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It's Like Complaining About Gravity

by Bob Baker

Here's an important lesson that could alter the way you view your place in the world of music ...

Do you complain about gravity? If not, why not? I mean, it is the source of so many frustrations -- scraped knees when you trip and fall, body parts that sag as you age, trees that crash and damage property during thunderstorms. Not to mention more extreme gravity-related tragedies like airplanes that fall from the sky or asteroid collisions that could alter life as we know it on the planet.

With all these obvious negative aspects of gravity, why don't you hear more people bitching and moaning about it? "I am so sick and tired of the damned gravity on this planet!"

I suppose you don't hear about it much because gravity is a basic law of physics. Everyone accepts it as an eternal state of life. And what good would it do anyway? No amount of complaining would change anything.

What does this have to do with your independent music career? Hang in there with me and you'll see ...

When it comes to gravity, human beings generally don't complain about it. In fact, we have learned to use the qualities of gravity to our benefit.

If it wasn't for gravity, we wouldn't have exciting activities like parachuting, surfing, skateboarding and windsurfing. There would be no home runs or pinpoint quarterback passes or Olympic diving competitions. Instead of accepting that gravity will forever keep us on the ground, daring engineers like the Wright brothers figured out how to use gravity (and other natural factors) to create lift and powered flight.

Instead of fighting with gravity, we have learned to work with it and use it to our advantage.

You know where this leading. How much do you complain about your local music scene or the music press or the sad state of radio or the lack of support from ... whoever? And what good does all the moaning do?

I'm not suggesting that the state of the music industry is somehow related to Newton's Law of Gravity. But there are certain things that you can always count on: people who won't support you when you feel they should, venues that won't book you, reviewers who won't write about you, and on and on. If you search for things to complain about, I guarantee you'll find plenty.

The trick is to treat these things like gravity. They're always going to be there to some degree. But if you're smart, you'll find a way to use whatever you have to work with to your advantage.

Think like an aerodynamic engineer or a parachutist or a major league slugger. How can you use the reality of your world to create opportunities and make something exciting out of a perceived weakness?

Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that deliver free music marketing tips and self-promotion ideas to musicians of all kinds. Visit TheBuzzFactor.com for more details.

Lets Help Madonna's Album Flop!!

NOTE: I'm not associated with this, but thought it was interesting and does a good job to show how some fans think...good and bad. This is from a Mariah Carey fanclub which is "helping" Mariah by going after the new Madonna album.

Welcome to TeamLamb, an organized team of Maria Carey fans. Our purpose is to keep Mariah, the biggest female musical icon of all time, on top.

Unfortunately, the no-talent slut, Madonna, is still being referred to as the “Queen of Pop,” even though her most recent album, American Life, and her Reinvention Tour have really made her the “Queen of Flops.” Madonna used to be successful, but that’s because she slept her way to the top. Mariah, on the other hand, has sold millions of records based solely on her amazing talents and being a great role model.

Mariah has had sixteen number one singles. Her last two number one singles, “We Belong Together” and “Heartbreaker” have broken worldwide records everywhere. Mariah’s most recent Charmbracelet tour was a critically acclaimed smash that played to millions all over the world. Roger Friedman, a well respected music journalist, called the concert one of the greatest he’s seen in the past ten years. Mariah is, indeed, the biggest musical sensation since the Beatles.

Within the next couple months, Madonna will try to take away Mariah’s crown by releasing “Confessions on a Dance Floor” along with the single, “Hung Up.” There seems to be a lot of buzz , but most of it seems generated by Madonna’s desperate, pathetic fans. TeamLamb will do everything we can to make this project a flop for Madonna. We will organize by calling radio stations and telling them how much we don’t like her new songs, write letters to several magazines and confirm that she is, indeed, over, and spread negative messages about Madonna on several Internet blogs.

We will soon have an Internet site, but to instantly become a member of TeamLamb, please send an email to [REMOVED]. You can also dedicate money for my site through Pay Pal (use my email address as the account). It’s going to be a busy autumn with the old, aging hag, but we will bring her down!

4 Tips To Successfully Persuade Anyone

Having excellent persuasion skills is one of the most important abilities somebody in the music business can possess. We need the support and cooperation of other people to help us in reaching our goals. The saying "No man is an island" is an undeniable truth.

Here are some hot tips to effectively influence and persuade anyone you desire.

1) Enter their world.

You must understand the situation according to their point of view. Set aside your personal interests and concentrate on them.

Just pretend that if you are them, what would you do? What would be your opinion? Then take the appropriate action that would be beneficial to them.

Copy them. Observe how they act, how they speak, and how they think. If they rub their forehead while they think, act like them. If they speak at a clear and slow pace, try to do the same thing. This is called mirroring.

In due time, the people you're mirroring will subconsciously feel more comfortable with you. It's as if they see themselves in you.

However, you must proceed with caution. Do not let them be aware that you are copying them. They might interpret it as mockery and you'll just get into trouble.

2) Be friendly and nice.

Smile to brighten up the day. Make a sincere compliment to raise their spirits. Little things like these count a lot.

Make them feel that whenever they need help or just someone to look up to, you'll always be there to lend a hand. They would tend to be more receptive to people that they trust.

If you want to ask your boss a favor, do everything you can to please him. Overdeliver and exceed his expectations. Soon, he will notice your efforts and will be more than glad to grant your request.

3) Provide them with compelling evidence.

Explain to them how your ideas or suggestions could be the most effective techniques to implement. Show them undeniable proof that you have the best product by way of testimonials, before and after scenarios, and detailed comparisons against your competitors. Just make sure that all your claims are true and verifiable. Always maintain a good reputation.

4) Meet their existing needs and desires.

People are self-centered. They are initially concerned with their own well-being before others. If you can prove that your proposal will provide more advantageous benefits to them than to your own, then they will probably accept it.

If you can focus more on their interests, desires, needs, and expectations, then you will satisfy their cravings for attention. Moreover, it will show that you really care about them. Mutual trust and respect will be established.

This is the most important thing to remember when persuading anyone. No matter how close you are to becoming like them or how overwhelming your evidence is, if it does not satisfy the "What's In It For Me?" test, your persuasion efforts will not produce satisfactory results. Always bear in mind how they will benefit from your actions.

A Remarkable Source of Self-Confidence Revealed

How many people do you know with impressive self-confidence and courage? The kind of confidence that tackles every obstacle before them without considering turning back?

Would you like to develop this kind of belief system for yourself?

Try this activity. Don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Anyone can do it, but few will realize its power. Give it a try and see what positive changes occur in your life.

Just before going to sleep, focus clearly on whatever you want to achieve. Speak passionately and resolutely to yourself. Impress upon your mind any new goals you’ve made, and say to yourself, “I will accomplish this task—I will concentrate my best efforts upon this goal—I have the power to achieve it and I will absolutely, positively do it.” As your eyes grow heavy, reaffirm your dedication.

Some folks advise telling the world when you’ve set a goal you want to achieve. This isn’t necessary. Don’t tell others what you’re doing or plan to do, but just go ahead and do it. If you tell them, they may try to bring you down or tell you every terrible scenario or challenge you could ever face.

Keep your cool. Keep thinking of your clearly defined goals, and don’t allow your mind to be influenced by others’ opinions or accidental circumstances. That’s not saying to ignore sound counsel. But when you’re sure that what you’re doing is the right thing, and you’ve thought seriously and deeply about it, just go ahead and proceed regardless of negative people around you.

The right kind of self-confidence acknowledges the talent within yourself and others. It radiates from your whole being. Your faith in yourself, in what you have to offer and in your abilities will unmistakably be revealed in your speech and body language. You can’t hide it! The confidence you feel in yourself causes others also to feel confidence in you, so that they will be ready to listen to you and be more persuaded by you.

Given a choice, it’s usually better to have too much confidence than too little! And it’s certainly within your power to take it!

Sony Settles Payola Investigation

Attorney General Eliot Spitzer announced an agreement to halt pervasive "pay-for-play" in the music industry.

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Under the agreement, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, one of the world's leading record companies and owner of a number of major record labels, has agreed to stop making payments and providing expensive gifts to radio stations and their employees in return for "airplay" for the company's songs.

Such payoffs violate state and federal law.

"Our investigation shows that, contrary to listener expectations that songs are selected for airplay based on artistic merit and popularity, air time is often determined by undisclosed payoffs to radio stations and their employees," Spitzer said. "This agreement is a model for breaking the pervasive influence of bribes in the industry."

After receiving tips from industry insiders, Spitzer's office conducted a year-long investigation and determined that SONY BMG and its record labels had offered a series of inducements to radio stations and their employees to obtain airplay for the recordings by the company's artists.

The inducements for airplay, also known as "payola," took several forms:

* Outright bribes to radio programmers, including expensive vacation packages, electronics and other valuable items;

* Contest giveaways for stations' listening audiences;

* Payments to radio stations to cover operational expenses;

* Retention of middlemen, known as independent promoters, as conduits for illegal payments to radio stations;

* Payments for "spin programs," airplay under the guise of advertising.

E-mail correspondence obtained during the investigation shows that company executives were well aware of the payoffs and made sure that the company got sufficient airplay to justify these expenditures.

In discussing a bribe given to a radio programmer in Buffalo, one promotion executive at SONY BMG's Epic Records wrote to a colleague at Epic:

"Two weeks ago, it cost us over 4000.00 to get Franz [Ferdinand] on WKSE. That is what the four trips to Miami and hotel cost . . . At the end of the day, [David] Universal added GC [Good Charlotte] and Gretchen Wilson and hit Alex up for another grand and they settled for $750.00. So almost $5000.00 in two weeks for overnight airplay. He told me that Tommy really wanted him to do it so he cut the deal."

Another Epic employee who was trying to promote the group Audioslave to a Clear Channel programmer asked in an email:

"WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET AUDIOSLAVE ON WKSS THIS WEEK?!!? Whatever you can dream up, I can make it happen."

A promotion employee unhappy with the times assigned for spins of the song "I Drove All Night" by Celine Dion wrote this internal email:

"OK, HERE IT IS IN BLACK AND WHITE AND IT'S SERIOUS: IF A RADIO STATION GOT A FLYAWAY TO A CELINE [DION] SHOW IN LAS VEGAS FOR THE ADD, AND THEY'RE PLAYING THE SONG ALL IN OVERNIGHTS, THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE FLYAWAY. PLEASE FIX THE OVERNIGHT ROTATIONS IMMEDIATELY."

The investigation revealed that SONY BMG employees took steps to conceal many of the payments to individuals and radio stations, by using fictitious "contest winners" to document the transactions and make it appear as though the payments and gifts were going to radio listeners instead of station employees.

The Assurance of Discontinuance summarizing the Attorney General's findings alleges that the illegal payoffs for airplay were designed to manipulate record charts, generate consumer interest in records and increase sales.

Spitzer said: "Aggressive promotion of products is one of the hallmarks of our economy. We expect it and respect it when done creatively and legally. But the efforts outlined in the Assurance clearly crossed the line and must be curtailed."

Ann Chaitovitz, Director of Sound Recordings for AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) said: "We would like to thank Attorney General Spitzer for examining this pernicious issue. Pay-for-play hurts both recording artists and the public. We look forward to his continuing investigation of the other record labels and the vertically integrated radio station owners."

Under the Assurance, SONY BMG, building on guidelines SONY BMG issued earlier this year in response to the AG's investigation, has agreed to stop making payoffs in return for airplay and will fully disclose all items of value provided to radio stations in the future. SONY BMG also has agreed to corporate-wide reforms, including hiring a compliance officer responsible for monitoring promotion practices and developing and implementing an internal accounting system designed to detect future abuses. This is the first time an entertainment company has agreed to such sweeping reforms.

The company has also issued a statement acknowledging the improper conduct and pledging to abide by a higher standard.

In addition, the company has agreed to make a $10 million payment for distribution by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to New York State not-for-profit entities in a manner that will inure to the benefit of the residents of the State of New York by funding programs aimed at music education and appreciation.

Spitzer said SONY BMG officials cooperated fully with his investigators and promptly agreed to reforms when the problems were identified. He commended the company for taking steps that should serve as a model for the rest of the industry.

Spitzer also noted that his office continues its broad investigation of pay-for-play practices in the recorded music industry.

The investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant Attorney General Kathleen O'Neill of the Telecommunications & Energy Bureau, and Ricardo Velez of the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau, under the direction of Terryl Brown Clemons, Assistant Deputy Attorney General for the Division of Public Advocacy.

Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission

Other People's Money

Just got this via email from a guy in Nigeria.

Could be a variation on the 419 scam, but regardless, I think it's an extreme example of the attitude a lot of bands and musicians, maybe even you, have when it comes to taking control of their music careers.

Hi david,

i am realy annoyed with you. eversince i ask you to send me small money so that i can make the demos in the local studios here. to god in heaven, one of my music can bring you a million dollar if it is out.

i am gifted for it naturaly to compose hit songs. i promise you i dont produce scam or junk
music all my songs are hits.

what are you waiting for you dont send me small money to do the demos. i have to do the above before i can send you something. how can i send you songs when they are recorded.?

just resently a greate hit song came to me while i was sleeping. i woke up mid night and wrote it down. after singing it to myself it was a pefect great hit song.

i always sing it to myself when i am traveling in the bus. david try to do what i am telling you.

i am already a star. i dont need school for music.

sam

Why would I invest any money in somebody who won't invest his own money? And if his music can really bring in a million dollars, why wouldn't he invest his own money?

Think about it...

Kathode Ray Music - 1995 Revisited

My company, Kathode Ray Music is 10 years old this month.

In 1995, I was in college and broke. I had a publishing company and wanted to get the word out about songs I had the copyright on, so I started putting together co-op compilation CDs to help other bands and musicians do the same.

I've put together a photo album with art from the first three CDs I did. One was a benefit for a rape crisis center and the other two went to radio.

And for those of you who are really curious in this history of KR, here is a copy of my very first web site.

Things have definitely changed in 10 years. In addition to the site and artwork above, I've just gone through a ton of stuff that I found on 3.5" floppies. Old sales copy, email newsletters, etc...

Looking back on it, I realize now how little I knew about the music industry or running a business. And looking back on it, it's probably a good thing that I had no idea of my limitations at the time. Had I realized how little I knew, I doubt I would have ever done it.

Obviously, it's really good to know about what you're getting into, but I think this goes to show that you can fix things along with way and you'll be fine not knowing everything, as long as you'll willing to keep getting up off the ground when something knocks you down. Persistence really is the most important part of being successful at something.

But you have to be willing to change up things that aren't working... As the old saying goes, "If you want to keep getting what you're getting, keep doing what you're doing."

So if something isn't working for your music business career (or elsewhere in your life), change things up a bit rather than do the exact same thing. If you've been trying to go through the front door and can't get past the gatekeeper, try the backdoor...or landing on the roof with a helicopter...or ANYTHING that you haven't tried it. Eventually, you'll fine something that works.

Marketing Lessons from Guitar Center

Needed a cable to record something today, so I dropped by Guitar Center. That in itself isn't something worthy of a post here, but I did get an idea from the experience that may help you build your mailing list.

My purchase was a $7. No big deal. But before I could hand over my credit card, the clerk asked me for my name to see if I was on Guitar Center's mailing list. I wasn't...but I am now.

Radio Shack does the same thing. And yes, some people complain, but they do it because it works.

And it will work for you also...

Instead of that crazy Flash intro you've got on your home page, why not ask people for a name and email address before you let them to inside your site? Sure, some people will give you fake info, but a lot of people will give you good info...and you can use that to stay in touch, notify them of upcoming shows, and sell them things.

Bad Album Covers

I get a lot of really bad album covers. One of the biggest problems I see is BAD PHOTOS.

Your album cover is often your first introduction to people...they'll see it before they listen to your music. And that's assuming they like the album art and actually listen to your music.

Face it, people are judging your music by your album cover. If they don't like what they see on the outside, they'll write off the music on the inside.

I don't suggest putting photos of yourself on the outside of your album artwork. If you're really good looking, people will think you've made an album based on that. If you're not good looking, people will make judgement calls based on that.

"She just made a record because she's a model."

or...

"What the hell was this guy thinking?"

Bottom line...you can't win either way. And it's a lot easier to "get in the door" with another artwork option.

Your album cover reflects the type of music you do. Make it count!

More Bad Album Covers...

Getting More from Books on the Music Business

Books are great, but most people use them the wrong way. The real value in the information within a book comes when you do something with it.

I recommend approaching books by going through them one chapter at a time...and possibly even one sub-chapter or idea at a time. Instead of just reading through everything, when you see an item that you can put into action, stop and write it down.

So let's say you're reading a book like Music Business Success and the section is all about how you can built rapport when meeting people... Instead of just reading through it, or even highlighting it, take out your pen and note pad and actually write the action down.

Each section you read will probably have several action items you can take, so make a list like, "How to Build Rapport When Meeting Somebody" and start listing everything that you can do. The next time you have a meeting or need to make a phone call, you'll be able to pull out that list and go through steps you can take to make everything go smoothly.

Then, when you get to the section on "How to Sell More CDs from the Stage," write down action items to do that. And the next time you're playing a gig, you'll have steps to follow which will allow you to sell more merchandise from the back of the room.

You get the idea...

What you don't want to happen is that you'll finish the book simply knowing more stuff. Knowing things is fine, but it's when knowledge meets action that things really start to happen. And if I had to have one of the other, I'd take action every time.

There are plenty of intelligent musicians who know what they should do, but don't do it...and where do you think those people are? Working dayjobs, living with their parents, and doing things other than making music for a living.

Successful musicians take action.

Books to check out:

Music Business Success: Better Networking Skills and Creativity for Musicians and Songwriters

CD Release Party Strategies: How to Have a Major Label Event on a Shoestring Budget

How I Make $100,000/year in the Music Business (Without a Record Label, Manager, or Booking Agent)

And if you really want to get into writing things down and see how far it will take you, try Music Business Goal Planner (52 Weeks to the Record Deal, Publishing Contract, and Income You Want).