Wednesday, October 17, 2012

The Music Business Intellectual Deficit

Over the last couple of months I've been really busy, as usual, dealing with my duties in this industry. I operate on two tiers, one as musician and the other as administrator. Not many people know much about the latter as it relates to my experience and I find it makes it easier for me to fly under the radar and get to the truth because people don't see me coming. I've also been advising an up and coming pop group. I've had a few conversations with some so called managers and taste makers and let me tell you the fix is in people. We all know that the industry has changed but do we REALLY know HOW it's changed? The powers that be would have us believe that since sales are down and the Internet provides so many, sometimes too many, options that we should resort to giving our music away for free. In my conversations with these management types they are in the game of selling success. It's now a pay to play game all the way around. I had one guy tell me that kid acts have to pay to get on these so called educational tours to gain "EXPOSURE". Keep in mind that not only do they have to pay the organizers to be on the tour but they also have to pay their way there and their hotel costs all while the organizers are getting paid to provide talent but not paying these young artists a dime. This is happening through out this "NEW" music industry. Managers are asking for money up front before they agree to represent an artists. We are suffering from an music business intellectual deficit. By participating in these types of arrangements we are teaching the next generation of artists to value fame more than finance and we are not educating them on how to make others place value on their talent. The truth is that the only people that have a problem with things changing are the old label types who were use to making ninety percent profit on a project and not paying the artist. Now with the Internet giving more distribution access to us all, these people have to be fair in their dealings with us but they know that ninety percent of us are still not willing to do the work or learn this business for ourselves so they have just flipped the script. Instead of raping you from record contracts and sales, they are now charging for admission. I remember when a manager was a person that believed in an artist and  invested time and money into growing that artist's career all the while knowing that he/she would only make money if he made the artist money. Now it's being sold in quite a different way and a lot of us, young and old, are falling for it hook, line and sinker. WE DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE OUR MUSIC AWAY FOR FREE!!!!! No one else in this industry is being asked to work for free so why are we told that we should. The studio time still costs, publicists still want to be paid, manufactures and designers don't work for free, SO WHY SHOULD WE!? It's time that we stopped drinking the cool-aid and make these people place a value on who we are and what we do. We have to build our music business intellect. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Glass Half Full

Perception is truly reality. Most of us don't truly understand the power we possess when it comes to controlling or influencing our success and what happens in our lives and careers. Success is all about your outlook. Life is really simple but as people and artists, we tend to complicate the issue. Being a musician/artist is a life long process and change is promised. No matter what level we achieve, there is always more to learn and room for improvement so our attitude is most important as it relates to our experiences. It's always better to see the glass half full. People often ask me why I smile so much or why I always seem to be so happy, especially when I play. Well . . . I figured out a long time ago that you get what you give. If you approach every situation with a positive attitude, professionalism and a commitment to excellence, then you will always get great results. Now I know that some experiences are better than others but every experience we have to play, record, perform, write or create on ANY level is a blessing. I simply go into EVERY situation expecting great things and that is what I get. Discernment and good judgement are also a result of good energy. We've all been through enough to know when a situation is not the best fit for us. Instead of taking a gig just to say we have a job is not worth it if we know that the environment is not one that contributes to our happiness. Life is far to short to spend it being unhappy and complaining. Every day above ground is a good day and a chance to enjoy life and create something beautiful. Relax!!!!!!! Don't put too much pressure on yourself trying to be rich. LOL Just focus on having a positive, professional and productive outlook and not only will you have the success you want but great things that you never expected will happen. I'm a living witness to this. Remember, it is truly better to see the glass as half full. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Leave Your Comfort Zone

A lot of us have the wrong idea about how to achieve success in this business. You can't make it by JUST focusing on money or a rich lifestyle. As a matter of fact seeking these comforts are the enemy of success. The bottom line is that the only way to achieve ANYTHING is by hard, smart work. You can't be afraid to get into the trenches. Most of us say that we want a certain thing but we are not willing to make the sacrifice of working relentlessly to get it. As I've said before, the only way you lose the race is if you stop running. Most of us become to comfortable and are no longer willing to make those sacrifices. We make every decision based on what it pays instead of looking at the bigger picture. In order keep growing and achieving, we have to be willing to leave our comfort zone. You can't make money or find success by focusing on it. True success is about access. Take any really successful artist. The reason they made it was because they were willing to sacrifice all to achieve there goal and just because they make it to one level doesn't mean they stop. Remember, success is about the journey and we have to be willing to keep pushing ourselves to higher levels. I've experienced this time and time again. I will set out to do something, achieve it and all the trappings that come with it only to soon have my inner voice say, "Now it's time to move ahead. You can do more." I become discontent with standing still so I have to continue to move. Trust me, it kind of sucks most of the time because, in most cases, in order to move to something bigger, you have to give up something you already have. This is the biggest reason most of us won't ever go past where we are. Life is all about growth, give and take. You can never hold on to EVERYTHING. We have certain experiences that are only there to prepare us for what's to come but as we get older this process becomes harder to believe in. We seem to get more fearful and more willing to settle. We begin to focus on money and having things instead of continuing to grow our passion. Don't get me wrong, I know it takes money to live and support yourself, but if you are true to your passion and work hard, the money and continued opportunity WILL come. Take a look at where you are. Are you standing still? Can you do more? Are you afraid to give up something to gain a greater reward? These are just some of the questions that we as motivated and driven creative people have to answer daily. Don't be afraid to be uncomfortable. It's ALL about growth. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The Dilemma

We are living in interesting times in the music business. The industry is in flux and is really no longer about creating music. Even though the business side of this industry has always been a bit seedy, there has always been a certain standard of quality at all levels. Well that has changed. It used to be that some of the smartest and brightest creative people could always find opportunity in the music industry, but no more. In the last ten years or so, the smartest people are going into tech and banking careers. It seems that our industry is no longer as profitable. Here in lies the dilemma for those of us still in this game. We now have to face the fact that the days of becoming a millionaire rock star are pretty much over. This is not pessimism, it is fact. Let me explain. Back when people where actually buying Cd's, there was a lot of money to be generated because there was an almost five hundred percent mark up, if not more, on Cd's. So as long as people where buying millions of Cd's, there was the potential to make billions on sales of, not only Cd's, but concert tickets and merchandise as well. MTV, BET and VH1 used to be music video channels that helped market and keep certain music and artists in our faces 24/7. Now that we have itunes and so many other download sites, Cd's have gone the way on the vinyl record and people no longer buy full length records. It's more about the single download so the industry can't really mark up the price the way they used to so the entire profit structure has changed from the top to the bottom. I'm not saying that we should give up. I'm just saying that as we move forward, we need to do so being well informed about where we and this industry stand. We have to think like business people. We have to find inventive ways to get our music and performances in front of people. This is even harder now because with the Internet people's attention spans are even shorter and they are just bombarded every second with CRAP. The first step is quality. Be sure to create quality art and it may take time but when people find quality, they share it. The public can no longer be bought. They have too many choices. My advice is that we rethink the way we approach doing business in this game. The old models are no longer applicable. It's a new landscape with no creative limits. There is still art to be shared and money to be made. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, August 27, 2012

The Journey Is More Important

Life can be an interesting mystery. We are basically taught from an early age to pursue are goals and dreams as if achieving them will make us happy and end the journey. We are taught to focus so hard on reaching something that we forget to truly live and enjoy life. The journey is truly what life and success are all about. The journey is far more important than the destination. It is the journey that molds and teaches us who we are and what we REALLY want. How many times have you worked so hard to achieve something only to feel a little empty when you do? That empty feeling is the "What Now?" feeling. Once you reach the goal, you realize that you have to continue moving to be happy. You see, we are taught to see life in a very superficial way. It's all about what you have and achieve and not what you experience but it is the living that fulfills us and gives us wisdom. I think no one understands this better than the artist because we all realize at some point that it is our living that drives our creativity and not the other way around. It is paramount that we learn to enjoy the journey by finding beauty and success in the simplest things. It's very ironic because it takes the same sensibility to truly be a great artist. I mean putting on a great performance or writing a great song is ALL about interpreting life in a moment and that can only happen through a simplistic attention to your surroundings. Simply put, we must live our lives out loud every moment. Our goals are only markers along the way of a much larger journey that only ends when we stop breathing so stay motivated and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Find YOUR Thing

The coolest thing about being an artist is that there is only one you. There really are no rules. Yes we have to practice and continue to strive to get better technically and intellectually, but your heart, soul and passion for what you do and how you do it are all unique to YOU. Everyone of us has the chance to write our own story. Just because someone else did it one way doesn't mean that we have to do it the same way. Truth be told, it wouldn't work for us anyway because, as I say at the end of every post, it's all about the journey and none of us share the same ride. The goal is to find YOUR thing. Each of us has something that makes us special. Most of us spend so much time trying to be like someone else that we never find out who WE are. This is largely the reason that a lot of us become jaded and give up. Instead of believing enough in who we are and what we have to offer, we use others as a measuring stick and figure we will never be like them so what's the use. Well that is right . . . we won't be like them, we will be something better . . . OURSELF! Take a look at history. People don't really remember the cat that could play the fastest or could sing the most notes. They remember unique artists that were not afraid to be themselves. Let me give you a bit of psychology. Everyone admires us for having the courage to get in front of people and do what we do and they REALLY admire it when we are just honest and show that we may not be perfect but we still put it all on the line. People identify with this because it gives them the courage to be who they are as well. They see that it is OK to be beautifully flawed and free. And yes, finding your thing means that you will have to endure a lot of criticism but don't fret. It is true that people fear what they don't understand and that is why they won't to put things down. But when we keep moving in spite of the criticism, they soon see that their opinion of us doesn't define us. It's cool to admire and even borrow from others but the main key to success and peace in life is finding YOUR thing. Remember you are the only you ever made so just be YOU! Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Progress?

To be in this industry requires a very thick skin, a lot of patience and discernment. The latter being the most important in today's game. The music industry, like other fields, exists at many different levels simultaneously. I mean you can be a gigging musician playing hundred dollar gigs, a touring musician making a thousand dollars a show, a producer, writer or arranger making tens of thousands of dollars and the list goes on and on, but we are all in the same industry. One would think that for as long as the industry has been around that there would be progress at ALL levels. PROGRESS!? The hard thing to stomach is that the gigging musician is basically at the bottom of this food chain and progress is not a part of this level. Musicians in 2012 are still making the same money, and in some cases less, as we were in 1970. The value of music as a commodity has progressed but not the value of the musicians that make it. It's been this system that for years has forced the greatest musicians to seek jobs in other fields. The more I do it I'm only inspired to use my skills of discernment to develop other ways of progressing my career in this industry. The reality is right in front of us and we can see it and make plans to change it or keep doing the same thing and expecting different results and you know that is the very definition of insanity. We have to be very shrewd about our decisions. We HAVE progressed in terms of knowledge so we must use this information to help guide our decisions. We can't take every hundred dollar gig that comes down the pipe. If we do, we leave no time to progress because all of our time is consumed with making these gigs. Don't get me wrong, playing clubs is cool and I understand that club owners pay this way most times as a result of just trying to stay in business. I'm just saying that we have to be able to spread our talents around this industry by wearing a few more hats and being able to separate business decisions from emotional ones. So we have made progress, you just have to have the proper perspective. Knowledge is key. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

There Is Room For Us All

I've been in this industry for over twenty years and I've seen and learned so much. I have a rather unique perspective being that I've spent time working as a musician, administrator and producer in hip/hop, pop, r&b, funk, gospel, country, rock and blues. Yes I've done a bit of almost everything. I've even done jingles and the one thing that is the same no matter what is that most people are always thinking that some one is out to get them or take something from them. We often set out to try and have it all but what I've learned is that there is room for us all. Monopoly in any business is never good because it stifles the industry and it cheats the public. There is always room for great ideas. The problem we have is that when it comes to radio, booking, promotions . . .etc, there are a hand full of people that control what the masses get to see and unfortunately these people are mostly insecure and only let a certain type of talent through. Mostly the ones that will never become larger than the system. This is why the quality of acts at concerts and festivals worldwide has been in decline in recent years. Don't get me wrong, there are some great acts out here but for the most part mediocrity rules the day. What has to happen is a change in mindset. No one man/woman can make ALL of the money or have ALL of the power. There is enough to go around and now that the industry is moving largely to being controlled by independents, it's time that we learn to work together and share the work and opportunities. This will only make things better for ALL of us. The audience will get a better more diverse product and more of us will get a chance to participate and reap the benefits of success. I know some may say that this is naive thinking but now is the time for change in this industry and that change has to start with US as artists, musicians and business people because we all have the power to do what we want IF we can work together toward a common goal. The goal is simply inclusion and a balanced playing field. It's really all about karma. Be the change you want to see and it will happen. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, August 20, 2012

WE Have To Let Them Know

In learning to master this new landscape, a lot of working musicians get left by the wayside. We spend all of our time writing, producing and creating thinking that our credits will be known and help us get more work. Well . . . guess what? It seems that people don't read credits anymore since they really don't buy Cd's. When you download a song, that's all you get . . . the song. There is rarely any info on the writer, producer and definitely not the musicians. I continue to work with some of the greatest musicians around but no one seems to be aware of who they are or at least how diverse their histories are. We have to take matters into our own hands and instead of waiting for people to find us, WE have to let them know. It's up to us to use this new landscape to keep the public, agents and promoters aware of who we are and what we've done and are doing. This information can directly impact our financial bottom line. It's not like it used to be when a promoter would do research on the musicians and be in the loop of who the REAL guys were. It's now all about who is selling themselves the most and this is time consuming but if we don't invest the time in having an updated website with our credits, a presence on YouTube and other social media outlets, we are just wasting time. The business will never go back to what it was and for the most part that's not all a bad thing. We just have to be very aware of the business involved in building and promoting our image and music. Remember it's ALL up to US to let them know who we are and what we've done. We can no longer allow others to define us and set our value as a result of their limited definition and knowledge. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Don't Forsake Your Elders

I've been blessed to have great teachers and mentors all of my life. Starting with my mother and continuing until now, I just always seem to be around the greatest people who are willing to share their knowledge. A lot of my friends say that they haven't quite had the same experience but my mother taught me early on not to forsake my elders. Our elders have a wealth of knowledge to share with us if we are willing to listen, but in order to be taught you have to be teachable and the older we get we end up playing both teacher and student. We have to remain humble enough to do both. Let me explain . . . We often place value on people based on what they appear to have by way of money, things or perceived success but the best mentors are those people that have lived, had some success but also made mistakes and are willing to share ALL of their knowledge. It can be hard to continue to learn once you've had a level of experience yourself because you feel as if you have knowledge to share as well. The best thing to do is to always be looking to listen and learn instead of talking and trying to teach, especially when it come to our elders. You also have to be a savvy, observant learner. I've been around some guys that taught me what NOT to do even if they didn't know they were teaching me. What I mean is that I've observed talented guys with bad habits and I've seen what those habits can do to limit your quality of life and success so lesson learned. The cool thing about being a musician is that there is ALWAYS an elder willing to teach us something if we are willing to learn. Oh yeah . . . WE MUST HAVE A THICK SKIN because the older guys don't hold any punches. They give it like they got it, HARD. Most of them had to work really hard to get anywhere and they know how strong we have to be to make so they will not make life easy for us, this is what builds character. No matter where we are in our growth, we should never forsake the knowledge of our elders. We should seek and embrace it. Each one teach one and success is yours. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Don't Wait!

The biggest enemy of success is procrastination. We all have great ideas and inspiration but we think that we will always have time to get to them so we just keep putting them off and we never develop the ideas. My advice is don't wait. The moment you have an idea the next thought should be putting it in motion. The music industry, like most others, in always going through changes and the only way to win is by staying ahead of the curve. The only way to do so is by having fresh ideas but having an idea is not good enough. YOU MUST ACT ON IT! The universe is a strange place. It seems that once the idea is born, it must be completed and if you don't move on it you will see it again from someone else. How many times have you had an idea and dragged your feet only to find out that someone else had the same idea but they actually followed through on it. This is the universe in action. I speak to a lot of students about planning their future and the thing I tell them is once they know what they want to do, make a list of things to do that will lead them to their goal and start working that moment to make it happen. Success is about action and you don't have to be any certain age. You are never too young or old. Once you have an idea or you know what you want then THAT is the time to make a plan and IMMEDIATELY put it into action. Talk is cheap because it doesn't contribute to success, only action does. Even if you are deciding what the next step is in your career or journey, once you have the vision, move on it right away. You will find that a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Once you start, it's just easier to think clearer and you are creating positive energy and motivation because you can see results, no matter how big or small. So take time today and right down your ideas, formulate a plan and PUT THEM INTO ACTION! Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, August 13, 2012

Taking Risks

I'm often asked about my approach to stage performance and where it comes from and I'm still not sure myself because it's all about the moment for me. Music is about the passionate pursuit of happiness. Every time we take the stage is another chance to explore and learn something new. It's all about taking risks, not only on stage but off stage as well. The music industry is a very difficult business to succeed in, at least financially, but the only way you win is by being daring and pushing the envelope. When creating and performing we have to not be afraid to test our creative limits EVERY time. When people experience this, you have a fan and a FRIEND for life. This business is about building and maintaining a fan base and the only way to do it is to give people something they can only get from you. Now this is hard because, truthfully, not all of us are truly free or courageous enough to do something new. What we have to understand is that most audiences are jaded and they come to a show thinking they've seen EVERYTHING and for the most part they are right but when we are able to truly give them a NEW experience, they so appreciate it. All of us can do it! It just takes letting go of the isms and taking every performance one at a time. I mean you may have a well rehearsed show but leave room in your show for spontaneity. Leave room for the universe to participate. We must understand that the goal is to become one with the art so that we observe and feel everything that is occurring in a space around us so that we are able to make those elements a part of the experience. And since every venue and audience is different, every show will be it's own unique trip. This also applies to everything in our lives. We must learn to live out loud by taking risks. We have to continue to grow and challenge ourselves in every aspect of our lives. Just remember . . . there can be no success without risk. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Basics

Life seems like a complete mystery sometimes but it's not. The music industry too seems difficult but it's so simple that it's hard. Let me explain. We all want to be successful and we think the way to win is to focus on the success or winning but that's not it. It's ALL about the basics. As children, most of us learn right from wrong and the basic principles of life. We are taught to be kind, humble, focused, compassionate, competent and professional. As we get older and start to pursue our careers, we often forget the basics. The fundamentals to having a successful life and career are the same no matter who you are or what you do. You can only fake it for so long. You must be focused on being the best person you can be and being the most competent at what you do. You must develop good life skills and business habits such as honesty and promptness. Understand that the goal is never attached to money or outside validation. It's all just realizing that everyday is a gift and another chance to be better at whatever you do and you need not stress yourself and shorten your life by putting ridiculous demands on yourself. The main goal in life is to be happy and at peace. Children have this figured out. Remember when you were a child and you could be happy just doing nothing or you could find happiness in the simplest things. Well the key to true success and happiness is to be able to reconnect with that basic principle. Nothing is REALLY hard, we just make it seem that way. No matter what you do just understand that if you work hard and smart, apply yourself and stay true to your heart and passion, nothing is beyond your grasp. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

No Matter Where You Go, There YOU Are

The one thing most of learn is that success is mostly about change. We start out with a particular idea of what WE think success is but by the time we achieve it, IF we achieve it, we realize that it involved changing ourselves. We sometimes stumble through our lives and careers running from place to place complaining about how people just don't understand us without realizing that it may very well not be everyone else that has the issues but US. Let me explain, one of the most beautiful and yet most destructive things about being an artist is our level of sensitivity. We simply want to be loved and accepted but instead of taking a chance on just being ourselves we get used to trying to be all things to all people. The thing is that this can only last for so long until we get fed up and we usually move on but we don't change our behavior and we then wonder why we keep getting the same results from each situation. Well no matter where you go, there you are. The problem is not everybody else . . . IT'S US! LOL Don't feel too bad though because, trust me, we all have to learn this lesson. The key to being a true success is learning to accept yourself for who you are and don't always try so hard to please everybody. Leave some room for people to please you. I've learned this myself. I've often found that I'm a people pleaser and I've tried to make others happy before myself but when my efforts didn't achieve the intended results I would get frustrated. I've learned that we have to be fully aware of who WE are, good and bad, and make changes to improve ourselves FIRST and not always try to please others first. The key is self analysis. We have to face the truth about our short comings and do what we can to modify them but not just for someone else but for ourselves so that this change is from within and will stay with us no matter where we are. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, July 30, 2012

Study The Masters

Most of us don't really know where greatness starts. Yes you have to be born with a lot of it but exposure has quite a bit to do with it as well. Exposure to the music and art that came before us. The key to being GREAT in ANY industry is having knowledge of what you do and knowing where it came from. It is so important to study the masters. I listen to so many new artists and musicians that are super talented but they have limited exposure. I recently spoke to a young drummer who had never heard of Buddy Rich, Max Roach, Pappa Joe Jones or Art Blakey. Now I know a lot of you will say that it's because they where primarily Jazz musicians and most young cats are not into Jazz. The reason I think EVERY drummer should know these people and the many others like them is that the drum set, as we know it, was invented in America and Jazz was the music that really developed the instrument so if you are going to really understand the instrument you have to know the history of it's creation and be WELL aware of the musicians that pioneered it's development. Listening to all kinds of music is the greatest way to expose yourself and learn. When I was in college my music history professor encouraged us all to have have a portable music player and headphones with us at all times so that we could fill ALL of our spare moments with music. This is such a great way to better your skills and intellect as a musician. Having the talent is not enough. Talent, intellect and exposure are the cornerstones of greatness. I've listened to and continue to listen to as much music as I can, old and new. This practice continues to teach me and it also helps me get hired, create and define my own voice because I may not have played a song before but if I've heard it or been exposed to the style, I can play it. This is why listening and studying the masters, in all genres, is so important, and it is so beautiful because this is a life long journey, it it will never be over. So please listen, study and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Self Management Is Key

I've been in this industry a long time and I've seen a lot of things change. Well, let me say that I've seen everything change except the artists' point of view. Most artists/musicians still think that they need a manager, agent or promoter to be a success. That is no longer true and let me explain why. There was a time when managers, agents and promoters really believed and INVESTED in the talent they represented, but no more. As artists, we are looking for guidance and basically some financial help or investment in our careers. There is no need to waste our time any longer. The industry has changed so that managers and the like are only concerned with making themselves money. They are not interested in helping us build our career. They only want to benefit once we are already there. Self management is key because we have to shoulder the responsibility of building and guiding our own careers. I've worked for a lot of agents that have a roster full of artists but they only book each artist a few times a year. This doesn't really help the artist but the agent makes a commission on everyone so he is not really motivated to keep and one artist working too much because he is afraid of the artist becoming bigger than him. Yet the artists will sit by and complain but still hold their hands out waiting on this guy to give them something. Forget that! We have to be self promoting, self booking, self managing . . .etc . . . Build your career until it gets too big for you to handle and even then you can groom someone to handle the co-management duties. We don't have to play these games. The industry has become so reversed. I mean festivals, clubs, labels and the like all think they are more important than the artist and that the artist should bow down to them and for the most part we fall right in line and then complain about being disrespected and underpaid. Time out for that game. Let's ALL commit to stepping up to the plate to handle our own business and don't be afraid, if you don't know something, then just ask or do the research because it's free, it just takes a little time. NO MORE MUSIC INDUSTRY SLAVE MENTALITY. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

There's Joy & Success In Repetition

I watched a documentary a few days ago on Lil' Wayne and it was a very interesting look into his process. He is truly a gifted and very smart artist. Like him or not, you have to give him his due. He made a statement that I thought was profound. He said that his success came from doing things over and over until he got it as close to perfect as he could, repetition. I found this interesting and I agree, there is definitely joy and success in repetition. This basically means that perfect practice makes perfect. Success and wisdom go hand in hand. We learn best from experience and when we see that something works for us then we simply repeat it for as long as it continues to work. Now there are also some bad habits that we need not repeat but we are all human and we WILL make mistakes. Wise repetition is about discipline. In order to gain mastery of ANYTHING, it takes consistent work and dedication. It takes hours upon hours of repetition to perfect and simply get it right. This sounds like a simple concept, but for years we have gotten it wrong. We want all the fame and riches before we put in the hours of work. We put the trappings before content, talent and substance and more times than not we are consumed by the demons of greed and incompetence. We also have to look at the motivating factors. As a child, I spent endless hours listening to music and practicing instruments because I LOVED to play and learn. YES, I wanted to be successful but in the beginning my only motivation was to learn as much as I could about my instrument simply because I loved it and I wanted to be great at playing it. The visions of what I could do with it came much later. You see part of my repetition was observing older guys that had tons of talent and many of them had made it BIG but because they put the fame and vices before the craft, they were either broke, destitute, dead or living a life full of regrets. So as WE journey through this life and career, let's be sure to do our best to only repeat the positive things that add to our growth and success. We can and will learn from our mistakes but we don't have to repeat them. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Gift

I just returned from an outstanding weekend of shows in Canada and the people were so complementary of my playing that is was really humbling. I get this a lot from all kinds of people but it's the things they say to me one on one that really remind me of what this is all about. I was reminded that this ability is a gift and it can inspire people as well as make them happy and THAT is what the gift is for. It's understanding that there is something bigger than you or your ego. I spoke to a man that was a drummer before he was paralyzed in an accident and he said that seeing us play made him happy. This was a reminder to me that NOTHING is promised or guaranteed and it's important that I not misuse or disrespect the gift because it can be taken away from me in an instant. Having a gift is only part of it, it's our responsibility to continue to develop and get better at what we do because our gifts won't carry us ALL the way. It takes humility and life skills to truly understand this concept. We should also NEVER question the gift or the IT factor. It simply is what it is. Once we start trying to figure out what people see or like then we become plastic or fake because our goal then becomes satisfying others instead of just being ourselves and letting the gift shine through. This is not about money or success, it's simply about humility, passion, self understanding and achieving excellence simply because it's what we should do. Staying true to your gift and passion will bring you everything you need and some of what you want. Most of all, it brings you peace of mind and spirit so that you can see clearly and successfully navigate this life and career. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Invest Wisely

The most valuable commodity that we have as musicians is our time. Wasted time can never be returned. This is why it is paramount that we truly understand that time really is money and we should handle it as such and always invest wisely. I often hear a lot of musicians complaining about not getting paid well or being disrespected and for the most part all they are doing is wasting time because constantly complaining about an issue doesn't change it, once you know what the problem is, the next step is to find a solution. We should all be more solution oriented. If we know that playing certain clubs or venues doesn't pay well, then just don't play them. It's not even worth debating or having a lot of conversation about it. Club owners have an agenda that doesn't involve improving our financial state. Most of us will say that when we complain that we are only venting well for the most part venting is just wasting time, energy and brain power because after you've vented nothing has changed. The best thing to do is to just invest your energy and time into always moving forward. We REALLY have no time to waste. Every thought and word should contribute to our progress. Let's face it, not all of us really believe that we can have what we want so instead of admitting that we simply waste time blaming others for why we don't have this or that. When you truly believe in yourself and your goals, you don't waste time. If you doubt me, just look around at the people you know that ARE successful. Do they spend time complaining or solving? Just know that success can only come from investing your time wisely and that includes your words, deeds and thoughts. Try taking a week where you only spend your time investing in moving yourself forward. I mean ALL of your time. Don't even have a conversation that doesn't contribute to your progress and just watch what happens. Invest wisely and enjoy the journey.

The Truth All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, July 16, 2012

Reaching Your Full Potential

In the beginning we all start out with goals and visions but somewhere along the way we get sidetracked or should I say we allow things and people to sidetrack us. When you are younger, it's much easier to spend all of your time practicing and focusing on your art. I mean what else did you have to do? It is this focus and dedication, at an early age, that gets most of us to where we want to be but then we stall. We begin making decisions and choices that don't contribute to our growth potential and success is about reaching your full potential. The fact is that most people in the world NEVER reach their full potential simply because they either give up or become involved in relationships that don't support them fully realizing their potential. The hardest thing to accept as an artist is that you will have to mostly go it alone. The mistake WE ALL make is in thinking that we HAVE to have certain people in our corner, so much so, that we end up leaning on people who may care about us but don't REALLY understand who or what we are. Now I'm not saying that we don't need help. What I'm saying is that we tend to put too much stock in what other people think about OUR potential and talent. When you are given a vision, it is YOUR vision and until YOU make it happen it can just be impossible for others to see, even those who sincerely love you. Therefor you have to guard and protect your vision by simply making choices that will support and not destroy it. Just face it, until YOU manifest it, no one else will get it, so there is no need to waste your time trying to convince your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, best friend . . . etc, to believe in your vision or potential. Once you make it happen they will see. Reaching your full potential simply takes work and relentless dedication. It also takes being able to honestly assess and evaluate who and where you are at ALL times. It's only when WE are in doubt that others can have a negative influence on us. And yes we all have and will continue to make mistakes and sometimes take the wrong path but that is why we must constantly re evaluate to be be sure that we can keep our vision in front of us and pure. Stay true to YOU and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Beautiful

Today I want to share something very special with you. We talk a lot about getting our music out to the masses and being accepted but the truth is that acceptance ALL starts within us. I recently received the final cut of a video by an up and coming pop group called Remix. Now hold on I know what you are thinking, POP GROUP!?, but hear me out. This group is special to me because my son Michael is one of the members. The group is a trio comprised of three very sharp teen aged performers. I've had the pleasure to have interacted with them all for a number of years and you know me, I'm not impressed by the pursuit of fame for fame's sack so I've given many a music business speech to them all. Their first single is simply entitled, "Beautiful". It is attached to an anti-bullying campaign headed by another outstanding young lady who also appears on the song but the reason I'm writing about it today is that the lyrics and concept of the song say so much. The song talks about loving everything about who and what you are, even flaws because it's really our flaws that define us. After hearing it, I thought that it not only applies to bullying but to EVERY human condition. Just think about it, people spend tons of money on loosing weight, plastic surgery, clothing, cars . . .etc all to be seen as beautiful and dare I mention how much time and money we invest as musicians/artists in trying to be accepted. This song gives us ALL the answer. You are simply beautiful just because you are YOU. You need not try to prove yourself to ANYONE! Low self esteem lies at the heart of many a bad life decision but just knowing who you are and loving yourself is the true key to success in life on ANY level. So I invite you all to celebrate your own beauty by listening and sharing this video, which you can view @ http://youtu.be/sMFNfT7Suvk. It is also great to see children in our industry making music with substance and meaning so I also invite you to show your support by downloading the song on itunes @ http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-feat.-kelsey-ann/id539664289. This song should become the anthem for all of us because WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL! Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Simply Blessed

I'm just returning from another great European tour and it was an awesome experience. I've been touring the world playing music for the past twenty years and it's all been made possible by music. We all spend time trying to build our careers and keeping our noses to the grindstone but it's so important that we take time to realize that we are simply blessed to be able to do what we do. I've been lucky enough to see things and go places that most people never even dream of and I get to do so because they want to hear me play and share my gift. One of the biggest pieces of being successful is exposure. It's always enlightening to see just how BIG and diverse the world is outside of YOUR backyard. Travel expands us as musicians and people. It's also important that, as we travel, we remain humble and focused so that we are able to truly glean knowledge from each experience. As we spend time trying to develop a following for our music, we must see the entire world as our potential audience. I'm often amazed at how you can go to another country and hear of artists that live in the U.S. that you never knew existed but they are superstars in Europe, Africa or Asia. Not to mention that the European market still values musicians over marketing. To them it's all about how good you are at doing your craft and it doesn't matter what type of music it is, they really do appreciate good music of ALL kinds. So as you continue forward, please invest time in traveling and seeing what the world has to offer. Expose yourself and your talent to as many cultures as you can so that you can learn as well. Remember we are simply blessed to do this and our gift to play music is our passport to the world. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Independence Day

Today we celebrate our countries independence which I find interesting as a modern creative artist because with all of our freedoms we, as a creative people are more enslaved than ever before. Instead of pursuing our passion and creating music that challenges the intellect, questions the establishment, pushes the envelope and adds melody to life and love, we have become slaves to commerce. We only want to make music that we think will make money or sell millions of copies. There is no independence in corporate greed for an artist. It used to be that artists became rich by simply being independent and following their creative hearts. People gravitated to the music because it was created from an honest and sincere place, not just to sell records. It's time that we as artists declare our own Independence Day. This is the greatest country in the world with the greatest opportunity for true freedom and as artists we are not doing our job. Historically it has always been our duty to push society forward and not just stand by and regurgitate ignorance. We have the freedom to do what we want to, unlike most other places around the world. We have become to comfortable. The new music business is ALL about declaring and claiming our independence from the penny pinchers and non creative types that care nothing about art. So today as we celebrate and reflect on our country's independence, let's move toward truly freeing ourselves and letting great music and art flow. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Fame Is Not THE Goal

The general understanding of the entertainment industry has gotten totally confused but I guess it's nothing new. It's really the same game in a different time. Popular music has always been driven by the pursuit of fame. The only difference now is that fame has become the first thing people seek. Understand this . . . fame is not THE goal, it is only a byproduct of what happens when you pursue your passion and have success. Well, that's what it's suppose to be anyway. Think about all of the older stars in any genre such as Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, Little Richard, Stevie Wonder, Prince . . .etc. These people only became famous because they were REALLY great at their craft. In today's industry, artists are more concerned about fame than they are about just being good at what they do. This is why the quality of popular music is steadily declining. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing today's music. I actually like a lot of it but it's simply fast food music with no real substance or staying power because most of it is created simply to serve some corporate plan or trend. The pursuit of fame for the sake of fame is also the reason that most artists end up broke. Since they are only concerned with being famous, driving the right car, wearing the right clothes, living in the biggest house . . .etc, they don't realize that fame doesn't pay for these things, it only gets you a loan that you have to pay back. By the time these artists pay for all of the middle men and all of these superfluous and pretentious trinkets, they are simply broke. It's time for us to get things back in proper perspective. Wanting fame is not a bad thing but if it's ALL you want then you are off the mark. Become great at what you do and the rest will follow. History has proven this to us over and over again. Don't let this age of the reality star who is famous for NOTHING push you to forsake honing your craft. Stay focused, grounded and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Knowing Is Not Enough

The pursuit of success seems quite difficult for a lot of us and we find ourselves confused as to why. We have years of experience and we have gained tons of invaluable knowledge yet we still find ourselves a few steps short of the success we want. Well the reason for this is that knowing is just not enough. Knowledge without action means absolutely nothing. A lot of us know what to do but we just won't follow through on getting it done. Even if we start, we have a problem seeing it all the way through. This is why we see so many so called less talented people having success because what they lack in knowledge and experience they more than make up for in the action department. I'm sure each of us can take stock of things we could start doing in the next few days that would drastically improve our careers. We just have to get up and DO IT. It's like anything else in life. Everybody complains about being overweight and we all know the answer to loosing weight but if we don't ACT on that knowledge then we just end of destroying our bodies and our quality of life. Well the same applies to our careers, if we don't ACT on the knowledge we have then we will never advance. We will always be talking about what coulda, shoulda, woulda happened. In the words of Little Richard, "Talk is cheap but ole do is still the thang." ACT NOW and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Changing Gears

Most people have no idea of the mental capacity it takes to do what we do. Beyond having to be entrepreneurs and handle our day to day business such as bookings, sessions, classes . . .etc, we have to always be at our best mentally because the demands of our jobs are ALWAYS changing. We have to master changing gears. What I mean by this is in the course of a month we could tour with up to three or more different artists who all have different shows and music. It takes great organizational skills, talent and focus to effectively pull this off. The tough part is that you have to commit yourself fully to each situation. This means that from situation to situation you will have to modify certain things to always be at your best and this can be taxing. I've found that it takes meditation and rest to be able to always operate at 100%. I'm always learning new music or writing drums charts for something and it keeps my mind moving ALL the time. From one show to the next, I have to find time to center myself, review the needs of the next job and prepare myself mentally for the tasks at hand. The contradiction is that you have to be able to fully commit and quickly detach afterwards so that you can move onto the next situation. This is why it is always best to keep it about the music and not about personalities. I try not to ever take anything personal or get caught up in organizational politics. I'm there to complete a task with love and humility. All of the other things are too destructive to participate in. This keeps me mentally and emotionally stable and it makes sure that I will get called back. It's all about staying focused on the music and being professional. We must never take anything for granted. We must ALWAYS prepare and deliver our best. Changing gears can be as smooth as WE choose to make it. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Be Optimistic

I had a conversation with a friend recently and she was telling me about an acquaintance of hers that was a musician and he was in a funk. He's been in the industry a while and has had some not so great dealings with people and/or companies so he's now feeling a bit down and is not sure what his next step should be. This happens to ALL of us, especially those of us that have the privilege of doing big tours with major artists. While we are on the road with them, we get treated like kings and we get paid well but once that train stops moving, we are forced to deal with what's left. FEAR NOT! I have the answer to this funk. We all have to understand that life and our careers are all about change and transition. We are always moving from one place or another in our career, at least we should be if we are advancing. The answer is to always be optimistic. You have to know that no situation lasts forever and you shouldn't want it to. The new music industry gives us more options and opportunities than ever before. We don't need record deals or managers. We just have to be willing to work for ourselves everyday. Now the issue is most of us are spoiled and we are still looking at the OLD industry where the artists was catered to and the musicians were heralded and praised. Well along with all that fame and praise, a large majority of them were ripped off because they did not have any stake in the business end of their own career. They were just THE TALENT. Instead of feeling down about things, take time to be optimistic about all of the new possibilities that now exist for us as independent artists. I mean you can make a million dollars selling music on the web and still not be a household name. Forget the ego and the search for so called fame. That's usually when we get into a funk because we are looking at the picture the wrong way. Take control of your career, make plan and execute that plan daily. I guarantee that if you work it, you will see results and when you are busy focusing on moving your career forward, you have less time to complain or be down about anything because you are so optimistic and positive about working your plan. Stay ever vigilant. Use your experience and knowledge to your advantage and above all else, enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, June 25, 2012

Concept

Most musicians spend hours practicing licks and learning songs without truly understanding that being technically proficient is only a part of being a successful musician. Along with technique, we need to develop a high intellectual understanding of what we do. It's all about understanding the concept. This is so vital and can sometimes seem elusive because the concept changes based on the type of music you are playing, the artist you are playing with, the venue, the people you are sharing the stage with and so forth and so on. The key to concept is constant listening and studying. I was told long ago that in order to truly play any song with the correct emotional approach or concept, you must first know something about the person that wrote or composed it. For example, when I first started playing music by Duke Ellington, I approached it from a general jazz angle. I mean I was just reading the notes on the page and playing my best swing feel but it wasn't until I read Duke's biography that I understood how to play his music. Once I knew who he was and what inspired him to create such beautiful music, then I knew how to play it and communicate it with all of the class, elegance and nobility that was Duke Ellington the man. This goes for any kind of music we play. I also believe that it's important to understand the story that a song is telling. Once you know the intended purpose of the melody or lyric, then you know exactly what to play and what not to play. I know this may sound like a lot or it may sound too analytical but the best musicians can execute this process in milliseconds. It's all about surrendering to the art and craft. We must always be tuned into the music we are playing and the people we are playing this music with. Everything matters including the personalities of the musicians you are playing with. Duke Ellington took this to the extreme by composing written solos to fit the skill level and personality of his musicians. He was so spot on that the written solos sounded improvised because he really knew the guys he was writing for. So as we move forward and play more shows and learn more music, let's try to connect with the concept of what it takes to truly communicate this art. It's all about self sacrifice and surrendering your ego to serve the music. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Play The Blues

I recently had a conversation with a younger colleague and he expressed to me that he didn't really like playing blues music and that he was only playing blues gigs until he could get a pop or r&b gig. I found this amusing because like so many musicians he is so confused. My advice to him was that if he learned to truly respect the blues and fully embrace it, he would be a better musician all around. Simply put, "Play the blues." Most of us run from the blues because of the perception that is a music for old people and it doesn't pay well. I beg to differ on both accounts. First of all, the blues is the tie that binds ALL forms of American popular music. It all stems from the blues. Yes there is more commercial success in other forms but for a working musician, knowing how to play the blues will keep you working all the time. There are hundreds of festivals and venues world wide that cater to the blues and all forms of the blues. It's best if you have a record but you don't have to be number one on the charts or have a hit video. I play all kinds of music but my knowledge of and respect for the blues have been the key to my continued growth and ability to sustain myself as a working musician. Having a basic understanding of the blues in the key to playing jazz, country, funk, soul, r&b and even hip hop. The blues is about groove and free creative expression and it is not just and old music. It is still growing and it can grow even more when ALL musicians understand it's importance to our growth. The blues also challenges our intellect and emotional maturity. It's all about taking what life gives you and making something beautiful out of it and you will ALWAYS be able to make money no matter what the trend is. The blues is respected world wide and there will always be an audience for it. Also, the next time you are watching T.V., take notice of how many movies and commercials use blues or blues influenced music and concepts. Don't be afraid to play the blues. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Is It True?

In order to be successful in any industry the first thing we must do is face the truth about ourselves. We must know our strengths and weaknesses. As musicians we sometimes get a bad reputation for how we do things. People say that we are not time conscious, they say we drink on the job and so forth and so on. Now a lot of us complain about not being respected and we blame our lack of opportunity on everyone else. The bean counters that run the music industry don't respect us and they don't think we deserve to make more than a meager wage and they base this largely on how WE do business. The thing we have to do is analyze where we are and instead of playing the victim, we must ask ourselves,"Is it true?" The music industry is one of the only industries in which you can work with people that make millions, attain a lot of notoriety, travel the world and still walk away from the situation living check to check. This has gone on forever because as musicians we don't put OUR business first. We don't look at our craft and skill as a valuable commodity so we develop habits that simply taint our brand and allow people to use us but we are never really able to benefit from our talent. I suggest that we stop blaming others and face the truth about who we are and what we do. In order to succeed at anything, it takes consistent work, doubly so for us because we most times have to work late playing shows but we must still rise early enough to handle our business. I mean proper business hours are basically 9 to 5 and most musicians sleep these hours away instead of using them to do business that will push their career forward. We must also understand that we have to be in the business of breaking the myths that exist about musicians being lazy ego maniacs. Well I say myths. LOL We have to know that you can never get something for nothing and if you are not willing to carry yourself in a business like manner at ALL times on and off the stage, then you will never attain the respect and success you seek. I'm not trying to be harsh. I'm simply tired of seeing so many of us self destruct and blame someone else. As I've stated before, WE HAVE THE POWER! No one else in this industry or any other should be allowed to define us. It's time for us to upgrade the reputation of musicians and artists alike by taking responsibility for our own actions. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Friday, June 15, 2012

You Create Your Own Future

For too long we have relinquished our power and control to others. So many artists and musicians are broke and bitter because they simply trusted the wrong people and were too caught up to be interested in doing the work for themselves. It's important to know that the whole game of the big wigs is to break our spirit. The key is to become enlightened. It's better to do so on early on in your career but it's never too late. What you have realize is that YOU create your own future. The people who run this game have always known that we have the power but I liken it to American slavery. It was all about brain washing, destroying one's self esteem and knowledge of self because if you don't know who you are, you are constantly looking for someone else to validate you or even define you. This is what the music industry has done. It's made slaves of the artists and musicians and because of our lack of self belief and we dare not challenge them. Instead we become bitter and stressed as a result of ill treatment without realizing that we have the power. The key is to know that you deserve to be successful and you don't have to be treated with disrespect. Now you have to commit every aspect of your being to positive action. Only participate in things that add to your success and don't even entertain BS and the standard people that bring it your way. If you've had some bad experiences, don't allow them to crush your spirit and your future. Free yourself and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Strength

As we continue to live and grow in this industry and life, we realize that it is just not easy. We are all learning something new about ourselves everyday yet we have to always put on our best for the public. As artists we live a highly conflicted existence. It's often hard to explain our actions and reasoning to others. Most people will judge us, sometimes even those closest to us but it takes a true strength to survive and really be a success. The one thing that is constant with us is change. We are constantly growing and trying to better ourselves and the world around us and YES we make mistakes mostly because we truly live out loud. We take chances and we are not afraid to move on when we know it's time. This seems like it should be the natural inclination for anyone but it's not. Most people stay in situations that they know are not good for them just because it's what they are used to but it takes strength and courage to know better and do better. This most times requires letting go of certain things and relationships. We live in a creative zone so we are more in touch with our feelings and this is why we can take what may seem to be a bad situation and write the most beautiful and poignant songs about it. Here in lies the lessons and essence of who and what we are. Creative beings. Never let anyone take your zeal and drive for your craft or life. Stay strong! They may not understand now, but they will one day. Your success will shine as a light to show them the way. Be blessed, stay encouraged and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Do We Really Know

I've been talking a lot about self empowerment in this industry and I think as we try to educate each other and share ideas we forget that not all of us are aware of certain things. A large segment of musicians still feel as if they need to be handled by a manager or agent. Now there is a point in our career that we need these people but most of those people are not interested in helping us build anything from the ground. They usually only want to deal with you when you are worth something and that is just good business, I guess. We spend a lot of time dealing with the new digital age but I wonder if we REALLY know how to take control. Let me give you some simple info. Most people are aware of this already but I keep finding that there are tons of musicians that are not. What I'm speaking of is getting your music set up to sell on the Internet via itunes and many other download sites. I've found that CD Baby offers the best deal all around. You can release a digital single or album with a bar code and your own Cd Baby page for less than $50. They also service ALL of the major and minor download sites and they only take a 9% commission. Every musician making music and playing shows should be aware of this site and be able to set up and operate YOUR OWN SITE. We no longer have to spend tons of money on pressing or trying to get a distribution deal. Now once the page is up you have to spend your time letting people know that it is there. You can make sure to have email lists at all of your shows to help build your fan data base to increase your market as well as using social networking sites such as facebook and twitter. Cd Baby also offers download cards at great prices and a full accounting page which gives your info on who bought your music, there email, where they are from and how they found you. This is priceless marketing data and all it takes is some time spent to process it and follow up. I advise that even if you have someone helping with this piece, you should be able to set it up and run it yourself if need be. Knowledge is power and it is the only way we will empower ourselves moving forward in this new industry. It has never been more attainable than it is now. It just requires a bit of dedication and time. This is just an overview of the Cd Baby deal. I invite you to visit their site at www.cdbaby.com and check it out for yourself. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Don't Drink The Cool Aid

As musicians we have to always keep ourselves grounded in reality. We are in the business of creating fantasies and magical experiences for our audience. People admire us for having the courage to get on stage and share our gifts so they lavish us with compliments and adulation. This is all fine and good until we start to actually believe in our own "so called" greatness. Don't drink the cool aid. All of us understand what being a great musician is about and even though our supporters love us and mean well, they are not always giving you the truth. I mean they dig it because of the moment and the emotion that was created but only you know the real. I've done shows that I knew I had some kinks or the band wasn't as tight yet we still created something beautiful so when the people come up and say, "You are the best I've ever heard" and so on and so on, this is humbling and well received but you can not internalize it. We must approach ever situation with the same level of professionalism and humility. The idea is to be so consistent that even your bad nights are great but to be humble enough to know that it is really not about YOU. I've played with a lot of great musicians and some of them have had some great egos as well. I've seen guys get so caught up in what people tell them that I actually heard one guy ask a band leader, "Do you know who I am and who I've played with?", he was asking this question after being chastised for not knowing and executing the music correctly. I guess he figured because he had played a couple of "BIG" gigs that he was immune to criticism. He was drinking the cool aid (LOL). The bottom line is that EVERY gig is a BIG gig and it doesn't matter if you've played with Michael Jackson or who ever. All that matters is you competently doing the job at hand without ego or a sense of entitlement. People will always compliment us but it's up to us to take those compliments with a grain of salt and keep our feet on the ground while focusing on playing a good pocket with energy, feel, space and melodic respect for the people we are sharing the stage with. Big resumes are cool but not as cool as a big humble heart. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Stay Informed

In this high speed digital age, one of the hardest things to do is to keep up with changes and advancements in any field. Information has always been and will always be POWER. In the music industry musicians and artists are usually at the bottom of the business pack because we simply focus on the creative. Don't get me wrong, that IS our primary job but we must also know that we have to spend time learning and operating at other levels in this business. We must simply stay informed. If we expend all of our time and energy in only playing clubs or booking party gigs, then that is all we will ever see. What about the music industry outside of all of that. I mean everyday I read something new about advancements in how people are consuming music digitally and how this new landscape enables us as artists to have new business freedoms. Now the problem is that most of us don't REALLY want to work too hard doing anything other than our music and keeping up with the industry and guiding your own career is a LOT of work. But it has to be done. Even when you have a manager, agent and attorney, you still have to guide them because they work for you. You have to give them the vision not the other way around. Staying informed also let's you know what's missing in the industry and that can allow you to be an innovator. We are living in a great time for pioneers. The music industry is still in flux and the old rules no longer apply. Always know what's going on not only with the popular side of what you do but research movie scoring, T.V. and movie sound tracks, YouTube T.V. . . etc. Use your imagination and this technology to help push your career to the next level. There are no limits. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Take A Look At Yourself

I've often heard people say, "same thing different day", to refer to some kind of negative pattern in there musical lives. Some of us seem to have the same experiences no matter where we go or who we work with. Well I think it's time to look at the common denominator. Take a look at yourself. We always want to blame everyone for our downfalls or bad experiences without analyzing how WE contribute to those things. The truth is that you get out of something what you put in and if you don't approach every situation with a positive attitude and expecting great things then you won't get anything great from it. Let's face it, this is all about developing and maintaining relationships and none of us is always right or always wrong. A successful relationship requires respect and give and take. We must also never bring baggage into a new situation. When you have a bad experience, try to figure out what caused it and learn from it before moving on. If you move on without really resolving those kind of issues, they just seem to keep rearing their ugly head over and over. Most of the time we will find that the change has to start with us. Remember perception is reality but you have to be honest in your perception because everyone else is not ALWAYS wrong. So let's take sometime to truly analyze the pros and cons of our personalities and emotional maturity. This will make all the difference in the world. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Possibilities

I recently watched a documentary on Herbie Hancock that I've seen several times before but something stood out to me in this viewing. He was talking about his time with Miles Davis and and the advice had been given. Miles told Herbie to always be in the moment when playing on stage. He said that he shouldn't be judgemental of his environment. If a player is not at his/her best that night or if you just don't dig what's being played, toss your opinions aside and just make music with what you are being given. Always be open to the possibilities that are in front of you. I thought this was so profound because this is what playing music and living life is all about. Most of us spend so much time criticizing and trying to bend things to our will, instead of just experiencing life and making something beautiful out of every situation. I often hear musicians complain about how this music sucks or how that cat can't play and it really tends to bring the vibe down. I get to play with a lot of different people, some better technically than others but what I've learned to do is to listen and pick up on the tendencies of the people I'm playing with. Once I know what they prefer or what their tendencies are, whether they rush, drag or what have you, I can then play with them to help create something beautiful in THAT moment and I find that I always walk away having learned something new about myself and my own playing. It is a must to divorce yourself from any kind of negative speak or energy when it comes to playing music. Man just show up prepared to always contribute to exploring the possibilities. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions

Monday, June 4, 2012

We CAN Make A Difference

Last week I blogged about a gross mistreatment of musicians by a festival retail vendor. After posting the blog I was contacted by a fellow musician friend and we, along with several other friends, began to get the word out to any one that would listen. As a result, the retailer ended up backing away from his 45% commission and settled on 20%, which is 5% better than the previous retail deal. This was proof that we CAN make a difference. So many of us spend time complaining about how we get treated but we don't feel like we can really do anything about it. We must understand that we DO have power. Now we must respect the fact that we have to do business with people and everybody wants to make money. It's never possible for us to own 100% of everything because retailers, agents and festivals need to have an interest in order to help us get promoted and make money. We simply want to treated fairly and with respect but we must first operate with honor and respect in how we handle our own business. When people know that we will not stand for disrespect and mistreatment, they will think twice about messing with us. This doesn't mean that we won't have to deal with drama, but we have to always be prepared to stand against any injustice and mistreatment. This retailer backing down from this deal do to pressure from musicians and consumers should serve as a small example of what we can do if we simply stand for what we believe. Stay ever vigilant and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Musicians & Technology

Yesterday I spoke about about the ridiculous attempt of a retail vendor to charge artists 45% to sell their Cd's. I had a lot of interesting comments and the one thing that has become evident to me is that there is still a large gap between musicians and technology. Now I don't mean recording technology. Most of us are always on top of anything new involved with making music. I'm talking about the technology of commerce and the new ways available to us to sell our music to the world via digital means. Let's face it, the music industry has always been a cut throat game and for the labels and execs it has always been about making money and the artists or musicians are always on the bottom of the money pile. Nothing has changed. Largely because, as artists, most of us are seeking fame more than financial success. We are not educating ourselves on the new digital means of promoting and selling our music. We don't know much about how itunes, spotify, rhapsody, napster . . . etc. work. So if we don't really know then how can we educate our audience on how to participate is this new digital age as well? There is no longer a need to sign a record deal. Worldwide distribution is at your fingertips. I know it costs money to record a CD but most of us are financing our own records now and managing to sell quite well but we must now take full advantage of this digital distribution network that is freely available to us all. Knowledge is power! Don't let ANYONE take your money because of your lack of knowledge. The world of selling music is moving forward and it is not going back to what it used to be EVER so we MUST embrace this new technology and master making, promoting and selling our music on this digital landscape. Now go do the research and empower yourself and your audience. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Let's Take A Stand

Enough is enough! I received an email last night informing me that a certain blues festival and their retail vendor have decided to take 45% of the artists CD sales versus the standard 25%. This is ridiculous and it's time that we as musicians put our foot down. We already have to haggle with these festivals over money and I understand that providing airfare and accommodations can get costly, especially in today's economy, but fair is fair. Most artists will accept less money to play a festival because they know they can make up the difference in merch sales and this is only fair because people will only really buy your product if you put on a great show. That CD sale is a direct reward for your great performance and people at festivals come prepared to spend money on Cd's of artists they like. What has happened is that the festivals have taken notice of this and instead of just staying in their lane, they have decided to take even more of our retail money. Well I say NO! I advise any artist to protest this kind of ridiculous percentage by simply not selling your product. You can print post cards to give out with your retail purchase information such as itunes or Cd Baby. Some will say that we will loose . . . NO WE WON'T. The festival will loose because if we don't sell product then that's money that can't make either and when people by direct from us via the Internet, we don't have to give the festival a dime. It's time out for this disrespect. Without us they couldn't have a festival anyway and it's all the same. No matter what shape the economy is in, they will always complain about how they don't have the money and we have just gotten used to playing THAT game but we will not play this retail gouging game. Spread the word. Anything over 25% is a no go. Also with people having a direct link to the Internet via their phones now, at each show take a moment, while on stage, to have people go to your site and tell them to download your music directly to their phone. I know that most blues music fans still like doing things the old way but this is a part of taking a stand. We have to educate them and bring them into the digital age. Technology has given us even more entrepreneurial freedom so let's use it. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Leaders & Followers

Every one likes to think of themselves as a boss or leader. Well most of us have the concept totally backwards. We think that being a leader means that you get to call all of the shots and answer to no one. This is the furthest thing from the truth. I've noticed this more and more in our business, especially with musicians aka sidemen. A lot of sidemen are also leaders in their own situations. Let me tell you a secret about leaders and followers. In order to be a great leader, you must first be a great follower and you must also realize that being a leader really only means that you are in someone Else's service. Let me explain . . . President Obama is our leader but he was elected to SERVE to people of this country. He has to make decisions that are best for the country as a whole, not just what he may think is best. He is the leader but he basically works for the people. Just as in being a good sideman will only make you a better leader because leading is about service. If you can play the part of sideman and stay in your lane by always being prepared, on time and respectful of the leader and the organization's requests, then when you are in the leader's chair you will know how the best lead (serve) your team to get the best results. The main problem that exists is that leaders are born and not everyone that thinks they are a leader can really live up to the task. I've seen so many sidemen be disrespectful or even incompetent in a situation and think that they will have success as a leader because everything is always someone Else's fault and if they are in charge then it will all be better. (LOL). Again I say, leaders are born and they not only know how to lead but they know how to follow and this cycle never ends. For all young musicians that expire to ever lead their own group or situation, just work on being the best follower you can and if you find yourself in a situation that doesn't serve your best interest, just leave. Don't poison everyone else with your discontentment. Part of being a leader is being able to make hard decisions that are not always popular but effective. The key to being a good leader is knowing how to be a great follower. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Nothing To Prove

I had a conversation with a good friend last night about what's REALLY important in life. The cool thing is that she is very well off and she commented on how she still thought that education was most important. We also agreed that no matter who you are or what you have, humility is always best. I enjoyed speaking with her and later I thought about how we look at things in the music business. We all start out with individual goals but somewhere along the way we become intoxicated by adulation and approval, so much so that we begin to focus on that more than our art. We have to remember that we have nothing to prove. If we spend all of our time trying to be what we think others want us to be, then we are simply lost. We also can't try to base who we are or what we want on what someone else is doing. It takes a lot of humility to know who you are and just be satisfied with that. People only feel the need to prove themselves because of insecurity and yes we all want to be validated but it is so much better when we can validate ourselves. I've just recently come to this place of enlightenment for myself. I help a lot of people with information that is invaluable to their success but a lot of them show no real respect for me or my info. They will pick me for the knowledge and run off and pretend as if they always knew everything and not acknowledge where they learned the information. I've realized that helping people is my choice and something I will continue to do because it's the right thing to do and I'm continually blessed as a result. I have nothing to prove. I know who I am and the value of what I've done and will do. I'm just thankful to be able to live a free life doing something I love and part of what I love is helping people and I don't plan on stopping and neither should you. Just believe in yourself and look no further than in the mirror for validation. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Write It Down

I'm currently consulting a very talented young group of artists and this is giving me a chance to revisit some very fundamental things about this business. Building and guiding your career is a huge and constant undertaking and we can sometimes get overwhelmed because we find ourselves running in several directions at once with no real purpose. Again I remind you that this is a BUSINESS and like any other business we have to follow certain protocols. Whatever your goals are, simply write it down. I know this sounds too simple but it really works. Prioritize your goals and write them down along with a to do list for each step or phase of accomplishing these tasks. This will keep you focused and give you a way to track your progress. It will enable you to make concrete business decisions and not emotional ones. You will also be able to invest your time and money better. Once you write your goals down, you should place a copy where you can view them daily as a way to keep you on task. Trust me, this works. Sustained success is about being organized. This also works because in order to write something down, you have to give it some critical thought and evaluate strategies. So make sometime today to start writing your goals down and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Ethics

The music industry has a reputation for being a cut throat business but I dare say that it is no more so than any other BIG industry. Money or the LOVE of money can be an intoxicating thing and it can make people loose site of their intended purpose. It is most important to always practice good business ethics. You should always strive to be an honest and trustworthy person, not only in life but in your business. It is OK to be blunt and focused but your intentions must be sincere from the outset. There are people in this industry that set out to defraud, lie and misguide people by simply exploiting someone's ignorance or passion to succeed. Most people enter this business wanting to be rich and famous by any means. The truth is they don't even have good ethics themselves. I mean they will betray anyone or anything if it means they can be famous or rich. This never ends well. I've had situations where my intent was honorable but the people I worked with were not. They wanted something for nothing and had no real respect for my services and when things didn't turn out the way they should have, these people blamed me but it only turned out bad because of their lack of ethics. Don't be fooled, you CAN be successful in this business and still maintain your integrity. Understand that there are NO shortcuts and you must be careful who you work with. NEVER work with unethical people. Also don't expect to just sit by on the sidelines and have everything given to you. This type of attitude will only get you ripped off. Just practice good business with good people and if you happen to make some mistakes, and you will make some, just learn from them and move forward. AND NEVER GET CAUGHT UP IN BAD MOUTHING PEOPLE! This is never a good thing. You should never say anything behind anyone's back that you can't say in their face. Once you say it to them, that's it, no need to repeat it to any one else. Just be ethical and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Monday, May 21, 2012

Knowledge Is Power

To be a success in any industry requires that you study and continue to gain knowledge about your field but for some reason most of us don't think that this applies to the music industry. We often complain about being treated unfairly or not being paid well. We spend so much of our time focusing on fame and money that we miss the boat. We think money will give us the freedom and control we seek but that's not necessarily so. We must remember that knowledge is power. I consult a LOT of people and it never ceases to amaze me how some of the most talented people have no clue about the most basic things in this industry such as how to register a copyright, set up a publishing company, file with soundscan, register with BDS . . .etc. There is a long list of things that EVERY person seeking success in this industry should know. I've seen people get investors and go through the money so fast because they lacked the knowledge of what to do with the money to make more money. This industry, like any other, is full of sharks and they make money of other people's ignorance. We MUST continue to study and look at this business as a science. The more knowledge you have the more valuable you are and the more you can contribute. People often ask me why I give away so much free information. I do so as a way to help inspire others to be self motivated and independent thinkers and not just look at the so called fame and fortune. The true riches are found in the amount of knowledge you acquire. Record deals come and go as does fame but knowledge will last you a lifetime. No one can take it away from you. Now go empower yourself and enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Keep Teaching & Learning

We all work really hard in this business and sometimes we can miss the small rewards. No matter what level you are whether it's making number one million sellers or playing gigs at clubs or festivals, we are all in the same business. I have been mentored by some of the best people in this business in both the artistic and business side of things. As a result of these people being so giving with their knowledge, it has always inspired me to give back and share whatever information I can. I'm reminded that we have to keep teaching and learning. I have lectured and taught hundreds of students over the past ten years and I recently had a great reminder of how important this has been. I went to a rehearsal with some former students of mine and I watched them rehearse, I was so impressed with their drive, energy and attention to detail. After the session I complimented them on their work ethic and they all said they had learned it from me and their goal was to be able to live up to MY example . . . WOW! I was blown away. I never really knew what kind of impact I was having but I guess it stands to reason because I'm still trying to live of the the examples of my mentors. It is so important that we never stop teaching or learning. We are all in this together and it is our responsibility to pass on our knowledge and experience to the next generation and each other. We all have something to teach and we all can definitely learn something new. Enjoy the journey.

The Truth
All Rights Reserved by Airtight Productions 2012