tag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:/blogs/news?p=2News2023-10-16T07:55:46-07:00Brandon Ricefalsetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903562013-04-08T17:00:00-07:002022-05-31T21:32:57-07:00Brandon Rice's "Choo Choo"--reviewed by Ken Capobianco, music critic Boston Globe/Cape Cod Times
<p>Brandon Rice's "Choo-Choo Song" is a spirited, briskly executed and well sung track, which should be a fun centerpiece to his live show. Rice shows a fine sense of narrative and a playful sensibility as the song builds a full head of steam. It's smartly produced with inventive touches and subtle harmonies. It adds up to a breezy and energetic companion for all wandering spirits.
--Ken Capobianco, music critic Boston Globe/Cape Cod Times
Listen here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/choo-choo-single/id623664255</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903552013-03-28T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:50-08:00Choo Choo by Brandon Rice
<p>Choo Choo scheduled for iTunes release on April 2nd 2013. It will also be available on Amazon and Spotify plus many other digital download and streaming services.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903542009-07-31T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:49-08:00Artists Find Backers as Labels Wane
<p>By BRAD STONE
Published: July 21, 2009
There was a time when most aspiring musicians had the same dream: to sign a deal with a major record label.
Now, with the structure of the music business shifting radically, some industry iconoclasts are sidestepping the music giants and inventing new ways for artists to make and market their music — without ever signing a traditional recording contract.
The latest effort comes from Brian Message, manager of the alternative band Radiohead, which gave away its last album, “In Rainbows,” on the Internet. His venture, called Polyphonic, which was announced this month, will look to invest a few hundred thousand dollars in new and rising artists who are not signed to record deals and then help them create their own direct links to audiences over the Internet.
“Artists are at the point where they realize going back to the old model doesn’t make any sense,” Mr. Message said. “There is a hunger for a new way of doing things.”
Polyphonic and similar new ventures are symptomatic of deep shifts in the music business. The major labels — Sony Music, Warner Music, EMI and Universal Music — no longer have such a firm grip on creating and selling professional music and minting hits with prime placement on the radio.
Much of that has to do with the rise of the Internet as a means of promoting and distributing music. Physical album sales fell 20 percent, to 362.6 million last year, according to Nielsen, while sales of individual digital tracks rose 27 percent, to 1.07 billion, failing to compensate for the drop. Mindful of these changes, in the last few years marquee musicians like Trent Reznor, the Beastie Boys and Barenaked Ladies have created their own artist-run labels and reaped significant rewards by keeping a larger share of their revenue.
Under the Polyphonic model, bands that receive investments from the firm will operate like start-up companies, recording their own music and choosing outside contractors to handle their publicity, merchandise and touring.
Instead of receiving an advance and then possibly reaping royalties later if they have a hit, musicians will share in all the profits from their music and touring. In another departure from tradition in the music business, they will also maintain ownership of their own copyrights and master recordings — meaning they and their heirs can keep earning money from their music.
“We are all witnessing major labels starting to shed artists that are hitting only 80,000 or 100,000 unit sales,” said Adam Driscoll, another Polyphonic founder and chief executive of the British media company MAMA Group. “Do a quick calculation on those sales, with an artist who can tour in multiple cities, and that is a good business. You can take that as a foundation and build on it.”
The third Polyphonic principal is Terry McBride, founder of the Vancouver-based management firm Nettwerk Music Group and former manager of Barenaked Ladies.
The Polyphonic founders, who have provided the company with $20 million in seed financing, say they plan to invest around $300,000 in each band. The company will then guide musicians and their business managers — who will function a little like the band’s chief executive — to services like Topspin, which helps manage a band’s online presence, and TuneCore, a company that distributes music to online services like iTunes, Amazon and Napster.
The partners say they have been thinking about such a venture for several years. They recently tried to raise money for the company from venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, but met with initial skepticism.
“Returns on entertainment products when portfolios are small are typically very erratic,” said David Pakman, a partner at venture capital firm Venrock, which passed on the deal. Mr. Pakman doubted that Polyphonic and similar firms could produce the kind of returns on investment that venture firms typically look for.
Polyphonic, which will be based in London and in Nettwerk’s offices in New York and Los Angeles, says it plans to approach private investors again after it has proved its model works.
The new company will have plenty of company in exploring new ways for artists to maintain control over their creations.
Marc Geiger, an agent at William Morris Endeavor, who tried a similar venture in the late 1990s called ArtistDirect, is now developing a program for musicians at his agency that will be called Self Serve. Mr. Geiger said he was not ready to divulge the details yet, but said that Self Serve would provide tools and financing for artists to create businesses independent of major recording labels.
Even the major labels themselves are demonstrating new flexibility for musicians who do not want to sign the immersive partnerships known as 360 deals, in which the label manages and profits from every part of the artist’s business.
In late November, for example, EMI took the unusual step of creating a music services division to provide an array of services — like touring and merchandise support — to musicians who were not signed to the label.
“We all know the role that the record label has traditionally played needs to change,” said Ronn Werre, president of EMI’s new division. “There are artists that want to have more creative control and long-term ownership of their masters, and they may want to take on more of the financial risk. To be successful we need to have a great deal of flexibility in how we work with artists.”
Artists who have produced their own music and contracted with EMI to run parts of their business include the R&B singer Bobby Valentino and Raekwon, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Mr. Message said that “there are many artists who still want to go with labels, which do still have abilities to really ram home hit singles.”
Bands who take the Polyphonic route, he said, will need to have considerable entrepreneurial energy. For example, they might stay after concerts to “go to the merchandise store and sign their shirts and talk to fans, because they know they are right at the heart of their own business,” he said.
Bands that have taken this approach say it can be arduous. In 2007, after releasing three records with independent labels, Metric, an alternative band from Toronto, finally got several offers from the big record companies. But the band declined to sign after concluding that the labels were asking for too many rights and not offering enough in return.
With help from a grant from the Canadian government, the band cut its own album in April, “Fantasies,” and started selling it directly to fans on services like iTunes, where it has scaled the popularity charts.
“It certainly has not been easy,” said Matt Drouin, Metric’s manager. “When I get up at 6 a.m. the British are e-mailing me. When I go to bed at 2 in the morning the Australians are e-mailing me. It’s an extremely empowering position, but one hell of an undertaking.”</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903532009-07-20T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:49-08:00Woody Guthrie
<p>Did you know, Woody Guthrie wrote the song "This Land Is Your Land" as a rebuttal to "God Bless America"? He didn't feel like god should just bless America. I like Woody Guthrie.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903522009-06-12T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:49-08:00Copyright Office Bogged Down by New System
<p>By Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The envelopes fill white plastic tubs, stacked on hundreds of shelves in the basement of the Library of Congress. They're spreading to a ground-floor space that once housed the gift shop and are clogging offices on the fourth floor. And each day, the mail trucks bring about a thousand more.
A serious logjam in the U.S. Copyright Office has created a growing mountain of paper applications, more than the staff can process. Like the marching buckets of water in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," the envelopes just keep coming, threatening to flood the operation.
The problem has tripled the processing time for a copyright from six to 18 months, and delays are expected to get worse in coming months. The library's inspector general has warned that the backlog threatens the integrity of the U.S. copyright system.
The irony is that the slowdown stems from a new $52 million electronic process that is supposed to speed the way writers and others register their literary, musical or visual work.
The delays do not appear to be hampering the business of the major publishing houses or those willing to spend $685 for a "special handling fee" that expedites registration. But the slowdown is frustrating hundreds of thousands of little-known people with big dreams. They paid $45 for the right to claim legal ownership of poems, fabric designs, plays, jingles, even computer manuals.
Marissa Ditkowsky, a Long Island teenager, has been checking her mailbox for 15 months for the copyright registration for three songs she wrote, recorded and sent on a compact disc to the federal government.
"We lost a whole year," said her mother, Alita, who wants to launch her guitar-strumming daughter on a music career. At 14, Marissa is too young to appear on "American Idol." Instead, she wants to sing her songs during open-mike nights at local clubs and make a professional demo she can shop to music companies.
But Alita Ditkowsky does not want her daughter to perform without a copyright, because she fears that Marissa's songs are so good, someone else will steal them. She said she learned that lesson years ago while trying to get a job at an advertising agency.
"They asked me to write an ad for the Schick electric shaver," Ditkowsky said. "So one day in my car, I hear this radio spot I had wrote for the Schick electric shaver. It was my commercial, word for word. They used it, didn't pay me for it, didn't even hire me. But legally, I had no recourse."
At first, the Ditkowskys were told it would take three to six months to register Marissa's songs. That grew to nine months, then a year. When she last called for an update, Alita Ditkowsky was told 16 months.
"This is just unacceptable," the mother said. "Any company outside of a government agency would have been held accountable for this. They cashed my check, and I got nothing for it. There's something very, very wrong here."
The trouble is twofold. Workers say the electronic system is slow and prone to crashing. Managers say the challenge has been retraining the staff to use the system. Both sides agree the more significant problem is the fact that much of the public is still using paper applications, which must be painstakingly entered by hand into the new electronic database.
About 45 percent of applications are still in paper form. The staff is spending so much time handling the paper claims, it doesn't have enough time to process electronic applications, which has created delays for online claims now, too. It now takes six months to process electronic claims when it should take one month.
Of the 10,000 applications that pour into the Copyright Office each week, the staff can process about 7,000, adding 3,000 untouched applications to a growing pile that currently totals about 523,000. Workers are now handling paper applications received in late 2007.
An artist doesn't need to register a copyright to perform, publish or display an original work. But a claim filed with the government offers legal protection -- it is the only way to stop someone else from copying a work.
Gerald Linder, a 77-year-old retired anesthesiologist from Bel Air, Calif., has been waiting 16 months to register lyrics he wrote to a melody that has haunted him for years.
"Finally, I got this call a couple of days ago that it was done," said Linder, just before crooning his lyrics for "When the White Lilacs Bloom Again" over the phone. "I have some connections where I could get this out in the entertainment field and hopefully popularize it. Look, I get Social Security and consulting fees now and again. But like everyone else, we're all suffering. It would be nice to make a little money."
The problems began last July when the copyright agency implemented the electronic system, which replaced a paper-based process that had been in place for decades. The union that represents the copyright workers, Library of Congress Professional Guild AFSCME Local 2910, faults management for dismantling the paper system while the public is still using paper.
David J. Christopher, associate chief operating officer of the Copyright Office, said the backlog cannot be solved with temporary workers, because it takes a year before a registration specialist is up to speed. He acknowledged that the office had been recently understaffed but has hired 17 new registration specialists to bring the total to 115. And he said the electronic system is getting a major upgrade.
Key to management's strategy is an assumption that most applicants will eventually switch from paper to electronic filing, allowing the staff to gain control over the paper backlog and reduce it. To that end, the office plans to raise the fees for paper applications from $45 to $65 in August while keeping the fee for electronic filing at $35.
But some complain the electronic system has its own problems.
"What the hell is the matter with that [expletive] software of yours?" one author wrote in a March 22 e-mail to the copyright agency. "I've spent more than three hours and a ton of grief trying to register my literary work and upload it. That [expletive] told me at least four times that an error had occurred and then it stopped dead. Why? Who sold you that [expletive] and why did you buy it?"
The author was trying to copyright a children's book.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903512009-06-12T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:49-08:00WalMart wont carry the best record of the year: Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown"!
<p>The American record industry allowed itself to be bamboozled into giving WalMart and similar operations a near monopoly over their music. It was a catastrophe for them and their artists, especially emerging artists who now have no place to sell their CDs. But it should be no problem for a superstar act like Green Day, right? Well, no. Green Day won't self-censor their songs, which WalMart demands of artists, even platinum-selling ones. So they're not carrying 21st Century Breakdown, the band's politically charged brand new album. Green Day lead singer Billie Joe isn't budging. "They want artists to censor their records in order to be carried in there. We just said no. We've never done it before. You feel like you're in 1953 or something."
21st Century Breakdown is certainly Green Day's best record ever -- and that's saying a lot. It's also the best record of 2009 so far and perhaps of the almost finished first decade of the new century. Yeah, that good. It's their most mature endeavor, the fulfillment of all the promise they've always had. There are no weak cuts. And, according in yesterday's NY Times the release couldn't have come at a better time for Warner Bros, their label. Reporting on the cascading economics of the music industry, the Times points to CD sales that have been cut in half in the last 10 years. Warner Bros doesn't really stay in business by selling music; they sell bonds to investors who get sold a bill of goods.
U.S. Treasury bonds, for the same time span, are offering a modest 3.4% return while the Warner Music bonds are offering a juicy 9.5% annually. Some people never learn but unless Green Day puts out an album like 21st Century Breakdown every year between now and 2016, my guess is that the suckers who bought the bonds -- or, more likely, the poor saps they get unloaded on -- will wish they had stuck with the Treasuries...or invested their retirement funds in autographed Green Day memorabilia.
WalMart, which the record companies helped turn into their biggest sales outlet (perhaps more detrimental to their own health than downloading and piracy) refuses to carry Green Day because of "dirty words." And iTunes, after non-stop badgering and threats from the label, has allowed the labels to set their own prices. Warners promptly upped the price on Green Day's songs from 99 cents to $1.29. Wall Street, always short term thinkers, loves it but it's likely to lead to even more people choosing the...free option. I called a friend to tell him how the new Green Day record was the best thing I had heard in years and before the phone call was completed he was downloading it -- from some kind of illegal site.
Warner is bragging because its quarterly earnings were only down 14% (much less than the industry's as a whole). And Goldman Sachs estimates their income could remain flat for the next three years. Break out the champagne? Probably not -- and the cost of the champagne could go towards buying another company, EMI, which is even worse shape than Warner Bros. If they do it fast enough, maybe both companies could get behind "Last Night On Earth," a song incredibly reminiscent of the Beatles' Revolver era.
I remember once going for a ride with one of my label's classic platinum artists who had invited me to his home to hear his just completed new album. He bragged to me that he wrote the whole thing in a day and recorded it in less than a week. I never knew for sure if he was joking but the record sounded -- and sold -- like he was describing it accurately. I don't know how long Green Day, along with producer Butch Vig, has been working on 21st Century Breakdown, but if they told me it was for the whole five years since the release of American Idiot I wouldn't doubt them. It sounds like there was a great deal of thought, energy, sweat and tears put into this opus dealing -- in a very personal way -- with the horrific mess Bush left behind.
My friend Harry typed out this quote from Billie Joe Armstrong that's in the new issue of Rolling Stone which came to his house... in the mail. Looks like what the band accomplished with this record wasn't like a coincidence or whimsy.
"Maybe that's the reason most people don't go for it," he says. "You can scare yourself with ambition-- having the audacity to want to be as good as John Lennon or Paul McCartney or Joe Strummer. There has been so much great shit before me I feel like a student: Who the fuck do I think I am."
"But you have to battle past that," he insists in his rapid fire punk chirp. "It's the people who are overconfident who are the ones putting out the biggest piles of shit. If you're at that place where you're working hard but don't feel like you know what you're doing anymore,then you're on to something."
And it looks like the young man accomplished what he set out to do.
SOURCE-THE HUFFINGTON POST</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903502009-05-21T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:48-08:00Why Susan Boyle Matters-written by Peter Bolland
<p>Why Susan Boyle Matters
Written by Peter Bolland
By now 50 million of us have seen the viral YouTube video of Susan Boyle's remarkable performance on the BBC TV show "Britain's Got Talent." It's the most widely seen video clip in world history, surpassing previous skyrockets, such as "Bush vs. Shoes" and "Tina Fey as Sarah Palin." The footage is absolutely gripping on many levels because it holds a mirror to contemporary culture, revealing what is best and worst in us. But mainly I'm writing about this because every time I watch it I cry and I'm trying to figure out why.
Susan Boyle is an invisible 47-year-old woman from a tiny cluster of villages in Scotland. She's the kind of woman you look right past - frumpy, unkempt, one of the many, not one of the few. In the years since her father died, Susan shared a tiny apartment with her ailing mother. Then her mother died. "I live alone with my cat Pebbles," she told the show's hosts. "I've never been married, never been kissed."
"How old are you Susan?" Simon Cowell asked as she stepped on stage.
"Forty-seven," she said. Cowell rolled his eyes.
"Okay," he said, barely containing his boredom, "what's the dream?"
"I'm trying to be a professional singer," she answered. Cut to a tight shot of a young woman in the audience shaking her head disdainfully and turning to her friend in commiseration.
Then Susan Boyle began to sing. The song was "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables. It is the heartbreaking lament of a wounded-in-love woman whose youth, innocence, and trust were repaid with disrespect, disregard and pain. And yet there is a note of defiance, of transcendence, of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. It's not in the words - which are unremittingly dour - it is in the proud clarity and upturned eyes of Susan Boyle's magnificence. Looking at her face you can easily imagine - whether it's autobiographical or not is irrelevant - that the song is about her, so perfectly does she channel its wrenching truth, which the world often mistakes and abuses beauty in its blind pursuit of vanity and insignificance.
Three seconds into her performance the mood in the room powerfully shifts. In one of the most spontaneous and explosive moments I've ever seen on television, the audience is swept away by wave after wave of shock and awe. People leap to their feet, their chairs no long able to hold them.
When the song ends, Piers Morgan is the first judge to speak. "Without a doubt, that was the biggest surprise I have had in three years of this show. When you stood there with that cheeky grin and said ‘I want to be like Elaine Page,' everyone was laughing at you. No one is laughing now. That was stunning, an incredible performance. Amazing. I'm reeling from shock…"
Then it was Amanda Holden's turn. "I'm so thrilled, because I know that everybody was against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical, and I think that's the biggest wake up call ever. And I just want to say, that it was a complete privilege listening to that. It was brilliant."
Simon Cowell rounded out the panel with his usual panache, ending his remarks by saying, "Susan, you can return to the village with your head held high. That's three yeses."
Susan Boyle matters. She is a walking rebuttal to all the bullies who ever walked the earth, preying on the weak, demeaning the different, imposing their arbitrary definition of "cool" on the rest of us. The only people who are really cool, the people who define cool, are the people who are absolutely oblivious to the very concept of "cool" itself. They are so cool they don't even know what cool is. Even the bullies in the audience were wiping their eyes and rising to their feet in thunderous applause.
The entertainment industry needs Susan Boyle. As record executives scramble to foist upon us the next cookie-cutter Barbie doll pop star, we the people have spoken through the pure democracy of the New Media. And here is what we said: all we really want is the Real. We don't care what package it shows up in. We just want Truth and Beauty, you know, all that stuff Plato wrote about 25 centuries ago, "even if in the form of an unlovely husk."
Susan Boyle empowers and encourages us with her unapologetic presence. She exhibits the perfect combination of fearlessness and humility. She demonstrates that courage and arrogance are wholly unrelated. In fact, arrogance and machismo are usually sure signs of the utter absence of confidence and mastery. Real greatness is humble. She reminds us that it is enough to show up and simply do our best.
Most important, Susan's unintended beauty reminds us in no uncertain terms of our own unrealized beauty. Through her we realize our own magnificence. I'm convinced that's the real reason her performance breaks us open. Look at the faces of the people in the audience. Look at the lump in Piers's throat. Look at the wonder in Amanda's eyes. Look at the warmth, even the love on Simon's face. We've never seen that face on "American Idol," never, not even once. Susan's bold presence triggers something deep inside us, something we have kept well-hidden; a profound and abiding self-acceptance, even self-love. It is a love we have been withholding. Her beauty breaks the anchor chain and we drift into the light of the knowledge that we are beings of infinite value. After all the years of drought, suddenly we are awash in love. This is what Susan has given us. That's why there are tears. And that's why Susan Boyle matters. Editorial note: The best version of the segment is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D5DgQi2oqA&feature=related
Peter Bolland is a professor of philosophy and humanities at Southwestern College and singer-songwriter-guitarist of the Coyote Problem. You can complain to him about what you read here at peterbolland@cox.net. www.thecoyoteproblem.com is the ethereal home of the Coyote Problem.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903492009-05-21T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:48-08:00House Committee OKs radio payments to music labels
<p>Reuters, May 13, 2009 5:00 pm PDT
Broadcast radio stations may finally be forced to pay music labels for playing their songs, as proposed U.S. legislation moved a step closer toward approval on Wednesday.
While newer media such as satellite, cable and Internet stations pay music companies to broadcast their music, terrestrial U.S. radio stations have resisted for decades.
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted 21 to 9 on Wednesday to send the Performance Royalties Act to the full House for a vote.
Music companies, struggling with rapidly declining CD sales and online piracy, said the proposed law supported artists and rights holders in their fight for fair compensation when music is broadcast on AM and FM radio stations.
"Corporate radio's days of hiding behind a loophole in the copyright law are over," said Jennifer Bendall, executive director of industry lobbyist musicFIRST Coalition, calling for similar pay-to-play contracts for all radio stations.
But the National Association of Broadcasters said, if enacted, 50 percent of the new fee would go directly into the coffers of the major labels.
"Record label abuse of artists from Count Basie to Prince is well documented, as evidenced by scores of lawsuits filed by musicians cheated out of royalties," NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton said in a statement.
"Moving forward, the fundamental question is this: If the debate is about 'fairness to artists,' why should the record labels get one penny from a performance tax on radio stations?"
Broadcast radio stations have long argued that they serve as an important free-to-air promotion outlet for music fans to discover new songs and albums to buy. In other words, they say they have provided free advertising for the record labels.
But as music sales have plummeted, the recorded music industry has become louder in their calls for changes to a system which could provide an important new revenue stream.
Warner Music Group Chief Executive Edgar Bronfman told Wall Street analysts last week that if the Performance Rights Act is passed "it would result in a meaningful improvement" to his company's results.
The labels say the United States is at odds with many major music markets in Europe and other countries, where radio stations usually pay some sort of licensing fee to play songs.
Broadcast radio stations are not likely to give up easily on the passing of a law, which could significantly raise their costs.
Radio advertising, the main revenue source of most stations, is one of the worst hit sectors of the ad business in the ongoing recession. It is also facing a secular decline as advertisers move some of their radio spending to new areas like the Web.
(Reporting by Yinka Adegoke; Editing by Richard Chang)</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903482009-03-27T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:48-08:00Check out these video interviews about promoting and marketing your music.
<p>video interviews about promoting and marketing your music: http://sivers.org/soundadvice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903472009-03-19T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:48-08:00Great interview about the music business with Seth Godin
<p>GREAT interview with Seth Godin about the music business: http://www.musicmarketing.com/2009/03/seth-godin.html
Thanks Derek Sivers</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903462009-03-18T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:48-08:00He played real good for free. By Peter Bolland
<p>Written by Peter Bolland
He Played Real Good for Free
He opened his case and took out his violin. He sat on a stool in the metro station and began to play. It was a cold January morning. The good people of Washington D.C. hurried by on their way to catch a train or make an important appointment. Rush hour.
A few people glanced over at the musician. One middle-aged man slowed down, pausing for a few seconds before moving on. A minute later a woman dropped a dollar bill into his open violin case without missing a step. Soon another man stopped to lean against a wall. Then he looked at his watch and walked on, late for work.
Children seemed to be the most interested - especially one three-year-old boy who was being pulled along by his mother. He stopped to listen. His mother yanked him away without even looking. The boy never once took his eyes off the violinist as his mother pulled him on through the crowded train station. This happened again and again. All the parents, without exception, dragged their children away from the music.
The violinist played for 45 minutes. He collected $32.17 from 32 people. Everyone who gave him money continued walking - they never even slowed down. Out of the 1,097 people who passed by, only seven people stopped to listen. When the music stopped, no one applauded or even noticed. He packed his violin and left.
It had all been an experiment initiated by Washington Post writer Gene Weingarten in January 2007. The violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played six of the most challenging and beautiful pieces Bach had ever written for the violin. The violin itself was a 1713 Stradivarius worth 3.5 million dollars. A few nights earlier Bell had performed to a sold-out crowd in Boston where the average ticket price was $100. Bell plays over 200 sold-out shows a year.
Weingarten's and Bell's experiment shows us many things. Marketing experts have long claimed that packaging is everything, and research bears them out. When you take two identical products and place them side by side, people invariably prefer (and will pay more for) the product in the fancier package. It's not that people are stupid - it's just that we're particularly vulnerable to illusion. We don't see the "real" world. We see the world our pre-conceived notions show us. Perception is never an objective event - it is profoundly colored by our emotional conditioning. To our enduring embarrassment, we are easily and willingly played, despite all our proud protests to the contrary.
On a deeper level, another truth is revealed. If we don't stop to hear a free Bach performance by Joshua Bell on a Stradivarius (because the context is wrong), what else are we missing? How much beauty are we walking right on by?
Musicians often talk about these problems because we've all had the same experience over and over again. When we charge $5 for a show, seven people show up, and when we charge $15, a hundred people show up. On the surface none of it makes any sense. Obviously there is a dynamic of perceived value at work here. Economists call it the "price point," that magic number at which you create the heightened allure, the maximum perception of "hey, this costs a lot so it must be good" without tipping over into "hey, I ain't paying that much for that!" If you charge $5 for CDs you will not sell twice as many as when you charge $10. In fact, you'll sell fewer. But $20 is just too high these days when people can download your entire album off iTunes for $9.99.
Nevertheless, any artist struggling to reach a wider audience ought to pay close attention to the Joshua Bell experiment. Ask yourself several important questions. How do I present myself, on and off stage? What kind of rooms do I play? What do my photos look like? What am I doing to create a milieu, an environment in which my art can really be seen and appreciated? As artists we need to gently wean ourselves from the unexamined assumption that quality and beauty will be instantly recognized and rewarded by a discerning public and that we needn't give any thought to packaging or context. You have to do more than write great songs, play brilliantly and sing with power and grace. You have to mount those jewels in the right setting. It's one thing to be good. But what are you doing to create the perception of quality? The Bell experiment shows us that even the greatest music in the world gets overlooked in the wrong context.
We all know artists who, after years of struggle, slip deeper and deeper into contempt for the very audience they purport to seduce. Perhaps all this pain can be avoided by gaining appreciation of the subtle and insidious psychological dynamics at play. Artists must be willing to expand their sphere of creativity to include the entire environment in which they ply their art. You're not just making music. You're creating a multi-dimensional reality.
And for those of us in the audience, the Joshua Bell experiment raises some equally challenging questions. Perhaps we need to gently wean ourselves from the unexamined assumption that pretty packaging signifies quality content. Let's meet artists half way. Be willing to do the foot work. Maybe the best songs aren't on the radio or at the giant amphitheater. Grow better ears.
Thirty-nine years ago in 1970, Joni Mitchell addressed this issue powerfully in her song "For Free" from Ladies of the Canyon. In it she portrays a successful, wealthy musician (a not so subtle self-portrait) who wistfully laments her own apathy as she passes by a brilliant street musician. "Nobody stopped to hear him, though he played so sweet and high. They knew he had never been on their TV so they passed his music by.he played real good for free."
It's the catch 22 of the fame game. No one comes to see you unless you're famous. And you can't get famous until people come to see you. New artists are forced, initially anyway, to create the illusion of popularity. But these are the very dynamics of celebrity culture so many of us lament - the ubiquitous and dehumanizing blare of tabloid journalism and the subsequent erosion of kindness and depth. Manufactured "stars" who haven't (yet anyway) created one damn thing of value clog the airwaves and prevent real quality from breaking through. (I won't name names - a whole list of celebrities is springing to your mind without my help). Yet it is the very world our collective psyche has created. We have each laid a brick of this edifice with our own hands. Our habitual inattention and unexamined consumerism had a baby - and it's called pop culture.
On that cold January morning in the Washington D.C. metro, only 32 of the 1,097 people who walked past Joshua Bell put money in his case. Only seven people stopped to listen. Only one person recognized him. And he played real good for free.
Peter Bolland is a professor of philosophy and humanities at Southwestern College and singer-songwriter-guitarist of the Coyote Problem. You can complain to him about what you read here at peterbolland@cox.net. www.thecoyote-problem.com is the ethereal home of the Coyote Problem.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903452009-03-08T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Tony van Veen blog-Owner of CD Baby & Discmakers
<p>WHAT'S NEXT FOR INDEPENDENT MUSIC RETAIL?
I posted this story on my blog last night, but thought it might be interesting to post here as well to get feedback from CD Baby artists.
Tony's blog: http://discsanddownloads.wordpress.com/
I was talking to the CEO of a well-known music distributor the other day, when the topic of the future of independent music distribution came up. He lamented to me that his business was down 25% in the fourth quarter of 2008, and continues to be down this year. He’s not alone.
Most music retail chains are having problems paying their bills – Q4 saw massive returns from retailers to distributors(for credit) so they could afford to take in new titles. Many record store chains have already gone belly up. Circuit City, long one of the country’s leading CD retailers, is out of business. Borders is reducing floor space for music by 70% over the next 90 days. There are a few healthy chains left (Best Buy, Target, Walmart) but they carry very few titles and sell mostly non-music items.
The current retail woes have repercussions up the distribution chain. Distribution giant Alliance announced in January that it was laying off over 400 and shutting down a warehouse. Circuit City owed them some $16 million. Gulp.
In the face of all this bad news, everyone gets more conservative. Less acts signed, less product into distribution, less product at retail; what’s an independent artist to do?
The only record stores that appear to still be doing well fall in one of two categories:
1) The specialty record store. Usually a single store in a niche market, the specialty store caters to a local clientele. There are clerks who know music and can turn you on to cool new stuff. And perhaps most important, they sell other products besides new CDs – used CDs, T-shirts, DVDs, posters, bongs, magazines… They’ve diversified within their very narrow niche. Artists can get into these stores, but usually by going direct, and only in regions where they are local.
2) Online stores. Amazon is the big daddy, and CD Baby is the most prominent one for independent artists. These stores sell physical product online, as well as downloads, and other items. Anyone can join these stores, though Amazon requires a retail ready, barcoded, replicated CD, while CD Baby’s more artist friendly approach accepts any kind of CD.
Is it still possible as a growing independent artist in 2009 to get your product into bricks & mortar distribution? Unfortunately, the answer is probably no, unless you have a track record of 5 to 10 thousand CDs scanned and sold of a previous release. Distributors, with lower sales than ever, are less likely than ever to want to take a chance on a band they don’t know. Rather than think “they might sell,” they think “I’ll get returns.” And can you blame ‘em, really? After all, retailers are reducing floor space so severely, that there is no place on store shelves for up and coming bands.
So here, in my opinion, is how the future of CD distribution looks for independent artists:
- Physical distribution to bricks and mortar goes away. No distributor with nationwide reach will want to take a chance on an unknown act. Artists will realize the futility of physical distribution through traditional channels, and stop aspiring / hoping / dreaming of a distro deal.
- CD sales direct to fans at gigs will continue to be a major revenue generator for independent artists for years to come. Catching a fan when they’ve just experienced a great show is still a strong sales driver, and will always be.
- The main nationwide CD distribution opportunity for independents will be online. A couple of megastores like Amazon will thrive, as will niche players like CD Baby (100% independent), and other stores in certain narrow verticals (specific genres or interests).
Of course, digital is where all the growth is these days, but I can’t help but think that this viscious downward cycle we’re in is creating a rapidly accelerating self-fulfilling prophecy that the CD is dead at retail - and thereby prematurely killing an important revenue stream for artists.
In fact, my distribution scenario above is already playing out across the U.S. and Europe. It’s just that the old dream of nationwide distribution dies hard for musicians.
My question is, how do you see this playing out? Is anyone having success with traditional bricks & mortar distribution anymore? If so, what's your secret? (And how many CDs did you have to sell before a distributor took you in?)
To read more of this blog go to:
http://cdbaby.org/stories/09/02/19/3993349.html</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903442009-02-25T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice "Walking Through Walls"
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Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903432009-02-25T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice: "Quote of the Day
<p>"We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong." Bono.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903422009-02-21T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice shares a quote
<p>"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." Albert Einstein</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903412009-02-02T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice shares a quote
<p>“If it looks good, you'll see it. If it sounds good, you'll hear it. If it's marketed right, you'll buy it. But... if it's real, you'll feel it”. Kid Rock</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903402009-01-04T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Fly Away From Here
<p>My Song Fly away From Here is featured on Garage Band on Jan 8th 2009 as Track of The Day. Yay!
<a href="http://www.garageband.com/song?%7Cpe1%7CS8LTM0LdsaSjaFC_Z2lzV8xuY1GSIsw_" data-imported="1"><img src="http://www.garageband.com/images/badges/totd_bluegrey.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="98" width="114" /></a></p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903392008-12-30T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Happy New Year
<p>Im wishing you all a Happy New Year. This Year should be much better than last!
Love and Peace, Brandon Rice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903382008-11-09T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Tied Up In You is Track of The Day.
<a href="http://www.garageband.com/song?%7Cpe1%7CS8LTM0LdsaSjaFC_YGBzV8xuY1GSIsw_" data-imported="1"><img src="http://www.garageband.com/images/badges/totd_redwhite.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="98" width="114" /></a>
Tied Up In You by Brandon Rice is featured as Track of the day on November 11th on Garageband. Click the link to see.
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903372008-10-28T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00The San Diego HAT Awards
<p>Aloha,
Still time to vote at http://www.sandiegohatawards.com
(if you've already voted, YOU ARE TOTALLY AWESOME!)
Mahalo, Brandon Rice
nominated "Best New Acoustic Artist"</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903362008-10-09T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Vote for Brandon Rice "Best New Acoustic Artist" San Diego Hat Awards
<p>Friends, Family & Fans,
Thanks for the nomination for "Best New Acoustic Artist" San Diego Hat Awards. I am thrilled! Now, I need your Vote. Voting takes place NOW and ends Oct 30th at midnight. Vote Brandon Rice "Best New Acoustic Artist". Click this link: http://www.sandiegohatawards.com or copy and paste it into your browser.
If you don't have an account, make one. These folks wont spam you, but its necessary to conduct a fair vote (Also, Its OK to vote in only 1 category)
You can vote up to 3 times from the same computer, as long as each person uses a different email address.
Peace, Brandon Rice Thanks for your Vote P.S. Its OK to Forward this to your friends http://www.brandonricemusic.com (Music Downloads are FREE this month)</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903352008-10-08T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice
<p>Brandon Rice's song The Middle Man has broke the top 25 on the San Diego Reader website, sitting at #23
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/mp3/top/
Its a free download and the same one I played on the KUSI news last month. Thanks everyone!</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903332008-09-22T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Check out these iMix's on iTunes
<div style="position:relative;">
<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=292022358&s=143441&v0=575" target="_self" data-imported="1"><img src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/spacer.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="60" style="position:absolute; top:30px; left:12px;" width="60" /></a><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=292022358&s=143441&v0=575" target="_self" data-imported="1"><img src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/spacer.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="20" style="position:absolute; top:30px; left:75px;" width="335" /></a><a href="itms://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/publishedPlayListHelp?v0=575" target="_self" data-imported="1"><img src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/spacer.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="20" style="position:absolute; top:295px; left:130px;" width="175" /></a><embed src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/flash/feedreader.swf" flashvars="feed=WebObjects/MZStoreServices.woa/ws/RSS/imix/html=false/imixid=292022358/sf=143441/xml?v0=575" quality="high" salign="lt" wmode="transparent" width="435" height="330" name="feedreader" align="top" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
</div>
<div style="position:relative;">
<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=278562722&s=143441&v0=575" target="_self" data-imported="1"><img src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/spacer.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="60" style="position:absolute; top:30px; left:12px;" width="60" /></a><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=278562722&s=143441&v0=575" target="_self" data-imported="1"><img src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/spacer.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="20" style="position:absolute; top:30px; left:75px;" width="200" /></a><a href="itms://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/publishedPlayListHelp?v0=575" target="_self" data-imported="1"><img src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/spacer.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="20" style="position:absolute; top:295px; left:65px;" width="175" /></a><embed src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/flash/feedreader.swf" flashvars="feed=WebObjects/MZStoreServices.woa/ws/RSS/imix/html=false/imixid=278562722/sf=143441/xml?v0=575" quality="high" salign="lt" wmode="transparent" width="300" height="330" name="feedreader" align="top" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
</div>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903342008-09-20T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice performs on KUSI News
<p>Follow this link <a href="http://www.kusi.com/news/goodmorning/29028659.html" data-imported="1">Brandon Rice on KUSI News</a> to watch the video on the KUSI Website.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903322008-08-07T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice ringtones
<p>Thanks to everyone who downloaded "Tied Up In You". I had over 5000 downloads yesterday, which is totally awesome. Ringtones are still FREE and available at this link:
http://www.myxer.com/BRANDONRICE/</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903312008-08-06T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice on http://www.thecoloradowave.com
<p>Hi Brandon ~ You are gracing this week's Colorado Wave on all stations, podcasts, streaming, mobile and the free on demand button on our website. http://www.thecoloradowave.com
Love is the Answer ~ Carmen</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903302008-08-05T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice "Tied Up In You" Pick Of The Day on MYXER
<p>Hey guys,
My ringtone "Tied Up In You" has been chosen as the Myxer "Pick of
the Day" for Thursday August 7th. The Myxer "Pick of the Day" is
exclusively featured on the homepage of the Myxer website and will be
seen by every user who "Signs In" to the Myxer website on 8/7.
Go here: http://www.myxertones.com/defaultpick/ to check it out and
to download my free ringtone if you don't already have it!
Enjoy,
Brandon Rice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903292008-07-12T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice writes a song for the Henry Poole Is Here movie.
<p>I entered the Myspace "Henry Poole Is Here" song competition. Ive never written a song for a movie. I watched the 2 minute trailer, read the 3 paragraph synopsis, and thats it.
The Director didnt mention the style of music he was looking for so its "one big guess" . I wrote a song from my heart that mirrors allot about you and me and life. Im proud of the song. Out of 3450 songs submitted, I did NOT make the cut. So its here for you as a FREE download. Go to my myspace at http://www.myspace.com/ricemusic and leave me a comment, let me know what you think.
Peace, Brandon Rice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903282008-07-09T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice-Electronic Music
<p>Recently added 2 electronic songs by Brandon Rice. Suffocation and Disco Biscuit. Great for DJ's or dancing. Download for free on the MUSIC page.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903272008-06-13T17:00:00-07:002022-04-28T01:59:12-07:00FREE ENERGY Home Generator -Zero Point Energy - Off the Grid
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<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/efCelx7qe_M&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903262008-06-09T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00The car of the future.
<p>Brandon Rice checks out the new Aptera, the car of the future to be built right here in Carlsbad.
http://www.aptera.com</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903252008-06-07T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rice plays Channel 1225
<p>Channel 1225 is a cool new club in El Cajon, ALL AGES, all shows are a live video shoot.
Here is a link to pictures from the show on June 7th, 2008 with the San Diego Songwriters Guild. All pics taken by Bridget Brigitte.
http://web.mac.com/uromastyx.studio/Site_3/Channel1225.html</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903242008-05-30T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00All Songs from Brandon Rice "The Middle Man" are free this month.
<p>Im giving music away to you. I never thought I would do this, but its more important for me to share my music with you, and hopefully you'll tell your friends. I ask in return, when I come to your towns, that you come out to my shows and have a good time.
I am only one person, I don't have a 1.5 million dollar budget to shove my music down your throat like a major label would. I am one person with a Do It All Yourself Dream and hopefully music that speaks to your soul.
Love and Peace, Brandon Rice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903232008-05-25T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Free Song Download-Summertime
<p>You can download Summertime for free on Garageband at:
http://www.garageband.com/artist/brandonrice
Enjoy.
Peace, Brandon Rice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903222008-05-02T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Brandon Rices music featured by Ben Harpers brother, Peter Harper!
<p>I have this awesome opportunity from Peter Harper, Ben Harpers brother, to have my title track "The Middle Man" featured on his website during the month of May. The winner is permanently featured on his website.
I need your HELP when you have a couple seconds. Take a trip to his website via this link,
http://www.peterharper.com
and go to the tab that says "YOUR MUSIC", and vote for me. Peter is also an artist and makes cool one of a kind items, if you like art.
Thanks for your help
Peace, Brandon Rice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903212008-02-18T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00FREE Ringtones
<p>New ringtones have been posted in the STORE, you can preview them with a simple click on the Preview button.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903202008-02-13T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00UpComing Gig 3/05/08
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/433064/b14e8eb31e9b518c44b980dbd8346221c4c12a82/original/estreetgig30508.png/!!/b%3AW10%3D.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903192008-02-12T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Berklee College of Music cover story on CD Baby
<p>http://www.berklee.edu/bt/193/coverstory.html</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903182008-02-10T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:47-08:00Vote for me in April
<p>Brandon Rices' song "The Middle Man" will be featured on Peter Harpers website for the month of April 2008. Please vote for me, the winner will become a permanent edition to his website. Any exposure will help me tremendously. Oh yeah, Peter Harper is an amazing artist and he is Ben Harpers brother. Talent runs in the family.
http://www.peterharper.com</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903172008-01-28T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00An Urgent Message From Marilyn Bergman-ASCAP
<p>January 28, 2008
To All ASCAP Members,
Over the years, ASCAP has worked tirelessly to convince Congress and the courts that all songwriters, composers and music publishers are entitled to fair compensation for their copyrighted musical works. As you know, ASCAP represents the performing right, a large and growing part of your compensation. But mechanical and synchronization rights are also a critical element of your livelihood.
Today, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) begins a hearing that will determine mechanical rates for every songwriter and music publisher in America. It will be critical because, in addition to setting rates for physical products, rates will be set for the first time ever for digital products such as digital downloads, subscription services and ringtones.
Our friends at The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) will be representing the mechanical right interests of songwriters and music publishers in this hearing. They will be fighting vigorously to protect those mechanical right interests to ensure that musical compositions are compensated fairly. On the other side of this fight stands the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Digital Media Association (DiMA). Both the RIAA and DiMA have proposed significant reductions in mechanical royalty rates that would be disastrous for songwriters and music publishers.
David Israelite, NMPA President and CEO tells us, "The current rate for physical phonorecords is 9.1 cents. The RIAA has proposed slashing the rate to approximately 6 cents a song - a cut of more than one-third the current rate! For permanent digital downloads, NMPA is proposing a rate of 15 cents per track because the costs involved are much less than for physical products. The RIAA has proposed the outrageous rate of approximately 5 - 5.5 cents per track, and DiMA is proposing even less. For interactive streaming services, which some analysts believe will be the future of the music industry, NMPA is proposing a rate of the greater of 12.5% of revenue, 27.5% of content costs, or a micro-penny calculation based on usage. The RIAA actually proposed that songwriters and music publishers should get the equivalent of .58% of revenue. And DiMA is taking the position that songwriters' and music publishers' mechanical rights should be zero, because DiMA does not believe we have any such rights!"
Irwin Robinson, ASCAP Board member and Chairman of the NMPA added, "Our opponents in this hearing are proposing a rate structure which would have devastating consequences for songwriters, composers and music publishers trying to make a living, now or in the future." The initial hearing will last four weeks, followed by a rebuttal hearing in May, and a final decision expected on October 2. Among the ASCAP writer members testifying at the hearing are Rick Carnes, Phil Galdston, and Board member Stephen Paulus.
And while all this is going on, ASCAP has been leading the fight for fair performance right compensation in Federal Court against DiMA members AOL, Yahoo! and RealNetworks. Our case has been heard and we expect an outcome this summer.
Clearly these are perilous times for those of us that create the music that generates profit for those that use our music. But remember this, there would be no profit without our musical compositions that they are fighting to use so freely!
Marilyn Bergman</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903162008-01-27T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00Durango Songwriters Expo
<p>If your a songwriter, you dont want to miss this event. It is occurring earlier this year so it wont conflict with the ASCAP Festival. The dates are February 28,29, & March 1st in Santa Ynez, north of Santa Barbara, CA.
http://www.durango-songwriters-expo.com/index.html
Checkout the roster of great artist.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903152008-01-27T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00New Pictures Posted
<p>I posted some new pictures I took last weekend at Torrey Pines and LaJolla Cove.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903142008-01-22T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00Amazon
<p>Brandon Rice "The Middle Man" now available for digital download on Amazon. New link added to the STORE page.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903132007-11-28T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00Check out this Skateboard
<p>I saw this on TV. Make sure you go to the website and check it out. Its the first of its kind worldwide.
http://www.grombiz.com</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903122007-11-02T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00Benefit Show for the American Red Cross San Diego Wildfire Fund
<p>BENEFIT SHOW NOVEMBER 3rd & 4th at O’Connels
A BENEFIT SHOW FOR THE RED CROSS DISASTER RELIEF FUND HAS BEEN SCHEDULED AT O'CONNELLS IN SAN DIEGO (21 and up).
(619) 276-5637. The show will take place on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. till 1:30am & Sunday from 12:00 pm till 11:30 pm.
SET TIMES FOR BOTH DAYS-SATURDAY******
12:15 TILL CLOSE (RICH SHELDON AND FRIENDS),
11:00-(THE ZIGGENS),
10:00-(JOSH FISCHEL),
9:00-(B FOUNDATION),
8:00-(HIGH TIDE),
7:00-(RAS 1),
6:00-(3RD ALLEY),
5:00-(FIGHTING CHANCE),
4:15-(MIDNIGHT SURFERS),
3:30-(MONKS OF SKUNK),
3:00-(JAHROOTSALEM),
2:15-(THE UNDERCLASSMEN),
1:30-(YOUNG GOODMEN),
12:45-(DOMO),
12:00-(BETA LION)
SUNDAY*******
10:30-CLOSE(MYSTIC ROOTS),
9:30-(SIX INCH MAN),
8:30-(GADFLY),
7:30-(LUNGBUTTER),
6:30-(STONEWING),
5;30-(HAYES FIELD),
4:30-(BRANDON RICE),
3:30-(THE BLEEDING IRISH),
2:45-(BOLD BIRD),
1:45-(SEED),
1:00-(JAHROOTSALEM),
12:00-(INDOSURF)
The proceeds from the show will go directly to benefit the Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund. There will also be a silent auction for some items donated from musicians, artists, and other companies. Raffles will be held throughout the weekend. Food will also be on sale at the show. The daily capacity for this event is very limited. (approximately 200). Ticket prices will be $18.00 per day. The ticket price is a minimum donation, but offering more as a donation will be greatly appreciated. This event will sell out very quickly, and no additional tickets will be available. THE RED CROSS WILL BE ON SITE BOTH DAYS TO TAKE ANY ADDITINAL DONATIONS (RECEIPTS WILL BE ISSUED FOR TAX PUPOSES). PLEASE MAKE DONATION CHECKS PAYABLE TO THE-AMERICAN RED CROSS SAN DIEGO WILDFIRES-PLEASE HELP US DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR PEOPLE, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS BEING DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THESE TERRIBLE FIRES.
For more info contact
Mike at
http://www.myspace.com/hauntedballandchain
<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/433064/391ae2c847d62512647729ef43ed4c5914170b19/original/redcross.jpg/!!/b%3AW10%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903112007-10-23T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00So Cal Fires
<p>Current mood: crushed
What a crazy last 3 days.
Sunday- The Santa Ana winds were blowing like crazy, dry desert heat. I had a really really bad feeling all day.
Monday-
2:30 am in the morning. I smell smoke, jump out my bed, look out the windows and I see lots of neighbors up, looking around trying to figure out whats going on. Hence the San Marcos Carlsbad Hills fire has started, as the Witch Creek Fire which was far away has started as well.
3:00 am, I start packing emergency evacuation items.
4:00 am, Sheriffs come by the whole San Elijo Hills area and enforce mandatory evacuation. Take the dog and my girlfriend and head to my brothers house in Hidden Meadows. I swerved to miss 4 downed trees along the way to his house.When we arrive my brother who works for the city of Escondido was called into work early, he has to supply food and diesal gas to the firefighters on the line in the south Escondido area all day. I also get a call from my cousins wife who lives in North Rancho Bernardo to tell me they were evacuated along with my grandparents and they went to my Aunts in Rancho Penasquitos. My girlfriends mom calls in the afternoon to say she cant get to her home in the Lake Arrowhead area as they wont let her back up the mountain, she had left her house early am to go to work.
Afternoon time, I find out my cousins, grandparents and my aunt in Penasquitos get evacuated and go to another cousins in Vista. My aunts husbands Mom also gets evacuated from Fallbrook.Everyone is glued to the TV all day watching all these fires and evacuations.
Evening time, my brothers wifes Mom gets evacuated from Escondido and comes to stay where we are. I also call my mom up in Valley Center to let her know she is most likely gonna be evacuated from Valley Center and to be ready. My brother comes home and says his boss told him to get a couple hours of sleep as he will probably get called in again soon.
9:30pm, I go to sleep
Tuesday-7:00 am , I hear noise in the house, I smell smoke. Jump out of bed, my Mom had just arrived as she was evacuated from Valley Center, she has 2 dogs with her. The smoke is everywhere and the ash is flying everywhere. 5 minutes later a friend of my sister in laws arrives and tells us we are being evacuated. 5 minutes later my brother arrives to start evacuating his family, 2 kids, 2dogs (1 very big Saint Bernard, took 2 of us to lift him into the back of my brothers truck) and also 2 cats. 5 minutes later the Sheriffs come by and tell us we gotta go now! We split up into 2 locations as I called a neighbor from San Elijo Hills and he says its ok here in my community(where I live) now. So we my girlfriend, my dog and I come home. The rest go to another house in Escondido which is now safe to go back to.
Daytime: Glued to the TV all day, alot of smoke where I live and the Del Dios(Witch Creek) fire is near. Wind is blowing in a North West direction all day. I am very concerned as a fire 10 years ago whipped through this whole valley and destroyed everything. Harmony Groove area is evacuated at 1pm. That is a valley right next to me. At 5pm the winds totally die down and the firefighters and dropping with Helicopters, using water from Lake Hodges to dampen the Del Dios fire.
Nightime: Go to bed at 10:30, wandering if we are gonna get evacuated again, as the Santa Ana Winds usually kick up between 12am and 7 am.
Wednesday Morning-7:00 am I wake up and no smoke heading my way. Hooray!!
To this point over 560,000 people have been evacuated throughout San Diego County. Over 1,300 houses have been destroyed and many fires are still blazing, many planes from across the USA have been brought into San Diego, including a massive plane brought in from Canada.
Ill keep you posted !</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903102007-09-05T17:00:00-07:002022-04-19T18:15:49-07:00Brandon Rices' Myspace Blog
<p>Please go to the LINKS page and add yourself to my Myspace Blog, I can keep you posted about future giveaways and events.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903092007-08-30T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00Free Ringtones
<p>Make sure you check out the Free Ringtones on my STORE page. If you just TEXT the code, to the MYXER CODE, there are no strings attached. You don't have to have an account with MYXER to get the free ringtones. Only available in the USA, sorry.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903082007-08-30T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00Free Song-Ruby Red Lips
<p>I am allowing my Friends to download this new song "Ruby Red Lips" for FREE, no strings attached. Its a little bit different than my surf vibe, its definately more Rootsy. I can picture this song in a film. Any film people out there interested, let me know.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903072007-08-25T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00Durango Songwriters Expo
<p>Its coming up soon, Oct 4-6th 2007. Click the link on my links page if you are interested. Its pretty rare to go to such a awesome event. Register soon as they only allow for 200 people.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903062007-08-25T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00San Elijo Hills Block Party
<p>Fun times, jamming at our annual block party in the Hills, we said bye to Nikko as he went off to war for 9 months. He left the very next day. Were gonna miss him.
I made a DVD of the party for anyone that wants to purchase a copy of my live performance. Im sure it will be a collectors item someday.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903052007-07-28T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00San Diego Songwriters Guild
<p>The guild is now sponsoring a singer/songwriter showcase at E-Street Cafe. I had the opportunity to play on July 25th. All the artist were great.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903042007-06-23T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:46-08:00iTunes Store
<p>June 22, 2007
Report: iTunes Store Now Third-Largest U.S. Music Retailer Overall
Submitted by Mark Hefflinger on June 22, 2007 - 1:05pm.
New York - Apple's iTunes Store has become the third-largest overall retailer of music in the U.S., behind Wal-Mart and Best Buy, according to a report from market research firm NPD Group.
During the first quarter, Wal-Mart claimed 15.8% of total music sales, followed by Best Buy with 13.8% and the iTunes Store with 9.8%; Amazon.com (6.7%) and Target (6.7%) rounded out the top five music retailers.
NPD noted that during the first quarter, digital music downloads accounted for 13.8% of all purchases, while physical CDs made up the remaining 86.2%.
The firm attributed Apple's success to strong sales of its iPod players during the holiday season.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903032007-05-25T17:00:00-07:002023-12-10T10:34:34-08:00Durango Songwriters Expo
<p>See ya all there, May 31st through June 2nd. North of Santa Barbara. Good times, good people, lots of songwriters.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903022007-05-13T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Harrison Bergeron by the late Kurt Vonnegut
<p>"Harrison Bergeron"
THE YEAR WAS 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General.
Some things about living still weren’t quite right, though. April, for instance, still drove people crazy by not being springtime. And it was in that clammy month that the H-G men took George and Hazel Bergeron’s fourteen-year-old son, Harrison, away.
It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn’t think about it very hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts. And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times. It was tuned to a government transmitter. Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains.
George and Hazel were watching television. There were tears on Hazel’s cheeks, but she’d forgotten for the moment what they were about.
On the television screen were ballerinas.
A buzzer sounded in George’s head. His thoughts fled in panic, like bandits from a burglar alarm.
“That was a real pretty dance, that dance they just did,” said Hazel.
“Huh?” said George.
“That dance – it was nice,” said Hazel.
“Yup,” said George. He tried to think a little about the ballerinas. They weren’t really very good – no better than anybody else would have been, anyway. They were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in. George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn’t be handicapped. But he didn’t get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts.
George winced. So did two out of the eight ballerinas.
Hazel saw him wince. Having no mental handicap herself she had to ask George what the latest sound had been.
“Sounded like somebody hitting a milk bottle with a ball peen hammer,” said George.
“I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,” said Hazel, a little envious. “All the things they think up.”
“Um,” said George.
“Only, if I was Handicapper General, you know what I would do?” said Hazel. Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers. “If I was Diana Moon Glampers,” said Hazel, “I’d have chimes on Sunday – just chimes. Kind of in honor of religion.”
“I could think, if it was just chimes,” said George.
“Well – maybe make ‘em real loud,” said Hazel. “I think I’d make a good Handicapper General.”
“Good as anybody else,” said George.
“Who knows better’n I do what normal is?” said Hazel.
“Right,” said George. He began to think glimmeringly about his abnormal son who was now in jail, about Harrison, but a twenty-one-gun salute in his head stopped that.
“Boy!” said Hazel, “that was a doozy, wasn’t it?”
It was such a doozy that George was white and trembling and tears stood on the rims of his red eyes. Two of the eight ballerinas had collapsed to the studio floor, were holding their temples.
“All of a sudden you look so tired,” said Hazel. “Why don’t you stretch out on the sofa, so’s you can rest your handicap bag on the pillows, honeybunch.” She was referring to the forty-seven pounds of birdshot in canvas bag, which was padlocked around George’s neck. “Go on and rest the bag for a little while,” she said. “I don’t care if you’re not equal to me for a while.”
George weighed the bag with his hands. “I don’t mind it,” he said. “I don’t notice it any more. It’s just a part of me.
“You been so tired lately – kind of wore out,” said Hazel. “If there was just some way we could make a little hole in the bottom of the bag, and just take out a few of them lead balls. Just a few.”
“Two years in prison and two thousand dollars fine for every ball I took out,” said George. “I don’t call that a bargain.”
“If you could just take a few out when you came home from work,” said Hazel. “I mean – you don’t compete with anybody around here. You just set around.”
“If I tried to get away with it,” said George, “then other people’d get away with it and pretty soon we’d be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else. You wouldn’t like that, would you?”
“I’d hate it,” said Hazel.
“There you are,” said George. “The minute people start cheating on laws, what do you think happens to society?”
If Hazel hadn’t been able to come up with an answer to this question, George couldn’t have supplied one. A siren was going off in his head.
“Reckon it’d fall all apart,” said Hazel.
“What would?” said George blankly.
“Society,” said Hazel uncertainly. “Wasn’t that what you just said?”
“Who knows?” said George.
The television program was suddenly interrupted for a news bulletin. It wasn’t clear at first as to what the bulletin was about, since the announcer, like all announcers, had a serious speech impediment. For about half a minute, and in a state of high excitement, the announcer tried to say, “Ladies and gentlemen – “
He finally gave up, handed the bulletin to a ballerina to read.
“That’s all right –” Hazel said of the announcer, “he tried. That’s the big thing. He tried to do the best he could with what God gave him. He should get a nice raise for trying so hard.”
“Ladies and gentlemen” said the ballerina, reading the bulletin. She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous. And it was easy to see that she was the strongest and most graceful of all the dancers, for her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two-hundred-pound men.
And she had to apologize at once for her voice, which was a very unfair voice for a woman to use. Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody. “Excuse me – “ she said, and she began again, making her voice absolutely uncompetitive.
“Harrison Bergeron, age fourteen,” she said in a grackle squawk, “has just escaped from jail, where he was held on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. He is a genius and an athlete, is under–handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous.”
A police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen – upside down, then sideways, upside down again, then right side up. The picture showed the full length of Harrison against a background calibrated in feet and inches. He was exactly seven feet tall.
The rest of Harrison’s appearance was Halloween and hardware. Nobody had ever worn heavier handicaps. He had outgrown hindrances faster than the H–G men could think them up. Instead of a little ear radio for a mental handicap, he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles with thick wavy lenses. The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but to give him whanging headaches besides.
Scrap metal was hung all over him. Ordinarily, there was a certain symmetry, a military neatness to the handicaps issued to strong people, but Harrison looked like a walking junkyard. In the race of life, Harrison carried three hundred pounds.
And to offset his good looks, the H–G men required that he wear at all times a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle–tooth random.
“If you see this boy,” said the ballerina, “do not – I repeat, do not – try to reason with him.”
There was the shriek of a door being torn from its hinges.
Screams and barking cries of consternation came from the television set. The photograph of Harrison Bergeron on the screen jumped again and again, as though dancing to the tune of an earthquake.
George Bergeron correctly identified the earthquake, and well he might have – for many was the time his own home had danced to the same crashing tune. “My God –” said George, “that must be Harrison!”
The realization was blasted from his mind instantly by the sound of an automobile collision in his head.
When George could open his eyes again, the photograph of Harrison was gone. A living, breathing Harrison filled the screen.
Clanking, clownish, and huge, Harrison stood in the center of the studio. The knob of the uprooted studio door was still in his hand. Ballerinas, technicians, musicians, and announcers cowered on their knees before him, expecting to die.
“I am the Emperor!” cried Harrison. “Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once!” He stamped his foot and the studio shook.
“Even as I stand here –” he bellowed, “crippled, hobbled, sickened – I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!”
Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds.
Harrison’s scrap–iron handicaps crashed to the floor.
Harrison thrust his thumbs under the bar of the padlock that secured his head harness. The bar snapped like celery. Harrison smashed his headphones and spectacles against the wall.
He flung away his rubber–ball nose, revealed a man that would have awed Thor, the god of thunder.
“I shall now select my Empress!” he said, looking down on the cowering people. “Let the first woman who dares rise to her feet claim her mate and her throne!”
A moment passed, and then a ballerina arose, swaying like a willow.
Harrison plucked the mental handicap from her ear, snapped off her physical handicaps with marvelous delicacy. Last of all, he removed her mask.
She was blindingly beautiful.
“Now” said Harrison, taking her hand, “shall we show the people the meaning of the word dance? Music!” he commanded.
The musicians scrambled back into their chairs, and Harrison stripped them of their handicaps, too. “Play your best,” he told them, “and I’ll make you barons and dukes and earls.”
The music began. It was normal at first – cheap, silly, false. But Harrison snatched two musicians from their chairs, waved them like batons as he sang the music as he wanted it played. He slammed them back into their chairs.
The music began again and was much improved.
Harrison and his Empress merely listened to the music for a while – listened gravely, as though synchronizing their heartbeats with it.
They shifted their weights to their toes.
Harrison placed his big hands on the girl’s tiny waist, letting her sense the weightlessness that would soon be hers.
And then, in an explosion of joy and grace, into the air they sprang!
Not only were the laws of the land abandoned, but the law of gravity and the laws of motion as well.
They reeled, whirled, swiveled, flounced, capered, gamboled, and spun.
They leaped like deer on the moon.
The studio ceiling was thirty feet high, but each leap brought the dancers nearer to it. It became their obvious intention to kiss the ceiling.
They kissed it.
And then, neutralizing gravity with love and pure will, they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time.
It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor.
Diana Moon Glampers loaded the gun again. She aimed it at the musicians and told them they had ten seconds to get their handicaps back on.
It was then that the Bergerons’ television tube burned out.
Hazel turned to comment about the blackout to George.
But George had gone out into the kitchen for a can of beer.
George came back in with the beer, paused while a handicap signal shook him up. And then he sat down again. “You been crying?” he said to Hazel.
“Yup,” she said,
“What about?” he said.
“I forget,” she said. “Something real sad on television.”
“What was it?” he said.
“It’s all kind of mixed up in my mind,” said Hazel.
“Forget sad things,” said George.
“I always do,” said Hazel.
“That’s my girl,” said George. He winced. There was the sound of a riveting gun in his head.
“Gee – I could tell that one was a doozy,” said Hazel.
“You can say that again,” said George.
“Gee –” said Hazel, “I could tell that one was a doozy.”
by Kurt Vonnegut, 1961</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903012007-03-18T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Recording New Album
<p>In the studio, recording the new album.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60903002006-12-21T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Free Christmas song dowload
<p>Brandon Rice and Terry Lewis doing "A Mandolin Christmas" album. I sing and he plays the mandolin. I have one song available as a free download. Winter Wonderland. Available on the MUSIC page.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902992006-12-21T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00New Years Eve
<p>The killer concert in San Diego at the House of Blues, downtown- Donovan Frankenreiter, Brett Dennen & White Buffalo. See you there.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902982006-12-21T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Merry Christmas
<p>I wish all my fans and friends an awesome Christmas. Try not to get to stressed and enjoy yourself.
Love and Peace,
Brandon</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902972006-12-12T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Christmas Album
<p>Ive almost completed my Christmas Album, I teamed up with Terry Lewis who plays mandolin and I layed down all the vocals. 22 songs. This is a real simple album which I like alot, I really like the less is more concept anyhow. This will be a great gift but might not get it out to the masses by this Christmas, eventually it will be on CD Baby and Digital Distribution.
Peace, Brandon</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902962006-12-10T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00New updated list of future Digital Distributors
<p>Apple iTunes October 2, 2006
AudioLunchbox October 2, 2006
Rhapsody October 3, 2006
Tradebit October 6, 2006
Interia October 6, 2006
MusicNet October 12, 2006
MusicNow October 12, 2006
BuyMusic October 12, 2006
Verizon Wireless October 12, 2006
Sony Connect October 12, 2006
MP3tunes October 14, 2006
GroupieTunes October 14, 2006
MusicIsHere October 15, 2006
Muze October 17, 2006
Ruckus October 21, 2006
GreatIndieMusic October 21, 2006
MP3-Extension October 29, 2006
Puretracks October 29, 2006
Napster October 30, 2006
RuleRadio October 31, 2006
Inprodicon November 1, 2006
PassAlong November 2, 2006
PayPlay November 2, 2006
Daiki November 19, 2006
USEN December 2, 2006
Bitmunk December 7, 2006
SNOCAP December 7, 2006
Nexhit December 8, 2006
Destra December 11, 2006</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902952006-12-04T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Digital Distributors-OnGen
<p>Just got picked up by USEN. USEN is a leader in Japanese media that operates one of the leading Japanese digital music services called OnGen.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902942006-11-28T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00YouTube
<p>Check out Brandon Rice singing the National Anthem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hAUDlEA840</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902932006-11-18T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00More Digital Distributors added
<p>Bitmunk November 5, 2006
Daiki November 19, 2006
Daiki is one of Japans largest distributors for Independant music. Japan is the 2nd largest market in the world for purchasing music.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902922006-11-14T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Napster
<p>Brandon Rices music now available for digital download on Napster.
http://www.napster.com/view/artist/index.html?id=12238370</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902912006-11-12T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00The Colorado Wave
<p>Brandon Rice will be featured on The Colorado Wave, starting Wednesday November 15th. The Colorado Wave is syndicated on multiple AM and FM stations, with over 100 broadcasting affiliates worldwide...quenching the world's thirst for great new music, one wave after another.
Hosted by Carmen Allgood.
http://www.thecoloradowave.com</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902902006-11-05T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Troy Lee Designs-Duel At The Docks-AMA Supermoto
<p>Grand Prix Championship Finale took place Nov 3rd, 4th and 5th at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Brandon Rice given the honer of singing the National Anthem during the opening cermemonies on Sunday. Talk about flying by the seat of your pants. Brandon Rice performed his own version of the National Anthem on acoustic guitar. I am being told the event will be televised by the VERSUS Channel on the following dates:
AMA Supermoto
Queen Mary - Long Beach, CA
11/19/06 - 4-5pm EST
11/20/06 - 3-4pm EST
11/20/06 - 6-7pm EST
11/21/06 - 5-6pm EST
11/23/06 - 6-7pm EST
go to http://www.versus.tv/nw/article/view/671/?UserDef=true&catID=76
Click the box that says VERSUS in the upper right hand corner to see what station VERSUS is on in your area.
San Diego COX North County is Channel 60
Direct TV Channel 608
Dish Network Channel 151</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902892006-11-01T16:00:00-08:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00These are the companies that have picked up Brandon Rices music for distribution. Some take anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months before they release it.
<p>AudioLunchbox October 2, 2006
Apple iTunes October 2, 2006
Rhapsody October 3, 2006
Tradebit October 6, 2006
Interia October 6, 2006
Sony Connect October 12, 2006
MusicNet October 12, 2006
MusicNow October 12, 2006
BuyMusic October 12, 2006
Verizon Wireless October 12, 2006
MP3tunes October 14, 2006
GroupieTunes October 14, 2006
MusicIsHere October 15, 2006
Muze October 17, 2006
Ruckus October 21, 2006
GreatIndieMusic October 21, 2006
MP3-Extension October 29, 2006
Puretracks October 29, 2006
Napster October 30, 2006
RuleRadio October 31, 2006
Inprodicon November 1, 2006
PassAlong November 2, 2006
PayPlay November 2, 2006</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902882006-10-22T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Check out this article from http://www.AandRonline.com
<p>We are no longer accepting submissions for the A&R Online front page. As of January 1st 2007, A&R Online will no longer be showcasing artists to the industry.
Why on earth are we doing this you ask?
The music industry is changing, has changed. We are in serious transition now. The days of effectively shopping an artist to record companies are coming to an end. Retail stores are about to go out of business. Just watch them if you don't believe me. So what hope is there for artists now?
There is huge potential for artists! It's a fantastic time, but the model has changed. It is no longer cost effective or even smart for a record company to sign a new artist, spend gobs of money on retail promotion and maybe see the same money back that was invested. It simply doesn't make any sense. We are living in a digital world now and we must prepare for it. That means that instead of being discovered (old school) you must truly be independent and become the entrepreneurial artist now (new school).
You must educate yourself about the new model and rise to the occasion. Only the strong will survive now and I firmly believe that only the smart will have longevity. We must become internet marketers and learn how to drive traffic to our websites and partner with other forward thinking music moguls and creative thinkers. The 'geek' will truly inherit the earth. There is a bright future if you want to embrace the world. But we must do away with the old school model and prepare for the new day. It is here.
And with that, instead of showcasing artists and dissapointing many, the A&R Online website will help move you to the new world. This site will now be a portal for those who want to move forward into the new music business. It is here to help you help yourself. Feel free to devour this information.
A manager said to me a couple of years ago, "Chris, from here on, try not to sign record deals, but licence your music to different territories and keep your masters. Look for interesting ways to get your music to the masses. TV, movie, ringtones, jingles, etc etc". This was sound advice. Take control of your career now. You have nobody to answer to you but yourself. Now go get 'em!
Chris Standring
CEO www.aandronline.com</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902872006-10-16T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Celtica Radio-Bridgend, Wales UK
<p>.."A track called Love and Peace was added to our main rotational playlist on
the 20/09/2006, and has been publicised on a regular basis since."...
.."We thought it appropriate to include the song in our main programming and
not specialist shows."...</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902862006-10-16T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00KDUR Radio
<p>"Brandon Rice you are getting good airtime in Durango Colorado at KDUR from Fort Lewis College."...</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902852006-10-12T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Digital Downloads-BuyMusic
<p>This company services Buy.com
http://www.buy.com/buymusic/18250.html</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902842006-10-12T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:45-08:00Digital Downloads-MusicNow
<p>This company is AOL's music download service.http://aol.musicnow.com/az/library.jhtml?_requestid=37878</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902832006-10-12T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Digital Dowloads-MusicNet
<p>This company services the following companies- URGE, VirginDigital, FYE Download Zone, Yahoo-Music Unlimited, HMV Digital(UK Service), CTRAX(College & Univeristy Markets), iMesh, Synacor(Cable content) & Music Gremlin.
http://www.musicnet.com/</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902822006-10-12T17:00:00-07:002020-09-23T02:01:03-07:00Digital Downloads-Verizon Wireless
<p>Download songs to your Verizon Wireless V-Cast Phone.http://getitnow.vzwshop.com/index.aspx?bhcp=1</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902812006-10-12T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Digital Downloads-iTunes
<p>The CD is now available for digital download. Check out the Links on my "Store" page.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902802006-10-09T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00San Diego Hat Awards 2006
<p>Tonight is the Final Ceremony at Twiggs for the Hat Awards. Such a cool event, its from 7pm to 10pm. Alot of great musicians who are generating a buzz here in San Diego. If you get a chance make sure you come down and check it out. I love Twiggs, its my most favorite place to play, its very dark and has a good sound system. This is where all of San Diegos finest singer/songwriters play. Check my calendar page for the address.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902792006-10-09T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Digital Downloads
<p>Great news, I just got picked up by 4 more companies for Digital Downloads.
Sonys version of iTunes "www.Connect.com"
Interia which is a Polish service available worldwide@ "www.melo.pl/",
Tradebit is an alacarte' serviceavailable worldwide@"http://music.Tradebit.com"</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902782006-10-04T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Digital Downloads
<p>I just got word that 4 companies have picked up my tunes for digital distribution. "www.AudioLunchbox.com", & Apples iTunes@ "www.apple.com/iTunes/store/",
Real Networks Rhapsody@"www.Rhapsody.com", and Napster@"www.Napster.com"
They say it can be anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months before those companies will have them ready on their sites. Nothing moves that quick in this business. Ill keep you all posted. I cant wait till it goes to Digital Jukeboxes so I can dial up some of my tunes in the local pubs, HA.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902772006-10-03T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00New CD Review from OnlineRock.com
<p>Go to the Press menu to read it. This guy is pretty fancy with words.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902762006-10-02T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Australia-Short Film
<p>I have teamed up with a fellow in Australia to make a song for his short film. I have the perfect song. I will be recording it this week to add to his Film. I will keep you all posted.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902742006-10-02T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Triple A Radio
<p>Well today I sent in another 30 submissions to AAA radio throughout the US. I even sent CD's to Anchorage Alaska hoping they will enjoy Summertime or a little ray of sunshine and warmth. Tell your friends about me, tell your local clubs. Have them contact me at brandon@brandonricemusic.com or 1(951)852-8196 for bookings. I cant wait to come to your town to party especially if you all want to party with me. Lets have some fun, we only live once.
Love and Peace, Brandon</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902722006-10-02T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Video now available for " End of Summer Block Party"
<p>I have spent countless hours making up a video from the End of the Summer 2006 Block Party. If you are interested you can email me at brandon@brandonricemusic.com for a copy of the video, for $9.99 plus shipping you can buy direct from me. Shipping cost is a $1.11 in the USA. You can also buy through PayPal, same price. Click on the End of Summer Block Party Video Pay Pal link in my store.
Now is your chance to see me playing live on video, amateur style, before things get bigger. You will enjoy it. You'll be my biggest fans on the quest for regional, national, international success.
Love and Peace, Brandon Rice</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902752006-09-30T17:00:00-07:002023-12-10T09:39:46-08:00Surprise Party for Dr. Mamala
<p>We had the best surprise party for my Mom who just recieved her Doctorate Degree in education. Talk about little baby steps. My mom has done everything to make her dreams come true, always worked fulltime but always pursued the dream. After many years she has finally done it, she is a Dr, and I call her Dr Mamala. We threw a great party for her with some old friends, what a great time. Mom you deserve to be a Dr, I know what you went through to get where you are, if only other people knew. Maybe I'll have to write some songs, or you'll have to write some screenplays, HA!
Congratulations Mom. You are my alltime hero.
Love Brandon</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902712006-09-23T17:00:00-07:002023-10-16T07:55:46-07:00"End of Summer" block party.<p>Thanks everyone for coming out last night and checkin out the block party. I had a blast playing my songs for you, and thanks to those who bought my cd. It was alot of fun. I'll put together a video from the footage and post it on my site, might take me a week. Happy End of Summer. Today is the big Festival Del Mar, time to go get some bloody marys and start over. Love and Peace, Brandon</p>Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902732006-09-22T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00College Radio
<p>Well last week I sent in CD's to all of the college organizations that are on the BDS Nielsen rating system. If your reading this Im hoping you heard some of my tunes spinning on the radio in your area. Tell your friends and local clubs that you want me to play in your town. Have them email me at brandon@brandonricemusic.com so I can book dates in your town.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902702006-09-17T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00The simplicities of life.
<p>Is the glass half full, or half empty? Some people can answer this question in the blink of an eye, I have always been stumped by this. It seems if someone can reveal your whole outlook on life by your answer? I once told my boss "the glass has liquid in it", he wasn't happy at my answer. It was very unpredictable for him. It was the only answer I knew. Since then I have determined that maybe a scientist would say "the glass has mass in it" and I also heard a mechanical engineer say "the glass was built 2 times to big". Food for thought on such a gorgeous santa ana day.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902692006-09-13T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Life is GOOD.
<p>Well Im shaking a cold for the last 3 days, feeling mucho better. Have some tunes going in some surf videos next month for www.surfalotproductions which will feature on www.surfline.com</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902682006-08-29T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Holy Cow
<p>This is alot of work starting a grassroots movement without the support of a major label. Press kits, promos, radio, networking like a mo fo, still writing music, spinning my head around in circles. Its a hell of alot better than sitting in a factory watching time go by. The more I do, the more I learn, the more effective I can be in music as a career. I even applied to be an A & R Rep while Im doing all this business along with my music. As I can see, its all about making good friends.
Peace to you all, follow your dreams so you dont have to wonder later in life what it would've been like.
Brandon</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902672006-08-24T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00My Mom
<p>Today I get to take my Mom to her final defense for her Phd. My mom is a real trooper, always wanted to be a Doctor and she stuck to her guns and after all these years she made it happen. I am so proud of her. Now I'll have to call her Dr. Mamala, HA!</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902662006-08-23T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Radio and Press
<p>Well Ive been devoting alot of time sending out cd's to radio and press. By the end of the day I cant even believe that I play music anymore. But I know this is part of the job as an indie unsigned artist, and I'm pretty diligant about understanding business, and know that it's important for my future. Thank god I dont have to lick envelopes or I would die like Goerge Castanzas future wife on Seinfield, HA!
Look out world, Im armed with cd's and stamps and a little bit of music that I believe in. Thats the key word, believe!</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902652006-08-18T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Oceanside Longboard Contest
<p>Ill be down at the Oceanside Pier today and tomorrow in the amphitheatre area selling CD's. Ill be in a booth thats selling the classic Lost Soul t-shirts. You cant miss us. $5.00 a cd, $15.00 for a shirt. Great deal.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902642006-08-15T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Brandon Rices' debut cd "The Middle Man"
<!-- CDBABY LINK for BRANDON RICE: The Middle Man --><a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/brandonrice" data-imported="1"><img src="http://cdbaby.com/gif/cdbaby_stripetop_100_green.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Buy the CD" height="10" width="100" /><br><img src="http://cdbaby.name/b/r/brandonrice_small.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="album cover" height="100" width="100" /><br><img src="http://cdbaby.com/gif/cdbaby_stripebottom_100_green.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="click to order" height="10" width="100" /></a>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902632006-08-13T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Purchase my debut CD "The Middle Man" by using PayPal
<p>Just click the PayPal Button link on the "Buy" page and you can make a purchase using PayPal. You DO NOT have to have a PayPal account to use this feature and you can use a credit card. If you have a PayPal account you can also use it to make a purchase.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902622006-08-13T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Just got an email from CD BABY
<p>CD Baby just let me know that they will be ready to sell my debut cd starting on August 20th. They said it takes up to 5 days to set up the account once they recieve my cd, which was today. So hold tight.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902612006-08-09T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00Debut CD "The Middle Man" has arrived.
<p>I just received my debut cd "The Middle Man". It will soon be available at www.cdbaby.com and also on every kind of digital download service thats available, such as www.itunes.com, www.napster.com, www.rhapsody.com, etc.
It is now available locally in San Diego at Lous Records in Encinitas and Spin Records in Carlsbad. It is listed under my last name "Rice" in the Rock/Pop category. For those of you who aren't local it can be ordered thoughout the U.S. at 2400 retailers who use Super D Distibutors but its probably easier to order online at www.cdbaby.com
I am also setting up a Pay Pal account so you can purchase it directly off my myspace site at www.myspace.com/ricemusic</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902602006-07-22T17:00:00-07:002019-12-14T13:14:44-08:00The Heat
<p>I am so glad I bought an air conditioner, I just hope I still have power to keep it ON.</p>
Brandon Ricetag:brandonricemusic.com,2005:Post/60902592006-07-18T17:00:00-07:002022-05-11T03:20:23-07:00New CD-Brandon Rice "The Middle Man"
<p>Just sent the cd off for production, should be back and available on CD Baby.com by August 15th. I am really excited about finally having something tangible to offer my friends and fans. Hope you enjoy it.</p>
Brandon Rice