A Conversation with Frisbie’s Mary Frisbie Wood – HuffPost 10.2.12
Mike Ragogna: Mary, first of all, congratulations on creating such an interesting, diverse company.
Mary Frisbie Wood: Thanks!
MR: I noticed the company is named “Frisbie.” What an awesome coincidence!
MFW: Ha ha. Yes, Frisbie is in fact my middle name. My Grandmother’s family owned the Frisbie Pie Company in Connecticut. Their pie tins were used in a game by Yale students on their campus. The story goes they would toss the pie tin and yell “Frisbie!!” to protect innocent bystanders from the oncoming tin. Whammo came along, changed the spelling of Frisbie and, well, the rest is history.
MR: Can you go into the various departments that make up Frisbie?
MFW: We try and keep it pretty simple–everyone who works here wears a few hats. But we’ve got the recording studio, which is engineering and production, A&R and Marketing departments, the licensing division, East and West Coast, and general support staff for the day-to-day of running a recording studio and production company. And of course, this is for all the artists and composers we represent in all media.
MR: How did you get the idea to create the company, what’s the history?
MFW: Previously, I was a composer and partner at a traditional jingle company. It was the closest thing to The Brill Building days I know of. My partner and I worked on jingles for every major advertiser- oft times on the same day: Coke in one room, Pepsi in the other, Sprite and American Express down the hall. We were pioneers in writing jingles that actually sounded like hit songs- and even became hit songs on the charts! While it was a fantastic experience, the model of songs for hire was becoming outdated and it was time to make a change. In essence, Frisbie was built on the idea that if we created an environment that inspired creativity and a fantastic recording experience, if we surrounded ourselves with some of the coolest artists and songwriters around, then commerce would follow.
So far, that has turned out to be true.
MR: What’s your ultimate goal? What areas within Frisbie do you see the most growth in over the next few years?
MFW: My ultimate goal hasn’t really changed over the years and that is to make great music–whatever the context may be. To never compromise that. Frisbie has grown quite a bit in the last year as far as the number of bands and artists we are representing exclusively for film, TV and advertising. I see those working relationships expanding: from producing more great albums, doing remixes, to releasing the music with a new definition for acting as a “label.” Our urban division has grown again and I see it doing quite well coming up. I see us doing more TV shows. Lastly, I see Frisbie’s relationships with major brands expanding. I am quite experienced with music branding for major campaigns and pairing artists with brands. In the future, I see more unique music initiatives with brands and the artists we represent.
MR: What’s the reaction and success been to this point?
MFW: So far, so good! We have done Superbowl spots every year, a hit show for Nickelodeon, produced albums, scored successful apps and games and attracted new bands through word of mouth, indie and major labels. However, I think we still feel like a well-kept secret to those in the know. We like every experience to be a personal one. And, most importantly, we seem to be living up to our motto: “It’s more fun because we’re good.”
MR: What kind of employment opportunities might there be?
MFW: I would say that our door is always open to meet those who are insanely talented and humble at the same time. Down the road, we will be looking at people with rad personalities with artist management and digital marketing skills. Again, the ability to wear a few hats is key in our working environment.
MR: What’s the relationship between the creative artists and administrative employees?
MFW: Thankfully, we are like a family here. Everyone respects each other in their roles. You’ll often see scenarios like, the lead guitar player of a famous rock band smoking out back with the bookkeeper.
MR: Speaking of creative artists, what advice do you have for new artists?
MFW: What remains constant is the need to be great at your craft as a songwriter and musician. That takes years of practice. If you’re a songwriter, write songs, and then write some more. Listen to the greats and learn from them: Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, and contemporaries like Jesse Harris and Benji Hughes. Great writing is a unique commodity that can be applied in any number of musical genres to have success in numerous income streams–from ads to TV shows, soundtracks and video games. If you want to be a recording artist, play live a lot too. Even in today’s digital climate, there is no replacement for the live show. It gives you a feel for what’s working and what’s not in your songs and for growing a dedicated fan base. Surround yourself with the best possible musicians and producers you can find. Collaborate when you need to and respect everyone’s contribution as a vital part of the process.
MR: Frisbie five years from now?
MFW: I think I covered a lot in the growth question but, we plan to keep making music in Cool-Ass Loftville, our awesome spot in Tribeca, and to add more rad gear to the studios whenever possible. Workwise, I see us continuing with all the great types of work we’ve been doing in advertising, film, TV, apps and record production. Big picture, we’ll be redefining what it means to be a production, management and record company by blurring all those lines and making one cohesive, affective whole. And, maybe a Frisbie clothing line with an office in Dubai.
MR: [laughs} Thanks for your time, Mary. All the best with Frisbie.
MFW: Anytime, thank you.
Transcribed by Samantha Tillman