| |
Daily DigestSchool Closing
Conte Middle School in North Adams will be closed Thursday, December 4, & Friday, December 5, as the investigation into a mercury spill continues. |
Light'em Up!
 (2).jpg) North Adams kicks off the holiday season with its annual treelighting on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m.
Pittsfield lights its tree on Friday, Dec. 5, at 6 at Park Square. |
Like to Write?
 Passionate about local sports? Into the environment? Obsessive about local meetings?
Let your neighbors know what's going on in Berkshire County! iBerkshires accepts submissions about local events, news and opinion pieces. There are openings for freelance work, too, for qualified candidates. E-mail tdaniels@iberkshires.com to find out more. |
Got Flu?
Track its spread through Google! |
| Need to contact iBerkshires? Here's how. |
ObituariesWhat's Playing
A television-hero pup (John Travolta) thinks he's a real superdog in the Disney film "Bolt." |
Sales FliersColumnists | Independent Investor
|
Other StuffRelated Stories |
| |
All the Music Reviews Fit to PostBy Tammy Daniels - October 17, 2007
 | | Keith Hannaleck |
PITTSFIELD - Keith Hannaleck's love affair with music began at an early age. He remembers the excitement of the Beatles taking the stage on "The Ed Sullivan Show" when he was 5. He listened to his brother's Steppenwolf and Rolling Stones albums - and to his sister's Monkees records.
One day, the 1976 Hoosac Valley High graduate decided to put his feelings about a particular album in words and, on a whim, shot the review off to the artist's label. Not only did the label like his review - it wanted more.
That's how Hannaleck found a way to combine his passion for music with his cyber skills and, in 1998, he launched a Web site offering up music reviews for labels and independent artists. It's had various incarnations over the years and was rebuilt and relaunched earlier this year after being acquired by his employer, TalentFusion.
Along the way, MuzikReviews.com has transformed into a leading indie music site offering reviews for fans and publicist services for independent artists around the world.
"If I look back on how my life unfolded...," said Hannaleck, shaking his head slightly as he sat in the conference room of TalentFusion last week. Wearing a Led Zeppelin T-shirt, he recalled the zigzagging path through schools, the Navy and careers before landing at the Internet-based recruitment business. "That was a steppingstone to where I'm going."
The Adams native had headed off to broadcast journalism school after high school but left to join the Navy, then went to California. Six months after returning from California, his mother died. He wrote the eulogy and people "made a big fuss about it."
He describes that as a turning point, a seed planted by his mother that led him to begin writing. He continued his education through Chadwick University, an Alabama school that offers long-distance learning. He worked full time while pursuing two degrees - in business and environmental management - hoping to advance his career at New England Power Co. But it just couldn't hold his interest.
"Working with TalentFusion is the best thing that's ever happened to me," said Hannaleck, who joined the sales division of the Merrill Road recruitment outsourcing company three years ago. "My success is dependent on their success."
Discussion on acquiring the site began nearly a year ago between Hannaleck and TalentFusion owner and founder David Pollard. MuzikReviews became part of TalentFusion in February.
The new Web site allows Hannaleck to efficiently distribute reviews and press releases and offer recommendations to Internet radio sites. He features artists in his "Pick of the Week" with front-page views and Google ad marketing. Services range from a professional reviews to a complete press kit with biography and distribution.
Hannaleck said he takes advantage of the viral nature of the Web by using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to disperse information from his site, garnering up to 10,000 hits.
Though a paid service, Hannaleck said his reviews reveal his true feelings about an artist's work. If he really doesn't like the music, he doesn't take the artist or band on as a client. But he will offer some constructive criticism.
"It's too easy to be negative," he said. "These artists put their soul and sweat into their music - I respect that fact."
An initial appraisal - and recommendation - is offered freely for musicians uncertain about the use of Internet advertising.
The site has more than 120 current album reviews plus guest commentaries, links, partner sites, videos, press releases and more, with plans to continually add reviews dating back to 2000. Hannaleck does the bulk of the reviews but he's open to other music enthusiasts interested in writing. He's also hoping to raise awareness of the site with local bands.
"They don't seem to understand what I have to offer," he said, despite the fact he has clients from around the globe. He's hoping more of them will see how the Internet can expand their career horizons. "The music industry is changing so fast nobody knows what's happening next."
For Hannaleck, life has sort of come full circle: He's living in the house he grew up, listening to his favorite tunes. Only now, he's with his wife, Lisa, and two children, Morgan, 11, and Austin, 14, and the music more often is digital, not vinyl.
Oddly enough, his passion has never been conveyed through making music, though his wife plays the piano and his brother makes guitars.
"I'm very cerebral. I find writing is the best way to express myself."
Hannaleck's "Pick of the Week" will be available on iBerkshires.com. |
|
Enter your email address below to receive our FREE iBerkshires.com Newsletter
|
