Thinking about slowing down ?

Well your age did begun to indicate you that it is not same excitement any more to be attending your weekend gigs.
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Thinking about quitting the band.
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Well perhaps is for you time in starting to think about the MUSIC PUBLISHERS.

Bit of Humour.

I don't see that bit of humour could kill the song. Contrary it could benefit it in popularity.

Náhrobní kámen - Petr Novák Semi recited songs,

I love songs like this when they are semi recited and I feel that there is a plenty of room for such songs in our time,

On the CAN CON.

CAN CON = Canadian Content = 2 in out of 3 to be in Canadian ownership. They say that CAN CON was developed as the protection to Canadian songwriters in against the American domination to the radio airplay.
When song - recording and production had been done in Canada then it is considered 100 % Canadian.
As the Czech born songwriter I feel restricted to be collaborating only with Canadians if I want my songs to be played on Canadian commercial radio stations.
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But I belief that Can Con is a hog wash because when song lyrics and music are outstanding then there is no one to stop the song from the airwaves.
If it would be so then Canadians would never heard of the Beatles - Stones and so on.
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What do you know about the Entartainment Lawyers ?

It has been said that the Entertainment Lawyers are the rare breed. In every city there are hundreds of lawyers around but true Entertainments Lawyers are not.
Any lawyer is able to help you to sign music publishing or record deal contract but only true Entertainment Lawyer will know what is going on.
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They are highly respected and valued by whole  Music Industry.

What do you know about the Music Publishers ?

It is often said that music publishing is a least known segment of the music industry in understanding.
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It is like this. When ever any artist comes up with the hit song what will get him or her sign to the major record label.
And then in one year time the record company is anticipating a release of new album of equal or better in hits standing.
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Sad to say but Muses are some times stingy when it wilothingl come to writing hit after hit. And so artists manager have to turn to the music publishers for help.
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Many songwriters feel offended by the prospect of sharing the royalty with the music publisher.
Cliff Jones did explain this situation on my seminar like this. If you write a hit song it is 100 % yours.
But your hit song is bringing you 100 % of nothing.
However when you will sign your song with the music publisher who will ask you for 50 % of your song.
Then you will have a 50 % of something. And what is better 100 % of nothing or 50 % of something ?

What do you know about the Radio Stations ?

There are different kind of Radio Stations in Canada.
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A. Public Radio these radio stations do not make to songwriters any money but will play their music.
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B.College Radio Stations - these Stations or some of these stations are paying royalty in  smaller amount to the commercial stations
are open to play foreign and new wave music.
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Commercial Radio Stations.
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What do you know about the Record Distributors ?

In Canada is virtually impossible without the record distribution to get your music to be played on the Commercial Radio Station.
And it is the Commercial Radio Stations what are able to make you money in royalty.
So for it the Record Distributors are very important segments of the Music Industry.

What do you know about the Promoters ?

There are several kind of promoters. - A Record Promoters who are working for the Record Companies who's job  is to get CD's or Video clips to be played on Radio and Television.
But best among them are the Concert Promoters who are giving an opportunity to the Talent to be featured on the Concerts and Music Festivals.
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Concert Promoters are the best known and up most desired.
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However Record Promoters are more important because who who would want to go to see you and hear you ? When people would not know you or about you from Radio and Television ?

What do you know about the Booking Agents ?

I am not able to recall in all trough the years how many people did ask me to do booking for them ?
Unfortunately for them I am an Songwriter Lyricist and this is what I am and always did want to be and nothing more.
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Situation is like this. Booking agent is a full time job. He or she is in need of the roster in talent and venues as well.
Then he or she have to juggle his or her talent in between the venues.
Not easy job to do.
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And for it when ever I was asked then I did say - NO ! I am sorry but no.
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What do you know about the Managers ?

When it dose come the description of Manager then almost always is said that Manager is like a one more member of the Band.
And there are also various forms of management in what the band leader is acting as the Band Manager.
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However when some band dose have the manager then he or she dose have to have a deeper knowledge of the music industry and good network with in.
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One big shot manager from L.A. said once on one seminar what I was attending that before he will sign any band or artist then he will be looking at how solid that band or artist is ?
He said look if I will go to the bank and ask the bank manager for half million dollars to be able to send somebody on the tour and I will ask.
Do I will have to pay that half million back to you plus the interest ? Off course that Bank Manager will say. Yes you will.
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And for this very reason you do have to be certain in who you are doing what.
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You can not afford at the beginning of the tour to get the drummer to quit the band because he will get in to the argument with the band leader.

To Czech Promoters.

I personally am up most Songwriter Lyricist - and not trying to be more then that.
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So here is an opportunity for you my countrymen.
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In Canada we have a.
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Viktoria Ska Festival
You in Czech Republic have a world class Ska bend.
It would be great to bring your band to our festival.
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When you write a song.

When you write a song then that song is yours for your lifetime and fifty years after your death. This dose apply for composing the melody or and as well writing a song lyrics for it.
Great news because this dose indicate that even your grandchildren could be benefiting from your artistic talent.
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However not every song is able to be making money forever. Songs do come and go.
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And only very few will stay.

Do you know this about Payola ?

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Internationally Payola is in against the Law.
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However.
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Our teacher for Music Business & Broadcasting at B.C.I.T told us during one lesson on Payola.
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Look at it this way. Every Major Record Label have their so call Record Promoters,
They are called in to the office where they are given a lot of money and are told. Here you go and get creative.
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And so our teacher who was an Program Director in one Vancouver  Big Commercial Radio Stations said to us in his lesson.
I came to work on one Monday morning and I did discover on my desk vase with roses. Well I said and did begun to be looking for some card what would indicate to me who did send to my office those roses and why ?
But there was no card.
I came to work Tuesday morning and what do you know? On my desk was a vase with fresh new roses and again no card.
This same gift was waiting for me also on Wednesday morning and since I did take the roses from day before and placed to the receptionists desk then by Thursday her desk did look like indoor rose garden.
Only on Friday morning in between the new roses was sitting innocently brand new CD what was recorded by one well known Canadian Recording Artist.

When and Why I did get in to the Music Business.

It was in late 60s when one day I was walking downtown of my city of Kladno - Czech Republic. When my friend a drummer of the band - The Beatus band what did transformed my first song lyrics in to the song. Approached me and said with excitement that he did hear my song on radio. Then that radio did say that records were now in the stores.
This was about week or two after me the drummer and several other friends did meet with one of greatest bands in Prague and Czech Republic.
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Off course I came to be thrilled by the news and run in to the Record Store to buy the album.
Well when I did open up the album I was disappointed that I did not received any credit for the song.
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That came to be a lesson for me.
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Then eventually when I came to Canada and did discover all the educational opportunities what were provided by - Pacific Songwriters Association - Pacific Music Industry Association.
I came to be hooked on the Music Business Education.
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Rest is history.
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Constitution Loophole.

At the time when I was an vice president for Squamish Songwriters Association I was asked by one High School Punk Band to attend their rehearsal session. So I did.
When I did arrive to their address I did discover that their band was rehearsing in the chicken shack.
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Well I did get a good kick in out of that. And after that I did offer to the bend to have a decent rehearsal space.
Their first reaction was - well we are all students and we don't have any money.
So I did offer them a rehearsal space for $5 per year.
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Well they did think that it was a joke but it was not.
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Perhaps average price for decent rehearsal space those years was &50 a day not $5 a year.
But I had my strategy.
Squamish had a Arts Council Building what they were renting from the city for $1 a year. On top Arts Council had various groups with inn what for Group membership of $ 25 a year were allowed to use the building for their activities.
And so did we at Squamish Songwriters Association.
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Off course when I said to the Arts Council that we would like a Punk Band to start using the building for their rehearsal space no one did wanted to hear about it.
But mandate of the Arts Council as in their constitution was to promote and to support ARTS in the city.
And what is the Punk Music ? Art after all.

Thought and bit of braging.

I have been saying for many years that it is normal for every songwriter or musician big dream to get his or hers picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone Magazine.
Of course but such honer is grated only to very few.
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So if I can give a small advice ?
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When you are Canadian why not to take opportunity of SOCAN's Words & Music magazine. It could be a great stepping stone in your music carrier.
This magazine is widely distributed through who is who in Canadian Music Industry and more your face is known. Better for you.
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When here in Vancouver I was working with the Aboriginal band - The Count on Country.
I did not managed to get them on the cover. However they did get nice write up about them on the inside.

My very first Asian motive song lyrics.

= At my very first Music Business Seminar what I have produced as the vice president for Squamish Songwriters Association my speaker for subject of Music Publishing was mister Cliff Jones of Rock Headquarters ( Bruce Allen Talent ) in Vancouver. Cliff in his lecture did say that he was feeling bad that no one to that day was able to come up with new song such as Tokyo Rose by the Idle Eyes what came to be their hit. = Well since I am an Czech born lyricist in out of curiosity I did give it a thought if I would be able to write a song lyrics with a Asian motive that would resemble song Tokyo Rose and so I did write a Put down your coin and play ! = I did leave a plenty of room in the part - Put down your coin and play for the composer to do his or her magic and in the end I came to be very satisfied with these lyrics.
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Sad part is that no matter that English is my second language in my belief I have done outstanding job with it.
But despite to that to this day no one did ever showed any interest in it.
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Where did I go wrong ?