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Hello
to you all!
New York City is just beginning to show signs
of spring. It's been a long winter and seeing
buds sprouting on trees makes me smile. I hope
that you're all smiling too. : ) Spring is a
time of renewal - take advantage. It's always
a good time to assess your goals, look for
ways to reach them, see how much you've
accomplished, and set new goals. I set mine in
teeny weeny increments so I accomplished many.
Lately I've been buried in the research for my
next book. I still have a long way to go but
it will be worth it. I've already interviewed
over 100 people and lots more to talk to. A
nice bonus is that I have many new, wonderful
friends!
Please forward this newsletter to your mailing
list or anyone you'd like. If this was
forwarded to you and you'd like to subscribe,
send me an email that says
"subscribe" in the subject header
with your name and city/state. If you'd like
to post it on your site, please ask for
permission and I'll give it. Read past issues
at http://www.daylle/monthly.html If you
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unsubscribe in the subject header of an email.
I'm getting ready for my trip to Nashville
from April 27th to May 13th. I'll be in
Memphis from May 6 - 10th. On May 8th I'll be
doing a seminar in Memphis. The details are
below under #3. I'm VERY excited about this
trip as I've never been to either city. I know
it's going to be lots of fun to explore the
music scenes. Several organizations have
offered their support and I've been in touch
with many people who've also offered to show
me around. I've asked if I'll be available to
do consulting while in Nashville and Memphis.
Definitely! Please get in touch with me if
you're interested.
And don't forget, I do phone consulting too.
Revenge Productions
http://www.daylle.com
1. Getting Through Those Tough Times
2. Cheap Postcards
3. My seminar
4. Indie Tips from successful indie artist,
Beth Wood
5. Minding Your Music Biz: Band agreements
6. Ask Daylle: How do I get over stage fright?
7. Interview with Mark Wood
8. Industry events
1. Getting Through Those Tough Times:
Have you noticed that things don't always go
as planned? It happens way too often for most
of us. Sometimes it's not even a bad thing,
but we're not in the mood for a curve ball.
Unexpected events or outcomes happen
regularly. You can whine about it to friends
and feel lousy, or view problems as
opportunities to learn and see how strong your
passion for music is. My strong spiritual
faith allows me to accept life's glitches more
easily. No matter what happens, I say out loud
that everything happens for a reason and
something good will come of it. It always
does. To me, faith in whatever you're
comfortable with is the best anti-dote for
stress and discouragement. I love finding the
reasons later on. They're always there.
I asked many of the artists that I interviewed
for my next book how they persevere when
things get them down. Here's a sample. Let
them inspire you as they've inspired me.
Matt Allison: It can be hard to keep focused
and to keep persevering, especially when you
don't get the response you were hoping for.
But I have learned to look back on where I
started and where I am now and it seems to put
it all in perspective.
Christine Kane: When you put yourself out
there in any career, you're going to be hit
with some hard blows, face all of your worst
doubts, deal with some unkind people, and have
some weeks, months and years when you wish
you'd gone to journalism school like everyone
told you to instead of becoming an artist. So
here's what I try to do: I try to keep my
focus on my intent and why I do this. Not all
of my reasons are pure, but at the deepest
level I know this is what I'm meant to do, and
this is how I reach people. I remind myself of
this pretty regularly.
Dean Seltzer: The biggest thing I've learned
is there's a million reasons to quit and one
reason to stick to it - you love it. If you're
in it for the money or the drugs or anything
like that, get out. It's hard work, you don't
get much sleep, and you tend to be
under-appreciated. You deal with so much
bullshit - people stabbing you in the back.
The only thing to keep you going is knowing
that there's nothing more rewarding and
exciting than playing music in front of a
crowd of people.
Danielle Egnew (Pope Jane): The music is
always amazing and fulfilling, but the rest is
quite often laborious and unfulfilling, at
least while doing it - but there is always a
feeling of accomplishment after many press
kits have been mailed, or a newspaper has
accepted an invitation to a show to do a live
review. An artist will benefit from keeping
their eye on the prize, which is showcasing
their art. Artists should be realistic in
assessing what makes them happy, and stick to
that.
Alex Woodard: It's tough to always be
inspired, and I let the moments when I really
am inspired hit me before I write songs. I
don't force it. But the main thing is that I
can't imagine doing anything else. Jennie DeVoe: Perseverance is the absolute
necessity for an artist. Self-discipline is
the challenge. You just do it cuz you're
driven. You can't wait for stuff to happen. Do
whatever you can to move forward, promote
yourself and here and there measurable
successes take place. I go through down times
like anyone and question myself as to why I
continue when the 'monster of music' machine
simply excludes so much good talent. Everyone
goes through it.
Gregory Abbott: You should surround yourself
with other creative people with whom you can
share insights, strategies, resources etc. You
want around you folks who are encouraging and
inspiring, who themselves are seeking this
higher goal. Also, follow your own intuition.
Some of my most successful projects have been
ones in which I made a decision to stick to my
guns. Persevere. At the end of the day your
most valuable asset is your belief in
yourself.
DJ Minx: I stay focused mainly because I'm
optimistic. I know there's things I want in
life for me and my family, and I need to work
hard to achieve these goals. No pain, no gain.
2. Cheap Postcards: For years I've been
touting the benefits of using postcards as
fliers to promote yourself and your music.
Nowadays, they've become the most popular
means to spread the word. Last week I met some
guys from a company that makes glossy coated
cards for the cheapest I've ever seen. Now
understand I don't know them except for one
meeting. But the samples they had were top
quality and they say it's a quick turn-around
time. They offer 5,000 glossy coated (both
sides) color postcards for $199. They also
print biz cards and much more. You can contact
them at http://www.samedayflyers.com
or 888-441-PRINT. If anyone uses them, let me
know how you like the product and service.
3. My next seminar: My February seminar
was packed. It was the only private seminar
I'll do this year. If my time permits, I'll do
another full day one in New York next
February.
I am available for speaking for others who put
the event together. I'll be doing a Start
& Run Your Own Record Label seminar in
Memphis TN on May 8th, from 11:00 AM to 5:00
PM. Registration begins @ 10:00 am. It's at
The Complex @ 704 -704 Madison Avenue,
Memphis, TN. Because there's sponsorship, the
seminar fee is only $20 and it's 1/2 price for
members of BMI, ASCAP, NARAS & Musician
Organizations. I'll be speaking for almost 4
hours and then there will be 2 hours of panels
with noted industry people. If you live in
that area, you shouldn't miss this
opportunity.
4. Indie Tips from successful indie artist,
Beth Wood: Beth did a fantastic interview
for my book but also shared an article she
wrote called, "Beth Wood's Ten Things
Indie Artists Should Do (and a Few You
Shouldn't). It's long, so I'll have half in
this issue and the other 5 in the next. Thank
you Beth, for allowing me to share this with
my readers! Part 1
1. Have a product to sell. If you are serious
about a career in music, make a recording.
This may sound simple, but consider it an
investment in your future. With technology
these days, it is becoming more and more
affordable to make a high-quality CD at a home
studio. Many indie artists find that a good
percentage of their income comes from sales of
CDs, T-shirts, etc. Being an indie artist, all
profits go to you. Also, your CDs will serve
as advertisements for what you do. If one
person passes on your CD to a friend, you have
a potential new fan who might come to your
next show.
2. Be willing to give some things away.
Technology makes it easy to burn your own CDs.
Give away 2-3 song samplers of your new
material. Your audience will feel like they
are in on something, and hopefully they will
be intrigued and want to buy your new material
when it comes out. Throw in free stickers
(great for advertising your name) for people
who buy CDs. Stickers are inexpensive and will
help you get name recognition. Consider
playing for free in certain situations. Doing
benefit shows can be wonderful for
word-of-mouth and exposure to new audiences.
Most do publicity, draw a diverse audience,
and will let you sell merch.
3. Connect with your audience. Look them in
the eye at least some of the time while you
are performing. Please don't look at your
shoes the whole time. If this interaction is
hard for you, find someone in your band who is
really good at audience interaction and
encourage him/her to engage them. When your
show is over, walk straight into the audience
and over to the CD table and start talking
with people. People want to support the indie
musician. Make it easy for them to do so by
being approachable and kind. Being an indie
musician is all about grass-roots promotion,
so be willing to shake some hands.
4. Observe the golden rule. This sounds
simple, but it is important. When you go into
a new club, be friendly. Learn the staff's
names. Learn the sound-person's name and
remember it - he/she is your friend. Write
this information down when you get home so
you'll remember next time you go back. If you
are nice, people are generally excited about
booking you again. Also, befriend other bands
who play the same clubs as you do. Sharing
information and resources with other musicians
is invaluable. OTHER MUSICIANS ARE YOUR
GREATEST ALLIES, so make an effort to be
friendly. Finally, dealing with club owners,
radio stations, record stores, etc. on the
phone can be very frustrating. Remember at all
times that these folks are busy and they are
trying to make a living. Be respectful and
concise. When you send your press kit to a new
club, don't include every single scrap of
paper with your band name on it. Pick one good
article and a few quotes, a photo, a bio, and
your contact info. Realize that those guys are
busy and they just need an overview of who you
are and what your band does.
5. Take the time to get proper copyrights. It
is important to protect your creative works.
It's not that there are people lurking in the
halls just waiting for a chance to steal your
music, but protecting yourself as fully as
possible just makes sense. It is true that
there is such a thing as a "common
law" copyright, but this does not carry
the same weight in a legal dispute as a
registered copyright. It is fairly inexpensive
to register your works (you can register a
whole CD as one project for $30). You can
visit the U.S. Copyright Office website at
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/ for info and
instructions.
Beth Wood has carved a successful independent
career for herself. She considers herself a
singer/songwriter, barefoot acoustic
enthusiast. She's been touring full-time for
seven years with no day job! Beth has been
recognized for her work in national college
touring and other areas of her career. Check
her and her music out at
http://www.bethwoodmusic.com
and let her know if her tips were helpful.
5. Minding Your Music Biz: One of the
hardest things about being in a band is being
in a band. Solo artists don't know how *easy*
they have it. Trying to work with a group can
be hard if ALL of you aren't consciously
trying to work together as a team. Lead
singers need to avoid the star mentality. If
you want to be the shining star, go solo.
Otherwise, there will be resentment and many
problems that stem from that attitude. I
recently interviewed Pat Dinizio, lead singer
of the Smithereens, who's now happy to be
independent. He advises, "You have to be
gentle with each other. The band has to be
your family. There has never been a fight in
the Smithereens. How else could we have stayed
together for 25 years? It comes with respect
and admiration for each other. You have to
respect each other and give each other the
space they need."
Stuff still can happen between band members.
That's why you MUST get everything in writing
if you want to do your music as a business. Of
course you should trust each other but
establish your business in an agreement
between you. Spell everything out. There are
many things to work out. Brian Caplan, Esq.,
(http://www.glrslaw.com) a litigating attorney
in New York City, says he has litigated
disputes among band members which probably
could have been avoided if the band had
created partnership agreements early on. He
advises:
"Written band partnership agreements can
save band members substantial headaches and
legal fees down the road. Although newly
formed bands often don't have significant
resources to hire transactional attorneys, it
is clearly in their interest to memorialize
the respective ownership interests, rights and
obligations of each band member among
themselves as early as possible. Litigation
among band members is common when no
partnership agreement exists. Issues that
frequently arise are (1) who owns the name of
a band when the band breaks up or a member
leaves, (2) can a member get ejected from a
band right before a large advance is due from
a record label and if so, should the ejected
member have any right to share in such advance
when he or she will not be part of the new
record project (3) what rights does a former
band member have in continuing merchandising
of the band's name and likenesses and (4) if
there are unequal splits on record royalties
are other income streams split equally
(touring, merchandising, etc.). A band's
minimal investment in the drafting of a
partnership agreement will be well rewarded
down the road."
6. Ask Daylle: A reader asks, "How
do I get over stage fright?" EVERYONE
gets some stage fright. It's normal,
especially at the beginning, to be
apprehensive about performing in front of a
crowd. The more you do it, the easier it can
get. Practice! As you improve as a performer,
the more confidence you'll have. I get nervous
too and like saying affirmations to myself
just before an appearance on TV - "My
performance will be fine. The audience will
like me." over and over to calm down.
Start with small audiences until you get more
comfortable. Don't let a bad gig wipe you out.
It happens to all of us. I do a lot of live
radio and TV appearances. Sometimes a caller
tries to rattle me. And it works. But I put it
behind me and keep the faith in me. When I had
to do an interview on Howard Stern, I was
terrified at first. But I believed in what I
had to say and my ability to handle myself. I
also trusted God to support my belief. People
who heard the interview actually asked if I'd
put a spell on him because he was so nice to
me. I expected him to be nice! I sounded very
calm yet I was still nervous. Faith allowed me
to do it with confidence. When you have faith
in your talent and ability as a performer, and
in a higher being, you can trust yourself
more. Keep practicing until you prove to YOU
that your performance rocks. If it doesn't,
get help and practice until you believe it.
7. Interview with Mark Wood: Electric
violinist Mark Wood started out wanting to be
a rock star. He was signed in the late 80s and
early 90s and appeared on CNN and the Tonight
Show. Mark has won platinum records and gold
records. He's composed for the Olympics and
won an Emmy awards last summer. He also has a
music library of his original compositions
that gets licensed by a variety of producers
and designs his own line of violins. And he
loves being independent. Here are some
highlights of his interview.
Why do you think that wanting to be a rock
star was a mistake? 99% of the people out
there got dropped and have to go back to
working at the hardware store. I witnessed
that. I was a bit of an oddity, because 20
years later I'm still making a really good
living at it. The mistake was thinking that
the half a million record deal was the start
of a long and full career, which is not the
case at all.
Why did you choose to be independent?
Why wait for a company to tell me when and
when not to record? To tell me that I'm valid
or not valid, or that I'm not going to sell
records if I play that music? That helps one
realize they must create their own business
ventures. Then I started to get paid to write
music and realized there is an income pipeline
that I needed to tap into, and stay away from
record companies and managers because the
pipeline stops with them. They decide how much
they're going to pay you after taking their
percentages. Once I realized I could talk
directly to directors, music people, producers
and saw I could get paid directly from
clients, everything changed. I manufacture all
of my merchandise and products. The ultimate
for me is that the money that I've generated
is money specifically given to me for what I
produce.
Why is being professional so important? You
have to learn how to behave and handle
yourself in a professional scenario where
you're around business people in suits and
ties, so you don't come off as being a lame,
stupid rock and roll musician. A lot of the
suit and tie people are scared of musicians as
being flaky - partying all night.
How can musicians get taken more seriously?
After years of doing this, I see that you have
to charm people. If somebody doesn't like you,
it's very difficult to get a job or get people
to give you money.
You have your own music library? I
developed it after years and years of writing
music. I love to write sports music. I wrote
for the Olympics and ESPN and all the sports
networks call me to write music for them. It's
my forte. After about 15 years of doing that I
have over 200 compositions that I have the
rights to so I can release a music library on
the side.
What's your best advice? Be as
artistically brilliant as David Bowie but have
Donald Trump's ability to know what a good
deal is and how to negotiate.
How do you feel about being independent? I
run my own record company. Anything different
and interesting to me is worth looking into. I
truly believe that it is possible to make a
living without a record deal.
http://www.markwoodmusic.com
8. Industry events: This is a last
minute announcement for those in the NY area.
On Tuesday, April 13th, the Film Music Network
is having a panel called Music for Video Games
at Carroll Music, 351 West 41st Street (b/w
8th and 9th). Doors open at 6 PM, and the
event starts at 6:30PM. Admission is $15 and
that includes pizza and soda. Every one of
their panels has been fantastic. They have
them every month. To me, they're consistently
the best panels I've been to. I go every
month. The speakers are good, and are
accessible after. I think that any songwriter
who doesn't take advantage is crazy!! If you
want more info or to get on their mailing
list, email
and tell her I sent you. Everyone who's gone
through my recommendation has thanked me for
pushing them.
Helen Keller said, "No pessimist ever
discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed
to uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for
the human spirit." She was so right.
People who expect things to go wrong have
things go wrong. That's the law of the
Universe. If you say that everything bad
always happens to you, that's what you
attract. If you expect to have good stuff, you
have a better chance of getting it. At the
beginning of the newsletter I quoted musicians
who are successfully independent. They didn't
get there by sitting home and complaining
about how they weren't achieving what they
wanted. They went out and got it. If you can
defeat pessimism, you've won the victory of
giving yourself many possibilities. I don't
get everything I want. No one does. But I've
accepted that I get what I need. And I'm
content in that fact. It keeps my expectations
realistic and I'm not disappointed like many
people are. That doesn't mean I don't go after
things that others would think me crazy for
trying. And I achieve some of it, usually what
ends up being best for me. If you can relax
with your life and keep working hard to hone
your craft and create possibilities by making
phone calls, you can advance in your career.
If you make 100 calls and no one responds,
make 200 more. That was a consistent thread in
the attitude of the musicians I've
interviewed. Persevere with optimism and
you'll get a lot more than being pessimistic
and giving up.
Enjoy the first blossoms of spring with a big
smile. Until the next issue.....
Keep your passion strong,
Daylle
© 2004 Revenge Productions
http://www.daylle.com
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