Vol 3, Issue 16: Starting up Your Own Label Pt #3: Getting Your Infrastructure in Order

Upon making the initial decision to create your own indie label, there will be a ton of subsequent choices you’ll need to make right from the get-go. For instance, do you want your label to represent your act solely, or in the future (once established), do you plan on reaching out to other indie artists and creating a label family of your own? Do you want to cover all of your own services such as booking, and publicity or do you want to make alliances with pre-established firms to whom you will outsource these jobs and establish a commission agreement per booking? Will your label be territory specific, and make arrangements with other indies to cover international waters, or will you claim authority over all jurisdictions? These are just a few examples of the kind of questions that you will need answers to.

As with everything, there will be advantages and disadvantages to each arrangement you consider, but what’s important is knowing your own capabilities, and setting realistic standards. So, with that in mind, even if your eventual aspiration is to create an artist-run family of your own, similar to that of Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe Records, you need to take it one step at a time (don’t bite off more than you can chew). Aboveall, to ensure that you maintain a strong positive reputation, and don’t burn a lot of bridges along the way, before you decide to take on the responsibility of anyone else’s career, you absolutely, 100%, need to ensure that your own shit is in order.


Selecting a Name
So, at this point, I’m sure you’re wondering, where do I begin? Well, after you’ve established your network, got your funding in order, and have drawn up a working business plan, your first order of action is to start reputation building. You need to first name your label, and then, more importantly, work on establishing your presence. For me, the name of my label was obvious - it came directly from my band’s name, and it represented the fact that if I should ever expand my enterprise to assist other artists with various management and label services, I wanted it to be clear that my goal was to work solely with women in music; hence, HER Records. For some of you, it may not be that cut and dry. But, just like with naming your band, you need to put a lot of thought into what kind of message you want to elicit, and you also need to make certain, ESPECIALLY in this case because you’re establishing an actual registered business, that you are NOT infringing on copyrighted territory. In three words, do your research!


Business Basics
Once you’ve reached consensus on your label’s name, I highly recommend applying for a GST vendor’s permit through Revenue Canada, registering your business through your lawyer and/or accountant, and opening up a business bank account at your local financial institution. Running a band sloppily is one thing, but once you’ve got a working record label, you need to make sure your files, expenses, and profits are in tip top shape for three main reasons:

1) you will have monetary obligations to others, and need to keep record of all transactions in the event of a dispute

2) it is quite possible that your business could get audited and

3) if a major label decides to pick up you or one of your other artists, they will require a record of past sales, and successes for marketing purposes.

Suffice it to say you will start feeling a bit like a baglady every time you insist on getting receipts for each purchase, but you’ll need them to be able to deduce when your business has started to profit (ie: when you will actually be able to pay back loans and/or pay yourself as an employee), and it’ll also come in handy, for tax purposes, to keep track of all of your expenses because if your bills far exceed your income, you will be taxed at a lower rate.

It is also recommended to apply for a low interest credit card as many services you may require in the future (such as reserving hotel rooms in different provinces/states for cross-country tours) can ONLY be done through valid credit card accounts.

Additionally, it will be essential to make sure that you are in good standing with the necessary Canadian artist associations, as well as royalty and sales tracking services that you will require regular use of throughout your endeavours including SOCAN, CMRRA, SAC, AFM, and Soundscan (membership, in most cases, cost money).

Finally, before you are ready to release any albums, it’s a good idea to already have working versions of your online stores in order so that all you’ll have to do is put up the product at your desired time of release, and you won’t face any potential delays with distribution. Literally, everyday the amount of places online where you can sell your music for a nominal fee are expanding, and I recommend making your label and its artists’ releases visible on as many as possible, but if your budget is limited (which I’m sure it is) the online and in store indie friendly distribution services that you’ll definitely want to take advantage of include: Indiepool, CdBaby, Tunecore, Mxyer Ringtones, & Songcast. Creating accounts with Youlicense and Pumpaudio may also be something to consider if you are interested in potentially licensing your tunes for tv, internet, and movie projects in the future.


Working the Rep
At this point forward, any communications from your band to bookers, distributors, photographers etc. should be coming from your record label NOT a member of your band. From my own experience, I’ve found that it’s best to choose a gender neutral name that is fairly unassuming such as Sam, or Vic because, as much as I hate to admit it, the vast majority of bookers, and promoters with whom you’ll be interacting are men, and they’ll naturally assume you’re a guy too; thus leading them to treat you in a more respectful manner. You should give your so called label rep a last name as well (obviously not the same as any of your band members), and you should issue “him” a title such as Head of Promotions or Lead A&R representative depending on the purpose of your communications.

To cut down on costs (long distance bills are a killer), and simply to increase efficiency, I personally recommend doing as much as possible over email/the internet - whether that’s researching potential clubs for tours, setting up appointments, booking gigs, issuing press releases, or paying for services. If you decide to pursue this route, you’ll need to set up a label email address which can easily be accomplished through one of the several different free hosting services, that are at your disposal, including hotmail, yahoo, or gmail. Make sure when you are filling out the details for your email service that you do NOT put your personal name or birthday etc. under the information section because that is something that people can check, and you want to keep everything consistent with the name of your label rep.

Along the same lines, you’ll want to change your answering machine so that it informs callers that they are reaching your label’s headquarters, as some promoters and media outlets still prefer conducting business over the phone. If you want an example of what a professional answering service should sound like, call any reputable business after hours. Generally, it will be laid out as follows:

“You’ve reached ____ Records, home of (list your artist names). None of our agents are currently available to take your call, but if you’d like to leave a message after the tone specifying your reason for calling, the appropriate department would be happy to get back to you at their earliest convenience. If you’d prefer to reach us by email, you can do so at (email address). If you require more information on ____ Records and/or one of our artists, please feel free to visit our official website located at (url).” Thanks.”

For those of you who are perceptive I’m sure you noticed the above message made mention of having an official website for your label. When you first get started, and have yet to establish an extensive roster and/or list of services, a simple Myspace or Facebook business page (if done tastefully) will suffice. Once things start heading down a more professional route, you may want to consider buying your label’s domain name and actually launching a full scale website.

As for what should be included on your website, make sure you’ve got an overview of the label’s inception, the services it provides, its affiliates, its artists (with links to their official sites), and any sponsors it may have accrued. As well, it is absolutely necessary to include visible contact information detailing your full postal address, email, phone, and fax number (where possible) as, from my experiences as a journalist I can tell you that, there is nothing more frustrating then coming across a website on a subject in which you’re really interested which fails to list the appropriate channels to initiate contact.

One final note on communications: If you can get a fax machine and/or scanner, it will be truly advantageous because some items, such as contracts need to be issued and completed within short time periods and/or are of a confidential or delicate nature for which you cannot depend on postal services. Plus which, it’ll greatly reduce the amount of money you spend on mailing, which will likely already be a large expense of yours on account of the fact that, despite services such as Sonicbids, a great deal of venues refuse to consider bands for booking and media outlets refuse to consider acts for coverage, unless they receive hard copies of your press kit.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase. Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.

Vol 3, Issue 14: Key Steps to Starting Your Own Successful Indie Label Pt #1

Back in 2003, when I was still a teenager, and when I was convinced that being in an all girl band was a good idea (how we learn as we age), I devised the plan to create my own indie label, HER Records, in order to release our debut album in a more professional manner, in hopes of attaining major label attention. Taking note of the fact that competition in the indie world (well the music industry, in general) is ridiculously steep, I wanted to create a package - something to sell the record labels that would stand out from the rest of the pack. Several years later (but with a different band mind you), after a great deal of learning, growing, and touring, this dream of mine finally became a reality.

But after years of enduring abuse, and a lack of support from our so-called record label, it is clear to me now, more than ever, that self-representation is really where it’s at (and I’m sure you’re aware that I’m not the only artist who states this case). But you learn through experience right? And had it not been for our “getting signed” (and “selling out” as they call it), I wouldn’t be where I am now, and I certainly wouldn’t be able to offer you the insights that I’ve learned.

Taking into account the current climate of what many foresee as the very crumbling of the music industry’s infrastructure, it only makes sense to consider the viability of going indie. At this point in time, because of the widespread accessibility to artist-friendly services, it is more feasible (and cost effective, and beneficial in so many ways - I could go on and on) than it’s ever been in the past. But, before you decide to go out and choose a name, logo design, and a MySpace url for your new cutting edge independent label, if you want to be taken seriously and as a professional, there are a few essential steps that must come first.


Step Number One: Network, network, network
As an indie artist, funds, as we know, are limited, and so it is essential, right from the beginning to establish loyal and mutually beneficial relationships with various providers of services (ie: photographers, publicists, producers, distributors, web site designers, instrument repairmen, entertainment lawyers etc) which you will require at different times in your career. If you are able to learn any of these crafts yourself, all the power to you - it’ll save big time on expenses, and is one last thing that you’ll have to worry about.

Now approaching a high end service provider that typically works for major label artists won’t get you anywhere, BUT that does not necessarily mean that you’ll be forced to sacrifice on quality. There are tons of extremely talented people out there that are working to establish a name for themselves just as you are, and if you can create long-standing alliances with these people, it’ll be one of the best things you’ll have going for you.

For example, when my band ANTI-HERO first got going, we, obviously, didn’t have a lot of cash on hand, but desperately needed professional photos for our website and for promotional purposes. We hooked up with an aspiring photographer (fresh out of Fanshawe’s photography program, in fact) that was willing to work with us for a reasonable price, and to this day, I can honestly say that he produced some of our favourite images of ourselves. After establishing his portfolio by working with bands such as ours, he has gone on to become the head photographer and editorial designer for Loreal.

In this relationship, we each helped each other: he gave us fantastic photos at a low cost, and we helped him build his portfolio and get other jobs through referrals. But taking advantage of the very talented student community at Fanshawe isn’t the only way to work the connections, attending concerts, and talking up established bands, as well as, building a rapport with local venues is also strongly recommended. In fact, if it weren’t for my long standing relationship with Call the Office, we wouldn’t have been offered so many jealousy-inducing opening spots throughout our career, nor would we have been able to shoot our music video, on location, with a full staff at our disposal (free of charge, I might add!).

The most important key to establishing these networks of individuals is 100% sincerity. If they scratch your back, you better make damn sure that you scratch theirs back. It’s all about creating a relationship, much like a romantic one, that serves both partners, and fulfills some sort of need. To put it bluntly: keep the promises that you make, and make absolutely sure that you always (and I mean ALWAYS) thank those who help you, especially when you reach a certain degree of fame. Put in other words, never forgot those who helped you get your start, you never know what those relationships may do for you in the future.

Case in point: to make a long story short, if it weren’t for my befriending of a small indie band when I was 15, I would have never gotten certain touring spots for my later band ANTI-HERO, nor would have I been introduced to our awarding winning producer who in turn hooked us up with the talented man responsible for our mastering. When ANTI-HERO first came out, and had yet to establish a rep and fanbase, it was strictly by “name dropping” our producer that we got our first major gigs.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase. Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.

Vol 3, Issue 1: Let's Begin with the Facts

In the modern world, “the musician” is undoubtedly one of, if not the most, disrespected occupation in society. Consumers and clubowners feel no need to pay us well (or at all really), record labels make it their personal mission to exploit and commodify us in every which way they can, technology allows even the most talentless people imaginable (ah hem Paris Hilton) to pawn themselves off as “artists”, there are innumerable scams lurking around every corner just waiting to steal what little resources we have, often the only way we can attain mainstream success is by abandoning our principles and deeply held values, but most brutally, if we are to survive all of these hardships and merit for ourselves just the slightest bit of celebrity, the fans who once respected us as being “underground” and “indie” will degrade our newly found popularity by claiming that we are “sellouts” - that we’ve gone mainstream - failing to appreciate that just like every other professional, we deserve to be paid for our work. But that’s just it about musicians - for some reason, far beyond my comprehension, we’re supposed to be satisfied with offering the world our art - a piece of our very souls (at mighty hefty production costs I might add) -expecting nothing in return, not even the slightest seal of approval.

As if the transience of fame wasn’t enough to contend with, the criticisms with which musicians have to bear are well beyond the realm of “constructive” or “insightful”. Instead, they are laden with downright personal attacks, dehumanizing irreverence, and unfortunately, more often than not are poorly researched and written from a place of sheer ignorance (yet that doesn’t impede their impact on consumer purchases). All of this, of course, brings to mind the question: then why the hell do we do what we do? Simply put, musicians are a breed of their own, one that wider society rarely understands, yet is so quick to judge.

Being a musician is NOT simply a decision - something that can be switched on/off on a whim - it is a calling, a central piece to our identity, something we live with every day, and something we take with us to the grave. And though it may not make sense to the rest of the world, we refuse to go down without a good fight - if only the sides weren’t stacked so unfairly against us, maybe we’d have a chance. But my friends, I hope you’ve been paying attention, because if you have, you’ll have noticed that change is on the horizon as the industry has proven that its current infrastructure is in need of a radical overhaul, if it is to survive. And you know what? This overhaul may prove to be the very remedy that musicians have been seeking for years - a means to take back what rightfully belongs to us: our industry, our music, our art. So then, why the grim introduction?

Well, as you’ll learn over our year together, I’ve never been one for sugarcoating the truth, and in my humble opinion, there are enough music rags out there that gloss over these pertinent details, and instead continue to perpetuate the long-standing myth that artists can be overnight successes. To break it down more simply, I don’t believe in bullshitting, and feel that you, my fellow rockers, and greater society deserves more, and I intend on fulfilling that void in the best way that I know how. But enough with the prelude already, I’m sure you’re wondering who exactly am I and what makes me so credible?

I was once just like you - young, naive, idealistic, living and breathing the rockstar dream to a rather successful plateau I might add. After years of being signed to a major label, touring incessantly, selling out concerts, and being graced with multiple prestigious awards in the indie music community, yet still struggling to make ends meet, it occurred to me, after a fan of my band’s snarkily remarked at us that we should be buying him and all of his friends Jaguars, that the average person, moreover, the average musician doesn’t have a clue as to how the music industry actually works! After my own experiences, I can honestly say that I’m not surprised in the least why so many artists end up embittered and strung out on drugs, because let’s face the facts straight-up: it’s set up for you to fail, and if you are successful, you often lose your soul in the process.

But I’m not here to bitch and moan about all that I think is f--ked up about the industry, rather as an advice and insight columnist, I’m here to not only try to help you avoid making the same mistakes that I did, but as well, I hope to try and inspire change - not just within the music community, but overall, I hope to bring to light the truth about the lives of musicians to anyone who is willing to listen. So if you’ve got a story to share, please do, I’d be honoured to act as your voice - to share the blood, sweat, and tears that you, just as I have, exuded for your craft.

Many philosophers have said, over the years, that the first step to progress is education, and I really think that they are onto something. What I’m about to share with you, over the next few months, will not be found in any textbook, lecture, or popular music magazine. Though I value all that the educational system has to offer, there are some things that only real life experience can teach you. So, consider this your first step towards a real musical educational - if you really wanna be in a rock band, I hope you’re paying attention. And just as I’ve said every year previous, if you have any ideas for topics you’d like me to cover over our year together, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.

For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Conclusion: Counting Down the Top 20 Sins Committed Against Musicians By the Music Biz

First off, I’d like to thank all of you for sticking with me for another year. I hope that reading my column proved to be an educational and insightful experience. Although I bitch a great deal about the music industry, there are a lot of amazing people out there working on all aspects of the business to make it more artist-friendly. I urge you to follow your dreams if it’s music that is truly in your heart, I simply hope that my column has been able to provide you with a more realistic perspective in terms of what you will encounter. As you follow your path, and begin to gain success, you’ll learn soon that it’s really a love/hate relationship, and it’s definitely not as glamourous as the media would like you to believe. Irrespective of this, there’s something about rocking out on stage to a sea of thousands of people that is untouchable in terms of the euphoria it produces.

To help you along your journey, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be returning “back in black” to charm you all a third time come September, and “So You Wanna be a Rockstar?” is promised to be bigger, and better than ever.

Last week, courtesy of Henry Rollins, you caught a sneak peak of what is to come with my new monthly featurette interview series, “Hear it From the Pros”. To further help me cater my topic selection to areas about which you’d like to learn and/or if you have suggestions for potential interviewees from whom you’d like to hear, please visit my myspace page (www.myspace.com/soyouwannabeinarockband) and fill out the readership survey. I would love to hear from you!

Without further adieu, to end off the year in an must-read obligatory countdown, I’ve compiled a list of the top 20 sins that the music industry has committed against artists over the years. My intention in doing so is to not only inform you of these atrocities, but as well, hopefully compel you to speak out against them.

In the current climate of the music industry, indie musicians have the ability to take back the power, but this can only be achieved if we unite together, and fight for what we deserve: that is, to be treated as professionals. I once read that the first step to change is through enlightenment. I’ve given you the power, so now let’s see you use it.

In order, based on YOUR ratings, starting with the #1 voted most “sinful of the sins”, here goes:

1) The media’s commitment to focusing more on the personal mishaps of celebrities, rather than remembering them for their artistic contributions

2) Allowing lipsynching and advances in technology to make up for a lack of talent

3) The creation of reality TV karoake contests to discover the next popstars

4) The music biz’s emphasis on marketability over talent

5) The government and music industry’s creation of misleading grant programs that fail to fulfill mandates to provide indie artists with necessary funding

6) The lack of governance over bogus battle of the bands contests and "pay to play" scouting events

7) The music industry’s ongoing attempts to maintain a closed network based on who you know, NOT how talented you are

8) The allowance of our standards to drop so low that cliche love songs, and raps full of profanities which fail to inspire and rather encourage degradation, violence, and discrimination receive airplay

9) The lack of implementation of pay equity scales for touring bands

10) The “successful” separation of music from the people

11) The employment of musically uneducated and ill-researched staff to conduct concert and album reviews

12) The creation of double standards for acceptable sexual expression among male and female artists

13) Radio payola scams

14) The commodification of music

15) The perpetuation of the "overnight success" myth

16) CTRC's refusal to implement legislation regarding illegal downloading

17) Allowing "artists" to illegally sample music

18) New artist campaigns that overmarket their artists so excessively that we end up hearing the same song(s) on the radio upwards of five times per hour

19) The music industry’s belief that they (the labels) can dictate to the public what music is worth listening to by throwing money at it

and finally...

20) The ridiculous amount of legal battles that exist between bands trying to earn a decent buck for their talents, and record labels trying to rape them for everything they’re worth

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 17: "Hear it From the Pros" Pt 1: Teeing Off, A One on One Discussion with Post Modern Philosopher Henry Rollins

Though a man of infinite words (and calculated profanities) in the public limelight, in private, as my one-on-one discussion disclosed, Mr. Henry Rollins is unassumingly nonchalant; something I can only attribute to the fact that he clearly prefers to be the one holding the microphone. As an industry veteran notorious for his wild stage antics in both Black Flag & The Rollins Band, his hard hitting and unabashedly honest spoken word performances, his countless written works including several volumes of poetry, fiction, and prose, and most recently, his incredibly entertaining weekly talk show, The Rollins Show, hosted on IFC, it only seemed fitting to begin my new featurette interview series, “Here it from the Pros”, with the man himself. In conjunction with his latest worldwide spoken word tour, “Provoked”, I had the amazing opportunity to interview Mr. Rollins. Here’s what he had to say:

Growing up as a teenager in Washington, DC., Rollins’ musical awakening transpired when a friend of his first lent him a copy of a rare Ramones’ album. Finally finding an outlet for his pent up animosity, and aggression, Henry discovered punk, D.I.Y. ethics, and never looked back. Fast forward several decades later to present day, and I’m sure it’ll come to no one’s surprise that, “Do it Yourself” remains his mantra. As depicted by the numerous accessories including iron-on patches, and stickers worn by his kind: punk is for life, and it will never die.

When asked about his current outlook on the music industry and whether he felt the damage that ensued (and continues to unfold) from all of the illegal downloading could be repaired, Rollins indicated clearly his disconnection from that world. Though a seasoned performer and top selling artist himself, he’s never been one for the big business side of things, and to that he noted, “that even if it [the music industry] fell over tomorrow, most of the bands he checks out would be still be doing their thing. DIY keeps you from some of the dangers of the bigger parts of that mechanism”.

Undisputedly, a supporter of indie rockers, Henry feels that the biggest sin committed against musicians by the industry, was the disconnection between music and the people. In the heydays of the hippie era, prior to the commodification and commercialization of music as nothing more than a product for sale, music used to mean something to the people - it wasn’t merely a form of entertainment, but rather a voice for the generation. Like myself, Henry wonders when art will be restored to this dying form of expression?

Sticking true to his unconventional nature, Henry Rollins is a man who is very difficult to characterize. Perhaps he intentionally safeguards himself from others as a means of self-preservation, or more likely, he enjoys keeping people guessing. Not one to personally advocate the use of labels to describe himself or his friends, though Rollins, himself, purports a rocker identity, he is a striking example of why it is bad to assume.

Contradictory to the sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll lifestyle promoted by all too many rockstars, commendably, Henry Rollins is against substance abuse - just another reason as to why he’s such a great role model. In fact, amidst all of his ongoing endeavours, the only part that he finds truly fulfilling is interacting with his fans. His chronic workaholic nature is something that he chalks up to the fact that he doesn’t ever want to find himself submitting to “the man” and forgetting all that he has to be grateful for.

Though this may come as a surprise to some, as a music listener, Henry doesn’t pigeonhole himself simply to punk. A devoted admirer of the late greats James Brown and Miles Davis, Henry supports any artist so long as he/she is hard-working and his/her music has meaning (I hope you guys are taking notes here). In fact, an artist he advised me to check out was Dax Riggs (http://www.myspace.com/daxriggs ), a dreary blues-rock musician from Louisiana, who seems to combine a more sophisticated version of Kurt Cobain’s emotional angst with Jimi Hendrix & the Experience’s solid blues backbeats infused with a modern take on the British garage band sound. Very strange, but cool - cool enough to reaffirm my belief that there is still good music out there somewhere (Thanks for that Henry! I especially liked the acoustic tracks).

Understandably, someone in his position is indefinitely bombarded with opportunities for exposure, and though this is the kind of lifestyle most of you crave, Henry applies one fast and simple rule to dealing with these offers that I think all of us ought to embrace: not to consider something an opportunity, if it requires you to sacrifice who you are or what you believe in. Rollins proudly admits that IFC has never instructed him to “tone it down”, and if they did, I can state with absolutely certainty that he’d have something to say about it (or better yet, someone’s ass to kick).

Though I know it can be difficult to reject a offer because it may just be “the one to make or break you”, I’ve got to side with Henry’s view on this, because I truly don’t believe in “selling out” just to become the next flavour of the week. As both his and my hard work demonstrate, earning your accolades of success through your own dedication and merit is not only more rewarding, but as well, you will earn respect for “sticking to your guns” in the long haul, from both fans and industry professionals, alike. In his own words, if an opportunity requires you to change who you are, “then it’s not really an opportunity, now is it?” To this he adds that, regrets are not something he feels he can afford.

In the space of the three hours of his performance, Henry compelled a packed house of a widely varying demographic to intense laughter, tears, and serious contemplation. His performance came to its finale with the only possible conclusion: an obligatory standing ovation. If one man has this much of an impact, just think of what we all could actually do. A man of humble roots, but great ambition - someone I admire that I think all of you could learn from.

The most intriguing moments of his lengthy soliloquy revolved around re-tellings of his own “starstruck” moments in which his defiant powerhouse persona crumbled when in the presence of the likes of Iggy Pop, and numerous other childhood idols of his. Though his exterior is lined with layers of thick skin, I appreciated his willingness to expose his vulnerable side; something you rarely see from men, let alone rockstars. Additionally, appealing to my personal sentiments, Rollins offered a seal of approval “shout-out” to feminists and equal rights activists further affirming how much he truly is a man for all people.

To hopefully leave you on a comic note, taking a page from the man himself, if you asked me why I love Henry Rollins, my response would be quite simple: because he’s exactly the kind of asshole that this world needs. Oh yeah, and if he were elected president, aside from kicking Bush’s ass, he says that he’d basically undo everything that has occurred over the past eight years - something for which, he thinks he’d get shot.

To learn more about Henry and his never ending list of accomplishments and the causes that he advocates, check out his official website http://www.henryrollins.com/

From the bottom of my heart, thank you Henry - I needed that.



About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 16: Alternative Sources of Revenue Conclusion: Music Journalism

As a professional touring musician, as one may expect, I have encountered my share of “bad press”. Obviously, I’m so egotistical to believe that I’m immune to criticism. Just like any other musician, I realize that not everyone will believe that I shit gold (so to speak), BUT that’s fine with me, as I understand that these days, very rarely, can bands break generational, and cultural barriers managing to appeal to a highly diverse population. Instead, today’s music industry relies more on “niche” marketing. My bone of contention, however, lies in criticism that has no sense of validation. So when I say “bad press”, I am not merely referring to instances in which reviewers have disliked my material. Rather, I am making reference to journalistic pieces that are ill-researched, ignorant, and downright belittling to artists and/or media exposes that purport the never ending lie of “overnight success” stories; a symptom that seems to be widely affecting the world of music journalism.

My biggest concern relating to these pieces is, of course, their readership. Seeing as musical preference is highly subjective, and journalists are seen as being “experts” in their field, I, as not only a musician, but also as a music consumer, feel I am entitled to more. Between finding out that apparently I’m the drummer in my band (who knew?!) to being told that indie musicians should be grateful for illegal downloading to having the very SAME reviewer on two different occasions give my band completely contradictory critiques regarding our songwriting abilities, I’m beginning to think that, like much of the music industry, music journalism has lost any sense of self-respect and professionalism.

To me, it seems rather obvious that a big part of the problem comes from the fact that music journalists are NOT musicians, have NEVER been musicians, nor is having any musical background a prerequisite to getting hired. It’s one thing to be appointed a position of music journalism for being a decent writer, but knowing your field of so-called expertise, in my opinion, is a must. Additionally, in many cases, the writing isn’t even all that superb. Filled with grammatical mistakes, and a limited vocabulary, the average cd review that a band presently receives rarely even utilizes necessary terms from a musical lexicon. Now, I’m sure you’re wondering, well how did it even get to this point?

A major contributing factor, that will surely come as no surprise, is the internet. A vast majority of online music zines expect their writers to work pro-bono, and as one can imagine, if you’re doing something for free, likely you won’t put as much effort into it. Unfortunately the result for the reader is misinformation.

Traditional print magazines like Rolling Stone, Chart, and Alternative Press do manage to maintain higher standards, but only at the expense of being highly selective in terms of what goes to print. Because the music industry is so oversaturated, and all musicians are vying for attention, traditional high standing magazines generally can only provide exposure to well-established bands leaving a void for indie artists. This void, unfortunately for us, is being filled by anyone who has amateur website designing skills, and “thinks” that they know something about music. In fact, credence to what I’m saying is illustrated best in the example of Metal Sanaz.

Metal Sanaz is an Iranian-born “music journalist”, specializing in the genre of metal, who largely owes her recent success and notoriety to the advent of Myspace. With absolutely NO journalistic training, and her only experience relating to the industry being the fact that she is a “huge fan” (it also helps that she’s hot), she has managed to secure interviews with some of the industry’s biggest names in metal including: Gwar, Dave Navarro, Arch Enemy & Atreyu. I personally have nothing against this woman, nor do I want my comments to be interpreted as jealously or cattiness, but from a music journalism perspective, people like her are contributing to the problem; to say it bluntly, her interview skills are pathetic. For the vast majority of the video clips she has listed on her website, the conversations are dominated by the artists, and her questions lack any sense of thought-provocation or direction. Irrespective of this, her popularity continues to rage on, and in fact, she was recently selected to be a special guest co-host along with Carlos Mencia as part of an Operation Myspace Exclusive concert in Kuwait. I guess one could interpret her success as being due to her ability to bring music back to the people which is commendable, but that, I’ll leave up to you to decide. However, this is not to say that everyone’s getting it wrong. In fact, there are some music journalists out there doing more than their share, but consider this: a great deal of them were musicians themselves in another life, prior to their journalistic endeavours. Among those giving lifeblood back to the music journalism industry are Canada’s own Kevin Young and George Stroumboulopoulos, as well as former frontman of Black Flag, Henry Rollins, with whom I will be speaking in my next issue for an exclusive interview.

So what do I propose as a solution? Like those mentioned as well as myself, I think it’s not only necessary, but I feel its our duty to tell it how it actually is. Continuing with our theme of alternative sources of revenue for musicians, I think music journalism is by far the most rewarding among the other avenues we’ve been discussing. Not only can journalism jobs pay generously, but as well, it is personally fulfilling to know that you are contributing to your industry in such a meaningful way. There are tons of musicians, but few who actually stand to serve as role models and positive examples for others. Just as I have tried to offer you all that I can, both good and bad, based on my experiences and thorough research, in an effort to help you avoid making the same mistakes, I harken you to use your musical knowledge, training, and personal experiences for the better.

The biggest problem in today’s industry is NOT the prevalence of industry-related scams, NOR is it even illegal downloading, the artistic part of music and the business side of the industry have forever been natural nemeses. Rather, the issue that needs the most immediate attention is that of music education. Musicians, just as I once did, enter this industry bright-eyed, naive, and optimistic only to become dishearted and jaded individuals upon failure of commercial success. Being sensitive artists, they take it personally, not realizing that today’s industry is set up for you to fail. The rockstar is dead my dears, I’m sorry to report and the industry will never be as it once was. Success is still possible, but in very different ways, and if we, as experienced players do not pass on our knowledge to the next generations, it will only lead to the further perpetuation of this cycle.

Had I been told from the start the honest truth about what I was getting myself into, who knows, I may have decided long ago that a career change was in order. I’m not saying any of this to depress your dreams, I fully believe that each of you is capable of achieving anything to which you set your minds. I just hope that if music is really what you want, that you know exactly how the biz works. It’s been a long time since talent was the determining factor in the success of bands.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 15: Alternative Sources of Revenue Pt VI: Session Musicians

As we learned last week, jingle writing can be a major source of employment for session and freelance musicians, but that barely scratches the surface in terms of what these talented individuals are capable of. Scoring work as guest players on major albums, television and movie soundtrack writing to touring support for popstars and even orchestras, session and freelance musicians are defined as artists for hire that are not committed solely to a steady project. While session musicians, as one may deduce from their title, primarily lend their talents to studio work, freelance players typically perform live with touring acts.

Being a session or freelance musician requires a great deal of performance diversity, and quick learning ability; skills that can only be mastered with age and experience. As a result, you’ll notice that most players in this field are in their elder years, or as they prefer to be called, “seasoned”.

Typical of any aspect of the music biz, connections and networking play a vital role in terms of finding gigs. According to both Kelvin Gumbs and Dale Anne Brendon, becoming session/freelance players was something that they just “fell into”. While Gumbs initially had to pick up the instrumental slack on some tracks he was producing for clients, Brendon found herself bombarded with drumming opportunities after graduating from The University of Western Ontario’s music program, but neither of them had envisioned this as their master plan. However, that doesn’t mean that having the sole ambition to become a freelancer is unfeasible. On the contrary, it would seem that opportunities for these players are plentiful, you just need to know where to look.

Though as mentioned, word of mouth and networking play crucial roles in finding employment, there are also several job boards with musician classified sections that regularly list gig possibilities such as http://www.craigslist.com/, www.kijiji.com , www.overhear.com and www.indbamusic.com . Brendon recommends trying to make a personal connection with each potential employer when you come across a gig that interests you, as from her experience, she has found that simply cold-calling and sending out promotional packages rarely works.

In terms of payment, prices generally vary from player to player depending on their contributions and the type of project. When it comes to recording, on average there is a base fee of approximately $100 - $200 per hour with a minimum of three hours guaranteed employment. On the other hand, touring pay scales begin approximately at a $300 minimum per hour, again with no less than three hours of contracted work. Of course, depending on the length and travelling associated with a tour, this rate may be negotiated. However, regardless of whether a scheduled live performance is a success or failure, freelance musicians maintain their same set rate of pay.

Brendon feels it’s essential for anyone interested in pursuing this avenue to familiarize themselves with the American Federation of Musicians’ (AFM) fee policies. The AFM standardizes pay scales for different player positions within each musical project, and through membership to their organization, one is provided with contracts for each opportunity undertaken, that they will enforce, if necessary. As you’ll recall from previous editions, I’ve referenced the AFM several times in regards to national touring pay scales and policies. For more information on their organization, please visit http://www.afm.org/

In exchange for these set rates of pay, session musicians are not eligible to collect royalties in the future, if a project on which they were featured, takes off. Additionally, it is understood that they do not own their musical contributions from a legal perspective. These principles are agreed upon amongst both parties (employers and musicians) and the tradeoff is considered fair.

A major benefit to this arrangement for session and freelance musicians is that there is no waiting period for payment, nor is their income contingent on the success of the project. According to Gumbs, usually directly after a project is completed, session and freelance musicians are compensated with upfront cash. Though these terms are well understood within the industry, Brendon still urges musicians to establish written contracts for each engagement to ensure that their rights and best interests are always protected, as verbal agreements can be more difficult to prove.

If you’re interested in pursuing this route, Gumbs recommends being aggressive and persistent in terms of self-promotion, and building up one’s network and reputation. Adding to this piece of advice, Brendon suggests that the best way to learn about this avenue is to pry at the brains of experienced fellow musicians who have, as she puts it, “been around the block.”

Though initially scrounging up work may be challenging, once you’ve established a reputation for being reliable, respectful, and professional, employment opportunities will begin to come your way. Above all, one should have fun with this alternative venture as it will allow for the expansion of one’s ability and repertoire.

The biggest tip for freelancers that Brendon emphasized was the importance of knowing one’s employer. Just as you wouldn’t achieve success by applying for an office job in full out gothic attire, you likely wouldn’t be chosen as a freelancer for an orchestra gig if you showed up to the audition covered in piercings. Gauging the needs of one’s employer is as easy as looking at their audience; if you see mohawks in the crowd, tattoos and torn jeans are encouraged, but if the arena is filled by men and women in suits, one may want to rethink the bright pink hair.

For more information on Dale Anne Brendon, please visit her official website located at http://www.daleannebrendon.com/

For more information on Kelvin Gumbs, check out his official page at http://www.kelvingumbs.com/

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 14: Alternative Sources of Revenue Pt V: Jingle Writing

Continuing on a similar note from last time's discussion of licensing, today we will be uncovering the world of jingle writing. Though this avenue draws many similarities with that of songwriting, it’s important to distinguish between the two for one central reason: the need for resources (both money and expertise). Although virtually anyone with some talent and a guitar in hand can approach a music publisher in order to get their songs accessible to potential purchasers, embarking on a career in jingle writing requires access to some serious dough (at least enough to equip yourself with a professional home recording set-up) and a business plan.

According to Jason Chapman of Boreal Forest Music Productions Ltd, a successful ex-jingle writer and producer of several years, if you’re serious about getting into this area of the biz, he recommends establishing an alliance with at least two other partners including an advertisement professional, and a graphic designer/videographer. That way, he says, you’ll still be able to focus on the area that you love; the music. However, he cautions that this avenue, unlike the other alternative sources of revenue that we’ve been discussing, isn’t one that has the potential to bring about immediate results and additionally, it will ONLY be an effective means of supplementary income if you work/live in a city with a strong advertising sector.

Anyone who has worked within the media or marketing domains knows that building up one’s reputation and establishing loyal clientele requires a substantial amount of time and effort. For that reason, Chapman does NOT recommend this avenue to those who are not fans of networking, as his willingness to meet and greet with new people is one of the primary reasons as to why he was so successful in this field. In fact, his first clients were snagged through cold-calling, and special events hosted by the London Chamber of Commerce. Once his rapport began to grow, referrals played a prominent role in keeping business steady, but equally important was his available portfolio demonstrating his diverse ability to create the perfect jingle for any business. Chapman also strongly recommends having a professional web presence.

So why is having a PR rep and graphics expert as part of your team so essential? With the energy it takes to coordinate the writing, editing, and recording of a jingle including the selection of appropriate session musicians to play on the track, one simply does not have the time to manage all of the necessary paperwork and contracts that a business requires, nor does one want to overexert oneself artistically speaking. Seeing as musicians, at least the majority of whom I’ve dealt with, are not business-minded, it only makes sense to have a salesperson doing your “dirty work”. As for the graphics designer, in Chapman’s experience, creating tv jingle commercial campaigns is the more lucrative end of the business (as opposed to audio only jingles for radio), so it only makes sense to have a design expert on staff if you’re interested in maximizing your potential profits. Additional support to the idea that tv may be a better bet is the fact that, apparently, many radio stations have their own in-house jingle writers. So, when a company calls to inquire about on-air advertising, instead of outsourcing the work to freelancers like Chapman, radio stations are able to maintain a mini-monopoly over this arena, therefore limiting the available opportunities to outsiders.

The best campaign a jingle writer can hope to work on would be one for a national company as fees are set depending upon a client’s ability to pay. While a “mom and pop” store may be charged between $500 to $1000 for a jingle project, a national company could expect to pay between $5000 and $10,000 for a jingle of equivalent quality. While these numbers may seem pricey for an audio/video soundbyte that at the most runs about 60 secs, one needs to take the high overhead expenses and inevitable stress involved with each project, into account.

Each standard contract for a jingle campaign demands 12 different versions to be completed on an average two day turnaround. Each session musician who contributes their talents needs to be remunerated for their services EVEN if their efforts do not make the cut in the final edited version(s), not to mention that each member of your team will be entitled to a share of the fee based on their involvement with the project. To make financial matters more complicated, some session musicians demand upfront payments requiring you to take a major risk in the event that things just don’t seem to jive with that player. To this point, Chapman adds, that finding the right vocalist often proves to be an extremely difficult task. Generally, if campaigns are fairly low budget, those involved will be compensated through “promisary agreements” stating that if their lendings to the project are successful, they will be hired again to work on future campaigns.

In terms of the creative process, Chapman says that undertaking a part-time career in jingle writer will improve one’s songwriting ability as you’ll need to learn how to exercise the most effective aspects of songs (hooks, catchy choruses etc.) into very short time periods. Usually, you’ll be provided with a tempo and genre description (often ambiguous), the company’s motto, and examples of past adverts, but if the company is looking to overhaul their image, you’re essentially given very little to go on. However, listening to the jingles on the radio that are currently being responded to positively, may help generate ideas.

All in all, Chapman feels that jingle writing can be a successful and rewarding endeavour, however he caveats this point by stating that for those who have gotten into the music industry to do something artistic, it can be difficult to have this as an outlet. Additionally, it would seem that today’s commercial campaigns are relying more and more on licensing already popular songs. For more information on jingle writing, he recommends checking out Jeffrey P. Fisher’s book, How to Make Money Scoring Soundtracks & Jingles.

Chapman’s official website is http://www.borealforestmusic.ca/

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 13: Alternative Sources of Revenue Pt IV: Licensing & Songwriting, Indie Vs. Major Representation

It is possible for musicians, without representation, to both license and write songs for various purchasers, but as Simon Wilcox, a highly successful songwriter for EMI Music Publishing notes, signing a deal with representation helped her enormously. In terms of finding appropriate opportunities for her music, expanding her portfolio, and allowing for collaboration with industry veterans, EMI more than helped her get her foot in the door. With projects including writing for Juliette Lewis, Three Days Grace, and The Trews on her resume, EMI presented Wilcox with breaks she likely wouldn’t have been able to muster on her own. But in saying that, she most certainly credits her perseverance, and hard work as factors in her success. After all, if it wasn’t for her already established impressive songwriting portfolio, she likely wouldn’t have grabbed EMI’s attention.

According to Michael McCarty, Managing Director of EMI Music Publishing Canada and a graduate of Fanshawe’s very own MIA program, EMI only signs about one out of every thousand artists they review (and keep in mind artists are ONLY reviewed if they have been recommended through a previously established connection). However, Steve Thomson of Backstage Productions offers more of an optimistic view with his new talent recruitment protocol.

Unlike the majors, Backstage Productions and other independent music publishers are willing to accept unsolicited material, and even provide funding for the recording of a demo, if they truly believe that the songwriter has got what it takes. Take David Baccha, for example.

Starting out as a controversial radio discjockey in Cleveland, Ohio, Baccha migrated to Toronto to elude government authorities that weren’t too happy with the satirical content of his show (to say the least). Again, through the magic of connections, he was able to hook up with Steve, then the manager for Ronnie Hawkins, who instantly recognized Baccha’s potential and contracted him as a songwriter for his company. Throughout his career, Baccha has had the privilege of undertaking many songwriting endeavours including writing for numerous commercial campaigns, and movie scores. Maintaining his American roots, Baccha also initiated a writing deal with Jimmy Inner, drummer for Lighthouse, and the composer behind the “Dirty Dancing Soundtrack”. Through Inner, he obtained the opportunity to write for pop-band Dejavu, which spawned for Baccha, a series of billboard charting hits.

Despite the fact that both Wilcox and Baccha have carved out successful songwriting careers for themselves, they continue to compose their own original material, and participate in various gigs on the side. According to Wilcox, “a successful song in Canada is worth about four figures on average, five, if you're lucky, but that can vary greatly depending on [the song’s genre] and where it is being played.” In general, it would seem that pop songs, because there are more outlets for distribution, tend to generate higher revenues, and instrumental tracks, especially if intended for synchronization use, are easier to sell.

Although, as Wilcox indicated, a single composition can allot a songwriter a substantial chunk of change, Baccha quickly pointed out that because royalty payments are issued annually, budgeting one’s expenses carefully is absolutely essential. Elaborating on this point, Baccha also explained that songwriting does not earn a writer a consistent paycheck because there is no way to guarantee the success of a given track. In fact, he has personally had tracks that weren’t “discovered” (or profitable) until TEN years after their initial release!

From my own personal experiences with licensing, I can tell you that I have had a moderate amount of success including having ANTI-HERO’s album featured on MTV’s hit tv series, Next, WITHOUT being signed to a music publisher. However, the opportunities with which I’ve been presented are sporadic at best, and are usually “exposure deals” in which there is little or no monetary exchange. In addition to music publishers, there are several licensing agencies whose job it is to solicit the work of independent artists to various music buyers, but after two years of being signed to a handful of these agencies, I’m still waiting for something to come into fruition!However with the growing popularity of sites such as www.youlicense.com , a site designed for independent musicians to solicit their music directly to music purchasers FREE of charge, things may be changing.

Both Backstage Productions and EMI Music Publishing are always on the look out for new emerging talent to feature on various projects, and if you want to be successful in this alternative artist arena, diversity will be your ticket.

For more detailed information on songwriting and licensing, Baccha suggests picking up a copy of Songwriters magazine, an industry publication issued by the Songwriters Association of Canada.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 10: Alternative Sources of Revenue Pt I: Music Instruction & Party Performance

Although in these past few weeks, I’ve demonstrated many of the horrors that take place in the music industry through my examination of popular scams, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For every rip off artist out there, there is also an opportunity upon which aspiring professional musicians can capitalize.

Many moons ago, musicians, well any artists really, were able to generate profits from solely performing and marketing their original material, but unfortunately, a lot has changed, and even some of the top grossing artists of our day are so far in debt to their record labels that they are struggling to make ends meet. But, this doesn’t mean that success isn’t possible, it just means that in today’s day and age, we, as musicians, cannot afford to wait for our big break. Instead, if music is truly in your soul, I suggest that you rock til your heart’s content, but in order to satisfy creditors, treat your craft as more of a part-time gig while pursuing other more stable employment.

Now, don’t get your panties in a bunch yet... I’m not suggesting that you pack up your guitar, and go work for corporate America. Quite the contrary, actually. Rather, I recommend that you take full advantage of all of the unconventional musician jobs out there. From licensing one’s music to teaching private lessons to playing in a cover band on the side, there are a multitude of avenues that artists can pursue on a part-time basis in order to supplement their income. Simply put, you can have your cake and eat it too.

And if your moonlighting in one of these alternative musician positions becomes successful, well then, you’ve created an even bigger springboard off of which you can launch your personal material. Think of all the possibilities. To give you a sense of all of the exciting off-beat musician oriented jobs out there, I’ve been conducting interviews with fellow artists who have dabbled in each one of these fields and were willing to share their experiences with you. Listen up, you may just learn a way to utilize your talent that had never occurred to you before, that is...until now.


Teaching Music
Teaching can be a personally enriching and rewarding experience, but the benefits do not just stop there. Scheduling is flexible, it can be quite financially lucrative (average going rate is between $25-$40 per hourly lesson), and you will rarely fall short of finding employment opportunities whether you’re working as a freelancer or as an employee of a music academy.

There are students of all age ranges who want to pick up a new instrument, and unlike other teaching positions, being a music teacher does not necessarily require having formal credentials (though it will help). Often, playing experience, professionalism, and customer service abilities are all that you need. As a bonus, usually the preferred music lesson nights fall on days of the week that don’t produce large turnouts at venues, so it will not interfere with your original act’s touring schedule.

Developing lesson plans is generally fairly simple with the vast amount of resources including theory books, and websites at your disposal. Additionally, by catering your lessons to fit the needs of each student, you may in turn diversify your repertoire, and improve your playing ability. A major advantage to becoming a music teacher is that, unlike several of the other alternative sources of revenue that I will be discussing, it does NOT require a great deal of start-up capital.

Jesse Tomes, a London Ontario based freelance guitar instructor says that getting your first student is as easy as asking around your friends and acquaintances to see if they know of anyone looking to learn your instrument(s) of expertise. If that doesn’t generate any results, there are several discussions boards and/or social networking sites such as the Facebook "marketplace" section in which individuals post want ads for teachers and as well, you can post your own ads (free of charge I might add) advertising your services.

But, if you just don’t have enough time to squeeze in looking for students, as mentioned, getting hired by a music academy is possible as well. Though music academies take a percentage of their teachers’ earnings (varies, between 10-20%), remember, in this scenario, the students will come to you, and thus, there will be less leg work in terms of promoting one’s services.

Some of the more notable music academies in London, Ontario include: The Royal Conservatory of Music, Walters Music School, Noteworthy School of Music, & Yahama Music School.


Special Events Performance
Believe it or not, in the current music marketplace, Adam Sandler’s character in The Wedding Singer , would have had a pretty sweet gig because when it comes to spending money on entertainment for special events, celebrators don’t seem to believe there is such a thing as being too lavish. There have been several occasions throughout the career of my band, ANTI-HERO, in which we’ve been approached to play everything from bar mitzvahs to fashion shows to wedding receptions to birthday parties, and every time there’s always been a tempting sum of money offered in our direction.

Though typically these types of events employ cover acts or DJs, if you’ve worked rigorously at developing a die-hard fanbase, a reputation for being a solid live act, and having a strong online presence, you may just find yourself at the other end of one of these offers. But, as mentioned in a previous edition, I always advise bands not to become immediately swayed by the offer of cold-hard cash, and to inquire about all of the pertinent details relating to the gig (just as though it were any normal show) prior to accepting the invitation, because there is a common overseas party entertainment request scam that has been circulating online for the past year or so.

Although it would be impossible to depend on special event performance offerings as a stable auxiliary income unless your band became a working tribute act or got signed to a party planner talent agency, playing one or two of these shows every few months can set you for quite some time. With usual payments starting at $500 with professional lighting, sound, and stage equipment provided, a band is able to make a killing with very little effort exerted on their behalf.

There are NO promotional concerns as these are private "invite-only" parties, drinks and food may be complementary, and often, to include in goodies bags given out to their attendees, celebrators will purchase mass amounts of your merchandise in advance, leaving you with nothing but straight profit. There is one slight downside for the pure-blooded original act however, often adding cover songs to your setlist is required. Though it’s a small price to pay for the exposure, and financial rewards, some bands are adamant about maintaining their reputation as original songwriters. Additionally, unlike a standard gig, you may be required to play up to three sets in a given night with breaks filled in by a DJ and I can tell you from personal experience, this process can be exhausting, especially when good old granny has had one two many drinks and will not get off the dancefloor, even though it’s pushing 4 am.

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/

Vol 2, Issue 7: Setting The Record Straight, What it Actually Means to Have a Gold, Platinum, or Diamond Selling Album

Recently, while reading a copy of what I thought to be a credible and well-researched music magazine, I was greatly appalled when I stumbled across an article that inaccurately detailed the makings of a gold album, attributing this status to an independent band's latest disc whose sales had barely even scratched the surface. While 5000 discs may seem like a triumph for an indie act, I have it on good authority that not even 10,000 in sales will merit a band “a pat on the back” from a record label in today’s harsh and competitive market. After reading this piece it occurred to me that if a so-called entertainment journalist could make such a problematic mistake, I'm almost positive that several indie bands out there could do the same. And so, this week, I've chosen to tackle yet another beast of the music industry: that of, music recording sales certification, more commonly known as the album rankings of gold, platinum, and diamond.

Although each territory has enacted individual means for ranking record sales, almost all of these systems follow in the footsteps of the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) method which was pioneered in 1958 in order to monitor the sales of vinyl LPs. For the purposes of this article (and to avoid confusion), I will strictly be referencing figures that denote album rankings in our home territory cited by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), and the certification process as illustrated by the RIAA method. (If you are interested in comparing our sales expectations with those of other countries worldwide, I encourage you to conduct an internet search on “music recording sales certification” for more information).

Perhaps part of the confusion with which each of these sales levels represents, stems from the fact that the numbers pertaining to each rank have not stayed consistent over the years. While gold status was once awarded to artists whose sales exceeded 500,000 copies (or $1 million in sales) of a given album back in the 50s and 60s, today’s gold rankings are attributed to a significantly lower sales target; that of, 50,000. The impetus behind the modification of these sales targets is tied closely to the expansion of the music industry (well, consumerism in general) and more recently, the introduction of the internet and digital sales.

Initially, associations such as the RIAA did not quite know how to credit internet downloads of songs and/or albums in relation to physical cd sales largely because the costs of manufacturing, shipping, and retail cuts are eliminated, and thus, digital downloaders can afford to sell an artist’s work for a significantly lower amount, while still producing a profit margin. Additionally, the purchasing of album singles has recently expanded into a larger market (largely due to the hotly debated continual decline in the quality of albums as a whole over the past 10 years) with the internet acting as the perfect purchasing medium due to its ease and accessibility. But, with the introduction of the internet and digital downloads, also came the genesis of digital piracy making it increasingly difficult for artists to generate high sales rankings based on their internet music consumers alone. While one may have hypothesized that a gold album would have the same sales target whether generated through physical sales or digital sales, this in fact, is not the case. While 50,000 physical cd sales will merit an artist this ranking, only 20,000 downloads serves as the online sales equivalent, and a single itself may be ranked gold if it reaches a mere 5,000 units in sales whether through traditional or electronic means. With all of these varying numbers serving to entitle an artist to essentially the SAME rating, it’s easy to see how someone could improperly allot this status to a musical act!

So how exactly does the process of album certification work? Well, for one thing it is not automatic. Record labels are required to pay a fee (between $350 and $450 for RIAA members, and non-members respectively), on behalf of their artists, in order to have the artist’s album sales audited by the RIAA’s official accounting company of over 20 years, Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman. “The audit calculates what product has been shipped for sale, net after returns, versus product used for promotional purposes, for the life of the release. When certifying audio and music video releases, the independent auditor is careful to survey the entire music marketplace. An artist's gold or platinum award represents sales through retail, record clubs, rackjobbers, and all other ancillary markets that legitimately distribute music. Once a title’s sales has been audited and verified as having reached requisite levels, a formal certification report is issued and sent to the title's record company.” (As outlined by the RIAA’s official website). So then what’s the difference between the RIAA’s auditing process and submitting one’s sales to the Neilson Soundscan charts?

Although Canadian artists are strongly encouraged to issue all of their off-stage and retail sales to Soundscan for reporting, interestingly enough, the RIAA does NOT use these figures for their calculations in regards to album rankings. Why you ask? Well, according to the RIAA, they feel that Soundscan’s records are less reliable as their system is newer, whereas the RIAA has a history of over 40 years. Moreover, Soundscan figures strictly measure over-the-counter sales at music retail locations and off-stage sales, whereas the sales audits conducted by the RIAA encompass a far greater avenue of non-traditional music sales tracking including business generated from non-retail record clubs, mail order houses, speciality stores, direct marketing outlets, TV-advertised albums and internet downloads. So then what’s the point of issuing one’s sales via Soundscan at all?

Well, the simple fact remains that independent artists, more often than not, generate the highest amount of album sales directly after live performances, an avenue that the RIAA does NOT take into account for its calculation. If an independent act generates extremely high off-stage sales, then they have the potential of attaining powerful promotional opportunities as their sales records will be reported in the Billboard Charts. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that many independent artists (most, I’d argue) are unable to take advantage of the Soundscan database reporting system due to its extremely high membership rates and exclusionary policies regarding the necessity of being signed to a label that has been in business for at least two years and represents at least two acts with current releases. It’s also important to note that if an act does manage to get signed to a label with Soundscan reporting capabilities, all of their generated sales previous to their record label signing will NOT count towards their total sales of a given album (Sad, but true folks. A lot of artists get screwed this way.)

As I’m sure you’ve deduced at this point, the changes incurred within the album ranking system of the RIAA since its inception, along with the development of territory-specific sister companies with varying ranking standards, have led to a great deal of controversy in regards to what really are the top selling albums of all time. It is difficult for us to compare modern standards with those of the past also taking into account the phenomenal surge of the uniquely experienced consumerism of the 20th century. However, the important question that needs considering in today’s market is as follows: will these ratings be likely to decline as the problem of digital piracy persists? I can only assume that they will.

With an overabundance of supply, and a waning degree of demand, it would seem to me that artists today are facing a serious threat of being put into extinction. Can you think of any other profession in which rendered services are guiltlessly and unapologetically stolen by consumers? I didn’t think so.

For a further outline of each ranking’s sales targets in Canada, please visit the CRIA’s official website located at http://www.cria.com/

About the Author:

Rose Cora Perry is the frontwoman for Canadian hard rock band ANTI-HERO known as “The 21st Century Answer to Nirvana”, as well as the sole owner and operator of HER Records, a management company in which she offers marketing, promotion, publicity, tour booking, and artist development services.

Her band ANTI-HERO has toured extensively across North America playing notable festivals such as Warped Tour, Canadian Music Week, NorthbyNorthEast, Wakefest, and MEANYFest.

Voted “Best Rock Act of the Year” by numerous industry publications, their critically acclaimed debut album, "Unpretty" is available worldwide for purchase.

Rose Cora Perry is a dedicated promoter of D.I.Y. ethics, and an avid supporter of independent musicians.For more information on Rose Cora Perry and her band's accomplishments, please visit http://www.anti-hero.ca/ or http://www.rosecoraperry.com/