Indie Playbook – Focused Noise

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017

Musician Adam Hamilton- From L.A. Guns to Vanilla Ice to William Shatner

Adam Hamilton is an accomplished, well-rounded musician who was discovered by C.C. Deville from Poison, and was the former bass guitarist for L.A. Guns. He’s worked with everyone from Angie Stone to Vanilla Ice to William Shatner, who he continues to work with on a regular basis. Hamilton also owns and operates Palm Ranch Studios in LA.

Additionally, Adam has an endless list of film and TV credits, as his music has appeared everywhere from The Bourne Identity to Saturday Night Live to The Simpsons. We delve deep into publishing and Adam breaks down the pay structure and benefits of placing your music in film, TV, commercials, and more. This is a great episode for any aspiring musicians or artists, and especially anyone interested in publishing (which should be all musicians and artists).

Show Notes:

1:53 Having to fight for your credits
8:36 The only musician to work with William Shatner and Vanilla Ice
9:26 The importance of moving to LA
12:53 C.C. DeVille from Poison gave Adam his first big shot
13:34 Taking advantage of opportunities immediately
19:49 The positive effects of getting sober
22:48 Breaking down the business of publishing and TV/ Film placements
32:53 Don’t ever sign a contract without having a lawyer reviewing it
35:02 Being kind pays
36:58 William Shatner’s motto is “say yes to everything”
42:53 You are the company you keep
43:29 Adam never had a backup plan
45:00 You can turn a number of tools into multiple income streams
48:00 Putting stressful situations into perspective and solving them one step at a time

Check out this episode!

November 28, 2017November 29, 2017

Music Entrepreneur Dame Ritter- Always Focus on Your Fans

Dame Ritter is best known as the co-founder of the successful Indie Hip-Hop label Funk Volume (Hopsin, Dizzy Wright, Jerren Benton). After the dissolution of the label, Dame founded the Music Entrepreneur Club, a music business educational platform. Dame also continues to work with a select group of artists, including Dizzy Wright and their Still Movin’ Movement.

After all of his accomplishments, Dame continues to keep striving for more success, and both his persistence and business acumen are on display throughout the interview. This is a great episode for anyone interested in building their own label, brand, or business. Take notes.

Show Notes:

5:07 Funk Volume focused on the fans

5:51 You don’t have to take huge risks

7:15 Put out content and tell your story before you waste money putting out an album

8:50 Focus on visuals

10:01 You might have to become your own team until you can attract a team

17:52 The transition from Funk Volume to the Music Entrepreneur Club

22:00 How Dame got into music education

23:45 Dame’s side hustles while building Funk Volume included substitute teaching

26:27 How to be a true leader

28:14 Dame finds out about the dopest artists from the fans, not directly from the artist

30:32 Early conversations with Russ

33:05 Sometimes artists overlook the uniqueness of their own talent when they give advice to others

34:22 Your branding has to be consistent

35:06 Giving back to your community

40:52 Starting the day with small wins

43:32 Building the Music Entrepreneur Club

48:56 At some point you’ve got to jump!

53:49 Figure out what your passion is before you can follow it

58:35 Donald Passman’s book All You Need to Know About the Music Business is only relevant for artists who have achieved at least limited success

Check out this episode!

Here’s a short snippet.

November 7, 2017

Friendly Reminder- Don’t Chase The Likes

A little friendly reminder from The Indie Playbook to not get caught up searching for validation.

September 19, 2017September 19, 2017

Artist Slimkid3 (Part 1)- How Clarity and Creativity can Help you go the Distance

Tre Hardson AKA Slimkid3 is an MC, DJ, and Producer, best known for his work as a founding member of the groundbreaking Hip-Hop group The Pharcyde (Passin’ Me By, Drop, Runnin). Tre is also a black belt in Taekwondo, and teacher of meditation and hip-hop. Tre discusses the legacy of The Pharcyde, and the important role of creativity in establishing their identity.

12:35 Why The Pharcyde signed with Delicious Vinyl
24:07 How The Pharcyde linked with J Dilla
28:40 Why creativity and a budget are both crucial in making a great music video
38:26 Tre explains the importance of clarity in making music
51:20 Tre discusses staying humble as a celebrity
56:18 Slimkid3 explains why he can’t listen to any other artist’s music when he’s in writing mode
1:00:44 The one piece of advice Tre gives young artists
1:01:22 Tre talks about building a team and making sure everyone around him is taken care of
1:07:29 One important lesson Tre learned from De La Soul

Check out this episode!

September 11, 2017September 12, 2017

Promoter Sean Healy- Can Artists Benefit from Paying to Play Shows?

Episode 2 features special guest Sean Healy, owner of Sean Healy Presents, one of the largest independent concert promotions companies in the country. SHP operates out of Los Angeles, and the company promotes shows all over the west coast, as well as Chicago, NYC, and more. Healy has also been a controversial figure, due to his use of the pay to play method, or as he prefers to call it “pre-sale tickets”.

We discuss why Sean’s business model works for him, and he names 5 superstar artists that have sold tickets as part of a Sean Healy Presents show. Sean also tells us about the times he passed on Kanye West’s release party and a Lady Gaga show early in her career. This is a beneficial episode for any entrepreneur, artist, promoter, or anyone looking to build a successful company. Healy doesn’t duck any questions, and answers each question with honesty and thoughtfulness. Enjoy.

Show Notes:

21:19 How George Clinton got Sean Healy into booking hip-hop
24:31 How honesty helped set Sean apart as a promoter
26:59 When Sean passed on Kanye’s College Dropout release party and Lady Gaga early in her
career
33:56 The importance of being professional as a young artist
34:45 How Sean’s Pay to Play Model has evolved
42:19 Five artists who sold their own tickets on Sean Healy Presents shows and went on to become superstars
46:02 Routines that Help Sean Begin Each Day
1:02:51 If Sean had a $1000 promotional budget for a show, this is what he would spend it on

September 1, 2017September 12, 2017

Manager Steve Lobel – Part 2 – How loyalty, integrity and hard work leads to longevity in the music business

Steve Lobel is a legend in the hip-hop game. After getting introduced to the music business by the late great Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC, Steve went on to become one of hip-hop’s most recognizable managers. Currently, Lobel manages the legendary group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and super producer Scott Storch, who has worked with The Roots, Dr. Dre, Fat Joe, and many more.

Steve blesses us with a ton of great stories and advice, including lessons learned from Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, and others. He prides himself on honesty, and he does not back down from any questions, sharing very personal details and great business guidance. This is a great episode for any aspiring artist, producer, or future executive looking for more insight on advancing his or her career.

Part 2 Highlights:

1:10 Why 50 Cent is a perfect example of success
7:18 Steve started every day out with a Mountain Dew and Snickers bar for decades
10:17 Steve makes a “Things not to do” list instead of a “To do” list
17:14 Steve shares his thoughts about the rappers he knew who passed away
23:35 Why Steve now takes pictures with celebrities
36:11 Do emerging artists need to move to LA or NY to make it?