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Hello
to you all!
Happy summer! Maybe you're not experiencing it
yet but here in NY summer just made an
appearance with some hot temps. I hope that
your life is heating up for you in a wonderful
way. Life is too short for you not to be
happy.
Please forward this newsletter to your mailing
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My trip to Nashville and Memphis was
phenomenal. I met the most wonderful people
and interviewed some of them. The most
exciting was Clint Black, who left RCA after
15 years and started his own Equity Records.
It began just for him, and now he signs other
artists to very fair deals. My biggest
challenge in writing my new book is paring
down all the info to fit. Just before I left,
I had the pleasure of interviewing Michelle
Shocked.
Nashville is a terrific little city. The music
community is much tighter than in most places.
While there's a lot of competition, there's
also a lot of support and opportunities for
musicians who have THE GOODS. I found it to be
one of the friendliest places I've ever been
to, and I travel a lot. It's a *comfy city,*
and was the easiest place to get in to see
music pros. Everyone knows what's going on and
many share generously. I actually attended a
quarterly audition sessions for the legendary
Bluebird Cafe. What an experience! I'll do a
piece on this for the next issue. I went
backstage at the Grand Ole Opry when Alison
Krauss played. She is AWESOME! It was
interesting to see so many old time performers
enjoying themselves in front of a packed,
enthusiastic audience. I talked to many of
them and learned a lot more about the whole
scene, now and then. Nashville was a lot of
fun and I want to return to just spend more
time there. I recommend putting Nashville on
your list of *must visit* cities. if you do,
plan it around one of the songwriter events.
There are many fantastic learning
opportunities for songwriters in Nashville,
for any music genre. Every month BMI has a
workshop run by the fantabulous Jason Blume,
my new friend and author of the BEST book on
earning money from songwriting - 6 Steps to
Songwriting Success (Billboard). This book
just came out it an even better new edition.
Any songwriter who wants to make money and
does not read this is a fool! : ) Sorry, but I
really mean that. The info is too valuable to
be missed.
I want to thank Karen Camper and Mike Williams
of Key II Entertainment in Memphis for giving
me the wonderful opportunity to present a
seminar while I was in their lovely city last
month. Their hard work and dedication to
educating musicians and creating a quality
learning environment for the musicians of
Memphis is very commendable. I congratulate
you both! : ) My time in Memphis was wonderful
thanks to the Southern hospitality I received.
In this issue, I've included an interview with
Bart Herbison, Executive Director of the
fabulous NSAI (Nashville Songwriters
Association International), the rest of Beth
Wood's tips for independent musicians and a
short interview with Alexei Auld from
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts about the
amazing resources they offer. Please feel free
to write with suggestions and questions I can
answer in future issues.
Revenge Productions
http://www.daylle.com
1. Power tips for getting what you want
2. Tips from the Road
3. Project Self-Empowerment
4. Indie Tips from successful indie artist,
Beth Wood, Part 2
5. Minding Your Music Biz: Sample contracts
6. Ask Daylle: How much do I need to change my
image?
7. Interview with Bart Herbison, Executive
Director of NSAI
1. Power tips for getting what you want: Most
of you know that I live by a very spiritual
mindset. It finally hit me what's necessary to
accomplish goals - "Decide what you want
and show that you're very serious." That
sounds so simple, but it's difficult. To
achieve goals, first decide EXACTLY what you
want and the most effective way to get it. You
want more money? How can you earn it? You want
to lose weight? What must change in your
lifestyle? You want more gigs? How can you
facilitate that? Wishing or complaining won't
help. Once you decide what you want, show
you're serious by doing EVERYTHING in your
power to get it. Get off your butt and do your
best! Yearning without actions brings you
down. Brandon came to me for a consultation
about getting his songs into films. He said:
"I took a songwriting workshop and sent
tapes to music supervisors. You said I wasn't
serious. I objected but you were right. I went
through motions without a BIG effort. It
seemed like too much work. Then I got serious.
I searched for songwriter events, networked
like crazy and got my songs critiqued. I took
2 weeks off to approach everyone I could with
all I had. It still took time but I got a song
into an independent film. Then I spent ALL my
time hustling. I just signed with a music
publisher. I decided early what I wanted. It
took much longer to get serious and market
them with determination. Now I know why so
many musicians don't succeed. It's easy to
dream and hard to show you're serious."
Be pro-active. Showing a serious intent with
actions is both practical and spiritual: It's
practical to do what it takes to reach a goal;
spiritual support comes by illustrating your
intentions with action, since you get support
in what you do. A pro-active attitude keeps
you focused and serious. When you do something
specific, say out loud, "I am serious
about S." When just wanted a book deal, I
didn't get one. Once I got serious, writing
many letters to agents instead of goofing
around, I ended up with 3 deals on one year!
Get serious and enjoy the results! : )
2. Tips from the Road: I asked successful
touring indies for some specific tips they
learned while touring. Touring can be tough.
Absorb these tips! Almost everyone advises
that you be prepared for anything. You can
whine when things go wrong or be pro-active.
Here's a sample of the specific advice I'll
have in my next book.
Ezina Moore http://www.ezinamoore.com:
Be prepared for when everything goes wrong.
Have a plan B for everything. For example, I
did a gig where the contract stated that they
had a PA. . . We get to our sold out gig and
they have no PA. . .So forty-five minutes
before the show, I have to rent a PA and
figure out how to use it.
Robby Baier http://www.melodrome.net:
Take spare gear with you, especially capos. We
use them a lot and they always go missing. Get
there early so that you can relax before the
show.
Matt Allison http://www.matt-allison.com:
Make sure you have adequate merchandise for
the tour, be it CD's or T-shirts etc. If you
do run out make sure you have someone you
trust back home who is willing to FedEx stock
to your next tour stop where you can pick it
up. Running out of merchandise can really put
a dent in your potential earnings.
Rachael Sage http://www.RachaelSage.com:
Be open to performance opportunities, no
matter where they come from. I received that
advice from someone else and really took it to
heart. I had a fear of leaving New York and
going out, but as soon as I let go of that and
really put it out into the universe that my
goal was to connect with an audience that
would connect with my music, gigs started
coming, and I'm still doing it.
DJ Minx http://womenonwax.com:
Always take your CDs, vinyl, etc. on board the
plane with you, instead of checking it in.
Chances of the airline losing your luggage are
slim, but that could make or break your entire
tour!
Danielle Egnew (Pope Jane) http://www.popejanemusic.com:
Touring teaches you to be a clear
communicator. There is nothing worse than
showing up to an out of town gig, and finding
you have no place to stay thought you did!
Don't tour until you have planning and
marketing strategies down, or you'll set
yourself up for failure. If you don't have a
clear strategy, you'll end up sleeping in your
car and your low blood sugar will catch up
with you after five days of the
"three-for-a-dollar Seven Eleven corndog
special". A struggling, starving artist
cannot do a decent performance, and doesn't
smell so terrific when five days of recycled
socks walk into a club. That artist cannot
realistically uphold their end of a tour to
provide quality entertainment to all venues
they have contracted with. You have ONE CHANCE
to make a first impression. If it's not
professional, there are hundreds of thousands
of other artists that club can book. And they
will.
Gregory Abbott http://www.gregoryabbott.com:
Know the personnel you'll need both in front
of and behind the microphone. Ultimately,
secondary to getting your music exposed, learn
how to turn a profit. Profitability is what
enables you to continue doing that which you
love to do. All this need not be a grind. The
education is not only interesting but also
enjoyable. Its potential for enhancing your
quality of life is limitless.
Jennifer Marks http://www.jennifermarks.com:
Hotwire is the bomb! You can get great rates
on good hotels instead of staying in Motel
6's.
Marly Hornik http://www.marlyhornik.com:
Try to route. That's really important when
booking. You shouldn't drive more than four
hours from place to place. It's awful if
you're just driving. I try to book all my
tours where the first day may be a really long
drive while you're getting to the area that
you need to be in and then the rest of the
days are only 1 or 2 hour drives for a week.
Visual Poet (Little Egypt) http://www.LittleEgypt-NY.com:
Being on the road will beat you down,
physically and mentally. Take a meditation
breath before you hop into the van. Understand
who you're going on the road with, because
it's intense. You can't show frustration or
take it out on the fans. They don't come to
see that.
3. Project Self-Empowerment: I want to make
you aware of a project that I'm starting and
see if I can get some help. After much soul
searching, I plan to start a non-profit called
Project Self-Empowerment (PSE). I'm not sure
of exactly how it will be formed but I'm
talking to lawyers and should know soon. Why
am I doing this? Because I want to give back
for all of my blessings. When my mom died not
long ago, I thought about how blessed I am to
have had such loving, supportive parents and
my wonderful life in general. I want others to
experience the kind of joy that I do, which
comes from being happy with myself. I wrote a
book called How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the
Ways, which gives practical and spiritual tips
for developing better self-esteem and
confidence. I took it back from my agent and
am donating it to PSE. It will be
self-published and given away in colleges,
through battered women's shelters, and many
organizations, for both women and men. Then I
will put together self-esteem programs that
reinforce what I write and will speak at
colleges, etc. Next year I'll write a book for
girls and donate that too. I'm SO happy to be
doing this!
This is the biggest undertaking I've ever
attempted. The people I've been interviewing
have motivated me to do it. I'm VERY excited,
and VERY scared. But I shall do what I advise
you to do in my books and in this newsletter -
persevere until it happens! In July I shall
begin. I already have testimonials from some
well known-people and will get more. I'll
approach more celebrities to be on the
Honorary Board. I need to raise a lot of money
and have a plan in mind. If any of you know
any rich people who might be willing to help
me get this started, please let me know. I'm
serious. What I need could be chump change to
a few rich people. I always encourage you to
ask for what you need. Now I'm asking. I'll
eventually need some help with this. Once I
get the money I'm expecting, I will hire
someone part time to run the program - getting
the books out and raising more money. The
books will be sold in stores, and ALL profits
go to giving more books away. If any of you
have any skills with non-profits or
fundraising abilities or contacts or just want
to help, please let me know. I appreciate any
and all help and suggestions. I want to reach
people, especially young people, and try to
stem the tide of the low self-esteem epidemic.
God has directed me to do this in the memory
of my parents. Thanks to those of you who took
the time to read this. If anyone would like to
get a chapter of my book by email, just ask.
4. Indie Tips from successful indie artist,
Beth Wood, Part 2: Last month I published half
of "Beth Wood's Ten Things Indie Artists
Should Do (and a Few You Shouldn't). Here are
the 6 - 10. Beth is a featured artist in my
next book. Thank you again Beth, for allowing
me to share this with my readers!
6. Think locally first. Even if you have
ambitions of conquering the world with your
music, it is very important to develop a
presence in your local music market. This
holds true for everything from live shows to
distribution, radio, and press. Your home base
can be your proving ground. Many indie
artists/bands make the mistake of thinking
they need national distribution, when they may
or may not be touring nation-wide. It does not
make sense to have 10 of your CDs in Akron,
Ohio if you have never played there and you
don't get radio play there. Concentrate on
your area first. Try to get in touch with some
local DJs and see if they will spin your CD on
their locals' show. Take a handful of CDs to a
record store and make a consignment deal -
even some major chains will sell indie CDs on
consignment. Check in with the record store
from time to time and collect money from them
if they have sold any CDs (whereas with
national distribution, you may get 30% of what
they owe you six months later). Read your
local newspaper's entertainment section and
notice who covers the local music scene or
artists that are similar to you. Give them a
call and see if you can send them some music,
or invite them to a show. The way you get
industry people to notice you is to have a
strong presence in your local/regional market.
7. Get it in writing. Again, it's not that
people are lined up to rip you off, but it
never can hurt to have things written down. It
doesn't even have to be a long-winded document
full of legal-ese (apologies to our lawyer
friends). This concept can apply to
consignment deals you make with record stores,
performance dates that you book over the
phone, or simple licensing deals for your
songs. Putting things in writing also helps if
you book shows way in advance because by the
day of your gig, you may have forgotten all
the details you agreed upon. Ask questions if
you are unclear on anything when making a
deal. It is better to ask a bunch of questions
to clarify your deal now than be surprised by
something later on. (Feel free to email me at
bethwoodmusic@hotmail.com if you'd like to see
a sample performance contract that I use.)
8. Utilize free resources, and invest in those
that make sense. There are MANY free resources
available to the indie musician. The Texas
Music Office, The Texas Accountants and
Lawyers for the Arts, and The Buddy Holly
Center are excellent examples. There are also
several websites that offer free industry
advice/articles/listings to indie musicians: http://www.indie-music.com
, http://www.indie-connections.com,
http://www.afim.org are
good ones. Secondly, there are some resources
that are not free, and some are worth the
investment. For example, the website http://www.cdbaby.com
is an excellent way to get your CDs
distributed online. There is a one-time set-up
fee (I think it's $35) for each CD listed.
CDBaby makes $4 on every CD you sell, and you
keep the rest. In addition to that, their
website is extremely helpful, with everything
from advice on promoting your music to a
message board where you can post your
feedback. Websites like CDBaby are starting to
offer digital distribution as well, where your
fans pay a set fee per song downloaded. Also,
a book on the basics of the music industry can
also be a good investment. You don't have to
go out and buy every book published on the
music business, but one book giving you the
basic overview (like All You Need to Know
about the Music Business by Donald Passman)
can be a valuable resource should you need
help understanding some aspect of the
business. And if your questions are not
answered by a book, pick up the phone and
reach out to those free resources that are
there to help you.
9. Define your goals. Often. Figure out what
your goals really are, and be specific. Maybe
you want to play locally in a band with your
friends a couple of times a month. Maybe you
want to make a living at music. Maybe you want
to hear your songs recorded by other artists.
Maybe you want to be on the cover of Rolling
Stone. These are all very different goals and
it would take different things to achieve
them. Know what you want, and reassess what
you want every few months. I know many
musicians who have changed the course of their
careers because they grew to want different
things in their lives.
10. Be realistic. Understand that the more
grandiose the goal (i.e. rock-stardom), the
lower your odds at realizing them. Don't waste
your time and money sending unsolicited CDs to
record companies those folks get hundreds
of CDs every day, and chances are you CD won't
get listened to. Don't hang all of your hopes
on a showcase at an industry event. Understand
that major labels are corporations -- they are
in business to show profits to their
shareholders. Know that every major-label deal
is not necessarily a good one in some cases
the artist makes as little as 10 or 11% of the
profits from sales of their records, and that
is after expenses are recouped. As an indie
artist, and you keep all profits! Educate
yourself on how the system of the music
business works and then figure out how you can
operate within (or without) the system. It is
a big, complicated system mostly geared toward
major labels, but independent labels and
artists are gaining more power every day.
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: I've always
emphasized the importance of having your legal
biz in order. That means using a written
agreement between you and anyone you work with
where money might be involved. I know it can
be expensive to go to a lawyer whenever you
need one. That's why I talked to Alexei Auld,
Esq., VLA (Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts)
Director of Education and Senior Staff
Attorney in NYC. The VLA is there for your
legal needs. Why do you need them? Alexei
says, "The music industry, more than any
other industry, is completely contract laden.
As soon as someone finds out someone has
talent, they try to slap them with a contract.
At least have an attorney look over what
you're presented with in writing." He
recommends using their services whenever you
have a legal problem.
I was very excited to hear about the
incredible bargain support tool that VLA
offers. Every other Wednesday they offer a
legal clinic for members. Membership is ONLY
$100 a year for individuals. This allows you
to come and talk to an attorney for a half
hour private session about any type of
artistic legal concern that you have. YOU CAN
DO THAT EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY FOR A YEAR FOR
JUST A HUNDRED BUCKS!! That's less than a half
hour of a lawyer's hourly rate.
There are many VLA's throughout the country.
Alexei clarified that they're not a franchise,
so each has different services. There are
links to other similar organizations
throughout the country on the VLA website.
Alexei says, "A lot of people don't
realize that a great deal of rights and
responsibilities come with being a creator of
intellectual property. I see many situations
in which people get hoodwinked by charlatans
and thieves. Like the Mafia movies, often it's
the people you know, as opposed to the ones
you don't know, who try to rip you off. They
try to abuse relationships they have with you.
The worst thing that can happen to an artist,
and I've seen it happen several times, is they
get so disillusioned by getting burned in a
bad deal, or a string of bad ones, that they
completely lose whatever creative fires
propelled them in the past."
Don't let that happen to you! I highly advise
you to check out the VLA website http://www.vlany.org
and use their services before signing any
agreement. Check out their workshops. They
also have an Art Law Line that's open to
everybody. Even if you're outside the New York
area, if you don't mind a long distance call,
they'll still take your questions. Call 212
319-2787 extension #1 between 10 and 6 or
leave a message and someone will call you
back. Some of their services are based on
financial needs. But, anyone can use their Law
Line and the legal clinic is open to all
members.
6. Ask Daylle: A reader asks, "An A&R
rep said that we had the makings of a good
selling band but our bass player's look had to
change - that he should play with a pick and
not his fingers and he needed a haircut. Do
these little things really matter?
That's one person's opinion. You can't jump to
do whatever everyone tells you. You can get
feedback from others if you're concerned about
how the bass player comes across. If they want
to sign you, a bad haircut won't stop them. At
that point, you might take their suggestions
more seriously. What matters most is how big a
noise you're making to how many fan - how many
CDs you can sell. If they can make money from
you, you'll get a deal.
7. Interview with Bart Herbison: I had the
pleasure of interviewing Bart Herbison,
Executive Director of the NSAI (Nashville
Songwriters Association International). While
people assume this organization is just for
songwriters who write country music, Bart
assures me it's for all songwriters (more
below). The NSAI is the most supportive
organization I've encountered. They were
founded in 1967 with the mission of protecting
American songwriters' copyrights but are also
pro-active in supporting songwriters to
develop and prosper. They offer support that's
worth a lot more than the membership dues.
I'll let Bart tell you about it.
How does the NSAI assist songwriters? For a
number of artists it is their first foray into
songwriting. We nurture aspiring songwriters.
We have an entire set of programs and services
designed for them. Many of our members want to
become professional songwriters, but a number
of them also just want to grow in their craft
while experiencing the songwriting community
and bonding with their peers. We have an
entire series of programs from workshops to
our song evaluation service where we have
professional writers listen to your tape, put
an oral critique on it and mail it back to you
to help you grow as a songwriter.
Is there an extra fee for that? That's part of
the membership. for some of the programs, such
as Song Camp, you do have to pay extra for.
The song evaluation service is part of the
basic membership, though.
How can people who don't write country music
benefit? We're proud of our affiliation with
country music and there's a reason that
there's a synergy there, but you can think of
a song in any genre and any language and we've
done a song with that genre. Primarily the
focus is on the song. We have professional
songwriters in every genre of music. When
people are discussing songs and giving
feedback, some people will say that it may be
better for the opposite gender to sing it or
that the initial verse doesn't tie in with how
the rest of the song comes about. These things
all apply to any genre of music.
What makes the NSAI so special? I can't think
of any other job where the professional
members of an organization show you how to
compete for their jobs. It's a wonderful
thing. If you were going to be a stock broker,
Solomon Bros. is not going to share their
secrets with you. The people of our
organization are some of the most loving,
creative, open and nurturing in the world.
Any other advice? People ask me everyday what
the secret is. There is no secret. Take any
occupation, any endeavor, any pursuit - you
approach songwriting and artistry the exact
same way. Only dreamers end up being
songwriters or artists. I have seen too many
people that are geared to get hurt badly by
losing common sense as an ongoing quotient in
that dream. I know a trapped songwriter and
artist who hooked up with the wrong person,
signed up for a bad deal because she was eager
to fulfill the dream. If only she had taken 48
hours and gone through the same exercises she
would have used if she was going to buy a car
or a house. You ask people questions, get
references and check people out. If she had
done that, she would not have signed this
deal. It cost her 10 or 11 years on her career
and it will cost her a portion of her income
for the rest of her life. Make sure you know
who you're dealing with.
If you're a songwriter, I highly recommend
checking out the NSAI. Go to their events.
They have many chapters across the country. Go
to their song camps! You have to invest in
your music in order to succeed. http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com
A Japanese proverb says, "Fall seven
times, stand up eight." Whatever you're
trying to accomplish will probably be preceded
by some falls. Keep getting up to persevere! I
just interviewed an artist named Dorothy
Potter. When she decided she wanted to tour
Europe, she got on the Internet and began
calling the clubs she found. Dorothy didn't
know which would be appropriate. She called
until she got a live one. She found ways to
verbally dance with those who booked live
music in order to find out how much money she
should ask for. Dorothy didn't book her tour
the first week. It took time and not allowing
being turned down many times to thwart her.
She didn't sit around like the majority of
artists who wish they had someone to put a
tour of Europe together for them. She kept
making calls until she did it. Dorothy just
got back from 3 months in Europe and is now
getting up every day at 6AM to catch people on
European time. She spends 30 hours a week on
the phone, booking for this fall and spring
2005. For those of you who indulge in
complaining about how much you'd like a tour,
save your energy. Use it to start working.
Whether European or domestic, the people most
successful at touring are those who understand
you must make one phone call after another
until you reach someone who books you. The you
continue until you have a tour. Twenty calls
is nothing. Try twenty calls to each person!
That's what it can take.
Enjoy the summer. Take advantage of
opportunities to perform and let people know
about your music. Until the next issue.....
Keep your passion strong,
Daylle
© 2004 Revenge Productions
http://www.daylle.com
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