skylarentertainment.com

FYI Music FaqFile 1; Queens of the Industries – The Women of Media, Talk, Rock, and Records – 20 Questions; Name: Diane Foy; Birthplace: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario; Current Business: Skylar Entertainment, Music, Arts & Entertainment Public Relations www.skylarentertainment.ca

01. What got you started: Started in publicity in 2004 after attending Trebas Institute for Entertainment Management & working as assistant/intern for Publicist Cameron Carpenter at Prick Publicity/Smoke & Mirrors Promotions. Before starting Skylar Entertainment, I was always in the music, film & fashion industry as a Make-up artist, journalist and photographer.

02. Mentors/Influences: For publicity, I learned from Cam Carpenter and Krista Lamb, very different approaches and I found an approach for myself that is a balance between the two.  For business I am inspired by Andrea Morris at Am to Fm Promo for her drive and determination to succeed and her genuine passion for what she does.  For life karma, Perry & Etty Farrell inspire me for their positively, passion, kindness, happiness & lust for life.  It’s kind of hard to be negative or unhappy in their presence.

03. Best decision(s) you ever made: To quit my secure, well paying full time career with benefits to go to into the music industry

04. Worst decision(s) you ever made: To quit my secure, well paying full time career with benefits to go to into the music industry

05. Best working experience(s): Working publicity for Perry Farrell’s Satellite Party & MINK across Canada was amazing.  Publicity for Yes Madam, Sir at the Toronto Int Film Festival was inspiring as the subject was Kiran Bedi, the first female police officer in India.  Going to Hollywood for the Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) premier to handle publicity for Marianthi Evans was a lot of fun.

06. Worst working experience(s): A worst experience was when a major label and radio station tried to sabotage my reputation with a major artist who wasn’t even with the label anymore. I worried for nothing as in the end, artist dismissed everything they said and didn’t even know why they showed up since the artist left the label.  But it was a shocking and eye opening experience for me, a lesson in how the old school music industry works.

07. Biggest accomplishment(s): Maintaining my own independent company for 5 years and having some of the most amazing experiences of my life while doing it.

08. When the going gets tough, I remind myself this is where I always wanted to be and what I always wanted to be doing for a living.

09. Best advice I ever got: “Do what you have always done, get what you have always gotten” you need to change the course of action if you want a different outcome.  Also – never assume, have the courage to ask questions to avoid misunderstandings.

10. Best advice I ever gave: Women in the music industry have a tough go of it, I advise young females to protect their reputation, always act professionally and with integrity.  Men can do anything they want and no one talks, a woman can be seen talking to a male musician and is auto called a groupie.  Never give anyone reason to use that word about you and never let anyone get away with using that word wrongly.

11. Funniest story(s): The really funny stories are never ones you can spread, part of being a publicist is I tend to protect everyone’s reputation even if I don’t work with them, but the stuff that we don’t get caught doing, crazy stories!  I know that was not funny at all.

12. Worst story(s): A few clients have defaulted on payment!  No matter how great the previous working relationship was, I always have to get paid up front because of a few bad experiences.

13. I quit because …never quit, sometimes a change in direction is needed, but never quit.

14. I never quit because there is always an answer, it just might take some time to figure it out

15. The most important thing to keep in mind is – nothing worth having comes easy, you can make your dreams and goals come true, but it will take hard work, determination and a never give up commitment.

16. Best boss(s): Bobby Bailey when I worked at MAC Cosmetics

17. Best employee(s): Previous assistants – Loretta Slomp (Cranberry Music Relations) and Tina Siegal (Fading Ways Music).

18. If I could change my industry, I’d make it easier for everyone to actually make a decent living in it, more funding for indie artists and companies.

19.      Words of wisdom: For words of wisdom I highly recommend Rev Run’s (RUN DMC) Daily Words of Wisdom – “Da problem people have is, they expect great things to happen,, but WONT do GREAT things to get em! Duh! Common sense yall! Make it do what it do!”  Rev Run makes my day, everyday.

20.      Current project/whereabouts: I just returned from Lollapalooza in Chicago, where I received special backstage access and had some amazing experiences.  Did anyone see me on stage with Jane’s Addiction & Joe Perry?  It was just another day, lo

Also, I discovered some great new artists like Langhorne Slim www.myspace.com/langhorneslim – his distro in Canada sucks, we shouldn’t have to order and then wait weeks for his amazing music, someone fix that please and then hire me for publicity.

For work – currently working Sass Jordan’s new album From Dusk ‘Til Dawn (Kindling Music/Warner),that comes out September 15, 2009 with a special performance at Hugh’s Room in Toronto on September 12, 2009.  (London, ON Sept 11^th) www.sassjordan.com

Acres of Lions on Cordova Bay Records is touring across Canada right now in support of their debut album Closer. www.acresoflions.com

An amazing singer songwriter Dan Kosub has a new album out called Reservoir and he has been touring across Canada as well.  www.dankosub.com