Berklee today is the official alumni publication of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a forum for contemporary music and musicians.
Issue link: http://berkleetoday.epubxp.com/i/106074
Myndver.Is ExpErt tEstimony Given by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter/ producer Jim McGorman to Mark Small Respite from the Road Jim McGorman '95 After leaving Berklee in 1995 with a degree in music production and engineering, Jim McGorman moved to Los Angeles. Within two years, he was touring with established artists. A multi-instrumentalist and singer, McGorman started his career by playing guitar and keyboards and singing backup for a variety of artists, including the New Radicals and Tal Bachman. Since then the list of artists has grown to include the Goo Goo Dolls, Shakira, INXS, and Poison. In 2001, he got his first shot at being a musical director for Michelle Branch. Since then he has served in that capacity for Avril Lavigne, Weezer, Paul Stanley, and Cheyenne Kimball. As a result, over the past 15 years, McGorman has crisscrossed the country and much of the globe on major tours. But today his latest endeavor is building a studio and forming Purple Tongue Records, a production company and label. In addition to recording his own songs that have been featured in film and TV shows, he is actively developing new artists, such as (former American Idol contestant) Mikalah Gordon and Drew Arcoleo (whose YouTube videos have surpassed 8 million views). McGorman's own videos have attracted a lot of viewers as well. His single "There's No Over You" has gotten nearly 4 million clicks. As McGorman and his wife prepare to welcome their first child, he has enjoyed a respite from the road and is devoting more time to writing and producing. While on the L.A. freeways heading to his studio late last fall, he took my call to discuss what he's been up to lately. Have you made a conscious decision to tour less and produce more? Well, I've worked with Avril Levigne since 2007. That's been my most consistent gig. When you're working with rock stars, you'll have busy years and then there are breaks. Currently she's not touring. So unless you jump to another touring act, you have to figure out other ways to keep working. Writing and producing are really fulfilling and a great source of enjoyment for me. So I've become really focused on doing that kind of work. Do you feel that the current trend of a producer cowriting the material with their artists for their projects will be the new industry standard? In many cases, that's how it's going. There will always be people who just write songs and make demos for 26 Berklee today artists to hear. But, for many, writing and producing go hand in hand. Part of the reasoning is that production is blending into songwriting. Not many songwriters are sitting down with an acoustic guitar to write songs Springsteen-style. A lot create beats and experiment with soundscapes. Today, people want a track that sounds fresh. So if someone can make really hot tracks but isn't a lyricist, that's OK. There's a career for you now. What are your ambitions for Purple Tongue Records? I have a few partners working on this with me and they are integral in making this work. Robb Vallier ['92] cowrites and coproduces with me on many projects. Kurt Zendzian is an Internet genius and handles all of the social media and video work for the label. He also directed the music video for "There's No Over You." Developing artists and film and TV sync possibilities are among our objectives. Having a label is a way to create a support system for music that we think deserves more exposure. I see my label as a stepping stone to get artists to the point where other labels and brands will take notice. We don't have the funding to give an artist a major promotional push, but I have some visibility through acts I've played with or written songs with. We're hoping to open up some doors. Are you mentoring your new artists as well as producing music for them? I try to impart any nuggets of wisdom I've gotten though the years to help artists that don't understand yet what's involved in going out to play 200 shows a year. That way they won't go in blind. It's still hard for new artists to get started. Many have regular jobs at Guitar Center or a clothing store. They make their music at night or on weekends and write on their coffee breaks. Maybe I can help beyond just the writing and producing. Artist development isn't part of the music business anymore. I think people like me have to do that. The idea of "getting signed" doesn't mean what it used to. Before, [a recording contract] could change your life monetarily. Now those situations are rare—maybe a few people get a deal like that.