I put this blog into archive mode nearly ten years ago, thinking I’ve said everything I’ll ever need to say on any of these topics. But a lot of stuff’s been buzzing in my head lately, and Chris Gethard says…
Author
Joe Taylor Jr.
Government arts funding’s going away. It’s our job now.
We knew it would happen someday. Back in 1989, Andres Serrano busted open a simmering debate over whether it’s right (or even effective) for tax dollars to support arts. As a high school student at the time, I got worried…
Getting music picked for branded content platforms
Morning Edition’s Allyson McCabe dropped a five minute mini-documentary about how “pay for play” at radio stations has evolved from the scandalous “song plugger” systems of the 1950s, through the bizarre indie promotion world of the 1990s, and into today’s…
Fighting for the freedom to make music, art, and words worth sharing
spinme.com turns twenty this year. Our mission, when we first launched this thing, was to try to expose the work of artists who weren’t getting enough attention from mainstream radio and television. Today, it seems like radio’s the last place…
Avoiding music business scams
I just posted dozens of “classic” coaching call recordings to our membership area, and even though some of them are over a decade old, many of those conversations hold up really well! (If you take some of the specific technology…
Get up every night.
Excellent advice for comics from Brent Morin, who released an excellent Netflix special not long ago: Get up every night. Bar shows and coffee shops apartment shows etc. avoid comedy clubs for a year or so. https://t.co/eVk05M7xqp — Brent Morin…
Stop worrying about ticket scalping bots. Make an even better show.
Nathan Hubbard, former CEO of Ticketmaster, dropped a scorch-the-earth essay on the state of concert ticketing on The Ringer. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who’s about to haul away a whole bucket of Tony Awards for Hamilton, penned an op-ed piece for the…
Caring for your core.
I’m posting some early chapters of Audience Supported for spinme.com members… It doesn’t matter if you follow every other step in this book to the letter, and it doesn’t matter if you benefit from the best coaching and mentoring you…
Powers of Ten (What are the “right ears” for your music?)
From our “Ask a Question” mailbag, Joey M. writes to ask: “I guess my query is the same as many others. How do I get my music to the right ears?” I think there’s a deeper question behind that question.…
Under new management.
I’m posting some early drafts of chapters from Audience Supported just for supporters of spinme.com… The new boss looks a lot like the old boss. We’ve only been handing out Grammys for about six decades. The Oscars started about twenty…
Finding corporate sponsors without sacrificing authenticity.
I’m posting some early drafts of chapters from Audience Supported just for supporters of spinme.com… Elvis Presley only recorded one commercial in his life. It was for Southern Maid Donuts, a Dallas chain that advertised fresh, hot donuts at 4pm…
Playing the money game for musicians.
I’m posting some early drafts of chapters from Audience Supported just for supporters of spinme.com… “You don’t need a hit to survive.” That’s the crux of the argument Kevin Kelly made in his 2008 essay, 1,000 True Fans. Kelly’s influence…