Happy new week~

TRYING to not work, it's really tough. I have not been able to stop completely, but I have maybe cut back by 75% over the past 24 hours; planted some tomatoes, made bread, wrote a song, recorded the narrative for Donkey and watched some movies.

Going to try again tonight - movie, yoga, laugh with Buster over some old jokes, and dance around to this.

To everyone waiting to hear from me - tomorrow I promise.

Use what works.

Ok, enough griping and onto fun stuff!

This is a great article ~ it gave me the idea for our new stickers..watch for them in bathrooms everywhere;-)

Great marketing lessons from SNL here!

I hate to gripe, but I will anyway...

Just a little rant about media, lack of decent reporting and over- all lack of hmm professional ethics?

I grew up thinking it was the job of newspapers and news programs to report news. News to me meant what was happening in the world, good and bad.

I was surprise to say the least that the Vancouver Sun never ran one story about the Nashville flood. I even did a search tonight and still not one word. BUT over the days and hours that it was happening, I did see lots of articles on fashion week, here and around the world.

People were losing their homes and lives and lively hood and I could only find news of Albania's and Australia's fashion weeks, sex scandals and where to eat if you're downtown.

Although the news does seem to be on top of the spill, I was also lead to the trough to see Venus's panties, America's new idol, and lots of 'news' about American TV fiction and yes 'celebrity make up accidents'. Am I really reading a NEWSpaper? Or something from the grocery store checkout line?

Surely there are better things to report. I use to think being a journalist was one of the most important jobs a person could have. In fact, I aspired to it. Perhaps we as an audience are just too lazy to care what's put on our plate? We seem to eat so complacently.

People care so little about anything it seems these days, shouldn't we at least care and demand to know what's going on in the world around us?

I guess I'll continue to get my news from the people making and living it - thank you Twitter.

Good article from Newsweek here.

Photo courtesy of Brad Paisley.

The conundrum of booking live shows.

This subject has been gnawing at me for a while now.

To counteract the difficulty of booking clubs and venues, I started booking shows at my own venues and events. Problem solved for now - good for pr, crappy for paying bills.

But - for the loads and I mean LOADS of artists out there that can't or choose not to do this, there is this big, little issue of booking shows (if you want to do it on your own without paying an agent).

Here are some facts:

~There are more artists than ever that want to play live, and really, they are good enough to play live, (and really the only way to get good, is to do it).

~There are actually venues closing down their live/original bookings because of poor turn out. They are hiring djs, or cover bands (nothing against guys & gals).

~Lots of coffee shops seem to be picking up the slack, and open mic nights, but paying gigs mainly go to cover bands, original bands get the door.

~Some clubs book the same bands over and over because they know they will bring some people in, and they won't look at anyone else.

~Many, artists won't/don't share gigs/venues - they are very protective of a paying gig.

~Live music is good for us (all ages, everybody), people want to see live original bands.

When I see all of these things written down, all I can think is:

Artists need a face to face fan base - (online doesn't count if they can't get out to your shows).

How do artists build a face to face fan base if they can't book gigs?

Anybody? Anybody?

How HST will effect BC Musicians

Well, the list is out.

Here is the list of things that will now be under the 12% tax rule that can directly effect musicians and artists and their customers, who you will need to pass these costs on to:

Hall rental

Accountants

Hair dresser/barber

Music/video mp3 and downloads

Music concerts

Massage therapy

Domestic Air/Rail/Bus travel originating n BC

Hotel Rooms

Taxi services

local residential phone lines

Restaurant meals

Used clothing (not from charity)

Dry Cleaners

Newspapers

Magazines

School Supplies

For the full list, click here.

Nothing in particular....

Well, I didn't want an entire week to pass before I wrote, but it has...we've been non stop - I wonder if we look like one of those cartoon characters who's legs just spin in circles?

Lots of work setting up the booking stuff, interviews, slowly coming around to the idea of the Christmas album and doing LOTS of sessions. Life is good, but honestly I can't wait for the weather to heat up a bit - I have that itchy garden feeling.

Oh and we received the house energy saver kit from BC Hydro - the new shower head is installed....hmmm...losing that much water pressure feels like a lot to give up...but saving hundreds a year is worth it....I reckon....all the other stuff is really easy to install and really cool - check it out if you're in BC!

I'm also trying to keep the news page updated more - so check over there too!

I've been saving up cool websites as well - so will write more soon!

Social Media: do's, don'ts and some expectations

It seems like social media tips are all the rage this week, so I thought I would throw in my two cents -

I know I have spoken before about the true value of using all the social media available, Twitter, Myspace, Facebook etc...and some of you are on it and some of your are still non-believers, but what I want to focus on is some of the etiquette and expectation in the music industry, and well anywhere really, and for anyone using social media, especially as a business or marketing tool.

At the end I'll link to a great little blurb from Derek about being polite, but now I just want to try and decipher how maybe some of this etiquette got missed....maybe that can help find a way to remedy a bit of the rudeness that goes on out there in Internet land.

First of all, I should state what I am talking about in terms of 'etiquette'. It means 'good manners' people. And as it relates to social media as - returning emails, saying thank you to compliments and favors, finishing what you start....etc etc I am sure I can think of more, but these are the ones that really get me.

All I can come up with, is that maybe people are not aware that these are skills people in general should posess. Possibly there is some deficiency out there in the teaching of communication skills? Perhaps someone who has never had to work face to face with people has never had the chance to develop these skills? I am not making excuses, just trying to justify these behaviors in my mind and give people the benefit of the doubt..

Imagine you have a store on the corner of the street. Lots of people want to shop at your store, but you just keep the door locked and only let your friends in. Your business licence says you are open to the public, but you only like dealing with people you know. Hmmmm...

Or -

Imagine you are in an important business meeting, people are relying on you for work, or important input, and you suddenly get up, walk out and disappear, never to be heard from again. Hmmm...

Or -

Imagine someone goes to the trouble of helping you out. At any time, for any reason, you take what they have to offer, but never say thanks and just walk away. Hmmm.....


These are ongoing events in the music business, venues never responding, people setting things up and then never following through, people taking what you kindly offer, but never giving a word of thanks, even the most simple thing of never responding to an email....

If this was in the real world people, given the examples, it would seem terribly rude, would it not?


Anyway, I can understand if you are busy, if so, put an email responder on your mail program. It's easy to add something that says ' Hey -I got your mail, I'm busy but will get back to you soon!', and then you know, do it! Get back to someone soon!

And maybe emails are going into your spam folder, that's even easier, check it out once in a while!

And you know, if you decide not to follow through on a project or idea, it's not a difficult thing to let the other people know, no hard feelings, just own up to it, otherwise it's bad business and it's not doing much for your image.

And lastly, a really basic one, remember your Ps and Qs. Easy peasy - say please and thank you. Just because you are on-line and people can't look in your eyes, does not make this little gesture any less important.

If you want to get ahead in this business, or any business, every little thing you do goes a long way.


And here goes my two cents about using social media:

~ do not post your gig dates up on twitter during the playoffs, Olympics or other major events - they will probably get missed.

~ do not use a world wide tragedy as a time to post info about your band just because there are lots of people on reading news and updates, same thing, probably nobody will look, and if they do see you there, it seems like you may be taking advantage - uncool.

~ on FB, it's good to try not to post up questionable photos when you are just starting out...it makes pr a lot more difficult.

It's common sense.

Ok Derek's link - such a good one - pass it on - Here it is.

Please and thank you for reading this......