Freeman’s Music Biz

Peter Rafelson's music career spans four decades of being a songwriter, producer, studio owner and more. Penning Madonna's "Open Your Heart" served as the entrypoint to mainstream success, and he's since gone on to host recording sessions for the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

I had a chat with Peter about his career, how his biggest hit was made, and what he's up to today.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

Artists have been calling on Dan Wilson to help them write songs since the late 90s, leading to a steady stream of chart-toppers for artists like Adele (“Someone Like You”) to Taylor Swift (“Treacherous”). But prior to helping others to craft their songs, he had his own success as the singer in the band Semisonic, whose 1998 hit “Closing Time“ was ubiquitous on the airwaves.

Dan and I had a talk about his early career, the success of Semisonic, how he became a successful songwriter and who put him in the room with stars he’s worked with.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

This is Part 2 of my interview with Damizza, taken from The Record Business podcast. The previous one was from Music Is A Racket. The focus of the conversation is his radio background and thoughts on the current music industry.

Having played a key role taking hiphop global in the late 90s/early 2000s, Damizza retired from radio in 2004 whilst at the top of his game. He’s now making a comeback, so we talked about his journey thus far and his thoughts on today’s radio stations, AI in music and more.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

Though hiphop went mainstream in the 90s, it wasn't until the early 2000s that gangsta rap dominated all other sub-genres and effectively monopolized the landscape. This was in no small part due to support from radio stations like Power 106 in LA and Hot97 in New York. Damion "Damizza" Young had influence over both and was the Senior Director of Programming at the former. By keeping artists like Jay Z, Eminem, Ja Rule, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre in constant rotation, he helped establish their careers and mainstream appeal. But this came with pushback from not just his employers, but even major labels who were uncomfortable with the power he wielded.

Damizza and I talked about some of the challenges he faced from 1997 - 2004 whilst employed at Power 106, from issues with the station's parent company to threats from executives at Sony Music to stop helping certain artists.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

Evan Bogart went from Interscope intern in the 90s that helped Eminem get signed, to a songwriter in the 2000s that penned hits for Rihanna and Beyonce, to the co-founder of a publishing company in the 2020s. He's currently the CEO of Seeker Music, which owns catalogs from artists like Run The Jewel, Jon Bellion, and Mark Morrison.

I had a chat with Evan about his progression in the music industry and the kind of work Seeker is doing to carve out a space for itself in the business.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

As one of the few Western executives with both work experience and language fluency in China and Japan, Gabe Bloch occupies a unique space in bridging the Asian and American music industries. He’s currently the Chief Strategy officer for Pony Canyon USA, one of most well-known indie labels in Japan and the producer of the anime Attack on Titan.

Gabe and I covered his work at Pony Canyon, his time working for TikTok parent company Byte Dance, as well as his thoughts on the Japanese music industry and how their artists are gaining traction abroad.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

After a successful radio career in the 90s, Rick Barker became one of Taylor Swift's radio promoters in 2004 and then her manager from 2006 - 2008. He played an instrumental role in the success of her first album as well as her transition to a star. Since departing that role, he's worked as independent consultant for artists and labels, showing them how to maximize their careers.

Rick and I covered his time working with Taylor, and in the full episode on The Record Business podcast, we also talked about his consultancy, Music Industry Blueprint, and how he helps artists with their careers.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

As the son of a famed music executive who signed KISS and Donna Summer in the 70s, Evan Bogart was set on his own music path in his teens. He got an internship at Interscope and helped bring Eminem to the label after seeing him at the Rap Olympics in 1997. Until now, it's unclear why credit for Em's signing went to Evan's former colleague Dean Geistlinger, so I sat down for a chat to learn about what really happened and who really did what.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

Tab Nkhereanye has made the journey from aspiring songwriter to hitmaker and now senior A&R. As a writer in the first decade of his career, he wrote for the likes of Mya, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber and Mary J Blige. From there he became an A&R at places like Sony/ATV, Republic and Def Jam. Some of his notable feats were signing Frank Ocean and Alessia Cara. He's now SVP of A&R at BMG and works with a slew of talented artists to help them craft hits.

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Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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Joe D'Ambrosio started off as a ball boy for the New York Yankees in the 70s and was soon hired as an assistant by legendary music producer, Phil Ramone. After years by his side, Joe went on to hold various music-related roles within marketing, sales and live events, but eventually returned to work with Phil in the 90s and later became his manager. He thereafter set up Joe D'Ambrosio Management in 2002 and currently has a roster of acclaimed producers and mixers.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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Common Saints is the artist moniker of Charlie Perry, a British producer who found success in the late 2010s thanks to his work with artists like Jorja Smith, BTS, Olivia Dean and Maverick Sabre. The first Common Saints EP dropped in 2020 and quickly took the Internet by storm thanks to its modernized version of 70s psychedlic rock that quickly racked of millions of streams and views. I reached out for an interview and we talked about everything from his background to how each Common Saints track was made.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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Though he started off as a drummer in the 70s, Pelle Lidell went on to become one of most well-known Swedish A&Rs of the last few decades, having a hand in countless records for artists like Christina Aguilera, Celine Dione, Christina Milian, Sugababes and more. He spent time at both indie and major label publishers, first in Sweden and then in the UK. He followed up by contributing to the K-Pop explosion of the 2010s, with several of his writers getting cuts with the biggest stars in the genre.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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I recently spoke with Brent Kolatalo, a producer/mixer known for his work alongside Kanye West, Future, Lenny Kravitz, and Kendrick Lamar. Some of the covered topics include the following:

• Brent's early days at Berklee and working under Ken Lewis in the 2000s.
• Doing sample replacement and session work on the "College Dropout".
• Not getting credited on famous songs.
• Making records for Future.
• Running his own operation as a producer.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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Michael Blair is an American drummer and producer who's contributed to breakthrough records with Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, poet Allen Ginsberg, and many more. He also presents workshops and events focused on unlocking creativity and promoting music collaboration. I was able to sit down with Michael and ask him some questions about his career, his relocation to Sweden, and his wider work.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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Jeff Bass rose to fame as one half of the Bass Brothers, the production duo that discovered Eminem in the mid-90 and did the music on most of his first albums. But despite contributing to the best-selling rap discography of all time, very little is known about their history, their productions and the story of their relationship with Eminem. We sat down to talk about his work with both Eminem and his group, D12.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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Klas Bergling is the father of the late Swedish DJ, Avicii, who passed away in 2018. Having handled the business side of his son's affairs for over a decade, he set up the Tim Bergling Foundation to honor his memory in 2020. I had the chance to sit and speak with him about his son's career, as well as the work the foundation is doing.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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In the late 90s, hardly any bands were more ubiquitous than Semisonic. Thanks to their breakout hit "Closing Time", they shot to the top of the charts and cemented themselves as rock stars of that era. As the band's drummer, Jacob Slichter enjoyed the upsides of that period, from limousine rides to arena shows and TV appearances. However, what he didn't know was the vast amounts of payola needed to make their music successful. Their record label spent millions of dollars paying radio stations to play their music, and even if the results were ultimately positive, it left the band in debt up to their ears.

Jacob and I chatted about his early days as a musician, how Semisonic came to find success, what it's like being signed to a major label, and how payola worked in the 90s.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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Sam speaks with producer and mixer Tony Hoffer about his past work with artists like Beck, Air, Phoenix and The Kooks. Some of the covered topics include the following:

• The five samplers Tony used in the 90s
• The loss of depth and dimensionality in modern music
• Producing for Beck on "Midnite Vultures"
• Producing for Air on "10,000 Hz Legend"
• Producing for Phoenix on "Alphabetical"
• Producing for The Kooks "Inside In/Inside Out"

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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During the 2010s, blogs were the dominant form of online music discovery and very few had the industry-wide prestige of Hillydilly. Formed in 2007 by Chad Hillard, it gained traction in 2012 as one of the most well-curated places to find new music and helped to break artists like Lorde and Halsey. By 2016, it was directly responsible for helping to launch Billie Eilish's career, among others.

I had a chat with Chad about how Hillydilly came to be, what it was like running the blog, and why things came to an end in May of 2020.

Freeman's Music Biz is a summary podcast that offers 10 - 15 minute versions of Sam's hour-long conversations from his three shows. If you enjoy the clips, please check out the full podcasts, which are listed below.

Podcast #1 - Speakhertz (for talking to audio professionals)

Podcast #2 - The Record Business (for talking to music executives)

Podcast #3 - Music Is A Racket (for talking about the underbelly of the music business)

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One of the most notable names in the world of digital music marketing is Chad Focus, who gained nationwide notoriety for manufacturing his rap career by way of social media ads, paid billboards, ticket scalping and botting his streams. All this came to a halt in 2018 when he was jailed for his actions, but he's since been released and is sharing his knowledge of what actually goes on in the music business when it comes to how the bigger players monopolize their share of the industry.