We recently connected with Matt Smith and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Buffalo has always been a great music town: Rick James, Goo Goo Dolls, Snapcase, Willie Nile, Billy Sheehan, Dyke & the Blazers. I don’t think people outside of Buffalo realize. I was a ‘scene’ kid growing up in the mid-80s. Punk rock had an immense impact on my life and how I came to view the world on both a social and political level … I left Buffalo for my career and returned in the spring of 2022 after being away for 33 years. When I returned, I was curious what sort of music scene existed here now. Having been a journalist my whole life, I thought: why not start an online publication? I’m semi-retired, my kids are grown, and I have the time. So, I created a publication called 1120 Press covering Buffalo’s punk, hardcore and DIY scene. My objective starting out was two-fold: it was a way to immerse myself back into the culture in which I had grown up, and second — and maybe this is somewhat sanctimonious or lofty, but — I thought maybe it was a way to build community. That whole sense of community, at least for me, was always a cornerstone to the whole punk ethos. I knew it was a worthwhile endeavor because music has always been a vital component of Buffalo’s culture. And, I’ve been lucky and fortunate. I was welcomed with open arms by the people in the scene — musicians, artists, venue people, recording studio engineers & producers, promoters, and the other amazing DIY content creators here. Everyone has been so wonderful and they were an enormous help to me in pointing me in the right directions. Some people in the scene told me they had been waiting for a publication like 1120 Press, so I think it’s been able to succeed because people find value in it — and that’s what you aim for, right? You want to add value to those you aim to serve. The talent in Buffalo is immense. The bands here really deserve to be heard. There is no reason Buffalo can’t be another Seattle, Minneapolis or Athens. In fact, it should be. And the talent extends beyond music to visual artists and writers. There is a lot happening in Buffalo and it should be documented and it should be covered. Artists should not be operating in a vacuum. We’re all richer for what they do.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was born and raised in Buffalo, and growing up I had some behavioral issues you could say. I wasn’t the best student and I was often in trouble and then telling stories to get my way out of whatever jam in which I had ended up because of my behavior. My father one day told me I should become a writer because I was so full of you-know-what. That was about the extent of my career advice. But that said, my parents always encouraged my writing and creativity. They knew what I was good at and they pushed me to write. I was awful at math and science, so when it came time to choose a direction in life, I chose journalism. And things worked out. I went on to have a pretty successful career as a print reporter — one I can look back on with some sense of pride. I’m somewhat compulsive when it comes to creativity. I always have to be working on something creatively. I’m not good with down time. So, when I came back to Buffalo after I retired, I knew I wasn’t going to just be sitting around, and the thought of creating something that was my very own and combining what I loved — writing and music — just seemed natural. I also love Buffalo, so it’s been great to serve a segment of the community here — musicians and artists and DIY entrepreneurs — whom I admire. For me, it’s about community and I want my brand to reflect that.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think there are two traits on which 1120 Press’s reputation is built. One is Authenticity. This is a publication put out by actual journalists. We’re legitimate. We’re not faking it. And second, We care about the content we create on a very personal level. Our staff is made up of journalists, musicians and passionate music fans. We’re not some free supermarket magazine that exists to sell ads, which are supported by hollow, poorly written and reported stories. We want the artists and content creators we write about to succeed, the scene here to succeed and the city to succeed. We’re invested in what happens here.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is a must. That’s just the reality now. The important thing to know though is that no two platforms are the same. Each one serves a different function. We’re on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube. They all serve a different function for us. In order to understand their functions, you have to study your website analytics and get a feel for how your customers are using each platform. It’s ever-evolving. But social media is a must. Your customers/audience expect a presence.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.1120press.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1120press/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092754319094
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@1120Press/videos