Much to learn and understand about our business?

I find it fascinating watching the judges of Pop Idols, American Idol and all the other so called 'Talent Search' type programs.  It is much more important to catch them in a one on one interview situation than in front of the cameras in their show.  The show is a Television Show, nothing more nothing less, and the interview tends to be almost 'real life'.

Louis Walsh, who famously asked me all those years ago would a 'today' styled band in the model of my band 'The Bachelors' work, and then went back to Dublin and launched Boyzone, was interviewed in depth on GMTV the other day.  Louis and I are from the same school of Show Business, the REAL school.  He said exactly and precisely what I say to anyone who will listen:

1) You have to do gigs

2) You have to learn your trade

3) You have to do the 1,000's of miles a week in the transit van up and down the motorways.

X Factor is the start of a career

He also said that shows such as the 'X Factor' are the start of a career, even if you win it, your full career starts when you realise that you have to learn this business inside out.  You have to leave no stone unturned....you have to learn ALL the skills and not just the easy, enjoyable bits.

That is why I concentrate with the Members of my Serious Writers Guild and Serious Performers Guild in showing them ALL the skills.  In particular, the recording skills and performing skills, so that when you are being 'produced' you will know as much, if not more, than the producer!  This is essential so that you know that the producer 'knows his stuff'.  How can you tell that the sound man, booked for your mega gig, knows what he is doing?  It's far too late after the show when he has totally screwed your presentation in front of the fifty specially invited record company 'suits'.

Where do you learn all this stuff?

Well, I've heard it said so many times.

"If you want to know how to climb a mountain , speak to someone on the way back down"

Get to know a guy who has had a load of Number One records...who has had Number One rated TV shows, Record Breaking season theatre shows.....who has played to the 100,000 audiences, who has produced and directed the best!  Get to know a guy who is current in Show Business [there is nothing worse than 'old' fashioned ideas]

And there is only one guy and one organisation that satisfies all those criteria.  Need I tell you who?  www.makehits.co.uk

Naughty?

I notice a major Music A&R site sending Emails to all and sundry nicking [or should I say borrowing] one of the great ideas from 'How To Make A $Million From Your Music'.....naughty?   Hmmmmmmm! 

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." 

Peter Kay

'Support fellow 'One Minuters'?

Come and check out the Brigadoon.  It is located at the corner of Victoria park ave and St. Clair in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada - and is worth checking out.  Please call 416-752-4971 if you need directions.  Tonight will be fabulous as there will also be a special guest performer at the bar. 

So come and check out Scarborough's now #1 live music venue THE BRIGADOON.  It is worth the trip and you will have a great time.  See you tonight!!

RJ
TANGERINE RECORDS

A sage thought from another good mentor:

You will know that I like to give good solid business encouragement and advice, for that is what you are in ...a 'business'.  Here is an item from one of the best Marcia Yudkin marcia@yudkin.com  one of the leading PR experts.

" Increase your personal productivity by working at your
most creative times.  Once I incited a firestorm of
criticism on CompuServe's PR Forum by revealing that I
hardly ever spend more than one hour writing a press
release.  Other PR professionals opined that I couldn't
possibly create decent work that quickly.  Well, I do, and
here's my secret:  following a process that creativity
researchers will tell you is used by top scientists and
inventors, I absorb all the facts and define the challenge
for myself, then go to sleep, take a walk or step into the
shower.  Within a day, my unconscious mind brings me a
"Eureka" experience with a terrific headline.  The rest of
the press release pours out right after the headline.  Had I
sat down to try, try, try to write that document, it would
take triple the time and not reach the same quality. "

 

"Baby Spice has said she's leaving the country, and Posh Spice has already gone to Barcelona....two down three to go!" 

 phil evans

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

 By the way, loving the stuff, all the tips, advice and insights into the biz-niz is awesome!
 
Some of the books you recommended were extremely powerful too.  Andy Boateng
===========================
Thank you ever so much for our lengthy chat yesterday.  I really do appreciate you giving your time.
 
You are truly an inspiration.  I am really looking forward to the publishing package
 
Kind regards
 
Jason Dale
===========================
Thanks very much for the time you spent on this extremely detailed and helpful review. It
was indeed much more than I expected !
Your response to my music, and the wonderful hints and tips you offered has really fired me up and I WILL be making an impact on the music world in the not too distant future. I do feel that my music can touch people in a positive way, your comments have helped me believe that even more.

Many Thanks Dec.
Kevin Walsh.
===========================
I’ve been reading “One Minute with Dec” for a while now.  I’ve picked up more tips from you in these short snippets than a lifetime of reading elsewhere!

Ian Mountenay
===========================
This weekend i sung at a "Pop Idols" kind of thing. (i doubted if it was a good idea but then i thought...man...you can only win and any promotion is good promotion ]
 
i won the first prize which is a CD production...well...
 
They gave me the contact address to a label + the guy who owns it. His label hosts acts like "flexy", "dj sputnik"... We meet tomorrow.
Marcell Brell

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

UK

1) ERIC PRYDZ -  'CALL ON ME'
2) GIRLS ALOUD -  'LOVE MACHINE'
3)  GREEN DAY -  'AMERICAN IDIOT'

Chart Comments:

We have had to suspend our USA chart.  We have accessed the Billboard site for that information, in the past, and now find that they use a Trojan system planted on any computer who accesses the website to harvest info. from sites....so we just cannot take the chance anymore. 

We are actively looking for a 'safe' way of getting the info...any ideas?

Celebrity News:

Britney Spears: If one can believe the Star Magazine, the pop singer can now sign her name as Britney S. Federline. The young couple, she is 22 and he is 26, got married Saturday night in a planned ceremony that surprised her mother and friends who had gathered to celebrate what they thought was an engagement party. The groom, Kevin Federline, wore a black tuxedo to stand out from the smiling love of his life, who wore a strapless white creation by Monique L'Huillier. No honeymoon information has been reported yet.

 .

"Good Things take time.....great things happen all at once...."

vicci esselle

Subscribers Section:

My Reply

Hi L****

Absolutely everything....

You should have had an 'expenses sheet system' in your monthly releases which shows the sort of system I have used all my professional career. There is also the full system plus the computer disc for the spreadsheet in 'How To start your Own Publishing Business for Less Than £100'.

The thought to have in your mind is that you have to look good, feel good, and be healthy to perform properly and earn a living - and also to promote your career...so almost everything you do contributes to that - even going to the cinema, the club, the theatre. Going to any place of entertainment is 'research' for you to keep up with trends. 

All your chemist [drug store] goods, hair dressing, tan, clothing...even the food for the security dog, plus babysitters while you gig or spend time in the studio..

Show Biz/Music Industry is one of the few professions where almost every single penny you spend can be claimed against your tax.

Regards

DEC [Cluskey] dec@makehits.co.uk

"When you don't get a grip on life, it will certainly get a grip on you" 

jewel diamond taylor 

Dec

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

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

The gags:

Two elderly women were eating breakfast in a restaurant one morning.

Ethel noticed something funny about Mabel's ear and she said, "Mabel, did you know you've got a suppository in your left ear?"

Mabel answered, "I have a suppository?" She pulled it out and stared at it.  Then she said, "Ethel, I'm glad you saw this thing. Now I think I know where my hearing aid is."

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