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Wolfmother
Amp’d Mobile Studio Session
Story and Photos By: Lexa Vonn

It’s no secret that since the turn of the century technology has soared beyond what anyone over the age of 25 can keep up with. The music industry was the first one to get hit with the entertainment evolution as online downloads replaced traditional record sales. At first it was as if none of the record moguls knew what to do. Finally, it seems artists and companies are beginning to catch up and find new ways of marketing their tunes. I recently had the chance to check out one of the newest music marketing techniques when Amp’d Mobile invited me down to their 32-track-in-house recording studio to witness a live session by Australian break-out Grammy nominated indie band, Wolfmother.

Amp’d Mobile is a cell company that has pioneered the first fully integrated mobile entertainment center viewed for a cost, right from your phone. On November 10, 2006 the company announced an industry first: the Amp’d Mobile “Studio Sessions” and “Double Up Music Packs” programs, two bundled music packages that will integrate multiple types of media content into attractive low-priced consumer selections. The new offerings will initially include more than 30 selections from top record label partners such as Universal, Warner Music Group and EMI Music, including exclusive tracks recorded live from the Amp’d in-house production studio. The Amp’d Mobile “Studio Sessions” package retails for around $4.00 and offers a mix of the following:

Two to three live full audio track recordings

A live “mastertone” recording

Exclusive behind the scenes interview footage

A wallpaper of the artist’s album cover artwork

I was on hand to watch Wolfmother in action as they recorded their own personal Amp’d downloadable session. The studio was centered in the heart of Amp’d West L.A. headquarters and was one of the tiniest pro studios I’d ever seen. Nonetheless, the acoustics sounded flawless from my side of the mixing board, or perhaps it was the solidarity of Wolfmother’s jamming. These guys were pretty tight considering they hopped in and out of the session, playing only about three songs with barely a warm-up. Included in the mini-set was their current hit single, “Woman”.

Afterwards the boys bee-lined into the parking lot whilst the cameras kept rolling in pursuit of the kind of behind the scenes footage that I think will really sell this idea. “Universal Music Group is thrilled to be working closely with Amp’d Mobile in the launch of these exciting new initiatives. Amp’d is taking a leadership role in the industry through the creative bundling of music products with the creation of Double Up Music Packs and exclusive live recording packages with Studio Sessions,” said Rio Caraeff, General Manager, Universal Music Mobile U.S. “Amp’d Mobile’s well connected and vibrant demographic of young music fans will now be able to enjoy mobile music programming from Universal Music Group artists in new and exciting ways.”

So, there ya go. If you ever had a hankering to watch your favorite band play a show while you’re waiting in line at the DMV or sitting in the waiting room at the local Planned Parenthood for three hours, then this is the product for you. Let’s just hope they created anti-piracy software for it so the content doesn’t end up on YOUTUBE.com!

www.ampd.com