INDUSTRY PIMPING What you read may shock you!
What You’ll Read May Shock You! Industry Pimps was originally titled New Business Model and was started as a music business forum online by Allen Johnston –the Music Specialist. You may distribute this ebook freely, sale it or include it as part of a package as long as it is left completely intact and unchanged and delivered via this pdf file.
ORIGINAL POST STARTED by ALLEN JOHNSTON pimped, pimp•ing, pimps To serve as a procurer of prostitutes. - The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Pimping.] To procure women for the gratification of others' lusts; to pander. - Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
pimp•ing petty; insignificant; trivial. British Dialect. puny; weak; sickly. - Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006
Katt Williams in his comedy routine and Snoop Dogg in his music have created another definition for the word PIMPING. Their definition is more akin to being on top of your game, having knowledge and making a lot of money, while not doing a lot of work for it. Today’s Hip Hop, Neo Soul, Country and Rock markets are now seeing an additional redefinition of the word. Let me explain.
More and more people, businesses and hustlers are taking advantage of hard working entertainment artists, acts and companies by creating “do nothing, feel good” business models. A proliferation of these new models are showing themselves in almost every city, town and hamlet around the civilized world. 1. OPEN MIC NIGHT PIMP – a concept where an artist or act can perform with the express goal of having themselves “discovered” by a major entertainment company. Great theory but hardly a reality. Open Mic night now consists of greedy promoters using FREE talent to build weekly audiences. In some cases the talent must pay an additional fee to perform after having paid to get into the venue. I have been looking for the act that
gets signed at one of these events for the past 10 years and have not found any yet. 2. PUBLICISTS PIMP - Here are people that have a vocation to increase awareness about an artist, act, product or service. They are the first line of promotion that should access new fans, clients and users of the people they publicize. Today’s new era publicist talk a good game but can not produce results for their clients after they have demanded money for their services. What I am finding is a long list of publicists that have massive email lists, but absolutely no knowledge of local & regional newspapers, local & regional television shows or connections at radio. What they tell you they have is direct email to thousands of individuals, what they don’t tell you is that their email opening is at times less than 2% and never over 10%. Recently I have heard of a publicist that took a substantial down payment against hourly work than sent the company they took money from a bill for research on local news outlets. The publicist has yet to write a press release, send an email or make a phone call to assist the company that hired them. Finally when is the last time you have seen a publicist that honestly wrote a press release that was legible and error free? 3. RADIO/CLUB PROMOTION PIMP – Dave Clark, the world’s first radio promotion man once said that “EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A STAR” and most entertainers feel that if their music is played on the radio they will have a “HIT”, make tons of money and become extremely popular. The reality is that any commercial radio station around the world is no longer playing more than 40 current songs a WEEK! Out of these 40 songs 40 of them are coming from major labels. There is an occasional independent label song either previewed (make it or break it) or played during a restrictive hour (local talent time) on some but not all radio stations. These local or independent songs do not get rotated into the main stream of the station and may only be heard once during an entire month. In comparison there are thousands of local and independent artists that still believe they can get their song onto the commercial radio station within their respective communities or they can go to another community in another country or state and get their music played. This entire perception is erroneous, but millions of dollars are spent every year by these dreamers in hiring RADIO
PROMOTION PIMPS.
The best of these PIMPS will get a song added to a few smaller stations or at least to the reporting playlists but never deliver a full rotation on major stations. For this disservice RADIO PROMOTION PIMPS are getting 5 to 6 figure checks from unsuspecting artists. A short time ago I was at an event and a prominent radio promoter was attending and sitting at the same table. During our conversation this promoter said” Every year I get at least 4 suckers that want their music promoted. I charge a first & last month retainer in advance for I know that they are going to come up short when the record doesn’t perform as they expect.” One of the most frequent methods used by the RADIO PROMOTION PIMP is paying for an introduction to someone that has an established career within the entertainment industry. This past year I spoke with an independent label that paid $30,000 to meet a platinum selling producer. This company did not get a deal, get the producer to work with them or even an autograph, just a $30,000 meeting. 4. CHARTS - The days of music charts making a distinction for individual songs has past. The day of a true chart that really tells the popularity of a song has come & gone. When Billboard was the bible of the industry there were several executives that you could hire that would make sure that your song was listed on at least one of the Billboard charts. This too has changed dramatically. Now the new CHART PIMP is working the singles charts and placing songs on that have no validity or true sales. Once again acts, artists and companies are under the misunderstanding that having a song on the charts will get you fame , fortune and the ultimate major label deal. A recent phone conversation I had was on the legitimacy of a song that had charted in the top 4 of a major magazine’s singles chart. This song did not have major or independent distribution, there were no downloads available on any of the major downloadable sites and the record label did not have any company structure that would allow them to sell, market or track a single. When I said that this was a pure “pimp” game the label owner took offense and said I was “hating” on the company. CHART PIMPS are making mid 4 to 5 figure checks for basically lying about songs.
5. CONFERENCE PIMPS - This is probably the second largest pimp game available in the entertainment industry today. The music conference has become an art form in taking people’s money and not giving them any professional return on their dollars. This year alone in the South and Mid West there will be over 50 music conferences representing all types of music. Out of this 50 possibly 6 will be of significant value to an aspiring or professional artist, however the rest will be calculated to separate the artist, act or company from their cash. Several different methods are being used and they all have a ring of authenticity to them. Conference admission fees are typical, plus exhibitors or booth fees and the always present performance or showcase fee tops the list. Other fees are charged for advertising both online and in a conference book or handout and post conference shows at an outside venue. What is interesting to me is that every year there is a certain element of individual that will continuously fall for this type of scam.
If after reading this article you are angry at what I’ve written then please evaluate which one of the PIMPS you are closest to being or becoming. Please understand that these type PIMPIN games are being played around the world with numerous different styles of music and entertainment. So are you part of the PIMP GAME?
ISIS REPLIES TO ALLEN JOHNSTON
lmbao at that one, that was the realest now we need a article to the solution to these issues on conferences. They have to find a way to fund the event. They need assistance with acquiring sponsorship for their events. It cost for the hotel, flying people in, paying for their rooms and not to mention food and alcohol or paid bartender for the events. paying for badges, light and sound, t-shirts, conference bags and security. It is my opinion that if a conference is charging artist to purchase a sponsorship artist performance that offers them many benefits to the artist then it is well worth it. Personally myself my rates to attend my conference are very reasonable and that money is used to take care all expenses until I can get access to check writers for my conferences. Once I can get access to that debt being taking care of then I can chill and probably won't even charge to attend
the conference.
I'm not coming out of my pocket to pay for anything. Artists do not respect anything that is free. I have seen it time and time again. Their perception is if it’s free then it must not be good and they show lack of appreciation, especially, the artist of today. I had artist ask me what celebrities were going to be at the conference instead of asking me about the panelist that were going to be there that can possibly help them with their careers. You have more groupies and fans coming to a conference then you do wanting to sincerely learn the business. No conference in this day in age should never promote come to the conference and get signed to a major. That is ludicrous it don't make any sense.
JAWAR REPLIES TO ISIS
Some solutions have been outlined in the controversial book the Truth about Record Pools & Music Conferences, Talent Shows & Open Mics by JaWar.
Can YOU use a resource guide jam-packed with details on SAVING MONEY, NETWORKING w/ MUSIC INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES & DECISION MAKERS and making the most of any music conference, seminar, workshop, expo or panel discussion experience?
“In order to walk on water in this game you need to know where the rocks are. Thanks for showing us where the rocks are!” Cappriccieo M. Scates, Associate Director, SESAC
”THE TRUTH BOOK is the Music Bible… get yours before it’s to late, Hotep” DJBingy
Have you went to a music conference year after year, yet your career has not moved forward? Have you spent money on attending a music conference and not seen any tangible results? Do you ever wonder what other bands are doing to get signed at music conferences?
Do you want to better prepare for your music conference experience? Do you know how to make the most of your music conference experience? Have you ever wondered why some talent shows charge artist to perform? YOU can get YOUR questions answered in the Truth about Record Pools & Music Conferences, Talent Shows & Open Mic Book by JaWar. With over 130 Record Pools and 99 Music Conferences Nationwide this book is YOUR one-stop shop for finding every music conference YOU’LL need to succeed. THE TRUTH BOOK is simple to read and will SAVE YOU MONEY, TIME AND HEADACHES from not being prepared at a music conference, talent show, open-mic or record pool meeting.
These details are being offered not as blatant promotions for the Truth Book, but because it solves a real problem outlined by Allen Johnston and is in direct response to Isis concerns about being a music conference organizer. Because I too have thought about how music conferences have become watered down over the years I wanted to bring about some solutions, the Truth Book is one of my answers with many solutions. I invite even challenge you all to download the TRUTH BOOK and see for yourself how you may improve your music conference experience no matter if you are the organizer, artist, sponsor or speaker of such an event.
Additionally, there may be a shift in music conference speaker policy if speakers were financially compensated for their time and expertise. The music industry is one of few that doesn't believe in paying its' speakers from presenting vital information during its' conferences -perhaps because the events are more like parties than business meetings. If music business professionals were financially compensated for their time and expertise on the front end (before the conference began) perhaps speakers would share vital details about the music industry without reservation or the need to aggressively market their music business products and services. SOLUTION -From June 2008 and beyond all music conference organizers should consider under what conditions should they pay their speakers -music business professionals that share details about how the music industry works to their attendees. Additionally, music conference organizers should begin to budget to financially compensate (pay) speakers the same way they budget to pay for assistance with acquiring sponsorship for their events, hotel, flying people in, paying for their rooms, food and alcohol or paid bartender for the events, light, sound, t-shirts, conference bags and security. JaWar -Motivational Speaker/Author/Business Consultant regularly presents and consults on personal achievement, monetizing (making money online) your web presence and the music business. Schedule JaWar as a featured speaker and/or consultant by visiting GOJAWAR.COM and calling 678-887-4656.
ISIS REPLIES TO JAWAR
In response to your reply JaWar, Hood Hard Day is a conference where it is a no holds barred event. In other words we do not allow any panelist in our conference to talk with that politically correct madness. If we see any panelist coming out of their neck in that manner they are ask to come up off the stage and is no longer allowed to speak nor will they be asked back.
I feel you about compensating people for their knowledge but we do try to compensate in different ways and that is not be overlooked. Unfortunately, for us the urban music industry mainly works on a barter or relationship status which to me is good. You can't get any doors open with out relationships and the conferences are a good model to display what it means to have relationships. I have been to some large conferences even on the other side outside of urban and unless you are a serious major player they do not compensate those people on a monetary value as well.
It’s all about building up your name to a certain level. If you have knowledge about the industry is one thing applying that same knowledge to personal experience where it has not only helped you but others take their career to the next level where you have a track record of experience with a resume is something different. It goes back to what Allen Johnston was saying above. If I can work on a system of barter with a panelist and compensate him with something else then I'm good. If a panelist comes to a music conference and is all about their business they should be building up their relationships with other panelist and getting new clients at every event they attend. Everybody has to pay their dues when building up their careers.
Sometimes that may be doing by coming out and speaking for free as long as other things are taken care of where it makes sense for the panelist and the conference coordinator. I don't know of anybody that came in to any music industry that started making money off the jump when they aren't known to the masses of people. And most conferences also will look at it like ok you want to get paid I want you to run down where it would make sense business wise for us to compensate you when they can get a person with a bigger name then you, and bigger track record then you for free?
The free system comes from a place of building relationships. You do something for me I will do something for you. That’s the way it has always been including the other side. You got some that will pay but when you get to that other realm your track record better be bigger then you having book knowledge and working with artist beyond regional acts
or unsigned acts that never did anything with the knowledge when you tried to teach them. JAWAR REPLIES TO ISIS [2nd Time]
You make very valid points indeed Isis. It has been my experience that most music conference organizers don't even consider the compensation factor when it comes to speakers. What I'm introducing is for music conference organizers to consider under what conditions they would pay speakers all or some, just as they would pay the hotel, security, assistants, airlines, restaurants, graphic artists for promotional material and so forth.
We have relationships with people when we interact and spend money with them. As a music conference organizer since 1998 and as a motivational speaker/author/business consultant I'm constantly working on both sides of the table. One of the things that I'm working on is positing future music conferences that I help to organize is to pay its' speakers (not an easy task for all the reasons you mentioned and then some). Perhaps this means that we have less panels/presenters and more featured speakers, so that money ordinarily spent on airfare, hotel and food for all speakers may be used to pay featured speakers. Perhaps this means we work harder and smarter to build relationships that allow us to generate more sponsorship money to cover new and emerging cost. Perhaps we expand our marketing efforts in a way that brings more paying attendees. Perhaps we look at non-essential spending for conference related activities. Perhaps we leverage our relationships with airlines, hotels, security and restaurants, etc. and ask them to reduce their prices because of we have a relationship with them. Perhaps we expand our infinite imagination and think of new and exciting ways to generate money so that we are in a position to financially compensate our speakers.
"Change isn't always easy, but it will occur. Those who are at the forefront of it are in the best position to profit from it."
The music conference organizer, their assistants, hotels, airlines, restaurants and security,
etc. all are in a position to make money as a direct result from the music conference, the speakers should be considered into that mix as well. ISIS REPLIES TO JAWAR [2ND TIME]
Here is what I look for as a conference organizer if I was to consider paying them. Because it has been a proven fact that you can build a relationship with out no money involved. And don't get me wrong a person should get paid for what they do but it's the realm in which they seek to gain payment that is the issue. I just come from the school of thought where if I don't have solid relationship with you I'm not spending no money on you, if you don't fit the bottom criteria . If any one of my panelist came to me asked me to compensate them and they have a name and a stellar track record it would not be a problem but they realize the value of the relationship better. Money is temporary and short lived when you start of a relationship in that manner. And nine times out of 10 the relationship will also be short lived. 1. Does the panelist have a good name in the music industry? 2. What is his or her track record? Meaning a list of credible success he or she has had based on their knowledge. How has their success helped others?
3. I'm going to call and check and talk to people who have attended events you have been to and spoke at or organized yourself to find out the turn out and success rate.
4. The products that are put out by the individual is the information current and up to date?
5. What is the sole purpose of, or agenda or angle the person is trying convey? If I can't call at least 100 people on you and get a valuable and positive information about you as someone who sincerely helped and the artist received the necessary help then it's would be a no go in my book.
6. And now when I take the time to think about it they shouldn't be speaking on any panels at all. Whether I am organizing the event or not. I try to get accessible but powerful people in the music industry that will be straight.
7. See this music industry has gotten watered down to the fact that you have what we call the fake it till you make it syndrome. I can't tell you how many times I have seen people coming up in the industry that look at a email blast and base that as a persons form of success. Or they see a person receiving awards from events that hold no real merit and assume they are successful.
Remember this if you don't remember anything else. If you want to gain the respect of people that are higher then you in the music industry and you want those doors to lead you to success. It will make sense to make sure you are not caught up in the industry hype. Because that’s all that it is and real industry heads will see right through you every time and will never allow you in certain doors.
I don't have any issues of getting good panelist who have done major things to help assist artist and really drop the science. The problem is you got these artists out here that want to party instead of learning. I tell artist I shouldn't be seeing you at the hood hard day twice. If you do come back it's to network and build more or new relationships and you should give me a update on your progress from the next one. Perhaps we need to look at why the artist find it so hard to grasp the real information out there that is available to them for free. Lord knows you been self promoting yourself on this website a good bit and I would like to know the honest feedback you are getting from people that are viewing your site and have they purchased any books?
If they haven't then you understand my point. You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make them drink. Attention all artist if you do not have a relationship with a person do not spend money with them until you build one. Do research on them and make sure they are who they say they are.
JAWAR REPLIES TO ISIS [3RD TIME]
Isis you have outlined by what criteria you would consider and hopefully financially compensate your speakers to present during your music industry conference(s).
Over time I am believing that more music conference organizers will do what you have done which is to put into place under what conditions their event would financially compensate speakers for presenting valuable, practical, futuristic and relevant details on the music business. Additionally, from 2008 and beyond all music business conferences should have some component on how to make money online, using mobile business and other emerging technologies. GOJAWAR.COM “Yes this is good information. Thanks for bringing me to this discussion JaWar” BLWtheBLUE
“Sure thing chief -Thank you for joining in. I invite you to share the discussion with others and see what they think. This is great studio conversation.” JaWar
“Mr. Johnston, Thanks again for the great info. I have promoters asking for anywhere from $8,000 to 12,000 to promote my son. When you start asking questions about how the money is used they give you a bunch of answers that don't make sense. You have no way to follow up on how your money is being spent. I agree with you it's PIMPIN!” Diane aka G-MA
ALLEN REPIES TO G-MA
G-MA, Take your money and start a business with your son that you own. Don't waste time with promoters until you understand how to make FANS, get HIT MUSIC to those fans and have a decent stage performance. Take the time to join a performing rights organization, copyright protect ALL of your sons music and create a web presence. Stop looking for radio play and the concept that your son is going to become an "overnight" sensation if only the right people hear him. Great acts are MADE not bought.
When it is time to hire a promotion person know EXACTLY what they are going to do for you, do not pay them more than 50% of the money that you both agree upon and hold the remainder until AFTER they have fulfilled their obligations to you. Promoter excuses should automatically mean NO MONEY. Only use the promotion person as a tool and not as a full time employee or consultant. True consultants help you build businesses by creating a workable plan and assisting you in the execution of that plan. When the promotion person delivers, FIRE THEM immediately or they will be in your pocket as long as they can keep it open.
A great rule of thumb is the question "What have you done Lately?" If the promotion person is not bragging about the airplay that is currently happening and you can verify the truth, don't use them. Nothing good is done "under the covers" Real business people do REAL business.
ALLEN NEW POST ON FORUM
I'm going to go out on a limb here and make a suggestion for 2009 conferences. Why not make the panelists complete written case studies on one of the projects that they have worked. From beginning to the end.
A promoter could speak on the last project they worked, which stations they got, in what
order and why it was done that particular way. Web based companies could speak & write on how they promote online, what sites, what tools and what frequency of promotion they have used.
A written case study could be archived on Blogs, websites, libraries, etc. and used as a research tool for future projects. Just think what could have happened if today's artists had the ability to know how publishing worked 40 years ago. There would be more self owned publishers, labels and songwriters today.
I have been to several conferences that require panelists to have a written case study prior to their coming to the event. At the event the case studies were a portion of the handout material to every paid attendee.
The Internet has done one very positive thing and that is making people learn how to read and write/type.
NWORCS RADIO REPLY
So where does the music business Go from here? Or has the Internet securely closed the ability to truly profit from individual record sales. Ringtones seem to be about the only thing selling and of course the residuals that are incurred from a movies soundtrack. Wow things sure have changed since the Joey Boy days. Music Specialist what is the cure for the music business influenza? www.NworcsRadio.com
ALLEN REPLIES TO NWORC RADIO
The concept of individual record sales is dieing quickly and ringtones sales have fallen by almost 70% in the past 2 years. The new direction is multiple revenue streams created by direct to consumer access. Today a musician / performer/ artist should be looking at acquiring the largest FAN BASE available, keeping in direct contact with their fans and selling them a multitude of products. Live shows, short videos & movies, merchandise,
online promotions, specialty contests, and more are now the norm.
Take into consideration that iPods out sold CD players this past Christmas by 6 to 1. The physical CD business may not die this year but it is changing into a specialty market. I truly wonder how long mixtapes will be a viable source of revenue for DJ's before they are completely converted to digital files.
The Web 2.0 generation is going to "morph" into a massive online music & video sales machine soon and computer literate people will benefit. CONTACT DETAILS Allen Johnston Isis Nworcs Radio Diane JaWar
www.asha.com www.wordonthestreetsmag.com www.nworcsradio.com layd9@aol.com www.gomusicconnection.com
MUSIC BUSINESS RESOURCES • • • • • •
Music Business Blog Music Conference List Music Business Videos Atlanta Music Showcase Radio Music Conference Get Music Money
MAKE MONEY ONLINE RESOURCES • •
Make Money Online Goldmine Make Money on the Internet
MUSIC BUSINESS VIDEOS
New Music Business Model by Video JaWar JaWar, Author of the Music Industry Connection Books talks about the evolving New Music Business Model, music publishing and licensing and business to business opportunities for you to make money in music industry. To view the New Music Business Model Video by JaWar Click Here.
Music Business Make Money Online Video by JaWar JaWar, Author of the Music Industry Connection Books talks about the new Music
Business Record Label and using tools to make money online while creating multiple streams of revenue in the music industry. To view the Music Business Make Money Online Video by JaWar Click Here.
Music Business Fortune and Fame Video by JaWar JaWar, Author of the Music Industry Connection Books talks about fame and fortune in the music business. He asks is there a remedy for the drug called fame and can Music Business Fame be used to help people and build wealth? Does Fame = Fortune? To view the Music Business Fame and Fortune Video by JaWar Click Here.
JaWar -Motivational Speaker/Author/Business Consultant regularly presents and consults on personal achievement, monetizing (making money online) your web presence and the music business. Schedule JaWar as a featured speaker and/or consultant by calling 678-887-4656.