp
Les Claypool
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Les Claypool is renowned as the singer/bassist for Primus, one of the most eclectic bands to gain significant mainstream airplay. Claypool's mastery of the electric bass has brought him into the spotlight with his funky, creative playing style. He mixes finger-tapping, flamenco-like strumming, a similar double-thumb technique, and a Larry Graham-like slap technique to forge his own unique style. Claypool has earned respect as one of rock's premier bass talents and has become an influence for younger bassists in recent years.
Ice-T
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Although one of West Coast rap's leading figures, Ice-T (Tracy Marrow) was actually born in Newark, New Jersey. While attending Crenshaw High School in California, Ice-T became obsessed with rap and often recited rhymes for classmates. After a stint in the Army, Ice-T began his extremely long career of recording raps for various studios on 12." These tracks were later compiled on "The Classic Collection" and also featured on disc 2 of "Legends of Hip-Hop." His first rap was "The Coldest Rap" in 1982; this was also the first hip hop record to use the words "nigga" and "ho," although few recognize this early record as "gangsta rap." Much of his music is politically oriented. In 1991, Ice-T released his classic album O.G. (Original Gangster) which is regarded as one of Gangsta Rap's defining albums. It was also on this album in which he introduced his heavy metal band, Body Count. He has since released four other Rap albums, collaborated with Hard Rock/Metal bands, such as Icepick, Slayer, Motörhead, Black Sabbath,
Six Feet Under and covered songs by Hardcore Punk bands, The Exploited and Black Flag. Since 2000, he has played the role of Detective Odafin Tutuola on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which shows his acting chops.
Tim Pagnotta
2008 IMA Artist Judge
As frontman for veteran Santa Barbara, California Pop-Punk rockers, Sugarcult, Tim Pagnotta and his bandmates have taken their characteristic DIY attitude to the limit. Sugarcult has been touring non-stop for the past six years throughout the US, UK, Japan and Europe, stopping only to make new records. The band's career highlights include playing the Main Stage at Warped Tour, opening for Green Day on the band's American Idiot tour and hitting stages at Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds in the U.K. and Summer Sonic in Japan. The band found fans at modern rock radio and MTV 2, and earned critical acclaim in magazines like Alternative Press. With three studio albums and one live album/DVD, Sugarcult has crafted hit singles ("Bouncing Off the Walls," "Pretty Girl," "Stuck in America") and MTV hits ("Memory," which was also featured in Burnout 3 and NHL 2005, and "She's the Blade"), that have appeared in films such National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Old School, American Wedding and Employee of the Month.
Charlie Musselwhite
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Blues harmonica icon Charlie Musselwhite was born in Mississippi, raised in Memphis, and headed north to Chicago in the 1950s where he met and performed with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf,
John Lee Hooker and others. His 1967 debut, 'Stand Back!,' established him as a blues master in his own right. Charlie has performed and/or recorded with everyone from Ben Harper to INXS to the Blind Boys of Alabama, the North Mississippi Allstars to
G. Love to Gov't Mule, and many others. He's won 18 W.C. Handy Blues Awards and received multiple Grammy nominations. Recently, Charlie was the big winner at the 28th annual Blues Music Awards, walking away with four of the five trophies he was nominated for including: Album of the Year (Delta Hardware), Song of the Year ("Church Is Out"), Traditional Blues Album of the Year, and Instrumentalist - Harmonica.
Judy Collins
2008 IMA Artist Judge
Legendary Folk/Singer-Songwriter, Judy Collins is known for the stunning purity of her soprano, her eclectic taste in the material she records (which has included Folk, Standards, Chansons, Pop and Rock 'n Roll, etc.) and her social activism. She has won two Grammy Awards (Best Folk Performance or Folk Recording, "Both Sides Now", 1968 and Song of the Year, "Send in the Clowns", 1975). In addition, Collins was nominated for an Academy Award in 1975 for the documentary, "Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman," a film that honors her classical piano instructor, conductor Antonia Brico.
Joe Cuello Director of Music/Creative and Licensing -
MTV
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Joe Cuello began his career in music for TV and Film out of a desire to combine several of his interests. After receiving a degree in Fine Arts and completing a post-graduate degree in Education, Joe began work on a documentary project that solidified his direction. The process of producing the film and selecting music for its score, lead to freelancing as music supervisor on MTV productions. "Pimp My Ride," "Making the Band," "Newlyweds" and "VH1 Bands Reunited" are among the shows he worked on in that role. Working with unsigned artists and musicians on various projects, he brought that excitement for emerging talent to his Music Supervisor role. In January 2006, Joe assumed the newly created position as Director of Music / Creative and Licensing at MTV. The goal of the position is to help shape the evolving music story of MTV within its long form programming. With initiatives such as a Guest Music Supervisor role on marquee productions (Dashboard Confessional, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker-Laguna Beach, Pete Wentz -The Hills) as well as Composer work with various artists for the documentary series True Life and "Rolling Stone Project" (Michael Penn), Joe is committed to expanding the connections between music and television.
Pilley Bianchi A&R - Mamapalooza Records
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Pilley Bianchi is an ASCAP award winning songwriter and featured artist in the organization's showcase series at the Sundance Film Festival, where she has shared the stage with Jen Chapin and India.Arie. As a pianist, she had her debut with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra at 16 years old and was First Prize winner of the prestigious Mozart competition. She has appeared as a rock/pop keyboardist in video and television programs on MTV, BET, PBS, HBO & the Lifetime Network and was the featured keyboardist/talent for MTV's ace award winning show, "Turn It Up," and "Spotlight Cafe" with Denis Leary, for which she co-wrote both theme songs. Her original band, Ila's Dress, debut CD Ignorance & Bad Manners, received critical acclaim, charting on CMJ and landed her a recording contract with
Allen Kovak's label, Beyond (BMG), and co-publishing contract with TRIO Publishing (Nashville). Her music is currently featured in several soundtracks. She was the music director for seven years of the long running NYC hit "Tony & Tina's Wedding" and is currently head of A&R for Mamapalooza Records & Mamapublooza Publishing for which she is also a featured artist. Most importantly, she is mother to six year-old Aidan Bianchi, her eternal inspiration and VP of the PS 84 PTA in Brooklyn!
Abby White Music Editor - Performing Songwriter Magazine
2008 IMA Industry Judge
As Music Editor of Performing Songwriter Magazine, Abby can usually be found in her office listening to new CDs. When she's not chained to her desk, she's out on the town-or the continent, for that matter-catching live music. She takes her role as a musical globetrotter very seriously, attending every music conference and festival in order to check out as much new music as possible. Abby has participated in panels and events at conferences including SXSW, NXNE, CMJ, Triple A Radio Summit, Triple A Non-COMMvention, Folk Alliance, ECMAs, Midwest Music Summit, Key West Songwriters' Festival, South Park Music Festival and Atlantis Music Conference. Prior to Performing Songwriter, she worked at Nashville's only independent Triple A radio station, WRLT Lightning 100.
Philippa Murphy Talent Buyer - BFG
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Philippa Murphy has worked in the music industry for over ten years. Most recently as the Talent Buyer for BFG, which creates and produces tours for Camel. As a Band Booker for tours she tries to push the envelope mixing established acts with new and upcoming artists. Before that, she was A&R at Wind Up Records, where she brought in numerous demos of many now successful well-known bands. Since the label didn't share her vision she moved on to working alongside the President of Blue Note Records and EMI. She spent her early career in the Music & Talent Department at MTV Networks, always fighting to get good music on the air and at the very least more music video airtime. All throughout her career she has worked to promote up and coming bands and get good music to the masses. She is a self-proclaimed music nerd with an encyclopedic knowledge of music, whose love and passion for music has not diminished with time. She is also a freelance DJ, music journalist and blogger as well as being a proud member of the Ladies in Music Group in NY.
Chris Kimsey Producer
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Chris Kimsey is known throughout the industry as a 'Producers, Producer' and has been an influence on many. He is musically astute - he both writes and plays - and is also conversant with modern recording techniques including Pro-Tools and continues to make exciting and creative records. Over the years, Chris Kimsey has produced and had hits with acts as varied as; The Rolling Stones, INXS, Gypsy Kings, Marillion, The Chieftans, Deacon Blue,
Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Killing Joke, Psychedelic Furs, The Cult, Duran Duran, Johnny Halliday, Peter Frampton, ELP, Bad Company and Ten Years After. His more recent work includes albums for Soul Asylum, The Proclaimers and Ash as well as recording for The Rolling Stones live in concert for DVD and a 5.1 DVD which features songs from Elton John, Dire Straits, Genesis and Phil Collins amongst other greats.
Jennifer Tefft Talent Buyer - Spaceland, LA
2008 IMA Industry Judge
For over six years, Jennifer Tefft has been the talent buyer at Spaceland, the Los Angeles live music venue known for showcasing up and coming bands before they explode. She was the first person in LA to book the Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Art Brut, Bloc Party, Jet, Kaiser Chiefs, Keane, Secret Machines, Snow Patrol, The Decemberists, The Killers, and The Shins, among many others. After garnering press for her consistency at finding new talent, she is now starting to delve into the world of music supervision for films.
Michael Patterson Producer
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Michael Patterson is a Mixer and Producer who has worked with artists such as Beck, Notorious B.I.G., Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, She Wants Revenge, OPM and Duran Duran.
Jeff Torrice Director of A&R - Majorlabelscout.com
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Jeff Torrice graduated from Michigan State University and began his music career as a local promoter in the Detroit music scene. Jeff has managed several regional artists and has produced nearly 100 concerts throughout the Midwest. After joining the MajorLabelScout.com (clients include J and Arista Records) team in early 2005, Jeff was promoted to Director of A&R in the spring of 2006 by company President
Ken Krongard (best known for signing Avril Lavigne). Regarding the MLS program Jeff says, "What I learned over the course of two years about the major label A&R process is pricless!"
Danny Saber Producer
2008 IMA Industry Judge
Los Angeles resident Danny Saber is not only known for his years playing guitar and bass with the Manchester, England-based Black Grape -- he is also known for his skills as a producer, remixer, engineer, and DJ, and has worked with a long list of major artists ranging from
Sheryl Crow to Madonna to Public Enemy. Saber is not an easy artist to categorize; he has strong alternative rock credentials, but he has also embraced everything from hardcore rap to industrial to trip-hop.
Mike Errico Editor - Blender.com
2008 IMA Industry Judge
National recording artist and Editor of Blender.com Mike Errico contributes breaking music news on Sirius satellite's Maxim radio channel and also writes features and reviews for Maxim.com, Stuffmagazine.com and many other publications. In addition to maintaining his musical touring schedule, Mike has provided musical scores for feature films and TV shows ranging from VH1's hugely successful "Pop Up Video" to MTV's "Band in a Bubble." All In, his fifth full-length CD, was released on June 11, 2007.
Melissa Cross Vocal Coach - The Zen of Screaming 1 & 2
2008 IMA Industry Judge
In the early 90s, a passionate and unrestrained movement of singers emerged from the underground that would test the extreme limits of the human voice. Heeding the call of the warriors of rock and metal for over 15 years, Melissa Cross developed a vocal training method
that has since been embraced by these artists who value raw power and passion above everything in their performance. With a roster of clients ranging from Lamb Of God, Stone Sour, and The Bravery to Kevin Bacon, Melissa has provided vocal, production and career expertise for countless signed artists. Her DVD's, The Zen of Screaming 1 and 2 are presently the best selling vocal training product available. She has appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NPR radio, Discovery Channel, has been featured in multiple print and online magazines, and is distributed by Alfred Music Publishing.
Partners Spotlight
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The next generation community with a focus on creative people in all areas - musicians, artists, photographers, writers, fashion designers and all others.
Cutting-edge and stylish because our members are - making Trig an entertainment platform with some of the best online music, images and information available.
Quality, not quantity - we think you should be able to tell someone
they're good with just a click. We call it 'trigging'.
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