TOPIC OF THE MONTH: EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE & MUTUAL SUPPORT FOR SUSTAINABLE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

 

SEPTEMBER 2020: 

SUBJECT: EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE & RECIPROCAL/MUTUAL  SUPPORT FOR SUSTAINABLE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

Being a recording artist is a small business. With a lot of questions and red tape to navigate if you are trying to make a go at breaking even.  

IN THE CLIMATE OF TODAY WE NEED MUTUAL SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER.

Many Times Artist are left perplexed why
people they know and support with their patronage
don't reciprocate every once in a while.

As a small business we rely on our supporters generous participation by purchasing CD DVD Merchandise and tickets.  

When you purchase a CD, DVD, VINYL, T-SHIRT or TICKET, you are actually doing more than making a purchase.  You are making an INVESTMENT into that artist's future.  You are helping them to sustain their ability to create the art you enjoy.  Without that support many artists lose the ability to record, release and distribute quality music products for you the listener.

EVERY recording artist is a LEGITIMATE 
LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS
When you purchase our products
(CD's, DOWNLOADS, DVD's, T-SHIRTS, TICKETS)
This chart shows exactly how this business
 impacts your local community
STATE - COUNTY - TOWNSHIP - TOWN - CITY.

One of the things that we have noticed over the years is that a lot of the members of different organizations, businesses both musical and other wise, seem to forget that reciprocation is very important when it comes to creating a local economy. 

If the electrician purchases grocery wares from the mom and pop store, the mom and pop store generally will most likely call the electrician that buys from them on a regular basis, thus providing RECIPROCAL/MUTUAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT to one another.

We hear a lot of our politicians and community leaders and even the general population at large say, "BUY LOCAL", but when it comes to the Local Music industry we don't see this practiced as much.   

You all know that one guy/gal who is in a band who goes out to as many shows of other bands as possible, he/she sits quietly in the corner, maybe he occasionally gets up and jams with the other bands.  

But when he/she has a show, none of the members of those other bands seem to make it unless they are playing.  Hey we get it we are all busy and time is a valuable commodity.  But this lack of reciprocation is why MUTUAL SUPPORT is so important to building a sustainable local, state, and even a regional music scene.

You know the guy/gal the loner, plays in a band (not your own)
 but still somehow manages to make it to your shows all the time.   
That artist is in his/her basement or garage 
hammering out original music and releasing it... 
if he/she supports you are your shows, and pays the tickets, 
then don't you think you should support him/her equally?
(PhotoCredit: The Odessy Online)

Now taking this one step further since the late 90's home recording and bands releasing their own musical projects on MP3, CD, VINYL & DVD has flourished, but many bands do not actually know that they have been missing out on making it to bigger stages, and more sales and recognition by not building up the local scene through RECIPROCAL/MUTUAL support of each other.

There used to be strict GATEKEEPERS TO THR MUSIC INDUSTRY and for better or worse they had/have control of the flow of information to the public about which artist was the one to get to know.   But that is no longer the case.  

The advent of social media, email, and streaming services has made it possible for all musicians and artists to perhaps reach a broader audience, but it has also create revenue problems for local/state artists trying to make a living.  Because when you look at the industry you have the following.

MAJOR GENRE MAIN STREAM ARTISTS - (Pop Rap, Rock, Country) - on the billboard charts

MINOR GENRE MAIN STREAM ARTISTS - (Blues, BlueGrass, Metal, Jazz) - Still billboard and independent charts.

INTERNATIONAL MAJOR & MINOR GENRE artists have seen substantial cuts in revenues due to the collapse and abilities of the gatekeepers, the monopolizing of the airwaves, and the diluting of the amount of entertainment from all sources available (cable, streaming, network, terrestial, satellite, internet).  

This has created a problem where many artists who would of been mainstream in a given pre 00's decade are now pushing those NATIONAL/REGIONAL artists who in the past would of booked the majority of your extremely large state fair and opening act for National artist tours... out of that arena, basically playing for less or bringing more value in a highly recognized brand to the event promoter.

This then pushes the NATIONAL/REGIONAL artists down the chain where they have to bid into the market segment original held by REGIONAL/STATE artists who were playing the majority of the larger state orientated shows, like county fairs, and community events.  And even the private corporate events.  

This then pushes the REGIONAL/STATE artist who would never of played a small community fair or show or even a wedding, into the market segment that is held by the STATE/LOCAL artists who are the bread and butter of growing the local/statewide industry and the art.  

These are your weekend warriors and not full-time musicians who are in sports terms are your hobbiest.  They get pushed out of the arena.  The REGIONAL/STATE artist are your SEMI-PRO guys and the NATIONAL/REGIONAL artists are your PROS and your MAINSTREAM are your - international superstars.

That being said, those of us who work in the INDEPENDENT artist arena (no matter what level of travel we do to present our art,) are at a loss for how to compete with such established brands that should never be in our market segement. We also wonder why we do not get HOMETOWN support for at least a small portion of your dollars annually. 

Local Music Business Operators i.e. artists & musicians are your friends, family, neighbors, teachers, mail carriers, delivery drivers and customers.  

John-Paul Jones Group and our associates have been intense students and observers of not only music as an art-form,  but also music as a business and economic driver within a local/state community. Here are a few of our observations on how ALL OF US can improve our support of local music businesses and our local economy irregardless of whether we be musician or non-musician.

NON-MUSICIAN - purchase local and statewide artist music,
especially if those artists are customers of your place of business or employment. 
the $15.00 you spend on CD every year or two on an artist
probably pales in comparison to that guitarist who is
a multi-day multi-week regular in your restaurant and tips you
$3.00+ every-time for his $8.95 sandwich and water. 
Reciprocate and produce MUTUAL SUPPORT.
(PhotoCredit: Upgraded Points)

BUSINESS OWNERS: when considering your next give away or customer appreciation... contact your local artist that is your loyal customer and ask about a bulk buy of their CD.  pick up a 100 copies at a bulk/wholesale rate to give out to your patrons.  This is how you show Mutual Support.  

Maybe if you are a restaurant you make up a special meal im honor of a charity or person who has passed and give away the artist CD, DVD oe vinyl with the purchase.

MUSICIANS - 
Many times is is very tough to get out to see other bands
especially if you have your own shows to play. 
However, STOP GIVING AWAY your music. Even to other players
(PhotoCredit: SonicBids)

.  Its very important that when you produce music, that your product is not only the best recording you can do for your budget but you need to do these simple things to really put your music in a position to make it to the charts, but YOU are capable of getting on a major music chart ESPECIALLY if you are in MINOR genre's of music.   We have had local artists do this in many parts of our state.

(yes you may be thinking Slipknot, but we are not)

1. Lori King - Bluegrass - CLICK HERE FOR STORY
2. Avey Grouws - Blues - CLICK HERE FOR STORY
3. Kevin Burt - Blues - CLICK HERE FOR STORY

The point here is that it is not IMPOSSIBLE for ANY local artist to make their shot count, through hard work.  However you cannot just work hard, you have to work smart, and that means gaining knowledge.  At the bottom of this newsletter issue we will post some links to some articles that might make life a bit easier for you in the future.

Now onto the good stuff.... HOW DO WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER?

INDEPENDENT RECORDING ARTISTS - if you have released a CD/ALBUM or will be releasing one and have it for pre-sale.  Jp Jones has personally set aside a budget to try and get your music into his hands.  HOWEVER, there is a a CATCH,  this is about MUTUAL SUPPORT (see above if you are unclear).  

I WANT YOURS
AND I WANT YOU TO GET MY...
 (CD OF COURSE)

EUGENE's TRICK BAG RECORDS in support of this will purchase any independent artists CD on behalf of Jp Jones if that same artist does the same and purchases the John-Paul Jones Group's upcoming CD - "Broke in Bridge City"  which is currently available for pre-order  in the Blue Nexus Music Store - which you can get to BY CLICKING HERE:

We know that we have a great many fans, colleagues, friends and supporters  who are musicians, we also know that legitimate sales are VERY IMPORTANT to chart placement, and garnering more support from other investors, labels, media outlets, and distributors.   So from now on we will be  encouraging all independent artists to STOP giving away their music to us. Jp says a great many artists are always willing to give him a copy of their hard work.  And in the past he obviously took them, but the more he has learned about how the music industry works  especially the following things:

1. True Physical & Digital Product Distribution
2. Copyright, publishing & royalties
3. ISCR Codes and how they relate to #1 & #2 
4. UPC Codes and how they relate to #5
5. Nielsen Soundscan and how it relates to Billboard and other Music Charts
6. How #1-5 truly relate to media coverage, and free promotion of an artist works through that coverage.

It is VITAL for independent artists who are trying to a minimum break even on their projects, on a good day make enough money to pay for the next recording project, and on an ideal day, make enough money on a recording project to pay all their expenses and actually make an average wage for their county of residence.  Then we absolutely have to start purchasing from each other.  

Jp says he is dedicated to purchasing media product no matter what from EVERY SINGLE artist that purchases "Broke in Bridge City"  and if you are in a cover band, and/or do not record and release albums.  Jp has pledged he will purchase equal value merchandise or tickets to your shows.  You just have to let him know when you place your order.

NOW YOU MAY BE THINKING - wait in order for me to make a sale, I have to purchase something thing?  YES for those of you who were into anime,  think of the "law of equivalent exchange" from the animation  Yes its fiction, the "Full Metal Alchemist" has a pretty good idea here. Jp is a huge fan of the thought because it kind of follows the 

First Law of Thermodynamics: Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed. The total amount of energy and matter in the Universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another.

Here are some examples just this week of folks participating in Jp's MUTUAL SUPPORT MOVEMENT:

MUTUAL SUPPORT IS SIMPLE AND SUSTAINABLE
THANK YOU JENI GROUWS

Adam Klett of the Boys gets it MUTUAL SUPPORT 

will only benefit everyone involved  and 

help sustain all of our careers and endeavors.

These are just TWO examples this week of Artists supporting each other.  If you are an independent artist you know how tight money can be.  So we have to ignore trickle down economics and we have to make our money move in circles so our scene can grow.

So thank you all.  Some news.  "Broke in Bridge City" is set to be released in the 1st quarter of 2021.  It will NOT be available in any digital format as an album or single.  Samples of 90 seconds of songs will be released.  There will be some Music Videos released as well prior to an anticipated DVD of the material set to series of short films, this is for the future.

A Vinyl Version is being looked at as well, and if and when that becomes available, Eugene's Trick Bag Records will release a date in the future.

HELPFUL LINKS FOR ARTISTS:

1. ISCR CODES: CLICK HERE
2. UPC CODES: CLICK HERE
3. COPYRIGHT (C) : CLICK HERE
4. COPYRIGHT (SR): CLICK HERE
5. COPYRIGHT (V): CLICK HERE
6. NIELSEN SOUNDSCAN: CLICK HERE
7. HARRY FOX SONGFILE: CLICK HERE
8. BILLBOARD CHARTS & NIELSEN SOUNDSCAN: CLICK HERE
9. NIELSEN SOUNDSCAN IMPACT ON BILLBOARD: CLICK HERE
10. DIGITAL FORMAT METADATA IMPORTANCE: CLICK HERE

Thank you all for your continued support.  And for a parting gift, here is a short video clip promoting the song "Blue Ruin (Right) Now that is featured on the CD "Broke in Bridge City"

THANK YOU AND SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.

PLEASE BUY BROKE IN BRIDGE CITY HERE

WWW.JOHNPAULJONESGROUP.COM/MUSIC.HTML