3/31/11

Free “An Idiot’s Guide To Photoshop”




This guide starts right at the very bottom, assuming no knowledge at all, and walks you through all basic aspects in 30 illustrated pages.




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3/29/11

Win a trip to L.A. for premiere of Toni Braxton show

Win a trip to L.A. for premiere of Toni Braxton show

Toni Braxton and her siblings have gotten into the reality show business, with “Braxton Family Values.”

Launching at 9 p.m. April 12 on WEtv, the show is billed as a inside look at “the rambunctious, tight-knit Braxton sisters” as they deal with “sibling rivalry, man drama, bankruptcy, a DUI and much more!”

Now that’s entertainment, folks.

So, want to meet Toni, Traci, Towanda, Trina and Tamar and their “headstrong mother”?

The WE network is running a Twitter sweepstakes (a Tweet-stakes?) contest. The winner gets to travel to L.A. for the show’s launch.

Here are full details

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Source: AJC

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BIG BROTHER reality show casting in Atlanta & other cities + Tips fm directors

“Big Brother” to hold open casting call in Atlanta

Want to make some new friends, and bond with them on camera?

Great. This one’s for you. “Big Brother,” the CBS reality show where a bunch of strangers move into a house and then spend every waking moment together while cameras capture it all, has Atlanta in its sights.

The show plans an open casting call, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown.

While on the show contestants (called “housemates”) aren’t allowed to contact the outside world, so if you want in get all your socializing out of your system now!

http://wwwimage.cbs.com/primetime/bigbrother8/images/apply_bb9.gif

Want to be on “Big Brother?” Tips from the casting director

Season 13 of the CBS reality show “Big Brother” cranks up this summer, and casting folks are coming to Atlanta in search of possible participants. The open casting call is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown.

We got a few minutes on the phone with casting director Robyn Kass for some tips on trying out.

“People need to not prepare too much before they audition,” she said. “They shouldn’t be thinking, okay, what am I going to say in my two-minute monologue?”

After all they’re looking for personality, which you can’t fake. Kass said that over the years she’s seen people over-audition by trying to invoke reality show jargon.

“Stay away from the buzz words,” she said. “We’d rather you tell us a story.”

In other words, instead of telling the casting crew how venal you are, be prepared to illustrate it.

“We’ll have someone say, ‘I’m conniving, I’m backstabbing, I’m controversial, I’m manipulative.’ Then we’ll ask, ‘Tell us about a time you were manipulative,” and they’ll go, ‘uh…um…’ Stories are really great instead of just using the buzz words.”

If you’re just plain nice, that’s alright, too. The show needs a few white-hat characters for variety.

“We always have to have a rootable person,” Kass said.

If you’re coming to the casting call, bring a completed application, which you can find here. You’ll get a few minutes to sell yourself. If they like you, you’ll be invited to a callback within a few days. That will be a more in-depth visit of about 30 minutes.

The show will get started around the Fourth of July weekend and lasts for three months.

“The last man standing wins $500,000. Second place is $50,000,” Kass said. “If you can make it to the end it’s not a bad gig.”

- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com

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Casting in other cities:

LOS ANGELES, CA
Saturday, April 2nd 1pm-4pm
Spot 5750
5750 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028

NEW ORLEANS, LA
Friday, April 8th 5pm-9pm
Gordon Biersch Restaurant and Brewery
200 Poydras St.
New Orleans, LA 70130

BOSTON, MA
Saturday, April 9th 12pm-3pm
Bell In Hand Tavern
45 Union Street
Boston, MA 02108

ATLANTA, GA
Saturday, April 9th 11am-3pm
Hard Rock Cafe
215 Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30303

CHICAGO, IL
Saturday, April 9th 6pm-9pm
Manor
642 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654

DENVER, CO
Saturday, April 9th 11am-2pm
Rocky's Autos
6350 Federal Boulevard
Denver, CO 80221

LANSING, MI
Thursday, April 14th 4pm-7pm
Champion Chrysler Jeep Dodge
6525 W. Saginaw Hwy.
Lansing, MI 48917

JACKSONVILLE, FL
Thursday, April 14th 5pm-7pm
Beall's Department Store
13500 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32246

SCOTTSDALE, AZ
Saturday, April 16th 12pm-3pm
Firehouse Bar & Grill
4312 North Brown Avenue
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

DALLAS, TX
Saturday, April 16th 2pm-6pm
Frankie's Sports Bar
227 McKinney Ave.
Dallas, TX 75204

SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Saturday, April 16th 3pm-6pm
Sugar Cafe
679 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA 94102

NEW YORK, NY
Saturday, April 16th 12pm-6pm
Roy Arias Studios
300 W. 43rd Street, 5th Floor, Room 508
New York, NY 10036

WASHINGTON, DC
Saturday, April 16th 12pm-3pm
Madam's Organ Restaurant & Blues Bar
2461 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009

NORTH TAMPA, FL
Saturday, April 16th 12pm-3pm
The Dubliner Irish Pub
12836 Henderson Rd
North Tampa, FL 33625

CINCINNATI, OH
Saturday, April 16th 4pm-7pm
Lunar
435 Elm Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

SPARTANBURG, SC
Monday, April 18th 9am-12pm
Dave Edwards Toyota
2450 Reidville Rd.
Spartanburg, SC 29301

LOUISVILLE, KY
Wednesday, May 4th 5pm-8pm
Waterford Park - Great Lawn
129 River Rd.
Louisville, KY 40202

NASHVILLE, TN
Friday, May 6th 5pm-9pm
McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon
134 2nd Ave. North
Nashville, TV 37201

CHARLESTON, SC
Saturday, May 7th 1pm-4pm
Mad River Bar & Grille
32 North Market St.
Charleston, SC 29401


Music Lessons in Atlanta, GA
As low as $20
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3/25/11

Superstars Release Benefit Album/CD 4Japan Red Cross | Lady Gaga Katy Perry

As Japan recovers from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck on March 11, the world’s top recording artists respond to the tragedy with this benefit album.

The 38 tracks include some of their biggest hits, featuring an exclusive remix of Lady GaGa’s “Born This Way,” Katy Perry’s “Thinking of You,” Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon,” Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love," and more.

All proceeds go to the Japanese Red Cross.

iTunes, App Store and Mac App Store

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MTV's "The Real World" holds Atlanta auditions Mar26

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ATLANTA--MTV is looking for a new group of roommates for its show "The Real World" on Saturday, March 26. The auditions will be held at Loca Luna from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Those auditioning should be between the ages of 18 and 25.

"The Real World: Las Vegas" is currently being shown on MTV. Producers will be casting the 26th season in Atlanta and other cities across the United States. The show made its MTV debut in 1992.




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Essence & Pebbles looking for next "R&B Star" Auditions Mar26-27 ATL

http://www.essence.com/emf/randb-star-images/randb-header.png

ATLANTA -- R&B singer Pebbles will be in Atlanta this Saturday and Sunday holding auditions for "R&B Star." Pebbles is known for the songs "Girlfriend" and "Mercedes Boy." She also discovered the group TLC in the '90s.

"R&B Star" will hold casting calls in Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. This weekend's auditions :

Where: Atlanta at Woodruff Arts Center

Date: Saturday and Sunday (Mar 26 & 27)

Time: 10a.m. to 4p.m.

Pebbles says, "I know this, in my heart, is going to reignite the excitement and the flame of R&B music. Because people think it's dead."

The winner gets to perform at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans in July, on the same stage as artists such as Mary J. Blige and Kanye West.

For information about the competition, click button below: (give page time to load)



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3/24/11

Seeking Asian Male| Females in ATL for PAID TV Casting

Atlanta, GA casting

I am working on a TV mini series (it pays!) and here's what I need:

1) Five Asian Males, ages 20s-30s with martial arts training. Very important that they have martial arts background.

2) Three Asian Females, ages 20s-30s with martial arts training. Very important that they have martial arts background.

3) Two Females, ages 20s-30s with acting or modeling experience. Must speak English fluently. An accent is OK. Can be either: Any Asian background or Filipino.

Please email with stats:
  • Name
  • age
  • martial arts experience
  • contact info (email and phone)
  • pictures
Needed ASAP

a.list.talent@gmail.com


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3/23/11

Download unlimited ROYALTY FREE beats & sounds

Every artist should take advantage of this:

Need Beats? They are the only site that supplies you with a database full of hundreds of high quality beats. No "per track fees."

Difference between us, and them:

OUR SITE:
OTHER BEAT SITES:
Lifetime access for one fee?
Absolutely
You have to pay for every beat or monthly
How many beats?
1000 MB of beats! -That's 24 hours of instrumentals. You will have 15 cd's full of hundreds of over-the-top sick ass beats.
5 MB of beats -100 beats if you are lucky.
All styles?
Every style imaginable!
39 Genres of my hottest beats ever.
No where near 39 genres.
Downloadable?
You can download every instrumental I have produced once you are a member of Beats365.
Streamable only.
Quality?
The beats are absolutely bananas.
Unoriginal and boring.
Personal contact?
Hit me up! I hang out with my members all day.
Never!
Are you really musicians?
Professional studio producer for 20 years.
Stolen or they had software put the beats together


You Are Going To Receive Unlimited Access to the BIGGEST ROYALTY FREE HIP HOP BEATS AND AUDIO DATABASE EVER!

*YOU can DOWNLOAD as many of our tracks as you like, as many TIMES as you want, and record your battles online with other members! All this for a ONE-TIME fee of $29.95. No catch, no recurring fees and NO LIMITS!

*YOU WILL RECEIVE EVERY TRACK you have heard so far on this site, and HUNDREDS more are JUST AS HOT!

The BEATS are High-quality and UNTAGGED -(Without the girl's voice).



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Bring @Heiress_Wynter's dad DURAND ROBINSON's Murderer 2Justice-VIDEO


I seen a fellow PR, Wynter Robinson @ tweet this info on her page. Unfortunately, her dad is the victim of this senseless crime and because her dad was taken away from her, she is a living victim.

It's sad how we are never sensitive to what others go through until it actually happens to us or hits close to home. I pray that this type of tragedy never happens to any of you. But the best way to prevent stuff like this is to bring murderers to justice.

Duran Robinson's murderer is still at large; still running the streets that we drive on, walk on, that our kids play on. Who knows if Duran Robinson is his first victim or his last...all I know is HE NEEDS TO BE LOCKED UP to ensure that he doesn't kill nor hurt anyone anymore.

The chances that that same individual will commit another crime that involves violence and therefore the potential of another murder is nearly 90%! ~unnamed parole officer

When you take a child's father away, I dont care how old the child is...the event is VERY PAINFUL. I can only imagine what Wynter and her family are going through. My heart and prayer goes out to them.

Please watch the video below and if you have ANY TIPS AT ALL (even if you feel like it's little and wont help, it may just be the piece to the puzzle) please call the number on the video.



Come out and share the feeling of Love that was Durand Robinson
March 31, 2011
http://i51.tinypic.com/v41bhg.jpg
[Click flyer to enlarge]

Let's show his beautiful children that we support them and that we care!


Club Moonlite,
3302 Laventure Dr
Chamblee Ga 30341

Please RT this information and spread the word!

The more people who sees this, the better chance we have of taking his murderer off our streets and into prison, where he belongs!

The longer he remains on the streets, the more people he can hurt. He murdered DURAN ROBINSON. Your dad, mom, kids or other family members can be next...
YOU can be next!!


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3/22/11

Join Lady Gaga on Tour-looking for 6 spokespeople

Virgin Mobile is looking for 6 amazing social media spokespeople (or any Lady Gaga fan for that matter) to submit a 1-to-2 minute video showing us why you should be the Little Local Monster. The 6 winners will join one of the Monster Ball shows in either Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Atlanta, Nashville or Uniondale.

5 GotCast members are guaranteed to be finalists in each city.

The winners will get behind the scenes access to assist, interview and document alongside Monster Ball blogger Dannielle Owens-Reid on their selected tour date.


Submission Deadline: March 28, 2011

Voting Starts: March 29, 2011 @ 10am (PST)

Voting Ends: April 4, 2011 @ 10am (PST)

Winner Announcement: April 6, 2011 @ 10am (PST)

For more info and to apply, click button below:
http://oi51.tinypic.com/x3fm9l.jpg

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3/20/11

The Forbes Five: Hip-Hop’s Wealthiest Artists

Forbes names Hip Hop's Top 5 Wealthiest Artists

Birdman-click here

#5- Birdman

Estimated: $100 Million

Birdman, the CEO of Cash Money records, has had a very successful past few years with Lil Wayne being one of the top selling artist in the game and Drake and Nicki Minaj both going platinum.



50 Cent-click here

#4 - 50 Cent

Estimated $100 Million

50 Cent, while not selling as much as he use to, has got involved with various businesses such as vitamin water, headphones, website, movie production and more to keep generating income.


click here

#3- Dr. Dre

Estimated $125 million

Dre hasn't dropped an album in a decade but he has made a lot of money recently with, "Beats By Dre," and other business ventures along with his production. Plus he gets a cut off of Eminem who was the highest selling artist for the last decade, cha CHING.

Jay Z...click here


#2 Jay-Z


Estimated: $450 million

Jay-Z still manages to sell consistently and now has his own label with Roc Nation. He also still gets paid off of Rocawear, 40/40 clubs and other ventures.



P. Diddy, click here
#1 -P. Diddy

Estimated $475 million

Diddy has been in the game forever with Bad Boy but he found a new influx of money with Circoc. Diddy has a deal with Ciroc that gives him a percentage of profits and the brand's market share has sky rocketed. Diddy still also has Sean John up and running.



Source: http://realtalkny.uproxx.com


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3/19/11

9 ways releasing a CD can help your music career

9 ways releasing a CD can help your career in the current music industry environment.

By: Andre Calilhanna

The news surrounding the music industry these days might make you wonder if anyone is buying CDs any more. Major-label CD sales are down again. Downloads are up. So the question on the table is: As an independent artist, do you really need to make CDs these days?

There are many factors to consider, and what is true for major-label artists does not often
translate to independents. As a matter of fact, amidst the last few years of continuously
declining major-label CD sales, Disc Makers has seen continued growth in new CD jobs
ordered, and indie-only CD Baby has seen consistent increases in CD sales. It speaks to the
fact that one revenue model does not fit all markets, and the ingredients for success for a major-label artist vs. an independent are simply not the same.

I know what many of you are thinking. “Of course Disc Makers is going to tell me I need to keep making CDs!” Yes, we are a CD manufacturing company, and that gives us a particular stake in the subject. It also gives us a unique perspective, and a front-line view of what the demands of the market and our client base are. In addition to that, we’ve leveraged some of our great connections within the music industry and reached out to gain insight and commentary on the question of the viability of the CD format. Here are a few things to consider.

1. CDs legitimize you.

Imagine you need the services of an attorney, and you meet someone who claims to be one. You ask for his card, and he tells you, “Oh, I never got around to printing business cards. Got a pen? Got a napkin?” Could you take this person seriously? Just as a business card is the most basic element to legitimize a business person, a CD is the most basic way to legitimize you as an artist.

What major music artist doesn’t have a CD? Physical product, and in this case CDs, demonstrate that you as an artist are committed to your career. Giving a music business professional a CD is the fastest way to get them to listen to you and take you seriously. Don’t make them work to hear your music!

2. CDs are an integral part of the indie revenue stream.
Getting paid good money by a club or promoter to play a show is a difficult prospect. So if you’re on the road, even for a weekend jaunt, you need to have something tangible to sell to help increase your take at a gig.

Download cards can and should be sold, but your new fan can’t go out to their car and stick a download card in their player to give it a listen in between sets. Having other things to sell – merch, posters, and stickers – is helpful too, but your CD is the main course on that meal ticket.

• 70% of overall music industry revenues come from CD sales.
You don’t want to cut off that much revenue potential.

• You make more money selling CDs at gigs than selling downloads on somewhere like iTunes. A CD costs you between $.90 and $1.50 to manufacture. Sold at $15, that’s over $13 per unit. iTunes takes $2.99 per album, which leaves you with $7 per sale (assuming you are able to move any product via iTunes and don’t have to pay out any more of your money to a third vendor).

• Major-label CD and DVD sales in 2007 added up to $15.7 billion. That’s an encouraging number, even if it is in decline. Download sales were at $2.9 billion. Download sales are increasing for sure, but they still pale in comparison overall.

• CD Baby has seen an increase of 6% in sales since last year. Since 1997, CD Baby has sold over 5 million CDs. That’s easily over 400,000 per year on average, and growing. People are still buying independent releases.

3. No connectivity required.
In many ways, CDs are easier than downloads. Take them home, pop ‘em in your car’s CD player, a boom box at a party… CD players are everywhere. There’s no web connectivity necessary, no searching around a website – just plug and play. Plus, you can add bonus material, videos, and enhancements to make your CD an all-inclusive multimedia experience.

If one thing is clear, the landscape in the music industry is changing. This is nothing new. We’ve been in business since 1946, and we’ve seen plenty of formats rise and fall. Digital downloads and transfers are clearly a model that you ought to pursue to their fullest extent, for both revenue and promotion, but CDs still represent the huge majority of revenue in the music industry. The fact is, some customers just don’t do downloads. You’ll lose a sale if you don’t have a CD for them. Even your grandmother knows how to use a CD.

4. Permanence (no crashing computers and lost data).
Your music is virtually permanent on a CD. Hard drives crash and MP3 players die, it’s a sad fact of life. But if you have a disc with the content on it, your message or album is not lost. And of course, if you own a CD, you can easily rip MP3s for storage or use with your favorite media player and still have the disc as a backup and for use with your stereo, car, etc.

5. A CD tells a story.
The artwork that comprises your CD package allows you to further illustrate your album’s artistic statement. A great looking CD and your specific choice of packaging say something about you and can help you further connect with your listening audience. Plus, listeners experience the track sequence, pacing, and breadth of your work exactly as you intended.

Singles certainly have their place and can spark interest in your act, but albums are the only way for you to create a thematic and sonic statement of where you as an artist are at the time the disc is recorded and released.

Someone browsing through iTunes may skim right over your band’s name or song titles. But that same person, given the opportunity, might pick up your CD package based on the appeal of the artwork alone. CDs are a one-stop, self-contained collection that deliver music, graphics, artwork, lyrics, photos, and credits — all in a neat, compact package.

Not to mention the fact that after spending months (or years) composing, refining, rehearsing, recording, mixing, and mastering, there’s a real sense of accomplishment in having something to physically embody the sweat, money, and tears that went into the work you’ve created. Digital files are a great way to deliver tunes, but nothing beats having a CD to represent the completion of your artistic efforts.

6. Shopping your music? CDs are the way to go.
CDs remain the preferred format if you’re shopping your music for film, TV, multimedia, gaming, or licensing opportunities. An overwhelming number of music editors and journalists still prefer a physical CD and press kit when being pitched an emerging or even an established artist.
Radio stations still utilize CDs in their selection of music for airplay.

If you choose not to press CDs, your chances for success and exposure on the radio are virtually non-existent. And while many artists now feel no need to court major labels to achieve success, if you do want a label’s attention, CD sales are the most important metric they’ll consider. If you prove you can move product, you’ve got a chance at impressing a label.

7. CDs sound better than MP3s.

CDs sound better than an MP3 download, because they’re not compressed like an MP3 file.

8. It makes a swell gift, too.
Want to reward members of your fan club and street team? There’s no better way than giving them a limited-edition CD with music recorded and packaged especially for them.

9. What’s true for majors isn’t true for indies.
The majors are selling fewer CDs, it’s true. Retail music CD sales are down anywhere from 9-14%. But you are not a major-label artist (at least not yet). Remember that the model for each is significantly different.

To really sell downloads in significant quantities, you need people actively seeking your music to buy. This requires a large and established fan base, and/or a popular hit single, and/or a tremendous amount of money spent on promotion, and/or a significant buzz on the web. As an indie artist, you may not have any of these things yet, you’re still building your name and awareness about yourself and your music. Chances are you’re giving away songs through digital distribution to promote yourself.

As an indie, you rely on hand-to-hand music sales, personal contact at gigs, something tangible you can hand to someone as soon as you’ve sparked an interest in your act. Nothing does that better than a CD.


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3/16/11

Five Tips To A More Efficient Music Career

Getting your music career to take off can be a timely process.
You have to work your way up through the ranks, proving yourself to
possess the skills and talent required to be a success along the
way. Most people don’t get signed by a major record label as soon as
they post their first video on YouTube, and it can often be a good
while till you start getting the recognition and sales you deserve.
Because of this, it’s essential you don’t make that process any
slower then it has to be. Working efficiently will mean you achieve
your goals a lot quicker, and often save money on the way. Here are
five tips that will allow you to be more efficient in your
independent music career.


1. Make Best Use Of Recording Studio Time

This is very important. When it comes to recording studios, many

people use bad practices. I’ve seen people hire a studio for a day,
spend most of the day writing lyrics and playing on the studio’s
game console / snooker table, then using the last 1/5th of the
session to actually record their music. This I can understand if
you’re under a major record label with a limitless budget who won’t
take this studio time out of your album sales (I don’t think that’ll
ever happen?), but for anyone else this is a big waste of time and
money!


These studios have various entertainment in their buildings as
they WANT you to waste time. The more time you waste, the more
you’ll be going back to their studio and the more money they’ll
make. They’re a business, their aim is to make money… FROM YOU!
Counteract this by writing and practising all your lyrics at home.
That way, once you go into the studio all you’ll need to do is
record. After all, that’s what a recording studio should be for.
Anything else apart from the recording equipment is a distraction,
so don’t get tricked into lining someone else’s pocket.

2. Constantly Analyse Your Music Career

Asyou do things, you should constantly be looking at what works and

what doesn’t. Doing this will allow you to pick out things that are
worth doing and those that aren’t. When things don’t work, you
should ask yourself why they don’t work and if there’s anything you
can do to potentially make them work. When things do work, try and
find out why they work and see if you can do it on a bigger scale.


Many musicians don’t do this, and end up wasting valuable time on
things that aren’t working. Because they’ve never stopped to measure
the results they’re receiving, they don’t realise what they’re doing
is ineffective so carry on along the wrong path.Actively learning from your experiences and implementing what you
learn is a great way to streamline your efforts and help you reach
your goal a lot quicker.

3. Make A Plan For Your Music Career

Running on auto pilot and doing things as they come up is a bad

habit of many independent musicians. Not having a plan can often
lead to a lack of focus and not really knowing what to do. For
example, many people have the goal of doing as many shows as
possible, but don’t have a plan of how they’re going to get these
shows and by when. You need to know how you’re going to do something
so you can systematically put it into practice (Randomly waiting for
shows to appear isn’t a very good strategy). You also need to know
by when so you’ve got a end date. If you don’t have a end date you
could be working to achieve one aim for years before you realise
it’s not working. At least if you set a date you can stop and
reflect on whether or not something is working and adapt
accordingly.


It’s often wise to set S.M.A.R.T aims. S.M.A.R.T stands of
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. You want to
make yourself specific goals that can be measured and will be
achievable. For example, you may say you want to do ten shows by the
end of the year. This is specifically what you want to do, it can be
measured with numbers, and it should be achievable. On top of this
it’s realistic and it has a time limit.


Making a plan for your music career with S.M.A.R.T steps will
allow you to have direction rather then just swinging out and hoping
for the best. Then, along with analysis, you can alter and refine
your plans to you find something that works for you.


4. Use Automated Software To Speed Up Promotion

Promoting your music is essential, as if you don’t let people know your music exists no one’s going to buy it. Having said that,not everyone’s cut out for promoting. They may not like the process,or may simply feel like it’s too time consuming. While it may not be

an option for promoting to people at shows and the like, you can get
a lot of online promotion done for you automatically while you work
on other things. At Independent Music Advice for example, we use
Tweet Twain, FanBridge (free email blast to 400 subscribers) and/or
MailChimp (Which is free up to 500 subscribers). Tweet Twain automatically adds people to our twitter account, messages them, and updates our twitter status to a schedule we specify. These twitter users then check out our website and often sign up and / or
become regular readers. FanBridge sends free email blast to 400 subscribers. This service has been around for some time and is one of my favorites. MailChimp
automatically sends our subscribers pre written messages every week,
effectively building a relationship with our reader on auto pilot.
The amount of time these tools have saved has been extremely
valuable, and will allow you more time to make your music and do
anything else you need to do.

5. Don’t Over Network And Learn Which Music Contacts To Trust

I’m sure people have told you before about the importance of networking, and this is true. You can’t do everything by yourself, and you need links to help you achieve things you may not be able to do by yourself. What people don’t often say though is you should pick the people you network with very carefully. There are too many non-serious people in the music industry, and many will end up slowing you down. A good link is someone who can help speed up your music career, not slow it down and waste all your phone credit.You need to look at how genuine someone is when you’re first getting to know them. Many people over hype what they’ve done or that they can do for you, so the first sign of a lie and you shouldbe very wary.

You also want to avoid people who you constantly have to chase up. If you ring them and they’re always ignoring their phone, in “a meeting”, or tells you to call them back later (And later never comes), stop trying to contact them and forget about them. If they

can really help you and they want to they’ll contact you back. When you’re networking there will be many people who will waste your time. The key is minimising the time they waste in your search for good music industry contacts, and holding on to the good contacts you find.

All these five steps will lead to a more efficient music career, saving you valuable time and money. If you know of any other ways to make your career more efficient, please let us know in the comments.
----------------------------

How To Make Money From Free Music http://bit.ly/fwI8OT


Resource: http://www.independentmusicadvice.com/




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Breaking news- Nathaniel Hale -- Nate Dogg -- dies at 41

Its really hard to believe twitter nowadays. When people are bored they post dumb stuff...even deaths of those who are still alive. So immediately after seeing why Nate Dogg was a trending topic, I googled him and found this news posting. It was also mentioned on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Dogg

Our prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.
RIP NATE DOGG

Recording artist had suffered two strokes in recent years.
From Staff Reports
Updated: 03/15/2011 10:48:56 PM PDT




Nathaniel Hale, who performed as Nate Dogg, died Tuesday. He was 41. (Elektra Records)

LONG BEACH — Nathaniel D. Hale, known in the music industry as Nate Dogg, died Tuesday, his family announced.
The rap star, born and reared in Long Beach, Calif. was 41.
Cause of death is not known. However, Hale had suffered two strokes, one in 2007 and another in 2008.
Details will be available later.
Sources: http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_17622472?source=rss


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3/9/11

Models (even actors) take care of your skin

Models (even Actors), if you want to stay in the entertainment AS LONG AS POSSIBLE,
you must take care of your looks...especially your skin & smile!

When most people think of models, they think of youth. This comes as no surprise, as statistics show the average runway model is between the ages of 17 and 19. Though it can certainly be more challenging to attain work as a model over the age of 40, you can improve your chances by maintaining your body and SKIN and marketing yourself properly.

I know a lot people don't like the fact that models are pressured to take care of themselves and go through different treatments to stay young. But it is the model's choice to do whatever necessary to continue to look young. Think about it...they can do whatever necessary to maintain their appearance and stay in the industry for longer. Or they can choose to age gracefully and risk getting less jobs as there are ALWAYS younger people stepping into the industry, taking place of those who age. IT SUCKS but it is, what it is.

Below are some tips that I'm hoping can help. Unfortunately, those who genetically have bad skin (such as I) we can do the following below and just pray! LOL

    Healthy Habits and Choices

  • To maintain the skin they were born with, some models turn to time-tested beauty techniques. While completely flawless skin is not a strict prerequisite in modeling, it is certainly a plus. Getting enough sleep, drinking a healthy dose of water daily, eating wholesome foods, exercising and not ingesting toxic substances may not be enough to give some individuals clear and glowing skin. However, these practices contribute to skin that appears more attractive than if it were abused and taken for granted. A beauty regimen that allows the skin to flourish is helpful as well. By remembering to wash their makeup off at night in order to allow skin to breathe and rejuvenate itself during bedtime, models do their skin a favor. Moisturizing and applying sun protection prior to stepping out in the daytime maintains the skin's youthfulness and shields it from the elements that models are sometimes exposed to on location. While it is true that models have access to better products in the beauty industry as compared to most, it is not necessary to use the same pricey skin care products that they do in order to have radiant skin. Drugstores and beauty brands that sell their products through representatives offer a wide range of affordable skin care items that many consumers have found effective.

    Insider Secrets

  • Due to the importance of beauty in their line of work, models are constantly informed of the latest spa offerings and treatments that specifically target the skin. While these are not exclusively available to the rich and famous, the cost to get pampered in these ways is more often than not out of the price range of the average individual. These beauty procedures administered by professionals can be identified by such names as "oxygen facials," "hyaluronic treatments" and "microdermabrasion." A model who indulges in the party lifestyle may choose to book regular sessions with skin experts not only because she can afford to, but because home remedies may not be potent enough to repair the damage inflicted on her skin by years of smoking and frequent drinking. If she wishes to continue working as a model, she may favor these therapies above others. They work quickly to prevent her from looking older than she really is.
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    Faking It

  • What appears to be perfect skin is not always the case with models, so the average woman need not be hard on herself for having an uneven skin tone and undereye circles. The highly evident golden glow on a model in beauty magazines, for instance, is either the work of a makeup artist or courtesy of airbrushing . If a model shows up at a shoot with a pimple, it is expertly concealed by a professional and later edited out of the picture. However, photographers and casting directors do not like working with models that have bad skin because editing the photos and commercials are time consuming.












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3/8/11

RHOA KANDI BURRUSS’ ADOPTED DAUGHTER SHOT IN THE HEAD


Please pray for Kandi Burruss, the family of the victim and the victim of this senseless crime herself, Asheley Jewell. In 2009, A.J Jewell (Asheley's dad) was murdered at a night club and now...this. Can you imagine what they must all be going thru? Please keep them in your prayers.

“Real Housewives Of Atlanta” Kandi Burruss’ deceased fiance A.J. Jewell’s daughter was shot in the head on Saturday. 15 year old Asheley Jewell was driving with friends when someone from another car that was chasing them, opened fire on the car she was riding in. She was hit in the back of the head and is now in critical condition. Police believe it was a road rage incident. This is what Kandi tweeted:

My heart feels heavy 2day. :-( I have my daughter & her friends so I'm trying to keep smiling but I'm worried about some1 else I care about03/06/2011 10:15 PM via u00dcberSocial

Remember, Asheley was living with Kandi at the time her dad was murdered. Let’s keep her in our prayers.



Teen Shot in Possible Road Rage Incident: MyFoxATLANTA.com


Please help this family get justice. If anyone out there has ANY INFORMATION about this crime, please contact 911 immediately. You can remain anonymous. We all deserve to be able to go somewhere and return safely to our families. These senseless crimes MUST STOP and those committing it MUST be brought to justice! If we dont bring them to justice...our own children can be next.

Resource & original story: Black Media Scoop


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The Top 5 Reasons Why You Need a Publicist!

Reason #1: You Need Exposure.
In order to sell something, the public needs to know about it. You have something that you are certain that the rest of the public needs to know about and there is no better way to spread the word about you or your product than with public relations. The amount of encouraging attention that a magazine interview or news article gets cannot compare to that of an advertisement. There is an extra sense of authority when people hear about something from a TV show or radio show. It is notably influential. Although both ads and PR are effective and necessary to properly market you or your product, you really cannot do with public relations. PR efforts can expose you to all kinds of media. With the proper publicist, you will get the chance to tell the world whatever you think they should know, in the most effectual manner. For example, a band can land a radio interview on a hot morning show and discuss about the importance of the message behind their new album. A chef can be featured in a trade magazine and get the chance to tell the public about his new television program. The public’s interest is instantaneously provoked.


Reason #2: Advertising Costs Too Much
Advertisements are influential, important and necessary. Although advertising can be an excellent way to tell the public about why they need your product, it does not come without a significant price. Even ads in local magazines can cost thousands of dollars. Plus, since the public knows that the ads are coming straight from the business, they lose their reliability. Through the use of quality public relation efforts, a publicist can reach the public for a small fraction of the cost of an ad. Considering the cost and credibility factor, PR is much more cost-effective and efficient.


Reason #3: You Can't Do it Yourself, There's No Time!
There are a million things to do before one can achieve true success. Public relations are very time consuming. There are many words to speak, sentences to write and ideas to generate. Very few people have the time to handle an effective PR campaign, market their product and conduct “business as usual.” A publicist can take your mind off of the promotional aspects so that you can do whatever it is that you do best.


Reason #4: What is a Media Kit? I Don't Have a Clue!
Do you know how to pitch a producer? Very few people know what they need to do to successfully launch a powerful PR campaign. The time spent on learning every procedure, tactic and secret in addition to the probability of failing is not worth the money you save being your own publicist. Sure, anyone can write their own press release… but do they know all the rules? Do they understand the proper format? Do they know the tricks of the trade? Can they come up with an effective angle? Publicists can see things from a different point of view—and not just from the company’s perspective. It is vital to try and see everything from the public’s standpoint.


Reason #5: Adds Credibility.
“Have your people contact my people.”
Believe it or not, having a publicist on staff boosts your credibility. This is basically for two reasons. First, it shows that you are serious about your product. If you did not believe it could be a success, you would not hire someone and pay for them to tell the world about it. Second, it makes you look and feel important, which in turn gives you the confidence you need to thrive.

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When Does An Artist Need A Publicist?

Curtis Smith, the head of Maelstrom Music and Maelstrom Music PR, talks about how to know when it’s time for artists to start thinking about getting a publicist, and what to look for when choosing one.



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