Music Glue : The Band is the Brand

Music Glue is a free to use online marketing and retail service that provides artists and record labels with all the tools required to release digital music globally in a way that engages internet savvy fans that currently expect to get their music for free.

That's what it says on their website. I tried it out in order to understand what it was all about and whether it makes sense for musicians to just give away their songs.

I signed up for free and opted for the Standard Music Glue Package www.musicglue.com/margauxmusic

With this package, you get :

- Unlimited free bandwidth

- Create free products only, allowing you to build extensive fan databases

- Quick and simple to use


You can also opt for the Professional Package :

- Sell your music via P2P

- 65% share of NET revenue

- Manage multiple artists from 1 account

- £20 minimum payment threshold (you need to make at least £20 before we pay you)

- Quarterly payments


Let's stay focussed on the Standard option for now :

Well, you're not just giving away your songs (MP3 or WAV), you actually attract new fans with a valid email. Emails are made of people and therefore potential new consumers !

Fans are required to have a verified email in order to download your tracks. On top of that, you get their names, location, date and time.

So how do you make money from it ? You don't - straight away anyway. What you do though is build a database and gauge whether people actually like your music or not. This should provide some valuable indications as to where you should concentrate your marketing campaign and how.

I believe that people will not download your music because it is FREE but because they like what you do.

To give you an example, Marillion have put their whole new album up on Music Glue for free and guess what I didn't download it because it is not my cup of tea.

Music Glue offers a very good way of promoting additional products you are selling as well : concert tickets or derivative products. You just need to upgrade your Standard Pack to Professional for free and start using the features 'free and/or paid downloads' and/or 'name your price' !

One feature I would very much like to see on Music Glue is a newsletter facility for musicians and labels. Collecting emails is great but it would be very helpful and convenient if we could send updates to our fans via our Music Glue interface.

Overall, Music Glue offers the flexibility to musicians and labels to adapt and chose their own commercial and marketing model according to their very own music business reality.

I recommend using Music Glue.

December 2008

Review Raver : Margaux

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Real Estate : 'Steal a US real estate deal (timing is everything) !'

It’s now almost 4 years since US real estate prices peaked later to decline into a "free fall" way down to the extremely low sale prices that can be found today.

Now the US falls into the spotlight once again with the dramatic events of the past few weeks!

With the US Federal Government now in total control of the two largest US mortgage institutions "Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae" this week drama has turned into turmoil as Wall Street faced its biggest financial crisis since the "Great depression" in the 1930's

In the past few days we have seen the collapse of brokerage investment giant Lehman Bros and an $85 billion bail out of the World’s largest insurance firm AIG whose liquidity problems were threatening to reverberate around the World, affecting each and every one of us!

The Global economy has indeed changed and the universal reaction seen with the falling share prices in Asia to Europe is a testament to this!

Cash rich British investors are now facing a reducing number of options as to where to invest, for the UK has followed in the US footsteps with house price falls still a long way off those in the US!

The investment choice appears to be somewhat limited for no place now seems to be immune from risk!

Are US housing prices finally bottoming and what are the real facts?
With 50 US States to choose from where is the best place to invest and for what reason?
Which are the fastest growing areas where 50% reductions occurred, why is this and what does the future hold?
Is inventory reducing?
What is the chance of buying a foreclosure and is this worthwhile?

Timing is always a critical factor with any real estate purchase and is this an opportune time to buy or will it get any worse?

The world’s richest person is American Warren Buffet and he says the best opportunities to make money are always at a time of financial crisis. Is he right?

Is this the best time to "Steal a U.S. real estate deal!"?

Graham Pyle

Find out more on www.reviewravers.com/index-real-estate.html

Music : The Automatic - Live at the Norwich Arts Centre

[Aternative, Rock]

Firstly the support bands: Canterbury and Viva Machine. Neither had I heard of before but both bands managed to impress me. Though, it must be said both bands were very similar in style to the Automatic themselves but they were ok, they made a good listen, and Viva Machine got a few of younger members of the audience going.

Then it was the AUTOMATIC ! The last time I saw these guys were when they headlined the NME shockwaves tour along with the view, the horrors and Mumm-ra, back in the early months of 2007. I remember it clearly, they wrecked the joint ! Crowd surfers were flying over head like black birds, people were unable to remain still and steady, drinks were flying everywhere and the Automatic need not have bothered singing anything, for fans done it for them !

However this time was very different. First off they were playing in a tiny former church as a venue and a lot had changed since then. The Autos had been off the music scene for a while recording new songs with their new man; Paul Mullen (previously of YourCodeNameIs: Milo), the replacement of Pennie (Autos keyboardist). Also the crowd held a vast mix of young and old, was quite unusual ! Well anyway they took to the stage with a massive roar from the small crowd and jumped straight into the deep end with playing a brand spanking new tune.

And you know what ? It was darn tooting good as well. They pumped through their set revealing they still had as much, if not more energy than before and played with great passion and enthusiasm. However, the crowd was pretty dull. Only a few people expressed their energy, the rest, it has to be said, stood like lemons. This was obviously disappointing to the band who made continual comments that even though they were in a church they didn't have to remain silent ! I'm not sure if this was due to such a mixed audience or the fact that Pennie was the band member who had most contact with the fans and encouraged them to go wild. Though looking past this their set was incredible, most of their new material was upbeat, lively and fresh, though a few tracks did sound a bit too similar.

Overall they proved that they still had it in them to pull of a rocking show !

Roll on the album !

June 2008

Review Raver : Stephanie Leiston

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Music : Margaux With An X - Live Acoustic Session (Video)

Watch ‘Margaux With An X’ – Live Acoustic Session




Here is a little taster of the 'soon to be released' acoustic album 'Home Is You', which was recorded live whilst shooting the videos.

In this acoustic session, I am accompanied by singer/guitarist Seb Mallen.

Mainly based on improvisation, Seb and I like to challenge each other whilst performing, never knowing quite where either is taking the songs and this is especially the case involving ‘Margaux With An X’, a version that is quite different from the original dance track.

The release of 'Home Is You' is currently planned for early 2008 a live acoustic version of several tracks previously featured on my albums ‘My Difference’ and ‘Margaux With An X’.

Also in the pipeline: UK television appearance on ITV’s ‘Thames Valley Tonight’ on the 18 November 2007 at 6 pm. During the music feature of this programme the making of ‘Margaux With An X’ dance track video + an interview and live acoustic performance of ‘Ma Différence’ will be showcased.

More news is coming soon and in the meantime: Happy Halloween !

Margaux

http://www.margauxmusic.com/

__________________________________________________________

Vidéo acoustique de ‘Margaux With An X’

Voici un petit avant-goût du prochain album ‘Home Is You’, qui a été enregistré live en tournant les vidéos.

Dans cette séance acoustique, je suis accompagnée à la guitare et au chant par Seb Mallen. Essentiellement basé sur l’improvisation, nous aimons nous lancer des défis pendant l’exécution des morceaux sans savoir où cela va nous mener. C’est particulièrement le cas pour cette version acoustique de ‘Margaux With An X’ qui est très différente de la version originale dance.

La sortie de ‘Home Is You’ est prévue pour début 2008. L’album est une compilation acoustique de certaines chansons figurant sur mes deux précédents albums ‘My Difference’ et ‘Margaux With An X’.

A venir : passage télé sur la chaîne anglaise ITV dans ‘Thames Valley Tonight’ le 18 novembre 2007 à 18 heures. On y vera le ‘making of’de la vidéo de la version originale dance de ‘Margaux With An X’ avec interview et l’interprétation acoustique de la chanson ‘Ma Différence’.

A très bientôt pour d’autres nouvelles et d’ici-là : Joyeux Halloween !

Margaux

http://www.margauxmusic.com/

Music : Glastonbury 2007 - Iggy Pop & The Stooges

The Other Stage - Saturday, 23rd June 11pm

At Glastonbury the nearest you can usually get to a headliner is around 30 feet. And that's if you've been on the barrier since before lunchtime - sacrificing food, drink and basic sanitation - and you're the sort of fanboy/fangirl lunatic that goes through rock stars' rubbish bins and sends them death threats.

Not when that headliner is Iggy Pop though.

This guy's been breaking down the barrier between band and fan years before Pete Doherty or Dominic Masters had even invented the concept of a guerilla gig a couple of years ago. Tonight was no different, as he beckoned up hundreds of drunken, muddy devotees during a raucous ‘No Fun'. “These are the world champion Glastonbury dancers,” Iggy said of his temporary new bandmates. “We're having a moment here”.

When he wasn't filling the stage with fans, he and his band tore through a peerless greatest hits set – including ‘TV Eye', ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog' and ‘LA Blues' – that proved that Iggy's still punk's top dog. His torso is as deliciously ripped-to-the-core as ever – you have to say he looks fantastic for 60 – he's still the ultimate rock'n'roll performer , charging round the stage like a man a tenth of his age, diving into the crowd and proving that the modest crowd that turned out were right to forgo bowing down at the church of Brandon on the Pyramid Stage in favour of these punk legends .

All hail king Iggy: the coolest man onsite – nay the planet – by an absolute freaking mile.

Best Song: ‘No Fun'.

Best Moment: The stage invasion.

The Stooges played:

‘Loose' ‘Down On The Street' ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog' ‘TV Eye' ‘My Idea Of Fun' ‘Dirt' ‘Real Cool Time'' ‘No Fun' ‘1970' ‘Mindroom' ‘Fun House' ‘LA Blues' ‘Skull Ring' ‘Trollin'' ‘1969' ‘She Took My Money' ‘Not Right' ‘I'm Fried' ‘Little Electric Chair'

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Music : Glastonbury 2007 - Interview with KT Tunstall

So the line-up's been announced, the pre-Festival excitement's mounting and the Official Glastonbury website can reveal the first in a series of exclusive interviews with performers at this year's Festival. What more could you ask for to whet your appetite for the feast of music, arts and (don't hold your breath but do cross your fingers!) glorious weather that is to come?

First to bite the bullet and answer the Webteam's questions is Scottish singer/songwriter K.T. Tunstall , who will be returning this year after a storming set at the 2005 Glastonbury Festival clutching a brace of new songs from her forthcoming album. Want to know what the Rum Run is? K.T.'s weather forecast? Her tips for the finest food to be found at Glastonbury?
Read on...

Have you been to the Festival before?

The first time I came to Glasto was three years ago. I was singing with a Jewish hip-hop band called Oi Va Voi - I played one gig and stayed for five days! It was one of the best times I've ever had - 10 of us set up a little circle camp in the Green Fields. One of my favourite bits was down at Lost Vagueness watching a trumpet/clarinet combo, being served pink gin in a tea cup by a 50s beauty salon lady. I love the food there too, bloody lovely porridge!

Do you have any memories of previous Glastonbury Festivals that you wish (or are able!) to share?

Being taught complex reggae moves in the pissing rain by my best buddy whilst watching Toots + the Maytals, listening to the 'bollocks' game throughout the night (someone shouts 'bollocks' and you wait for a reply; beautifully simple) My friend Kev also invented a very dangerous game called the 'Rum Run'...
But the highlight had to be a group of people who found a pushchair and started trying to persuade strangers to get in and be pushed down the steeply sloping metal walkway. “Tall Man in the chair! Tall man in the chair!” (Cheers as tall man agrees). “Ginger man in the chair!” (Boos as ginger man declines etc). A zenith was reached when they successfully managed to persuade a copper to get in the chair.

Have you ever seen in the sunrise at the Stone Circle on a Sunday morning?

I think I did! I certainly saw a few from somewhere.

What is your drink of choice at Glastonbury?

Red wine, rum for the rum run obviously, and a hip-flask of good single malt whisky.

Do you spend the Festival living in luxury, or down with the masses in a tent?

Tent every time!! However, a choicy £20 air bed with the nice soft felty stuff on the top, and a backstage pass to get to the posh bogs make it considerably more classy.

Who do you most want to see of the other performers appearing at this year's Festival?

I would have paid double to see Bjork - she's such a phenomenal live act. But won't get there in time. I'm going to try and see Willy Mason and The Who , and get some beany stew and then I'll be well happy.

How do you choose what to play at a Festival? Do you play your favourites or the crowds'?

My favourites and the crowd pleasers are usually the same. The fast, loud, catchy ones. We'll definitely be going for a whip-crackin' set list! A lot of my new stuff is a lot faster, but no one will have heard most of it so fingers crossed we don't get egged.

Who's influenced your performance/on stage style?

I couldn't say anyone in particular, I'm not very good at the old tricky dicky moves - tend to end up getting over-involved in my guitar lead or falling over the monitor. Must get some jumping lessons from Ricky Kaiser...

What is it like playing open air gigs as opposed to arenas/clubs/indoor venues?

The crowd are really far away so I tend to shout very loudly when I speak between songs... I'm learning the physics of amplification slowly but surely. I do love a little club, but you don't get the euphoria of a festival. There's an awful lot of love in the air when you're outside.

How will you be dressing at the Festival? T-shirt and shorts or Sunday best?

I haven't decided yet - there's got to be a healthy degree of pikeyness whichever I choose. Wee dress if it's hot, tights if not.

No sleep until Monday or tucked-up in bed with your ear-plugs every night?

A few hours with the plugs definitely enhances my experience of life in general, and particularly when one must dance maniacally. Between 8am and 1pm I find to be the most helpful.

Given Glastonbury's reputation, will you be buying crystals and looking for ley lines?

Absolutely. You'll find me getting my hair read whilst asking the standing stones for new harmonies.

Will you be hanging about backstage, or out and about with the crowds?

Both I expect, it's lovely to get to say hello to people you've always admired from afar, but the fun really starts out front with people going commando whilst wearing daring mud suits.

What was the first song you ever wrote? And how old were you?

Only You , about being cheated on, which had never actually happened to me, when I was 14. I think Myles had just been unfaithful to Claudia on Dynasty .

What one song – by another performer – do you wish you had written?

Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who

How is your record collection made up; vinyl, CD or download?

CDs and about 3 downloads.

Assuming you're not a fully trained meteorologist, what's your gut instinct on this year's Festival weather? Sunshine or rain?

Ahhh... the great stones tell me it will be a scorcher! With the odd scattering of biblical floods possible.

If you could ask yourself an interview question, what would it be and what's the answer?

“What is your favourite sweetie?” It's a toss up between lemon bons bons and kola kubes.

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Music : Guilfest 2007 - The booking ordeal

If you are an 'unsigned' artist or band and want to get a gig at Guilfest this year - you better have a few quid in your pocket, as it is not cheap- money is the magic word here !

This is what happens when you call Guilfest to talk about the possibility of having your act on one of the unsigned stages; you will need to persevere and be very patient ! Keep calling and you might be lucky to speak with the not so very friendly Suzie Pile - the woman in charge of the pre-selection of 'unsigned acts'. She lays out all of the terms and conditions, which as you might guess are 99.9% financial. Out of curiosity when we asked her for a definition of an 'unsigned band', she replied saying that a signed act is a ‘big name'. I must admit that this didn't make any sense to me at the time and it still doesn't !

Anyhow, back to the financial aspect. If you want to play at Guilfest on one of the 'unsigned stages' you have to buy at least 50 one-day tickets at a minimum cost of £35 each or a combination of week-end tickets, each costing £90 and having a total minimum spend of £1,750.
All of this is on the basis of an upfront payment once you are selected and approved before the actual gig takes place. You will be getting a discount of £5 ONLY for each ticket on those costing £35 and a £10 reduction on the £90 week-end tickets. This is your ONLY option and this was heavily emphasised 3 times by Suzie Pile during the course of the telephone conversation.

So, fellow musicians, be prepared : you won' t be able to negotiate and if you do go for it and they ultimately accept you, you won't be able to offer your fans a real deal by selling the Guilfest tickets much cheaper unless you sell them at cost price or at a loss.

After having spoken with Suzie Pile, you will need to send her an email suzy@guilfest.co.uk (feel free to bombard her - she loves 'unsigned bands'), and afterwards you have to fill in an application form and send her a demo.

And then, you may just get a chance to perform at Guilfest 2007 and if you are lucky you will have to lay down the bank notes. Don't forget, it's £1,750 minimum to play ! This all leads me to believe that Guilfest might decide to put the bids up - it could easily end up costing a band between £2,000 and £2,500 if not more just to get a 30 minutes slot. Does this sound like the e-bay of music ?

Let's have a look at the figures now; How much do Guilfest actually make just on the unsigned acts ? Based on last year's line-up for the unsigned stages (The Rock Cave + the 2 Live Club stages), I counted a total of 100 bands. That's 100 bands all paying a minimum of £1,750 = £175,000 ! There is another stage called The Funky End Tent, which I suspect could be another unsigned stage and if so, we can then add another 30 or so bands paying £1,750.

Total : 130 unsigned bands x £1,750 = £227,500 !

Wow, that's what I call a real result ! For the Guilfest organisers, of course. The way this is going, Guilfest will in future be running their business purely on unsigned bands over the next few years.

Now let's go back to Suzie Pile's definition of a signed band being a big name' - it is very clear to me that without the unsigned bands, she wouldn't have a job. In fact, the unsigned acts are paying her wages not the big names. Therefore Miss Pile, you could at least be friendly when on the phone to your wage payers and not treat them like cattle, after all, unsigned bands are YOUR ONLY OPTION !!

If you do want to get your band on the Guilfest line-up, you can call Suzie Pile on 01483 454 159 and don't forget to give her my best regards !

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