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THE INDIE ROCK BLOG
The Indie Rock Blog is a collection of Sugartune Artist News and entries from our friends at the Rock and Roll Report. If sweet, sugartunes are stirring in your soul, keep your soul stirred with a subscription to our news feed. 
Last week I mentioned that Microsoft was targeting influential indie rock "tastemakers" with their new iPod wannabe Zune. Now I hear that AOL is also aiming for that indie rock cred by introducing new programming aimed at "hipsters" as CNET refers to them. Are you a "hipster"? Is that like a 2006 edition of a beatnik? We are all but markets in the great game of capitalism n’est pas?
Later.
What Every Musician Should Know About Self-Promotion
The 29 Key Principles of Independent Music Marketing
by Anne Freeman, 
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Title: What Every Musician Should Know About Self-Promotion: The 29 Key Principles of Independent Music Marketing
Author: Bob Baker, The Buzz Factor
Genre: Self-help
Format: CD
Website: www.bob-baker.com
For Bob Baker, founder of The Buzz Factor, marketing is his profession and his passion, and marketing for Indie bands is his specialty. Bob has authored numerous books on various aspects of running your Indie band or label as you should: as a business.
Recognizing that not everyone has the time or inclination to read through his various business books, Bob has issued a new instruction CD, "What Every Musician Should Know About Self-Promotion: The 29 Key Principles of Independent Music Marketing," as a listen-to-when-you’re-driving-or-walking-or-doing-any-mindless-chore primer for busy Indie rock artists and start-up labels who need a solid overview and introduction to Indie Marketing.
This 68-minute CD is perfect to those new to marketing, as it features a broad array of topics that you must familiarize yourself with when planning your business strategies, whether they are for the release of new product, booking gigs, marketing to fans and niche markets, and more. Some of the 29 topics reviewed in this CD include:
* Killer media exposure tactics most acts never use
* The biggest mistakes bands make when promoting themselves
* Internet marketing strategies you need to be using now
* How to get the most bang from your live shows
* Clever ways to boost CD and merchandise sales
* How to make the most progress in the least amount of time
* The most effective ways to reach your best fans
What I especially like about this CD is that there is not fluff, just some basic facts and principals that are time-tested, but that many Indie artists and labels fail to use to their demise.
"What Every Musician Should Know About Self-Promotion" lays the groundwork for planning your marketing campaigns. Bob speaks clearly, sticks to the topic at hand, and is encouraging. The CD also provides a jumping-off place for you to delve more deeply in any of the subjects introduced in the CD by following-up with books and articles available through Bob Baker.
At $11.95, it’s hard to justify passing on "What Every Musician Should Know About Self-Promotion," especially if you’ve never studied marketing. Take a listen to some samples on Bob Baker’s site, http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/secret.html. And if you want to have half a chance at succeeding in your Indie Rock career, marketing is a must!
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
Apparently Microsoft is targeting hip indie rock fans in their quest to have their new Zune MP3 player dethrone the iPod. According to MS takes on iPod via indie music the software behemoth is targeting us, you know people who actually give a shit about music in their quest to sell their brown wunder-player. Sorry Bill but I just got an iPod.
Later.
Apparently Microsoft is targeting hip indie music fans in their quest to have their new Zune MP3 player dethrone the iPod. According to MS takes on iPod via indie music the software behemoth is targeting us, you know people who actually give a shit about music in their quest to sell their brown wunder-player. Sorry Bill but I just got an iPod.
Later.
Make The Most Of Your Music Player On MySpace
by Anne Freeman,
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Once you’ve established your myspace site, selected a terrific photo or graphic that accurately signals your primary artistic sensibility to casual surfers, and your band name or label name signal the same (hopefully), a few practical strategies can be employed to help you maximize your marketing efforts. These basics are worth mentioning because I see so many artists overlook them that I cannot assume that you know to address them. We’ll start with your music player, as your music is, of course, key to your marketing efforts.
By the way, before we move on, I’d like to mention one simple strategy I’ve seen some solo artists employ on myspace that helps to inform surfers that they are, in fact, an artist: they add the word "music" behind their name. Example: www.myspace.com/kellybrockmusic. It’s simple. It works. Do it.
OK, back to your music player. I want you to answer these questions about your music player:
Your Music Player
What does you music sound like?
Crummy sounding demos and recordings sound crummy on the myspace player. Period. You gain nothing by advertising to potential fans, venue owners, bookers, and industry folks that you have crummy sounding demos. I’ve been on terrific sites only to be disappointed the moment the music began, and not because the songs were bad, but because the sound was terrible: muddy vocals, little or awkward mixes, and the like. You must treat your myspace site as a professional marketing vehicle because your site is a professional marketing vehicle. Make your demos/recordings clear and ensure your vocals are upfront.
Did you post your lyrics?
People like to read lyrics that’s one reason why they still buy CDs or search the Internet for lyric sites. Fans love to know the words to your songs so they can sing along. If you’re a songwriter pitching your songs, then lyrics are a must. Don’t make folks look for your lyrics elswhere or try to write them down or memorize them post them on the lyric page of your music player. Make it easy for people to understand your songs and like your music. And don’t forget to include the following on your lyric sheet:
* Authors/composers of the song
* Your publishing company (if you are an unsigned artist/songwriter, then you are your publishing company)
* Your performing arts organization affiliation if you have one, such as ASCAP, BMI, SESAC
* A copyright notice! You can simply type "Copyright 2006". Don’t neglect to add this important information.
I would also suggest that you include your business mailing address and contact information, along with your band website, on the lyric sheet so that if someone copies and saves/prints out your lyric sheet, your contact information is readily available. Make it easy for people to find you.
Do you permit rating and comments?
Use your player to gain valuable information about how fans perceive you and your music. Don’t be afraid to let people rate and post comments about your songs. If the ratings are poor and the comments are negative, figure out why and use that information to improve your songwriting, instrumentation or recording. You can always delete negative comments, but at least you’ve received input about your music to help you improve what craft. In addition, comments give you an opportunity to contact the commenter, thank them for their comments - even if they are negative - and turn the "friend" into a fan. The same goes for song rating.
Have you enabled the Add feature to your songs?
When I land on an artist’s site and hear a great song, I may want to feature that artist on my myspace site for The Aspiring Songwriter. I regularly feature myspace artists who are friends on my site and play their song to promote them. I cannot tell you how many band and artist site I visit that don’t enable the add feature on their music player!
Ask youself this question: "What am I on myspace for?" The whole point here is to get people to add your song to their site so that everyone who visits their site hears your song (and the play is counted on your music player song counter). If your fan’s visitor likes your song and clicks on the the "visit" option of your fan’s music player, they will be directed onto your site where, hopefully, they will ask to join your site because they like your music so much, and you have a potential new fan because he or she was sent from your other fan’s site. And, that new friend/fan may add your song to their site. Comprende?
The music player add function is viral networking at its simplest! You will rarely hear me scold, but this is such a no-brainer that I am confounded when I run across artists and some really good artists who don’t enable their player’s add function. I’ll assume it was a momentary lapse in good judgment and I’ll be sure to revisit your site sometime if I remember you after you’ve had the chance to make the necessary adjustments. Enabling the add function does NOT enable fans to download your song; it only permits them to stream your song from their site much like web radio. Do it.
Do you enable the downloads?
If you want to enable free song downloads, let me run this idea by you: Do you want potentials fans to download your song from your myspace site and your have no way to obtain precious contact information from that downloader (e-mail, address, etc)? I wouldn’t.
If you want to offer free downloads, I would argue that you get those myspace friends to visit your official fan site to download a song, and require the the downloader give up on e-mail address at the very least to benefit from your largess. Your purpose is to build your fanbase, and if you don’t have their direct contact information, such as an e-mail and/or a mailing address, then you’ve squandered the chance to obtain that information by enabling downloads on your myspace site. There may be others who disagree with me on this point, but I’d rather have the contact information as an exchange for a download.
If you don’t have a home page or download service that enables you to obtain the downloader’s contact information, then at the very least post an offer on your myspace site indicating that you will e-mail your myspace friends a free MP3 of the song in question IF they send you their e-mail address. Don’t give away your goods and get absolutely nothing back for it!
Do you employ the song graphics option?
Again, a no-brainer. Let your fans see your song while they’re hearing your song. Don’t waste another opportunity to more effectively market your music. Fans want to see and hear. Get that graphic or photo up on that player, a different one for each song!! Yes, I’m scolding again, but there really is no excuse for not marketing your music properly, especially when the marketing mechanism is free.
Should you use the song rotation option?
Whether you push one song by making it the default song when someone lands on your myspace site or let the songs rotate depends upon your overall marketing plan. If you’re pushing a song as a single, then default to that song playing when your site is opened. Build up the interest and the play numbers for the song. Tie a featured song with a free download on another site (for which they must give your contact info), build your fan base and create some press about how many friends turned into fans by signing up to get their download. Make myspace work for you. If you’re not pushing a song as a single or as a free download, or you are a label that is promoting a variety of artists, then letting the songs rotate makes sense.
MySpace Band Feature: The Amino Acids
Let’s take a look at a site that’s working the myspace player the way it should be, one of my myspace favs, The Amino Acids, at www.myspace.com/theaminoacids . The Amino Acids, a surf-punk band from outer space, has a great myspace site. They’ve done just about everything right, but for this discussion I want to mention their music player.
Visitors can rate and comment on each of their four songs as well as add them to their sites, promoting The Amino Acids. They don’t have lyric pages because the Amino Acids are primarily an instro band, so in this case lyrics are a moot point. You cannot download their songs from the myspace player, but they provide their fans several options to migrate from their myspace site to download songs elsewhere, where the band can garner more information from the fan. And, each song is presented with a great graphic.
Just about everything on The Amino Acids’ myspace site drives home their primary artistic sensibility, and they make good use of the strengths of myspace. The Amino Acids also give their fans plenty of opportunities to leave their myspace site to places where they can obtain fan information. Stop by the Amino Acids’ myspace site: It’s worth a visit. For a hoot, watch their live video when you visit. These guys slay me! Congrats to The Amino Acids for a job well done.
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
You may have noticed the BLOG (RED) badge on the top left of this site and wondered what it is all about. Well for my recent birthday I was the proud recipient of a brand new red iPod. I didn’t realize that they were available in red until I was told that it was a special edition created in support of the Product (Red) campaign raising funds and awareness for supplying Anti-retroviral medicine for people dying from Aids in Africa. According to the (Red) Manifesto
(PRODUCT) RED is not a charity, it is simply a business model. You buy (PRODUCT) RED stuff. (Motorola, AmEx, Gap, Armani, Converse, Apple) (PRODUCT) RED gets the money. It then buys the pills and distributes them. Sick people in Africa take the pills, stay alive. And continue to take care of their families and contribute socially and economically in their communities.
You can get more information at the Product (Red) website. It’s sometimes tough to make a difference in the world but this is one way we can choose to make a contribution if we want to. Are you REaDy?
Later.
INDIE NEWS BEAT
October 31, 2006 Edition
* The New 2007 Edition Of The Indie Bible Has Been Released
* Little Nashville Aims For The Big Time
* New Stoneman CD Release
* New Organisation For MIDEM Classique & Jazz
* Charlie Peacock And Bob Hutchins Partner To Launch Premium Digital Content
* The Majestic Twelve Are New Artists You Need To Know Now According To MSNBC.com
* AirPlay Direct Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
* Author Reveals How To Use Video Clips To Promote Indie Music
* ReverbNation.com Sets The Stage For A Music Revolution
The New 2007 Edition Of The Indie Bible Has Been Released
David Wimble, musician and founder of The Indie Bible, announced the release of the 2007 edition of the ever-popular music industry resource. Listing over 4200 publications that will review artists’ music and 3500 radio stations that will play their songs, the 8th edition of The Indie Bible has become an indispensable tool for recording artists looking to take the DIY route to success.
“The first edition was a photocopied spiral bound book with a plain white cover,” reminisced David Wimble, Publisher. “Even though its appearance was unimpressive, the feedback was amazing! Now in its 8th Edition, The Indie Bible continues to grow! It still remains as the only resource totally dedicated to those artists that have recorded a CD or demo.”
The Indie Bible has 330 pages of valuable contacts and informative articles:
- 4200 Publications that will REVIEW your music!
- 3500 Radio Stations that will PLAY your songs!
- 600 Labels & Distributors looking to SIGN artists!
- 500 Websites where you can UPLOAD your music!
- 50 articles that will help your career
* Listings with email, web url and physical address, phone and fax
* Worldwide listings in US, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, etc.
* Sorted by genre and location for precise targeting
* Local and international press
John Foxworthy of GarageRadio.com has called The Indie Bible “a 330-page collection of the most useful resources on the planet and presented in an easy-to-follow format … quite possibly the most valuable piece of literature to occupy any recording artist’s library.”
David Wimble is a Singer/Songwriter from Ottawa, Canada. His band, Big Meteor, put out their first CD in 2000. The CD, titled “Wild River,” received rave reviews from around the world. “Wild River” features a wide blend of music ranging from Acoustic Rock to Blues to Old Time Country. To date, songs from the “Wild River” CD have been used in one made-for-TV movie and 50 television shows on networks such as NBC, A&E, MTV and VH1.
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Little Nashville Aims For The Big Time
J Juliano and Adrienne Grove, the Illinois State Winners, from Chicago walked away with the Midwest Regional title and an all-expense paid trip to the National Final of the 25th Annual Colgate Country Showdown in Nashville, Tennessee. The Midwest Regional was held at Royal River Casino in Flandreau, South Dakota. The six other acts who competed in this Regional won their local and state competitions were Bryan Popp & the River Divide WDMP Dodgeville, WI; Shawn Mayer KODY North Platte, NE; Christina Thomas KZPK St. Cloud, MN; Greg Amundson KKWS Wadena, MN; Jennifer Thompson KBXB Sikeston, MO and Carrie Joy KYLS Farmington, MO.
Before winning the Illinois State Final, Juliano and Grove won their local competition sponsored by WUSN of Chicago, IL. As an award-winning songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, Juliano began guitar at just 5 years old. In 1998 he opened for Toby Keith in Chicago and realized his love of the Windy City. He began performing throughout the Southeast and Midwest, sharing the stage with Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Diamond Rio and Sawyer Brown, to name a few. When Juliano and his wife learned they were expecting their first child, he began “Little Nashville” country music for kids that teaches important lessons and values with a bit of rock at the same time.
“Little Nashville” went from the studio to the road, bringing Adrienne Grove into the mix. The singer/actress began belting out The Star-Spangled Banner also at a young age 3. The Southwestern University graduate received a Bachelor¹s Degree in Music Education, and plays the guitar, flute and piano. She has performed with Starlight Theater, Park Ridge Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Savoy-aires and several others. Since joining forces in “Little Nashville,” Grove and Juliano have performed in front of thousands together. They have opened for Josh Gracin and have been honored with the title of Best Children¹s Act of 2006 by the On the Waterfront Festival in Rockford. Displaying their songwriting talents in Saturday¹s competition they performed an original piece, Dry County, Charlie Daniels¹ The Devil Went Down to Georgia.
In January, Juliano and Grove will compete in the National Final at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The five regional winners from across the country will receive an all expense-paid trip to the National Final to compete for $100,000 and the coveted National Title of Best New Act in Country Music. The National Final will be televised nationally in March and April 2006.
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Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Stoneman has released his second R&B/Hip-Hop solo CD titled “Stoneman Avenue.” This CD includes this years first place winning song in the Unisong International Songwriting Contest “Danger!!” (Reggae/World Category). Once again all music and vocals on the Stoneman Avenue CD are written and produced by the multiple award winning songwriter known worldwide as Stoneman. Currently available for purchase at the Stoneman Avenue website, Stoneman’s CD will soon have worldwide distribution and will be available at all retail chains shortly.
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New Organisation For MIDEM Classique & Jazz
MIDEM announces the appointment of Christophe Capacci as Artistic Director for Midem Classique & Jazz. Capacci will be responsible for programming the artists and musicians to perform in the classic and jazz concerts during MIDEM.
Christophe Capacci is Artistic Consultant for Jérôme Deschamps at the Theatre National de l’Opéra Comique in Paris, a role he will continue in addition to his newly acquired position for MIDEM.
Capacci takes over from Hervé Corre de Valmalète who has held the position of Artistic Director for Midem Classique & Jazz since 1990 with distinction. Hervé Corre de Valmalète asked to be released from his position as Artistic Director of Midem Classique & Jazz to give more time to his artist-management activities at Concerts de Valmalète in Paris and TransArt UK in Great Britain. He will also continue to produce and head-up the artistic direction for the live music festivals Flâneries Musicales de Reims and TransClassiques and run the record label TransArt Live.
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Charlie Peacock And Bob Hutchins Partner To Launch Premium Digital Content
Grammy winning record producer Charlie Peacock and Internet marketing veteran Bob Hutchins announced their partnership in a new online company, Premium Digital Content (PDC). PDC will uniquely combine entertainment with the four primary consumer technology categories: HOME, PC, HANDHELD DEVICE, and CAR each one corresponding to four branded and highly optimized “WatchListen” websites.
The PDC approach will enable millions of consumers to discover, use, and enjoy entertainment and technology at home, on the go, and in the car.
“I can’t think of a more natural partnership than this one with Charlie Peacock, a musician and entertainment executive who has always been a leader in new technology and entertainment,” said Bob Hutchins, President/Owner of BuzzPlant, a multipurpose Internet marketing firm. “Connecting consumers with amazing entertainment as well as tech products and services for their home, PC, handheld device, and car is a mission we both strongly believe in.”
“I see the home, PC, handheld device, and car–all of them as dynamic and ultimately inter-related delivery systems for entertainment. Bob Hutchins has the marketing skill to make this connection for online consumers early on, securing PDC’s future, as online sales and digital delivery continue to radically alter consumer behavior and needs,” said PDC partner Charlie Peacock.
“Billions of people rise every day looking for entertainment, information, products and services related to their home, PC, handheld, and car. We live in a time of phenomenal opportunity to reach entertainment and technology lovers anywhere and everywhere,” said Hutchins.
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The Majestic Twelve Are New Artists You Need To Know Now According To MSNBC.com
Wilmington, North Carolina rock band and resident pains in the arses, The Majestic Twelve, were recently acknowledged on MSNBC.com in an independent study of reader feedback about America’s favorite indie rock acts.
A loyal fan remarked that the Twelve are “one of the hardest working bands around today. They take the idea of DIY (Do It Yourself), and they completely embrace it. Plus, their music is very catchy and fits well on your iPod.”
“We’re honored to be mentioned as a favorite indie rock band, despite the fact that people need to stop talking about indie vs major labels, and start talking about true independence,” comments frontman Kenyata Sullivan. “We’re humbled by it, and it means a lot. We’re gonna keep working hard and trying not to suck.”
The Majestic Twelve hovers among the top 100 unsigned bands in the country at the moment. Critically lauded by tastemakers like Blender.com and CMJ along with blogosphere writers like Fake Jazz and Culture Bully, The Majestic Twelve’s underground hit album, Schizophrenology has been downloaded over 12,000 times since releasing independently for free in July. Schizophrenology is co-produced by Sullivan and Jerry Kee (Superchunk, Ryan Adams).
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AirPlay Direct Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
AirPlay Direct is an easy to use digital music promotion system that was developed to streamline label and artist promotion activities for today’s music industry. AirPlay Direct’s free services replace the unnecessary time and expense of putting together and sending out costly traditional artist packages and press kits via “snail mail.”
In just one year, AirPlay Direct has experienced exponential growth to become a global leader in digital music delivery services directly to radio stations, saving independent artists over $1,000,000 in postage and material costs to date. To celebrate, AirPlay Direct is offering a contest to artists that create a free account in the next six weeks‹a winner will be chosen every two weeks to receive an AirPlay Direct prize package that includes a “Featured Artist” spot on the web site, free marquee banner ads on the site and 15 “broadcast-quality” track uploads, a package valued at over $1,500.
AirPlay Direct offers two free digital content delivery services: digital music and Digital Promo Kits directly to radio professionals. AirPlay Direct’s securely delivers broadcast-quality music files from thousands of independent artists and record labels directly to radio programmers around the world. Artists can access free, real-time tracking reports to see which stations are downloading their songs, alleviating the need for sending costly promotional packages. The best part? This service is 100% free to artists, labels, and radio programmers.
Digital Promo Kits can be emailed to any music industry professional around the world. This concept may sound familiar, but AirPlay Direct takes it one step further in offering links to three broadcast- quality songs along with a visually appealing layout. But what makes AirPlay Direct truly different? The entire package is free! AirPlay Direct empowers artists to promote their music without the cost and effort associated with physical press kits.
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Author Reveals How To Use Video Clips To Promote Indie Music On YouTube, Google, Yahoo & More
No doubt about it. Video is huge on the Internet. Over the past six months alone, video has exploded online. YouTube alone now delivers about 100 million videos a day to its users. And much of it is music.
“It’s like 1981 all over again,” says Bob Baker, author of a new special report called “How to Use Video to Promote Your Music Online.” He’s referring to the year that MTV hit the cable airwaves and changed the way music was marketed at the time. “Only it’s better, because now — 25 years later — everyone has equal access to the ‘airwaves,’” he adds.
Baker cites the recent treadmill video from the band Ok Go as one example. “It was a simple but creative concept that spread like crazy online and primed music fans for the band’s debut CD release,” Baker says.
Or how about the regular video clips published by indie rock artist Terra Naomi? During a two-month period in 2006, webcam music videos she produced in her apartment were viewed 2.5 million times on YouTube. Because of this exposure, Naomi sold 2,000 copies of her new CD in eight days.
“Don’t kid yourself,” Baker implores. “Online music video promotion is hot — and getting hotter! That’s why I created this short, info-packed report: To help independent artists create, promote and profit from online video.”
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ReverbNation.com Sets The Stage For A Music Revolution
Music’s “working class” is about to see the value of its creative equity grow exponentially, empowered by groundbreaking networking and music-discovery tools for performers, fans, venues and yes, even record labels and the entertainment industry all available free on www.ReverbNation.com.
The artist-centric, online music community, which went live in September, will celebrate its official launch at the CMJ (College Music Journal) Music Marathon in New York City, Oct. 31 Nov. 4. In addition to exhibiting at the festival’s trade show at Lincoln Center, ReverbNation.com will host its inaugural artist showcase party at the downtown rock venue Crash Mansion on Thursday, Nov. 2. The Web site is currently inviting artists in all music categories to register as members.
Combining the power of viral networking with next-generation marketing tools, ReverbNation.com is a true music community designed solely to help musicians succeed. With faster, more intelligent ways to connect artists with fans, venues, labels and other artists, ReverbNation.com offers the richest experience available on the Internet for musicians seeking new markets and new paths to popular success.
“We serve the artist’s needs first, unlike other sites that are more focused on the social aspect of viral networking,” said Jed Carlson, chief marketing officer and co-founder of ReverbNation.com. “By giving them ways to immediately expand the marketplace for their music, we’re opening doors that used to take years to get through.”
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Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
A broad group of consumers, artists, innovators, and technology companies announced the launch of the Digital Freedom campaign, a national effort to fight back against efforts by the big record labels and movie studios to ban new digital technologies. The campaign will target legislation and lawsuits designed to place crippling restrictions or impose excessive fees on technologies that allow individuals to enjoy lawfully obtained music, video, and other content.
More than a dozen organizations, representing consumers, film producers, independent recording artists, and electronics and computer manufacturers have joined together to launch the campaign, which will seek to educate policy makers, innovators, parents, students and other consumers about the lawsuits and legislation that threaten to revoke individuals’ rights to use digital technology.
"New technologies are under fierce attack from the big recording labels and studios, and those attacks go right to the heart of our basic right to use digital technology without unreasonable government restrictions or the threat of costly lawsuits," said Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) President and CEO Gary Shapiro. "We believe that we have to protect the rights of consumers, artists, innovators, producers and creators to use digital technology when, where, and how they choose."
(PRESS RELEASE) With product distribution, national touring, radio airplay, music video production and more, indie rock musicians have just about every service musicians signed with a major label have. One notable exception is coverage of news, information and promotional events on a national scale beyond the print medium. Finally there will be a (video) program featuring news & information exclusively for the indie rock community and fans of indie rock - the Indie Insider!
The Indie Insider is the first broadband entertainment news magazine program featuring topics relative to the indie rock musician community exclusively!
With the Indie Insider, the gap between the services signed musicians enjoy over their indie counterparts continue to shrink, plus the under-representation of a vibrant and dynamic community will be put to rest.
Some of the topics covered on the program include:
Label launches
CD releases
Music video releases
Corporate sponsored and philanthropic events
Tours, competitions, concerts, festivals, etc.
Performances at legendary clubs
Educational & informational programs (legal, marketing, etc.)
Deals
To become involved with the unique free programming opportunity the Indie Insider provides, checkout indieinsider.tv. While on the site checkout the affordable advertising vehicle the Indie Insider offers the music industry.
INDIE NEWS BEAT
October 24, 2006 Edition
* Kobo Town Claim Their Independence
* MusicDish Network’s Miko Marks Nominated “Best New Country Artist 2006″
* Classic Rock Band Bluebeard Taps MusicDish Network For Development Campaign
* Prohibition Entertainment Releases New Traedonya Single Via Airplay Direct
* WorkshopLive Supports Music Education With Gift Of Free Annual Music Lessons
* Kirsten DeHaan - Industry Showcase R And R Oct. 26
* Nominations Now Open For Independent Music Awards: The Indies
Kobo Town Claim Their Independence
Toronto-based calypso act Kobo Town will officially release their debut album Independence to North American retail and online outlets on November 14, 2006.
Drawing heavily upon the sounds of traditional calypso, roots reggae and dub poetry, the album is a collection of stories which offer a running commentary on a wide variety of social and political themes including domestic violence, homelessness, globalization, the war on Iraq, and the various frustrations and betrayals of the post-colonial era.
Named after an historic community in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, where calypso was born, Kobo Town strives to recover the social conscience, satirical storytelling and strong acoustic/organic rhythms that characterized Trinidadian music in the past. But while the group’s singer-songwriter Drew Gonsalves expresses a wish to “celebrate the musical and artistic traditions formed over the long years of our turbulent history”, the tales that fill the album could be told anywhere.
The title of this album is intended to be hopeful and ironic at the same time: some of the songs offer a critical look at the “independence experiment” and its various failures and betrayals in Trinidad and elsewhere, while others aim to celebrate the musical and artistic traditions formed over the long years of our turbulent history. One track Abatina tells the tragic story of a girl trapped in an abusive marriage by her family’s class aspirations, while another, St. James, uses a flood of rhymes and images to evoke both the desperation and celebratory spirit of a struggling neighbourhood in Port-of-Spain. And underlying the songs are bottle and spoon rhythms, syncopated flute and violin melodies, strumming cuatros, and heavy reggae bass lines which indicate a marriage between West Indian musics old and new a dialogue between a fading folkloric tradition and the sounds that prevail in our time.
Independence was co-produced by Lyndon Livingstone (David Rudder, Andre Tanker, Mighty Scrunter) and Drew Gonsalves at the Razorshop in Maraval, Trinidad. Independence will be available for download through CD Baby, iTunes, Music Discovery Network, Calabash Music and select online retailers. For more information or to hear advance tracks from the album, please visit, www.kobotown.com.
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MusicDish Network’s Miko Marks Nominated “Best New Country Artist 2006″ By New Music Weekly Magazine
New Music Weekly magazine has nomimated MusicDish Network country singer Miko Marks “Best New Country Artist 2006″ for the 2006 New Music Weekly Awards being held on November 18th in Hollywood. Miko recently released the third single and first music video “Mama” (featuring Grammy winning Erykah Badu in the title role) from her full-length album “Freeway Bound”
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(i) Log onto http://www.newmusicweekly.com/nmwawards.php
(ii) Click “Vote Now”
(iii) Scroll down and cast your vote for Miko Marks as 2006 Best New Country Artist!
The announcement comes on the heels of a banner year for this country newcomer. Since signing with indie rock label Mirrome Records during CMA MusicFest, the singer/songwriter has opened for Warner Records artist, Ray Scott, and toured the states from California to Washington D.C. with the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, America’s only touring black rodeo, now in its 22nd year. The album “Freeway Bound”, recorded in Nashville with legendary producer, Ron Cornelius, has enjoyed airplay in 14 countries including the US, while the title track was used in Episode #102 of CMT’s “Home Blitz with Habitat for Humanity.”
Recognized worldwide as “New Music’s Night,” the New Music Awards represent the pinnacle of achievement for ALL Music artists, musicians, radio programmers, music directors, radio stations, and industry executives who work in America’s most popular music genre. “The New Music Awards” features a wide variety of exceptional talent and is sure to provide outstanding entertainment and excitement throughout the show.
Source: 
Classic Rock Band Bluebeard Taps MusicDish Network For Development Campaign
MusicDish, an Internet music magazine publisher and artist marketing/development firm, announced the addition of Los Angeles cult rock band Bluebeard to its MusicDish Network roster. Through its online marketing and brand development campaign, the MusicDish Network will promote Bluebeard’s first album of new material in over 25 years, “Deluxe With Reverb”
.
MusicDish Network will conduct an intensive campaign in support of the band’s new album, combining content development, syndication/street team, social networking and distribution. Bluebeard has already begun to make their presence felt on social networking sites such as MySpace, Number One Music iSound and LiveDigital (to name a few), while conducting a viral distribution campaign of the band’s music and videos on major file sharing networks such as eDonkey.
Produced and published by new independent music label Shelter From the Storm Records, “Deluxe With Reverb” features a selection of new material, re-recorded and re-mastered songs from the band’s late-70s heyday, and a hard-charging cover version of INXS’ “Pretty Vegas.”
“Check out their latest timeless classic. It is a great listen. You can hear in their material how they have inspired so many over the years. And the new material sounds just as new as it does ‘classic’.” - John Haseltine, Ball Buster
Bluebeard has been around for nearly 30 years and was a mainstay of the Southern California club scene in the 70s and 80s, playing dates with everyone from Van Halen to The Motels to Steppenwolf. They recently played a sold out appearance at L.A.’s Canyon Club, sharing a bill with Blue Oyster Cult. Their last full-length album, “Bad Dream,” was released in 1978 and is a treasured collector’s item among rock connoisseurs, with asking prices up to $500 per copy on on-line auction sites. Bluebeard received widespread critical acclaim in the U.S. (from the likes of Billboard Magazine, Cash Box, BAM and Radio Report), and was an underground favorite in Japan and Europe.
The tragic death in 2004 of Robert Barry Leech, the band’s original lead singer and creative force, led the remaining members to reunite in honor of his memory with a singular focus to once and for all bring their brand of rock & roll to the world. “Deluxe With Reverb” includes a tribute to the past via a rockin’ duet of The Rolling Stone’s classic “Paint It Black,” between Leech and new frontman Ellington Erin .
Source:
Prohibition Entertainment Releases New Traedonya Single Via Airplay Direct
Prohibition Entertainment a NYC based boutique independent record label and AirPlay Direct have formed a marketing alliance in regards to R&B /crossover vocalist TRAEDONYA. Her single “BELOVED” will be delivered to radio stations worldwide via www.AirPlayDirect.com This will allow Prohibition to save a substantial amount of money by not having to send out hard copy promotional packages to radio stations.
“Radio servicing (just packages, not promotion) is a punitive cost to most independent labels and artists. Servicing can run into thousands of dollars and you have returns which will also increase costs” says A.K Smith-Ford , Founder of Prohibition. AirPlay Direct’s FREE services will allow us to put the money saved into other key areas… marketing and promotion.
“TRAEDONYA is a Featured Artist on AirPlay Direct and radio programmers and music industry executives are able to check out TRAEDONYA at www.airplaydirect.com/music/bands/3117/
“AirPlay Direct’s approach will continue the revolution and evolution of the music industry in the digital arena. Radio is an ‘achilles heel’ to most independent labels and artists because we can’t compete for ‘Clear Channel’ against the big 4 labels. AirPlay Direct has helped to level the playing field.” said A.K.
Source:
The Music Resource Center, a multi-faceted music education center for teenagers, announced a donation of online music lessons and guitar supplies from WorkshopLive, which produces the most dynamic and engaging music instruction content on the Web. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia and originally funded by the Dave Matthews Band, MRC will receive a combination of annual subscriptions and introductory “Play Free” cards and other teaching materials from WorkshopLive.
The Music Resource Center, a multi-faceted music education center for teenagers, announced a donation of online music lessons and guitar supplies from WorkshopLive, which produces the most dynamic and engaging music instruction content on the Web. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia and originally funded by the Dave Matthews Band, MRC will receive a combination of annual subscriptions and introductory “Play Free” cards and other teaching materials from WorkshopLive.
The Music Resource Center uses the recording and performing arts to create a sense of empowerment and accomplishment in the urban community. Its mission is to educate and inspire urban youth and through music equip them with life skills for the future. They accomplish this mission through music education and performance opportunities, as well as life skills mentoring.
WorkshopLive is a unique educational platform that delivers personalized and completely individualized music lessons through a broadband Internet connection. Its patent-pending technology determines how each student learns best, then delivers the teaching options, lessons and learning environment that best suits the student’s needs.
More than one thousand guitar, bass and keyboard lessons will be available to MRC players and teachers of the revolutionary Internet learning system, any time, day or night, whenever and wherever they can make a high-speed Internet connection. WorkshopLive is also making available its library of publications from the National Guitar Workshops, an affiliate of the online learning company.
“American culture and society is experiencing one of the worst times for arts education in the past 30 years,” said Sibley Johns, Executive Director. “Throughout history, the benefit of these programs to individuals and communities is indisputable. While the situation cannot be reversed overnight, this important donation from WorkshopLive is a giant step in the right direction. It’s a perfect combination of music lessons and technology, both of which appeal to students at every level. The first music lesson is the first step on a wonderful journey.”
Besides individual subscribers, local music teachers will be able to utilize the WorkshopLive services for group lessons that serve all levels of playing from beginner to advanced guitar lessons.
“From a state of the art facility to cutting edge music education programs, the Music Resource Center is poised for a period of tremendous growth internally as well as externally,” said John Ross, Director of Marketing for WorkshopLive. “Music enriches our lives, and MRC represents an example of hope. It is a privilege to be associated with this great organization, and help them achieve their goals of bringing about both individual and social transformation.”
“The demand for these community music education programs like the Music Resource Center in Charlottesville are flourishing throughout the nation,” Ross added. “The MRC works with more than 700 players annually, which more than demonstrates the demand for music lessons in a single local community. WorkshopLive wants to support as many programs as we can to be a significant part of bringing more guitar, bass or keyboard players back to music.”
Staff members and volunteers from the Charlottesville music community provide lessons to MRC members in a variety of subjects including guitar, bass, keyboard, voice, and music theory, which are all part of WorkshopLive’s current or intended curriculum offerings. All MRC lessons are free, and scheduling may vary depending on instructor availability. With WorkshopLive, the scheduling limitation is eliminated.
Source:
Kirsten DeHaan - Industry Showcase R And R Oct. 26
Out And About In NYC: Kirsten DeHaan is a nineties-style punk-pop dynamo. Her new 3-song EP is drawing comparisons to Belly and U2, which is fair enough, but her live set is rawer and more punked out. This dualism may simply be in the nature of the pretty, driven, biker-haired Indianan-turned-New Yorker, or it may be smartly planned - or both. In any case, it makes her recorded music potentially radio-friendly in more than one circuit - grown up Gen-Xers, college rock, maybe even the Avril LaTween set. A combination of talent, personal intensity and looks might soon turn Kirsten DeHaan into a major indie rock player…
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/10/20/065800.php
Kirsten DeHaan - Industry Showcase
R and R
Thurs. Oct. 26 9pm
416 W 14th Street
9th ave and Washington
Source:
Nominations Now Open For Independent Music Awards: The Indies
Canadian Music Week is calling all independent recording artists to apply for The Indies - the 2007 Independent Music Awards. The event will kick off the CMW 07 festivities held in Toronto on Wednesday, March 7, 2007. Applications are due on November 15, 2006.
This year’s submissions will be taken exclusively through Sonicbids at www.sonicbids.com/indies2007. Submission rules and regulations can be obtained from the CMW Web site at www.cmw.net.
Presented by inDiscover.net, The Indies celebrate outstanding achievement in sound recording. The awards are limited to independent artists and cover some 14 different genres of music. Winners in 27 of the 30 categories are decided by both a public vote and an industry vote. Four new categories have been added for 2007, including Live Artist/Group/Duo Of The Year, International Single Of The Year, International Breakthrough Artist/Group/Duo Of The Year, and International Video Of The Year.
The Indies celebrate the best in Canadian and International independent music. Last year’s sold-out event was hosted by Jian Ghomeshi and featured performances by Stars, Elliott Brood, Figurines, The Road Hammers, Rosette, Cursed, The Parachute Club, and The Pursuit Of Happiness. Past years’ winners include The Arcade Fire, Bedouin Soundclash, City and Colour, The Trews, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, Alexisonfire, Kataklysm, Death From Above 1979, Hot Hot Heat, Default, The Weakerthans, Fidgital and Dashboard Confessional.
Source:
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
Are modern CDs too loud? Are they contributing to listener fatigue? That is the argument currently gaining credence amongst mastering engineers and audiophiles according to Everything Louder than Everything Else.
"You listen to these modern records, they’re atrocious, they have sound all over them. There’s no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like — static."
— Bob Dylan in Rolling Stone magazine
It looks like Bob is onto something as more and more audio engineers are arguing that the quest to make CDs even louder in the belief that this will create a hit song is causing listener fatigue as listeners are forced to listen to overly loud CDs bereft of any sort of dynamic range. The arguments weigh on a lot of technical factors but as a music fan you would have to admit that something just doesn’t sound right. Loud does not always equally "better" on a recording. In your living room while your parents are away of course now that is a whole other argument!
Later.
Steve Jobs is interviewed in the latest edition of Newsweek by Steven Levy on the occasion of the iPod’s 5th anniversary. There is no doubt that it is a revolutionary product (the new Red iPod Nano is currently on my birthday wishlist hint, hint..) but the quote that made me laugh was Jobs’ response to the question of whether the iPod will lose its “cache because it’s too popular.” According to Jobs “That’s like saying you don’t want to kiss your lover’s lips because everyone has lips.” Gotta love Steve. You’ll never hear Bill Gates talk like that. And speaking of Gates, check out Steve’s take on the upcoming Zune in the complete interview. The guy certainly thinks outside the box.
Later.
Steve Jobs is interviewed in the latest edition of Newsweek by Steven Levy on the occasion of the iPod’s 5th anniversary. There is no doubt that it is a revolutionary product (the new Red iPod Nano is currently on my birthday wishlist hint, hint..) but the quote that made me laugh was Jobs’ response to the question of whether the iPod will lose its “cache because it’s too popular.” According to Jobs “That’s like saying you don’t want to kiss your lover’s lips because everyone has lips.” Gotta love Steve. You’ll never hear Bill Gates talk like that. And speaking of Gates, check out Steve’s take on the upcoming Zune in the complete interview. The guy certainly thinks outside the box.
Later.
Is MySpace Stealing Your Music?
by Moses Avalon,
 |
MySpace has become the defacto way to promote independent music on a budget. There are thousands of music pages on MySpace and according to recent accounts, A&R people are now using it as a significant resource to discover new acts. Case in point: UK band Arctic Monkeys, were "discovered" through MySpace even though they claimed publicly that their MySpace page was unauthorized, set up by fans and that they were not even aware of their own page’s existence.
According to Wikipedia "MySpace has gradually gained more popularity than similar sites such as Facebook, Bebo, Friendster, Xanga, MyYearbook, FriendsReunited.co.uk, Classmates.com and LiveJournal to achieve 80 percent of visits to online social networking websites."
But I’ve received several panicked emails wondering if this rumor about giving up rights to music in exchange for use of the service is true. In my gut I knew it could not be, but I never settled for just my gut when writing these missives, I get back up. I asked my list of industry lawyers what they thought. Any guesses as to the answer?
CAN YOU CLICK AWAY A COPYRIGHT?
The first issue to address is the click-to-agree "user agreement." Can you actually transfer a copyright in this way without any exchange of money? The simple answer, according to my attorney-affiliates is, theoretically yes, but in reality, probably not.
By law, a copyright, like most real estate, can only be assigned in writing. While recent cases have shown that clicking an on-line agreement is the legal equivalent to "getting it in writing," this is not absolute. Also, there is another aspect to the assignment of copyrights�if there is a dispute over two parties claiming rights to an assigned copyright, the one who offered "reasonable consideration" generally wins over the one who just had it on a "hand shake."
So, for example, if you had music on MySpace and you wanted to grant rights to that same music to a major label and MySpace then came out of the woodwork to assert ownership over the content, could they get away with it? To do so, they would have to make the argument that the service they offer is "reasonable and valuable consideration" and that you fully understood that when you innocently (and without the advice of a lawyer) clicked "yes" to the user agreement, you KNEW that were assigning them your music in exchange for their "service." [Section 205 d of the Copyright Act.]
Seems like a stretch. Unfortunately, because, "dumb musician" is not a real legal defense the, "I didn’t know," excuse is a serious gamble that will hinge on how good your lawyers are, and/or how sympathetic is your judge.
My personal take is that even the late Johnnie Cochran would have to argue his ass off to get a Federal judge to coldly agree that giving up valuable (or even valueless) copyrights is a fair exchange for a free web page. (If it doesn’t fit you must remit.) But some of my legal watchdogs warn that I should not give readers the impression that money NEEDS to change hands in order for you to ACCIDENTALLY click away a copyright. However absurd it might seem, you can assign a valuable song without ANY exchange of cash, even though it happens very rarely.
Bottom line: read the fine print BEFORE you click "yes" to the user agreement.
BUT IS THAT WHAT IT REALLY SAYS?
The good news is that there is great misunderstanding about what the MySpace language user agreement says. Here’s the clause:
"You hereby grant to MySpace.com a non-exclusive, fully-paid and royalty-free, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense through unlimited levels of sublicenses) to use, copy, modify, adapt, translate, publicly perform, publicly display, store, reproduce, transmit, and distribute such Content on and through the Services."
Nothing in there implies a permanent assignment of EXCLUSIVE rights. Therefore if a major label wants to pay you for the recordings posted on MySpace you can still take their money in good faith. (Such is NOT the case with certain digital distributors who take exclusive rights just for the privilege of delivering your songs to iTunes.)
Conversely, the language in the MySpace agreement is very similar to what one might find in a standard release for MTV, who keeps a catalog of unsigned music that they use for filler and background in promos. It’s great exposures for an unknown act; the artist gets no money for this license and MTV gets to exploit the music in any way imaginable, BUT THEY DON’T OWN IT. So if you’re upset about the MySpace situation ask yourself this: if MTV wanted to use your music in a National add campaign for little to no money, would you say, "yes?" If you would, then you have nothing to fear with MySpace.
WOULD THEY STEAL IT EVEN IF THEY COULD?
A third and final thing to think about is that even if MySpace could legally claim they owned your music just for posting it on their site, would they do it? While no one knows the mind of another, I think I can say with reasonable certainly that they would not. The ill will it would create would utterly destroy the $100 Million dollar value of the overnight sensation.
MySpace was recently bought my Rupert Murdock. Rupert is a pretty smart guy. While his taste or style is something that you are free to criticize, this does not change the fact that like most Billionaires, Rupert likes a nice profit and probably does not feel like throwing $100 Million out the window. Because, $100 Million here and $100 Million there– pretty soon we’re talking about real money. Even one lawsuit about this matter would spread like a massive virus. The tastemakers would abandon MySpace and all that would be left would be the families posting photos of their kids and the child molesters who want you to be their "friend."
END NOTE: MySpace responded to the controversy eliminating all doubt about assignment of copyrights. They amended the user agreement with, "MySpace.com does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, or any other materials (collectively, ‘Content’) that you post to the MySpace Services. After posting your Content to the MySpace Services, you continue to retain all ownership rights in such Content, and you continue to have the right to use your Content in any way you choose."
Nuf said. Post away!!!
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
Is MySpace Stealing Your Music?
by Moses Avalon,
|
MySpace has become the defacto way to promote independent music on a budget. There are thousands of music pages on MySpace and according to recent accounts, A&R people are now using it as a significant resource to discover new acts. Case in point: UK band Arctic Monkeys, were “discovered” through MySpace even though they claimed publicly that their MySpace page was unauthorized, set up by fans and that they were not even aware of their own page’s existence.
According to Wikipedia “MySpace has gradually gained more popularity than similar sites such as Facebook, Bebo, Friendster, Xanga, MyYearbook, FriendsReunited.co.uk, Classmates.com and LiveJournal to achieve 80 percent of visits to online social networking websites.”
But I’ve received several panicked emails wondering if this rumor about giving up rights to music in exchange for use of the service is true. In my gut I knew it could not be, but I never settled for just my gut when writing these missives, I get back up. I asked my list of industry lawyers what they thought. Any guesses as to the answer?
CAN YOU CLICK AWAY A COPYRIGHT?
The first issue to address is the click-to-agree “user agreement.” Can you actually transfer a copyright in this way without any exchange of money? The simple answer, according to my attorney-affiliates is, theoretically yes, but in reality, probably not.
By law, a copyright, like most real estate, can only be assigned in writing. While recent cases have shown that clicking an on-line agreement is the legal equivalent to “getting it in writing,” this is not absolute. Also, there is another aspect to the assignment of copyrights�if there is a dispute over two parties claiming rights to an assigned copyright, the one who offered “reasonable consideration” generally wins over the one who just had it on a “hand shake.”
So, for example, if you had music on MySpace and you wanted to grant rights to that same music to a major label and MySpace then came out of the woodwork to assert ownership over the content, could they get away with it? To do so, they would have to make the argument that the service they offer is “reasonable and valuable consideration” and that you fully understood that when you innocently (and without the advice of a lawyer) clicked “yes” to the user agreement, you KNEW that were assigning them your music in exchange for their “service.” [Section 205 d of the Copyright Act.]
Seems like a stretch. Unfortunately, because, “dumb musician” is not a real legal defense the, “I didn’t know,” excuse is a serious gamble that will hinge on how good your lawyers are, and/or how sympathetic is your judge.
My personal take is that even the late Johnnie Cochran would have to argue his ass off to get a Federal judge to coldly agree that giving up valuable (or even valueless) copyrights is a fair exchange for a free web page. (If it doesn’t fit you must remit.) But some of my legal watchdogs warn that I should not give readers the impression that money NEEDS to change hands in order for you to ACCIDENTALLY click away a copyright. However absurd it might seem, you can assign a valuable song without ANY exchange of cash, even though it happens very rarely.
Bottom line: read the fine print BEFORE you click “yes” to the user agreement.
BUT IS THAT WHAT IT REALLY SAYS?
The good news is that there is great misunderstanding about what the MySpace language user agreement says. Here’s the clause:
“You hereby grant to MySpace.com a non-exclusive, fully-paid and royalty-free, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense through unlimited levels of sublicenses) to use, copy, modify, adapt, translate, publicly perform, publicly display, store, reproduce, transmit, and distribute such Content on and through the Services.”
Nothing in there implies a permanent assignment of EXCLUSIVE rights. Therefore if a major label wants to pay you for the recordings posted on MySpace you can still take their money in good faith. (Such is NOT the case with certain digital distributors who take exclusive rights just for the privilege of delivering your songs to iTunes.)
Conversely, the language in the MySpace agreement is very similar to what one might find in a standard release for MTV, who keeps a catalog of unsigned music that they use for filler and background in promos. It’s great exposures for an unknown act; the artist gets no money for this license and MTV gets to exploit the music in any way imaginable, BUT THEY DON’T OWN IT. So if you’re upset about the MySpace situation ask yourself this: if MTV wanted to use your music in a National add campaign for little to no money, would you say, “yes?” If you would, then you have nothing to fear with MySpace.
WOULD THEY STEAL IT EVEN IF THEY COULD?
A third and final thing to think about is that even if MySpace could legally claim they owned your music just for posting it on their site, would they do it? While no one knows the mind of another, I think I can say with reasonable certainly that they would not. The ill will it would create would utterly destroy the $100 Million dollar value of the overnight sensation.
MySpace was recently bought my Rupert Murdock. Rupert is a pretty smart guy. While his taste or style is something that you are free to criticize, this does not change the fact that like most Billionaires, Rupert likes a nice profit and probably does not feel like throwing $100 Million out the window. Because, $100 Million here and $100 Million there– pretty soon we’re talking about real money. Even one lawsuit about this matter would spread like a massive virus. The tastemakers would abandon MySpace and all that would be left would be the families posting photos of their kids and the child molesters who want you to be their “friend.”
END NOTE: MySpace responded to the controversy eliminating all doubt about assignment of copyrights. They amended the user agreement with, “MySpace.com does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, or any other materials (collectively, ‘Content’) that you post to the MySpace Services. After posting your Content to the MySpace Services, you continue to retain all ownership rights in such Content, and you continue to have the right to use your Content in any way you choose.”
Nuf said. Post away!!!
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
INDIE NEWS BEAT
October 11, 2006 Edition
* Debbie Hennessey Receives ASCAPlus Award; Added To MS Music Fest
* British RnB Star-In-The-Making ‘Yomi’ Unleashes His Superb Debut Album!
* Chicago Country Artist Competes For Fame & Fortune
* Independence In Heavy Rotation At CIUT-FM In September
* Organic Entertainment Empowers Creative Independents
* Prohibition Entertainment Releases New Traedonya Single Via Airplay Direct
* Kicksta Music Group Release Nova Scotia Hip-Hop And R&B Sound
* Jodi Jett To Perform At Listen Liberally Showcase In NYC On October 17th
Debbie Hennessey Receives ASCAPlus Award; Added To MS Music Fest
Debbie Hennessey’s new CD Good As Gone continues to receive impressive recognition. Hennessey was just honored by ASCAP with her first ASCAPlus Award for songwriting and live performances. This award is given annually to promising songwriters.
In addition, the song Love Might Change Your Mind, which Hennessey co-wrote with Sunny Hilden and John DePatie, will be included on the Multiple Sclerosis Music Fest 2006 CDSinger/Songwriter & Country Rock/Acoustic edition. The MS Music Fest is the brainchild of rocker Jeff Cerzosie whose father has Multiple Sclerosis. Cerzosie and his Crooked Halo Productions, along with their primary sponsor The Montel Williams MS Foundation, will once again be putting on a series of concerts and producing three different compilation CDs covering several styles of music, all to benefit MS charities. For more information visit www.myspace.com/msmusicfest.
Good As Gone is the follow-up to Hennessey’s award winning first CD Rustic Heart. So far Hennessey’s new CD has received honors from ASCAP, Billboard, The Women’s Image Network and SingersUniverse. Good As Gone includes songs written by Hennessey/Hilden/DePatie, Mark Luna, Richard Wold, Matraca Berg, Kim Richey, Terry Burns and others and features Hennessey’s distinctive and emotional vocals.
Reviewers have taken notice as well saying:
"Hennessey’s bold, husky delivery puts its imprint on her material, whose catchy hooks and spot-on arrangements show she knows her stuff and is surrounded by pro-caliber talent. Hennessey is a skilled artist whose polished work commands respect." - Music Connection
"Good As Gone is rock solid country-pop…undeniably hooky…(Hennessey’s) collection of Nashville-ready tunes serves as a wake-up call to radio programmers everywhere." - Buddy Hollywood
"Good as Gone" is another outstanding release. Once again (Hennessey) brings us great, soulful country/pop music that puts a smile on our face and make our ears go "ahhhh". - GoGirlsMusic
Source:
British RnB Star-In-The-Making ‘Yomi’ Unleashes His Superb Debut Album!
Currently burning a hole in Bristol (UK) dancefloors, top new RnB vocal talent YOMI is intent on setting fires across the world with the release of his debut longplayer ‘Get To Know Me’ on November 13th.
Effortlessly blending street level sounds with more mainstream flavours, ‘Get To Know Me’ is an authentically British RnB joint, but one which pays its dues to the Stateside mother lode. From the fiery club bootyshaker ‘Fantasy’ - which will be the first single off the album - through the slow-jam ‘Girlfriend Boyfriend’ (featuring Marley-Dee), to the sly cover of the Fine Young Cannibals’ pop-soul classic ‘She Drives Me Crazy’, the album brings together all manner of influences, from hip hop and reggaeton to two-step and soul. The one constant is Yomi’s distinctive voice.
London-born Yomi came to music early in life, MCing with reggae sound system Genius when he was just 11 years old. At age 13 he had moved on to singing, and began developing the silky smooth, soulful voice which drips all over ‘Get To Know Me’ like honey. By 15 he was a veteran of studio work, garnering experience as a session singer whilst also writing his own material, and by 20 he was performing live at venues in London, to the approval of both critics and audiences.
It was at this point that Yomi relocated to Bristol in South West England a place famous for being home to top talent like Roni Size, Massive Attack and Portishead to team up with BlackStory Records and producer Mixmaster M. Together they honed Yomi’s talent, writing and producing original material whilst live gigs supporting acts such as Dru Hill and So Solid helped to sharpen Yomi’s performance axe.
Now at 24 he is ready to step up to the plate with his solo album: a body of work which reflects his maturity and underlines the lessons he has learned in life including lessons from his own troubled youth. For Yomi who cites the likes of Craig David, Bob Marley, LL Cool J, Lionel Ritchie, Ms Dynamite and Sanchez as amongst his diverse influences music has helped draw him away from a darker path, and now he wants to share his gift with as many people as possible. It’s time to GET TO KNOW YOMI.
Source:
Chicago Country Artist Competes For Fame & Fortune
After a tough round of competition, Cary’s J Juliano with Des Plaines’ Adrienne Grove walked away from the 25th Annual Colgate Country Showdown Illinois State Final with the state title and $1,000 in prize money. The Arcada Theater in St. Charles showcased eleven acts who had won a local contest sponsored by radio stations throughout Illinois enabling each to perform at the state level competition of America’s largest country music talent search.
WUSN of Chicago, Illinois sponsored the local competition where J Juliano with Adrienne Grove won prior to Sunday’s state level triumph. As an award-winning songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, Juliano began guitar at just 5 years old. In 1998 he opened for Toby Keith in Chicago and realized his love of the Windy City. He began performing throughout the Southeast and Midwest, sharing the stage with Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Diamond Rio and Sawyer Brown, to name a few. When Juliano and his wife learned they were expecting their first child, he began "Little Nashville" country music for kids that teaches important lessons and values with a bit of rock at the same time.
"Little Nashville" went from the studio to the road, bringing Adrienne Grove into the mix. The singer/actress began belting out The Star-Spangled Banner also at a young age 3. The Southwestern University graduate received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, and plays the guitar, flute and piano. She has performed with Starlight Theater, Park Ridge Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Savoy-aires and several others. Since joining forces in "Little Nashville," Grove and Juliano have performed in front of thousands together. They have opened for Josh Gracin and have been honored with the title of Best Children’s Act of 2006 by the On the Waterfront Festival in Rockford. In Sunday’s competition, they rocked the crowd with Charlie Daniels’ The Devil Went Down to Georgia and an original piece Dry County.
J Juliano with Adrienne Grove will compete in the Midwest Regional at the Royal River Casino in Flandreau, South Dakota on October 28th to determine if they will advance to the National Final. The five regional winners from across the country will receive an all expense-paid trip to the National Final to compete for $100,000 and the coveted national title of Best New Act in Country Music. The National Final will be televised nationally in March and April 2007.
Source:
Independence In Heavy Rotation At CIUT-FM In September
Toronto-based calypso act Kobo Town’s debut album Independence
continues to garner heavy rotation at CIUT-FM in their hometown. It
has been charting in their Top Ten for over a month. Independence
will be released to North American retail and online outlets on
November 14, 2006.
Kobo Town has thus far made the following radio appearances:
* Metro Morning (CBC 99.1)
* Big City, Small World (CBC 99.1)
* Liming in de African Diaspora (CKLN 88.1)
* Island Breeze, Global Rhythms (CIUT 89.5)
* Caribbean Connection (CHIN 100.7)
* Smooth Jazzy Grooves (CHRY 105.5)
Drawing heavily upon the sounds of traditional calypso, roots reggae and dub poetry, the album is a collection of stories which offer a running commentary on a wide variety of social and political themes including domestic violence, homelessness, globalization, the war on Iraq, and the various frustrations and betrayals of the post-colonial era.
Named after an historic community in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, where calypso was born, Kobo Town strives to recover the social conscience, satirical storytelling and strong acoustic/organic rhythms that characterized Trinidadian music in the past. But while the group’s singer-songwriter Drew Gonsalves expresses a wish to "celebrate the musical and artistic traditions formed over the long years of our turbulent history", the tales that fill the album could be told anywhere.
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Organic Entertainment Empowers Creative Independents
Manhattan-based indie promotions and PR firm, Organic Entertainment began in 2005 after Margo Drgos partnered with friend and colleague Paul Anthony. Both spent several years developing and launching corporate communications programs for start-ups and established brands within the music, media, online retail and technologies industries. It was their passion for music, particularly within the independent scene, that had them acknowledge an emerging market not yet met in a morphing and shifting music industry.
"It’s no secret that the majors are losing their market share rapidly, and while they will still be the major players that they are, there’s another group of small to mid-size companies emerging that are vying for the same customers," comments President and Founder, Margo Drgos. "Some of them are started by laid-off major label execs and some by dropped major label artists, sometimes even a pairing of the two. Then there are hosts of great new DIY talent emerging, all of which can now effectively compete in the same marketplace."
Organic Entertainment empowers such clients to define and effectively communicate their brand messages through creative, homegrown and consistently authentic means. The company reaches mainstream and non-conventional media via public relations and radio campaigns, along with Internet marketing and branding strategies. The company offers these services exclusively within the global independent music community.
"A lot of small and mid-size labels lack an experienced in-house promotions staff," continues Ms. Drgos. "We are that staff! We design campaigns specific to the needs and budgets of small and start-up companies."
Some of Organic’s clients include Chicago-based Delphine Records, NYC-based alt-country crooner Jodi Jett, indie rock wunderkids, The Majestic Twelve and Toronto-based roots-calypso outfit Kobo Town, who will be releasing their debut album, Independence in November off of the MusicDish label.
"It’s also no secret that the online culture phenomenon and everything that it entails, be it retail and digital downloading or social network sites like Myspace, have allowed artists to gain more independence and leverage than ever before," she continues. "New business models are emerging, most of which are not based on retail sales. Recent sales from The Majestic Twelve’s sophomore album, Schizophrenology give confirmation to this notion."
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Prohibition Entertainment Releases New Traedonya Single Via Airplay Direct
Prohibition Entertainment a NYC based boutique independent record label and AirPlay Direct have formed a marketing alliance in regards to R&B /crossover vocalist TRAEDONYA. Her single "BELOVED" will be delivered to radio stations worldwide via www.AirPlayDirect.com. This will allow Prohibition to save a substantial amount of money by not having to send out hard copy promotional packages to radio stations.
"Radio servicing (just packages, not promotion) is a punitive cost to most independent labels and artists. Servicing can run into thousands of dollars and you have returns which will also increase costs" says A.K Smith-Ford, Founder of Prohibition. AirPlay Direct’s FREE services will allow us to put the money saved into other key areas… marketing and promotion.
"TRAEDONYA is a Featured Artist on AirPlay Direct and radio programmers and music industry executives are able to check out TRAEDONYA at www.airplaydirect.com/music/bands/3117/
"AirPlay Direct’s approach will continue the revolution and evolution of the music industry in the digital arena. Radio is an ‘achilles heel’ to most independent labels and artists because we can’t compete for ‘Clear Channel’ against the big 4 labels. AirPlay Direct has helped to level the playing field." said A.K.
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Kicksta Music Group Release Nova Scotia Hip-Hop And R&B Sound On Compilation Album And Single
The Hip-Hop and R&B talent of east coast Canada finally gets the recognition it deserves with "Scotia Mix Vol. 1", the new compilation album from the Kicksta Music Group.
Featuring the best artists from Nova Scotia - and a guest contribution from Louisiana’s Big Brotha the project aims to give an outlet for these as-of-yet under exposed artists.
A unique combination, "Scotia Mix Vol. 1" combines artists new to the game with more seasoned professionals, connected by their love of music. One such seasoned maestro is singer/songwriter/producer Jamie Sparks, who began his professional career in 1990 and whose track "Gonna Get Down" is the first single from the album.
A video has also been filmed, featuring the track "ScoTown Stomp" by Papa Grand. The video was filmed in Halifax and produced by Triton Films from Vancouver.
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Jodi Jett To Perform At Listen Liberally Showcase In NYC On October 17th
NYC- based alt country rocker Jodi
