I was at the dentist yesterday and happened to mention that I am now more involved in the provision of financial services for a living and not just in the music industry as I have been for the past 35 years. I was telling him that songwriting comes in many forms, and singing to the tune of "Broke" was not in my cards. Often, in the music industry, we scratch our heads and wonder how some piece of crap song makes it to the top of the charts...and every single time, we learn that a very strategic finacial marketing plan was put into place. So whether we are selling a band, a song or our spouses on our financial plan to retire with, it undoubtedly requires proper planning. People don't fail, they fail to plan...and such is the case with my dentist as I came to learn from this short session with him.
Within moments the dentist started ranting about how his portfolio has been flattened in the 2009 recession.
And he was "done with the stock market for good."
In fact, this guy went even further saying he moved all of his assets
into bonds.
His reasoning was so backward, I actually started to worry that someone so irrational was operating on my gums.
But naturally I was curious.
The pattern the doctor followed, is typical of the average "stock market loser".
The investor who moves with the rest of the sheep.
Euphorically buying stocks at the height of a bubble... And irrationally selling stocks at the absolute bottom.
But this guy went even further. He sold his stocks at the crux of the recession and moved them into bonds. Obviously thinking this was the
safe and sensible option. But he bought bonds at probably one of the worst times in history.
In coming years as interest rates rise so will bond yields.
And of course, the price of his new portfolio of 3% bonds will fall to bring the effective yield up to the market interest rate.
But, forgive me I digress. What amazed me was this intelligent well educated man made a catastrophic string of mistakes.
Buying when stocks are irrationally expensive, selling when they're irrationally cheap and then...
To top it off, he pushed his dwindling chip stack into yet another bad investment.
How did this happen?
Human nature.
It's human nature to follow the crowd. Every fund manager owns Cisco...
Because if Cisco suddenly drops his boss will remark "What is wrong with Cisco?"
If Mr. Fund Manager is invested in ABC Widget Co. and it also drops...
The boss will instead shout "What the wrong with you?"
Getting rich from the stock market is easy you just need to accept a
few universal truths.
The capitalist system is a trong one.
I don't believe it will ever fail.
The profit motive behind capitalism will forever drive forward innovation
and thus the stock market.
As companies innovate and resources are put to better & better use...
The stock market and the wealth of investors will follow.
Since the start of capitalism the economy has moved in a boom and bust cycle.
When things look bleakest... When CNBC anchors are predicting the end of the world...
This is your signal to get in.
As the stock market rides up making up for past losses - The "stupid money" is still sitting on the sidelines licking their wounds.
Finally... As the stock market recovers all the losses and forges ahead reaching new highs... Finally the common man comes round to the idea of investing again.
At this point stocks are overpriced.
Investors are forecasting a new age of ever increasing earnings.
At this point the smart money sits out.
When your next door neighbour is giving you financial advice - Run back inside and sell everything.
My point is: Right now the DOW is at 10,750 points.
Before the recession the DOW peaked at 14,000.
Sentiment amongst investors is overall bullish, but nowhere near euphoric.
This is because we are still making up for the drop from 14,000.
It's a foregone conclusion that in the near future the DOW will once
again reach 14,000.
At that stage, as the DOW forges ahead to 15,000 and higher... That's
when to sit out.
If you haven't ridden the economic recovery so far... it's far from over.
And the longer you wait. The closer we get to a 14,000+ DOW - The less
opportunities that will be available.
We at Primerica understand the trends that have taken place even before the Great Depression. The ride is a real as a roller coaster. Proper planning and understanding of the trens, adequate protection of our assets provide for a much better result for our retirements. We can help, we have helped and we will continue to help thousands of American families weather the storms as they rise and fall. Get a FREE financial analysis of what is happening in your life right now...get a vision of how to weather the storms. There are no surprises with Primerica...just solutions.
Many of you know I have spent 35 years in the entertainment industry developing financial plans to launch music careers of some of the most popular bands in the world. Financial planning is not the same everywhere. KNOWLEDGE IS NOT POWER as is ofetn quoted by APPLIED knowledge is indeed powersul. I know a lot a smart folks that caught caught in this storm.
Email me here if you need help.
Music Finance Education, The Digital World, Tour Management, Artist Development
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
What happens when you sign without reading first?
In just five months, on January 1, 2011, the largest tax hikes in the history of America will take effect.
They will hit families and small businesses in three great waves.
On January 1, 2011, here's what happens... (read it to the end, so you see all three waves)...
First Wave:
Expiration of 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief
In 2001 and 2003, the GOP Congress enacted several tax cuts for investors, small business owners, and families.
These will all expire on January 1, 2011.
Personal income tax rates will rise.
The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed).
The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent.
All the rates in between will also rise.
Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as highermarginal tax rates.
The full list of marginal rate hikes is below:
• The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%
•
• The 25% bracket rises to 28%
•
• The 28% bracket rises to 31%
•
• The 33% bracket rises to 36%
•
• The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%
Higher taxes on marriage and family.
The "marriage penalty" (narrower tax brackets for married couples) will return from the first dollar of income.
The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child.
The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level.
The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.
The return of the Death Tax.
This year only, there is no death tax. (It's a quirk!) For those dying on or after January 1, 2011, there is a 55 percent
top death tax rate on estates over $1 million. A person leaving behind two homes, a business, a retirement account, could easily pass along a death tax bill to their loved ones. Think of the farmers who don�t make much money, but their land, which they purchased years ago with after-tax dollars, is now worth a lot of money. Their children will have to sell the farm, which may be their livelihood, just to pay the estate tax if they don't have the cash sitting around to pay the tax. Think about your own family's assets. Maybe your family owns real estate, or a business that doesn't make much money, but the building and equipment are worth $1 million. Upon their death, you can inherit the $1 million business tax free, but if they own a home, stock, cash worth $500K on top of the $1 million business, then you will owe the government $275,000 cash! That�s 55% of the value of the assets over $1 million! Do you have that kind of cash sitting around waiting to pay the estate tax?
Higher tax rates on savers and investors.
The capital gains tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 20 percent in 2011.
The dividends tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 39.6 percent in 2011.
These rates will rise another 3.8 percent in 2013.
Second Wave:
Obamacare
There are over twenty new or higher taxes in Obamacare. Several will first go into effect on January 1, 2011. They include:
The "Medicine Cabinet Tax"
Thanks to Obamacare, Americans will no longer be able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin).
The "Special Needs Kids Tax"
This provision of Obamacare imposes a cap on flexible spending accounts (FSAs) of $2500 (Currently, there is no federal government limit). There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children.
There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education.
Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington , D.C. ( National Child Research Center ) can easily exceed $14,000 per year.
Under tax rules, FSA dollars can not be used to pay for this type of special needs education.
The HSA (Health Savings Account) Withdrawal Tax Hike.
This provision of Obamacare increases the additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent.
Third Wave:
The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and Employer Tax Hikes
When Americans prepare to file their tax returns in January of 2011, they'll be in for a nasty surprise-the AMT won't be held harmless, and many tax relief provisions will have expired.
The major items include:
The AMT will ensnare over 28 million families, up from 4 million last year.
According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center, Congress' failure to index the AMT will lead to an explosion of AMT taxpaying families-rising from 4 million last year to 28.5 million. These families will have to calculate their tax burdens twice, and pay taxes at the higher level. The AMT was created in 1969 to ensnare a handful of taxpayers.
Small business expensing will be slashed and 50% expensing will disappear.
Small businesses can normally expense (rather than slowly-deduct, or "depreciate") equipment purchases up to $250,000.
This will be cut all the way down to $25,000. Larger businesses can currently expense half of their purchases of equipment.
In January of 2011, all of it will have to be "depreciated."
Taxes will be raised on all types of businesses.
There are literally scores of tax hikes on business that will take place. The biggest is the loss of the "research and experimentation tax credit," but there are many, many others. Combining high marginal tax rates with the loss of this tax relief will cost jobs.
Tax Benefits for Education and Teaching Reduced.
The deduction for tuition and fees will not be available.
Tax credits for education will be limited.
Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses.
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut.
Employer-provided educational assistance is curtailed.
The student loan interest deduction will be disallowed for hundreds of thousands of families.
Charitable Contributions from IRAs no longer allowed.
Under current law, a retired person with an IRA can contribute up to $100,000 per year directly to a charity from their IRA.
This contribution also counts toward an annual "required minimum distribution." This ability will no longer be there.
PDF Version Read more:; http://www.atr.org/six-months-untilbr-largest-tax-hikes-a5171#%23ixzz0sY8waPq1
And worse yet?
Now, your insurance will be INCOME on your W2's!
One of the surprises we'll find come next year, is what follows - - a little "surprise" that 99% of us had no idea was included in the "new and improved" healthcare legislation . . . the dupes, er, dopes, who backed this administration will be astonished!
Starting in 2011, (next year folks), your W-2 tax form sent by your employer will be increased to show the value of whatever health insurance you are given by the company. It does not matter if that's a private concern or governmental body of some sort.
If you're retired? So what... your gross will go up by the amount of insurance you get.
You will be required to pay taxes on a large sum of money that you have never seen. Take your tax form you just finished and see what $15,000 or $20,000 additional gross does to your tax debt. That's what you'll pay next year.
For many, it also puts you into a new higher bracket so it's even worse.
This is how the government is going to buy insurance for the15% that don't have insurance and it's only part of the tax increases.
Not believing this??? Here is a research of the summaries.....
On page 25 of 29: TITLE IX REVENUE PROVISIONS- SUBTITLE A: REVENUE OFFSET PROVISIONS-(sec. 9001,
as modified by sec. 10901) Sec.9002 "requires employers to include in the W-2 form of each employee the aggregate cost of applicable employer sponsored group health coverage that is excludable from the employees gross income."
- Joan Pryde is the senior tax editor for the Kiplinger letters.
- Go to Kiplingers and read about 13 tax changes that could affect you. Number 3 is what is above.
Why am I sending you this? The same reason I hope you forward this to every single person in your address book.
People have the right to know the truth because an election is coming in November!
Now is the time for Primerica so you can plan ahead of this mess.
________________________________________
They will hit families and small businesses in three great waves.
On January 1, 2011, here's what happens... (read it to the end, so you see all three waves)...
First Wave:
Expiration of 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief
In 2001 and 2003, the GOP Congress enacted several tax cuts for investors, small business owners, and families.
These will all expire on January 1, 2011.
Personal income tax rates will rise.
The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed).
The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent.
All the rates in between will also rise.
Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as highermarginal tax rates.
The full list of marginal rate hikes is below:
• The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%
•
• The 25% bracket rises to 28%
•
• The 28% bracket rises to 31%
•
• The 33% bracket rises to 36%
•
• The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%
Higher taxes on marriage and family.
The "marriage penalty" (narrower tax brackets for married couples) will return from the first dollar of income.
The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child.
The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level.
The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.
The return of the Death Tax.
This year only, there is no death tax. (It's a quirk!) For those dying on or after January 1, 2011, there is a 55 percent
top death tax rate on estates over $1 million. A person leaving behind two homes, a business, a retirement account, could easily pass along a death tax bill to their loved ones. Think of the farmers who don�t make much money, but their land, which they purchased years ago with after-tax dollars, is now worth a lot of money. Their children will have to sell the farm, which may be their livelihood, just to pay the estate tax if they don't have the cash sitting around to pay the tax. Think about your own family's assets. Maybe your family owns real estate, or a business that doesn't make much money, but the building and equipment are worth $1 million. Upon their death, you can inherit the $1 million business tax free, but if they own a home, stock, cash worth $500K on top of the $1 million business, then you will owe the government $275,000 cash! That�s 55% of the value of the assets over $1 million! Do you have that kind of cash sitting around waiting to pay the estate tax?
Higher tax rates on savers and investors.
The capital gains tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 20 percent in 2011.
The dividends tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 39.6 percent in 2011.
These rates will rise another 3.8 percent in 2013.
Second Wave:
Obamacare
There are over twenty new or higher taxes in Obamacare. Several will first go into effect on January 1, 2011. They include:
The "Medicine Cabinet Tax"
Thanks to Obamacare, Americans will no longer be able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin).
The "Special Needs Kids Tax"
This provision of Obamacare imposes a cap on flexible spending accounts (FSAs) of $2500 (Currently, there is no federal government limit). There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children.
There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education.
Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington , D.C. ( National Child Research Center ) can easily exceed $14,000 per year.
Under tax rules, FSA dollars can not be used to pay for this type of special needs education.
The HSA (Health Savings Account) Withdrawal Tax Hike.
This provision of Obamacare increases the additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent.
Third Wave:
The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and Employer Tax Hikes
When Americans prepare to file their tax returns in January of 2011, they'll be in for a nasty surprise-the AMT won't be held harmless, and many tax relief provisions will have expired.
The major items include:
The AMT will ensnare over 28 million families, up from 4 million last year.
According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center, Congress' failure to index the AMT will lead to an explosion of AMT taxpaying families-rising from 4 million last year to 28.5 million. These families will have to calculate their tax burdens twice, and pay taxes at the higher level. The AMT was created in 1969 to ensnare a handful of taxpayers.
Small business expensing will be slashed and 50% expensing will disappear.
Small businesses can normally expense (rather than slowly-deduct, or "depreciate") equipment purchases up to $250,000.
This will be cut all the way down to $25,000. Larger businesses can currently expense half of their purchases of equipment.
In January of 2011, all of it will have to be "depreciated."
Taxes will be raised on all types of businesses.
There are literally scores of tax hikes on business that will take place. The biggest is the loss of the "research and experimentation tax credit," but there are many, many others. Combining high marginal tax rates with the loss of this tax relief will cost jobs.
Tax Benefits for Education and Teaching Reduced.
The deduction for tuition and fees will not be available.
Tax credits for education will be limited.
Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses.
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut.
Employer-provided educational assistance is curtailed.
The student loan interest deduction will be disallowed for hundreds of thousands of families.
Charitable Contributions from IRAs no longer allowed.
Under current law, a retired person with an IRA can contribute up to $100,000 per year directly to a charity from their IRA.
This contribution also counts toward an annual "required minimum distribution." This ability will no longer be there.
PDF Version Read more:
And worse yet?
Now, your insurance will be INCOME on your W2's!
One of the surprises we'll find come next year, is what follows - - a little "surprise" that 99% of us had no idea was included in the "new and improved" healthcare legislation . . . the dupes, er, dopes, who backed this administration will be astonished!
Starting in 2011, (next year folks), your W-2 tax form sent by your employer will be increased to show the value of whatever health insurance you are given by the company. It does not matter if that's a private concern or governmental body of some sort.
If you're retired? So what... your gross will go up by the amount of insurance you get.
You will be required to pay taxes on a large sum of money that you have never seen. Take your tax form you just finished and see what $15,000 or $20,000 additional gross does to your tax debt. That's what you'll pay next year.
For many, it also puts you into a new higher bracket so it's even worse.
This is how the government is going to buy insurance for the15% that don't have insurance and it's only part of the tax increases.
Not believing this??? Here is a research of the summaries.....
On page 25 of 29: TITLE IX REVENUE PROVISIONS- SUBTITLE A: REVENUE OFFSET PROVISIONS-(sec. 9001,
as modified by sec. 10901) Sec.9002 "requires employers to include in the W-2 form of each employee the aggregate cost of applicable employer sponsored group health coverage that is excludable from the employees gross income."
- Joan Pryde is the senior tax editor for the Kiplinger letters.
- Go to Kiplingers and read about 13 tax changes that could affect you. Number 3 is what is above.
Why am I sending you this? The same reason I hope you forward this to every single person in your address book.
People have the right to know the truth because an election is coming in November!
Now is the time for Primerica so you can plan ahead of this mess.
________________________________________
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
ARE YOU EVER GOING TO SELL YOUR HOUSE????
Most of you know I don't usually write my feelings about politics because I believe that they are all full of crap. I was flying a flag to create the new REPUBLICRAT party when the damn Tea Party movement came along and ran with it...lol, and that's ok.
I am however always taken back when stupid things happen. I have this friend who uses this line "People Don't Plan To Fail, They Fail To Plan" and certainly one can arrive at that conclusion when it comes to our government. I don't care whether you are Republican, Democrat, Republicrat, Tea Party or whatever man. I know you would never, ever sign a 2,700 page document without reading it, would you? Why in the world would we allow our government to do that in our behalf?
Remember Nancy saying, "you have to Pass the Bill to see what is in it". She wasn't kidding.
These people are truely EVIL. Remember vote early on 11/02 and, if your a former liberal, vote often as our election laws have been modified to specifically allow you too. Remember to get all friends & family out too!
Elect people who will repeal this mess!
Another Obama Nightmare
Did you know that if you sell your house after 2012 you will pay a 3.8% sales tax on it?
That's $3,800 on a $100,000 home etc.
When did this happen? It's in the healthcare bill. Just thought you should know.
SALES TAX TO GO INTO EFFECT 2013 (Part of HC Bill)
REAL ESTATE SALES TAX
So, this is "change you can believe in"?
Under the new health care bill - did you know that all real estate transactions will be subject to a 3.8% Sales Tax? The bulk of these new taxes don't kick in until 2013 (presumably after obama's reelection). You can thank Nancy, Harry and Barack and your local Democrat Congressman for this one. If you sell your $400,000 home, there will be a $15,200 tax. This bill is set to screw the retiring generation who often downsize their homes. Is this Hope & Change great or what? Does this stuff makes your November and 2012 votes more important? What the h--l does that have to do wwith health care anyway???
Oh, you weren't aware this was in the obamacare bill? Guess what, you aren't alone. There are more than a few members of Congress that aren't aware of it either (result of clandestine midnight voting for huge bills they've never read). AND, there are a few other surprises lurking.
Why am I writing this? The same reason I hope you forward this to every
single person in your address book. People have the right to know the truth because an election is coming in November!
Even though I have this tough NY/LA concert promoter attitude, beyond all that liberal music industry finance crap I feed you here on this blog, I have children and grandchildren who will be left behind to field this BS....get in their way, I'm gonna' have to step up man...and I will, just like you would for your kids and grandchildren...you know you would and that is so ok. It's what we are supposed to do.
THE TIME FOR REAL CHANGE IS NOW...Get out there, protect your children and grandchildren...get out there and VOTE !!!! Put in your daytimer man !!!! It's that important.
Be sure to visit our websites at www.starpointerecorda.com and www.themusicassociates.com
I am however always taken back when stupid things happen. I have this friend who uses this line "People Don't Plan To Fail, They Fail To Plan" and certainly one can arrive at that conclusion when it comes to our government. I don't care whether you are Republican, Democrat, Republicrat, Tea Party or whatever man. I know you would never, ever sign a 2,700 page document without reading it, would you? Why in the world would we allow our government to do that in our behalf?
Remember Nancy saying, "you have to Pass the Bill to see what is in it". She wasn't kidding.
These people are truely EVIL. Remember vote early on 11/02 and, if your a former liberal, vote often as our election laws have been modified to specifically allow you too. Remember to get all friends & family out too!
Elect people who will repeal this mess!
Another Obama Nightmare
Did you know that if you sell your house after 2012 you will pay a 3.8% sales tax on it?
That's $3,800 on a $100,000 home etc.
When did this happen? It's in the healthcare bill. Just thought you should know.
SALES TAX TO GO INTO EFFECT 2013 (Part of HC Bill)
REAL ESTATE SALES TAX
So, this is "change you can believe in"?
Under the new health care bill - did you know that all real estate transactions will be subject to a 3.8% Sales Tax? The bulk of these new taxes don't kick in until 2013 (presumably after obama's reelection). You can thank Nancy, Harry and Barack and your local Democrat Congressman for this one. If you sell your $400,000 home, there will be a $15,200 tax. This bill is set to screw the retiring generation who often downsize their homes. Is this Hope & Change great or what? Does this stuff makes your November and 2012 votes more important? What the h--l does that have to do wwith health care anyway???
Oh, you weren't aware this was in the obamacare bill? Guess what, you aren't alone. There are more than a few members of Congress that aren't aware of it either (result of clandestine midnight voting for huge bills they've never read). AND, there are a few other surprises lurking.
Why am I writing this? The same reason I hope you forward this to every
single person in your address book. People have the right to know the truth because an election is coming in November!
Even though I have this tough NY/LA concert promoter attitude, beyond all that liberal music industry finance crap I feed you here on this blog, I have children and grandchildren who will be left behind to field this BS....get in their way, I'm gonna' have to step up man...and I will, just like you would for your kids and grandchildren...you know you would and that is so ok. It's what we are supposed to do.
THE TIME FOR REAL CHANGE IS NOW...Get out there, protect your children and grandchildren...get out there and VOTE !!!! Put in your daytimer man !!!! It's that important.
Be sure to visit our websites at www.starpointerecorda.com and www.themusicassociates.com
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Healthcare and Real Estate Taxes
Under the new health care bill - did you know that all real estate
transactions will be subject to a 3.8% Sales Tax? The bulk of these new
taxes don't kick in until 2013 (presumably after obama's re-election).
You can thank Nancy, Harry and Barack and your local Democrat Congressman
for this one. If you sell your $400,000 home, there will be a $15,200
tax. This bill is set to screw the retiring generation who often downsize
their homes. Is this Hope & Change great or what? Does this stuff make
your November 2010 and 2012 votes more important?
Oh, you weren't aware this was in the obamacare bill? Guess what, you
aren't alone. There are more than a few members of Congress that aren't
aware of it either (result of clandestine midnight voting for huge bills
they've never read). AND, there are a few other surprises lurking.
Why am I sending you this? The same reason I hope you forward this to
every single person in your address book.
People have the right to know the truth because an election is coming in
November!
We need to take down our "Do not disturb" signs. Snap out of our stupor and come out of our coma and awake from our apathy! DO SOMETHING! If nothing more, be sure to vote in November and get all your conservative friends to do the same! The Left Wingers will be out in droves to keep their status quo!
One percent transaction tax is proposed
President Obama's finance team is recommending a transaction tax. His plan is to sneak it in after the November election to keep it under the radar. This is a 1% tax on all transactions at any financial institution i. e. Banks, Credit Unions, etc... Any deposit you make, or move around within your account, i. e. transfer to, will have a 1% tax charged. If your pay check or your social Security or whatever is direct deposit, 1% tax charged. If you hand carry a check in to deposit, 1% tax charged, If you take cash in to deposit, 1% tax charged. This is from the man who promised that if you make under $250,000 per year, you will not see one penny of new tax. Keep your eyes and ears open, you will be amazed at what you learn.
Some will say aw it's just 1% are you kidding me it's a 1% tax increase across the board... remember once the tax is there they can raise it at will.
transactions will be subject to a 3.8% Sales Tax? The bulk of these new
taxes don't kick in until 2013 (presumably after obama's re-election).
You can thank Nancy, Harry and Barack and your local Democrat Congressman
for this one. If you sell your $400,000 home, there will be a $15,200
tax. This bill is set to screw the retiring generation who often downsize
their homes. Is this Hope & Change great or what? Does this stuff make
your November 2010 and 2012 votes more important?
Oh, you weren't aware this was in the obamacare bill? Guess what, you
aren't alone. There are more than a few members of Congress that aren't
aware of it either (result of clandestine midnight voting for huge bills
they've never read). AND, there are a few other surprises lurking.
Why am I sending you this? The same reason I hope you forward this to
every single person in your address book.
People have the right to know the truth because an election is coming in
November!
We need to take down our "Do not disturb" signs. Snap out of our stupor and come out of our coma and awake from our apathy! DO SOMETHING! If nothing more, be sure to vote in November and get all your conservative friends to do the same! The Left Wingers will be out in droves to keep their status quo!
One percent transaction tax is proposed
President Obama's finance team is recommending a transaction tax. His plan is to sneak it in after the November election to keep it under the radar. This is a 1% tax on all transactions at any financial institution i. e. Banks, Credit Unions, etc... Any deposit you make, or move around within your account, i. e. transfer to, will have a 1% tax charged. If your pay check or your social Security or whatever is direct deposit, 1% tax charged. If you hand carry a check in to deposit, 1% tax charged, If you take cash in to deposit, 1% tax charged. This is from the man who promised that if you make under $250,000 per year, you will not see one penny of new tax. Keep your eyes and ears open, you will be amazed at what you learn.
Some will say aw it's just 1% are you kidding me it's a 1% tax increase across the board... remember once the tax is there they can raise it at will.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The World Has Changed
Image via Wikipedia
We have witnessed sweeping global changes in the last few years. The world has been transformed on almost every front. Politically, governments and national boundaries have come and gone. Through technology, we routinely communicate with the farthest corners of the earth in a matter of seconds. Economically, events in far-flung stock markets across the globe impact every market.
But not only governments and economic markets are affected. These global changes also bring about new financial realities on an individual level. The widespread availability of credit cards and automated teller machines makes spending much easier today than in days gone by. And the proleferation of at-home and on-line banking and investing services allows individuals to act more quickly--and sometimes more rashly--than ever before when making financial decisions.
These changes affect virtually everyone in the United States--from our youngest workers and students to our eldest retirees. Yet most youngpeople in America begin their financial lives unschooled in the basics of saving and investing and unaware of how quickly "easy credit" can add up to big debt. For example, in its 1999 Youth and Money Survey, the American Savings Education Council (ASEC) found that forty percent of students are likely to buy a pair of jeans (or something similar) they really want even if they do not have the money to pay for it. And 70 percent would pay for it with a "credit card."
And while most adults have high expectations for retirement, many will fail to maintain the lifestyle and standard of living to which they have become accustomed because they failed to plan and save. According to an August 1998 study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), more than half of American workers--55 percent--have no idea how much they will need to save to save to make their retirement dreams a reality.
Planning for future financial needs--especially for retirement--has also changed. In the past, the burden of planning for the future fell primarily on such external forces as government (through Social Security and Medicare) and employers (through pension plans directed by the employer). Today, however, the responsibility for one's financial future has shifted to the individual.
Over the years I have made incredible amounts of money at my day job in sales of entertainment, real estate and mortgage origination. And, as most Americans, I lived in the day, a boy with his toys, had the cars, the time shares, the big houses yada, yada, yada. In a recent meeting with my business manager, he produced reports from these various incomes. It was simply amazing to learn that the benefits of my own business and investments in real estate were in in fact saviours of our family's retirement. We can make it happen in the next five years, despite our carelessness in financial planning, as we all can. EDUCATION IS THE ANSWER, WHAT'S THE QUESTION?
Let's get together as an American people and start to change our ways, our education system and our lives. It's time now to c\take control of our own lives. We have learned over the past 2 years that our government has gone off the deep end with spending in a way that is foreign to you and I. The most important element of our investment strategy is the protection of it...a sad truth that we all tend to overlook. Check out my new website at www.primerica.com/melfi where you can learn a bundle of new things that will protect your retirement strategies, where you can become self-reliant and where you can get a FREE financial analysis of what strategies you NEED to employ to assure your safest returns.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Wal-Mart vs. The US Government
1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart Every hour of every day.
2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!
3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.
4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target +Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.
5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people, is the world's largest private employer, and most speak English.
6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world.
7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only fifteen years.
8. During this same period, 31 big supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.
9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.
10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago.
11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)
12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart.
You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy.
This should be read and understood by all Americans Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!
To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature, It is now official you are ALL corrupt morons:
a.. The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
b.. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
c.. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
d.. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.
e.. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
f.. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
g.. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.
You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars.
AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ?? MAYBE WE OUGHT TO KICK YOUR EGG-HEAD BUDDY BUMS OUT OF OFFICE AND HIRE WAL MART TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT ??? WAL MART SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.......WHY DON'T YOU GUYS JUST ADMIT IT'S WAY BEYOND YOUR PAY GRADE, AND QUIT?
2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!
3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.
4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target +Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.
5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people, is the world's largest private employer, and most speak English.
6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world.
7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only fifteen years.
8. During this same period, 31 big supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.
9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.
10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago.
11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)
12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart.
You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy.
This should be read and understood by all Americans Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!
To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature, It is now official you are ALL corrupt morons:
a.. The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
b.. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
c.. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
d.. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.
e.. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
f.. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
g.. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.
You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars.
AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ?? MAYBE WE OUGHT TO KICK YOUR EGG-HEAD BUDDY BUMS OUT OF OFFICE AND HIRE WAL MART TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT ??? WAL MART SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.......WHY DON'T YOU GUYS JUST ADMIT IT'S WAY BEYOND YOUR PAY GRADE, AND QUIT?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Pension Plans Have Changed by Pat Melfi
In almost every sector, job benefits have declined, and workers have increasingly come to realize that they will need to save for themselves to have economic security. The "security blanket" of a life4time job was never available for most, but many Americans have acted as if it were. According to 2006 study by EBRI, in 2004, only 28 percent of workers ages 55 and older had been on their job 20 years or more.
In the past, only about one-quarter of workers participated in "defined benefit" plans, such as pension plans that provided annuities at retirement, but many Americans acted as if it all had this benefit. Today, employers increasingly offer "declined contribution" plans, such as 401(k) plans, rather than defined benefit plans. With defined benefit contribution plans, the ofrten decide among different investments and bear the entire risk and reward of their investment decisions. The continuing growth of of such plans requires that American workers learn the basics of investing and become disciplined about making contributions to their plan.
Despite the recent rise of defined contirbution plans, not every worker in America enjoys the benefit of an employer-sponsored retirement plan. According to officials with the Department of Labor, slightly less than half of America's wage-earning and salaried workers are covered by some type of pension plans. Of the approximately 120.4 million American workers, about 60 million public and private sector workers have no pension plans.
According to a 2007 study by Public Agenda, more Americans are working for smaller companies--companies less likely to have pension plans, or even volunatry retirement plans. For example, EBRI found that in 1993 only half of all workers in businesses with 25-99 workers had the option of an employer-sponsored retirement plan. And for businesses with fewer than 25 employees, only one-fifth had access to such plans. By contrast, at businesses with 100 or more employees, 85 percent of workers could take advantage of an employer-sponsored retirement plan.
Thus we have the need, even moreso now than ever before to sit down, get a plan together of what our lifestyle wants to be at retirement and implement such a plan. EDUCASTION IS THE ANSWER, WHAT'S THE QUESTION? Are you with me on this? This is one of the most significant issues in the life of every human being, not only, just Americans. Anybody else here remember learbning about this is elementary school, high school or even college? Not me! I am an Ivy League graduate and and never in the 5 years I attended college, do I recall hearing this topic...of course my major was marketing, so maybe it's not that important to a marketing executive. Hmmmm, don't think so...it's time for educators to start providing EDUCATION THAT MATTERS. Over the 35 years I have spent in the entertainment industry, I have met many wonderful musicians, with many #1 songs and at the end of the day are broke due to poor planning.
It's time to get self-reliant, step away from the word "entitlement" and provide for our own families. For a free financial analysis of where you really stand in today's economy compared to where you would like to be when you retire, call me at 801-792-6970.
In the past, only about one-quarter of workers participated in "defined benefit" plans, such as pension plans that provided annuities at retirement, but many Americans acted as if it all had this benefit. Today, employers increasingly offer "declined contribution" plans, such as 401(k) plans, rather than defined benefit plans. With defined benefit contribution plans, the ofrten decide among different investments and bear the entire risk and reward of their investment decisions. The continuing growth of of such plans requires that American workers learn the basics of investing and become disciplined about making contributions to their plan.
Despite the recent rise of defined contirbution plans, not every worker in America enjoys the benefit of an employer-sponsored retirement plan. According to officials with the Department of Labor, slightly less than half of America's wage-earning and salaried workers are covered by some type of pension plans. Of the approximately 120.4 million American workers, about 60 million public and private sector workers have no pension plans.
According to a 2007 study by Public Agenda, more Americans are working for smaller companies--companies less likely to have pension plans, or even volunatry retirement plans. For example, EBRI found that in 1993 only half of all workers in businesses with 25-99 workers had the option of an employer-sponsored retirement plan. And for businesses with fewer than 25 employees, only one-fifth had access to such plans. By contrast, at businesses with 100 or more employees, 85 percent of workers could take advantage of an employer-sponsored retirement plan.
Thus we have the need, even moreso now than ever before to sit down, get a plan together of what our lifestyle wants to be at retirement and implement such a plan. EDUCASTION IS THE ANSWER, WHAT'S THE QUESTION? Are you with me on this? This is one of the most significant issues in the life of every human being, not only, just Americans. Anybody else here remember learbning about this is elementary school, high school or even college? Not me! I am an Ivy League graduate and and never in the 5 years I attended college, do I recall hearing this topic...of course my major was marketing, so maybe it's not that important to a marketing executive. Hmmmm, don't think so...it's time for educators to start providing EDUCATION THAT MATTERS. Over the 35 years I have spent in the entertainment industry, I have met many wonderful musicians, with many #1 songs and at the end of the day are broke due to poor planning.
It's time to get self-reliant, step away from the word "entitlement" and provide for our own families. For a free financial analysis of where you really stand in today's economy compared to where you would like to be when you retire, call me at 801-792-6970.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Objective
Founded in 1959 by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp is a leading national non-profit
organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp believes that every child has a
unique contribution to make to the world. We do everything within our power to help each child heal and develop
self-esteem to reach their God-given potential. We believe unconditional love is the foundation upon which all
healing begins. The entrance of each Childhelp facility features the words "All Who Enter Here Will Find Love."
These children, who have seen the worst that life has to offer, deserve the best that we can provide while they are
in the care of Childhelp. Members behind Childhelp of Utah have extensive backgrounds in music, theater, arts,
education and media relations and have a desire to accomplish 3 specific objectives by developing and staging
music education and concert events in secondary markets throughout America, beginning with the State of Utah.
·Restore The Study of Music In Our Public School System Throughout America
·Establish and develop a therapeutic program for Child Help "Healing Through Music"
·Raise awareness of child neglect and abuse issues throughout America
Target 5 venues in Utah and stage education and concert tours. These concerts would be a source of funding
to accomplish our 3 objectives throughout the State of Utah.. Music education has proven that reading
comprehensions are significantly higher for children that study music and have been linked to higher academic
and scholastic results, as documented by every major University in the world. Music has also been documented as
"therapeutic", thus giving it the ability to heal. Further documentation establishes it as the "universal language"
of the world, thus giving it the ability to "speak to all". We will do state wide fundraising drives to support Child
Help as the beneficiary to these events. Incentives for school participation include free tickets to the concerts for
the top fundraising schools and a small assembly in and for their school from the artist, (as schedule permits). We
would work with the Utah PTA, other non-profit organizations and media sponsors to publicize these events to
the schools.
This will be a huge public relations campaign for Artists, Corporate entities, Media Partners and Sponsors who
join the tour. It will brand their identities with a minimum of 300 schools and more than 1,7,00,000 residents in
the state of Utah. Children are the most choice resource in the world we live in. They deserve the most significant
opportunity to grow in our world with the best tools available to them. Corporations and other organizations that
contribute resources to the prevention of child abuse and or the development of music study for children, whether
for normal or abnormal environments are "branded" favorably, ALWAYS!!!
Childhelp invites you to take action, end child abuse NOW, take control of America's Educational process and
participate in the development of Healing Through Music and do it "For The Love Of A Child." Sponsorship
opportunities are now available, Artists are now committed and Educators are invited to help develop the Child
Help "Healing Through Music" programs. Make this a better day for our children. For further information,
contact Child Help at 801-618-3666.
organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp believes that every child has a
unique contribution to make to the world. We do everything within our power to help each child heal and develop
self-esteem to reach their God-given potential. We believe unconditional love is the foundation upon which all
healing begins. The entrance of each Childhelp facility features the words "All Who Enter Here Will Find Love."
These children, who have seen the worst that life has to offer, deserve the best that we can provide while they are
in the care of Childhelp. Members behind Childhelp of Utah have extensive backgrounds in music, theater, arts,
education and media relations and have a desire to accomplish 3 specific objectives by developing and staging
music education and concert events in secondary markets throughout America, beginning with the State of Utah.
·Restore The Study of Music In Our Public School System Throughout America
·Establish and develop a therapeutic program for Child Help "Healing Through Music"
·Raise awareness of child neglect and abuse issues throughout America
Target 5 venues in Utah and stage education and concert tours. These concerts would be a source of funding
to accomplish our 3 objectives throughout the State of Utah.. Music education has proven that reading
comprehensions are significantly higher for children that study music and have been linked to higher academic
and scholastic results, as documented by every major University in the world. Music has also been documented as
"therapeutic", thus giving it the ability to heal. Further documentation establishes it as the "universal language"
of the world, thus giving it the ability to "speak to all". We will do state wide fundraising drives to support Child
Help as the beneficiary to these events. Incentives for school participation include free tickets to the concerts for
the top fundraising schools and a small assembly in and for their school from the artist, (as schedule permits). We
would work with the Utah PTA, other non-profit organizations and media sponsors to publicize these events to
the schools.
This will be a huge public relations campaign for Artists, Corporate entities, Media Partners and Sponsors who
join the tour. It will brand their identities with a minimum of 300 schools and more than 1,7,00,000 residents in
the state of Utah. Children are the most choice resource in the world we live in. They deserve the most significant
opportunity to grow in our world with the best tools available to them. Corporations and other organizations that
contribute resources to the prevention of child abuse and or the development of music study for children, whether
for normal or abnormal environments are "branded" favorably, ALWAYS!!!
Childhelp invites you to take action, end child abuse NOW, take control of America's Educational process and
participate in the development of Healing Through Music and do it "For The Love Of A Child." Sponsorship
opportunities are now available, Artists are now committed and Educators are invited to help develop the Child
Help "Healing Through Music" programs. Make this a better day for our children. For further information,
contact Child Help at 801-618-3666.
Monday, May 10, 2010
New Music From Nashville
Tim McGraw via last.fm
See the exclusive world premiere of Tim McGraw new music video, "Still," only at CMT.com.
VIDEO embed code:
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/tim-mcgraw/514421/still.jhtml
NEW VIDEO! Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
See the exclusive world premiere of Carrie Underwood’s new music video, “Undo It,” only at CMT and CMT.com.
Webmaster Embeddable Promotion Materials:
VIDEO embed code:
N/A From Sony
TEXT embed code:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1950&cmp_type=1
GRAPHIC banner embed code:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1950
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/carrie-underwood/514452/undo-it.jhtml
NEW VIDEO! Lee Brice "Love Like Crazy"
Check out the World Premiere music video from Lee Brice, "Love Like Crazy," at CMT.com.
Webmaster Embeddable Elements:
VIDEO player embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1946&cmp_type=4
TEXT caption embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1946&cmp_type=1
GRAPHIC banner embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1946
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/lee-brice/507263/love-like-crazy.jhtml
NEW VIDEO! LoCash Cowboys "Here Comes Summer"
Check out the new music video from LoCash Cowboys, "Here Comes Summer," at CMT.com.
Webmaster Embeddable Elements:
VIDEO player embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1943&cmp_type=4
TEXT caption embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1943&cmp_type=1
GRAPHIC banner embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1943
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/locash-cowboys/507070/here-comes-summer.jhtml
NEW ALBUM LEAK! Lonestar: Party Heard Around the World
Check out the new album from Lonestar: Party Heard Around the World. Hear it before you can buy it, at CMT.com.
Webmaster Embeddable Elements:
TEXT caption embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1944&cmp_type=1
GRAPHIC banner embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1944
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/lonestar/2510683/album.jhtml
NEW ALBUM LEAK! Mary Chapin Carpenter: The Age of Miracles
Check out the new album from Mary Chapin Carpenter: The Age of Miracles. Hear it before you can buy it, at CMT.com.
Webmaster Embeddable Elements:
TEXT caption embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1945&cmp_type=1
GRAPHIC banner embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1945
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/carpenter_mary_chapin/2497510/album.jhtml
NEW VIDEO! Brad Paisley "Water"
Check out the new music video from Brad Paisley, "Water," at CMT.com.
Webmaster Embeddable Elements:
VIDEO player embeds:
N/A from Sony
TEXT caption embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1932&cmp_type=1
GRAPHIC banner embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1932
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/brad-paisley/505918/water.jhtml
NEW VIDEO! Laura Bell Bundy "Drop On By"
Check out the World Premiere music video from Laura Bell Bundy, "Drop On By," at CMT.com.
Webmaster Embeddable Elements:
VIDEO player embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1916&cmp_type=4
TEXT caption embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewcomponents.php?promo_id=1916&cmp_type=1
GRAPHIC banner embeds:
http://webtools.cmt.com/viewpromo.php?promo_id=1916
URL for Details:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/laura-bell-bundy/501555/drop-on-by.jhtml
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=0f1aba4a-e031-4ac5-9f05-73da3490f38b)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Top 10 Mistakes People Make When Trying To Become Professional Musicians
Image via CrunchBase
Mistake #10 - Not having a compelling image that is congruent with your music. Most musicians (and bands) severely underestimate the importance of their image. Yes, music is about 'music', but music business success is about a total package that includes music, image and visual stage show among other things that need to be fully developed and integrated in a congruent way.
Mistake #9 -Trying to 'get your name out there'. Although this seems to be a main goal of most musicians and bands, it is the wrong approach to start with. Before trying to be seen and heard as much as possible, it is often more important to focus on 'converting' the people who hear and see you into becoming actual fans. This 'conversion' is the first key to your promotional success, NOT getting seen or heard as much as possible.
Mistake #8 - Believing that social media websites are the keys to online music promotion for musicians and bands. Social media websites are a tool. They are ONE piece of the online music marketing puzzle. Music industry companies (record labels, artist managers, booking agents, etc.) are far more interested in the popularity of YOUR website, not how many friends you have at MySpace, YouTube, Facebook or any other website that you do not own and control. Want to impress the industry with your band's promotion? Build your website traffic.
Mistake #7 - Not investing enough time into building your music career. Most musicians spend most of their time on music, but put very little effort into the many other critical elements needed to make it in the music business. If you are already a talented musician, you should invest at least 50% of your time into starting or advancing your music career. If you are still developing your musical skills, you should still invest around 25% of your 'music' time into building a future music career.
Mistake #6 - Surrounding yourself with people who are negative, lazy and lack ambition. If you are very serious about becoming a professional musician and building a great career in music, then you absolutely must surround yourself with like-minded musicians.
Mistake #5 - Having merely mediocre live performing skills. Many musicians, who are not yet in a good band, put off developing their live performing and stage presence skills. This is a big reason why talented musicians don't get into really good bands that they audition for. Your music may be good, but a live 'show' requires more than great music. If people only wanted to hear the music, they would listen to you at home. Both fans and record labels want (and expect) to see a REAL show. Neglecting this area results in talented musicians and bands becoming quickly forgotten.
Mistake #4 - Focusing on increasing the 'quantity' of fans instead of the 'intensity' of your fans. The 'number' of fans you have should always be your secondary focus (not your primary one) if you want to become successful in the music industry. The fact is, it is not the number of 'fans' that matters most, it's the number of FANATICS which will contribute more directly to your success (or lack of it). This is particularly true in the beginning of a band's music career. Focus more effort on converting your existing fans into raving fanatics. Learn to do this and the number of your overall fans will increase through powerful word of mouth.
Mistake #3 - Not enough cash flow to support your music career. Like it or not, it takes money to build a music career. Even if other people/companies are paying for your record, tour support, merchandise, etc. you still need to have the freedom to pursue opportunities as they come. Sadly, many musicians miss opportunities because they can't afford to take advantage of them. In addition to a decent income, you also need the flexibility of being able to take time away from that income source to go into the studio, go on tour, etc. That is why learning how to teach guitar is such a great way to achieve both if you learn how to become a highly successful guitar teacher.
Mistake #2 - Not enough depth in your music relationships. There's an old expression, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." In music this is often modified to, "It's not who you know, it's who knows you." The truth is, it's not about either. The most important aspect of connections within the music industry is how deep are the current relationships you have now and will develop in the future. You don't want to simply know people or be known, you want people who know you to have a real deep connection with you so that you are always on the top of their mind when opportunities present themselves. Ask yourself, "What can I do right now to deepen my existing relationships further on an ongoing basis?"
Mistake #1 - Having a fundamental misunderstanding about what record companies look for - and expect from new bands. This is a huge topic, but in a nutshell it's very useful to think of record companies like a bank that lends money to people or small businesses. Record companies make most of their decisions about whom they will work with and what the terms will be in much the same way that a bank will determine who they will loan money to and what the terms of the loan will be. Both record companies and banks basically want to see 3 things:
1. How much value do you bring to the deal right now.
2. How much risk do you bring with you right now.
3. How much potential value and risk might you bring to them in the future after they invest in you.
If you want to buy a house, the bank wants to know a lot about the specific house you want to buy and EVEN MORE about YOU. Record companies are the exact same, they want to know about your music, your talent and your band, but they also care as much (or more) about YOU (and your band mates) as people. What about YOU makes a record deal a good or bad investment for them.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=edaca300-efe0-4e67-85da-afabc676cf0f)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Apple Buys EMI
Image via Wikipedia
The deal... Just like with Apple's purchase of Lala, no hard numbers have been released. But both Citi and Terra Firma are happy. Citi gets its money back, and Guy Hands gets to save face, Terra Firma's covenant breaches become irrelevant, there's no need to raise and inject new capital and by selling to Jobs, et al, Hands gets to spin the concept that this was his plan all along.
Yes, the catalog license was just a ruse. Because, after all, everyone knows that Mr. Hands is smarter than Doug Morris and Mel Lewinter. Lucian Grainge? He's a glorified A&R guy with a bean counter mentality. Hands played the Universal boys like a fiddle. Do you really think he'd place the Fab Four's music in the hands of such charlatans? When he can put it in its rightful place, in the bosom of Steve Jobs, and see it live forever?
What we do know is Apple's got more of a future than major labels. Which is why the Cupertino company is smart enough to immediately close down new music development at EMI. It's about the catalog baby, unless you can stunt. Which is why Damian Kulash and OK Go are coming back. Yes, that was part of the deal, Jobs insisted. Upon launch of the 3G iPad, there will be a new OK Go video, to bump sales thirty days after the Wi-Fi launch. And, one year from now, when the 3-D iPad launches, the OK Go Rube Goldberg video will be free in 3-D for all purchasers. Along with a gratis copy of "Up" in 3-D.
A 3-D iPad?
3-D TV makes no sense. Sitting on the couch with those doofus glasses. But every 3-D iPad will come with WHITE glasses! Can you imagine the rage? Haven't heard from Kanye recently? That's because he's part of the 3-D iPad launch! He's going to promote the white glasses! Dr. Dre and Beats headphones? Come on. Monster compared to Apple? Iovine's no match for Jobs. Whatever happened to that Jimmy sponsored high quality sound for computers...go the way of SACD and DVD-A?
Anyway, despite turning EMI into a catalog company, there will be a road open into the new Apple-owned EMI (for the record, the EMI name will be dropped...no, it won't be called Apple Records, because of the Beatle conflict, the record company will just be another division of Apple Inc.) Apple has brokered a deal with SonicBids, wherein wannabes can submit music to be used in iPad promotions. One wonders how this works, because of the low quantity of music ultimately required and the vast number of submissions, but that hasn't stopped SonicBids in the past, so...
In other words, Apple will be in the new music business, but only for songs they can use to cross-promote Apple products. Furthermore, if you make a deal with Apple, you cannot tie in with any other company. Steve loves his walled garden. So, if you're contemplating a deal with Procter & Gamble, don't waste your time with SonicBids.
So what does this mean for music?
The story since the purchase of Lala has been cloud-based listening. But now that Apple owns not only the Beatles, but the Beach Boys and the Band (what Steve refers to as the "Three B's"), the company plans to drive down the price of music at the iTunes Store. Yes, within thirty days, every EMI track will be a dime. The major labels wanted higher prices?? Let them wrestle with LOWER prices! Yes, music will be a loss leader, all to sell iPads, iPods and iPhones. Everybody knows the money's in hardware. Furthermore, with streaming imminent, why not blow out MP3s? It took Universal ten years after Napster to drop the price of the CD to ten bucks? Apple can see that ownership is near extinction, they want to blow out product while they can.
As for the Beatles... They will only be available in Apple Lossless format. Yoko Ono insisted. It's a way of separating John from the legacy of Phil Spector, who famously wore that button "Back To Mono". By only making high quality files available, fidelity will be luscious, you won't get the compressed Wall of Sound and Phil can rot in jail, where Ono believes he belongs.
But, you say those lossless files take forever to download, they're bandwidth hogs!
Not Apple's problem. You pay for your Wi-Fi. And good luck downloading via AT&T on 3G, which is why Jobs will reveal the Verizon iPhone and iPads before the 3G model actually launches.
Controlling the music game, owning EMI and retail, forcing the other three major companies to play on his terms or die, Mr. Jobs is now moving into the touring sphere, where the majority of today's music money resides.
A deal has been brokered with Live Nation. With every concert ticket, you get a free download of the show within twenty four hours, IN VIDEO! Well, not every concert, just those acts controlled by Front Line. Yup, starts with the Eagles. Then Van Halen, who will be back on the road, although Valerie Bertinelli will not be singing backup, Perez Hilton's information is incorrect. Irving's plowing ahead with those acts who've collapsed all their rights and can make these deals. Yes, that was Terry McBride's concept, and his old charges the Barenaked Ladies, having a deal with EMI, will immediately make their concerts available on iPads too.
With so much power residing in Azoff and Rapino's empire, acts under contract to labels will clamor for their companies to grant iPad concert rights too. Soon, well, in two or three years, you know how slow the majors work, every concert ticket will come with a video. Expect audio first. You know how the majors like to dip their toes. Then again, Jobs has hired Hilary Rosen to whip the labels into shape, telling them this is the second coming, to get on board NOW, not to screw up like they did ten years ago.
Then, there's the true breakthrough. iPads at the show.
Yes, your iPad is your ticket. The screen will display a giant bar code. And this will thwart scalpers...like they're going to buy a boatload of iPads? Then again, just like acts scalp their own tickets, there's rumor of a back door deal between Azoff and Apple to do just this, sell discounted iPads to brokers, Azoff getting his money directly from Apple...
And once you've got your iPad at the gig, let the games begin!
Sure, you can tweet, and update your Facebook page. But, for an extra fee, you can get backstage video, every fan's true desire. For even more money, you get a personal greeting from the band member of your choice, to keep forever (or as long as your iPad works...) There's been talk of a further opportunity, one involving intimate involvement with performers after the show, but so far this has only been legally cleared in Nevada. Then again, Las Vegas is a burgeoning concert location.
Will iPads dominate at festivals?
Interesting question. Do you want Coachella Crud on your iPad? Or Stagecoach Schmutz? There's talk of a new device, much smaller, called the iWrist, but with such a small screen, it may be unworkable.
As for now, Steve Jobs illustrates his mercurial nature once again, doing the unexpected, swooping in and seizing an opportunity available to all, but making it work as a result of synergy. Yes, Microsoft kicked the tires. And Elevation Partners too. But Microsoft has got no hardware, no way to maximize the value. It made no sense for Ballmer to overpay. Sure, he could put Beatle pictures and music on Bing, but that's hard to truly monetize.
Palm's got the device, but no money and no traction. Bono and Paul McGuinness met with Guy Hands, but refused to put any of their own money into the deal. Guy told them U2 might be the biggest band in the world, but he couldn't sell the company on faith. As for trusting Roger McNamee...that just elicited a laugh.
As for Google... That was the reason for the Jobs/Schmidt summit last weekend (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?entry_id=60029&tsp=1) One, it distracted the press from sniffing out the EMI deal. Two, it signaled a division of spoils, wherein Apple gets music and Google gets search. Like two Mafia bosses, they divided up the landscape. Then again, Google was worried about worldwide exploitation of the Beatles, the band is still seen as subversive in China.
So the major label era is finally finished.
Steve said there's no way he's paying "Hits". Indie promotion is truly history.
Rob Stringer is cock-blocked. Yes, he wanted to sell to Apple first, but his brother nixed the deal. Sir Howard still believes he can resurrect the moribund Sony brand. Ain't that a laugh. Although there is supposedly a PlayPad in development.
Lyor Cohen... That's why he's selling his townhouse. He knew, he's out. As for Edgar Bronfman, Jr....it's like that old Paul Simon song, "Something So Right"...
"When something goes wrong
I'm the first to admit it
I'm the first to admit it
But the last one to know..."
So it's Steve's world. We just live in it. All you Apple haters can either get on the bus or be left behind. Tech rules. And techies are smarter than music business people. Even hedge funders are smarter than music business people. Come on, can't you give Guy Hands credit, he played this beautifully!
(Note: Clive Calder was outbid for EMI by Apple, he saw no reason to pay so much, he had no synergy, but expect him to buy both Warner and Sony in the aftermath, which he will run on the cheap, with Billy Ocean as head of A&R.)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=5959c114-96bd-41ca-9208-08ed160c8ef1)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers via last.fm
But it's not the best.
"Leather and Lace" has that vibe that's fallen by the wayside, you know, the one where a woman in a long dress takes you into the dell and reveals her inner truth as you stare into her eyes and fall in love. Today's female artists are in your face, competing with the men, kicking you to the curb, or so wimpy as to be disposable, completely irrelevant.
But as much as I love "Leather and Lace"'s intimate feel, its circular nature, what puts it over the top comes halfway through, when Don Henley starts to sing:
"You in the moonlight
With your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me"
This is who we wanted to be. A sweet man, with substance inside, a certain solid quality. And you could infer a sexual meaning to what I just said, and maybe that's just the point. Sex today is portrayed as rough, you take your woman, or vice versa, but reality is more about those who are self-conscious, yet are finally honest with another human being and end up connecting, coming inside.
Take that either way you want to. Metaphorically or sexually. That's just the point. When done right, sex is an opening up, a connection. But our society is too fearful to portray it that way. Movies are laden with special effects, but sometimes songs get it right. And "Leather and Lace" does.
The reason "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" triumphs is not because of Tom Petty's vocal, however great it might be, but the riffs, the underlying song. It's Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers backing Stevie Nicks, as she reveals her frustration with a certain intimacy, that doesn't want for power.
"Baby you'll come knocking on my front door Same old line you used to use before"
Truth. She's busting him.
But that's not the complete story...
I had to go to the bathroom. Which is why I entered City Market solo. Felice, her brother and my two college buddies were ensconced in the store, deep into the belly of the beast, long after dark, when the food emporium was almost empty, except for the catatonic cashiers up front.
And I hear something in the background, over the sound system, a record playing.
It's like the song scooped me up and took me for a ride.
Suddenly, there was a bounce in my step. I'd missed the explosive opening riff. But that groove was so wide, it swallowed me whole, carried me away.
"Leather and Lace" is a great song.
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" is a classic.
Not something they sing on "American Idol", not something that can be sanitized and sung at pep or political rallies. It sits at the nexus of rock and roll and its audience. When the most important item you owned wasn't your cell phone, but your stereo. You came home and CRANKED IT!
Yes, I turned up "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" so loud the neighbors freaked. But who could resist? You just wanted to get closer, you just wanted to be enveloped.
As necessary as Ms. Nicks is to this rendition, it's Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers who shine. What mutation happened on stage, in rehearsal, that made them come up with this sound? Yes, it's uniquely theirs... They listened to the same British Invasion tracks we did, but with these influences they created something unique. That nestled perfectly alongside the rest of the FM hit parade. Bands didn't go to Timbaland to get the same sound as every other outfit, they crafted their own!
"It's hard to think about what you've wanted It's hard to think about what you've lost"
You bet. That's what I told Ron the night before. Life was about closing doors. Yup, as you're watching TV, as you're wasting time, doors are shutting behind you like crazy. There goes your chance to be a movie director, there goes your chance to be a famous author, there goes your chance to have kids. They tell you life goes by fast, but they don't tell you how hard it is to accomplish a single thing. They don't tell you how hard it is to be a rock and roll star, one with a career, who lasts.
I don't want to think about what I wanted. It freaks me out to think about what I've lost. But when I heard "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" in the supermarket Friday night my life worked. By spending those endless hours listening to the radio, the stereo, digging ever deeper, I'd come across this great record, which I'd played so many times it was in my DNA, to the point when it came over the sound system the other night it was better than being greeted by an old friend, it was like being welcomed by God.
Yup, that's what's in those rock and roll records.
Don't listen to the charlatans telling you to go to a house of worship, where you'll be instructed what you can and cannot do.
Rock and roll is a big tent. It allows all comers. Any height, any skin color. Just put on the record and turn it up. You'll see something that eludes every edition of the Bible. You'll see life itself, in all its glory, the warts and the inspiration.
Screw instant stardom. Tom Petty played more gigs in bars than most people in today's hit parade have played in their entire lives. Malcolm Gladwell said the Beatles were so good because of all that wood shedding in Hamburg? Tom Petty and his band are so freakin' great because of all those hours in Gainesville. Listening to the radio. Practicing. Gigging.
We baby boomers know the difference. Because when the Fab Four hit, we all picked up instruments, formed bands. But we gave up when it got tough, we went to college, but Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers PERSISTED!
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=abe4ea6c-f5b4-490d-9f69-0c523208343b)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Intention – The Bolder Dimension of Songwriting
My buddy Wayne asked me to share this with my friends. It is a well written article about Songwriting that all songwriter's might enjoy.
Wayne Cohen, veteran multi-platinum selling ASCAP hit songwriter, producer and educator, owner of publishing/production company Stand Up Songs.
Wayne teaches individual and group songwriting tutoring sessions at his NYC Stand Up Studio and via Skype.
One of my song tutoring students recently sang me a song she was working on called ‘Listen You’, which I thought was a cool idea about missing that special someone. She had strong lyrics for her chorus, but the chorus chords she had were in a minor key just like the verse had been. The minor chords worked great in the verse, but the melody fell flat at the chorus. I call this kind of chorus melody problem flat lining, as in, the melody didn’t lift enough for a chorus. I suggested that she go to the relative major key for the chorus, and that the melody needed to be ‘happier’ to pay off the manic lyric idea she had set up. This eventually made for a killer chorus for that song.
This started me thinking, if the question is, ‘how do you write a breakthrough song?’
This experience with my student reinforced my conviction that having an intention when writing is the answer. In other words, if you can imagine the result you want before you get there, you have a much better chance of achieving that result.
I think lack of intention is one of the things that is crippling the music industry. I see creators in many fields (not just songwriters) influenced by the culture of immediacy that we are living in. I believe some songwriters are influenced away from writing a breakthrough song, expressing a riveting clear universal emotion with catchy melodies, and instead are focused on making trendy tracks that sell immediately. I think the craft of songwriting is suffering as a result, and this shortsightedness is contributing to a lack of certain songs’ longevity on the charts.
But keeping this idea of intention can be a tricky business when writing a song, because sometimes you don’t want to question that magical part of writing from pure inspiration. Great songs can seem to fall out of the sky and flow through the writer.
However there are so many facets of songwriting that can be improved by conscious thought. There are many examples of this, not the least of which is McCartney’s now clichéd story about ‘Yesterday’ starting out as a song he dreamed called ‘Scrambled Eggs’. After further consideration, the title and subsequent lyric story of ‘Yesterday’ had just the right feeling for the melody he dreamed. The title and lyric fit like hand in glove. But he worked at it ‘til he had something great. And that was all because of his intention to write a great song. Luckily he didn’t settle for ‘Scrambled Eggs’.
So, you ask, how can we take an OK song and make it better, with the right intention?
As a starting point, here is a quick intention checklist to run your songs by.
Intention Check List:
1. How do you want the song to feel?
2. Does every aspect of the song feel the way you want it to feel?
3. Does the lyric develop within a section, and from section to section, to express an urgent coherent story, the way you want it to?
4. Does the melody have the right flow, i.e., does it climax and subside where it needs to? (from the verse into the chorus, etc..)
5. Is there rhyme scheme consistency and development in the right places?
6. Have you mapped your melodic rhythm by using slash marks to count the number of syllables (for ex., map the V1 melody so that V2 will have the same melodic rhythm)?
Feel free to drop me a line and let me know how you did with the checklist…I’m curious! You can hook up with my buddy Wayne here: wayne@standupsongs.com
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=0854cec5-acef-46ca-bc6c-abe1e1131115)
Wayne Cohen, veteran multi-platinum selling ASCAP hit songwriter, producer and educator, owner of publishing/production company Stand Up Songs.
Wayne teaches individual and group songwriting tutoring sessions at his NYC Stand Up Studio and via Skype.
One of my song tutoring students recently sang me a song she was working on called ‘Listen You’, which I thought was a cool idea about missing that special someone. She had strong lyrics for her chorus, but the chorus chords she had were in a minor key just like the verse had been. The minor chords worked great in the verse, but the melody fell flat at the chorus. I call this kind of chorus melody problem flat lining, as in, the melody didn’t lift enough for a chorus. I suggested that she go to the relative major key for the chorus, and that the melody needed to be ‘happier’ to pay off the manic lyric idea she had set up. This eventually made for a killer chorus for that song.
This started me thinking, if the question is, ‘how do you write a breakthrough song?’
This experience with my student reinforced my conviction that having an intention when writing is the answer. In other words, if you can imagine the result you want before you get there, you have a much better chance of achieving that result.
I think lack of intention is one of the things that is crippling the music industry. I see creators in many fields (not just songwriters) influenced by the culture of immediacy that we are living in. I believe some songwriters are influenced away from writing a breakthrough song, expressing a riveting clear universal emotion with catchy melodies, and instead are focused on making trendy tracks that sell immediately. I think the craft of songwriting is suffering as a result, and this shortsightedness is contributing to a lack of certain songs’ longevity on the charts.
But keeping this idea of intention can be a tricky business when writing a song, because sometimes you don’t want to question that magical part of writing from pure inspiration. Great songs can seem to fall out of the sky and flow through the writer.
However there are so many facets of songwriting that can be improved by conscious thought. There are many examples of this, not the least of which is McCartney’s now clichéd story about ‘Yesterday’ starting out as a song he dreamed called ‘Scrambled Eggs’. After further consideration, the title and subsequent lyric story of ‘Yesterday’ had just the right feeling for the melody he dreamed. The title and lyric fit like hand in glove. But he worked at it ‘til he had something great. And that was all because of his intention to write a great song. Luckily he didn’t settle for ‘Scrambled Eggs’.
So, you ask, how can we take an OK song and make it better, with the right intention?
As a starting point, here is a quick intention checklist to run your songs by.
Intention Check List:
1. How do you want the song to feel?
2. Does every aspect of the song feel the way you want it to feel?
3. Does the lyric develop within a section, and from section to section, to express an urgent coherent story, the way you want it to?
4. Does the melody have the right flow, i.e., does it climax and subside where it needs to? (from the verse into the chorus, etc..)
5. Is there rhyme scheme consistency and development in the right places?
6. Have you mapped your melodic rhythm by using slash marks to count the number of syllables (for ex., map the V1 melody so that V2 will have the same melodic rhythm)?
Feel free to drop me a line and let me know how you did with the checklist…I’m curious! You can hook up with my buddy Wayne here: wayne@standupsongs.com
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest
Image by Pesky Library via Flickr
But the buzz is unbelievable. Readers feel triumphant, special, like they're members of a cult. Does this remind you of the way it used to be in the music business?
Start reading "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". Just buy it. Don't check with your friends, the price is not outrageous, give it fifty or a hundred pages.
Actually, it doesn't take that long. Far before that, you'll be hooked.
There's no video, no outrageous outfits like Lady GaGa, none of the penumbra that saddles music today. Remember when music was enough? That's how it is with Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Trilogy", the story is enough.
As soon as you finish "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", you'll buy "The Girl Who Played With Fire". Nobody stops at book one, hell, they're thrilled there's a sequel. Kind of like buying the first album by a new act, spinning it to death, and finding out there's already a second, just as good!
But imagine that second album ending in the middle of a song. That's what reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire" is like. You've got to read the third book, "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest" to find out what happened to Lisbeth Salander. Is she alive, is she dead?
I'm not telling.
But I will say that for a book that's unavailable in the U.S., that needs to be ordered via subterfuge, from the U.K., it's astounding how many copies I see in my everyday life. People carry them around like trophies. And when you interrupt them, to ask them about it, they greet you with open arms, they want to talk about the trilogy.
This is so different from the way the music business has played out, which is now like the cocaine 80's. Who's holding, can I get in the bathroom with the cool people to partake? The stars are behind a wall, playing a game known as fame, which is separate from their music, just read the gossip blogs to find out. And if you want to get closer, you can't, you just can't get a good seat. Because you don't have an Amex card or you're not rich enough or even after joining the so-called "fan club", you're still offered overpriced, shitty tickets.
People love the work, even people who haven't read a book in years. There's just something about the story, which isn't lowest-common denominator, which is not solely plot, which requires some intelligence to juggle all the characters and scenes in your mind.
Imagine a band that's truly great, that is sans hype, that makes it solely because of the music. Which then releases its next album on the Internet, but doesn't allow you to buy it. Can you imagine how fast the music would spread?
But, but, but, I need to get PAID!
The musicians are as bad as Wall Street robber barons. Starting out with how much money they want to make in a year, they rape and pillage to get it, not caring that they add not a whit to the social fabric. Hey, it's my new album, you've got to buy it! And come see me in concert, where I prance to pyrotechnics at far too high a price!
Books aren't featured in the gossip columns. Stieg Larsson can't do interviews, he's dead. But the work he left behind is creating a frenzy. Which is not being fed by the mainstream media, but the reading public. If anything, it's seeping into the press as a result of reader fanaticism. The way the newspaper used to be last on a new act, as opposed to first, today being whipped into shape by the label, hyped to death.
We've all been hyped to death.
But the "Millennium Trilogy" is something different.
Join the cult. You'll be fulfilled, you'll be proud, you'll be titillated, you'll be thrilled, the same way you were when you attached yourself to the great bands of yore.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=472c59cc-48f6-4c6c-bf55-ec448c944a9c)
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Press
Image via CrunchBase
Entitled "Obama, Lehman and the 'Dragon Tattoo', it's an indictment of the Wall Street robber barons via Stieg Larsson's best-selling book.
http://www.nytimes.com//2010/03/21/opinion/21rich.html
Here's the key passage:
"'A bank director who blows millions on foolhardy speculations should not keep his job,' writes Larsson in one typical passage. 'A managing director who plays shell company games should do time.' Larsson is no less lacerating about influential journalists who treat 'mediocre financial whelps like rock stars' and who docilely 'regurgitate the statements issued by C.E.O.'s and stock-market speculators.' He pleads for some 'tough reporter' to 'identify and expose as traitors' the financial players who have 'systematically and perhaps deliberately' damaged their country's economy 'to satisfy the profit interests of their clients.'"
Where are those tough reporters? Lapping up the spin of Timothy Geithner's public relations team?
"Geithner's major calling lately has been a public-relations tour, with full-dress profiles in The New Yorker, The Atlantic and even Vogue, which filled us in on his humble 'off-the-rack' Brooks Brothers suits. Last week he also contributed a video testimonial to the on-air fifth anniversary celebration of Jim Cramer's 'Mad Money.' Like the heedless casino culture it exemplified, that CNBC program has long been back to speculative business-as-usual, pumping stocks as if the crash were just a small, inconvenient bump on the road to larger profits and bonuses."
Then I turn to the Style section of the "Times" and find Patti Smith on its cover, in a dress.
Who gives a shit about Patti Smith?
The "New York Times", that's who. A bunch of self-congratulatory tastemakers who have paraded the work of this third rate artist ad infinitum for decades, even more so now, even though she hasn't done a worthwhile thing since the seventies.
I bought all the albums, save me the hate mail.
The point is, the papers are skewed.
I know, I know, it's complicated. I'm quoting Frank Rich at the same time I'm decrying the paper's efforts... But my point is, we've been dictated to by the mainstream press for years, have you ever questioned whether their viewpoint is accurate?
Take the Michael Jackson Sony deal...
I received the following e-mail from a powerful music business attorney:
"Have you seen that crap about the Michael Jackson deal? It's everything you talk about in lazy mainstream media reporting.
I've had 2 reporters call me and they seem to have no skepticism at all. I mean, I know it's more than a record deal, but if it's primarily based around records, they'd have to sell more than 50 million to come out of the deal--that will only happen in this market if Michael dies again.
Then in every report, you read about how Sony sold 31 million MJ records last year, 'almost 2/3 of them overseas.' So you check US Soundscan (which a few reporters actually did), and it's 8.3 million units (according to those reports). Multiply that by 3 and you get 31 million? Not in my math class. These guys are so lazy they can't even multiply.
Like I keep telling the reporters, every deal I've ever done that I've read about is wrong, so why should this one be right? Besides, I've inherited deals that Branca did and were reported at about 3 times what they turned out to be when I finally saw the contracts."
Whew!
The Internet is just a constant warning that the old players want to keep their cash cows, want no questions asked, believe they're entitled to their money.
One can argue that Stieg Larsson wasn't first, but a public that rebelled against a major label system that overcharged them for nine tracks they didn't want in order to get the one they did.
People are just as pissed about Wall Street. Unfortunately, it's a bit tough for many to comprehend. But maybe reform isn't as distant as the mainstream believes, as long as bloggers and those in the know online keep hammering away, revealing the truth.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=d6bb596d-79eb-4d63-b581-48741573d0ee)
Friday, March 26, 2010
The Health Care Bill
Image by Listener42 via Flickr
What if conventional wisdom isn't conventional?
Used to be you turned on the TV and took the temperature of the nation. If you were truly sophisticated, you read the newspaper. And learned what was really going on. Or did you?
Turns out the truth is a bit different from what the conventional media tells us it is. Turns out the only stories aren't the ones in the newspaper (and, for the record, TV does no reporting, unless someone got raped, killed or kidnapped.) Turns out the usual suspects have lost control of the thermometer, if you want to know what the temperature is in this country, you surf the Web and come to your own conclusions.
This is big.
Would George Bush be able to con America into believing there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in 2010? Doubtful. Because we're no longer dependent on Judith Miller, our country is no longer controlled by one reporter with a mouthpiece, rather there's a plethora of voices, and frequently the ones online are more informed. Because they're reporting within their area of expertise and not beholden to fat cats, and not on a career path determined by anyone other than themselves.
Speak with a newspaper reporter. They're asking questions. They're investigating. But what if the person who knew was writing what was going on? What then?
That's what's happening today.
Conventional wisdom said health care was dead. But then the President and the Democratic Congress were enlightened by vocal supporters, disillusioned Democrats, primarily online, asking WHAT THE HELL?
We elected you. We wanted change. And you're worried about these nitwit Republicans beholden to the religious right who can only say no, who are refusing to play because they don't have the ball.
Balls? Suddenly, the Democrats grew them.
And I don't care what side of the debate you're on, I don't care whether you support health care or not, you've got to admit it's fascinating how the media said one thing and the truth turned out to be the other way.
They tell us people like the beat-infused Top Forty. They tell us the best way to make a star is on TV, preferably "American Idol". They tell us the major labels' model has to be protected. But IS THIS TRUE?
Everything's up for grabs. It no longer matters what Rush Limbaugh says, nor the RIAA. Everyone's questioning what's fed to them, they're dong independent research and coming to their own conclusions.
Like:
1. Physical formats are dead.
2. Music is overpriced.
3. The concert ticket game is rigged.
4. Today's acts suck.
But, but, BUT you say, CDs still sell and...
You're making the same mistake the mainstream press did. You're paying attention to the fading minority. Or as Henry Ford once said, "If I'd listened to customers, I'd have given them a faster horse."
Market research doesn't tell you where the future lies. Steve Jobs didn't ask people whether they wanted an iPad, HE MADE IT!
Market research said no one would rent videos, and then everybody did. Market research says people don't want to rent music, but if you don't think the Spotify/streaming model will triumph, your head is truly up your ass.
It's just a matter of when.
Now is the time to take the ball and run it up the middle.
Now is the time to create truly great music, not worrying about what gatekeepers say, taking it straight to the public.
There's no center.
Doug Morris just isn't that powerful.
Nor is Lucian Grainge.
And whatever power Irving Azoff has is limited. He doesn't control music distribution. He may have a bit of a corner on live exhibition, but that's just a piece of the puzzle.
It's a whole new world! Doesn't matter what the fat cats, the usual suspects, those who once had power, have to say. Not a whit.
It matters what the Web constituency has to say.
Yes, people still listen to radio, but there are people who still buy CDs, DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE FADING MINORITY! That's like trumpeting Sarah Palin for President. She can't win. Numbers will tell you this. But the mainstream media likes the story. But she's just about irrelevant.
And I'm not saying the Democrats are princes, but when Obama and Pelosi finally grabbed the ball, stopped pussyfooting, challenged their critics and ignored naysayers, and more importantly, the American people, they got something done!
Stop listening to those who say you can't. Their opinion is worthless. Doesn't matter if the A&R guy doesn't like your music. Doesn't matter if radio ignores you either.
It comes down to this, DO THE PEOPLE LIKE YOU?
Do they?
Numbers don't lie. How many fans have truly downloaded your music? How big is your mailing list? How many Twitter followers do you have? If none of these numbers are large, either you're the worst marketer in creation or you suck. Or both.
But if you're good, now more than ever, it's your time. People don't care about the chart. They don't care about what the mainstream says. They care about what their friends and trusted filters say. They're making their own decisions. Play to them, they're the only ones who count.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=51fb3c8c-ad5f-42e0-ad14-776c8982e919)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)