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I popped an old friend in my cd player today A distant one. . .dusty, yet still as crisp as it was the first time I heard it.

REM’s Life’s Rich Pageant is perhaps one of eponomously-named bands’ best records, and still stands as one of my all time top-ten discs. . .the one disc of ten I couldn’t live without on that far off deserted island of mine.

I mention REM today because they represent what is often missed when you grow up in a small town. Athens, GA is an idyllic spot in America. . .warm most of the year and with a nice college-town “feel”. And Athens, Georgia is also home to REM. The band got their start there early in the 80’s and I believe their guitarist Peter Buck might even still live there. . .or maybe he doesn’t. . .it doesn’t matter really because the point I’m getting to here is that REM, one of the biggest band to play alternative music in the late 1980’s and early ’90s, is from small town America. The kind of town you think nothing good will ever come from. The kind of town. . .well, perhaps a lot like yours.

You see, someone in that tiny town many years ago saw potential in a gangly group of wanna-be rockers and helped make them famous. I don’t even know who it was. . .but he/she most certainly was there helping the band unload its gear, hanging up flyers and helping them do sound checks when no one else cared. When no one showed up. When they didn’t want to show up. But they did it because they had vision — the kind of vision you need to create a career in the music business for yourself. So the next time you think nothing amazing ever happens in your little town, think again. . .and then think of REM. . .and put your dream of an entertainment career in action that day. Cheers. Doc.

God, I miss REM.

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It’s always interesting to me how so many things can happen in the world without one ever knowing about them. Case it point: Stop Big Media. Stop Big Media apparently seems to be a force to be reckoned with, or at least a force du jour, and an a subsequent pain in the butt for the FCC and a host of media enterprises like Clear Channel with regard to media ownership.

You see, since the consolidation of the radio industry began, people have running for the hills commenting about the loss of local jobs and how the whole thing was so unfair. Well, life is unfair. Hey, and I was even one of the unfortunate music business folks to see their job disappear in part due to consolidation! It happens. Countries win and lose wars all the time, you’ve got to get over it sometime. . .the same goes for business in my opinion. The trick is finding a way to make it work for you. Anyway, all that commotion didn’t really rattle the cages of anyone in the industry who could do anything about it until individual groups started the rally call of “no localization”.

You see, the mandate of the FCC is that it protects the listening rights of the population. In other words, the FCC is working for the people, and its their job to essentially make sure what happens on radio is of benefit to its potential listeners. That’s why swearing is such a no-no. People don’t really want to hear that stuff in their living room with grandma and the kids.

So, the popular thinking goes that when a radio group owns stations in several markets and programs them from a singular location, they’re doing a disservice to the population listening to such stations and as such, violating the rules that govern the issuance of their broadcasting license. Hmm. . .not good.

Now you can see why groups like Stop Big Media are the ire of big radio and now. . the FCC. Hearings are currently being held in Harrisburg to look into the matter, so its worth checking out to stay on top of the story. As a radio and record industry expert you should be following the story! Learn more about the hearings by visiting StopBigMedia’s website or for the other side of the story check out what’s happening at the FCC.

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If you’re going to be in NYC February 27th-28th, 2007, you might want to wander on over to check out Digital Music East. Its a great place to schmooze and learn more about what’s happenening in the world of digital music. $800. bucks will get you in this year if you’re dying to pay to hear the speakers, etc. HOWEVER, if you’re a student or a music business wannabee as I imagine you are, how about getting a little bit creative? The entertainment business is, after all, a creative industry, right? So if you don’t have the dough, you’re going to miss out on the speakers. That kinda sucks, but what you can do is meet the people GOING to the events by walking right into the lobby of the Museum of Jewish Heritage where the event is being held. Now, I am not advocating breaking any laws, or trying to sneak your way into this event. Please note! However, the registration is most likely in the lobby and there will be a lot of people getting their things straight before the event starts. So, if you’re up to it, wander in and see if you can’t strike up a few conversations. Most folks will be wearing badges with their names and companies right on their chests, so it should make things easy. Try it!

Now, if you can’t get in (I’ve never been to this particular event, so I’m not sure of the logistics and security), try having lunch at one of the nearby cafes. . .music industry personnel will be eating closeby each day so you could snag some folks there as well. Also, the hotels surrounding the Heritage Center will be filled up with music business personnel as well, so check out some of those places and see what turns up.

Getting a job in the music business often means being creative and persistent. Show your prospective employers just how much you want it WITHOUT being a pain-in-the-butt, and you just might be surprised how “lucky” you can actually become. Good luck! If you would like to learn more about checking out ways to network in the digital music business visit, The Digital Music Forum East.

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Today the wire threw this little ditty our way regarding the continuing crackdown on students who illegally download and trade sound files.

The RIAA is the mechanism which is pursuing the students in question and several university campuses have been targeted as having heavy illegal downloading. It seems these cases of copyright infringement are blurry for most people. No matter what side of the fence your on, its still worth following.

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Mergers are almost always good for business, if you look at them objectively and stockholders often profit as a result of early buzz as well. Such seems to be the case this morning in New York as shares of both XM and Sirius are up to nearly double digits. MarketWatch has a more detailed story about the rise in stock price.

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Last week an article in the Financial Times covered the financial nightmare EMI is currently going through across the pond in the UK. It seems sluggish record sales in the US by big name artists like Janet Jackson and Robbie Williams have sold poorly here, forcing the company to re-issue a warning note to share holders making them aware of the losses likely to come this quarter.

Well today it seems the merger buzz crosses over from radio to the world of records with an announcement from Warner Brothers stating formal interest in acquiring EMI. This is a potential huge merger so be on the lookout for developments. If you’re an employee of either firm, a finalized merger would no doubt mean a loss of jobs for many. If you’re looking to get into the business at one of these firms, you’d better keep your fingers crossed, ’cause the market is getting even tighter!

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Looks like the word on the streets is official, as news from XM came in later today announcing XM and Sirius have agreed to a merger. Of course, there are regulators already crying foul, but for now it’s a marraige made in heaven. Well for them at least.

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Rumors surrounding the apparent merger of XM and Sirius Radio are beginning to resurface again this week, with Peter Lauria reporting about it in today’s New York Post. It might not be long before Mel Karmazin and crew fill in the rest of us in on the proceedings apparently still taking place after a heavy weekend of table-pounding and hand-shaking. Stay tuned! What would Howard say?

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