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'One Minute With Dec'

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The Archive - '2'

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Written by Dec Cluskey with a little bit of help from his friends.

We do not condone any Music Scam on the Net

This Email first mailed to all Members of 'The Serious Writers Guild' and subscribers to 'One Minute With Dec' on

13 April 05

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=================================

'One Minute With Dec'  

"My Emails Are Written With Good Humour And Should Be Read With A Smile"

[-The views of any contributor to 'One Minute with Dec' are not necessarily the views of Dec Cluskey-]  

"The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."

Abraham Lincoln

MENU:

What a week, the excitement is unbearable
 
 I must be the luckiest guy around.  Music is such an exciting business, but to be involved as much as I am makes the excitement unbearable.  Vicci Esselle [our managing director] has pulled off one of the biggest shows of the year, in September.  You will not believe it when you hear.
 
The reason for her success is not only the voice, the looks, the attitude, but also the fact that she is out there doing it!
 
     She is now in such demand that booking agencies and managements are laying on fast cars so she can do two shows in one night.  Crazy stuff.  Anytime she appears with my band she totally stops the show.  She started as a studio singer, then a live back singer, then joined in bits of the show, then got involved in the choreographed parts, the staging and then got her own spot.  That bowls over the audience so much that she just has to continue with more.
 
So getting out there and doing it works!
 
 You simply have to prove to the public that you have sellable product.  On the other hand I have guys I am mentoring...stunning Top Three stuff.  They are in the studio all day.  They came around yesterday and played me a track....this was a smash Top record in the first ten seconds...a blindingly obvious world chart hit in the first minute and a classic that will be around for a long time after 3 mins. 40.  But their latest live venture is faltering.  Lots of record companies after them but they will not realise that they have to prove the material to the public....with live performances.
 
They will make it as producers and writers
 
They will [in fact they are] be the best production team around.  I can tell from the material.  Their client list is now almost out of control.  But they should still prove their material.
 
Here's a bit of fun
 
Just use the pointer. And Click on one or more of the boxes in the upper right corner. Keep your sound on

Go to this site with your speakers on http://www.chezmaya.com/applet/valentin.htm 
 
" Truth is the only safe ground to stand on."
Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Support fellow 'One Minute' subscribers?

Chiozo has undertaken a remarkable task.  He intends to go on a sponsored walk from Cape Town in South Africa to Cairo in Egypt.  The focus of this momentous journey is to raise money for a number of UK and African issues close to his heart.  This is no easy feat to walk 11,000 miles across Africa.

Not satisfied with this alone Chiozo is also hosting a songwriters evening at Troy?s wine bar from next Wednesday evening. 

Troys Wine Bar is located at 10 Hoxton Street, Shoreditch, London UK.  Nearest Tube: Old Street Station, Buses: 35, 55, 47, 149, 242, 243.  You will be able to catch my supporting performance each and every Wednesday night 8 ? 1 am.  Entry FREE.  Caribbean cuisine available.

For more information and to provide sponsorship go to http://www.accessallareas.org http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=6022&grp=18  Chiozo can be contacted directly on 07770 615 100 or email him at kingofafrika2003@yahoo.com

Until the next time  Original Sonofman  http://www.thesonofman.co.uk


Scam to watch out for?

Beware being sucked into situations of supposed experts writing music for your lyrics [poetry really!] recording your demos and presenting them to supposed influential people in the Music Industry.

I have seen one this week that has even shocked me!  I showed the figures to some pals, without disclosing any details of the folk involved..they were truly amazed.  I still don't believe what I saw.

I say this till I am blue in the face: "no one can make a Hit song for you.  You learn how to make it yourself...you make it yourself, you perform it yourself [or have a great band/singer perform it]  Then no one can bring it to record companies for you...you do that YOURSELF [with the methods given in 'How To Make A $Million From Your Music']" 

You have to prove that the public will actually buy your song!

The product [meaning the visuals and the music] has got to be caste iron 100% Top Three with no ifs, buts or maybes.

The final thing to watch out for is the 'live musicians' in the live studio.  The figures that were shown to me this week included the inevitable Piano, Bass, Drums Guitar.  The engineer [who probably could not mix a cake, let alone a hit record].

Simply ask yourself this question:  "Since when has there been a Hit record in the Chart with Piano, bass, drums, guitar?"

By the way, this scam even had the 'vocal coach' ... coaching long distance, by the way, built in.  This was the complete scam ... I wonder would the person shelling out the money be interested in a beach front property I have for sale in Birmingham?

I reserve all the killer stuff and method for the Members of The Serious Writers Guild at www.makehits.com .  the become members by simply buying the first award winning ten month program 'How To Make A Million From Your Music' at:

https://secure.mistral.co.uk/makehits/howtoappsecure.htm

The logic involved for selling a Potential Hit Record:

First you have to sell the initial 20 records to friends.  Then you sell the first 200 to punters at your first gigs [or the gigs of the band singing your song].  Then you sell 2,000 to local shops and keep them supplied.  Then 20,000 to shops in your county and keep them supplied.

Then The Record Company turns that into 200,000 for the first single and 2,000,000 for the album....then 20,000,000 for your career.

But did you notice?  It all started with the 20 sold to friends [not given away!]

A great mic.

Guys who have used the Makehits Demo Consultation Service this week have experienced a new mic. in our studio.  

    It is a Shure KSM27 studio condenser mic.  Recommended to me and supplied by my brother's son [he is sales director for AMS/Neve/Calrec].

To say I am impressed is an understatement.  On the performance graph it has a delicious boost around 60HZ and a transparent boost from 3KHZ upwards to 20KHZ.  This means a delightful bottom end [great for talking - as the 70 minute Demo Consultation CD is] and thrilling for the top sibilance required in classy vocals.  My first main session will be on Tuesday using the mic. for just such a classy vocal.

"What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner."

Collette

Thanks Bob

"This is just a short note congratulating you on your design, layout, colour and speed of just your website.

...and then, as if that isn't enough, out you come with all this FREE information.

Dec, I have to ask you - are you NUTS or what!? (lol)  Well Done One And All!

More Success To You...  Bob Daulby"

Home Theatre Audio Systems?

Brilliant advice from a true Sound System Guru:

If you're ready to buy a home theatre audio system here are some tips to help you find the right system for you.

1. Spend some quality time with the room you are going to put your new home theatre audio system.  Believe it or not but the room is as much a component in your home theatre system as any of the electronics you will ever buy.  Ask yourself which room you will be putting your new system in.
Consider whether or not this room is going to be used solely for you system or will it be used for other activities.
Will there be any size considerations for the components and speakers you plan on using with the dimensions of the room?

Consider drawing a map of your room and sketch the possible placements of your furniture, components and speakers.
Measure the room~s dimensions and write them down.  Make a list of all the inputs you currently have and will continue to use.  Make a list of the inputs you intend to add to your new audio system.  You should write down which components are going to need cables and wires.  Also, write down the approximate lengths of those cables and wires.  Once all of this is worked out carry this information and map with you when you go out to buy your new audio system.

Figure out where the best placement is for your home theatre audio system so you won~t have any screen reflections.  You will not like the TV picture if there is light reflecting off of the screen.  When sound waves reflect off of bare walls and windows the audio does not sound as good.

2. When you plop down on that comfy couch with your spouse and a snack decide what you want your experience to be like.  Decide this before spending this huge amount of money on a new system. Do you primarily watch movies or are you looking for that surround sound effect?

3. Spend a few hours looking around on key sites and forums and you will know more than most.  Friends, family, trade and consumer magazines and inquiring jaunts to your favourite electronic store will help you gain customer leverage.  Do not buy anything at this point.  Get as much information stuffed into your brain that will help you when the time comes for you to buy your system.

4. Look over the drawing you made of your room and all of the information you have obtained thus far.  Narrow your search down to a couple of choices.  Know what you want.

5. To find the values out there you must be an expert on home theatre audio systems.  Watch for deals and promotions that your local electronic store offers.  You can also find great deals on the internet through the manufacturer.

6. Use the following equation to help you find the right sized TV to fit your room.  2.5 x The size of you TV screen = Suggested viewing distance.  What you are going for here is balance.  You don~t want the TV to be either too big or too small, but just right.

Good luck finding the home theatre audio system to fit your needs.  Enjoy shopping and make the experience fun.

Sibas Fargio  

Success Stories:

[I only print one of the hundreds I receive.  Go to www.makehits.com/testimonials.htm for stories that will amaze you and fill you full of hope for YOUR future.]

"Tonight my song "Resolution" will be played on the Iain Anderson show on BBC Radio Scotland (10pm-midnight GMT).  Tune in if you can, but if you miss it you can use the BBC's "Listen Again" feature and catch the whole show.

If you're outside Scotland you can tune in online here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/radioscotland/

Another of my tracks - "Happening" - will be playlisted on the online indie station Hidden Radio for a week:
http://www.hiddenradio.net/site/index.php
(more about hidden radio: http://hiddenradio.blogspot.com/)

You can buy the album from Indienetunes.com.  It would be terrific if you did - there's still SO much to do to help the millions affected by the Tsunami to begin to put their lives back together in some sort of order.

More stuff about "Resolution" here: http://cupparecords.com/planet.html

Woodstock Taylor official website:
http://cupparecords.com
=====================

Charts:

USA [my thanks to Charles in the USA for supplying this]

(1) Candy Shop, 50 Cent Featuring Olivia

(2) Hate It Or Love It, The Game Featuring 50 Cent

(3) Since U Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson 

 

UK

1)   Tony Christie ft Peter Kay -  '(Is this the way to) Amarillo

2 )   Elvis Presley - 'Crying In The Chapel' 
 
 3
Mario -  'Let me love you' 

UK Download Chart  [now the most important chart in the UK]

(1) (Is This The Way To) Amarillo: Tony Christie feat Peter Kay
 
(2) Will Smith  Switch
 
(3) Basement Jaxx  Oh My Gosh
 

"Opportunity is a moving target, and the bigger the opportunity, the faster it moves"

richard gaylord briley

Chart Comment:

The USA is in sedate change mode....what a wonderful sight to see.  Good tracks at the top.

UK download chart is now becoming as frantic as the main chart...change...change...change.  Although Amarillo is holding tight.

In the UK, this week genuinely marks the end of an era. The big day has been put off once already but despite some continued grumbles from independent labels next week will see one of the biggest changes in the singles chart for a generation as online downloads will be factored in to the main chart listing for the first time ever. Sure, different formats have come and gone in the past - we have gone from tracking the sales of 78rpm shellac records through 45rpm 7-inch singles, the 12-inch extended mix, the cassingle and the varied forms of the CD single - but all of those were a simple widening of the scope of the survey. Never before has a new means of music distribution been invented, popularised, belatedly regulated and compiled into its own rundown prior to finally being acknowledged by the full, official singles chart.

 "Aviation is proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible."
edward v. rickenbacker

 Subscriber's Section:

A question I get a lot...literally how do I start?

Hi Dec,

Being an English 52 year old I remember you well from my youth (yours too).

I now live in Cape Town, and have a very musically talented daughter J*******, who is studying for a degree in classical music here.

J******* has written some great songs of the 'pop' genre, which she recorded 6 of as a sample Cd (done at home, so not as she would have liked it) just so that we could hear it performed. Although she performed on the demo cd, J******* has no desire to be a pop singer herself, she would rather someone else performed her songs and she was merely the songwriter. She is now going to write them as sheet music.

Not knowing the first thing about the music industry, my question is where do we take the songs (and in what format) to get someone to listen to them, to get chosen by artistes to perform them? A music publisher? An agent?

Ultimately J******* would obviously like to earn money from her songs by royalties, in order for her to continue her music studies, but we don't know where to start.

Help please Dec.  Warmest regards,
L**** M***

Answer:

Ok, L****

There is a first rule of success that says it is YOU that must do it....so why is your daughter not writing to me?  You cannot do it for her.  This business is all about motivation and killer attitude.

<<<<<<<<<she would rather someone else performed her songs and she was merely the songwriter. She is now going to write them as sheet music.>>>>>

A very flawed idea.  Those days are well gone!  The songwriters who have success today either are performers or have been successful performers....Cathy Dennis, Elton John, David Gray, Chris Martin, Rob Davies, Guy Chambers etc. etc. etc.

It is much easier to perform your own song and present it with enthusiasm than to get a producer and musicians and programmers etc to do it for you.

The idea of sheet music is straight out of the ark....I doubt if you could find one record executive that could even hold the paper the right way up !!!!!!

As regards taking the music somewhere.....impossible.

You would have to know the business, know how it works, know how to approach the guys to get a meeting and most of all know how to write and construct and present a HIT POTENTIAL toon!

<<<<<<<< to get chosen by artistes to perform them? A music publisher? An agent?>>>>>>>>

This is living in cloud cuckoo land......sorry, to be a successful writer is exactly the same as becoming a successful brain surgeon......you have to learn!  And the only place I know is The Serious Writers Guild at www.makehits.com

<<<<<<<<< but we don't know where to start.>>>>>>>

Start by learning the craft of songwriting, music making
https://secure.mistral.co.uk/makehits/howtoappsecure.htm
   .

Regards

DEC [Cluskey]
dec@makehits.co.uk

"Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years.  

People grow old by deserting their ideals" 

samuel ullman

Regards

Dec 

You may use any part of this 'One Minute' in your own publications...we simply require you to add:

Start ============

'One Minute With Dec' is written each week by Dec Cluskey. Dec's advice?

Get in touch personally to discuss what you want to achieve in music dec@makehits.com

web: www.makehits.com or call +44 (0)1323.728005

Finish===========

============================================

The gags:  [A long one - but truly funny] 

 Anger Management 
 

When you occasionally have a really bad day, and you just need to take it out on someone, don't take it out on someone you know, take it out on someone you don't know.

 I was sitting at my desk when I remembered a phone call I'd forgotten to make.  I found the number and dialled it.  A man answered, saying "Hello." I politely said, "This is Chris.  Could I please speak with Robyn Carter?"

 Suddenly a manic voice yelled out in my ear "Get the right f**in number!" and the phone was slammed down on me.  I couldn't believe that anyone could be so rude.  When I tracked down Robyn's correct number to call her, I found that I had accidentally transposed the last two digits.

After hanging up with her, I decided to call the 'wrong' number again.  When the same guy answered the phone, I yelled " You're an arsehole!" and hung up.  I wrote his number down with the word 'arsehole' next to it, and put it in my desk drawer.  Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills or had a really bad day, I'd call him up and yell, " You're an arsehole!" It always cheered me up.

 When Caller ID was introduced, I thought my therapeutic 'arsehole' calling would have to stop.

 So, I called his number and said, "Hi, this is John Smith from the Telstra.  I'm calling to see if you're familiar with our Caller ID Program?"

He yelled "NO!" and slammed down the phone.

 I quickly called him back and said, "That's because you're an arsehole!"

 One day I was at the store, getting ready to pull into a parking spot.  Some guy in a black BMW cut me off and pulled into the spot I had patiently waited for.  I hit the horn and yelled that I'd been waiting for that spot, but the idiot ignored me.  I noticed a "For Sale" sign in his back window, so I wrote down his number.

A couple of days later, right after calling the first arsehole ( I had his number on speed dial,) I thought that I'd better call the BMW arsehole, too.  I said, "Is this the man with the black BMW for sale?"

"Yes, it is", he said.  "Can you tell me where I can see it?" I asked.

 "Yes, I live at 34 Mowbray Blvd, in Vaucluse.  It's a yellow house, and the car's parked right out in front."

"What's your name?" I asked.

 "My name is Don Hansen," he said.

 "When's a good time to catch you, Don?"

"I'm home every evening after five."

 "Listen, Don, can I tell you something?"

"Yes?"

 "Don, you're an arsehole!" Then I hung up, and added his number to my speed dial, too.

Now, when I had a problem, I had two arseholes to call.  Then I came up with an idea.  I called Arsehole #1.

 "Hello."

"You're an arsehole!" (But I didn't hang up.)

 "Are you still there?" he asked.

 "Yeah," I said.

 "Stop calling me," he screamed.

 "Make me," I said.

 "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Don Hansen."

"Yeah?  Where do you live?"

"Arsehole, I live at 34 Mowbray Blvd, Vaucluse, a yellow house, with my black Beamer parked in front."

He said, "I'm coming over right now, Don.  And you had better start saying your prayers."

I said, "Yeah, like I'm really scared, arsehole," and hung up.

 Then I called Arsehole #2.  "Hello?" he said.

 "Hello, arsehole," I said.

 He yelled, "If I ever find out who you are..."

"You'll what?" I said.

 "I'll kick your arse," he exclaimed.

I answered, "Well, arsehole, here's your chance.  I'm coming over right now."

Then I hung up and immediately called the police, saying that I lived at 34 Mowbray Blvd, Vaucluse, and that I was on my way over there to kill my gay lover.  Then I called Channel 9 News about the gang war going down in Mowbray Blvd, Vaucluse.

I quickly got into my car and headed over to Mowbray.  I got there just in time to watch two arseholes beating the crap out of each other in front of six cop cars, an overhead police helicopter and a news crew.

NOW I feel much better.  Anger management really works

 

============================================

How to set up a Demo consultation with Dec?

The Professional service the Professionals use.  Even available for voice and guitar!  

Simply get in touch by Email - click this link: demo@makehits.co.uk and tell me that you want to send your material for a full critique and appraisal. We will then send you a unique PIN number to put on your letter or Jiffy Bag. This will ensure you get immediate attention. This is also for security reasons.  We do not open unsolicited Jiffy Bags.

For full details click on this link: www.makehits.co.uk/demo.htm


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Dec Cluskey
The Serious Writers Guild,
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Email:
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