 TM©Music Morsels - February 2001
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Music Businesses: Check out Music Biz News & Opportunities for a chance to showcase your clients during SXSW! Special offer for Music Morsels subscribers! Scott Turner, renowned publisher/producer/songwriter with over 20 songs in the TOP TEN and columnist for Music Morsels has begun his audio cassette series chronicling his 47 years in the music industry. Each 90 minute tape will highlight the important events in his music career from his first recording session and how he landed a recording deal to his days with Buddy Holly, Tommy Sands, Guy Mitchell, Eddie Fisher, Herb Alpert, Audie Murphy, Harry Nilsson, Phil Spector as well as his career at recording labels such as Central Songs and the country division at Liberty which eventually became United Artists. With over 20 Top 10 hits and numerous others in the Top 20, you can learn from Scott Turner's experience. 24 tapes in the series. Each tape sells for $12 (+ $1 shipping & handling) and will periodically include songs that have never been heard before and rare photos. The first several tapes chronicle Scott Turner's "Early Years" beginning in the mid-50's spoken by Scott Turner himself. Here is an opportunity for you to learn from his experience! Several publishers have approached him to write a book, but guess what? Scott Turner has graced us with the honor of presenting his musical career on tape to you! Tapes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 are now available! AND NOW...
To unsubscribe, just ask....and you will be removed from our list. Music Morsels is the award-winning monthly music industry newsletter targeting musicians, songwriters and music industry professionals. We are distributed via e-mail to all the labels, many radio stations, and music editors around the world. So if you want the latest educational information on how to develop your music career - or if want to know more about how national recording acts or successful industry professionals hit the big time - or if you want to read interviews about the latest up-and-coming unsigned or indie label bands plus tons more, you can read it all here. ATTENTION MUSICIANS & LABELS: SEND YOUR PRESS KITS TO US FOR POSSIBLE UPCOMING REVIEWS OR INTERVIEWS IN MUSIC MORSELS. We cover all genres! To subscribe, just send an email to MUSMORSELS@AOL.COM with the word "Subscribe" in the subject field. ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` February, 2001 ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Positive anything is better than negative nothing. - Elbert Hubbard TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. CROSSROADS - FRED LEBLANC of COWBOY MOUTH by Mark E. Waterbury 2. INDUSTRY PROFILE - Chippewa Valley Festivals' MIKE ASHER by Mark E. Waterbury 3. ALBUM CAPSULES - Special Tribute to Songwriter/Publisher Dixon Devore II + Lea Brennan, Cowboy Mouth & Prince EQ CD Reviews by Mark E. Waterbury 4. SCOTT TURNER’S SONG PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE - David Shepherd Grossman 5. QUIPS & QUOTES - Stories & Sayings to keep you motivated in your music career 6. UNSIGNED ARTIST SPOTLIGHT - Atlanta Hip-Hop Artist PRINCE EQ by Mark E. Waterbury 7. MUSIC BIZ NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES - compiled by Sandy Serge 8. MUSIC INDUSTRY MARKETING SHOWCASE - the latest and greatest music industry products and services 9. MUSIC MORSELS SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` 1. CROSSROADS.......... FRED LEBLANC of COWBOY MOUTH by Mark E. Waterbury Pivotal moments in musicians careers propelling them from obscurity to infamy
From day one of his life, it would have been difficult to believe that Fred LeBlanc would ever get into music considering that he was born deaf. "My parents used to take me head and lay it on the (stereo) speakers so I could get some sort of sound in there." Fred recalls. "This was when I was about two, and from the vibrations I could hear through the music that they would play, so I could actually sing before I could talk." Fred also turned to drumming at a very young age as the result of a "hero" that was not by any stretch a drummer. "Oscar the Grouch was my hero, and one Christmas I asked my parents for a garbage can. So I got it, and my folks thought that they were getting off easy with a cheap Christmas present, until one day when I turned it over and started beating on it. It was all downhill from there." Fred started performing when he was twelve, but began to take it seriously at the age of seventeen. He then wound up in the band Dash Riprock, a three piece band in which Fred’s drum kit was at the front of the stage, and he was flanked by the bassist and guitarist. The three players took turns singing lead on various songs, and Fred began to get the feel of what it was like to be a front man behind a drum kit. "It was always natural for me. I don’t think there was ever a division, in fact it was more natural for me to sing and play at the same time. Being a pretty visual guy I learned most of my craft there. But in all of the bands that I had been in, I always got plenty of attention, even when I was in the back. And it’s fun being a front man, it’s a great time. I get to feel like I’m five years old." Dash Riprock gained a solid popularity in the tough New Orleans market and beyond by touring heavily in the Southeast, but differences in business and creative aspects, coupled with some tension with one of the other players, led to Fred’s departure from the band in the early 90’s. "It got to the point where I realized that as good as it was and as good as the band was doing at the time, we weren’t going to go where we all wanted to go for a number of reasons, so I decided to strike out on my own while I could." Fred would form a new band called Cowboy Mouth with longtime friend guitarist Paul Sanchez. "I played with Paul when I was seventeen and we all knew each other from bands we had been in before, so we all had varied histories together. But Paul and I rehearsed for about two months and we just stunk." Then one day guitarist John Thomas Griffith from the band The Red Rockers came into Cowboy Mouth’s rehearsal space, and things turned around instantly. "Everything gelled literally within about three seconds," proclaims Fred. "We went from really lousy to really great. And I already had a tour booked being the nut that I am. I figured, ÔWell, I’ll have a band by then and if I don't, I’ll just cancel.’ And after two weeks of practicing with John and everyone, I told them I had a tour booked and they all wanted to do it. I knew we could make some money and have some fun." The band went on tour...and did so for two years as they watched their fan base increase each time they returned to a market. Initially, fans followed the band after remembering Fred's days with Dash Riprock, but within a short timeframe, Cowboy Mouth began to cultivate its own fan-base. In 1995, after a few bassist personnel changes, Rob Savoy joined the band and the final player was in place. They supported the Hootie and the Blowfish tour that year, were signed to MCA and a year later, released their first major CD, "Are You With Me?" which produced the hit "Jenny Says". But 1998’s follow-up album "Mercyland" didn’t receive the radio support because the merger of MCA into the Universal family resulted in Cowboy Mouth's loss of label support. However, instead of calling it quits, the band continued to tour at its usual pace. "We learned a long time ago not to depend on a record label. You have all these bands sitting there just waiting there for a big daddy record company to take care of them and it just doesn’t work like that. We’ve always looked at record companies as a way to augment what we always do. You don’t want to depend on a label for a career. That’s silly. You gotta go out and make it happen for yourself and when the labels come calling you ask them what they can do for you." After leaving MCA in 1999, Cowboy Mouth signed with Blackbird/Atlantic in early 2000, and a couple months later, they released "Easy." "The CD has a lot more of a live feel to it because it’s slamming and it rocks. But there are a couple of songs where we took some chances. We did some loops. We wanted try that because we performed as the opening act for Moby and Beck, and as a drummer, I was interested in the percussive way all of that came together. Those songs just kind of came to me. I feel like the guitars are loud finally, and the drums are loud, and I really like it." Radio liked "Easy" as well, particularly the influential 99X in Atlanta. Now, in the first month in the new millennium, what is Cowboy Mouth doing? What they love to do the most - touring! And where do the go from here? "You know, people come to our shows looking to hear some good music, looking to make new friends and dance and scream and jump. We’re all inclusive. It’s not just the music and it’s not just the show. It’s some of both. I had not expected Cowboy Mouth to last two weeks and we just had our ten-year anniversary. You never know! I learned to stop planning a long time ago. I’m having fun and enjoying myself. It’s my job when we go out there at night to kick as much ass as we possibly can. The only thing I’m thinking of is the next show." :-> *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 2. INDUSTRY PROFILE - MIKE ASHER of Chippewa Valley Festivals by Mark E. Waterbury Mike Asher was born and brought up in northwestern Wisconsin near the same soil where he would one day create a mecca for a multitude of country and rock music fans. Mike was always into music, listening mostly to country as well as some of the rock and roll crossover artists of the day like Elvis Presley. "Looking back at those days, I listened to both country music that was twangier and, of course, I listened to the classic rock - not the real heavy stuff but more middle-of- the-road stuff." Mike became interested in construction through his schooling, and one day, met with some area dairy farmers and one of his salesmen from his own pool business. They developed the idea of holding a large country music festival. "The way the idea came about is one of my salesmen and I were talking about doing a chicken stand at a (country) hodag they used to have up there where we had stood in line a long time to get chicken. So we were thinking of doing a stand the next year. One day we were talking and Lyle said that we ought to do one of these (festivals) ourselves. And I thought he was crazy!" But one of the area dairy farmers had the land to do it on so they conducted research into the cost of entertainment, large assembly licenses and other aspects of festival development and promotion. "We talked to several radio stations about the cost of advertising and spent nearly ninety days determining if it was possible or not. Most of the radio stations told us it wouldn’t fly, but we went ahead and did it anyway." Mike and his partners did most of the hard work involved in coordinating the festival development themselves to ensure everything went perfectly and to keep costs down. The first Chippewa Valley Country Fest took place in the farmland near the town of Cadott, Wisconsin in 1986, and the three-day event attracted 3800 people a day. Since the people who attended seemed to enjoy the entertainment and the festival, they scheduled the fest again for the following year when the attendance numbers leaped to 12,000 a day. By 1988, attendance reached 17,000 a day, and the Chippewa Valley Country Fest went into the black. "Back at that time, country music had started enjoying a resurgence in popularity again. The timing was almost by accident, but it surely was a benefit for us." People also were allowed to camp on the site during the fest, which evolved into a three-day party and helped increase the event's popularity, drawing some of the biggest names in country music. In the mid-90’s, the country scene became very competitive. It was at that time Mike and his partners decided to produce a rock festival. In 1996, the first Chippewa Valley Rock Fest occurred, and its popularity grew exponentially just like the country fest had earlier. By 2001, the fests have some of the top names in country and rock, and draw thousands of people from all over the USA and Canada to enjoy the three days of outdoor fun and music on a yearly basis. Mike and his partners are constantly working to make improvements on the festival grounds and may consider sponsoring some concerts in other areas down the road. But right now, Mike is happy with what he has helped create. "When I walk through the grounds or I look out from a stage at all the people there who are just having a great time, that makes all that tough work in the beginning, and all the continuing work well worth it." :-> *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 3. ALBUM CAPSULES featuring a Special Tribute to Song Publisher DIXON DEVORE II plus Lea Brennan (featuring a Peggy's Cove Music published song), Cowboy Mouth and Prince EQ CD Reviews by Mark E. Waterbury Editor's Note: Over the past year, Dixon Devore II has submitted numerous CDs to Music Morsels for review - CDs released by his record company, CDs from his publishing catalogs, and CDs containing many songs he wrote himself. Music Morsels previously reviewed two of his children's CD releases - "It's a Wee Bit O' Fun" and "Mortimer the Very Rich Mouse" (http://www.fluteplayingmouse.com) with the latter generating interest from Disney. Dixon delves into more than just children's music, however. His music ranges from pop to country to Americana to novelty songs and a few things in-between. Dixon also teamed up with Music Morsels' renowned columnist Scott Turner to form one of his publishing companies called Peggy's Cove Music (BMI) in Nashville and, like Scott Turner, continues to support me as the editor of Music Morsels as well as in other aspects of my music industry career. And if you should ever talk to or meet Dixon in person, you'll find he's a guy with a great sense of humor, a big heart and plenty of support for independent musicians and songwriters. You can find much of Dixon's music at www.cdbaby.com/devore and www.cdbaby.com/devore2. It is with great reverence and gratitude that I wish to pay tribute to Dixon Devore II by presenting the compilation of CD reviews as seen below written by Mark Waterbury. And, Dixon, we hope you like what you read! - ed. The Wedding Band - Happiness Bells Cricket Power Records - CP02150-5 Legendary and versatile songwriter Dixon DeVore II pens a lovely alternative for the vows of love in a wedding. Performed gracefully with a classic country tilt by The Wedding Band, the first two tracks are emotional love pledges, one sung by the groom and the next song by the bride. The third track is an instrumental that everyone can sing along with. With lyrics that have a beautiful but simple passion and sweet background music this would be the perfect wedding compliment for any country folk who are looking to tie the knot any time soon. Mark C. Gage - Hold Close The Nights Cricket Power Records - CP-3150-S Born in the Philly Suburbs, Mark C. Gage proves a versatility in performance and singing in this four song EP. Mark co-wrote the lead track "Hold Close The Night" a sweet pop ballad with lovely piano tracks and a mellow but intense feel. "Angels Play Guitar" penned by Dixon DeVore II is a snappy latin-tinged sound with smoothly robust vocals by Gage. The balladic "Love Enough" is perhaps the best example of Mark’s ability to produce pure emotion though his vocals, while the mellow retro-pop of "Within The Blink Of An Eye" also written by DeVore gives another slightly different slant to Mark’s vocal resonance. With an obviously great voice harking back to some of the old "crooners", and some helpful and talented friends around him, Mark C. Gage may be destined for greater things. Nefertiti Cricket Power Records - CP-06010-s Two versions of this song tell the story of the Egyptian Queen, one with lyrics and one instrumentally. Written by Dixon DeVore II, the songsmith proves again his versatility and dabblings with wry humor in his music. This song has a jazzy, slightly rock groove with some buzzing guitar riffs, groovy beats and funky keyboard background, the perfect foil for the gutsy soulful vocals that are slightly to the shade of Aretha. Another tasty little morsel from the New Hampshire song master. If I Were A Poet (Instead Of A Farmer’s Daughter) Cricket Power Records - CP-07050-S This DeVore song goes back to the country roots, a love song that blends both modern and classic aspects. Sung wonderfully by Cayley Carnes, the lyrics are simple but well-written and not formulamatic, and the unpretentious but well toned music is the perfect background for both DeVore’s words and Cayley’s voice. A song that would make both fans of modern and old country two step the night away with their favorite partner. Please Mr. Lee Cricket Power Records - CP-06150-S DeVore unleashes his sense of humor in this outright funny song about eating Peking duck in a Chinese restaurant. Sung in a somewhat C.W. McCall style by Jeremiah Jeriah, the lyrics are complimented by a banjo driven toe-tapping country ditty that takes an occasional Oriental foray in its sound. True this is a novelty song, but a well done and truly enjoyable one as well. The Ballad Of Tommy O’Toole Cricket Power Records - CP-09250-A This plethora of Dixon DeVore II songs by several artists shows a number of sides to the prolific songsmith. The title track as the name gives away is an Irish ballad complete with tin whistles and honest but wry lyrics. "Walkin’ Wounded" is a snappy Americana tune while "Heart Trouble" is a strange but humorous love song with a country boogie feel. "A Georgia State Of Mind" makes you think of Tony Bennett with its poppy groove and crooning vocals. Dixon proves again that he is not afraid to try anything with his songwriting. It’s About The Roses Cricket Power Records - CP-5100-5 Two more well written country-ish tunes by the man with the words and the music flowing through him, Dixon DeVore II. "Roses Sweet Choc’lates and Wine" performed smartly by the Bend In The River Boys is a twangy ballad with classic vocals and true back-in-the-country love lyrics. "Take The Roses One By One" sung with real emotion by The Girl From Central High is a ballad that jerks at the heartstrings with classic instrumentation and tearful lyrics. Another aspect of Dixon’s talents are the excellent production of his music and his uncanny ability to find great musicians to portray his music and words. E-mail: devore@monad.net URL: http://cdbaby.com/devore Lea Brennan - The Entrance Remember back about fifteen or twenty years ago when country music wasn’t so cookie-cutter, so homogenous? Well, Connecticut’s Lea Brennan does, too, and she proves it with her recent CD release "The Entrance". Her sweet soprano voice, slightly reminiscent of a mellowed Dolly Parton, is at the forefront on the first track and the first single release "All of the Above" and follows suit on the remaining 12 tracks. Her vocal interpretation shows a wonderful emotion on one of the gold nuggets on this CD "Please Mr. Music Man", co-penned years ago by W.W.II Hero Audie Murphy and songwriter/producer Scott Turner who provides outstanding production on this CD. The players, several of them Nashville session veterans, are all very much up to the task, but the star is definitely Lea’s awesome voice, which adeptly handles the more rockin' tune (with a Dixie Chicks feel) on the CD "Where The Wild Things Run" (published by Peggy's Cove Music and written by Lea) as well as the breathless ballads like "Sticks And Stones." She definitely knows how to put emotion and passion into her singing and music, and that is something country music has sorely needed for years. URL: http://www.serge.org/leabrennan Cowboy Mouth - Easy Blackbird/Atlantic - 83349-2 From the first strains of the title track to Cowboy Mouth’s third major CD "Easy", you can feel a further maturity and a slight exploration in different aspects of songwriting still driven with a country flavored rock and roll fury. The intensity bursts forth toward the end of the song like a runaway nuclear chain reaction...and this is just the first of fifteen tracks! With the usual flavorings of punk and cow-punk weaved with plain old ballsy rock and some modern alt slants, this CD also manages to channel a good portion of the energy from their frenetic live show into the studio. Along with flat out rockers like "I Know It Shows" and "Everybody Loves Jill", you have the funky techno groove on "Everything You Do" and the retro folk in "Marianne." Full of tongue-in-cheek lyrics, brash guitar chords, and pounding rhythms, this CD establishes Cowboy Mouth as one of the hottest things to come out of the Big Easy since the Avery Island shrimp pasta at K Paul's. URL: www.cowboymouth.com Prince EQ - Boss Freakin’ Atlanta’s Prince EQ learned much of his craft while producing CDs for other acts and it shows with the quality of his first full-fledged solo effort "Boss Freakin’". The first track "17" is full of poignant but by no means vulgar lyrics that get the point across, backed with a smooth groove that will get your feet moving. Then get ready to really start dancing as "Sexy Thighs" blasts from the speakers. The driving background groove is a perfect foil for the tastefully suggestive lyrics and the catchy chorus hook makes this song stack up to anything out there these days in the dance/hip-hop world. "Tonight Rideout" is a slow and sultry soul vibe instrumental that makes you want to get close to someone you love. This CD drives you to get up, dance and have fun, and with an obvious versatility in song creation both lyrically and musically as well as a great voice for rapping to top it off, Prince EQ could be on his way to being a king of the hip-hop/dance scene. URLs: http://www.mp3.com/PrinceEQ, http://www.serge.org/PrinceEQ :-> _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 4. SCOTT TURNER’S SONG PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE David Shepherd Grossman In the early 70's, while heading up the country division of United Artists Records, I was assigned the production duties on a great artist by the name of "Oliver" who had achieved #1 status on the songs "Good Morning Starshine" and "Jean". By the way, Oliver's given name is William Oliver Swafford, and his brother, John, was once a great quarterback in the Carolinas and is now the A.C.C. Commissioner. Oliver was appearing at Mr. Kelly's in Chicago and the opening act was Steve Martin. I flew up to meet with him and he introduced me to the in-crowd at Old Town where I met Steve Goodman, among others. The second day I was there, Oliver told me that a new writer was coming to play some songs for us at the hotel and in came this fella in blue jeans and a well-worn guitar. And when he started to sing his self-styled material, I was floored by the talent. His name...John Prine. We ended up doing three of his songs on the ensuing sessions in Nashville. In fact, Steve Goodman stopped by the studio and sang harmony. We also recorded a song I brought from Nashville titled "Why You Been Gone So Long?" written by Mickey Newbury who was one of Nashville's finer writers and still is. Four or five years ago, I received a tape from an artist/writer based in Cave Creek, Arizona by the name of David Shepherd Grossman. There was a note of introduction enclosed from Mickey Newbury asking me to listen to the material. The songs hit me as did John Prine's and I did publish three of them - one of them which was just released in Australia by Colin Cook, an old friend and 60's rocker, titled "When The Moon Slips Under The Sky". David has a set of self-produced CDs that are being offered on the Internet and he recently was awarded the Folk Artist Of The Year honor in Arizona. His vocal stylings are along the lines of Paul Simon's and his songs are very unique, covering a broad band of topics. David's CDs can be obtained by contacting his web site at http://www.davidgrossman.com. It does go to show though, that in this industry, one talent can eventually lead up to finding another - in this case, Oliver reacting to Mickey Newbury, who unselfishly sent me David's music. That's the way this business should be approached. :-> _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 5. QUIPS & QUOTES Stories & Sayings to keep you motivated in your career For the first four years, no new enterprise produces profits. Even Mozart, didn't start writing music until he was four. - Peter F. Druckson, management consultant The only way to reach your long-range goals is through surviving your short-range objectives. - Unknown If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. - Unknown Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do, you apologize for the truth. - Benjamin Disraeli You were born an original. Don't die a copy. - John Mason Each morning when I open my eyes, I say to myself: "I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it." - Groucho Marx :-> _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 6. INDIE ARTIST SPOTLIGHT - Atlanta Hip-Hop Artist PRINCE EQ by Mark E. Waterbury
MM: At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to get into music as a career? PEQ: As long as I can remember. When I was a child, I used to watch the Bay City Rollers on Saturday morning television with my grandfather. He used to get up early and I’d get up to watch it with him, but I’ve loved music for a long time, practically all of my life. I got into a lot of different types of music. I like real guitar heavy music and then I really got into beats and rhymes when I was in eighth grade and break-dancing was hot. Eventually, I got into alternative and then up-tempo dance and hip-hop. I’m well-rounded in what I like. MM: What inspired you to produce other groups? PEQ: I was just working on beats and people were hearing them and telling me how they did beats themselves. For the most part, I would get into the beats and listen to people rhyme over the tracks and listen to the other people’s material and offer something better than what they had. Basically working with groups, I really got into that for a time. MM: Did you self-teach yourself all the aspects of production? PEQ: Yeah, a majority of the production I learned and did myself. With my CD, I did about ninety-five percent of it. MM: When did you first start writing your own original music? PEQ: When I was in high school I did my own 45 and that was my first professional project. I did a lot of music before that but it was all demo music and it was years ago. Later, I did some solo work. A partner of mine and I were on a label out of Miami called Hot Records, and there was plenty going on down there at that time, like Luke and 2-Live Crew. But I’ve been doing music all my life. I don’t really know anything else. (Laughs) MM: When did you start planning the CD "Boss Freakin’"? PEQ: I did the song "Sexy Thighs" first, and "Sexy Thighs" was really a free-style. And I couldn’t do performances with one song. I had problems with getting shows and with a lot of venues and promoters. I just had to come up with more material. So I went in and started nailing them out and started recording them. I just couldn’t get more gigs without more material. MM: When you did go in to the studio to record the songs, did you find the creativity just started flowing? PEQ: For "17" and "Give It To Me" and "Bareskin"...yes. For the rest, it was mind-boggling. I left a few instrumentals on there because they just sounded better as instrumentals than having me do raps over them. But for the most part, the album did flow. MM: Do you feel that producing music for others helped with the quality of your CD? PEQ: Definitely. I look at all those records and studio projects that I had done before as building blocks for the most part. But they all lead up to this one, and this one is leading up to the next one. MM: Do you sometimes get ideas for songs that just pop into your head and you have to sit down and write them? PEQ: That’s it exactly. They do pop up, but then again sometimes when I’m listening to music, I’ll do a dry beat off of a machine and I’ll start listening to it for awhile and start hearing different directions that the song could go in. That’s how I start formatting the lyrics. But sometimes I do just sit down and things just pop up and we just go. MM: What has been the reaction to the music on "Boss Freakin’" so far? PEQ: Great responses on it. "Sexy Thighs" got the original response, and then "17" picked up where "Sexy Thighs" left off. I think for the most part club owners like my music because it’s not full of cuss words and it’s not that explicit, but it still gets over because it’s still very suggestive. I just do it without getting it out front. I think people are getting into the lyrical concepts, especially with songs like "17". Or they like the story line to it, and that’s where it’s going. MM: Since rap and hip-hop are such popular styles right now do you feel it is tougher or easier to make it these days? PEQ: Depending on the type of music you do, if it’s hip-hip or dirty south type G music as you will, the market is a whole lot tougher. A friend of mine named King B does that and I think that market is rough. But with guys like Eminem getting so big, it’s made rap acceptable in the mainstream and it makes it a lot easier for the dance music that I do. So it all depends on what type of music you do. The market is severely crowded right now. MM: How is the Atlanta market? Is it a good market to start out in? PEQ: Not the city of Atlanta. The inner city of Atlanta isn’t really opening up to me. The metro area is, like the Kennesaw area, the Gwinnett County market, in all the secondary markets I do well. Atlanta is just pretty hard on all groups, because the kids here see so much all the time that it doesn’t really excite them anymore. Or at least it seems that way. MM: Is it important to have a certain danceability in the music? PEQ: I really do. I’m actually trying to bring that element of having fun back to rap music because lately rap has gotten so crucial. But I’m actually trying to have some fun with it and I think that’s what separates me from a lot of the other guys out there. If you look at the state of Michigan, they banned Master P from doing shows in the state. And that puts the bad rap on rap artists that are doing music that is - for lack of a better term - more healthy and danceable. MM: What is your personal definition of success and what is your plan to achieve it? PEQ: My personal definition of success would be having girls from every state saying, "Hell yeah, I love your music, don't stop doing it! I like your music, I dance to it, I have fun." To do that, I just need to stay out there and keep giving it to them as hard as I have been giving it to them. Getting them to dance to it, making them feel it. Just keep doing what I’m doing and that will take it to them and then it’s up to them to decide from that point." :-> For more info on Prince EQ, please visit his web sites at www.mpe.com/PrinceEQ or www.serge.org/PrinceEQ _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* 7. MUSIC BIZ NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES News and Opportunities Compiled for Musicians, Songwriters and Music Professionals by Sandy Serge Music Morsels encourages all of you to fax your press releases to us at 678/494-9269 or email them to MusMorsels@aol.com for possible inclusion in this column. This column will be featured monthly. Deadline for inclusion is the 25th of the month for the upcoming issue. IMPORTANT & TIMELY: If you are a management, publishing, PR/publicity firm or indie recording label and want to showcase your artists during SXSW at a non-SXSW-affiliated venue, please call David Frankel at 512/912-8973 or email him at AREXINC@aol.com. David is the president of Anonymous Rex Records and is very interested in helping companies working with independent bands showcase their talent. You must be a company to qualify for this opportunity. One way for several indie bands to showcase together is to form a temporary loose association or co-op which will then give you the opportunity to showcase. David has secured a venue near SXSW during the SXSW timeframe for you to showcase your artists. The venue is ideal for the singer/songwriter format although heavier bands who can scale back the volume would fit well, too. David offers affordable packages that include promotion/PR. If interested, please call him in Austin during evening hours or email him anytime. Don't delay! SXSW is only a month and a half away - March 14-18. CD Baby will be hosting a meeting on March 14 during the afternoon in Austin during SXSW. Visit cdbaby.net for more details. Check out the new JIPrecords Outlet Store at http://JIPrecs.nu/ST/vIndex.htm Be sure to read "Members" information on how you can get record distribution, radio promotion, and advertising campaigns FOR YOUR RECORD RELEASE! A new music news distribution service has been started that specializes in distributing Indie Music News and Web-related music news.They will send your INDIE music and WEB-RELATED news and content to all interested parties including music web sites, music magazines, music zines and newspapers. To send news or receive our content you need to join their mailing list by sending an e-mail to: web_music_newswire-subscribe@egroups.com or by visiting this page: http://www.egroups.com/group/web_music_newswire NetRadioShowcase.com presents: "Shoot My Music Video Contest!" Attention all film students and amateur cinematographers! Here is your chance to show your creative genius, establish a professional credit for your portfolio, and win a $500.00 cash prize! Singer/Songwriter and Independent Recording Artist Sammy Joe Voiles is putting up his material for collaboration with you! Not only are you given full creative reign in the production, but you also get to choose the song! For more information, please email s.voiles@att.net. A full service online music site that provides: (1) cd replication, (2) web design, (3) web hosting, (4) hard copy cd sales and (5) downloads is currently seeking agents for their cd replication service. They have excellent rates and give10% commission for all cd replication orders. For instant quotes go to www.whatsupmusic.com/artcdrep.asp. If interested, please call Ian Stuart at (604) 642-6435 or email him at ian@whatsupmusic.com. iFreeCD is currently looking for serious musicians with a quality product to be a part of the iFreeCD compilation. iFreeCD.com generates high volumes of music fans who want new music. What would you say if they could put your music in the hands of 50,000+ listeners in just a few short weeks? You may have already tried other venues for exposure like sending out demos to radio stations. You might have placed a print ad in magazines or even tried free MP3 listings on several music sites. So, what has the response rate been? I'm guessing not that great. It's time to get serious and iFreeCD can help. If you are serious about expanding your music career, iFreeCD can bring you the kind of exposure you have been searching for. They give CD's away to music fans for free and off set the cost with advertising, which makes your inclusion very reasonable. iFreeCD acts as a marketing service only, which means there is no profit sharing. Other marketing opportunities also include ad space on the disc holder, as well as rotation in our Internet radio station, iFreeCD Radio. They will have approximately 100,000+ subscribers available in our network. Please visit their website at http://www.ifreecd.com and if you are interested, contact us today for more information. RECORDING ACADEMY TO PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR FOR INDIANAPOLIS AREA MUSICIANS Open to all ages. Wednesday, January 31, 2001 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Jazz Kitchen 5377 N. College St. $7 ASCAP/Recording Academy members and all students $12 non-members Free if you join the Recording Academy at the door For more information on the event or Recording Academy membership, please call 312.786.1121. YYPE media, the folks who brought you theIndependentArtist.com, theIndependentUnderground.com, and AudioVenus.com, is proud to announce the launching of 3 new, Free services: www.FindaBandMate.com - Post to and/or search through a database of musicians. Search by City, Genre, Instrument, www.SellYourInstrument.com - Auction your item according to variables you set, or sell your item for a flat price. www.GigPhotos.com - Add your live image within seconds, View Artists in action from around the world! Remember, all three of these services are free to use, with no long registration forms to fill out. Attn: Musicians - Serge Entertainment Group needs booking representatives in all parts of the USA. If you have booking experience through booking your own band (or anyone elses) and you want to make some extra money by securing quality bookings for other indie bands, please email SergeEnt@aol.com for more information. This is your opportunity to help other indie musicians and make money while doing so! Commission based with incentive program. :-> _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_ 8. MUSIC INDUSTRY MARKETING SHOWCASE Looking for products or services to assist you on your path to success?? Then look here! Ad rates are only $15. Your ad runs for 3 months and has visibility all over the world. For complete ad rates, contact <MUSMORSELS@aol.com>. All ads are also posted on our web site at http://www.serge.org/marketing.htm. Labels, musicians, songwriters - send your press kits with CDs for a possible upcoming review/interview to Sandy Serge - Editor, Music Morsels, P.O. Box 2760, Acworth, GA 30102 USA . ====================================== Music Morsels’ Own Scott Turner Chronicles His Life In Audio Cassette Series Scott Turner Audio Cassette Series Tape #1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Are Now Available! Scott Turner, renowned publisher/producer/songwriter and columnist for Music Morsels has begun his audio cassette series chronicling his 47 years in the music industry. Each 90 minute tape will highlight the important events in his music career from his first recording session and how he landed a recording deal to his days with Buddy Holly, Tommy Sands, Guy Mitchell, Eddie Fisher, Herb Alpert, Audie Murphy, Harry Nilsson, Phil Spector as well as his career at recording labels such as Central Songs and the country division at Liberty which eventually became United Artists. Each tape sells for $12 and will periodically include songs that have never been heard along with rare photos. The first tape chronicles Scott Turner's "Early Years" beginning in the mid-50's spoken by Scott Turner himself. Several publishers have approached him to write a book, but guess what? Scott Turner has graced us with the honor of presenting the treasured moments in his musical career on tape to you! To order Tape #1, please complete this form (copy and paste is easiest) and mail with your check or money order for $12 plus $1 shipping and handling ($13 total) to: Scott Turner Cassette Series, c/o Serge Entertainment Group, P.O. Box 2760, Acworth, GA 30102 USA . You will receive ordering information for additional tapes when you receive your first tape. Name __________________________________________ Address ________________________________________ City, State, Zip __________________________________ Phone__________________________________________ Email __________________________________________ Please make checks payable to Serge Entertainment Group. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Thank you for your order! ====================================== ATTENTION UNSIGNED BANDS! GET TELEVISION AIR PLAY FREE! Rock Candy Music Video Show is looking for videos from unsigned bands to air on their show. They are based in Vacaville, California and are currently cablecast in several Northern California cities. The show debuted on June 27, 1996 and has received great response from unsigned bands from all around the world. The response from unsigned bands has been so good that they have been able to do all unsigned bands "Rising Stars" episodes about every 10-12 months. Rock Candy is a non-profit show produced for the entertainment of its viewers. The show is one hour and airs one new episode per month. They feature top name bands that perform Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and Glam. On each episode, they feature one unsigned band on their "Rising Stars" segment of the show. If you would like to get your video on Rock Candy, check out the Rock Candy Unsigned Bands Page at http://members.aol.com/RockCandyz/index.html You will find all of the information you need to submit a video there. You can contact Rock Candy with questions at: Rock Candy 142 S. Orchard Ave Vacaville, CA 95688 or E-Mail us at: RockCandyz@aol.com Producer: Troy Correia Rock Candy is a non-profit show produced at TCI Cablevision in Vacaville, Ca. for Public Access Television. Rock Candy Music Videos is a Trademark. ================================ Hitotsu (in Japan) is starting a review/link exchange section. They are interested in light pop/folk-pop. For further details, email hitotsu@hitotsu.ne.jp ================================ Selling off stock of our first CD to make way for new 2001 releases. Mention this ad and get a special discount. Light folk/pop. For more info, visit http://www.hitotsu.ne.jp ================================ T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST! 20,000 yen grand prize ($200US if winner is outside of Japan). Details posted at http://www.hitotsu.ne.jp. Winner will be announced June, 2001. Simple design and slogan promoting 'oneness of mankind'. ================================ Indie-Music.com ~ Save Time & Promote Your Music Free! 1000's of contacts for musicians, no cost, no hassles. Where Serious Musicians Surf http://Indie-Music.com ================================ HEY, MR. TAMBOURINE MAN, play a song for me.....Better Than Sex Music is now reviewing artists/bands. Contact: BetterThanSexMusic@hotmail.com ================================ SONGWRITER'S MONTHLY - the stories behind today's songs. For a free sample, call 1-800-574-2986. ================================ "Best of Bad Boy", the CD on Surgeland Records by Midwestern rockers Bad Boy has sold-out its first pressing. On to the second pressing. To order, visit the best on-line indie store around - CD Baby - at www.cdbaby.com. Also available at The Exclusive Company, Mainstream Records, Nickelodeon, Dream Disc and Madcity Music Exchange. Overseas the cd is available through DSB Distributors in Germany. For more info on Bad Boy, please visit their web site at www.serge.org/badboy.htm. Order at http://cdbaby.com/badboy or call 1-800-448-6369. THE LEGEND LIVES ON.... ================================= Musicians Tip Sheet - The Tip Sheet is a free newsletter for musicians which includes many industry contacts and informative information about the music industry. To subscribe, please send an email to: mailto: musicians-tipsheet-subscribe@egroups.com ================================= The new alt/rock CD "Seeing in the Dark" featuring the single "Nothing at All" which aired on the ABC series "Making the Band" by NineDollarMelonBaller is now available at CD Baby http://www.cdbaby.com/ndmb2. ================================ A SONGWRITER NEEDS CONTACTS! Join Turksongs Publisher Contact Service. We'll submit your lyrics/or demo tape directly to our contacts. They respond to you. Yearly fee required ($25 per year), $5 per submission. Lyric rewrite - $15 per song. Send lyrics/songs/check to Turk Productions, 14 Gladstone Road, Lansdowne, PA 19050-2147 Email: Turksongs@juno.com; URL: http://jonturk.iuma.com ================================ Like Hip-Hop? If you like the song "Baby Got Back", then visit www.mp3.com/PrinceEQ and download the song "Sexy Thighs" by Prince EQ. MP3.com coined the song the "Baby Got Back of 2000". ================================= CD Baby - the best indie online store in the world - www.cdbaby.com ================================ JOIN INTERMIXX, the nation's first true indie music Internetwork. Indie musicians need to market themselves in every way they can, to reach the maximum number of consumers. The Internet has helped make this more possible now than ever before. Maximize your Internet marketing capability by joining InterMixx. Find out more by entering the InterMixx IndieGate: http://www.IndieGate.com or call 1 800 MIXX MAG. Because Sandy Serge, editor of Music Morsels, is a valued InterMixx member, please mention Music Morsels and receive a special $50 discount off the annual membership fee of $150.00! ============================= ATTENTION BANDS, LABELS, MUSICIANS & MUSIC BUSINESSES! Serge Entertainment PR gives you access to all of the music industry's top publishers, editors and journalists in print, broadcast and the Internet. We position you for success!! Visit our web site at http://www.serge.org/sepr.htm. ============================= Get a FREE subscription to The Buzz Factor, Bob Baker's music marketing tip sheet. Every issue features inspiration and low-cost marketing ideas for your independent band or record label. To subscribe, just send a blank email to 00-BuzzFactor-subscribe@egroups.com or visit http://www.thebuzzfactor.com. ============================= 181.4 Degrees from the Norm! http://www.181.4.com/dftn/. If you're looking for today's newest music, then stop by 181.4 Degrees from the Norm! We put out a new issue each month that's loaded with album reviews, regular columns, concert reviews, and more. No fluff - just truth in reviewing. ================================ Attention: Labels, songwriters and musicians! Check out the Bandit A&R Newsletter at www.banditnewsletter.com. For a free sample copy and info, send a blank email to bandit.18@aweber.com. Here is just ONE example of numerous listings that appear in Bandit A&R Newsletter: Moore Flavor Entertainment Inc. wants to hear from acts with major label potential for management/production deals. Send your best mainstream Pop and Rock songs on CD with photo, a brief bio and your phone number to: M. Moore Moore Flavor Entertainment Inc. 156 West 56th Street New York, NY 10019 USA Phone 718/778-5019 MusaMoore@aol.com NO RETURNS ================================ GAJOOB Magazine's DiY Report is a listing of DiY recording information, distributed freely over the Internet 2-3 times monthly for musicians. To subscribe, send an e-mail to gajoob@utw.com. Also available in hypertext format on the World Wide Web at http://www.utw.com/~gajoob/pages/diyreports/52.html. ================================ Fall into a place beyond earth listening to music by new age/classical pianist Mark Birmingham. Visit his web site at http://www.rosemeadrecordings.com for a taste of his "Garden Life" CD that offers some true soothing and relaxing music as well as several uplifting, emotive tunes for your listening pleasure. Media members: For more info or a presskit, contact SergeEnt@aol.com. ================================= Subscribe to SFK....For a free E-zine for the Melodic rock fan, visit http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/sfkrock for a subscription. ================================ ATTN: MUSICIANS! HAVE WE GOT THE 411 FOR YOU! Get the only directory you will ever need - A&R Registry (Regional A&R contacts not listed in any other directory with all major & independent labels in LA, NY, Nashville & London). All this for only $325.00 1 year (6 issues) or get a trial issue for only $65.00. Call the Music Business Registry at 800-377-7411 for ordering information. _*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_ 9. MUSIC MORSELS SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To SUBSCRIBE to our FREE e-mail version of Music Morsels, send an email message to MusMorsels@aol.com and put the word "Subscribe" in the subject field. That's it. Expect to receive your email issue the first week of every month. Please note: We do not share or sell our mailing list with anyone so your privacy is protected. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ That’s it for February! Thank you for your subscription. Have a Happy Valentine's Day and remember your loved ones this month. E-ya next month! -ed. |
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From Louis Armstrong to Dr. John to Blind Melon and numerous others, New Orleans has always been known as a town that turned out a lot of great bands and musicians in a number of different styles. For the past decade, there has been another band from the Big Easy that has steadily been making a name for themselves. Cowboy Mouth have been consummate road warriors from the onset, touring around the nation at a hectic pace and thrilling fans with their energetic and highly entertaining shows. Featuring drummer, singer and all around wild man Fred LeBlanc, the talented guitar tandem of Paul Sanchez and John Thomas Griffith along with the pounding bass of Rob Savoy, Cowboy Mouth’s live performances have helped to build them a healthy fan-base that sustained them through a recording label switch that may have squashed bands with lesser reputations. The years of playing in front of appreciative crowds and opening for the likes of Jason & the Scorchers, Hootie and the Blowfish and Barenaked Ladies have kept the band inside the cusp of stardom. And their third release "Easy" gives them a continuing boost in the right direction.
Atlanta, long a hot-bed of hip-hop/dance acts, became a notch hotter several years ago with the arrival of Alabama-born Prince EQ. After a dozen years of cutting his teeth and honing his own musical crafts while producing a number of acts including King B and Gangsta Bass Alliance, Prince EQ created his own music on a nine-song project entitled "Boss Freakin’". The music has already served a wake up call to the folks who discovered the songs on the MP3.com site, and to this date, the songs on "Boss Freakin’" have received over 150,000 downloads on the Internet. With a knack for writing slyly humorous and nicely naughty rhymes over pounding rhythm tracks, Prince EQ was born ready to take the hip-hop/dance world by storm. This recent interview sheds light on how Prince EQ got things off the ground.