Fuzz (music company)
Fuzz Artists, Inc. is a music company that integrates a next-generation music label, a web-based artist promotion and e-commerce platform, and a music-centric social networking community of artists and fans. Publicly launched in March 2007, Fuzz is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and is a hybrid of traditional and evolving business models. Fuzz’s platform and community can be accessed at www.fuzz.com.
The Fuzz Mission & Manifesto
The company’s stated mission is to build a fair, open, powerful, and participatory platform for people to create, share, and discover great music, and is committed to the following fundamental principles as expressed it its manifesto:
•We believe in doing right by people who create and who love music
•We believe music companies should empower, not frustrate
•We believe in honest and transparent business practices
•We believe artists are the economic foundation of the music business and should be compensated accordingly
•We believe in creative freedom and independence
•We believe in partnership not ownership
•We believe in supporting all genres of music
•We believe in the broader revolutionary movement and we applaud anyone working to promote artists’ rights and careers
•We believe in DIY culture
•We believe in the wisdom of people, and in the democratizing power of technology
•We believe in continually exploring new and different avenues, and we welcome input on how to do things better
•We believe technological processes and tools can never replace individuals and human interaction – maintaining a personal touch is vital
•We believe the future of the music industry is open, participatory, ever-changing and unlimited in its potential to impact the world
Fuzz.com
Fuzz.com provides free accounts with tools and services for both artists and music fans. Artists can use Fuzz as a primary or secondary website. They can create an artist profile, band member profiles, post photos and news, list shows and events, write blogs, befriend other artists and fans, upload and manage mailing lists, sell their music, and track the results of their business efforts (music sales, fan growth and fan demographics, for example). Fans can create a user profile, discover, search, review, recommend and purchase new music, create and share playlists, post photos and blogs, add friends, and pick favorite artists. As favorite artists or friends add new shows, pubic or private messages, blog entries and playlists, fans are kept current with notifications on their Fuzz page.
Fuzz is promotional grounds for mostly independent artists, but also boasts a selection of signed bands as well, including Hawthorne Heights, New Young Pony Club, The Academy Is, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Rage Against the Machine, The Coup, Pinback, Rosie Flores, Exodus, and T.S.O.L. Fuzz also hosts some well-known indie bands, such as Lateef the Truthspeaker, Youth Brigade, M.O.T.O., Mekons, Sally Timms, TV on the Radio, The Ex, Blue Scholars, Royalty, and Panda.
Label
Fuzz also provides “high-touch” services to artists, including distribution arrangements, production, recording, promotion, and management.
Signed Artists: The Lovemakers: Lisa Light, Scott Blonde
U.S.S.A.: Duane Denison (also of The Jesus Lizard, Tomahawk), Paul Barker (also of Ministry), Johnny Rabb, and Gary Call
Greg Garing: Greg Garing (session musicians include Mac McNeilly of The Jesus Lizard and P.W. Long’s Reelfoot, Abby Travis of projects with Beck, Elastica, KMFDM and The Bangles)
Maldroid: Ryan Divine, Johnny Genius, AJ Riot, Prince J, Sean Shippley, Todd Brown
Releases: The Lovemakers “Misery Loves Company” EP, July 2007
U.S.S.A "The Spoils" LP, September 2007
Maldroid "Oakland Lad's Club", September 2007
Fuzz Team
The Fuzz team is a comprised of entrepreneurial, music, business, and technology professionals, and is noted for its growing staff of active and former musicians and music industry professionals including Michael Urbano (Smashmouth, Cake), Maureen Herman (Babes in Toyland), Daniel Travanti (The Briefs), Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard, Tomahawk, USSA), Bill Bentley (former VP Media Relations at Warner Bros. Records 1986-2006 and current publicist for Neil Young), and Jennifer Otter (former West Coast Marketing Director at Interscope).
The Fuzz business and technology teams have previously created various companies and Internet platforms, and includes Karen Chakmakian (founder iPass), Arin Sarkissian (Topix, founder TheAwesomeList, Spoke) and professionals from Sidestep, Vive, California Polytechnic, Navio and RIOTT.
Founders
Fuzz was founded in San Francisco, CA by Jeff Yasuda (formerly Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Redwood Ventures and current co-founding director of Little Kids Rock), Chris Skarakis (formerly Director of Business Development at Google 1999-2005, Sr. Business Analyst at Netscape and Senior Analyst at Silicon Graphics and is a board member of the Kanye West Foundation), Michael Eldredge (formerly Chief Executive and Director of Stanford University's Networking Research Center, VP of Technology Innovation at Manugistics, Technical Advisor to NetworkSound, and currently sits on the Board of Directors and Finance Committee for Environmental Volunteers), and Brian Venneman (formerly General Counsel of Redwood Ventures, and Associate at Pillsbury Winthrop, Shaw).