Ti's Side Niche blog

Independence with a twist

 

Photographer: Piotr Kloczkowski

In celebration of Independence Day, I've incorporated stories around the theme of "independence and freedom".  Leading off with Prince rocking the industry once again with his avant garde decision to give away his latest CD for free in the UK. See Techdirt's article "Music Retailers Flip Out That Prince Wants To Give Away His Music" and Leftsetz Letter's galiant commentary "The Prince Flap".

Ryan Singel of Wired Blog has a great idea "Request for Corporate Privacy Villans: Help Wired News Rank and Shame Them"...here's an excerpt from his article: Heading into freedom weekend, THREAT LEVEL decided to ask readers to indulge in some free speech, whistle blowing, corporate bashing by submitting and voting on which companies have the worst privacy practices.  Spammers, squealers and slimy data sellers are all fair game."

Thanks to the We7 community for embracing the future and helping both artist and fan maintain our independence and freedom...hip hip hooray!

A return from the road less travelled...

..explains my long absence.

Three weeks ago, I couldn't imagine going on vacation without access to my computer and this blog.

I visited family and took a trip down memory lane with a visit to my alma mater Penn State University - Main campus.  The mountain air was wonderful and so was the music---I was definitely in another "zone".

I'm slowly re-surfacing. 

road trip

 

 

 

 

 

What's all the fuss about Lauryn Hill.. and the request for prayers.  ( I like to remember Lauryn Hill at her best..video attachment).  The video of Lauryn's performance in New Orleans was pulled from YouTube(the source for the request for prayers.)  A more appropriate recap of Lauryn's state of mind from Badical Beats(thanks for the info) here---original source/URB read more here .

Resonating headlines...Last fm acquired by CBS link

AT&T crossing the line? link ....weapons of mass discovery(major ruling)?

 

 

Authentic connections

Authentic connection

I was in the middle of writing a rather long dissertation on the subject of authentic connections, when I recalled an article I’d read a few months back that highlighted Doc Searls’ conversation with a religious scholar and Pastor named Sayo.  What did he say….something about relationships. (see Building a relationship economy) 

Earlier in the week, Clive Thompson penned a great article titled, Sex, Drugs and Updating Your Blog(Published: New York Times, 05/13/2007). He discusses the new trend in music discovery(social network 2.0) and some of the music groups(Jonathan Coulton, Barenaked Ladies, Artic Monkeys and others) that have mastered the new social tools. 

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“In the past — way back in the mid-’90s, say — artists had only occasional contact with their fans. If a musician was feeling friendly, he might greet a few audience members at the bar after a show. Then the Internet swept in. Now fans think nothing of sending an e-mail message to their favorite singer — and they actually expect a personal reply. This is not merely an illusion of intimacy. Performing artists these days, particularly new or struggling musicians, are increasingly eager, even desperate, to master the new social rules of Internet fame. They know many young fans aren’t hearing about bands from MTV or magazines anymore; fame can come instead through viral word-of-mouth, when a friend forwards a Web-site address, swaps an MP3, e-mails a link to a fan blog or posts a cellphone concert video on YouTube.”

In my previous blog post, authentic connections was listed as a contributing factor to how I believe developing artists find success in circa 2007.  When these connections grow to an ever increasing fan base, it’s important to understand why fans demand more from artists today.

I suggest reading Hughtrain—“It's no longer just enough for people to believe that your product does what it says on the label. They want to believe in you and what you do. And they'll go elsewhere if they don't.” ( my note: change the word product to music)

“It's not enough for the customer to love your product. They have to love your process as well.” More quotes found @ Hugh’s gapingvoid blog.

One final note, this is not a trend but rather an evolution.  “The Net invites your customers in to talk, to laugh with each other and to learn from each other.  Connected, they reclaim their voice in the market, but this time with more reach and wider influence than ever.” (source: Doc Searls chapter “Markets are Conversations”- The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual 1999, 2001 Christopher Locke,Rick Levine,Doc Searls,David Weinberger ).

Can developing artists survive in the music industry today?

"...but the point of selling albums is NOT the point.  It's about establishing careers, and making money from all 360% of revenue." "Watch your tour grosses not your album sales." (Source: Lefsetz Letter 5/7/2007). 

I believe for developing artists to make it in Circa 2007 aka the "digital revolution", they must first identify their music as a brand( and this includes identifying the "brand's" core audience). Second, establish your own terms(see examples from other successful artists ---I listed just a few).  Third, focus, communicate and offer authentic connections to your fans.  Remember to stay true, and ahead of the technology trends by allowing your brand(music) to be distributed to the "web savvy" &  the "on-the-go" markets. (Need help??? Time to plug our services see our site niche-mangement).

When you read headlines like...

WMG Losses Widen 385% To $27 Million (Hat tip to Hypebot)

 

                                             Can Music Survive Inside the Big Box? - WSJ.com

The Dresden Dolls - Amsterdam (Jacques Brel cover)

 

The record label as venture capital firm - Apr. 19, 2007

...know that you can carve out your "niche" and survive in the music industry today!

 

NICKELBACK

 

NIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Blogs to watch: appetitefordisruption  and HipMojo.com

It was a long week...

 

 

It was a long week and it's time to unwind. Check out this amazing slide show(Metacafe) synchronized to trance beats.

(Linked removed: 05/18/2007) 

QotD: My Daily Dose

What websites do you visit every day?
Submitted by Chez Michelle.

My day starts with visits to the following sites: Hypebot, Scobelizer, Gigaom, Cnet, Wired News, Shoutmouth, and Newsvine. I will usually follow links, upon links to discover new site sources.  Thank goodness for del.icio.us, technorati and Pageflakes.  I like to share what I find and post on my Vox blog.

Get your front row seats

New vs. Old

Google(Diggs, Web 2.0???)                            vs.                             Litigation

The revolution will be televised...on YouTube | Stanford Center for Internet and Society [beta site]

Google Fails To Blink                                               

                                       Beet.TV: Kevin Rose on the Sh**t Storm at Digg

(I couldn't resist....I'm a visual person:o) On edit: a link on the Legislative background seekingalpha.com 

 

Two Faces of Blogging

                                                                                       

 

Over the weekend, I had to pull away from the computer screen and recharge. I missed the opportunity to answer the Vox question of the day on blogging, however the time away allowed me the chance to read an annoynmous blogger’s personal story entitled “Anxiety, Depression, Technology and Me”. His/Her personal story speaks volumes to the question on blogging. This link is from the Scobelizer's blog.  The highs and lows of blogging.

 

The Emotion

(The mood set by listening to emilia's "Just for tonight" )

 

 

 

What is the state of the blogosphere?   David has compiled a comprehensive summary at David Sifry's musings  Did you know?

           

Technorati is now tracking over 70 million weblogs                                               

About 120,000 new weblogs are created each day, or...

1.4 new blogs every second

3000-7000 new splogs (fake, or spam blogs) created every day

Peak of 11,000 splogs per day last December

1.5 million posts per day, or...

17 posts per second

Growing from 35 to 75 million blogs took 320 days

22 blogs among the top 100 blogs among the top 100 sources linked to in Q4 2006 - up from 12 in the prior quarter

More Details & charts here:

 

All in the Details

(the mood set by listening to Audio: The pride of wearing a suit - The Glitch )

 

 

 

Like I stated in my first blog entry, I would not have considered blogging if I hadn’t discovered so many outstanding blog sites. 

 

Naturally, I felt excited for the “digital community” when I read about NATAS President and CEO Peter Price,  stating the importance of having an awards show that honors digital media content. Kim Nordyke (The Hollywood Reporter) quotes Price,  "We need to recognize these creators," he said. "They deserve recognition, and we've got to find a way to do it." 

 

That’s great news.….Hold on! read more of Kim’s report

 

 

 

The “Boom” aka Hit Hard

(the mood set by listening to:

Duke Boyz N DA CLUB

 

Oh and expect more debate on the contributions of blogs and bloggers when Andrew Keen releases his new book in June, titled "The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture" (Currency/Doubleday).

 

“Keen, a former dot-com entrepreneur, argues that the phenomenon of user-generated content, particularly blogs and YouTube videos, is overpowering established media players. Consequently, he believes the notion of quality content will be eradicated as the playing field tilts in favor of consumers churning out substandard and erroneous content.” Story by By Andrew Wallenstein, The Hollywood Reporter. He offsets Keen’s notions with strong counter agruments.  It’s a great read.

 

 

To quote from The Gaping Void  “Blogging is just  the tip  of the Cluetrain iceberg. And it wasn't the tip that sunk the Titanic.”

New Music

Sorry for the delay....out partying...no actually I was transcribing the the interview.

 

But without further delay here's new music from the Duke Boyz

 

Duke Boyz

 

Duke Boyz N DA CLUB

Duke Boyz

 And here is my interview with Goldie,

 

Side Niche: Thanks Goldie for making  time for this interview, and thanks to everybody at BK Music Entertainment for affording Side Niche this opportunity.

Side Niche: Your musical roots---where did it all start for the Duke Boyz?

Goldie:  Pretty much Krueger was working on a solo album and I was pretty much the guy that was at the club. I would just grab the microphone at the club in the middle of the party.  I had kinda of a fan base. He was more trying to get into the industry, and we crossed paths through one of our now managers--"White Mike" aka Aaron Rigdon. He put us together and we jumped straight into doing mixed tape albums. That was all--- and here we are.

Side Niche:  That was it.

Goldie:  That was it.

Side Niche: Well that was good start, it seems  like a lot of people get started in this industry that way.

Goldie: Yeah, I give a big “shout out” to the internet.

Side Niche: Yeah, it’s a happening thing.  Definitely why I’m here.

Side Niche:  You  started out on individual paths, but had a mutual friend that became your manager.

Goldie:  I mean, we both did a little time in prison.  When I got out of prison I was more into rap. I was making little tapes and passing them around to my friends and doing stuff like that.  When I was getting out,  Krueger was going in so we kinda missed each other. By the time he got out  3 years later I  had stopped rapping a little bit, but he was back heavy in to it. They called and kinda pulled me back into to the game as far as the Duke Boyz.

Side Niche: Yeah I had a chance to look at your bio on the BK Music Ent. site,  and saw that you were pretty hot there in prison. You know, and I want to commend you on getting your high school diploma, that was definitely a great feat on your part.  

Goldie: My family, and my friend's family came up with a $50,000 bond for me to actually walk across the stage.

Side Niche:  Wow,...wow.

Goldie:  I got in trouble while in high school and still got my credit for it.

Side Niche: Yeah, so I’m glad you got a second chance man.  This is a big  chance here, you know.

Side Niche:  When I first heard "N Da Club" --- I was like this is “bangin”, this is “bangin”.  You definitely have a hit.

Goldie:  I appreciate that. . I mean, I think it’s all here---I think it’s a great hit.

Side Niche:  Now the Duke Boyz,--- the name. Is there a special meaning behind the name…Duke Boyz?

Goldie:  Yes there is a very special meaning.  If you look up the meaning of  a Duke,  he is a nobleman, of high rank. He is not the king but like a step below, you know he is like a  prince. That’s kinda how we feel. We don’t want to be the king--- the prince is cool.

Side Niche:  Ok, ---hey, that’s pretty deep right there!

Goldie:  Ha, ha, no it ain’t.

Side Niche:  What’s the rap scene like in Kentucky. I heard you call it  "Muddy bloody Kentucky", what’s it like there?

Goldie: Mud 'n' bloody, yeah! The rap scene in Ky has changed.  There are  a lot more rappers now and there is a lot more talent.  I always believe you know, the talent here in Ky  --the talent here is so deep.  I always felt like somebody is going to blow up outta here, and I’m not even only talking about the Duke Boyz.  I mean there’s  a lot of talent in Ky --BOOM, somebody is going to break off from here pretty soon.

Side Niche: Is there a particular name for your type of music--- like here, I am in the ATL, you know they call it the “dirty south”. Is there a particular name you put on your type of music?

Goldie: You know what, I mean-- there’s not really a name for the music.  I’m just-- I’m just --a country boy.  We are just country boys.  It’s just us, just us. There is no act to it.  You know I might feel like the blues one day, I might feel like a club another day. Whatever I'm feeling that day is what you get on the microphone. There really isn’t a certain sound from here or for myself.

Side Niche:  Right, right. So from what experiences do you draw to put your lyrics together?

Goldie: Life.

Side Niche: Life?

Goldie: Yeah.  Yeah, I’ve seen a lot you know. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve been through a lot. I have friends that are going through a lot today. I have a lot to write about. You know...

Side Niche: So that must mean you have an entire encyclopedia of music ready to break out.

Goldie: Yeah, yeah. I have albums in the closet.

Side Niche:  Wow, that’s great. We will be ready for it.

Side Niche: Who are some of your musical influences?  Anyone that has inspired you to this point?

Goldie: Yeah, I’m like a lot of people. I am a Tupac fan. It’s the way he expressed himself. I feel like when he went to the studio that was how he felt that day, at the moment. Whether he was angry, annoyed--- or whatever he was feeling.  That was my influence for the most part—

Side Niche:  Ok.

Goldie- A big influence.

Side Niche:  I gave you my opinion on the single “N Da Club”.  I said it is bangin. What do your fans say, what does Ky (Kentucky) say?

Goldie:  I give it 2 thumbs up.

Side Niche: Two thumbs?

Goldie: I mean for a club song…

Side Niche: Yeah..

Goldie: It is a club song. You know  It is made for the club.

Side Niche: Ok.

Goldie: If you're in a  club and you had a couple of drinks, then you're going to feel that song at the club.

Side Niche: Yeah! That’s why I wanted to highlight the single this Friday, to  get everybody ready for the club.

Goldie: Get ready for the club!

Side Niche:  What are you listening to these days?

Goldie: To tell you the truth. I keep an mp3 player in my car, I have a little bit of everybody. I mean literally, Jay-Z to Little Wayne-- to just about everybody. And  I’m talking R&B, Hiphop, Rap everything. I am versatile. I listen to all types of music.

Side Niche:  Before I conclude the interview, I wanted to know if  you want to send a special message out to your fans?

Goldie: Yeah, yeah the album is coming May 29^th!

Side Niche: Yeah, that was going to be my next question. Album will hit May 29^th.

Side Niche:  Do you have a website  I can highlight  on this blog?

 Bernard do you want to take this one? 

Bernard:  The fans can reach out to the Duke Boyz at  www.bkmentertainment.com or www.myspace.com/bkmedukeboyz

Side Niche:  Ok, we will take a note of that.

Side Niche: Last messages?

Goldie:  Only message I have is hopefully The Duke Boyz will be in a club near you.

Side Niche: Ok, I’m going to pump it up for you here in the ATL!

 

 

 

 

Duke Boyz "N Da Club" tonight

Let's Party!

To celebrate the launch of our new website niche-management.com, we will have a party tonight by showcasing new music from the Duke Boyz.   The single "Duke Boyz N Da Club" along with an online interview with one of the group members will be uploaded later tonight.  So check the seeniche blog later this evening to hear a HOT new track that will make you wish you were at a Club!  Also, thanks to all for your comments on the Side Niche @seeniche.vox blog. 

BREAKING NEWS...I just pulled this from my Pageflake feed hat tip to muSick in the head   (click link to read the breaking news) as reported from R.A.I.N.