If you had any doubt about the impact that Web 2.0 technologies like MySpace, blogging and YouTube are having on musicians and their ability to make a living without major label support, check out the New York Times article Sex, Drugs and Updating Your Blog (registration required). Tracking musicians like Jonathan Coulton (where I found out about the article on his very compelling blog GarageSpin), OK Go, The Hold Steady and Scene Aesthetic, it shows how these musicians are exploiting the power of the Internet to get their music heard and support themselves as true independent musicians. It also discusses the dark side of sudden MySpace or YouTube success but over all gives a very positive and downright inspiring view of what musicians can do in 2007 to make build up a fan base. Required reading if you are in a band!

Later.

Mark

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As I turn my sights away from the Rock and Roll Report site re-design (the heavy lifting has been done, the rest is merely fine tuning, right Graham?) and towards the upcoming Rock and Roll Report podcast I thought it appropriate to let you know a little bit about my vision for it and why I hope you will get involved.

There is currently a huge outcry amongst webcasters in the United States due to the recent Copyright Royalty Board ruling that essentially puts such an onerous burden on webcasters that it will in effect drive them out of business (see SaveNetRadio.Org for all the grim details). What most webcasters found infuriating in the extreme is that, far from promoting and encouraging Internet radio as the great promotional tool that it is because it is put together for the most part by passionate fans of the music that they are webcasting, organizations like the RIAA and Soundexchange are doing their best to snuff out this growing industry because it presents such a danger to the established ways that the majors have done business since the dawn of the vinyl record.

I am not one to slam the major record labels for the sake of fun (OK maybe a little bit) and I in fact listen and support a number of bands on these labels, everybody from The Tragically Hip, U2, Jet and Oasis to brand new Island Def Jam signing The 88. But it becomes clearer to me with every passing day as I am flooded with an amazing amount of CDs and MP3s that the major labels are no longer interested in digging up new, exciting talent and instead are more than content to cater to the lowest common musical denominator to give them the biggest bang for their corporate buck. I understand this but don’t use your mis-guided dinosaur business tactics and political pull to kill something that actually does something that you do not: nurtures new talent with a motive that looks beyond the bottom line and instead understands that, while music can be a business and money is a necessity to do what we do, we understand that music has always been about more than money. Music is a creative endeavor, one that is performed by artists not because they want to make tons of money (although there are plenty of musicians who have sacrificed artistic integrity for a pure profit motive but that is another story) but because they have a need to create. The difference is that now the artist has it within their grasp to make a living through a number of different avenues other than giving up all of their rights to their creations in order to suck on the corporate teat.

Podcasting is just one such avenue. I think I have demonstrated with Rock and Roll Report Radio that my mission is simply to play and promote rock and roll that I consider to be criminally under-played from artists toiling away on innumerable indie and DIY record labels which are in business because they are passionate about music. Go figure! The Rock and Roll Report podcast is just one outlet that they can use to promote their rock and roll vision to fans eager to be a part of the dream, and far from stealing their music, those fans will support these bands with their hard earned money because they want to, not because they are told to. That is why artists are creating “podsafe” music because they know that real music fans, if they like it will support them and not rip them off. Their podsafe songs are an investment in the best sense of the term. They give out in the spirit of sharing and are rewarded with a more direct relationship with their fans, a relationship not dictated or hindered by corporate politics and machinations.

The Rock and Roll Report podcast will build on Rock and Roll Report Radio but will be much more interactive and adventurous. Produced once a week, the approximately 20 minute show will feature anything from a specific label or band focus, theme shows, interviews, live events and just random rock and roll with insightful observations on life (ok that last comment is a bit of a stretch!). Show notes will be posted to The Rock and Roll Report with information on the artists played and where possible, direct links to purchase their CDs. A companion video podcast is in the discussion stage and hopefully we will be doing some live showcases which will be fodder for even more “special event” podcasts.

At the end of the day, The Rock and Roll Report is about treating those musicians we cover with the respect we feel that they deserve. We are passionate about our rock and roll and we want music fans to have a listen to what we think will float their rock and roll boat. We are giving artists and labels the opportunity to get the good word out and we hope that you will want to get involved because after all we are not the ones making the music, we are just the ones shouting about it from every rooftop that we can find. If this sounds like your cup of rock and roll tea contact us at contact@rockandrollreport.com and let’s get the ball rolling. Together we can prove to those who don’t know any better that rock and roll is alive and well and eager to jam up your iPod with sticky musical fun. Loud rock and roll with attitude, it’s what makes life worth living!

Later.

Mark

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by Dina LaPolt,

MusicDish Network Sponsor

In addition to income generated from traditional record sales, music used in films and television, and sources from music publishing, there are other income streams (some new and some not so new) available to the music industry. Please note that although the information contained in this article has been updated, it may be obsolete in a few months time as the music industry is changing so rapidly that those of us who work in it can hardly keep up! However, the one fact that remains constant is that music is now available everywhere.

Today, music is available through digital download services such as iTunes, eMusic, and Napster; streaming interactive subscription services such as Rhapsody and MusicNet as well as non-interactive subscription services via MusicChoice, Sirius, and XM Satellite; video games such as Grand Theft Auto and Madden Football as well as through your cell phone.

In addition, there are many Internet destination sites that are music driven and visited by millions and millions of people everyday such as MySpace (who, incidentally, just announced that they are working with SnoCap to try and launch a music download service that would let musicians sell music directly from their profiles and their fans’ profiles).

In an effort to keep the confusion at a minimum, below are just a few of the descriptions for some of these formats and the breakdown of some of the income paid to artists and songwriters and others.

Digital Downloads

According to Billboard Magazine, U.S. album sales dropped to 588.2 million in 2006, which is a 5 percent decrease from the 619 million copies scanned in 2005 and which is the first time since 1993 that the U.S. sales figure has slipped below the 600 million mark.

However, as grim as the foregoing may seem, the increase in U.S. digital sales hit an all time high, especially the week after Christmas 2006, with a whopping 30.1 million tracks sold according to Nielsen Soundscan (582 million downloads sold total for 2006).

This is a 51 percent increase from the 19.9 million digital tracks sold during the last week of the year in 2005. In addition, Fergie’s popular hit single, “Fergalicious” also set a new record for the most tracks sold in a single week with 249,000 downloads.

Although there are numerous digital download services available throughout the world, the most prominent seems to be Apple’s iTunes. Through mass marketing campaigns that extend throughout the world and feature such globally recognized artists such as Eminem, U2, and the Black Eyed Peas, iTunes is offered via both PC and Mac computers, which is then downloaded to a handheld device called an iPod.

By September 2006, iTunes reported a total of 1.5 billion downloads sold. In addition, indie-only specialist, eMusic, announced they have just surpassed the 100 million mark at the end of 2006. Pursuant to the iTunes agreement with the record labels, the iTunes share of income is $0.29 cents out of each $0.99 download.

The following sets forth the way in which many of the record labels in the U.S. pay third parties with respect to each $0.99 download, assuming that the recording agreement allocated the artist an “all in” royalty rate of 15% (i.e., which includes a producer royalty of 3 percent, leaving a “net artist” rate of 12 percent):

Artist iTunes Royalty (with wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

left $0.70 x 130% (wholesale markup) x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.1092 cents per download

Producer iTunes Royalty (with wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

left $0.70x 130% (wholesale markup) x 3% (producer rate) = $0.027 cents per download

Artist iTunes Royalty (without wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

left $0.70 x 12% (net artist net rate) = approximately $0.084 cents per download

Producer iTunes Royalty (without wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

left $0.70 x 3% (producer rate) = $0.021 cents per download

Although not widely practiced, there are some labels that take this further by first deducting the mechanical royalty from the $0.70 cents prior to calculating the iTunes royalty, which is then paid to the artist and the producer and which results in a lower royalty rate as follows:

Artist iTunes Royalty (with wholesale mark up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

left $0.70 less a digital mechanical royalty of $0.091 cents

left $0.609 x 130% (wholesale markup) x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.095

Artist iTunes Royalty (without wholesale mark up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

left $0.70 less a digital mechanical royalty of $0.091 cents

left $0.609 x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.073

With respect to mechanical royalties paid for digital distributions of musical compositions, although this may change in the future, record companies in the U.S. have been using a notice of compulsory license when notifying music publishers of their intention to offer digital downloads of musical compositions.

This ‘notice’ usually lists the record company, the recording artist, the name of the musical composition, the identity of the songwriters and music publishers, and the expected distribution date of the ‘digital phonograph delivery’ of the song.

These compulsory licenses are typically referred to as “DPD Licenses” and they are paid at the maximum statutory rate which is currently .091 cents for songs under 5 minutes or 1.65 cents per minute if the song is over 5 minutes.

For recordings produced pursuant to contracts entered after 1995, the law prohibits a controlled composition provision of the artists’ contract from discounting the compulsory DPD rate, so even if there is a controlled composition clause in the contract, the singer-songwriter should receive the entire .091 cents.

(more…)

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INDIE NEWS BEAT
April 12, 2006 Edition
* Music Talks Sessions Hosts Live Tele-Video
* Backbone And IBS Creating First Internet Student Radio Network
* MusicWorld3D Mobile Live Concert Streaming Rig is on the Road!
* The Soul Jazz Festival Announces Line Up
* “All Things Digital” Artist Contest
* MusicDish Network To Provide Email Management Through FanBridge
* MusicDish Network & Airplay Direct Renew Strategic Partnership
* Eric de Fontenay Ready To Shake Things Up At ‘Strategies for Success’

Music Talks Sessions Hosts Live Tele-Video “Online Gigs” Demonstration Session & “Marketing Madness” Panel

MUSIC TALKS SESSIONS (MTS), the New York City based educational forum focused on musical entrepreneurship and personal development for recording artists has expanded its services to Los Angeles California. Now in its second year, MTS produces two special sessions rounding out what has been a productive 2007 season! “We are humbled to see West Cost recording artists embrace Music Talks Sessions”, said David Knight, founder of Music Talks Sessions.

In the first of the two special sessions, MTS and Onlinegigs.com team up to host its first “Live” Tele-Video presentation session (NY: May 29). Onlinegigs.com founder and CEO, Jay Flanzbaum will remotely demonstrate to the MTS community, the one-of-a-kind features Onlinegigs.com provides. Onlinegigs Version 4 is a real time Internet-based booking, promotional and management tool. It fully automates the booking and promotional process for bands, booking agents, record companies and music managers. Online Gigs is a comprehensive Artist & Event management solution that is revolutionizing the way gig opportunities are tracked, booked and promoted; from finding the right venue to automatically updating website gigs and tour dates, Myspace page, or contacting fans about upcoming performances right on their cell phones. Onlinegigs offers a powerful answer to artists seeking new nationwide venues, tour management, fan communications, and much more.

Marketing Madness is the grand finale for the 2007 Music Talks Sessions season (NY: Jun 26, LA: Jun 24). It brings twelve marketing professionals together to participate on panels during the New York and Los Angeles June Music Talks Sessions. Each selected panelist brings a specific style of marketing to the session. Marketing styles include grassroots, online marketing/website design, print media, retail and corporate marketing. NY Panelists include Business Week best selling author of “Your Marketing Sucks”, Mark Stevens (MSCO); Founder of The ONswitch, Nancy A. Shenker; and Editor-in-chief of The Deli Magazine, Paolo DeGregorio. Panelists in LA include the Editor of All Access Magazine, Debra Stocker; Sales Director of Audiomidi.com, Tony Adams; and owner of Soundstruck.com, Dina Gathe to name a few. The Marketing Madness sessions were created to broaden the spectrum of marketing concepts to artists. “Marketing continues to be the center of discussion during our monthly Music Talks Sessions. Many recording artists are confused or lack the knowledge and tools on how to run a successful marketing campaign for their music business”, says Knight.

Music Talks Sessions is committed to creating and producing educational sessions and to building an interactive community for artists seeking a full-time career in the music and recording industries. Our mission is to cultivate “musical entrepreneurship” and personal development for artists, songwriters, producers and musicians.

Source:

Backbone And IBS Creating First Internet Student Radio Network

Backbone Networks Corporation announced that, in cooperation with the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS), it is launching the first true Internet radio network, one that specifically aims at enhancing the student radio experience. The IBS Digital Radio Network will use Backbone’s advanced client-server radio software to enable student operated stations to syndicate live and produced programming among member stations, as well as automatically access a vast amount of royalty-free programming from worldwide third-party sources such as Trakheadz.com.

Network stations will be offered collections of news feeds, royalty-free music from emerging and alternative independent artists, and other programming that will be available only to stations on the Network. Member stations will be able to draw programming from one another through shared server databases, as well as have access to each other’s live feeds, including sporting events and concerts. A simple laptop computer with a wireless card will enable a school correspondent to cover remote events, including play-by-play coverage of “away” games.

“This type of network and the sharing it enables is what college radio is all about”, said Fritz Kass of the Intercollegiate Broadcast System, “we look forward to the new and innovative programming this network will enable for our member stations”. “Internet webcasting and streaming is another medium to get radio out to the masses.”, said Michael Keith, Professor of Communications at Boston College and the author of The Radio Station, “Establishing an Internet radio network is an event that will transition the future of broadcasting and enable more independent voices to be heard.”

The IBS Digital Network builds upon (Apple’s QuickTime) MPEG-4 AAC, the worldwide streaming standard, as its streaming format. Conforming to this standard not only ensures universal acceptance across all listening platforms, but it also enables each school to partner with the Apple’s iTunes store in preparing material, including artist/album annotation and cover art images that display to listeners’ free QuickTime or iTunes players. Stations only need an Apple Macintosh computer, a microphone and a simple DSL connection to be on the air. All program automation software is provided by Backbone, as well as all server storage, streaming broadcast bandwidth and automated reporting software.

Although there has recently been substantial industry-wide consternation regarding webcasting royalties, IBS Digital Network member stations, as non-commercial entities, will be covered by a maximum royalty obligation of $500 per year, according to the recent CRB ruling. Stations will, with a mouseclick, be able to generate RIAA-compliant listener logs precisely specifying the per-performance records required by the CRB.

A 25-school proof-of-concept pilot project commences this spring and runs through early September. Upon this successful pilot run, additional IBS member schools will be added to the network in the fall.

Backbone Networks personnel will be available at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) exhibition, booth SL6709, to discuss the IBS Digital Network in detail with interested parties, including schools and content providers.

Source:

MusicWorld3D Mobile Live Concert Streaming Rig is on the Road!

Over the past year, many have enjoyed the live streaming concerts featured by the Metro Underground, a Virtual Venue in the 3D Music Community known as Musician’s Playground 3D including artists such as Vocal Drop, Matt O’Ree, Mr Bella, Madison Fair, and Veronica’s Veil to name a few. Our newest Virtual Venue is Ybor Cigar and Spirits in Lakeland Florida, and soon we will be adding many others. This gives a plethera of concert choices to our 3D users that can be enjoyed free of charge in the comfort of their homes, will providing a social setting due to the interactive nature of our Virtual Music Community.

New to our Net TV programming is the “LIVE MOBILE” streaming concerts. Featuring artists performing in Florida club venues, MusicWorld3D.com is bringing the concert experience directly to the homes of “citizens” of the 3D multi user Virtual Reality Music Cummunity that is at the center of our concept.

Our concerts are streamed to video screens in various concert venues within the 3D World. Users simply click the screen to connect to the stream to enjoy the show. This experience is enjoyed in real time with other concert goers who can interact via the built in chat included with the free 3D Browser which can be downloaded from our main website http://musicworld3d.com . And best of all, there is no charge to join the community or to visit as a “tourist” to enjoy these live events which are featured nearly every week. The shows are also archived and can be viewed “on demand” upon request.

Utilizing two high resolution cameras connected to special video proccessing equipment enables our on location technicians to incoporate scene fades, wipes, resolves and other special effects in real time to further enhance the viewer’s experience. The audio is embedded in the stream in CD quality, and is also “in 3D”. If you turn left or right, the sound will pan just as if you were standing right in front of the stage, making the experience totally immersive.

We have had the pleasure of streaming artists such as Bitter Edge, The 7th Floor, and Matt O’Ree to name a few, and have upcoming events including Tammy Hatch, Ruby James, Billy Norris among many others. We are excited to be bringing a concert event May, 20th from Revolutions in Ft Lauderdale Florida featuring more than twenty bands on two stages.

Source:

The Soul Jazz Festival Announces Line Up

MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, announced that it has joined The Soul Jazz Festival as a media sponsor. The Soul Jazz Festival is a two-day music event being held on May 6 at the Crown Canyon Park to celebrate the worlds of jazz, soul and other forms of jazz influenced rhythms.

The festival features an illustrious line-up, including MusicDish’s own Kobo Town, Ray Brown Jr. (Ella Fitzgerald’s son), Johnny Holiday, Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets, Brian Jackson Original Guerilla Band, MO’ Rockin Project and Kim Hoyer. A portion of the proceeds generated from ticket sales will be donated to Active Music and GEN Art.

MusicDish has noticeably expanded its outreach effort in 2007, sponsoring major conferences such as MIDEM, Popkomm and NXNE as well as launching its ‘10th Anniversary’ showcase series in Toronto during Canadian Music Week. “MusicDish has always maintained a presence on the conference circuit,” said MusicDIsh founder Eric de Fontenay. “But as we evolve into artist development and management, we’ve felt it necessary to be much more aggressive on all fronts, from industry showcases to festivals and tours.”

Soul Jazz Festival Info:
When: Saturday, May 26th, 2007
Memorial Day Weekend
Times: Gates open 11:00am
Performances Start 12:00 noon ­ 8:00pm

Where: Crow Canyon Park, Castro Valley
8000 Crow Canyon Road
Castro Valley, CA 94552
www.crowcanyonpark.com

Tickets: $45.00 General Admission
Tickets On Sale Now Call: 800-594-8499
Order Tickets Online At www.souljazzfestival.com

Source:

“All Things Digital” Artist Contest

AirPlay Direct is pleased to announce our first “All Things Digital” artist contest.

Throughout the month of April, AirPlay Direct and Holland Media Promotions will be co-sponsoring our first “All Things Digital” artist promotion contest for our artist / label members. We will be awarding one Grand Prize package, winner takes all. The winning song / artist will receive the Grand Prize package which will include a digital radio / media promotion campaign from HMP and a premier “Featured Artist” advertising package from AirPlay Direct. The Grand Prize package is valued at over $3,000…! We will combine the industry expertise of HMP with the power and speed of AirPlay Direct’s digital “smart-tools” to promote the winning single globally.

This contest is FREE and very simple… the best song wins. You must be an AirPlay Direct member to enter; all genres of music are welcome. Pick your best songs, you can submit from 1 to 3 tracks. Submit your AirPlay Direct Digital Promo Kit / DPK to HMP at daniel@hollandmediapromotion.nl . If you are not already an AirPlay Direct member please visit www.AirPlayDirect.com to register for our FREE digital services.

Deadline for submissions is April 25th. The winner will be announced and “Featured” in the AirPlay Direct Radio Programmers Newsletter for May, as well as in a company press release to all media outlets.

Source:

MusicDish Network To Provide Email Management Through FanBridge

MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, has partnered with FanBridge, a state of the art email and mobile fan list management solution, to help support its expanding roster of acts under its artist development arm, MusicDish Network.

“As a decade-old online magazine publisher, we know all too well the power of email in developing brand and community,” noted MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay. “Unfortunately, most artists are unable to effectively manage their list over time. This partnership will help us leverage the full power of email for our acts.”

Through FanBridge, MusicDish will be able to build and maintain their rosters’ fan lists as well as monitor all email and mobile campaigns, whether newsletters or promotional. Of particularly benefit to its touring artists is the ability to geo-target by zip code and schedule emails/text messages to be sent while on the road.

As a MusicDish partner, FanBridge will receive prominent exposure through all its online media properties and newsletters as well as events. MusicDish will also be providing the FanBridge site with music related content as well as a branded newswire featuring up-to-date coverage of the independent music community.

“We are excited to be working with MusicDish,” commented FanBridge co-founder Spencer Richardson. “In addition to helping support the MusicDish roster, this partnership will allow us to offer our own global user base greater access to the valuable career building resources that MusicDish has to offer.”

Source:

MusicDish Network & Airplay Direct Renew Strategic Partnership

MusicDish Network, the artist development arm of MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, and digital music promotions company AirPlay Direct have renewed their strategic partnership for 2007.

Under the agreement, MusicDish will reinvigorate its promotional support for Airplay Direct through all its online properties, including its syndication Network. In addition to branding opportunities through the Airplay Direct site, both parties will collaborate to conduct special promotional campaign targeted to radio programmers. A case in point, Airplay Direct will be promoting Mashed Buddha’s latest EP slated for release digitally this spring, including through its Radio Programmers newsletter sent out monthly to over 1,300 radio station members in 71 countries around the world.

“Airplay Direct will significantly increase our ability to reach and influence radio programmers, giving us the ability to test a single or album before doing a full radio promotion campaign,” noted MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay.

“The MusicDish Network has a great track record and has done a tremendous job of helping artists achieve success on many levels and across varied platforms. We look forward to working closely with the MusicDish Network to help them deliver their music globally in a faster, more secure, and extremely cost effective manner,” said Robert Weingartz, CEO of AirPlay Direct.

Source:

Eric de Fontenay Ready To Shake Things Up At ‘Strategies for Success’ Seminar & Showcase

MusicDish Founder and President Eric de Fontenay has been invited to speak at the ‘Inside the Music Business’ Strategies for Success Seminar & Showcase being held on Saturday April 28th at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale. Eric will be participating on the ‘Marketing and Promotion’ and ‘The Online/Digital Music Business’ panels.

Inside the Music Business ‘Strategies for Success’ will be co-hosted by Eric Kline, President of the Inside the Music Business brand of products and services and Adam Gaynor, Grammy nominated and multi-platinum recording artist formerly of Matchbox Twenty. The seminar presents a new paradigm in the ever-changing music industry ­ a true insider’s view of how the business really works. The all-encompassing music community event features more than 30 artists, producers, songwriters, attorneys, programmers from the worlds of Rock, Urban, Country, Pop, Latin, Dance, Americana/Folk and Christian music… all converging for an explosive one-day experience of education, networking, and showcasing. Unsigned artists who sign up by April 12th, are put into consideration to be a part of the showcase. Winners will be a part of the event DVD, radio show special and will win an �Inside the Music Business’ prize package.

Eric de Fontenay has also been invited to present his seminar “Are You Ready To Innovate In The Digital Marketplace?” at NewMusicWest 2007, being held in Vancouver, Canada on May 2-6. The seminar was originally developed for and presented at MIDEM 2007, held recently in Cannes, France. He will also be giving one of the keynotes at “The Future of Music,” being held in conjunction with the SPOT Music Festival in Aarhus, Holland on May 31.

Source:

Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2007 - Republished with Permission

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INDIE NEWS BEAT
April 12, 2006 Edition
* Music Talks Sessions Hosts Live Tele-Video
* Backbone And IBS Creating First Internet Student Radio Network
* MusicWorld3D Mobile Live Concert Streaming Rig is on the Road!
* The Soul Jazz Festival Announces Line Up
* “All Things Digital” Artist Contest
* MusicDish Network To Provide Email Management Through FanBridge
* MusicDish Network & Airplay Direct Renew Strategic Partnership
* Eric de Fontenay Ready To Shake Things Up At ‘Strategies for Success’

Music Talks Sessions Hosts Live Tele-Video “Online Gigs” Demonstration Session & “Marketing Madness” Panel

MUSIC TALKS SESSIONS (MTS), the New York City based educational forum focused on musical entrepreneurship and personal development for recording artists has expanded its services to Los Angeles California. Now in its second year, MTS produces two special sessions rounding out what has been a productive 2007 season! “We are humbled to see West Cost recording artists embrace Music Talks Sessions”, said David Knight, founder of Music Talks Sessions.

In the first of the two special sessions, MTS and Onlinegigs.com team up to host its first “Live” Tele-Video presentation session (NY: May 29). Onlinegigs.com founder and CEO, Jay Flanzbaum will remotely demonstrate to the MTS community, the one-of-a-kind features Onlinegigs.com provides. Onlinegigs Version 4 is a real time Internet-based booking, promotional and management tool. It fully automates the booking and promotional process for bands, booking agents, record companies and music managers. Online Gigs is a comprehensive Artist & Event management solution that is revolutionizing the way gig opportunities are tracked, booked and promoted; from finding the right venue to automatically updating website gigs and tour dates, Myspace page, or contacting fans about upcoming performances right on their cell phones. Onlinegigs offers a powerful answer to artists seeking new nationwide venues, tour management, fan communications, and much more.

Marketing Madness is the grand finale for the 2007 Music Talks Sessions season (NY: Jun 26, LA: Jun 24). It brings twelve marketing professionals together to participate on panels during the New York and Los Angeles June Music Talks Sessions. Each selected panelist brings a specific style of marketing to the session. Marketing styles include grassroots, online marketing/website design, print media, retail and corporate marketing. NY Panelists include Business Week best selling author of “Your Marketing Sucks”, Mark Stevens (MSCO); Founder of The ONswitch, Nancy A. Shenker; and Editor-in-chief of The Deli Magazine, Paolo DeGregorio. Panelists in LA include the Editor of All Access Magazine, Debra Stocker; Sales Director of Audiomidi.com, Tony Adams; and owner of Soundstruck.com, Dina Gathe to name a few. The Marketing Madness sessions were created to broaden the spectrum of marketing concepts to artists. “Marketing continues to be the center of discussion during our monthly Music Talks Sessions. Many recording artists are confused or lack the knowledge and tools on how to run a successful marketing campaign for their music business”, says Knight.

Music Talks Sessions is committed to creating and producing educational sessions and to building an interactive community for artists seeking a full-time career in the music and recording industries. Our mission is to cultivate “musical entrepreneurship” and personal development for artists, songwriters, producers and musicians.

Source:

Backbone And IBS Creating First Internet Student Radio Network

Backbone Networks Corporation announced that, in cooperation with the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS), it is launching the first true Internet radio network, one that specifically aims at enhancing the student radio experience. The IBS Digital Radio Network will use Backbone’s advanced client-server radio software to enable student operated stations to syndicate live and produced programming among member stations, as well as automatically access a vast amount of royalty-free programming from worldwide third-party sources such as Trakheadz.com.

Network stations will be offered collections of news feeds, royalty-free music from emerging and alternative independent artists, and other programming that will be available only to stations on the Network. Member stations will be able to draw programming from one another through shared server databases, as well as have access to each other’s live feeds, including sporting events and concerts. A simple laptop computer with a wireless card will enable a school correspondent to cover remote events, including play-by-play coverage of “away” games.

“This type of network and the sharing it enables is what college radio is all about”, said Fritz Kass of the Intercollegiate Broadcast System, “we look forward to the new and innovative programming this network will enable for our member stations”. “Internet webcasting and streaming is another medium to get radio out to the masses.”, said Michael Keith, Professor of Communications at Boston College and the author of The Radio Station, “Establishing an Internet radio network is an event that will transition the future of broadcasting and enable more independent voices to be heard.”

The IBS Digital Network builds upon (Apple’s QuickTime) MPEG-4 AAC, the worldwide streaming standard, as its streaming format. Conforming to this standard not only ensures universal acceptance across all listening platforms, but it also enables each school to partner with the Apple’s iTunes store in preparing material, including artist/album annotation and cover art images that display to listeners’ free QuickTime or iTunes players. Stations only need an Apple Macintosh computer, a microphone and a simple DSL connection to be on the air. All program automation software is provided by Backbone, as well as all server storage, streaming broadcast bandwidth and automated reporting software.

Although there has recently been substantial industry-wide consternation regarding webcasting royalties, IBS Digital Network member stations, as non-commercial entities, will be covered by a maximum royalty obligation of $500 per year, according to the recent CRB ruling. Stations will, with a mouseclick, be able to generate RIAA-compliant listener logs precisely specifying the per-performance records required by the CRB.

A 25-school proof-of-concept pilot project commences this spring and runs through early September. Upon this successful pilot run, additional IBS member schools will be added to the network in the fall.

Backbone Networks personnel will be available at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) exhibition, booth SL6709, to discuss the IBS Digital Network in detail with interested parties, including schools and content providers.

Source:

MusicWorld3D Mobile Live Concert Streaming Rig is on the Road!

Over the past year, many have enjoyed the live streaming concerts featured by the Metro Underground, a Virtual Venue in the 3D Music Community known as Musician’s Playground 3D including artists such as Vocal Drop, Matt O’Ree, Mr Bella, Madison Fair, and Veronica’s Veil to name a few. Our newest Virtual Venue is Ybor Cigar and Spirits in Lakeland Florida, and soon we will be adding many others. This gives a plethera of concert choices to our 3D users that can be enjoyed free of charge in the comfort of their homes, will providing a social setting due to the interactive nature of our Virtual Music Community.

New to our Net TV programming is the “LIVE MOBILE” streaming concerts. Featuring artists performing in Florida club venues, MusicWorld3D.com is bringing the concert experience directly to the homes of “citizens” of the 3D multi user Virtual Reality Music Cummunity that is at the center of our concept.

Our concerts are streamed to video screens in various concert venues within the 3D World. Users simply click the screen to connect to the stream to enjoy the show. This experience is enjoyed in real time with other concert goers who can interact via the built in chat included with the free 3D Browser which can be downloaded from our main website http://musicworld3d.com . And best of all, there is no charge to join the community or to visit as a “tourist” to enjoy these live events which are featured nearly every week. The shows are also archived and can be viewed “on demand” upon request.

Utilizing two high resolution cameras connected to special video proccessing equipment enables our on location technicians to incoporate scene fades, wipes, resolves and other special effects in real time to further enhance the viewer’s experience. The audio is embedded in the stream in CD quality, and is also “in 3D”. If you turn left or right, the sound will pan just as if you were standing right in front of the stage, making the experience totally immersive.

We have had the pleasure of streaming artists such as Bitter Edge, The 7th Floor, and Matt O’Ree to name a few, and have upcoming events including Tammy Hatch, Ruby James, Billy Norris among many others. We are excited to be bringing a concert event May, 20th from Revolutions in Ft Lauderdale Florida featuring more than twenty bands on two stages.

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The Soul Jazz Festival Announces Line Up

MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, announced that it has joined The Soul Jazz Festival as a media sponsor. The Soul Jazz Festival is a two-day music event being held on May 6 at the Crown Canyon Park to celebrate the worlds of jazz, soul and other forms of jazz influenced rhythms.

The festival features an illustrious line-up, including MusicDish’s own Kobo Town, Ray Brown Jr. (Ella Fitzgerald’s son), Johnny Holiday, Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets, Brian Jackson Original Guerilla Band, MO’ Rockin Project and Kim Hoyer. A portion of the proceeds generated from ticket sales will be donated to Active Music and GEN Art.

MusicDish has noticeably expanded its outreach effort in 2007, sponsoring major conferences such as MIDEM, Popkomm and NXNE as well as launching its ‘10th Anniversary’ showcase series in Toronto during Canadian Music Week. “MusicDish has always maintained a presence on the conference circuit,” said MusicDIsh founder Eric de Fontenay. “But as we evolve into artist development and management, we’ve felt it necessary to be much more aggressive on all fronts, from industry showcases to festivals and tours.”

Soul Jazz Festival Info:
When: Saturday, May 26th, 2007
Memorial Day Weekend
Times: Gates open 11:00am
Performances Start 12:00 noon ­ 8:00pm

Where: Crow Canyon Park, Castro Valley
8000 Crow Canyon Road
Castro Valley, CA 94552
www.crowcanyonpark.com

Tickets: $45.00 General Admission
Tickets On Sale Now Call: 800-594-8499
Order Tickets Online At www.souljazzfestival.com

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“All Things Digital” Artist Contest

AirPlay Direct is pleased to announce our first “All Things Digital” artist contest.

Throughout the month of April, AirPlay Direct and Holland Media Promotions will be co-sponsoring our first “All Things Digital” artist promotion contest for our artist / label members. We will be awarding one Grand Prize package, winner takes all. The winning song / artist will receive the Grand Prize package which will include a digital radio / media promotion campaign from HMP and a premier “Featured Artist” advertising package from AirPlay Direct. The Grand Prize package is valued at over $3,000…! We will combine the industry expertise of HMP with the power and speed of AirPlay Direct’s digital “smart-tools” to promote the winning single globally.

This contest is FREE and very simple… the best song wins. You must be an AirPlay Direct member to enter; all genres of music are welcome. Pick your best songs, you can submit from 1 to 3 tracks. Submit your AirPlay Direct Digital Promo Kit / DPK to HMP at daniel@hollandmediapromotion.nl . If you are not already an AirPlay Direct member please visit www.AirPlayDirect.com to register for our FREE digital services.

Deadline for submissions is April 25th. The winner will be announced and “Featured” in the AirPlay Direct Radio Programmers Newsletter for May, as well as in a company press release to all media outlets.

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MusicDish Network To Provide Email Management Through FanBridge

MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, has partnered with FanBridge, a state of the art email and mobile fan list management solution, to help support its expanding roster of acts under its artist development arm, MusicDish Network.

“As a decade-old online magazine publisher, we know all too well the power of email in developing brand and community,” noted MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay. “Unfortunately, most artists are unable to effectively manage their list over time. This partnership will help us leverage the full power of email for our acts.”

Through FanBridge, MusicDish will be able to build and maintain their rosters’ fan lists as well as monitor all email and mobile campaigns, whether newsletters or promotional. Of particularly benefit to its touring artists is the ability to geo-target by zip code and schedule emails/text messages to be sent while on the road.

As a MusicDish partner, FanBridge will receive prominent exposure through all its online media properties and newsletters as well as events. MusicDish will also be providing the FanBridge site with music related content as well as a branded newswire featuring up-to-date coverage of the independent music community.

“We are excited to be working with MusicDish,” commented FanBridge co-founder Spencer Richardson. “In addition to helping support the MusicDish roster, this partnership will allow us to offer our own global user base greater access to the valuable career building resources that MusicDish has to offer.”

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MusicDish Network & Airplay Direct Renew Strategic Partnership

MusicDish Network, the artist development arm of MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, and digital music promotions company AirPlay Direct have renewed their strategic partnership for 2007.

Under the agreement, MusicDish will reinvigorate its promotional support for Airplay Direct through all its online properties, including its syndication Network. In addition to branding opportunities through the Airplay Direct site, both parties will collaborate to conduct special promotional campaign targeted to radio programmers. A case in point, Airplay Direct will be promoting Mashed Buddha’s latest EP slated for release digitally this spring, including through its Radio Programmers newsletter sent out monthly to over 1,300 radio station members in 71 countries around the world.

“Airplay Direct will significantly increase our ability to reach and influence radio programmers, giving us the ability to test a single or album before doing a full radio promotion campaign,” noted MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay.

“The MusicDish Network has a great track record and has done a tremendous job of helping artists achieve success on many levels and across varied platforms. We look forward to working closely with the MusicDish Network to help them deliver their music globally in a faster, more secure, and extremely cost effective manner,” said Robert Weingartz, CEO of AirPlay Direct.

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Eric de Fontenay Ready To Shake Things Up At ‘Strategies for Success’ Seminar & Showcase

MusicDish Founder and President Eric de Fontenay has been invited to speak at the ‘Inside the Music Business’ Strategies for Success Seminar & Showcase being held on Saturday April 28th at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale. Eric will be participating on the ‘Marketing and Promotion’ and ‘The Online/Digital Music Business’ panels.

Inside the Music Business ‘Strategies for Success’ will be co-hosted by Eric Kline, President of the Inside the Music Business brand of products and services and Adam Gaynor, Grammy nominated and multi-platinum recording artist formerly of Matchbox Twenty. The seminar presents a new paradigm in the ever-changing music industry ­ a true insider’s view of how the business really works. The all-encompassing music community event features more than 30 artists, producers, songwriters, attorneys, programmers from the worlds of Rock, Urban, Country, Pop, Latin, Dance, Americana/Folk and Christian music… all converging for an explosive one-day experience of education, networking, and showcasing. Unsigned artists who sign up by April 12th, are put into consideration to be a part of the showcase. Winners will be a part of the event DVD, radio show special and will win an �Inside the Music Business’ prize package.

Eric de Fontenay has also been invited to present his seminar “Are You Ready To Innovate In The Digital Marketplace?” at NewMusicWest 2007, being held in Vancouver, Canada on May 2-6. The seminar was originally developed for and presented at MIDEM 2007, held recently in Cannes, France. He will also be giving one of the keynotes at “The Future of Music,” being held in conjunction with the SPOT Music Festival in Aarhus, Holland on May 31.

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Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2007 - Republished with Permission

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INDIE NEWS BEAT
April 4, 2006 Edition
* Polarity/1 Music Featured on Danny Schechter Documentary ‘In Debt We Trust’
* Miss Kristin Is Back At It Again
* Inside the Music Business’ Seminar & Showcase An Unprecedented Chance to Network
* Karlex Tours Holland In Support Of “Ghetto Fabulous” Release
* Amy Speace Recognized By International Acoustic Music Awards
* Kobo Town Bandleader Drew Gonsalves To Open For ‘Skin and Bone’ Launch Party
* MusicDish Asks ‘Are You Ready To Innovate?’ At NewMusicWest 2007
* Rose Beach Brings ‘Family Love’ To MusicDish Network
* MusicDish Network Embraces The Love Kills Theory

Polarity/1 Music Featured on Danny Schechter Documentary ‘In Debt We Trust’

In Debt We Trust, a feature-length documentary directed by Emmy Award winner Danny Schechter and premiering this April, will bring music by NY-based composer and recording artist Polarity/1 to theaters around the country. The film features instrumental music by Polarity/1 and Audioplasm (Polarity/1 and Rubio) as well as two songs written for the film — Free Money (included on Polarity/1’s Prettier Than You CD) and I’m So Broke (by Audioplasm).

In Debt We Trust will be screened in:

- Rochester, NY April 2-5 at the Little Theater, 240 East Ave. at 7PM
- Manhattan April 4 & 5 at the QUAD on 34 W.13th St. at 7PM
- Los Angeles April 13 at the Fine Arts Theatre, 8556 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills at 7PM
- Bellingham, WA April 14 & 15 at the Pickford Theatre, 1416 Cornwall Ave.
- Boston April 19 at Northeastern University, Snell Library Rm 217 in the Media Center at noon

In Debt We Trust shows how debt is strangling the lives of tens of millions of Americans, and consolidating power into fewer and fewer hands by a credit and loan complex not unlike the military-industrial complex. This has been called the “financialization” of America ­- producing a kind of “modern serfdom” and widening the gap between the haves and have-nots. The 88-minute documentary is being distributed to theaters and communities as part of a new national campaign, Americans for Debt Relief Now, that aims to help Americans win freedom from the desperation of this overwhelming debt.

The music of Polarity/1 is exactly what the name suggests: conjoined opposites - a mash-up of new: cutting edge electronica/hip hop/nu-jazz and old: roots music of America (blues, funk, country, early jazz), Brazil (samba, pagode, etc.) and West African groove science. “Polar succeeds in his mission of forcing you to pay attention and not lull into the sounds you ‘expect’ to hear,” noted StarPolish.com

Currently, Polarity/1 is best known for political songs which are a regular feature of Amy Goodman’s globally syndicated Democracy Now, NPR and many other politics-oriented broadcasts, used in college courses on media and licensed for use in documentaries.

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Miss Kristin Is Back At It Again, Creating Impressive New Music In Her Own Unique Way!

Amazing Power is a collection of eleven love songs in which Miss Kristin articulates the hope that is born with love and the acceptance or rejection that follows.

Nowhere is this idea more explicit than in “Agony and Ecstasy”, a graceful song with a beautiful chorus in which Kristin sings, ‘Falling in love is bittersweet, the agony and the ecstasy’. Love is shown as being a double-edged sword, capable of bringing great joy or stinging dejection when left unfulfilled. This theme is carried through on several tracks including “Tangled Up in Blue”, a catchy upbeat number that belies the anguished retelling of a breakup, suggesting a personal effort to counter affect the blues of rejection.

“All I Ever Want” is a real gem, a country-flavored song of quiet determination featuring a fiddle and pedal steel guitar that together produce a very sweet lilting sound that displays the range of Miss Kristin’s songwriting skills. There are always a few rockers up Miss Kristin’s sleeve, here being “Fall Away” and “Immigration Song”, a driving rocker pumped up with Kristin’s furious rhythm guitar playing and a scorching lead.

Miss Kristin composed, arranged and produced all the songs on Amazing Power, as well as supplying all the vocals, some rhythm guitar and even keyboards. The amazing power she refers to is that of love, and her message seems to be that love, with its inherent possibilities of rejection and loss, is ultimately an affirmative power that should be pursued regardless of the costs. As such, it is an album of encouragement and eternal hope.

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Inside the Music Business’ Seminar & Showcase An Unprecedented Chance to Network, Learn And Be Discovered’

Inside the Music Business ‘Strategies For Success’ Seminar and Showcase will be co-hosted by Grammy nominated and multi-platinum artist Adam Gaynor formerly of Matchbox Twenty. This announcement made today by Eric Kline, CEO of the ‘Inside the Music Business’ brand of products and services. Kline is also serving double duty as Executive Producer and co-host of the event.

On Saturday April 28th, indie artists, aspiring music business professionals, and music industry power players will gather to network, learn and be discovered at the Inside the Music Business ‘Strategies for Success’ Seminar & Showcase taking place at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale.

‘Strategies for Success’ presents a new paradigm in the ever-changing music industry ­ a true insider’s view of how the business really works. The all-encompassing music community event features more than 30 artists, producers, songwriters, attorneys, programmers from the worlds of Rock, Urban, Country, Pop, Latin, Dance, Americana/Folk and Christian musicŠ all converging for an explosive one-day experience of education, networking, and showcasing.

For unsigned & indie artists of all genres, it could also be a ‘chance of a lifetime’ says Kline. “It’s not everyday that you get to interact with and have an opportunity to showcase for power players in the music business like Adam Gaynor, MC Serch (White Rapper Show), Grammy nominated Producer Steve Bogard and Label Executive Mike Mack (Rap-A-Lot) to name a few.”

Those who sign up for the seminar by April 12th (http://www.insidethemusicbusiness.com price is $125) are automatically put into consideration to perform at the VIP showcase by submitting their website or MySpace page during registration. From that pool of registrants, says Kline, an independent panel of industry producers, executives, artists and managers will pick ten performers.

Those chosen will perform at the invite-only showcase and will also appear on the syndicated Inside the Music Business radio special, national event DVD and will win an ‘Inside the Music Business prize package.

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Karlex Tours Holland In Support Of “Ghetto Fabulous” Release

Lil’ People Records announced dates for Haitian American artist Karlex‘ tour in support of the Dutch release of his album “Ghetto Fabulous”. The tour will launch from Haarlem on April 17th and travel through three cities before returning to Haarlem on the 22nd.

April 17th, Café de Stiels - Haarlem
April 18th, Het Bluescafe - Apeldoorn
April 19th, Het Hjigend Hert - Breda
April 20th, Jerry’s Muziekcafe - Veldhoven
April 22th, Het Meterhuis - Haarlem

Karlex soulfully fusses the vibes of his native island with funky guitar sounds and heavy bass, in a unique blend called Afro Groove. Released in Holland on March 13, “Ghetto Fabulous” has been making waves in France since its release in September 2006. The album was selected by “Arte TV” as an October Event and by “Radio Africa No 1″ as Album Of The Week leading up to the release. Karlex was invited to perform on his song “I’ve Got News For You…” France 2’s ‘Live Acoustic’, while also being chosen by Acoustic Fuel as a ‘Daily ReFill - In Celebration of Black History Month.’

“Karlex brings in smooth and mellow sounds with a deep blend of funk, reggae, and soul. From the get go with conviction he brings in a caribbean folk flow with the deep track ‘Ghetto Fabulous’.” Catask Music & Entertainment

Karlex is a member of the MusicDish Network, a complete artist development program, leveraging brand development, saturated and relationship marketing, digital distribution and industry outreach to support emerging artists’ and bands’ careers.

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Amy Speace Recognized By International Acoustic Music Awards

“Two,” the single from Jersey City-based country/folk artist Amy Speace, was selected as a runner-up in the Open category of the 3rd Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards). This follows two other acclamations of Amy’s music: IMA (Independent Music Awards) Vox Populi winner for Best Country Song and nomination for “Emerging Artist of the Year” for the 2007 Folk Alliance Awards.

“Speace has her own sound - it isn’t enough to compare her to [Melissa] Etheridge or Sarah McLachlan (who she can match in range and pitch, listen to “Two” and you’ll see),” wrote Diana Schwaeble of The Current. “Her honeyed voice is polished and rich with emotional nuance, much like some of the Jazz greats.”

The single “Two” will be included on the IAMA Compilation CD, distributed to Acoustic/AAA/Folk radio stations in United States and overseas. IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) promotes excellence in acoustic music performance and artistry.

Amy Speace’s latest album release, “Songs For Bright Street,” has been attracting lots of attention, spending 3 months in the Top 10 of Folk Radio Charts and 10 weeks in the Top 10 of Roots Americana Charts (both in the summer of 2006). The album was chosen as one of Indie-Music.com’s Top 25 Indie Releases. PBS distributor FastFocusTV is to feature Amy on their new series “Frequency,” hosted by Dave Koz. Amy has been asked to open for Little Feat, Heartland, Phil Vassar, John Corbett Roger McGuinn, John Gorka, Peter Mulvey, Tracy Grammer, Sloan Wainright and Steve Forbert.

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MusicDish Asks ‘Are You Ready To Innovate?’ At NewMusicWest 2007

MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay has been invited to present his seminar “Are You Ready To Innovate In The Digital Marketplace?” at NewMusicWest 2007, being held in Vancouver, Canada on May 2-6. The seminar was originally developed for and presented at MIDEM 2007, held recently in Cannes, France.

“The music industry is moving faster than it ever has before,” Eric was quoted in MIDEM ‘The News’ magazine. “You now need to innovate on a continuous basis, and not all music industry professionals are wired to do that. Music has been at the forefront of having to respond to the challenges posed by technological change. It’s like a game of chess: you always need to be two steps ahead.”

MusicDish will also be hosting a ‘10th Anniversary’ showcase as part of the NewMusicWest festival, following the first in a series that was held at Canadian Music Week 2007 in March. NewMusicWest is the largest and most influential new music festival on the West Coast, attracting businesses and individuals from all over North America. NMW showcases 200 bands, in 25 venues over 5 nights and invites the public and the music industry to attend.

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Kobo Town Bandleader Drew Gonsalves To Open For ‘Skin and Bone’ Launch Party

Kobo Town Bandleader Drew Gonsalves will be following up his debut solo performance at Cafe Nostalgia in Ottawa by opening for Ben Godwing’s ‘Skin and Bone’ Launch Party. Presented by MusicDish Network & Organic Entertainment, the record release event will introduce Ben’s sophomore album Skin and Bone to industry and fans on April 10, 2007 at Club Midway beginning at 6:30 PM. The event is sponsored by Crystal Radio Blue and LIFEbeat’s Hearts & Voices.

WHAT: ‘Skin and Bone’ Launch Party 2. WHEN: Tuesday, April 10th, 6:30 PM WHERE: Club Midway 25 Avenue B (bet. 2nd & 3rd Streets), NYC NO COVER - RSVP @ http://www.musicdish.net/events/bengodwin/

The Toronto Star recently featured Drew as a new force in the revival of Calypso: “It’s Wednesday night at the Trane Studio on Bathurst St., and the place is hopping ­ you have to squeeze your way to the bar. Onstage, a slim young man with a guitar has the crowd swaying to an irresistible calypso beat. Drew Gonsalves and his band Kobo Town may not think of themselves this way, but they’re a musical bridge between two cultures, and a tenuous link to what may be a dying folk art.”

“What Drew is doing is wonderful,” noted Roger Gibbs, head of an association of calypso performers. “He’s drawing on the traditional calypso vocabulary…giving it a fresh and authentic sound.”

Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Drew Gonsalves is a singer-songwriter whose music is rooted in traditional calypso, dub poetry and West Indian folk music. Founder and bandleader of celebrated roots calypso outfit Kobo Town, his songs receive regular airplay on the CBC and college radio stations across Canada. A multi instrumentalist who performs on the guitar, cuatro, tres, cavaquinho and bongo, Gonsalves’ solo arrangements emphasize the humour, storytelling and lyricism that characterize Trinidad’s pre-eminent musical art.

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Rose Beach Brings ‘Family Love’ To MusicDish Network

MusicDish Network, the artist development arm of MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, announced the addition of Vancouver/Tokyo-based Pop Fusion singer/songwriter Rose Beach to its roster. MusicDish will provide full online management support, including brand development and marketing, as well as representation at major music conferences such as New Music West 2007, NXNE and Popkomm.

“Rose exactly represents the new breed of independent artists: globally focused, self starters that are able to bridge culture, language and values for a worldwide audience,” commented MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay. “The fact that she sold 50,000 CDs in Japan with no industry support speaks volumes.”

Her debut CD “Family Love” boasts mature songs that blend a folk singer’s lyrical depth, a pop singer’s catchy melodies, and a hip hop diva’s sultry yet raw vocal power into a unique sound. Starting in the underground - the streets of Vancouver and Tokyo - she is rising into the musical mainstream, because people’s ears thirst for something real that they can feel. Currently, she is blowing up in Japan, where she has sold more than 50,000 records and performs weekly; all without the aid of any record label or music biz machinery.

In addition to her heavy independent CD sales, Rose Beach has been interviewed and received heavy airplay on Co-op Radio in her home base of Vancouver. She has also been interviewed and played on Inter-FM Radio in Tokyo. Rose was recently featured in the January 2007 issue of Hiragana Times.

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and raised primarily in Saskatchewan by a strong, loving and musically inclined mother of Canadian aboriginal ancestry and a farmer stepfather with a love of country music, she had the dream of music early in life. This dream took Rose to Vancouver, where she fronted a trip hop band called The Loxley Project. At the same time, she began to build a love affair with Japan, working in many of Tokyo’s famous clubs, including the world renown Club Asia. Her solo work and the energy of the Tokyo music scene caused Rose Beach to decide to expand her musical knowledge and to become a more serious and focused producer and performer. She entered music engineering school at Columbia Academy in Vancouver and graduated from the Digital Analog Recording Arts Program in June 2005.

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MusicDish Network Embraces The Love Kills Theory

MusicDish Network, the artist development department of MusicDish LLC, a leading music magazine publisher and marketing firm, announced the addition of New York-based alternative rock band The Love Kills Theory to its roster. MusicDish will provide full online management support, including brand development and marketing, as well as representation at major music conferences such as New Music West 2007, NXNE and Popkomm.

“Like many musicians on our roster, Cevin is a ‘renaissance’ man, melding musician, writer, filmmaker and artist all into one,” noted MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay. “This is definitely reflected in The Love Kills Theory, which he himself calls ‘as much a manifesto as a band’.”

The Love Kills Theory is an artistic attempt to bring contemporary philosophy into the mainstream where it can be accessible and relevant. The group is fronted by Cevin Soling, who is also known as the Messiah of Tanna and currently studying philosophy for his Masters degree at Harvard University. the love kills theory is based on an amalgam of the works of Guy Debord, founder of Situationist International, Aldous Huxley, and others, fused with the current bio-genetic studies on the evolution of despair.

The rest of the band is made up of great musicians. Keyboardist, Bill Brandau had been a member of The Vinnie Barbarino Experience. When they broke up, he and Cevin formed Cevin’s first band, The Neanderthal Spongecake where Bill also served as engineer on all their recordings. Darren Pilato is a music nerd, who‹when he wasn’t attending law school‹notated bass lines to songs for fun; he’s attended Victor Wooten’s bass camp in Nashville twice. Jaron Stewart can’t stay still; raised by a father who was a successful figure skater, Jaron had a career as a ski-jumper and then focused on his music career, actually gigging one night with “American Pie” songwriter Don McLean. Jim Minics is also a philosopher, and for several years has been thinking and writing his “random thoughts of a practicing beach bum.” Jim’s 2003 band Minix was a semi-finalist in the Independent Music World Series, and he’s played for several bands in the studio and on tours as a lead guitarist and vocalist.

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Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2007 - Republished with Permission

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Well Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs answered his critics when together with EMI chairman Eric Nicoli they announced that EMI will make available on iTunes all of its digital music available Digital Rights Management (DRM) free in a variety of bit rates up to CD-quality.

Jobs had recently issued an open letter calling for DRM-free music and argued that the only reason iTunes downloads are burdened with the scheme is because the major lables have forced it on Apple. This move with EMI, which will not be exclusive to iTunes is the first salvo in the battle against illegal downloading by eliminating one of the biggest complaints that consumers have about buying music legally. Keep in mind though that these tracks are premium priced but that will hopefully be a short term issue. eMusic on the other hand has always offered DRM-free downloads so it will be interesting to see how all this plays out over at iTunes and whether they will pose a threat to the indie-friendly music store.

Let the experiment begin!

UPDATED! There is a very interesting transcript of the press conference for the announcement over at AppleInsider which, amongst other things brings up the possiblity of DRM-free music from labels other than EMI by the end of the year.

Later.

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A recent New York Times article argues that the album format is on life support in this age of iTunes singles and the iPod. The article, The Album, a Commodity in Disfavor by Jeff Leeds posits that music fans are more interested in downloading singles than whole albums and points out that “last year, digital singles outsold plastic CD’s for the first time.” But a quick read of the article makes it obvious that he is primarily talking about the “pop” album (for want of a better term), you know the American Idol/Christine Aguilera pop tarts who rule the commercial airwaves. But that has always been the case for this format.

From the long time staple of AM Top 40 radio, the 45 RPM single, technology has finally caught up to find its replacement. Fans of Wilco are still going to buy their albums, that won’t change, but here today, gone tomorrow fans of Britney and Avril just want to hear the hits baby. They also have come to realize that of the 12-14 songs on the CD, holy shit only two of them are actually any good!

The one hit wonder pop phenomena has always relied on the single as its most effective way to promote its stars. The albums were merely a way to resell the same song with a bunch of filler. Let those fans have their icing. I prefer the cake of a fine rock and roll band like the recent Apples in Stereo or Sloan albums which bring me on a sonic journey all over the rock and roll map. Sure some songs are “better” than others but did you ever notice that two people could never agree on which ones? Long live the album, in whatever format the music industry foists on us next.

Later.

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I remember when I was in (ahem) high school and bootlegs were this incredibly exotic and tantalizingly illegal passport to musical experiences that only the true rock and roll aficionado would cultivate. For me, the dream combo was the infamous “Destroyer” four album Led Zeppelin box set coupled with the legendary “Copenhagen Warm-Ups” double-album where you could hear “In the Evening” in all its psychedelic, extended bizarro glory. Of course there were the endless number of excruciating “Let it Be” bootlegs that made even the most passionate Beatles fan a tad bit nauseous and I could never really understand the Grateful Dead “Dark Star” phenomena but hey, that was just me right?

Well if you think bootlegging live performances a la Grateful Dead taping section has gone the way of the 8 track you will be surprised to note that it is still going strong, even in this day of peer to peer networks as revealed in Music fans keep bootlegging alive. Fans are still recording and trading shows and amazingly, they are trading them via snail mail! Yet that’s right, in this day of the Internet, tape traders (I know, I know..) are still trading amongst a vibrant population of dedicated (some say obsessive) fans who claim that the Internet removes all sense of community from the activity.

Hey, who am I to argue with that? Even though bands like Pearl Jam and the Tragically Hip now make recordings of all shows officially available, I have to admit that interacting with real fans is still somewhat cooler than just downloading off the net. Now where is that version of “Turn on Your Lovelight” from the Orpheum in Boston from 1972? Somebody’s got to have it….

Later.

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A Message from Noise Pop… Musicians, labels, fans: join us in this fight to preserve an open and equal Internet.

Noise Pop is working with the Future of Music Coalition to raise awareness of and support for an issue that becomes more and more worrisome to artists and labels each passing day: Network Neutrality. You may have never heard of it yet but this is an issue that will fundamentally affect the way you receive information as well as your ability to reach your fans online.

Net Neutrality is the guiding principle that preserves the free and open Internet. It prevents the companies that control the wires from discriminating against content based on who owns it. In other words, it helps to ensure that small blogs can be accessed just as easily as sites owned by large media companies.

It may seem like a fairly abstract concept today, but with the $86 billion (yes, billion) merger of AT&T and Bell South that the FCC approved last month, it becomes more and more of a reality. As a matter of fact, AT&T chairman Ed Whitacre has already stated publicly that he’d like companies to pay for the use of their “pipes.”

As you are well aware, the Internet has given artists the unprecedented ability to communicate with fans on a one-to-one basis. Imagine, all of a sudden, an internet where MTV.com runs 50 times faster than Pitchfork. Where CD Baby goes out of business because they can no longer afford to compete with the likes of Amazon or Best Buy. Or even worse, corporate giants cutting deals with internet providers so that independent artists, labels, and news sites are completely cut out of the picture.

We are striving to maintain Net Neutrality so that the internet does not go the way of commercial radio: big corporations with deep resources and even deeper pockets working with telecommunications giants to decide what websites get viewed when and how quickly.

So what do we want from you? Our goal is to demonstrate that net neutrality is an issue that the music community is passionate about. We are doing this by compiling a list of artists who are expressing concerned about the issues. OK Go, Death Cab For Cutie, The Donnas, The Wrens, R.E.M., Kathleen Hanna, Ted Leo, Rogue Wave and Calexico already signed on. We hope that you will allow us to add you to the list of supporters. We must band together and show Congress that we understand what is at stake and that we are paying attention.

You can add your name to the growing list of artists in support of Net Neutrality by visiting: http://futureofmusic.org/rockthenet/createaccount.cfm

Fans sign the petition here:

http://futureofmusic.org/rockthenet/join.cfm

If you have any questions or want more information, please email

chris@noisepop.com

Thanks, Noise Pop

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Remember that tomorrow podcasters are trying to make music history by making an indie rock artist # 1 on iTunes.

Check out http://bumrushthecharts.blogspot.com/ to see what you can do to make this happen!

Thanks. Mark

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Nimbet CEO Patrick Faucher over at CNET news has written a succint piece called Where did the music industry go wrong? setting out the new reality that major labels face and the growing options available to artists in the Internet age. He writes that “The industry has become decentralized. Major labels no longer have the market muscle or control over the distribution channels as they once did.”

This is something I have written about extensively in the past. The democratization of the means of distribution in this Web 2.0 MySpace-YouTube world has given the working musician a fair chance at getting their music heard. As musicians have more outlets to get their music out there there will be a growing opportunity for those of us passionate about music to act as trusted filters, discussing and playing all of this great material while bypassing the typical Clear Channel/MTV approved forms of criticism and publicity. It is all evolving into a new ecosystem where the music is finally taking center stage and the “hit making machinery” of the labels is being put into its proper context.

These are indeed heady times. Let’s not fuck it up.

Later.

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"Ramones-Journey cover band looking for a drummer. Must have big hair."

"Chick bassist needed. Must have own go go boots."

"Singer-songwriter looking for backing musicians to form an all-Barry Mannilow review. Must have equipment."

Remember the days when your only realistic options to find a band to join was to pour through the local classifieds looking for something hopefully not too lame? When that didn’t work out you ended up trooping out to the local music store to scan their bulletin boards looking desperately for some like-minded musicians who were into your particular brand of Sabbath and reggae fueled funk and roll. Luckily the Internet has made the chances of you connecting with similar musicians that much easier and you should certainly check out Forming Bands before you go any further.

Forming Bands was originally started by gigging musicians in the UK as a way to find other musicians and it has since expanded to North America where over 4000 bands and musicians are actively using the site and 200 new ones are signed up every week. The nice thing about Forming Bands is that the listings are kept fresh because they automatically remove entries from users that they haven’t heard from in 3 months so that all postings are current.

So whether you are a band looking for a new member or a musician looking for a band in either the UK or North America, Forming Bands is an excellent resource to check out. Basic registration is free and they are planning on producing a podcast in the near future so at the very least this will be a potentially great source for new music.

Later.

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Breaking Up The Band
by Andre Calilhanna,

MusicDish Network Sponsor

Being in a band is often the most gratifying element in a musician’s life. A band offers the opportunity to freely express oneself, create music, establish friendships, perform, travel… there’s a lot to like. But there’s also the brutal reality of the music business, replete with stories of unwary artists being swallowed whole.

There is also the everyday reality of the group situation. Make no mistake, bands consist of complicated interpersonal relationships. Being in a band, particularly one where members are writing original material, requires a level of trust and a type of closeness that goes beyond any casual friendship.

Musicians, by nature, exhibit a certain, even heightened, level of ego. On the flip side of that ego is a tender and vulnerable underbelly that leads right to the emotional core. Exposing that vulnerable side of oneself to one’s band mates helps define and cement the musical relationship. It can also set the stage for some bruising conflicts.

As Ari Tuckman, a psychologist with experience counseling bands, puts it, "Bands are minefields for arguments. Get three or more people together, all of whom have ideas they are passionate about, and disagreements are guaranteed."

Inevitably, each group’s unique mix of talent, personality, experience, and enthusiasm will be tested over time. Often, the disparity between any of these elements signals a need for change. Change may mean altering certain functions within the group dynamic. It may also mean changing the group dynamic by letting someone from the band go.

Using Communication to Address Issues

Jay Levin, producer and managing partner of Turtle Studios in Philadelphia, makes no bones about it. "The music industry is the most competitive business in the world, so if you’re serious about it, you have to acknowledge the competition, you have to acknowledge how difficult it’s going to be. You simply can’t afford to have any significant weaknesses.

"Personnel weaknesses are absolutely at the top of that list. It’s not mean because it’s not optional. If someone is the wrong collaborator, for any reason, including any aspect of talent or personality, then tolerating that person almost certainly means you will fail."

Some situations are simply not the right fit of talent and personality, and that may take time to manifest. Sometimes, as Tuckman quips, "good people are just not good together."

One simple way to avoid unnecessary complications and aggravation is through productive communication. In a band situation, this includes defining the goals of each member and the collective group ­ from who does what in the musical and business areas, to what the band is ultimately trying to accomplish in the long and short term. The problem is many bands simply aren’t on the same page and don’t even know it.

"One thing that comes up a lot is mismatched goals," says Levin. "You’ll hear one version of what the band is trying to accomplish from one person, then a very different version from another. Sometimes you’ll see a band where every band member is on a totally different page, or a band with factions."

Starting out with mismatched goals is one easy way to ensure problems, because while everyone might be putting in equal effort, the individual efforts may literally be pulling the group in different directions. The trick is to sit down and define short- and long-term goals collectively, and delegate and distinguish what’s expected from each member of the group at the outset. These goals will invariably change over time, so this process should be dynamic and be continuously revisited.

There is the possibility that this communication will reveal discrepancies regarding different or changing personal goals among band members.

"There are different scenarios," Tuckman asserts. "One is when it’s just not a good fit any more ­ maybe musically somebody wants to do something different, or maybe something has changed in terms of their availability or commitment. If someone simply isn’t a good fit, everyone can just get together and talk about what’s going on, what are the goals, and how to achieve them. Just because you clicked at one time doesn’t mean you still do, and maybe you never clicked as well as you thought you did.

"If, on the other hand, one of the members is clearly problematic, that’s a time when the band needs to sit down with that person, or perhaps one or two people in the band need to sit down with them, and confront them about what it is they are doing. For example if someone is drinking a lot, and that’s causing problems, because they’re too hard to be with or they’re screwing up rehearsals or they’re screwing up shows, the person needs to be confronted on that behavior ­ not to cast blame but to affect a change.

"The other members have to determine for themselves exactly how much they are willing to put up with. At what point is it no longer worth having whatever it is this person brings to the band, if it means you have to put up with all this other destructive nonsense as well?"

Conflict, typically, may be something you think you should avoid. This is not necessarily true. As Tuckman asserts, "Conflict can actually be productive if handled correctly." The important thing is to differentiate between a personal issue and a clash of ideas, goals, or perspective.

In other words, try to handle conflict by relating not to the personal traits of the person involved