Guardiandam Music
What is Guardiandam Music? No, it's not a record label. Nor is it a promotions company in the usual sense of the term.
In October 2006, Guardiandam founder Rob began to design artwork for the Mesquite, Texas-based band 3/4 Ton. By February of the next year, he was also designing artwork for Dallas-based Stir the Silence, and soon afterward he began offering artwork to all bands in the Dallas area. A show booked at Deep Ellum's Curtain Club soon followed, and the rest, as they say, is history. What began as a one person outfit working with one band has since expanded to a four person operation providing artwork, promotion, booking, and management for several different local acts including With These Words and Fallen South, a successor to the original 3/4 Ton. They have broadened their presence beyond Dallas to include Fort Worth and also New Orleans, with Amy taking care of things in The Big Easy, Munkey working in Fort Worth, and Rob and Steph holding down the fort in Dallas. They work with both local and national acts, and are committed to ensuring that the musicians under their wing are treated fairly and not ripped off or exploited by unscrupulous venues or individuals looking to make a quick buck at an artist's expense. The Guardiandam motto, "Promotion is everything," recognizes the fact that it is impossible to get anywhere in the music business without good people and relentless effort, and reaffirms their commitment to making sure that musicians get a fair deal. "Our goal when we first started," says Steph, was to help bands so they didn't get screwed over. Which is where our name came from - Guardian. The Dam came from 'Designed Art and Management.' Guardian Designed Art and Management was just too long and was shortened to Guardiandam."
In 2007, Chris Nite and Renegade Radio named Guardiandam founder Rob their Promoter of the Year. Check out the Guardiandam home page at http://www.myspace.com/guardiandamdallas.
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(5)A1NT Productions
Looking for a reasonably priced, professional video production and editing service? Give these guys a call. Saint Productions has a selection of commercial and music video packages geared toward helping clients expand their name recognition and increase their exposure while at the same time supporting independent video production and filmmaking. Their services include professional shooting and post-production work, as well as the use of professional quality video equipment and editing software. Previous clients have included Fort Worth-based indie/pop band Flickerstick, local metal/hardcore band RUIN, and more, and the company has made a name for itself through its work in producing Flickerstick's upcoming live DVD and the demo reel for Dallas-based actor Wesley Raitt. Originally founded by Jon Price in 2006 for the purpose of creating a portfolio of his work, Saint Productions was soon incorporated as an independent company by Jon and writer Chris Craft. In late 2006, they released their first independent production, the acclaimed no-budget indy flick Dementia. Written by Jon and adapted for the screen by Chris, both of them fans of the independent and horror film genres, Dementia premiered in October 2006 as part of the "Friday Night Frights" series hosted by the Movie Tavern in Denton, TX. Since then, it has been reviewed and embraced by several horror-oriented organizations including Fatally-Yours.com, Horror-Fanatics.com, BIsForBrains.com, and HorrorSociety.com, which hosts the official Saint Productions website. Early in 2007, Jon and Chris began work on tOUCHED, the intended follow up to Dementia. I have known Chris for almost ten years now and I can vouch for his enthusiasm and dedication to his craft. You can contact the production company through their official Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/saintprod or visit them at their website at SaintProd.com.
Crazy Picture Guy
Who is the Crazy Picture Guy, Scotty Mankoff? This guy is the busiest and most prolific photographer I know, with literally tens of thousands of photos to his credit. Chances are, if you've been to any major local event in the past year, he's been there. A freelance photographer available for hire, he is seen just about everywhere anything is happening, and even many places where it isn't - Deep Ellum, Lower Greenville, The Vampire Lounge, The Skillman Street Pub, The Granada Theater, the new Bill's Records, the Town Square Project, the AFI Film Fest, the Kettle Art Gallery, Studio Fling, Absolute Rehearsal, and everywhere in between. His photos and articles have appeared in Harder Beat, Lit Monthly, Envy, Metro ANE Magazine, and on countless MySpace profiles far and wide. Some of his photos have been featured in art shows at the Kettle Art Gallery in Deep Ellum. He is an accomplished musician who has sung and played guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, harmonica, and kazoo in several bands over the last twenty years. Over fifty Scotty Mankoff original compositions are registered with BMI and the Library of Congress. And speaking of music, you can often find him on the radio as a DJ or commentator, as he has been involved with radio since 1987 and has been affiliated with multiple stations. He has conducted video interviews of musicians and artists, some of which can be seen on YouTube, and is a member of Model Mayhem and BMI as a singer/songwriter. And as if all that weren't enough, he is currently at work on a book which will feature the best of his hitherto unpublished photo work. Like I said, this guy is everywhere and has done everything to help promote and support the local arts and music scenes. Check out his site at ScottyMankoff.com and thousands of his photos at CrazyPictureGuy.com. And if you see him at a show or an opening sometime, remember to say hello and to thank him for all he has done for the arts in Dallas.
All material on this page is © 2007-2009 by Peter Orozco except the Saint Productions logo, which is © Saint Productions, and as otherwise credited. All rights reserved.
For answers to frequently asked questions see the FAQ page.
This page last updated on 27 May 2009 at 9:43 PM.