(photo courtesy of MTV)
Soundtrack recently sat down with Ben, the Music Supervisor for Awkward. Ben expressed his passion for music and we picked his brain on up and coming artists he’s passionate about. Read On …
ST: What constitutes a “great” song for television?
Ben: Not to sound glib, but great songs make great songs for television. When I’m looking for music I don’t always have a placement in mind, but interesting, catchy songs will always fit somewhere. One thing you do need for a good TV song is a long instrumental lead in. I hate when the song starts immediately with vocals.
ST: When you’re looking for music to place in Awkward, are you looking for a specific type of music? What’s the music feel for the show?
Ben: Awkward goes for the indie/electronic/singer-songwriter vibe. Ellie Goulding and Foster The People are good archetypes. We try to find songs that will appeal to a wide audience, but also have something a little different and unique, a little edge. Hopefully we are introducing viewers to artists they aren’t familiar with, but will grow to love.
ST: Describe the feeling that you get when you have the opportunity of placing an emerging independent artist in your show? Are they ecstatic when they hear their music on the show? Can you give a specific example?
Ben: There is nothing better in my job than placing an emerging or undiscovered artist. It’s what keeps me going. I have heard many times that the money received from a placement ends up funding the next album.
ST: List a few up and coming artists you’ve felt passionate about when it came time to place music in Awkward. Can you give a specific example of an artist you placed in the show, how you found them, and how the placement had an impact?
Ben: It might be too early to comment on impact, but some placements I’m really proud of include League from the UK, Big Scary from Australia, and Emma Louise from Australia. I really hope these artists find an audience in the US, and if Awkward plays some kind of role that would be amazing. Oh! Darling and Yael Meyer are two local Los Angeles acts that I have been following for a while and I was happy to find multiple placements for each this season. Other highlights include: Antlers, The Pains of Being Pure of Heart, Generationals, Amanda Jo Williams, Uh Huh Her, and The Knocks. I find music by looking through blogs, going to shows, and consulting my music experts, who will remain anonymous. I can’t give up all my secrets.
ST: What’s currently in your iPod?
Ben: I don’t listen to obscure jazz and world music like I probably should, but here are some things I’ve been listening to a lot lately:
Newer Bands I’m into: The Chain Gang of 1974, The Vaccines, Diego Garcia, Motopony, Jeff The Brotherhood, The Donkeys, Cyhi Da Prync, Emilio Rojas
Older Stuff: The Kinks, Clash, XTC, & Black Sabbath
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