http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC: Blog Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Mon, 01 Aug 2011 06:32:17 -0700 http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/the_fifth_wallaugust_2011 http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/the_fifth_wallaugust_2011 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 06:32:17 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/tribute_to_sidney_harman_19182011
He was the executive chairman and CEO of the world’s premier manufacturer of Harman high-end audio equipment. His long career also encompassed education, the arts, politics, and more recently the Chairman of Newsweek. His success as an entrepreneur was based on his knack for putting together an ideal team and taking a bottom-up approach to business. He likened his top management team to a “jazz quartet that listens to and improvises with one another to create harmony.” He stressed that the most valuable asset a company has is its’ employees. In fact, he gave his employees opportunities to further their education on his dime. He treated his employees fairly, ethically, and with respect. He believed that happy employees were productive employees. Unlike high-profile leaders with big personalities, Sidney Harman was a gentleman. And that gentleman lived to the ripe old age of 92.

Every businessman and leader, no matter what the profession, should be required to read this book. And for the rest of us? Well we can be inspired by it. He truly was remarkable.]]> http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/tribute_to_sidney_harman_19182011 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:58:21 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/i_want_your_music_but_i_dont_want_to_pay_for_it
I am currently reading “Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes From The American Indie Underground 1981-1991” by Michael Azerrad. Each chapter is a story about a particular band including Black Flag, Husker Du, Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Sonic Youth. Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat/Fugazi) states, “It was all about documentation.” So let’s ponder that statement. Consider a visual artist who puts their artwork on display at a gallery. You pay to go in the gallery and view the artwork. That artist might make an occasional sale or have smaller prints made as well as postcards or gift cards to sell. The performing artist displays their work through shows making money through ticket sales. And, another type of display for their music is licensing a song for a TV show or film. That artist might sell t-shirts, posters, or-----yes, CDs and digital downloads. We call that merchandise. Artists must rethink their income sources. Those sources from top to bottom would be: touring, licensing, and then merchandise. A thrilling live show is what fans want and what they’ll pay for. The CDs are merely documentation and merchandise.]]> http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/i_want_your_music_but_i_dont_want_to_pay_for_it Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:35:28 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/independence_a_musical_point_of_view *Greg Ginn founded SST Records and the band Black Flag. All aspects of the label and the band were done in-house.]]> http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/independence_a_musical_point_of_view Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:49:10 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/you_cant_do_that With a constantly changing music industry, it seems to me that no one should be telling others—“You can’t do that.”  When I am told I can’t do something, I usually get depressed for a few minutes, and then an uncontrollable fire rises inside me, and I do what I need to do to prove that person wrong.  Case in point—as a kid I had a strong desire to play an instrument.  I didn’t care what instrument.  Just get an instrument in my hands.  My young parents placed a clarinet in my hands in the sixth grade.  My peers had two years on me.  I had to catch up.  I practiced like a fool.  By eighth grade I had passed by them.  Then came high school.  I had a private teacher one summer from Oberlin College.  She told me I would never be a great player because of my overbite.  After being depressed for a few minutes, I drove myself to practice every day for 45 minutes.  Each year my scores at All State and other festival auditions improved.  My senior year I received the highest score at All State and next to the highest at the New England Festival auditions.  There.  Take that private teacher from Oberlin!!  As a music educator in three different school systems spanning over 33 years I have had success despite the fact that the administrators in my interviews doubted that I had enough backbone to go up against teenagers.  And now, as I immerse myself in a new career—in a different music world—I know there are doubters out there.  In fact, there are some who say, “You can’t do that.”  After my few minutes of self-doubt, that same old fire rises within and I say, “Watch me!”  With this constantly changing music industry, one must try what their gut feels.  If it works, it’s a bonus.  If it doesn’t, try something else.  No one can predict what the next trend will be.  We keep on “keeping on” and hope we will cut through the noise triumphant!

 

]]> http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/you_cant_do_that Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:10:35 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/so_expensive_to_tour -Imogene Heap, RCA recording artist and Grammy Winner (from her Twitter account)

I keep reading that many artists are ok with file-sharing and illegal downloading because the money is in touring and selling merch. In fact some artists have improved their careers and increased their fan-base by giving away music. Lady Gaga says she is ok with “free” music because the money is in touring. Maybe for the “small” percentage of “big” artists this is true. But if Imogene Heap is making a statement like this one, is there any chance of smaller indie artists getting a tour that doesn’t put them in the hole? How will indie artists sustain their music careers? Would it be cheaper to put three artists on the road in a van with minimal equipment, sharing publicity costs, driving, and tour manager duties; and perform their gigs “in-the-round”? Would venues and talent buyers be more open to “in-the-round” performances? After all, Indies have a hard time getting their foot in the door of many venues. My thought is that each artist would bring in his/her own small fan-base, and with three artists performing, they would hopefully fill the room. So, in my mind, the positives would be: sharing costs, sharing the work, and getting more bodies in the room. And, fans of one artist might become fans of one or both of the other artists. The negative, however, might be--Did they make adequate money for themselves after sharing the door? Would love to hear your thoughts.]]> http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/so_expensive_to_tour Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:11:02 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/congrats_to_anais_mitchell__grace_potter http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/congrats_to_anais_mitchell__grace_potter Sat, 01 May 2010 13:45:04 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/purple_cows_in_vermont__no_april_fools_joke http://bluebirdpromotions.com/blog.html/purple_cows_in_vermont__no_april_fools_joke Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:18:10 -0700 Bluebird Music Promotions For Independent Artists - Bluebird Music Promotions, LLC - Blog