If this clip makes you mad, you’ll understand what kind of mood I’m in.

To really get your blood pressure up, read this: http://www.cosellout.com/?p=6

Jack met his girlfriend 8 years ago before he became a famous bass player.  Now she’s suing him because he recently purchased a house and didn’t put her name on the title.

She says she supported him for 8 years financially and they had agreed to divide his spoils when he finally made the big time.  Until then, she bought him everything (clothes, bass strings, alcohol, etc…) he needed to become a big rock star bass player.  Last year he made enough to buy a house and she was left off the title.  A clear violation of the 50-50 split agreement, she says.

He says there was no such agreement.  She was indeed once his girlfriend, and he let her move into his house in 2007  but after a year, he asked her to leave.  She refuses to leave and refuses to return his vintage collection of 300+ vinyl lps.  He evicts her.  She files a lawsuit asking for 100K in damages and her half of the proceeds of the “partnership” assets.

According to the legal papers he filed in response to her lawsuit:

“Only now, since Mr. Lawrence’s success with his band The Raconteurs, does she seek to reap the benefits of an alleged partnership,” the filing reads. “Had Mr. Lawrence not found any measure of economic success in his music career, there can be no doubt but that Ms. Craig would never have sought to enforce a partnership claim so that she could share the burdens of the alleged partnership’s losses.”

That’s a lot of common-law vinyl.  Tennessee doesn’t recognize common law marriages and although Jack and his ex-girlfriend hooked up while they lived in Kentucky, that state doesn’t recognize common law marriages either.  Unless girlfriend can find something in writing, I’m betting on Jack.

Good luck getting those albums back, though!

A great article from Hypebot reminds us that sites like Myspace and Ticketmaster have their own interests at heart.  And this includes keeping records of your fans and turning them into saleable marketing lists.  Your fan data is valuable and each one is a potential customer (for someone else);  -never forget this!

Read it HERE.

Great post, Bruce!  Keep up the good work!

Last year I covered the Atlantis Music Conference and ReMIX Hotel Conference for my students who couldn’t attend.  This year I have a presenter’s showcase to attend and won’t be able to make it to either of these.  This year’s ReMIX  schedule has 2 solid panel presentations:

1.  Mixing by the Numbers;  -Frequency Ranges for Musical elements.  This would be a great one for beginning mix engineers!!  Learn how to carve out space in a mix so that every player sounds like a star!

2. The Path to Enlightenment – Signal Chains for Recording and Live Performance.  There will be some grey areas in recording due to tastes, but I’d really like to hear the panel talk about processing for live venues.  In this age of rack-mounted “do-it-all” processors, just what are the pros using to get a killer club sound?  It’s like that 200 item Chinese buffet I sometimes visit in a nearby town;  –too many choices and putting some combinations on your plate will lead to stomach pains!

Anyway, I know most of my students won’t be able to skip school and go, but if anyone’s interested, here’s the link:

http://www.wantickets.com/EventDetail.aspx?e_id=43320

The All-Access pass this year gets you admission to the Atlantis Music Conference and panels.  (Remember that Grammy U members may get a free upgrade to VIP All-access status;  –they did last year.  Grammy U is also holding a mixer on the 16th of September.  Details here.)

Atlantis has a couple of good panels on getting/keeping jobs in the music industry and touring.  Since the two events go on simultaneously and are within a brief MARTA ride from each other, it makes for a good networking and educational value.  

Got a band?  Wanna play at the conference?  Chances are slim, but there might still be a few spots available here:

http://www.atlantismusic.com/Festival_ShowcaseApp.html

Get on their mailing list and check back next year in July!!

They have certainly blended together SEVERAL genres on this album (the only one I’ve heard), and I believe they’ve really created something unique.  Tonight I found their website and I’ve decided I’ve never seen anything more…   err….   retro?

http://www.theraconteurs.com/

Salute Your Solution 

{ above is embedding attempt. Cool video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG_UjxaKDK0  }

http://www.snoopdogg.com/extras/default.aspx/mid/3872

To try it out, you have to know someone’s twitter name; then click on “shizzle your friends’ tweets”. 

For example,   – Paul and Storm’s twittername = paulandstorm

Jonathan Coulton’s = jonathancoulton

 If you’re a rising star, you should think about Twitter because it’s another “buzzing” line of communication between you and your fans.  Widgets posted to your webpage can display “Tweets” and you can keep your fans entertained 24/7.  Is it a fad?  Probably, but like my old boss used to say:  “never be the first to discard the old or the last to pick up the new.” 

When you’re building bridges, tools can come in quite handy.  And any artist that can sell product AND create the “culture/community” among fans that Snoop (and NIN and Radiohead, etc, etc…) should have an honorary MBA on their wall.

Where do you want to be in 5 years?  10 years?  Will you be a one-hit-wonder or a cultural icon?
 
“–Ay, there’s the rub! 
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.”

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=842a1833-05ff-470b-a0c4-10ec60987926

The above clip is of a performing artist on a syndicated TV show (thanks Listenerd!)

Watch his backup singers.  Do you see the fan? Look at the candles on the keyboardist’s rig.  What do the costume colors suggest?

What messages do these stage “props” send?   Famous “props” (and costumes, decor, etc..)  that I can think of:

“Eddie”  the Iron Maiden mascot.

That scarf that Steven Tyler ties on his mic stand.

Johnny Cash dressed in black.

Liberace’s candles & outrageous costumes.

Elton John’s glasses.

Zappa’s moustache and goatee.

Michael Jackson’s glove.

Add more if you can think of any!  

(And tell me if you use a prop onstage!)

To My College Students–

 Want to spend a couple of weeks in Los Angeles networking with the stars and Recording Academy members?  How about if you were paid to be there?  I guess I should also mention that you have to help take care of a bunch of high school age American Idol wannabes, but that’s merely a slight inconvenience;  –what a great opportunity!  If you’re not doing anything worthwhile this summer, please take a moment and consider this opportunity (but hurry; –I’m sure that once the word gets out, lots of folks will apply).

More general info on the camp available here:

Counselor application is here:

Website is here:

It’s the time of year I always dread;  the income tax deadline looms ahead.  If you’re facing the same deadline I am, I’ve gleaned a few choice tidbits from the web to get you in the mood (after the break).  Students, I haven’t left you out;  –there are tax tips ahead for you, too!

Disclaimer-

The information below is provided without warranty of any kind. All readers wishing to take advantage of the information offered here should consult a qualified income tax preparer. In no event will I or this website be liable for any damages, including lost profits, arising out of the information offered on this website.

Songwriters:   you can deduct all expenses directly attributable to your writing, e.g. pens, paper, cassette & CD blanks, instruments, travel, professional membership fees, and so on. (Source – http://trowbridgeplanetearth.com/IRS/WrtrTaxTips.html)

Deductions:

Allowable Vehicle mileage allowance of $.485 (To take this deduction an accurate log of business mileage must be kept.) (I’ve seen some other figures, but I got mine from here:

http://hswcpa.com/taxrates2.html )

Parking, transportation, and food expenses for professional travel

Rehearsal space rental fees

Telephone expenses (The taxpayer must have at least two lines to qualify for this deduction. Cellular service is considered a second “line.”)

Stage clothing and dry cleaning expenses (only outfits appropriate for stage wear exclusively may be deducted)

Full or partial cost of purchasing a computer Software for contract writing, music editing, notation, and sequencing

Costs associated with conducting business via the Internet (includes ISP costs, web site development, and hosting charges)

Promotion costs: photos, mailings, cost of throwing a CD release party

Instrument and/or voice lessons (individual circumstances dictate whether this is an allowable expense)

Cost of rented or leased equipment

New musical equipment purchases

Equipment repair or maintenance costs

Cost of vaccinations for foreign touring

Cost of applicable insurance (equipment, liability, worker’s compensation, health and dental insurance)

Portion of home mortgage deduction (if office space or rehearsal space is maintained there)

Cost of tax return preparation

(source – http://www.berklee.edu/bt/113/taxtips2.html)

 Additional consideration for Student Musicians:

Students are pretty busy, and income tax is probably the last thing on their minds. However, there are good reasons for filing a properly prepared tax return while in school, even if you are not required to pay tax.

Consider filing if you have any self-employment income while attending school. You can deduct expenses against that income and create a business loss (see above). You then carry the loss back and deduct it against income in the three preceding years. The amount left over can be carried forward and used in the next 15 years.

You will also be able to claim depreciation on “capital” equipment you purchase. Capital items are not used up right away, but last more than a year. For example, musicians can claim depreciation on sheet music, recordings, stereo equipment, and instruments. You probably won’t need these expenses while attending school, but you can get them on record to write off against future income. Even if you don’t file a tax return, you should store all receipts for capital property. When you do start earning money as a musician, these items will be converted to business use and written off. Believe me, some day you will be glad you saved them!

If you work and pay tax while attending school, and have equipment purchases, consider not claiming the section 179 deduction. Rather than writing off the full amount of your equipment costs in the early years when income is low, you may be better off waiting until income is higher, converting to business use, and using one of the depreciation methods to spread the expense out over several years.

Of course, you should take advantage of the new tax benefits for higher education. They include a deduction for interest paid on student loans (line 24 of Form 1040), the Hope Credit, and the Lifetime Learning Credit. Additional information and examples can be found in IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education.

(source – http://www.howlandtax.com/articles/studus.htm)

Good luck!

-J