Rob Drabkin Signs With Rogue Island Records, Drops Album

Tim Wenger | December 1, 2013 | 0 Comments

by Tim Wenger

Rob Drabkin and his band have been hitting the scene hard in Denver and beyond, and his work is beginning to pay off. He has just signed a record deal with Rogue Island Records to help with promo of his new album.

The deal has been a long development, coming to a head through Drabkin’s relationship with UK artist Davy Knowles. Knowles, a blues guitarist, took Drabkin on a US tour and their relationship has grown from there. “I toured with him in 2010,” says Drabkin. “We did a six week tour, they threw me on the bus. My responsibility was to have fun and play 45 minutes every night.”

Since the tour, Drabkin has consistently shared his music, as it is released, with Knolls. “I just kept sending him songs, and without even realizing it, they sent me an offer,” he says. The double whammy for Drabkin is that he retains the rights to his work, as the label is primarily just helping with promotion and distribution. “I did all the recording, funded all the recording, myself. These guys are helping with promo, which is awesome. It does help, this is the first time I have had a label affiliation.”

The help seems to be paying off, as Drabkin’s new studio album is receiving radio airplay in multiple markets, and is currently charting on AAA Radio along with acts like Tedeschi Trucks Band and North Mississippi All Stars. With the building commercial success, Drabkin plans to perform live in the markets giving him the airplay following his birthday bash to push the record and career.

It took some additional hard work to get this national airplay. “It’s something that I think is virtually impossible to do by yourself,” says Drabkin, referring to getting the music listened to by out-of-market stations. “We had to hire indie promoters. It’s crazy how much is based on relationships. If I sent the album to a station in New York and it came from me, it’s going to get discarded, but if it came from someone they know. . .. Then you have to follow up.” He met some of the promoters through the label, and others through an annual radio conference in Boulder.

Drabkin also performs solo around Denver constantly when he is not performing with his band, pushing his music that way to people who otherwise might not have heard it. “Money these days is in live performing,” says Drabkin. “It’s in licensing too, but selling your music is hard.”

The album, Little Steps, was recorded primarily at Colorado Sound Studios in Westminster with producer J.P. Manza. “It was a year and a half process, we did it one song at a time,” says Drabkin. “It was a smart move, mostly because you can release one song at a time. There are album lovers out there, but then there are people who don’t have time to listen to an album.’

On January 17 Drabkin will headline the Bluebird Theatre for his seventh annual Birthday Bash, with Garrett Sayers of The Motet opening the show. Tickets available through AEG Live. He will also be perfoming New year’s Eve at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Winter Park. Pick up the album at any of the major online sources and at robdrabkin.com.