Interview With Josh Epstein of Vision Music USA

Vision Music USA is a proactive and progressive music service firm with the interest of their clients the driving force that makes them successful. President Josh Epstein and CEO Nick Stamoulis are focused on helping the Independent artists to maintain control of their career by saving them time and their hard-earned dollars. Josh took some time from his busy day to talk to me about their growing company.

MuzikMan: How did you and Nick meet? What interest and goals did you share that brought you together? What are your backgrounds and what qualifies you to provide all of these services to Independent artists?

Josh: Nick and I met in Boston. I was working as the Publicist at the Mama Kin Music Hall co-owned by Aerosmith. Nick and I care very much about music and musicians. Both Nick and I have always wanted to work in music. Specifically, we want to work on our own terms. Individually we have worked with people who care more about money then actually helping artists. We have seen hard working musician's be deceived by manipulators posing as true professionals. Our goal is to own and run a company that is a true resource for independent musicians. We both bring very specific talents to our company. Vision Music USA is Nick and Josh. A major prerequisite to gaining employment with Vision is to share not only our beliefs but our work ethic.

What qualifies Nick and I to assist others with their careers is our ability to relate to the artist. We have both spent several years in the trenches, similar to hard working musicians. Nick and I have worked in several key aspects of the music industry (booking, radio, marketing, artist development, promotions, management, etc). As the Showcase Coordinator for the NEMO Music Showcase and Conference I evaluated over 2,000 bands and musicians. I credit my ear for music and my eye for critiquing press kits to that conference. We chose to work with independent musicians for many reasons. One, with our assistance they might not be independent for long. Two, we have always wanted to provide the resources independent bands need to take their career's to the next level. This is what is so exciting. This is what makes going to work a pleasure. It's knowing that you are making an immediate impact in someone's career.

MuzikMan: Where did you get the name Vision Music USA? How long have you been in business and how does an artist know that you are the real deal and really a "No Bullshit Firm" that you profess to be? Do you have actual testimony from customers that supports that statement?

Josh: Vision is simply the artists own vision. It is where they perceive their career is headed. This is all before we start with them. Once we start with an artist we take their vision to the next level. Vision Music USA has been in business for about two years. "No bullshit firm" is Nick's idea. It is very true. It means that we don't give the artist the runaround. We know how important their time is. We see it as a privilege to be working with the people we do. An artist sees this when the two owners of the company are constantly involved or supervising their project. We are very proud of our testimonials. When our customers take the time to express their happiness with our work it truly makes our day. All of our customer testimonials are on our website.

MuzikMan: What happens if a particular artist is not satisfied with something you have done, what is your recourse?

Josh: The customer is always right. I learned that at an early age from my father who owned a clothing store. We make our clients feel like family. If there is a problem with a portion of a service we do our best to appease the situation. Nick and I will always find an amicable solution for both parties.

MuzikMan: Are you both available to communicate with on the phone or by e-mail during normal business hours? How long does it take you to respond to a clients query?

Josh:e are very busy. However, we are very accessible. Nick and both give our email addresses out freely. If we are busy, our procedure is to return all calls in 24 hours. For the most part, most people contact us and our employees via email.

MuzikMan: What made you decide to take the chance, quit your day jobs, and make this a full time gig? Most people are not willing to take that chance, what makes you different?

Josh: We both knew it was going to work. We have put countless hours of time into Vision Music USA. We feel that we have an innovative idea. We provide services to those who need it. Additionally, our services are very cost effective. This isn't a get rich quick scheme. Nick and I are interested in making money long term while helping musician's attain their individual goals.

MuzikMan: What can an artist expect to get in return for all of your services? What is the goal for each specific client?

Josh: First and foremost, we are consultants. It is our job to customize a client's service to fit their needs. With our assistance, the artist will have a far greater understanding of where they stand and where they need to go. For example,if an artist purchases a Press Kit Development package we completely critique their original work. After this critique we give them the recommend suggestions they need. We point the artist in a direction they are comfortable with. The goal is to bring them more recognition and make the press kit more effective for the artist. Each client's goals are assessed on a customized basis. This is our philosophy.

MuzikMan: Where does Vision Music USA want to go from here?

Josh: We would like to maintain our growth. We will be developing more products and services for our customers. It is important to Vision Music USA to maintain and continually develop relationships with other companies. We have a few other ideas but that's another interview.

MuzikMan: Do you both feel that eventually labels will not exist and all artists will have complete control of their work in the aspects of production, distribution and promotion? A lot of that is happening on the Internet right now, do you think it's a good thing? Are there some drawbacks to this radical departure from the status quo?

Josh: If people can do things on their own that was never possible, then go for it. Artists should have more control over their own work in general. I think the internet is amazing. Considering what I do for a living. I feel there are too may artists who don't fully understand what a record deal is. Too many artists think getting signed is the goal. I think it should be the start.

Take your Career to YOUR next level with Vision Music USA!

Vision Music USA is a TRUE independent musician's resource!

Some services include: Artist Development, Booking, Merchandise, Graphic Design,Website Design, CD Duplication and much more!

About The Author

MuzikMan writes reviews, interviews and articles covering Independent and Major Artists

khannaleck@yahoo.com

---

Facts about MC Big Proof

Facts about MC Big Proof"If I was you, suicide would be a way of life. If you was me , you'd kill you." (Proof)Before I start talking about D12's gifted Mc Proof, I... Read More

Benatar and Geraldo - Still Rockin on a High Note

Most people look forward to the summer months because they bring warmer temperatures, vacations, outdoor gatherings, and longer days. Those are all fine and dandy, but what really gets my fires stoked for... Read More

Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes - When Improvising

Mistake #1 - Thinking about what you're going to playA lot of students think there should be some kind of preparation before improvising on the piano. They are right! There should be some... Read More

Its Jewish Music, But Is The Music Jewish?

A while back I was driving along the Jerusalem highway scanning the radio stations. On one frequency, a very intense dance beat was exploding out of the speakers. I was about to move... Read More

Eminem: A Social Commentator

In an interview given to Musik Magazine in 2000, Eminem comments some of his lyrics: 'Please Lord, this boy needs Jesus/Help this child, help him destroy these demons/Please send me a brand... Read More

Music to Echo Your Mood

In what way do the kinds of music (rock, rap, classical, instrumental, etc.) change or alter our mood and in what way do our moods effect what music we listen to?Music has been... Read More

Patriotic Music: Surprising Secrets About Those Flag-Waving Sounds

Whether played by a marching band, an orchestra, or a rock group, there are patriotic tunes that everyone in America finds familiar, exciting and uplifting. But how much do you know about how... Read More

Silent Discos!

The press have reported this week that silent disco's are now the in thing, saying:'T in the park is to follow the Glastonbury Festival into introducing a 'Silent Disco' this year. So that... Read More

The Acoustic Guitar

The steel-stringed acoustic guitar is usually credited with being developed by C.F. Martin and Company sometime during the 1830s. Although other "gut-stringed" acoustics were around at that time, it was the Martin Company... Read More

Creating Your Own Compositions

The idea of actually creating a complete piece of music to play frightens many students. They just don't understand how someone could come up with something, put it down on paper, and call... Read More

How To Change Your Guitar Strings

Changing your guitar strings might make you feel a litte uncomfortable if you have never done it before, but it's really quite simple and should become a regular part of your guitar care... Read More

Downloading MP3s Made Easy

The MP3 movement started out with a huge audience of music enthusiasts on the internet. The MP3 digital music format has had, and will continue to have, a huge impart on how people,... Read More

Art of the Recording Engineer: From Michael Jackson to Mutant Radio, Matt Forger Speaks Out

Interviewed by Scott G (The G-Man)G-Man: When people think of Matt Forger, they usually think of your work with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Glen Ballard, and Bruce Swedien, yet... Read More

The Revolution of Electric Guitars

Sometime during the 1930's electric guitars were introduced onto the music scene, which began a revolution in sound and technology that continues to this day. After Rock and Roll was born in the... Read More

Wal-Mart Music Downloads, Napster and Other Legal Digital Music Download Sites

Digital Music Download. Ever since file-sharing programs entered the hard drives of our computers, people have wanted the best place for a digital music download. Music companies have had to figure out what... Read More

How To Play The Violin

This article gives the essential basics for how to play the violin. Generally violins are quite commonly available instruments and it is reasonably easy to rent or buy a violin. Children may need... Read More

Canadian Stars: The Marble Index and the Waking Eyes

Canadian Indie bands are dominating the music scene and it just so happened that three of them took over the Rivoli on Queen St. for a night of true entertainment. Boy, The Marble... Read More

Songs Await Singer

I Want To Grow Old With You (C)Chorus: I want to grow old with you... I want to still be there Someday, to share These things that we go through... We'll sit and... Read More

Music and Healing: The Power of Meaningful Words and Music

We All Have a Favorite Piece of Music that Moves Us to a Special Place in Our Hearts. A Conversion About the Music We Love and How It Colors Our Lives.JUSTIN: My favorite... Read More

Rickenbacker 4003 Electric Bass Guitar

The Rickenbacker 4003 electric bass guitar is one of the few electric basses to have earned the accolade "classic" as a title for itself. The Rickenbacker 4000 Series guitar is attributed for creating... Read More

New Age Music - What Is It Good For?

Let's face it. The world will not end if there isn't another new age music CD on the market. So why bother? Why play when most people don't care or want to hear... Read More

Why You Cant Play Piano

It's really not your fault. You see, you've been taught that in order to play piano you need to first learn how to read music, and second, play other peoples music.Don't feel bad.... Read More

Composing for Dummies

When most people hear the word composer, they automatically think of classical composers like Mozart or Beethoven. This is the point where many "would be" composers freeze up because they tell themselves that... Read More

How to Become a World Class Expert in Just 20 Minutes a Day

Is it really possible to become an expert in some field in 20 minutes a day?When I first was exposed to the idea, I'll admit I was rather skeptical. But I heard the... Read More

Motorhead Inferno

Motorhead-"Inferno"-Review by Les Lewellyn When David Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame release the sensational CD "Probot" this year it rekindled my metal tastebuds. For those of you not... Read More

Modal Theory for Guitar Players - Part 1

IntroductionThe fact that you are holding this in your hands suggests that you have got to the point in your explorations of, and curiosity about the guitar that the next step is the... Read More

An Interview with Angus Young of ACDC - Why He Plays a Gibson SG

Steven: Maybe more than any other guitarist ever, you're inextricably linked to the Gibson SG? What was the evolution that brought you to this particular instrument?Angus: I started playing on banjos and re-strung... Read More

Bang on Your Drum All Day Long - Without Annoying Your Neighbors!

Bang! Bam! Bang! Have you always wanted to play the drums, but are afraid your neighbors would call the police on you?Do you want to bang on your drum all day, but are... Read More

One Way to Improve Your Music Journalist Relationship

Boy, I really detest how some people do websites. Bands are some of the worst. Seems like any band that wants to look "professional" feels they must create a website using pop-ups and... Read More