HC: Has music always been a passion of yours? What’s your most vivid or favorite music memory?
Chrissy: Yes, I’ve always loved music. I’m my daddy’s girl, and he had a big influence on the type of music I grew up listening to. My love for classic rock is a borderline obsession. I truly believe I was born in the wrong era. I have a lot of music memories, but my favorite is probably seeing Joe Walsh and Kenny Wayne Shepherd with my dad. We had front row seats and the concert was very much about the music — no gimmicks or outrageous performances, just us and the music.
HC: Who are some of your favorite artists and bands?
Chrissy: This list could go on forever, but some of my absolute favorites are The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Bryds, Crosby, Still, Nash, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Dispatch, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Death Cab for Cutie, Coldplay, Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris, The Runaways, Willie Nelson, Foghat, anything Jack White and Pearl Jam. The Rolling Stones is my absolute favorite band of all time, though. Keith Richards is a personal hero of mine. Read his book “Life” — it will change your life, I promise!
HC: Who had the greatest influence on your passion for music?
Chrissy: My dad, 100%. He’s always been a fan of music, and he taught me how to appreciate it. We would spend hours talking about it and watching DVDs of live band performances and rock documentaries. Above all, I love hearing his stories about seeing all the bands I wish I could have seen in the early ‘70s. Let’s just say I’m beyond jealous he saw The Who at Madison Square Garden in 1972.
HC: When did you decide that you wanted to pursue music as a career?
Chrissy: Summer after freshman year I started thinking about what the heck I wanted to do with my life. I literally had no idea. So, I started thinking about things that I was really passionate about. And I thought why not music? So ever since then I’ve been hooked. I’m constantly researching different aspects of the industry. It’s at a pivotal point right now. With declining record sales and the influence of digital media things need to change and our generation is going to do it.
HC: What made you decide to enter the music industry, specifically the PR side?
Chrissy: I knew I wanted to make an impact on how the industry, artists and fans interact. Our generation is beginning to realize that what people really want and care about is the relationship between the artists and fans and the emotional connection that is created by the music. People want to connect and feel included. I want to empower that feeling of people connecting on an intimate level created by music. In my opinion, that is what counts most in life.
HC: How would you describe the music industry to someone with no prior knowledge of it? Do you feel satisfied with its current state? Ideally, if you could make any changes, what would they be?
Chrissy: Like most industries, nothing [in the music industry] is perfect. However, the music industry is in a delicate state right now. People aren’t buying music the way they used to. The whole culture of music and the way people interact with it is changing because of the Internet and technology. People in the industry need to take a step back and try to understand what the product is. What is its real value, and how can we create profit from that value? It’s not about the money, it’s about retaining the value for artists so they can make a living doing what they love.
HC: What are your plans for the future?
Chrissy: I hope to pursue a career in music licensing in Nashville. I believe one of the major outlets for unknown, obscure artists to become exposed is through placement in film, TV, etc. It’s an avenue of the future that’s more important than ever for artists to gain exposure. It’s an important way to create buzz about great, hardworking bands who would otherwise be unknown.
HC: What made you choose Nashville as your destination? How would you describe the Nashville music scene?
Chrissy: I just absolutely love it there! I tried New York last summer, but it wasn’t for me. Nashville is the perfect blend of city and country. It’s a great place with friendly people, delicious food — not just barbecue — and of course fantastic music! It’s New York without all the hustle and bustle. And most people think it’s just for country music, and that is without a doubt NOT true.
There are so many genres and different type of bands trying to make it big. You’d be surprised the different types of music you hear when you go out. Obviously, country music is a big one, but indie bands are growing in the area. It’s becoming similar to Brooklyn. There are hip, trendy areas growing throughout the city. The Gulch is an area that is a personal favorite of mine.
HC: What kind of experience have you acquired to expand your knowledge of music and the industry?
Chrissy: This past summer I interned at Cyber PR, a digital music-focused media firm in Brooklyn. It’s a PR firm that focuses on gaining artists exposure and features on the Internet through outlets like blogs, Internet radio, podcasts, etc. They’re already looking towards the future with the understanding that most people are learning about new artists online.
I currently intern at Merge Records in Durham. It’s awesome to work somewhere with artists you really love and respect. It’s fascinating to see how an independent artist functions and operates firsthand.
I also help out Reed Turchi with Devil Down Records and his band TURCHI. Reed is a great friend and he’s doing amazing things with Devil Down. I really respect his work and mission to bring great blues music to people’s’ ears. He’s one of the hardest working guys in the business.
HC: How did Resound originate?
Chrissy: Haha, well, Catie King literally texted me one Tuesday in January saying, “I need to talk to you! I have an amazing idea and want you to help me start it.” So I met her, she pitched me her idea for Resound and I said “I’m in!”
HC: How would you describe Resound magazine?
Chrissy: In simple terms, it’s a campus-based music culture magazine. Ultimately, we’re trying to create a channel of communication with everything music-related for the student and local community. Social media heavily influenced our design — we hope to create not only an online music magazine, but also a culture where people are constantly interacting and creating music. There are so many talented artists and bands at UNC-Chapel Hill and in the Chapel Hill / Carrboro community, and it’s a shame more people don’t know about them.
There’s a great music community in this area but it needs to be strengthened. We like to think of the music community as a bunch of islands, and we want to be the bridge.
HC: What are your hopes and goals for Resound magazine?
Chrissy: We hope to create a collaborative, unified music community. Not only do we want to provide consistent, up-to-date music news, but we also want to create a place where people can express their love for music. We want Resound to be a place where artists can connect with fans and vice versa.
HC: Chapel Hill used to be considered one of the biggest up-and-coming music scenes in the ‘80s and ‘90s — how has it changed since then? What can the students and the surrounding communities do to build it back up?
Chrissy: I honestly have no idea what happened, but there seems to be something missing. Hopefully Resound, along with other great music organizations like Carolina Creates Music, can help the music community grow and thrive. People need to get involved as much as possible. Go out to shows, tweet about them, do anything that will let people know how awesome local artists are. We have some great talent in this area and it’s important that we spread the word!
If you’re looking to get involved in the local music scene or just want to enjoy some great local music, then come to Resound’s Launch Concert on April 21!
Sources:
Chrissy Mickler (photo): http://www.facebook.com/ResoundMagazine
Resound magazine (logo and collage): http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=616090563