February 23, 2012

MAD Dragon Records (MDR), the student-run record label that is part of our Music Industry program and supported in part through the Kal & Lucille Rudman Institute for Entertainment Industry Studies, has teamed with the band Motion City Soundtrack (Columbia, Epitaph) to produce a curated series of 7-inch record single releases by emerging artists entitled Making Moves. Motion City Soundtrack has sold more than 600,000 records worldwide and played national and international rock festivals including the Leeds Festival, South by Southwest (SXSW), and The Warped Tour. They have shared the stage with Fallout Boy, Blink 182, The All-American Rejects, and countless other rock, punk and indie bands.

Each member of Motion City Soundtrack (MCS) produced two singles that will be released digitally and on 7-inch vinyl in support of Making Moves. The recording sessions took place last fall in the Music Industry’s studios and were engineered by Music Industry alumnus Lenny Skolnick and Dave Petit, and undergraduate Justin Chapman. Our Film & Video program recorded the sessions for a documentary “Making Of” DVD that will accompany a box set that will be released in late 2012. The 7 inches will be co-released by MDR and Motion City’s label The Boombox Generation with distribution by the Alternative Distribution Alliance, a division of the Warner Music Group.

The Making Moves bands are The Company We Keep (Detroit, MI), Brick + Mortar (Toms River, NJ), Goldrush (Richmond, VA), The Skies Revolt (Grand Rapids, MI), and A Great Big Pile of Leaves (Brooklyn, NY). Motion City Soundtrack will also contribute two new songs for the series. The first Making Moves release will be from The Company We Keep and is due out in late April, and five more releases will follow through fall 2012. Making Moves is kicking-off the project with a showcase at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, TX next month and will headline the annual Mad Dragon Concert on campus this May.

“It’s been fabulous for the students in the Music Industry Program and MAD Dragon Records to work with Motion City Soundtrack for the Making Moves series,” said Music Industry professor, Terry Tompkins. “This partnership provides a rare opportunity for our students to work with an accomplished and recognized band. Music City Soundtrack’ commitment and enthusiasm about working with our students has exceeded our wildest dreams.”

Learn about all bands and see clips of the initial studio sessions here and stay tuned to future issues for details about each of the Making Moves releases.