Interview with Metal Masters
Music Video Press: It is March 10th, 2006, and Music Video Press has ventured to the west coast of Florida to visit with two video programmers who have been on the air since 1992. It’s Tom and Libby Reilly from Metal Masters. Metal Masters is a long running, much loved video show on broadcast here in the Tampa area and the surrounding environs. I guess my first question is, Tom, can you give us the full 411 on the show and how many people you reach, where you broadcast, when, how long the program is, and from there we can talk about the origins and how it has grown.
Tom Riley: Well, basically, Metal Masters started out on cable TV, and over the years we developed to move over to broadcast television on a UPN network in the area, and that’s pretty much the gist of that.
MVP: How many potential viewers?
TR: We’re the 12th largest television viewership in the nation, with 2.6 million potential households, most of central Florida.
MVP: Tell us what the station is and what time the show airs.
TR: Alright, we air on UTOG UPN 44 in the Tampa Bay, Clearwater, St. Pete area and 16 other counties. We’re on at 3am.
MVP: Let’s talk about the origins of Metal Masters. I guess it would be safe to say in 1992 that there was one kind of music raging everywhere you went. It was loud rock. I’m curious how it all started.
TR: Well it started as being bored and wanting something to do. So we tried to create something where we could create a buzz with music we liked, and also something where we could get backstage at concerts and meet the people made the music we liked. That’s basically how we started it. I took classes, learned video inside and out, working on other people's TV shows on cable access. Then after awhile developed my own TV show, which is Metal Masters.
MVP: For people who want to start a video show, can you talk about the perils and or problems inherent in trying to start a video show. It’s a catch 22, you want to get videos, but the people who have the videos want to make sure you’re up and running.?
TR: Well, usually what a lot of the suppliers will do is they’ll send you just enough to make an air check to see what you’ll do, and then after that you’re on your own. Years ago it was a lot easier than it is now, because it was a lot free-er years ago as far as cable and all of that. Things have tightened up over the years. One of the reasons we moved to broadcast was because cable wasn’t fulfilling what we wanted to do.
MVP: Being on broadcast is a whole new ballgame because the carriers of Metal Masters are expecting you to pay for your airtime, which leads me to my next question: Of all the regional programmers it seems as though you have an incredibly loyal and appreciative advertising base. Did this only happen once you had that incredibly supportive fan base?
TR: Well, you know advertisers come and go. I think I have four advertisers that advertise with me no matter what, they’re just loyal. People get on campaigns, they’ll run a commercial for a little while, and they don’t think they see any results from it, so they drop it. So then you gotta go find more advertisers to keep the stream coming, and that’s basically how it is in broadcast, you’ve got to have numbers, and you’ve got to keep people happy. If you don’t, you don’t get ad dollars and you won’t stay on the air.
MVP: Let’s talk about loud rock. So much has happened in the music industry recently and it seems though it's like trends and fashion fads, they come and go. Curious where you, Libby, think the state of loud rock and heavy metal is in 2006.
Libby Riley: Let me think about it.
MVP: Let's ask Tom first.
TR: When we first started doing this TV show, metal was a big commodity, it was huge. But shortly, about two years after I dubbed the show Metal Masters, then this grunge thing started. And grunge just pretty much killed metal, but then a funny thing happened. Metal came back. And it got huge, with Metallica, Korn, Slipknot, Powerman 5000, Rob Zombie, White Zombie, all that stuff got huge, but then it’s starting to slip back again. Now urban, rap, and R&B is starting to slip into that market again. It comes around to bands like Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, they put that rap thing into their music and it’s all gone rock and rap and it’s all mixing in again.
LR: You got Stuck Mojo coming back.
MVP: Let’s talk about that Libby. Stuck Mojo is one of your favorites. And it’s been learned by Music Video Press that you’re going to be doing some promoting and isn’t it true that one of the first shows you’re going to be doing is with Stuck Mojo?
LR: Yes, we just booked Stuck Mojo for the first two shows and I think I’m booking a third one tomorrow. First one is going to be at Lillian’s Music Store in Lakeland on May the 5th, cinco de mayo, and the second one is at Bourbon St. in Newport Richie on May the 7th.
MVP: Let’s talk about all the interviews you’ve done. Are there any that stand out and are there any musicians that you’ve gotten close to that you’re really just in awe of, just getting to meet them and hang out with them was a huge thrill?
TR: Well, you know, there’s been so many of them, I can tell you about the good ones and I can tell you about the bad ones. The bad ones are, when I grew up I idolized, what the hell’s his name? Todd Rundgren. I was a really big fan of his Utopia albums. Remember when Billboard used to do their video awards? Out there one year they had Todd Rundgren and he was there showing off this computer program he had invented, so he was out at a party meeting people. One of the record label people knew that I liked Todd Rundgren a lot so they took me over there to meet him, and he just totally ditched me and made me feel like crap. I tried to talk to him about his records and he just shunned me, and that kinda hurt, having idolized him. But then there’s some good ones like Rob Zombie has always been great to us, you know Nicko Mcbrain from Iron Maiden, Bruce Kullick from Kiss fame, and the Motley Crue guys, they’ve been off and on really nice to us over years. So, there has been a lot of great stuff, you know too much to put down in one answer. But there’s great stuff and there’s bad stuff, and the good ones are usually always around and the bad ones…
LR: Mudvayne.
TR: Yeah, Mudvayne was really horrible because no matter what you asked they never wanted to answer it, so it’s useless to do an interview.
MVP: Let’s talk about the Metal Masters viewer. You know who they are, you talk to them, describe them, what do they like about this show?
TR: They like that they can smoke their bong while they’re watching this show (laughter). It’s hard to describe because we have such a diverse crowd of people who watch this show. We’ve got the hardcore metal people and then I also have the doctors and lawyers. It’s kind of a thing where if I play something that rocks, I might get e-mails from people that say that’s not metal, like POD. Well, where would you put POD? You can’t put them on a pop Britney Spears type show, so where are you going to put them? It’s kind of a fine line. I think they’re rock/metal. So, different styles, different likes, so I try to please all of them by playing a certain mix of heavy metal and rock videos.
MVP: Let’s talk about how you’re able to pay for the show, because one of the questions regional programmers are always asking is “How can I get a label to appreciate the value of airplay on my program to the tune of an ad buy”, where perhaps they spend X amount of money per month, we play the video every week for a month and in the case of Metal Masters, here in the 12th largest market on broadcast TV. Curious if you have any advice, things that have worked for you, to get labels to actually come to the bar and spend a little money.
TR: Well, as far as spending, it is very little. Some of them do come up with ad campaigns, they’re short and sweet, until Universal pulled the plug on everybody. They were a big advertiser, we were doing a lot of good stuff together, but then the issue of paying for the videos to come out came up and they pulled the plug and my profit margin doesn’t allow me to give them $7000 for a few rock videos every year. A lot of waste over there at Universal. They would overnight me a letter to tell me that the new Nelly, or 50 Cent video would be on the desk of the person who produces a show called Metal Masters. That video is useless to me. You know, so here they are, sending out a piece of paper that cost them twelve to fifteen dollars to send me overnight to tell me that this video is coming out. That’s a waste. When I needed a video I just called through and they serviced me, it would be cost effective and they wouldn’t be sending me all this garbage that I won’t use, and throw in the trash. So as far as getting ad dollars, I’d say that your best bet would be to go locally or get hooked up with a regional advertising agency and get some help from them. Go to your local radio station, work with them. What I mean by work with them is you’re going to have to go there and tell them that you’ll do anything for them, and they’ll include you in some things that they do. We’ve worked with major sponsors in the past from Southern Wine & Spirits, we did ad campaigns for Smirnoff, Gold Schlager, Captain Morgan, and they’ve always sponsored events that we put on. I would say that the events we put on are the money makers for our organization. The TV show brings in minimal money, but when I put on an event and I promote it through the show, I always have success, and that’s where I make my money.
MVP: Has the Universal decision, we’re now six months since it actually happened, has it become any more logical to you or is it still one of the most ridiculous, money-grubbing, short-sighted, forget the baby bands kind of decision?
TR: Well, if you look at what’s really popular on Universal, really nothing on their docket really fits my show. There’s a few. If you take for instance what’s been on the Billboard Top 20, it’s Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Outkast, bands like that, they’re what Universal’s main sales are off of. And when you take consideration that that stuff is selling, and they’re getting a lot of MTV and that kind of stuff, it’s a little hard for them to want to service a regional video show. So, yeah, it may have hurt the rap video shows, but for my show it’s business as usual. Yeah, there’s a few I can’t play, but its like “move on”.
MVP: Let’s talk about this Tampa area. Is it true that Tampa is the birthplace and or home to death metal?
LR: They call it the death metal capital of the world
TR: At one time we were the death metal capital of the world.
MVP: Why?
TR: Because more death metal bands got signed from here. Obituary, Morbid Angel, Death, a whole list of them
LR: Morbid Angel was the first and only death metal band to ever be signed to a major label, Warner Bros.
TR: Warner Bros. only got two records out of them and that’s because of lack of record sales and because it wasn’t very popular. Some things should be left underground. I think death metal is an underground thing. It’s not a widespread popular thing. It’s an acquired taste and if you love that kind of music than that’s what you want to listen to. But if you’re into just Bon Jovi, you would think that sucks. So, that’s where it comes around. Bands that got signed in this area really didn’t get their success here. They had to go to Europe. So, after they went to Europe and they played huge stadiums full of people, they come back to the United States, they can’t even get arrested, or get noticed.
MVP: Let’s name maybe three or four bands, new bands, in your world, that you see breaking to the next level in 2006. What’s in your CD players, what’s making you get excited?
TR: Well, there’s this Revelation Theory, they’ve been pretty good, Staind, they’re getting to be veterans. I think this is their fourth record. Seether, another band that’s coming up and Avenged Sevenfold. There’s big buzz on that band.
LR: We get a lot of requests for it.
TR: It’s hard to say because there are so many bands out there now, and sometimes I think they flood the market. You can listen to something and tell if it is going to be great. If you hear something that really sucks, like Nikes in a dryer, it’s best to stay away from it because nobody’s going to buy it. If you can’t be later humming the song or remember it, or when it comes on the radio you go “Oh, that’s that song, turn it up!” If it doesn’t have it then you don’t want it.
MVP: Other than promoting shows, any other thoughts or ideas you might have to improve Metal Masters here in 2006?
TR: Well actually, I just want to truck along. I’ve found something that really works for the show. I’m able to keep the show on and make money, which I haven’t been able to do before. That’s important. But mainly because now this supports the show and the advertising on the show supports the live shows that we’re putting on, so they’re all intertwined with each other and you’ll probably find out that a lot of the rap shows through out the country have been doing their block parties and stuff. That’s what I’m trying to do, I’m trying to connect the show with the artist and their live shows.
MVP: Have you looked into the possibility of Metal Masters in Pensacola or Talahasse or West Palm Beach? Do you see a possible expansion? If people in the Tampa area are embracing your show don’t you think that other markets would as well?
TR: Well the only way that would happen if I got the sponsorship that would make it possible for expansion. I was talking to Sam Ash Music Centers, but it’s still up in the air. A sponsorship from Sam Ash or Guitar Center would work where we produce the show out and it would go to music fans and music stores on the show that people would relate to because when you were growing up what was the one thing you wanted to do, you wanted to be that guy up on stage with the guitar and you made your parents go out and buy you a guitar so you could try and learn how to play and that’s where people get the inkling to want to play and then go buy instruments, so it’s a good fit and I hope it works out in the future but right now I’m doubtful because like I said we are gonna stay doing what we are doing in this area and if I can expand out I will.
MVP: In closing just a couple of questions…Dos and Don’ts. Obviously Dos are send you the CD along with the video so people can listen to the entire CD. Don’ts is probably don’t send to Metal Masters if it’s an urban/rap video but are there any little tidbits or advice for the people who are indeed servicing you with clips?
TR: Weed through the garbage. It’s hard to say what fits on my show. Some of the stuff I get I would love to play but it doesn’t fit the format so I have to let it go. Servicing me with rock gendered stuff and we’ll be all good.
MVP: Where people can find you on the web?
TR: Our website is MetalMasters.net and we also have a Myspace page which is Myspace.com/metaltv and the Myspace thing has been huge. As a matter of fact it might be huger than our website.
LR: We might get rid of our website.
TR: That’s huge when you can get rid of your website and stay on the air and connect with more people.
MVP: When we were kids and we wanted to find out about new music we had to actively seek it out. We had to listen to the radio, going to the record store or reading magazines. Nowadays it seems as though the kids only have to turn on their computer and it’s all right there. Any comments on all the new social networking and the internet revolution?
TR: Well it could be good or it could be bad because on the one side (the bad side) everyone and their brother puts something out and so there’s a lot more out there. Back in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s you either listen to new music on the radio or at the record store and you would hang out there and listen to music. Now the record store is on the internet so you hang out there…it will all come to an end one day. It’s a free market society but soon the market will dictates what goes and what doesn’t and a lot of people should really sit down and listen to the quality of their music and their recordings and see if this is worth doing. Am I just a weekend warrior that likes to go to the club and play for my drunken friends or do I have a higher calling? Do I have something musically that people would want to buy or somebody would want to promote. No one is going to promote something unless it makes money and in a free market society people are going to buy what they want to buy.
MVP: Alright that was Tom and Libby from Metal Masters, March 10th, 2006.