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Meeting summary for Johnnie Johnson's Personal Meeting Room (11/26/2025)
Quick recap
The meeting began with a discussion of a military operation involving Venezuela and the U.S. Navy, followed by coverage of various news stories including apparent resurrections, accidents, and historical events. The group then shared Thanksgiving turkey preparation tips and cooking methods, before moving on to discuss humorous and odd news stories, including anecdotes about thieves and historical music facts. The conversation concluded with reflections on road life, the importance of keeping Christ at the center of life, and a reminder to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Next steps
Johnnie: send streaming stats from Apple Music to Allen Hey and Sammy: perform the last song on the CD for Burns church service in December
Summary
Venezuela-U.S. Navy Confrontation
The transcript appears to be a news segment discussing a military operation involving Venezuela firing guns at U.S. Navy ships in international waters, which was widely criticized as a futile and desperate display of power by the Maduro regime. The segment also covered the broader geopolitical context, including U.S. military deployments and intelligence operations in the region, as well as social media reactions to the incident.
News Stories and AI Insights
The group discussed various news stories, including cases of apparent resurrection, a car theft that resulted in a fatal accident, and a tragic truck accident that killed 13 passengers. They also touched on historical events, such as past political plots against Abraham Lincoln and FDR, and the recent return of some workers who had refused COVID-19 vaccinations. Allen shared his experience using AI to research and write fiction, noting the AI's difficulty in processing certain historical and scientific facts. The conversation concluded with Hey expressing frustration with Facebook's changes and advertising focus.
Thanksgiving Turkey Preparation Tips
The group discussed Thanksgiving turkey preparation, with Allen sharing that turkeys should be thawed in the fridge for 2-3 days or in cold water, and emphasizing not to wash the turkey or stuff it. They discussed various cooking methods including deep frying, with Allen warning against adding frozen turkey to hot oil. The conversation also touched on Tofurky alternatives for vegetarians and concluded with light-hearted discussion about odd news stories, including a Florida man attempting to steal a police vehicle and a woman waking up during her own cremation.
Odd Stories and Music Facts
The group discussed several humorous and odd stories, including Allen's anecdote about a woman jokingly pretending to be dead under a comforter, and Johnnie's tale of a webcam thief who was caught on the security camera he was stealing. They also shared historical music facts, including Bill Withers' career and Whitney Houston's Bodyguard soundtrack, before Hey mentioned that the band Ban performed their farewell concert in 1976.
Life, Faith, and Music Reflections
The group discussed various topics including the challenges of the road life in the 80s and 90s, the importance of keeping Christ at the center of life, and the need for lateral alignment with God above. They also talked about past shock DJs in Denver, the Beatles' album "Abbey Road," and the importance of reading contracts before signing. The conversation concluded with a reminder to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and a plug for promoting Mike Johnson's "Never To Braille" on Apple Music.
Meeting summary for Johnnie Johnson's Personal Meeting Room (10/21/2025)
Hey shared a personal story about his son's military transition and reacclimation process, which led to a discussion about employment opportunities and future planning. The conversation covered various personal topics including health issues, weather impacts, and content creation challenges, with particular focus on the importance of building online momentum and securing media attention for musicians. The conversation ended with discussions about immigration processes, social movements, and promotional strategies for artists, along with an invitation for viewers to participate in a raffle for free t-shirts.
Next steps
Hey Joe to get a two-wheeler for carrying batteries to avoid back strain
Hey Joe to continue with the house loan process to replace the roof with metal raptors and corrugated steel
Johnnie to follow up with the XM radio contact about the submitted song
Johnnie to send the complete list of publicity tips to anyone who emails at johnnie@intervisionrecords.org
Johnnie to organize the t-shirt/hoodie raffle for viewers who leave a Super Chat
Summary
Military to Civilian Life Transition
Hey shared a personal story about his son's transition from the military to civilian life, highlighting the challenges of reacclimation and the importance of planning for the future. He described how his son, after 19 months of acclimating, had not yet considered employment or moving out, leading to a conversation about the need for grandchildren and the importance of using skills gained in the military for employment. Hey also humorously recounted hiding food from his son, who was eating them out of house and home, and their shared experiences with their Select Comfort bed.
Health, Shows, and Winter Updates
Johnnie and Hey discussed various topics, including Hey's back and hip pain, massage tools, and historical events. They also talked about InnerVision FM's show, mentioning upcoming participation opportunities and the accumulation of funds from super chats. Johnnie shared updates about Al winterizing his Colorado Springs residence to prepare for cold weather.
Challenges of Tropical Storms and Media
Johnnie and Hey discussed the challenges of living in areas prone to tropical storms and typhoons, with Hey describing the impact of these weather events on the Philippines, including roof damage and power outages. They also talked about the importance of securing heavy speakers during outdoor concerts and the need for a compelling story to attract media attention for musicians. Johnnie highlighted eight reasons why musicians might not be getting publicity and emphasized the significance of having a hook or story to captivate audiences and media.
Content Creation and Music Promotion
Johnnie and Hey discussed various topics, including the challenges of creating original content, the importance of building online momentum, and the ethics of paying for blog coverage. They also touched on immigration issues, visa processes, and the impact of social and political movements. Johnnie shared insights from a hip-hop music promotion guide, emphasizing the need for artists to align their visuals and sound, perform live or virtually, and build genuine relationships with bloggers and influencers. Hey mentioned past experiences with photo shoots and AI tools for creating album art. The conversation concluded with Johnnie inviting viewers to participate in a raffle for free t-shirts by leaving a Super Chat.
AI can make mistakes. Review for accuracy.
Meeting summary for Johnnie Johnson's Personal Meeting Room (07/9/2025)
Quick recap
The meeting began with a discussion about Allen's financial situation and his search for new teaching opportunities, followed by a conversation about their radio show format and technical challenges with AI content generation. The hosts discussed various music news topics, including artist ages, tours, and historical performances, while sharing personal anecdotes and stories about the music industry. The conversation ended with discussions about artist contracts and ownership, the challenges faced by musicians, and Allen's organization's initiatives to employ blind individuals, along with promotional updates for Intervision FM.
Next steps
Next steps were not generated due to insufficient transcript.
Summary
Financial Challenges and Job Search Allen expresses frustration about being $21 overdrawn on his Chase bank account. He mentions he recently completed a contract job teaching AI and is now looking for another similar opportunity. Johnnie suggests Allen should put out another request for financial assistance, referencing a previous successful experience. They briefly discuss scams, with Johnnie sharing a story about a suspicious offer he received through TikTok.
Radio Show Format and AI Content
Johnnie and Allen discussed their radio show format, which includes music news, a "Day in History" segment, and user-submitted topics. They talked about using AI to generate content and encountered some technical issues with it. Johnnie shared some interesting news stories and personal anecdotes, including a family history about land ownership and a cousin's dispute over money. They also briefly discussed legal matters related to a family estate.
iHeartRadio Show Preparation Meeting
Allen and Johnnie prepare for their show on intervision FM. They plan to discuss iHeartRadio news, music, radio, and entertainment history. Allen welcomes the audience, noting that it's their "Friday" show, even though it's not actually his personal Friday.
KISS Farewell Tour and Fan Age
Johnnie and Allen discussed Ray Stevens' music and his aging fan base. They also talked about a previous discussion about feeding dogs grapes, with Johnnie warning against it. The conversation then shifted to KISS, who are preparing for their second farewell tour. Johnnie looked up the ages of the band members, noting that Gene Simmons is 75 years old.
Rock Concerts and Movie Memories
Johnnie and Allen discussed various rock concerts, including a memorable Kiss performance with fireworks and a Beyoncé concert incident where a car malfunctioned. They also talked about the song "Beth" by Kiss, which was inspired by the manager's wife, and the movie Casablanca. The conversation concluded with a brief discussion about the movie Spinning Gold and the importance of salvation.
Heart Tour and Celebrity Health
The group discussed Heart, the rock band, and their North American tour with Nancy Wilson. They shared interesting facts about the band's history, including that their father encouraged them to take their music to a higher level and that Nancy Wilson had a thyroid problem, not weight issues, as previously thought. The conversation also touched on other celebrities like Queen Latifah and Kelly Clarkson, discussing their weight changes and body image.
Diddy's Sentencing and Court Behavior
Allen and Johnnie discussed Diddy's sentencing, noting that many charges were dismissed, similar to the Epstein case. They commented on Diddy's behavior in court, including giving kisses to supporters and making faces at witnesses. Johnnie explained the concept of "mugging" and its historical context. Hey shared a humorous story about a child mistaking a man for the superhero Wolverine. The conversation was informal and focused on casual observations and anecdotes rather than any specific decisions or action items.
Music, Recovery, and Record Promotions
Allen and Johnnie discussed the metal band 5 Finger Death Punch recording a new album and using Taylor Swift's lyrics, which Johnnie found interesting. They also talked about Ray Stevens recovering from a mild heart attack at 86 years old and his notable songs. Allen promoted Inner Vision Records, which supports grassroots musicians, and encouraged musicians to submit their work to Johnnie for consideration.
Musicians' Contract and Ownership Challenges
The discussion centered around the experiences and challenges faced by musicians and artists, particularly regarding contracts and ownership of their work. Johnnie and Allen shared anecdotes about Dick Clark's practices with Bandstand and the importance of reading contracts carefully, emphasizing how young artists might be exploited due to their inexperience or the complexity of legal documents. Allen also recounted a personal experience of having their music stolen and rebranded by another label due to unsigned contracts, highlighting the need for vigilance. Hey contributed a lighthearted note about winning a talent contest with Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind" in 1967.
Strategic Advantages and Music Memories
Johnnie and Allen discussed the strategic advantages of being smaller and faster in physical confrontations, drawing an analogy to Muhammad Ali's fighting style. They also shared memories of early hip-hop music, including Run DMC's "Walk This Way" and the first rap song played on MTV, "Rapture" by Blondie, in 1984. Allen mentioned the high cost of producing albums on CD in the 1980s, which was significantly more expensive than vinyl. Hey contributed a story about Judas Priest's CD release that damaged high-end speakers due to its use of a guitar synthesizer.
Audio Trip Imaginations Employment Initiative
Allen discussed his organization, Audio Trip Imaginations, which aims to employ 70-90% of the 3 million blind people in the United States. He mentioned upcoming projects including Braille 2.0 and the Center for Government Accountability at accountabilityrevolution.com. Allen also promoted a Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser for Intervision FM and mentioned upcoming Christmas promotions. The conversation ended with Johnnie playing a song and discussing media player controls.
AI-generated content may be inaccurate or misleading.
Meeting summary for Johnnie Johnson's Personal Meeting Room (07/7/2025)
Quick recap
The meeting began with discussions about relabeling content and adjusting artist management strategies, followed by plans for a government accountability center focused on AI and transparency initiatives. The participants explored historical innovations and their impact on modern life, while also addressing social issues like unemployment among the blind community and immigration challenges. The conversation concluded with discussions about accountability networks, historical events, and a Christmas fundraiser, with emphasis on promoting ethical technology development and addressing concerns about inappropriate behavior in the medical field.
Next steps
Allen to share more government accountability songs in the next show. Johnnie to update the website innervisionrecords.org with information about the Christmas green donation campaign and available prizes. Allen to prepare song requests from viewers for future shows. Johnnie to continue promoting the super chat function and its new crowns/leaderboard feature on YouTube.
Summary
Government Accountability Songs Strategy Update
Johnnie discussed relabeling a segment to "Government Accountability Songs" and mentioned plans to adjust his strategy for managing artists and publishing streams. He noted that he would need more credits to expand his work in TuneCore and planned to downsize his artist count from 20 to 8. Johnnie also expressed hope that Alan had charged for his work on some well-written songs.
AI Accountability Center for Trump
Allen discussed his plans to set up a center for government accountability, which will be AI-centered and aimed at holding the Trump administration accountable. He mentioned sleeping with the enemy as a strategy to gain access and trust. Johnnie supported Allen's efforts and encouraged him to proceed with the plan.
Technical Presentation Sharing Challenges
The group discussed technical difficulties with sharing a presentation, with Allen initially trying to share it through messenger and then Johnnie helping to share it through Zoom. They agreed to pause the presentation while Johnnie took over screen sharing duties. The meeting then began with Johnnie introducing Inner Vision FM and mentioning their 249th birthday, though the exact context of the birthday reference was unclear.
Technological Innovations and Cultural Impact
Johnnie and Allen discussed historical innovations and their impact on modern life, emphasizing the role of capitalism and competition in technological advancements. They referenced popular culture, including TV shows like Gilligan's Island and Red Dwarf, to illustrate how misunderstandings can lead to significant consequences. Johnnie highlighted the contributions of diverse individuals, including inventors of central heating and traffic lights, and reflected on the importance of acknowledging these contributions as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
AI and Unemployment in the Blind Community
Allen discussed the high unemployment rate among the blind community and expressed optimism about using AI to address this issue. He shared his collaboration with AI on a revolutionary idea aligned with the Center for Government Accountability, emphasizing the importance of distributed accountability networks to ensure ethical technology development. Allen also highlighted the need for universal basic income, drawing from the blind community's lived experience, and expressed a commitment to working across political lines to achieve this goal. The conversation touched on concerns about technology manipulation and the role of government agencies, with Allen asserting that the message has already been disseminated to AI and beyond, suggesting a broader awareness and potential for change.
Immigration Challenges and Moral Dilemmas
Johnnie and Allen discussed the challenges faced by illegal immigrants who fear deportation after living in the U.S. for many years, referencing Romans 13. They debated the implications of illegal immigration, including its economic impact and the role of political parties in supporting or exploiting cheap labor. Johnnie expressed concerns about the treatment of victims and the villainization of immigrants, while Allen highlighted communication breakdowns in the naturalization process. They also touched on historical contexts of slavery and its modern parallels, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to immigration.
Distributed Accountability Network Proposal
Allen proposed the idea of a distributed accountability network to address community concerns and improve transparency at the local level. He suggested that this network would involve various stakeholders, including local governance, law enforcement, and vocational rehabilitation, and would allow people to address their concerns directly. Allen emphasized that if the network did not gain traction, it could be adjusted based on community feedback. Johnnie agreed with the concept and noted the current challenges faced by DVR workers, who often have a high number of clients.
Historical Events and Social Issues
Johnnie and Allen discussed historical events, including the first African American winner of the Wimmelton and the meeting of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. They also talked about the movie "Forrest Gump" and its Academy Award win for Tom Hanks. The conversation then shifted to a serious topic about a pediatrician accused of inappropriate behavior, with Johnnie urging listeners to report such individuals. Allen suggested using Bible verses to address the situation. They concluded by promoting a Christmas green donut fundraiser and encouraging viewers to donate and participate in a YouTube super chat feature for a chance to win prizes.
AI-generated content may be inaccurate or misleading.
Meeting summary for Johnnie Johnson's Personal Meeting Room (06/23/2025)
Quick recap
The meeting began with technical discussions about setting up a Zoom call and upcoming plans, followed by an interview with songwriter Sam Welch who shared his musical inspirations and songwriting process. Sam discussed his personal experiences, including his time in the Navy and travels in Europe, as well as his Unitarian faith and how it influences his music, before delving into the challenges he faced in the music industry and the popularity of his music in different countries.
Next steps
Sam to continue promoting his music through his website samwelshboston.com and newsletter Sam to explore ways to get his music registered with performance rights organizations like ASCAP for proper tracking and compensation Sam to consider reaching out directly to radio stations that have reportedly played his music to verify airplay Inner Vision FM team to continue supporting and promoting disabled musicians through their platform Listeners to check out Sam's music catalog and sign up for his newsletter at samwelshboston.com
Summary
Zoom Setup and Pirate Song
Johnnie and Allen discussed technical issues with logging in and setting up a Zoom meeting, including password requirements and email notifications. Allen mentioned writing a song about a 16th-century pirate in 2025 and planned to share it with the group. They also explored meeting controls, such as enabling AI features and live streaming, but encountered some confusion about the "music" function. Johnnie expressed concern about security and reminded everyone about an upcoming meeting.
Songwriter Interview and Spam Prevention
Johnnie discussed plans for an upcoming interview with a songwriter from Alaska and addressed issues with fraudulent applications, prompting Allen to offer assistance in developing a spam prevention strategy. The group then engaged in a casual conversation before transitioning to the main segment of the show, where Sam Welch shared his musical inspiration, particularly his experience writing a song about his cat Ophelia's recovery from allergies.
Sam's Songwriting and Life Experiences
Sam discussed his songwriting process, which draws from personal experiences with emotional dysregulation and spirituality. He shared details about a nervous breakdown he had at 19 while at Columbia University and his subsequent discharge from the Navy due to failure to adapt to military life. Sam explained that his song "The Republic" explores the continuity between the current political system and whatever comes next, inspired by his military experiences and psychotic episodes.
Navigating Political Divide Perspectives
Allen and Sam discussed the current political and economic climate, noting a shift in America that many people, regardless of political affiliation, are struggling to understand. Sam shared his personal experience growing up in a politically divided household, which influenced his liberal views despite his conservative family background. Both Allen and Sam acknowledged the challenges of navigating such diverse political environments and the impact of personal backgrounds on one's perspective.
Sam's Musical Journey and Harmonization
Sam discussed his musical background, including his time with the Kingsman, an acapella doo-wop group similar to the Yale Whiffenpoofs. He explained that the experience provided valuable vocal harmonization skills, which became a trademark of his music. Sam shared that he started recording music in 2000 and has since created about 170 songs, which can be accessed for free on his website.
Sam's Navy and European Adventures
Sam discussed his experiences in the Navy, where he faced challenges due to a psychiatric disability, and how this led him to seek help, realizing the importance of addressing mental health issues. He also shared his travels in Europe with his father and brother, particularly mountain climbing in Switzerland and Austria, and mentioned his linguistic abilities, which included speaking several European languages. The conversation touched on the differences between traveling in Europe and the United States, with Sam noting that historical sites in Europe are well-preserved and easily overlooked unless one is aware of their significance.
Unitarianism and Personal Travel Stories
The group discussed personal travel experiences, with Johnnie sharing about visiting French restaurants and Sam recounting a childhood trip to the Alps with his family. They then explored the topic of Unitarianism, with Sam explaining that it's a New England-based religion focused on natural cycles and holistic wellness rather than traditional Christian teachings. Sam described how his Unitarian faith influences his music, particularly in how natural cycles intersect with spiritual and emotional wellness, noting that Unitarian churches are often politically liberal and lack biblical texts.
Music, Hearing Loss, and Hope
Sam discussed his music's impact, focusing on providing hope and emphasizing healing over transcendence. He shared his personal challenges, including damaging his hearing in a studio accident, which led to severe tinnitus and the use of hearing aids. Allen and Hey shared their experiences with hearing damage, with Hey mentioning his exposure to jet engine noise during military service. The conversation highlighted the importance of ear protection and the challenges of living with hearing loss.
Indie Artist Radio Play Challenges
Sam shared his journey of building a home studio in 2000 and later collaborating with Bristol Studios in Boston for mixing and mastering. Despite significant radio play, including 100,000 spins across 100 stations in the first year, Sam faced challenges with ASCAP recognizing his radio play, leaving him frustrated with the lack of financial returns. Allen and Johnnie discussed the complexities of performance rights organizations and the challenges indie artists face, suggesting alternative approaches like directly contacting radio stations or hiring PR firms for promotional support.
Challenges of Original Music Promotion
Sam discussed his music's popularity in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and France, and shared his uncle's experience as a rhythm and blues musician who was well-received in Germany in the 1980s. Hey mentioned that original music is rarely played on radio stations in the Philippines, with most stations preferring covers of Western music. The group discussed the challenges of original music being overshadowed by covers, with Johnnie noting that Colorado has a diverse music scene but lacks a distinct local sound. Sam provided information on how listeners can access his music through his website and newsletter, and Allen highlighted Inner Vision FM's mission to support disabled and financially challenged musicians.
AI-generated content may be inaccurate or misleading.
How to voice track a radio show using Station Play List.
- After setting up Station Creator, open your play list. Find one you want to program a show for. For this play list we have ten songs that will fill an hour with five promos that will play every other song and two sixty second commercials that will run twenty and forty-five into your show.
- Now is a good time to set up your intros for each track by pressing control K. Play the song you are going to introduce and if it has a fifteen or more lead in before the artist starts to sing, set your mark right as the vocals start by pressing the letter I. Do this for all tracks you want to say something before playing the song.
- To make your show entertaining, look up things to say about the artists you will be playing, or other entertainment news.
- For some of the songs intros you might want to put a music bed under your voice; so you would open the record option, find a track without words and play it while you are talking. It is best to only do this with songs that have no lead in before the artist raps, or sings.
Listen to Johnnie J. Monday through Friday 8:00am to 10:00am morning show on KINV-DB Innervision FM!
Mastering Your Recordings with Innervision
[Editor’s Note: This blog is written by Steve Reble, and was originally featured on the LANDR Blog. LANDR’s Instant Mastering tool can help you fine-tune your next single, EP or album and is available through TuneCore before you distribute!]
The challenge of home producing is that, what you want your audience to hear, is rarely what they will hear.
When I started out, my studio was totally barebones, just a small desk shoved in the corner of a skinny, vinyl floored room… Monitors? I didn’t have monitors; I had headphones. And yet, I expected my bedroom recording to stand up to the big guys. I wanted the drums to explode! This was a tall order because where you mix – and what tools you have to mix – really impacts how your track sounds to other people. And that’s where mastering comes in, making sure your audience hears the track the way you intended – no matter where it was created. Here’s how.
THE FINAL MIX If you’re happy with your final mix, your ears aren’t broken, it probably is that good. But unfortunately, you can’t invite everyone to your house to hear it how you hear it. The mix is going to be colored by the room, monitors and headphones that you used in creating it. It’s easy to test this, just take your freshly mixed track to your friend’s house, or better yet, try to play it in a club with booming speakers. But be forewarned, this can be a little deflating.
YOUR AUDIENCE Second thing to consider is who are you making your music for? And where are they listening to it – car, phone, club, headphones, and home stereo? Mastering makes small necessary corrections and adjustments to your whole track, so that listeners will have no idea where it was recorded and mixed. They’ll just hear you. To highlight what’s going on behind the scenes of mastering, we used a track as a lab-rat.
COMPRESSION Compression is the social lubricant that gets all the tracks interacting. Kind of like booze. Too little and everyone just sits around awkwardly and stares at the floor. Too much and things get odd. Find the sweet spot and you’ve got a killer party. It does this by subtly taming peak volumes, making all the parts fit together – better. A well mastered track is that party that no one can stop talking about.
Books on line to further your musical career
The Golden Moment: Recording Secrets from the Pros.
Story Links:
KDVS FAQ page
Includes tips for submitting music to KDVS programmers, and and the information will likely transfer to many other non-commercial stations.
Global Hit
Does your band feature international music or band members? Public Radio International’s The World, a daily news and information show airing on 300 stations, has a segment called “Global Hit” that features a wide range of world musicians.
Start and Run Your Own Record Label
Daylle Deanna Schwartz’s informative book has a great chapter that offers real-world, commonsense advice on how to approach radio and build relationships to get airtime.
The Indie Bible and The Musician’s Atlas
Two directories that have lists of indie-friendly radio stations.
NPR Stations and Public Media
Learn how NPR affiliate stations are managed for the public benefit and why they have a vested interest in being the voice of their local communities. You can also find your closest NPR affiliate using the zip code finder.
The Death of Diversity in U.S. Broadcast Ownership
Jeffrey Blevins penned this thoughtful and disturbing piece in Cincinnati’s City Beat documenting how media consolidation has resulted in not one single TV station being owned by a minority, greatly stifling diversity.
Musician's Guide to Vinyl
Six tips to sell barcoded CDs
By Dwight Brown
Selling bar coded CDs at gigs can be a cash cow.You’ve got a wide profit margin because the cost of CD Duplication is minimal compared to the price fans will pay for them. And, selling bar coded CDs gets your music out there to fans who will recommend your music. Tempt audiences at your performances, keep these 6 tips in mind and you’ll sell CDs and make money:
- Pricing. Charge $10 for an album and $5 for a single and most fans won’t think twice about buying one or more CDs. Selling two bar coded CDs for a bargain price is irresistible. Keep prices at $5 increments, and you won’t have to mess with small change.
- Giveaways. Consider rolling the price of a CD into the admission charge. It’s like you’re giving them away, but you’re not. Or hand out a few as door prizes—and watch the rest of the audience have CD envy.
- Special Bar Coded CDs. Selling CDs that are live recordings, impromptu sessions or feature songs that are not on an official release makes fans feel like they’re buying something special. These “quasi-bootleg” CDs become collectors’ items.
- Concession stands. Mark the title, price clearly and keep CDs at eye level. If you’re selling more than one CD, put them in groups. Concession stand helpers who are personable and/or attractive entice fans to buy more.
- Easy payments: Take cash, checks and credit cards, which are easy to process thanks to smart phone/tablet mobile apps and dongles (hardware that offers a secure connection).
- Strong shows = strong sales. Connect with you your fans on stage, win them over with a memorable performance and they’ll want a CD to take home.
10 common errors and oversights many DIY artists are guilty of
after you join our membership, Innervision, will let you listen to a recording of...
We like to think we’re unique as snowflakes, but we musicians can be pretty similar when it comes to the mistakes we (continue to) make. In this episode, Kevin and Chris discuss 10 common errors and oversights many DIY artists are guilty of.
Are you guilty too? Plus, news about SoundCloud albums, and Spotify playlists.
- Build relationships with other artists, become a community of artists.
- Make sure your web info is up to date.
- Caring too much about the cool kids. “Find out who you are as artists, or a group.”
- Read before you spam, spell check, keep your writing down and get to the point, follow up a week later, and use your hashtag to help people to find your music.
Technology Didn’t Kill The Music Industry. The Fans Did.
"Innervision agrees with this blogger as we ask you to support our nonprofit with your donations, or monthly memberships!"
A Guest Post by Sahpreem A. King
Give It Away…Give It Away…Give It Away Now!It is a scary proposition when paying artists for their music has become a voluntary act of kindness, rather than a consumer responsibility. The free music fans consume like water, cost artists money to create; money they will never recover as long as the artist’s fan base consumes it for free. Nothing is wrong with giving away an exclusive FREE track every now and again, but that should be the exception and not the rule.
The ideology behind music freemium has destroyed the working class musician and independent labels.
Everyone thought that Napster was the second coming of Christ—and the beginning of the music revolution; however, in the midst of this transformation, the fans became increasingly desensitized to the fact, that the free music they were consuming was created by artists who have to make a living from their music. The fallacy that artists/musicians are ultra rich is just that… a myth, nonetheless, perpetuated thanks to over-the-top hip hop videos and MTV Cribs, leading fans to believe that all artists are rich.This is hardly the case when only 1% of artists are successfully making a living from their music.
Nevertheless, fans have been disillusioned to believe that their enjoyment of the free music obtained from the remaining 99% only affects the major labels, meanwhile most artists are literally starving. The music industry is a brutal b, a beast that chews up artists and ss them out. What if artists and musicians grew tired of the abuse and decided to stop making music? What then? Radio stations would be nothing but dead air between commercials — if all their advertisers don’t abandon them like rats on a sinking ship — and televisions stations that play music videos would be blank screens. Imagine your favorite movie with no music to set the tone, or going to a school dance minus the dance. Like I said, a scary proposition.When fans are left the option to pay whatever they’d like for music, they almost always choose zero.
As a content creator of music, why should I have to pass around the collection plate or hold out the tip jar and jingle it to capture your attention? What if artists told fans that they would have to work at their jobs for free? Do you think they would go quietly in the night to the land of acceptance? Hell no, they would be in outrage, so why do they expect artists to just take one for the team? Greed perhaps, ignorance maybe, but the one thing is for sure is that fans have a lopsided perspective as to what really goes on in the music business. Artisans should be able to make a living from their work no different from a nurse or auto mechanic.Sure, the 1% is living the lifestyle of the rich and famous; however, the 99% are one poorly-promoted show away from being homeless. For God’s sake, something has to give.
I believe the healing will begin when the public is educated on how the music business works sans the VH1 movies and Hollywood imagery. If fans understood what it takes to make a record — all the time, money, people, and energy — they would have more respect for the art and science of it. If they could experience, on some part the dedication and sacrifice artists endure, their nonchalant attitudes toward paying artists what they owe would change. Fans don’t realize that artists of today were fans of yesterday and the cycle is everlasting.Fans and artists must come to an agreement on how music will be monetized using fair and equitable practices. According to a recent CNN poll, the average football fan will pay $143 per game, which includes the cost of the ticket, parking, and refreshments, for a one-time event. For music, a fans have the opportunity to play a CD as many times as they desire; yet they complain about spending $16 for the CD. In order to set the wheels of change in motion, there must be a catalyst.
If you are interested in hearing more of my philosophies, check out my book,
