CandyRat Plucks a Sweet Chord in Menomonee Falls

Menomonee Falls is home to home to some heavy-hitting companies in the industrial and commerial realms. However, did you know Falls is also home to a burgeoning company in the music industry?

For Rob and Holly Poland, music is a family business. Rob started the record label CandyRat Records in 2006, and it has grown to represent 56 artists. The label caters to contemporary acoustic and fingerstyle guitarists and singer/songwriters in the folk and indie music genres.

Fingerstyle guitar is a technique where the strings of the guitar are plucked with the fingers, and percussive techniques are used in addition to strumming.

Rob was inspired to open a record label after he promoted a few shows in the United States for Don Ross, a Canadian fingerstyle guitar artist.

A guitarist himself, as well as a businessman, Rob saw an opportunity to combine his interests to get involved in music from the business side.

Rob named the company with internet search engine optimization in mind. He found that “candy” was a frequently searched term on the internet, and found an available domain name using that word. Unfortunately, there is no interesting story behind the addition of “rat.”

CandyRat, represents artists from the U.S., Canada and Europe, and uses the internet as a tool to promote their artists and music.

Rob, Holly, and their three kids, ages 11 through 17, all get involved to create YouTube videos for their artists. Their latest “viral video” hit was Ewan Dobson’s “Time 2”, which was viewed over 1.4 million times in the first three months after its release.

CandyRat has a YouTube channel featuring its artists which has over 165,000 subscribers, and over 175 million views.

Although they sell their music online through retailers like Amazon, iTunes, and their own website, CandyRat also reaches out to fans through concerts.

Their first CandyRat Guitar Night was held April 16 through June 1 with 33 shows and stops all over the U.S., including Milwaukee on Apr. 22 at Shank Hall.

Twelve of CandyRat’s artists will be performing at the Canadian Guitar Festival in Kingston, Ontario on July 29-31, co-hosted by CandyRat, where Rob and Holly will also be scouting for new talent.

Guitarist Ewan Dobson was signed to CandyRat in 2008, after winning the competition at the Canadian Guitar Festival.

“We are always looking for new talent. We receive about five submissions each day, but we can’t sign everyone,” said Holly.

When they sign a new artist CandyRat works with them to record an album, usually either in the Poland’s home studio or a studio in Chicago. Their recording style is live-based with minimal editing or producing.

CandyRat pays for the cost of creating the CD, and owns the rights to the recording, but the artists retain the rights to their music, so they can record a song again for another album if desired.

This is a unique policy in the music industry, but the artists seem to appreciate the respect they get from CandyRat.

“The contract is very fair, and unheard of in the music industry. They are friendly and easy to work with,” said Craig D’Andrea.

D’Andrea, a guitarist based in Greenwich, Connecticut, has been with CandyRat since 2005, and has released 34 songs in three albums. He recently played in the CandyRat Guitar Night U.S. Tour, a showcase for different styles of guitar music.

“I enjoyed hearing each of the guitarists, who sounded nothing alike with just one instrument. For example, Ewan Dobson has a techno, video-game style, Gareth Pearson plays uptempo originals and Michael Jackson covers, and my music is laid-back and mellow,” said D’Andrea.

The assortment of musicians on the CandyRat label represent artists who have each found their own unique voice and developed their technique to match.

“New artists frequently submit music to CandyRat looking for feedback. We encourage young budding guitarists to find their voice, to keep it real, and be true to themselves,” said Holly.