It's a new world we live in, and new ideas are always emerging from it. I had one recently. Quite honestly it's about marketing, so I should reveal that on the front-end of this blog.
The days of a musician mailing out demo's or bio's or anything else in an attempt to be 'heard' or 'seen' are over. We search our minds, industry references, the internet and every bartender's advice for a way to replace the old methods of 'being discovered' and mostly no one seems to have an answer.
I know the answer. Write music you love, record it, perform it with passion and slowly gather a group of supporters to help spread the word. That's all we can do. The music world is made of a vast array of personality types, age brackets, belief systems, ranges of talent etc etc... but mostly, I believe, what separates the successful from those that who will not succeed is their passion to produce the art itself. If you're in this game of music for money, you may or may not make money, but it is doubtful that you are fulfilling a desire to extend your soul beyond your body. If you're in it for fame there isn't much need in an art form at all, just do what you think the world wants you to do (something shocking or sexy) and ride that big wave till it crashes.
However, if you want to create art that you love...you can do that. The success is born in that act. You have created something you love. It doesn't matter who knows or what becomes of it after that moment. It's yours. Giving it to someone else or measuring success beyond that is something else entirely. The only difficulty in this statement is that it becomes difficult in some art forms to continue creating when the burden of financial support becomes too great. That's usually when artists start searching for 'monetary success'. It's unfortunate, but it's real. Gotta buy supplies, gotta pay to make it come to life.
I have made a decision. My songs are my art form, and their creation is my goal. Selling them to film, television, radio, Pepsi or some other financial giant is not really something I have time to do. Everyone tells me that I need to get my songs into the hands of ...someone... but it's all I can do to get them on disc and then to the stage. So I'm going to let you do it.
I am selling the licensing rights to the following songs. You or anyone you know can buy them, and if you want to let someone use them in a movie or on tv or a video game, or whatever you come up with...you own them...knock yourself out. You negotiate the price, you pick up the check.
Why would I do that? I am retaining the rights to sell these songs as downloads and in physical form on my publications (CD, Albums Etc) as well as my right to earn money performing them. If you make $2,500 or $1,000,000 licensing my songs to someone...chances are I'll sell more records. If I get to selling tons of records without your help...you'll get rich pimping my songs out to whoever has the most money. Bottom line is, nobody loses...we both win...and we win faster if we divide and conquer.
I am more successful every week in this music business and I have no doubt that the level of financial compensation that my family requires will be met, but I'd like to speed the process up a bit, buy new tires and occasionally go out for ice cream so.... I believe the participation of some eager, determined, loyal, or just money hungry fans couldn't hurt :) . Let's make something happen together.
That's it. Buy a song. Get to work promoting or wait for someone else to make it happen. Your choice.
I'm selling:
All of the songs that you will find at http://jeffersonfox.bandcamp.com/ with the exception of 'Big Top' and the 'Drench' recordings. Big Top has already been purchased and I'm hanging on to the Drench stuff for now.
If you're interested in a song or more than one send me an email: talk@jeffersonfox.com and let me know which one or ones you'd like to own or give away at Christmas and we'll go from there. No reasonable offer refused. I want eager people to get involved. Just so you know, a reasonable offer varies song to song but begins at about $500.00 Contracts for these transactions were drawn by a Missouri attorney and are available to be reviewed at your request.
I sincerely hope you become a part of this madness as it is unfolding and we celebrate our successes together.
Sincerely
jefferson fox
