Music Industry Jobs|Music Business Jobs|Music Internships

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This week, I’m going a bit outside the music industry realm for a few quick links that I think can help with achieving your dreams no matter the specific occupation.

Super-ass cool productivity guy, Tim Ferriss wrote a post last year about test-driving your dream job. One of his many, (he’s a world-championship Tango dancer as well as Martial Artist) was the one in the post: Monkey Trainer. And he’s got the videos to prove it. One of my own, was a little less daring, but fun none-the-less when I hooked up with one of the best pastry chefs in Minneapolis, Minnesota to try my hand as a chef. Check out Tim’s post, I’m sure you’ll find it funny, if not enlightening.

Zen Habits’, Leo Babauta is another guy that I follow in the productivity, life-mapping realm. His guest poster, Collis Ta’eed, co-founder of AudioJungle and FlashDen wrote a great post this week entitled: “How to Get a Lot Done - 7 Tips to Achieve More”. Read it and put your entertainment career plan into action.

Lifehacker, is one of my favorite blogs, hands down. This week, Lifehacker pointed to SarahRae’s post from Chicago’s Apartment Therapy about how to clear dvd clutter from your house. What a gem. Apply the same techniques to your music collection and you’ll find you’ll be much more sane in the morning, and much more organized as you pursue the important things in life!

Have a brilliant weekend, enjoy it if you’re already in it, and hope you had a great time if you’re already out of it! Cheers, Doc

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subscribers will receive these extra gifts. RSS subscribers will still receive updates about the blog, email recipients will receive the extra benefits mentioned above. If it was us, we’d subscribe to both!

How it works: Hi folks. Because I tend to get a lot of questions about how to get a job in the music business, and because it is difficult to craft a new response for every one I get, I’m going to start sharing a few of my more common responses here on the blog. Each time I do so, I’ll ask if I can post the message online before doing so, and if I receive your approval, as I did with today’s question, I’ll put ‘er up.

Today’s question comes from a reader interested in breaking “back” into the music business after interning several years ago. He initially asked about recruiting agencies in the New York area, which I also comment about briefly. Below is the text of a few emails back and forth with the names and places of the innocent removed for the obvious reasons, and as well as some of the extraneous stuff like the ‘”thank yous” and “hellos”

What sort of questions do you have about a career in entertainment? Place them in the comments section of this post. If your questions is chosen as our next “Reader’s Question”, I’ll send you a free copy of my book: “The Music Industry Guidebook: A clear guide to getting a job in the music industry. . .fast!”

First email volley from our intrepid reader:

“I’m currently looking for a job in music marketing/promotions. Do you know of any music industry recruiters based in New York? The recruiters that I have investigated so far do not help with promotions/marketing placements.”

My initial response:

“Thanks for the note. Recruiters in the music business are mostly for entry level admin jobs, unless you’re an exec already who needs an “agent”of sorts to help you get a bigger paying job. Can I ask what sort of work you do now? Are you a college grad, or still in school? And what sort of music you’re into?”

His second reply:

“For the past eight years I have been pursuing an acting career. While I have had success, I am now searching for a more traditional means of employment. I graduated with a Marketing degree from XYZ School in 1999. I also minored in Music Merchandising. My current job is as a customer service representative for XYZ Company. I’ve been working there for about a year and a half and still act as a hobby.

During college, I interned at Mercury Records and Roadrunner Records for a year each. I have had many jobs in street promotion, bar tending, administrative work and temping to supplement my acting income.

My present goal is to work in music promotions or marketing preferably in the heavy metal and rock genre. companies like Roadrunner Records, Sirius Satellite Radio, Revolver Magazine and Metal Maniacs magazine would be ideal. A place comparable to the now defunct Concrete Marketing and Concrete Management would be great too.

There’s nothing better than promoting music to people especially at events like concerts. The look on a person’s face after hearing a great band for the first time is priceless. I feel music is the impetus to bring people together in an increasingly isolated world and I thrive to make those connections.”

My second response:

“I like to shoot straight on these things, so here’s my take. First off, you’re lucky you’re be near NYC. By your area code, I’m guessing you’re in Long Island, so you’ve really got the music business right in your backyard. A lot of folks think rock music happens in LA, my opinion has always been that it’s really out East.

You’ve also already got experience in the business which is really good and can put you ahead of the competition for gigs.

The negative in this whole thing is that because the industry turns over so frequently, as often as every two to three years, many of the people you knew at Roadrunner and Mercury, and more importantly, the people THEY knew are most likely not working in music anymore, or are doing something not related to record promotion at least. I did independent promotion myself from 97-99 and probably know some of the folks you once worked with. Do you remember any names?

Question: after your internships with the labels why did you leave the business on the record side?
(he addresses this, later saying that he went to pursue a career in acting)

You mentioned Concrete. If I recall correctly, they were an independent promotion firm and are “no longer”, like many independent promotion firms, because the rules regarding indie promotion have changed, and the labels stopped paying most indies to do promotion the way they were doing it. What that means for folks interested in promotion, is that most of the real paying gigs are back “in-house” at the labels, and the labels can be hard to break into unless you’re starting from the bottom.

That said, since you’ve already interned you might be able to step your foot back in the door again at any of the labels you’re interested in as a volunteer/intern, and once you’re in and being recognized as a contributor, ask what the realities of becoming full-time staff are if you were to stay on as a volunteer. Many places will take interns of all ages. . .they might require credit. . .which you can get cheap at local community college, but it should still work. The main thing is you’ve gotta’ be willing/able to work for free again, which sucks, but might help get you back and rolling again. There are never any guarantees, but it’s a shot.

The other way is to take a look at any outlet in your area that plays the type of music you like. If you’re into metal, look for metal shows on the air (tv or radio) or the magazines you mentioned, and try to get a part-time or intern job there. Then you’ll want to aim to be someone the labels know and need to get their music played/reviewed. Once you’re that guy, then its MUCH easier to make the transition.

It can all involve starting over in a sense, and I’ll remind you that the turnover is high at labels, particularly in promotion as its a sales job. If you’re not sellin’ you’re not stayin’ is the mentality. If you’re a great salesman, then more power to ya!

I hope this helps a bit. If I were you, I would make a list of 10 places you think you would like to work. First go in with the idea of you’re looking for work, FT or PT. If that doesn’t work, THEN go for volunteer.

Radio doesn’t pay well, neither does journalism, records does pay well, but the lasting power is short. Can’t win either way, eh? If I was independently wealthy, I would work in radio the rest of my life.

BUT, if you love it, then sometimes its worth it. I always recommend that people first think about WHY they believe they want to work in music, consider the realities of the business, then think again about how much they want it. If the pull is still there, then they’ll probably never stop dreaming about it. I’m that way in a sense too. . .most will say the bug never leaves you. Finding the happy medium is the best way. Once, I met a guy who was a major A&R guy in the 80’s and worked with Guns&Roses, and a host of Seattle bands. The band dynamics and deaths of a few notable artists in the Seattle scene whom he had known hit him hard.

He’s out now and working at a college advising students on classes (another job I’ve had). What he said to me one day when I was asking him why he didn’t want to go back to music has always stuck with me. He smiled a bit, looked me in the eyes and said: “Right now, I’m just happy being a fan.” And sometimes, he’s right. You’ll have to make that call for yourself. For me, being a fan only works for a short period of time until the “itch” returns.

Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you, and good luck!”

So, I hope this helps a bit, if you’re in a similar situation. If you’re not, and just starting out, there are nuggets in here as well! Don’t forget to send in your own questions by commenting on this post for your chance to win a copy of my book.

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that this is my advice to this one person. It should not be taken as gospel, is certainly not the only way to tackle the dilemma, nor will following my advice guarantee any success.

Indeed has among the best job search technology out there. Type in music business and see what you get, then tweak it as necessary. It works like a charm!

Check out our new Music Industry Jobs and Internships board at MusicIndustryJobs.com It’s FREE!

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job title, keywords or company	city, state or zip jobs by

John Mellencamp — “My Sweet Love”

Swing those hips baby, its John Mellencamp, swaying the house with this great track from his new album “Life, Death, Love and Freedom” Backing vocals are courtesy of Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild. I would swear that’s Kurt Neumann from BoDeans on guitar. Great song. Nuff Said. I love Mellencamp.

Pick it up wherever you buy your records, cds, itunes, etc. these days.

Three things you need to know about this record and John as an entertainment career wannabe:

1. He’s a legend.
2. He’s a legend. (that’s not a typo)
3. He’s working with Steven King on a Southern Gothic musical, that’s right. . .musical to debut in April of next year in Atlanta. The name? “The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County”

Album facts you should know:

Most likely to be heard on the following radio formats:

AAA
Americana
Rock
Adult Hot A/C

Album drops July 15, 2008

Visit John Mellencamp online at his official site
Request the song at: Radio Locator

Like the John Mellencamp “My Sweet Love” video? Download the single today from iTunes!

Check out our new Music Industry Jobs and Internships board at MusicIndustryJobs.com It’s FREE!

One of the more enjoyable reasons for opening my email box in the morning is to read my daily Napoleon Hill Foundation quote. If you don’t know Napoleon Hill, you should check out the book many successful business people point to as the one that changed their lives, and helped place them firmly on the track toward completing their life’s goals. Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” is a simple and direct motivational book filled with all sorts of gem’s that can help you get your rear-end off the couch, away from your PlayStation or XBox and on the phone to generate entertainment industry career prospects. I would highly recommend it.

These Napoleon Hill daily emails help me start my day off on the right foot, and today’s message I thought might be interesting to share with you for two reasons. One is that I believe it serves as an excellent reminder of one way to make yourself worthy in any job environment worthy of your creative input (they’re not always one-in-the-same!), and secondly, because of the recent entry of Topspin into a sector of the marketplace not necessarily familiar to the majority of indie bands out there.

Below is the quote I was greeted with this morning, courtesy of The Napoleon Hill Foundation:

It’s common knowledge that the person who knows the most about how to improve the productivity of any job is the person who holds that job. Why is it, then, that we are often reluctant to offer suggestions for improvement? Perhaps we’ve seen too many layoffs and reorganizations to trust the cracker-barrel wisdom that our goal should be to work ourselves out of a job-so that we can move on to a bigger and better position. Nevertheless, the old wisdom is still sound. If you find a way to do things better, faster, or cheaper, you increase your value to your employer. You will be asked to participate in planning sessions and quality circles because you’ve demonstrated that you know how to make things work more efficiently. It’s inevitable that you will be promoted, because you will become one of those exceptional employees who are too valuable to lose.

The quote of course assumes that you’re in a business that values your input, and doesn’t just pay lip-service to the idea of innovation. Unfortunately, I find lip-service is often easier than placing oneself in the eye of unforeseen obstacles. Call it human nature, or whatever you will, but I have always found the attitude to merely be representative of one characteristic: fear. The good thing is, I believe that unlike many other fields, the entertainment industry is a wee bit more open to creative input than you’ll find elsewhere.

That’s not to say that every “great” idea you have will be put into place, or that you won’t clash against people with grand egos steadfast in the belief that their creative solution is better than yours, but I do believe you’ll find more creative people willing to listen to your ideas, then toss fear aside in favor of finding what the solution to the problem at hand.

And that’s where Topspin comes in.Topspin has been working on a solution that enables indie bands to better manage and communicate with their fan bases in ways not commonly available today. The way I’m reading it at the moment, it’s a way for bands to leverage the power of enterprise-level CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions combined with technology-driven indie-distribution to better stay on top of their fan base, their sales and their marketing.

While Topspin is in limited release at the moment, I look forward to seeing how the product offerings from the company enable indie bands and other artists to take advantage of what the types of software tools available to other businesses, so as to craft a solution that works with the changing music industry landscape.

Topspin’s founders are helping to create a solution that aims to widen current industry bottlenecks, and while they kept it under their hat for awhile to ensure the time was right, they’re taking steps in the right direction to help create a new business, and help you and your band run your own business. You should always aim to do the same.

Napoleon Hill would be proud, eh?

Check out our new Music Industry Jobs and Internships board at MusicIndustryJobs.com It’s FREE!

Sell your records. Find a gig. Learn more.

For this week’s link round-up, we’re gonna’ hit music stories, but also look at a few other relevant things I thought were worth sharing that could help readers interested in other types of peripheral entertainment industry careers in film and television for example. So, here we go:

For some reason Billy Bragg has been popping up on my radar a lot lately, first as the songwriter/performer for a good number of tracks on the recent film, “Momma’s Boy, and then again this morning I was pleasantly surprised to read about his comments regarding the changing landscape of radio which tied in nicely to yesterday’s article about its supposed demise. You can read more about Billy’s comments on Canada.com’s The Gazette. I found his mention of how people find out about him rather interesting, particularly since the only reason I knew it was his voice behind some of the tracks on “Momma’s Boy” was because of an old habit of reading the credits in films!

I guess the planets must have aligned in unique fashion yesterday, as my Friday stroll over to Glenn People’s Coolfer just now, revealed that, he too, thought it was a good idea to write about radio yesterday as well. Sweet. You can read more about his somewhat similar take on radio at the always relevant, Coolfer.com

Now for some film and TV stuff!

Speaking of watching film credits, if you have an interest in sound and recording, you might want to consider a career as an ADR (Additional Dialog Recorder). One of my favorite ADR guys is the much more famous than me; academy award winning: Doc Kane. Same name, different guys, and my name was given to me many moons ago by a colleague of mine at M&M Mars. . .don’t know how he got his, do you?

If you’re at all interested in becoming a film scorer, than take a look-see at Lukas Kendell’s advice on how to break into the film scoring industry. His advice is rather timeless, so enjoy it and get movin’!

Lastly, two quick links:

If you’re a radio news junkie, or information junkie in general, you’ve got to take a look at Stitcher.com A buddy of mine in the San Francisco radio world tipped me off to its awesomeness this week, so I’ve been checking it out to see what its about. They’re in Beta release at the moment, but you can still sign up and create your own stations right now in literally about 5 seconds. You’ll see my interview with the Stitcher.com folks next week, but for now, there’s the exclusive breaking news if you will about this great new service that will blow your tiny little head off! Stay tuned.

Lastly, I stumbled upon an interesting promotion today from Academic Superstore, where you can

Have a brilliant weekend, enjoy it if you’re already in it, and hope you had a great time if you’re already out of it! Cheers, Doc

If you like the blog, you’ll love our email newsletter even more. Subscribe to the Music Business Page Blog by Email today, and get your complimentary “Music Business Boot Camp” series, the introductory chapters of my Music Business Guidebook, and our 50+ page BOOK: “Tips, Tactics and other for-sure methods for getting your music career off the ground” each delivered free to your email box instantly as a courtesy just for signing up today. Don’t forget to approve the confirmation email, and please note: ONY email subscribers will receive these extra gifts. RSS subscribers will still receive updates about the blog, email recipients will receive the extra benefits mentioned above. If it was us, we’d subscribe to both!

You bet your Casey-Kasem, Rick-Dees lovin’ asses it is.

Without a doubt, radio is still is among one of the more powerful mediums for introducing the majority of people throughout the world (don’t forget media exists outside the US, folks), to new music, news about musicians and bands on tours, and general entertainment industry revelry. Its almost always free, and accessible just about everywhere humans tend to populate.

(Heck, even my phone, a Sony Ericsson, is a phone/walkman. So, I can get radio on my cell phone, and I didn’t have to pay a friggin’ dime more for the privilege, unlike other carriers who offer a fancy download plan that, in my opinion, just serves to add yet another monthly bill to your cash outlay.)

Despite all those that claim radio is as dead as they claim the entire music industry to be, radio is very much alive and well. It’s different, of course, than it was ten years ago, but it’s still there, and I can’t forsee it disappearing any time soon.

Too often, people mistake change for obsolescence. The type of radio that existed at its inception is a completely different beast than radio as we know it today, and I suspect, the fascinating developments in music, radio, the concert business and everything else affected by the maturation of technology and culture that gets everyone so excited, will no doubt be bandied about as “dead” in another few decades as well. Actually, given its current momentum, it’ll probably happen a lot sooner than that.

So why is radio still relevant? Here are 5 reasons why I believe it to be so, feel free to argue away if you disagree, or call out points you might find valid. I look forward to the discussion. I’m interested in learning as much possible about the realities of this situation myself, so feel free to “call me out” if your own experience suggests it’s necessary.

By the way, I’m interested in interviewing radio veterans from the fifties and sixties about their time on air. If you know of someone interested in chatting for a story I’m working on concerning “race music” during this era, please drop me a line at doc @ music businesspage.com Cheers. Doc

Okay, so here we go:

1. The operation of radio is typically overseen by the federal government. As far as I know, governments tend to have a vested interest in maintaining their own structure. Plus, radio serves a purpose in times of emergencies that overshadow the need to play your favorite music.
2. Radio sells records. Yup, indeed it does. And lots of ‘em too. Now I don’t care if we’re talking about singles, digital downloads, full-length albums (sic) or “free” records from artists like Radiohead or Trent Reznor, when songs get played on radio, people pay attention. And frequent “impressions” of those songs on our silly little brains that enjoy repetition and reminders about the things we like, drive us online — or into some record store — to buy that little nugget. And that little nugget puts money into the pockets of your favorite artist and the gazillion people behind them including record labels, publishing houses, songwriters, entertainment lawyers. . .everyone. One song adds up, and it often starts at radio.
3. Radio is still a business - and they generally adhere to a format. Even JackFM, famous for playing “what they want” is following a very strict programming format. So every time you hear that slammin’ AC/DC song followed by Annie Lennox (a hit is a hit is a hit!), you can bet your radio-format-hatin’ rear-end that several people sat in a room for a very long time analyzing the computer data that tells them about beat counts, song transition, what the consultants say, what the listeners say. . .all to come to the conclusion that Annie Lennox should follow Bon Scott, and that the combination would make you feel happy. Maybe happy enough to keep listening to the music long enough to hear the advertisement that follows those songs. Then, of course, maybe, just maybe you’ll buy the product that is advertised, or visit that service establishment spending their hard-earned money to have you listen to what it is they offer the marketplace. Radio is an economic juggernaut with tons of people and businesses interested in its survival. Think about that. Especially if some day you want to own your own business, or be a performer and hope you sell YOUR wares on radio. Gulp! So don’t “wish it away” too soon.
4. Radio is all about reach. Who hears it, how many hear it and where do they hear it. Many critics of radio, look at its quality, or perceived lack thereof, through their own myopic lens (or ear buds. . ). And most of those who dislike radio are so inclined because they can’t relate to the music that’s on the air any longer. They’re either too old (like me in some instances), or their preferred style of music just isn’t played on any regular format station. Styles like death metal, ska, rockabilly and Celtic music come to mind as easy examples. However, projecting their own tastes on an entire entertainment medium, prevents them from looking at radio and the music industry objectively — setting up the inevitable “doomsday” scenarios. Those of us who love Led Zepplin will always love Led Zeppelin, yet Zep will not always be on the radio!I have always found it intriguing to watch how when people of similar positions gather to “discuss” a topic, their shared conclusions never change, and, in fact, often become heightened as a result of their mutual animosities and presuppositions. Its quite a fascinating phenomenon, and one that plays itself out every day in the media, across numerous and varying topic areas. Just turn on the television, and listen to the news about the impending economic doom to get a feel for what I’m referring to. . .listen to it often enough, and talk to enough people who think their in for a rough haul, and low-and-behold, that rough haul becomes a reality. However, if you were to speak to someone benefiting from today’s economy, you’ll have a much different view of what’s “really” happening. 90% of what becomes real is perception, and the supposed “death” of radio is no different. I view these changes more like the “death” of the critics favorite type of radio, the type they grew up with, then the absolute death of a medium.
5. Radio is designed to play hits. Sure there are songs tested out that are uncertain winners from a radio programming perspective, but the idea is to play songs that work. . .songs that will sell. YouTube, MySpace and the previously heralded MP3.com (where is it now?), are at the moment at least, marketing tools for unsigned bands to generate a fan base to better their chances of getting signed by, you guessed it, a record label. Like it or not, that’s still the model, and still the one a great number of the talented artists we can find online are pursuing. Making records costs a lot of money folks, touring costs a lot of money, and playing hits costs a lot of money. When you’re the one with a vested interest in profiting from your talent, how much do you want to leave to chance? Can a new band afford to give away their records for free? Come on. Sure, Radiohead and Trent can do it, but they’re already huge money-making artists. The free record is at once a publicity stunt and a way to generate income via different means. If either one of these recording artists were still “starving artists” you can better your bottom-dollar, they’d be gigging till they couldn’t stand anymore, and trying to squeeze every dollar out of every fan they had. That’s the truth. So, artists need radio, just like they need the internet. But in order for radio to need them, they’ve gotta’ be good, they’ve got to be able to write more than two good songs (in other words, generate scale), and the fickle consumer who we hear only buys singles any longer wants them to be good too. So, I don’t think you’ll be hearing any live feeds from YouTube getting piped through your FM dial any time soon, any more than you’ll hear even a small percentage of these most “clickable” of artists getting signed to a record deal, or putting out their own records on their own label. How many true hits are there on MySpace and YouTube, and do you really want to hear the rest on radio?
6. Baker’s half dozen bonus: Lastly, for readers of the page who want to work in the music industry, you already know that I believe radio is still one of the simplest entertainment industry workplaces to penetrate as either a career changer, or a newbie with zero experience. There are often so many things to do in radio, and enough turnover at stations, that if you’re persistent enough you could almost guarantee yourself a spot at the station of your choice within a year. Try it, you might be pleasantly surprised.

(By the way, music biz wannabes, stay tuned to Jeff Leeds’ reporting at the New York Times, his stuff rocks, and he’ll keep you very informed for your job interviews.)

Long live radio. . .even those stations we don’t like!

Anthony David - “Words” featuring India Arie

Today’s “New Tunes Tuesday” brings us this beauty by MySpace star Anthony David. If you’re a fan of Mr. David, then you’ve no doubt heard this song before as its been around for a bit. Of course, that doesn’t always mean the rest of us have heard it, and given the amazing ability of the Apple music department to pick super-ass hits no one ever played on radio, I feel I’m somewhat safe in “introducing” this one to musicbusinesspage.com readers here today. It’s a really great song, that I’m sure you’ll enjoy! His album Acey Duecey drops June 24, 2008. Pick it up whereever you by your records, cds, itunes, etc. these days.

Also, if you happen to be lucky enough to live in/near Atlanta Georgia, he’s playing at the Apple Store, Perimeter at 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road TODAY, June 17th at 7pm

Three things you need know know as an entertainment industry wannnabe:

1. He first picked up the guitar at the ripe ol’ age of 21
2. He wrote “A Part of My Life” one of the sweet tracks on India Arie’s Acoustic Soul album
3. He is a veteran of the 82 Airborne. . .jumping out of a plane, or singing. . .hmmm. . .which to choose?

Here are a few links to keep you busy if you dig this track:

Buy the “Words” single at:

Anthony David’s official MySpace page

If you’re at all inclined to consider a career in the music industry, you should take a look at some of the music and engineering schools that are geared toward helping you get started in the entertainment business.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, getting a degree in music is certainly not a necessity to forward yourself up the career ladder in music and entertainment, but what a good school can do for you is help you snag good internships. And, that is not something your typical career counselor at your typical 4 year college will have the first clue about. Trust me, I was one!

For some people, getting a great internship is part of the hustle involved in getting started in music, for others not yet attuned to how to get ‘em and keep ‘em, a program like the one at Full Sail can help. Here are two videos with Full Sail’s President Gary Jones that might provide some insight into the program.

Full Sail Interview #1 with Gary Jones, Full Sail President
(this vid highlights the program in a nutshell and talks about the stuff you learn)

Full Sail Interview #2 - with Gary Jones, Full Sail President
(this vid highlights the campus facilities and talks about gaming and famous grads)

Full Sail has also been named one of the top three entertainment media colleges by Shift Magazine alongside the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (No. 1) and New York University (No. 2); Electronic Gaming Monthly named Full Sail one of the top five Game Design Schools in the world; and Rolling Stone Magazine recently named Full Sail one of the “Best Music Programs” in the country, in addition to one of the “Best Music Business Departments” in the Schools That Rock: The Rolling Stone College Guide.

What I like about the program at Full Sail is that it pays attention to the business side of music as well as the fun stuff like artist management and the history of rock’n’roll in it’s Entertainment Business Bachelor of Science degree. The school also offers a Master’s program for those of you already through their undergrad programs.

The days of being able to place yourself at the top of the music industry heap with just a good ear and a long track record in radio and/or promotions, is not the norm any longer. Even record label internships, which you used to be able to get just by asking, it seems, require you to be in college so you can get credit. So instead of suffering through a degree program you have no passion for, check out something like Full Sail. I think you might be pleased by what they have to offer.

This week’s music business link round-up features a few new blogs and one you’re probably quite familiar with, I’m sure. So without further adieu, here are some of what I thought were great reads from around the blogosphere this week:

Fellow music-crazed writer, Heather McDonald over at musicians.about.com wrote a bevy of posts this week about a number of topics that might be of interest to you, including: the first part in a series about Long Lost Record labels, this year’s In The City music expo/conference/jam in the UK that offers a good excuse to hop on a plane and visit Europe this fall, and an interesting story covering feedback from users of Sonicbids.

A bit of interesting news about a company named Music Video Games, or MvG, that will address the growing notion of delivering some forms of music for sale on and in video games. I’m not sure what in the heck this is really going to be as of yet, but it caught my eye enough for me to bookmark it.

Rap & Hip Hop blogger/author/speaker Terrance Dean’s blog has not only one, but two informative posts on breaking into the music business on the hip-hop side of things that can be applied to any portion of the business you wish, really. Terrance, a former MTC staffer, has also written a memoir entitled “Hiding in Hip Hop”, that discusses among other things, what Newsweek magazine calls the “rap industry’s persistent “down-low” culture. He doesn’t name names, but it’s a fascinating peek inside hip-hop’s last taboo.”

And finally this week, The Infinite Dial, brought to us by Edison Media Research, brings us a quick look at one woman who has fought her way up the music industry ladder alongside all the men that most think occupy the halls of record labels across the world. My recollection was that there were many, many women of power walking those halls along side us, and Tayla Johnson, Music Director / Internship Coordinator, at Washington D.C.s WPGC 95.5 FM, illustrates this nicely in a little “ditty” about her recent recognition as one of the Infinite Dial’s 30 under 30 honorees.

Have a brilliant weekend, enjoy it if you’re already in it, and hope you had a great time if you’re already out of it! Cheers, Doc

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The Fratellis - “Mistress Mabel”

Okay, so today’s New Tunes Tuesday is a day late, but what the heck, this song is super cool anyway. This’ll be a new feature around here. . .all sorts of music will be featured. It’ll be a genre-busting specialty show of sorts, that’ll aim to keep you up on some of the new stuff being released every week in the world of music.

Three things you need to know:

1. They’re Scottish
2. They won the BRIT award for Best British Breakthrough Act in 2007
3. They apparently took their name from the movie “The Goonies”, and each member shares the same last name (kinda’) ala the Ramones

Here are a few links to keep you busy if you dig this track:

Buy the “Mistress Mabel” single at

Download The Fratellis Ringtones

The Fratellis Website