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  • Songstuff Writer and Artist Development Challenges

    By john

    Independent writers and artists face several large disadvantages when they are compared to signed, mainstream writers and artists.  Disadvantages that add up to making it a competition that indies can’t win. Hell they can’t even compete.   Lack of budget and poor contacts are fairly obvious disadvantages. Lack of experience and a lack of knowledge restricts songwriters and artists alike. Lack of an overall strategy, and a limited set of incomplete tactics, makes for a critical problem
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The Writer's Blog

St. Leif's Day...

It’s St. Leif’s Day! One should be playing music on St. Leif’s Day—he being the patron saint of bagpipes, and all—and there will be music tonight at the Tsunami in Wheeler. And at home, I’ll make popcorn (the traditional St. Leif’s Day snack). No music at City Hall Friday; The New Band will practice instead—and figure out setlists, too. It’ll be a chance to run through “Quoth†again, too, before the comedy show Saturday. NCRD has announced a “dress rehearsal†fo

roxhythe

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The Writer's Blog

Thirsty Lion Post-Mortem (&c.)...

Thirsty Lion show was good. It was really nice having Denise for backup vocals and lead; one thing she pointed out was in our arrangement, the accordion player (her) got to be the “straight man,†which never happens—and probably threw people off balance. (Precisely what I like to do.) We actually had fans there: Ji Tanzer came (just to see us), and a couple friends of Denise’s—no, not enough to make us winners of the “contest,†but still nice to see. I think we were better t

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Songstuff Stuff

New Article - What Does "success" Mean In The Music Biz; And How Do I Get It?

What Does "Success" Mean in the Music Biz; and How Do I Get It? How to be succesful in the music biz? It is a question that is often posed by would be stars. Songstuff author Cheryl Hodge looks at what success might mean to the modern musician an describes exactly how she achieved her own success in music. Click on the link below to read the article right now... What Does "Success" Mean in the Music Biz; and How Do I Get It? Author Cheryl Hodge Comments P

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The Writer's Blog

Finally...

Good stuff… I have a job interview (first in a long time); Jane and I (and maybe Ken) are on the North Coast Recreation District’s comedy showcase (because both the person who asked and the person who told them to ask have heard my stuff); I’m getting responses back, slowly but surely, to the “Modest Proposal†letter soliciting performers for the three summer concerts; and my “guinea pig†square dancers claim I’m getting better (and I had ten of them come Wednesday night, two more

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Songstuff Stuff

New Article - Using Rhyme To Enhance Your Lyrics

Using Rhyme To Enhance Your Lyrics Using rhyme effectively within your songs is something that you, as the songwriter, are likely to aiming for. In this article Songstuff author Anthony Ceseri explores the use of rhyme within a song. Using A song by Evanescence, Immortal, as an example Athony goes on to break down the basics of rhyme schemes and when you can break the rules Click on the link below to read the article right now... Using Rhyme To Enhance Your Lyrics Author

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The Writer's Blog

A Photo Idea For The Songbook...

68 lyrics typeset for the New Joe Songbook. 64 of them were on the three Soundclick “pagesâ€; I found I had the lyrics to four more songs on ReverbNation, including “Leavin’ It to Beaver,†probably the longest song I ever wrote. (I’m glad I didn’t have to re-type that one.) There are nine songs I spotted where I’ll have to re-type the lyrics (I’ve already done that for a tenth): Born Again Barbie (2006) 50 Ways to Cure the Depression (2009) Last Song of the Highwayman

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The Writer's Blog

Things We Might Be Doing Right...

I’m getting slowly but surely the opportunity to see in action some of the bands and musicians I’ve solicited for the summer festivals. And—of course—I can’t resist comparing Deathgrass to those other guys. This isn’t meant to be critical of the other guys—but here’s some things I think we’re doing right: NO PROPS. No music stands, no music books. I’ll have a list, on a little scrap of corkboard propped unobtrusively against a mike stand, but that’s it. Nothing c

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The Writer's Blog

Caller Practice With The Guinea Pigs...

First caller practice last night with my “troupe†of live dancers. I thought they did well (and they thought I did well). We’ll do it again next Wednesday—it’s probably possible to do it three times a month, if everybody’s available and willing. The little PA system does exactly what I want it to: I can play a track off the laptop and sing (or talk) on top of it, and control the two volumes separately. Still haven’t retrieved my Professional Square Dance Caller’s Micropho

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Desertrose's Blog

Blink

Life is a state of permanent impermanence. What’s it all for – this? We feel joy, we feel pain, all in varying degree’s. We get wrapped up in the stupidity of the greed and lust for experiencing everything we can possibly experience in this oh so very impermanent state of being. Then, lights out…it’s gone. Blink. Sometimes even thinking about these things seems so utterly pointless. It takes energy to feel joy and pain, and everything inbetween. Numb takes none. Wr

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The Writer's Blog

Success Tips?

Every now and then I run across tips on how to be successful in the music business. Latest ones were on the USA Songwriting Contest Website, and were from one of the guys who runs SongU, which teaches classes in songwriting. The question I always have is how well (or if) I measure up. (Them, too.) Here’s the tips: Good songs. Other experts insist on this, too; you’d think it’d go without saying, but the quality of so much commercial music is so poor people may wonder whether it

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The Writer's Blog

Practice (&c.)...

Band practice Saturday night. Of mine, we did “Duct Tape,†“Cuddle in the Darkness,†“The Abomination Two-Step,†Odd Vindstad’s “Simple Questions†and “Pole Dancing for Jesus.†A set of three jigs from Jane, plus a pair of Irish tunes she and Ken are used to doing together, plus everybody’s favorite, “The Swallowtail Jig.†Bass player Clint wants to do “Muskrat Ramble,†an old jazz tune, and he can do a decent job on the old traditional “Long Black Veil.†Ken’s

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The Writer's Blog

Attending Someone Else's Show...

26 songs done now for the New Joe Songbook—and I found another one where I’d never posted lyrics: “50 Ways to Cure the Depression.†I’ll have to re-type the lyrics. (Of course I remember them.) Got confirmation from Denise she’d like to do the Thirsty Lion on March 27. Next step: a setlist CD (easy) and find an opportunity to practice (not so easy). Next Friday, instead of going to City Hall, I’ll go see the Ocean Bottom Blues Band (Sara, Wayne and Dale) play the 2nd Str

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Desertrose's Blog

The Smiling Observer.

"Which came first, the garden gnome or the old man who looks just like a garden gnome?" I don’t know why but that thought kept intruding into my mind very early this crisp Autumn morning as I sat inside the car observing the hustle and bustle of market stall holders loading their wares onto trolleys and steadily piling boxes onto the footpath in preparation for the Ivy market. Was it coincidence that the gnomey old man with his delightfully bulbous red nose was unloading pot plants?

Desertrose

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The Writer's Blog

Bunch Of Updates...

I (or we) are on for Tuesday, March 27, at the Thirsty Lion. Time enough to promote, and encourage a good crowd (I no longer believe any crowd will come, however). Don’t know yet if I can do it with Denise; it’d be nice—polkas sound better with an accordion, and I (or we) should do “The Six-Legged Polka,†‘cause St. Leif’s Day will be just two days away. I can recycle the promotional posters—just need to change the date. Host Eric John Kaiser will not be there; he’ll

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Desertrose's Blog

Silly Woman.

“I welcome joy and wonder back into my life.†This is the thought that came into my mind at 3am as I sat out on our back deck, wrapped in my dressing gown looking up at the moon. Closing my eyes, taking a deep breath and exhaling fully I felt a sense of immediate relief. I am back. I wondered to myself as I sat there how many other people might there be, at this very moment sitting out on their back decks looking up at the sky and feeling something similar. As the thoughts wander

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The Writer's Blog

Thirsty Lion Setlist Thoughts (And Blog 6)...

One of the things I like about local budget committees is they seem to regard me as a good financial manager—which I guess I am. Or was. I haven’t done it for a living for a while. Every now and then I manage to come up with a good idea. I wish there was still a demand for that stuff. (Got compliments on the articles I did for the paper, too. That was nice as well.) I do not know—yet—if I’m invited to the Thirsty Lion on March 27, the closest to St. Leif’s Day (March 29)

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The Writer's Blog

The "songs For Kids" Album (And Blog 5)...

The Songs for Kids CD arrived in the mail today. It’s got ten songs: I’m a Squirrel—Gene Burnett Great Day—Marion Rose Love is Wonderful—Delonde Bell I See a Cloud—Scott Perry Dream Pony—Larry West When They Die, I Put Them in the Cookies—me Tangle of the Jungle—Diana Roarty Stand Up/Sit Down—Gary Elkinton Cinnamon Bear—Sheila Kaufman & Lee James McAboy Abby’s Waltz—Bridget Wolf And a photo of a cookie on the cover (yay!). Bunch of gr

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Desertrose's Blog

A Thousand Dancing Butterflies.

I don’t want to fall asleep Co’s there’s a thousand dancing butterflies Waiting to get in. From a swirl inside my head Like a cloud descending suddenly, they’re dancing in my skin I don’t want to fall sleep face that familiar place of in-between Where things begin to break And it’s not that I’m afraid I’m just tired of all their flutterings Keeping me awake I don’t want to feel insane But it’s insane that sleep should wake me up! How can I e

Desertrose

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The Writer's Blog

An Open Mike That's Not An Open Mike (Blog 4)...

23 lyrics typeset—takes us through the letter E. (Yes, that’s only 20% of the alphabet. I said this was a big job.) I’m keeping the same format throughout, this time; the New Joe Songbook is going to be a thoroughly professional publication. (The previous edition had a few flaws. This one will not.) One item I can include with the photos is concert posters—I do have quite a few of them, some dating back to my Southern Oregon period (2007-08). Other photos? I’ll just have to kee

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Desertrose's Blog

The Dark Side.

It struck me today that I really do have a ghoulish dark side. My daughter is doing a year 11 art project which involves taking a household object and using it to create 20 different artworks from. She chose an eggplant (that’s my girl!) So far she has different photographs, all very artfully done (this is her “thingâ€, photography), various sketches where the eggplants take on different cutesy characters and some carved eggplants which are again – cute. She complained to me that h

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The Writer's Blog

Arts Center Open Mike (And Blog-A-Day Three)...

Lyrics for 15 songs now done for the New Joe Songbook. Found two songs (thus far) where I had never posted lyrics, and I’ll have to write those from scratch. Found another that apparently was never recorded—“The Dead Porcupine Ragâ€â€”and I’ll have to fix that, too. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the work gets done. Small crowd—both performers and audience—at the Arts Center’s open mike Saturday night. From me, they got “When They Die, I Put Them in the Cookies†(there we

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Tuned Heart & Flaming Tongue

Film Is The Kiln Of My Work

I see this charged collision of two things that were meant for each other: film and song. I wanna be Tom Waits, the man who has the smallest part but commands the screen. I wanna be Jean Gabin, totally careless with a song in my heart. I wanna be Clint Eastwood, leaving on the last bus out, backed by brooding instrumentals. I wanna be Bob Dylan, an alias...an ellipsis...a parenthesis. I wanna be David Bowie, wrapped up in stardust, frequent and far between. I wanna be Steve Van Z

puroamericano10

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The Writer's Blog

"dropboxing" (And Blog-A-Day Two)...

66 of the songs mastered (to equalize the volume) and archived in the “Dropbox†program Jane turned me on to. When I copy a file there, it automatically sends it to the rest of the band (Clint, Jane and Ken). I’m basically doing everything I’ve weitten—I needed to re-master and archive the songs anyway, since most of them were on “Alice†the ‘puter’s now-deceased hard drive. Clint, Jane and Ken can decide which ones they’re interested in us performing. Ultimately, we should

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