Monotone's Daniel Vayness

What was the first concert you ever attended?

The show that really sticks out is the first I saw in NYC: The Mars Volta at the Hammerstein Ballroom in 2008. I was 15, and some friends and I took a train into the city, which at the time was an adventure in itself. Their drummer on that tour was the exhilarating Thomas Pridgen. His virtuosic playing completely blew my mind, along with the tightest band moving together in lockstep, with Cedric and Omar leading the way like true rock stars. Something clicked that night. I had always played guitar, but that was when I knew I wanted to work in music.

Describe your all-time-favorite photo, memento or tchotchke from your job.

There’s a photo I love from the most recent Grammys of Jared Solomon (Solomonophonic), Nick Bral (Sony Publishing) and myself in the Sony box during the ceremony. Jared had just won his first Grammy for his contribution to SZA’s “Saturn,” which had taken home Best R&B Song. It was such a gratifying and special moment for all of us.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have some amazing mentors over the years. Rob Stevenson, who’s now running the awesome label Alter, took a shot by hiring me to do A&R for him at Republic when I was 24. He’s given me many valuable pieces of advice. One that always stood out was, “No matter what, stay close to your artists. Those are the relationships that matter the most.”