Crack in the foundation, or beginning of a new era?

Here's an interesting idea. The Minister of Education in Norway is wanting to legalize file sharing.

I've been guilty in the past (and still am, a little bit) of being the type of artist that has cringed at the thought of free file sharing. I mean, honestly, as Indie musicians, we really do depend more on music sales to keep our heads above water than the Majors do, and we don't generate near the numbers in live performance revenues.

However, I do have to admit that the whole issue of file sharing does remind me of the old Tape Trade argument from the 80's. Trading tapes then didn't kill the music industry, and sharing files now probably won't either, though the Major Labels (and some Indies for that matter) are going to do their best to alienate their potential customers by fighting them so hard.

I think it's time for a new plan guys. The public has spoken and they want to be able to share music files with each other, and the more we fight against it, the more we'll have to fight against it and let's be honest, do we really want to build a divide between those of us that make music and those that like to listen to it?

I have to admit that, when I find out that people really like my music it makes me happy. I didn't write it to store in my basement. I didn't spend money on duplication to have CDs set on my shelf, or to hand out to friends and family for validation of what I do. I want the world to hear what I have to say and the best, most effective way of spreading the word about my music is to get people excited enough about what I do that they want to call a friend and tell them. Word of mouth, it still works.

Now, lets talk about revenues. How does this REALLY effect our bottom line? This is still a business after all. I, of course, don't have all the answers but I do have a couple of strategies that I feel we should be employing anyway.

First, there are no rules anymore. It's becoming an "every man for himself" kind of industry and the old rules that were set up by the Major labels don't work anymore. That's ok though, because it's not the first time it's happened. Motown is a prime example of building a new plan and running with it, and I highly recommend reading up on Berry Gordy and his empire, it's fascinating.

What new ways can you create value to keep people coming back for more? What new products can you add that will offset monies that may be lacking from music sales? What exciting ideas can you come up with to bring more and more people to your live performances? As my business coach is fond of saying: "If you treat your business like a hobby, it will cost you like a hobby, but if you treat your business like a business, it will pay you like a business." Like I've said before, if you're trying to make a living from making music, you are in business. Get used to it.

Second, take advantage of anyone and everyone who wants to share your music with others. Let them be your Evangelists! You don't have to give everything away for free, but why not treat it a bit like a Radio Single. Make money off of it where you can, but use it to spread the gospel of you!

The fact is we should be looking for any angle to get ahead and to monetize our efforts, but it's only good business to not alienate the customer in the process. We need music listeners. Without them there's no point in making music.


Read more about Norway's plans here:

http://torrentfreak.com/norwegian-minister-wants-to-legalize-file-sharing-090222/


Later,

And the Grammy Goes to.......................

So, last night was the Grammy awards. Yeah, I'm more than a bit disappointed that Coldplay walked away with the "Song of the Year" award, and I'm still laughing over NARAS president, Neil Portnow, standing up on that stage and blithering on about how NARAS will continue to fight copyright infringement, but on reflection of the situation as a whole I'm disappointed by other things as well.

I understand Satch's lawsuit, I really do, but in the grand scheme of things how much does he really stand to make following that course of action. Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way saying that Coldplay should be able to get away with stealing someone else's work, but are there other ways that Satriani could make even more off of this situation than a lump sum settlement from a long drawn out, and expensive lawsuit. I mean, I can assure you that Coldplay and EMI are going to use all their power to fight this (for right or wrong).

This is the age of the Internet. Information, placed in the right place, at the right time, can travel the world in a matter of hours, and with viral marketing being what it is, with little effort Satch could reach millions of people with his message. What message? Well that depends on how he really wants to play it.

Remember the Dani California situation that the Red Hot Chili Peppers ran into a while back? By Tom Petty making a simple statement about it being the best version of Last Dance with Mary Jane he'd ever heard, he saw a spike in his own sales and public awareness. I'm just saying that I think Satriani has a rare opportunity to really bump up his following and, in the long run, could benefit far more than just a lump sum from litigation. Instead of butt heads with Coldplay fans, court them, friend them, convert them.

The fact is that, in this day and age, the Court of Public Opinion is much more powerful than any other court in the land. Sometimes you can use that fact to make more of an impact than all the money in the world could achieve.

Just a thought.

Later,

You got Served! Hopefully.

Let me ask you this. Should it really have to get to this point? The latest on the Joe Satriani v. Coldplay copyright infringement case is that apparently Coldplay has been slinking around trying to avoid being served papers, but good ol'Joe isn't going to let it slide.

He's made it very clear that he's hired an "Army" of process servers to work the Grammy's, with the intent of finally getting those papers in the hands of his adversaries.

You have to admit that it would be awfully sweet if they waited till Chris Martin and the boys were on the podium to accept "Song of the Year" and then rushed the stage in mass. Harsh you say? Not hardly.

I have to say that, as Indie musicians, I feel that our intellectual property is our single greatest product that we offer. It is the foundation of our business plan. It is the flagship of our merch table. It is what makes us who we are, and to have someone else steal your hard work and parade it around the world as their own, and more sickeningly, be nominated for a Grammy for it is just the height of disrespect and elitism.

Coldplay, I'm sure, is just following the advice and direction of their label, EMI, but what does that say about the practices of Major Labels if they are openly advocating the theft of other peoples music. Is it really any wonder that EMI is losing money?

Anyway, I hope that the whole thing erupts into such a big deal that everyone in America sits up and takes notice. We can't make it OK for people to walk all over the Copyright Laws, they're one of the few guarantees we have.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/coldplay%20to%20get%20served%20at%20the%20grammys_1093915

Later,

Well how about that!

Right on. My last post about Simmons Records made it to the front page of their website, http://www.simmonsrecords.com/.

Mr. Simmons, it's quite alright that you don't know me, or my accomplishments, and you certainly don't need my advice, but hey, at least you didn't have to pay for it. : )

I do, sincerely, wish you all the luck in the world in your endeavour and do, in fact, admire the empire you've created.

I stand by my assessment of the music industry though. Change is inevitable and those that don't roll with it will be left behind. Now is the time to be on the bleeding edge of innovation and not relying on the "tried and true". When we stop looking forward with an eye to make new paths, we get tangled up in the weeds where we stopped to nap.

Our Savior!! Or Canada's maybe????

So, Gene Simmons from Kiss has decided that he's what the "talented" but neglected Canadian music industry needs, so he's forming Simmons Records.

It appears that, in a serious bid to jump start the ailing music industry, Ol'Gene is fully embracing the standard business plan of the 20th Century record label. Seeing as how the same old tactics and such are garnering such stunted sales in most categories these days, it should work really well for him (/sarcasm).

In all actuality, I wish him luck. He's not a dumb guy, a little set in his ways and unable to cope with a changing musical climate maybe, but not dumb. Maybe he has come up with a plan that the Majors here in America are not willing to try. Maybe he's got a secret weapon that is going to convince millions of music listeners around the world to buy more CDs and stop sharing music files. Maybe he really can take the "superior talent" of Canadian musicians and turn them into the next Beatles (or since they're Canadian, maybe the next Glass Tiger, or Loverboy), or maybe he just plans on trying the same thing again, and again, and again, and expects a different result. I truly hope not.

Mr.Simmons, if you find this, as you appear to be awfully adept at sniffing out criticism, please understand that the game has changed. If you expect to come in and do things the way they have always been done, you are not going to succeed. Use that Entrepreneurial spirit that got you where you are to innovate a new plan and a new path. The Old Road is overtrafficed.

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/01/27/gene-simmons-starts-canadian-record-label-hates-on-the-doubters/

Later,

Dealing with the "Change" -------- Music Edition

I'm back!! I hope the New Year is finding everyone well.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The Music Industry is changing. No way around it, nothing we can, or in my opinion, should do about it. It's going to get bumpy, but it's high time that we, the artists, take back control of our futures.

Gone are the days of the multi-million dollar deals and the diamond encrusted advances. We're in the "Final Days" of an evil empire, and we're witnessing the death throes of an industry unwilling to change with the times.

We have to start taking responsibility for our own successes and failures. We're coming up on a time when we will have to start doing whatever it takes, again, to be heard. We thought it was tough before, but we won't be able to ape the last band to draw a decent crowd and get away with it anymore. We have to develop a plan and be willing to implement it. It never takes as much courage to jump on a trend as it does to speak with your own voice.

We can't deceive ourselves in thinking that it's enough to just be ourselves, though, and we have to get real inventive when it comes to funding our pursuits. Every band does the typical swag. T-shirts, cds, buttons, sticker, blah, blah, blah. The fact is that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over and over, always expecting a different result, and the truth is that the "typical" has been oversold. There are millions of bands out there trying to get noticed and every one of them is using the "tried and true" formula that every other struggling artist is using. If we continue to emulate the "struggling" what do we expect to achieve? "Necessity is the Mother of Invention" folks, and conventional wisdom dictates if you're not getting the results you want with the process you have, it's time to change.

Here's and interesting approach. (note---this isn't an endorsement, just pointing out that people are looking for alternative means to accomplish their goals)

http://www.thelicensingplate.com/musicians-and-performers-invite-fans-to-invest-in-their-success/

Or you could try the Sebastian Bach approach to protecting his income.

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212202294.shtml

I wonder how that's working for him.


Later,

Keep Good Council

This is probably an understatement, but there are a lot of negative and jaded people in the music business. "No, really?" says you. : ) Yeah, and we've all dealt with their undermining little comments, and backhanded compliments. It's hard to stay motivated and positive when you're frequently surrounded people who would probably take a little bit of pleasure in seeing you fall.

It's essential for us to keep good council. To be choosy about who we hang with and especially who we share our visions and goals with. Our very success depends on who we surround ourselves with.

All endeavors start with an idea. Ideas bloom into a vision. Visions lead to plans, and with implementation and a healthy amount of effort and will power, plans become the reality that we envisioned. That is, IF we do the work needed to accomplish the goals and don't let the little needles of doubt get in the way, and unfortunately more times than not, those needles are delivered by the people we trust most.

It's not that they are always intended, in fact they're usually meant to be of help. The well meaning family or friends that want to help keep us "grounded" or "looking at the reality of things". As they say "The road to ruin is paved with good intentions", so how do we avoid this catastrophe? Of course the simple answer is to just ignore anything that doesn't fit into your plans, but saying it is infinitely easier than doing it.

I suppose it might be a little easier if we kept in mind that, while our friends and family may have our well being in mind, they probably don't have the experience or knowledge to make judgement calls on our visions. It's important to have a person or group of people to touch base with every now and then, who is completely impartial to your success. Folks who are not on the payroll, who don't have a stake in your success or your failure.

In business circles this is called an Accountability group. A group of people who's only objective is keeping each other on task and accountable for their successes or their shortcomings.

From personal experience, I can tell you that this is a very effective tool for keeping you on course with the plans that you've created for yourself, and if you find the right group of people they can help you work around the little needles of doubt that inevitably find their way in. By being on the outside, they can see the silver linings on those storm clouds, or they can tell that maybe they're just clouds of smoke that are hiding the road your traveling, and can help navigate you through and get you back on course. I highly recommend the process.

Good luck with your path and I hope everyone has a Happy and productive New Year!

Later,