Hello all.
I began writing a song 6 years ago but never finished it. Recently, I played the song (what I had written) to a neighbor of mine whose husband is overseas in the military. She and her daughter were so moved by the song that it inspired me to complete and record it. “Letter to My Soldier” is a song that is written from the viewpoint of a military spouse or loved one. It reflects the longing for a loved one who has been separated by obligations due to military service and the desire for them to come home safely.
The song is about the love, patience, strength and understanding the military spouse has and the desire for the return of the soldier. In the process of writing the rest of the song, I heard a wonderful chorus of voices in the background. I thought it would be nice to have a chorus of young voice rather then just me laying down multiple tracks to capture the sound. I asked my daughter if some of her classmates in her chorus class at school would like to be part of this project.
6 very wonderful students volunteered to sing and 2 more from VCU (a local university). To top off the recording I wanted a nice piece of artwork for the cover of the single CD. A local artist, Lana Gentry, volunteered to draw the cover. She did an incredible job. I asked John Leedes, Wayne O’Bryan and Rod Hyner (my husband) to play on the CD. They have volunteered numerous hours recording, practicing and playing for the TV show.
This morning we played the song live on the Virginia Morning Show. It was a terrific experience. Although the CD is done the CD packaging has not been completed just yet. I am hoping to have the CD packaged and copies made by mid March. If you know of anyone in the military or a military family that would like a copy, please let me know and I will send you some CD’s. I’ve attached the completed song to this email along with the artwork for the front cover.
Also, here is the link to see us perform it live on the VA Morning Show.http://www.wtvr.com/Global/category.asp?C=86435&nav=menu79_5_3 I hope you enjoy the song and if you are a military spouse or have someone in the military that you care about, I hope this song brings you warmth and that you will be able to relate to it. Love, Elana Lisa
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Recliners at the Camel
Enjoy the lounge-style of Reclinerized music while you read on:
Click button for music player http://therecliners.com/myWimpy.html
Join The Recliners for an early Dinner and after-show at The Camel
1621 W. Broad Street (across from Lowe’s)
Every Thursday beginning March 13th, 2008
Showtime 7:30 – 10:30pm
Half price food and cheap beer and wine!
All food ½ price!
Thursdays - 5:00pm-8:00pm
$2.00 BEER!
Yuengling, PBR & Miller Lite only $2.00!
Wine - Cabernet & Chardonnay only $4.00 per glass!
Free Wi-Fi too!
Post – Modern – Power - Loungers
The Recliners, originally hailing from Austin, TX —now based in Richmond, VA-
take the traditional "lounge sound" and zoom-off into galaxies never explored
by Sinatra, Jones, or even Humperdinck. In over 11 plus
years of existence, The Recliners have entertained them all:
young and old, tuxedo-ed or tongue-pierced, in taffeta or
tattooed, debutantes and dirt-bikers.
A Recliner’s Recipe : Take traditional standards from the
20's to the 60's, add in newer songs from the 70's, 80's
and 90's, swing them across the dance floor, and then mix in
a generous shot of sultry bossa nova and cha-cha rhythms,
blend until smoother than a James Bond come-on line,
add tasty original songs (shaken...not stirred)
and you're in martini heaven, baby.
What the press has to say . .
"The Recliners are much more than a parody.;
it makes you want to book a cruise for two on the Pacific Princess.
The Recliners live? Yes babe, a must see!"
--Kevin Hopper, The Albuquerque Journal—
“With the swanky, swingy, and loungey arrangements of rock & roll tunes, your grandparents will have no idea that they are dancing to AC/DC and The Beastie Boys. It’s the perfect touch of surrealism to add to your wedding reception."
"BEST WEDDING BAND" "BEST LOUNGE/SWING BAND" “BEST COVER BAND” --The Austin Chronicle—
They Came, They Saw, They Lounged …
Some of the venues The Recliners have played:
Venue
City
People in Attendance
Pointfest
(with Offspring, Social Distortion, L7, Matchbox 20)
St Louis, MO
22,000
Caesar’s Palace
Las Vegas, NV
400
Viper Room
Los Angeles, CA
250
Paradise Lounge
San Francisco, CA
300
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle, WA
280
Orchid Lounge
Houston , TX
300
Velvet Elvis
Dallas, TX
400
South By South West
Austin, TX (5 years)
400
Culture Shock
Phoenix, AZ
1500
Banana Republic
San Francisco, CA
1200
Banana Republic
Chicago, IL
1000
Cabo’s
Richmond, VA
85
Capitol Ale House Downtown
Richmond, VA
Chesterfield Café’
Paris, France
Sold out for 10 shows (350 per nite)
Radio Stations that have played Recliners CD’s
Radio Station
City, State
KXLU
Los Angeles, CA
WBZF
Florence, SC
WTGE
Baton Rouge, LA
KLAQ
EL Paso, TX
KLOL
Houston, TX
KROX
Austin, TX (101X)
KSYM
San Antonio, TX
KLBJ
Austin, TX
KGSR
Austin, TX
KOOP
Austin, TX
KUT
Austin, TX
DISH
(National Satellite Service)
Y107
Los Angeles, CA
LIVE105
San Francisco, CA
XHRM
San Diego, CA
KISF
Kansas City, MO
KPXK
Denver, CO
KPFK
Los Angeles, CA
WFNX
Boston, MA
KKUP
Santa Clara, CA
WMAD
Madison, WI
KZON
Phoenix, AZ
KXCI
Tucson, AZ
WUPX
Marquette, WI
3 songs are currently in rotation on Sirius Radio (Satellite Radio) and one song in rotation on Dish Network.
Sincerely,
Russell Young (for The Recliners)
Click button for music player http://therecliners.com/myWimpy.html
Join The Recliners for an early Dinner and after-show at The Camel
1621 W. Broad Street (across from Lowe’s)
Every Thursday beginning March 13th, 2008
Showtime 7:30 – 10:30pm
Half price food and cheap beer and wine!
All food ½ price!
Thursdays - 5:00pm-8:00pm
$2.00 BEER!
Yuengling, PBR & Miller Lite only $2.00!
Wine - Cabernet & Chardonnay only $4.00 per glass!
Free Wi-Fi too!
Post – Modern – Power - Loungers
The Recliners, originally hailing from Austin, TX —now based in Richmond, VA-
take the traditional "lounge sound" and zoom-off into galaxies never explored
by Sinatra, Jones, or even Humperdinck. In over 11 plus
years of existence, The Recliners have entertained them all:
young and old, tuxedo-ed or tongue-pierced, in taffeta or
tattooed, debutantes and dirt-bikers.
A Recliner’s Recipe : Take traditional standards from the
20's to the 60's, add in newer songs from the 70's, 80's
and 90's, swing them across the dance floor, and then mix in
a generous shot of sultry bossa nova and cha-cha rhythms,
blend until smoother than a James Bond come-on line,
add tasty original songs (shaken...not stirred)
and you're in martini heaven, baby.
What the press has to say . .
"The Recliners are much more than a parody.;
it makes you want to book a cruise for two on the Pacific Princess.
The Recliners live? Yes babe, a must see!"
--Kevin Hopper, The Albuquerque Journal—
“With the swanky, swingy, and loungey arrangements of rock & roll tunes, your grandparents will have no idea that they are dancing to AC/DC and The Beastie Boys. It’s the perfect touch of surrealism to add to your wedding reception."
"BEST WEDDING BAND" "BEST LOUNGE/SWING BAND" “BEST COVER BAND” --The Austin Chronicle—
They Came, They Saw, They Lounged …
Some of the venues The Recliners have played:
Venue
City
People in Attendance
Pointfest
(with Offspring, Social Distortion, L7, Matchbox 20)
St Louis, MO
22,000
Caesar’s Palace
Las Vegas, NV
400
Viper Room
Los Angeles, CA
250
Paradise Lounge
San Francisco, CA
300
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle, WA
280
Orchid Lounge
Houston , TX
300
Velvet Elvis
Dallas, TX
400
South By South West
Austin, TX (5 years)
400
Culture Shock
Phoenix, AZ
1500
Banana Republic
San Francisco, CA
1200
Banana Republic
Chicago, IL
1000
Cabo’s
Richmond, VA
85
Capitol Ale House Downtown
Richmond, VA
Chesterfield Café’
Paris, France
Sold out for 10 shows (350 per nite)
Radio Stations that have played Recliners CD’s
Radio Station
City, State
KXLU
Los Angeles, CA
WBZF
Florence, SC
WTGE
Baton Rouge, LA
KLAQ
EL Paso, TX
KLOL
Houston, TX
KROX
Austin, TX (101X)
KSYM
San Antonio, TX
KLBJ
Austin, TX
KGSR
Austin, TX
KOOP
Austin, TX
KUT
Austin, TX
DISH
(National Satellite Service)
Y107
Los Angeles, CA
LIVE105
San Francisco, CA
XHRM
San Diego, CA
KISF
Kansas City, MO
KPXK
Denver, CO
KPFK
Los Angeles, CA
WFNX
Boston, MA
KKUP
Santa Clara, CA
WMAD
Madison, WI
KZON
Phoenix, AZ
KXCI
Tucson, AZ
WUPX
Marquette, WI
3 songs are currently in rotation on Sirius Radio (Satellite Radio) and one song in rotation on Dish Network.
Sincerely,
Russell Young (for The Recliners)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Elana on 6
If you are awake or near a TV and in VA...
Tune in to the VA Morning Show on CBS 6 (I believe it's channel 9 if you have cable) on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. I, along with John Leedes (Guitar), Rod Hyner (Drums), Wayne O'Bryan (Bass) and a 9 piece choir consisting of students from Godwin High and VCU will be performing my newest release “Letter to My Soldier” live.
The song will be release as a single by the middle of March.
Tune in to the VA Morning Show on CBS 6 (I believe it's channel 9 if you have cable) on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. I, along with John Leedes (Guitar), Rod Hyner (Drums), Wayne O'Bryan (Bass) and a 9 piece choir consisting of students from Godwin High and VCU will be performing my newest release “Letter to My Soldier” live.
The song will be release as a single by the middle of March.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Tommy Edwards of Richmond
Remembering Richmond's Tommy Edwards and "It's All in the Game"
At the Library of Virginia on February 19 at noon Donald W. Gunter
assistant editor with Dictionary of Virginia, will give a multimedia
presentation on singer and songwriter Tommy Edwards, who grew up in
Henrico County. As a teenager Edwards hosted a 15-minute music program
on WRNL, a Richmond radio station. He moved to New York and had success
with his songs being recorded by Tony Bennett and Red Foley. In 1950 he
signed with MGM Records and in 1951 had his first hit with "The
Morningside of the Mountain." He followed up with another hit when "It's
All in the Game" peaked at number 18. In 1958 he recorded "It's All in
the Game" as a rock-and-roll ballad and the recording went to the top of
the Billboard chart, where it remained for six weeks. The recording
eventually sold 3.5 million records. Gunter's presentation will include
short clips of Edwards' music.
The Library of Virginia is located at 800 East Broad Street. This talk
is free and open to the public. There is limited free parking for this
event in the Library's underground parking garage, which is accessible
from either Eighth or Ninth streets. For more information, call
692-3592.
Jan Hathcock
Library of Virginia
800 East Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23219-8000
804-692-3592
NOTE: New E-mail Address Jan.Hathcock@lva.virginia.gov
At the Library of Virginia on February 19 at noon Donald W. Gunter
assistant editor with Dictionary of Virginia, will give a multimedia
presentation on singer and songwriter Tommy Edwards, who grew up in
Henrico County. As a teenager Edwards hosted a 15-minute music program
on WRNL, a Richmond radio station. He moved to New York and had success
with his songs being recorded by Tony Bennett and Red Foley. In 1950 he
signed with MGM Records and in 1951 had his first hit with "The
Morningside of the Mountain." He followed up with another hit when "It's
All in the Game" peaked at number 18. In 1958 he recorded "It's All in
the Game" as a rock-and-roll ballad and the recording went to the top of
the Billboard chart, where it remained for six weeks. The recording
eventually sold 3.5 million records. Gunter's presentation will include
short clips of Edwards' music.
The Library of Virginia is located at 800 East Broad Street. This talk
is free and open to the public. There is limited free parking for this
event in the Library's underground parking garage, which is accessible
from either Eighth or Ninth streets. For more information, call
692-3592.
Jan Hathcock
Library of Virginia
800 East Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23219-8000
804-692-3592
NOTE: New E-mail Address Jan.Hathcock@lva.virginia.gov
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Richmond Tonight TV Show at the Byrd Theatre
As part of my empty nest syndrome and turning 50 a few weeks ago, I've embarked on another "job" that I wanted to share with each of you.
Richmond Tonight is a television show that will begin broadcasting in the Richmond Tri-Cities and Tidewater areas at the Byrd Theatre. Taping, before a live audience, will take place on Tuesday evenings at 9:30 pm with anticipation of a hard 1 hour taping (hopefully we don't run over too long!). The inaugural taping will occur on Tuesday, March 4th. Please help spread the word about the wonderful opportunity to watch live television at it's best. At the least, it should be interesting to watch the Byrd Theatre morph itself from showing films at 7pm, to becoming a live broadcast in a talk show format.
My own role with Richmond Tonight will be as the Booking Producer. Drawing on a format of "tell something, show something or perform something", I'll be looking around for local, regional and national guests to appear each Tuesday on this show. Feel free to email me if you are interested in being a guest or you know of others who would enjoy the opportunity to appear on live television. I'm also open to suggestions for specific "theme" or seasonal ideas...the crazier the better!
Another happening to mention is our house band. This relaxed group of musicians will entertain the live audience throughout the evening and have a "solo musician" component where talented musicians are invited to sit in with the band each week. This would be a wonderful opportunity for many talented students in our area to play live on television. If this is of interest to anyone you know, please have them email me and we will get them information on how to be featured in the house band.
Thanks for any help in sharing this information to others and I hope to see many of you at the show (or even on the stage)!
Vicki Neilson
Booking Producer
Richmond Tonight
804-402-6126
Richmond Tonight brings live
television to the heart of Richmond.
Richmond Tonight is a television show that will begin broadcasting in the Richmond Tri-Cities and Tidewater areas at the Byrd Theatre. Taping, before a live audience, will take place on Tuesday evenings at 9:30 pm with anticipation of a hard 1 hour taping (hopefully we don't run over too long!). The inaugural taping will occur on Tuesday, March 4th. Please help spread the word about the wonderful opportunity to watch live television at it's best. At the least, it should be interesting to watch the Byrd Theatre morph itself from showing films at 7pm, to becoming a live broadcast in a talk show format
My own role with Richmond Tonight will be as the Booking Producer. Drawing on a format of "tell something, show something or perform something", I'll be looking around for local, regional and national guests to appear each Tuesday on this show. Feel free to email me if you are interested in being a guest or you know of others who would enjoy the opportunity to appear on live television. I'm also open to suggestions for specific "theme" or seasonal ideas...the crazier the better!
Another happening to mention is our house band. This relaxed group of musicians will entertain the live audience throughout the evening and have a "solo musician" component where talented musicians are invited to sit in with the band each week. This would be a wonderful opportunity for many talented students in our area to play live on television. If this is of interest to anyone you know, please have them email me and we will get them information on how to be featured in the house band.
Thanks for any help in sharing this information to others and I hope to see many of you at the show (or even on the stage)!
Vicki Neilson
Booking Producer
Richmond Tonight
804-402-6126
Richmond Tonight brings live
television to the heart of Richmond.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold to brooke
show details 11:59 AM (33 minutes ago) Reply
“A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN” VIDEO TO BE RELEASED ON ITUNES!
Still haven’t seen the “A Little Piece of Heaven” animated video? Now you can take this amazing video on the go for whenever you need an A7X fix.
Get it at iTunes here!
AVENGED SEVENFOLD CHAOTIC COMMERCIAL CONTEST!
We want you to make the sickest, most off-the-wall commercial for A7X's headlining run on Taste of Chaos! The FIVE best videos will be chosen by the band. Each winner will get a pair of tickets to the show, and you will get to sit down and have a one on one interview with a member of A7X! Did we mention it will be filmed and posted on our YouTube page?
Upload your masterpiece to YouTube and send the link in to A7Xcontests@gmail.com . Contest ends February 22nd at 12 AM PST.
Avenged Sevenfold does not promote the use of violence in the making of these videos. Contest open to legal US and Canadian citizens, 13 year of age or older. Please view Full Contest Rules and Regulations here!
“YOU”VE GOT A WEEK LEFT TO “START YOUR OWN BAND”!
Prize includes Synyster Gates' "Synyster Custom", Zacky's "Vengeance Custom" and Johnny Christ's "Sting Ray" bass, And if that weren't enough, we are throwing in a full DW drum kit, amps, three microphones, a year's supply of Ernie Ball Slinky Strings and a $250 gift certificate to Hot Topic.
Enter to Win Here!
Contest Runs from January 15th at 12 PM PST and ends February 15th 12 PM PST
show details 11:59 AM (33 minutes ago) Reply
“A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN” VIDEO TO BE RELEASED ON ITUNES!
Still haven’t seen the “A Little Piece of Heaven” animated video? Now you can take this amazing video on the go for whenever you need an A7X fix.
Get it at iTunes here!
AVENGED SEVENFOLD CHAOTIC COMMERCIAL CONTEST!
We want you to make the sickest, most off-the-wall commercial for A7X's headlining run on Taste of Chaos! The FIVE best videos will be chosen by the band. Each winner will get a pair of tickets to the show, and you will get to sit down and have a one on one interview with a member of A7X! Did we mention it will be filmed and posted on our YouTube page?
Upload your masterpiece to YouTube and send the link in to A7Xcontests@gmail.com . Contest ends February 22nd at 12 AM PST.
Avenged Sevenfold does not promote the use of violence in the making of these videos. Contest open to legal US and Canadian citizens, 13 year of age or older. Please view Full Contest Rules and Regulations here!
“YOU”VE GOT A WEEK LEFT TO “START YOUR OWN BAND”!
Prize includes Synyster Gates' "Synyster Custom", Zacky's "Vengeance Custom" and Johnny Christ's "Sting Ray" bass, And if that weren't enough, we are throwing in a full DW drum kit, amps, three microphones, a year's supply of Ernie Ball Slinky Strings and a $250 gift certificate to Hot Topic.
Enter to Win Here!
Contest Runs from January 15th at 12 PM PST and ends February 15th 12 PM PST
Dominic Carpin News
We’re stoked to announce we will be opening for The Flesh-Tones at Iota Club & Café in Arlington, VA February 23rd. We used to gig with the ‘Tones all the time so it will be a reunion of sorts. We will release two new t-shirt designs in the near future as well, and have expanded our line of women’s baby dolls along with a contrast stitch jersey shirt for the ladies. Hope to see you at the gigs…Our February 8th gig in Petersburg was phenomenal and we made it to PetersburgTV.com. Click on the link to see Only Friend live along with an interview.
Advance copies of our new CD, Cashmere Jungle Lords/Oodjie-Boodjie Night-Night have been well received. National release date set for 4/22/08 , but pre-release copies are available from iTunes, Cashmere Jungle Lords.com , Plan 9, Barnes & Noble, Cardinal Point Winery and CD Baby.
2/21 Bottom's Up Pizza (Downtown location) 1700 Dock St Richmond, Virginia 23223 Richmond, VA 8pm-Midnight No Cover (804) 644-4400
2/23 Iota Club & Café 2832 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201 9:30pm $13 Opening for The Flesh-Tones (703) 522-8340
3/20 Bottom's Up Pizza (Downtown location) 1700 Dock St Richmond, Virginia 23223 Richmond, VA 8pm-Midnight No Cover (804) 644-4400
3/22 Taphouse Grill in Ghent 931 W 21st St Norfolk, VA 23517 10pm-2am $5
4/19 Fellini's #9 200 W. Market St. Charlottesville, VA 434.979.4279 $3 10pm-1am
5/2 Capital Ale House Music Hall CD Release Party with Rylo and Special Guests 619 East Main ST Richmond, VA 23219 804-780-2537
5/31 Port O’Call 8.5 MP Beach Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 10pm $5
6/6 Tentative Granite Swim & Recquet Club 6-8pm Free to Members
6/15 Forest Hill Park Summer Concert Series 4012 Forest Hill Ave Richmond, VA 5-8pm Free
7/11 Port O’Call 8.5 MP Beach Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 10pm $5
7/24 & 25 FloydFest Details to come!!!!
8/8 Port O’Call 8.5 MP Beach Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 10pm $5
www.cashmerejunglelords.com
www.myspace.com/cashmerejunglelords
www.sonicbids.com/cashmerejunglelords
Advance copies of our new CD, Cashmere Jungle Lords/Oodjie-Boodjie Night-Night have been well received. National release date set for 4/22/08 , but pre-release copies are available from iTunes, Cashmere Jungle Lords.com , Plan 9, Barnes & Noble, Cardinal Point Winery and CD Baby.
2/21 Bottom's Up Pizza (Downtown location) 1700 Dock St Richmond, Virginia 23223 Richmond, VA 8pm-Midnight No Cover (804) 644-4400
2/23 Iota Club & Café 2832 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201 9:30pm $13 Opening for The Flesh-Tones (703) 522-8340
3/20 Bottom's Up Pizza (Downtown location) 1700 Dock St Richmond, Virginia 23223 Richmond, VA 8pm-Midnight No Cover (804) 644-4400
3/22 Taphouse Grill in Ghent 931 W 21st St Norfolk, VA 23517 10pm-2am $5
4/19 Fellini's #9 200 W. Market St. Charlottesville, VA 434.979.4279 $3 10pm-1am
5/2 Capital Ale House Music Hall CD Release Party with Rylo and Special Guests 619 East Main ST Richmond, VA 23219 804-780-2537
5/31 Port O’Call 8.5 MP Beach Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 10pm $5
6/6 Tentative Granite Swim & Recquet Club 6-8pm Free to Members
6/15 Forest Hill Park Summer Concert Series 4012 Forest Hill Ave Richmond, VA 5-8pm Free
7/11 Port O’Call 8.5 MP Beach Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 10pm $5
7/24 & 25 FloydFest Details to come!!!!
8/8 Port O’Call 8.5 MP Beach Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 10pm $5
www.cashmerejunglelords.com
www.myspace.com/cashmerejunglelords
www.sonicbids.com/cashmerejunglelords
Monday, February 11, 2008
VOCAL Newsletter
February 2008
In this issue
> February Greeting
> Regular Membership Meetings
> Member Happenings
> Membership
> Showcase Past & Future
February Greeting
Well the year is off to a great start! VOCAL member Jim Uzel is preparing for his CD release this month and the Executive Committee is preparing for some great performance opportunities for VOCAL members in 2008.
February and March will see two special VOCAL membership meetings and we are looking forward to establishing more special events to keep things interesting. If you haven’t been to a VOCAL meeting or have been out for a while, take time to come out and keep up with current events. You’ll get to experience some good discussion, you can present your thoughts about the upcoming events and you’ll hear the latest news about VOCAL activities before it’s published.
We hope to see you all soon!
Regular Membership Meetings http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/meeting.html
January’s meeting was an informative look at presenting your material on the Internet and ideas for drawing attention to that material. Thanks to our panel participants Matthew Costello (VOCAL webmaster), Steve Nuckolls and Glen King.
For February, we are proud to present Chuck Kerwath, who will present his program The Connection of West African Music to American Roots Music. Follow the link above for the full description of the meeting and directions to our meeting location
February’s meeting has a temporary schedule change **Tuesday, February 12, 2008. We’re back to the second Monday for March.
Regular meetings continue to be held at the Roundhouse at Byrd Park. Follow the link above for directions and more information.
7:00 – 7:30 Executive Meeting – all are welcome, but we’ll take care of Committee business during this time
7:30 – 9:00 Chuck Kerwath’s presentation
March Meeting
If you go to the meeting page on the VOCAL website, you’ll see that we have a special location for the March 2008 meeting. In Your Ear Studios www.lobe.com will be hosting the meeting. The activities will include a tour of In your Ear Studios and a short talk by In Your Ear President Carlos Chafin on the recording class that he teaches. Following the presentation, VOCAL will kick off the return of the quarterly in-house open mic night. This will be a feature of VOCAL’s meetings once per quarter. Do not miss your chance to share your material and get an inside look at an outstanding recording facility right in Richmond, VA.
Member Happenings
Jim Uzel is taking February’s Showcase stage for a CD Release event February 18, 2008. See http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/showcase.html and the Showcase article below for details.
----------------------------------------------------
VOCAL member John Ellis will appear at Chester Bistro for a full evening of live music including original songs. Chester Bistro (nickname CBCC) is a restaurant/club with a friendly atmosphere a wide selection of beverages from coffee to your favorite adult beverage and great food. And a great stage!
John Ellis and Point of Rock
www.myspace.com/virginiaroadsong
February 22, 2008
Chester Bistro http://www.chesterbistro.com/
$5 admission
7:00PM – Doors Open
8:00PM - Zach Artis
9:00PM – John Ellis and Point of Rock until about 11:30PM
Membership http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/membership.php
If you’re not already a member or your dues have expired, why not take a moment and sign up now?! If you have a PayPal account, you can almost sign up with one finger! Just point and click the above link and the website will walk you through the registration and take you to the PayPal site or offer you other methods of payment.
Dues are only $35 per year. Some of the benefits offered:
Ø submit your material for consideration for the VOCAL website
Ø music critiques at meetings
Ø submit your name for live performance opportunities including the monthly Showcase
Ø announce your performances in our Member Happenings in the newsletter
Ø more benefits to come......including an on-line critique panel
Members need to perform at a meeting or submit material for review before signing up for performances, but you do not have to be a professional performer to get on the stage, as long as you present yourself professionally. Material is reviewed for proficiency of the performance and to see if it is suitable for the venue.
Head to the website and sign up today!
Showcase Past & Future http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/showcase.html
January’s showcase featured Glendora Woodard, Drew Routh and Steve Nuckolls who put on a fantastic show. It was a night of great variety and wonderful songwriting. Read all about it on the Showcase Review page.
February’s showcase is the location for Jim Uzel’s CD release. Jim will be teaming up with Gary Shaver, Frank Lucas and Tim Stanton for his performance.
8:00PM Frank Lucas
8:30PM Jim Uzel
Be sure to get to the TapHouse Grill early for fine food and beverage, as well as the company of your fellow songwriters!
Until next month ~~~John Ellis
-------------------------------------------------------------
Visit VOCAL on the Web! www.vocalsongwriter.org
In this issue
> February Greeting
> Regular Membership Meetings
> Member Happenings
> Membership
> Showcase Past & Future
February Greeting
Well the year is off to a great start! VOCAL member Jim Uzel is preparing for his CD release this month and the Executive Committee is preparing for some great performance opportunities for VOCAL members in 2008.
February and March will see two special VOCAL membership meetings and we are looking forward to establishing more special events to keep things interesting. If you haven’t been to a VOCAL meeting or have been out for a while, take time to come out and keep up with current events. You’ll get to experience some good discussion, you can present your thoughts about the upcoming events and you’ll hear the latest news about VOCAL activities before it’s published.
We hope to see you all soon!
Regular Membership Meetings http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/meeting.html
January’s meeting was an informative look at presenting your material on the Internet and ideas for drawing attention to that material. Thanks to our panel participants Matthew Costello (VOCAL webmaster), Steve Nuckolls and Glen King.
For February, we are proud to present Chuck Kerwath, who will present his program The Connection of West African Music to American Roots Music. Follow the link above for the full description of the meeting and directions to our meeting location
February’s meeting has a temporary schedule change **Tuesday, February 12, 2008. We’re back to the second Monday for March.
Regular meetings continue to be held at the Roundhouse at Byrd Park. Follow the link above for directions and more information.
7:00 – 7:30 Executive Meeting – all are welcome, but we’ll take care of Committee business during this time
7:30 – 9:00 Chuck Kerwath’s presentation
March Meeting
If you go to the meeting page on the VOCAL website, you’ll see that we have a special location for the March 2008 meeting. In Your Ear Studios www.lobe.com will be hosting the meeting. The activities will include a tour of In your Ear Studios and a short talk by In Your Ear President Carlos Chafin on the recording class that he teaches. Following the presentation, VOCAL will kick off the return of the quarterly in-house open mic night. This will be a feature of VOCAL’s meetings once per quarter. Do not miss your chance to share your material and get an inside look at an outstanding recording facility right in Richmond, VA.
Member Happenings
Jim Uzel is taking February’s Showcase stage for a CD Release event February 18, 2008. See http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/showcase.html and the Showcase article below for details.
----------------------------------------------------
VOCAL member John Ellis will appear at Chester Bistro for a full evening of live music including original songs. Chester Bistro (nickname CBCC) is a restaurant/club with a friendly atmosphere a wide selection of beverages from coffee to your favorite adult beverage and great food. And a great stage!
John Ellis and Point of Rock
www.myspace.com/virginiaroadsong
February 22, 2008
Chester Bistro http://www.chesterbistro.com/
$5 admission
7:00PM – Doors Open
8:00PM - Zach Artis
9:00PM – John Ellis and Point of Rock until about 11:30PM
Membership http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/membership.php
If you’re not already a member or your dues have expired, why not take a moment and sign up now?! If you have a PayPal account, you can almost sign up with one finger! Just point and click the above link and the website will walk you through the registration and take you to the PayPal site or offer you other methods of payment.
Dues are only $35 per year. Some of the benefits offered:
Ø submit your material for consideration for the VOCAL website
Ø music critiques at meetings
Ø submit your name for live performance opportunities including the monthly Showcase
Ø announce your performances in our Member Happenings in the newsletter
Ø more benefits to come......including an on-line critique panel
Members need to perform at a meeting or submit material for review before signing up for performances, but you do not have to be a professional performer to get on the stage, as long as you present yourself professionally. Material is reviewed for proficiency of the performance and to see if it is suitable for the venue.
Head to the website and sign up today!
Showcase Past & Future http://www.vocalsongwriter.org/showcase.html
January’s showcase featured Glendora Woodard, Drew Routh and Steve Nuckolls who put on a fantastic show. It was a night of great variety and wonderful songwriting. Read all about it on the Showcase Review page.
February’s showcase is the location for Jim Uzel’s CD release. Jim will be teaming up with Gary Shaver, Frank Lucas and Tim Stanton for his performance.
8:00PM Frank Lucas
8:30PM Jim Uzel
Be sure to get to the TapHouse Grill early for fine food and beverage, as well as the company of your fellow songwriters!
Until next month ~~~John Ellis
-------------------------------------------------------------
Visit VOCAL on the Web! www.vocalsongwriter.org
Friday, February 8, 2008
Wabi Sabi
Hello to all our friends!
In this issue:
1. CASHMERE JUNGLE LORDS - Tonite! Friday For The Arts!
2. Upcoming Music!
3. DART NITE! Blind Draw - Wednesdays
4. Wabi-Sabi on MySpace
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Tonight!
* ::Fri. FEB. 8:: Friday For The Arts! w/ CASHMERE JUNGLE LORDS
http://www.cashmerejunglelords.com
http://www.myspace.com/cashmerejunglelords
----Join us for a fun-filled evening with Richmond's legendary band and their upbeat mix
of "Southern-fried Salsa Surfabilly"!
9:00pm - FREE!
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Coming Up: (all shows start at 9pm & are FREE!)
::Saturdays:: THE TOPZ (featuring Leon)
Reeling all the classics
::Fri. Feb. 21:: NATURAL BREAKDOWN
http://www.naturalbreakdown.com
http://www.myspace.com/naturalbreakdown
-------Uplifting New Jersey group uniting listeners up and down the coast with their
eclectic mix of Funk, Folk, Jazz, Gospel, Bluegrass, Classic Rock, Jambands, Afro-Cuban,
Motown------
** Check out http://www.eatwabisabi.com for more upcoming events! **
______________________________________________________________________
DART NITE!!! Blind Draw! - every Wednesday
Grab a drink and some darts, sign up and see who your team will be with a blind draw. Be
warned: there a some "real" dart players and some "not so real" ones, too.
And...there are PRIZES!
______________________________________________________________________
We're on MySpace.com! As we work on our new website, you will temporarily be directed to
our myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/eatwabisabi
Is your picture up there??
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
See you there!
Regan & Mark Sprenkle & The Wabi-Sabi Staff
______________________________
Wabi-Sabi
29 bollingbrook st.
old towne petersburg, va 23803
804.862.1365
http://www.eatwabisabi.com
______________________________
In this issue:
1. CASHMERE JUNGLE LORDS - Tonite! Friday For The Arts!
2. Upcoming Music!
3. DART NITE! Blind Draw - Wednesdays
4. Wabi-Sabi on MySpace
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Tonight!
* ::Fri. FEB. 8:: Friday For The Arts! w/ CASHMERE JUNGLE LORDS
http://www.cashmerejunglelords.com
http://www.myspace.com/cashmerejunglelords
----Join us for a fun-filled evening with Richmond's legendary band and their upbeat mix
of "Southern-fried Salsa Surfabilly"!
9:00pm - FREE!
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Coming Up: (all shows start at 9pm & are FREE!)
::Saturdays:: THE TOPZ (featuring Leon)
Reeling all the classics
::Fri. Feb. 21:: NATURAL BREAKDOWN
http://www.naturalbreakdown.com
http://www.myspace.com/naturalbreakdown
-------Uplifting New Jersey group uniting listeners up and down the coast with their
eclectic mix of Funk, Folk, Jazz, Gospel, Bluegrass, Classic Rock, Jambands, Afro-Cuban,
Motown------
** Check out http://www.eatwabisabi.com for more upcoming events! **
______________________________________________________________________
DART NITE!!! Blind Draw! - every Wednesday
Grab a drink and some darts, sign up and see who your team will be with a blind draw. Be
warned: there a some "real" dart players and some "not so real" ones, too.
And...there are PRIZES!
______________________________________________________________________
We're on MySpace.com! As we work on our new website, you will temporarily be directed to
our myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/eatwabisabi
Is your picture up there??
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
See you there!
Regan & Mark Sprenkle & The Wabi-Sabi Staff
______________________________
Wabi-Sabi
29 bollingbrook st.
old towne petersburg, va 23803
804.862.1365
http://www.eatwabisabi.com
______________________________
Atkinsons News
Friends of The Atkinsons:
We're back at our favorite "every second Saturday" home this Saturday...Cafe Diem! Come on out and join us...it's always a blast; great folks, great vibe! We're also excited to be back at Cary St. Cafe on Friday February 15th for our big Valentine's Show! We have a great lineup: Alan and Matt of Mozely Rose will open, then it's your favorite irish punk band Ex-Patriots and The Atkinsons will follow. Should be an awesome night not to be missed.
Please check out the rest of our calendar and some cool links below. We hope to see you out at a show soon!
The Atkinsons
Dickie, Jamie, Jeff, Ricky, Kris and Mike
www.theatkinsons.us
www.myspace.com/theatkinsons
###################################
UPCOMING SHOWS
Sat, February 9, 2008
Cafe Diem
600 N. Sheppard St.
Richmond, VA
www.cafediemrva.com
Cover: FREE; 9:30pm
Friday, February 15th
Cary St. Cafe
2631 W. Cary St.
Richmond, VA
www.carystreetcafe.com
with Ex-Patriots and Alan & Matt of Mozely Rose opening
Cover: $6; 9:30pm
Sat, March 8, 2008
Cafe Diem
600 N. Sheppard St.
Richmond, VA
www.cafediemrva.com
Cover: FREE; 9:30pm
============================
Tell your friends to get on our email list:
www.theatkinsons.us
============================
Be our friend on MySpace:
www.myspace.com/theatkinsons
============================
Buy "American Gothic" at our shows, Plan9 or on CDBaby:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/atkinsons
============================
Book us at your venue, for your event or your festival:
info@theatkinsons.us
www.sonicbids.com/theatkinsons
============================
Check out Style Weekly's review of "American Gothic":
http://www.theatkinsons.us/stylecdreview.htm
============================
Listen for us on these fine radio stations:
www.wrir.org
www.cosmicamericanradio.com
www.live365.com/stations/virginiaprograsser
www.richmondradio.org
www.ideastations.org/radio
============================
Check us out on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/theatkinsons
============================
Catch our live performance on the Music Seen on Channel 23:
www.ideastations.org/musicseen
============================
Hear our music played on Channel 17 - Town of Ashland:
www.town.ashland.va.us
We're back at our favorite "every second Saturday" home this Saturday...Cafe Diem! Come on out and join us...it's always a blast; great folks, great vibe! We're also excited to be back at Cary St. Cafe on Friday February 15th for our big Valentine's Show! We have a great lineup: Alan and Matt of Mozely Rose will open, then it's your favorite irish punk band Ex-Patriots and The Atkinsons will follow. Should be an awesome night not to be missed.
Please check out the rest of our calendar and some cool links below. We hope to see you out at a show soon!
The Atkinsons
Dickie, Jamie, Jeff, Ricky, Kris and Mike
www.theatkinsons.us
www.myspace.com/theatkinsons
###################################
UPCOMING SHOWS
Sat, February 9, 2008
Cafe Diem
600 N. Sheppard St.
Richmond, VA
www.cafediemrva.com
Cover: FREE; 9:30pm
Friday, February 15th
Cary St. Cafe
2631 W. Cary St.
Richmond, VA
www.carystreetcafe.com
with Ex-Patriots and Alan & Matt of Mozely Rose opening
Cover: $6; 9:30pm
Sat, March 8, 2008
Cafe Diem
600 N. Sheppard St.
Richmond, VA
www.cafediemrva.com
Cover: FREE; 9:30pm
============================
Tell your friends to get on our email list:
www.theatkinsons.us
============================
Be our friend on MySpace:
www.myspace.com/theatkinsons
============================
Buy "American Gothic" at our shows, Plan9 or on CDBaby:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/atkinsons
============================
Book us at your venue, for your event or your festival:
info@theatkinsons.us
www.sonicbids.com/theatkinsons
============================
Check out Style Weekly's review of "American Gothic":
http://www.theatkinsons.us/stylecdreview.htm
============================
Listen for us on these fine radio stations:
www.wrir.org
www.cosmicamericanradio.com
www.live365.com/stations/virginiaprograsser
www.richmondradio.org
www.ideastations.org/radio
============================
Check us out on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/theatkinsons
============================
Catch our live performance on the Music Seen on Channel 23:
www.ideastations.org/musicseen
============================
Hear our music played on Channel 17 - Town of Ashland:
www.town.ashland.va.us
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bryan Harvey Tribute on WDCE 90. FM
There will be a four hour tribute to Bryan Harvey's music Friday, February 8th on 90.1 FM University of Richmond, with DJ services provided by Mike Joyner and Todd Ranson. Harvey played in House of Freaks, Gutterball, The Dads, and NRG Crisis. Let's celebrate the good in his life, cut short too soon.
Also, a Virginia woman, Ann Marie Calhoun, is one of three finalists to perform a Foo Fighters song directed by John Paul Jones of Led Zepplin for the Grammies awards Sunday night, February 10th. Text voting will determine the final player on the Grammies, you can go to youtube.com/mygrammymoment to email a vote or text "1" to 81818. Check out both these stories at inrich.com, taken from the Times Dispatch.
Also, a Virginia woman, Ann Marie Calhoun, is one of three finalists to perform a Foo Fighters song directed by John Paul Jones of Led Zepplin for the Grammies awards Sunday night, February 10th. Text voting will determine the final player on the Grammies, you can go to youtube.com/mygrammymoment to email a vote or text "1" to 81818. Check out both these stories at inrich.com, taken from the Times Dispatch.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Starting Your Own Blog, musicians take note!
By: Patrick Bennett, WordPress Guru
WordPress has become one of the most popular blogging platforms on the internet, because it’s open-source, has clean architecture, and is very flexible and expandable. Each new version has great out-of-the-box additions, which if used correctly can help your blog be indexed properly by search engines and become a tool for increasing subscribers and overall stickiness. For those of you new to WordPress, you can download it here.
1. Permalinks: Allow URLs to be indexed properly and make sense to your readers.
Permalinks make all of your pages have friendly URLs which will contain important keywords for Google, as well as make more sense to your blog readers. For example, if you create your 3rd post with the title “Welcome to my blog”, on a stock WordPress install, the URL to that page will be: yourblog.com/?p=3. It doesn’t make any sense to a human reader and won’t make sense to Google. Rather, if you set the correct options within WordPress, the URL to that same page will be: yourblog.com/welcome-to-my-blog/
It’s easy to see that this URL would be more beneficial to your readers and search engines.
To make this change:
After logging into your WordPress installation, click on the “Options” link at the top. Then click on “Permalinks” from the darker blue sub-menu bar. You should then see the heading “Customize Permalink Structure”. Click the radio button next to “Custom, specify below”. Then in the box to the right of “Custom Structure” type in the following:
/%postname%/
What this does is create a rule that will allow the title of any post you create to become the URL to that page. Keep in mind, you can’t have any two blog posts with the same title, and you can also make your URL different then your title if you want, by changing the slug.
2. Akismet will save your life.
There is a plugin that comes with a stock install of WordPress called “Akismet”. It is a plugin that checks your blog’s user comments to see if they contain spam or not, using Akismet web services. All you have to do is get a key (API) that will allow you to use it. To get a WordPress API key, go here. After you get your API key, in your WordPress Admin click on “Plugins”. Then in the darker sub-menu click on “Akismet Configuration”. Then put in your API key that you received from WordPress and then click “update options”. You are all set.
So now what?
Anytime someone makes a comment to one of your blog posts, the Akismet API will be used to check whether it looks like spam or not. If it does, it will be moved into a special section under comments called “Akistmet Spam”. At anytime you can click on “Comments” and then “Akismet Spam” to see them, or delete all of them. What is refreshing is it works really well. Since I started my blog, it has saved me from having to moderate 14,729 comments. As your blog grows in popularity, you WILL receive spammy comments. But don’t worry, because Akismet works and will save you time.
3. Google Sitemaps is a must have for new content.
Blogs are dynamic, or always changing. If you become a very dedicated blogger, you might be writing a post everyday. Writing a new post is like adding a page to your website everyday. Google, like other search engines loves new content. That is one reason it loves blogs. There is a plugin called “Google Sitemaps” which keeps an updated sitemap file for Google, which contains the links to ALL of your WordPress articles, past or present. It also contains information about when a page was last updated, how often it is updated, and its importance compared to other pages on your site. This allows search engines like Google to crawl and index your blog pages more intelligently.
Great. How do I install it?
I would recommend reading the author’s information about installation and configuration here. Keep in mind, to install this or any other WordPress plugin, you need to be familiar with FTP. For more information about installing plugins and how they work with WordPress, you can read more here. Once you have it installed it will keep the sitemap updated and tell Google anytime you have a new post. You can also add the sitemap to your Google Webmaster Tools account to get more detailed information regarding how Google is using it, and if there are any errors.
4. All in One SEO Pack to further indexing.
A plugin was created that furthers your options and abilities to have your pages indexed properly. It is the “All in One SEO Pack” which you can download and get installation instructions for here. After you have it installed, it’s important you configure it properly.
Configuration Tips:
After installation you can install it by clicking on “Options” and then “All in One SEO”. For brevity, I am only going to cover some important points. Make sure to check the boxes next to the following: “Use noindex for Categories”, “Use noindex for Archives”, and “Use noindex for Tag Archives”. This is a great feature which is going to help you not get dinged for having what is called duplicate content. Basically, your category and archive pages have different URLs then your article pages, however contain the same content. This will make Google think that you have a bunch of pages on your site that are the same, and it could hurt your rankings. It’s better then to allow users to see them to help with browsing your blog, but not search engines. By checking the options as described above, you will ensure search engines won’t try to index those pages. You can decide how to use the other options as based on your blog’s needs.
5. Burn that Feed.
One awesome feature of WordPress is its built-in RSS feed creator. You are probably familiar with RSS feeds, as they are becoming increasingly popular. Basically, it is a format that allows people to subscribe to your blogs’ content without actually visiting your blog through the browser. As blogs are becoming more popular, there are services that allow users to display the content of multiple blogs through one program, which allows them to see the latest posts from all of their favorite blogs.
How do I burn my feed?
First, get an account at FeedBurner. This is a free service bought by Google that allows you to get information about your feed. You can see how many people subscribe to it, how often people use it, as well as get some basic statistical information regarding your site's visitors. After you create an account, you will need to put in the URL to your feed. It’s easy, just take your blog URL and add “/feed/rss2/” at the end of it if you have changed the permalinks like I described above. If not, you can add “/wp-rss2.php” at the end of your blog URL.
Now all you have to do is provide a link on your blog that allows them to subscribe to your FeedBurner feed. The best way is by installing the plugin provided by FeedBurner. You can visit the page here. They provide information regarding installation and configuration that will get you all set up to start burning that feed, and tracking subscribers. Along with this, I would recommend using the “Subscribe Remind” plugin to remind visitors to subscribe to your blog. You want as many subscribers you can get, and a simple reminder can go a long way.
6. Add a contact form, but not form spammers.
As people read your blog, they may want to contact you directly. Especially if your blog promotes your profession or services. If you place your email address on your blog, it is guaranteed that it will be picked up by spammers and added to a list of emails that they will spam frequently. It’s better to provide a contact form, where you can somewhat regulate the information they send as well as prevent spammers from sending you messages.
Here is how:
You can read more about the plugin here, as well as get documentation about installation and configuration options. This will become a lifesaver as your blog becomes more popular, and help those you may want to hear from, contact you directly.
7. Start tagging now.
You may have heard the term “Tagging” or seen “Tag Clouds” on websites or blogs. Tags are basically key words that are related to page content or topic. The latest version of WordPress allows you to tag your posts, which means adding specific keywords people may be interested in. For example, for this blog post if I was going to add tags, they might be “WordPress tips, important WordPress plugins, blog seo” etc… By adding these when I create a post, WordPress will assign these tags to that post. When you publish your post, at the bottom it will show related tags, and then list the tags you created as links. If a user clicks on these links, it will bring up a page that has all of the posts you have created where you assigned the same tag to the article. It’s a great feature for a time where tags are becoming increasingly popular.
The reason I say start tagging now, is if you don’t get in the habit now, you will be in trouble if you want to add tags later. My brother who has a blog with over 400 posts didn’t do tags from the beginning. He now wants to add them, and is forced to edit each post individually and add the tags associated with that post. A big time waster which can be avoided if you get in the habit now. Also, there are some great plugins that work off of the tags you create, and I am confident many more are on their way.
8. Keep the design simple
Another great feature of WordPress is the ability to add templates easily, without having to change your content. Because I am a web developer, I would always recommend having a custom WordPress template created that matches your style or brand, and is effective in displaying the meat of your blog along with other features to enhance experience, without taking away from your content. You could easily find someone capable of designing such a template, by posting a job on Elance saying you want a “WordPress theme”. Make sure to request to see past templates the developer has created. If you have a low budget at this time, there are many free templates out there. Try visiting this page on the WordPress website.
Some more tips
Blogs should have a fairly simple design. Because blogs are made for reading, a lot of reading, you should make sure the text isn’t on backgrounds that are hard to read like blue, orange, yellow or red. The last thing you want is people leaving your blog because it gives eye strain. Also, make sure people can get around your blog easily. Have at least two columns. One column that can display your posts, and the other column to display your categories, advertisements, search box, links etc…
About
Patrick Bennett, a WordPress Guru since 2006, has created over 15 custom WordPress blogs for his clients. Patrick is the owner and head web developer of http://www.modernblue.com. He has a passion for usability and design and has been trusted by many companies to overhaul their web sites, blogs and user experience.
If you have tips you’d like to share or other comments, please post your thoughts on the Elance Blog.
WordPress has become one of the most popular blogging platforms on the internet, because it’s open-source, has clean architecture, and is very flexible and expandable. Each new version has great out-of-the-box additions, which if used correctly can help your blog be indexed properly by search engines and become a tool for increasing subscribers and overall stickiness. For those of you new to WordPress, you can download it here.
1. Permalinks: Allow URLs to be indexed properly and make sense to your readers.
Permalinks make all of your pages have friendly URLs which will contain important keywords for Google, as well as make more sense to your blog readers. For example, if you create your 3rd post with the title “Welcome to my blog”, on a stock WordPress install, the URL to that page will be: yourblog.com/?p=3. It doesn’t make any sense to a human reader and won’t make sense to Google. Rather, if you set the correct options within WordPress, the URL to that same page will be: yourblog.com/welcome-to-my-blog/
It’s easy to see that this URL would be more beneficial to your readers and search engines.
To make this change:
After logging into your WordPress installation, click on the “Options” link at the top. Then click on “Permalinks” from the darker blue sub-menu bar. You should then see the heading “Customize Permalink Structure”. Click the radio button next to “Custom, specify below”. Then in the box to the right of “Custom Structure” type in the following:
/%postname%/
What this does is create a rule that will allow the title of any post you create to become the URL to that page. Keep in mind, you can’t have any two blog posts with the same title, and you can also make your URL different then your title if you want, by changing the slug.
2. Akismet will save your life.
There is a plugin that comes with a stock install of WordPress called “Akismet”. It is a plugin that checks your blog’s user comments to see if they contain spam or not, using Akismet web services. All you have to do is get a key (API) that will allow you to use it. To get a WordPress API key, go here. After you get your API key, in your WordPress Admin click on “Plugins”. Then in the darker sub-menu click on “Akismet Configuration”. Then put in your API key that you received from WordPress and then click “update options”. You are all set.
So now what?
Anytime someone makes a comment to one of your blog posts, the Akismet API will be used to check whether it looks like spam or not. If it does, it will be moved into a special section under comments called “Akistmet Spam”. At anytime you can click on “Comments” and then “Akismet Spam” to see them, or delete all of them. What is refreshing is it works really well. Since I started my blog, it has saved me from having to moderate 14,729 comments. As your blog grows in popularity, you WILL receive spammy comments. But don’t worry, because Akismet works and will save you time.
3. Google Sitemaps is a must have for new content.
Blogs are dynamic, or always changing. If you become a very dedicated blogger, you might be writing a post everyday. Writing a new post is like adding a page to your website everyday. Google, like other search engines loves new content. That is one reason it loves blogs. There is a plugin called “Google Sitemaps” which keeps an updated sitemap file for Google, which contains the links to ALL of your WordPress articles, past or present. It also contains information about when a page was last updated, how often it is updated, and its importance compared to other pages on your site. This allows search engines like Google to crawl and index your blog pages more intelligently.
Great. How do I install it?
I would recommend reading the author’s information about installation and configuration here. Keep in mind, to install this or any other WordPress plugin, you need to be familiar with FTP. For more information about installing plugins and how they work with WordPress, you can read more here. Once you have it installed it will keep the sitemap updated and tell Google anytime you have a new post. You can also add the sitemap to your Google Webmaster Tools account to get more detailed information regarding how Google is using it, and if there are any errors.
4. All in One SEO Pack to further indexing.
A plugin was created that furthers your options and abilities to have your pages indexed properly. It is the “All in One SEO Pack” which you can download and get installation instructions for here. After you have it installed, it’s important you configure it properly.
Configuration Tips:
After installation you can install it by clicking on “Options” and then “All in One SEO”. For brevity, I am only going to cover some important points. Make sure to check the boxes next to the following: “Use noindex for Categories”, “Use noindex for Archives”, and “Use noindex for Tag Archives”. This is a great feature which is going to help you not get dinged for having what is called duplicate content. Basically, your category and archive pages have different URLs then your article pages, however contain the same content. This will make Google think that you have a bunch of pages on your site that are the same, and it could hurt your rankings. It’s better then to allow users to see them to help with browsing your blog, but not search engines. By checking the options as described above, you will ensure search engines won’t try to index those pages. You can decide how to use the other options as based on your blog’s needs.
5. Burn that Feed.
One awesome feature of WordPress is its built-in RSS feed creator. You are probably familiar with RSS feeds, as they are becoming increasingly popular. Basically, it is a format that allows people to subscribe to your blogs’ content without actually visiting your blog through the browser. As blogs are becoming more popular, there are services that allow users to display the content of multiple blogs through one program, which allows them to see the latest posts from all of their favorite blogs.
How do I burn my feed?
First, get an account at FeedBurner. This is a free service bought by Google that allows you to get information about your feed. You can see how many people subscribe to it, how often people use it, as well as get some basic statistical information regarding your site's visitors. After you create an account, you will need to put in the URL to your feed. It’s easy, just take your blog URL and add “/feed/rss2/” at the end of it if you have changed the permalinks like I described above. If not, you can add “/wp-rss2.php” at the end of your blog URL.
Now all you have to do is provide a link on your blog that allows them to subscribe to your FeedBurner feed. The best way is by installing the plugin provided by FeedBurner. You can visit the page here. They provide information regarding installation and configuration that will get you all set up to start burning that feed, and tracking subscribers. Along with this, I would recommend using the “Subscribe Remind” plugin to remind visitors to subscribe to your blog. You want as many subscribers you can get, and a simple reminder can go a long way.
6. Add a contact form, but not form spammers.
As people read your blog, they may want to contact you directly. Especially if your blog promotes your profession or services. If you place your email address on your blog, it is guaranteed that it will be picked up by spammers and added to a list of emails that they will spam frequently. It’s better to provide a contact form, where you can somewhat regulate the information they send as well as prevent spammers from sending you messages.
Here is how:
You can read more about the plugin here, as well as get documentation about installation and configuration options. This will become a lifesaver as your blog becomes more popular, and help those you may want to hear from, contact you directly.
7. Start tagging now.
You may have heard the term “Tagging” or seen “Tag Clouds” on websites or blogs. Tags are basically key words that are related to page content or topic. The latest version of WordPress allows you to tag your posts, which means adding specific keywords people may be interested in. For example, for this blog post if I was going to add tags, they might be “WordPress tips, important WordPress plugins, blog seo” etc… By adding these when I create a post, WordPress will assign these tags to that post. When you publish your post, at the bottom it will show related tags, and then list the tags you created as links. If a user clicks on these links, it will bring up a page that has all of the posts you have created where you assigned the same tag to the article. It’s a great feature for a time where tags are becoming increasingly popular.
The reason I say start tagging now, is if you don’t get in the habit now, you will be in trouble if you want to add tags later. My brother who has a blog with over 400 posts didn’t do tags from the beginning. He now wants to add them, and is forced to edit each post individually and add the tags associated with that post. A big time waster which can be avoided if you get in the habit now. Also, there are some great plugins that work off of the tags you create, and I am confident many more are on their way.
8. Keep the design simple
Another great feature of WordPress is the ability to add templates easily, without having to change your content. Because I am a web developer, I would always recommend having a custom WordPress template created that matches your style or brand, and is effective in displaying the meat of your blog along with other features to enhance experience, without taking away from your content. You could easily find someone capable of designing such a template, by posting a job on Elance saying you want a “WordPress theme”. Make sure to request to see past templates the developer has created. If you have a low budget at this time, there are many free templates out there. Try visiting this page on the WordPress website.
Some more tips
Blogs should have a fairly simple design. Because blogs are made for reading, a lot of reading, you should make sure the text isn’t on backgrounds that are hard to read like blue, orange, yellow or red. The last thing you want is people leaving your blog because it gives eye strain. Also, make sure people can get around your blog easily. Have at least two columns. One column that can display your posts, and the other column to display your categories, advertisements, search box, links etc…
About
Patrick Bennett, a WordPress Guru since 2006, has created over 15 custom WordPress blogs for his clients. Patrick is the owner and head web developer of http://www.modernblue.com. He has a passion for usability and design and has been trusted by many companies to overhaul their web sites, blogs and user experience.
If you have tips you’d like to share or other comments, please post your thoughts on the Elance Blog.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Little Walter Tribute CD
Notice of two additional March events (details to follow)
Wed, March 19, 7 PM, $10 Bleu Bistro
8982 Quioccasin Rd., Richmond, VA 23229
Dennis Greunling's Little Walter Tribute CD release show
sponsored by River City Blues Society and JAMinc
Thur, March 20 (time and ticket TBD),
Virginia Historical Society Theater
428 North Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia 23220
Country Gentlemen Reunion Band
(with Eddie Adcock, Jimmy Gaudreau, Tom Gray and Randy Waller)
sponsored by the Virginia Historical Society and JAMinc
g ...and don't forget h
Thur, March 27, 7:30 PM (Door at 6:30), $15
In Your Ear Music and Recording, Studio A, House Concert Format
Dirk Hamilton
sponsored by JAMinc
Mission: "To open minds, hearts and ears to music deserving a wider audience through education, performance and support."
JAMinc is a 501(c)(3) all volunteer, tax exempt, VA, nonprofit corporation incorporated in 2001
Directors
Jim Bland, Daniel Clarke, Andy Garrigue, Bill McElroy,
Scott Street, Robbin Thompson, Wally Thulin, Tim Timberlake
Advisory Council
B. J. Brown, Antonio J. Garcia, Dorothy Herrington,
Pat Jagoda, Kay Landry, Greg Muzik, Kip Williams
JAMinc gratefully thanks all supporters including but not limited to:
Broadtime.com, Chesterfield Printing, Fieldcrest Music, CourthouseCDs.com, Free Agents Marketing, Guitar Works,
Hampton Inn - Richmond West, Harrison Music, In Your Ear Studio, Plan 9 Music, Reliance Mailing, Richmond.com,
Richmond Music Center, Richmond Times Dispatch, Rockfish Graphics, Slipped Disc, Style Weekly, TNT Limos, Ukrops,
VCU Music Dept., West End Assembly of God,
and all the JAMinc volunteers.
Wed, March 19, 7 PM, $10 Bleu Bistro
8982 Quioccasin Rd., Richmond, VA 23229
Dennis Greunling's Little Walter Tribute CD release show
sponsored by River City Blues Society and JAMinc
Thur, March 20 (time and ticket TBD),
Virginia Historical Society Theater
428 North Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia 23220
Country Gentlemen Reunion Band
(with Eddie Adcock, Jimmy Gaudreau, Tom Gray and Randy Waller)
sponsored by the Virginia Historical Society and JAMinc
g ...and don't forget h
Thur, March 27, 7:30 PM (Door at 6:30), $15
In Your Ear Music and Recording, Studio A, House Concert Format
Dirk Hamilton
sponsored by JAMinc
Mission: "To open minds, hearts and ears to music deserving a wider audience through education, performance and support."
JAMinc is a 501(c)(3) all volunteer, tax exempt, VA, nonprofit corporation incorporated in 2001
Directors
Jim Bland, Daniel Clarke, Andy Garrigue, Bill McElroy,
Scott Street, Robbin Thompson, Wally Thulin, Tim Timberlake
Advisory Council
B. J. Brown, Antonio J. Garcia, Dorothy Herrington,
Pat Jagoda, Kay Landry, Greg Muzik, Kip Williams
JAMinc gratefully thanks all supporters including but not limited to:
Broadtime.com, Chesterfield Printing, Fieldcrest Music, CourthouseCDs.com, Free Agents Marketing, Guitar Works,
Hampton Inn - Richmond West, Harrison Music, In Your Ear Studio, Plan 9 Music, Reliance Mailing, Richmond.com,
Richmond Music Center, Richmond Times Dispatch, Rockfish Graphics, Slipped Disc, Style Weekly, TNT Limos, Ukrops,
VCU Music Dept., West End Assembly of God,
and all the JAMinc volunteers.
Digital Music World
D I G I T A L M U S I C N E W S>online at digitalmusicnews.com
Daily SnapshotMonday, February 4, 2008
Paul ResnikoffFounder, Publisher
___________________________________________________
SNAPSHOT SPONSORThe Orchard
The Orchard has transcended traditional notions of "distribution" to emerge as a global leader in digital music, video and new media services. The Orchard now offers:
Digital DistributionRetail and Online MarketingBrand CampaignsMaster Use Licensing for Film, TV, & AdvertisingRoyalty and Clearance Services
For more information, visit www.theorchard.com
___________________________________________________
TOP STORIES
*Super Bowl XLII Stuns; Music-Related Ads Proliferate
*Unlimited Has Its Limits; Yahoo Taps Rhapsody on Subscription
*Microsoft Floats $44.6 Billion Yahoo Buyout Offer
*RealNetworks Sheds Music Staff, Cuts Confirmed
*XM Satellite Settles Down, Reaches Sony BMG Accord
*89.9 Goes 2.0: KCRW Unleashes Flexible Streaming Application
*U2's McGuinness: We're Sticking With Universal
__________________________________________________
FEATURED SPONSORMusicIP
To keep up with the rapidly growing digital music market, you need aneffective and targeted way to reach your listeners. Unlock the value of yourmusic catalog with our comprehensive set of services for musicidentification, search and discovery. MusicIP provides digital solutionsthat respond to your complex business needs and help you differentiate youroffering in a highly competitive market.
To learn more, visit our website at http://www.musicip.com/dmn, or email usat bizdev@musicip.com for more information.
___________________________________________________
ARTICLES
Super Bowl XLII Stuns; Music-Related Ads Proliferate
Super Bowl Sunday frequently disappoints, especially when match-ups are lopsided. But this time, the heavily-favored New England Patriots fell to the underdog New York Giants, a stunning result that kept viewers interested in more than just the advertisements.
The game is an unofficial American holiday, and the biggest and most expensive advertising window. In the dot-com boom, high-flying startups dominated the action. After the crash, the focus shifted back towards established heavyweights.
As expected, Pepsi and Amazon proved a potent combination, thanks to a quick-moving ad spotlighting Justin Timberlake. The Pepsi Stuff spot featured Timberlake being magically dragged around town by a Pepsi-sipping fan, a teaser for a massive redemption program involving Amazon and its MP3-based download store.
And Pepsi stuffed even more celebrities - including LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, and Missy Elliott - into its spot for Diet Pepsi Max.
Other music-focused spots weren't hard to find. Ford promoted its voice-activated Sync dashboard before the coin toss - and tossed the Flaming Lips a nice promotion in the process.
American Idol, also broadcast by Fox, enjoyed a few special moments during the game. Jordin Sparks, the most recent winner and daughter of former Giants player Phillippi Sparks, handled the national anthem with aplomb.
Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Super Bowl XL champion Pittsburgh Steelers, was less convincing. Roethlisberger delivered a painful rendition of "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" in an offbeat American Idol promotion.
Elsewhere, Madonna - ranked the richest female singer by Forbes - racked more earnings by singing the praises of Sunsilk hair products. Shakira and images of the legendary Marilyn Monroe also shared the spotlight.
But superstar artists weren't the only ones featured during the game. Developing singer-songwriter Kina Grannis, winner of the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest, enjoyed an amazing promotional showcase during the first quarter. Grannis recently signed with Interscope.
But the sweetest song was being sung by the Giants, a team that pulled an improbable late-stage victory. Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress grabbed a stunning, fourth quarter pass by MVP Eli Manning that put the team ahead 17-14 with seconds to go.
MySpace is hosting all of the Super Bowl ads on myspace.com/SuperBowlAds.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108super
___________________________________________________
Unlimited Has Its Limits; Yahoo Taps Rhapsody on Subscription
Yahoo Music is now outsourcing its subscription-based offerings to both RealNetworks and Viacom-owned MTV, according to information disclosed Sunday. As part of the deal, subscription application Rhapsody - now a joint venture between RealNetworks and MTV - will become the exclusive provider of on-demand music services for Yahoo. The move replaces Yahoo Music Unlimited, a service that experienced tepid uptake despite aggressive pricing. Yahoo Music subscribers will migrate their accounts mid-year, according to the companies.
For RealNetworks and MTV, the move introduces Rhapsody to an immense audience, and a larger potential subscriber pool. "Soon, tens of millions of Yahoo users will be able to access their favorite music through Rhapsody – wherever they go, whenever they want it," said RealNetworks chairman and chief executive Rob Glaser. Rhapsody will also handle various non-subscription transactions, including a-la-carte downloads.
The news comes alongside a music-related acquisition by Yahoo. The mega-portal revealed that it has now purchased the privately-held FoxyTunes, a player plug-in that quickly finds lyrics, videos, bios, and other song- and artist-related information. FoxyTunes offers compatibility with 30 desktop and web-based players.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108unlimited
___________________________________________________
Microsoft Floats $44.6 Billion Yahoo Buyout Offer
Microsoft has now floated an unsolicited, $44.6 billion buyout offer to Yahoo, according to details confirmed Friday. "Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition," Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer pitched the Yahoo board of directors. "Together, Microsoft and Yahoo can offer a credible alternative for consumers, advertisers, and publishers."
Of course, Ballmer is referring to the megalith Google, which has grown immensely over the past five years and currently dominates search and online video. The bid translates into $31 per Yahoo share, a healthy 62 percent premium over recent valuations.
Just recently, Yahoo posted sizable quarterly profit dips and eliminated 1,000 employees, a reflection of deeper challenges. In the old days, internet users lived on Yahoo, thanks to a strong portfolio of search and content. But mega-players like Google, Facebook, iTunes, and MySpace are now dominating bandwidth, and draining attention away from both Yahoo and Microsoft's MSN.
Yahoo indicated that it would review the proposal quickly, though any handshake faces serious regulatory hurdles.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108msft
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
FEATURED SPONSOR
Javien Digital Payment Solutions
When you decide to sell your digital content, choose a veteran. A proven industry leader, Javien provides e-commerce, micropayment and mobile commerce solutions for premium digital content. Learn more about why Snocap, Ruckus Network, K2 Network, Beta Records, Fuzz and MusicNet have chosen Javien to drive sales.
Learn more at http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/javien
___________________________________________________
Who's Reading?Californians, New Yorkers, and Londoners Alike...
Exactly who reads Digital Music News? Our audience is a highly-targeted executive group, often with decision-making capabilities. They come from a broad number of industry areas, including A&R, major label, legal, startup/VC, P2P, and publishing.
How do we know? We asked you!*
A significant percentage of our readers come from the United States, and 13% come from California alone. Another 12% come from New York, though we also draw a global audience. Nearly 6% of our readers come from the UK, while significant percentages also hail from Canada, Australia, Germany, and other countries.
Interested in knowing more? Please contact us at sponsorship@digitalmusicnews.com, or 310.928.1498.
*Based on registered user data from June, 2006.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
RealNetworks Sheds Music Staff, Cuts Confirmed
RealNetworks recently trimmed 10-12 employees within its music division, according to information confirmed Friday by both SF Weekly and paidcontent.org. The cutbacks - which surround the Rhapsody subscription offering - allegedly touched offices in Seattle, New York and San Francisco. The layoffs happened roughly two weeks ago, specifically the week of January 17th, according to a RealNetworks representative.
Rhapsody has always been a strong solution for music enthusiasts, though subscription-based platforms remain niche. Just recently, MTV Networks and RealNetworks blended their respective subscription services, a move that created some redundancies. Over the weekend, that team announced a major deal to power Yahoo's on-demand music offerings.
The developments come ahead of a RealNetworks quarterly earnings call, scheduled for February 7th at 5 pm EST. A webcast of the event is happening at investor.realnetworks.com, viewable through the RealPlayer application. Alternatively, investors can call (800) 857-5305 within the United States, or (773) 681-5857 overseas.
Story by news analyst Alexandra Osorio.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108realnetworks
___________________________________________________
XM Satellite Settles Down, Reaches Sony BMG Accord
XM Satellite Radio has now settled a longstanding lawsuit with Sony BMG, the latest major label accord. The contentious barb surrounded the Pioneer Inno, a time-shifting satellite receiver. The Inno allows users to record songs and store them within the device, a usage deemed unlawful by the recording industry. Other time-shifting devices were also roped into the action, part of an emerging class of satellite portable.
XM Satellite Radio initially battled back, arguing that its time-shifting capabilities were covered by its existing licenses. But those hoping for a decisive precedent have been disappointed. In December, XM Satellite finalized out-of-court agreements with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, though specific terms - including those related to possible product modifications - were not disclosed. The original filing dates back to May of 2006.
Story by news analyst Alexandra Osorio.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108xm
___________________________________________________
89.9 Goes 2.0: KCRW Unleashes Flexible Streaming Application
Southern California has always loved its KCRW, though the internet introduced the station to a global audience years ago. Live broadcasts, music programming, and news streams are now being enjoyed by a widening group of listeners, one that stretches far beyond the hometown tower of Santa Monica, CA.
Now, the listener-supported station is taking its digital game to another level by releasing an interactive, flexible media application. Conventional streaming aspects are included in the beta release, though 2.0 elements enable greater sharing and decentralized distribution.
The new application allows users to share links to broadcasts and embed streams into blogs and social networking profile pages. It also allows listeners to create customized programming collections, and access blogs, playlists, and podcasts. "There isn't another media player that offers listeners all these features in one place," said Anil Dewan, KCRW's director of New Media.
The application also includes access to the considerable KCRW archive, a collection that spans roughly ten years. That includes early performances from a number of important artists, as well as a range of cultural and news-related programming.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108kcrw
___________________________________________________
U2's McGuinness: We're Sticking With Universal
U2 is not leaving Universal Music Group, according to recent comments by longtime manager Paul McGuinness. The development follows a rumor published by Fox News indicating otherwise. "This is untrue," McGuinness emailed Hits Magazine. "As I said in my Midem speech, U2 has an excellent relationship with Universal. We have recently relicensed both masters and copyrights to them."
The rumor was fueled by a string of high-profile, major label defections, including those involving Radiohead, Madonna, and the Eagles. U2 is signing a four-album deal, according to the report.
Story by news analyst Alexandra Osorio.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108u2
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
SanFran MusicTech Summit 2/25/08Hotel Kabuki San Francisco
We are gathering the top developers and thought leaders in theMusic/Technology Space, along with the musicians, entrepreneurs, andorganizations who work with them at the convergence of culture andcommerce.
Don't miss out! Produced by Brian Zisk.
For more info and to register, please visit http://www.sanfranmusictech.comEnter Code dmn for a 10% discount.
___________________________________________________
Sell Your Music on DigStation, Get Paid 100% of the Money.
Selling downloads is one of the easiest ways for you to generate income as an independent artist - especially when you sell your music through DigStation. Digstation.com is the only site that pays you 100% of the revenue generated from your music sales.
Learn more at http://www.digstation.com/dmn
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C-Squared Technologies
Our solutions provide clients with the ability to conduct business globally through an interactive external web presence, employee-centric intranets and full-featured ecommerce solutions. Our unique, professional designs coupled with our innovative content management framework provide our customers with an edge on their competition.
Learn more at http://www.csquaredtech.com, or by contacting steve@csquaredtech.com
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
JOBS
For more details on any jobs listed below, please visit http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/jobs
Online Marketing ManagerICED MediaNew York, NY (SoHo)
Online Marketer/Publicist (Manager)WiredsetNew York, NY
R&B UAC Record Label ExecCompany Confidential
Digital CoordinatorRyko GroupNew York, NY
Format AdministratorNielsenLos Angeles, CA & White Plains, NY
Digital Marketing and Promotions ExecutiveEagle Rock EntertainmentLondon, UK
Online Marketing CoordinatorSony BMG Music Entertainment
Account Manager - Ticketing/Merchandise/ Fan ClubsMusictodayCharlottesville/Crozet, VA
Want to post a job? Simply go to http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/job-board
Optimize your staff and career through Digital Music News.
___________________________________________________
CONFERENCES
This section sponsored by...
Musexpo 2008April 27th - 30thHyatt, Sunset Strip in West Hollywood
Participants have included Tom Anderson, Co-Founder, MySpace; Larry King, CNN; Will.I.Am; Chad Hurley, Co-Founder, YouTube; Ken Lombard, President, Starbucks Entertainment; Michael Rapino, Chairman/CEO, Live Nation.
In 2008, Ali Partovi, CEO, iLike.com; David Massey, President, Mercury; Paul Tollett, Co-Founder, Coachella Festival; Simon Renshaw, Manager Dixie Chicks and many others.
More at http://www.musexpo.net
Other Conferences...
The Ypulse College MashupJanuary 31 - February 1Santa Monica, California
Puerto Rico Music Business ConferenceFebruary 1San Juan, PR
Pollstar's Annual Concert Industry ConsortiumFebruary 5-7Los Angeles, CA
European Switchover StrategiesFebruary 5-6London, UK
50th Annual Grammy AwardsFebruary 10Staples Center, Los Angeles
More conferences at http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/events. Plus, check out our Conferences RSS feed.
___________________________________________________
ABOUT US
Digital Music News is the leading source of industry news, information and analysis for thousands of executives worldwide. We strive to deliver a publication that carries the highest level of objectivity, accuracy, and timeliness.
The Digital Music News editor and founder is Paul Resnikoff. All articles are written by Resnikoff and news analyst Alexandra Osorio. Donna Snow handles front-end web development, Steve Hindle oversees backend systems, and Rochell Abonalla manages administrative aspects. The company is based in Los Angeles.
Current subscriber total: 16,007. All subscribers are opt-in.
___________________________________________________
CONTACT US
For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact sponsorship@digitalmusicnews.com
To inquire about posting jobs, please contact jobs@digitalmusicnews.com
Submit all company updates, tips, and general questions to news@digitalmusicnews.com
___________________________________________________
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Daily SnapshotMonday, February 4, 2008
Paul ResnikoffFounder, Publisher
___________________________________________________
SNAPSHOT SPONSORThe Orchard
The Orchard has transcended traditional notions of "distribution" to emerge as a global leader in digital music, video and new media services. The Orchard now offers:
Digital DistributionRetail and Online MarketingBrand CampaignsMaster Use Licensing for Film, TV, & AdvertisingRoyalty and Clearance Services
For more information, visit www.theorchard.com
___________________________________________________
TOP STORIES
*Super Bowl XLII Stuns; Music-Related Ads Proliferate
*Unlimited Has Its Limits; Yahoo Taps Rhapsody on Subscription
*Microsoft Floats $44.6 Billion Yahoo Buyout Offer
*RealNetworks Sheds Music Staff, Cuts Confirmed
*XM Satellite Settles Down, Reaches Sony BMG Accord
*89.9 Goes 2.0: KCRW Unleashes Flexible Streaming Application
*U2's McGuinness: We're Sticking With Universal
__________________________________________________
FEATURED SPONSORMusicIP
To keep up with the rapidly growing digital music market, you need aneffective and targeted way to reach your listeners. Unlock the value of yourmusic catalog with our comprehensive set of services for musicidentification, search and discovery. MusicIP provides digital solutionsthat respond to your complex business needs and help you differentiate youroffering in a highly competitive market.
To learn more, visit our website at http://www.musicip.com/dmn, or email usat bizdev@musicip.com for more information.
___________________________________________________
ARTICLES
Super Bowl XLII Stuns; Music-Related Ads Proliferate
Super Bowl Sunday frequently disappoints, especially when match-ups are lopsided. But this time, the heavily-favored New England Patriots fell to the underdog New York Giants, a stunning result that kept viewers interested in more than just the advertisements.
The game is an unofficial American holiday, and the biggest and most expensive advertising window. In the dot-com boom, high-flying startups dominated the action. After the crash, the focus shifted back towards established heavyweights.
As expected, Pepsi and Amazon proved a potent combination, thanks to a quick-moving ad spotlighting Justin Timberlake. The Pepsi Stuff spot featured Timberlake being magically dragged around town by a Pepsi-sipping fan, a teaser for a massive redemption program involving Amazon and its MP3-based download store.
And Pepsi stuffed even more celebrities - including LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, and Missy Elliott - into its spot for Diet Pepsi Max.
Other music-focused spots weren't hard to find. Ford promoted its voice-activated Sync dashboard before the coin toss - and tossed the Flaming Lips a nice promotion in the process.
American Idol, also broadcast by Fox, enjoyed a few special moments during the game. Jordin Sparks, the most recent winner and daughter of former Giants player Phillippi Sparks, handled the national anthem with aplomb.
Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Super Bowl XL champion Pittsburgh Steelers, was less convincing. Roethlisberger delivered a painful rendition of "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" in an offbeat American Idol promotion.
Elsewhere, Madonna - ranked the richest female singer by Forbes - racked more earnings by singing the praises of Sunsilk hair products. Shakira and images of the legendary Marilyn Monroe also shared the spotlight.
But superstar artists weren't the only ones featured during the game. Developing singer-songwriter Kina Grannis, winner of the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest, enjoyed an amazing promotional showcase during the first quarter. Grannis recently signed with Interscope.
But the sweetest song was being sung by the Giants, a team that pulled an improbable late-stage victory. Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress grabbed a stunning, fourth quarter pass by MVP Eli Manning that put the team ahead 17-14 with seconds to go.
MySpace is hosting all of the Super Bowl ads on myspace.com/SuperBowlAds.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108super
___________________________________________________
Unlimited Has Its Limits; Yahoo Taps Rhapsody on Subscription
Yahoo Music is now outsourcing its subscription-based offerings to both RealNetworks and Viacom-owned MTV, according to information disclosed Sunday. As part of the deal, subscription application Rhapsody - now a joint venture between RealNetworks and MTV - will become the exclusive provider of on-demand music services for Yahoo. The move replaces Yahoo Music Unlimited, a service that experienced tepid uptake despite aggressive pricing. Yahoo Music subscribers will migrate their accounts mid-year, according to the companies.
For RealNetworks and MTV, the move introduces Rhapsody to an immense audience, and a larger potential subscriber pool. "Soon, tens of millions of Yahoo users will be able to access their favorite music through Rhapsody – wherever they go, whenever they want it," said RealNetworks chairman and chief executive Rob Glaser. Rhapsody will also handle various non-subscription transactions, including a-la-carte downloads.
The news comes alongside a music-related acquisition by Yahoo. The mega-portal revealed that it has now purchased the privately-held FoxyTunes, a player plug-in that quickly finds lyrics, videos, bios, and other song- and artist-related information. FoxyTunes offers compatibility with 30 desktop and web-based players.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108unlimited
___________________________________________________
Microsoft Floats $44.6 Billion Yahoo Buyout Offer
Microsoft has now floated an unsolicited, $44.6 billion buyout offer to Yahoo, according to details confirmed Friday. "Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition," Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer pitched the Yahoo board of directors. "Together, Microsoft and Yahoo can offer a credible alternative for consumers, advertisers, and publishers."
Of course, Ballmer is referring to the megalith Google, which has grown immensely over the past five years and currently dominates search and online video. The bid translates into $31 per Yahoo share, a healthy 62 percent premium over recent valuations.
Just recently, Yahoo posted sizable quarterly profit dips and eliminated 1,000 employees, a reflection of deeper challenges. In the old days, internet users lived on Yahoo, thanks to a strong portfolio of search and content. But mega-players like Google, Facebook, iTunes, and MySpace are now dominating bandwidth, and draining attention away from both Yahoo and Microsoft's MSN.
Yahoo indicated that it would review the proposal quickly, though any handshake faces serious regulatory hurdles.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108msft
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
FEATURED SPONSOR
Javien Digital Payment Solutions
When you decide to sell your digital content, choose a veteran. A proven industry leader, Javien provides e-commerce, micropayment and mobile commerce solutions for premium digital content. Learn more about why Snocap, Ruckus Network, K2 Network, Beta Records, Fuzz and MusicNet have chosen Javien to drive sales.
Learn more at http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/javien
___________________________________________________
Who's Reading?Californians, New Yorkers, and Londoners Alike...
Exactly who reads Digital Music News? Our audience is a highly-targeted executive group, often with decision-making capabilities. They come from a broad number of industry areas, including A&R, major label, legal, startup/VC, P2P, and publishing.
How do we know? We asked you!*
A significant percentage of our readers come from the United States, and 13% come from California alone. Another 12% come from New York, though we also draw a global audience. Nearly 6% of our readers come from the UK, while significant percentages also hail from Canada, Australia, Germany, and other countries.
Interested in knowing more? Please contact us at sponsorship@digitalmusicnews.com, or 310.928.1498.
*Based on registered user data from June, 2006.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
RealNetworks Sheds Music Staff, Cuts Confirmed
RealNetworks recently trimmed 10-12 employees within its music division, according to information confirmed Friday by both SF Weekly and paidcontent.org. The cutbacks - which surround the Rhapsody subscription offering - allegedly touched offices in Seattle, New York and San Francisco. The layoffs happened roughly two weeks ago, specifically the week of January 17th, according to a RealNetworks representative.
Rhapsody has always been a strong solution for music enthusiasts, though subscription-based platforms remain niche. Just recently, MTV Networks and RealNetworks blended their respective subscription services, a move that created some redundancies. Over the weekend, that team announced a major deal to power Yahoo's on-demand music offerings.
The developments come ahead of a RealNetworks quarterly earnings call, scheduled for February 7th at 5 pm EST. A webcast of the event is happening at investor.realnetworks.com, viewable through the RealPlayer application. Alternatively, investors can call (800) 857-5305 within the United States, or (773) 681-5857 overseas.
Story by news analyst Alexandra Osorio.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108realnetworks
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XM Satellite Settles Down, Reaches Sony BMG Accord
XM Satellite Radio has now settled a longstanding lawsuit with Sony BMG, the latest major label accord. The contentious barb surrounded the Pioneer Inno, a time-shifting satellite receiver. The Inno allows users to record songs and store them within the device, a usage deemed unlawful by the recording industry. Other time-shifting devices were also roped into the action, part of an emerging class of satellite portable.
XM Satellite Radio initially battled back, arguing that its time-shifting capabilities were covered by its existing licenses. But those hoping for a decisive precedent have been disappointed. In December, XM Satellite finalized out-of-court agreements with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, though specific terms - including those related to possible product modifications - were not disclosed. The original filing dates back to May of 2006.
Story by news analyst Alexandra Osorio.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108xm
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89.9 Goes 2.0: KCRW Unleashes Flexible Streaming Application
Southern California has always loved its KCRW, though the internet introduced the station to a global audience years ago. Live broadcasts, music programming, and news streams are now being enjoyed by a widening group of listeners, one that stretches far beyond the hometown tower of Santa Monica, CA.
Now, the listener-supported station is taking its digital game to another level by releasing an interactive, flexible media application. Conventional streaming aspects are included in the beta release, though 2.0 elements enable greater sharing and decentralized distribution.
The new application allows users to share links to broadcasts and embed streams into blogs and social networking profile pages. It also allows listeners to create customized programming collections, and access blogs, playlists, and podcasts. "There isn't another media player that offers listeners all these features in one place," said Anil Dewan, KCRW's director of New Media.
The application also includes access to the considerable KCRW archive, a collection that spans roughly ten years. That includes early performances from a number of important artists, as well as a range of cultural and news-related programming.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108kcrw
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U2's McGuinness: We're Sticking With Universal
U2 is not leaving Universal Music Group, according to recent comments by longtime manager Paul McGuinness. The development follows a rumor published by Fox News indicating otherwise. "This is untrue," McGuinness emailed Hits Magazine. "As I said in my Midem speech, U2 has an excellent relationship with Universal. We have recently relicensed both masters and copyrights to them."
The rumor was fueled by a string of high-profile, major label defections, including those involving Radiohead, Madonna, and the Eagles. U2 is signing a four-album deal, according to the report.
Story by news analyst Alexandra Osorio.
Permalink: http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/020108u2
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SUPPORTING SPONSORS
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CONFERENCES
This section sponsored by...
Musexpo 2008April 27th - 30thHyatt, Sunset Strip in West Hollywood
Participants have included Tom Anderson, Co-Founder, MySpace; Larry King, CNN; Will.I.Am; Chad Hurley, Co-Founder, YouTube; Ken Lombard, President, Starbucks Entertainment; Michael Rapino, Chairman/CEO, Live Nation.
In 2008, Ali Partovi, CEO, iLike.com; David Massey, President, Mercury; Paul Tollett, Co-Founder, Coachella Festival; Simon Renshaw, Manager Dixie Chicks and many others.
More at http://www.musexpo.net
Other Conferences...
The Ypulse College MashupJanuary 31 - February 1Santa Monica, California
Puerto Rico Music Business ConferenceFebruary 1San Juan, PR
Pollstar's Annual Concert Industry ConsortiumFebruary 5-7Los Angeles, CA
European Switchover StrategiesFebruary 5-6London, UK
50th Annual Grammy AwardsFebruary 10Staples Center, Los Angeles
More conferences at http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/events. Plus, check out our Conferences RSS feed.
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ABOUT US
Digital Music News is the leading source of industry news, information and analysis for thousands of executives worldwide. We strive to deliver a publication that carries the highest level of objectivity, accuracy, and timeliness.
The Digital Music News editor and founder is Paul Resnikoff. All articles are written by Resnikoff and news analyst Alexandra Osorio. Donna Snow handles front-end web development, Steve Hindle oversees backend systems, and Rochell Abonalla manages administrative aspects. The company is based in Los Angeles.
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Sunday, February 3, 2008
Together We Stand
Together We Stand is now a reality. We are having
5 weeks of Open House events to showcase our new
Positive Community Force. Please come and see the
results of 20 years of community service in Richmond.
Rattlemouth Headlines CD Release Party At Gallery5
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date:January 29
Rattlemouth
Unity Sound
Keith Bowniece & the Hopscotch Kidnappers (CD Release!)
Friday February 22 8PM
Gallery5
200 W. Marshall Street
Public Contact Info:
music@gallery5arts.org
Press Contact:
rattlemouthmusic@yahoo.com
Rattlemouth Headlines CD Release Party At Gallery5
On Friday, February 22, Gallery5 will host another exciting evening of diverse local music, beginning with the cd release performance of Keith Bowniece & the Hopscotch Kidnappers (a trio of guitar/vocals, cello/electronics, and percussion whose music is rooted in traditional blues, rockabilly, and punk, with an experimental edge) offering tunes from their brand new disc, "I Hate Cell Phones and Rude Obnoxious People." Following will be Unity Sound, a righteous traditional Reggae band featuring, on keyboards, the long-time Awareness Art Ensemble mainstay, OJ Hunter. The festivities will conclude with a set from Rattlemouth, Richmond's World Jam favorites. Doors open at 7pm, snacks and a cash bar will be available, and the cover is $7.
For Immediate Release
Date:January 29
Rattlemouth
Unity Sound
Keith Bowniece & the Hopscotch Kidnappers (CD Release!)
Friday February 22 8PM
Gallery5
200 W. Marshall Street
Public Contact Info:
music@gallery5arts.org
Press Contact:
rattlemouthmusic@yahoo.com
Rattlemouth Headlines CD Release Party At Gallery5
On Friday, February 22, Gallery5 will host another exciting evening of diverse local music, beginning with the cd release performance of Keith Bowniece & the Hopscotch Kidnappers (a trio of guitar/vocals, cello/electronics, and percussion whose music is rooted in traditional blues, rockabilly, and punk, with an experimental edge) offering tunes from their brand new disc, "I Hate Cell Phones and Rude Obnoxious People." Following will be Unity Sound, a righteous traditional Reggae band featuring, on keyboards, the long-time Awareness Art Ensemble mainstay, OJ Hunter. The festivities will conclude with a set from Rattlemouth, Richmond's World Jam favorites. Doors open at 7pm, snacks and a cash bar will be available, and the cover is $7.
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