Passionate about music, I always wanted to participate professionally, not just as a musician, but on the business side of things. Throughout my long career, I have done just that in many capacities. In the late 1970s and as a teen-ager, my top 3 favorite musicians at the time were Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Roye Albrighton of Nektar and Michael Schenker of UFO/Scorpions (this was before the MSG era). Ask any of my friends, I would gush on endlessly about these 3 men and their bands. I ended up working with all 3 later on in life.
With Rob Halford while promoting film I edited War of Words The Film
Hanging with Michael Schenker at Foundations Forum ’91
Personal CD gift made for me by Roye Albrighton
My First Paid Gig was for NEKTAR
My first job in the “biz” was back in 1979 for the Gold-recording progressive rock band Nektar. I knew the promoter and he knew I had some art skills, so he commissioned me to make the venue poster as well as design a flier for the show. My pay was in tickets and backstage passes. I would later work with Nektar again in the 90s when I created their first website on my own which actually sparked the inevitable reunion. I wrote a blog post about it here.
NY ONSLAUGHT - My Heavy Metal / Tower Records Magazine
The executive position I had for an advertising agency ended abruptly after 3 years of service when they suddenly decided to to close the NY office and merge everything into their Canadian office. I was married and didn’t want to move out of the U.S. I took that opportunity to start NEW YORK ONSLAUGHT, a high quality, glossy, mini-magazine. I landed a circulation deal with the Tri-State Tower Records chains in NY, NJ and CT. I handled all the interviews and wrote the majority of the articles.
I interviewed Michael Schenker (UFO, Scorpions, MSG), Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Jon Drenning (Crimson Glory) Mark Wood (Mark Wood Experience, Tran Siberian Orchestra), Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford. That interview with Halford sparked a long working relationship. Halford like the interview so much, that he hired me to interview all the new band members in FIGHT to write the band bios used to pitch the band to SONY. Even excerpts from my interview were used in the Documentary Concert Film Fight War of Words The Film.
Rob Halford's Metal God Entertainment (2005-2012)
I have been a huge Judas Priest fan ever since I heard Sad Wings of Destiny in the Spring of 1976. After seeing them 20 times, I finally had a chance to go back stage and meet the Rob Halford and the entire legendary band in 1991. The next year, I started my own heavy metal magazine, New York Onslaught (see above). One of the cover stories I did was an exclusive interview with Rob Halford.
He loved the interview so much so that a few years later, he hired me to interview all of the members of his new band FIGHT in order to write the band bio used to pitch the band and music to Sony’s Epic Records. When they released Fight War of Words, I then introduced Rob and his manager to the concept of marketing on Internet newsgroups. The internet was in its infancy and was only text based at the time. I posted tour dates and reviews in newsgroups and even artwork onto dial-up Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). Yes, I was also a SYSOP (system operator) for a BBS I built back then. From that point on I was Rob Halford’s web guru having built his first official website for his band Two and then every RobHalford.com site since up until 2012.
So in 2005, Rob and his business partner/manager offered me a job in Phoenix, AZ to help build and run his Metal God Entertainment businesses. I actually turned it down initially, but after a second offer, I decided to take him up on his offer.
So what did I do at Metal God Entertainment? Pretty much every job title possible at an entertainment company!
For 7 years I was the Marketing Director, Graphics Director & Artist, Head of IT and Network Administrator, Web Producer & Designer, eCommerce Manager, Editor (Film, Music Videos, Trailers & Commercials), Writer, Project Manager, PMCD producer, DVD & Blu-ray UX design and programming, Associate Tour Coordinator, Application Developer (solely created and programmed Windows & Mac music apps called DEPs which sold very well), Worldwide Product Distribution Management, Merchandise Inventory Management (in-house and tour disbursement) and laminator of tour passes.
I did all the CD, DVD & Blu-ray graphics & booklet layout work for every release. Most of the cover art and original art used was created by artist extraordinaire and my friend, Marc Sasso. I co-created the Made in Metal cover.
Metal God Entertainment Releases I worked on.
Independent Work - Web Sites, Albums, EPKs
After Metal God Entertainment closed its door in 2012, I went freelance and consulted for a bit before launching ACWTV. I offered services like web design, online press kits, and graphics for album covers and booklets. I worked with many great artists including Ronnie James Dio, Richie Blackmore, Foghat and Martha Wash.
I did the album cover for Lightning Strikes debut release (Pure Legend Records) featuring. Tony Martin (Black Sabbath) and Rob Math (Leatherwolf & Player). I did the booklet for the legendary triple axe attack, Leatherwolf’s Unchained live CD.
Music Videos I Edited
In addition to many trailers, commercials, music videos, concert films and documentaries I edited for Rob Halford and Metal God Entertainment, I’ve edited a few music and lyric videos. Here are a couple of my favorite edits I did for Roy Z’s Tribe 0f Gypsies Official Music video of “Yeah!” and Leatherwolf’s Official Spiter Live from Keep it True 2015.
My Music Industry Related Blog Post
The Roye Albrighton Chronicles – The Career Spanning Interview by Attila Juhasz
INTRODUCTION In 1995 and using an Earthlink account, I created the first Nektar fan website. I wanted to rekindle awareness and appreciation for some of the greatest music ever recorded. In 1996 I purchased Nektar.com to try and get more traffic and notice. It worked big time. Nektar started selling again and the band, theRead More »The Roye Albrighton Chronicles – The Career Spanning Interview by Attila Juhasz
Was Atti really on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball in 1991?
Did you know I was on MTV’s Headbangers Ball in 1991? Well, sort of. Here’s the video of what happened.
The Ad I Drew to Promote Nektar in Concert in Yonkers NY 1979
A few days ago I came across this flier I drew, printed and circulated in 1979 to promote Nektar live in concert in Yonkers, NY. I also drew the venue poster, but someone took off with that back then. I was 16 and this was my first experience working with a real rock and roll… Read More »The Ad I Drew to Promote Nektar in Concert in Yonkers NY 1979
Metal God Essentials Volume 1 – My First TV Commercial That I Edited
Cool. I didn’t realize that after I left MGE in 2012, Halford put up on YouTube the first Halford promo I edited for him in 2007 for Metal God Essentials Vol 1. This was a cool moment for me as I also did a version with a Best Buy tag that was aired on ESPN… Read More »Metal God Essentials Volume 1 – My First TV Commercial That I Edited