The NEW Business Plan....

Que in the choir!!! The clouds have finally parted and the sun is shining bright once again with my future business plans! The past 3 months I have been extensively researching what I thought was an excellent idea. The original plan was to start up a cable company that has a somewhat "a la carte" system. With this system customers could choose which channel they wanted in their cable packages. If you only watch ten channels, the you should only have to pay for ten channels, right? The idea seemed unsurmountable, and I was completely sold on this idea....until I found out that it JUST WONT WORK!! According to all of my previous research, this idea is far from new. In fact, for the past 15 years, many have been trying to get this "idea" to work, only to get shut down time and time again by the FCC.

So, with that being said, in order for me to really get a grasp of this business plan, if I was gonna change it, I needed to do it now! So the wheels in my head slowly started to turn...and turn...and turn. And then it hit me!! As an aspiring artist, I thought to myself, "what if there was a place where up-and-coming artist could hone there skills and showcase their work?" The first thing that popped in my head was the now deceased historical club CBGB. So many artist were born there. Yes, of course this has been done before, but I think I have a bit of an edge. You know what that edge is? Location, Location, Location!!!

Here at Full Sail, there is a PLETHORA of unsurfaced talent. So many students have dreams and ideas that they may like to express outside of a classroom setting or a "classroom style" studio. This venue would serve as a launching pad for so many artist. Recording Arts students in particular, may want to showcase their new tracks to an audience. They could book a night at my club, and have somewhat of a listening party. Do you and your struggling band need a place to rehearse? Come on down to _______. Umm, okay so I haven't figured out a name yet. To be honest I really haven't fully figured out this plan. This idea though, is a starting point. The wheels in my head have begun to turn once again!! Hallelujah!!

You can tell the choir to sit down now.

The Entertainment Cut-back

     Have you ever noticed that your favorite television shows are airing seasons that are becoming shorter and shorter? For example, I usually expect to enjoy 22 episodes per season of The Office, whereas now, networks have slimmed that down to 15. If you're not really a tv kind of person then consider this; remember when albums were released that had at least 16+ songs on it, whereas now you'd be lucky to squeeze out even 12 songs from your favorite artist? This is a problem that I have noticed for a couple years now. Are these companies simply cutting out the crap, or can they not afford it?

     I find it almost sad that audiences have to wait almost a year for a season to air, only for the season to wrap up 2 months later. A perfect example of that would be The Game. This was a show that originally aired on the CW network. It was a mediocre show that was eventually cancelled. By the power of the viewers it was resurrected under BET network. From the month of September until its air date of January 11, BET advertised this show heavily. When it aired, it became BET's highest ranking show in history, only for the season finale to be over by March. A lot of people, including myself felt cheated that we had to wait that long only for a snippet of a season.

     Well the problem here is that these production companies simply cant afford to bring you the entertainment that they used to. With cuts being made left and right from every angle, it is more economical for a company to cut back on their expenses, even if it does bring them in revenue. With that being said, networks only purchase one season at a time with less episodes. One of my favorite shows Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been renewed for a 6th season, and FX only ordered 13 episodes. THIRTEEN?? Thats it?? If you look at it from a viewer stand point, its a rip-off. However, from the network's point of view, it is a more economical move.


From the music standpoint, I personally prefer ten great songs on an album versus eight "ok" songs and five "filler" songs that shouldnt even be on an album. With that being said, I personally agree with the record label cutbacks. As a person who still buys albums, (why do I feel like the stone age when I say that?) there is nothing I hate worse than buying an album, only to like about 3 out of 12 songs on it. With less people buying albums, record labels are starting to realize that you cant sell us crap and tell us its apple pie. Well, not me anyway.

The Recording Institute Association of America (The Who, What & When)

     We were asked in class to do our next blog on a specific professional association that is related to our field. Of course, by now you all should know (in case you haven't picked this fact up from my previous post) that music is my number one passion. So, naturally the industry that I chose to talk about is The Recording Institute Association of America, also known as the RIAA. The RIAA a trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. They are the reason you have a cd case or ipod or any other form of musicThe members of this association are record labels that make up the fabric of the America's music industry. Currently, the RIAA is responsible for 85% of all recorded music in the United States. When an artist releases an album and its goes gold or platinum etc., it is the Recording Institute Association of America that actually certifies a recording to that status.


     Currently, its CEO is Mitch Bainwol. The RIAA's members include such record labels as Virgin, Elektra, Columbia, Sony & Capitol Records. The Board of Directors of the RIAA currently consist of 20 members. This association has thrived on the hearts and wallets of American's. The Association is almost single handedly responsible for the favorite songs of all Americans for the past 60 years. It seems like it would be more than that, to be quite honest. 


Sounds pretty cool right? Well, not so fast my friend. Unfortunately, in order to become a member. You have to be a record label. This association does not offer membership on an associate or individual basis. That sucks right. I know pretty soon, I may not be able to become a member, but they will be certifying my records. Platinum, Platinum, and more multi-platinum.!!!

If you'd like to take a look for yourself, click here

David Byrne: TED Profile

I was recently inspired by this speech/demonstration done by David Byrne. He is a musician, author, filmmaker, curator, urban designer, and humanist. He was once the lead singer and musical leader of the Talking Heads, whom I love. This is also the reason I chose this person.

He leads off by discussing his days with the Talking Heads in CBGB. I was pleased to discover the sound dynamics of that room. I always wondered why punk music, particularly the punk acts from this era had that loud, grungy, lightly distorted sound. He made it clear why. I now know that the sound and sound structure of a room and can give a song or a sound a certain feeling and creates a certain atmosphere.

One thing that liked about his speech from the beginning was his use of humor and wit. He conveys all of the four major attributes a good speaker should have.

I found his speech very insightful. I must admit that I was expecting him to talk about the various stages of his very successful music career and how he has managed to explore various avenues of the arts, but I did enjoy this speech and now I fully understand that sound acoustics are extremely important. It was very interesting to discover how the evolution of sound quality is almost directly correlated to the evolution of music as whole. From the clear empty rooms that Bach and Mozart used compose to the hi-fi sound of the disco techs. I especially liked how he referred to the modern automobile as a venue in itself, and how hip-hop music of today with all the bass and 808's are perfectly tailored for you to "bump" in your car.

The speech was excellent for me. As an aspiring performer, I now know the importance of good sound dynamics and how it affects a song or sound. I now understand why artist fly all over the world to record in various studios. It is not just to get away, its for the quality of sound. Excellent storytelling!

Take a look for yourself Here

2011 GRAMMY AWARDS....WHAT A NIGHT!!

     This Sunday was the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. In my previous post, I discussed who would be performing at what is coined "Music's Biggest Night". I must say I was well-pleased with the performances.....All of them. Okay, so lets get to it!

     Kicking off the night was a stirring tribute to the legendary Aretha Franklin. Partaking in this tribute was gospel-great Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, and Florence of Florence and The Machine. I'm not surprised by the first three, but Martina and Florence took me by surprise. Following her tragic Superbowl performance last week, Christina bounced back with this one, out-singing all of her peers. including Jennifer Hudson!! Not to be ingored however, was Florence. She really showed off her pipes in this performance!! It was an excellent way to open the show.

     There werent many awards given out that evening. Instead they decided to give us a full blown concert...And what a concert it was!
     The next performance (and the one we were all waiting for) was GAGA!!! Judging from her previous performances which included breaking glass and blood and goth, I must admit I was a little disappointed with Lady G's performance. She seemed off with the choreography and the singing was only OK. To put it in so many words, I've seen better!

     Following this debacle was yet another. Miranda Lambert took the stage to perform some song. Now, dont get me wrong, I dont hate country music, but that performance was just B-O-R-I-N-G!! I really dont even remember it. They could have swapped her out for Adele who's currently #1 in 17 COUNTRIES!!! Now thats a performance I would have liked to see!!

     Lenny Kravitz took the stage to introduce Muse who really livened things up with with their hard-rocking song "Uprising". They are starting to become one of my favorites, along with a few other names

     Up next was one of the highlights of the night. Nominees Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae, and B.O.B. all took the stage for a collaborative performance. This was most definitely one of the most entertaining performances of the night. Bruno and B.O.B. kicked off the set with an acoustic version of "Nothing on You" with Janelle singing beautiful background vocals. After that Bruno took the stage and gave a bluesy rendition of "Grenade" which was a crowd pleaser. And the came Janelle. Singing her hit song "Cold War" she took the crowd by storm dancing and sliding across the stage. She even did a stage dive. (Now when's the last time you've seen that at the Grammy's). Definitely one of the best performances of the night!

     Up next was everyones favorite haircut...Thats right, the Bieb!!! Justin Bieber took the stage, much to the delight of all teenage girls across America. He started off with a tribute to Usher (weird) Then proceeded to perform "Baby" and "Never Say Never". He was soon joined onstage by Jaden Smith as they both "fought off ninjas" in a tribute to Smiths latest movie "Karate Kid". And just when you thought it was over "Daddy's Home". Usher took the stage to perform his massive hit "OMG" before being joined onstage by his son Beiber. That outfit he had on reminded me of Bobby Brown circa 1990 (He is practically wearing the same thing in his "Every Little Step I Take" video) Also, another great performance!

     The next performance was that of newcomers Mumford & Sons, who performed their hit "The Cave" before being joined onstage by the Avett Brothers (not familiar) and also the legendary Bob Dylan. Mumfords performance was GREAT, the other two, not so much. But it was entertaining, considering this being my first time witnessing Bob Dylan on stage.

What I didnt understand was that completely lackluster "tribute" to Teddy Pendergrass  done by Lady Antebellum. They sung exactly ONE LINE of his song before going into "Need You Now", which they won an award for afterward. The performance was good. I love the song, but it was kind of low-energy...but then again, what can you expect from Country music (I'm just saying, not stepping on any toes)

Up next was yet another highlight of the night. The eccentric Cee-Lo Green took the stage by storm performing his smash hit "F*** You". Not only was the song good, but he performed it in a space-age-George-Clinton-meets-Big-Bird outfit that was a feast (or a sore) to the eyes. He was joined on stage by muppet like puppets that looked like throwback Fraggle Rock characters. It was incredible!! Somehow, the theme of that song and the theme of that performance seemed to fit just right. And if that wasnt enough for you, joining him on stage was the lovely Gwenyth Paltrow. Now THAT was something I didnt expect at all....excellent performance

Cee-Lo was followed by Katy Perry who performed "Teenage Dream" and "Firework". Great performance...nothing really spectacular. She arrived on stage from a swing and her extra long dress served as a screen for the projector. Thats about it.

     Perry was followed by Rihanna and Eminem...and then Rihanna and Drake. Its not often that an artist gets to perform twice on the Grammys. Rihanna is definitely hot stuff right now.....but those performances....Umm. Now dont get me wrong, she had Drake to help her out for a minute but when its just her....its a sight to see, not a sound to hear.

I was a bit disappointed with The Rolling Stones frontman's performance. This is supposedly Mick Jagger's first ever Grammy performance (That is a hard fact to swallow, I still find it hard to believe) I was expecting to get some "satisfaction" out of this performance, yet somehow I found myself yawning! I dont think its Mick getting older, I think it was the material he was singing. Solomon Burke is a soul singer, so if you're gonna do a tribute, the performer should be a soul singer, right? Not the case here. I love the Stones and I love Mick Jagger....but I did not like this performance....at all.

This just about sums up the highlights of "music's biggest night". I can honestly see why Sunday had the highest ratings in 11 years. All in all, it was an amazing show! To see full performances click here

SUPERBOWL 45: THE PERFORMANCES

Okay, so by now we should all know that Green Bay won the 45th Annual SuperBowl. I kind of had a feeling they would. I still say "black & yellow" all day!! But I'm not here to talk sports.

Besides the fact that last night was one good game, the entertainment part of it was.....ehh...it was okay....Just that...okay. For starters lets talk about Christina Aguilera

This has been a trying couple months for Christina Aguilera. Her last album "Bionic" failed to reach the level of success that her previous albums have done, and her breakout role in last years Burlesque did little to garner much hype and the movie turned out to be a major FLOP. I really feel bad for Christina. I had really high hopes for her....and I still do, but she seems to keep making one bad move after another. Last night was definitely another bad move. The pop diva was slated to sing the "ever so cliche'" National Anthem at the opening of the Super Bowl. All seemed to be going well until she got to the second verse...the line reads "For the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming". What Christina sang sounded nothing like that. I think the only word she got right out of that line was "watched". To see the full performance, click here. What really tripped me out was right after she flubbed the line and the two players for Green Bay looked at each other like "Huh?? That aint what it says" right before they realized they were on the big screen! LOL!! I thought that was hilarious!


The night's highlight (or lowlight, for some) was the once-great-but-watered-down-because-of-Nipplegate Halftime Show. I've witnessed this show go downhill ever since someone decided to show a little "nip nip". It was once a great spectacle to see; like Michael Jackson in 1993 & Tina Turner's highly energetic 2000 performance, and also the great N*SYNC/Britney/Mary J. Blidge/Aerosmith/Nelly mash-up of 2002. However, after the disaster of 2004 the Halftime Show turned into something you actually get up and get refreshments to, not actually watch! This year the NFL decided to liven it up once again with the Black Eye Peas. The all-star group performed a string of hits from their vault. They're performance was a good one, but seemed to lack a certain rawness about it. (Like when did the BEP start doing choreography?) Even when Fergie tried to cut loose with Slash on Gun's n Roses classic hit "Sweet Child O' Mine", it just seemed too rehearsed. All in all, it was cool, I guess.

What really took me by surprise was Usher's surprise performance of "OMG". Now THAT was a performance! He should have just performed the whole thing!....Wait, nevermind, I take that back.
After his all too brief performance, the Black Eye Peas resumed the stage to deliver a few more hits. Am I the only one who noticed they didn't do "My Humps"? I guess it was too "risque" for censors. For the full Halftime Show, click here


 I can tell that the Halftime Show is slowly starting to regain its glory. Even though this show was more or less lackluster, it was still the best Halftime Show they've had in years....and that says a lot!

Whats Happening With The Grammys

     Get ready for the red carpet!! All the stars will align (in the music biz, that is) on Sunday. The 53rd annual Grammys will be held on February 13, 2010 at 8.p.m.  Leading this year's nominees is Eminem with 10 noms. Newcomer Bruno Mars falls in second with seven nominations. Pop queen Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, and Lady Antebellum all fall in third with six nominations each. There has been some controversy as to the nominees and performers. Some have been snubbed (Like Erykah Badu) and some have been kissed up to.

      Most notably is the nomination of Chris Brown. Nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album for Graffiti, this nomination comes as a surprise to me considering this album came out 3 YEARS AGO!!! I guess that whole "crybaby" bit really worked! I mean really, if they are giving them out like that then they might as well nominate Amy Winehouse too. Her album Back 2 Black and Graffiti were released the same year!

     But enough about the nominations, or lack thereof (I still believe Janelle Monae deserved more noms) lets get to the performances!!For a full list of Grammy nominations click here


     This year marks the first time for many of these artists performing at the Grammys. In classic Grammy fashion, some artists will be performing together for a once in a lifetime duet. Usher is set to hit the stage with his apprentice (or is he?) Justin Beiber and also the ever so cute Jaden Smith for one highly energetic performance. (Why do I have the feeling that little Jaden is gonna steal the show?) Another performance that I am personally eager to see is Janelle Monae, Bruno Mars, & B.O.B. These three eccentric artist are set together for a truly "artistic" performance.  Other performers include Lady Antebellum, Cee-Lo Green, Katy Perry, Miranda Lambert, Eminem, and Arcade Fire. From the looks of it, the Grammy's will be more of a giant concert than an actual awards show. For the past couple years, it has been like that. Less awards are being televised and more performances are being booked. Nonetheless, I am super excited to see what these artist will do on stage, especially the ever-so-cooky Lady Gaga. I guess we'll all be tuning in to see the madness