Ariel's Blog Challenge Week 4

Ariel’s Blog Challenge Wk. 4—

Through my online Berklee courses, and Ariel’s book, I have learned about the importance of social networking and blogs. I joined Facebook and LinkedIn some time ago, and more recently joined Twitter. I have almost 400 friends on Facebook—friends, colleagues, and industry personnel. I really enjoy LinkedIn not only for the industry connections, but the group connections. In fact, there are some great articles that are posted at some of those group sites. I also started blogging shortly before Ariel’s blog challenge. I need to improve my blogging—shorter, more concise, and interesting things to say. I would like to start responding/commenting to other bloggers, but time is an issue. I want to be “in” with a few of them so that they might consider blogging about the artists I work with as the artists release new music. I did join one bloggers’ blasts. He is in the UK and is a fan of Gregory Douglass. I still like the good old-fashioned phone calls because I feel like I get to know people better rather than social networking and e-mail. But, I realize that it is important to get out there. The phone calls can come later. In fact, they are. And that’s awesome. I just joined Flickr yesterday and put two photos up. But I have to figure out how to get them into my biz newsletter that is created at my website (hostbaby). Not so easy to do that with this type of website. I like skimming through the tweets at Twitter. I think Grace Potter’s tweets are cool. She says more than just “playing a show at . . . “. I need to check out the many websites that Ariel suggests in her book. Once again, time is an issue. Lastly, I have been holding out to join MySpace. I keep reading that it is dying. The only reason I would join would be to post the artists’ songs, not for social reasons. Any suggestions about that would be appreciated.

Ariel's Blog Challenge Week 3-My Website

I am constantly trying to update, tweak, etc. my website. It does load quickly. After writing the mission statement and the “pitch”, I went back to my website to change the home page pitch—introduction, etc. A few weeks ago I decided to try something. Keep in mind I am a Creative Liaison working with DIY artists. I put up a few questions on the home page asking people to answer the few questions on the “sign up on the e-mail list” page. In return for their e-mail address and answering a few questions, I would gift a song from iTunes to them once they choose a song from a particular artist they like listed on my website. So far--nothing. So, I think I need to do this differently. I am thinking of sending out this incentive via newsletter and asking my peeps to come to my website and visit the artists I work with. Then, choose a song and I will gift it to them. To make it more enticing, I would have a drawing at some designated date for a Ben & Jerry’s gift card, or if the winner is from VT, 2 tickets to Higher Ground for a show of their choice. I would love feedback on this idea. In the meantime, I am going to tell the artists I work with (who don’t already offer free stuff) to try this themselves at their websites.

Ariel Blog Challenge--Week 2

The short pitch:

Bluebird Music Promotions was established to offer services to DIY’s that signed artists receive from their labels. We have as much passion for Indies as their fans do. Therefore, we are willing to work payment plans that fit their budgets.

The longer pitch:

It’s sad to see talented DIY artists spend a bunch of money to record and produce their record, do a few shows, and then a lull sets in. They didn’t have enough money to first of all properly promote the record in advance, and then keep the momentum going after the release. Bluebird Music Promotions was established to offer services that signed artists with labels are receiving, and come up with innovative ideas to keep momentum going after releases. We have as much passion for Indies as their fans do. Therefore, we are willing to work payment plans that fit their budgets.

Your 15SecondPitch™

My name is Glory Reinstein of Bluebird Promotions and I am a Creative Liaison specializing in independent music. I promote independent singer/songwriters. Because I am a passionate fan of independent artists I am willing to work payment plans that fit their budgets.

Ariel PR Blog Challenge #1--My Vision

In One Year:

· Working with 4-6 artists I can count on from the comfort of my home

· Evidence that the Bluebird Plan is a viable plan for artists

· Significant airplay for artists as they release new material

· At least one “paid” placement

· Brave Bird Music/ASCAP receives its first royalty check

· Form an alliance with Ariel Cyber Publicity

· Produce and promote a big show for the artists I work with

· Create the next “Vicissitudes: Vol. II” CD (Vermont’s Premier Independent Songwriters)

· Start a record label????

In Five Years:

· I have retired from music education and collecting retirement benefits

· Still working with 4-6 artists from my home

· I have secured royalty %’s of some artists’ music

· The list of my music industry contacts has significantly grown

· Bluebird Music Promotions and Brave Bird Music Publishing are respected throughout the industry

· Brave Bird Music Publishing is steadily receiving royalty checks

· I am a composer with several published pieces

· I have added another component to my biz: booking

· I am still producing and promoting special shows in the area

· One of my artists is being courted by a label or major publisher

In Ten Years:

· I am collecting social security as well as my teacher retirement benefits

· I am still working with a small roster of artists

· I am collecting royalties

· I am composing

· I am living in San Diego (far away from VT winters!)

· One of my artists just won a Grammy!

Independence: A Musical Point of View

On this Independence weekend, I began to think about the word from a musical point of view. For many years I thought there were only two classifications for artists—signed or independent. Now I realize there are three categories—artists signed to major labels, artists signed to independent labels, and the DIY’s or “Do It Yourselfers”. Some of the dictionary definitions for independence are: 1) the freedom from the influence of others; 2) exemption from external control or support; 3) not relying on others for aid or support; 4) self-confidence. I’d like to address those definitions. No matter what we do, we are influenced. I once read that a genius is someone who takes the ideas of others and creates something new that they can call their own. Examples would be Martha Graham, the pioneer of modern dance; the composer Stravinsky; writer, T.S. Eliot; and visual artist, Picasso. They all took ideas from others and created something new and exciting. But in all cases, these geniuses had support from family, friends, colleagues, and others who believed in their cause or product. “Freedom from the influence of others”, might be interpreted as, “I’m not going to conform or give-in. I’m going to do things my way. I’m not going to rely on a record label that has certain expectations and control over my product.” While DIY’s are in fact influenced by the music of other artists, and exhibit self-confidence to take the DIY route, they are in need of a support system. History often repeats itself. In this “upside down” time within the music industry, I am reminded of the rise of the Punk Rock era of DIY. In the words of Greg Ginn, “I’m proud of what Black Flag had done from beginning to the end, and I thought, ‘I have been fortunate enough to never have played a note of music that I didn’t really want to play’ . . . . the songs are more what the band is about . . . . . that attitude of do-it-yourself. Black Flag promoted the idea of just jumping off the ledge and doing it.” (from the book “Our Band Could Be Your Life”, Michael Azerrad, p. 60).

*Greg Ginn founded SST Records and the band Black Flag. All aspects of the label and the band were done in-house.