English · This & That

Mix Critique With Stuart Epps

In cooperation with “Musiker-board.de”, Music2Deal has started a sensational campaign. It was possible to win a professional mixing service from the unique musician Stuart Epps, who has already worked together with stars like Elton John, Robbie Williams, Oasis or Chris Rea.

A jury of experts selected the top 10 artists and then Stuart Epps chose the winner band AUDIO CIRCUS. Among the mix for the winner band there was a feedback for all Top 10 acts from Stuart Epps and a premium-membership at Music2Deal to get new connections with people from the music industry.

You can read the original feedback down below and can listen to the song or contact the artists if you click on the band name which is linked to their Music2Deal profile.

And that’s the winner song “I WONDER” from “AUDIO CIRCUS”. It’s a great song of them and a fantastic mix from Stuart Epps. Music2Deal and Stuart Epps believe in the band and their success in the music business.

audio-circus-music2deal

Please listen to the original track here and the mixed version of Stuart Epps here.

1. AUDIO CIRCUS – I WONDER

“I KEEP THINKING THERE MUST BE A BAD ONE COMING, BUT THIS ISN’T!!”

“THIS IS GREAT AGAIN”

“DIFFERENT TO THE OTHERS SO FAR”

“LEAD SINGERS REALLY GOT IT”

“SUPERB VOICE, GIVING ME TINGLES”

“AND I DONT OFTEN GET THAT ANYMORE”

“I LOVE THIS!!!”

“SHADES OF MICHAEL JACKSON MIXED WITH FOREIGNER”

“WHAT A MIXTURE!!”

“GREAT SOLO”

“GREAT BAND”

“WHERE ARE THEY PLAYING???? I WANT TO SEE THIS BAND”

“THIS IS A HIT”

2. THE CHIMES – Weit weg (full)

“Not bad at all

“Starts out like a 50’s ballad then”

“Wham!!! Into a punk rock hard hitting track

“Vocal sounds a bit like Bowie

Very commercial song

Could imagine this on the radio

Really catchy and good solo!!

“Like it and wish I could sing along but not easy!!”

3. INTO THE SUN – Open your eyes (rough)

“Lots of possibilities here with this band and the song”

“Really needs some TLPC thats tender loving producer care!!”

“The vocal needs some effects and some more bv’s”

“That backing vocals beginning of the verses lack a bit of passion”

“The bass drums and guitars are superb very beatleish!!!”

“Great bass playing intfact extra ordinary”

“The bridge of this song is crying out for backing vocals and then the break needs a roaring solo guitar”

4. 50 METER FREISTIL – Leerzeit (kraftrom mix)

“Powerful band and sound”

“Modern sounds mixed with traditional Rock”

“Commercial song perfect for Radio”

“Nice lead vocal, yes I could hear some added backing vocals”

“Reminds me of Meat Loaf….I like this!!!”

“Imaginative production”

5. ROALD LINGBEEK – Sensitive Skin

“Very nice vocals”

“Just the chord change into the bridge and chorus is a bit strange for my taste”

“Maybe this one has to grow on you”

“Maybe a piano would be nice”

“In fact I just played it again and now I’m a bit more used to the changes….it’s getting better.”

“I might get to love it yet”

6. REPEAT – Illusions

“Long but very nice acoustic intro”

“Quite a contrast here to the other tracks”

“Folky song not unlike Fairport convention from the early 70’s”

“Quite nice but can’t help feeling the vocals lack a bit of power as does the whole track”

“Probably a good band to see live”

“They need producer help here I think to achieve better performance”

“Some backing vocals in the chorus would have been nice instead of just unison”

7. UNDER CONSTRUCTION – Save the world

“Very long intro just acoustic and voice”

“…then into a very rocky track…nice!!!”

“But not my favorite song, melody wise I’m afraid”

“Good singer here”

“Gets better halfway through”

“Needs thickening in the mix”

“A track like this has to be powerful sounding”

“Nice solo section”

“I like it”

8. JOEY JONES – Mrs. Slow’N’Easy

“Really impressed”

“Great track!!”

“This guy can play!!”

“Frank Zappa, Jimi Hendryx, Jimmy Page”

“Lots of influences here going together to make a great sound”

“Brilliant riff…riffs are the king!!”

“He’s come up with for this song”

“Love this record”

9. JATC – Love you when you go

“Great band and really good song”

“Very tight rhythm section sound”

“Very good production”

“Reminds me of Robbie Williams at his best”

“He would be jealous”

“Also check out Amen Corner from the 70’s…similar voice”

“Very impressed with this record”

“A proper single”

10.NINE A.M. – Go feral

“Very nice bass sound and some interesting changes”

“Good vocal and probably great live band”

“Got to say though it’s not my fav song”

“Something unsatisfying about it”

“Maybe needs a few more listenings”

The bands 9 and 10 didn’t register at Music2Deal but if you click here there is a link to the homepage of “muskier-board” where you can listen to the other songs if you like to.

If you want to have more background information about the competition you can find an interview with the winner band and Stuart Epps on http://www.musiker-board.de/.

We’d like to thank Stuart Epps and the appropriate persons of “Musiker-Board” for the support and having made this competition possible.

English · This & That

Cellphones, Education And You

Allen_20Johnston    Allen Johnston – The Music Specialist
 www.asha.com

Traveling internationally has opened my eyes and mind to the opportunities available for people of color worldwide.  In particular are the opportunities available for African-American musicians and multi-media creators worldwide. What I have found is that EVEYONE aspires to have the American notoriety and success that is witnessed in the magazines, movies, and videos worldwide.  People want to “BE LIKE MIKE” worldwide and Mike is the African-American celebrity.

As you know I am a proponent of education and I truly believe that African-Americans have a commitment to help educate and protect Africans worldwide. Let’s talk about the state of the Black music business within the United Sates today. Discretionary income controlled by African-Americans rose to more than $20 billon last year.  Even though this seems like a humongous amount of money it pales in comparison to the fact that Shell Oil posted profits in the UK alone of 13.6 Billion Pounds or $30 Billion dollars this year.  This is only one company in one country that significantly affects people of color worldwide.

Believe that this 30 Billion dollar profit will not be used to educate or protect people worldwide.  So the question to me becomes how we can effectively affect the education of people of color worldwide.  One way is the creation of music and multi-media projects that contain “Old-School” Values and Morals, never using filthy language, sexually based & tasteless innuendoes, sharp, ruthless or condemnatory statements or nonsense verbiage.  But having a message or under current that causes renewed thought, interest, incite or unrest within the hearts & souls of its listeners!

Accessibility and affordability are the key factors in being able to reach large masses of people worldwide.  The Internet is the medium of choice and opportunity to accomplish these goals.  For the developing world the Internet is going to be a wireless experience and delivery will be over cell phones.  Sixty one percent (61%) of the world’s 2.7 billion mobile phone users are in developing countries compared with ten percent (10%) of the world’s 1 billion Internet users.  This information is based on the International Telecommunication Union’s Regulatory and Market Environment Division head Susan Schorr’s report.  Africa accounts for more than half of the world’s poorest countries with people using low-cost cell phones rather than PC’s for connectivity.

India has a cell phone subscriber ship of over 226 million about nineteen percent (19%) of its total population with about 7 million new subscribers a month.  This is creating a decline in the cost of cell phone manufacturing making them more affordable and also creating unbundled services lowering the costs of phone service.   Approximately eighty five percent (85%) of all Indian cell phone contracts are prepaid, while in Africa shared cell phone services are taking off.

The Grameen Foundation has brought the Village Phone model to Africa.  People wanting to become stand alone mobile phone operators can take out micro loans, letting them buy Village Phone kits that include a cell phone, a rooftop antenna that picks up signals 25 kilometers away and a car battery or solar panel for recharging.  They setup shop in their homes, selling phone calls and mobile data transfer to other villagers.  Ultimately allowing the world to invade the “outback” and the opportunity to place information directly with the people that need it the most.

Cellphone based Internet delivery bypasses the governmental media controls and is a viable alternative information source.  Just recently there was great unrest in Kenya and the Kenyan government imposed a blackout of ALL news sources.  Resourceful Kenyans started text messaging information to the Mashada website and got the world to see the problems while being able to maintain contact with different villages and families.

As a producer, writer, musician, film maker, artist or educator this now opens up an entirely new avenue to get your projects, products and ideas to an interested world market.   Cellphones and other wireless devices will continue to get more people connected to the Internet or at least give them access to a wealth of information, knowledge and communications capabilities that previously were out of reach.

The only thing missing is you and what you have to share with the world.

English · This & That

Call To Mobilize

Allen_20JohnstonArticle by Allen L.  Johnston – The Music Specialist
http://www.asha.com

This year I came to a drastic realization that American Urban based artists, publishers, producers; writers, film makers, label owners, magazine owners and entertainment industry entrepreneurs are wholly under rated and under represented on the world market place. During one of my daily walks around the MIDEM convention exhibition area, I ventured in to the Electronic / Urban Village at Midem.  The name suggested that here would be a place where various types of Electronic and Urban based musical products and opportunities would be found. A place where companies from around the world could come and find music, DVD’s, film, magazines and digital deals from the best Urban and Electronic makers in the world. Feeling that the Urban marketplace should be over flowing with product by and about people of color I went looking for the best in the world

What I saw was several different spaces occupied by every nationality BUT people of color.  Blatantly missing were American Hip Hop, R&B, Southern Soul, Blues, Jazz and Gospel companies.  In fact I saw NO REPRESENTATION at all from any Black or Hispanic owned company from the United States in this area.  At least 50% of all the music I saw, and heard during MIDEM came from people of color world wide, but there was less than 5% participation from African Americans conference wide and less than 1% booth participation.  The only Hip Hop artist of any notoriety that I saw making meetings and doing deals was Chuck D, and he brought a group of business people with him as a support factor. American Hip Hop has made major influence around the world I saw Death Row Records from Germany and even though South Africa has licensed Little John’s music thru TVT there was not another Atlanta based rapper or representative at the conference.

Countries from around the world were looking for music and DVD products from American based “Urban” companies yet there were virtually none to be found. The Japanese, South Africans, French, Belgium, Swedes and every English speaking country are all looking for American Hip Hop, Jazz, Gospel, Southern Soul and Reggae, but once again there were NO representatives of any of the major artists nor any revenue generating INDEPENDENT  COMPANIES available that I saw or heard of.

This has to stop now especially while there is a window open for such great financial and cultural reward.

So I am making the first call to mobilize the American Urban based artists, publishers, producers, writers, film makers, label owners, magazine owners and entertainment industry entrepreneurs.  I have started talking with different companies and organizations to acquire a cadre of African American owned entertainment businesses that will be able to represent their products and make deals on an International basis for MIDEM 2014.

Please take a moment and look at your long range goals, if they include a digital market or an International market lets find some time to talk.  Plan your work THEN work your plan.