So Mr. Bear. Er Uh Mr. Frazer. How long have you been writing? When’d you realize that writing was what you wanted to do as a career? When I re-located back to Long Island, New York, I was seventh grade and my uncle was a big fan of Jennifer Aniston. She was on the cover of an issue of Rolling Stone, so of course, I looked at her layout and loved it. But then, I actually read the magazine because I’ve always been deeply connected to music and really enjoyed the articles. Then I read Rolling Stone, Billboard, Metal-Edge, Guitar World, The Source and publications like that whenever I was in a Barnes & Noble. So one day, my friend came by my house with Limp Bizkit on the cover of Spin Magazine and they were my favorite band – still one of my all time favorites. I think it was the March 1998 issue. But anyways, I read it and thought maybe I could one day do this. You know, write features on my favorite artists and be the editor of a great publication like Spin. Plus, I saw Gideon Yago from MTV score a few articles in those magazines and thought his articles were weak. So I thought, “If he can be on MTV and write for these magazines, then I could too.” Yep, I wanted to (and still want to) be on MTV as a VJ.Anyways, one of my closest friends, John Morrison, thought I could be good because I always told him my thoughts on certain albums and everything. So he dragged me to a school magazine meeting, introduced me to the professor and I received an assignment: a review on Everclear’s album So Much For The Afterglow. Evidently, the professor was impressed and I wrote all throughout high school. Went to college in North Carolina and after turning in my first four assignments as a freshman, became the Entertainment Editor and by sophomore year, was the Editor-In-Chief. Kept working hard and when I sent resumes out in the winter of 2004 to intern at magazines, I was being considered by The Source and Spin. I was real excited because these were two top publications in the music world. Needless to say, Spin decided to pass on me and that bothered me a little bit at the time because that was the magazine that truly birthed my journalism dream. Fortunately, The Source offered me an editorial intern slot and it launched my career. Reflecting back, it couldn’t have worked out better.
What’s happening with 101 Distribution? Who are some of the more popular artists you guys deal with? 101 Distribution (101D.com) is finally starting to take off. We’re a distribution company that is now doubling as an online publication, and we’re looking to really establish a brand. But as everything with life, it’s all about time and while it’s always good to think ahead, my main focus right now is to establish it as a primary online destination for everyone check out our artists, our news and our features. We just launched the newsletter that comes out weekly, which is jam packed with information regarding certain album and DVD releases, as well as news from around the industry, artists to watch from our growing roster and participation in exclusive contests.
The site is coming together and although we haven’t really made a big effort to promote it just yet, there have been a lot of people within the industry checking us out – which blows my mind. I’m not entirely surprised though because we do have some popular released in our catalog from Chamillionaire, 50 Cent, DJ Drama, The Game, Avenged Sevenfold, Sublime, Nirvana, The Pixies and plenty more. Plus, what really gets me excited is that we offer distribution to anyone. That’s right. While we have big dagws supporting us, we offer anyone the chance to link up with us. It doesn’t matter who it is – Christina Aguilera or that janitor sweeping the floors in Grand Central Station – if any artist within any genre has an album they want to release, we give them the chance to, and unlike some other distributors or major labels, we give our people a sizable cut of the money. It’s like we work for them. Everyone saying the industry is in a state of turmoil right now … well I say wait because within the next year or so, we will make a dent.
I know you handle a lot of business with Fight Magazine covering the massively violent stylings of Mixed Martial Arts, UFC, Gage fighting etc... What’s your take on (mind you I’m not making any comparisons within these forms of entertainment, the main similarity is fighting though however interpreted) Floyd Mayweather’s decision to get involved with the WWE ? Seriously man, what the heck is happening right now? Well in our day and age, most people know that outcomes and results in any wrestling organization is pre-planned. But as a lifelong wrestling fan, it’s still an art and a business I respect and love. That being said, I was very hesitant to hear Mayweather getting involved in a major storyline culminating at Wrestlemania. But with how things have played out, the WWE has received a lot more press and I think it re-captured a lot of the glitz and glamor it lost during the tragedy involving Chris Benoit. The Mayweather-Big Show fight is receiving a lot of press and a lot more urban celebrities are coming out of the woodwork to get involved. Say what you want, but I think it’s a good move for Vince McMahon and the WWE. I’m hoping that Mayweather isn’t really receiving 20 million bucks thought and I’m hoping the Big Show doesn’t lose to a brash, scrawny megalomaniac like Mayweather. Wrestling outcome may be pre-determined and fantasy, but I’m not stupid. There should be some realism to it. Realistically, there is no way Big Show would ever lose to Mayweather, so if Mayweather is scripted to win that match, then I think WWE will have made a very bad mistake.
When’s the last time you spoke to Mike Jones? Have any idea what he's up to right now? I mean like right now as you're answering this question. The last time I spoke to Mike Jones as probably a few months ago, but I could barely understand what he was saying. He was all like “Mike Jones this” and “Mike Jones that.” So right now, I’d say Mike Jones probably getting laid somewhere screaming his own name.
What has been your most enjoyable experience interacting with an artist? What has been your worst? I’ve been really fortunate to have so many enjoyable interviews, but ones that stick out the most would have to be talking to Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, Chingo Bling and Cassie Ford of the Vincent Black Shadow. Whenever you first start pursing journalism and interview artists, I think most folks have to be a bit nervous. Fortunately by the time I interviewed these three, I had two years of interviewing artists under my belt and was able to treat these more as conversations. With these three artists in particular, they were witty, funny and we joked around during half the interview. I was always a huge fan of Linkin Park even before they release Hyrbid Theory, so talk to Chester was awesome. He was particularly upset the label didn’t send me an advance of their latest album Minutes To Midnight. With Chingo Bling, it was like talking to a friend in high school and in regards to Cassie Ford … let’s just say I could definitely fall for a girl like her.
The worst experience, however, could very well be Kevin Federline. He hung up on me within two minutes. What a rude little cracker. E-40 was also a bit short on the phone too, but I’ll let that slide. He was probably concentrating more on ghost ridin’ some whip.†
Any advice for aspiring writers and journalists that want to take on this media game? Really, the most important thing any aspiring journalist can do is maintain a positive outlook and listen to the veterans. There are a lot of saucy folks in this industry, so find an editor or someone in the game, and latch onto them. Make them your mentor and pick their brain whenever you get the chance. Also, get your face out there as much as possible and don’t tunnel yourself to writing in one particular genre. Write for as many different publications you can so that way, you can grow as a writer and further establish your network. Like with anything, there is a lot of discouragement, but as long as you have talent and a strong support system, you can get by.
Why exactly Bear, is the sky blue? I’m not tossin any accusations in your direction, but er uh, you have anything to do with it man? I’m not going to lie. I would try to take credit for something that magnificent, but the fact of the matter is I had nothing to do with it. It was all Mike Jones doing. Well, that’s what he told me, at least.
www.myspace.com/bearfrazer
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