High Cotton Recording Artists

Steve Moore and Sweet Tea Baker

Just having fun with my good buddy and picking friend  – ONE TAKE – no rehearsals – just let her rip!  Even ad-libbed some…

 Feel free to sign up for our newsletter to keep up with my posts – which I wish I could do more often and may as I start to move on toward my Second Edition for the Truth about the Music Business”

Steve Moore, B.A., J.D., Author

The Truth about the Music Business

High Cotton Records

Steve Moore & the New South

ButterMilk Media

All of the above are Subsidiaries of:

NEW SOUTH DEVELOPMENT

BAND CAMP |  BLOGGER |  FACEBOOK |  LAST FM | LINKED IN | REVERB NATION | MY SPACE |  TWITTER | YOU TUBE

Music Square One

Giving you the Truth about the Music Business

If you think that Reverb Nation is doing you any good – think again!

I have been using Reverb Nation for many years now and used to think  that it was good deal but not anymore!  That’s not to say that they don’t have some decent features, more specifically their widgets.  Also their landing pages for FB are OK but I’d rather use BandRX or others.

But as of NOW I’ll never pay Reverb Nation another CENT – and may just take them down from ALL my sites and social nets – as they are pretty much scamming people or should I say preying on those that think they’ll become a star and get tons of fans, and sell tons of music, etc .

So why the change for me?  They just charged me $15.00 to get out of my Digital Distribution for a SINGLE (one song!) – and wanted to charge me automatically $39.00 for ONE SINGLE. No way out of that -which is ridiculous.

Further, they auto-charged me last year for that SINGLE and Mega Song Storage – with ZERO NOTICE – and would NOT do anything about it – except to ask me to pay even MORE MONEY as a take down fee!   Way more than just adding a single or even a full CD up to the digital retailers! 

Let’s get one thing straight – I’m NOT a rock star – I don’t play music professionally all the much anymore since cover charge hasn’t changed in over 30 years – it’s STILL $5.00 so you can’t really “tour” anymore unless you can draw and since I don’t

I had released a single just to see how it all worked – when I should have just released my entire CD – and now I’ve found out all of that was a huge mistake!

First almost 98% of my fans are OTHER BANDS and don’t get me wrong I love MY FANS (a small group to be sure) – but I doubt they aren’t going to buy my music!  Their Digital Distribution can’t hold a candle to Band Camp which you control and only pay 10% but you have to drive TRAFFIC to that page/site – but to get to the Major Distributors – go with CD BABY – one time fee – no automatic billing without NOTICE and they keep a small percentage of your Royalties – it’s cheaper to put up a single and a FULL ALBUM is about the same as you pay at Reverb Nation but that’s a ONE TIME FEE! 

And they sort of get you hooked in with their “royalties for whatever” – which is about $0.02 per month if you’re lucky.  And I can assure you that this is TRUE of many other bands – heck I’ve made more money from Reverb Nation than a FULL TIME TOURING BAND!  But they are also using a TON of other music services which I don’t use as I’m not doing this FULL TIME by ANY MEANS – but I do keep up with what’s going on in the Music Business!  And just like my readers to know THE TRUTH!

 Feel free to sign up for our newsletter to keep up with my posts – which I wish I could do more often and may as I start to move on toward my Second Edition for the Truth about the Music Business”

Steve Moore, B.A., J.D., Author

The Truth about the Music Business

High Cotton Records

Steve Moore & the New South

ButterMilk Media

All of the above are Subsidiaries of:

NEW SOUTH DEVELOPMENT

BAND CAMP |  BLOGGER |  FACEBOOK |  LAST FM | LINKED IN | REVERB NATION | MY SPACE |  TWITTER | YOU TUBE

UPS is set up so that YOU LOSE!

Be careful of what you ship!

UPS – I have another name for the ACRONYM for them…
And will let you use your imagination!

So let me tell you an anecdote of the type of customer service you can expect!

I had to Speak at the First EVER International Symposium at the Ritz Carlton in Naples FL – of course, this being our first event – we did our homework on everything we could have possibly done.  But there’s always some variable one cannot predict.

We decided to bring TWO HI-END Hi-Def Cameras to shoot the video and decided to ship a small PA as the room was rather large with over 80 or so people in attendance.  So we figured in order to have MORE CONTROL over the audio I took my Yamaha Board, Microphones, Three (3) 12″ monitors (two stage front and one for the BACK so that I could keep tabs on the audio feeds. 

So I go to a UPS “Franchisee” here near my studio – Justin is the owner.  He did a pretty good job helping me out – in fact, he was super nice and we tried many ways to figure out the BEST and cheapest way to ship my gear!  I even had my Yamaha 20 Channel Board INSIDE of an ANVIL CASE!  How can you damage one of those?  Well despite all efforts to pack the equipment safely – they *(the UPS TRUCKS) damaged it alright as it was BENT on all four corners – and the BOX that it was shipped in was pretty much bent and/or beat up no matter which way you looked at it! Needless to say I was just a little upset – but I figured I had paid the MAX insurance available and hence I should NOT have a problem getting my Anvil  Case replaced.  WRONG!

Upon arriving at the Ritz – when we got our boxes for the MAIN room – some pretty serious issues were caused by us adding more rooms and people toward the last-minute,  hence we were told that I/WE would have to move ALL of that equipment from ROOM to ROOM including way across the property to a beach house and back every day for the FOUR DAYS that we’d be using the gear!  That was just unacceptable and after much wrangling we were able to fix it so that we would NOT have to get up at 4:00 a.m. every day, move the equipment, set up again, and at end of day tear down and move again – and since we had functions each night – that meant we had to set back up at 4:00 a.m. again – but that all worked itself out – but needless to say I was KIND of BUSY the whole time I was there – not much time to be dealing with UPS about my bent Anvil Mixer Case.

So once the gig was over – I packed everything up – and took it back over to Fort Lauderdale where the packages were received to ship all of it back to my studio.  So we head over to yet another UPS Franchisee in TAMARAC FL.  Upon arriving in the store – (and yes, we were DOG TIRED!) we were greeted by a relatively nice girl – but she then advised me that my original package – (packed EXACTLY as it was when it was shipped) was over 150 LBS?   How my equipment gained weight during the show – is impossible to explain – so one could only guess that their scales were NOT calibrated.  So I was told that they would have to break this one package (1 out of a few others) into TWO SEPARATE packages with one to be shipped freight and one to be shipped UPS ground.

I advised this young lady that my Anvil Case had been damaged on the way down to which she replied “That’s the PROBLEM of UPS STORE where you shipped it from.  OK – well at least I should be able to FILE A CLAIM for just $450 – which was the cost to replace the ANVIL CASE.   And since WE PAID for $1500.00 (the max allowed) then that should NOT be a problem.   I did let her know that UPS (not necessarily affiliated with UPS STORE FRANCHISEES – HUH? But that’s a whole separate issue!) should send somebody by to inspect my CASE so that they could SEE the damage to the BOX as well as to the CASE – well not only did THAT NOT HAPPEN – but ALL of my boxes just sat in the middle of THAT UPS STORE’S FLOOR – no telling what could have been stolen or whatever while it just SAT THERE for 10 days!

We finally tracked down where my stuff was so this OTHER UPS STORE had re-packed my box with my Mixer and Anvil Case and shipped it out.  You should have SEEN the condition of the BOX upon arrival – it was in WORSE shape than the first time I shipped it and the my Anvil Case was bent WAY more the second time around – or at least was certainly beat up yet again.  (And to be Fair – our video person – also had FED EX lose his main controllers that were coming in from California – and HIS equipment was ALSO damaged upon arrival!)   So one can only imagine what these package handlers do when they are MOVING YOUR STUFF!  It’s pretty obvious that FRAGILE (Please handle with CARE) does NOT mean much to these guys!

So I contacted the FIRST UPS STORE and they assured me that they would take care of it.  And this was on or around the end of September.  Needless to say I had a LOT of things on my mind and a TON of catch up work to do – so I let it slide for a while.  Then called to check back and they were telling me that I’d have to FILE A CLAIM with the TAMARAC store!  Which didn’t matter as we paid for insurance both ways – and YET the package was DAMAGED both ways.  And they did not SKIP a beat when they TOOK MY MONEY when I paid them for the insurance but when it came time to FILE A CLAIM – I was stone walled at EVERY TURN.  After 3 months of trying to find out what to do – as BOTH UPS STORES were NOT helping – I decided to file a claim and COMPLAINT with UPS the company!

So UPS says that I have to ship the Anvil Case to UPS for inspection – and the package was picked up on 1/9/2012 by UPS and I made sure that their driver SIGNED FOR IT – (and the driver is an old friend so I don’t want to get his name involved – he was just DOING HIS JOB!)

A couple of months go by and NOT a word from ANYONE – now that’s almost 6 whole months that I’ve been denied the use of my Anvil Case and NOBODY is doing ANYTHING about it!   So  I call UPS only to get somebody on the phone stating that my CLAIM with UPS was DENIED!  I need to contact the UPS STORES to file a claim – which I’d already DONE – but NOBODY did a thing but say they’d have to file a claim with UPS as they are both just FRANCHISEES and NOT affiliate with UPS – now that’s just INSANE!  How can you take money for UPS, pay for Insurance with UPS – and I’m sure that both UPS STORES and UPS made money from this entire deal!  But NOBODY wants to OWN UP to their damaging my case and NOBODY will HELP!  This is the POOREST Customer Service I’ve EVER SEEN!   They went from being NICE to just not CARING at all!

After all – they’d already been paid – so why take care of the customer anymore!

Well I simply have to say do NOT use UPS and insure something and expect to get ANY help from ANYONE if they DAMAGE what you ship!

I’ve been WAY more than patient – but after a while I just HAD to take a hard stance and say – I would PREFER to avoid legal action, but you guys are NOT giving me much choice!  Bad Faith failure to pay a VALID insurance claim can carry 25% of the claim plus attorney’s fees – or if I file under the consumer protection act – sometimes that means TREBLE DAMAGES (three times your damage) plus attorney’s fees and Costs! 

I did the math pretty quickly as I can sue UPS the company and BOTH UPS STORES!  They all played a hand in taking my money AND damaging my CASE!
And all I want is my case replaced!  I was NOT asking for ANYTHING more – even though I now am thinking that I should have my board completely checked out to make sure it’s ALL WORKING – as it worked GREAT and was in INCREDIBLY GREAT SHAPE – in fact, like NEW!  I take care of MY GEAR!  But UPS does NOT! 

So after doing the math – and UPS hires an attorney – and both UPS stores hire an attorney – that’s about $9,000 just in THEIR attorney’s fees!  Add my attorney’s fees, bad faith 25% for denying the claim and possibly TREBLE DAMAGES – they are looking at close to $20,000 in total costs – ALL OVER $450.00 – I’d just cut somebody a check and be done with it – but now they are forcing my hand – so you can bet that I’m going to sue EVERYONE I CAN – (which I HATE DOING!) but if you’re going to go to COURT load up on guns and bullets! As you don’t want to lose a legal battle for lack of shooting back – (this is a pure metaphor and I have NO INTENTION of using any GUNS – I’m just going to bring the LEGAL GUNS IN! 

Not only have I wasted HOURS upon HOURS on the phone – but now I’m looking at a FLAT DENIAL of the CLAIM – so that’s even MORE TIME WASTED just to get what I paid for – and to make matters worse – UPS has my CASE and does NOT know where it is!  Last time I checked that’s THEFT of PROPERTY!  

And UPS is using standard tactics of DENYING the claim thinking that I’ll just go away – THEY ARE DEAD WRONG – I’m fighting over this on PRINCIPLE!

So I guess we’ll just have to “Tee this one up!” and let the chips fall where they may – but luckily I know how to take somebody to court!  And I don’t hold back ANY PUNCHES – I’m going to PUSH THE ENVELOPE to get JUSTICE!

So WARN YOUR MUSIC FRIENDS!  Do NOT ship unless it’s all packed correctly and DO NOT expect any help from UPS or the UPS STORES- as they all point the finger at each other when they are ALL in BED together! 

More to come I’m sure -as I’m just getting warmed up!

Steve Moore, B.A., J.D., Author

The Truth about the Music Business

High Cotton Records

Steve Moore & the New South

ButterMilk Media

All of the above are Subsidiaries of:

NEW SOUTH DEVELOPMENT

BAND CAMP |  BLOGGER |  FACEBOOK |  LAST FM | LINKED IN | REVERB NATION | MY SPACE |  TWITTER | YOU TUBE

Senator Vest’s “Tribute to the Dog”

It is strange how tenaciously popular memory clings to the bits of eloquence men have uttered, long after their deeds and most of their recorded thoughts are forgotten, or but indifferently remembered. However, whenever and as long as the name of the late Senator George Graham Vest of Missouri is mentioned it will always be associated with his love for a dog.

Many years ago, in 1869, Senator Vest represented in a lawsuit, a plaintiff whose dog “Old Drum” had been willfully and wantonly shot by a neighbor. The defendant virtually admitted the shooting, but questioned to the jury the $150 value plaintiff attributed to this mere animal. To give his closing argument, George Vest rose from his chair, scowling, mute, his eyes burning from under the slash of brow tangled as a grape vine. Then he stepped sideways, hooked his thumbs in his vest pockets, his gold watch fob hanging motionless, it was that heavy. He looked, someone remembered afterwards, taller than his actual 5 feet 6 inches, and began in a quiet voice to deliver an extemporaneous oration. It was quite brief, less than 400 words:

“Gentlemen of the jury: the best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his worst enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous… is his dog.

Gentlemen of the Jury: a man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.”

The jury deliberated less than two minutes then erupted in joint pathos and triumph. The record becomes quite sketchy here, but some in attendance say the plaintiff who had been asking $150, was awarded $500 by the jury. Little does that matter. The case was eventually appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court, which refused to hear it.

Dedicated to the Memory of Jake and Billy – my two boys!

I MISS THEM EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE!

They each had their own listing in the phone book – Col Jake Moore and Major Billy Moore – as my personal phone numbers were NOT listed!  You had to know about my two boys to find my phone number!

Music Square One

The Value of Getting a Degree for the Music Business (No matter what aspect)

Everyone – or seemingly almost everyone wants to be in the MUSIC BUSINESS – and I can understand that – as who doesn’t like music?  But the MUSIC BUSINESS is not for the faint of heart -

“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.”   (Hunter S. Thompson)

Just because you’ve gotten a degree in ANY aspect of the music business – does not even come close to guaranteeing you a career in the Music Industry – in fact,  your chances are SLIM at BEST! 

It never ceases to amaze me that there are so many schools that are more than happy to take your money – to give you a “Certificate’ – to hang on your wall – and that’s pretty much all you’ll get out of it in the long term.  Sure there will be a lucky few that will get a job – but very few right out of school – and even fewer that will actually be able to maintain a decent career! 

As PT BARNUM once said – “There’s a Sucker Born Every day!”

I’m not saying don’t chase your dreams – but you may want to do some SERIOUS RESEARCH about the number of applicants vs. the number of jobs being handed out – and it won’t take long to figure out that unless you come up with a NEW WAY to monetize the music business – you’re stuck with what we’ve got and there’s JUST NOT ENOUGH MONEY or BUSINESS to go around! 

You might want to think about getting into Video Games as those sales FAR OUT SHADOW all forms of entertainment COMBINED!

What can I say – it’s the TRUTH as I see it!

Best of luck in your future endeavors…

All the best…as always,

Steve Moore, B.A., J.D., Author

The Truth about the Music Business

High Cotton Records

Steve Moore & the New South

ButterMilk Media

All of the above are Subsidiaries of:

NEW SOUTH DEVELOPMENT

BAND CAMP |  BLOGGER |  FACEBOOK |  LAST FM | LINKED IN | REVERB NATION | MY SPACE |  TWITTER | YOU TUBE

Music Square One

Copyright Catalog Evaluations!

Ever wondered what your current catalog of music is worth?

Ever wonder if you’re getting paid for your FOREIGN ROYALTIES or if your FOREIGN SUB-PUBLISHING RIGHTS are being passed from one sub-publisher to another and each taking their 25% share…

We can help!  Comprehensive Copyright Catalog Evaluations!

Interested?  Inquire within…

 Steve Moore, B.A., J.D., Author

The Truth about the Music Business

High Cotton Records

Steve Moore & the New South

ButterMilk Media

All of the above are Subsidiaries of:

NEW SOUTH DEVELOPMENT

BAND CAMP |  BLOGGER |  FACEBOOK |  LAST FM | LINKED IN | REVERB NATION | MY SPACE |  TWITTER | YOU TUBE

This was just a RANDOM message that I got from FaceBook – it’s always nice to hear people say something POSITIVE about one’s self…

Hi Steve: I don’t really know you personally, but I see your posts all the time and feel I have gotten to know you. Your work ethic is an inspiration to me. I have recently embarked on a new adventure. I am starting an internet marketing business that will give me the income and freedom to accomplish my goals. One of the things I like best about this is the ability to operate my business from anywhere I choose. All I need is my laptop and my cell phone. Wish me luck as I embark on this path to financial freedom. I just hope I can put a fraction of the energy into this that you put into everything you do.

Larry Ainsw0rth

FaceBook Friend!

Best of luck with your new venture Larry – IF I can help you out – please feel free to contact me!

HAPPY EVERYTHING!  SEASONS GREETINGS to ALL!

Gotta love the SOUTH!  And especially “mon lieu de nassaince” – where I was born -

NEW ORLEANS!  The Crescent City!

Wishing much happiness to you and yours!

All the best, as always…

Steve Moore – CEO

(Chief Eccentric Officer of Music Square One)

And have a PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Excellent post, very informative. I wonder why the opposite specialists of this sector don’t understand this. You should continue your writing. I am sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!|What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It absolutely helpful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & aid different customers like its helped me. Great job.

Ever wonder if you’re getting paid for your FOREIGN ROYALTIES? 

Are you sure that your FOREIGN SUB-PUBLISHING RIGHTS are not being passed from one sub-publisher in one country to another subdivision in another country and each taking their 25% share…

Many songrwiters or copyright owners will look at their Foreign Royalties as just a bonus – but sometimes those royalties can add to way more than one may think!

Especially southern roots, blues, and similar music are very popular overseas and in some cases are used in Films – where a writer gets a piece of the ticket price from the theater’s where the song has been played. 

Next time you get your Foreign Royalty check make sure to follow the money – find out if your foreign sub-publisher has or is using any subsidiaries – and then make double sure that they are not passing your song along from one place to another where each can take their 25% Cut!  If you think about 25% x 25% x 25% and so on can add up a one big amount – so make sure that you work closely with your licensing company (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)  as well as Sound Exchange, and Harry Fox to make sure you’re getting paid – also make sure that your music is NOT being used on YouTube or in other places where you are not getting paid – if you find a use that’s not been licensed (either by Sync Rights, Mechanicals, Performance or otherwise) then make sure to let the Social Media Channel or wherever the infringement is being hosted to know immediately. 

Unfortunately, seeking redress is difficult as the ICJ (Int’l Court of Justice) isn’t going to help and traveling overseas to try to find out any information or even seek redress could prove to be a losing proposition – but there’s no mistake about it – if you’re not getting your music out internationally you’re missing out on a HUGE OPPORTUNITY!  One just never knows!