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Label News

Behind The Scenes – Interview: Michelle Steer – FiXT Official Christmas Queen

December 17, 2024
Artist News, Label News
Label News

By Leasia Korbel

Somewhere deep in in the bowels of Atiria (aka the FiXT home office), a Christmas elf named Michelle resides. She originally fell off Santa’s sleigh as the story goes. But she brought good cheer and turned their merch production upside down, enabling them to hit not only homes on Atiria but offworld as well delivering your FiXTmas merch to an earthside residence near you.

What’s your favorite part about Christmas?
It’s hard to pick just one favorite! I love it all—the lights, the music, the decorations, the celebrations—and especially the gift-giving!

“Here are just a few of my favorite things passed down to me. My Hippie Santa was my uncle’s, the vintage Christmas tree was my grandma’s, and the elf belonged to my grandpa—he used to use it for his loose change, but I think it fits perfectly with my Christmas décor now.” – Michelle Steer

What’s your ultimate Christmas candy?
​​
Now this is impossible to choose just one… I’d say Sponge Candy if I can find it because it reminds me of when I was little & going with my Grandma to the corner store to get it & then I’d have to say my mom’s Buckeyes, which are decadent, peanut butter balls covered in chocolate that look like, well, a buckeye.

Do you decorate your home for Christmas?
Yes, and I’ve even been told that it looks like Christmas exploded in my house! We don’t decorate the outside, but when you walk inside, it’s like a Christmas wonderland! We’re talking Christmas in every room, and yes, even the bathroom is decorated! I know, I know, it’s a bit over the top, but there’s a lot of nostalgia behind many of my decorations. Many of them were passed down from family members who are no longer with us, and it brings me so much joy to put them out every year so that a little piece of them can still be with us during the holidays.

“Fun fact, I collect Lion King trinkets, so a tree dedicated to The Lion King is a must!!”
“This is our Blue Christmas tree—it’s a bit of a hodgepodge of ornaments collected over the years, and I couldn’t resist adding a Scandroid ornament! It fits perfectly with the theme of the tree!”

Do you decorate your FiXT office? How do your fellow FiXT workers(christmas haters I know they are there – looking at you, Kurtis) take the decorations?
I have not decorated my office, but the Christmas tunes have been jamming!! Believe it or not, Kurtis is not the Grinch of the office… Travis, I’m looking at you!!
 

What’s your favorite Christmas movie or TV show to watch? (And why?)
Again, I can’t pick just one! There are several movies I have going in the background while I’m decorating or wrapping presents. My go-tos are Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, How the Grinch Stole Christmas & Elf! To me these are the classics & I can probably recite them all word for word! I just love em! And then I’m a sucker for the cheesy Hallmark movies, even though the plots are all the same, just set in different Christmas towns!


What’s your all-time favorite Christmas activity?
One of my favorite Christmas activities comes from my involvement with the Elks, an organization I’ve been a part of for 20 years. For the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of being invited to Fairfield, IA, to help with their Shop With a Hero event. The Elks partner with a local school to identify families in need and provide them with a little extra holiday magic.

We all gather at the Elks Lodge to assemble cookie trays, and then, along with local first responders in their emergency vehicles (lights and sirens included!), we head to Walmart for a shopping spree. Afterward, they host a pizza party with Santa, and every family leaves with overflowing cookie trays and gift cards to a local grocery store. This event is such a heartwarming experience! It truly gets me into the holiday spirit and serves as a great reminder that it is the season of giving.

“Here I am, as excited as can be, riding along with a bunch of awesome kids in a fire engine on our way to Walmart for this year’s Shop With a Hero event!”


What’s your secret to staying organized during a chaotic holiday ordering season?
Making lists & checking them twice! 😉

Are there any exclusive holiday-themed items fans love to grab this time of year?

I would say all of our Holiday Sweatshirts seem to be a big hit! Insert my shameless merch plug here… get yours before they disappear after the first of the year!! https://fixtstore.com/fixt-holiday-merch


What’s the busiest time of year for merch orders, and how does the holiday season compare?

My goodness, we’ve had a lot of busy times this year, and they all compare equally to the rush of the holiday season! Each pre-order we’ve done has kept us bustling around here! Just to mention a few, the Daedric Mortal Vinyl, both ENMY CDs, and The Browning OMNI CD, Vinyl, and merch drop all had us acting like Christmas elves this year!


How do you prepare for the influx of holiday orders? Are there any special challenges?

One thing that is a must do to prepare for all of the holiday orders is to order up on all of our shipping supplies. I guess the challenge would be where to put all of them sometimes, but as the orders come in, the supplies dwindle, and we just have to order them all again. It’s a vicious cycle!

What’s the most unique or creative holiday merch idea you’ve seen come to life?

This is not really a merch idea, but for the most creative holiday thing in my world right now, I’d have to say our holiday social media images! I love seeing all of the shenanigans that our little FiXT Bot keeps getting into with each holiday that rolls around! And I’d like to give a special shoutout to Summer for helping to bring all of our crazy ideas to life! She is a true gem & I wish I had even half of her creativity!!

What’s one thing you’d like fans to know about the effort that goes into managing the merch desk?

Hmm… Well, fans might think there are Bots running the merch desk, but I have to burst their bubble & let them know that real people are behind it all, working as hard as possible to get their orders out quickly! We take a lot of pride in getting their orders to them, and we truly appreciate them supporting the artists by shopping with us!

What’s the most exciting or unusual destination you’ve shipped merch to?

It’s hard to think of one particular destination, but anytime an order comes in from somewhere warm, I always wish I could just go with it! Hawaii, here I come!!


Do fans ever send notes or messages with their holiday orders? Any memorable ones?

It’s funny that you should ask! Sometimes fans will respond via email with little notes about their orders, & occasionally we’ll get some fan mail. But something interesting happened recently that was a bit out of the ordinary! One of our top fans ordered a Scandroid Monochrome Notebook, which isn’t strange, but then they wrote a note in it and shipped it back to us. Who knows, maybe I’ll write my own note in it & send it back out so we can become notebook pen pals!

Do you have a personal favorite item in the merch lineup that you think makes a great holiday gift?

I love our All Over Print Zip-Up Hoodies… you can’t go wrong with gifting either the Celldweller or Scandroid Hoodies or any of our Blankets! They are all so cozy & are the perfect gift for wintertime!


Would you rather battle 100 gingerbread man sized santas? Or one giant santa sized gingerbread man?

I’m gonna go with one giant Santa sized gingerbread man because I do not want to fight a bunch of Santas and end up on the naughty list!

Tales From The Darkside: An Interview With The Spooky Queen Herself – Izzy Reign

October 29, 2024
Artist News, Label News
Label News

By Leasia Korbel

I’m not sure any of the artists on board FiXT love Halloween quite as much as Izzy Reign. After releasing two thrilling covers, Rob Zombie’s “Living Dead Girl” on October 11th and “Spooky Scary Skeletons” on October 25th the Scream Queen herself took the time to answer some questions about her start in music and her love of all things spooky.

Can you tell us a bit about your musical background and how you got started in the industry?

I got started in music as a child actually. My mom used to play Alanis Morrissette on this tape deck karaoke machine and that’s when I started to sing. But my dad is a drummer, a pretty great one actually, so I was always surrounded by the music scene, whether I liked it or not! Haha!, However, it wasn’t until I was about 15 that I started to genuinely take interest in the ALT scene. The “ Sorry you’re not a winner” music video from Enter Shikari came out and as I was watching the video for the first time, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. It blew 15 year old Izzy’s brain. Haha. Further on down the line and a few bands later, I started working with Nick Matzkows and Jon Eberhard. Which led to where I am now. Learning from them both has been a pleasure and the friends /fellow musicians I’ve come to know along the way have all been incredible, and these experiences have helped me grow exponentially.

What first drew you to horror films, and how have they influenced your music?

Honestly, I had no choice in it. I blame my parents. Haha! I started watching horror films , probably a bit too young, but they have grown to be some of my favorite movies till this day. They have for sure influenced my music by being able to simulate fear and extreme emotion through sound. If there is any genre of film that uses sound to induce emotion…. It’s horror.

Are there specific horror films or directors that have had a significant impact on your music? How?

I wouldn’t say specific films or directors per say, but genres for sure. Sometimes I’ll see certain movies, thrillers really, that make you feel such an immense emotion that it trails with you well after the movie is over, and that’s what I try and aim to do with my music.

How do you incorporate the eerie, unsettling aspects of horror with music or music videos to create a compelling piece?

For me personally, I love to keep people on the edge of their seats. Like what’s going to come next? And then BAM a jump scare! Chaotic, but also relatable. Visually confusing but also appealing, making people stuck in interest whether they want to be or not.

Do you find that certain sub-genres of horror inspire your music more than others? If so, which ones and why?

I would say it’s quite the mix to be honest. Sci-fi gore horror and Paranormal seem to be my biggest influences. I guess I connect with them better and I feel that I write from perspectives that most of those directors are also writing from.

How do you use musical techniques (like dissonance, unusual time signatures, etc.) to evoke a sense of fear or unease?

Oh man, I love this one, I absolutely love to make your heart rate rise without you even realizing it. Small intricate almost unnoticeable tempo changes to make you feel more anxious. Spatial hearing so you feel fully immersed in the song. Hearing certain sounds travel in your ears from left to right disappear and come back. Using “unfit” or “unusual” melodies to make you feel perfectly in that headspace of unease. I aim to make my songs a relatable mental nightmare that you fully feel and can relate to. I aim to make you feel, EVERYTHING, that I feel.

What are your five all-time favorite horror films and why?

1. Annihilation.
Reason being, it is visually beautiful and takes horror in such a unique unsettling direction. So many memorable scenes. Ranging from some that are at peace and relatable to jump scare and gore all the way over to psychological unease and confusion. Also has one of the most iconic “sounds” in any horror film when they introduce the alien entity at the end. 

           2.The Haunting.
          This movie holds a weird special place in my heart. For some reason it’s been burned in my brain for the rest of eternity. From the story line, to the unsettling hidden  carousel scene that induces fear but peace simultaneously. Not to mention, I can’t go anywhere where there is a cherub and not think of that movie, thinking, it’s going to turn its head and talk to me i KNOW IT! Haha. Also, KILLER cast. The movie is iconic, and still holds up today.

          3.The Ring.
I know, I know, How common. BUT, what an fantastically written film. Scared the crap out of me as a kid and set the tone for eternity to feel nervous when you hear a standard house or corporate phone ring. Now that’s an impact. Visually perfect, not too much, not too little. Left you confused with the plot twist and a chase against time. Also ending it with knowing you kind of have to be a crappy person to save your life or the ones you love. Haha. I appreciated that.

      4.13 Ghosts.
I loved this movie and still do for a few reasons.
One being, it was the first horror movie I watched alone and I’ll NEVER forget that. I thought the entire time the Jackal, was behind me while watching the movie.
Two is because of how they introduced so many unique characters as the feared points with such a cool twist. Each one having their own story and how it played into their purpose was also super cool intertwining with the black zodiac book. And lastly, again, The cast. Some of my favorites. Mathew Dillard is by far one of the best and played this part perfectly. They did a great job conjuring up a ton of emotions and I loved that.

5. This is incredibly tough, But I’m going to have to say for creativity and uniqueness, Event Horizon. This movie is for sure one of a kind. Ranging from the psychological thrill, to the 10/10 gore. I loved this movie. Such a unique idea, and for the time it came out, they did a great job. Another one of those movies that lives rent free in my soul.

And if I could have a 6th.
Silent hill all the way. For so many reasons. 10/10 movie. Heavily the stance in which I share with religion and irrational people. Pure chaos and a solid story. And gore wise , some of the coolest scenes ever made. The characters as well.  There is not a single moment of that film that is not perfect. Honestly would be in my top 3. But this list is incredibly difficult to choose  just 5. Haha

Can you talk about the inspiration for the “Sandman” music video and single?

So, visually wanted to take a few angles from some movies but first and foremost wanted to give that, 80s-90s- sci-fi horror that is set to be in the future vibe.  So what they thought the future would look like. Honestly it stemmed a lot from the movie Event Horizon. Really wanted to make you feel like your brain is tweaking out a bit and also hit you with the alluring visuals, with a random punch of gore. Raising your heart rate and making you experience chaos. Also, I wanted to visually bring a TINY bit of Evil Dead in there with the creepy demonic vibes that feel like they are chasing you.

The song is heavily about fear of time running out  so I wanted to induce the feeling of anxiety and fear as much as possible.

Do you ever use horror-inspired music as a way to confront or process your own fears and anxieties?

I Personally love to fully FEEL things and experience them to the max that I can.
So even though something makes me nervous or uncomfortable knowing I’m going to be terrified, I love to indulge in it and connect with what the directors were aiming to make me feel. Movies serve a major purpose, as does music. To make you connect. To feel. Sometimes to make you experience something , just to keep you more alive instead of fading into the everyday norm of life. Like taking a cold shower. I think it’s necessary for people to be able to have these things. And horror films do exactly that.

Check out Izzy Reign’s merch at the FiXT Store. O𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 now!

Follow Izzy Reign
Check Out Izzy Reign’s Merch

FiXT: Future Rock Albums Of 2024

October 15, 2024
Label News
Label News

By Leasia Korbel

We’ve had a breakout year here at FiXT, with some of the best albums from our artists to date. They’ve consistently pushed the boundaries of their genres, delivering tracks that resonate deeply with fans. Each artist has brought their own distinct sound and vision to the forefront, pushing the boundaries of rock, metal, electronic, and everything in between. FiXT has become the home for trailblazing artists who are rewriting the rules of rock, constantly innovating and redefining what the genre can be. With over 2.5 million monthly listeners a week on Spotify alone, and 300 million Streams across all DSPs so far this year their impact has been undeniable.

As we head into 2025, FiXT will continue to lead the evolution of future rock, transforming it into something new, bold, and electrifying.

“FIXT has put out some amazing hard rock / metal albums over the years. We’ve had periods where we’ve had a few big rock/metal albums out in the same year, but this year we have 7 notable ‘future rock’ albums out. It’s been an incredible year of music with albums out or arriving soon from: CANTERVICE, ENMY, Fight The Fade, The Browning, The Anix, Beyond Unbroken and Coping Method!” – James (FiXT President & Co-Founder)

CANTERVICE – Zero Hour

September 27, 2024

https://link.fixtmusic.com/zer0hour

CANTERVICE steps up with a dark vision of the dystopian future with Zero Hour. “We stand on the precipice of an era where the shadows of oppression grow larger with every passing day. The world as we knew it is gone. Someone hit the reset switch and there were those standing by waiting to take advantage of the chaos,” explains CANTERVICE. Using an electrifying fusion of metalcore, alternative metal, and hard rock, Zero Hour features ten metalcore/alternative metal tracks and is testament to CANTERVICE‘s ability to blend fierce energy with intricate musical compositions. Tracks like “The Masquerade” have already amassed over one million streams across all platforms since inception. The album is packed with powerful anthems that push the boundaries of metalcore, alternative metal, and hard rock. With synthesizers, thrashing guitars, pounding drums, and driving bass lines, CANTERVICE delivers a relentless sonic experience that is both innovative and intense.

Coping Method – Where Spirit Meets Bone

October 9, 2024

https://link.fixtmusic.com/wherespiritmeetsbone

Where Spirit Meets Bone is a turbulent deep dive into the human psyche. Coping Method‘s Tyler Simpson’s brutal vocal performances are just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface is a deep well of transformative soundscapes laid out in vivid and painstaking detail. The album takes on themes of betrayal, cynicism, toxic relationships, inner demons, and self destructive tendencies through a musical lens as a deeply personal albeit chaotic release. Through thrashing guitars, layered into thunderous percussion, and electronic elements, laced with thought provoking lyrics that have to be screamed not just sung, Coping Method’s distinct ability to seamlessly weave these intricate emotions into their music is a testament to Coping Method’s musical prowess. If you’re looking for authenticity that mirrors the complexities of life’s challenges in the modern era, this is it.  

ENMY – ENMY

October 11, 2024

https://link.fixtmusic.com/ENMY_album

ENMY brings a fresh and energetic sound to modern rock and metalcore by crafting a unique blend of soaring vocals, groove-oriented instrumental play, and electronic melodies. Their self-titled sophomore album features ten hard rock tracks, including standout singles “Survive” and “Silver Bullet.” The currently release tracks from the album have already amassed over 7 millions streams across DSPs. With singles like the intense but with a touch of melancholy “Hourglass,” the emotionally charged anthem “Broken Man,” and the brutal, raw, and emotive “The Ledge” complete with an ominous music video directed and produced by Will Story, ENMY has proved that they are masters of fusing the essence of hard rock, alternative metal, and modern rock and capturing emotional intensity through a musical lens. Following in the footsteps of peers like Breaking Benjamin, Linkin Park, and Three Days Grace, ENMY is destined to become a staple and household name with rock & metal fans.

Fight The Fade – Isolationist

October 18, 2024

https://link.fixtmusic.com/isolationist

Isolationist picks up where their 2022 release APOPHYSITIS left off, exploring the turbulent human psyche. This hard-hitting collection of 12 tracks delves into themes of solitude and self-reflection, delivering a sonic storm that is both fierce and energetic, as well as raw and captivating. From thunderous riffs, heavy rhythms, to brutal vocals, Isolationist captures the unbridled fury of hard rock and alternative metal, fused with the relentless energy of metalcore. Fight The Fade masterfully combines heavy riffs, infectious melodies, and emotionally charged lyrics, creating an album that is both fierce and introspective.

The Browning – OMNI

November 8, 2024

https://link.fixtmusic.com/OMNI

OMNI is a visceral journey through the depths of deathcore, featuring ten powerful tracks, including collaborations with Nik Nocturnal and THE DEFECT. The album showcases some of The Browning’s heaviest songs yet, like “HIVEMIND” and “Poison,” which together have amassed over 3.5 million streams across all digital platforms. “Deceiver,” the third release from the album brings a blistering critique of the deceitful narratives perpetuated by those in power. Accompanied by an adrenaline-fueled official music video, “Deceiver” blends the explosive energy of metalcore with the dark, mechanical undertones of industrial and the raw emotion of deathcore and its inspiration – the iconic delivery found in Rammstein’s “Du Hast.” The explosive single “OMNI” featuring THE DEFECT, which premiered at Revolver Mag, serves as a harbinger of the album’s fierce energy. The album ends with the ominous double capstone of singles “Come To Grips With Death and the End” and “Soul Drift” which flip a complete 180 while still maintaining the fierce vocals with “Soul Drift” illustrating the very definition of rave metal.

Beyond Unbroken – Destruction

November 15, 2024

https://link.fixtmusic.com/Destruction

Beyond Unbroken’s latest effort is poised to be their most diverse and ambitious work yet, featuring a dynamic mix of rock, metal, alternative, and pop punk influences and features a contribution from enigmatic rap vocalist Whitney Peyton. The album’s lead-up has been marked by a string of powerful singles, each showcasing the band’s ability to traverse and innovate across multiple genres. Destruction takes inspiration from everything from the TV show YOU, horror movies, life experiences, old-school digital Gameboy lead sounds inspired by video games like Pokémon and Donkey Kong, incorporating real finger snaps, a nod to Michael Jackson’s iconic use of the technique in “Oceans” to Hans Zimmer’s work on Interstellar for “Lost and Broken.” 

The Anix – VOLTAGE

November 22, 2024

https://link.fixtmusic.com/VOLTAGE

VOLTAGE channels the darker side of modern life, blending alternative and electronic rock into a brooding, atmospheric soundscape. The album explores themes of isolation and introspection, with tracks that feel like drifting through an empty city at night. Gritty guitars and haunting synths weave together to create a melancholic, yet immersive, experience. With singles “Gravity” & “Shadow,” VOLTAGE showcases The Anix at his most introspective, crafting a sound that delves deep into the shadows of the urban experience. “Sinking Alone” is a captivating nod to ’90s grunge while also exploring contemporary themes of isolation. “PANIC” blends synth, drums, guitar, and bass to create a sound that is both expansive and deeply introspective, offering listeners a gateway into the artist’s private experiences. “CRAWL, a collaboration with Julien-K is a track that pays homage to their early 2000s roots while pushing the boundaries of modern alternative rock. 

Kurtis Redden – Resident Halloween Hype Man At FiXT

October 15, 2024
Label News
FiXT Music, Label News

By Leasia Korbel

It’s Spooky Season here at FiXT! While we have many artists and staff who love Halloween, I got a chance to chat with FiXT Resident Halloween fan, Office Ghoul, Freddy Kreuger Fan, Kurtis Redden, aka Director of Operations, Head of Marketing.

Do you have a favorite Halloween memory?

It’s not one thing – it’s the feeling and the overall vibe of Halloween when I was a kid. There was so much build up at school, everyone wearing their costumes, all the decorations. Then when night rolled around it felt like the night would never end. You went trick or treating, hung out with your friends, watching scary movies. It was awesome.

What’s your favorite part about Halloween?

Movies for sure. I love horror movies.

Do you have a go-to Halloween costume?

I think the costume I’ve worn the most is Ghostface. I’d love to have an excuse to buy one of those inflatable Godzilla costumes.

What’s your ultimate Halloween candy?

Reese’s are the best.

Do you decorate your home for Halloween?
YES.

Are you more of a “spooky” or “cute” Halloween person? Or is it the influx of horror movies that come out at this time every year?

At first I would’ve said spooky but if I actually think about it the answer might actually be cute haha. Don’t get me wrong – I love a blood soaked slasher movie but I think it’s more for my inner child who still loves cheesy retro Halloween decorations and watches It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown every year. 

What’s your favorite Halloween movie or TV show to watch in October?

  1. Evil Dead 2 – it’s probably my favorite movie of all time.  It’s just comfort to me, it’s a good time from start to finish.
  2. It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – yearly tradition

If you’re looking for some recommendations, I wouldn’t even say these are the best horror movies of all time but I do think they’re all fun from start to finish.

  1. Re-Animator
  2. Child’s Play 2
  3. Killer Klowns From Outer Space
  4. A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: The Dream Warriors
  5. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
  6. In the Mouth of Madness
  7. Return of the Living Dead
  8. Scream
  9. Halloween III: Season of the Witch [This is the best of the Halloween movies and you all need to just learn to accept the facts]
  10. The Autopsy of Jane Doe

Pumpkin carving: Yay or Nay?

Not really much of a pumpkin carving fan.  There’s a lot of work and mess involved haha.

Do you believe in ghosts or the paranormal?

I actually don’t – believe me – I would LOVE to see a ghost but I’m the type of person who needs to see proof of something before I believe in it.
If you could only attend one Halloween event, would you prefer a haunted house or a Halloween party?

Oh a haunted house for sure. 

What’s your all-time favorite Halloween activity?
When I was a teenager I would help my Grandma pass candy out at her house.  She lived in an area that got a lot of trick-or-treaters and I always enjoyed that.  It doesn’t really feel the same anymore though cause it’s all done by 7PM it seems like.

If you could be any Halloween creature for a day, who or what would you choose?

Probably a vampire.  I would have any excuse not to go outside during the daytime and I’ve always wanted to be able to fly. 

Do you have a favorite Halloween song that gets you in the spooky spirit?

*Puts on FiXT hat* Scandroid’s cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is the perfect song to get you in the Halloween mood and will be a hit at any party.

*Takes off FiXT hat* John Carpenter’s “Theme from the Fog” – that movie doesn’t get enough credit and man that’s a spooky jam.

What’s your favorite Halloween treat (besides candy)?

Entemann’s Pumpkin Donuts

Quantum Theory: An Interview With Soul Extract

September 26, 2024
Artist News, Label News
Electronic Rock, FiXT Music, Label News

By Leasia Korbel

Hey Josh, thanks for taking the time. I’ve been a fan since I first heard “Decryption,” (it remains an all time favorite of mine). I see in the notes you talk about “subconsciously” noticing someone from across the room, i.e. “Quantum Entanglement.” Quantum entanglement suggests that two particles can be connected across vast distances. Do you feel a similar connection with your audience when they view your art? How do you think your work influences or “entangles” with their perception of reality?

I absolutely would love for the ideas and imagery to connect with anyone who is truly “listening” and become entangled with the realization that we are all connected in a way that cant be seen, but most definitely can be felt.  There are many scientific experiments underway at the Institute of Noetic Sciences testing these types of experiences.  My hope is that science will progress into the field of consciousness and I guarantee humanity will be forever changed when that day comes.

Quantum physics isn’t a typical influence in music. How did you first get inspired by quantum theory, and how does it shape your sound?

As a kid, I always was interested in how things worked.  I took apart phones, clocks, and even my NES.  The cartridges never did go in the same after that!

This fascination led me to write my own music as well as a career in I.T.  Sadly, I didn’t really have an appreciation for quantum mechanics until later in life, but it has definitely created a new way of looking at the world and I draw very much inspiration from this new lens.

Quantum physics challenges traditional perceptions of time and space. How do you play with these ideas in your music?

One way I’ve found to look at time is the example of a human’s life.  I believe your lifetime is merely the “how” of what you are.  The various events and decisions you’ve made throughout your life. Your soul however is the eternal thing that has and always will exist.  This is the “what”.  An infinite state of being that we can’t comprehend and thus need a step-by-step playback to understand ourselves.

These types of concepts really help unfold the path to where the lyrics lead.  It is indeed difficult to write in this language and not sound cliche or cheesy, and believe me, my notebook is full of cheese ideas no one will ever see.

Your music often feels like it’s bending the rules of reality. How do you translate the abstract and complex ideas of quantum physics into your soundscapes?

Finding a parallel with the quantum nature of reality and our daily lives is usually a good method.  These are hard concepts to wrap your head around, and the science literature doesn’t do it justice, but once you “see” it the way I do, you will understand.

What’s your creative process like when you’re working on new music? Do you have any unusual rituals?

My life is so busy, I have to take inspiration wherever and whenever it lands.  Usually it’s at a time when I don’t have access to a keyboard or guitar, so I record the idea on my phone and hope I remember the emotional state of where my head was.

Strangely enough, this sometimes comes from day-to-day sounds from life that my brain transforms into musical compositions.  It’s such an odd thing, but I love when it happens. 

During a creative session, meditation is a tool I use to put my head in a clear space to allow ideas to flow, especially lyrics.

Do you ever find yourself lost in thought, pondering the nature of reality while working on a piece? If so, do you ever emerge with new artistic insights or just a headache?

Yes!  This is part of my creative process and it does lead to new ideas about how our universe operates at the quantum level.

I noticed you used violins, cellos, a lot in combination with rock. How important is the emotive element in your singles?

So I actually used to not like emotive songs all that much.  I’d usually skip over them, preferring the heavy, hard-hitting tracks instead.  But in my adult years, orchestral strings have captivated my soul with their ability to capture such deep, emotional states and that’s why I love to use them.  Hoping to one day work with real violinists on a song to give it that extra human element.

Looking ahead, are there any quantum concepts or theories that you’re excited to explore in your future music projects?

Absolutely, I plan to release at least another 8 songs focused on this.  My hope is to help others view this reality, as well as each other, through this lens.

Check out Soul Extract’s latest release “Entanglement” from his EP Chasms below!

Soul Extract, the visionary cinematic rock artist, invites listeners into a vast sonic landscape with the release of the Chasms EP, a journey through intricate emotions, human survival, and the untapped depths of the universe, out now from FiXT.

With singles “Anomaly” and “Supernova” produced by renowned songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Paul Trust, and Brian Skeel’s collaboration on “Innerspace” the Chasms EP fuses orchestral rock, electronic elements, and raw lyrical intensity to explore themes of isolation, survival, and interconnectedness to the very desolate beauty of outer space. 

Opening with “Supernova” the EP delivers a cosmic anthem, telling the story of a human called by a supernova-born entity to leave a dying planet and create new worlds.  “Anomaly” emerges as a thought-provoking mix of heavy guitars, synths, and orchestral elements, telling the story of a lone survivor adrift in space. The single emerges as a mesmerizing blend of cerebral depth and raw beauty within the tumultuous currents of modern rock. “Innerspace” follows with a dramatic shift in perspective, diving into the microscopic world with fellow FiXT labelmate Brian Skeel. This cinematic track captures the awe-inspiring complexity of the quantum world, blending orchestral strings with chugging guitars, and Soul Extract’s dynamic vocals. “Entangled” narrated by the soul itself, delves into quantum mysticism, the song contemplates the idea of quantum entanglement as a metaphor for human connection. Science fiction and cinematic rock collide creating a rich, immersive experience that resonates across space and time.

Cerebral. Beautiful. Violent. Soul Extract taps into a wealth of human emotions and experiences to generate a listening space that is as intense and unpredictable as life itself. The highly personal inspiration for Soul Extract’s creations gives every song an invigorating level of creative clarity, and the artist’s willingness to smash through genre barriers puts him at the forefront of modern music.

Although Soul Extract’s stylistic approach fits within the broad scope of electronic rock, labels can’t begin to describe the exploratory, borderline progressive nature of the songs themselves. Josh Mullis, the architect behind Soul Extract’s elaborate compositions, brings a deconstructive mindset to his craft, tearing apart genres and fusing their most compelling elements back together to build calculated and highly detailed tracks.

This analytical approach to Soul Extract began to take shape in 2013, and after years spent synthesizing the sounds of metal, electronic, and orchestral music, the artist unleashed his fiery debut album, Circadian Algorithm. Loaded wall-to-wall with emotive vocals and explosive instrumental sections, the album has laid the foundation for a developing career with an upward trajectory.

Mullis’ passion for music began at a young age, and he has traditionally pulled from deeply personal events for his creative stimulus. Finding escape from family struggles by picking up a guitar as a teenager, Mullis discovered those early creative efforts were able to carry him through unpredictable times. As an adult, a motivating force for his music rests within humanitarian endeavors, as Mullis donates proceeds from Soul Extract to various charities.

For Mullis, music is an indescribable force capable of sparking intense emotion, and this force is the essence of an artist in its purest form. As the project name suggests, Soul Extract is Josh Mullis’ unaltered expression of himself, and his passionate approach to songwriting shines through on every track he produces.

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From Fan To President: An interview with FiXT President James Rhodes

August 13, 2024
Label News
FiXT Music, Label News
  1. Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your current role and responsibilities?

My name is James Rhodes. I’m the President of FiXT – we’re an artist-owned, independent record label, music publisher and merchandise company. I co-found the company in 2006 alongside Klayton (Celldweller). My current role as President of the company involves overseeing high level company strategy and decisions, directing our A&R processes, creating our annual budget, and handling all primary business development relationships and deal negotiations. I still work very closely with Klayton and he’s involved in all artist signings and we work together on setting and updating the goalposts of our company vision. In previous years I’ve had as many as 12 people reporting directly to me, but I’m extremely grateful to only have 2 direct reports now – Kurtis Redden, our Director of Operations, Head of Marketing, and Travis Brockett, our Administrative Director. While we’re a small company and there are days where I still wear additional hats, they keep the true day to day operations of the team going where I can focus on bigger picture ideas and projects. 

  1. You said you were a fan of Klayton’s first project Circle Of Dust. Was it love at first listen, or did it take a few tracks to win you over?

I was in middle school at the time and found a cassette in a bargain bin of a store in our local mall. I bought it solely on the artwork (the big cyberpunk eyeball on the cover of the Circle of Dust Brainchild album), but was already a fan of industrial music so it was love at first listen indeed. From there I found the debut, self-titled Circle of Dust album and my fascination deepened even more. But it was the album Disengage a few years later that took Circle of Dust from ‘one of my favorite artists’ to absolutely my favorite artist. From there I knew I had to follow anything Klayton was doing and of course that led to Celldweller and the rest they say, is history.

  1. Can you describe your first professional interaction with Klayton? Did you play it cool or was it more of an “OMG, I can’t believe this is happening” moment? 

I first met Klayton in the Fall of 2000 in a studio in Detroit for the Celldweller Street Team studio visit. This was a transformational experience for me. This was probably the most initiative I’d ever taken to get involved in something. I drove 8 hours from Iowa to Detroit and got to meet some fellow-fans in person, which was amazing in and of itself, but getting to go into a professional studio to meet Klayton and his manager Tyler Bacon who came in from Los Angeles, was like stepping into an alternate reality. I was just a random kid from Iowa and was completely in awe. It was definitely an “I can’t believe this is happening” moment, when I asked Klayton to sign a couple things I brought and one of them was the label, master CD copy of his Circle of Dust Disengage album that he didn’t even know existed. But the icing on the cake was when he answered my question that there was an ‘uncensored’ version of “Deadly Love” that he had never acknowledged anywhere else. A year or so later he sent me a copy of the uncensored version in a package with some other street team promo items and I never shared it with anyone. I could have ripped it and put it online, but by not doing that it was almost an unspoken seed of trust that was planted which later led to future opportunities to work with him.

  1. Do you still pinch yourself sometimes? (Asking for a friend)

No literal pinching, but I definitely stop and appreciate how amazing it has been to go from fan to employee to co-founder and now president of his label FiXT, as well as become his manager. It has all been possible by being built on a deep level of trust and integrity. As well as patience to allow this to all play out. I think there are people who want everything right now and make it about themselves. I’ve always had a service-oriented mindset and you’d be surprised how far you can go in life building on a foundation of just doing the fundamentals consistently with integrity, service, and patience. 

  1. What was it about his music that resonated with you the most?

It was the unique combination of genres and influences that I’d never heard anyone else quite do as uniquely as Klayton. Circle of Dust started it all with the combination of industrial, electronic and metal elements but with both harsh and melodic vocals and thought provoking lyrics, but then Celldweller took things to a whole new level adding psy-trance, drum & bass, techno, nu-metal, and an even broader alternative and hard rock accessibility. And with all of that, the level of production quality, intricate programming, detailed mixing and sonic ear candy it was at a level few other artists, including artists with budgets 100x bigger were able to pull off with even the bigger producers and mixers in LA, he has had this magical ability to create songs that sound different than anything else out there. And finally, his vocals – the level of vocal production has always fascinated me – his melody and harmony choices, and vocal processing, specifically with the use of vocoders has always been extremely catchy and hooky which underlines that behind all the gear, genre-blending, and production wizardry, Klayton is a world-class songwriter. 

  1. Can you share a memorable experience from your time as a fan? (Bonus points if it involves a wild concert story!)

The first thing that comes to mind as a memorable experience from when I was just a fan (before starting to work with Klayton) was not a direct interaction with him, but fond memories of the Flaming Fish Forum (iykyk) and Cellblock 454 Forums where I spent countless hours chatting with other fans and just nerding out on everything Klayton was working on.  As far as a first concert experience, the first concert I ever saw Klayton play live was one that I booked myself to bring Celldweller to play live at Gabe’s Oasis in Iowa City, Iowa. It was only the 2nd public show Celldweller ever performed live and I had a houseful of fans who drove in from all over the country come stay with me the night before and then head up to the show together. The fan community experience was a huge piece in that story as well, but then getting to see Celldweller perform live, 15 feet in front of me was definitely a life changing experience. It was the next step in my journey, towards wanting to be involved directly in the music industry as a career.

  1. How did your journey from being a fan to working in the music industry begin? Were you already heading in that direction or did you have a ‘eureka!’ moment after becoming a fan?

Volunteering on the Celldweller Street Team was definitely step 1. Then meeting Klayton and his manager Tyler at the Street Team studio visit was step 2. Ordering Celldweller CDs at wholesale rates and reselling them to friends and people in the area was step 3. Booking the Celldweller live show was step 4. Then I thought I wanted to get into studio and mixing work and went to The Recording Workshop in Ohio for a ~3 month intensive, on-site trade-school for audio production. It was on a weekend off from The Recording Workshop that a roommate I was staying with on campus and I drove a few hours away to a Celldweller live show somewhere in Ohio and after the show I went and chatted with Klayton a bit (He knew who I was at that point) but on that particular night he asked me if I wanted to go out to dinner with the band after the show. I let a guy I barely knew take my car and told him to pick me up a couple hours later (this was pre-iPhone and all I had was a cheap tracfone with prepaid minutes if anyone remembers those). That night Klayton asked if I wanted to manage the Street Team. It was my first official opportunity to start working with him. It was still volunteer work but I took it on and started doing everything I could to help – from updating the Celldweller website, to helping draft newsletters, coordinating street team marketing efforts, etc… After continuing to prove myself in that capacity Klayton offered me the opportunity to take over his online e-commerce operations and started paying me a small monthly stipend. That was roughly 20 years ago and we’ve never looked back!

  1. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while transitioning from a fan to a professional? Did you have to resist the urge to fangirl/fanboy in meetings? Asking for a friend.

While I was and still am amazed by Klayton’s artistry, and now work with dozens of other amazing artists at FiXT, I’ve always kept things pretty down to earth. At the end of the day we’re all just people and each of us have our struggles. I think part of how I’ve been a good partner and built great relationships with Klayton and the other artists I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years, is keeping a service-oriented mentality, to just look for the opportunities to add value and help. I think a lot of that comes down to empathy and realizing each artist has their own demons to face, so I want to be beside them so they don’t have to face them alone, or build the trust to where I can handle more and more things for them to try and take things off their plate so they can focus more on their art and the things only they can do.

Working closely with artists, you sometimes see things that nobody else sees. You see how human they are – the challenges, the disappointments and frustrations they go through and I think that can be hard for some fans to actually see. They want to just see them as this idol that is perfect, and I think there can be a lot of judgment from some people thinking these artists should have everything figured out and be a perfect role model all of the time. But again, we’re all human and some fans struggle with seeing the other side of things. So I really try to approach things as non-judgemental as possible and be there to support. 

  1. What were the key steps you took to start your career in the industry?Any embarrassing first-day-on-the-job stories to share?

I had a 2-year community college AA degree and an audio production trade-school certificate, but more than anything else that contributed to getting into the industry, it was passion and work ethic. I knew I didn’t know a lot of things, but applied myself to figure them out because I saw a need and opportunity and wanted to help. I had no special qualifications to do anything that I ultimately ended up doing. And I think that’s one of the key takeaways I’d want anyone who reads this to consider. Don’t wait for someone to say you’re qualified to do whatever you want to do. You may have to volunteer, and not get paid for doing it, but if you make yourself indispensable to a person, company, or cause that you believe in, a path to getting paid for it and career growth will open up. I believe we need less people trying to do something for themselves and more people seeing the opportunities around them to get involved in something they love and help others to succeed, which in turn can bring opportunity and value back to your own path.

I don’t recall any specific embarrassing first day type stories, although I’m sure I made tons of mistakes and did things that I would be embarrassed of – but that’s another lesson I suppose – you need to be ok with making mistakes and having embarrassing moments and realize they are just moments. They don’t define you. Realize you don’t know everything and when you discover something ‘you should have already known’ just take that as the learning experience to add that knowledge now and don’t beat yourself up for it. We all start somewhere and have to learn and grow along the way. 

I do recall that in the early days I did a LOT of listening. I had the amazing privilege to observe and listen to Klayton and his manager Tyler for years. I got to sit in on calls, see the emails and hear the stories of what/how/why certain things were happening. If you’re in a position to observe and listen to others with more experience, PAY ATTENTION. 

  1. Are there any specific skills or experiences that you found particularly valuable in your journey?

A few things that come to mind include: 

• Look for the opportunities that nobody else sees. That takes time and analysis and a willingness to think differently and consider alternatives to conventional wisdom.
• Take responsibility to develop your own skills – read books, listen to or watch podcasts, watch documentaries, read articles, talk to other people in your industry that have more experience and ask them questions. Talk to people or listen to things outside of your industry – sometimes the best insights come from seeing things from a different perspective. 

• Be willing to pick up the phone and call someone or take the time to get on a video call or meet in person if you can. 

• Treat everyone with respect and realize that life is long and things come around. An intern at a company you’re doing business with may be the VP or President of a company you’re doing business with 10-15 years from now. 

• Protect your reputation and live with integrity. If you take a shortcut or do something questionable, people will talk and everything comes to light eventually. Someone you did business with 3 years ago could be the decision maker in a deal you’re working on in the future and if they don’t trust you because of questionable past behavior, you’ve shot yourself in the foot.

  1. How has your perspective on the music industry changed since you started working in it? Is it more “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” or “spreadsheets, emails, meetings, and then rock ‘n’ roll”?

It has never been sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll for me or FiXT. In fact, we’ve turned away from working with artists whose motivation was more on the “sex and drugs’ part of that. It’s definitely about the music and the business rather than some ‘rockstar lifestyle’. So based on the choices you’ve given here, it’s “spreadsheets, emails, meetings and then rock ‘n roll’. 🙂

To go a little deeper on that, we want our company (FIXT) and our artist’s careers to be sustainable and long-lived, built on integrity and solid reputation. It gets real complicated, real fast when it’s built on partying. When we’re courting new artists to work with, an element we’re feeling out is how big of an ego and what underlying motivations does the artist/band have. We’ve had tremendously talented artists we could have worked with or continued working with who’d ego, attitude and motivations were a nightmare for our team to deal with and we’ve made the decision that it doesn’t matter how successful something can be, it’s not worth the headaches to deal with toxic people.

  1. What advice would you give to fans who aspire to work in the music industry? Aside from practicing your “I totally belong here” face?

There are a million paths that you could take, but just from my personal experience, here’s one possibility:

• Look for opportunities to help a specific artist/band (or maybe a record label) that you’re passionate about.
• Be willing to volunteer and show your worth before asking for money.
• Look for the things nobody is doing or that nobody wants to do and do something remarkable with it.
• Be consistent, show up and be reliable. And then be patient for the right timing of next steps.
• Don’t act entitled and have humility.
• Be a life-long learner and keep developing your skills and knowledge.

  1. What keeps you motivated and passionate about your work today? Aside from caffeine and a good playlist?

The music is always the core. I love hybrid, multi-genre electronic-rock combinations of music with great production and catchy melodies. But it’s the artists themselves and wanting to help them reach their individual goals that really drive me. There’s nothing quite as rewarding as seeing a struggling artist experience exponential growth, helping an artist land their first sync placement in a film, tv show or video game, or landing an artist’s first major editorial playlist or press feature. Even an artist getting their first positive quarterly statement payout. There are multiple artists who’ve worked independently or even with HUGE labels previously, that then worked with FIXT and were blown away when we sent them their first statement with as little as $50. The fact that we send statements and actually pay our artists already sets us apart from a TON of other labels out there. 

But I’d be leaving out a lot of what currently motivates me if I didn’t acknowledge that we have big aspirations that we are still on the path towards – which leads to my answer to the next question.

  1. What are your future goals and plans for the company and your career? World domination, or just getting through the next big project?

While we have artists that reach over a million listeners across all combined global platforms, we have yet to break a million monthly listeners for an individual artist on Spotify and that is THE platform everyone pays attention to. So a big goal on the horizon is getting multiple artists above the 1 million monthly Spotify listener mark, but not to stop there. We want to have multiple roster artists reaching 1-2 million listeners a month but even 3-5 million. Part of our strategy for that is narrowing the # of artists on our roster and investing deeper into each project where we’re making much bigger impacts rather than spreading our resources (time + dollars + effort) across a ton of artists and each only getting a little bump.

We have loft goals for Sync licensing, merch sales, and at some point, a FiXT branded tour. There’s a lot yet to accomplish and build – while we have a great foundation, in many ways we’re still just getting started!

  1. How do you envision the future of the music industry, and what role do you hope to play in it? Do you see more holograms or perhaps robot musicians, more VR concerts?

I think we’ll continue to see platform shifts, from social platforms to DSP services every 2-3, 3-5 or 5-10 years. Technology (whether that is AI or other innovations we haven’t even conceived of yet) is going to disrupt a lot of what was and we want to always be where consumers are. We were early adopters of streaming, when a lot of the music industry were holding tightly to paid downloads. And streaming gave us HUGE success that has become a significant part of our revenue now. I think as AR/VR become more accessible we’ll see unique content that allows at least super-fans to engage deeper, but I think we’re still a LONG way off from casual fans engaging deeply there. There will have to be a killer app that brings masses to those platforms that I don’t think we’ve seen yet. Music Rhythm games in VR are amazing but I think that’s still a niche of the global audience. 

As I look out at the future of how artists and labels work together, I think we’ll see more and more artists thriving independently, but still believe there will be plenty of artists who are looking for the support of a team – whether that is a label or hiring out the own internal team, but one that has the experience, relationships and specialties that an artist needs. At FiXT we bring the services of not just the label, but as a publisher and merch company and we do everything on 50/50 net profit deals. That sets us apart from labels still doing 82/18 or 85/15 deals. We’re artist-owned, artist-friendly and ready to build partnerships into the future.

  1. How can aspiring music professionals get in touch or learn more about your work?

I’m very accessible – james@fixtmusic.com, or find me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter and message me on your platform of choice. 🙂

  1. Mandatory – Contractually obligated to ask: And now the most important question of them all! Which would you rather fight: one horse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses?

100 Duck-sized horses! Somehow that feels like the odds are greater to survive and not all 100 could actually be fighting you at the same time!

For more information on FiXT, visit: www.fixtmusic.com.


Mayhem On Madison 2024

August 1, 2024
Label News
FiXT Music, Label News

The very first annual Mayhem On Madison was held this past Saturday July 27 in Covington, KY.  Epic only cracks the surface of this event and the FiXT staff descended en masse to bear witness to not one but two of our bands. It was a night to remember not just for the  FiXT staff who have offices spanning the country and rarely get to meet in person, but to see artists that we work with on a daily basis in their element was both a privilege and an honor. 

“What an amazing weekend building relationships with the FiXT team and artists! With so many of our team working remotely across the U.S. this was the first chance about half our staff has ever met in person. While we work closely together through text/email and video calls, being together in person was an amazing experience for everyone who made it out. 

Similarly, we got to meet 3 of our bands/artists (ENMY, Daedric, and Izzy Reign) in person and it gave us a new appreciation for being part of their team and getting to know them individually on a more personal level.

It was an inspiring weekend and a glimpse of future greatness that these artists hold and of the friendships, respect and joy that we can build in our professional lives.” – James Rhodes

The Skyrim inspired Daedric took to the theater stage earlier in the evening and it was soon evident that she will be back on as a main stage event in the future. The theater stage filled quickly as fans new and old clamored to witness her second ever live performance. By the second track in a shower of lights and thrashing guitars Daedric had the audience roaring. The band behind their masks were lively and completed the ominous set. Unleashing beautiful chaos onto the audience was a natural course of events and you’d never know this was her second ever live performance as Daedric. Pulsing from alluring to full on fatality, Daedric’s live vocal range was seriously impressive, “Mortal.” A checkmark against any naysayers who’ve ever posted on her socials about her vocal abilities, it will take only one live performance to put those doubts to rest and it’s well worth the cost. Her music is fantastic on a given day – but live she is on a whole new playing field and I’m here for it.

Daedric ended her set with “Racing The Parallel”, her collaboration with Dal Av and a hooked crowd screaming for, “one more!”  To say that she’d be welcomed back is a bit of understatement. 

The grand finale was ENMY. If you’ve been to one of their concerts before they are no strangers to the main stage and it shows. They are a humble class act from mingling with fans before their set to interacting with fans while on stage. One memorable moment had lead singer Brady Reis take the cell phone from a fan to sing to the person she was face timing while spinning around on stage. It is evident that ENMY love their fans, and take every opportunity to show their appreciation.

Amidst the blazing lights at the Madison theater ENMY shines like a beacon with their ability to create emotive music that resonates with fans both live and over the radio. Their set included fan favorites like “Silver Bullet” and “Clarity” as well as showcasing a new recently released single, “Broken Man” from their upcoming self titled album. Besides the amazing drum work from David Nester, Brady Reis’s vocal work is impressive live, mixed with bass guitarist and back up vocalist Trevor Johnson and guitarist Michael Quinn’s tantalizing guitar work, ENMY’s live show is a recipe for success. 

For more information on ENMY, visit: https://www.fixtmusic.com/artist/enmy
For more information on Daedric, visit: https://www.fixtmusic.com/artist/daedric


James Rhodes Elevated To President Of FiXT From Fan To Company President

July 12, 2024
Label News
FiXT Music, Label News

FiXT, the USA-based artist-owned record label from Klayton (Celldweller), has announced company co-founder James Rhodes is moving from Vice President to President.

“From the moment I met James, I knew he was one of a kind. His passion is not only evident through his words, but even more so through his actions. At the beginnings of Celldweller I was very protective of the brand and everything I had worked for. 

This kid James had been on my radar for several years and had proven himself as a die-hard fan. What more proof do you need than him spending his own money to wholesale boxes of CDs to resell them and share his passion for Celldweller to everyone he knew.  Although I was initially hesitant when he asked me to give him some official responsibility, I eventually handed over a small task to see what he could do and he streamlined it beyond my expectations. It was acutely obvious to me after 2 years of James working as an unpaid intern, that I needed to figure out a way to take the financial leap and secure him as my first official employee. 

We officially founded FiXT together in 2006 and over the years the company has grown exponentially. We developed multiple artists into independent successes, and built new systems we created ourselves, because there was no other model to follow. The level of trust I have in James has continued to grow over the past 20 years, and he’s never taken advantage of that. There’s no-one else I could envision naming the President of FiXT other than James.” 

– Klayton (FiXT Founder & CEO)
 

Rhodes who co-founded FiXT alongside Klayton, started as a fan of Klayton’s project Circle of Dust in the ‘90s and later became his first employee in the early ‘00s as Celldweller was being established.

James and Klayton first met in the Fall of 2000 at a Celldweller street team studio visit in Detroit, Michigan. In 2003 James took over Klayton’s e-commerce operations as his first employee. In 2005 Rhodes moved from Iowa to Los Angeles to join respected music publishing / sync licensing company Position Music, working under Klayton’s manager Tyler Bacon as part of Klayton’s management team while also continuing to work directly with Klayton for Celldweller merchandise and e-commerce operations.

In January 2006, Rhodes returned to Iowa and co-founded FiXT with Klayton, launching a music label with the goal of supporting artists and providing a fair deal in an industry known for one-sided agreements.

By the early/mid ‘10s Rhodes took on a management role for Klayton’s artist projects, including Celldweller, Scandroid, Circle of Dust and later FreqGen, and has been a key player in nurturing the projects to reach millions of global listeners each month. Rhodes and Klayton have built FiXT into a global brand supporting the careers of over 100 artists with fans in over 150 countries.

“I’m incredibly honored to have the opportunity to continue growing my career in the music industry, I have built over the last two decades working with Klayton. His trust and support in my ability to lead FiXT into the next twenty years is humbling and exciting. We have an amazing foundation to build on with a great team and company culture. Klayton’s vision for artistry, excellence, and quality have given us a north star that we will continue to move towards far into the future. And of course we wouldn’t be a label without our artists. From my first day working with Klayton to the present, my personal mission has been the same – to add the most value possible to the artists I believe in and help them grow their careers in ways not possible on their own.” 

– James Rhodes (FiXT President & Co-Founder)

Some of Rhodes’ accomplishments at FiXT include notable artist signings such as The Anix, The Browning, Fight The Fade and ENMY, to making key personnel hires including Kurtis Redden (Director of Operations, Head of Marketing), Travis Brocket (Administrative Director), and Michelle Steer (Merchandise & E-Commerce Manager). In 2015 he spearheaded FiXT’s move to join the American Association of Independent Music (A2iM), become MERLIN members and move FiXT’s digital delivery business to FUGA. Rhodes is also credited with moving FiXT’s e-commerce operations to Shopify in 2015 and later negotiating direct deals with multiple DSPs including Amazon, and Pretzel. In 2022 he set up FiXT’s global publishing administration deal with SENTRIC and in 2023 co-led FiXT’s sync catalog expansion in a deal with APM Music paired with a global sub-publishing network of 20 territory based partners. He has served multiple terms on the A2iM Mentorship program, and been a guest on numerous industry podcasts, including the Top Music Attorney Podcast, The Music Industry Blueprint Podcast with Rick Barker, Burn This World Podcast with Jonny McBee, Headliner Mindset Podcast with Nik Cherwink, and many others.  

As FiXT celebrates 18+ years of history, the company operates as a record label, music publisher, and merchandise company with over 15+ exclusive artists on its roster, including The Anix, Beyond Unbroken, The Browning, CANTERVICE, Celldweller, Coping Method, Daedric, Fight The Fade, Fury Weekend, HIGHSOCIETY, The Plague, Scandroid, and more. The label boasts over 3.5 billion lifetime streams and over 1,000 Film/TV/Video Game and advertising sync placements, including: Westworld, Power Rangers, Lexus, Toyota, Suicide Squad, Iron Man, Robocop, Jack Reacher, Deadpool, John Wick, Guardians of the Galaxy, Pacific Rim, Call of Duty, Synth Riders, Assassin’s Creed, Need For Speed, Razer, Dead Rising, UFC, and more. 

For more information on FiXT, visit: www.fixtmusic.com.


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