1. How did you come across/find out about ReQuest?
One of my extended family her name is Vivian first mentioned that she was crazy about a group and asked me to check out their website. I did check it out and said "No Way" this cant be a New Zealand group. It had UK written all over it. I decided at the stage rather than introduce myself I would watch the progress of the group.
After another year of monitoring their progress and more pushes from Vivian and also from the beautiful Kat Theo (One of our New Zealand artists) I agreed to actually meet the group.. and the rest is history.....

2. What was it about ReQuest that jumped out & grabed your attention?
The first thing was the fact they were willing to pass up good chances here in New Zealand as their goals were set much much higher. There was no shortage of offers its just that their focus was global all the way.
The second thing was commitment, I could see that had worked very hard to be prepared for fame. They had 5 or 6 good tracks, they had done exceeding well in media promotions and image. So I could see a quality that is not seen that often in the music industry, a group that was so focused on success and had done all the ground work possible with the resources they had.

3. Is ReQuest the first group you have managed? If not who else have you managed and what have you done in the music & entertainment industry?
No its not the first, I have managed rock groups in Australia including "AZLAN" back in the 1980 and on moving back in New Zealand managed Lole Usoalii. I have also been temporary manager for some of the artists from Kahu Records until they have secured an official management contract.
I grew up in the music industry as a keyboard player in a group called "Soul Distinction" in Christchurch and played on many different kinds of group from rock to jazz until I found out by accident that I was a born DJ.
I was called "Disco Dave" in Wellington and was one of the leading DJ's at the time. I pioneered scratching and mutiliple turntable techniques and won an award to compete in NY. From there I ended up managing.

4. You mentioned that you managed Lole Usoalii. How long where you her manager & what types of things did you do for her?
I guess you could say I discovered her. But it went really like this. A friend of mine asked me to go and hear this lady singing in Wellington and when I got there I was blown away by her voice. In my mind and it still is.. she is the best voice in the land. She asked me to manager her and I agreed. Actually I knew that we needed to get to Auckland to make things happen for her so we hoped into the car and took all our possesions and headed up to Auckland. And it all happened from there.
Some of the things that I did as her manager...I sat in on all her recording sessions and video shoots firstly to make sure that the produce was going to be good and also as an added strength for her knowing that I was there. I remember her calling me in the early hours of the morning and asking me to come over and bring a hamburger with me for her. I was also present at every live appearance, to make sure that everything was prepared before hand,.. mics, sounds system etc...

5. Getting back to ReQuest, how would you describe ReQuest & their music?
Backstreet Boys with a refreshing difference and that maybe is because ReQuest are from downunder and not U.S.A. So they are unique but with UK/US boy group fusion.

6. ReQuest had done a lot of hard work before they signed their management contract to KR International, including television & radio interviews. What types of things do you have in mind/planned for them in the near furture?
You are right they have done so well on their own, so I believe they have done half what we call the development work on their own and now we are in the other half, which includes dance training, voice training, working in the studio producing what we call demo tracks which I will later on present to prospective record labels.
This development period will be somewhere from 3 to 6 months for ReQuest and I provide the help to keep this on track but to be truthful these guys are so self motivated its a dream to work with them.
As for the near future...I would like to see their first single/album dropped in Japan.

Timelines are the most difficult for fans and for the artists to get the hang of, so its a good time for me to explain...
Development is usually dependant on the groups performance but other that inital period the timeline is usually controlled by management and the record label when they come into play. It always seems like these things can be done in 3 months but usually they take 6 months to one year. Ofcourse there are exceptions where groups have been signed and a single or an album has come out inside 6 months but it is very rear.

So my plan is to take these guys to Tokyo for a promotion period after the development period is over. They will perform for the music industry and for their fans while there and we will then see what comes of it. I have a couple of friends that are presidents of Japanese record labels so I will invite them along and then discuss how they feel afterwards.
My job as the manager is to package the group and make it attractive so that the majors are clammering for them then its down to negotiation time.

7. When can we start planing to camp outside a music store to get our hands on a ReQuest CD? Or when are we going to be able to hear a sample of their music on the website?
I am looking at ReQuest recording their first track within the next month at our own studio in Auckland City under one of New Zealand's top drummers & producers, Richie Campbell (CEO of Kahu Records Ltd). In the past Richie has worked witht he likes of Adijah, Moanna & The Moa Hunters and was behind the success of IFC and has also drummed for some top international acts. So they are in good hands.
We might look at one track being used for website promotion and I will let you know when this will be available online but hopefully real soon.
An album looks to being 1 year away but as mentioned above we have not decided on a record label yet and it will be them that decides when it will be dropped. Like the group I cant wait for it to happen.

8. ReQuest are based in New Zealand at the present time. Does this mean that their music is only going to be released in New Zealand?
Quite the opposite, we expect to release overseas first and New Zealand would be a little further down the line. I see Japan then Europe then Australia and New Zealand

9. There has been whispering of Japan in the ReQuest Yahoo Group. Is ReQuest going to be released in Japan? If so why Japan?
There is a big demand in Japan for the genre that ReQuest are into and its also the second largest CD market in the world. So if you are going to leave the US until later Japan should be next preference. My offices just happened to be based in Tokyo as well so I guess its where my current contacts are.
I am also looking at a promotion for some fans (or a fan) to have VIP passes to the performances in Tokyo. But that is only in the planning process at the moment, so I won't give away too much out about that right now.

10. What does 2005 have install for ReQuest? And what are the boys of ReQuest up to at the present time?
Right now they are right into voice and dance training and as mentioned shortly heading into the studio. Thats going to keep them busy until they head off later in the year to Japan. From there hopefully "THE WORLD"
One thing I forgot to mention is their awesome song writing abilities, so they are also working on a promotion show and producing new material (writing and arranging). The ReQuest website is also in the process of being made and will be written in both Japanese & English, and should be live sometime within the next month.

11. Who is Maz, what does she do and how did she get involved with ReQuest?
Well Maz, lets get it out in the open shall we, you have been my righthand man (oops woman) for a few years now working on everything from make-up in the music videos that I shoot, sub-management of the artists and artwork especially on the websites...so its natural to find you here as the main person behind this successful yahoo group. And lets not forget one of the founding members of L.X.

12. As the manager of ReQuest where do you picture the boys to be in 5 to 10 years time?
As to where I will see the boys in 5 years..Hopefully still exceedingly success and still at it.. however its possible by that time they may have gone on to solo careers.

If you would like to contact Dave Graham about ReQuest or any other matters, please send all emails to [email protected]

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