Interning: The Aftermath
By Krissy Laux
So many of us in the music industry program and outside programs spend a good amount of our time interning. Â We’re trying to secure our position in our industry in the future, but when we intern three years before our graduation date, how can we be sure that our employers will remember us, or even worse, still be at the company we interned for?
 Personally, I have intern for 5 companies since January 2007 and I’ve come to realize that the people I worked under at my first job might never remember me and that I’ve completely lost touch with them.  This is so disheartening because I worked hard and I should have been better at keeping in touch with them afterwards and making an impact during my internship so that my employers would want to keep in touch with me.  But is it enough to just show up, give it your all and go home?  I used to think so, but not anymore. I’ve come to realize that there are a few things that you can do to make a personal and emotional impact on the people around you so that they cannot forget you and the work that you did. Â
First and foremost, do the best work you can, even when you’re not getting paid. Then, try to stay at work late, even if you’re not doing a ton of work to justify staying late.  People get antsy at the end of the day and as others leave the office, the office environment winds down and people open up.  This gives you the opportunity to participate in office conversations and possibly pull someone aside (or have someone pull you aside) to have a one-on-one conversation.  Trust me, staying late always pays off eventually, even when you have an hour plus commute home. Â
Another great way to make a personal connection is bring your outside talents into the office.  If you’re a great baker, make some cookies and bring them in.  If you make a cake, bring the leftovers into work.  If you are a good cook or know a lot about food, look at what people are eating for lunch and make suggestions about new foods or restaurants.  If you play a sport well, find out if anyone in the office does as well.  Make sure you’re asking about what people did over the weekend.  These connections are sometimes the hardest to find out about in an internship, but often they can lead to outside office gatherings or extra conversations.Â
Something you can do after your internship, is make sure you’re emailing or calling your past employers.  If you come across a website that you think may help out the new interns at your old company or cool article that may interest a past employer, definitely send it along.  Don’t think twice about sending an email, asking about new interns or new things that the company has developed.  Also, if you have the opportunity, schedule a meeting with the people you used  to work with, or ask if you can drop to say hello if you’re going to be by the office at some point.
Finally, this may be the most important thing I’ve realized over my last internship and it was almost embarrassing to  do it, but take a look at daily tasks and ask yourself if there is any way to add a little fun.  At the beginning of my internship, I was asked to try to remember to get the mail key from a co-worker and get the mail on the days I was in the office.  This can be a very simple task, and it’s a fast one, but I decided to try something extra.  I started IMing the co-worker pictures of funny or crazy looking mailboxes.  The co-worker was able to have an extra laugh or smile every day and soon, those around him found out about the mailboxes and wanted to know what the daily mailboxes were.  Now I am remembered as the mailbox girl.  Anything you can do to create an extra smile (as corny and as stupid as this sounds) really does make a memorable emotional stamp.Â
Ok, so these are some of the things I’ve noticed as little extra things you can do to try to stand out as an intern and stick in the minds of those you work for. Â While, this is a small list, there are definitely more ways to impress and make a larger impact on your employers past the day-to-day work, but this is just what I have noticed so far at my internships. Â Hopefully, these small tips will help us excel into the jobs we want in the future.
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The mix tape, remixed
Hey everyone! I hope you’re having a great summer. I’m spending mine at home in New Hampshire, where shows are sparse and festivals even fewer. So, like most summers, I have turned my attention to finding new music while revisiting some old favorites. And what better way to do this than with a mix tape?
The internet has redefined the ways in which we share music, but the mix tape has maintained its integrity. The web has given the traditional cassette a bit of a makeover, but the idea of a ‘digital mix tape’ remains true; the songs reflect the careful selections of the compiler, and the listener gets the same sense of anticipation from hearing it.
So if you find yourself pressing ’skip’ too often on shuffle, gives these sites a shot, and you might be surprised at what you find.
Tiny Mix Tapes- ‘Mix tape robots’ compile playlists that respond to the unique (sometimes ridiculous, often hilarious) requests from visitors.
Muxtape- If you’re feeling spontaneous, go here. The page changes with each refresh to feature a whole new list of mix tapes. Start an account and make a ‘mux’ of your own.
Art of the Mix- This site includes a list of its most recently submitted mixes, which span a wide range of genres and topics.
“To me, making a tape is like writing a letter — there’s a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape…is hard to do.” -High Fidelity, Nick Hornby
Emily
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Touring!
Hello! This summer, my band is going on a 13 date (give or take) east coast tour in July, all the way from Boston down to Baltimore. The process has definitely been grueling (but fun!), so I thought I would share a couple tips on how to go about this kind of thing if you are interested! First off, start early! I started looking for shows back in March, which basically means I was putting my “feelers” out there and figuring out the best way to try and get shows. For us, the easiest way was to find bands in the areas we were touring, contact them about setting up a show, and either find a venue in the area to present the bill (the lineup) to, or simply let them work their magic since they know the scene better. It is always important however to let these bands know that you got their back when they come to your hometown, hence the term “show swap.” If you have friends who play in bands in these towns, even if the bands don’t sound much like you, that is also a really good bet, because these people are more willing to help you out! This method doesn’t always work however, so you resort to option number 2, which is to contact all the local promoters in the area. These people put on shows for a living and are constantly in the search for touring bands coming to town, so the chances of them at least TRYING to help you out is very high! Then there is always the 3rd option, which is to contact clubs directly, get a hold (a hold is like booking the date, except its temporary, and there might be up to 10 bands at a time who have a “hold” on the date) on the date, and then try to find bands to play with from there. I am glad that most of the hard work is done, but we still have a few shows left to book within the next month, so the searching still continues. Don’t forget to accurately prepare for your tour, such as online promotion, promoting within the cities, bringing enough back-up supplies, preparing for gas at 4 dollars a gallon, etc. Just remember how tough it is for bands you see at smaller venues in Boston, and how much they really do appreciate it when you BUY their record or tell them how much you enjoyed the show! Here at Tastemakers, we plan on seeing a lot more shows in the Fall semester along with helping YOU see a lot more shows in the fall, so get ready!      -Ben HoffmanÂ
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what legacy?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Built to Spill lately. This started after a conversation with my roommate regarding bands that we genuinely enjoy but continually forget to listen to. While making a concerted effort to play more Built to Spill I’ve become totally obsessed. They are one of those bands that I’ve had in my itunes for a long time, probably acquired through a random music swap and never really given a thorough listen. When considering nineties bands that survived the millennium switch one other band immediately comes to mind, Modest Mouse. I found myself comparing the two and wondering which was more influential. For bands that both started in the early nineties, Modest Mouse has achieved a great deal of success and acclaim, while Built to Spill has remained comfortably below the radar. However, I think Built to Spill has been the more influential band, as far as shaping todays independent music. My question is which legacy is more admirable?  If you’ve got some Built to Spill hiding in your collection I highly recommend giving it a listen and if you don’t it is definitely a band to get acquainted with.   -geoffÂ
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CD Review: The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
by Robin Jennings
The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing
Release Date: 03.20.08
Label: Sony BMG Music Entertainment (UK)
Some albums are made for summer. That’s the feeling you get when you listen to /We Started Nothing/, the enthusiastic debut from Jules De Martino and Katie White – collectively known as the Ting Tings. Their simple riffs and catchy hooks have garnered quite a buzz for the UK-based duo. Their first US single, “Great DJ,” hit the airwaves in early 2008 and caught the attention of Apple and MTV – both of which featured singles by the Ting Tings in commercials and TV shows.
However, do not let the mainstream attention fool you. /We Started Nothing/ is a strong debut album. Where a lot of talented musicians fail by trying too hard to make listeners think, the Ting Tings simply aim to make you dance. Both Martino and White have years of experience in the industry and are seasoned musicians, handling most of the production themselves. Their creatively quirky approach shines on tracks like “Fruit Machine” and “We Walk.” Even the few slower songs, “Keep Your Head” and “Be the One” have a unique sound to them. However, not every album can be perfect and /We Started Nothing/ has its share of missteps, such as the surprisingly bland “Traffic Light” and seemingly incoherent “Impacilla Carpisung.”
Even with those missteps, /We Started Nothing/ is a solid album and a promising debut from the Ting Tings. Expect to hear more from them throughout the summer, starting with their June 19th show at Boston’s Great Scott.
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