WHO'S THE BOSS?

So I came to the harsh realization over the last few days that I no longer run Diminished Fifth Records... in fact, it runs me. For those that know me best they say this has been the case for quite some time now… and I won’t disagree with them. The odd thing is that I just realized that for myself, consumed by my ambition. I guess you are always the last one to notice when you are being dominated in a relationship. I’m Diminished Fifth Records bitch... A slave to the proverbial 'Man'. It is just a strange relationship when I'm my own boss yet I'm still a total slave-driver and asshole to myself. I guess most self-employed business owners are the same.

But have no feat, I’m not gonna pull some ‘poor me’ bullshit, because in all truth, things have never been better for D5R! I’m just overwhelmed with a work load that would make most people cringe. Honestly, I like the challenge… well not so much the challenge but the sense of satisfaction that comes with the accomplishment of the task(s).

Right now there are some really exciting things happening at the D5R Camp: New IRON GIANT and GALLACTUS releases coming out in the next 3 months. Once again we are a sponsor at the Maritime Tattoo Festival this coming May and will be blasting the metal and hard tunes for all the tattooed folks to hear! There are also a few yet to be named projects that are being ironed out so hopefully I have some new announcements in the coming weeks about that.

A few cool things that I can announce is that we know have a few of our albums available for download through Apple iTunes

DISCHORD - Siege of Darkness and ORCHID'S CURSE - Goodbye is when the Casket Closes

Also I’m pleased to announce that Iron Giant will be tearing up many a stages in Eastern Canada in March.

March 12th - Charlottown @ Hunters w/ Hell Yeah Fuck Yeah
March 13th - Fredericton @ The Cellar w/ HYFY
March 14th - Halifax @ Hells Kitchen w HYFY
March 15th - Moncton @ The Manhattan w/ HYFY
March 20th - Saint John @ Elwoods w/ HYFY
March 22nd - Montreal @ Katacombes w/ Trigger Effect

Back to work I go... but please keep checking in for more updates.

Horns High!

GIVE ME METAL OR GIVE ME DEATH

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I’m a hard-working ewok so tonight’s blog will be rather short.

First things first, a big thanks to those that came out and played Beer-Pong this weekend for a Double B-Day Celebration. It was good times… and nice to see some new and familiar faces around.

So I mentioned in my first post I was lucky enough to be the vocalist in a great little metal band from Dartmouth called ORCHIDS CURSE.  We’ve had quite an interesting journey in our experiences as a band, changed drummers pretty early on in the game, lost a guitarist due to nerve damage just after releasing our debut 7-song EP Goodbye is when the Casket Closes which received press and reviews from across the globe including, Unrestrained Magazine (Canada), The Gauntlett (USA), Harm Webzine (USA), Music Extreme (Argentina), Chronicles of Chaos (South Africa) and Alternative Zine (Israel)

We then rolled as a 4-piece for over a year until we finally found a suitable replacement as the second axe-man who we just played the 1st Heavy Music Spotlight at the East Coast Music Awards in Fredericton New Brunswick earlier this month. Now we are back on hiatus for a few months while one of our guitarists is temporarily relocated in the big city of Toronto… But the Curse is far from over! In fact I feel we are just turning a new leaf. We have recorded 3 new tracks which are a tier above any thing that could be heard on Goodbye…

So yesterday we put the first song up online for people’s listening pleasures and now we wait to hear people’s opinions which so far it has been excellent.  So please take a listen at any of the sites listed below and share your 2 cents.

LINKS

- ORCHIDS CURSE - MYSPACE

- D5R - MYSPACE

- ORCHIDS CURSE - ONLINE MUSIC NETWORK

Visit Orchids Curse on onlinemusicnetwork.ca now!

I’VE BEEN TOLD A LOT AND LEARNED A LITTLE…

So last blog I talked about the plethora of East Coast Metal bands… This time I want to talk about how there are various different ways for these bands to promote themselves.

From Diminished Fifth Records perspective I want to work with bands that are, not only, as passionate about there success as I am, but are willing to work as hard as I am to make that success happen.

A lot of people still have old world ‘MTV Thinking’ (That’s ‘Much Music Thinking’ for us Canucks!) You get a label you get rich, you get famous and you get the girls… while this may have been true in the glory days of cock rock the digital world has changed the way the entire industry works.

What bands don’t seem to realize is the ‘Faux Glory’ of a big time recording contract. If a label invests $250,000 in your band most would think that is fantastic right? WRONG! First off, an Advance is a nice way of saying a LOAN. So even if your band achieved double that in sales you’d still end up in the hole. Check out this incredible article by genius producer Steve Albini HERE

Scary shit indeed…

So all the big labels are still fighting like the dinosaurs (soon to be fossils) as they are still trying to make millions with hit singles. But thanks to the internet, bands are getting smarter and so are the Indie labels. Realizing they need to use Guerilla tactics to survive.

When someone can as easily download an album (for Free) as purchase it, it is becoming increasingly important for the bands and indie labels to really reach out to the fans and have a direct relationship with them. (Not just force-feeding Fall Out Boy and bands of that ilk down your throat) The bands, after all, are offering a service and the true fans want to be part of it. Fans no longer ‘have to’ purchase the album… any 15-year old knows his way around a Torrent site can find what he wants.

The problem is bands see the internet as the enemy. The truth is the internet is your best friend.

I’ve soaked in a lot of lessons from a variety of sources: Industry professionals, publicist, books, blogs, seminars, conferences, one-on-one meetings and anywhere else that I could gain some knowledge from. Hence today’s title ‘I’ve been told a lot and learned a little…’ Below I’ve listed a lot of different resources (all found online) that will not only help educate you on a variety of topics but also help you market/promote your band so you can succeed to the next level.


The INDIE BIBLE
-This is what it says the ‘bible’ of music, publications, radio stations, labels, distros etc..

DROPCARDS
-Dropcards bridge the gap between digital downloads and the physical world. Create your own custom art work for your drop card and either give them out or sell them.

ARIEL PUBLICITY
-Ariel got smart a few years ago and abandoned traditional PR and started working strictly in the digital world.

CD BABY
-A great company where you can sell your music online and they will ship it anywhere in the world for you. Also you can register to have your music set up for Digital Distribution for such companies as iTunes, Napster, EMusic, etc... CD Baby charges a set up fee as well as keeps a percentage of your sales.

TUNECORE
-A Digital Distribution company you pay a set up a few only and keep 100% of your sales.

EARBUZZ
-Similar to CD Baby except you pay a monthly fee for their service but keep 100% of your sale price.

ANDREW DUBBER
20 Things You Must Know About Music Online
New Music Ideas
-The First is the a free e-book with some very worthwhile advice the second is this website on New Music.


SOME REGIONAL SITES TO PROMOTE YOURSELF ON:

ONLINE MUSIC NETWORK
-A great new site that focuses all genres or homegrown east coast music

MARITIME METAL
-The Message Board that is home to East Coast Metal

LOCALS MESSAGE BOARD
-A variety of message boards looking at the different areas in the East Coast

ALCHEMY MUSIC
-A Message Board dedicated to Prince Edward Island

ALSO I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU CONTACT YOUR PROVINCIAL MUSIC ORGANIZATION:

MUSIC NOVA SCOTIA
MUSIC NEW BRUNSWICK
MUSIC PEI
MUSIC NEWFOUNDLAND

DO YOUR PART – SUPPORT YOUR SCENE

So Diminished Fifth Records has been up and running for about 18 months now and the one thing I’ve learned is there is a wealth of homegrown talent in this region. I mean almost weekly I’m discovering new bands that leave my head spinning. Some I find while searching the regional forums, some word of mouth, and others… find me.

Just yesterday I received and email from a band from St. John New Brunswick called Victims of the Purge they emailed 2 demo tracks they had recorded. In addition to their sheer brutality they had a sweet groove that most bands that heavy neglect.

In addition to those cats, the submissions and tunes I’ve been introduced to since starting HORNS HIGH has kept me more than motivated that I’m not on some hopeless cause trying to prove to the rest of the world that the East Coast Heavy Music scene is thriving. I’ll have a few rough days and start thinking I’m chasing fools gold and the POW! RIGHT THE KISSA I’ll discover this great new band! The shitty thing is D5R is far from a rich company and sadly I can’t work with half the bands I’d like to and once again that is where HORNS HIGH comes in… It is my community service!

A FREE Online Magazine that allows bands to advertise their releases free of charge in the section, well titled, ‘SUPPORT YOUR SCENE’, it also has an ‘ARTIST SPOTLIGHT’ that focuses on two different bands each month, people in different cities have also submitted stories about their Scene (So far we’ve had St. John’s, Moncton, and Sydney looked at), and it includes your standard affairs like, Album Reviews, Live Show Reviews and News.

So I practice what I preach… and I’m preaching to you all now to do what you can to support the bands in your local area and the East Coast Metal scene as a whole! I’ve provided a list of East Coast Bands and all I ask is that you check out just a handful of bands on this list below. (This list was compiled from the Supporting East Coast Metal Facebook Group and Maritime Metal Message Board)

[thedaisy]anthesis (Metal/Death Metal/Grindcore)
Ambiin The Rust (Alternative/Progressive/Metal)
Amnesty (Thrash/Death Metal)
Arcatherion (Death Metal/Progressive)
Archaik (Thrash/Metal/Death Metal)
Autumn Storm (Metal/Classical/Progressive)
Badseed Overdrive (Metal/Rock)
Beneath This Dying Sky (Hardcore/Grindcore/Metal)
Black Frost (Black Metal)
Blackmoor (Metal)
The Bloodletting (Thrash/Death Metal)
Bound in Human Flesh (Death Metal/Black Metal/Metal)
Broken Ohms (Rock/Metal)
Burning Moon (Black Metal)
Cephalectomy (Mystigrind)
Chara (Progressive/Metal/Hardcore)
Chaos Panic and Disorder (Thrash/Hardcore/Metal)
Collapse (Grindcore/Death Metal)
Dead Mourning (Metal)
Defective Perception (Metal/Death Metal/Thrash)
Demiurgus (Black Metal/Metal/Death Metal)
Dischord (Thrash/Death Metal)
DreaD (Thrash/Metal)
Empty Sin (Metal)
Enraged Entity (Death Metal/Black Metal)
Existench (Grind/Hardcore/Thrash)
Fallen (Metal/Hardcore)
FistFight(Metal/Grindcore/Ghettotech)
Funeral Fog (Black Metal)
Gallactus (Metal/Rock)
Havengrave (Black Metal/Thrash)
Hellacaust (Black Metal/Thrash/Metal)
Heavy Doobie (Metal/Other/Thrash)
Huge (Other)
In the Shallows (Thrash/Rock/Death Metal)
Iron Fist (Thrash/Grindcore/Punk)
Iron Giant (Metal/Rock/Southern Rock)
Janus (Progressive/Other/Metal)
Laid to Waste (Metal/Thrash/Death Metal)
Legions of Chaos (Metal)
Lull In Conversation (Rock /Progressive)
Moment of Truth (Metal/Punk/Grunge)
The Monoxides (Rock/Metal/Classic Rock)
Neverdie (Metal)
Obsidian Reign (Metal)
Obsydian (Metal/Thrash/Death Metal)
Orchids Curse (Metal/Progressive)
Ototoxic (Hardcore/Breakcore/Metal)
Pariah (Metal)
Rebecca's Grave (Death Metal/Black Metal/Glam)
Rule of Thumb (R.O.T.) (Hardcore/Punk/Thrash)
Rusted Dawn (Thrash/Metal/Punk)
Severed Reign (Metal/Rock/Progressive)
Sloth (Metal)
Slugbait (Experimental/Metal)
Strong Hollow (Metal)
Subliminal (Rock/Metal)
System Shit (Punk/Hardcore/Thrash)
Terratomb (Metal)
The Kill Floor (Death Metal/GrindCore)
The Sea Divides Metal (Metal/Progressive/Experimental)
This Machine Kills Fascists (Grindcore/Electro/Experimental)
Thy Flesh Consumed (Black Metal/Death Metal/Grindcore)
Uigg (Thrash/Death Metal/Black Metal)
Vennt (Black Metal/Experimental/Other)
Victims of the Purge (Metal/Death Metal)
Vulgus (Thrash/Death Metal/Progressive)
War Pony (Hard Rock)
Weapon (Metal)
We the Undersigned (Crunk/Powerpop)
Wardruids Apocalyptic (Black Metal/Death Metal/Grindcore)
Wohedness (Grindcore/Death Metal/Hardcore)

Cheers & Keep those Horns High!

Random Shit about yours truly

So here is a list of random stuff that will give you an intimate look into my soul…

-I’ve gained more insight from South Park than any political figure in the last 10 years.

-The episode of Futurama where Bender houses a civilization while floating through space better explains religion than any thing else I have ever seen and read…. Ever!

-I’m an avid Juggler and believe ‘Conga’ by Gloria Estefan is the best song to juggle too hands down (Just ask Brian Jones!)

-Beer Pong is the greatest sport in the world


-I like Tattoos

-I like Salvador Dali

-I like Tattoo’s of Salvador Dali [a + b = c]

-Shirts that say things like: “If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay off the porch” or “Don’t like my attitude, take a number!” are only one step above the evolutionary tier of Leather Nascar hats. A very small step…

-He-Man will always be cool as shit!

-Wrestling hasn’t been cool since Papa Shango started lighting people on fire. End of Story.

- Thin Lizzy and King Crimson are two of the most underrated bands of all time.

-No matter how hard people try and convince me, ‘50-Cent’ will never have even once ounce of talent… for Christ’s sake he doesn’t even know what a syllable is. He needs to read some Dr. Seuss and listen to KRS-ONE.

-I like to read… sadly I haven’t been near the avid reader I used to be. Some of my favorite books include: The Story of B (Daniel Quinn), The Art of War (Sun Tzu), Johnny Got His Gun (Dalton Trumbo), Brave New World (Aldous Huxley), 1984 + Animal Farm (George Orwell), Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Illusions (Richard Bach)

-Currently I’m reading Meatball Sundae (Seth Godin) which is actually the reason I’m writing this Blog now…

-Whole-Wheat over White

-And lastly 'Get Fucked' is one of the best sayings to come out in the last decade.

My first entry...

Hello my name is Josh Hogan and I'm an alcoholic. Wait wrong forum, let me try this again...


So suck me dry and call me dusty! I swore I'd never succumb to blogging... then again I said I'd never do facebook either, but this goddamn, interweb sucks me in deeper and deeper with each passing day.

So who am I and what is the purpose of this blog? Those are some damn good questions which will all be unfolded soon enough... so hold on to your junk!

So to begin, I'm a 26 year old male, born in the lovely shithole that is Summerside, Prince Edward Island, and been living in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for the last 6 years. For most of my life MUSIC has been my one true passion... women have come and gone, so have many frineds, but Music has always been there for me...

3 years ago I started singing in a band with some dudes who after a few member shifts and name changes ended up being the Orchid's Curse, who beyond being my bandmates have become the best friends I could ever ask for. In fact, we've just completed a 3-song demo, but I'll touch on that in the coming days. About a year and half ago, I decided that the band just wasn't enough, I still a few hours of sleep to spare and a few extra dollars in my wallet, so I decided I'd startmy own record label. And like that, Diminished Fifth Records was born, which to my surprise has quickly become a recognizable force and name in the East Coast Music community.

The first year was a busy one... the label begin with releasing the Orchid's Curse debut EP, Goodbye is when the Casket Closes, then released a 17-song compilation CD The Music of Artisanship & War: Volume I which focused on a variety of heavy music from across the East Coast of Canada. That album has generated praise from across this fine nation and spent many a weeks on the Earshot University Loud Radio Charts. The label then went into partnership and released Siege of Darkness by Dischord, a seven song assault of relentless socio-thrash metal.

Year two began with the announcement of working with New Brunswick Gallactus on releasing their highly anticipated follow up to the acclaimed debut, Empire of the Eye. Their new release Nine Mile Woods, despite numerous delays, will be released in April/May of this year. In the summer of 07' the focus became more concise and I decided there was not enough recogniztion for METAL MUSIC in the East Coast and that it fucking well deserved to be recognized by the masses! A petition was launched to have 'Heavy Music' recognized by the East Coast Music Association and after the petition filling to 500+ signatures quickly and two interviews on CBC Radio regarding the petition (Q with Jian Ghomeshi and Mainstreet with Phlis MacGregor) I got part of my wish. There would be a HEAVY MUSIC SHOWCASE at the 2008 Awards in Fredericton with the potential of a category in 2009.

In October 2007 D5R (aka Diminished Fifth Records for someone who doesn't feel like typing 22 characters out) launched HORNS HIGH Online Magazine. A Free, Monthly Online Zine that focused exclusively on the East Coast Heavy Music Scene. Which to this day I am proud to say has grown about 200% an issue over the first 4 issues!!! (Seriously check this shit out! You won't be disappointed.)

In most recent D5R News the label has announced it will be releasing Creator of Scars by Iron Giant which to many East Coasters and Canadians is a band which needs no introduction! After the success of their debut album No Longer Sleeping the Giant is ready to destroy everything in their path. They along side of label mates Gallactus have paved the way as the kings of stoner rock in Eastern Canada.

In the coming months both Nine Mile Woods and Creator of Scars with embark on the total fucking domination of the East Coast Music Scene and destroy every thing in their paths.

D5R will also be in full force at the 2nd Maritime Tattoo Festival, and not only will I have the merch booth rolling but I also have the honour of being the Music Coordinator, which will mean lots of Metal coming your way to kick off the first night of the Festival.

So here I stand at a pivotal point in my life... 2 mammoth releases coming out on D5R. A few other prospects in the works, a sequel to The Music of Artisanship & War, the death of the music industry as we know it, CD sales are declining, digital consumption is growing... media is content and content is media, but to tell you the truth I couldn't be more excited. I have a strong support network of friends and family, a beautiful girlfriend, and some of the finest talent in the East Coast at my side...

So know that East Coast Metal is alive and well and keep them Horns High!

-Josh Hogan | Diminished Fifth Records
info@diminishedfifthrecords.com