The Myth of the Brown M&M’s

You might remember the story of how back in the early 80’s the band Van Halen insisted that at every show they performed at there be a bowl of M&M chocolates with all the brown ones removed. Like most people I thought this was just part of the over-indulgence of the 80’s and rock stars just keeping up with their diva status. However it wasn’t until a few months ago after reading David Lee Roth’s autobiography and other articles, that I actually found out the real reason why they requested such a crazy stuff.  It was for “quality control”.

Tips to Remembering Lyrics

Ever gone to a concert and you’re singing along with the Artist then realize that he/she just flopped a couple of words of the song? It’s not a big deal for fans who usually just smile and keep enjoying the show, but for the performer it’s one of those winching, embarrassing moments where you want to sink into a hole.

Once Upon a DJ

I first started djing back when I was about 14 or 15 years old (many, many moons ago). I stopped after I began playing with bands and never quite had the time to get back into it. However a few months ago I started djing small parties, and eventually I got the bug again. A lot has changed since I had my old one & two. Everything from the role a DJ plays to the equipment he/she uses.

Today a DJ needs to be more than just a jukebox. Anyone with a good mp3’s collection can simply connect their laptop to a pair of home stereo speaker and let iTunes do the rest. Today a DJ needs to stand out, both in his/her mixing skills as well as people skills. On this post I’m going to provide a few personal observations and reviews on the equipment side of the spectrum.

The Freestyle Evolution That Never Was

Last year I had the privilege of participating in a couple of Freestyle Music award shows. I was thrilled to have been honored along with my old band-mates, and had a great time seeing old friends from the music industry again. The one question that kept popping up throughout those events were “Are you guys coming up with anything new”? I also heard conversation between producers and promoters about how to get Freestyle music on the radio again.

The Next DYI Music Solution?

Ever since Artists and labels (mostly independent) first started getting their music online, there has been a never-ending search to find the best new business model to sell your music. It’s now become obvious that there is no “one” best way to do that. In fact with so much music so easily available to everyone, you have to use every possible “productive” means available. Otherwise, you’ll become another needle in a very large haystack.

However every now and then someone comes up with a new way to sell music, and this week that someone was the band “The Presidents of the United States of America” (PUSA). They have come out with a new iPhone application which allows you to stream their entire catalog and some extra demos stuff for a onetime charge of $2.99.  The idea is that you buy the app, and then you have access to listening to not only their old songs, but anything new they decide to make available to you. Even demos and never released live recordings.