MAB Q&A

Nod, it is always great to hear from you. Have you tried to contact anyone here? Visit some of these' guy's listening rooms, and break down and contact one or two of them privately. See if you can start putting somthing together. We have a couple of new people, RiDawn and Jarrod, who would be good to contact as they are fairly new at it too. And of course, Justin in Texas and OD in Ohio, are good to check in with and try to get something started.

MAB 

I'll do that.  I am working on some music for Gwyneth but have fallen behind on it (always my problem!).

I will keep you posted. 

Cheers

Nod

Nod,

That is fine. Gwynneth is a nice person. Many of the people here are more experienced to the co-writing experience so you might find it a little faster in the process. Also will find their songs lend themselves a bit more to a faster pace. A little clearer in scope. 

MAB 

                                          ANOTHER USE FOR SONGWRITERS

Last night was a very special night at DOUGLAS CORNER, with myself, Allen Shervelle (WITH Kelly Shervelle, hard to get used to saying that),  Jeff Batson and Eric Haines, and Jeff Batson. Great round. And a special guest slot with Keith "Bull" Dozier, was a great part to be involved with. The top was that it was done to raise money for Lung Cancer. Allen and Kelly both had Uncles, parents,grandparents who had come through the "C" word. Jeff and his girlfriend had both had grandparents die from the disease, and my Father died of complications due to lung disease. So there was a lot of personal involvement there. 

Norman, Tina, and Ridawn were there  representing the Rampers, and of course, Matt Casey had a couple of songs done and was talked about by everyone. Matt is kind of becoming Nashville's "Bigfoot' , someone that everyone has heard of but not that many have actually glimpsed sight of. 

A really cool part was when Allen did his, Norm and my song, TRYING MY BEST TO LIVE, and recorded it for his family in New Jersey, dedicating it to his two uncles who passed away from Lung disease.

It is great to be able to help causes. That is one of the main reasons to be involved with this. Music is meant to share and do good. I think we did.

MAB 

MAB,

It truly was a great night with great talent, for a great cause with great people!  The power of love through music is a beautiful thing!!  Life is precious, and I'm so thankful to have all of you in mine!!  xoxo!   Have an awesome weekend everyone!!

~ RiDawn

MAB, I'm sure you had a great evening! I just gotta figure out how to get back there more often. I feel "left out", and it's depressing LOL. So, did Carey Murdock show up?

Now I got another question. First, to set it up, I just finshed a new song. The story line is; V1: My friend died, CH: Here's what we used to do V2 I still think about you, CH, Bridge: I've come back to visit our old place, and CH: Here's what I'm doing.  Sound familliar? Should. I modled it after a song that has been on the radio.

So, here's the question, and any personal experience stories woud be great. I know there are hundreds of songs in Nashville all having the same  story line, but the question is: Out of all those to choose from, how does that process work? Do the powers that be listen/re-listen to songs with the same story line? Or do they just go back to the one they "fell in love with before"? Or is it who ever gets there first with the "new" (term used loosely) song/lyrics/sound at just the right time when that power just happens to listen and just happens to like the song, regardless of any previous songs he/she might have heard with the same story line?

phil g.

... or does the one you co-write with the artist using their own stories for the "facts" win out?  I think that is the lesson that MAB normally teaches.  Outside songs don't have a chance.   Inside songs don't much of a chance either (ha, ha), but a least they might actually get listened to!

Hi everybody.

I write song lyrics. I've been lurking here for a while and posting songs.

I just posted a song co-written by MAB and me here:
https://www.songramp.net/musicians/dave-undis/song/making-up-mix/

It turns out MAB is my neighbor. I live 3 houses up the street from him. We both walk our dogs around the neighborhood, and that's how we met. (No gherming was involved.)

One day MAB asked me if I would like to try to co-write a song. Check out what we came up with. I hope you like it.

MAB is the singer.

Working with MAB was a hoot and a half!

Hello guys and gals,

Just got back from a pretty incredible weekend in Kalamazoo Michigan, meeting with the "CHILI PEPPERS" songwriting group, watching Dani Jamerson and Shelagh Brown tear up a bunch of audiences, including an outdoor festival show opening for Chris Cagle, and spending the weekend, Kayaking, staying with great friends and watching Tina fly around in a parachute guided plane, that almost went into the woods on landing. She was so light, the pilot didnt' compensate for the load and didn't stop in time betfore he ended up with his parachute in a pine tree. Luckily, Tommy martin, climed the tree (at 62 years old) and got the parachute down. Was very interesting, no one was hurt and was a great weekend.

I am pretty wiped but do want to address Phil's post here and then will fill in more tomorrow:

About "predictable' song forms, like you are  talking about here Phil, yes, they hear a lot of these things all the time, and yes about everyone has them. When a song comes out like "House that Built Me", everyone will be having those same kinds of songs. And since those emotional based songs are so few and far between because they do hit so hard, they are the hardedst to get cut. It is why that particular song took nearly 13 years to get cut.

The entire subject of death in any way shape or form, or the feelings of loss, are a very tough sell, because that is not what the majority of music listeners are into. Think about where music is played. The big outdoor rock type festivals, the lakes, rivers, oceans, summer songs. Do you think these people, when there are 18,000 of them around each other drinking beer on a beach, want to hear any of those songs? Not a chance. Why do you have so many "bro country' songs? There you go.

Now on stories, and how these things get cut. You have to keep in mind a few things "behind the song" that is happening. I am not sure which song you are talking about, but basing your song on another song that is already out there is pretty much killing you dead in the water to begin with. You are far behind the curve and as a new writer, you would be turned off in the first intro, probably with a "been there, done that" kind of attitude.

I saw a biography the other night on Miranda Lambert. It showed about her childhood. Her parents had a very successful private investigative business in Texas. They were the ones who found out all the stuff on Paula jones and the Bill Clinton affair and the things that led to his impeachment in Congress. They were very good and very successful. Then the bottom dropped out in the Texas oil boom in the 90's and lost all their work, their homes their cars, everything. They had a very tough time, being homeless at times. Miranda went through a lot, including living in a very ramshackle house for most of her life.

Fast forward a few years, she is hugely successful. Her husband, Blake Shelton was playing songs he was considering for his next album and played The House that Built Me. It floored her because it was JUST LIKE HER LIFE GROWING UP! Every detail was something she had gone through. So it was as if it was written for her. It connected to her in a way that no song ever had. It became a huge hit and changed her life.
Now again, you have to look behind the song. It was written by two VERY SUCCESSFUL songwriter, Tom Douglas, and Allen Shamblin. Tom, has been a hit writer for many people for decades. Allen, has as well, but wrote one of the most performed songs in history, "I Can't Make You Love Me", by Bonnie Raitt. So that song got heard because of their other track record and their ability to stay relevant in Nashville over the past decades.

That could have just as easily been written by an unknown writer and never be heard by anyone.  I cannot begin to tell you of the amount of songs like that with that kind of impact, emotional story,  connection with audiences, even those that have had money and record business connections put behind them, and STILL NOT MAKE IT. That is the music business. Happens all the time.

All of that just worked. Sometimes it does, most of the time it doesn't. But even if it had not, it does not decrease the impact of that song. It is an amazingly written song.

That is what you have to strive for. Taking an existing formula, tied to something already out there, particularly a song that is in the public eye, is simply setting yourself up for failure as far as pitches. It is why this is so hard to do. It is very hard to find the ideas, the senarios. It is hard to connect with artists. To know what they want, what they need, what they don't have.

And that speaks to thatn song as well.Miranda was known for the kick butt, attitude, gunpowder and lead fired up woman song. No one thought to pitch her something like that at a time she was going through all the things she was going through. They would pitch her more of the same. She already had that.She need something different. Which is what that got. And it put her on the cover of every beauty magazine in the country. Totally changed her image.

Now, how are you going to know how to do that? In my opinion, until you sit around with young artists and find out what THEY want to say, you are not going to. I cannot stress the co-writing and the relationship factor enough. i just had to tell about fifty people at a workshop yesterday, if you are NOT writing these songs with artists, they are probably not going to get out of your living room. They are just not. I'm sorry, but that is reality.

So, you are going to have to do more leg work to find those artists and find out what they want to say. Writing on your own is fine for what it is. A building experience. But until you are translating that into reality, and that comes with working with others, it is going to be just that. An excercise.
MAB 

MAB, thanks for the reply. Very interesting story about how Miranda got "House That Built Me".

The good news (I guess?) is that I don't expect my song to get heard. Mainly because it's already been done; Very recently (AND of course, I don't know anybody to "push it" any way LOL). BUT, when that song was done, ("Drink A Beer" by Luke Bryan) I gotta believe there were already 100's of other songs "out there" with the same basic story line. I know why Lyke wanted to do the song, but how was it he heard that song and not one of the other 100 songs? Or did he hear some of the other songs and just liked that one best?

phil g.

Phil,

The thing about the Internet is that all the information you ever want is right at your fingertips. It is what I call doing "song study.' I tell all of you to do this all the time so you understand how this happens. You start with WIKAPEDIA:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drink_a_Beer

Then you go deeper:

http://www.examiner.com/article/luke-bryan-s-song-drink-a-beer-the-story-behind-it-revealed

All of this is out there. But the main reason that this song and all other songs make it where others don't? 
THEY CONNECT WITH THE ARTIST.

You can't explain that. This subject matter fit exactly what he was looking for and exactly REAL LIFE that Luke went through in his life. How many times have I ever said WRITE REALITY.

Now when you are writing your song, did you wrire about a real situation that happened to you or someone you know? 

Again, if you are missing that element in your writing, you are leaving out the most important componant. Nashville written  songs are ALWAYS:

REALITY BASED.
CONVERSATIONAL IN TONE.
GREAT MELODIC HOOK.

Too many newer and amateur writers write songs that SOUND LIKE SONGS. They sound like what is already out there without the passion, the details, the real elements that make a song feel real. It's like having a cooking recipie. If you have the ingrediants,. but no idea of the preportions, the order, how to add them, and what to leave out. You might have something that has the same ingredients but taste like crap. 

Songs like HOUSE THAT BUILT ME, I DRIVE YOUR TRUCK, I DRINK A BEER,are emotional songs that hit the singers. They hit like that every time they are performed or played in a recording for anyone. They connect.

I will be willing to tell you that there are only a VERY VERY few that have these reactions. There may be thousands that have the same story line but are just not as well written. They might have the same words but not the same impact. and of course, once again, with the writers, Jim Beavers and Chris Stapleton, you have guys who are well known. They came into town right about the same time as Luke Bryan and are part of the new current crop of writers who are in all the hot meetings, write for the right publishers, go to the writer;s retreats, do the major songwriting shows and are involved in this entire "newest country" scene that has been here for about the last 5 years. So they are all friends and their songs get heard. They all met each other probabaly 5-6 years ago, started writing and playing open mics, the writers nights, were doing rounds together, were playing on benefits, were hanging out at bars and going to industry events together.

That is how this works all the time, every time. You need to be building your relationships now that are going to be coming together five years from now. I will write a few examples of what I have seen and still see happening and see if it makes this come together. But basically whenever you hear these types of songs and wonder "what made that one stand up so much?" Think of this:

#1. VERY WELL WRITTEN.
You don't hear many of these that are DOGS. The songs paint their story, tell it well, give it a twist you never thought of.
#2. RELATABILITY.
The subject matter relates to the artist in their life. Usually it is exactly the senario they have lived, often recently.

#3. RUNS IN THE RIGHT CIRCLES. 
The song gets played by many people in high placed circles.Their publishers or song pluggers or themselves are in social settings, live shows, benefits, charity events, and can say "YOU GOTTA HEAR THIS!" and other people, knowing their reputation want to hear it because they know these are not people who BLOW SMOKE.

#4. TIMING.
These, and all songs, match what a singer needs at that time. They might have had a string of hits on one subject, ala, Kenny Chesney and the entire "Beach, no shoes,no shirt no problem, sand, tequila, margarittas, Jimmy Buffet, and that is all going on while Kenny was living in the Islands, getting over his poorly thought out marraige to Hollywood actress Rene Zellwinger. He got through that, and started with more mature subject matter, Boys of Fall, Don't Blink.
Miranda Lambert has a career based on wild eyed attitude women.  She wanted a song to "soften her tone", although, at the time,she was not looking for that. Her sales numbers had stalled out and she was getting branded as another angry chick singer, and all the pitches were about that. House that built Me, took her breath away. It reasonated because it was EXACTLY what she had grown through growing up. Yet was written when she was about 5 years old. While she was GOING through it. It wasn't written "for Miranda." It was a great song standing on it's own feet always. I heard it nine years ago at the FRANK BROWN festival, and it stopped the room dead when it was played by Allen Shamblin. I was amazed it took so long to actually get out there. But that is the music business.
Right place, song, right time. 

#5. "A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVED IT.
In every career there are dozens of people who have to sign off on songs. The artist might love it but the manager doesn't think it is right, the record company have arguments going on in their offices, some that want to do the same thing they have done that works, NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE A CHANCE BECAUSE THAT CAN MEAN THEIR JOBS.
Radio might not like it. "I'M MOVING ON" by Rascall Flatts, was passed on by every label, radio hated it, the band was even unsure of it. It became the biggest song of the year.

The Gambler failed ten times before it found its way to Kenny Rogers. Audiences even hated that one.

#6. FATE (or luck)
You ever think about accidents? If two cars come together and bang it out, what if one of those people had left their house a split second later? What if one of them had been looking where they were going instead of dealing with the kid in the back seat? What happened at that exact moment?

THAT IS WHY THEY CALL THEM ACCIDENTS.

Hit records are like that. They are mostly accidents.They have all the right elements which make them loved, people behind them pushing them out there and the bottom line they get HEARD and LOVED by the MASSES.

That is what makes a hit song. You cannot manufacture that, you can't create that. It has to happen or doesn't. But you do everything you can before there.

Write songs that are REAL.
Write songs ABOUT SOMETHING.
Avoid cliche's and average rhymes and story lines.
Write a lot of songs to get the technique down.
Be aware all the time of things going on around you to write about.
Write each line, each note with care and love.
Write with other people to multiply your chances.
Write with artists to increase the chances of hitting your target.
Do song study on other hit songs.

DON'T SUCK.

MAB 

MAB, thanks again for taking the time to answer a question that has ben asked and answered so many times already. My thinking is, we are on a new forum with some new followers, and I just hope my questions and your answers will help someone. I know it helps me.

phil g.

Hi guys,

if you are having any  issues with the site then either  email admin@songramp.net  or   go to the forum >

Community Improvement >Bugs  fixes , Vegemite  and how to  use it, 

J

Phil, I so appreciate your questions, especially since I have not been able to post anything lately, but you have a true desire to learn (as I do), and you appreciate the truth (me too), even when it is hard to hear and/or comprehend.  It takes a beautiful balance of confidence and humility to ever learn and grow and yes, even teach.  We are all both, if we ever conquer the the two (or at least, truly strive for it)!  I REALLY  appreciate YOU because you ask the hard and/or uncomfortalbe questions.  You ask the ones that many of us are either afraid to, or just plain don't know to ask.  Thank you for the gifts you bring, and for the appreciation you do as well!!  At least by me (and MAB, I'm certain), they are truly appreciated!  Now go write something you want to hear played!! xoxox!    (I will too

Okay people, where is everybody? We have new people afraid to come on, so some of you vets have to get on there and encourage them. We need some QUESTIONS!!!!! Come on!!!! Work with me PEOPLE!!!
MAB 

 I am going on a 5 day trip to Pittsburg so can't concentrate on music till I get back. Just found out that I am diabetic. I hate that due to the foods I will have to give up. I may start to starve like those people on Naked And Afraid, but without the befit of having a good-looking naked partner to harmonize with. When I do return I will start recording my fourth CD. It would be nice to break even on selling some of these CDs. Otherwise I have some shiny coasters or something to dangle from my rear view mirror.

Eddie Rhoades

Edie, have a safe trip. Diabetic? Well, there are several stages. One of my friends at work was stage 1 and had to take insulin. Didn't stop him from eating dognuts, cake, whatever. He'd just give himeself another shot of insulin. I AM NOT SUGGESTING you do that at all! BTW, I did get your email about co-writing. Sorry I haven't answered yet.

MAB, an old wise man once said, "Be careful what you ask for. You may just get it". So, here's the question. I was just over at the NSAI website and someone there was asking if anyone had heard of a specific "song plugger" (Your favorite subject!). So, it got me wandering about the current state of the industry, as it relates to publishers and pluggers. I know Sherril Blackman (at least used to) have a pretty good business in the plugging arena. BUT, he was an HONEST guy and would not even consier taking a song he didn't personnaly believe in. Happened to Randi Perkins one time. He had a (at the time) really good song, BUT, the title was too close to a song that was already recorded so Sherril passed on it.

Anyway, the question(s); How would one find an honest plugger? And, for that matter, an honest publisher. I am slowly coming to the realization that pluggers and even publishers are almost a thing of the past. I get the impression that publishers are either a subsidiary of some recording company, or are very closely associated. I also get the impression that pblishers are for the most part NOT taking material from "outsiders". BUT, are there any "legitmate" publishers in town that might represent independent/upcoming artists that might consider "outside" songs?

I know you keep talking about getting involved with artists directly. But, short of getting directly involved with artists are there any benifits left in getting to know publishers. You know, like back in the good ol' days, when the writer worked with the publisher who worked with the different record company A&R? NSAI still has their "pitch to publisher" night once a month, and one of them I attended, the publisher actually "kept" about 4 songs that night.

phil g.

Hey Phil,

Very good question. In answering I always have to temper my replies because many of the people we talk about here, particularly Sherril Blackman, are very good friends of mine. But i do know what he is doing and can share it with you. But first I will answer your question with a question. HOW MUCH REALITY DO YOU WANT?

The reality is the publishers and song pluggers are for the most part now a totally waste of time until certain steps are taken. How to get to know them? You can't. They have to get to know YOU. They do that by reputation and WRITING YOUR WAY IN TO THEM.

I write with one of Sherril's artists, Joie Scott. Joie is a number one writer, who had a hit with "NOT THAT DIFFERENT' from Colin Raye in 1997. She has had songs cut by Riders in the Sky, The Lynne's, and the big one, SHOES, cut by SHANIA TWAIN. Joie is a known entity, is a wonderful person and writer and her husband Avi is one of the most community minded people in this town. He serves on dozens of boards, is highly involved in charity fundraising, has been decorated by the Mayor, was in Washington DC two weeks ago to meet with the President and people in the educational society, was one of the most decorated school principals in Chicago and one of the nicests people you will ever meet. If you want to raise money, you call AVI. And that means he is AROUND record company presidents. major artists, producers, etc. the world LOVES AVI! That engenders great amounts of good will among this town. And Joie has benefitted in that it got her in doors she couldn't herself. Sherril represents her because he has known them both for years, they have raised money for causes for him (many involving me), and she pays him. Sherril is very expensive, around $1500 a month and gets a part of any songs that get huge cuts. He is just about singlehandedly responsible for Lee Anne Rimes career.

Joie also writes and performs and is a great friend of Jim Penterack. Jim wrote a few little songs like "Vehicle (I'm the Friendly Stranger in the Black Sedan, won't you jump inside my car...') EYE OF THE TIGER, HOLD ON LOOSLEY, SO CAUGHT UP IN YOU, and everything 38 Special and a half dozen rock bands had in the 70's and 80's. Any time he is in a writer's round, he has to do two songs at once in a melody to get all his hits in.

Jim is a known quantity.

That is the caliber Sherril represents. Oh yes, they pay him.Now imagine sitting down with an artist or a producer and they ask what this guy has written and it is a half dozen songs they grew up with, made love to, danced to, had kids, to and are in their CD players. Think that helps in the pitching process?

The point is that the "REAL song pluggers" only represent people from that level. The hottest in town, the newest artists, the legendary writers. And the ones who pay them. Also the ones who are writing songs with the new artists coming through. Every hit writer has their own Frankie's Danny Jamerson's and the people that are coming out in the next few months or years. Lady Antibellum? Victoria Shaw. Rascall Flatts? Jeffery Steel. Florida Georgia Line? Craig Wiseman.

These song pluggers, and their corresponding publishers (the publishers also hire the song pluggers, as do the producers, the writers and the artists), have the inside track because these writers are writing WITH the artists.

Outside of writing with artists? NOT A SNOWBALLS CHANCE IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not going to happen because it CAN'T HAPPEN.

If you are an artist Phil, what does that mean? It means you are employed by a company paying your salary, your insurance, your rent, your clothes, your money for dates with your significant other, your kid's education and toys, your food on your table. You think for one instant they are going to go outside of their circles for songs?

What are you smoking? Has Big Ed gotten to you or did you pick some stash up in Colorado?

I have another question for you my Phil old buddy, My Long haired Brutha from Anutha Mutha. Who or where did you hear from that told you that you could just step up, throw a little bit of money (less than a lunch budget for a week for major labels and publishers) at something and suddenly be considered for one of the most competitive, businesses on earth, that even the leaders of that industry are having trouble getting airplay, getting revenue, paying bills? Where did that information come from? Because you, and I and everyone else need to track them down and punch them square in the mouth!

An industry has sprung up over the past 20 years. They are former hit writers, former producers, former publishers, former musicians, former everything. A bunch of people wh USED to be somebody. Oh, many of them are very good people. And some even do get cuts. You want a new song recorded by an artist from 1975 who is playing the "hoedown revue" in Branson? they can get you there. Several, even someone like Sherril, get a bunch of little cuts. Sherril is really doing well in the Bluegrass market now. He gets a lot of cuts there mainly because very few bluegrass players write and they don't get pitched anything. Of course, the literally tens of copys of CD's those people sell will get you a car wash after ten or fifteen years. I believe one of Sherril's artists was recently certified "WOOD."

 There are small, independent artists that are doing quite well. They are carviing out niches for themselves.  There are small projects that go on all the time. Last year I got a nice little check for myself and three co-writers on a little girl out of Oregon. Was nice to get. I'm sure she won't be sending out any more because she is probably broke right now, but you can get em' one time.

Phil, I would love to tell you the secret of where the "Legitimate publishers and song pluggers' are. I really would. Unfortunately, if they are willing to represent you at the present time, they are not very legitimate. Come back, write a bunch with a ton of artists, get your songs heard around town, be around so that people can get to know you, and that all might change. But it is not going to until you do just that.

Sorry. Realty sucks sometimes. But that is why they call it REALITY.

MAB 

Hey MAB! Thanks for the answer. One of the things I love, appreciate, and respect about ya, Brutha Who Used To Have Long Hair Too, is your candid honesty. Even at the risk of hurting your own business venture, you still tell it like it is. That quality just doesn't exist in many folks anymore. Now, the guy on NSAI that posted the (original) question posted it in the peer-to-peer forum instead of where he should have.

Speaking of "independent", you used the term "independent ARTIST", rather than independent record label. So, are those artists even accepting material from "outsiders"? My guess is "HELL NO!!" And yes, I DO realize I need to get back to ashville more often and get to know more writers/artists there. I have been looking for artists around here, but most of them, JUST LIKE IN NASHVILLE, already have there inside circle, or just write on their own. One of the reasong I keep going to the open mic's around here. Also, most of the "artists" I've been meeting are NOT young at all. And/or, they do music I have no clue how to begin writing.

phil g.

Good morning everyone, it's a quarter to seven here. Don't know why I get up so early,but I do.

I want to start out by welcoming somebody new here, SIMONE TURNER,  from Melbourne, Australia. I had the honor and pleasure of doing a tour and a party with Simone and her boyfriend Todd two weeks ago. She is BEAUTIFUL (I love that about this business!!) a lot of fun and very inquisitive. I was able to listen to her songs, talk to her a lot and show her Nashville in ways that I love to do. The biggest dissapointment is that we went to see Christine Parri, my in town Aussie girl, and we were in the WRONG SECTION OF THE BUILDING! But we were close.
She did get to go to our "half way to boxing day" party at Tommy and Susie's and got to see myself, Jimbeau, Scott Southworth, Bonnie Lee Panda, Allen and Kelly Shervelle, and the Canadian guys, Petric, all perform in the living room. My favorite part about Nashville.

I have told Simone as well as all my clients that  they should come over here and get involved in the Ramp. I hope John Westwood will check in and they can connect for some co-writing. That is really the purpose for these pages, to get people "out of the living room" and into actual writing and interaction. 

                                                                                 "LIKERS"

While I really appreciate so many of you reading along and "liking" what we are talking about, the real reason we are donig this is for you to COMMENT. If you can "like it", just drop by, do the "new reply" and SAY SO! it's the thing I hate about Facebook. If we are going to have a society that communicates at all, we need to TALK to each other. Just doing a "like" really doesn't keep a lot of conversation going. One of my biggest bugaboos here is that I want people to be invovled and clicking a "like' button is fine,but go the extra mile and "SAY" something.  
As usual, if I ruffle some feathers, sorry, but I don't believe in the living room thing. The next post will show you why.

MAB 

Phil,

Attempting to find successs in music is like the "Gold Mining' days of the 1800's in California and Alaska. There were a ton of people who actually went out there and dug, panned, wandered, etc. Very few succeeded, but NO ONE who stayed at home got anything unless they were investors in the Gold mining conglomorates. And even those people had a lot of losses and bogus claims. The real investors visited their investments.

When I read all these forums online, NSAI sites, etc. it is like watching those commercials for PUBLISHER'S CLEARING HOUSE. "You may have already won cash or prizes!" Riiiiigggghhhttttt!!!!" And some monkey's might fly out of my butt.

Coming from the real world of music, I really don';t quite know where all this got started. Well I do,but like to plead ignorance. There has always been a "you can get rich' componant in the entertainment business. There were always those ads in the backs of newspapers and magazines, "Set your poems to music..." If you have a readership of 100,000 people, and can get 10% (ten thousand) to send in $5-$20 bucks, you are going to do pretty well.
CONTESTS are the same, they offer prizes, guitars, studio sessions, trips to Nashville, etc. If you are a music store, contribute a cheap guitar that cost you $100, and it gets 5000 people to know your name,it is pretty worth it. Even when they are great prizes, say a Taylor or Gibson guitar, this are BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES, think they are going to miss a $400 item?

I was even a PRIZE in a couple of contests. I donated my tours to people and did a few of them. More people heard of me and I got some paying ones out of those.

So the cottage industry sprung up of song plugger, publishing, mentoring, (such as myself), former hit writers giving songwriting lessons and critiques, NSAI, Songwriter's Guild, college courses, you name it. Just like the merchants who sold picks and shovels to the people going into the mountains after those miner claims. Did the miner's need them? Yep. Ain't going to dig anything without a shovel, or pan without a pan. And having those items on the wagon train or train out west were not possible. So they were essential services.

The current crop of services are of varying degrees of success. Are they rip offs? Not nessasarily. Lets just say they are overpromising and underdelivering.

What I do works because it is very specific. I don't offer deals, money, or chances to buy a lottery ticket. I show the craft, the networking, the work behind the scenes, the reality of chances, and how to up the level of your odds. Want to get on a golf green and NOT lose every ball in your bag? Get some golf lessons, and at least get close to par. But that doesn't mean you are going to play with Tiger at the Masters. These days Tiger isn't even playing the Masters.

The "get rich quick" stuff gets everyone.  The entire "downloading music" industry is another one. Spotify, Pandora, Napster and whatever today's fad of the minute are out there promoting music. There are millions and millions of people out there and millions and millions of songs trying to get to them. Eveyrone puts their stuff out there and some get hits, but none really do with out some kind of "REAL" presence. 

I was seeing a forum the other day about the latest newcomer, talking about getting his music out there on the Internet. He was excited he had gotten about a dozen "likes" (Why I hate that stuff so much!) and he thought he was on his way. He was about to hire a radio promoter. That is about $10,000 he could just as easily flush down the comode. BECAUSE HE IS NOT A PERFORMING ARTIST!!!! You can get on every web site in the world and even radio podcasting, etc. What is it going to do if you are not OUT THERE DOING IT? Nothing.

But people have gotten so accustomed to getting things through the Internet, they think they can just "put something out there" and things will magically start happening. Yes, you may have one valuable prizes. "Insert another thousand dollars per minute please!"

Finding like minded writers in your area is the same thing. If you just go to a few open mics, it is going to be hard. Open mics are the amateur nights. Anyone can show up. Anyone who gets up there and does their bad poetry reading. Who does the latest Miley Cyrus or weird singer song. The one who gets up and does the song that noit only makes no sense, but is fairly uncomfortable to listen to because it is dark depressing, has no central melody, has nothing about it that does anything but make you feel sorry for the supposed writer.
Those are called "OPEN MICS" because they are OPEN for anyone to get on the MICROPHONE.

What you are going to have to do is graduate up to the WRITERS NIGHT. How you do that is first get with your two or three other people who are interested in doing something, and having a regular show that people can participate in. but it has to be run like a SHOW. IF YOU DO IT, THEY WILL COME!!! Trust me!  There are probably writers and performers all over the place. But you have to give them some reason to show up. Or keep looking till you find more performers. 
If there is a college around there, go near the campus. Go to the coffee shops where the students hang out. Go tot he bullitien boards. There will be notices there for jams, open stages AND WRITERS NIGHTS going on. 
They ARE THERE!!!! I promise you!

Matt Casey and Tony M. thought there were no one around their areas in New Hampshire and Boston too. Tony started a hugely successful writers show and had myself and a few other hit writers from Nashville. he was having capacity crowds and started doing workshops. I was there on a Saturday when thirty people showed up for the workshop.They all said "There is nothing going on in the area." I went to the local entertainment paper and found NINTEEN writers nights, open mics and open stages within a 20 minute driving area.

Julie Moriva was in Crivitz Wisconsin, an hour away from Green Bay. She ended up with 60 writers in her NSAI group. She ended up with a writing deal with Taylor Swift's Big Machine" publishing. There was "no one around her" either.

Matt Casey said there was no one around him either. Next week he has 30 performers on a New England to Nashville show. He has four hit writer coming there for a workshop on Martha's Vinyard. He has about 200 writers in his Facebook group, and now has started his own publishing company. Matt has about two dozen writers he works with regularly.

Phil, I have done workshops in Gainsville, Tallahassee, Daytona, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Panama City, Destin, Orlando (Twice), and of course the FRANK BROWN FESTIVAL. They are there, trust me.

But you have to go MINE for the one's who stand out. Most writers and artists are solo and don't want anything to do with anybody else. Those are your internet artists. Anyone you talk to or read about that is ONLY an Internet artist or entity is SPAM EMAIL. Period. No one knows, them, no one has time to find them and they frankly are only interested in having someone ELSE LISTEN TO THEM. They are not interacting, not trying. They have their heads in their derriare.

Sunday I was at the songwriters showcase in Kalamazoo Michigan. I had gone up to see Dani Jamerson and Shelagh Brown perform and to do the anniversery of the CHILI PEPPERS writers group. Another one that was formed because "no one was around." The show is held in Plainwell, Michigan, about 30 minutes from downtown Kalamazoo. It is in the middle of farmland. This is quite literally the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! About forty writers, artists, interested parties, relatives, all showed up. I did an hour "conversation with writers" and we all did a three hour show  with the CHILI PEPPERS being the lead round.
Around three songs from  the end of my set, this guy and his wife show up. He is about sixty,and I have actually seen him there before. He sat down, talked to his wife while I performed and basically was thinking he was in his living room. He also was sitting in the first row. After I finished and we got a standing ovation, people wanting to take pictures, get autographs, buy CD's, this guy pulls me over. He wanted to know what he could do with his "funny songs." Wanted to know if he could "send them to me so I could do something with them." Now this was exactly the same conversation I had with him two year ago. He is a "NUSCANCE WRITER." That is about 70% and those are the worst of all. I don't have to listen to his songs because I know they are politically incorrect, insulting, nonsensical, written from a style of the 1970's (he is about 60 years old) and most of all UNFUNNY.

I offered to give him your and OD's phone numbers.

This what this is. You have to search for things that work with you. Period.

And yes, Phil, I do kind of sober the reality up and tell the truth. But you know what? There is a guy out there on the road,playing major concerts all over the country named Frankie Ballard, who was once out there around nobody too. Dani Jamerson is in the wings, RiDawn Rae, Jarod Nichols, there are people out there starting this run.

Members of those writers groups connected with artists and got in on the ground floors. It can be done. But you have to write what they want to say and write with them.

So the choice is always very simple. Do you want to spend money you can't afford on song pluggers, or you want to actually do this? Or just do it in your own living room?

Choice is yours. 
MAB 

                                                           THE DOAKSTER SPEAKS

Next to me, the guy doing the most good for writers and artists in Nashville is DOAK TURNER. Doak has been here 8 years and has done more to further the cause of writing and helping the writer's journey than all the other orginizations, NSAI, ASCAP, BMI, Songwriters Guild, SESAC, combined. 
He is always there to help people, he rents rooms in his home, put together the "MUSIC STARTS HERE" web site, hosts songwriter events, promotes EVERYBODY and is an astute observer of the Nashville AND National scene. I should know, because I trained him! LOL! (Always comes back to the MAB!!!!) 

He has a great newsletter you should all subscribe to, and this week has an interesting blog on BALLAD AFTER BALLAD on a show he saw at the BLUEBIRD last night. Check it out and go through your own catalogue. Are you BALLAD HEAVY? If you are, you better be getting a grip!

http://www.doakturner.com/

MAB 

Dropping in to say hello to all my friends, and hello to all the people I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet.

I am a long time student of EL-MABARINO....Trust me, you should listen very closely to what he says!!! Unfortunately, I have let the everyday stress of life keep me from practicing the stuff that I have learned. Yes I know, I am headed straight to the back of the classroom.

Shelly 

Ahh yes, another lost MABBITE returns to the fold. Hey SHELUUUUUUUMMMMUUUULLLLAAAAAA!!!!! We've been missing you!

Everybody, Shelly is from Iowa/Illinois, where the "Field of Dreams." Movie was filmed all around there, and the town she works or did work, Galena Illinois, was the main site for the whole movie. The ballfield is about fifteen minutes from her.  That's one of my favorite movies, and Shelly brought me up there several times to play, (right next to the local strip bar), do workshops and hang out with her and her family. Like so many, she has really come a long way in her craft but as always happens, life gets in the way.

So glad to see you back sweetie. Let us hear more from you.

MAB 

                                                        THE UNWORKABLE PREMISE

One of the people I work with has recently been making great strides in their writing. Getting out, performing and taking a really hard look at their songs, performing ablitiies and their skills is really pushing them out of the comfort zone. but like all new writers that get really hitting this hard, they are making the same mistakes everyone is. One is what I call THE UNWORKABLE PREMISE.

This when they come up with songs, subject matter, titles, tone, etc. that are cliched', too negative, or just something that won't work no matter what they do. And sometimes you have to let them fall down in order to see it. As usual I try to get them to see it and why they need to pay attention, but there is always the "I'll be different" part. (Wave arms back and forth here, "Wait'll they get a load of me!!!!" This is usually followed by walking full speed into a wall and falling on their butt. I hate to say "I told you so"...But ....

A lot of times it will be the title. You can't copyright a title, but some are just plain so iconic there is no way you can do anything about it.  I once had a sweet little woman from Chicago who had the title "YESTERDAY" in her song. Now that song is not copyrightable, but it has kind of been done. It is THE MOST RECORDED SONG IN POPULAR MUSIC HISTORY, and every time she sat down with anyone, including me, she said the title and they replied, "all my troubles seemed so far away..." When EVERYONE YOU MEET FINISHES THAT SENTENCE, YOU ARE NOT IN GOOD SHAPE.

UNWORKABLE PREMISE.

Likewise, having something that has been done over and over and over again, even if you haven't heard it can run into a wall. there are cetain titles that have been done since before I moved to Nashville. Every bar band seems to have a song about "Road Kill Cafe, You Kill It, We Grill It." Everybody seems to do a lot of hanging out with Jack, Johnny Walker, Jim Beam, etc." I think they need some new friends. If you put the word "COUNTRY" in a song, you are in deep woods to begin with. As a friend of mine says, "If you have to tell me how country you are, you aint!"

Another thing is current events. Whenever there is a flood, earthquake, National disaster, school shooting, terrorist event, and of course, the worst, A WAR, you are diving in deep. Writers write what they see around them. So they are watching the news just like you are. You can write them, but you don't always have to show them. Somettimes the cathartic nature of writing is a reason in itself. We feel better. But we don't HAVE to share it. 
When 9-11 happened I ended up in French Lick Indiana, trying to figure out how to quit music and do something with my life. I wrote mine on Saturday, Sept, 15th. It was called "AMERICA 9-11." It featured the "Pissed off American" in all his raging hormonal glory! It featured the great lines, "All you've done (Mr. Terrorist), is PISS US OFF!!!! Got great applause for a while.

A while.

Then we turned into a divided Nation. Half the people that heard it thought I was a jingoistic redneck who should be shot myself. I quit doing the song. Got tired of division. Not my style.  
If you take a stand on any issue, be prepared for push back because half the poeple who hear you don't believe like you. And now, people get REALLY VOCAL on all this. We don't seem to be able to keep our opinions to ourselves anymore.  And FACEBOOK and TWITTER are destroying more careers than alcohol and drugs ever did.

The UNWORKABLE PREMISE can also reach into things that once were really accepted. If you want to do the "Fairy Tale" parade, keep it to children's stories. The whole "Knight in Shining Armor", Damsal in Distress, are passe, and no one can do them anymore because it sounds stupid and juvinile. We don't ride around in armor any more and most women I know that you tried to rescue, would probably kick your butt! 

Once clever titles that used to seem funny or cool, are now treated like Leprosy. Try going up to some woman these days and say "If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me..." When you picked yourself up off the floor, and found your testicles, you might think that doesn't make for such a good title anymore.

One of my favorite memories was a workshop I was doing in Birmingham Alabama. there were about 50 people there on a Saturday afternoon, and over half were women. when I got one of the songs I was critiquing, and saw the lyrics, I nearly lost my lunch. It was called "MY TROPHY WIFE." Yeah. We all thought that too. Now what he was trying to say was that his wife was so wonderful, he was so lucky to have her, he couldn't believe it. What he said in his lyrics might as well have talked about having her "Mounted" in his trophy room, put on display for all his friends to oogle over as she served them beer by the pool." I was watching the faces of the women over the lyric sheet and it just got worse and worse. 
Nearly four minutes of agony later, as the fade came over,putting it out of all of our misery, the entire room went deathly silent. I didn't say a word except, "Ladies?"

The next ten minutes were FEEDING TIME ON THE SARENGETTI. He was pilloried by every woman in the group, they ripped him totally apart and then disposed of what was left with his bones. He had never seen it coming and I felt sorry for him. But this is what happens when you get "songwriter's tunnelvision." You get hit by a train. Or several of them.

A co-writer would have really helped him.

The point is that there are some things you just learn not to do. The UNWORKABLE PREMISE is one of those.  

Have a good weekend.
MAB