Anyone who's been listening to our show over on blogtalkradio is aware of some of the issues we've been having conducting the show. Over the last couple of weeks some of these issues have gotten progressively worse.
Listeners either can't find the show, or get the player to open
You have to go through a minefield of pop up ads
Chatroom doesn't work like it should, or the latest wrinkle, yeah, you get into chat, but it's not the same chat the rest of us are in
Hosts keep losing their switchboard (which is our web based control panel for the show)
One of the "pop up ads" is actually a pop UNDER ad that tries to hi-jack your browser
Shows that continue to broadcast after the live stream ends are no longer archived
Either I or another host have brought these issues up in one of the blogtalkradio communities, or in my case to host support, and the answer is either "thank you for letting us know, we're working on it" or no response at all. I know I personally brought the pop up issue to host support well over a month or two ago, and yet the toxic ones that want to give you a virus are still there. I had this issue again while trying to host my show this week. If there had been a guest this week I would have been embarrassed.
I don't put in the time that I generally do for show preparation, promoting and broadcasting the show for my health. One or two things that happen every once in a while I could deal with, but this huge list of issues that happen nearly EVERY WEEK is something else altogether. Yes I know it's a free site, yes I know it's supported by advertising, yes I understand that there are occasionally going to be issues, but come on, every week when I do the show either my regular listeners have problems or I do?
Much of this started when they redesigned the site back in January. It used to be when something was broken on BTR they fixed it pretty fast so I just figured that I would wait, and ride it out until they did. They've been "working on it" for almost 5 months and there are still issues which makes me think that the sites become more about the advertisers and less about the hosts and listeners. I could even deal with that as long as the damn thing worked, but the fact of the matter is it doesn't, at least like it used to.
So, the show will be moving to a new network sometime during the month of May.
Deb, and Jody Parker (dreaminglad on blogtv) have been lobbying for me to take the show over to blogtv. I've been trying to decided between that, or nowlive. I've been playing with nowlive for a couple of weeks but haven't been able to get it to work quite like I want it to.
After our show on Sunday I went over to blogtv and played around with it for a couple of hours, and was able to get it to work with no problems, so at this point I think the choice is obvious. I have to put together a showpage over there, and Deb and I need to work out how we are going to do the co-host format, but shortly the new home for Indie Music Spotlight will be http://www.blogtv.com/People/riskybusiness04.
Details to be announced on our show on blogtalkradio very soon, and of course I'll post here when the change is made.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Just Another Day in Hell -- Pete Berwicks New CD is Available!
We talked about Petes new CD on the show last night, and I promised that I would post links on where you can hear the music, and buy the new CD.
Just Another Day in Hell, Pete Berwicks latest release and I think his best yet, is available right on his website which is peteberwick.net. The CD is $12 and shipping and handling is $1.80. How much did you spend on your last CD? Was the whole thing good from start to finish? Well I can honestly tell you that this one is! Just Another Day in Hell takes you on a journey. Pete told me that he didn't really just sit down and write an album..the stories are all true (all 18 tracks) and he wrote about em as they unfolded or after..thus the title..
"obviously a rough last couple years."
Yeah, a rough couple of years, but it makes one hell of an album.
If you want to hear some of the songs that are on the album, check out Pete's myspace page or over on garageband.
The man is a freaking musical genius. Go pick up your copy of Another Day in Hell, you won't regret it, that I promise you.
Just Another Day in Hell, Pete Berwicks latest release and I think his best yet, is available right on his website which is peteberwick.net. The CD is $12 and shipping and handling is $1.80. How much did you spend on your last CD? Was the whole thing good from start to finish? Well I can honestly tell you that this one is! Just Another Day in Hell takes you on a journey. Pete told me that he didn't really just sit down and write an album..the stories are all true (all 18 tracks) and he wrote about em as they unfolded or after..thus the title..
"obviously a rough last couple years."
Yeah, a rough couple of years, but it makes one hell of an album.
If you want to hear some of the songs that are on the album, check out Pete's myspace page or over on garageband.
The man is a freaking musical genius. Go pick up your copy of Another Day in Hell, you won't regret it, that I promise you.
For Independent Musicians, How to Get Airplay on Internet Radio Shows...(reposted)
In case it got missed the first time.....
Here is the scenario....
While conducting her show either on blogtv or blogtalkradio, Deb will get a request from a musician asking if they'll play their music on her show................
I'll get an email from a musician asking to come onto the show.............
What is the criteria for us to play your music on our shows?
Lately, given the music industry's current model of lawsuits and intimidation for copyright infringement, and the fact that they could easily shake us down like they do public music venues that is a really good question.
Honestly, in many cases we would really like to, we really would. Unfortunately there are things as online radio hosts we need to consider, the main one being that we need to cover our own ass.
Many unsigned, independent musicians who play in bars, coffeehouses, nightclubs, and open mic nights know that the venues they play in have to pay licensing fees to the Performance Rights agencies, the big ones being BMI, or Ascap. Others could tell stories about some of their favorite venues not being able to play music anymore because they didn't have a license from one of the PRO's (Performance Rights Organizations) (also known as the music mafia) and those same venues have had to pay a sizable fine. Those fines could run into the thousands of dollars.
That's nothing compared to what internet broadcasters are supposed to pay if we play music. Ever heard of Sound Exchange? How about the RIAA? Oh, you've heard of the RIAA, well, Sound Exchange is basically the RIAA.
Ok, now that I've mentioned the RIAA, does the word lawsuit come to mind? Who filed the lawsuits on the file sharers? Who sued many of the wrong people including 12 year old girls, a homeless guy, and a dead woman among others?
The RIAA.
SoundExchange is the RIAA.
The RIAA, via SoundExchange want internet broadcasters who play music that belongs to their members in excess of $20,000 (U.S. dollars) to play that music. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't have that kind of cash laying around to play music for a once a week show.
For that matter, while Deb primarily plays music on her shows, from what she's said, she doesn't have that kind of cash either.
Independent musicians, if you are with one of the members of the music mafia which include but not limited to the RIAA, BMI, The Harry Fox Agency or Ascap, your membership with one of these Performance Rights Societies will limit your airplay on internet radio because we can't afford the licensing fees, and don't want to run the risk of losing our homes, and everything we've worked for in our personal lives just because we played a song, never mind that you sent us the file and asked us to play it. I'm sorry, but even though you asked us to play it, if the music mafia were to come after us it wouldn't matter.
So since I mentioned all that, let me tell you independent guys and gals, who want your music played on independent music shows on the internet, the best possible ways to get airplay on internet radio.
1) If you are a member of one of the Performance Right Organizations, forget it, most of us who play music on the internet aren't willing, or able to pay for the licensing fees. I know that Deb would love to play your music on her show, and get you some exposure, and honestly I would too. We know, better than most people, how the industry totally screws over the independent artists. One of the ways that they got ya by the balls? Well, you are a member of one of the licensing agencies that have you by the balls, and broadcasters as well. We would love to give you exposure, we would love to give you airplay, but because we are 9 to 5 workday people, and while we are independent broadcasters, unfortunately we are not also independently wealthy. I can't be any more plain then that.
2) So, if you are a member of the Music Mob? Did you also license your music under Creative Commons? Well, guess what? Because you signed with them, even if you also license your music under Creative Commons, the agreement you signed with BMI, ASCAP, Harry Fox or whichever agency you signed with takes precedence over your Creative Commons license. In fact, according to the Creative Commons website, you can't use a Creative License at all.
I got this right off of the the Creative Commons Website so I know it's legit.
Oops, did that link take you somewhere else? Oh yeah I'm sorry, the link I posted is some of the crap those of us who broadcast on the internet have to deal with.
I wanted to give some of you folks who want your music on the internet, who thought this blog post was a bit long, something longer to read. Just a taste of the hell that responsible internet broadcasters have to deal with.
Since you have made it this far, I'll be nice and keep it simple.
So, even if you license your music under Creative Commons, your original agreement under your licensing agency applies. In fact, if you have already signed your rights away with a member of the M.O.B. (Muthas of Broadcasting) you can't even license your music under Creative Commons.
Click the link and do your own homework, because responsible internet broadcasters are gonna do ours. Even if you license your music under Creative Commons, if you also are with one of the major licensing agencies, guess what? Your agreement with BMI, Ascap, ect will supersede your Creative Commons license, like I said before, Creative Commons doesn't even apply at all. You shouldn't even try to license your music under Creative Commons, it will only make legit internet broadcasters think that is O.K. to play your music. It might be O.K. with you, but it is not gonna be O.K. with the "music mafia", that I promise you.
So, simply put, if you feel that you have to be a member of one of the Performance Rights Organizations, or the Music Mafia, or the PRO's, you are going to have a problem getting played on internet radio shows that would like to play your music. If you skipped the above post hoping to see why, then you are gonna have to just scroll back up.
Sorry. You signed your name to the paperwork long before you knew of me.
3) If you really and truly want Deb to play your music on her show, then you are going to have to sign a waiver. The waiver basically states what she is going to do with your music (play it, nothing else) what her rights are (which is to play it on her show, again, nothing else)
If ya got this far, then I know what you are thinking, which is Holy Shit, what am I signing my name to? Well, I know that Deb understands that the Music Industry is so screwed up that you guys are afraid to sign your name to anything. All Deb is asking is your permission to play your music on her show. She's trying to cover her ass, and can you say you blame her?
They have found ways to screw you indie guys, well guess what, they've found way's to bend us over and get us too.
So, in short, well I can't make it short and sweet, you really have to do your homework, just like we need to need to do ours.
If you want your music played, you have to jump through 50 hoops. If you are listed with one of the major licensing agency's, then I hope you are in really good shape, because you are gonna have to jump through a million hoops to even get us to play your music. We want to, we just can't without some paper to cover us.
As an internet broadcaster, we have to cover our ass as well, because of the industries current business model, we really are left with no choice.
We'd love to play ya, really we want to.
Make it possible for us. Don't sign it away to an industry that wants it for themselves.
Don't sign your music away to the music mafia.
Take a look at the Creative Commons website, and read the whole agreement.
The majority of us won't play ya otherwise. I'm sorry, but the industry won't let us play your music otherwise.
Here is the scenario....
While conducting her show either on blogtv or blogtalkradio, Deb will get a request from a musician asking if they'll play their music on her show................
I'll get an email from a musician asking to come onto the show.............
What is the criteria for us to play your music on our shows?
Lately, given the music industry's current model of lawsuits and intimidation for copyright infringement, and the fact that they could easily shake us down like they do public music venues that is a really good question.
Honestly, in many cases we would really like to, we really would. Unfortunately there are things as online radio hosts we need to consider, the main one being that we need to cover our own ass.
Many unsigned, independent musicians who play in bars, coffeehouses, nightclubs, and open mic nights know that the venues they play in have to pay licensing fees to the Performance Rights agencies, the big ones being BMI, or Ascap. Others could tell stories about some of their favorite venues not being able to play music anymore because they didn't have a license from one of the PRO's (Performance Rights Organizations) (also known as the music mafia) and those same venues have had to pay a sizable fine. Those fines could run into the thousands of dollars.
That's nothing compared to what internet broadcasters are supposed to pay if we play music. Ever heard of Sound Exchange? How about the RIAA? Oh, you've heard of the RIAA, well, Sound Exchange is basically the RIAA.
Ok, now that I've mentioned the RIAA, does the word lawsuit come to mind? Who filed the lawsuits on the file sharers? Who sued many of the wrong people including 12 year old girls, a homeless guy, and a dead woman among others?
The RIAA.
SoundExchange is the RIAA.
The RIAA, via SoundExchange want internet broadcasters who play music that belongs to their members in excess of $20,000 (U.S. dollars) to play that music. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't have that kind of cash laying around to play music for a once a week show.
For that matter, while Deb primarily plays music on her shows, from what she's said, she doesn't have that kind of cash either.
Independent musicians, if you are with one of the members of the music mafia which include but not limited to the RIAA, BMI, The Harry Fox Agency or Ascap, your membership with one of these Performance Rights Societies will limit your airplay on internet radio because we can't afford the licensing fees, and don't want to run the risk of losing our homes, and everything we've worked for in our personal lives just because we played a song, never mind that you sent us the file and asked us to play it. I'm sorry, but even though you asked us to play it, if the music mafia were to come after us it wouldn't matter.
So since I mentioned all that, let me tell you independent guys and gals, who want your music played on independent music shows on the internet, the best possible ways to get airplay on internet radio.
1) If you are a member of one of the Performance Right Organizations, forget it, most of us who play music on the internet aren't willing, or able to pay for the licensing fees. I know that Deb would love to play your music on her show, and get you some exposure, and honestly I would too. We know, better than most people, how the industry totally screws over the independent artists. One of the ways that they got ya by the balls? Well, you are a member of one of the licensing agencies that have you by the balls, and broadcasters as well. We would love to give you exposure, we would love to give you airplay, but because we are 9 to 5 workday people, and while we are independent broadcasters, unfortunately we are not also independently wealthy. I can't be any more plain then that.
2) So, if you are a member of the Music Mob? Did you also license your music under Creative Commons? Well, guess what? Because you signed with them, even if you also license your music under Creative Commons, the agreement you signed with BMI, ASCAP, Harry Fox or whichever agency you signed with takes precedence over your Creative Commons license. In fact, according to the Creative Commons website, you can't use a Creative License at all.
I got this right off of the the Creative Commons Website so I know it's legit.
Oops, did that link take you somewhere else? Oh yeah I'm sorry, the link I posted is some of the crap those of us who broadcast on the internet have to deal with.
I wanted to give some of you folks who want your music on the internet, who thought this blog post was a bit long, something longer to read. Just a taste of the hell that responsible internet broadcasters have to deal with.
Since you have made it this far, I'll be nice and keep it simple.
As a result of the warranty disclaimer, before using a Creative Commons licensed work, you should satisfy yourself that the person has all the necessary rights to make the work available under a Creative Commons license. You should know that if you are wrong, you could be liable for copyright infringement based on your use of the work.
So, even if you license your music under Creative Commons, your original agreement under your licensing agency applies. In fact, if you have already signed your rights away with a member of the M.O.B. (Muthas of Broadcasting) you can't even license your music under Creative Commons.
Click the link and do your own homework, because responsible internet broadcasters are gonna do ours. Even if you license your music under Creative Commons, if you also are with one of the major licensing agencies, guess what? Your agreement with BMI, Ascap, ect will supersede your Creative Commons license, like I said before, Creative Commons doesn't even apply at all. You shouldn't even try to license your music under Creative Commons, it will only make legit internet broadcasters think that is O.K. to play your music. It might be O.K. with you, but it is not gonna be O.K. with the "music mafia", that I promise you.
So, simply put, if you feel that you have to be a member of one of the Performance Rights Organizations, or the Music Mafia, or the PRO's, you are going to have a problem getting played on internet radio shows that would like to play your music. If you skipped the above post hoping to see why, then you are gonna have to just scroll back up.
Sorry. You signed your name to the paperwork long before you knew of me.
3) If you really and truly want Deb to play your music on her show, then you are going to have to sign a waiver. The waiver basically states what she is going to do with your music (play it, nothing else) what her rights are (which is to play it on her show, again, nothing else)
If ya got this far, then I know what you are thinking, which is Holy Shit, what am I signing my name to? Well, I know that Deb understands that the Music Industry is so screwed up that you guys are afraid to sign your name to anything. All Deb is asking is your permission to play your music on her show. She's trying to cover her ass, and can you say you blame her?
They have found ways to screw you indie guys, well guess what, they've found way's to bend us over and get us too.
So, in short, well I can't make it short and sweet, you really have to do your homework, just like we need to need to do ours.
If you want your music played, you have to jump through 50 hoops. If you are listed with one of the major licensing agency's, then I hope you are in really good shape, because you are gonna have to jump through a million hoops to even get us to play your music. We want to, we just can't without some paper to cover us.
As an internet broadcaster, we have to cover our ass as well, because of the industries current business model, we really are left with no choice.
We'd love to play ya, really we want to.
Make it possible for us. Don't sign it away to an industry that wants it for themselves.
Don't sign your music away to the music mafia.
Take a look at the Creative Commons website, and read the whole agreement.
The majority of us won't play ya otherwise. I'm sorry, but the industry won't let us play your music otherwise.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Better Late Than Never, We Had JD Steagall Last Sunday...
We had a great show last Sunday. Ever talk to someone, and within the first 5 minutes you felt like you were talking to your best friend? That's how I felt when I was talking to JD, what a great guy. Incredible musician, and one hell of a guy.
Check out his new band, the cherokee boys blues band over on Myspace, I love the new music, right up there with the music that JD did with Buster Chopz.
He was on his way to a gig at the world famous Blues Saloon in Oklahoma City, and while he was on the show he introduced his new bandmates, and he said he only had a half an hour to talk to us, but he stuck around for over an hour. He told me later that after he hung up, someone ran out to get him because his gig was about to start...lol
While he was on the show, we talked about his new band, some of his music, the industry, we played some of his music, and we had a blast doing this one.
Be sure to check it out, it's in the player. While overall we really did had a great show, JD didn't call in until we were about an hour into it, so maybe another way to listen to the interview would be to follow this link to the showpage, and under the player there is an option to open the show in your default player. Then fast forward to about 58 minutes into the show and you'll be there.
Check out his new band, the cherokee boys blues band over on Myspace, I love the new music, right up there with the music that JD did with Buster Chopz.
He was on his way to a gig at the world famous Blues Saloon in Oklahoma City, and while he was on the show he introduced his new bandmates, and he said he only had a half an hour to talk to us, but he stuck around for over an hour. He told me later that after he hung up, someone ran out to get him because his gig was about to start...lol
While he was on the show, we talked about his new band, some of his music, the industry, we played some of his music, and we had a blast doing this one.
Be sure to check it out, it's in the player. While overall we really did had a great show, JD didn't call in until we were about an hour into it, so maybe another way to listen to the interview would be to follow this link to the showpage, and under the player there is an option to open the show in your default player. Then fast forward to about 58 minutes into the show and you'll be there.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
J.D. Steagall from Buster Chopz on Spotlight this Sunday!
Tonight we have J.D. Steagall from Buster Chopz. Buster Chopz is a 3 piece band, but sound much, much bigger, such an incredible sound. Played regularly on the Unsigned Musicians show (every Saturday night here on BTR at 11 p.m.) I've always really liked this band. When you listen to their music, it just draws you in, authentic and real, there just aren't enough words to describe what you hear, you just have to listen to it to understand. J.D. is much the same way so it should be a fun show!
Here is a link to some of their music, it's gonna blow you away, right here on myspace.
See ya this Sunday over on blogtalkradio, the page for the show is here so you can just follow the link and we'll see ya there!
Here is a link to some of their music, it's gonna blow you away, right here on myspace.
See ya this Sunday over on blogtalkradio, the page for the show is here so you can just follow the link and we'll see ya there!
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