Call & Response: Megan Oddsen
(7 min)
Say what you will about social media, but it can still connect us in the most unlikely ways. Though she grew up just a stone’s throw from our studios near Milwaukee and has a shared previous employer in Sam Goody to our own Daniel Holter (sorry Daniel), we were just recently connected to Music Clearance and Creative Consultant Megan Oddsen through the magic of Twitter. Her experience in copyright, supervision, licensing, and clearance all add up to one hell of a resume. Now based in LA, we connected through the ether to chat with Megan about her work on the clearance side of the music licensing industry, her Wisconsin roots, and a few of her favorite projects she’s worked on that you might just remember.
Lab Notes (LN): If you had to boil your journey into one sentence, what would it be? (Run-on sentences accepted and encouraged.)
Megan Oddsen (MO): Well I've always paid a lot of attention to music - on the radio, on TV, in film - and consumed it voraciously - buying music, going to shows... I also grew up playing multiple instruments and just experiencing music from different angles, so as soon as I was old enough to work, I got a job working at a music store at the mall (just down the street from your studio) and I also got involved with street teaming and marketing for multiple record labels. After my music store closed, I moved to New York to work at a big music "megastore" and interned at a major label where I landed a gig in a licensing-adjacent role, which was copyright coordinator - until that point, I thought I wanted to work in a more glamorous area of the industry, like marketing or publicity..something "closer" to the music (but would also have been totally happy as a music store lifer, except my stores kept closing)...I think I fell in love with copyright and licensing because it satisfied the part of me that likes to research and fact dive - I'm one of those nerds who's constantly looking up a band wikis and just a bunch of useless information about songs.
LN: You have a ton of experience in music licensing and clearance with companies like Gibson Guitars, ColorWheel, and Bankrobber, dropping credits like clearing music for Stranger Things Season 1. How did you get into that side of the industry?
MO: Well the copyright gig was my gateway, and then going on to work at an indie music publishing company where I kind of got to learn and do a little bit of everything including synch licensing (and mechanical, performance and print!) Then I moved to a role which was focused exclusively on synch and working with music supervisors, which was a nice set up for when I later went freelance; I had a nice little network of people looking for clearance help on the licensee side.
LN: Though growing in visibility, music supervision and clearing music for Film/TV have always had a tremendous impact on storytelling. Can you describe your mindset when either searching for tracks or clearing the perfect track for a scene? Is there such a thing as a perfect track?
MO: I think there are always many tracks that can work for one thing, but I think from what you're able to get and within the time frame you need it, sometimes there is only one "perfect" choice. But...I think a perfect song is probably one that takes the scene beyond what anyone had in mind for it.
LN: What do you find most rewarding or inspiring about working on this side of the music industry?
MO: I know clearance isn't as "creative" as supervision, but I do get a lot of joy from seeing the uses come to life on screen! Also, it's great seeing writers and artists get paid and knowing you had something to do with it as the negotiator.
I fell in love with copyright and licensing because it satisfied the part of me that likes to research and fact dive - I'm one of those nerds who's constantly looking up band wikis and just a bunch of useless information about songs.
LN: Do you have any standout projects that you’re especially proud of?
MO: I licensed a song I love by Sharon Van Etten called "Serpents" for Season 4 of The Walking Dead - and as silly as it sounds (because it's a show about zombies), the scene really moved me. Also, "Opening (from Glassworks)" by Philip Glass for an NFL commercial that ended up being a Superbowl spot... I just love Philip Glass.
LN: What was it like growing up just a few blocks away from our studio near Milwaukee, WI and then transitioning to places like New York and LA?
MO: I'm not too cool to say that my move from MKE to NYC was exciting, magical... I wish I could go back and experience it again for the first time. The move from NYC to LA was an adjustment, but now after 5 years here, I kind of love it. It's a great place to raise kids, and I've got two of those.
I think there are always many tracks that can work for one thing, but I think from what you're able to get and within the time frame you need it, sometimes there is only one "perfect" choice.
LN: What’s one thing about Wisconsin that you miss or you can’t get anywhere else?
MO: Racine kringles! Also cheese curds, but not the breaded, fried kind - the kind that come vacuum sealed and squeak when you bite into them!
LN: What do you do when you’re not kicking ass clearing music?
MO: I try to stay active in my community, and contribute to positive change in whatever small ways I can. I also like to play the piano, cook, and try to keep up with New Music Fridays!
LN: If you were trapped on a desert island, what 5 albums could you not live without?
MO: That’s tough..I don't know that I have a definitive "Desert Island Top 5,” but off the top of my head, five albums that I love and never seem to tire of are The Smiths - "The Queen Is Dead," "Nina Simone In Concert (Carnegie Hall)," Nada Surf - "Let Go," Liz Phair - "Exile In Guyville," and "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."
LN: What are three things about you that wouldn’t want left out of your Wikipedia page?
MO: An adoring mother, devoted music fan, and a proud Milwaukeean. (Also my epitaph.)