I make no bones about the fact that the new crop of Disney creations are not my thing, but I do find it interesting the lengths that Disney will go to to capitalize on them.
Take for instance this newest bit I got this morning from Digital Music News. It seems that you can now get Free download cards for Jonas Brothers songs from your morning breakfast cereal packs. These "kid friendly" packs contain a single serving of your favorite breakfast cereal, a juice drink, a snack, a spoon to eat it all up with, and now even your favorite empty calorie music to go along with it all!
I won't go into how wrong I think it is that the record label is getting benefits from this thing being supplied to our nation's school children (I'm sure at tax payers expense), but from the commercial stand point it is a stroke of pure brilliance.
Talk about targeting your ideal audience!
Joint Venture ideas like this could be an outstanding marketing goal for Indie artists as well. What if you were to combine your music with the products of others? Licensing opportunities are everywhere these days, and maybe your favorite up and coming Designer, Artist, Writer, or whatever, could be your future business partner.
http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/091708jonas
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The One Thing Labels Don't Want You To Know!
If there's one thing the Record Labels around the world do NOT want you to know it's that, YOU DON'T NEED US.
That's right. The Record Label as it's been known is going extinct.
We're living in an exciting time when everyone has access to the same quality of services. We as Indies may still have to work a little harder to get the same kinds of notice, but for the first time in history, you don't have to rely on the Middlemen. Of course, it means that you have to familiarize yourself with so much more information, but each and every one of us has the ability to create our own organizations, and our own futures.
We're artists right? Do we need corporations like Disney, Sony, or Virgin to "create" us. If you're serious about wanting to make the Music Industry your life, then you have to approach it with commitment, and not mere interest. You have to live it like your life depends on it.
I'm shocked at the things the average musician doesn't know. From the working composer that doesn't know how to register his creations with his Performing Rights Organization, to the cover band down the street, plastering their versions of other peoples songs all over the place without the slightest clue as to what a Mechanical License is.
There is a lot that we as Indies should know about the processes our music goes through in order for us to bring in the kind of income that we would all like to see. You have to commit to learning something new every day, and to being the best you can be at what you do. Let's face it, even if you are one of the few that does get signed, you're still responsible to understand what it is you
are legally responsible for and entitled to.
If you are going to build a team to take some of this stuff off of your hands, then make sure that the people you hire to represent you know what they're doing, because if they don't, you may end up paying the price for their incompetence.
Traditionally it is the Label that takes care of the legal and contractual responsibilities for the artist, but with the right information and the right level of Commitment you can go the distance and still retain the control over your own destiny.
That's right. The Record Label as it's been known is going extinct.
We're living in an exciting time when everyone has access to the same quality of services. We as Indies may still have to work a little harder to get the same kinds of notice, but for the first time in history, you don't have to rely on the Middlemen. Of course, it means that you have to familiarize yourself with so much more information, but each and every one of us has the ability to create our own organizations, and our own futures.
We're artists right? Do we need corporations like Disney, Sony, or Virgin to "create" us. If you're serious about wanting to make the Music Industry your life, then you have to approach it with commitment, and not mere interest. You have to live it like your life depends on it.
I'm shocked at the things the average musician doesn't know. From the working composer that doesn't know how to register his creations with his Performing Rights Organization, to the cover band down the street, plastering their versions of other peoples songs all over the place without the slightest clue as to what a Mechanical License is.
There is a lot that we as Indies should know about the processes our music goes through in order for us to bring in the kind of income that we would all like to see. You have to commit to learning something new every day, and to being the best you can be at what you do. Let's face it, even if you are one of the few that does get signed, you're still responsible to understand what it is you
are legally responsible for and entitled to.
If you are going to build a team to take some of this stuff off of your hands, then make sure that the people you hire to represent you know what they're doing, because if they don't, you may end up paying the price for their incompetence.
Traditionally it is the Label that takes care of the legal and contractual responsibilities for the artist, but with the right information and the right level of Commitment you can go the distance and still retain the control over your own destiny.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Get clear!
Last post I mentioned having a clear vision of where you're going in your race toward success, but I wanted to kind of revisit that again. It's a hard thing to get that vision and hold onto it, in fact I struggle with it daily. So I thought I'd mention some of the little tactics we use around here to keep it in the forefront of our minds.
1. Our Mentor board. We have a spot in the studio here where we've placed pictures of all of our favorite Producers, and if we get stuck on something, we just wonder out loud what would Quincy Jones do?
2. For Christmas a couple years back Dana made a box of cards for me. The cards are a series of ideas, tactics, and tricks created by Brian Eno. His thing is that if you don't know which way to go, just pull a card and do whatever it says, even if it means scrapping the last two days worth of work. What this does is makes us remember that it's the process that is important, not the destination.
3. We use lots of photos. We hang them on the bulletin board in the studio to remind us of the great times we've had along the way, which in turn reminds us of why we're doing what we're doing.
4. We've framed up copies of all of our releases, you know, like Gold Records, to remind us of our successes and our passion for making great music.
5. This one is my favorite. Dana wrote and printed out a mock Rolling Stone interview with her at the height of her success. Nothing like just looking up at the bulletin board and reading about how you're already where you want to be, and the wonderful things you're able to accomplish with your success.
It's our imaginations, as artists, that separate us from the average joe at the grocery store. Use that imagination, get clear about who you are and where you're going, and see your future. Just remember to have fun along the way.
1. Our Mentor board. We have a spot in the studio here where we've placed pictures of all of our favorite Producers, and if we get stuck on something, we just wonder out loud what would Quincy Jones do?
2. For Christmas a couple years back Dana made a box of cards for me. The cards are a series of ideas, tactics, and tricks created by Brian Eno. His thing is that if you don't know which way to go, just pull a card and do whatever it says, even if it means scrapping the last two days worth of work. What this does is makes us remember that it's the process that is important, not the destination.
3. We use lots of photos. We hang them on the bulletin board in the studio to remind us of the great times we've had along the way, which in turn reminds us of why we're doing what we're doing.
4. We've framed up copies of all of our releases, you know, like Gold Records, to remind us of our successes and our passion for making great music.
5. This one is my favorite. Dana wrote and printed out a mock Rolling Stone interview with her at the height of her success. Nothing like just looking up at the bulletin board and reading about how you're already where you want to be, and the wonderful things you're able to accomplish with your success.
It's our imaginations, as artists, that separate us from the average joe at the grocery store. Use that imagination, get clear about who you are and where you're going, and see your future. Just remember to have fun along the way.
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