IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Jun 10 2014 05:12 PM
I thought I would share a few of these articles (scans - click on them to make them larger and easier to read) with SG101-ers. The first one is from the June issue of the Guitar Player magazine, and has some good news. The rest of the scans come from the March issue of the Classic Rock magazine (from the UK), of which I'm a big fan - it has all these guys that have been writing about rock music since the '60s or '70s, they're extremely knowledgeable and still very 'plugged in'. These articles come from a larger feature that ran in that issue titled "Is Rock Dead?" There were a lot more pieces, but I tried to stick to the ones that are possibly relevant to being a musician in a surf band. I hope you find them interesting!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11053
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Jun 11 2014 12:16 AM
Thanks for putting that all up Ivan. It's a lot to get through, but I'm sure it'll prove interesting.
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Jun 11 2014 07:56 AM
You're very welcome, Danny. I hope it'll prove to be an interesting and possibly helpful reading. I know there's a lot, but the great majority of it is shorter pieces, so people can just scan them as they're interested.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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caddady
Joined: Feb 14, 2010
Posts: 802
N.E. Ohio
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Posted on Jun 11 2014 08:26 AM
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Jun 11 2014 08:33 AM
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Surfgitar
Joined: Mar 16, 2007
Posts: 1342
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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Posted on Jun 11 2014 08:45 AM
+1 what Danny said. The many articles and insights you provide are always helpful. (and appreciated.)
— CUTBACK
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Jun 11 2014 10:13 AM
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on Jul 09 2014 06:44 AM
Just got to looking this over. Thanks Ivan. Interesting insights in this collection. (In the "one picture worth 1,000 words" category is that little pie-chart top-left of the last article.)
Steve Rothery (Marillion)
"Government could do so much more to encourage the amazing talent this
country produces. Musicians should have an outlet for their music on
local radio as well as national, and a subsidized chain of venues
around the country should make it easier for bands to play and build
up a fan base."
I wonder what some of the working musicians here think about that statement (I'll leave my take on it out of the mix). Subsidized how, and by whom? I wonder if there are some from other countries that have a model that works, or one that has been tried but shown not to work.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Jul 09 2014 09:52 AM
"I wonder what some of the working musicians here think about that statement (I'll leave my take on it out of the mix). Subsidized how, and by whom? I wonder if there are some from other countries that have a model that works, or one that has been tried but shown not to work."
I've spent a lot of time playing in Canada over the last 10 years and their radio is very supportive of acts from their own country. They used to have a mandate, I believe, to play a certain percentage of Canadian acts (correct me if I'm wrong anyone) The Canadian government will also give grants to artists to record and study music further. What does this amount to to an "outsider"?
From what I've seen - There are a lot of smaller, independent Canadian artists that have had or still have successful careers, success being defined for these purposes as being able to continue to create music, tour, own a house, have a family etc. and not be destitute.
I grew up on the border, in Buffalo, and we listened to a lot of Canadian radio stations and even as a young teenager I was struck with all the local (Toronto) acts I would hear.
The country is also protective of musicians jobs and I've experienced this first hand going trough customs when I'm asked the purpose of my trip.."To perform a concert with a Canadian artist". I've been grilled more than once as to why a Canadian musician can't do my gig to which I usually, honestly respond "I don't see why one can't either".
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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caddady
Joined: Feb 14, 2010
Posts: 802
N.E. Ohio
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Posted on Jul 09 2014 11:59 AM
Subsidized music does happen here in the US. New Orleans has a number of groups (Jazz, Brass Band) that happen there. Preservation and education money.
Some Nordic countries have subsidized a music, a fellow I know who does electronic soundscapes has traveled the states and Japan making bleeps, blips and swirley sounds. It my help that he is an instructor of music composition as a day job.
— http://www.reverbnation.com/thegreasemonkeyz
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11053
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Nov 05 2014 10:37 AM
I'm not sure what the best thread on the state of the music industry is on SG101.Feel free to repost this article on another one if more appropriate.
This is pretty shocking though, how bad it's gotten for songwriters:
http://www.wired.com/2014/11/aloe-blacc-pay-songwriters/
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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bigtikidude
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25568
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Nov 05 2014 10:59 AM
I heard on the radio that there was no Platinum (physical lp/cd 1 million sales)this year. Until the latest album by Taylor Swift. 
— Jeff(bigtikidude)
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Jagshark
Joined: Nov 05, 2008
Posts: 745
Colorado, home of The Astronauts
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Posted on Nov 05 2014 03:09 PM
Hrm, hah, I haven't read through the articles posted, but I do have a thought about all this and that is that the music business always sucked. I've been reading a biography of Hank Williams, Sr., (renowned surf musician), and guess where he made the bulk of his money while alive? Through performances and selling merchandise. Though he was selling plenty of records on MGM the fact was that his take home $ was not all that great. If he had lived longer he probably could have negotiated a better royalty rate, I suppose.
Today's conundrum of course is that digital media is easily copyable. But a great performance and perhaps a cool T-shirt is not as easily replicated.
— (defunct) Thee Jaguar Sharks
Plus! Other stuff not surf: https://soundcloud.com/jamesmileshq
Enjoy every minute
Last edited: Nov 05, 2014 15:32:19
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mom_surfing
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 5304
the outer banks of north carolina
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Posted on Nov 05 2014 10:43 PM
very interesting.......
especially since the local radio station i volunteer at is about to get streaming. i will no longer be able to play more than two tunes by one artist in an hour on my surf music show. just last week i featured the surf coasters, the atlantics and martin cilia with a few other tunes thrown in. it was a good show and the last time i can do one like it. now i'm going back to just a mix.
on another note......from a discussion over lunch i had with the drummer from southern culture on the skids last weekend......he said some of the venues they play at are now requesting 10% of their merchandise sales. this includes stickers, t shirts and cd's. 
— www.surfintheeye.com
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maximumsurfandroll
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 182
Edinburgh, Scotland
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Posted on Nov 09 2014 04:53 AM
These are great reads Ivan, I echo the thanks for putting these up.
It's funny to read record execs and journalists talking about the whole Napster 'year zero' thing, it almost sounds like they're quoting a history book. The odd thing is that the industry still doesn't seem to know how adapt to this sea change. It's no wonder that the winners of the past decade have been the internet companies or the artists that simply did it themselves.
If you accept that you will have to give something away or heavily subsidised, there is a huge scope for promotion and exposure. Right now our band are preparing a 'Christmas Special' where we're filming a studio session to publish on Youtube. We can organise and do this completely by ourselves, with some help through local connections in the scene. Back in the day such a thing would have involved a lot of heavy lifting to arranged. The tools are there and are very accessible, it's just ensuring that what you are using them for will stand out in an ocean of other bands doing so.
I love Bandcamp, I think it's hands down the fairest site for selling and allows you autonomy on how to design your page. Merch offers potential for fun unique designs, and why just have a CD to sign when you can have official mugs, lighters, key rings, underwear (!?).
I guess there has to be acceptance that people are consuming music in different ways now, and like it or not there's an element of convenience expected, which has to be incorporated by bands. I really do think this digital age offers a lot of potential: why, I love coming here on SG101 and reading about new releases, recommendations, shows and being able to watch Youtube videos of all the above from people all over the world Just would not have been possible at the turn of the century, it's something that still kind of blows me away, and it's testament to the sense of community that is mentioned in one of the articles.
The Classic Rock article mentioned the Classic Grand venue in Glasgow - we played there last year and it's a beautiful old dance hall, I do hope venues like that can continue to thrive and that we're not all queuing up outside the latest corporate branded pop up venue.
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surfaholic
Joined: Aug 18, 2011
Posts: 158
The sun kissed beeches of Nottingham, UK.
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Posted on Nov 09 2014 07:51 AM
mom_surfing wrote:
very interesting.......
especially since the local radio station i volunteer at is about to get streaming. i will no longer be able to play more than two tunes by one artist in an hour on my surf music show. just last week i featured the surf coasters, the atlantics and martin cilia with a few other tunes thrown in. it was a good show and the last time i can do one like it. now I'm going back to just a mix.
I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing. More bands means you get to show the broad range of sounds and styles within the surf music genre, and if necessary demonstrate the "evolution" and how one band influenced another.
Granted you can't focus as heavily on one band or artist as you could before, but you could have their two allotted tunes as bookends to a brief overview of why this band should be focussed on.
some of the venues they play at are now requesting 10% of their merchandise sales
Yeah, that is a negative thing.
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mom_surfing
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 5304
the outer banks of north carolina
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Posted on Nov 09 2014 11:14 AM
actually i usually play a very broad range of surf stuff, so no biggie for me.
the stations' 'breakfast with the beatles' show will be no more. this will also kill our sunday night special show, showcasing one artist and their evolution over the decades. so it will be a mix. i only do it every 6 weeks so i'm going to have one artist as my centerpiece and then play those they influenced/those that influenced them.
funny, thing, the same rules don't apply to internet radio stations.
i know why the rules are in place. they are based on the issue with napster. since then there's been a lot of changes with digital technology. i just don't see anyone coming out a winner in all of this.
— www.surfintheeye.com
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