| Daylle's News & Resources |
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Issue # 19 |
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Hello to you all! Happy Summer! This has been one of the craziest, and most rewarding times of my life. My new book, I Don't Need a Record Deal! Your Survival Guide for the Indie Music Revolution just came in. I'm already hearing rewarding things from many of you who bought it immediately. Thanks to all of you for you very kind words! : ) Writing that book was a labor of love. If anyone would be willing to give me a quote about the book for my website and other promotional material, I'd appreciate it. --------- 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 prefer to be taken off my list, please say unsubscribe in the subject header of an email. ------- My other newsletter, Self-Empowerment Quarterly, for the body, mind & spirit is free. If you'd like to subscribe, please send an email to subempowernews@daylle.com with you name, city/state. You can read the first issue at http://www.daylle.com/daylle/self01.html ------- My book release party at the Hard Rock Cafe was awesome! And CHECK THIS OUT!! I just launched my new website - http://www.idontneedarecorddeal.com I tried to include as many resources as possible that will be useful for developing a career in music. All suggestions are welcome. Soon I'll add a forum for people to speak to and support each other. I'll also invite people to post opportunities for indie musicians. Stay tuned! ------ I'm doing a talk at Borders at Columbus Circle in Manhattan on August 18th, with some of the musicians in the book. I'll send out an email a week before with more details. In my August newsletter I'll list all the book events I'm doing in cities across the country on my Indie Music National Book Tour this fall, beginning with an event at Borders in Cleveland on Sept. 6th. In this issue, I've got an interview with Lorraine Ferro, who truly exemplifies how an artist can earn a living independently. I also have a guest writer, John Battaglia, who's worked with many major label artists, with suggestions on finding the right image. I hope that you'll find the other resources in this issue helpful too. Please feel free to write with suggestions and questions that I can answer in future issues. Revenge Productions ---------- 1. Being Win/Win with Your Music 2. Creating a Signature Style By John Battaglia 3. Promoting Independent Music 4. The Art of Performing 5. Interview with Lorraine Ferro 6. Minding Your Music Biz: Checking email from anywhere 7. Ask Daylle: Can I go after a career and have a family? ---------- 1. Being Win/Win with Your Music: People always think I'm against taking a record deal. Not true. I am against being desperate for one. Why sign a deal and not benefit from it? It's fun to say that you're signed to SONY or RCA, until you can't pay your bills or your records aren't in stores. Labels hurt more artists than they help. I encourage you to develop a career first. That puts you in a win/win situation you can take a deal that gives you what you need to get to the next level, or, you can continue earning an indie living if the deal sucks. I also write relationship books and encourage people to create a satisfying life if they want a romantic partner. When you have have a life on you're own, you can choose to stay if you're happy a win. Or, you can leave if it's not working well because you have other things in your life that make you happy also a win. A satisfying life gives you control and prevents desperation from allowing you to be with someone not good for you. You're also more attractive to a potential partner when you're not needy. It's the same with a record deal. When you're earning money through music and developing yourself as an artist, you'll look more attractive to a label. Put all your energy into earning a living from music, instead of chasing record deals, so you can walk away from a bad deal or one that won't advance your career. Just like in romance, any deal isn't better than nothing. Labels take advantage of artists when they can. Give yourself the clout to leverage a deal that works for you by developing a career that doesn't depend on a record deal. Then you have choices. A record deal should give you something more than you have - national distribution, a large budget for promotion, etc. Win/Win. Being able to say no to a label offer is the sweetest position to be in! The artists I interviewed for my new book have been offered many deals but turn most down. Win/Win. When a label wants you more than you want their deal, you call more shots! Win/Win. The leverage of indie success allows more artists to partner with labels instead of taking a straight deal. Then you have more control over your creativity and marketing strategies. Win/Win. Refusing to take a deal unless it adds fuel to the career you've already established is the only way to go if you want longevity and satisfaction. Don't be scared to turn a bad deal down. If one label wants you, there will be more offers as your career grows. Artists who wait get more in the end. My new book is a guide to making money as an independent. It spells out all of the ways one can make money from music. There are many that aren't the traditional playing at local clubs and selling merch formula. When you create alternative income streams from music, your power grows. Fear makes us jump at things that aren't good for us. If you're convinced you need a label deal to survive as a musician, you probably won't have a career. People get abused in relationships that they take out of desperation, in romance and business. Empower yourself by creating a business around music and by being prepared to walk from a deal that isn't right for you! ----------- 2. Re-thinking an Artist's Image: Creating a Signature Style by John Battaglia Many talented emerging artists are confused by the issue of an image and don't have a sense of their own style. So, they either copy things from other people, or are just bland. Few artists actually have a true, distinct style. In today's entertainment environment, the first impression is as important as ever. However, style is only one aspect of an artist's first impression. Working with artists such as Usher, Beyonce, and Jessica Simpson has taught me that there are many things related to the way an artist comes across to others. My theory for building a compelling rockstar image is that you have to look within, harness what really makes you great, and then express that to the fullest. A style or look is just another form of self-expression, similar to the way you express yourself on stage or in the studio. It's capturing that same energy, and applying it to the rest of your life, including your look. Everything you do can be viewed as a form of self-expression - from knowing yourself so deeply that your expression comes from an authentic place, to your live performance, to how you walk into a room, conduct yourself in meetings and interviews, and to how passionately you live your daily life. These things shape the way that you are perceived. And of course, style and a look play an important role too. Entertainment is a business of first impressions. People make a decision of what they think about you in the first few seconds of seeing you. But here's the key - PEOPLE DON'T GET AN IMPRESSION FROM YOU; THEY GET AN IMPRESSION FROM THE IMAGE YOU PROJECT. That's why talent is not enough to make it in this business. Many musicians have talent. But if they're not doing all they can with it - if they're not packaged in a way that it truly connects to others - it won't work. They won't attract the industry attention they deserve. It's important that you define your look, just as you have defined your sound. This creation of a signature style involves the following 3-step process: 1)Educate yourself so that you can dictate your own style: Start to notice what you're drawn to and what you like. Notice what styles work on certain people and what doesn't. Pay attention to advertisements on TV and billboards. Notice movie posters. Flip through magazines. I'm not an advocate of following every trend, but if you don't know what the trends are, how can you decide to take part of them or not? 2) Create a point of view and direction by uncovering your imaging themes: Think about your favorite rockstars. Notice their defining characteristics and traits. Then get clear on your own gifts and quirks. Rockstars accentuate their strengths. How can you? A combination of your favorite rockstar's traits, along with your own defined uniqueness will form a Point of View and Direction. An image is formed when you consistently put forth a clear direction. For example, if your favorite rockstars are Kid Rock, The Police, Sheryl Crow, Joannie Mitchell, Ani Difranco, and Bono, the traits you most admire in them are their rebellious nature, sunny personalities, and home-made qualities. Their own strengths and quirks include their sensual nature, love of wild animals, and silliness. It's then about taking pieces of all of these themes and putting them together to form "your own" rockstar image. 3) Illustrate your themes and direction in the way you dress, accessorize, and act: Once you have a clearly defined direction for your image, the next step is to portray that in every part of your look and in everything that you do. For instance, what's the belt buckle, hair style, or color combination that clearly represents the new image that you want to project? Your photographs, website, and other presentation materials should all reflect your new image too. then decide how can you express your new direction in your live performance, studio sessions, and daily life? Live your artistry in all that you do. So now that you have your own style, it's time to go shopping. Happy hunting. John Battaglia is the founder and president of Rockstar Image, an image-building and personal coaching firm for artists. He's been the imaging and marketing agent for Usher, Beyonce, Jessica Simpson, Eve and many other music stars. Check out his site at http://www.rockstarimage.com. ----------- 3. Promoting Independent Music: I Don't need a Record Deal! Your Survival Guide for the Indie Music Revolution, is out! You can order it from me by sending $25 ($20 + $5 priority mail return) in check or money order (made out to Daylle Schwartz) with your name, address, and email address. Please specify if you want it autographed. Send it to: Daylle Schwartz PO Box 8016, FDR Station New York, NY 10150 You can use a credit care at http://daylle.com/daylle/bookinfo_dont.htm --- Save the Date! My next Start & Run Your Own Record Label seminar will be on February 25, 2006 at the New Yorker Hotel. ---- From September through November 2005, I'll drive solo from NYC across the country and back to speak for colleges, music industry organizations and bookstores along the way to promote independent music and educate musicians about all the available resources and opportunities for creating a career in music. I have some very exciting events coming up. Below is my schedule. I only listed events that are open to the public. I'll speak in colleges in each markets but most are for the students only so I'm not listing them. At all bookstores I'll give a talk and answer questions. Some of the Borders haven't given me a time or the specific store. You can check before the date at http://www.idontneedarecorddeal.com to find them or email me. Any help or suggestions in these markets will be appreciated. Sept. 6: Cleveland Hts, OH 7 PM Borders 3466 Mayfield Rd. Sept. 8: Ann Arbor, MI Borders - 7PM Sept. 10: Indianapolis, IN Borders - 2 PM 8675 River Crossing Blvd. Sept. 11:Champaign/Urbana University of Illinois 8PM The Courtyard Sept. 13: Chicago, IL 7:30 PM - Borders 4718 N. Broadway Ave Sept. 17: NYC Moderating panel at CMJ Music Marathon, Sept. 18: Hartford, CT 3 PM - New England Musician's Expo Sept 20: Madison, WI 7 PM - Borders 2173 Zeier Rd. Sept. 22: St. Paul, MN 7 PM - Borders 1390 W. University Avenue Sept. 26: Billings, MT 7 PM - Borders 2833 King Ave. West Sept. 28: Coeur d'Alene ID 6 PM - Hastings event 101 Best Ave. Sept. 30: Spokane, WA 7 PM - Borders 9980 Newport Road Oct. 1: Seattle, WA Out of the Ashes Northwest Music Explosion Conference and Workshop at The Vera Project w/Elliott Bay http://theveraproject.org Oct. 3- Portland, OR 7:30 Powell's Books, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Oct. 7 & 8: San Francisco, CA San Francisco State U. workshops Oct. 14: Hollywood, CA 7 PM -Borders 1501 Vine St.: w/showcase Oct. 15: Music biz conference for CA Lawyers for the Arts at USC. October 18: West Hollywood, CA 7 PM - Mixer Event for LA WoMen in Music at Wyndham Bel Age Hotel, http://www.lawim.com/ Oct. 19: Phoenix, AZ 7 PM - Borders 2402 E Camelback Road Oct. 24: Austin, TX 6:30 Austin Music Foundation panel Oct. 25: Austin, TX 7 PM - Book People, 603 N. Lamar Oct. 27: Houston, TX 7:30 PM Borders 570 Meyerland Plaza Oct. 29: Houston, TX Leisure Learning University: 2 workshops http://www.llu.com Oct. 31: New Orleans Borders - Time and location TBA Nov. 2: Hattiesburg, MS - TBA Nov. 8: Atlanta, GA 7 PM Borders 8000 Mall Parkway (Lithonia) Nov. 9: Atlanta 7 PM Chapter 11 Books - TBA Nov. 10: Nashville - Borders - Time & location TBA Nov. 13: Asheville, NC 2 PM - Malaprop's 55 Haywood St. Nov. 15: Charlotte, NC Borders - time and location TBA Nov. 17: Silver Springs Borders - Time TBA Nov. 20: Philadeplphia, PA 2 PM Borders 1 South Broad ----------- 4. The Art of Performing: Musicians often wonder why people love their music yet there's low attendance at gigs. It's unfortunate that the talent for creating great music in the studio doesn't always cut it on stage in front of a live audience. Being a good performer is a very separate skill that needs to be honed as much as you work on your songwriting, singing or playing an instrument. What does is take to be a good live performer? * Personality - If you stiffly sing your song perfectly, people may get bored. When you put yourself into what you're singing, smile, and let your personality show through, people will enjoy you more. * Connect with your audience - Look at them!! I've seen performer glance around the stage and look everywhere but at the people watching them. Make eye contact with people in the front. Talk to your audience between songs. Sing to them, not your feet. * Energy and movement - Let your passion for your music move you around on the stage. Give out energy that your audience feels. Performance isn't just about singing well. People are watching you. Give them something to watch that they'll enjoy! * Have fun! If you get stage fright, practicing is a good way to get over it. Or work with a professional to learn how to handle yourself. If you seem to be enjoying singing and playing, your audience enjoys watching you more. And if you make mistakes, just keep going and they won't care. Be aware that playing a small room is a different dynamic than playing a large one. The bigger the room, the more you need to emote your performance. Ask for honest feedback at every gig you do - not from friends! Try the bartender, who sees all the acts, the club promoter or give out feedback sheets that people can fill out anonymously. You need to get input from people who don't know you to be your best. ----------- 5. Interview with Lorraine Ferro: Lorraine Ferro is a singer and an award-winning songwriter who was signed to EMI Publishing and now is the lead singer and co-writer in the rock band LoudLife. She's written multi-platinum number one singles and won numerous songwriting awards. Ferro has sung live with and on many records for top acts, including Billy Joel. Her songs have been featured in many TV and film projects. Ferro also teaches songwriting workshops, writes jingles, produces for other artists, and is heard regularly on national TV and radio spots. What were your goals when you began? I wanted to be a rock star and get the big deal. I came close many times, all the way from the showcase to the paperwork. But they always fell through. You can be passed on by a company because they feel like they already have a 'you' at their label and don't need another one. I was passed on once because although they loved my sound, they said I sounded like a "real rock chick" but why didn't I smoke, do drugs, have a bottle of Jack on me at all times. Why wasn't I the "real deal"? Hmmmm....ok, sign me and I promise to be a junkie! I don't think so. What was your biggest first step? A friend asked if I wanted to come to NYC with her to a songwriting workshop given by the Songwriters' Guild. That class made me a professional songwriter. I met my first writing partner in that class. I took all the classes I could. What did you do differently than a lot of songwriters? The first thing I did was to DEFINE myself as a songwriter, way before I had a publishing deal. I can't tell you how many writers call themselves "aspiring" songwriters, as though they aren't really professional songwriters until some magical thing happens to them, like a hit song. Of course, that is never going to happen unless one believes he or she already IS a songwriter worth HAVING a hit song! When I defined myself as an artist/songwriter, I made any other work secondary to my writing sessions and gigs, not the other way around. I hadn't made a penny at being a songwriter, yet that's what I called myself, and I acted as such. I had three to four writing collaborations a week, and spent other times writing by myself, taking workshops, and networking. It was that commitment to myself that helped get me my publishing deal. How has entering songwriting contest helped you? I never entered songwriting contests because I heard they were rip offs. My co-writers submitted songs we had written together, and they began to win awards. So I started chipping in, and sending my share of submissions, but only after I had done some research. There are a lot of contests out there that really ARE a rip off, meaning that all they want to do is to make money. But there are a few contests that will help to further a career, such as the USA Songwriting contest, and the John Lennon Song Contest. They help songwriters get recognized by their peers, boosting the confidence of the songwriters who win and letting them know they are seemingly on the right track. They are great to put in a resumι. And any time a songwriter's name is in an industry magazine or press release because of something he or she accomplished, it's a good thing! How did you break into all the different money making things you do? Networking helped me break into most of the work I do. I can't name one job I have ever gotten that hasn't in some way come about because someone put a good word in or 'vouched' for me in some way. I strongly believe we cannot be successful alone. I believe in the power of a good team. Performances are mostly by word of mouth. Every session singer or band singer needs a sub once in a while, and they want to make sure that they don't get flack from the club or band leader, so they want a list of people they can trust, who are good in a situation like that. I got a lot of steady gigs through subbing for someone first, until they either left, or the band was looking to expand. How do you protect your biz? I have gotten burned so many times and realized that I didn't set boundaries that would give clients parameters to work within. The very first thing I try to do now as a businessperson in the arts is: GET IT IN WRITING. Clients I have trusted have stabbed me in the back when I least expected it. Isn't that a horrible thing to learn? It's really because when I am close to a client, and don't sign contracts up front, I am giving them a signal that they don't have to pay me for my work. That I'm doing it as a favor. I know it sounds absurd, but think about it: don't you make sure you pay the person who makes it clearly known that he or she expects to be paid at such and such a time? That, unfortunately, they would love to give you a bigger discount, but have a policy that doesn't allow them to compromise their worth? When I don't make it completely clear, in writing, that I expect to be paid x amount on x day for my services, I'm actually under appreciating myself, and therefore, the client feels they have a right to do the same. How do you feel about being independent? I love doing what I want to do with no one above me telling me what I can and can't do, and what hours I have to put in before they consider me for a raise. As an independent artist, it's hard work most of the time, but it's MY career, with me at the helm, directing how it goes. When I work hard, I usually see results! As an independent artist, no one can tell me the kind of music I need to make in order to sell a million copies, and no one's breathing down my neck to compromise my art or my soul in order to be approved of. Of course, it's harder to become successful without the kind of funds most record labels have been able to put into their artists. But there are ways to get songs out there, and to play places where you can build a fan base, and make a decent living. It takes a lot of creativity. What's your best advice? I would love to tell you not to be afraid during all of this process, but you will be at times. So be afraid, be very afraid, but DO IT ANYWAY. Know that you will make lots of MISTAKES! Welcome them with open arms if you can. There's no harm in making a mistake, if you understand the lesson in it. Sometimes a mistake can hurt like hell, but it gets easier to take when you can really rise to the occasion and LEARN from it. It's not a matter of mastering this or that before you can do something worthwhile in this industry. It's a matter of DOING something that will make the things you do worthwhile, one way or another. Lorraine Ferro is like a one-woman show. We've become good friends since I interviewed her and I keep getting blown away by her many talents and incredible energy. I recently spoke at one of her songwriting workshops at the Songwriters Hall of Fame, which taught me a lot too. She's coaching me on getting back into my own songwriting, which I love! Check her out at http://www.lorraineferro.com ----------- 6. Minding Your Music Biz - Checking email from anywhere: In order to handle your music biz effectively, it's important to return calls promptly and answer emails fast too. Cell phones make it easier to call from anywhere. But retrieving emails from a server that's not yahoo or hotmail can be harder. That's why I love http://www.mail2web.com . You can access your email from anywhere, as long as you know your password and have access to a computer. When I get to their homepage, I always click for their secure server before entering any of my info. I've used this site from all over the world. One nice feature is that any messages you don't delete will be sent to your inbox when you next get on line on your home computer. I've also used this site to check my secondary email addresses from home so I can quickly delete spam. No matter how you do it, make sure that people hear back from you promptly if you want to be taken seriously. That's good business! ----------- 7. Ask Daylle: Can I go after a music career and have a family too? Absolutely! it can be harder to juggle your career with family and also to deal with the pressures of needing to support a family, but plenty of artists do it. I advise you to create some revenue streams from your music that you can do while still in your day job - playing weddings, covers, corporations, etc. at night and on weekends, giving voice or instrument lessons, licensing music, and many of the other things I discuss in my new book. As you begin to cover your bills, you can put more energy in during the week to developing your original music career. ----------- W. Someret Maugham said, "It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." By now you probably know that I believe with all my heart that we get back what we give out. I'd still be yearning to be a writer who was dying to earn a passionate living had I not refused to accept failure, and, the warnings from so many people who said that my dreams were impossible. When things don't look good for something I'm trying to achieve, I say out loud, (unless I'm in public, : ) of course) "I refuse to accept that this won't work out!!!!" And I really mean it. Guess what - miracles occur. I love having miracles. But all they really are is something that happens against the grain of naysayers. Don't be one of those negative people if you want positive things out of life. Join me in affirming - "I deserve the best and I'm going to get it!" I look forward to hearing more success stories from people who follow this line of thinking. Life should be a series of miracles. We all deserve that! Until the next issue..... Keep your passion strong, Daylle © 2005 Revenge Productions
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