Westword journalist Adam loves his job as a music editor

Written by Grace Ganz

Can someone really be a journalist and never go to the office where they work? Is it possible to become the music editor of a local publication at 14 years old? In the case of Adam Perry, both were, in fact, possible.

When I recently interviewed the Westword music reporter to talk about careers in journalism and, more specifically, careers in music journalism, Perry nonchalantly introduced himself in his blunt yet calm voice at the other end of our phone call.

A drummer and arts writer from Pittsburgh, Penn., one would not assume Perry to be anything but the roll-with-the-punches, easy-going guy at the party. As I spoke to Perry on the phone, his voice echoed a simultaneous air of grit and ease with an undeniable love of music making no effort to hide itself.

“I started writing CD reviews for my high school paper when I was 14,” said Perry. “And then somehow I won some contest, I forget [what it was], but I ended up becoming the music editor for a magazine in Pittsburgh called ‘Next Generation.’”

This motivation to write from a young age was inspired by a simple desire to go to concerts. Through Perry’s time as potentially the youngest music editor at Next Generation publication, he fostered rare experiences in music journalism.

“Maybe the most I got for an article was $20, but it got me into going backstage and interviewing bands and getting a lot of free CDs,” said Perry.

Perry’s writing experience continued in his time reporting about music for college newspapers during his brief semester at West Virginia University and in the rest of his college career at the University of Pittsburgh. Though he moved to San Francisco to pursue music full time after college, he went back to school at 27 and now spends his weekdays at a law firm in Boulder. Perry writes about music for Westword as a hobby.

However, his journalistic endeavors flourished when he was 19; after a semester-long internship at The Weekly in Pittsburgh, he was hired as a regular journalist where he gained experience working in a real newsroom.

It was in this newsroom where Perry perfected all the skills needed to pursue journalism. Journalists and reporters must have a deep knowledge of media, current events and pop culture and be curious, driven people. Journalists must also know how to research and investigate, ask questions and be comfortable talking to and interviewing people.

A mildly extensive process of education and experience in the field is also required to be a successful journalist. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employers generally prefer workers who have a bachelor’s degree in journalism or communications along with an internship or work experience from a college radio or television station or a newspaper.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics also cited the median annual wage for reporters, as of May 2018 data, to be $41,260, which is not especially high in comparison to most other education-based fields.

In general, journalism careers are declining. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics describes this, stating, “Overall employment of reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts is projected to decline 10 percent from 2018 to 2028.” The website attributed this to “declining advertising revenue in radio, newspapers, and television,” making it difficult for new occupations to be created as certain forms of media are becoming less relevant.

The field has already seen shrink as journalistic organizations and print newspapers have experienced heavy layoffs in the past ten years. Though the The Denver Post saw the most extreme layoffs in Colorado with almost one-third of their staff leaving in 2018, Westword has also experienced this change in the recent past.

Perry discussed this trend, stating, “There aren’t that many newspapers anymore who have what you would call a staff music writer anymore. The staff writers at the daily newspaper in Pittsburgh, man, those people were my heroes. I knew that I was gonna read their stuff every week, and I knew that that’s what they got to do for a living, that they got to just write about music. And I hope that can happen again somehow, [but] I just don’t know.”

Perry’s unique writing and musical experience allows him to do what he loves while also maintaining a steady living. He writes music articles for Westword and has interviewed the likes of Anderson .Paak, Alabama Shakes and the drummer of The Black Keys through the publication.

“It’s not my career, and there aren’t many people in America right now who I can honestly say that they work full time as a staff writer somewhere and they just write about music,” said Perry. “It’s possible, and honestly it would have been possible for me too but the path that I took was to be more interested in making music.”

Now, Perry experiences a combination of business and pleasure as a paralegal, accredited veteran’s representative, drummer and journalist. He described this unique lifestyle when sharing a comical anecdote about his friend who recently interviewed popular folk singer Jason Isbell over the phone in his car on his lunch break.

He laughed when explaining this daily reality for music journalists, musing, “What does Jason Isbell think on the other end of this phone call? He thinks it’s somebody who is doing this full time and in a newsroom, and it’s like no, it’s this guy on break. The norm is doing music journalism on the side.”

Perry has now worked for Westword for 11 years, starting in 2008 when he interviewed the band Fleet Foxes. His own experience and knowledge as a lifelong and continuously gigging drummer propels his articles to their fullest potentials.

As our phone call came to a close, Perry laughed and asked me, “You know what’s funny? I’ve been writing for them [Westword] since 2008, so 11 years. I’ve literally never been to the office. Not once. I have no idea what it’s like there.”
Music journalism is not an entire life for Perry. Rather, it is a way to keep him connected to music while still getting those convenient backstage passes to any show he wants to see.

“I just love music – it’s as important to me as oxygen,” Perry testified. “And I’m a geek, I’m a music geek.” It looks to be as if Perry will be geeking out for the rest of his life, whether it be onstage or in the next publication of Westword.