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February 28, 2006
Our One Year Anniversary!
The emails are flooding in now and it's exciting! On February 23, 2006, we happily celebrated our one yaer anniversary of What's Out Next! You know Scott Higby, our Executive Producer, right? Well, you need a great associate producer too and we have one now. His name is Quinton Carlson and his attention to detail is awesome. Not only is Quinton working on our show, he has a fantastic background in the music business mixing dozens of records (and no not all at the same time).
In traditional radio production you want to an Executive Producer and an Associate Producer. It was a blast completing our first interview with Lawrence Tanter last year at this time . We have several dozen in the "can" ready to be podcast over the next month. Quinton is running the board at Studio C in San Diego and man, this guy works fast. Why? Because he only human!
Quinton Carlson, thank you so much for your great work!
In case you're wondering about today's track, it's from an amazing group from 1986, originally on A&M Records called Human Leagu. The track is from their hit album, Crash!
Posted by mitchsantell at 07:21 PM
February 19, 2006
The Story of Warner Brothers Records!
Warner Brothers, as a company, goes back to 1918, when four brothers (Jack, Albert, Harry, and Samuel Warner) opened their first Warner Brothers studio. They incorporated as a production and distribution entity five years later under the name Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. In 1944, they purchased Leon Schlesinger's cartoon studio, Looney Tunes, and became the owners of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, and the rest. The Warner Brothers animation division then churned out high quality cartoons, comic books, and shorts for decades, until it was closed in 1963. Meanwhile, Warner Brothers continued to be one of the big Hollywood players in the movie industry.
Following the lead of MGM, who started a record label in the late 1940s, and Paramount, who established ABC-Paramount in 1957, Warner Brothers formed its own Warner Brothers Records as a division of Warner Brothers Studios on March 19, 1958. The office was located above the film studio's machine shop at 3701 Warner Blvd. in Burbank, California. The President of the label was James B. Conklin. Directors of A&R were Harris Ashburn, George Avakian and Bob Prince. The Warner Brothers label initially recorded pop, jazz, classical, spoken word, folk and gospel.
Over the years, it had not bothered Warner Brothers too much that they didn't have a record company, but it was in early 1957, when Randy Wood's Dot Records signed Warners' movie star Tab Hunter to a recording contract, that the Warner Brothers brass started seeing red. Wood could sign Hunter because although his Warner Brothers contract was exclusive, Warners had no record label. In fact, the timing of when Warner Brothers started their record label was very much linked to their getting their star's recording contract away from Dot. Hunter, who by his own admission could barely sing at all, was coached by Wood to make a few passable records which were major hits in 1957, while Warners steamed. When Warner Brothers finally got their record label off the ground in 1958, they reclaimed Tab Hunter, who made several albums for the label and had a few singles in the mid-ranges of the charts, although nothing like the success he had had with Dot. In fact, Tab Hunter's "Jealous Heart" [WB 5008], which only made #62 on the charts, was the only chart record Warner Brothers had during its first year, 1958.
On the album side in 1960, comedian Bob Newhart scored a #1 album with The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, the success of which started Warner Brothers to look around for other comedians to sign to record contracts. Eventually, Warner Brothers would become one of the most successful in the comedy album genre, with stars like Allan Sherman and Bill Cosby also becoming household names by 1965.
The early 1970s saw the Warner Brothers label grow to the major label it had always aspired to become. New artists included rockers Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Grateful Dead, Ides of March, Alice Cooper, and the Faces. On the more acoustic side, there was James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, Dion, and America. Also added were soul bands Tower of Power and Malo as well as pop/soul singer Dionne Warwick. By 1973, Warner Brothers was firmly ensconced in a leadership position in the music industry, and that is where they remain today.
As we continue to educate you all on some of the history behind the music biz, we want to thank Mike Callahan who wrote the original WB Records Story. Of course at What's Out Next we say it may all be black water!
Black Water, Produced by Ted Templeman and released on WB Records in 1974 from the album "What Where Once Vices Are Now Habits!"
Posted by mitchsantell at 06:49 AM
February 07, 2006
2006, The Magic of Movies and Music!
The most important ship that you board in life is called a relationship. In any entertainment deal people bring three things to the table! Talent, Resources or Capital! From 1915 until right now the Santell Family Has been directly involved in the motion picture business. All of my cousins are in the film business and even Marion Davies was my Dad's Godmother so it's all in the family!
What's Out Next for 2006? Well, for yours truly Mitch Santell, it's the formation of Movie Capital, Limited in Auckland, New Zealand with a wholly owned subsidiary in the United States. The company will focus on Motion Picture Soundtracks. The company will help to get both Grammy Award Winning as well as new artists to get their songs into films.
If you want to know more, write music and want to see it placed in a film or have other resources to share, please email me directly at: moviecapital1@yahoo.com.au
The company is committed to bridging the gap between music and film. As a composer, there is no fee up front for you to list your composition with us and we will accept it in either "printed sheet music form," an attached mp3 or WAV file. Before the end of this month we will have the new web site up and running.
My family has been active in the film business since 1915 and if you look up Alfred Santell, you will see the over 70+ Motion Pictures that he Directed, Wrote, Produced and Participated in . Alfred Santell worked with my Grandfather Martin Santell. My Great Uncle is listed in the top 100 Directors of all time because of his successful transition from Silent to Talkies. My great grandfather was a silent film composer and that is what inspired the launch of Movie Capital, Limited and Movie Capital, Inc. My Great Uncle and Grandfather played a direct role in launching the careers of David Niven and Red Skelton.
Since we started to sign "composers" and "songwriters over the past 20 days, we have already secured over 7,677 Compositions from over 50 composers! Plesae email now if you want to be included in this. We all know the power of music and film!
Hey man, it's the simple things that are great, so don't put me into Thomas Crown Affair.
The Thomas Crown Affair Premiered on July 27th 1999 and starred Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. Produced with a budget of 48 Million Dollars making 69 Million Dollars in the USA and over 124 Million Dollars World Wide. The titled track heard here "The Windmills Of Your Mind" beautifully written by Michael Legrand, Marilyn Bergman and Alan Berman and performed here by Sting!
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Posted by mitchsantell at 12:37 AM
February 06, 2006
The Power of Music, My Dad and Marty's Music!
On September 18th 2004 one of the greatest people I ever met, passed away. That person was my Dad and he had a profound and important influence on our family and to all those who loved him and who he loved. So much of my love for the music busines and my passion for the artist comes from my Dad, Richard Alfred Santell.
Today I received a lovely email from a lady by the name of Anita DeHart. She remember's you Dad, in her email to me she said "didn't your Dad play the 45's before we bought them?" Anita, the answer is yes!
From 1955 until 1975 Marty's Music, owned by both my Dad and my Grandfather. Along with my Cousin Jimmy they happily served thousands of customers as they would walk in the store and say to my Dad, "Hey Richdard I just heard a song on the radio where they sing I love you. Can you tell me what song that is?" My Dad used to say to me "Son, do you realize how many songs have the phrase I love you in it?"
Dad, just know we think about you everyday and we are always by your side For us at What's Out Next our take is Dad is still here!
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Posted by mitchsantell at 10:23 PM
February 03, 2006
Howard Stern's Big Problem!
Yes, our dear radio and media friend Howard Stern has a little problem as reported in the Los Angeles times yesterday...read on.....
Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., which liberated radio shock jock Howard Stern from the federal decency standards that he felt had shackled him, is finding that freedom's just another word for $500 million to lose. Since Jan. 9, when Stern debuted on Sirius, pirated versions of the shows have been made available for free via several online file-sharing networks just hours after Stern signs off. The New York-based broadcaster signed Stern to a five-year, half-billion-dollar contract in 2004.
Now, Sirius is, in a word, furious. "We don't condone the stealing of Howard's show, or any of the content on our more than 125 channels," Sirius spokesman Patrick Reilly said. "We vigorously protect our intellectual property rights and we will actively prosecute those who attempt to steal it."
Here is "our take" on this: Howard Stern always invited and encouraged his fans to record and tape the show. Now that Howard is on Satellite, they are doing the same thing. Yesterdy I went on line and guess what? Howard's new show is all over the net.
Why are most fans pissed? According to one listener he resents the fact that they don't stream his show on the net. He is a real subscriber. So there you go.
At What's Out Next our view is that you should subscribe to the service is you want the show. We are providing a clip here for fun but again, Howard on Satellite radio is not for the faint of heart.
Good luck Howard!
Posted by mitchsantell at 01:32 PM