Blogs

Hi, all

Anyone who is planning to listen to Aardvark Express on Mixsteam Radio (8pm EST), I have something special planned for the chatroom. Join me tonight to find out what it is.

Brainplant

Well we made it through the holiday's and now it seems like the right time to do the next "site" tune. Anyone have a preference? Same Song Title Madness? Same Lyric Challenge? Something else?

I've loved music my entire life. Eventually I started writing and playing-- both on my own and with others. After a while, I came up with a few recordings of which I'm proud. I hope you enjoy them as well. When I recorded (most of) these songs, I assumed they would be heard by less then 25 people: my circle of select friends, family, and fellow musicians. I never imagined they'd be available to strangers via the internet. I'm gratified by the response my music has received-- especially when one considers the high caliber of musical talent that exists on this and other original music sites.

My music can approximately be described as post-industrial surburban ragtime, with surf sidetones. I grew up on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Cars, Dire Straits, and Elton John. Regrettably, my music doesn’t readily reflect that. But I think the greatest influence has been the people I’ve worked with over the years. I’ve learned a lot by watching others develop their ideas. I can’t say I sound like anyone I’ve ever worked with-- but their influence is certainly present.

"The wrong kind of people" by hooyoosay has been included on WOA Records' compilation CD "Independent No.1's, 5th Anniversary Edition".

http://www.woarecords.com/

Wow now on top of Bowie dying Glen Frey also just passed away. 2016 is starting out poorly for lost legends.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/01/18/glenn-frey-founding-member-eagles-dead-at-67/?intcmp=hpbt4

Glenn Frey, a founding member of the rock band the Eagles, died Monday in New York City, his publicist announced. He was 67.

Frey “fought a courageous battle” for the past several weeks, according to his publicist, but succumbed to complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia.

“Words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us, his family, the music community & millions of fans worldwide,” his publicist said.

Guitarist Frey and drummer Don Henley formed the Eagles in Los Angeles the early 1970s, along with guitarist Bernie Leadon and bassist Randy Meisner. They would become a top act over the next decade, embodying the melodic California sound.

Henley said in a statement Frey was "like a brother to him."

"The bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved, he said. "We were two young men who made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles with the same dream:  to make our mark in the music industry - and with perseverance, a deep love of music, our alliance with other great musicians and our manager, Irving Azoff, we built something that has lasted longer than anyone could have dreamed."

An Eagles greatest hits collection from the mid-1970s and "Hotel California" are among the best-selling albums in history.

Frey was born in Detroit and was raised in its suburbs. His solo hits include "The Heat Is On" and "Smuggler's Blues."

Frey was lead vocalist on the Eagles' breakthrough hit, "Take It Easy," a song mostly written by Jackson Browne that came out in 1972. His other showcases included "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Already Gone" and "New Kid in Town."

The Eagles split up in 1980 but reunited in 1994 and were one of the world's most popular concert acts. The band, which for years was made up of Frey, Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, was supposed to have been honored at the Kennedy Center last month. But the appearance was postponed because of Frey's health problems.

Frey, known for his oversized jaw, big grin and blunt personality, loved music, girls and the rock 'n' roll life. He would meet up with Henley, Meisner and Leadon while all were trying to catch on in the Los Angeles music scene, and for a time the four backed Linda Ronstadt. They also befriended such other Los Angeles-based musicians as Browne and J.D. Souther, who would collaborate on "New Kid in Town" and other Eagles songs.

They harmonized memorably on stage and on record but fought often otherwise. Leadon and Meisner departed after run-ins with Frey, and guitarist Don Felder, who had joined the group in 1974, ended up in legal action with the Eagles.

Frey and Henley also became estranged for years, their breach a key reason the band stayed apart in the 1980s. Henley had vowed the Eagles would reunite only when "hell freezes over," which became the name of the 1994 album they never imagined making. 

Artists today need their tracks to compete with what they are hearing on the radio; there is just no excuse for a crappy sounding track.  In fact, if you’re track sounds like shit, then it’s our first red flag as to just how lazy, un-resourceful,  clueless, and out of touch you are with the music business these days; kinda like showing up to a gun fight with a butter knife.  Today’s music is consumed so fast and there is so much of it available that YOU HAVE TO BE FREAKING AMAZING in every way to stick out.  Why on earth would you cut any corners on your artistry??  I mean, aren’t you the one always complaining about how crappy music is on the radio and how YOUR band could do so much better?  If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.  Here are 5 really good concepts to internalize before you spend any money recording anywhere that will hopefully help you rise above the fray!

1. Good Demos Are For Songwriters  - Demoing your songs as an artist used to be an essential piece of the puzzle to getting a record deal; nowadays, your demos are more a private process of crafting your songs and arrangements to prepare for a master recording session.  Unless you are a songwriter trying to get an artist to cut your song, you are WASTING YOUR MONEY with demos no matter how much cheaper the process is compared to cutting master tracks!  Forget publicly pushing/presenting demos!  Record Labels stopped developing talent a decade ago; so they don’t care about your demo no matter how good your songs are!  They care about your momentum, how many tickets, CD’s, Merch, and downloads u sell.  If you only have $2,500 and you find someone to demo your 8 songs for that price, you wasted $2,500 because that budget will not have been spent on any activity that will create momentum for you.  Relax and save more money or cut fewer songs.

2. Don’t Be Naïve In Your Strategy  – It’s FAR better to spend your limited budget on 3 or 4 GREAT tracks than 10 mediocre cuts.  For the love of GOD if you seriously are trying to make a living in the music industry, do your music right or don’t do it at all!  It’s so easy to freak out on what it costs to really make a great record these days, I get it!  The cold hard reality is that you are going to have to spend some money to get this dream of yours going.  The more you cut corners, the more you make it an expensive hobby; so don’t be frustrated because you are the one getting in your own way.  I think of one of our artists named  Tanya Marie Harris  from Canada.  I remember our first phone conversation, and she said “Johnny, for what you and Kelly are charging me for 2 songs, I can cut a whole record up here…” and my mind went to the pre-programmed response of thinking that we weren’t going to be able to help her, but before I could open my mouth she finished her sentence, “…of mediocrity.”  She approached her project with us as if it was the end of the world and it HAD to be done right.  We ROCKED those 2 songs of hers and she is now blowing up major radio in Canada because she has 2 KILLER tracks.  I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up with an investor very soon, because she has created real momentum!  Bottom line, her approach has opened WAY more doors for her as an artist.

3. It All Starts With the SONG  – This is probably 80% of your problem, your songs suck; or some of them are good and the rest are weak.  If you spend $25,000 recording a lame, crappy song with Mutt Freakin Lange, it’s going to be the most expensive, slickest sounding crappy song on the planet (he would never cut it, but you get my point).  Get some co-writes with some seriously talented writers!  If you are now saying, “but I don’t have any of those where I live” then MOVE!  Like Sam Kinison said, “GO WERE THE FOOD IS!”  It’s quite possible that your songs are very good but maybe just need a little tweaking here is where a good outside ear can make the difference!  Which brings us to our next point; Producers.

4. Get a Producer  – Make sure that your Producer has a killer engineer or IS a killer engineer; LISTEN to what they have done.  ASK who they have worked with.  Your best friend who just went to school for a recording degree is NOT going to deliver for you this time; he/she needs their 10,000 hours before they are going to be able to get anybody to the next level artistically.  Since you are responsible for your own development now, you have to think like a record label would think.  After you sign with a label, if you are ready to record the next step is PRODUCER SHOPPING so why the hell would you skip this step on your own project?  Do you really think a Major Label would allow your buddy right out of school to produce your first effort??  HELL NO!!!  I recommend using your buddies with the cool home studios for your creative demo process; use them to craft arrangements and songs, but don’t rely on them to deliver expertise because they have none, or they would be working with professionals already.  Kelly went to school and got a recording degree; then he wiped his ass with his diploma and moved to Nashville to learn how to make records.  I was an artist right out of high school and learned to make records in a trial by fire kind of method.  A good Producer is going to help you pick the songs.  A good producer is going to tell you, “NO” to the songs that aren’t ready to be recorded or shouldn’t be recorded at this level.  A good Producer is going to have heart to heart discussions about your lane and then service those collaborative decisions musically.  A good Producer is going to have relationships with the studio musicians and ensure you don’t get “run over” by them.  A good Producer is going to have the psychological skill-set to push you and your band to artistic performance heights you never thought possible.  A good Producer is going to be just as excited about your project as you are!

5. Be Realistic About Your Band’s Musicianship  – You would be surprised how many members of your favorite rock bands didn’t actually cut all or any of their tracks in the studio; the ones that did were AMAZING musicians.  In Country music, most professional live musicians, as Godlike as they are live, do not cut in the studio; it’s just a different animal because live is here & gone already and the studio recording is forever.  All too often I see bands come in determined that everyone in the band is going to play on the record.  If your drummer sucks, then we are going to have to manufacture the performance in Pro Tools to get the track in time and find a groove.  If your drummer sucks then your bass player is NEVER going to consistently lock up with the kick drum and this spells S-H-I-T; which means we are going to manufacture the bass performance as well since the drum track has been altered.  You see where this goes?  It becomes a hot mess and your record sounds, well, MANUFACTURED.  You would be better served to make the best recordings possible and let any weaker musicians grow into the role; sorry to say it, but if their feelings are worth the whole record budget you have a problem.

Original Article

1.    Your Songs Suck  – Consumers will instantly click past a crappy song to thousands of online radio stations till they find a good song that really moves them in the first 10-20 seconds.  You better have GREAT songs.  It’s a CRAFT; it always has been.  Treat is as such.  You need to seek out a few mentors to teach you what they know about their CRAFT and apply your unique vision and perspective to that knowledge.  Easy to do with all the online writing societies.

2.    You’re Producing Yourself  – Have you ever wondered why a record label would NEVER let you or your friends produce your own record?  Have you ever wondered why most of the iconic Superstars STILL use producers?  Why aren’t they saving money by producing themselves?  Surely a producer at that level is pretty damn expensive!  Get it?  Just because you can work Pro-Tools or Logic doesn’t mean you can or should make a record.  The label would put you with someone who is not only experienced at the entire process of making records, but a way better musician than you.  The smart artist always thrives being around true pros that are better than them to soak in the education and grow to a new artistic level; fearless of the journey.  Most artists will tell people why they can’t or won’t afford a producer and spend their money on their 25th guitar and new plug-ins for the home studio; avoiding the journey.  Do you want to make great records or collect gear?

3.    You’re Not Marketing…At ALL  – Putting your music on iTunes, Spotify, CD Baby, ReverbNation, etc. is digital distribution NOT marketing.  Marketing is the art of influencing buying decisions.  Having your CD available for purchase “wherever it’s sold” isn’t influencing buying decisions.  Twitter, Vine, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Live Shows, Music Blogs, Indie Radio, Internet Radio, and PR are the marketing tools you need to master.  These tools create awareness and drive traffic to your squeeze page where you get the consumer’s email address.  It’s through their email that you will influence their buying decisions.

4.    You’re Operating With An Out-Of-Date Business Model - You are still trying to cut cheap demos to shop to a record label to try to get a deal.  You still think radio is the key to marketing your music.  You still think that radio will be a powerful marketing tool when you do get your deal.  You still think the labels make money selling records.  You still think that if you get a deal that’s when you’ve made it.  Wake up, that ship sailed a decade ago; you have to develop yourself, today.

5.    You’re Not Thinking Like A Record Label  – If you got signed today, the label would surround you with people that make a living writing songs, engineering, producing, doing public relations, marketing, promotion, booking bands, image consulting, Photographing, etc.  All these people would be highly professional and much more dialed in to the market and process than you and your friends.  If you’re thinking like a label, you are looking for a team of people to help you with at least some of these important items.

6.    You’re Not Selling Your Music On Your Website  – .  If you were truly DRIVING traffic anywhere to purchase your music, you would drive them to YOUR site and take all the money.  Everyone needs a presence on iTunes, CD Baby, Reverbnation, etc., but why on earth would u pay someone 30% of your record sales to do what you can do with a free plug in on your WordPress site?  If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense.

7.    You’re Not Posting Regular Videos To YouTube  – YouTube is your new Radio with an amazing potential for reaching millions, no wait…now BILLIONS of people and you don’t need to spend 1 million dollars to bribe a freaking Program Director for a CHANCE at getting a few spins.  The “shelf space” is unlimited (Unlike radio) and they pay royalties and advertising revenue.  “I don’t get it because I just want to make music” is a cop out.  why aren’t you learning everything you need to learn about this amazing opportunity?

8.    You Suck At Project Management  – If Steve Jobs approached the first products from Apple the way most of you approach managing your musical projects he would have died homeless.  Jobs was a true artist, the first computers he and Wozniak made looked good, worked good, were packaged well, and were made in his garage.  Instead of making 500 crappy computers with the limited budget they had, he made 50 AWESOME computers and the market place responded; the opportunities that came from the first run of AWESOME computers provided the momentum they needed to reach the next level.  If you want to find someone to cut your songs for $300/song, I PROMISE you will find them.  Record your 3 BEST songs for the same price as what you have to spend on 12 and do it RIGHT with a TALENTED TEAM.  It’s gonna cost money, so think of it as an education.   Then watch the market respond!

9.    You’re Waiting For Your “Big Break”  – Deep down you wish it was the old music business because, on the outside (from the cheap seats) it seemed easier when the labels took care of everything.  Well they did and you would have paid dearly for that “EZ Button”.  I got news for you, the Superstar Artists that are still around today, never let the labels take care of everything.  They worked smarter and harder than that in a sea of sharks.  You have to create your own opportunities, your own momentum.  There’s no way around it.  Nobody gets “discovered” anymore so get off the couch, put the bong down next to your baggage and get to work!

10. You Still Think Record Labels Develop Talent  – Record labels don’t develop talent like Coca-Cola doesn’t repair cars; they don’t care about your music, they care about your current cash flow, and how many fans you have a measurable connection with.  They care about what kind of market you created for yourself and if they can make money by adding fuel to the fire you already started.  Think YouTube and Google.  Google didn’t develop YouTube, they purchased them.  So those smart guys at YouTube had to PROVE their idea had value in the market place; so do you.

11. You Don’t Think Of Your Music As Product  – Until you do, nobody is going to hear your art.

12. You’re Self Sabotaging  – This is the most common and most destructive mistake of them all.  Let me save you the suspense, you’re gonna make mistakes.  You’re gonna hit speed bumps.  You’re gonna be rejected.  You’re gonna have to get over it!  You have to get out of your own way and just move forward.  Stop making excuses.  If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.  PERIOD.  So make a change and watch massive amounts of energy quickly flow your way.

13. You Are Too Sensitive To Take Constructive Criticism  – You would be amazed how many of your favorite Superstars were brutally schooled by the label on their first record.  They were green just like you!  “Go back and write us a single we can promote on the radio or we’re gonna drop you”.  If you’re too dumb to know that you don’t know, you’ll never make it.  Be professional and LEARN.  It’s always better to stay quiet in a room and appear stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

14. You’re Listening To Haters  – When you do start to get momentum, people you don’t know and sadly, many that you do will spit poison into every part of your life.  Get used to it.  You are doing what they can’t.

15. You Haven’t Defined Your Lane  – You are afraid to pick a genre because you write in many.  Consumers need ONE lane to connect with you in.  Just because you pick one doesn’t mean you are ignoring the others.  Get some traction in 1 lane first, that will help expose a project in a different lane to more people.  Think John Mayer with his first few pop records and then he did a blues project.  That blues project got a TON of exposure because he was now John Mayer the pop star.

16. You’re Live Performance Sucks  – Nothing is more disappointing than seeing a decent band with great songs and nobody sings background vocals; except for a crappy band with crappy songs, and everyone singing background vocals.

17. You’re Not Capitalizing On Your Live Performances  – Today’s music market is about endless content and email addresses.  You should have constant video footage to market on social media.  You should have boatloads of email addresses after every show.  You should be moving product from the stage at every show.  You should be gaining twitter followers at every show…THEN you can get laid.  J

18. You’re Putting Too Much Stock Into Your ReverbNation Ranking  – A #1 ranking for your small town or big city on ReverbNation + $2.54 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  How are you getting paid for your songs?

19. You Don’t Know What You’re Doing On Twitter  – Twitter is a simply amazing surgical marketing tool that allows you to SERIOUSLY target your specific market.  When done correctly, your following will constantly grow.  1 year from now you could have well over 10k followers and now you have the means to drive tons of traffic to a squeeze page, or a YouTube video, or to….Get my point?  Your fans are out there, go find them.

20. You Think It’s All About Music, Not Marketing  – The truth is that it sure is nice when they expertly market a killer record, but if it was only about the music, there wouldn’t be any crappy songs on the radio.  Think about that for a second.  Without marketing, nobody cares about your music because they haven’t heard it.

Original Article

Hi there folks.

Been busy working on other musical projects and stuff in our private lifes that required alot of attention, meaning the band has not been our first priority for quite some time. Now, it may sound to you like we're calling it quits but we're not. Ohh no, no, nonono. Not at all. We still have an album to release and we're going to, shortly. The NEW ALBUM's going to be hard, fast, mean and heavy and it's not going to sound like anything by TMH that you might be familiar with from our past releases. The songs and the lyrics are much more darker compared to the ones we've written before and there's an old school thrash metal demon lurking in the wings on every song just waiting to poison your mind with pure evil and madness. (or something like that). Well, not exactly. Not saying it's thrash metal or metal at all but the overall impression of the new album, when you hear it, is undeniably hard rock with thrash feel and vibe. It's not something we decided we had to do. It just happened. We're all huge fans of old school thrash, heavy metal and metal related music so why not? Anyway, this time around it got wild and thrashed but who knows in the future? Maybe our 5th album happens to become a blues album in the spirit of Robert Johnson. Time will tell but for now, we're BREAKING THE WAVES....

*See you 'round soon. \m/ TMH, Dec 19. \m/

Uploaded a new song.... Hangin' High. Please give it a listen.

http://www.mixposure.com/sam-houston/audio/20473/hangin-high