11/06/2009
It’s Back To Business!
It’s been a while since I’ve spoken. I guess I really didn’t have too much to say. The “Day” job has been invading my life to the point where I feel violated. But this is the price to pay to get paid. But now it’s time to get back up and ride again, “Hi! Ho! Silver.” The dream is not over. The motivation has kicked into high gear. The mind is willing, but the flesh is lazy. Doubt becomes prevalent when there’s no proof that you should be on this journey. I start believing that this is not for me more and more. This usually takes place when the other facets of my life take over. So i have to keep it in perspective. The reason that I’m in music is because I love playing, writing, producing. Pure and simple. It’s time that I start acting so.
Here are the recent free MP3s that I have been sending out:
http://lamontanthony.com/audio/Do_Me_Right_UAS_ReMix_hifi.m3u
http://lamontanthony.com/audio/A_JusTone%21_Type_Gruv_UAS_ReMix_hifi.m3u
http://lamontanthony.com/audio/Tonite_UAS_ReMix_hifi.m3u
http://lamontanthony.com/audio/Someone_Made_You_Cry_UAS_ReMix_hifi.m3u
http://lamontanthony.com/audio/Youre_Not_Alone_UAS_ReMix_hifi.m3u
These are remixes and alternate songs from my 1st CD, “In My Comfort Zone” that came out in 2007. The 2nd CD, “It All Started Here” is out now. This is being done to prepare the way for my 3rd and new project, “The Way Of The Aggressive Soul” coming out summer of next year. So, I’m back at ‘em and coming through for the Gruv! Stay The Course!
04/13/2009
Standing Out From Among The Crowd!
The biggest hurdle I found in the new “Internet Model” way of doing things is that it’s still pretty crowded out there. Yes, there are a lot of great tools at our disposal. What I’m able to do now as an independent is leaps and bounds better than what my options were, let’s say, 15 years ago.
Here are a few of the tools that I have used in just the past 6 months:
- WordPress (love it)
- Ning
- Mogulus (incredible)
- Reverbnation
- Twitter (love this one too)
- Myspace
- Soundcloud (very good)
- Ourstage (not good if your music doesn’t fit in their box)
- Youtube
These are just a few. There are plenty more that I have used. But with all of these tools I’m still not as well known as I would be if I got one song on major radio. If just one local station here in Chicago played my latest single 3 times in one day, it would catapult my career to the unimaginable heights. Maybe I’m laying it on a little thick, but you get my point. We still need some of the tools of the “old guard.”
Even though the big 5 are falling on hard times, I have to admit, I would give one of my left toes for the use of their distribution, marketing or promotional machines. I like the “indie way” but until we get the type of exposure that one could get from the “Big Ole Machine” all of the tools in the world would only make me more exhausted not well known.
Now, mind you, I’m coming from the perspective of a studio artist who has not toured yet. I’m currently working with Aftonshows, a local booking agency run by other musicians, to set up dates. I was reluctant to perform live for several reasons but now I have to. I can’t afford to stay unknown any longer.
04/09/2009
Playing My Heart Strings
I’m worried about making a living from my art. The economy aside, I think there is something more sinister at work. It’s something that I really have no control over and it’s no fault of anyone in particular. This is the ironic part of my story, and probably a lot of others, the shift in the consumer’s mind set about music is something to be worried about. This shift is what concerns me the most.
There was a time when songwriters were looked upon as a different breed. Lifted up high in the clouds by their adoring fans. And for good reason, the artist provided what no one else could, an incredible release from ones present circumstances. At this time, there was also a sense of wonder about how a song was created. We didn’t know a lot about our favorite artist back in the day. You had to get info about what was going on from the news or gossip mags.
And I liked the fact that I didn’t know how many times a day Elton John went to the bathroom. I didn’t want to know that much about his daily reality. I wanted to stay in the clouds and let his music take me away. I was willing to spend money for the joy he gave. And this brings me to my point, it seems that the art has been brought down to a common denominator.
No longer do you have the great barrier between the artist and the fan. The fans are now on the same level as the artist. Just look at the mindset that “Guitar Hero” has created. Technology has taken the skill and work ethic out of music creation. P2P and illegal downloading has shifted the field to the exent that the thought of stealing someone elses creative work is not an issue, it is the norm. These and a whole slew of reasons have created a mindset that says, “It’s just music, I don’t have to pay for it.”
Music is not special anymore and that is reason enough to not honor the artist with compensation. So now the industry is scrambling, out of necesseity, to find alternate ways of staying afloat. It is coming to the point that Music will have to be given away for free just to bribe consumers to hopefully but your songs in the future. This will kill the average studio based independent artist, like me.
Intro To LaMont Anthony
This is the first homegrown video from the “It All Started Here” project. The song called “Nobody Knows” was a song that was not going to go on the CD. But it was a persistant child and got it’s way. I’m glad! It’s one of my favorites on the CD.
For more info on the album check it out at www.lamontanthony.com
