(Ed’s note: I don’t normally publish syndicated material anymore but in this case I though it was important and highly enlightening to see how the mainstream press works…)

The Black Crowes’ manager issues statement:

In my thirty years in the music business, I have never once written a letter to any publication to discuss or oppose a “review” of my artist’s work. Any artist or manager who has survived a dramatically changing musical landscape, and experienced some longevity throughout, has a clear understanding that both good and bad reviews are part of the scenery.

However, this letter was not written to address a bad “review” but rather a fabricated album review that your magazine published even though your “music critic” had not heard more than one song.

In our business, a fabricated review is a serious concern that may ultimately harm all artists because it calls into question the credibility
of the entire review process.

A February 20th email response from a Maxim representative stated in part:

“On the rare occasion that we are not given music because of our lead time or unavailability of the tunes, we make an educated guess … Of course, we always prefer to hearing the music, but sometimes there are big albums that we don’t want to ignore that aren’t available to hear, which is what happened with the Crowes. It’s either an educated guess preview or no coverage at all, so in this case we chose the former.”

(more…)

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Sonicbids has kicked off a special year-long Get A Gig Guarantee promotion. Sonicbids’ mission is to help bands get gigs; based on the belief that independent music belongs everywhere –– on festival stages; in video game consoles; on film screens; in college theaters; on the radio; in advertisements; on club stages and at sporting events. The Get-A-Gig Guarantee speaks to how important this mission is for the company by giving artist members a free 6-month membership extension if they do not secure at least one gig over the course of the next 6 months – no strings attached. For more, visit www.Sonicbids.com.

The Rock and Roll Report is a Sonicbids partner and if you are in a band it is definitely an effective way to get your music heard. If you want to submit your music to The Rock and Roll Report through Sonicbids just click on the Sonicbids logo in the top right of this very website. Thanks.

Later

Mark

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Sorry for the dearth of stuff on the site over these last few days but things have been pretty hectic personally and I have learned to not write just for the sake of writing. I would prefer the content to be sparse but good as opposed to overflowing but shit. Of course the content could be sparse and shit but that’s beside the point…

Just received two essential components (finally!) for Rock and Roll Report Studios and will actually begin recording Episode 1 of the Rock and Roll Report Podcast (The Phantom Podcast?) this week. It’s been frustrating to say the least but I think that once I get going things will run a lot smoother. The plan is to have the first episode out the week of October 22, 2007 (probably the 24th) and then every week thereafter. The only decision I face is whether to produce a show the week Rock and Roll Report Radio is on. Since CKUT provides a podcast feed for the show for a week after broadcast I will probably only produce three podcasts a month and see how that goes.

The Day in Rock reports that Fox News columnist Roger Friedman is calling for a boycott of Rolling Stone Magazine. Now I have a love/hate relationship with that mag and I can see that if you are of a politically conservative bent you would have a lot to gripe about but Friedman’s reason is not due to the content of the magazine. Friedman’s complaint revolves around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the fact that Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner essentially controls the nomination process for this ridiculous institution. Now if you shake your head at some of the decisions made for these nominations (why is Rush still not nominated again?) you will definitely want to read Friedman’s reasons for the boycott but really, why don’t we boycott both the magazine and the “institution” and get on with listening to cool rock and roll played in sweaty little clubs, you know, the way rock and roll should be celebrated.

Well if you thought the days of ‘80s hard rock and hair metal were behind us think again. According to Kris Osborn of Time.Com, some of the biggest concert draws of 2007 were reunion concerts by bands like Ratt, Tesla, Poison, Quiet Riot, Ozzy, White Lion and the like and the response to the semi-reunited Van Halen seem to bear this out. The interesting thing is that the shows seem to be attracting young concert goers who weren’t around for these bands’ first kick at the can. Can you blame them? Hard rock and metal have always contained a great mixture of sleaze, glam and fist pumping fun that makes it quite clear you are at a rock show and not a political convention. People want to lose themselves for a couple of hours and this stuff is a great way to do it. Cheap, fast and disposable. That is sometimes the best definition of rock and roll and I guess this just goes to prove that people want more than angst on stage, they want to rock!

One of the best CDs that I received last year and played quite a bit on Rock and Roll Report Radio was Light ‘Em Up! By The Fags and it was with considerable sadness that I learned this summer of the band’s demise. Billed as a logical successor to Cheap Trick, The Fags had what many thought was it all. Great hooks, cool songs, a great sound behind the vocals of main man John Speck, this was a band that seemed poised for great things. Unfortunately major label politics and other business mis-cues killed the band in its crib. Read all about Speck’s experiences with the Fags and their doomed run at the brass ring in The Fags Get Screwed. If you are interested in what John is up to now check out his new band HiFi HandGrenades.

Finally, if you thought all that came out of Israel was religious conflict and strife you will be happy to know that the Jewish Music Group has announced the release of “Israel Unleashed: The Best Rock And Metal From The Holy Land”. Featuring the very best unsigned rock and metal bands from Israel it is scheduled to be released November 27, 2007. For a full track listing check out http://www.jewishmusicgroup.com/album.php?id=131.

That’s it for now. I know I haven’t featured any blitz bands in awhile but if your jonesing for a rock and roll fix I suggest that you click on any of the band links from this week’s Rock and Roll Report Radio playlist and check out what they have to offer. I think you your ears will be amply rewarded.

Later.

Mark

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Have you always dreamed of recording your music in a professional studio? TuneCore, Eventful and Solid State Logic (SSL) have teamed up to send one band (up to five people) on a one week all expenses paid trip to England to record at Real World Studios, one of the top five recording studios on the planet. The artist or band with the most “demands” at leading online events site Eventful wins this grand prize, which includes studio time, round-trip airfare, ground transportation, food, lodging, an engineer and assistant and 100% unlimited access and complete lockout of “The Big Room” for five days. (Approximate retail value: $25,000.)

Thanks to SSL, TuneCore and Eventful, one lucky band will be able to record at the same studio and use the same state-of-the-art SSL gear as The Cure, Bonnie Raitt, Super Furry Animals, Beth Orton, Goldfrapp, Deep Purple, Robbie Williams, Paul Oakenfold, Sigur Ros and more.

“The Big Room” is world renowned for its 72-channel SSL 9000 XL K series analogue console, its large selection of vintage Neve modules, and its varied array of outboard equipment custom installed to take every advantage of this state-of-the-art facility, all in a room famous for its intoxicating view of the flowing mill pond. Real World’s team brings a wealth of experience, passion and commitment to help music artists realize the full potential of the studio.

To enter, bands will register as a Performer at Eventful and opt-in to participate in the competition. They then need only encourage their fans to “demand” them using Eventful’s Demand service. The unsigned band with the most Eventful “demanders” at 12:00 pm (Pacific Standard Time), October 31st, 2007, wins the grand prize. Bands with the second and third most demanders each win a Solid State Logic Duende DSP processing engine (ARV: $1495.00 each). The top ten (10) bands with the most demanders each get one album, with an unlimited number of songs (total not to exceed seventy-four minutes) placed for free into all digital stores they choose to which TuneCore delivers, including the first year’s maintenance and storage. (ARV: $45 each.)

Find out more at http://www.tunecore.com/realworld.

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I was was roaming around the web trolling for music news I came across the usual assortment of crap but two things really stuck for me today but for completely different reasons.

It appears that the longevity of Keith Richards is a bit of an anomaly according to How rock stardom can take years off your life. It seems that the rock star lifestyle (you know the ol’ buggaboo of sex, drugs and rock and roll) that comes with the territory once a rock star becomes popular causes them to die pretty quickly. Citing examples of Kurt Cobain, Buddy Holly, Sid Vicious and Pete Doherty (oops he’s not dead yet!) as rockers who keeled over once stardom struck, British scientists claim that after extensive study they have come to the conclusion that “The results suggest that the most dangerous time for a star is during their first flush of fame. Stars are over three times more likely to die than ordinary people in the first five years after chart success, and in the first 10 years they are still at more than two and a half times the risk. And right up to 25 years after launching a career in showbiz, rock and pop stars are still more likely to meet their maker than the rest of us.”

What does this say to the young wannabe rock stars of today? What kind of a message does this send to them? I can just here the local garage band huddled in their rehearsal space with their collective finger poised over the “send” button of their email program- “Boys, this could mean we may become, you know popular and then we could die!” Rock and roll is a vicious game indeed!

At the other end of the spectrum you have Rick Rubin perhaps being a bit to honest when the recently named co-chairman of Columbia Records stated in the New York Times magazine that “I have great confidence that we will have the best record company in the industry, but the reality is, in today’s world, we might have the best dinosaur. Until a new model is agreed upon and rolling, we can be the best at the existing paradigm, but until the paradigm shifts, it’s going to be a declining business. This model is done.” I’m sure that the powers that be at Columbia didn’t expect this so quick in Rubin’s tenure but really, the man was just stating the truth. The old model is dead and right now everybody is staggering in the dark trying to come up with something that works in this Web 2.0 world. Until the major record labels face the fact that they are no longer the gatekeepers to the music anymore, the sooner we can figure out what will make both them and the artists they represent money, the sooner we can start promoting new and exciting artists without fear that taking a risk means the end of life as we know it. It is pretty cool that Rubin is so upfront and at least he is a “music guy” as opposed to a bean counter so don’t rule out the majors just yet.

Later.

Mark

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In this world of ever dwindling independent record stores, a site like RecordStoreReview.Com is invaluable. Unfortunately it is also expensive to run. They need $1000.00 to cover their expenses this year and so far they have only raised $131.00. If you can spare the cash, why don’t you kick some their way and help them out?

Thanks.

Mark

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I have raved about CD Baby before and The Rock and Roll Report is a CD Baby partner affiliate and proud to be so and now I hear that they will be offering DRM-free MP3 downloads in the near future. This is very cool as it is just one more avenue that indie and unsigned bands can use to get their music out there.

Speaking of which, I gotta apologize for the state of On Random Play here at The Rock and Roll Report. It is undergoing a complete re-think and I am in the process of making it much easier to use. Essentially the idea is that if you read about a band on The Rock and Roll Report or hear a band on Rock and Roll Report Radio or the podcast you will be able to buy the CD or download it from On Random Play and support both this site and the band in question. Have patience as that part of the site should be revamped in the near future.

Later.

Mark

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There is a group that has formed to create an alternative to the annual CMJ music event in New York City because they feel that it has become too corporate. Called the unCMJ Music Fest (formerly the fckCMJ Music Fest), the organisers are aiming to put together an all ages festival that caters to indie music fans and not the music journalists and publicity people that they feel have ruined CMJ. According to the organisers “The unCMJ Music Fest is about music, not marketing opportunities” and is scheduled to take place October 19 - 20, 2007.

You can find out more about the festival at http://www.myspace.com/fckcmjmusicfest.

UPDATE! Well it seems the fine folks at CMJ (or at least their legal eagles) are not too happy with the unCMJ Music Fest and have forced organisers to change its name to un C. em J. Music Fest. Get all the grizzly details at This Day in Rock.

Later.

Mark

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I have been pretty quiet these last few weeks as I lie low for the summer relaxing but this kind of stuff really pisses me off. AT&T deleted portions of Pearl Jam’s webcast performance of “Daughter” last Sunday as they closed Lollapalooza due apparently to some anti-Bush statements inserted into the song by Eddie Vedder. According to AT&T as quoted in Rolling Stone’s Rock and Roll Daily:

When asked about the missing performance, AT&T informed Lollapalooza that portions of the show were in fact missing from the webcast, and that their content monitor had made a mistake in cutting them. During the performance of “Daughter” the following lyrics were sung to the tune of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” but were cut from the webcast:
- “George Bush, leave this world alone.” (the second time it was sung); and
- “George Bush find yourself another home.”

It is of course extremely ironic that AT&T stresses that they have content managers on hand during these live webcasts to “cut down on excessive profanity since the broadcasts are not age-restricted” and they have committed to posting the full, uncensored version in the future but this would never have come to light if fans hadn’t informed the band themselves. On top of that, if the intention was to cut down on profanity (i.e. swearing) what in the hell did singing lines about George Bush have anything to do with that? Has the name George Bush entered the vernacular as a swear word now? Since when did expressing an idea become profane?

I have a 12 year old son and he is exposed to all kinds of music that comes in for The Rock and Roll Report, some of it with the infamous “explicit lyrics” warning stickers on the jewel box but my approach to “questionable content” is to educate him as opposed to preventing him from listening to the stuff. I will explain that it is either an artistic form of expression, a way for the artist to express themselves in much the same way as the people that they are singing about or quite simply the “profanity” is merely there for the shock factor. Of course this doesn’t always wash with him but the point is it is my job to educate him or even possibly not let him listen to a particular song (although we all know that this will just make a kid seek out that which they are prevented access to so that doesn’t really work). It is not up to some corporate entity to do my job as a parent. If they are so concerned that there may be profanity during a webcast, post a warning and leave it up to the parents to deal with it.

Censorship is insidious. It starts with cutting out “excessive profanity” and then moves to unpopular or contrary opinions until before we know it the corporate controlled media is literally preventing us from hearing the full range of ideas and emotions that are part and parcel of a truly democratic society. The Internet is a wonderful method to give these full range of ideas their due and many people are concerned that the increasing corporate grip on this method of expression will eventually turn the Internet into another form of the excessively regulated, corporate controlled airwaves. This lies at the heart of the argument for net neutrality and it is something that I firmly believe must be legislated into existence before the AT&Ts of the world snuff out this bastion of global self-expression.

Do I sound paranoid? Your damn right I am! The Internet has allowed me to express myself through both the writen word and through the medium of radio, podcasts and perhaps in the future video. I am not beholden to any agency, I do not have to clear what I say to anybody and it is up to those that listen to Rock and Roll Report Radio or who read The Rock and Roll Report to decide if what I say and play has any merit. That is the way it should be. Everybody seems to sprout off in the West about freedom of expression and yet when that expression goes against those in power or expresses a controversial viewpoint, we start hearing about “freedom expression run amuck.” That is quite frankly a crock of shit. If you truly believe what you are saying is valid you should have a soap box to express it. I will decide for myself if it is or is not worth my time and attention thank you very much.

UPDATE! Saw this on Punmaster. While I’m not surprised this just blows my mind.

AT&T ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE CENSORED IN THE PAST. Pearl Jam and their fans were less than thrilled when anti-Bush statements from their set at this year’s Lollapalooza were edited from a Web cast by AT&T’s Blue Room. AT&T soon apologized, saying that the incident was “a mistake,” but are now admitting that they have censored performances in the past. The company claims that they “have taken steps to ensure that it won’t happen again.” Fans are now claiming that some anti-Bush statements were also censored from performances from Bonnaroo earlier this summer, despite the fact that AT&T claim only to censor bad language That said, Pearl Jam used profanity nearly 20 times in the broadcast that was not edited out. Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready wrote on the band’s Web site, saying, “I don’t however believe that a capitalist corporation such as AT&T has the right to subvert the First Amendment of the constitution to which we all are accountable. This happened on the night we played Lollapalooza. I was dismayed to hear that the act of censoring free speech was used to edit our song ‘Daughter’ for a Web cast. Surely the American listening public can discern for themselves what they deem acceptable to hear. We can think for ourselves, AT&T. … Say no to censorship, it leads to dictatorship!”

So I can say “Fuck” but not “Fuck Bush?” My head is starting to hurt…

September 24, 2007 Update! It appears that AT&T are now modifying their censorship policy. They say they will not edit audio content although they might edit visual content if there is “strong sexual content.”

Uhhh, doesn’t this sound like the whole Elvis hip gyration controversy of the ’50s?

Later.

Mark

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Saw this on Anti-Music. It is food for thought. In have marked in bold what I think is the most significat point.

(PR) It seems that people are opting for classic hard rock and metal CDs over most generic “new” music. This according to a report by the Associated Press. While record companies try to fathom reasons why people aren’t buying their “new” product, by ignoring the most logical explanation and looking to court tweens to help pick up their bottom lines, it appears that music from other eras where A&R people took chances on bands that didn’t sound like everyone else and bands were allowed to develop a fanbase over several albums is still attracting a lot of buyers.
Twenty-Seven years after its release, AC/DC’s Back in Black is still selling almost enough copies a year to qualify for a gold record. Last year while we were treated to dozens of sound-alike emo bands that didn’t sell many CDs, AC/DC’s landmark album managed to sell 440,000 copies in the US.

While [insert silly multi-worded name here] was struggling to attract the attention of TRL girls, other albums from long-ago were also moving pretty heavy numbers. Metallica’s jump to the commercial mainstream, aka The Black Album was added to the CD collections of 275,000 US music fans last year and Guns ‘N Roses debut which broke records when it was released in 1987 is still a hot seller, welcoming 113,000 more people to the jungle last year. And the album that killed “hair metal” and touched off the grunge trend of the early 90s (Nirvana’s Nevermind) is still going strong with 143,000 copies sold last year.

David Geffen should be proud to have two bands that he took a chance on still selling today and showing us why we need trendsetters and not trendfollowers running labels more than ever. On the other end of the spectrum, when you think of today’s blasé music scene, you might think of the “genius” of Clive Davis and while his “genius” isn’t selling record breaking amounts of CDs right now, he did manage to give us the best selling CD of 1986 in the form of Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut. However, like most things that Clive touches it may sell today but doesn’t have much of a shelf life (like real cheese) as Houston’s CD only manages to attract about 7,000 new people a year, easily beat by Radiohead’s “OK Computer” which turned on 94,000 additional people last year.

There is definitely a lesson to be learned here. But will the people that need to learn it the most, take heed? Probably not, as they are too busy trying to find clones for the few bands of today that manage to sell a decent amount of CDs. That’s when they are not working to shutdown online radio, installing rootkits on customers PCs and suing people.

UPDATE! Over on Canoe today they have posted the story Vintage Albums Still Rockin’ the Charts with more stats as to how everything from The Joshua Tree to Thriller are still raking in the sales.

Later.

Mark

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Jeremy Morris is a musician, independent record label owner and a genuinely nice guy. He was kind enough to answer some questions about running a record label, the future of music and maintaining your faith in the sometimes amoral world of rock and roll.

The Rock and Roll Report: How did you get involved in the music field?

Jeremy Morris: I grew up in it. My father is a professional musician to this day. So I had my first band at age 13 and was playing out professionally at a very young age. My father really helped me alot to get the ball rolling.

RRR: Who are your musical heroes and inspirations

JM: For me it really started with the Beatles and Stones. I was totally into their music, but in the later years I would discover a love for a lot of progressive and electronic music too! Groups like Yes, Genesis, Kayak, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd, Camel, Barclay James Harvest, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Steve Hillage, Amazing Blondel, Gordon Giltrap, Anthony Phillips, Steve Hackett, Ashra, etc…These bands would carry on where the Beatles left off.

RRR: Tell me a bit about the label. How long its been going, what the mission of it is and what kind of music does Jam Recordings release?

JM: The label went public with official releases in 1984. We pressed up 6000 copies for my first album. A bit ambitious for the time when indie labels were not so common. The mission of the label has always been to put out good music and bring happiness to many people. The styles range from rock, progressive, power pop, electronic, Christian, instrumental, ambient, etc.. If it’s good and I love it, then I will probably release it. I don’t go by what is popular, I go by what I like.

RRR: What kind of distribution does Jam Recordings have? Are you playing in the digital space as well and how?

JM: Jam has world wide distribution with many small indie outlets all over the globe. I find the little guys to be more honest by experience, (While the big boys may move more units, they are less likely to pay you…sad but true) I am still a firm believer in the traditional cd and lp and will continue with that format as long as people want it. I have never downloaded a song. I am not into that at all. I want the full package, the artwork, the lyrics, the information. To me this whole downloading thing is the McDonalds land of fast food music! … and it really hurting the concept of “The album”—A collection of songs that is meant to be listened to as a complete experience.

RRR: With all the doom and gloom in the music industry these days about slumping sales, how do you compete or at least break even in this cut throat world?

JM: I carry on by faith. Of course, I think the industry has always been difficult from day one. I am on a mission to keep making and providing good music because I was made to do that. God has always taken care of me. Somehow it all works out, even though it defies logic, God will provide. The orders come in and I ship out the music. It’s in His hands.

RRR: Your faith is very important to you. I remember the first time I heard “What God Wants” (fantastic song by the way!) I thought it was some kind of metaphor for something else (hey, I’m not too swift!) but it didn’t take me long to realize that the song was about your faith. How do you reconcile your faith with the sometimes crazy, immoral world of rock and roll?

JM: I am glad you like the song! Thanks. I have been criticized for many years by the religious people for being a rock musician. Playing this music has never been a problem for me because I don’t associate it with immorality. People like to blame music for our cultures problems ( but the music is really a mirror of our culture) I have played rock music in bars since I was 15 years old. I never got into drugs, drinking, smoking , or any of that. To me that was of no interest at all. I was there for the music, not the party.

RRR: You have been referred to as one of the hardest working men in rock and roll and you even have a tribute album out dedicated to your music. Why do you do what you do?

JM: I have a conviction that I was born to do this. I have been passionate about music all my life. I would be forsaking my calling if I didn’t do music. One must be true to who they really are.

RRR: The music industry has evolved considerably in the last few years. All this Web 2.0 technology like MySpace and YouTube are giving indie artists better tools to get their music out there to potential fans. What are your thoughts on these developments? How are you as an artist and a record label owner taking advantage of these technologies?

JM: I am a big fan of both MySpace and YouTube. I think it’s a wonderful networking tool for both musicians and music fans. I am working strong on both of these fronts and find that these developments are helping truly independents reach a greater audience than ever before. I have alot of music videos up on YouTube for example. The response has been great!

RRR: What are your near term and long term plans for Jam Records and your music?

JM: I plan to continue releasing as much music on the label as I can. (Both my own and other artists as well) The label is about to release a 3 cd charity set for Hurricane Katrina victims called “Sweet Relief”. The cd has 74 bands from 12 countries around the world. The profits from the release will go to help the poor and the homeless. I am very excited about this project.

I also have a 5 cd career spanning Jeremy Box set coming soon…. 5 cds of original recordings from 1976–2005 called “SONLIGHT” They are also many other projects in the pipeline. I am certainly not bored. I will do as much as I can while I am still here. The best is yet to come.

You can visit the Jam Recording website by going to http://www.jamrecordings.com/ or listen to his music at his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jeremyamorris

Later.

Mark

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The Guardian has written a great article called Sgt Pepper Must Die! where they interviewed everybody from Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips to Mark Ronson to Billy Childish as to what they considered the most over-rated album of all time. Some interesting choices and I would have to reluctantly agree with Luke Pritchard of The Kook’ take on Pet Sounds (I have it and I have tried to love it but while good and brilliant in places it’s hit and miss for me). Of course Rolling Stone got into the act and is now asking their readers for their choices so that should be a hoot to read.

Speaking of overrated albums, one record that I have found to be criminally underrated is Pink Floyd’s classic 1967 debut Piper at the Gates of Dawn. When we think of Pink Floyd we often think of a lumbering, spaced out dinosaur, Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall and the sound of barking and moaning dogs but Pipers is a pop masterpiece. The brainchild of the late psychedelic visionary Syd Barrett, Pipers is strangely forgoten, especially with all the hype surrounding Sgt Peppers, an album which I feel it trumps in both originality and pop craftsmanship. Luckily, to celebrate its 40th anniversary there will be a special deluxe 3 CD version of the album released in August that will include the singles not included on the album like the brilliant See Emily Play and Arnold Layne. Forget any of your preconcieved notions of Pink Floyd. Slip on some headphones, slap on this CD and immerse yourself in an incredible psychedelic musical playground.

Well another major studio is closing as Sony BMG has announced that they are closing their Hell’s Kitchen New York studio due to harsh economic realities. This should really come as no surprise as more and more artists become proficient with everything from Garageband to Pro Tools and use them in everywhere from their basement to the local church choir loft. The art of recording will never die and producers who understand it will always be in demand but it’s just that these massive facilities will increasingly shrink in relevance as technology has almost (and I repeat almost) made them obsolete.

Well Apple is increasing their impact on music beyond the download as they host 31 Nights in London. Called the iTunes Festival, the iPod company will be hosting over 60 bands in concert at the London Institute of Contemporary Art featuring everybody from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to Amy Winehouse. Head out to the festival website and enter to win tickets to any one of the shows. As if you needed an excuse to visit London in July!

Later.

Mark

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This is pretty neat. The Akamai Net Usage Index for Digital Music is a site that graphically tracks where and when digital music is being consumed on a global basis. It’s kind of cool in a “Mission Control” way and I will play around with it a bit but it’s fascinating what you can track on the Internet in this day and age. I found out about this on the always informative Podcasting News site.

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Mark

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I read with a heavy heart that the legendary Sam the Record Man located on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto is closing after 70 years in business. It is somewhat ironic that the news of the closure comes at the same time as I read an article in the New York Times called Plunge in CD Sales Shakes Up Big Labels  (registration required) in which the major labels are desperately scrambling to expand beyond CD releases to generate other sources of income to make up for the drop in their CD sales.

I know that I am repeating myself but the major labels have nobody to blame but themselves for the predicament that they are currently in. After essentially trying to criminalize their customers by suing them or burdening their online experience to the point where it was just easier to illegally download their music, these major labels have realized too late that music in this Web 2.0 world is distributed in a multitude of ways and in a multitude of formats. A MySpace site here. A video uploaded to YouTube there. Letting a company like CD Baby take care of the distribution of the physical CD and digital download of your music while you busily update your blog and MySpace page while submitting your podsafe music to a couple of cool podcasts and MP3 blogs. These are the realities of the music biz in 2007. But the thing that got to me in the article, the real kicker was the quote:

Even as the industry tries to branch out, though, there is no promise of an answer to a potentially more profound predicament: a creative drought and a corresponding lack of artists who ignite consumers’ interest in buying music. Sales of rap, which had provided the industry with a lifeboat in recent years, fell far more than the overall market last year with a drop of almost 21 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (And the marquee star 50 Cent just delayed his forthcoming album, “Curtis.”)

In other genres the picture is not much brighter. Fans do still turn out (at least initially) for artists that have managed to build loyal followings. The biggest debut of the year came just last week from the rock band Linkin Park, whose third studio album, “Minutes to Midnight,” sold an estimated 623,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan data.

This “drought” is because the major labels have dropped the ball in going out and finding fresh, new and exciting talent. Because they are more concerned with the “biz” part of “music biz” and less with the music, they have left the true music fan with no alternative to go to the hundreds of indie record labels, the Internet and services like Last.FM for their musical fix. By clinging to this outdated mode of generating profits and then waiting too long to react to the new playing field, they have potentially written their demise without ever really fighting the good fight. EMI seems to be the only label attempting to adapt with their recent DRM-free stance but even then, with new owners in the wings, we shall see what part of the music/biz split survives.

As for Sam the Record Man, it is indeed sad that they are closing up shop. The unfortunate part of this Web 2.0 world is that it has no sense of history, no nostalgia. I can remember the Boxing Day specials at the Sam’s in Montreal and the sheer thrill of rummaging through the racks buying everything that I could. Nowadays, I buy my music either at the local indie record store or online and the thought of going to any chain store strikes me as both old fashioned and dehumanizing. But the reality is that the Internet has forced us all to adapt or die. Either you embrace the new technology, show your fans that you are taking their interests to heart and working with the artists as a true partner or you will slowly fade away, another corpse on the digital landscape.

Sorry to see you go Sam. It was fun while it lasted.

Later.

Mark

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

Later.

Mark

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

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

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

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

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

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

Later.

Mark

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by Dina LaPolt,

MusicDish Network Sponsor

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

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

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

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

Digital Downloads

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

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

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

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

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

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

Artist iTunes Royalty (with wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

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

Producer iTunes Royalty (with wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

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

Artist iTunes Royalty (without wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

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

Producer iTunes Royalty (without wholesale mark-up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

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

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

Artist iTunes Royalty (with wholesale mark up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

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

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

Artist iTunes Royalty (without wholesale mark up)

$0.99 download single song price to the consumer

less $0.29 to Apple

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

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

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

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

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

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

(more…)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Backbone And IBS Creating First Internet Student Radio Network

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MusicWorld3D Mobile Live Concert Streaming Rig is on the Road!

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

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

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

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

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

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The Soul Jazz Festival Announces Line Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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“All Things Digital” Artist Contest

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

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

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

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

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MusicDish Network To Provide Email Management Through FanBridge

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

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

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

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

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

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MusicDish Network & Airplay Direct Renew Strategic Partnership

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Debt We Trust will be screened in:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Karlex Tours Holland In Support Of “Ghetto Fabulous” Release

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

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

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

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

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

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Amy Speace Recognized By International Acoustic Music Awards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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