Warcon Entertainment CEO Bob Chiappardi
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Blistering: What is the most memorable piece of band swag that you received, and what advice might you give to band who is trying to catch people’s eyes with their own promotional merchandise?
Chiappardi: I am a fan of great logos. Logos [should be] artwork standing alone. HIM does a great job. Tool and Cold also have great logo art. Some metal logos cannot be read. That is the worst.
Blistering: With so much at our fingertips now, I still see that the industry relies heavily on the old blueprint, especially where marketing and promotion are concerned. What is your take on this, and what has Warcon done to gain an edge and separate itself from the rest?
Chiappardi: One way we are trying to brand our label is with packaging. All our CDs have the same basic artwork with album art laid on top of it. We use the same colors in our advertising. Trying to show consistency is the way to brand. Like the golden arches, you see it and you know what it is.
Blistering: Music programs are disappearing from our nation’s schools. My hard life growing up taught me about the positive influence that music and art can have on a young individual. With new, crazier drugs like OxyContin in society today and a new kind of terrorism now at our doorsteps, where does our youth have to turn for positive and creative influence?
Chiappardi: Great question! Got no answer. [I am] not seeing a bunch of heroes running around these days.
Blistering: What about the soaring gas prices and threats of terrorism to the airline industry? Can bands even afford to tour safely anymore?
Chiappardi: Bands will always find a way to tour. As long as there are vans and fans, there will be a way.
Blistering: Do you think it’s possible for a band who can feed themselves and call their own shots to co-exist under the same umbrella with a major record label?
Chiappardi: Yes, as long as they share the same vision. Very hard, but possible.
Blistering: Is it true that the Warcon Entertainment business model is set up to split its revenue 50/50 with the artist?
Chiappardi: On CD sales, yes. We also help the bands with other aspects of the band’s career, like touring and publishing. We secure tours and place music in movies and with sponsors. We then share in income from those areas.
Blistering: Rap and hip-hop have been a thriving art form for more then 20 years and dominate the charts. Thanks to people like Bam Margera and companies like Eerie Pop and Metal Sludge, rock’n’roll may finally be on the upswing. Where is rock’n’roll right now, and where will it be in three years?
Chiappardi: Ultimately rap music behaves like pop music. New is hot; old is not. That is why rap music catalog sales suck. Metallica and AC/DC sell all their albums all the time. Will anyone buy a 50 Cent song that was No. 1 a couple years ago today? Five years?
Blistering: I think that catalogs from the rap genre will prove to be very strong in the long run.
Chiappardi: Time will tell.
Blistering: How do you and Kevin Lyman make your partnership work?
Chiappardi: Trust. We both know that we are honest people trying to do the honorable thing. Everything else is simple.
Blistering: What is the best advice that you can offer to a band?
Chiappardi: Stay in constant contact with your fans. Take care of them, and they will always be there for you.
Blistering: Who is your biggest influence, from a business perspective, in the music industry? Who helped you get where you are?
Chiappardi: There are a number of people I respect and have learned from: my partner Kevin Lyman, my best friend Andy Gould, Mercury president Luke Lewis, Jimmy Buffett …
Blistering: Do you play a musical instrument?
Chiappardi: Barely—guitar.
Blistering: You are stuck on a tour bus, and you need 10 hours of some kick-ass music. What five bands are on your iPod?
Chiappardi: I am old-school, being about to turn 50. Who, GNR, Zombie, Metallica, Megadeth. You will also find singer/songwriter types on the iPod as well: Buffett, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Warren Zevon to name a few.
Blistering: You have worked very close with some legendary people in the music world. Do you have any fond memories that you might like to share?
Chiappardi: You have to buy me a few drinks before I open up on that subject. No tape recorders allowed.
Blistering: After more than 17 years in the music industry, what have you learned, and what is the most valuable lesson that you have to share?
Chiappardi: Twenty-five years. It is all about meaningful relationships. Without that you have nothing.
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