Journeying into Soul which Path?

Well what an emotional roller coaster the music business is.  The great thing with this business is you never know whats going to happen and when.  When everything looks like its coming together something comes out of the woodwork and changes the path.  Ive learnt allot about restraint and not taking things too seriously.  So whats Happened since December i hear you ask?  I had got a indipendant record label setup which was a fantastic learning gradient.  It felt empowering having your own business,  the plan was to take time and release my music through Audiosnooze the Indi label.  Not on  major scale slowly but surely.  Now the thing with releasing any material is getting it out there so that people can decide if they like it or not.  Once the decisions made hopefully they buy it.  Sounds simple doesn’t it.  In my Journey this seems to be the cycle.  Create a product,  market the product sell the product again no rocket science in that statement.  Until you start looking at what is involved in marketing.  I have a new found respect for marketing and spin companies.  Able to take a product and give it consumer awareness isn’t an impossible task but definitely not an easy one.  Of course if you have unlimited budgets it does make life simple.  As you can employ your PR person at a few thousand pounds a month to help take your product to the market place.  Remember if the market place doesn’t know about you they simply cant buy you!.

So taking all that in mind the decision has been made to wind up the company and take a simpler approach.  These days the costs associated with a company are not astronomical but if your doing things correctly you will incur some charges.  Put that on the profit and loss sheet with minimal sales then the outcome became clear.  This doesn’t mean i give up on my goal,  just means I journey on a different path.  Maybe some reconnaissance is required,  maybe I need to look at investors,  what ever the answer is I’ll find it,  I’m conditioned and its my destiny!!

What about the video,  you got it filmed!!! …. what happened to it?.  The short story on that one is I wasn’t comfortable with the music video.  It still needs allot of work.  I’ll keep working at it and hopefully have something one day soon.  I’m no stranger to taking my time it took me years to get Undress U to the product it is today and I’m not about to get the music how I wanted it and then default on the visual!!

So the Journey still continues this year has defintiely been a year of knowledge.  Ive learnt loads!! and still continue to absorb.

See you soon for the next update

Quaterly Update!!!

Hi Everyone, well its been a very interesting few months. Ive been able to release a single and also film the music video. Sounds quite simple really dosent it!! To be honest it was a Journey that i will never ever forget and happy I had the opportunity to embark on such a Journey. It really has been a roller coaster ride sometimes each day was event full then a quiet spell which played havoc with the nerves. Especially when it was getting close to release date (2nd March) But I’m happy to say with a little help from my friends and Major help from Audiosnooze! everything came to fruition. I now have my original composition available for sale on Itunes, amazon etc it really is a proud moment as I sit here and reflect on where the last few months have taken me. Funnily it seems a bit quiet now as i wait for the video edit to be completed ( Those things take a long time!! especially if your on a little budget ) The video was not done by a video producer or director but by a good friend of mine who wanted to help as best he could. He is actually a videographer but really wanted to support me the best way he knew how. And I’m happy to say he did a fantastic job. Obviously we haven’t got the visuals that the big boys would have but we gave it our best shot which makes it even more creative. We really tested our abilities where we couldn’t throw money at it we threw thought and imagination!!

Over the next few months the aim is to perform, pushing the single out there, maybe when there is a little more budget we can also look at pluggers to really push the single out there and build up the awareness. Pushing a track out into the world is also quite a challenge and I learn every day!! The main thing is the music is finally out there after years of holding it back, not being happy with production, not being sure if it had value. Generally being a big scaredy cat!!  Im so much braver now.  And happy to share my creation with the world.  Its a great feeling.  The feedback has been really positive too.  Its strange when people you dont know respond so enthusiatically about your music.

Okay there’s going to be so much more to talk/write about soon.  but to date Im having such a great run.  May not be breaking into the charts just yet …. but there’s time !!! And at the very least I will never sit down and say to myself “What If!!”  I tried and I delivered!!

Blessings

Getting closer, I see the light!!

Ok it’s  nearly a month since the last blog.  This was intentional, not only did I want to write about the process but its also a good check list for me and also affirmation of the journey so far.

So the plan is to take a song that I’m happy with musically and get it ready for selling online via digital download.  Sounds quite simple doesn’t it.  But as I like to provide the best possible service with the best possible product,  Ive had a bit of work to do.

1st thing is to get the product together.  No point just having 1 track to start the campaign with,  it’s worth having a few mixes of the single so you can try and tap into different markets , different genres and different demographics.  It’s important that I don’t lose sight of my main target audience and the whole reason I have kept close to the Motown roots.

There are 4 mixes,  1. Retro Mix (Main Mix), 2.RnB Mix 3.Neo Soul vibe 4.Bassline Mix   it looks like Ive been really busy doesn’t it?  In reality the RnB mix and Neo Soul vibe were recorded a while ago – the Bassline mix is the most recent.  But all require mixing and mastering.   The mix is very important as this gives the recording its polish.  To date, I have the Retro mix, RnB and Neo Soul mixed to a high standard.  So relatively good progress.  The Bassline track is the final track that requires a great mix,  after that process I’ll need to focus on mastering so all the tracks sound smooth and professional.  Naturally the major record companies can do this at a much quicker pace as they have the budgets in place and the contacts.

Meanwhile, as the product is getting organised I need to look at marketing the track.  To cut a long story short i have decided to create my own label.  This decision came about whilst investigating the different ways of releasing a track,  so I definitely have my work cut out.  I’m a stickler for getting things done properly and not half-heartedly.  Creating a small independent label is another added project by itself!!  Still focused on Marketing, the opportunity of doing a promotional video came up.  I have had the visual for Undress U in my mind and written down in the form of a treatment (as it’s called in the music world) for over 4 years now.  Now I can add another project to the process… a music video!!  Again the major labels would second the work out and say yes or no to what comes back.  I don’t have that luxury at this stage so I’ve also become project manager for the product,  Setting up the label and creating  the video.  Importantly I wouldn’t be able to do so much without some amazing support.  This is when you know who your friends and family really are.  I’ll mention a few…. my cousin has been fantastic in helping me with the planning process of the video.  His input is very much valued especially as his detached from the glamour of the music industry.  His focus is getting the job done and making the product look great.  My good Friend Cazz is my partner in crime on the label.  We put our heads together and realized music without marketing doesn’t really register.  With that epiphany, AudioSnooze our new label was born.  Andre my good friend from school owns a videography company FSmedia, he has offered to support and sponsor with the video.  The family view me as being consistent over the years and have come together to aid on the financial side so the video can be funded.  Unconditional support from a few of my friends have seen props for the video come in and 20 friends and family will all support by taking part in the video shoot.  All this in just the last month.  I’m pleased to report everything is on target and growing steadily.  It sounds like everything has been quite smooth.  To be honest it has been quite a challenge,  but importantly I have kept very calm and focused through the process e.g  the location to film the video has been fun to book and waiting for a very busy office to report back can be quite a task.  Nevertheless everything is on track by the grace of God.

I’ll report back next month,  by then the single will be released and the video would have been shot.  I will also have Audiosnooze Music Group up and running and ready to pay into the tax system!!

AA

Starting at The Beginning

Starting at the beginning….

It suddenly dawned on me that to explain a Journey I need to let you know why Ive embarked on the road.  Lets go back a few years after I completed a life changing experience with a TV programme.  What a fantastic learning gradient.  Of course I expected the gates of opportunity to open and my career to kick start.  But unfortunately (well fortunately!!  I’ll explain in a bit..)  it was  quiet for me in the music industry and not through fault of trying.  My issue was that I came from the corporate world into a brand new industry, and one which is quite closed.  But being a stubborn chap,  in I went!!

Now let’s fast forward a few years, 6 infact.  I’ve fallen into mentoring and making a difference in young peoples lives, and in return, they have made me think about my goals and deliverables.  So really it’s fortunate Ive had to research,  learn and educate myself  to the level I am at now.  A family member once asked me when will I give up and go and get a real job ,  I asked him how could I give up now?  I’ve built up a moderate business as a performing artist and also a very important role as a Mentor  Artist in Residence.  That’s like building a house, buying the land,  digging out the foundations then stopping.  Quincy Jones uses a quote “Paralysis through Analysis”  I really understand that now.  For a while I pondered on what my family member had said – it really inhibited my thought process.  Won’t be doing that again in a hurry!!  I know what i want and I’m going for it.  Not in an arrogant manner,  I’ll always be open to suggestions and fresh ideas,  but as long as I’m on my path I’ll be happy.

Okay, back to the main reason for writing this blog…. November 08, I was in class speaking to some young people about taking ownership of their tasks, responsibility,  say what your going to do then do it!!  Some of the things I covered as we were songwriting and generating their virtual record label.  Then suddenly it hit me.  Have I been doing that?  I’ve been toying with a single since 2004 and only made a little progress.  I’m not practicing what I preach!! So it was time to take my own advice.  Off I went that week to make amends… By the end of the week I had totally revamped the all important track.  Totally revocalled and self produced with a brand new perspective.  I fell in love with it instantly.  Not so much because it was a new product or because my Mum liked it.  But more because I felt empowered,  and it was way over due to present something to the supporters that have stayed on the beaten path with me.  Of course the product (my friend at ArcticSnooze hates it when I call my music ‘a product’!!) had to be polished… and I had to like it.  If I’m passionate about something,  I can sell it.  Not only physically, but verbally too.  So I can thank the Journey for my new found inner strength.

If  I hadn’t taken part in the TV programme, not have  expected success,  learned to research the music business,  stumbled into teaching,  learned my performing artist trade at Pontins and Butlins,  I probably wouldn’t be writing this now!  Would I change anything, apart from my underwear?  I don’t think I would change a thing.  Who know’s what the outcome of this venture will be, but its been an amazing ride and getting faster paced and wilder all the time.

AA

Welcome All

Welcome one and all to my thoughts!,  over the next few months I anticipate things are going to get quite interesting.  I am aiming to release my 1st single and then later in the year my 1st album.  This will be a great way of keeping a diary of events.  The successes ,  the pitfalls which I like to call challenges.  I will aim to update each week unless things are really hectic then I will aim for bi-weekly.  I hope you enjoy the read,  It be be very open and honest,  I don’t know any other way!!

Right now I’m thinking about getting past Christmas so I can start the planning for a video shoot in January.  I still need to confirm the venue and other things so next week  Monday will be full steam ahead.  Organizing the day shouldn’t be too hard.  But co-ordinating people and feeding them will be a challenge.  Really looking forward to this process its a statement to all the years of developing.  It almost feels like a learning and preparing stage and now I’m ready to show the world what I have learned.  So here’s what needs to be done.  The single Undress U needs to be mixed and mastered  (Thats been sent off to the engineers) the remixes for the track need to be leveled out and mastered so they all have the same volume.  And a final remix that was done last week needs to be mixed.  Once the product is together I’ll be happier.  I would say Im 50% there.  But as I have to do everything myself ,  finding the engineer , sorting out the production, finding the producers to remix.  Its been a bit of  a journey but a worthwhile one.  One thing I have definitely learned is to take ownership and be empowered to do things how you want them to be done.  No compromises.  Being careful not to sound arrogant but over the last few weeks Ive had to be quite directive regarding the process.  This was necessary to push things forward in order to get them done!! Anyway I will keep this blog updated with all the juicy information.  For now hope you had a great Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Blessings