1. Belmont and Morris Family host Scott Perlewitz of Sub Pop Records
On Friday, February 26 Belmont hosted its second annual Morris Family Mentor and
Lecture Series. This series sponsored by the Morris Family, honors industry
professionals by bringing them to campus to inspire others through their work in
the entertainment and music industry.
This year’s speaker was Scott Perlewitz, The Minister of Propaganda for Sub Pop
Records. Students packed into the Johnson Large Theater to listen to the question
and answer session led by Belmont Music Business professor, Dan Keen.
The seminar started with Perlewitz briefly describing Sub Pop Records. The Seattle
based independent record label was founded in 1988 and was often associated with
the grunge movement. Some of the label’s early releases came from artists like
Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgarden and TAD. In later years, the label released
records from artists such as The Shins, Iron and Wine, Band of Horses and Flight of
the Conchords. Sub Pop now boasts artist such as Father John Misty, Fleet Foxes,
and The Head and The Heart.
Perlewitz grew up loving music but since he grew up in a small town outside of
Green Bay, Wisconsin, his industry exposure was limited. He went to University of
Wisconsin to pursue a Pre-Medicine degree, but ended up switching to a Bachelor of
Fine Arts degree. “I knew I wasn’t going to be a doctor and I knew I wasn’t going to
be a painter so I thought I could be a lawyer,” said Perlewitz.
Perlewitz went on to get his Masters in Communication Management and
Communication Law from The University of Southern California. Perlewitz
happened to find his way into the music industry as an intern for MTV. This led him
to various jobs in marketing and promotions at Virgin Records, Geffen Records and
Warner Records, before landing his job as the Minister of Propaganda at SUB POP in
2011.
Towards the end of Perlewitz’s message, he left students with advice on how to
succeed in the music and entertainment industry. He emphasized the need to get out
into the real world and gain experience. “Internships are so important these days.
They should be an opportunity to glimpse into how an organization and this
industry work.”