Back Stage Indie Report

Mechanical Royalties The COMPULSORY MECHANICAL LICENSE provisions of the Copyright Act are the bread and butter for songwriters. Once a songwriters’ composition has been recorded and distributed to the public, copyright registration entitles the songwriter to statutory MECHANICAL ROYALTIES whenever that songwriter’s composition is further recorded. The company putting out the record is required to pay the songwriter a mechanical royalty for each record manufactured. Effective January 1, 2006 the statutory mechanical rate is $.091 for songs 5 minutes or less, or $.0175 per minute or fraction thereof per copy for songs over 5 minutes. Mechanical royalties can add up to a lot of money. For example, at the current statutory mechanical royalty rate, if your song is less than five minutes and is on a CD which sells one million copies you would be entitled to NINETY ONE THOUSAND ($91,000) DOLLARS. Because the statutory mechanical rate is increased periodically, it is best to seek p...

Independent music What is Indie music?  Independent music  (often shortened to  indie music  or  indie ) is music produced independently from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording and publishing. The term  indie  is sometimes also used to describe a genre (such as indie rock and indie pop); as a genre term, “indie” may include music that is not independently produced, and most independent music artists do not fall into a single, defined musical style or genre, and usually create music that can be categorized into other genres. Record labels Independent labels have a long history of promoting developments in popular music, stretching back to the post-war period in the United States, with labels such as Sun Records, King Records, and Stax. In the United Kingdom during the 1950s and 1960s, the major record companies had so much power that inde...

PATHS – DEBUT WITH “NEOPRENE”! Jule Shawe (PATHS) has received much attention from the press and her fans for her debut track, “NEOPRENE”.  Fans in Britain and Ireland have raved about her electronic alternative sound.  Coming from Belfast, she is gaining followers world-wide. Recently showcased on BBC and  The Irish Times .  Jule sultry voice sits nicely into the electronic layers and moving rhythms. 2017 will be an action packed year for PATH with the release of “Right Beside You” and “Last One Standing”.  PATH fans have much to look forward to. The songs are all different in sound, they all are anchored by Jule’s pristine voice and interesting relationship based lyrics. The songs were produced by  Rory Friers . Advertisements Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) 4 Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 4 Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) 2...

PEOPLEWATCH – A CONVERSATION WITH ALEX DIAZ For those who have not met  Peoplewatch  yet, they are an alternative rock band from Miami, FL. Their album “Sideways”  released in 2016 is a dynamic display of powerful songwriting that represents personal growth, love, and sacrifice. This band captivates through songs that share a message of relatable truth about the human experience. Raised in an environment where Hispanic culture, 90s rock, and jazz became major influences; Peoplewatch is intense, fun, and stimulating. Alex Diaz, the dynamic bassist of the band Peoplewatch, told me that his band’s album “Sideways” which was brought to my attention by a friend, and a fan of Peoplewatch. I have included some links to some more info on the band such as their website and social media accounts. We have also included a link to a video of them in the studio recording our most recent release. The Spotify link will take you directly to thei...

 “The Blues Is Back…And It’s Alive And Well!” – in the heart and the hands of Danny Johnson! About two years ago, Danny retired from “playing out”…which means he did not really perform any more.  After a life time of making a living playing as a performing musician, He finally got burned out of traveling, setting up and tearing down equipment.  Many of us can relate to this. Danny has never lost his love of playing…but for now, the fire is out for performing live. He wanted to spend more time at home with my family. If you ask Danny e will tell you “God has been gracious to me…I have a beautiful wife, a loving family, a warm home…financially comfortable…physically healthy…happy and still filled with a love for music and the creative spirit behind it.” For years he has been writing and recording songs from his home studio. “As long as I have been doing this…I have always enjoyed this creative process…how you sta...