Andrew Apanov's Bio
Dotted Music, the digital marketing agency for the music industry, is the brainchild of Andrew Apanov, its pioneering founder and the musician's web keeper. It is the ongoing production of a life in the music industry, offering a full range of services, including digital marketing, websites and design, and online management. Live the story, Andrew's life, here.
So goes Andrew Apanov's dream. His years' experience in the music industry are down to his instinct that he should never hide behind the music, and he's done it the hard way. He has accomplished everything without ever having to stray too far from his home in Kaliningrad, Russia.
That's not to say that Andrew hasn't travelled far and wide in support of his dreams. His work, the lifeblood of Dotted Music's role as a digital marketing agency for the music industry, has seen him work with all of the major record labels and hundreds of indie labels alike. His experiences have even taken him from working with Slash's management to the production of chart-topping mobile music apps. Clearly Andrew transcends the stereotype of the bedroom-blogger, his years' experience in the music industry arming him with the contacts, technical know-how, and wisdom necessary for providing the rapidly-evolving music industry with the adaptable music services it demands: Dotted Music.
Deriving his verve for life and the music industry from the strong sea air of the Baltic, Andrew's experience far supersedes his youthful features and the days of his childhood when his primary involvement in music was a talent for the accordion.
What distinguishes Andrew from his peers is that his impressive web-presence is supported by real industry experience. Of course, he also has a Master's degree in Information Technology, but his erudition is complemented by his practical experience. Until 2012, Andrew spent eight years as the Editor-in-Chief of Ultimate-Guitar.com, the world's largest guitar-website in the world, while his diligence behind the scenes as the Project Manager of the company's mobile applications department supported the company's rapid entry into digital territories; these mobile apps enjoy chart-topping success on a variety of platforms.
But Andrew never forgot his roots. His involvement in Alexander Mars's XSSR Music Academy was the beginning of the Academy's first music marketing course for local aspiring musicians, DJs, and promoters; he also acts as a consultant to an audience comprised of locals and global citizens alike.
His next venture isn't as local as it is international, but the birth of Dotted Music Blog in 2009 remains a milestone in Andrew's pioneering role as The Musician's Web Keeper.
Although Dotted Music's goals are largely global, it remains a community inspired by friends, associates, and most importantly to Andrew, his beautiful wife, Katya, a broadcast journalist and rising film and music video director. Her involvement with Dotted Music is a blessing that Andrew cannot overlook.
Having the industry know-how and drive to succeed, a penchant for developing musicians' websites, and a heavy involvement in his local music scene, Andrew continues his involvement in a variety of deeply personal music projects. As a Drum & Bass DJ, Andrew played alongside the stars of the Drum & Bass genre, co-founding an Events Promotions company, Estation Promo(now defunct), which organised the biggest raves in Kaliningrad.
With his time now designated to Dotted Music, Andrew manages a dubstep act, PLAYMA, which is signed to leading UK label, Audioporn. His marriage to Katya continues to give Andrew fulfilment, both privately and professionally. Privately, Andrew remains a dedicated husband and friend, while professionally he and Katya embarked on the production of Dotted Music's inaugural music industry documentary, Stand Above The Noise. Work on the project began in July 2011, and it is slated for release in May 2012.
With a focus on music and marketing, Dotted Music's growth from blog to digital marketing agency is the culmination of Andrew's years of hard work in the music industry. He has come a long way from the days when his primary involvement in the industry was expressed through the accordion.
