Category: Matthew’s Blog

Here’s an “out of the box” theory that just might work.

Backstory: Musicians and music itself have been the fodder for “The Music Business” throughout our lifetimes. Musicians don’t usually have enough traction in the business equation to change things. It seems that the only way the music industry changes is by following the herd.The Record Business’s “finding a needle in a haystack” approach to discovering new music is outdated, and with the decreasing number of labels, the number of needle hunters is also decreasing.

1. The number of people creating music has increased dramatically.
2. There is no new music thinking from traditional media outlets.
3. The only people who are going to change music are the musicians.

Solution: Musicians need to put their money where their mouths are, and they should buy new music directly from each other. If every musician bought one CD directly from another new artist, and then spread the word about this purchase to everyone known to the purchaser, musicians might level the playing field.

That’s right; I’m proposing a “chain letter/social media post” approach so musicians can promote music to interested parties at no cost.

• A typical chain letter/social media post consists of a compelling message then share it with as many recipients as possible.
• The “Music Chain Letter or social media post” should contain a link to the CD that the musician has just purchased directly.
• The musician should explain why the purchase was important.
• The post/letter should include a link to the artist’s web page.
• The letter /post should include a link to a digital download opportunity. For most artists, that means money paid directly to them as well.
• There is NO curse connected to inaction.
• But if you want to change the music scene, please share this post to any musician you know.

I retired, for the first time, in 1986, as a general in my own army, but today I re-enlisted as a foot solider in John Kerry’s / Arnold Schwarzenegger’s army. I enlisted in the fight for our planet at the  World War Zero site.  I took action and donated.  This struggle is so important I must get involved.  

Seems I fell asleep at the wheel, after recording “Mankind” in 1976. I just assumed my government would react to my concern about over population, the laws of nature, and massive over-consumption. I WAS WRONG.  As I read, million species are endangered with extincition, and watch California and Australia  burn, I grow concerned the government hasn’t even considered a plan B to the obvious impending disaster. Instead, denial of science seems to be the current agenda. The government has adopted an ostrich approach. That scares me into action!. I now have to get active and do what I expected my government to do. Before it’s too late.

 

Musicians have a unique ability to solve the unsolvable, the huge cost of ”being discovered.” It shouldn’t take big corporation’s $$$ to be discovered. I assume a musician’s job is to support music love and to help DO the discovery thing . 

 

My thoughts here are simple: 

1. Your fans probably like music you like, but don’t know where to find it. 
2. Growing the number of artist/direct to fans is in everyone’s best interest.
3. The more artists who can create their music without business censorship, the better! 
4. Buying directly from the artist seems like the solution for the musicians in this era of corporate manipulated greed. 

 

A social media post could easily allow this plan to work!

 

Here’s how: 

1. Buy the music directly. Put your money where your mouth is, as I did. 
2. Let you fans know about your purchase and explain to them their role in the all-important discovery process.The more artist/direct buyers the better! 

 

Here’s where I can help.

I’ve enclosed a model post for any musician to use.

 

“I recently purchased https://theuptones.bandcamp.com/album/outback or post a link to your choice (song or album name) directly from The Uptones (or fill in the artist name you purchased). Spreading this purchase to all my fans is based on the belief that “If I liked the music, you might too.”

 

By spreading this music, you help the cause of artist/direct music. This $5.00 represents more money than the artist makes from a corporate world split. It’s music lovers helping artists directly. And that’s a beautiful thing.

 

As a music lover, I have grown concerned by the proliferation of corporate music businesses over the last few years that allows these owners of millions of copyrights of recorded music to get control of the medium of the Internet with the assistance of tech companies. I find this concerning, and it is as anti-art as is most of the soulless corporate vision for music. My observation is simple, the further up the food chain you go in the corporate world, the more greed rules! 

 

The corporations, who spent millions influencing the radio and press are now teaming up with Internet corporations to dominate public opinion.  Their ability to make discovery in the music field economically impossible without them is a frightening thought. It doesn’t need to be with this plan.

 

 

Adding music to your film/video is way complicated.

It doesn’t need to be!

I am able to offer a unique solution.

I own a small independent label (Fun Fun Fun Recordings), along with the publishing rights to a large percentage of these quality sound recordings.

I founded little independent label, Beserkley Records, and I was their chief record producer. We had international hits and established the careers of Jonathan Richman, Greg Kihn, The Rubinoos, and Earth Quake.

I’ve already spoken to the Fun Fun Fun Recording Artists, who agree and want to enable creators to use their music. So there is no need to negotiate in advance to, acquire music to create your work. I’m offering music to fill the your scenes, with no upfront negotiations, one-stop clearance, and i’m inclined to allow free use, if your use is non-commercial.

Yes I will lend you music for your film/video creations so you can get the needed financing,  no need to negotiate licenses in advance. I will also grant both synchronization and music licences for free if you are a non-commercial user. I’m one guy to deal with, and I’m a creator myself.

Here’s what you need to know about getting music for your film or video.

There are two separate rights-holders to negotiate with, for music rights: the owner of the sound recording grants the “synchronization license,” and the songwriter grants the “music license.”

Both rights-holders must grant the rights to the film/video maker.

To make things more complicated, the sound recording might be owned or controlled by a recording company. This use is governed by the contract between the record company and the recording artist, and can include the business affairs and legal departments and lawyers, to get a license.

After the copyright holder of the sound recording grants the use of the recording, the film/video maker still needs rights from the songwriter’s representative to use his/her song in their film/video.

Starting to sound complicated?

Here’s a good explanation http://www.copyrightkids.org/permissioninformation.htm

Plus the songwriter usually has granted rights to represent his/her song to a  publisher, and this usually requires negotiations as well.  Also, the writer is a member of a performing rights society (ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for example), to collect on behalf of the songwriter from broadcasters for the music rights.

Please note there is no central clearing house for the synch license, and once the synchronization fee is paid, the distribution has already been negotiated in the recording contract if there is one.

Youtube, Vimeo and other sites have made blanket deals with major labels and large publishers which allows them to use the music on their site, and they rely heavily on a DMCA defense as well.

I WANT TO HELP!!

Get in touch:

Here’s are some examples videos using Fun Fun Fun music, where I have granted licenses to the creators:

The Uptones – Laws n Sausage from Miss Lisa on Vimeo.