Big Noise lives up to its name
by Newport
This Week
When you talk to Al Gomes and
his team, you can't help but share their excitement
about the music business. Their enthusiasm for their work
is always apparent, and their positive vision for the future
punctuates every sentence.
Few people have been so closely allied
with independent recording artists, as well as superstar
artists. Big Noise may be the musician's best business partners
we can hope for in the recording industry.
Ever since Big Noise began in
1990 - the Artist Development and Music Promotion Firm -
they've been making some serious waves. Al and Co. have
been providing guidance and a chance for exposure that artists
might otherwise have had to go without.
Big Noise is committed to exposing
great recording artists, and all of their artists have always
impressed me with their marketability. Radio-ready music
all the way around and the musicianship and songwriting
is always exceptional.
Big Noise has assisted with the release
of 900+ recordings of diverse musical genres. They have
managed many of the projects from concept to completion
including helping artists set their recording budget, choice
of the artist's material and producer, hands-on A&R direction
in the studio, art direction of recording package, and the
publicity, marketing and distribution of the release. Al
and his team also assist with the branding of an artist,
image, their business strategy and decisions, and the overall
direction of their career. Their company website - www.bignoisenow.com
- features full information about Big Noise, its roster
of artists, Big Noise's projects, company history and their
achievements.
Many independent recording artists
have benefited from working with Big Noise: Chicago's D.U.I.
signed a record deal with RCA / BMG in Europe (and through
Big Noise produced a #1 dance remix
single for Christina Aguilera), Sweden's Skinner
inked a publishing deal with Sony Music in Europe, Providence's
Comic Book Super Heroes signed a management deal
with Marquee Management in New York City (the firm that
discovered Christina Aguilera), Boston's Fortune
scored a recording deal with Alfa/Brunette/EMI in Japan
(by way of one of Big Noise's award-winning compilations),
North Carolina's Ethoriah inked a European deal with
Massacre Records of Germany, and Providence's Young
Neal & the Vipers were picked up by a strong blues
outfit, Florida's Kingsnake Records.
In addition, Big Noise oversaw the
release of Megan Nicole's
debut single 'B-e-a-utiful,' which helped lead to her being
signed to Interscope Records. Al and his team managed the
entire project of the single (which had worldwide success).
Other record and publishing deals that Big Noise assisted with include: Morgan Bracy (Scott Lynch & Co./Nashville), Cecile Clement Grobe (Fresh Music/Boston), Ron C. Walters (TMJ Music Group-Grace Records/Los Angeles), Shawnn Monteiro (Monad Records/New York City), Exxplorer (Massacre Records/Germany and Alfa-EMI/Japan), The Gift (Monolith Records/Seattle), and Painful Pleasure (Azra/Los Angeles).
Big Noise's impressive roster of artists
includes pop megastar Christina
Aguilera, for which Al served as Director of Online
Entertainment and Marketing from 1998 to 2003 for Aguilera's
Three Wishes Productions, Inc., working as her webmaster,
publicist, biographer and archivist. Al's work for Aguilera
earned himself and Big Noise gold and multi-platinum awards from
the Recording Industry Association of America, and
lead Entertainment Weekly to name Christina's
Official Website (under Big Noise's tenure) as one
of the 'Best
Sites of the 21st Century.'
Other superstar artists include the
40 million-selling legendary R&B vocal group Little
Anthony & The Imperials. Al served as Directors
of Projects & Special Events for the group from 2002 to
2009 which included designing and overseeing the group's
popular Official
Website. Big Noise secured a permanent spot on the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Annual Ballot which led to
The Imperials being inducted in April 2009.
Big Noise has also worked with
Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beach Boys
(helping the band to win their first-ever Grammy Award), Katharine
McPhee, Viola Davis, Dionne Warwick, Jim Brickman, Freddy
Cole, Bela Fleck,
Tiffani Thiessen,
Bill Harley, Nils
Lofgren, Kittie, Jay Geils,
Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze),
box office star Andrew
McCarthy (Big Noise produced the CD soundtrack for
his directorial debut film, 'News for the Church' - official
Academy Award contender for Best Live Action Short Film),
producer Shelly Yakus,
and many others.
Into the Future
With the success of their work for
their indie and superstar artists, Big Noise continues to
send artists directly to major and indie labels, managers
and publishers. Big Noise is also now a full voting and
nominating member of the The Recording Academy
and has gotten dozens of their artists on the official
ballot for The Grammy Awards, leading to ten Grammy
Award nominations and six Grammy Award wins.
Al and Big Noise continue to accept
musicians' material from around the world and expand their
base to get the artists even more exposure. "We get calls
from all over the globe," Al says.
From the hundreds of emails, calls,
and demo submissions, Al and his team will narrow the field,
picking the best and most promising of the artists.
Once Big Noise completes the process
of deciding which artists to work with, they spend at least
4 months getting everything perfectly in place for each
artist starting with providing consultation on a finished
recording, or serving as executive producers and project
managers for a whole new CD recording. That involves doing
everything from selecting a studio and producer to conducting
marketing research for the song selection to designing the
finished package.
Big Noise then tries to raise the artist's
profile by scoring industry accolades and promoting them
to on-line media (including getting their artists onto the
Grammy Awards ballot), and to music fans, trying to create
that all-important buzz for the artist.
Once all this is done, they begin the
process of showing their artists to their colleagues at
record labels, management, and publishing companies in hopes
of enticing a deal.
Big Noise believes that song selection
and a great recording is a key factor in creating excitement
for the artist. "The best compliment we receive is when
people tell us how great the tracks we choose for each individual
artist works as a finished package," says Al.
"The artists start thinking of themselves
in a whole new light as soon as we get started," Al says.
"Just by doing everything we do, we carve out the direction
they're looking for." Indeed, their goal is always to make
their artists "look and sound like important recording artists
that need to be heard."
And now, a new campaign to take
new artists to the next level is in full swing. Criteria
for submission? According to Al, "Originality, great musicianship,
great performances, an artist that's easy to work with.
And most importantly, songs, songs, songs."
Congrats to all! For more info on
Big Noise, call 401-274-4770 or email Al about submitting a demo.
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