The Working Stiff's Guide To The Music Business

Turning Water Into Wine

2011-09-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

My job as a marketing guy is to find ways to get folks to pay attention to the artists I work with and more importantly their music. I'm a big fan of the very cleverly written show Weeds on Showtime. Essentially the show is about a suburban mom named Nancy who has resorted to selling pot to support her family. At this point in the series, which is in its 7th season now, the show has evolved into a circus of antics by Nancy to find new and better ways to keep her dealing business thriving. While in the well to do area known as The Hamptons in New York, Nancy creates a back story that her Marijuana is grown in a lush ancient mountainous region in Europe. Giving the impression that it's a rare strain and only she has the inside track on distribution, she "invents" a high end packaging, delivery system and perception of her product, selling dime bags ($10) of weed for $500 to the ultra swanky and uber rich who just HAVE to have it.

This got me thinking. I started to look at all the foods that we consider delicacies that have their beginnings rooted in the “boorish” world of peasants, farmers and the poor. From sushi (raw fish) to escargot (snails), foie gras (duck liver) and caviar (fish eggs) to rocky mountain oysters (bulls testicles). The combination of a discerning palate and creative marketing have elevated these once noshable necessities into edible eccentricities that only a select few can afford and/or acquire.

So in these challenging times of finding ways to be heard above the noise it behooves us all to ask ourselves what we can do with our music, merchandise, performances and our perception, to develop a brand that meets a demand we know is out there just waiting to be found. There's plenty of thirsty folks looking for something new to taste. All you gotta do is turn water into wine!

SXSW...Be there!

2011-02-26T11:16:00.000-08:00

I SWEAR!

2011-01-03T22:56:00.000-08:00

So it's the new year and we all have our resolutions to maintain, our finances to rebuild and our goals to reach. Through all the sacrifices that we make to further our careers the one thing we must never sacrifice is our credibility...our word...our honor. A contract between two parties is an agreement to honor our word. We say what we'll do and then do what we say we'll do. Pretty simple. However, more and more we see folks consider a contract as a guideline. Something to aspire to but not obligated to. Look at the rate of divorce. I'm not here to argue the merits of divorce, but I know for myself, I take my vows very seriously and after nearly 20 years I can honestly say there are times I feel tested. But nobody said it would be easy. How many folks take on mortgages, agreeing to pay and then when it gets a little rough, walk away. Our political halls are filled with empty promises and our response ...what do you expect, they're politicians. We've learned to accept...or rather... expect broken promises. We live in a litigious society and in the end the lawyers win. How many times do we hear "the label ripped me off", "the promoter didn't honor the contract", "The manager didn't deliver". But the issue isn't about what someone did to you. It's what you do. I guarantee you'll get ripped off. It's inevitable. Those are things that are sometimes out of your control. But what you can control is how you treat others and how you honor your agreements. Keep this in mind the next time you sign an agreement or the next time you make a promise. You're only as good as your word. I swear!

Steve Belkin Live on KMMT Friday, 2/26 at 8:30am PST!

2010-02-25T22:12:00.000-08:00

Hey folks,
I'll be doing a live phone interview with Stacey Powells on KMMT radio out of Mammoth Lakes, CA. Listen in (with your coffee or tea!) at KMMT LISTEN LIVE

You're Awesome! Now What?

2010-01-29T06:23:00.000-08:00

Artists love to hear the accolades. What am I saying …EVERYONE loves praise. So when you meet someone who is enthusiastic about your music, what could be better! A lot.

Many years ago while working at a marketing company (Unisound Marketing) that represented many artists and labels at retail and radio, an artist came to us with a really great project. She was very talented and the recording was top notch. However, the material was quirky. I personally loved the CD but told the artist in the nicest way possible that the record would not do well at radio and that her money would be better spent elsewhere. She of course did not want to hear this telling me that she wanted someone who loved her music to promote it. So…we didn't work the record…the record came out, was shipped to radio and didn't do well at all.

Recently I had conversations with two different artists who's "meter" for wanting to hire a radio promoter and a publicist was that they were enthusiastic about their music. Now don't get me wrong, enthusiasm can be very helpful when you're marketing someone, however I've often said "It's not my job to love your music, it's my job to understand how to market it".

My wife is vegan. Yet she can cook amazing meat dishes. Why…because she understands what it needs for me (or anyone else eating her food) to enjoy the taste. When I was going to college I was a bartender. I didn't need to know how a drink tasted to know how to make it and I certainly didn't have to like it. I understood the science of mixology.

Remember, promoters, marketers, publicists are SUPPOSED to sound enthusiastic. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right person to promote you or your music. Ask questions beyond the hype. What do they propose will work best and does this jive with your direction. When I represent a client I'm not emotionally tied to the artist or the music. My goal…the best plan of attack. What's going to work and what isn't. And can that person get it done.

Remember, you're wearing many hats in today's independent business. Make sure you've got the right one on when it comes to business ...I prefer a beret! ;~).

Steve Belkin is a music business consultant, author of the Ebooklet "The Six P's to Success" and owner of Open All Nite Entertainment and an artist manager and partner with Left Coast Music Group. www.openallnite.com

Promoters...PROMOTE!

2009-10-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

How many times have you spoken to a talent buyer or booked a gig only to find that the only thing they do to promote a show is a strip ad in the free weekly snooze paper (among hundreds of other ads and events) and a mention on their website in their calendar/events section - assuming all that traffic they get at their site, and all those folks dying to know what is happening at THEIR venue [sarcasm]. Unfortunately, outside of major events, festivals and places like subscription based Performing Arts Centers, many (NOT ALL) clubs and small venues do very little to get the word out and drive folks to their shows.
It really is a pleasure to come across a venue that does things right. I remember having a client perform at a club in Oakland called Yoshi's. Yoshi's had a marketing person on staff that worked with us (as well as our publicist) to set up pre-show telephone interviews (for print, etc.) as well as pre-show in-person radio interviews (three in fact) AND this marketing person also picked us up and drove us to all the interviews. This person also invited reviewers and pushed for post show reviews. They also did a lot of radio advertising ahead and ticket and CD giveaways at all the radio stations. In other words…they actually PROMOTED the show! In turn they also promoted their venue and built lasting relationships with several businesses and media outlets.
Now I understand that not every venue can supply a person to commit to an artist every day for every show. But a local venue is more likely to know all the local avenues to promote a show. They are going to know who is who at the local papers, who runs the local internet event promotion sites, what radio and tv stations and shows to work with, where other events are taking place to promote their own events, and the ability to build those important relationships They are in a much better position to do trade outs with sponsors such as radio, hotels, transportation suppliers, restaurants, advertisers and/or possibly other venues to co-op with.
So if you're a promoter or talent buyer, think about how your helping your business get the most from it's events. Developing an email list and promoting via social networks such as Facebook are cheap and easy ways to get the word out. Work with your talent to utilize yours and their email/mailing lists. And if you're the talent, communicate as much as possible with your venue ahead of time to create the best possible turnout. Develop contests ahead of time that can be promoted. Tie in with a cause to add advertising to the mix and expand your reach. It's not always about how frequently you play as it is about making the most of each gig. Making a gig an event. In these tough times it's tougher than ever for folks to come out and spend money. If you live in a city like mine (Los Angeles) the competition is fierce to get folks out. With so many venues, shows, and other ways to spend their money, not to mention their time, you really need to be clever and proactive to get folks to pay attention and get in the car. So in the end remember…We're ALL promoters….SO….PROMOTE!
Steve Belkin is a music business consultant, author of the Ebook "The Six P's to Success" and owner of Open All Nite Entertainment and an artist manager and partner with Left Coast Music Group.

Stage Presence and a global suggestion.

2009-09-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

I'd like to make a global suggestion….Stage Presence should be respelled Stage Presents as in stage gifts. That's what an artist does on stage right? They give their gift of talent to an audience (okay…assuming they have talent) either way it's a gift…just might be one you didn't want to receive. But back to the topic…
How someone "acts" on stage has so much to do with how they are received. You don't have to be Kiss, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, David Bowie, Madonna or the Red Hot Chili Peppers to have presence. For some artists, it's just a simple honesty. Being true to your personality (assuming you have a nice disposition) can be very inviting. But there are other things that affect stage presence. How the stage looks, how the band is set, cables, amps, etc. all make for a presence on stage. You may have heard me complain in the past about music stands. Use 'em when you need 'em but make them as discrete as possible. AND don't use them as a crutch. Don't stare down at your stand when you can be looking at your audience. Connecting with your audience is paramount. If someone gave you a gift and didn't look you in the eye when they handed it to you, wouldn't you feel a little dissed? At least a bit confused. Telling an audience to get up and clap is not the same as getting them to do it on their own. Making twisted faces because you're into it doesn't guarantee that your audience is into it. AND PLEASE don't ever let me hear that it's all about how it makes you feel. If you're happy on stage then you've done your job. Try that on any other relationship and see how far that mindset takes you. Although you may not be able to win over everyone, it's important to be cognizant and considerate of your audience. So next time you hit the stage, read the audience, find a way to connect and give, give , give!
Steve Belkin is a music business consultant, author of the Ebook "The Six P's to Success" and owner of Open All Nite Entertainment and an artist manager and partner with Left Coast Music Group.

Steve Belkin Live Seminar at Guitar Player Live Festival!

2009-09-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Live Seminar at Guitar Player Live

2009-08-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

The Path Of Least Resistence

2009-07-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you want your job to be easy. Work smart not hard, right? and yet so many people (including myself at times) are hell bent on making their own jobs as well as others difficult. Let me give you some examples... When it comes to your own duties, how often do you decide to "take care of the problem" yourself instead of hiring a pro (or just someone else) to get it done. I know the thinking, I'll save some money. I'll fix my computer, repair my amp, paint the house, drywall the holes from the plumber, tile the bathroom. How about being the guitarist, bassist, keyboardist and drum programmer on your recordings or road manager, stage manager, booking agent, band manager, transportation driver and marketing and promotion person, etc. All because you're either a control freak or you think you are going to save money. Well, sometimes it works, but often it doesn't. If those skills are not in your wheel house, if they are not in your comfort zone, than you may be weakening rather than strengthening your situation and/or career. In the long run, you need to focus on those things you do best. You should absolutely know what to expect from certain jobs and I highly recommend doing all the jobs aforementioned at some point so as to appreciate the difficulties of any job. But sometimes it helps everyone involved to divide and conquer. In this case divide up tasks and responsibilities and hire out when it makes sense. I do also understand that in these tough economic times and in order to get certain things done, you may have to do things yourself. If that's the case, take the time, do your due diligence, do your homework, and learn as much as possible before tackling the tasks. Otherwise, you might wind up spending more correcting the problem than if had you not done it yourself in the first place.

BTW, when you do hire out or delegate a task, make that person's job as easy as possible. Give them all the tools that you can to allow them to do a great job. Give them the path of least resistance. I once asked a distributor rep who was faced with working hundreds of new releases each month, how he determined which releases he worked diligently on and devoted more time to. His answer...the labels and artists that were working diligently, making sacrifices and team players. A great line from manager Andy Gould (Guns and Roses, Rob Zombie) "Never work harder than your artist". In other words, when you hire others and bring others on you OWE it to them to keep it going yourself, do your job and don't sit back on your laurels. Don't confuse the path of least resistance with the easy way out. People will rock for you if they see you working it. But again, work smart not hard. maximize your efforts on those things that can move the big picture a long. Don't get caught up in over thinking and the minutia. Make each small step for you one giant step in your career and find your path of least resistance.

Steve Belkin is a music business consultant, author of the Ebook "The Six P's to Success" and owner of Open All Nite Entertainment and an artist manager and partner with Left Coast Music Group.

The Next Food Network Star!

2009-07-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

I'm kind of a fool for those food reality shows…Hell's Kitchen, Top Chef, Ace of Cakes. But The Next Food Network Star is different. It's not about just great food or great culinary experience. It's something more. To be the next Food Network star, the winner has to have something special. THEY NEED TO CONNECT WITH THE AUDIENCE! It can be frustrating at times to watch some of these very talented people struggle at "performing". Some do fine in front of a camera but freeze in front of an audience. For some it's the other way around. The next Food Network star must have at it all. They need the whole package. Cool in front of the camera, cool in front of an audience, they need culinary talent, they must make the food not only taste good but look good AND look like it tastes good. They need to make your mouth water when you watch. They need to be likable, and most importantly they need to be authentic. As chef Bobby Flay says about the lack of authenticity…the audience will pick up on it and so will the viewers.

Well I'm sure you can see where I'm going with all this. When it comes to being an artist (no matter the genre) you have to connect. For some this comes natural and for some it ain't easy. Nothing worse than watching an artist crash and burn before your very eyes (okay maybe a comedian …all by himself trying to be funny and all you hear are crickets). Most artist will tell you "that's who I am, I can't fake it". Let me be clear, I am not suggesting you be anything you aren't. However, it is important to know who you are and enhance those appealing qualities. It's also important to listen to your audience. Not just what they say but what they don't say. Any artist who has felt the roar of genuine applause vs. the polite clapping knows what I'm talking about here. Find the things that work and ditch the stuff that doesn't. As an artist, like the Next Food Network Star, it's the whole package that is going to make things work.

BTW...A couple of pet peeves for me when watching a band… - music stands - I hate 'em, especially when they become a crutch for a musician or vocalist to stare down at. If you really need them make them as inconspicuous as possible. It's important to look at the audience and make the audience feel like your performing your music for them NOT because "it's a gig". And the other... if you're having fun…show it! If your audience likes you…they are more likely to like your music. The too cool for school vibe doesn't always work. Some artists may be able to get away with being condescending and standoffish (Miles Davis and Prince come to mind) but in general, like the next Food Network Star you stand a better chance by connecting and coming off as a person folks want to hang with down at the local pub. In fact at your next gig…invite everyone down to the local pub, have a nice hang and get to know your fans. The first one's on me!

Steve Belkin is a music business consultant and owner of Open All Nite Entertainment and an artist manager and partner with Left Coast Music Group.

The Ex-Boyfriend Syndrome

2009-06-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

The ex-boyfriend syndrome... Your last boyfriend beat you and treated you like crap so you assume the next guy is going to do the same. So before you even get things started your punishing the next guy, protecting yourself from getting hurt and securing your self-fulfilling prophecy that all men are jerks.

This happens to us all the time in all types of situations. We've all felt taken, ripped off and had sellers or buyers remorse. We've all heard or said the cliché's…"Once Bitten…Twice Shy", "Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me" and so on. These situations are not unusual and sometimes they may not be avoidable. However, allowing for a fresh start without a lot of baggage will give a relationship the opportunity to grow. As a consultant and as a manager I've experienced the ex-boyfriend syndrome all too often. Unfortunately I've found myself spending time defending against overactive imaginations, paranoid attitudes and baseless accusations. Eventually these relationships don't last. They can't. When you go to work with someone and your head is on the chopping block and your sitting with two strikes against you…the inevitable is ineffectiveness or worse…just plain nothing happens. I recently had a client that wanted to promote a young pop/rock artist. I brought in a friend of mine who also happens to be a very reputable radio promoter in the format we were going for. Long story short, my client went into the discussions on the defensive. He'd been ripped off before and wasn't going to pay a dime without proof of radio play first. Some of you may see the wisdom of this approach. "I'll only pay on results!". The problem was that from the outset, there was no trust. No trust in me and who I brought in, no trust in my reputable friend and promoter, and no trust in the artist, the process and the system. We were all doomed to fail. The reality of this business is that it's a gamble. You need to do your best to reduce the risk but at the end of the day it is a VERY risky business. The best we can do is to surround ourselves with solid, credible, reputable people. The best we can do is give the people we hire the best tools possible. The most we can expect is that people get out there and do what they say they can do. Life's not just about taking chances but giving chances as well. SO be apprehensive. Be guarded. But understand that a leap of faith doesn't start with the dipping of your toes but with a running start and a great dive!

Steve Belkin is a music business consultant and owner of Open All Nite Entertainment and an artist manager and partner with Left Coast Music Group.

CIY is the real DIY

2009-05-17T23:30:00.000-07:00

For the past ten to fifteen years or so the rally cry has been DIY. DO IT YOURSELF! The idea that you can do it all. There have been conferences built around the concept and the industry now embraces the idea that Artists, Songwriters, Bands Can do it all and do it themselves.

As a consultant for indie labels and emerging and indie artists, I too raised my fist in defiance that the artist do it all! But something didn't feel right. As I talked to artists, writers, etc. so many of them felt overwhelmed by the requirements of the DIY world. They realized that they didn't have all the facts. They didn't have all the knowledge. They didn't have all the resources and they didn't necessarily have all the talent. This is when I had my little epiphany. It's not about DIY. It's about CIY...Control it yourself. Many of us already knew this but it was never so clear. If we started from the CIY frame of reference, this gave us permission to NOT do it all. Now we could have no problem outsourcing. We could hire a publicist, promoters, marketing, managers, agents, assistants, etc. But at the end of the day...we made the final decisions. We received the lions share of the revenue. So the key to control is to surround yourself with a rock solid team that you can trust to go out and do the best job possible. However, if you're the controller, if you are the person making all the decisions, then you need to own that position. No more claims of "I'm just a musician", "I'm just the guitar player", "I'm just the singer", "Not my area", "Not my job". That doesn't mean you need to do everyone's job...That would be silly old DIY. No, no, no it is time to learn about the jobs, understand the motivation of each person doing the job and and hire the folks that really know the job. So get out there and be the CEO of your CIY world! .....C-Ya!

PR - Groove Jazz Music Inside The Industry feature on Open All Nite Entertainment

2009-05-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

Monetizing Music In The Free World

2009-05-02T05:08:00.001-07:00

I just returned from the Musexpo conference . A really great conference in Los Angeles that brings in several industry folks from around the world. It's a small conference...only about 500 or so attendees, but that's what makes it so great. You can get an opportunity to talk with just about everyone there. The panels always include a great line up of industry heavyweights and this year was no different. As I listened to the opinions of folks as diverse as music industry blogger Bob Lefsetz, Manager Andy Gould, American Idol Exec. Producer Nigel Lythgoe, and a host of other music and entertainment CEO's, managers, music supervisors, etc. (for a list of panelists click here) I found a steady question arising about how to monetize the music. in other words... everyone loves music and wants music but it's a pretty big challenge as to how the creators and rights holders are going to get paid. The discussions rolled on about the questionable value of record labels for artists, physical product, the future of delivery, etc. Music Supervisors discussed the possibilities that licensing fees paid would likely decline. I know ... sounds pretty grim. HOWEVER, to overuse a great cliche ... Necessity is the Mother of Invention, the model will evolve.
There were discussions of corporate labels (i.e. being signed to a brand such as Coca Cola, etc.) This is similar to a model used in Japan where music is product driven. There are greater opportunities for licensing albeit lower fees. Physical product isn't dead but there is no question it is being challenged and having Virgin Retail close their brick and mortar stores added to the challenge. So my advice...Don't give up, remember why you do this and in the meantime stick to the plan...build fans, build your brand.

Fire Sale...Everything must go!

2009-04-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

I had an experience with one of my clients who was playing a drive gig (not quite local but not too far away). It was billed as a CD release party and was with one of our more important promoters (they're all important but this promoter has always been good to us and our clients). I was originally unable to attend the show for personal reasons. Let me just say, that it is always important for a manger to try to make it out to local shows if possible. The main reasons being that you can continue to see your artist perform and see where, or if, he/she needs any improvement and where they may be doing great. It's also important to shmooze the promoters and it also makes your artist feel good. However, I digress...back to the topic (I swear I'm getting there!). So at about 6pm, 2 hours before showtime, I get a call from the artist in a panic because he didn't bring enough CD's. He only brought one box...to a CD release party!!!
His reasoning, he just didn't think he would sell more at a 300 seat auditorium. Right or wrong, he violated the first rule of merchandise...Always bring too much. ESPECIALLY on a drive gig. If you can toss it in your car it's there if you need it. When it comes to merchandise (CD's, T-shirts, mugs, key chains, etc.) It's important to keep in mind that this is where you can make good money...it's especially important when the gig only pays a minimum and you need to break even. Something else to keep in mind is that selling merchandise is selling merchandise. you don't like it when you go into a Walmart and they are charging too much for their products so be careful not to price your merch too high. Also, reward your customers. Give them incentives. I personally subscribe to the idea that instead of marking up your CD at shows to the typical $15-$20 that you should offer better than retail deals. Sell it cheaper and offer deals for 2 or more. For example, sell your CD for $12, or 2 for $20, or 3 for $27. Maybe it's buy a CD get half off the shirt or a free keychain. Make the buyer feel like they got a good deal. If they like you, like your show and walk away satisfied, they'll spread the word and they'll be back. Remember...it's all about getting fans and building brands. So sell, sell, sell! Everything must go!

P.S. I ended up breaking into his house to get more CD's and drove them out to the gig in time for the show and for selling. It all worked out for the best. We sold many more than originally thought, I hung with the promoter, the artist was thankful and happy and we all lived happily ever after. Now that's dedication for ya!

Can you Hear Me Now?

2009-04-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

Communication...how many times do we screw up something just by poor communication? If you are in a band, have a manager, are a manager, have a girlfriend or are the girlfriend you better get your communication chops together. Most of the time we feel misunderstood and much of the time we are.
One of the evil culprits of bad communication is our ever more dependence upon email, tweets and status updates. Unfortunately, as much as email has saved the day of being able to communicate it has really killed the art of writing. Instant messaging, tweets and status updates are even worse. We have dropped our skills down to partial words, acronyms, quick typing, bad spelling and no art, no poetry, no flow. It used to be that people would write letters. Even the poorest and illiterate were able to assemble better sentences than what we construct nowadays. The reason I bring this topic up is that clarity in communication is more important now than ever. If you aren't clear about what it is your trying to convey, the repercussions are almost instantaneous. How often have we sent an email that the minute you hit send you regretted sending. Or worse, you sent it to the wrong person. Hell, I know I'm guilty of it. And who wants to have one of their rants sent into the vast internet wasteland where it becomes the joke email of the week! Sometimes it's better to get on the phone and talk with someone. I know for me I am not a typist. I don't like to write books with my emails and they might come off pretty curt. However, you get me on the phone and I can explain my position. If I am being misunderstood I can restate my position and if someone still isn't getting me... well then I guess I'll just send them an email (joke...get it?). BTW...in defense of email...I will say this. It does give you the opportunity to stay on point and edit yourself. But the important thing here is that when you have something important to say to someone. Schedule time and CALL them. Unless your letter writing skills are second to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, give folks the respect and deal with them direct.

Rock Starve to Rock Star

2009-03-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

So often I see songwriters, artists and musicians who feel that they need to struggle to succeed. "I quit my job so I could devote myself and my time to my work". We won't work "real" jobs because they are too confining. Unfortunately what often happens is we also won't spend the money that it often takes to do things professionally because the dough just isn't there.
I hate to see CD artwork with a "really cool photo that my uncle took", a two page insert with minimal info in a 6 point font that you need a microscope to read with, A Host Baby website with one picture, 5 songs and a couple of videos from the last two gigs at a club where you can't hear the music but you can hear the guy talking next to the "cameraman" and it's so dark you're not sure what you're watching... not to mention the camera operator (your dad) is moving the camera around so much you start to feel like your on the Colossus roller coaster at Magic Mountain (barf bag please).
Look, we all know times are tough. So cut back on the things that make sense and don't cut back on the things that can hurt you. Your CD, your website, your music ... these are your business cards. First impressions matter. Make sure you "dress for success". Make sure your package looks great. It doesn't have to be done in suede. But make sure it pops. Make sure your website impresses. Your music is well recorded. You can do things on the cheap. Keep it simple and clean. Just be wise on how your spend what you have. Rehearse before you record. Time is money, don't waste studio time getting organized. Use budgets before hand. Map things out. You can build some great websites from blog sites these days. Take the time to learn some of the technology. and a strong word of advice...Never upload crappy video of you or your band. That can be worse than no video at all. This stuff lives on and on.
Value is perceived. Create the value your fans and the gatekeepers care about. BTW...It always frustrates me when I see companies and artists cut back on marketing first when the money is thin. Cut other things first. Marketing is what brings you business. Get creative. find the things you can live without. You don't need to starve to succeed. No one wants to sign an emaciated artist anyways!

No is the Status Quo

2009-03-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

No is the Status Quo but Yes is the Wild Wild West!

In comedy improvisation, one of the first rules is NEVER SAY NO (although the rule applies to musical improvisation and any other form of improv as well). The idea being that when you say no you can't move forward. You're stuck in the status quo. We all do a pretty good job of saying no to things. Why? Because no doesn't change anything in our world. Saying yes however, requires thought, energy, change and that ugly fear of the unknown. However, when we say yes to things, the possibilities are endless. When we say no we can remain in our little comfort zone. Even if that comfort zone makes us miserable. It's the reason people stay in bad relationships, bad jobs, and bad situations. The devil you know vs. the devil you don't know... right? Well the truth is you'll never know unless you try. There's a great line from a Tom Waits song called New Coat of Paint "...Fishin' for a good time starts with throwin' in your line". So the next time you find yourself on the quick draw to a no. Pause ... give it a second thought and at least go with a maybe...OR...cast your fate to the wind, enter the Wild Wild West and say YES!

The Indie Diet

2009-02-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

Okay, remember...eat very few carbs, no sugar, more protein, less fat. Eat nuts, don't eat meat, eat fish, don't eat fish, it has mercury. Red meat is bad, red meat is good, have a glass of wine a day, DON"T drink! alcohol kills...

Well, welcome to the music business...........HUH?

That's right...the music business. The music business is a lot like a diet. When it comes to doing the right thing for your career, it may not be the right thing ALL THE TIME.

Finding the right balance in your career and your activities is more important than just doing the right thing. When it comes to marketing, you need to deal with a lot of different things such as radio, publicity, gigs, newsletters, websites, advertising, etc. Knowing when to fill up (aka focus) on one thing over another is crucial to the health of your career. Spending all your time getting gigs and not putting any effort into how you communicate with and increase your fan base makes wasted effort. How many of you have played the same 10 venues to the same 30 people?? If your getting airplay or playing a gig, make sure you are complimenting that part of your diet with a healthy amount of publicity, advertising, personal appearances, hand shakes, letters, emails, etc? Your fans are the lifeblood of your career.
So remember, treat your career like your body. Eat right, exercise when you can, and do everything in moderation. Here's to your health!

The NAMM Conference

2009-01-26T13:36:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a couple of days at the NAMM conference (National Association of Music Merchants). It's a wild ride through building after building of musical instruments, bands playing, deal making, schmoozing, lots of hair and leather and an occassional Rock Star. NAMM, is definitely sensory overload.
Like a few other conferences I sometimes go to, I can't decide before hand if I really want to go and if I do go, do I want to get a hotel and stay or do I want to get in and get out. I decided to go the hotel route and for drinking purposes this always makes sense. As usual, keeping my expectations low provided me with some nice surprises. I ran into a few good friends and a couple possible clients. Not to mention the flexible schedule gave me an opportunity to meet with folks on the spur of the moment.
This reminded me of how important it is to just be seen even if you don't have a particular plan in mind. Conferences are a great way to keep your name out there, run into new potential friends, clients or fans, and find out what's going on outside of your world. This doesn't mean become a conference junkie. You could go broke and never be home with all the conferences that go on throughout the year. But if the total cost to attend is low and affordable, make the trip. You'll almost always be glad you did.