It’s not a music newsletter per se, but this newsletter we got from the Ellen Degeneres show is a really good example of keeping a newsletter short, taking care of business (talking up show dates) and emphasizing personality. What can…
Unto Them Was Born A Street Team
David Hooper, co-author of “How I Make $100K a Year…”, made an excellent point in his newsletter today, that you could look at the Twelve Disciples as the Original Street Team. In case you missed it: while I’m on the…
Are the Stakes Too High?
An interesting discussion at Velvet Rope today, around the idea that one of the major problems in the mainstream music industry today is a glut of artistic sense and a LACK of business sense. Many independent projects are bottom-line profitable…
Joe’s Back
I’m officially back from my mini-hiatus. On the agenda over the next few weeks… mastering our second CD compilation, “Bloom,” shipping the first copies of Host Your Own Concerts, and working with even more of our readers one-on-one at MusicBizCoaching.com.…
P2P = $ for you and me?
Research by InsightExpress confirms that 85% of the folks in their sample would definitely buy more music when they have the opportunity to sample it online. Instead of worrying about how you’re going to get your songs onto iTunes, find…
Don’t Leave Home Without It
Frank Black visits his own fan forum, and nobody believes him.
Embarcadero Track 8: Piano Song / Noah Ray
8. “Piano Song” / NOAH RAY (N. Ray) Athens rock bible Flagpole recently called Noah a “rock god.” He certainly draws the worship of the region’s metalheads when fronting the outstanding metal-as-performance-art ensemble Music Hates You. We wanted to show…
Embarcadero Track 6: Astronaut / Kite Club
6. “Astronaut” / KITE CLUB (Hannah Judson) It’s a real joy when tracks like this show up. Understated and elegant in every way, Hannah Judson and Kite Club are worthy heirs to bands like Cowboy Junkies and Innocence Mission. […
Embarcadero Track 7: Afraid / Ceramic Holiday
7. “Afraid” / CERAMIC HOLIDAY (Arellano/Robinson) This five-piece from Los Angeles just survived a scary year. Lead vocalist (and co-writer) Jen Robinson was treating a painfully sore throat throughout most of 2002, until a doctor discovered a serious thyroid problem…
Embarcadero Track 5: Fantastic / The Dent
5. “Fantastic” / THE DENT (Linker/Norberg/Rauh/Cotton) These guys have been playing together (on and off) for fifteen years, and their experience shows — especially on this ironic ode to the work of Elton John. So little of the power pop…
Embarcadero Track 4: Billi & Patti / Let Me Love You
4. “Let Me Love You” / BILLI & PATTI (Billi Hall / Patti B.) These women LOVE rock music. Everything about them shows it. They have memorized hundreds of rock staples. And they’ve written original songs that would sound just…
Embarcadero Track 2: Diane Falcone / Maybe
2. “Maybe” / DIANE FALCONE (D. Falcone) Diane Falcone is a singer/songwriter who transcends the cliches of singer/songwriter-dom. Her debut full length CD, “Maybe” got a polish from producer David Henry, who’s worked with the likes of R.E.M. and Yo…