SXSW Bands Rocking with Archiving Services

Wendy Shade — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:00:58 +0000

Iron Mountain Entertainment Services Rocking at SXSW

Dozens of the nation’s best up-and-coming musical acts have traveled to Austin, Texas, to partake in the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival — and so did Iron Mountain.

At the event, you’re just as likely to hear the next great band as you are to experiencing some of the best, cutting edge technology as the event melds the best of both worlds.

For the artists in attendance, SXSW gives them a chance to introduce themselves and their sound to potentially legions of new fans. These independent musicians form the foundation of the industry. That’s why it’s important they give the proper consideration to data archiving.

Preserving their master tapes, CDs, digital copies and other music media for the long haul isn’t likely to be their top priority in Austin this week – they’re probably more concerned about getting the word out about their work. Still, future-proofing this content is important for every musician from the Rock Gods on down to the garage band looking for its big break.

After all, it’s better to preserve music properly than have it thrown in the trunk of a car or left to collect dust in a basement. Just because you live out of a tour van doesn’t mean your work has to as well.

Many of your favorite bands that have landed commercial success almost certainly have a massive archive of their music somewhere, whether it’s maintained by the studio or some other organization. With these archives in place, musicians and studios can know that catalogs will be protected and preserved for the long term.

Bands on major labels shouldn’t be the only one’s thinking about the archiving of their work. Indie acts also produce music that should be preserved, backed up and retained.

For many such groups, data management is certainly not an area of expertise. That’s why it’s advised that bands stick to rocking and allow the professionals of an information management company handle the rest.

With Iron Mountain Entertainment Services, professionals have the tools and expertise at their disposal that are necessary for maintaining an archive of music content. That way, even small-time bands with big dreams can ensure that media won’t deteriorate over time and they’ll always have access to songs and albums they produce.

—————————————————————————

RELATED CONTENT

Lessons Learned from 28 years of Attending ARMA

Wendy Shade — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:45:09 +0000

Jumping at ARMA

It’s funny how memories that should be wonderful are often overshadowed by the little things that occur. I haven’t been back in Washington since 1990. I was President of ARMA International that year and a small group of us were going to the White House to meet with one of President Bush’s legislative aides regarding the Paperwork Reduction Act. Imagine just how excited we were… ARMA at the White House! As we went through security I was made aware that no, they don’t let prunes (or any food for that matter) into the White House! Now I don’t know about you, but my opinion is that prunes are a great thing to have at the ready when you travel. There were only a few in the bag so I stuck them in my purse. My colleague who accompanied me is still laughing, more than 20 years later, so you can only imagine how embarrassed I was and the ribbing I received at the time they confiscated my dried fruit. I can’t tell you what I saw in DC that week or even what we discussed in that meeting for my only memory is that of the prunes!

As I celebrate my 30 years with Iron Mountain and 28 years as an ARMA Conference attendee, I think back to what this event has meant to me over the years. Education, marketing and networking are certainly its focus, but one should also acknowledge that at its core, it’s also a reunion. I learned many years ago that when greeting someone at a conference, never to say “nice to meet you.” Chances are that somewhere, sometime, your paths may have crossed thus “nice to see you again” has become a much safer alternative! With a simple smile across a crowded session or a wave on the escalators going in different directions – each year for three short days we reconnect with our ARMA family members. Much like those occasional reunions we have with our blood relatives, we pick up right where we left off and it feeds our hearts and feeds our souls. Hugs abound and talk of family, jobs and old friends can be overheard when this reunion is underway. It’s always amazing to me that I can speak with someone I consider a “friend” for 5 minutes once every year and feel such a strong connection with them. Occasionally, we’re fortunate enough to steal away for a quick lunch or cup of coffee together but given the amount of activities crammed into three days, that’s a luxury we don’t often experience.

At this reunion there is also a subculture comprised of various factions who recruit members into their fold enabling that circle of friends to grow larger and larger. The Clancy’s, La Arma Nostra and even the Canadian Members with their “goosing” ceremony all have one very important thing in common: they do not discriminate who gets inducted into their group. New members, old members, those bearing prunes……..you never know who is going to be called upon to say the pledge and receive the symbolic pins. Those pins become a part of the ritual and once a year we’ll polish our silver goose and check our luggage to be sure all of the appropriate designations are with us for display on our lapels. We have personal rituals outside of the scheduled events as well including showing our face at the Houston Hospitality suite, Listserv Party, Clancy Party, FOD Dinner or even that special friend who never fails to bring us handmade gifts, year after year after year. There are surely more stories of kindness and community than can ever be told and each one rooted in the history of this important gathering.

So as I tuck away my pins (including my newly acquired La Arma Nostra pin), toss the leftover prunes and reflect on all those friends who’s faces I’ve seen even if for only a moment, my spirits are uplifted and my bucket full for yet another year.

Related Links

Information Advantage » Wendy Shade

SXSW Bands Rocking with Archiving Services

Lessons Learned from 28 years of Attending ARMA