Who Stole The Soul?
Category: Music

I was recently invited by Terry Bello, Executive Producer/Creator to speak at the 2008 International Soul Music Summit on the Music Media and Marketing panel. This year theme: State of Emergency Part II: Is Soul Music Dead? Now I've known Terry Bello for years and he is always out there making things happen, So I was honored to participate in his event and lend support in any way.

http://www.myspace.com/soulsummitsos

But the more serious question everyone should ask, is Soul Music dead? I mentioned on the panel, that there is nothing really out there that I hear on the radio these days that can be truly seen as a classic tune, 10 years from now.

I can still listen to an old Will Downing, Regina Belle or Luther Vandross track and still get the feeling today as I did when i first heard it twenty years ago. When artists made music back in the days. They made soul/R&B music. Will I get that same feeling twenty years from now when I hear Soulja Boy song. Soulja Boy may be great for my ten year old son. But who stole the soul? Did radio steal it by playing watered down hip hop all day long? Did record labels steal the soul by pushing talented R&B/Soul/NeoSoul artists to background for the less talented rap star? Did the R&B/Soul/NeoSoul artists steal the soul by compromising their music to play the game?


Artist have to get more creative in order to know that their song will be enjoyed by generations to come. Are you making music to last for a moment or are you making music to last for a lifetime? Have you given up your style for the easy style?

Damn, The Temptations "My Girl" never gets old. Soon as it comes on the radio, everyone in the car breaks out singing. Whenever I hear a Chaka Khan tune, it always puts a smile on my face and I can see Chaka wth her big hairdo swaying abck and forth. I'm so over Lil Wayne right now, that every time I hear him on the radio, I quickly change the dial. Don't get me wrong, Lil Wayne music is OK (yes OK) but do I Have to hear all day long? Can a brother hear Jill Scott or Julie Dexter on the radio once in a while?

So if you are an artist. Ask yourself this one question. Are you making music to last for a moment or a lifetime?


Here we go
But this time the rhyme
Gonna ask who did the crime
Then let's get down to the nitty-gritty
Like I wanna know who
Picked Wilson's pocket
After, he rocket it
Fact, he shocked it
Same kinda thing they threw at James (Brown)
An what they did to Redd was a shame

Who Stole the Soul
-Public Enemy

Currently listening : Conscious By Julie Dexter Release date: 2004-11-23

2:20 PM - 4 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Have questions about the music biz? - Ask Bob Baldwin
Category: Music

           LearntheMusicBusiness.com

Presents

A Private conversation with

Bob Baldwin

Have questions about the music business?

World recognized Jazz artist

Bob Baldwin has the answers.

Bob Baldwin's musical resume reads like a who's who in the R&B and Jazz arena. Bob has produced, arrange or performed with Herb Alpert, Patti Austin, Will Downing, Grover Washington, Jr., Marion Meadows, Pieces of a Dream, Phil Perry, Roy Ayers, Vesta Williams, Gerald Albright, Howard Hewitt, Chieli Minucci, Tom Browne, Freddie Jackson, Ray Vega (Tito Puente), The Four Tops, Lenny White, Johnathan Butler, Dave Samuels ....and many others.

          He also holds the 6-10pm radio slot on Atlanta's WJZZ jazz station

       Bob Baldwin resides in Atlanta and New York

---------------------------------

This event is hosted by Terry Moorer

This invitation is exclusive to Learnthemusicbusiness.com

members.

date and time to follow....

Are you in??

10:35 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

The promoter won’t pay
Category: Music

I remember a few yhears ago. I was on the road with Slick Rick,  MC Lyte, Cash Money and Marvelous, EU Band and  EPMD

We were sceduled with the same promoter to do shows in North Carolina, South Carolina and I think Virginia.  From the beginning, there seemed to be a problem with the shows. The promoter wasn't professional, didn't have his crew together.  As we headed to the first state on the tour bus.  The promoter began to give us the run around on venues and sound check from day one. When we arrived to perform that night, he started singing the sad song about how bad tickets sales were and he couldnt pay the money we originally agreed upon.  But he promised that the next show would be better and he would make up the difference plus give us the money for the second show.  He did this dance for all groups telling us all the same thing.

When we arrived at the second show the next night, the promoter was nowhere to be found. We were set to go on in an an hour and  he vanished in thin air.  At the time,  I was MC Lyte's publcist and Lisa Williamson (the incredible Sista Soulja /Public Enemy team member/ author coldest winter ever) was our road manager.

It took all night to find the promoter but when we found him,  he had that sad look on his face again "I'm going to go to the ticket office right now and get your money" he says and he walked away.  Later, as we sat in the dressing room waiting for him to come back, he casually strolled in laughing and shaking hands. He even asked if we were ready to go onstage.  No mention of the money he owed us. 

We quietly closed the door behind him and turned the locked. Bodyguards, dancers and DJ's surrounded him to prepare him for a beatdown.  He started cursing about "we better open the door!" He did make his way out of the room and he did give us the money he owed. But  we had to shake him first. In fact, he ran around asking different people for a loan to come up with the balance.   

I had to personally stand behind the stage and count the money before giving the green light to Lyte and her DJ's to go on stage. .

So here are a few tips when dealing with a promoter:

1) Get 50% of your money before you event step on a plane.  No Ifs, And or Buts.

2) Get a performance rider that explains in details what you expect the promoter
to provide for you from the time you step of the plane to the time you head back home.  The type of hotel you want, the type of food you want in the dressing  room,  etc  - You can get a performance rider at www.musiclegalforms.com

3) Never, never sign anything with out having an attorney check it out for you.

4) Even if he promise you the balance the night of the show - don't go on stage until you get it.  Once you step on stage - the promoter does not have to pay you because the audience has seen you. 

5)  Have someone on your team deal with the promoter. This takes you out of the picture if the discussion turns ugly.  As an artist, you need to focus on your show and let someone play bad cop to your good cop.

And last but not least - be willing to walk away if the show does not work for you.  Its not worth aggravation.

next post:   when I walk..... people stare.
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Terry Moorer is a former celebrity publicist who has worked with NBA entertainment,  MTV ,  Billboard  magazine, Will Smith,  key figure in the " Self Destruction" record.
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Not a member of  www.learnthemusicbusiness.com  check out the site for a free 10 day trial.

12:54 AM - 7 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Thank you..

Five days ago I put out my ebook How to Launch Your Music Career in 21 Days. Over 300 artists have signed up to get the book.  That's  incredible and I thank everyone for the great feedback on how the book is helping them..

Thank you...

As promised, I've been working on a few surprises over the last few months that I think everyone will appreciate. Lets get to it.

1) More blogs coming on a regular basis about the music business. I can't write them fast enough because everyone enjoys them so much. I'm glad to keep it real and share with you tips that can help save you money, time and frustration in this crazy business.


2) I've mentioned this before, but I put together a membership website called learnthemusicbusiness.com - with videos, audios and music business articles about the music industry.  The membership is only $8.95 per month  (can your music career afford  twenty nine cents a day) but you can try out the membership for free with a two week trial period. The official launch is in 2 days.

3)  For members of  learnthemusicbusiness.com  - I will be inviting you to an exclusive - members only questions and answers conference call session with myself  and another major artist on a monthly basis.   But you have to sign up before the offical launch begins in 2 days. 
 
These artist will answer your questions about the music industry. Heare are few people Im working on MC Lyte, Bobby Brown, Jazz artist Bob Baldwin, Super producer Terence Dudley,  Milk Dee (Top Billin),  Kool DJ Red Alert and many many  others.

Because of the limited space on the phone and computer lines. I have only 200 slots available for the conference calls - once they are gone - they are gone.
Already 65 artists have signed up to the site since Monday- they are serious about making it happen.  Grab your space now!

4) For artist that just want to talk about the music industry and share experiences. I will be putting together a community conference call where we can hang out with each other every month  and talk about the biz - its going to be  free and I'll pay for setting it up.  Sorry no celebrity artists on these calls.  I did one several months ago and everyone had a great time.

5) I'm working on coming to a city near you. I'll be in hanging out in Atlanta on April 22,  I'll be  in Washington DC  on July 4 weekend,  I'll Be in Mobile, Alabama in July (TBA) and yes I'm working on NYC (my hometown), Los Angeles and a few others - we will hang out and talk music. I'll even bring a few of my music friends along.

6)  If you live in Atlanta -I'm putting together a monthly networking event for artist only at lounge cafe type - If you have videos, we will play them on over 15 flat panel screens TV - this is still in the early stages.

I'm working a more things but I'll wait later to share.

Thank you for supporting me and allowing me to help you.  I try to talk to everyone one on one but there isn't enough hours in the day.  Bear with me
if you left me your number. I will call you but it may take a moment.

For those of you that signed up with Pre-Paid Legal this week,  thank you for signing up, protecting your music career and supporting my business. Things are moving really fast and I'm glad to help.


I also want to thank Shan Stone, a local Atlanta artist for her testimony about using her Pre-Paid Legal membership and allowing me share her story with you. .

"I  received a call from my producer about a record company that wanted to sign me. My producer was all excited and ready to set up the meeting but he wanted me to sign a standard producer's contract before we met with the  label.  I had my doubts when I told him that I wanted my attorney to read it first because he asked me why did I need an attorney to read it since it was a standard contract. I didnt care how standard the contract was and faxed it to my Pre-Paid Legal law firm. The lawyer reviewed the documents and told me not to sign it because the producer was trying to lock me into an exclusive contract to only work with him. Thats why he was so anxious to get me to sign before we met with the record company. Because of my membership, I didn't have to pay anything extra for the attorneys to look over my contracts and it saved me a lot of money and aggravation with this producer, thanks.  By the way, the meeting with the label never happened. I wonder why..lol"
 - Shan Stone

9:50 AM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Sometimes......you just have to DO YOU
Current mood: accomplished

A few years ago I was working at the Coca-Cola Company when they announced a major layoff coming. At that point I figured I would work for the company until it was time to retire, but when the talk of downsizing started swirling around the company. I have to admit it scared the shit out of me. How was I going to pay the bills? How was I going to feed my family? It was a crazy period in my life and I realize that I never wanted to be in that position again where someone had that kind of power.

Now I didn't get laid off that day, but a lot of close friends (co-workers) did lose their jobs. I needed a back up plan.

So I started looking for my own business, something on a part time basis just in case Coke started to flip again.

After a few years of trying out different companies, I found Pre-Paid Legal. The service made sense and the money sounded great on a part time basis. It also didn't take long to know my heart was still in music even after all these years. I had to get back in the business and DO ME. So I started working with artists again.

So what does this have to do with music? Well the personal development within Pre-Paid Legal helped me a lot with overcoming obstacles. I was always motivated. Especially being born with Cerebral Palsy, you have to stay motivated...lol

But as an artist, you get hit from so many ways, its hard to stay up in this sometimes down industry. Sometimes its so hard to DO YOU! But you have to stay up and surround good people around you.

So I would like to introduce you to a few of my Pre-Paid Legal Business partners and share with you a few quotes that they shared with me. They keep me motivated and allow me to be ME. I think it will help you as an artist get to the next level and let you know that trouble don't last always.....



Your music is special to you and only you can create it. There is someone out there who needs to hear those lyrics. So when this business is hard. Think of the bigger picture.


If you are working at a job you hate and all day long you daydream about your music career. Are you doing everything you need to do as an artist to make it happen?

No matter how bad things get. Always DO YOU.

Print out the quotes below and put them all over the house
"You were born an Original, Don't Die a copy!"

"Are you willing to participate in your own rescue?

"Its impossible to stop a man or women or will not quit!'
- Pre-Paid Legal Millionaire club member - Mike Humes

"If you love what you do and do what you love, you will never work another day
in your life?"
-Christa Aufdemberg -Pre-Paid Legal millionaire member

"Is your "WHY" big enough?" In other words, why do you want to be an artist? What is your reason? What is your Why?



I have a lot of love, admiration and respect for artist here on Myspace. I've had the chance to talk to a lot of you about the biz. So hit me anytime with questions. I am working on a few projects that will help every artist here make it happen. I'm here for your success, but I need everyone to get involved.

Check out the video at the site below - very motivating! 2008 stop playing and DO YOU!!

www.teamnuvision.com

9:55 AM - 2 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

my book is now available and its free
Current mood: artistic
Category: Music

How to Launch Your Music Career in 21 Days.

After several months of  tweaking, re-writing and staying up all night, my book

How to Launch Your Music Career in 21 Days is now available and its free.

The book is focused on Internet marketing and the music business.  As an artist, I believe that internet marketing alone can explode your music sales.

Also coming soon... keep checking my blog about the official relaunch of my website and how the first 200 members will be personally mentored by me and a few of  my close music friends.  

Check out the link below to get your copy.

www.musiclaunchebook.info

9:18 AM - 7 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

Come and hang out with me.
Category: Music

If you are a indie artist in the Metro Atlanta area - I would love to meet you.
Come and hang out with me.

Nothing fancy - just a few people hanging out, eating some good food and talking about the music business.


April 22 - 7:00pm - Tuesday
Vino Libro
933 Garrett Street
Atlanta, GA 30316
Phone: (404) 624.3643 - for directions.

http://www.vinolibro.com/index.html

Located in the heart of Atlanta’s newest mixed-used community, Glenwood Park!


I’m also working on coming to a few other cities to meet other artist. If I get enough response, I’ll make the trip.

A special note for indie artist in the Washington DC/Maryland/Virginia area - I’ll be there July 4th weekend.

6:01 AM - 10 Comments - 7 Kudos - Add Comment

The best time to be an Indie artist!!
Category: Music

A few weeks ago, Yahoo ran a story about the music industry’s biggest mistakes. Listed at the top was the record companies failure to take advantage of the internet during the Napster days. For many years record label executives walked around with their chest sticking out because for most artists, the labels were the only game in town to get your music out.

If you wanted a deal you had to play by the label rules. But something started to happen on the World Wide Web and people began using the Internet for entertainment instead of looking up boring encyclopedia questions.

Then Napster came along and created a peer to peer network. Friends sharing music with friends.

And the industry began losing sales. But they didn’t take it serious because it was a couple of kids doing it. How much harm can they do? They thought it was over when they shut down Napster......

but it was just beginning.

There used to be a time when you walked into a Tower Records to buy your favorite CD, but Tower Records disappeared when Itunes came along. Now your fans can download your music sitting in their pajamas eating a bowl of Apple Jacks and sour milk (yeah that is sick...lol)

For a long time MTV was the only way an artist was able to get a video played on a national level for TV exposure, then YouTube came along and now MTV is not the only game in town. Youtube will play it all -24 hours a day. Can MTV compete five years from now. Just so you know, there are over 300 websites like YouTube on the Internet today.

For a very long time, if an artist wanted to reach out to their fans, they depended on the label for marketing and having a fan club. That all changed when Myspace took over. Now your fans from Belgium are part of your Myspace friends and your fans in Seattle can use Myspace to leave you comments.

Back in the day, you needed a street team to promote your music. Today you can set up an affiliate program for family and friends and pay them a percentage of music sales for every referral that buys your CD. Imagine a international street team.

As an artist, your publicist at the label handled your press releases. Now as an artist, you can submit your press release to PRWEB.COM for free and get massive exposure.

There is a young piano teacher based out of Long Beach, California who teaches people how to play piano by ear. At 24 Jermaine Griggs has earned over 3 million dollars simply using the internet to push his music DVD’s. See the similarities here.

As an artist, now is the best time to make it happen. Technology has leveled the playing field for you. Are you ready to play or are you still sitting on the sideline?

7:38 PM - 27 Comments - 34 Kudos - Add Comment

Do you have a dream board?
Category: Music

In the music industry, you are constantly reminded why you can't live your dreams as a successful artist. You hear it all the time. You don't have the right look, your voice is not strong enough, you are too short, you are too tall, your hair is not long enough, you don't sound like Usher or look like Jay- Z or you don't dress sexy enough like Lil Kim.

Damn, what's not wrong? It's really easy to start doubting yourself. You start asking the "head" questions. Can I make it in this business? Will I have millions of people buying my CD? Will I have a million dollar home on the beach? The most important question, can I make a living from my music?

A few years ago. I signed up to do a business called Pre-Paid Legal. I wanted to make some extra money on part time basis and I knew that everyone could use the service.

Now I make a good income from doing the business working from home, but I learned a lot more about how to build my dreams. One of things I discovered was that a lot of successful people have dream boards. A dream board is a white board that you hang anywhere in your home where you can see it everyday. It has pictures of family members, goals I want to accomplish, things I want to buy and the lifestyle that I'm working toward.

When my day gets rough. I stop and take a look at my board. I know that everyday somebody out there is making it happen. So I get back to work. No excuses.

As an artist, you have to keep your dreams in front of you at all the times. There are too many haters out there.

For an artist, your dream board might have pictures of you performing on stage, the Lear jet you use to travel to shows, a picture of a red carpet event that one day you will attend or a picture an artist you would love to work with. Your dream board is about you and your dreams. Once you put it up. You will be surprised how fast things start to happen for you. But you have to believe it. Don't just put it up in the closet

Here is an example of how my board looks to give you an idea of what I see everyday.
It's not my real board but a sample.

Get started on your dream board and work toward building your music career.

Currently watching : The Secret (Extended Edition) Release date: 01 October, 2006

7:35 AM - 10 Comments - 9 Kudos - Add Comment

Coming Soon
Category: Music

COMING SOON........





GETTING ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED, AS A MUSIC ARTIST WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR MUSIC CAREER.


DETAILS TO FOLLOW....................

10:14 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment