Media Five Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Media Five Entertainment is a United States
artist management and booking agency assisting the careers of musicians in the music industry. In addition to regional headliners, the agency has worked with some of the biggest names in music.
, Billy Joel
, and Kiss
to eastern Pennsylvania under the name Extensions of Man Concerts. In the 1980s, as the company had established itself as a booking agency, Media Five further expanded to create an artist management division, striving to nurture local bands from the ground up and guide them through recording, album releases, radio promotion, marketing campaigns and touring. These artists have sold a combined 20 million records worldwide.
, once just a local band from York, Pennsylvania, to super-stardom in the mid 1990s with their breakout second album, Throwing Copper fueled by the #1 hit single, Lightning Crashes
. Sestak was the band's general manager until mid 2000, and is thanked first in the liner notes of Live's first four major label albums, Mental Jewelry
, Throwing Copper
, Secret Samadhi
, and The Distance To Here
. In 1998, Sestak also played a vital role in the success of Fuel
, another Pennsylvania band with two platinum albums to their credit, including 2000's Something Like Human
. That album yielded the #1 modern rock hit Hemorrhage (In My Hands)
. The song was recently named Billboard's #1 5 rock song of the 2000's. Media Five has also represented and managed notable bands like Breaking Benjamin
, Weston
, July For Kings
, Solution AD and Joe Hedges
.
. In particular, all but one performance by Joel in the Lehigh Valley
area was put together by David Sestak himself which created a bond between Joel and local residents that continues to this day. Joel’s familiarity with the area undoubtedly inspired the naming of one of his best-known songs, Allentown
,” which was released in 1982. In December 1982, continued interest of Joel's music in the Allentown-Bethlehem area led Sestak to persuade local music director Bruce Bond to start a petition drive asking Joel to play in Allentown, which was eventually signed by more than 10,000 people.
When Joel’s fall tour was announced there was no Allentown date, however Sestak had been collecting news clippings and sending them to Joel’s publicist, Elaine Shock, who apparently passed them on to Joel. Joel personally phoned radio station 95.1 WZZO
FM to discuss, and on December 27, 1982, Joel performed for 6,300 people at Lehigh University
’s Stabler Arena. “Everyone was there,” said Sestak. “Billy Joel finally played `Allentown', in Bethlehem.”
. Sestak also chaired the "Managers, Agents and Promoters" panel in February 2008 at Pennsylvania's annual Millennium Music Conference
, which for the past 12 years has become one of the premier music events on the East Coast.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist management and booking agency assisting the careers of musicians in the music industry. In addition to regional headliners, the agency has worked with some of the biggest names in music.
History
Media Five was founded in 1970 by David Sestak, a musician and artist from Pennsylvania. The agency specialized in booking regional bands and bringing national acts such as AerosmithAerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, and Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
to eastern Pennsylvania under the name Extensions of Man Concerts. In the 1980s, as the company had established itself as a booking agency, Media Five further expanded to create an artist management division, striving to nurture local bands from the ground up and guide them through recording, album releases, radio promotion, marketing campaigns and touring. These artists have sold a combined 20 million records worldwide.
Worldwide success
Sestak gets credit for bringing LiveLive (band)
Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....
, once just a local band from York, Pennsylvania, to super-stardom in the mid 1990s with their breakout second album, Throwing Copper fueled by the #1 hit single, Lightning Crashes
Lightning Crashes
"Lightning Crashes" is a song by the rock band Live, from their 1994 album, Throwing Copper.The track wasn't released as a single in the US, but received enough radio airplay to peak at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart in 1995. The song also topped the Billboard Album Rock Tracks and Hot...
. Sestak was the band's general manager until mid 2000, and is thanked first in the liner notes of Live's first four major label albums, Mental Jewelry
Mental Jewelry
-Album:-Singles:...
, Throwing Copper
Throwing Copper
-Outtakes and B-sides:*"Hold Me Up"*"Susquehanna"*"We Deal in Dreams" -Album:-End-of-decade charts:-Singles:-Personnel:*Ed Kowalczyk: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar*Chad Taylor: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocal...
, Secret Samadhi
Secret Samadhi
-Album:-Singles:-Live:*Ed Kowalczyk: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar*Chad Taylor: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals*Patrick Dahlheimer: Bass*Chad Gracey: Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals-Additional Musicians:*Jennifer Charles: Additional Vocals, Track 5...
, and The Distance To Here
The Distance to Here
The Distance to Here is the fourth studio album by the band Live, released in 1999. It debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, selling 138,000 copies in its first week and was certified Platinum by the RIAA on November 19, 1999.-Track listing:...
. In 1998, Sestak also played a vital role in the success of Fuel
Fuel (band)
Fuel is an American rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1989. Originally known as Small the Joy, they changed the group's name to Fuel sometime in 1994...
, another Pennsylvania band with two platinum albums to their credit, including 2000's Something Like Human
Something Like Human
Early promotional press editions of the album included the songs "Sister Mary Innocent" and the Scallions penned "Bruises", which ultimately were left off the final sequence of the album which was released to stores. Neither of these recordings have been released publicly by the band...
. That album yielded the #1 modern rock hit Hemorrhage (In My Hands)
Hemorrhage (In My Hands)
"Hemorrhage " is a song by the rock band Fuel, released as the first single from their second album Something Like Human. The single spent twelve weeks at number one on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart and is the band's most successful song to date...
. The song was recently named Billboard's #1 5 rock song of the 2000's. Media Five has also represented and managed notable bands like Breaking Benjamin
Breaking Benjamin
Breaking Benjamin is an American rock band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, currently consisting of Benjamin Burnley and Chad Szeliga. The band has released four studio albums to date and a greatest hits album that was released on August 16, 2011. The group initially went on indefinite hiatus due...
, Weston
Weston (band)
Weston are a punk rock band hailing from Bethlehem, PA. Founded in 1990, they took their name from singer Dave Weston's family, since his parents allowed them to practice in their basement. The band never found mainstream success but their energetic and irreverent live shows earned them legendary...
, July For Kings
July for Kings
July for Kings, or "JFK", is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based alternative rock band founded by Joe Hedges , Sam Dobrozsi , Travis Delaney , Jason Morgan , and T Miller . The band was forged in Middletown, Ohio, a steel town between Dayton and Cincinnati, in 1997...
, Solution AD and Joe Hedges
Joe Hedges
Joe Hedges is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, and visual artist. Hedges spent his high school years in Middletown Ohio....
.
Billy Joel
Media Five played a role in the career of Billy JoelBilly Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
. In particular, all but one performance by Joel in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
area was put together by David Sestak himself which created a bond between Joel and local residents that continues to this day. Joel’s familiarity with the area undoubtedly inspired the naming of one of his best-known songs, Allentown
Allentown (song)
"Allentown" is a song by American singer Billy Joel, which first appeared on Joel's The Nylon Curtain album, accompanied by a conceptual music video. It later appeared on Joel's Greatest Hits: Volume II , 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert , The Essential Billy Joel , and "12 Gardens Live" albums...
,” which was released in 1982. In December 1982, continued interest of Joel's music in the Allentown-Bethlehem area led Sestak to persuade local music director Bruce Bond to start a petition drive asking Joel to play in Allentown, which was eventually signed by more than 10,000 people.
When Joel’s fall tour was announced there was no Allentown date, however Sestak had been collecting news clippings and sending them to Joel’s publicist, Elaine Shock, who apparently passed them on to Joel. Joel personally phoned radio station 95.1 WZZO
WZZO
WZZO, popularly known as "95.1 WZZO", is a popular rock radio station located in Whitehall Township, outside of Allentown, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States.WZZO broadcasts locally at 95.1 MHz FM...
FM to discuss, and on December 27, 1982, Joel performed for 6,300 people at Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
’s Stabler Arena. “Everyone was there,” said Sestak. “Billy Joel finally played `Allentown', in Bethlehem.”
Current operations
Media Five Entertainment represents and books nearly 25 original and cover bands in the eastern United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Sestak also chaired the "Managers, Agents and Promoters" panel in February 2008 at Pennsylvania's annual Millennium Music Conference
Millennium Music Conference
The Millennium Music Conference is an annual event that features 3 days of panels, clinics, workshops, mentoring, demo listening sessions, and a music business trade show, held in and around the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The event celebrates new music and emerging talent with 3 nights of...
, which for the past 12 years has become one of the premier music events on the East Coast.
External links
- http://www.mediafiveent.com
- Media Five Entertainment at MySpace
- http://www.mediafiveent.com
- http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/6aa/6aa192.htm
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE5D61531F936A15756C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
- http://www.popmatters.com/pm/news/article/51445/royal-treatment-bonded-billy-joel-to-allentown/
- http://www.islandrecords.com/site/artist_home.php?artist_id=640
- http://musicconference.net/mmc12/