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Ariel Hyatt founded Ariel Publicity in 1996, and since then has been a whirlwind of activity in her endless quest to do right by musicians. Many bands who have been floundering in their career have received career-launching help from Ariel, and the testimonial page on her website seems to go on forever with praise from the various people
Ariel and her company have come into contact with. While establishing herself from a home base in Boulder, Ariel has since moved her headquarters to New York City. Though we'll miss having her in our back yard, we're also confident that the move will only mean bigger and better things for both Ariel Publicity and the bands she works with. Despite her insanely hectic daily schedule, Ariel took some time out to answer questions. Bands everywhere would do well to learn from Ariel's wisdom, and anyone can find inspiration in her accomplishments.
Looking through your roster and previous articles on you, the first question would have to be: Do you ever sleep?
Yes - not often but I do. Thanks.
Several people have asked you in the past about the struggles of being a woman in the industry, how do you see that changing?
I think there is less of a division as you begin to get older and your reputation grows. Now that I have been in the business for 8 years I find that I am treated with a lot more respect than I used to get when I was just starting out. Also, the music industry tends to be an informal industry and women are less protected than they would be in a corporate environment.
What do you think is the most common thing bands do wrong in their bios?
Get boring!! There is nothing worse than a boring bio that is generic and does not really say anything. I think a great band bio is one that actually says something strong.
You've made a point that you're trying to bring integrity to the business, why do you think there's so little of it currently?
Music is a tough business because the discrepancy between artists who are really making it and those who are in the trenches just trying to eke out a living is huge. Also - when you really hit it big, the earning potential is tremendous - record labels know this, promoters know this and everyone is trying to get a piece of the action before the big pay day - there's something a bit shady in this. I also think our forefathers in the industry have set a very bad example.
Without having to name names, unless you wish to, what's the worst experience you've had with a promoter or writer?
Mama always said that if you don't have anything nice to say…
Your mom is a best-selling author: what does she think of your career choice, and what pearls of wisdom has she bestowed upon you?
My mother is very proud of me for running my own business. Her number one piece of advice, which was an example set by both of my parents, was - do what you love to do and don't compromise anything along the way. If you stick to your guns even when everyone else is doubting you it will pay off and it has.
What misconception of you or your work do you run into the most?
I think that publicists get a bad rap in general. A lot of music publicists are known as catty and bitchy and I have met quite a few who fit that profile. So a huge misconception is all publicists are these tyrannical bitches. Also because women handle the lion's share of the PR work within the industry there is a misconception that it is easy work to do. I enjoy proving people who like to judge wrong by not being a bitch and by producing great results for my clients.
Who are some bands you wish you could have worked with?
The Rolling Stones, Spearhead, Cowboy Mouth, Morphine and Lyle Lovett.
What makes you get excited about a band?
First and foremost - their live performance. It really excites me to see an awesome band that really connects with their audiences. Another thing that makes me want to work with a band is when I see that they are hard-working and dedicated to doing whatever it will take to get themselves out there.
You've pointed out in the past the importance of working with fanzines, internet magazines, etc, places that others often overlook. How has this paid off for you, and how do you approach them differently from major publications?
Ever heard the saying be careful of who you pass on your way up - because you will see them on the way back down? (or something like that). Well, the way I see it, Everyone grows up and moves on - (myself included). When I was just starting out, I was in touch with a kid that published a fanzine in Ft Collins. Three years later that kid ended up the associate editor at The Daily Planet and then went on to found Boulder's Soundboard Magazine. He is to this day one of my favorite writers. I do not approach a 'zine writer any differently than I approach a Rolling Stone writer. Everyone is a person and they all get the same pitch.
What about a band would make you not want to work with them?
A bad attitude - If club owners call me up and say that the band acted like a bunch of prima-donnas or if a band consistently misses interviews and are late to sound checks, in-stores and in-studios, that pretty much can terminate my working relationship with a band.
Do you feel being based out of Boulder has helped or hindered you in the grand scheme?
It has definitely helped tremendously. Where else could a 24 year old have started a company and not gotten eaten alive? I found the music community in Boulder to be wonderful. The local band scene is rich and approachable and we have some of the best venues in the world.
Now that you've moved to New York, what changes can we expect?
I don't expect to change anything too much. I will probably pick up a few more New York City local bands because I always like to support local musicians and be involved in the local music scene wherever I live.
You approached the business from the perspective of a fan of music. Do you think that most people in the business are the same way, or that they're just trying to make money, and music sounded good at the time?
I think 99% of people who are in the music industry are first and foremost music lovers. Why else would you put up with all of the bullshit and extremely low pay if you didn't love music? Good writers can write about almost anything and get paid more to do so. It's gotta be a love thing.
You deal with promoters, writers, and venues all over the country. What area have you had the most positive response from?
Smaller towns usually have nicer people in them. It is much easier to get a club owner on the phone in Iowa City than it is in L.A. I have had a great response from the entire Boulder and Denver metro area for obvious reasons ( I sent them information from The Fox on hundreds of shows a year and called them almost weekly.)
What do you wish you'd done differently?
I wish I had not trusted so many people as I did when I was first starting out. There are bands that still owe me money from 1995 because they said that they would pay me and they still have not. I also will never forget how it felt when my first band got signed to a major label and dropped me. I felt like I had just broken up with seven boyfriends all at once and I was personally devastated. In retrospect I realized that I had just put a little too much of my heart into my work and I needed some separation between my identity and my job.
If someone wanted to do what you do, what would be three pieces of advice you'd give them?
1. Have patience.
2. Be persistent.
3. Don't take things too personally.
What should be the number one thing a band looks for in a publicist besides your name?
The band should go by how that publicist makes them feel. Your publicist is part of your team, just like a band member - my artists don't have to live in a van with me, but they do have to trust me to represent them to hundreds of writers and to their fans. If they do not like my style or my tone or my writing or my company image than I am not the right publicist. The band should always call up a few other bands who that publicist has worked with and have a candid discussion about that publicist's capability and how that publicist handled their other accounts. Lastly, I think that a band should try to do their own PR first before they ever hire a publicist - that way they know what a publicist has to go through to get the job done properly.
How have you dealt with juggling your career, which obviously is greatly demanding, and takes a huge amount of time, dedication and energy, with having a personal life?
Luckily a lot of my personal life before I was ever in the music business was going to see live music. So work and personal interests then and now tend to meld together for me. Most of my friends who are not in the music business really love music so no one puts up too much of a fight when I invite them out to see bands.
What do you most hope to accomplish in the next two years?
I would like to continue doing what I love to do - representing great musicians and having a great time in the process.
What is your insight on the Colorado music scene?
I've always said it and it is the reason I moved to Boulder seven years ago. - Colorado has an incredible music scene. Band Du Jour, Zuba and The Samples were three reasons I packed up my life and came to Boulder. Some of the most amazing bands live and work in Colorado. The one place I see breakdowns (and this is not just in Colorado but is inherent in all scenes) is when musicians stop communicating with one another and start complaining about how this promoter won't give them a gig or how this club owner is a jerk. I think that coming together and getting to know each other is key. I praise COMA and I am deeply embarrassed to admit that I have never made it to their monthly meetings due to my travel schedule but there is an organization that is deeply committed to helping local artists in every endeavor. There are other local heroes like Paul Soderman who runs a weekly showcase for emerging artists in Boulder called the 13th street workshop. Also Alex Teitz of Femmusic.com really supports local female musicians.
If this were a glitzy award show, and you were finally being recognized for all your hard work, what would your thank you speech sound like?
Wow - a tough question. Life is all about the people in your life and who you surround yourself with in the process. I know that I would not be where I am without the love and support of all of the people and incredible artists who believed in me enough to make me part of their teams.
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