Music 2 My Ears

Mikey w/ his UKE

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 02:41:00 +0000

My Interview with the late Weldon McDougal III

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 04:32:00 +0000

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2010

The Scoop on Weldon McDougal III

To all the fans, brand new fans and followers of J5 Collector’s fabulous blog, I want to introduce to you a very good friend of mine over the last 10 years, Weldon Arthur McDougal III. I first had the pleasure of being introduced to Weldon through a mutual friend, Phoenix, author of the book Touched By The Jacksons. I’ll never forget that day, I was at work and the phone rang, it was my friend Phoenix. He and I spoke briefly and then he introduced me to Weldon. I was like a kid in the candy store! I couldn’t believe I was actually speaking to someone who worked with The Jackson 5! Holy Toledo! I had no idea what I should ask, what I shouldn’t ask, but whatever I did it must have made an impression on him. I do remember asking him if it was ok for me to call from time to time and he said “Yeah man, no problem." And the rest as we say is… history.

For many years, I’ve been a huge follower and supporter of J5 Collector and I thought I would show my appreciation and contribute to the best J5 blog I’ve seen thus far! I offered a suggestion to spotlight an interview with Weldon and J5 Collector was all for it!

Here goes, I hope everyone enjoys it!

How It All Started...

An Interview with Weldon McDougal III

1) What was your role at Motown?
My role at Motown was pretty spread out. When I got there there was only one other promotions man. I took care of the East Coast. The gentleman at Motown, who thought I was fabulous, was Irv Beagle. He asked me to work Boston, New York, Jersey, and Washington, D.C. It was me and a guy named Eddie Biscoe, he was a fabulous guy! He knew everything about all the artists, he lived and breathed Motown. He encouraged me. I felt the same spirit he did and we went out there and promoted records.

2) Where did you first meet The Jackson 5?
I first met the Jackson 5 at the High Chaparral; it’s a night club in Chicago. They were there to do a talent show. At the High Chaparral, whoever won the talent show would get a paid salary to work on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I was there to see who would be the winner that week. And the winner of that week was the Jackson 5. I was introduced to Joe Jackson as the Motown promotions man and he told me “Hey man we wanna be on Motown” and I said, “Man, that ain’t what I do. I promote records." I didn’t want to discourage him -- I just didn’t want to misrepresent myself with people and tell them that I could get them on Motown.

At that time, I had never gotten anyone on Motown and I never thought of it. My job was to promote records and that was hard enough. When I saw Michael and the guys, I told them that Bobby Taylor, who was a guy I hung out with, got a production deal with Motown. He could produce anybody and they [Motown] would at least listen to the records he produced. Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers were the headliner for that weekend at the High Chaparral. I told the guys "When you come in on Friday, you’ll see Bobby Taylor and he might be interested in you guys." I saw Bobby the next day and told him how good I thought they were and they were interested in being on Motown. Bobby said he would see what he could do with them and the rest is history.

3) To end all speculation, Weldon, you were the one that opened the gates getting The Jackson 5 on Motown?
That’s true.

4) How easy or challenging was it promoting their first Motown single, “I Want You Back”?
Well, part of my job was to personally introduce the artists to the disc jockeys. I came up with an idea to help push them along by doing a five city tour. I was laughed at. There was no money to send them on a five city tour, which included the guys, their father, and their road manager who was their uncle. The people didn’t accept the record at first.

Over the next couple of months in another meeting it was decided that The Jackson 5 would become Diana Ross’s protégés. She would put her name to them since she was #1 at the time. I’ll never forget we made a postcard advertisement and I’d give them out when I would promote the record. It helped a little bit, but not much. The challenge had nothing to do with The Jackson 5, it was Motown. We had Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, The Temptations, so many artists on the charts already. The average record list at a radio station was 40 records. If we had ten records, we had a little too many because there were other record companies as well. We were fortunate to have that many hits. Anytime a new artist comes in, they (radio stations) weren’t always ready to jump on them.

Now you may wonder how The Jackson 5 really made it. They really made it when they went on the Ed Sullivan Show. The day after the show, I got so many calls asking me for a copy of “I Want You Back” so the radio stations could play it. Ed Sullivan’s show had a great audience, black and white kids saw the show, and even the pop stations called me for the record.

5) Berry Gordy had a goal in making the first four Jackson 5 singles #1. How did all of that happen?
Bobby Taylor was recording them, and he recorded a lot of songs that he felt were ideal for the group. When Berry Gordy finally saw them, he decided to produce them in the way he felt they could sell records. So “I Want You Back” is the song that Berry Gordy and The Corporation came up with, along with the term “bubble gum soul." Berry was a busy guy, he worked closely with The Supremes and he would attend a lot of their gigs. So, as I mentioned, “I Want You Back” didn’t start out like a gangbuster, it trickled in there. But after The Ed Sullivan Show, the rest of it was easy to an extent because everyone was waiting for the next Jackson 5 record. So for the next 3, there it was!

6) Do you remember attending your very first Jackson 5 concert?
The first one I remember was at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Then they started doing big venues. It was a sellout house!

7) How would you describe The Jackson 5?
The Jackson 5 was a big group, the fans loved them all! I don’t believe the fans liked one more than the other. Now the teenage girls had certain ones that they wanted to marry, which made it hard for Michael and Marlon to get that type of reaction because they were so young. I’ll give you an example. When they would have guests come up to the room and speak to The Jackson 5, the guests always wanted to go in Jackie and Jermaine’s room. They would be having popcorn or whatever they were doing, nothing risqué. I remember Michael would be going down to their rooms knocking on the door trying to get in himself. He was the little brother and wasn’t hanging out with his older brothers all the time.

8) Many fans know that you have a book called The Michael Jackson Scrapbook, which contains some of the very best candid photos, how did you start taking photos of the Jackson 5?
That came about because of Michael and Tito mainly. They both bought Nikon cameras. Michael always wanted me to use his camera and take photos of whatever he was doing. We were in Cincinnati at the World Series where they sang the National Anthem and there was strict security on the field. I had Tito, Jermaine and Michael’s camera and started taking pictures of them singing. There was a guy that worked for the press that wanted buy a roll of film for $50. The first guy I ran into was Tito and I told him about the guy wanting to buy the roll of film, Tito said no problem. We split the money. Tito felt really good about making the $25 even though he was making money all the time. I’ll never forget when we were leaving Cincinnati the next day -- the front page of the newspaper had a picture of The Jackson 5 that I took. Crystal clear! It was done very well! After that, I bought my own camera and started taking my own pictures of them on the fly all the time.

9) In the early years, the Jackson 5 eventually caught the attention of mainstream publications like 16 magazine, Fave, and Tiger Beat. How did The Jackson 5 start a relationship with Right On! magazine?
I used to go out with one of the secretaries of Laufer Publications. Mr. Laufer told me he was going to start a magazine just for The Jackson 5. I didn’t believe it and next thing you know, the first issue had nothing but The Jackson 5 in it. At the time, I thought it would only be one or two issues, but it went on for many years.

10) Weldon, there is a photo of Michael wearing a very unique hat in your book The Michael Jackson Scrapbook, what’s the story behind that odd looking hat?
I was in Brazil and there was a guy that was the number 1 entertainer at the time and he dressed like a clown. I went to his show, it was wild and at times there would be watermelons thrown in the audience. So I was introduced to the guy and he said, “I hear you used to work with Michael Jackson”, I said “Yeah”. He took his hat off and said "Next time you see Michael Jackson, tell him I said hi and I want him to have this hat." Michael came to my house in Philly since he was nearby in New York. He looked at my record collection and saw the hat. I told him a guy gave it to me for you, and he tried it on and I took photos of him in the hat. When Michael left my house, he left the hat.

11) Is there any song by The Jackson 5 that is special to you?
Each song that they came out with is special to me, but I’m not a fan of which song is better than the other. I will say “Got To Be There” always rings out when I think of Michael Jackson. That record was easy to promote, they were on a roll, they became hotter than The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. People were ready for them! I remember the disc jockeys would be waiting for the next Jackson 5 record and people would be glued to the radio waiting to hear the new single.

12) Did you ever get a chance to watch the Jackson 5 recording sessions?
Yes, several of them. To be honest, I’m also a record producer; I produced “Yes I’m Ready” by Barbara Mason and if you are producing a record it’s exciting. If you are just standing around and watching it’s boring.

13) What is next for Weldon McDougal III?
On July 4th I went to London and participated in a special that will come out in August or September, called The Real Story of Michael Jackson. Most of the things we’ve discussed today are going to be in that TV special. I provided them with pictures from The Michael Jackson Scrapbook, so the fans will be able to see those photos if they don’t have the book. The guy that is doing the show is David Gest.

A funny story…David told me that he went to Michael’s house and Michael showed him The Michael Jackson Scrapbook and Michael wouldn’t let him touch it, he thumbed through the pages himself and he didn’t want anyone to mess up his book. That was exciting putting together that book and I saw the book for sale the first time at a train station coming home from New York. I still have a copy of my own book and it’s kind of beat up.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T...it ain't Aretha

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 17:08:00 +0000

Rolling Stone Does It Again…

I am a lover of music and I have no limits with regards to what I will or won’t listen to. Rolling Stone has created a list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and I’m personally disappointed yet again. When I think of the word “greatest”, it defines unbelievably great, no competition, golden, perfection and sets the standard for music.

I’m bias; I love Marvin Gaye’s music and am a huge fan of Michael Jackson’s work including Thriller and everything that came before it. Marvin and Michael were two wildly successful artists from the Motown stable that had such a huge impact on the world during the early 70’s. Although both artists achieved adoration during their careers, the material they left behind is thought provoking and everlasting.

Rolling Stone suggests that Marvin Gaye’s lp, What’s Going On ranks #6, while Michael Jackson’s Thriller ranks #20. Can you say, WITW? Short for “what in the world”! Marvin Gaye’s (WGO lp) was released into the universe into 1971 and the story behind the lp is absolutely unbelievable. Berry Gordy, the president/CEO of Motown did not want to release the album and kept it on the shelf for 1 full year before he was forced to do something. A good friend of mine whom promoted records for Motown in the early years remembers taking WGO to radio stations. No one wanted to hear it, everyone thought it was trash. One night he took the WGO 45rpm to a radio station in Philadelphia and recommended the DJ play the record. Oddly enough, overnight, the song became a hit in Philadelphia and spread like wildflower. He remembers the orders coming into the sales department for the WGO single and Berry Gordy learning a huge lesson. The WGO album is such a pivotal album for the entire country to grab on to. It contains elements of social, political and spiritual fuel. It was one of the first records in which each song transitioned into the next, which is why most DJ’s wouldn’t play it because they weren’t prepared to stop the record at the right time. WGO also is one of the first Motown lp’s which was conducted by a full orchestra. An album ahead of its time that once was ranked #4 by Rolling Stone and has now fallen to #6. How is that possible? The message is still relevant 42 years later.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller lp ranks #20. Something is terribly wrong. I can’t take anything away from The Beatles who still hold the #1 spot with their Sergeant Pepper lp, but come on Rolling Stone, MJ smashed the industry with this lp and put plenty of people back to work in the music business. Pay your respects to MJ, he changed the direction of music, video and record sales. Have you forgotten that MJ still holds the record for units sold with Thriller? Have we forgotten the Thriller video pushed the creative envelope? Have we forgotten that MTV wouldn’t play MJ’s video Billie Jean? At some point, they recognized they weren’t being fair and look at what happened, MTV’s viewership increased. Have we forgotten MJ still holds the record for Grammy’s received from the Thriller lp. I could go on…but who’s really listening?

Oh by the way...just a side note Michael's Thrill lp has no historical review from Rolling Stone like Marvin's 1971 review by Vince Aletti from 1971. Hmmmm???

Until next year…

Kanye is Back To Work

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 03:18:00 +0000

He's Baaaack....

It looks like Kanye West is ready to return to music after he’s had an extended break from the Watch The Throne Tour and becoming one with Kim Kardashian. I enjoy Kanye’s music as he has created his own sound and everyone recognizes a Kanye West sound within seconds.

Kanye is seeking help from the producer Rsonist from the production team, Heatmakerz. Going back to his soul roots will be a fresh air to the hip-hop world. For the last several months most of the hip-hop heard on the airways does not include a recognizable sample that most can remember. However, Kanye has borrowed from The Jackson 5, Steely Dan, Otis Redding and Gil Scot Heron. I respect his taste in music and it never fails, he brings a creative element to the world of sampling. In Kanye’s early music many of his samples were sped up giving a “chipmunk-like” sound, which put him on the map. For example, check out his sample of Chaka Khan’s hit “Through The Fire” and experience the millennium chipmunks.

Kanye can be considered a musical genius because he takes the time to research the music that makes hits for him. If we take a look at his 2008 release of 808’s and Heartbreak, Kanye really dug into the crates. He discovered tracks that appeal to various genres and made them work. Kanye gets help from the likes of Nina Simone, Tears for Fears, The Alan Parsons Project.

I have a lot of respect for an artist that appreciates those that came before him/her. Kanye shows versatility with his production and gives the hip-hop community a template to achieve results and respect. Looking forward to his new project, we can expect that Kanye will make his mark in hip-hop once again. If I had the pleasure of recommending one song for Kanye to sample it would be Phil Collins “In The Air”. The song brings back memories of my childhood and is wildly recognized in the African-American community.

Past, Present, & Future Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:53:00 +0000

As a future business owner, I’ve learned a lot from Daymond John and Tim Berry. My business plan has changed just as my monthly budget. It seems as the business plan changes, the more solid it becomes.

Daymond John suggests that we need to learn everything we can about the business in order to plan properly. I intend to focus my attention on the business of operating a charter school. I’d like to incorporate a team of research analysts that will scrub the Internet for current trends and hot topics within the charter school industry. This will allow UARA to not only stay in synch with the industry, but also stay ahead of the competition.

Tim Berry suggests that cash flow projections are important for a business plan. I intend to put a balanced focus on cash coming in as well as cash going out of the business. I would like to implement a financial task force team within UARA that studies the cash flow movement and how to reinvest monies back into UARA. This will allow UARA a window seat view to the cycle of its money.

The most important sections of my plan are the overview of the company, the financials and the market strategy. The overview of UARA will provide an investor with our vision and goals. Our hope is to express the need of the charter school with much conviction that they’ll be captivated from the beginning. The financials are going to show each investor that we’re prepared to spend the necessary dollars in order to obtain a return on our investment. The marketing component will demonstrate that we’ve done the research and are preparing to corner the market in print, social media and technology. We will highlight the use of social media in order to entice the parents of our student pool. All three components are equally important, but most of all it comes down to the people executing the business plan.

Keep your fingers crossed…

Before Hand...Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 04:43:00 +0000

Daymond John

Daymond John, an entrepreneur within the fashion industry, young and intelligent has a lot to be thankful for. Daymond is the founder of the world famous FUBU (For Us By Us) clothing line. He grew up in Queens, NY and was inspired by fashion from a music video in which someone was wearing a tie-top hat. Because he was unable to find a tie-top hat for a reasonable price, he began to make his own and the genius within was born.

As anyone would imagine, Daymond believes in planning and preparation. Daymond suggests that doing YOUR homework is critical and taking the time to know everything you possibly can about the business is extremely important. Daymond leans on the idea of having a good business plan being key. Several components are necessary for a business plan; market analysis, balance sheet, and description of the business, product and service. Why? A good business plan provides the roadmap of what’s being created and gives others a window seat view into your creation.
As a future business owner, I'd like to pattern myself after Daymond's methodical approach to business planning and his confidence in knowing how to generate revenue by retaining customers.

http://daymondjohn.com/power_journal/carving-out-a-niche/

http://www.fastcompany.com/3000618/fubu-founder-daymond-johns-advice-launching-multi-million-dollar-businesses

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2011/04/07/fubu-daymond-john/

Tim Berry

Tim Berry is an entrepreneur, president of Palo Alto Software and founder of bplans.com. Tim reads and reviews close to 50 business plans per year and participates as a judge in business plan competitions. Tim is very active and finds time to perform a SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) workshop quarterly on business planning.

Tim’s approach to a business plan is realistic and relies heavily on the numbers. He suggests that cash flow projections are important for your business plan. Why? The projection allows not only you, but also your investors to track the planned financial progress versus the actual. Although the cash flow projection is an educated guess it ultimately provides an investor with insight as to how good or bad their ROI will be.
I agree that cash flow is important and knowing where your money is coming from and going to will ultimately determine the success. Tim is definitely someone I would enjoy learning how to come as close to perfect with projections, even if it may be short a few pennies.

http://timberry.com

http://www.paloalto.com/about-us/leadership/tim_berry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PUBulGR42o

Suit & Tie…J.T. meets Jay-Z

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Suit & Tie…J.T. meets Jay-Z

Justin Timberlake has proven himself to be relevant and although he’s been away from music for quite some time, he knows how to slip back in as if he hasn’t been gone. We all remember Justin when he was with N’Sync and enjoyed their high-energy act, dance moves, and their ability to make a few R&B like tracks. I can tell Justin knows the formula of bouncing back into relevancy.

The new song “Suit & Tie” is a nice bouncing track, mellow, r&b horn section with a twist of Jay-Z. In my opinion the song is a good intro to the forthcoming album “The 20/20 Experience” and currently is # 4 on the Billboard charts in less than two weeks. Can you say, FIRE! The track is definitely on pace to get to the #1 position to knock out “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

Being the talk of the industry is nothing new to Justin and it’s well deserved. He’s clean cut, recently married to a well know actress, Jennifer Biel and has plenty of platinum recordings to line a long corridor. People are talking about Justin’s video for “Suit & Tie”, which is a black and white video dressed for success. It’s easy to see the influence in Justin’s style, the white socks, Michael Jackson, although say may argue Elvis. He emotes a few “awws” within the song, which suggest Marvin Gaye to those who know Marvin’s music. A couple of surprises for the die-hard fans, there’s no dancing and no Jay-Z. The video doesn’t call for an appearance by Jay-Z, but hasn’t Jay-Z made the suit and tie a staple in hip-hop long before Justin’s song. Hmmm..Empire State of Mind comes to mind and that was in 2009. No big deal, Justin knows the dressed up look is an eye catcher. Nevertheless Justin’s people want us to remember his biggest influence, Michael Jackson that’s evident by the numerous camera shots at his white socks and shiny black shoes. It’s all good Justin, keep doin’ your thing.

Respectfully,

ADW

References:

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/24/justin-timberlake-cleans-up-in-suit-tie-video/

http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100

http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/justin-timberlake-didnt-tell-n-sync-about-his-new-solo-album-lance-bass-reveals-2013241

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/suit-and-tie-lyric-video-justin-timberlake_n_2544152.html

Unsung or just Overshadowed?

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 20:50:00 +0000

Unsung…or just Overshadowed?

I suppose anyone who knows me will define me as an “old soul”. I tend to gravitate to the oldies but goodies when it comes to music and for good reason. As a lover of music, there must be an initial connection with the lyrics, the artist and the music. When all three are combined, the outcome is pure satisfaction and sometimes therapeutic.

Over the last few years, I’ve been most engaged in learning more about my favorite artists. For the students of music, we have books to read, Internet research and YouTube to help document the paths of music pioneers. TV One, a cable TV channel has ignited the flame to learning more about artist’s that have blazed the trails in R&B and Hip-Hop. The idea that someone actually felt compelled enough to re-introduce artists to the next generation in a documentary format is quite genius to say the least. The program is simply title Unsung and will definitely generate dialogue and debate amongst friends and family about those artists featured in the hour-long episode.

Here’s a list of some of the artists that have been featured over the last few seasons:

· DeBarge – (discovered by Jermaine Jackson of The Jackson 5)

· Teena Marie – (Rick James protégé)

· David Ruffin – (ex-lead singer of The Temptations)

· The O’Jays – (spearheaded The Sound of Philadelphia)

· The Fat Boys – (raps first overweight artists that mad plenty of money being overweight)

· Sly & The Family Stone (R&B’s soul, funk and rock influenced phenomena)

The upcoming season (January 23, 2013) is sure to be a success by leading off with Eddie Kendricks, the co-founder of the world’s most famous group, The Temptations. Most people when they think of The Temptations, may think of David Ruffin, the husky soul voice that sang lead on “My Girl”, however Eddie has plenty lead songs during their successful run of hits, but he’s overshadowed by the tune we can’t forget, “My Girl”. Although I know a lot about Eddie and The Temptations as a group, I’m eager to hear the stories that will be shared for his episode. Typically the documentary is inspiring and may even make you shed a tear, but most of all it’s a great learning tool for new fans, old fans and anyone that loves old school music.

Signed…

Unsung

References:

http://tvone.tv/shows/unsung/inside-the-show.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzTQGs9jnbs

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/tv-one-renews-award-winning-docu-series-unsung-for-a-sixth-season

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/07/obituaries/eddie-kendricks-52-sang-with-the-temptations.html

Drifting on the Ocean...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 21:53:00 +0000

Drifting on the Ocean…

The music industry has always been nothing short of eclectic. From the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Janis Joplin, Madonna, and Michael Jackson, nothing short of talented they are, however they’ve carved out interesting legacies. With that being said, they’ve all received adoration from the public and deservingly so. However, they’ve all encountered some controversy in their careers, some more memorable than others.

Frank Ocean, a new artist to the industry has been recognized not only for his latest CD, Channel Orange, but his “coming out” as well. The music industry is no stranger to artists’ sexuality being questioned or a hot topic. Why does it matter? To some, the media particularly, it helps them keep their jobs and fill space on their websites. While to others, it’s “no big deal”, it’s the music at the end of the day, not who an artist chooses to be in a relationship with. Frank Ocean has been open about his love for a man and has not felt the backlash from his admittance. Instead, Frank Ocean has been embraced by the public and made a huge impact in the gay community for “coming out”. MTVu, has made 2012 an even more fantastic year for Frank by naming him the “2012 Man of The Year”. Was it his music, his openness about his sexuality or both? The question still remains…

In my opinion, an artists’ s sexual preference is the least of my concern. I’m a lover of music and that’s the only thing that should matter when it comes to who’s who in the music business. Does Frank Ocean, inspire, motivate and sing with conviction. Apparently so, the Grammy’s have recognized the craftsmanship of Frank, he’s being nominated for 6 Grammy’s. So, let the music speak for itself, anything personal that an artist chooses to reveal, only provides us with a glimpse into their personal life and should be used to fill in space to replace “real news”.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1698485/frank-ocean-mtvu-man-of-the-year.jhtml

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/music_nightlife/Fun-and-Frank-Ocean-lead-Grammy-nominees.html

Getting Into Trouble

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 20:20:00 +0000

Getting into Trouble…

Everyone knows that I enjoy the classics and there’s a very good reason. Hip-O Select! Hip-O Select is an online reissue retailer (Universal Music Group affiliated) that brings some of the world’s greatest music that has never been on CD until now. They also release projects that encompass special treatments such as unedited songs, original mixes, which are considered deluxe edition projects.

Over the last 10 years we’ve been granted a multitude of blessings from the Motown label. The Temptations Live In Japan, The Jackson 5 Live in Japan, The Supremes Live in Japan and so much more. If you’ve never heard these gems before, they are worth the investment.

Just recently, Hip-O Select dug into the crates and pulled out a winner! Marvin Gaye has received multiple reissues and special treatments, however this one happens to be the epitome of “a genius at work”…”Trouble Man”. Trouble Man is the soundtrack from the 1972 black exploitation film. Marvin Gaye has called this project his best work and indeed it’s a masterpiece. Most Marvin Gaye fans will find Trouble Man quite different from Marvin’s previous release, the epic “What’s Going On”, however one must appreciate the creative genius of an artist. The original release of Trouble Man contains the title track, which is the only full-length song on the album; all other tracks are instrumental or contain a very short line sung by Gaye. The suite contains a very jazzy, dramatic, climatic set of grooves that mirror the movie from beginning to end.

The industry has taken notice to Hip-O efforts, as they have been the recipients of several awards for their reissue projects. I enjoy the fact that the industry can recognize reissued material and the music continues to remain relevant today. As a future owner of a music label, I am more inclined to dig into the vaults and reinterpret the classics knowing the industry embraces an oldie but goodie. My hope is that my label can be recognized as an industry leader in making great remakes.

http://www.hip-oselect.com/default.asp

http://www.spincds.com/blog/2012/12/05/marvin-gaye-trouble-man-40th-anniversary-2cd-expanded-edition/

http://www.soulbounce.com/soul/2012/11/discovering_marvin_gayes_trouble_man_at_40_is_no_trouble_at_all.php

Hello, it's S.M.E. (Subject Matter Expert)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 01:25:00 +0000

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cipil-intellectual-property/id480111387

The state of copyright is currently at war; it’s laborious and will take a special person and piece of technology to completely protect the sanctity of copyright. Technology is the driving resource being used to protect copyright. We have to look at the history of technology and its impact. The compact disc replaced vinyl and cassettes, which provided an upgraded quality in sound and durability. However the CD could be duplicated over and over again. Move over compact disc, here comes Digital Rights Manager (DRM); another piece of technology that attempts to protect copyright work. A disc would be encrypted with copyright work and the consumer to unlock the music content would purchase a key. In essence the consumer would agree to pay a certain price for each time the music content was played. Fingerprinting and watermarking were ideas that would extract features from music files and a unique code would be provided. The problem starts with databases being large enough and equipped with the capability to know who owns what. With respects to the Uppermost Academy for the Recording Arts, the intent for sound recordings would be to copyright each body of work and control the number of music/media outlets that would have access to our music. By controlling the outlets we hope to minimize the risk of infringement.

Trademark Use and the Problem of Source in Trademark Law

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/intellectual-property-scholars/id388886965

Causing confusion and what’s the truth? Consumers are the catalyst for deciding the source of trademark use. Consumers can define if there’s a relationship between entities. For example, the company 7-Eleven Inc. paid the Chicago Whitesox to advertise their home games to start at 7:11PM. This is a sponsorship relationship and most consumers may not put the two together. With respects to UARA, the name of the school and the title of the Jackson 5’s song “Uppermost” may or may not be definitively connected by consumers. Partly because the song wasn’t a hit and the track comes from an album that wasn’t successful. On the other hand, it may compel consumers to connect the two. If so, great for the business!

Panel Discussion: Easterbrook on Contracts and Copyright

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/university-chicago-law-school/id263294054

Pre-contractual investments? Well it sounds good, however are we setting ourselves up for “non-serious” parties? Perhaps, however the pre-contractual agreement does allow interested parties to bail out at any moment before an actual contract is implemented. I really like the idea of a pre-contractual agreement because it allows dialogue to take place and the opportunity to identify the needs of all parties involved. The risk for UARA is our intent to working with students just graduating from high school. We don’t anticipate they will have the best representation during a pre-contractual agreement discussion, however our intent is to be fair and hope that we’ve done our due diligence with providing students with the knowledge needed to come to the table for pre-contractual discussions.

Resources:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cipil-intellectual-property/id480111387

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/intellectual-property-scholars/id388886965

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/university-chicago-law-school/id263294054

For The Love of Money...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 01:53:00 +0000

Where’s My Money?

There is a buzz in the music industry when it comes to downloaded music and the artists of the music being downloaded are attempting to collect monies they feel are due. In a recent lawsuit brought about by the late 70’s R&B group Sister Sledge, the family act claims Warner Music Group is miscalculating their royalties. According to several lawsuits of the same nature, the record labels supplied contracts in which the artists would be granted royalties for record “sales” and “licensing” of their music. Although the licensing percentage tends to be higher than the royalty “sales” percentage, it’s still a considerable stream of income based on the artist.

Watch What You Say and Read!

The film industry is no stranger to legal battles as well. The most current lawsuit involves last year’s movie, “Midnight in Paris” and a line taken from William Faulkner’s book, “Requiem For A Nun”. Owen Wilson, the well-known actor and sidekick to Ben Stiller, plays the main character in the movie. The passage from Faulkner’s book that is allegedly used without permission reads, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”

A Material Girl…You Certainly Are

Madonna is still relevant and we’re still writing about her regardless, good or bad. On her current tour, Madonna happens to use a photo of Marlon Brandon during one of her sets. According to the article, she hasn’t been provided with full permission to do so. In this case, Madonna walks a fine line of using an image that has yet to have the commitment of Brando’s people.

The entertainment industry is a feeding ground for lawyers and opportunists. With respects to the Sister Sledge lawsuit, I’m in full support of the artist getting the money that they deserve. Why are the record companies sweeping royalties due under the rug? Perhaps the labels enjoy flexing their power and await an abundance of lawsuits that will take a long amount of time before a decision can be reached. My recommendation, each artist should be allowed one fully granulated audit each year they are active with their label. This type of control will help close the “fees due” gap.

The film industry will continue to have its share of legal woes as well. I’m not much of a movie fan, however in my opinion it would appear to be very easy to pin point wrong doings when it comes to music being used in motion pictures, but rather difficult when it comes to lines being lifted from books. Why not have scripts submitted to a platform like “turnitin.com” to help identify plagiarism?

Live performances are the bread and butter for most artists. In their mind, they want to give the best show possible by any means necessary. It takes time to develop a stage show and during the rehearsals creativity comes into play. It’s a show, a spectacle, and hopefully memorable. I believe Madonna was in the wrong and should pay up. I also believe she’s very wealthy and a lawsuit like this doesn’t make her think twice at all. If she doesn’t have a legal aid traveling with her, it may be a good idea to start.

References

http://www.jjllplaw.com/2012/02/24/sister-sledge-files-class-action-against-warner-music-over-digital-royalties/

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/midnight-paris-lawsuit-william-faulkner-rights-holder-sues-sony-over-book-reference-62261

http://www.thewrap.com/music/article/madonna-sued-flashing-marlon-brando-concert-61486

Who's BAD? 25 years later...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Who’s Bad?

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a huge follower of Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5. I prefer the Motown days, however I still keep my ear to the street, post-Motown. Since Michael’s passing, Sony and Motown have released 10 albums each, special editions and unreleased material. I definitely see the competitive cycle continuing until they run out of music. Who’ll win? Who’s bad? The question still remains…

Sony has taken the liberty to re-package and re-release Michael Jackson’s BAD 25 LP as of September 18, 2012 to commemorate its 25^th anniversary. August 31, 1987 was a day I’ll never forget; it was my birthday and MJ’s new album dropped, BAD. My dad walked in and gave it to me; I looked at the cover and was a bit shocked at MJ’s appearance, the shock lasted no more than thirty seconds, I needed to hear the music. We already saw the premier of BAD, the video, which I liked, however the song wasn’t something I was compelled to sing. After spending a little less than an hour listening to the album, I wasn’t too impressed, I liked it, but it didn’t compare to Thriller, MJ’s juggernaut! Nevertheless, it remains a classic and a multi-platinum seller.

So, what do we have to look forward to behind the BAD 25 release? Well, a 4 disc deluxe edition, which includes the original album, a disc of unreleased material, a live recording of MJ’s concert at Wembley Stadium in 1988 and finally a live DVD of his concert at Wimbley Stadium in 1988, a huge bonus for fans! To top it all off, legendary film director, Spike Lee has prepared a documentary celebrating 25 years of the release of the BAD lp. Spike has been granted access to unreleased footage and will let us into MJ’s world during that time. The documentary is scheduled to air Thanksgiving Day and I can’t wait. I wonder if we’ll be able to answer the question, “who’s bad”...

References

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/darren-hayes/michael-jackson-bad-25th-anniversary_b_1870161.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/2012/10/11/spike-lees-bad25-film-gets-limited-theater-release/1627383/

The Jackson 5's Musical Pearls

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 20:54:00 +0000

I’m such a fanatic of old school music and it’s amazing how it continues to be relevant in the music industry today. As a child, I grew up listening to The O’Jays, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix as well as Peter Frampton. A variety of music I was blessed to hear, but none other than The Jackson 5 gave me the passion that I have for music.

The Jackson 5 delivered the world a potent shot of musical bliss in 1969 with their first hit single, “I Want You Back”. Following the huge success of “I Want You Back”, The Jackson 5, along with the help of The Corporation (Berry Gordy’s team of writers/producers) ran off a string of 4 consecutive number one hits. While unprecedented at the time, Motown had its hands full with this fabulous new kid act from Gary, Indiana.

Although the Jackson 5 hasn’t recorded any music under that name since 1975, Universal Music Group has now begun to release hidden treasures of the pint sized group since the death of Michael Jackson. To most of the world, the releases have never been heard before, however to the J5 collector’s, we’ve heard quite a bit before the public.

September 18^th, 2012 marks the official release date of The Jackson 5’s Come And Get It: The Rare Pearls. The new release is centered on the boy’s tenure at Motown during 1969-1975. One can only imagine the amount of material they recorded after their run of hit songs during 1970. Some of the releases highlights include a rendition of Traffic’s classic, “Feelin’ Alright”, “You Can’t Hurry Love”, by The Supremes and Three Dog Nights, “Mama Told Me Not To Come”. With the variety of music on this release, it’s clear that The Jackson 5 could cover anyone. Now that they are seeing the light of day, new fans are sure to come.

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT586E9OUfg

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-corporation-mn0001344074

http://www.jackson5.com/

http://www.hip-oselect.com/scr.public.product.asp?product_id=29613DF2-67B3-48AD-9D87-2CE3A8B0763F

"Moving Forward" with Negotiations

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:25:00 +0000

Akili Mobley is a coach; speaker and radio personality with an Arizona based talk show, entitled “Moving Forward”. For the last 20 years, Akili has worked extensively in radio broadcasting, radio programming, education and training. Akili has set out to help people live their life by “design” instead of the superficial standards set by others. Though she’s had the opportunity to utilize television and the Internet, she has found a great deal of love and success by using radio as her vehicle to success.

On September 2, 2012 I was invited to Akili’s radio station to speak with her about the art of negotiation, its process and her daily experience using negotiation. I was able to uncover a great deal of knowledge, wisdom and honesty during our interview. Ultimately, Akili has a passion for helping others and negotiation is all about being in tune with the “needs” of others.

Question # 1: How does coaching allow you to separate people from the problem when negotiating? “When a client comes to me, it’s my goal to assess how much coaching they’ll need and create a development plan. At times, it’s difficult to get people to understand their own worth and value in order to help them separate themselves from their own problems. Negotiation begins in the first session, helping them realize that their life can be changed by their mindset. The goal is to open my clients up to being reprogrammed, however many are resistant”.

Question # 2: How do you use objective criteria when negotiating? “Before I take on a new client, I want to make sure that the relationship is going to be mutually beneficial. I’ve developed a questionnaire designed to assess their level of readiness for coaching. If my prospective client does not score high enough on the assessment, I will assign to them reading material to be completed before performing a second assessment. If a client shows readiness for coaching, there is a standard coaching contract that covers any issues that may present themselves during the coach/client relationship. There are a few things in the contract that are negotiable, however I am open to client suggestions”.

Question # 3: How would you handle a client attempting to use dirty tricks? “In a coach/client relationship, dirty tricks are not tolerated and the relationship is in danger of being severed. However, as a radio personality, I am responsible for finding my own sponsors. When discussing the advertising contract, a few organizations have attempted to use dirty tricks. My first instinct in handling an individual or organization using a dirty trick is not to call them out, instead I will ask a clarifying question to make sure I can regain control of the conversation. Secondly, I will continue ask questions in order to get to the confirmed need. My goal is to disarm them, let them know my services are beneficial for them and ultimately I’ve created a win-win”.

A Beautiful Bird Has Flown Away...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:53:00 +0000

Unfortunately we have loss another cornerstone in the entertainment industry, Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston passed away February 11, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. For many fans, we were left in shock and for some close to her; it was just a matter of time. The latest reports suggest that Houston died at the hands of prescription drugs and alcohol while in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Whitney Houston’s professional career can be traced back to 1984 when she performed a duet with Jermaine Jackson for his 1984 release, Dynamite.
Whitney Houston became an overnight success with her first release, “Saving All My Love For You” in 1985. She was discovered by Clive Davis and followed his roadmap to stardom to perfection.

I can remember Whitney Houston as a bubbly, attractive, and sassy woman. In my opinion, she was the female voice of the 80’s/90’s; she was my generation’s Aretha Franklin. Whitney would light up the stage whenever I would see her on television or in her music videos and she appeared to be flawless. I remember hearing the news of her marrying Bobby Brown, the “rude boy” formerly of the kid group, New Edition. My heart was broken, as if I had a shot at marrying Whitney, but I definitely felt, this was a bad move on her part. They just didn’t look good together, however I quickly was over it.

As the years rolled by and Whitney reached higher heights in her career, stories began to surface of her being caught with marijuana and Bobby Brown being arrested. Sure enough, I was right, this relationship was turning down the wrong road. Whitney began to appear in court with her husband Bobby Brown and she appeared disheveled and erratic in most cases.

The night before Whitney’s passing, employees and partygoers witnessed Whitney behaving in a peculiar fashion, reminiscent of her days in court with Bobby or just as she behaved on her reality show with Bobby, strange. I feel the world’s sorrow and pain for the loss and she truly was amazing.

Whitney, we miss you and your music will live forever…

Resources:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/story/2012-02-18/whitney-houston-funeral-new-jersey/53140578/1

http://www.etonline.com/news/119193_Whitney_Houston_Buried/index.html

Soul Train still lives on...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:10:00 +0000

On Saturday, February 4th, New York City was alive and kicking once again to celebrate the life of Don Cornelius, the man who created Soul Train. Soul Train was a household name and Chicago based television program, premiering in 1971. The first guests to grace the Soul Train stage were, Eddie Kendricks, Gladys Knight and The Pips and The Honey Cones. Soul Train captured the latest fashions, dances and had all the hip artists. While some will compare Soul Train to American Bandstand, in my opinion, there was no comparison. I can remember Soul Train coming on television every Saturday morning in Ohio and seeing the various African American commercials for the first time whether hair care products, alcoholic beverage ads, and McDonald’s ads featuring African American children.

New York City paid homage to Don Cornelius in great fashion. If you aren’t there, you missed a traditional Soul Train line that everyone in the African American community uses at family gatherings. Take a look. Soul Train Line . The Soul Train line was a climatic event and as a child, we couldn’t wait to see what the dancers were going to do and what they were going to wear.

As the entertainment business continues to evolve, I hope that we can take a page from Don Cornelius and his vision. He saw a market untapped and brought it to television. We no longer have Soul Train or American Bandstand in which the hottest artists were given access to the world of television to promote their music. With the advances being made in technology, it’s almost a wonder that we even need a television any longer. I believe the entertainment industry is still missing the boat on television programs that promote dancing, fashion, artists promoting their latest music and the fun of it all. When we think about it, doesn’t dancing, music, fashion and television go hand in hand?

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTzsOLUggDk

http://www.tv.com/shows/soul-train/gladys-knight-and-the-pips-eddie-kendricks-the-honey-cone-bobby-hutton-110061/

http://news.yahoo.com/soul-train-fans-bop-broadway-cornelius-fete-231723848.html

How Generous Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:15:00 +0000

http://www.ted.com/talks/sasha_dichter.html

How generous are we? The question can only be answered by each of us individually and it may not be as easy as we may think. We live our lives with every intent of being good citizens and great role models, but the reality is that many of us fall short of being the best we can be, learning more and sharing more. I’m taking it upon myself to become more generous than ever.

In Sasha Dichter’s video, The Generosity Experiment, he provides an inspiring experiment in which he says, “yes” to every request for help. Sasha’s goal was to learn how to stop saying “no”. He makes a great example of how many times we say “no” in our lives. Do we ever take notice to the amount of “no’s” adding up over time? After adding up all of the times we’ve said “no”, we now become people conditioned to say “no” more times than not with most things. Sasha inspires the audience to say “yes” with compassion and commitment. He concentrates his efforts on the poor and provides examples that can connect with everyone. He speaks of taking risks that most people won’t take. We’ve all heard someone make a comment about “taking the road of least resistance”, well Sasha commands the audience to take risks by asking the tough questions, being tough in business yet coupling our toughness with generosity.

Sasha’s speech, means a great deal to me because I don’t believe I’ve been the most generous I could’ve been in many events throughout my life. I believe being generous can be contagious which is why I’m committing to becoming more generous. Over the years, I’ve been asked to give of my time, energy, and money and have found every excuse not to. It was easy to do, I found myself traveling the path of least resistance. Wouldn’t be phenomenal if we ALL gave just a little bit more, time, energy and money to those that need it?

NAMM

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:26:00 +0000

NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)

NAMM is a non-profit trade association that provides industry trade shows, displaying the newest musical products, recording technology, sound and lighting. NAMM was founded in 1901 and it’s been the driving force of music products, supporting both small and large businesses efforts in cutting costs in order to do business. The overall objective of NAMM is to educate and expand the possibilities of making music.

The music industry needs NAMM as the sound of music, the necessary tools needed to make and/or produce music constantly changes. Think about where we’ve come from and where we’re going in terms of the sound of music. During the 70’s, I can remember the synthesizer being used in music, 30 years later; we’re using a more improved Vocoder, which electronically transforms sounds. Taking a look back as early as the late 1800’s provides clear evidence of the changes.

The chronology provided by Taintor suggests that the first recording of human sound made by Thomas Edison with a telegraph device. Oddly enough, the discovery was by accident and Edison was using indented tin foil underneath a telegraph stylus. The gramophone is introduced in 1888 as the newest recording device, which holds up to 2 minutes of recorded sound. Throughout the 1900’s changes occurred rapidly with the disc and cylinder providing more clear recordings. In addition to that, developments in disc technology bring along the 78rpm. By 1948, the 33 1/3 rpm is brought to the market. With these changes, recording sound/music is becoming a bit easier since the beginning. In 1964, the cassette tape makes its way to the market and now we are able to put the reel to reel behind us with a more convenient portable tool. From cassettes to 8 tracks, compact disc and mp3’s the sound of music has been reinvented on several occasions.

NAMM has seen the multiple changes and are able to provide the foundation for the industry to improve what we hear and how we hear it. NAMM will continue to pioneer the industry in bringing new ideas and creativity.

References:

http://www.namm.org/about?page=4#tabs-boardmember-right-3 Retrieved January 8, 2012

Taintor, C. (2004). Chronology: Technology and the Music Industry. Retrieved January 8, 2012 from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/music/inside/cron.html

PEST Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:42:00 +0000

Seasons Greetings/It's Never Too Late

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:08:00 +0000

Season’s Greetings

As we approach the holidays, we can expect that the holiday music will be in abundance. I can remember growing up as a kid, listening to the same Jackson 5 Christmas CD each year, until I discovered Motown’s compilation Christmas CD which included several of its major artists all jammed packed in a 4 disc set. I couldn’t wait to hear the different artists cover some of my favorite tracks. Over the years, we’ve seen Motown repackage their holiday music and often times, include a bonus track. Although it’s been two years since a new Motown release, the latest Motown holiday 2 CD set contains special holiday greetings from various artists.

As we know, over the last decade, the music industry continues to struggle with revenue, we can bank on the fact that Christmas music helps increase sales every year. As a consumer, we have a wide variety to choose from, whether Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw, to Elvis and Bing. I personally love all holiday music as it provides that sentimental feeling of joy and comfort. I believe the music is arranged with a captivating touch that always pulls you in from the very beginning of the song. My all-time favorite as always has been “The Little Drummer Boy”.

The trend in releasing holiday music couldn’t be more planned than a regular non-seasonal release. I would assume as we approach the holidays, record executives have already decided what is going to be released, when it’s going to be released and which artists’ music will be released. According to The Tennessean, “Since, 2007, while album sales have declined overall each year, holiday album sales have grown to be among the season’s best-selling items”. In addition to assisting holiday album sales, many radio stations have switched their format to holiday music 24/7.

I wonder what would happen if record labels started releasing music with themes in preparation for (i.e. Spring Break, the last day of school, filing taxes, election day, etc.)

Wadhwani, A (2011) Retrieved on Sunday, December 11, 2011 from http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111211/BUSINESS06/312110021/2047/BUSINESS

It’s Never Too Late

As we listen to evolving music and catch the wave of what’s new, it’s interesting to know that the popularity of R&B music is being filtered into hip-hop radio stations that want to evolve with the changing industry. I can remember when hip-hop first came on the scene and the radio stations played one record, Sugarhill Gang’s “Rappers Delight”. As a young boy, to hear this new sound during a time when soul music rode the wave of the disco era and out of disco, rap was birthed. It was quite odd to hear your favorite soul record and the next song was a rap record with an infectious beat and lyrically funny.

Today, we have an eclectic vibe going on in the music industry. Many artists are crossing over into the Pop genre to stay relevant and pop artists are enjoying this! As mentioned in the Valley News Dispatch, “A lot of today's urban music crosses over to other formats, especially Top 40 and even adult contemporary," says Tim Martz, CEO of Martz Communications Group, which owns WAMO. I believe that the crossover is a good way to market an artist, show his/her diversified talent and a great way for the record labels to keep the money rolling. I wonder if we’ll ever see hip-hop artist cross heavily into country music?

Overall, the music industry will continue to evolve as long as we have artists and labels willing to push the envelope. We know the bottom line for an artist is to sell as many records as they can. We can say that hip-hop and R&B have become quite the team when helping each other reach new heights. Radio stations and record labels have a responsibility for one another in order to continue surviving during the ebb and flow in the industry.

Rutkoski, R (2011) Retrieved on Sunday, December 11, 2011 from href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/music/s_771321.html">

2011 Industry Current Event/Trend

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:27:00 +0000

A Night At the AMA’s

The music industry has a duty to deliver music and entertainment on a consistent basis to its customers, the public. Throughout the course of a year, we are subject to new releases by our favorite artists, concert spectacles and award shows.

On November 20, 2011, the music industry delivered a powerful punch with the annual American Music Award show. Although we aren’t experiencing the award show hype like in the days of Michael Jackson, the show is nevertheless, a huge platform for all artists involved.

The show opened with a performance from hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj, however I believe the music was literally buried within the outfit she wore. Nicki decided to become a 21st century human amplifier. Minaj sported a “speaker themed outfit” which displayed speakers and knobs in the most obvious of places.

Jennifer Lopez, has been easy on the eyes for quite some time, however on that night, she shows off a jaw dropping costume, flesh tone! Jennifer has a leg up on Minaj, one could only wonder if the outfit was to jump start her career or let Minaj know who owns the “eye catching” outfits. Did I mention she performed with a vehicle on stage? If you’re not aware of the criticism she has received since performing on the AMA’s, check out her new commercial promoting Fiat.

The two highly anticipate portions of the show belong to Taylor Swift and LMFAO. Taylor Swift took home the Artist of The Year award and LMFAO performed the finale wearing smiley faces on their boxer briefs.

We may not purposely equate customer satisfaction to an award show, however if we believe customer satisfaction as delivering the expectation of a spectacular show to those in the audience and those at home in front of their televisions, the American Music Awards did just that.

Chaney, J (2011) Retrieved on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/celebritology/post/american-music-awards-2011-taylor-swift-jennifer-lopez-and-more-weird-celebrity-moments/2011/11/21/gIQA1ub1gN_blog.html?wprss=celebritology

A Trend in need???

A trend can be described as a tendency, showing movement in a certain direction. The music industry has developed trends and followed trends throughout the years.

Growing up, I can remember Michael Jackson setting the trend when it came to music videos. Michael’s videos were thought provoking, told stories and pushed the creative envelope. Although MJ was under the Sony umbrella, there were certain parts of MJ’s career outside of releases that weren’t captured by Sony.

A new trend that has potential to attract 20% of the artists that are making 80% of the revenue for the record labels is a 360-degree deal. A 360-degree deal can be viewed as a “partnership/team”. The idea behind a 360-degree deal is that the record company becomes responsible for a band’s management, publishing, live touring and merchandising. In my opinion, this is a high level example of ultimate control over the artist with a twist, a higher level of responsibility on the label’s part and the artist. The label must deliver on their commitment to touring, merchandising, new studio albums, amongst other deliverables, while the artist is contractually bound to their deliverables as well.

An artist that we have watched grow over the last 20 decades has entered into a 360-degree deal, Madonna. Madonna’s 10-year deal gives Live Nation the responsibility of continuing to maximize Madonna’s profitability.

Billboard.com states: “The 10-year deal encompasses all of Madonna's future music and music-related businesses, including the exploitation of the Madonna brand, new studio albums, touring, merchandising, fan clubs/Web sites, DVDs, music-related television and film projects and associated sponsorship agreements. This model will address all of Madonna's music ventures as a total entity for the first time in her career.”

Without a doubt, Madonna is an iconic figure in the music business, which leaves me pondering the thought of whether Michael Jackson would have entered into such a new deal or trend amongst the record labels. While I do believe some of the pressure will be taken off of the artist, however it seems as if the artist and the label are now equally responsible.

Due to the trend, what will happen in the court of law if one party doesn’t hold up their end of the deal?

N.A. (N/A). Retrieved on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 from http://www.thebiz.com.au/trends-in-music-industry.htm

N.A. (N/A). Retrieved on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 from http://www.billboard.com/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003658914#/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003658914

Standing The Test of Time

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:02:00 +0000

In the near future, I want to own a record label that withstands the test of time. As long as I can remember, Motown music has played a huge part in my life and it’s hard to believe the music has been around for more than 50 years.
Motown music has touched the lives of many people and has influenced current artists of our day. In today’s R&B music, we hear the influence of Motown, whether it’s the backbeat of the drums, the continuous shake of a tambourine or simply the handclap. A select few artists or groups come to mind when I think of Motown, Destiny’s Child, John Legend, Maxwell, and Raphael Saadiq. These artists are relevant because they have staying power and music that will last forever. Destiny’s Child is reminiscent of Diana Ross and The Supremes, while in recent day; we haven’t had a male group that mirrors the greatness of The Temptations.
I believe Motown’s impact can be contributed to its writers, the singers and the musicians. The singers carried as much weight as the writers and musicians because they had to interpret the lyrics and bring them to life. One must remember that most of Motown’s artists in the early days were just coming out of high school and were singing a song they had never experienced, that takes talent.
My ideal record company would mirror the impact of Motown, however my artists would have more creative control and freedom to write and produce their own music. It was very evident during the heyday of Motown that once an artist was given full creative control, their music became more mature and are still classics today. Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson were very vocal in needing that opportunity to create their own music, unfortunately for Berry Gordy, Motown’s founder, Michael Jackson had to leave Motown in order to create his own music and as a result, he became the greatest entertainer the world has ever seen.

http://www.caller.com/news/2011/oct/21/motown-strikes-gold-all-over-again/

http://www.musicradar.com/news/bass/bass-legends-motown-session-giant-james-jamerson-508816

Added Bonus: My personal interview with the late Weldon A. McDougal III (Motown promotions and professional photographer)

http://j5collector.blogspot.com/search/label/Weldon%20McDougal

Music 2 My Ears welcomes you!

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:36:00 +0000

Welcome everyone, to my new blog, Music 2 My Ears! Music 2 My Ears is dedicated to the early days of Motown's music and the team of individuals that made it happen! Enjoy...this blog's for YOU!

About Me

noreply@blogger.com (Adam 'aka' Scoop Newsworthy) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:19:00 +0000

My name is Adam Worthy, I'm a 38 year old husband and father of 2 beautiful children. I am very passionate about the music industry and will pursue having my own record label or music production company. I've been listening to music since I can remember and have always gravitated to early Motown music. With the creation of Music 2 My Ears, I am hopeful I can serve as a one stop resource for Motown music lovers as well as new Motown enthusisasts!