Tag Archive for: Up!

It’s interesting to watch human nature during a massive paradigm shift within any industry; a songwriter is no different. We hate change. The more successful we are in any particular field the more removed we are from the undercurrent that is facilitating the change; and the more we fight it.

It makes sense, really, you make money via a certain pipeline or methodology and you get good at it, you have those relationships, you have that “groove” down. When something comes into the market that is disruptive to the status Songwriting Hate Change imagequo, we rebel.

We don’t trust it

We don’t want to start over.

We can’t think about the concept of it except for remembering and waxing about the way it was.

It doesn’t stop disruption from arriving, though.

I like disruption.

The music industry has certainly been disrupted by the internet, Napster, streaming technologies, too much consumer choice, etc.

What does the future of a professional songwriter look like?

Tomorrow will be way different, but it IS better.

Listen, all the answers are not in place yet. Big thinkers are working as we speak to identify and fill some of the vacuums that are being created with these disruptions.

Trust the Free Market

Trust the free market, many people will discover ways to make consistent money selling music on the internet. Then they will figure out ways to bring the supply to the demand. THAT fact we can count on.

If we look at what making a living as a songwriter used to be like, we can better understand the mindset songwriters currently have. Once we identify the old mindset and define it for what it is, which is old, we can tackle what’s going on now.

 

 

file9351251928986The old business model provided big bucks to the lucky few who could find their way into the party. The words “Lucky” and “Few” are the key words in the previous sentence because there are only a very limited amount of coveted radio slots to spin songs. So the club was exclusive, man.

 

 

If we generalize (yes, I’m REALLY generalizing but you get the point), a hit single, more specifically a #1 single on the country charts, is worth about $1 million of overall performance revenue unless it crosses over to the Pop market, then it is worth more. For the argument, let’s stick to $1 million. Since a #1 single requires “X” amount of radio spins in the same markets, the performance revenue difference between 1999 and 2014 is relatively the same.

Here is where a songwriter suffers today: mechanical royalties.

Mechanical royalties are paid to the songwriter based on record sales.

Let’s study a few of the top selling country records released in 1999 (Just 15 years ago) and 2014, dissect the sales of each (so we can determine the mechanical royalty income), and create some comparative data.

With this information we can calculate a paycheck on gross mechanical royalties for a songwriter.

In 1999 the mechanical royalty rate was 7.1 cents per song. A “cut” on a record would pay the songwriter 7.1 cents for every record sold.

  • 100,000 Units sold would generate $7,100 in gross revenue
  • 500,000 (Gold) sold would generate $35,500 in gross revenueOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
  • 1 Million (Platinum) would generate $71,000 in gross revenue
  • 10 Million (Diamond) would generate $710,000 in gross revenue

These numbers are for ONE song-cut on a record that may or may not be a single. A single, of course, would generate a whole other huge cash register of performance royalties.

Let’s look at a few of the most popular country records released in 1999 and attribute the songwriter revenue to each. NOTE: publishers share of royalties would be 50% and the co-writers would split accordingly; we are just looking at gross revenue.

  • Dixie Chicks “Fly” 12 Million Units sold
    •  1 song cut = $852,000 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    •  #1 Single = $852,000 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • Faith Hill “Breathe” 8 Million Units soldSongwriter Faith Hill Breathe image
    •  1 song cut = $568,000 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $568,000 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • Tim McGraw “A Place In The Sun” 3 Million Units sold
    • 1 song cut = $213,00 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $213,000 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • LeAnn Rimes “LeAnn Rimes” 1 Million Units sold
    • 1 song cut = $71,000 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $71,000 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Gary Allan, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Keith Urban, and Montgomery-Gentry are just a few all the artists that had platinum records in 1999 so everyone was going platinum if you didn’t go platinum you damn sure went gold.

Now let’s look at a few of the top selling records for 2013 (the mechanical royalty rate has risen to 9.1 cents)

  • Luke Bryan “Crash My Party” 1.9 Million Units soldSongwriter Luke Bryan image
    • 1 song cut = $172,900 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $172,900 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • Blake Shelton “Based On A True Story” 1 Million Units sold
    • 1 song cut = $91,000 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $91,000 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • Keith Urban “Fuse” 354,000 Units sold
    • 1 Song Cut = $32,214 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $32,214 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • Kenny Chesney “Life On A Rock” 392,000 Units sold
    • 1 song cut = $35,672 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $35,672 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)
  • Darius Rucker “True Believers” 502,000 Units sold
    • 1 Song cut = $45,682 in gross mechanical royalty revenue
    • #1 Single = $45,682 (gross mechanical royalties) + $1 Million (gross performance royalties)

FYI, I believe these were all #1 records in 2013.

You see the difference? Record labels are releasing fewer records because they are making less money per record and nobody is really buying records anymore. Sheesh!

Just a quick glance at the difference between songwriter revenues in 1999 vs. 2013 shows that without a #1 single, the revenue is around 10%-18% of what it used to be 15 years ago. You used to be able to make a seriously good living with a cut on a record that would never be spun on the radio but that has significantly changed.

The AWESOME performance royalty revenue is on its way out too. As terrestrial radio continues to erode a hit single will definitely dwindle in financial significance.

So what does the future look like for a songwriter?

I think the outlook is good and certainly accommodating to more writers. Before you really had to be “in-crowd” to get a cut, much less a single. Cuts were rare and singles even more rare, but they paid WELL. So we judged our Songwriting Exclusive imagerevenue and/or potential revenue per song or per artist as 1 song had the power to change everything.

The key to success for the songwriter of the future will be volume. The songwriter business model of the future is not really going to have any “home runs” in it, it will be founded on “base hits” instead: lots of base hits.

1 hit song, even right now, has an amazing revenue potential, the kind of financial impact that results in an “Achy Breaky kitchen”, an “Achy Breaky Ferrari”, or an “Achy Breaky west wing of the house”

The future will belong to fragmented, unexciting, financially insignificant revenue streams per song. The “living” we all aspire to make will reside in the aggregate revenue of many songs; many base hits.

Songwriter Moneyball imageThink the true story plot of the baseball movie “Moneyball” and apply it to songwriting. It’s all about base hits now guys.

I see a smart minded songwriter changing his business approach to coupling with as many artists as they can. Maybe between mechanical royalties and performance royalties (from YouTube for instance) a songwriter will make only $2,000-$3,000 per song, per year. However, there is no velvet rope, no terrestrial-radio-log-jam to limit the universe of revenue bearing opportunities, essentially no tyranny of space.

So ideally, a prolific songwriter could place 20-30 songs a year or more into a pipeline that generates revenue. The revenue could also be consistent meaning that if a songwriter placed 20 songs into the pipeline that generated $2,000 per song each per year they would gross $40,000 in revenue; the next year they could add to that.

It’s conceivable that the songwriter could build up his/her book of business over time well into the 6 figure range.

Keep writing. The world is about to change.

 

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By Johnny Dwinell

So terrestrial radio is gone…or almost gone. If you’re a new artist you certainly can’t count on it to break you in the Rock or Pop music genres anymore. MAYBE you’ll do it in country, but the clock is ticking on that too. Ugh, I know, it’s totally depressing, but when one door closes a window opens up or visa-versa I don’t remember. LOL

What are the newly opened windows?

Well, the good news is they’re AWESOME 40 foot tall giant picture windows with a view of the entire planet…and WHAT A VIEW!!

I am so freaking excited about the future of the music industry, man. I’m rambling.

Btw I’m listening to this killer band right now.

DSC_0907

 

…And I am about 3 cocktails in, its 1:00 am in the morning, I’m feeling pretty good. I’m gonna try a little artistic writing experiment and just type stream-of-consciousness as much as possible, ok? Little writer’s block I guess…ugh.

I’m getting off on this record tonight. These guys are friends of mine (remember that blog about relationships??) and I produced one of the tracks on the record. (Email me if you wanna know which one.)

It all starts with the song; they’re all fucking great. They write feel-good, laid-back, vibey songs about love. Probably shouldn’t bother listening if you prefer to be anxious…just sayin’

The musicianship is incredible.

Eli Hludzik provides the perfect feel for these songs with his smart percussive arrangements; like there can’t be Eli Hludzik Poker imageanother drummer that could shape this sound the same way.

What you think?

Eli’s extremely creative with the sonics as a percussionist; I remember he literally brought a footlocker full of drum toys (including goat’s toes!!) to my studio.  I loved that about our session together, it was refreshing.  We were like two kids in a sandbox.

 

The arrangements are SUPER creative by all members which YOU KNOW is rare.

Etienne Franc Poker imageEtienne (pronounced A, T, N,) Franc starts this intricate, brilliant instrumental effort with a foundation that not only serves the song but gently keeps you intoxicated inside each track. Seriously, somebody please tell me…how the hell does he do it so well when the he gets elaborate with the bass lines? How does he make it work so flawlessly?

 

 

Etienne and Eli are like a good wine and exotic cheese paired perfectly.

The singer is Mike Frieman. His smooth, easy-going, Sunday afternoon voice just takes the edge off of any situation and puts life back into perspective, a good perspective. I can’t explain why really, but it just totally has that effect onMike Poker Spaceneedle image me. His vocals are somewhat hypnotizing and somehow the lyrics kinda belong to the melodies ya know?

Hand-crafted, I guess?

He communicates in a simple way that is lyrically more intelligent than pop but certainly dripping with pop sensibilities in a jam bandy kind of way. I think you’ll find Mike artistically identifiable and smart. I sure did.

Out of everyone in the band, I’m probably closest to the guitar player, George Laird. I’ve known him for awhile now. We met outside of the music world and, oddly, it took us years to connect those dots…weird right? Strange, but true!

Listen to George’s beautiful arrangements, man. He really nailed these guitar parts on this record with grace and melody. His sound is very organic even with the electrics in the mix (their first record was totally acoustic, FYI, but that’s a whole nutha Oprah).

 

George Laird Poker imageI remember the night we tracked the guitar solo on the song I was STOKED to produce. We were definitely drinking, vibing, feeling good, and trying to find the most appropriate soaring melodic guitar solo. We worked that one…I remember…it didn’t come right away. But it did finally come and in a BIG way! We crafted the arrangement together and then we needed the performance, ya know? Then, BOOM he nailed it! George delivered an amazing performance that required controlling the feedback Hendrix-style at the end. We were freaking out, LOL! (We really were.)

George is a really sick guitar player; an artist. He is just so creative, man, fun to produce.

Listen to the guitar arrangements under those vocals first and focus on his right-hand, you won’t be disappointed; it’s smooth.

I’m drifting along with the silky current of the guitar arrangements on “Forever Sometimes” right now. The acoustic sucks you in a little left of center and then there is a gentle, clean, cascading set of guitar showers that rinse the day away cleanly. Oh, and it builds to a euphoria that I just recovered from, whoa.

I forgot about that one.

(Yeah, I’m a little drunk…don’t judge me, man, LOL)

Now go back and listen again but this time to the solos. George has great pocket, sense of melody; he moves you with each solo performance, more cleverly and crafted then any jam band, btw.

Ultimately there is SPACE

…that might be the opiate in this musical equation; great space. I offer sincere respect to the whole band for their sense of space which really is the final frontier for any musician.

The mastery of space means you finally get it; you’ve arrived artistically.

The lead-off single called “The Stand In” is a song with TV/Movie star Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl, Country Strong) who joins Mike in a duet about meeting your true love (Hint: this is NOT the one I produced). Leighton starts with a wonderful vocal that is supple and vulnerable floating on a well constructed melody. Then Mike comes in softly and takes the track to another level; forget about the chorus…you’ll have to experience that yourself. You can get a free download HERE if you want.

CITD + Leighton Meester Poker studio image

I am tripping on this record mostly because I’m feeling it tonight, but partly because it is the record that we are about to release.

Listen I’m proud of the band for their effort. I’m proud of my effort with the band for one of the songs we worked on together, and I’m proud of what we are about to do very quietly in the marketing space.

Oh, yeah, the name of the band is Check in the Dark.

Btw, the significance of the name revolves around Poker.

Poker winnings funded the debut album. LOL

I’m interested in your opinion with regards to the market.DSC_5393

Who do you think their audience is?

What other artist’s audience would most likely dig Check in the Dark?

What tour would be the most advantageous to them?

 

 

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Be the Bee Feature image 2

Be the Bee Jungle Love image

Have you ever listened to a song you’ve heard a thousand times and then really “heard” it? Or heard something you’ve never heard before in that song? The other day I was listening to Steve Miller’s “Jungle Love which I’ve heard literally a million times, but this time I HEARD the bass line for the first time. How inspiring and badass!

We are going to do a fun little artistic exercise today

This got me thinking. We are going to do a fun little artistic exercise today. Some of you are aware of the 90’s Seattle band named Blind Melon. Some of you have heard their big hit “No Rain and some of you haven’t.

Be the Bee Blind Melon No Rain image

Here’s the deal. I want you ALL to take a 4:06 artist date with yourself and watch this Blind Melon video right now.

I don’t care if you have heard this song a million times, or seen this video a million times.

Listen to it AGAIN, right now.

Watch it AGAIN, right now

 

Focus on it. Do whatever you have to do to get your head right so you can really experience it for 4 short minutes of your life.

Then I want you to read the rest of this post.

and GO!

We need to belong, we HAVE to belong to something

Part of the human experience on this planet is the hard-wired instinctual need we have for acceptance. We need to belong, we HAVE to belong to something.

To live, we HAVE to feel loved.Be the Bee Desire for Acceptance image

Think about it, this need is so instinctual that we often belong to groups or organizations that are bad for us or beneath us simply because they let us belong and make us feel welcomed.

Many of us never reach our full life potential because we are deathly afraid to leave our comfort zone of acceptance even though we have emotionally surpassed everyone in the group. Everyone has experienced this, is experiencing this, or knows someone right now that is experiencing this.

Some of us don’t leave the hood, some of us don’t leave our small town, some of us don’t move forward for fear of not being accepted somewhere else.

Some of us don’t think we are good enough.

Some of us don’t think we are worthy.

Some of us don’t think we deserve better.

We all secretly want to drink the Kool-Aid and are wired up to mortally fear a lack of Kool-Aid

Be the Bee Kool Aid ImageI believe the video y’all just watched to be a microcosm of the music industry. I see this video as a clever metaphor for our amazing artistic community (and all of life for that matter).

Did you notice that the community did not find our little bee?

Did you notice that our little bee had to find the community?

 

Did you feel for our little bee as she suffered the rejections?

The cool thing about this new music business is that, as artists, we have the ability to find and cultivate our own little, very specific field of bees.

With the access we all have to the internet, we can find the communities that fit our needs as they pertain to our current location on our respective journey.

The old music business created a homogenized, very sterile field of bees that are willing to follow any artist that shows up on their radar screen because that artist can be “force fed” to the bees.

The old music business was about chasing a “formula” that they felt was “guaranteed” to work in the pipeline they created.Be the Bee Control image

The old music industry had the power to control what the field of bees were exposed to.

The old music industry had the power to control who was allowed in the field.

Our core artist in us hates this fact. We don’t want to be forced to compromise our art to gain acceptance amongst the pre-chosen bees. We want to be like the bee in video and find our OWN field of bees who like us just the way we are.

Now you can.

It’s all out there for you and most of it is free; at least the start of it is free.

I got news for y’all, the “powers that be” on radio, television, running record labels, booking agencies, management companies, bloggers and mass media, you know, the ones whose help you need to achieve success they’re bees too.

They want to belong too.

They need to be a part of something.

YOU have to create and distribute your own Kool-Aid just the way you like it.

You have the power to connect with people who are looking for your kind of Kool-Aid; even if they didn’t know it!

If enough people are drinking your Kool-Aid the “powers that be” will too; because they’re just bees like you and I.

Be the bee

 

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Good-News-Feature-image
Building Relationships feature image

By Johnny Dwinell

You’ve heard the saying “It’s all about relationships” so much it really doesn’t mean much anymore; it’s cliché.  The problem is it’s true.  If you think about it, your whole life is about relationships, so why is it such a surprise to some people that the music industry is no different?  For some weird reason, people seem to completely understand relationships in their own little world and behave appropriately. However, so many feel like the musicOvernight Success Jobs Relationships image industry is just about what is on your CD (or worse in your head and NOT on a CD!) and one big chance that will change everything.  The problem is just like your life; success in the music industry is all about what you do consistently every day and the relationships you make.  I assure you that no hit writer or Country superstar waltzed into town, met one person, who was the “right” person, and became successful overnight.

It only seems like that when you are outside the business because you don’t see the struggle.

You don’t see the climb.

You don’t see the heartbreak.

You don’t see the small successes along the journey.

Understandably, your perspective is that this person came from nowhere and now they are on your RADAR screen from the BIG success.  You weren’t aware of them yesterday and today you are,  so it feels like it happened overnight.

Get it?

Every year TONS of hopeful artists and songwriters flock to Nashville for CMA Fest, CRS, Tin Pan South, and several other events that guarantee the presence of many influential people in the music business.  Every year we Music Row residents get throngs of writers and artists who just walk into our offices and recording studios without an invitation, referral, or a relationship, CD in hand, hoping to get someone, anyone, to listen to their song and change their life for the better.

Um…

This is NOT a smart or effective way to create ANY relationship!  Let me give you a personal example.  Imagine if there was an unknown person out there who was romantically in love with YOU.  Now imagine this person Home Invasion Relationships imagehasn’t met you but feels deep down in their soul of souls that once you meet them you are going to fall in love and live happily ever after.  Then picture yourself sitting at home when said stranger comes walking through your door, sits down in your living room, presents a gift, and pledges their undying devotion to you.  Scared yet?

You were dialing 911 or running the second the door opened, huh?  Even if that person WAS in fact your soul-mate you don’t freaking care because their stalker-like behavior ruined any possibility of a relationship.  The first impression was disturbing and you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

So you see, it is all about relationships.  So is your life.  The people you chose to let into your life  so far have never come unsolicited!  They were referred (a friend of a friend), they offered to help you with a problem you had, you did business with them, you work with them, You went to school with them, you grew up with them, you were at a party with them, etc…Think about it.

So I thought I would share a few ideas on how to create business relationships; some of these might even fall under the umbrella of ice-breakers.

 

Here are 6 Strategies for Creating Relationships

 

Give, Give, Give

Nobody likes door to door salesmen because nobody wants to be sold.  Nobody responds with business reverence to pathetic or downtrodden people with their “hats in their hands” begging for a favor.  You may get Give Relationships imagesomeone to act out of sorrow or empathy, but this would feel like a donation to the giver, NOT the beginning of a healthy working relationship; so in this scenario, even if you win, you lose.  If you are asking for something first you should expect to be turned down.  Why not give first?  What could you offer that, if accepted, would put you on their RADAR screen?  The most precious gift you could offer would be your time.  Why not shoot a fruit or cookie basket with a coupon for “X” amount of hours of your time?  Attach a note that says, no strings, no catch, I just love the way you do business and would like to help you by ________, how exactly can I lend a hand?  Maybe you’re a carpenter, an office organizer, a studio runner, a tech, a computer nerd, a hair dresser, photographer, lawyer, doctor, graphic designer, etc.  Whatever you do, offer them some hours of your time for free to help them solve a problem they are having right now and expect nothing in return.  It’s not fool proof, but your odds go up; bottom line, the more you give, the more you receive.

 

Shut Up and Appear Stupid

Shut Up Relationships imageIf you are green or in a situation/conversation that is over your head, it’s far better to shut your mouth and appear stupid than to open it up and remove all doubt.  People who are constantly growing constantly find themselves in situations that are over their head; it comes with the territory.  You can’t be judged for something you didn’t do or say, you can only be judged for something you did do and/or say.  When you keep your mouth shut in a conversation that is above your current skill set or understanding several dynamics begin to take place.  First, you listen and therefore learn (what a concept!).  Second, the players doing the talking have no idea what you are thinking or how much you know because they can’t read minds; you remain a mystery.  Third, because of this truth your “clout” in the conversation does not go down which is a far better position to maintain that opening your mouth making inaccurate statements (because you just don’t know) and looking like a moron.  Remember people love to talk about themselves and share their knowledge because it makes them feel important.  A well place question is extremely effective as it gets you in the conversation and gets the players engaging with you.  The more they talk to you, the more they feel important, the more they will like you.

 

Self Deprecation

Strategic self deprecation can be quite effective at diffusing a tense or uncomfortable situation.  Every new relationship starts out uncomfortable until the ice is broken a bit.  I remember when I was one of the top sales Self Depricating Homer Simpsion Relationships imagepeople at a massive 34 billion dollar mortgage company back in 2006.  There was a gigantic West Coast management coup; my boss’s boss was being replaced.  Loyalties ran deep in this situation, we loved our old Regional Manager and nobody wanted to like the new guy.  The new Regional Manager, Barry, (direct from New York) desperately needed to create relationships with his somewhat hostile California sales force so he could effectively lead them.  Barry intelligently chose to meet his new Account Executives at their respective branches as the smaller gathering would facilitate better rapport.  He opened his first speech to us (our first impression) by saying in an authoritative voice, “Hello.  My name is Barry _____, I will be your new Regional Manager, and I got news for you…I’m not the smartest guy in the room.”  Then he paused for what seemed an eternity… as he looked around the room and watched those words sink in.  WOW!  He had my attention.  Get it?  Sometimes doing or saying the opposite of what people expect can be very disarming which allows your audience to open up and receive whatever information you are disseminating.  FYI, don’t be too self deprecating as that can quickly become pathetic which is a turn off.

 

Referral

Referrals Welcome Relationships imageYou are far more likely to accept someone who is a friend of a friend or a friend of a business associate.  A referred relationship comes with some sort of clout and instant acceptance (make sure you understand what kind of clout, LOL, don’t let a crazy, fanatical person refer you or you will be received as crazy and fanatical too).  A songwriter who is introduced to a publishing company by another songwriter is far more likely to get a meeting with the publishing company than someone who just walks in off the street.  An Artist who is referred to a producer by another artist the producer knows is going to be taken more seriously as well.  How do you create referrals?  I recommend making a list of everyone you want to know first.  Then make a list of everybody you know who knows those people on the list.  It’s going to take awhile but it is a great way of starting a relationship and so well worth the time invested.  Another great idea is to move to Nashville and get in the mix.  Hang out at writer’s nights like Whiskey Jam on Monday nights at Winner’s Bar and Grill.  Find a writer you like and offer up a drink!  It’s a welcomed gift and a fantastic way to get a conversation started.  Have a CD in hand and suggest a co-write. Maybe you’re going to get 20 “no’s” to get to one “yes” but you only need 1 “yes” to start.  Then there is your chance.  1 “yes” leads to one killer writing session.  Now you will be referred to that writer’s friends, etc.

 

Humor

Everybody loves to laugh.  Comedians are usually very dark, disturbed people who harbor a lot of pain, but everybody loves them because they are FUNNY!  Comedians know this and use humor to break the ice and be Humor Relationships imageaccepted; they use humor to create relationships.  If you have a quick wit, use it to your advantage in a strategic manor.  If you don’t have a quick wit, or you don’t come off as funny, then keep your mouth shut and appear stupid; maintain your clout.

 

DO BUSINESS WITH THEM!

Do Business Relationships imageThe most effective way to create a relationship is through business.  If you are a songwriter, and you want to break into Nashville, you will need to start creating relationships.  You are also going to need song demos to shop around town.  Why not HIRE some of the people you want to get to know or hire the people who know the people you want to get to know?  You are helping them by becoming a part of their cash flow.  They are helping you by delivering a killer song demo you need to take your next step.  The relationship becomes a by-product of a symbiotic relationship; everybody wins.

 

 

 

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EPK Feature Image

By Johnny Dwinell

These days a killer Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is becoming increasingly necessary as an effective, immediate method to demonstrate yourself as an artist to live venues, booking agents, PR firms, promoters, investors, labels, Lawyers, etc.  A good EPK is tricky to put together mostly because artists get confused as to the intent of the EPK, who the audiences will be, and precisely how it will be consumed.  Whether you want to believe it or not, whether you like it or not, a poorly or naively constructed EPK is a red flag that defines you immediately.  If you want to look professional you better have a professional EPK.  Let’s define these formerly mentioned items and then I’ll break down some solid, common sense strategies on how to create a killer EPK.

 

What is the Intent of Your EPK?

Intention EPK image

A good EPK is  like a mission statement/business plan/band brochure for interested parties that are considering doing business with you.  What an EPK is NOT intended for is ego stroking, “Behind the Music” type documentary content.  All too often I see 30 minute long EPK’s and they never get consumed when they’re that long, no matter how good the band is…so don’t waste your time.  I promise you that your audiences will not waste theirs.  Just think about your own time.  Think about when a friend sends a video that is “awesome” or “cool” or “funny” and you see that it is 15 minutes long; you inevitably think “ugh” and pass on it or stow it away to watch “whenever you get more time”.  I mean, would you watch a documentary of any length from a band you didn’t know or are you far more interested in documentaries from bands you LOVE?  Get my point?

 

Who is Your Audience?

 

Audience EPK image

Your audiences are professionals in the music business and they are not only crushed for time with their respective job requirements, but they also have families, private lives, other obligations, charities, etc. so you must respect their time.  Your audiences are decidedly NOT consumers, fans, or groupies so they won’t consume this material as such.  Since the audience for your EPK is professional they are interested in if they can make money working with you and then exactly how that will happen.  The more you can stick to business the better off you will be.  Not for nothing, but the more you stick to business in your EPK the more professional you will look as well.

 

How Will Your EPK Be Consumed?

Consumed EPK image

Quickly!

They don’t have time.  Think of the time factor from their perspective; which means LARGE volume.  If they need to experience 500 EPK’s per week and they consume just 5 minutes of each EPK that’s almost 42 hours per week and I promise you their job description requires far more than just viewing EPK’s.

Get it?

They are going to view the most efficient summary of the content (called a “One Sheet” or “Elevator Pitch”) and decide if they will commit any more time from there.  The bio is the LAST think they will consume and only if they have a slow week or the previous content in the EPK has simply enchanted them.  Common sense says spend the time and limited budget on making sure the one sheet is awesome and leave the bio for last as most of your audiences will not to the bio even if they decide to hire you.

 

8 Points to Creating a KILLER EPK

8 Ball EPK image

Here are 8 essential points to assembling a super effective EPK.  I will put them in order of importance the best that I can.  I say this because different bands will be stronger with different points so you need to focus on putting your act in the best possible light.  If your band is ugly, then photos are necessary but not what you want to lead with and so on.

  1. One SheetA one sheet is the summary of everything about your act on one sheet.  In the world of business plans this is called an executive summary.  This is the first thing your audiences will see in your EPK but should be the last item you create for your EPK because you will need to view all the necessary components of your EPK to get a feel for strengths and weaknesses to create a potent one sheet that has sizzle.  Your one sheet should have a few of the following items:
    1. A great photo
    2. Quick list of milestones/accomplishments
    3. Press quotes
    4. Contact info for:
      i.    Band
      ii.    Management
      iii.    PR
      iv.    etc
    5. Band member names and instruments they play.
    6. Links to your 2 or 3 most popular songs (don’t attach anything or they won’t get downloaded due to fear of viruses)
    7. Link to live video
    8. Link to press page on your website or links to a few choice reviews or press interviews, etc.
    9. Social Media links – These should demonstrate your popularity on whatever social media sites you choose to be on.
    10. Check out a decent one sheet HERE
  2. Great PhotoA photo is worth 1,000 words.  Learn it.  Live it.  Love it.  This is usually the first way in which you will communicate with your audience; thus, it’s THE most important way to communicate.  GoodPhotography EPK image photos = more press.  Bad photos = no press, no listens, judgments that you are unprofessional.  Your photo immediately defines you; think about that for a second.  If you were a hippie, folksy, organic, acoustic band you wouldn’t take a photo in biker leathers and boots like a heavy metal band, right?  HELL NO, it would give people the wrong first impression.  BTW, up and coming photographers are always looking for good content so don’t be afraid to ask for a deal, man!  The worst thing anyone can say is “no” but if you serve it up like your band could add quality content with the photographer’s talent to the photographer’s portfolio, you just might get a deal.  If you have friends that are a bigger act than you are, ask them to “piggy back” on a killer photo shoot.  My band was shot by Prince’s photographer (3-rolls of film) with Prince’s make-up lady for just $600 because my buddy who had the budget was shooting with the photographer earlier that day and lined up a bonus deal for me. Here are some important points to remember:
    1. Your photo has to be awesome it’s the first line of communication!
    2. Don’t waste time or money on a crappy photo.
    3. Don’t use a friend to save money, use a professional
    4. Check out an example of a killer creative photographer HERE
    5. Check out an example of a killer live photographer HERE
  3. PressPress quotes offer social proof that you are making a dent in the music scene.  This is what will get promoters excited to work with you.  Do NOT put quotes in from friends or family as this will make you look unprofessional.  More press = better no matter how small the periodical or blog may be.  When you list the press quotes, list the most important press first and least important last, etc.  If it is possible, provide the quote in the form of a hyperlink to the actual quote to offer a quick 1-click method to corroborate your story with the truth; again, think time constraints here.  I would include:
    1. CD reviews
    2. Live Show Reviews
  4. Music Video – this is super important, especially for the live venues.  If your audience is a booking agent for Music Videos EPK imagea live venue it stands to reason that they would want to see videos of you performing for a packed house, right?  You definitely wanna show your band in front of a jam-packed house.  If you don’t have a big draw, then make sure you are in a super small club or a friend’s basement, LOL.  If the club isn’t standing room only get good angles so it seems like it’s crammed!  Getting good talent to shoot your video can be a bit of a challenge.  I recommend scouring your local universities for film students who are looking for some content.  You can also check out a pretty cool website called Radar Music Videos.  This web site puts directors all over the world with bands and their respective budgets.  Pretty cool open source opportunity.  Live videos show that:
    1. You can actually play live
    2. You have a draw
    3. Your Stage Presence
    4. Professionalism
    5. NOTE: don’t show any overtly violent mosh pit shots, instrument destruction, etc.  It’s much easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
  5. MP3’s – Next I would put the music in there.  Definitely do NOT attach mp3’s as you will likely get most of your EPK’s deleted due to fear of viruses.  Simply provide links to 3 of your very best songs on your website, MP3 Audio EPK imageSoundcloud, Reverbnation, etc.  Unless they are sporting some killer consumption statistics, I always advise our artists to link to mp3’s on their own website as there are no metrics to judge how many people have listened.  Perception is reality.  Your EPK is not the place to put demos, or iPhone recordings or anything unprofessional.  There is simply no excuse for sonically crappy recordings anymore so if you don’t have good recordings you really don’t need an EPK.  You will be judged.  Again, remember how many EPK’s your audiences are consuming every week.  Every other band is professional you had better be too.  If you think because they are professional promoters that they are going to hear past crappy production you are naïve.
  6. Gig/Tour Calendar – This is obviously important.  The more gigs you have the more attractive you look.  If you don’t have a ton of gigs yet, don’t put the calendar in the EPK.  If you do have some pending dates make sure:
    1. The gigs are constantly up to date.  Don’t blow this off or you will look like an idiot.  Consider listing a few shows in the EPK and a link to your tour/gig dates on your site.
    2. Define types of venues, frequency, etc.
    3. Remember that you are looking for appropriate venues, not to win over everybody.
  7. Social Media Links – These demonstrate your marketing prowess and marketing momentum.  These links will show how many fans you have and demonstrate how engaged they are.  For instance, if you have 100,000 Twitter followers but all your tweets only get retweeted or replied to 5 times, there is a problem.
  8. Bio– This bio should be short and sweet.  Nobody cares about your whole story until you’re famous.  I thinkBio EPK image of the scene in the movie “Bull Durham” where Kevin Costner is preparing Tim Robbins for the major leagues.  He says, “Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You’ll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes. Think classy, you’ll be classy. If you win twenty in the show, you can let the fungus grow back and the press’ll think you’re colorful. Until you win twenty in the show, however, it means you are a slob.”  Unless your story is super compelling AND famous I would stick to the basics.  A bio should have the following:
    1. Where your based
    2. Short summary on your professional milestones/work accomplishments
    3. Band member names and instruments they play
    4. Nobody cares about your struggle

 

Conclusions

Here are some quick points to think about in conclusion:

  • You should always be looking at other people’s EPK’s to keep up with the latest trends.  Good artists borrow; great artists STEAL.
  • Keep your EPK short; no more than 5 minutes.  An EPK is NOT A MOVIE; it won’t be consumed as such.  So keep a “Director’s cut” to scratch your filmmaker itch if necessary but deliver a short, potent, EPK for business purposes; remember that all your audiences HATE reviewing EPK’s so make it as painless as possible.
  • I recommend that your first draft have everything you want in it and then chunk it down to 5 minutes from there.  If you have to make decisions on eliminating quality content, this is called a “High Class Problem”.
  • Constantly cultivate your EPK by replacing old content with more up-to-date substance.
  • Take higher profile gigs regardless of financial compensation to bolster the legitimacy of your EPK.

 

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EZ Button 1 Epic Event Image

By Johnny Dwinell

The music business, like your life, is all about how much work you put into it.

There is No EZ Button!

Our personal and professional lives are shaped and determined by what we do consistently, not any one event. We work, or choose not to work, every day on our relationships, our jobs, and our dreams. Single, positive, epic 1 Epic Event imageincidents put emphasis on our momentum and feel really good, especially when we are truly prepared to take full advantage of the serendipitous event. Single positive epic incidents also happen when we are not prepared to take full advantage of them. These feel good and we feel validated, but they are short-lived and we gain little from them. Conversely, a single negative or devastating occurrence can temporarily spoil our forward progress but we continue on, we move forward, because we must. We still have to wake up, we still have to go to work, we still have to raise our kids. The show must go on! Our lives are no different from the music business.

There is No EZ Button!

Many of us are thriving at a job right now that we got because a friend referred us or made us aware of it. We got the opportunity because of our relationship and the job because of our talent and personality. Life is about relationships. The music business is no different.

There is No EZ Button!

Every day we go to work and perform our daily tasks to execute our job requirements. We would be FIRED if we told our boss that we were waiting for a big break which entailed someone coming in and doing our job for us. Our job is no different from the music business.

There is No EZ Button!

(What are your artistic daily job requirements? Just a thought.)

 

EZ Button Lottery imageYou work every day to create monthly cash flow because your landlord or your mortgage company will not wait for a “big break” in your life, like winning the lottery. Can you imagine? “Yes Mr. Landlord, I understand I am 2 months late but you don’t understand, I am super talented/lucky and I am going to win the lottery…THEN I will pay you!” Your housing situation is no different from the music business.

 

There is No EZ Button!

We have to raise our kids ourselves. Some of us really care about our kids, and as a result we are constantly trying to learn and improve our parenting skills. We are also learning from our kids and improving as humans from the time spent. Some of us don’t give a shit and those kids will grow up to be terrorists. Raising kids requires constant attention and consistency. Raising kids is no different from the music business.

There is No EZ Button!

Every one of us has had to deal with a terrible loss: a family member, a friend, a lover, a band member. It hurts. We loved them. Losing a loved one is no different from the music business.

There is No EZ Button!

One of the hardest lessons any of us has to learn is how and when to let a friend go. It’s extremely difficult to shift gears in a long-valued relationship when the other person stops bringing any value to it. The music business is no different.

There is No EZ Button!

The very first day on our job, we were a rookie and we felt vulnerable and certainly uncomfortable because every EZ Button First Day Imagejob feels foreign on the first day. We went the second day because we had faith we would learn, we had faith it would get better with time, we had courage! Now we OWN our job. Now we are a valued member of the team.  Now, we have mastered our exact job description, daily requirements, office politics, upper management assholes, insubordinate underlings, glass ceilings, self-solving IT issues, software workarounds, where to park, where everyone eats, who needs schmoozing, who needs to be left alone, the sharks, the dolphins, and all the little things we do that help us excel. The music business is no different from our current job because it entails all these things.

There is No EZ Button!

EZ Button Every Time You Spend Money image

To get any decent paying job we have to spend money. We spend a lot of money on a college education, clothes, tools, power tools, trucks, cars, qualified leads, advertising, supplies, continuing education, child care, transportation, travel, paid coaching seminars, trade shows, technology, etc. The music business is no different from any other business because it costs money if you want to do it right.

There is No EZ Button!

An ungodly percentage of us have received a degree, and while it helped qualify us for our current job and maybe taught us to think (maybe!), we don’t use our degree to make a living. Those of us who do use our degree and those of us who don’t use our degree realized the first day we got our job that we didn’t know anything. We realized it takes WAY more than school to be good at what we do. The music business experience is no different from your job experience.

There is No EZ Button!

EZ Button Dent in the Universe imagePeople judge/evaluate us at our current job, even it’s a menial job. We’re perceived somewhere on this continuum: as a rock star who always excels, as a mediocre worker who never rocks the boat, or as a lazy one who lingers at the bottom, skating by, always about to get fired. Our artistic dream of creating a dent in the Universe reflects the exact same work ethic. No matter the job: if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well! Of course, the music business is no different. We will be judged and evaluated.

There is No EZ Button!

We enjoy being with our friends and (sometimes) with our family because we love them and they are a great hang. We work at deepening these relationships by providing value or we ignore these relationships and constantly float on their periphery. We despise time spent with people who steal our energy and suck up all the air in the room; we avoid that scene at all costs. The music business dynamic is no different. So, be a great hang, not someone who sucks all the energy out of the room.

There is No EZ Button!

We all need love. We all need to be loved. All of us have had romantic relationships that were complete disasters. From this point we either choose to be a victim and wallow in the sorrow & despair or we choose to learn and move past it. We can choose to grow. Those of us who choose to learn and grow realize that we were partly responsible for the tender wreckage regardless of how it manifested itself or in spite of getting screwed. We choose to be accountable for the mess. Then we move on and try again because we all need love. We all need to be loved. We decide to be bitter and closed off, willing to be vulnerable again, or we learn to be willing to be vulnerable again. Love is always a risk. Still, we do it, don’t we? The music business is no different from your love life; it’s COMPLICATED!

There is No EZ Button!

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5 Twitter image

By Johnny Dwinell

Twitter is an awesome surgical marketing tool

Twitter

With over 250 million active users, you have an amazing FREE tool for finding people that are like-minded and connecting with them; like a cocktail party of sorts.  After you have recorded your masterpiece, you need to bring it to the world.  Twitter allows you to find people that are predisposed to liking your kind of music and facilitates a relationship if you have the balls to reach out and the brains to do it intelligently.  Here are 5 Twitter marketing strategies to help you get your music out there and build a tribe

Define And Find Your Audience

Who is your audience?  Is it EDM?  Is it Metal?  Is it Folk?  Is it Country?  Twitter even allows you to find sub genres within a certain genre, like Pop-Country, Country-Rock, Death Metal, Black Metal, etc.  I always tell file0002005996090my artists to think of what artist they would love to open for if they could be on any tour.  Typically this is going to get the artist thinking of the type of audience that would most likely dig their music.  For instance, if you are a Metal band and think that Metallica fans would love your bands music as well, then an opening slot on a Metallica tour would be super beneficial to your band, right?  Well Metallica has about 2 million Twitter followers that you can connect with.  Simply go to the search bar and type in Metallica.  You will then pull up their Twitter account.  Now, click on “Followers” and you have all their followers at your fingertips.

Twitter # Search and @Search

file3371281797656Continuing on with the Metallica example, anybody on Twitter that is talking about Metallica would probably like your music as well, yes?  So if you go to the search bar and type in @Metallica you will bring up many different Twitter accounts that have recently posted a comment about Metallica.  You can also use this same method for #Metallica.  What if you have a song that has the same vibe as a certain song, say like “Margaritaville”.  Simply type in #Margaritaville and you will find a slew of people who just used #Margaritaville in a recent tweet.

FOLLOW THEM!

Now you need to follow these people.  If you have a relatively new account you can start by following 30 people per day for a month and avoid account suspension.  Then Twitter Follow imagebump that number up to 60 people per day for a month then you can safely follow up to 120 people per day and not be suspended.  If your account is older than 1 year and seasoned (meaning you have been tweeting every now and again) then you can start following 60 per day for a month and then bump up to 120 people per day.  This is called the “follow first” method.  Think of it as an introduction and a handshake.  A certain percentage of these people will follow you back.  Then you will want to Unfollow the people who don’t follow you back.  I would only Unfollow as many people as you follow each day.  Tweepi, FriendorFollow, Tweetdeck, Hootesuite, are all different sites that will allow you to easily discover who is following and who isn’t; they all have free account levels for you to try out.

Content, Content, Content

The more you tweet with content that you like the more you will build your Twitter Content imageTwitter tribe.  For instance, live footage from shows, BTS (behind the scenes) footage backstage at a show, videos of music you like, videos or links to your favorite movie scenes, links to other artists you like, inspirational quotes or quotes that resonate with you are really good content that tends to get retweeted often.  Avoid hype for your band.  Hype works when you are using a branding marketing approach because there are tons of eyeballs or ears that are watching or listening to one message at the same time.  Please understand that hype doesn’t work on social media because everyone’s experience is 1 on 1.  If you use hype on any social media platform you will just look like an idiot; total turn off.  This content will begin to foster and deepen relationships with people online.  At Daredevil Production  we blog every week so this provides content that people like to consume.

Expose Your Music

HINT: Start THANKING and stop asking.  I hate it when someone follows me on Twitter or when I follow them and they come right out of the box with “Check out my music”; it’s annoyingTwitter Exposure Hand image.  Even if they ask politely it’s a total turnoff.  It’s REALLY EFFING annoying when they panhandle, like “I really need help PLEASE check out my music”; ugh.  Think of it this way, you meet someone for the first time at a cocktail party and you say “Pull your pants down I want to have sex”.  Oh wait, you ask POLITELY for them to pull their pants down because you want to have sex.  99.99% of the time it’s not gonna work man.  Twitter is the same way.  Think of it as a cocktail party.  I recommend you start THANKING people and give something back.  You are NOT using social media to sell so much as you are using it to create relationships.  GIVING is a great way to start a relationship.  Send a DM or Tweet “Wow!  Thank you so much for the follow.  I want you to have 7 free songs!  Enjoy!”  Watch how many downloads you get!  Now, assuming you are not sending out total crap, you will begin to develop a following.

Are you using Twitter to expose people to your music?

Are you thinking of Twitter as an appreciating asset?

With this method and CONSISTENT cultivation and Twitter activity you can gain at least 1,000 new, targeted followers each and every month.  I can tell you that Daredevil Production gains a solid 1,800 per month so 1,000 per month is easily doable.  Do the math, man, that’s 12,000 followers per year; and it’s constantly growing.

P.S. if you use Tweepi you can find your audience and then sort by location.  Think about that, you can use it to follow every like minded Twitter user in your region to help boost your live following!

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By Johnny Dwinell

Don’t sing your song demo dummy!

If you do, especially if you’re a novice at creating song demos (not necessarily singing), you will inevitably limit your opportunities to file000819242154sell the song; you will end up casting a “smaller net” regardless of your vocal ability.   All too often, I see aspiring songwriters who haven’t really gotten the performing/recording artist bug out of their system spend good money and confuse the intent of a song demo with that of an artist track.  They want to sing, I suppose, to scratch their respective artist “itch” and I TOTALLY get that!  Just make sure you are clear on what you need.  One can’t expect a minivan, which is super effective for hauling groceries and kids, to perform like a Ferrari and take corners at 90 mph.  Conversely, one cannot be upset that a Ferrari will not hold 4 kids and all the groceries.

Huh?

Listen; whenever you spend money, especially when there is little money to spend (which requires you to make decisions), you need to ensure you are spending wisely.  So the first thing you need to ask yourself is what is the intent of the recording?  What function is the recording supposed to serve?

Let’s break them both down.

 

Artist Tracks

The intent of an artist track is to sell the track and the artist.

A producer’s job is to put the artist in the best possible light sonically & artistically and blow people away so that they will spend money purchasing the product (aka the CD); this is selling the artist.  This takes more time and certainly expertise in the studio.  More time and expertise in the studio cost more money.

As an artist, you intend to sell the track.  Higher union rates will apply if the intent of the recording is to generate revenue; again, more money.

If your band will actually be doing the recording then you will need a combo platter of multiple takes during tracking session to get the recording tight and probably some editing on the back end to help, depending_DSC6357 on the musicianship of the players.  Either of these two actions requires time and expertise in the studio which requires more money.

You want people to say “Wow!  Who the hell is that singing?”  This means your producer better be crafting a KILLER vocal track, man; make no mistake this is an art form.  This art form requires time & expertise and that costs money.

You want people to say, “That unexpected band break is freaking COOL MAN!”  This means your producer is allowing the band the time they need to craft something unique and special.  You guessed it, that extra time costs more money.

20131129_140442As the artist you make choices with regards to arrangement, song structure, song choice, production, genre, key, vibe, etc. that are consonant to you artistically and refined to your lane; which is more subjective than objective by definition.  Ultimately the intent of the recording is to move people with your unique artistic stamp.  If you are a professional artist the track must generate revenue by definition. This activity will hopefully generate additional returns through sales of subsequent merchandise, concert tickets, sponsorships, endorsements, etc.

The juice should be worth the squeeze financially, but you get the picture, right?  An artist track is all about YOU.

 

Song Demos

The intent of a song demo is to sell the song, specifically the lyric, melody, and vibe of the song to a major label producer, a major label A&R exec, a publishing company, or a major label artist.  A song demo is not supposed to Song Demo Melodyspotlight YOU in any way as an artist as they fully intend to re-cut the song with their band and their artist on the mic.  It is naïve to hope that an amazing vocal performance would possibly get a producer interested in working with you (as an artist) seeing as they are focused on finding songs for the project currently at hand. Statistically, this is just a distraction from your mission, which is the song pitch.  Remember, in the new music market the responsibility for artist development falls on the artist there is very little ROI for producers and labels to develop acts anymore as the business model has simply changed; they just aren’t equipped to do it.  So a tactic like this is a high percentage shot, like a full court basketball shot that’s nothing-but-net; possible but highly unlikely.  A better tactic would be to make the most effective song demo you could and increase your chances to get the cut!  That will garner more attention from more people who could help your career than betting the farm on a limited set of ears that you are engaging with because they are focused on entirely different projects.  Simply put, getting a cut gets your talent far more exposure than crossing your fingers that the few people who hear the demo will defocus from their current job to explore a relationship with you as an artist.  Make sense?

 

If you are a GREAT singer

You will have a unique stylistic approach to your song.  Yes the vocal track will be amazing but what if your style doesn’t resonate with the major label artist you are pitching it to?  What if the producer recognizes that phrasing the vocal in a different manner could make the song become viable for multiple genres or lanes within a certain genre; thus creating more opportunities for the song to get cut?  Could you effortlessly change your phrasing?  You want a cut, right?

 

If you are an AVERAGE singer

(Like me) you will have a unique stylistic approach to your song.  You will end up spending more money on the demo on multiple vocal takes during the session and in post production (vocal tuning) time to make it less sucky.  This will needlessly increase the cost of your demo. file0001596147731A song demo shouldn’t result in some epic production with the track because that’s too subjective for the intent.

What if the artist you are pitching too doesn’t like your taste in production, will that color their decision to cut your song?

What if the artist you are pitching too loves your taste in production but their project is going a different way, will that affect their ability to “hear” themselves singing your song for this particular project?

Will the production you create “date” the track making the demo recording less durable over time?

If you have artist tracks that you wish to use a song pitches, you might consider spending a few extra bucks to get a pro singer to cut the vocal and a new mix solely for the song demo.

The song demo is all about the SONG; keep it there.

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By Johnny Dwinell

What’s in your toolbox?  What’s in your emotional toolbox, your artistic toolbox, your business toolbox, your marketing toolbox?

Huh?

I used to have a huge fear of commitment.

OMG, what??

Years ago after I got off the road as the lead singer for a hair band I realized I was having challenges creating relationships with file6161313070963women that were deeper than just sex.  I was really worried that I would end up old and alone with a house full of cats (LOL, I’m TOTALLY a dog person, but you get the point).  As you can imagine after a good 7 years as a full time 80’s-rock-band-front-man-on-permanent-tour, I had encountered many women. I also managed to experience some longer, emotionally profound relationships with a few quality women who I found intriguing, smart, and captivating; but still, scared to commit. Yikes!

 

I definitely needed some help so I sought out therapy at the brazen request of a freshly-fired girlfriend who assumed she was leaving Nashville with me to move to California (I still don’t know how the hell she thought that, man, it wasn’t like we were living together or dating that long, but I digress).  She actually handed me a number of a therapist in Pasadena (SO RANDOM) and sternly told me to call him the minute I got out there.

I did call him and I recommend therapy for everyone.  Therapy is like college for your own soul. Therapy is all about finding out who YOU are and feeling comfortable in your own skin; which I desperately needed.  This therapist, Stan, was amazing and is still a great friend and spiritual adviser to me.  During the first session he asked me why I was there and I explained.  As the session ended he said, “Johnny, I’m gonna bet that you don’t have sisters or if you do, they are younger and by at least 4 years.”

I said, “WTF??  How do you know that?” (Not expecting the fortune telling element at all…he was right, I have 2 amazing sisters 4 years and 7 years younger than me)

He replied, “Because you don’t know shit about women.”

I laughed out loud at the silly man!  “Stan, I have forgotten about more women than most men will ever have.”

Stan countered, “Yeah, I’m sure that’s true, man, but you still don’t know shit about women so you’re scared to death of getting too close to them.”

Game! Set! Match!

I was cornered with logic. He went on to explain that a boy with older sisters or sisters who are closer to his age (close enough that they are in his social/peer groups growing up) offer a front row seat to the trials and tribulations of romantic relationships from the female perspective that said boy is more inclined to respect, internalize and learn from.  When the sisters are younger and out of your peer group they are just a nuisance.assorted_tools

True story again!

I was essentially lacking a tool in my emotional toolbox and I had just defined exactly what tool was missing.  You see, that was half the battle.  Now I could move forward with a clear plan to improve my life.  Identifying the missing tool actually got me excited to learn about the ever fearful unknown.  I was totally stoked to explore, which lessened the fear of the unknown.  This internal encouragement couldn’t have happened had I not understood that I was lacking somewhere.  Get it?

You Have To Find the Missing Tools In Your Toolbox

As humans and especially artists we are (hopefully) inclined to constantly improve.  We want, need, and search for new steps in the staircase of development that lead us to higher plateaus of emotional and artistic impeccability.  However, this requires change to occur.  As humans and especially artists, we are quite resistant to change; this results in pain and suffering.  This pain and suffering causes stagnation, idle artistry, and (gasp) mediocrity!

The thing is, our lives and our art can be constantly improving if we understand one simple concept; you’re human so you never have all the tools you need.  I find this to be a common roadblock with the talent we work with as they have a naive understanding of (or simply ignore) the process of artistic development; it IS A PROCESS and it takes time.

The main part of the process is to be open to the process.

Part of the process is to understand your strengths and capitalize on them.Toolbox process image

Part of the process is to recognize your weaknesses and improve upon them.

Part of the process is unfettered exploration; the constant search for tools you don’t have and the curiosity to discover how they will benefit your journey.

Part of the process is to identify mentors.

Part of the process is to allow yourself to be mentored artistically, businesswise, relationship-wise, marketwise, communication-wise, etc.

Part of the process is humility.

Part of the process is acceptance.

You are born with some great tools. Maybe you have incredible talent, maybe you have incredible drive, maybe you’re an expert politician, maybe you’re a good leader, maybe you’re good at creating relationships, and maybe you understand business.

But you don’t have all the tools.

What are you missing?

Do you need:

  • Business acumen?
  • Marketing expertise?
  • Vocal lessons?
  • Recording experience?
  • Better people-skills?
  • Communication skills?
  • Songwriting proficiency? (It’s not magic it’s a CRAFT!)
  • Stage presence?
  • Attitude adjustments?
  • Ego check?
  • More practice?
  • More knowledge?
  • Focus?
  • Clarity?

So which ones are you missing?

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