Alex Maiolo

Immersion travel, participatory journalism, purposeful work.
And music - there's always music.

Work Experience


Lee-Moore Insurance Agency

Owner & Operator 1998 - Present

It might seem unusual for a person who has dedicated his life to The Arts to choose insurance as a career, but it’s a case of catering to a need. In our culture rich community of Carrboro and Chapel Hill we have lawyers who came out of the Indie Rock scene, and an accountant who used to be a Goth. The woman who sold me my house is a Jazz singer. Yet nobody was tending to the insurance component, even though it is something we all have to deal with, regardless of our pursuits. I started my agency and brokerage to serve my tribe, and for almost two decades now, record labels, recording studios, design firms, art galleries, creatives, unique restaurateurs, brewers, and distillers have had an option to work with someone who speaks their language.

Tape-Op Magazine

Senior Contributor 2006 - Present

Tape Op may be known as the most widely read recording magazine in the world, but it’s more than that. It’s less of a technical periodical, and more of an ongoing project to document the stories of how some of the greatest music ever made was created. Every writer is encouraged to use their own voice and, after 20 years, the magazine remains independently owned, staunchly DIY, deeply respected, and more relevant than ever specifically because of that. My role has been advisor and journalist, primarily focusing on articles requiring deep research, or those that focus on Northern Europe, specifically Scandinavia.

Articles I’ve written.

Premier Guitar Magazine

Interviews / Reviews / Profiles 2012 - Present

I was approached by Premier Guitar to contribute because they have always strived to be an alternative to the other guitar periodicals. They were looking for writers who understood it was time to move past the Blues-based Boys Club these magazines inherently are. I’ve focused primarily on iconoclastic gear builders and Psychedelic music. 60,000 print issues are mailed, and the website reaches 1.5 million unique readers per month.

Articles I’ve written.

Reverb.com

Interviews / Tech Tutorials 2014 - Present

Reverb.com is an online music gear marketplace that designed to address the fact that the Ebay exprience had become frustrating. Interviews and tutorials were added to make the experience even better. I was approached to contribute based on my work with Tape Op and Premier Guitar, and given carte blanche to pursue content. My focus has been primarily on Electronic Music, and tutorials. In 2015 I was asked to expand my focus into Europe.

Live from Moogfest | Spotlight on Anders Trentemøller | Spotlight on Suzanne Ciani | Interview with Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails | Interview with producer Michael Beinhorn

International Press

2006 - Present

Pitchfork Music Festival, CMJ, SXSW, Berlin Music Week, Roskilde, SPOT Festival, Copenhagen Psych Fest, Moog Festival, Five Points Music. Reported on the daily happenings of International Music Festivals through various media.

Suburban Summit

2016 - Present

Collaborated with Forbrændingen venue, in Copenhagen (Albertslund) Denmark, to produce an original music performance with members of St. Vincent, Caribou, and the Thy Music Collective. Two more performances planned for 2017.

HAVEN Festival

PR & Media Outreach (US) 2017 - Present

Copenhagen Food, Beer, and Music Festival that is a joint collaboration between Claus Meyer, founder of Noma, and the "New Nordic" cuisine movement, Mikkel Borg Bjersø, founder of the respected Mikkeller beer brand, and the Dessner brothers, of the rock band The National. Duties include working with The Danish Consulate in NYC, VisitDenmark, and U.S. based PR and media outreach.

Other Work


Seriously Adequate Recording Studio

Owner & Operator 2010 - Present

Consumer equipment made it possible for me to start recording as a teenager, in 1983, but a major paradigm shift in technology, and the music industry itself, leveled the field for DIY recordists, starting around 2001. I built Seriously Adequate with the goal of creating an affordable space, for musicians who need my help with engineering and production, or who can work on their own. Credits include releases ranging from Chamber Pop to Metal.

Grammys / National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

2015 - Present

Voting member of The Grammy Awards.

Future of Music Coalition

2001 - Present

Advisor to a Washington D.C. based think tank that studies how artists are affected by the intersection of Music, Technology, Policy, and Law.

South By Southwest Music Festival

Selection Committee 2016 - Present

After 13 years of acting as a Mentor and Speaker for SXSW, I was appointed to the committee that chooses which panels and discussions will be accepted by the festival.

Crunchy Frog Record Label

2012 - Present

Aid Danish Independent Record Label in logistics, housing, and gear acquisition for bands and staff traveling to the U.S.

Guest Lecturer

2008 - Present

Georgetown University, New York University, Ramapo College, St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers & Accountants For The Arts. Topics included Music Business, Recording Techniques, Recording History.

Boycott Band

Actor & Writer 2016

Participated in the development of a comedic film designed to raise awareness about a discriminatory bill passed by the North Carolina Legislature. Also had lead role. The film gained praise by Adweek and other media outlets.

Check out the film.

Sound Diplomacy

2016

Partnered with Berlin-based advocacy group on presentation about German music of the 1970’s.

HINT

2003 - 2014

With the aid of a Cummings Grant, co-founded an advice line for musicians in need of healthcare. Advocated for a National Health Service.

Big Star

2010 - 2013

Organized and promoted the live performance of the band’s legendary album Third, in multiple cities, with members of the original band, REM, Yo La Tengo, Wilco, Tom Petty, Teenage Fan Club, Matthew Sweet, and others.

Panelist / Speaker / Moderator / Organizer

2001 - Present

San Francisco Tech Summit, SXSW, CMJ, Potluck Audio Conference, Tape Op Con, Pop Asheville, Pop Montreal.

United Telespectrum / Centel / Sprint / 360 Communications

1992 - 1998

On a team tasked to solve problems related to sending data over wireless networks.

Broad Street Coffee Roasters and Wine Merchants

1989 - 1992

Marketed, roasted, and distributed high end coffee for one of the few roasters in the U.S. at the time.

Bands I've been in.


Education


East Carolina University, Greenville NC 1986 - 1988

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 1988 - 1991