Introducing Nightlife’s Production Team
Usually found in a part of the building where the music never stops, the Music Production team is perhaps one of the “loudest” departments at Nightlife. This versatile team researches and sources new music, seeks licenses for new music from all over the world, encodes and programs music into lists, then compiles it all together into an update which is then dispatched to each of our clients twice a month. As you can see, this multi-talented group is just one of the many vital components that make Nightlife such a success. So without further ado, let us introduce the Music Production Team:
| Colin Clarke: Music Production Manager |
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Colin only recently joined Nightlife, but has already made the job of manager his own. Overseeing and facilitating the daily jobs that filter through the department whilst ensuring the smooth running of the team are just some of the things his role entails. A positive leader with a background of over 20 years in the entertainment industry, Colin guides the team consistently towards sourcing, programming and distributing the best possible music selections for our clients. |
| Ben Preece: Music Programmer |
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Ben may be known to those of you who are familiar with Time Off magazine where he is a regular interviewer. As Nightlife’s resident music guru living on the cutting edge of the industry, Ben oversees all the music programming, previewing, researching and essentially making sure Nightlife is hip, happening and moving in the right direction. He maintains good working relationships with the record companies and researches new music and trends as well as liaising with our USA and NZ counterparts, applying his knowledge to their music libraries as well. |
| Justin Stephenson: Studio Co-ordinator |
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Justin is the first point of call when the music hits our doors. He receives all the videos that come from the various recording companies and sorts through them, choosing the songs that will make their way to our music updates. The studio process involves the close monitoring of audio/video quality and the conversion of music to Mpegs and Mp3s so it can be played from a HDMS™.....all in a day’s work for Justin. |
| Tyler McLoughlan: Music Licensing |
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Tyler is the team’s licensing go-getter. Together with her positive attitude and sense of humour, she is a gun at liaising and maintaining relationships with record labels, publicists and artists, all part of gathering new content and obtaining clearances to copy and distribute music. Tyler works closely with Ben to research new music trends, labels and artists, ensuring Nightlife has access to all the new and popular tunes. She also finds time to generate the quarterly royalty reports and the fortnightly Music Muse, and loves having a job where she’s immersed in music every day. |
| Peter Young: Music Production Co-ordinator |
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Peter works closely with Philippa in the dispatch arena. His role entails coordinating the music update mailouts for all Nightlife’s offices in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. He provides quality assurance of film clips meaning he gets to watch and listen to every clip before it goes out! An important part of our music production process is the superimposing of song and artist details on each clip, Peter takes on this task as well as creating the graphics for discs, Jpegs, VCDs, demo CDs and special request discs. |
| Philippa Rijks: Music Production Co-ordinator |
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Philippa forms another part of the quality control for the department. Her role is similar to Peter’s and includes testing all the audio and video tracks ensuring the quality is of a high standard, taking Jpeg shots from the video clips to use as images promoting songs and making sure all the programs on clients’ monthly updates are correct. Under Philippa’s watchful eye, we are all sure that the music mailout runs as smoothly as possible. |
| Bure Goodwin: Music Programmer |
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Bure is another one of Nightlife’s talented members, using his extensive DJ experience (last issue’s DJ of the month) to ensure the HDMS™ provides seamless transitions between songs. Working closely with the other members of the team, Bure places cue points, cuts and fades in new music that arrives as well as performing some tweaks on the not so recent songs. He also helps with the programming of lists and previewing of new music. |
NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS
Here’s the news all you gossip-mongers have been waiting for! Paris Hilton has finally cut another video, but this time its intention is to promote her debut single and not her extra-curricular activities. Where I was predicting horrendous, bass-heavy Euro-trash from the world’s most famous heiress, Stars Are Blind is
surprisingly slick though unadventurous and reasonably inoffensive. Sure it’s a Gwen Stefani-fronts-UB40, reggae-infused pop number, but it is kinda catchy. The clip gives new meaning to sand in your togs with a scantily-clad Paris writhing around on a beach getting all saucy with a random coconut tree and some hunky dude who quickly becomes beach furniture. CR subscribers can check it out now, while the world waits with bated breath for her cover of Rod Stewart’s Do Ya Think I’m Sexy.
Muse lovers are reeling worldwide as their beloved band takes a distinct turn in direction to produce the stellar Supermassive Black Hole. Apart from sounding remarkably like Britney Spears’ Do Somethin’ (send your abuse to ben@nightlife.com.au), this track leans heavily towards glam. It’s surely building the anticipation for those of us who refuse to illegally download the already leaked release of their Black Holes And Revelations album.
Obese Records are the label driving Aussie flavoured hip hop right now, going from strength to strength largely due to the outstanding talents of Adelaide hip hoppers Hilltop Hoods. Aussie hip hop is at the forefront of our scene these days and the Hoods are leading the pack in terms of excellence, popularity and sales. Their latest album The Hard Road is a masterpiece and has already been nominated by Triple J as one of the albums of 2006. Also on the Obese label is Jase, the former member of electronic outfit Nubreed and Australia’s oldest hip hop beatmaker. His production and programming resume reads like a who’s who of Aussie hip hop. This month our CR program features Jase’s video for Nutcase as well as The Hard Road from Hilltop Hoods.
Maybe it’s the skinsman in me speaking but, people, pity the drummer: always forced to sit up the back behind the band; the butt of nearly every cruel musician joke; usually dubbed the least-talented of the group. The tables have finally been turned in the glorious new black and white clip for the Arctic Monkeys’ best single yet: The View From The Afternoon. It isn’t actually Matthew Helders (who usually bangs the skins for the group) but we must bow down to the fact that this is the first video (that I can think of) to ever treat a drummer like he sits on a throne. Bang it out from RD now!
As much as I don’t like to admit it, there are a couple of emo songs around at the mo’ which I’m digging. For those playing at home, emo is that genre of music that inspires up-turned collars, whining about a member of your family (usually your Dad) and being a wannabe punk, recycled Blink-182 outfit. However, apart from getting into the latest Panic! At The Disco track, I’m also enjoying AFI’s clip Miss Murder. Despite the killer fringe and a bit of goth going on, Davey Havok and the boys deliver a jump-around, fist pumping anthem from their seventh LP Decemberunderground.
OM RECORDS
Om Records was founded in 1995 as a response to the cross-pollination of the funky underground music scene in San Francisco, in a time when club music was only found in the clubs and on mixed tapes. Now 10 years strong, Om Records stands as one of the true independent labels still surviving for the love and growing with the times.
The label is responsible for releasing Mark Farina’s Mushroom Jazz, one of the first recognised continuously mixed CD’s by a DJ. Such internationally renowned artists as Miguel Migs, Ming & FS, Soulstice, People Under the Stairs, Kaskade and Andy Caldwell have all got their start with the label.
Om is strongly connected to the DJ scene in San Francisco and other American hot-spots, developing a prolific array of compilations based on club nights and events. Focusing on creating a music atmosphere drawing from house, dub, chill-out, funk, hip-hop and jazz, Om has taken its music to Ibiza, the clubbing Mecca of Europe, and been embraced.
Branded the United Nations of Future Music, Om’s mission is to find and put out music that is refined, sexy and always pushing boundaries.
Check out the smooth sounds of Om on your HDMS™, and stay tuned for new music arriving soon.
CAFE UPDATE
Now delivering fortnightly!
Cafe subscibers will now receive 30 tracks of fresh, new music with each fortnightly update disc. So no more waiting for your monthly dose of tunes - Nightlife now delivers fortnightly!
Ben Preece -
Music Programming |
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News From NZ
It is always a pleasure witnessing venues develop, grow and being part of the occasional opening. Just when you think you have learnt all there is to know, someone comes along with an idea that makes you wonder “how come I didn’t think of that!”. Of course one of the beauties of our industry is that a visit to a venue can be readily converted into a social occasion (providing the day’s work is done) and one gets to kick back, relax and enjoy the atmosphere which is the final result of someone’s vision, creation and as they would say in Australia BLOODY hard work!
No better example of this would be The Shed in Taupo. Creator, Stuart Orr and his team, have put together a great party bar experience. Including the use of materials to complement the natural beauty of the area, plasma screens, and a great smoking area (also with its own plasmas and great sound) they have created a fit-out second to none. The trend in developing the smoking area, is also well demonstrated at Shooters in Christchurch. An existing venue who have realised that it is time to modernise their approach and have expanded a huge smoking area, once again with plenty of screens, well designed to fox the customer in to thinking they are indoors. Considering the climate in which they operate, that’s a smart move.
World leaders in the Gym market, Les Mills are expanding. Following on from five existing Nightlife sites, their two new gyms in Wellington are state of the art. High impact video, enabling entertainment plus advertising, but equally important getting the right music format to pump those abs.
Introducing DJ Smylie
DJ Smylie-D aka Myles Duggan has been DJing for more years than he can remember. Based in Sydney, he started out at Dalley’s in the Manly Pacific Hotel at just 17 years of age. Myles has certainly done the rounds including the Metropolis at North Sydney and Bridge Point at Mosman. More recently, Myles has spent the best part of 2004 and 2005 cruising the South Pacific as the exclusive DJ aboard the Pacific Sky Cruise Liner. He is currently part of the Absolute Infinity Team, and DJing at the Bristol Arms on a regular basis.
Myles is not only a popular DJ with years of experience, but also one of Nightlife’s trusty service agents. Travelling around Sydney to install the HDMS™ and provide training sessions for clients, Myles’ extensive knowledge and understanding of DJing with the HDMS™ has definitely proved to be beneficial.
Jet skiing and snow skiing are amongst some of this versatile DJ’s hobbies and with his million dollar smile, we’re sure to hear more great things from DJ Smylie-D in the future.
Top 5 from 5
| DJ SMYLIE-D |
Bristol Arms |
Sydney, NSW |
| 1. Its too Late |
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Dirty South Vs Evermore |
| 2. Flaunt It |
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TV Rock |
| 3. Love Shack |
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The B-52's |
| 4. Livin' On A Prayer |
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Bon Jovi |
| 5. Pump It |
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Black Eyed Peas |
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| DJ ACE |
Peel Hotel |
Melbourne, Vic |
| 1. Sorry |
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Madonna |
| 2. Red Dress |
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Sugababes |
| 3. Flaunt It |
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TV Rock |
| 4. Thunder In My Heart Again |
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Meck F/ Leo Sayer |
| 5. Hung Up |
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Madonna |
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| DJ JERRY & DJ SHANZ |
The Shed |
Taupo, NZ |
| 1. Don't Cha |
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Pussycat Dolls |
| 2. Your Body |
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Tom Novy |
| 3. My Humps |
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Black Eyed Peas |
| 4. Be Faithful |
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Fatman Scoop |
| 5. Flaunt It |
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TV Rock |
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| DJ SEBASTIAN |
ICBM |
Canberra, ACT |
| 1. Don't Cha |
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Pussycat Dolls |
| 2. Voodoo Child |
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Rogue Traders |
| 3. Push the Button |
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Sugababes |
| 4. Crazy in Love |
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Beyonce |
| 5. Hollaback Girl |
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Gwen Stefani |
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| DJ BEN |
Coyote Ugly |
Townsville, Qld |
| 1. SOS |
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Rihanna |
| 2. Shake That |
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Eminem/ Nate Dogg |
| 3. Crazy |
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Gnarls Barkley |
| 4. Beep |
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Pussycat Dolls |
| 5. Flaunt It |
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TV Rock |
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