May 2013 Target Audience Magazine

May 2013

Learn about promotion from London Burlesque Festival host Jim Rose

AUNIA KAHN debuts solo exhibition in Santa Fe

Writers: self-publish or

find a small press? *author benefits of book signings

Wovenhand: Does the Christian genre label prevent you from liking what you like?

LUIS RIVAS:

Largely unpublished poems to shake you up

Can you make a living as a concert photographer?

/ index /

/staff/ Ellen Eldridge Russell Eldridge Victor Schwartzman David Feltman

Editor in Chief Music Editor Poetry Editor Editor, staff writer

Can you make a living as a concert photographer?........................................................ 3

/contributers/

“Traditional is not dead� by Cyan Jenkins....................... 4

Micheal Allen, Dan del Ben, Danielle Boise, Shanna Cremers, Catherine Dickerson, Ellen Eldridge, Russell Eldridge, David Feltman, Cyan Jenkins, Jerel Johnson, Amy McCorkle, Rose Riot, Victor Schwartzman, David Tyberg

How I got into THAT band: Massive Attack..................... 5 Publishing for writers........................................................... 6 Aunia Kahn: Artist solo exhibit in Santa Fe.................... 7 How creative business cards can help............................. 8 Potent poetry needs publisher...........................................9 Working book signing campaigns................................. 13 Making a music video....................................................... .15 What Jim Rose can teach about promotion................ 16 Author exchange opportunity..........................................19 The Flaming Lips: The Terror review.............................. .20 Rob Zombie: Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor............20

Melvins: Everybody Loves Sausages...............................21

Want to contribute or advertise? email ellen@targetaudiencemagazine.com

Mike Patton: The Place Beyond the Pines.................... 21 The Merciless Book of Metal Lists..................................... 22 Wovenhand: the haunting sound of truth.....................23

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May 2013

Can you make a living as a concert photographer?

By Ellen Eldridge

The idea that doing what you love means you never working a day in your life leads many people to pursue careers they feel passionately about, but the cost of education and an oversaturated photography market, might mean making music photography a full-time career impossible.

As recently as a few decades ago print magazines had budgets to hire professional photographers. Not every concert goer had a cell phone equipped with camera— and quite often video—capabilities. Now, finding a music magazine in print is rare, and finding one that offers to pay freelance professional photographers is even rarer.

time, and when he is approved to photograph he must “ask for the upload codes that are proprietary and necessary to use to get images on Getty,” he said.

McKay receives payment as either a contributor, where he and the wire service split money made from licensing of images, or he is paid a flat fee by the agency when he is assigned work, with no additional money paid when i mages are licensed.

“I’ve heard a lot of people complain about Getty and WireImage over the years, but I’ve not had those bad experiences,” McKay said.

Can you make a living as a concert photographer?

Why not sign a release to photograph a band?

How exposure kills

Atlanta photographer, Chris McKay, said “Getty Images (and more particularly WireImage) made it possible for me to continue with music photography.”

“I currently don’t see music photography as a viable source for me to make a living,” photographer Kate Eldridge said, “but it’s also not a career path I’ve thrown myself into.”

McKay started with Getty Images after he was asked to be a part of the official Music Midtown photography team. He is responsible for securing his own credentials most of the

Eldridge believes that technological advancements and equipment prices dropping will only feed the growing number of 3

fans willing to photograph for a chance to be that much closer to their favorite band, and “there will always be photographers with better technical skills and a better eye, but I am curious if level of quality will suffer,” she said.

Atlanta photographer Dan Harr believes that record labels solicit fan shots so they don’t have to pay professionals. When publicists and band management or label executives solicit fan photos “it takes away that $5000 album cover shot from me,” he said.

“As an artist, I want control over the ownership of my photos,” Harr said.

He admitted that he doesn’t mind signing a photo release as long as he can sign a waiver to upload to a wire agency. He cited concerns about having his artistic property (photos) taken by a band’s publicity or management team and used for merchandise, or in place of hiring someone like him to do the album cover or insert photography.

That iconic photograph is history Organizations like Live Nation hurt the industry, Harr said, because they are responsible for the outrageous prices on food and drinks at shows.

Harr believes that the days when music photographers could hang out with the bands are over and that concert photography as a whole has become “too corporatized,” he said.

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“Everything is controlled. We are escorted in like children and then escorted out of the venue,” Harr said.

Losing the ability to shoot photos of people like Jim Marshall’s shot of Janis Joplin kicked back on a couch with a bottle of Southern Comfort and a cigarette or Jimi Hendrix passing a joint to Bob Dylan, indicates a negative trend in music photography, Harr said.

“We won’t see shots like that anymore because we not only don’t have a camera backstage but they don’t want those shots out there,” Harr said. “I want to be able to shoot those historic shots like Kiss putting on their makeup, but we’re all given first three songs from the same location.”

So when the music’s over …

As with any industry, especially any artistic industry, the answer lies in innovation. The ability to make money doing what you love comes with the ability to market yourself and provide something new for your audience or market. The days of backstage photojournalism may well be over, but an artistic eye connects to the mind. If you feel compelled to go out and create photographs challenge yourself to find a way to make money doing it. You may have to supplement your business with other forms of photography, but if you have passion for the photo pit let it lead you to innovative ways to further the field.

May 2013

How I got into THAT band...!

If you want to share your story of how you discovered the band or artist that influenced you and helped you define yourself during your formative years or after--email 500 words to ellen@targetaudiencemagazine.com

Massive Attack

By Catherine Dickerson The amazing feeling brought to mind when you think back about how you became exposed to certain bands encompasses musicians that have inspired “love at first listen,” as well as some that have slowly engrained their way into your unconscious through repeated contact.

When the experimental British band Massive Attack caught my attention, I was in a rather… unusual frame of mind

—I was hanging upside down outside my bedroom window, smoking a cigarette, tripping on acid.

The following day (after I had recovered from my ‘trip to Wonderland’), I paid my neighbour a visit to discover the name of the band that had captivated me the night before. He then “Of A Confession” by Aunia Kahn, introduced me to inspired by Massive Attack Massive Attack in the form of the albums Blue Lines (1991) and Protection (1994).

After lending me the vinyl for the both of them, I skipped back home with my treasures, excited to discover more of this band. As I placed the needle on Massive Attack’s first album, the beat of “Safe from Harm” began echoing through the room. I then lay on the floor, closed my eyes and listened to the album in its entirety. Never had a band evoked such emotions in me; the melody brought about inspirations I had believed long gone and, to my As I hung, contemplating on LSD-driven thoughts, a song surprise, I rediscovered my creative outlet and began to captured my somewhat addled attention: “Daydreaming.” write and dance again—in short—it helped to bring me As I blew out smoke from my cigarette, the hypnotizing back to life. vocals of Shara Nelson, the British rap sounds of Adrian “Tricky” Thaws, the smooth flow of Robert “3D” Del Naja, Blue Lines remains to be my favourite album by Massive and the deep-toned inserts of Grant “Daddy G” Marshall Attack, with Mezzanine (1998) in a close second. In 1999, wrapped around me like a well-loved quilt. It had been a I was blessed to see them live during their Mezzanine long time since something had affected me so deeply. To Tour. I have been to many shows in my lifetime, but I will this day, I do not know if it was the acid coursing through honestly have to say that it was, no contest, the best one my 16-year-old brain, or it was “love at first listen,” but I I have ever been fortunate enough to attend. There are was convinced of one thing: the way I listened to music truly no words to adequately describe one of their live was never going to be the same after that. performances, only that you have to experience it for yourself.

My neighbour had a tendency to play his music under the delusion that everyone in the neighbourhood was keen on whatever his band of the week was. At this particular moment in time, he was playing the “Nowhere” soundtrack (from a 1997 film by Gregg Araki).

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Publishing for writers: DIY or printing press?

By Amy McCorkle

actively marketing yourself and your work. It’s more of a partnership and some may not like it, but I’ve seen some things that I really like about it and I knew what I was walking into.

Contrary to popular belief I can’t make it rain when it comes to contracts. However, when it comes to the pitch and a synopsis, I am one of heck of a pitch woman. And when it comes to finding a “When it comes to finding a quality quality small press, the pitch—and knowing small press, the pitch—and knowing what you want—is what you want—is key” key.

Knowing what a small press can and cannot do for you in key. Their budgets are not that of a traditional press and even theirs aren’t great for the unknowns. Keep that in I belong to three houses: MuseItUp Publishing, Hydra mind. Authors have a daydream about what the Big six Publications, and Blackwyrm Publishing. One of them can do for them and while it does sometimes is a Canadian e-publisher, one is located in Madison, IN, happen, it’s rare. and the other is in my hometown of Louisville, KY. They each offer me something different.

Now all of that being said I am enjoying the fruits of my labor. The small press rewards fast writers, fast Muse taught me how to self-market and put me learners and those who can pitch extremely well; at through a kind of marketing bootcamp. Between them least, that has been my experience. and digicon of Savvy Authors I came out ready made to promote myself.

And in this in flux publishing world it would do people Hydra gave me my first print book. That’s what I want- well to research their press they choose to go to very ed. Hydra is in its infancy as a company and Frank has well. You don’t want to be ripped off. I’m not paying a big ambitions for the company. I signed on for the print single out of pocket cost to have my books published. book though.

And if you are, you’re in the wrong place.

And finally Blackwyrm, they offer a unique set up. They As you travel this crazy world of writing and publishing cover marketing, cover, editing. The book breaks even remember: writing is art, publishing is a business. you get 50% of the profit. You can ‘jump the stack’ by But that’s another lesson for another time.

http://www.blackwyrm.com 6

May 2013

Aunia Kahn:

Artist’s first solo exhibition in Santa Fe May 3 Aunia Kahn is a self-taught figurative artist, photographer, author and curator.

She combines many disciplines and invariably designs, builds, and executes characters, non-existent places, dreams, illusions, fears and fables into creation, which meld elements of classical and contemporary art. Aunia's work has constantly evolved; earlier works dealt more with her past, while her more recent creations delve into present emotional conflicts and inspirations.

Her work has garnered several awards, while her national and international exhibitions and residencies range from Santa Fe, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Ireland, Canada, UK, New York, Los Angeles and scores in between. Aunia has curated numerous exhibitions across the country, as well as lectures at colleges and universities.

She is also the creator of the Silver Era Tarot deck, Inspirations for Survivors deck, Lowbrow Tarot Project, the forthcoming Tarot Under Oath project the author of Obvious Remote Chaos, and Minding the Sea: Inviting the Muses Over for Tea. She currently resides in Illinois with her four German Shepherds and black cat in her secret closet.

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What a creative business card can do for your business

by Shanna Cremers

Online resources for template business cards and cheap printing may seem like a good deal at the time, but in the longterm, it could be bad for business, especially for creative types like writers, musicians, artists and photographers.

You may be asking, “Why would I pay a graphic designer when I can do it all myself, and for much less?”

Well, keep reading.

The most common thing I hear as a professional graphic designer, when I meet with clients looking for new business cards, is that they ordered a template design with cheap printing, and they aren’t happy with what they got.

When you hire a professional designer, he or she will sit down with you and get a grasp for your company, what’s important to you and what sets you apart from the others.

Your business buys a specific image that should stand out memorably when handed over to a prospective client. If you use a template design, chances are it’s been seen before, and it will get lost in the pile.

Paper quality is more important Now, they are looking for something than you think when it comes to your business card. When you that represents them and their business better. This means they are have a sturdy, high-quality paper, a 8 May 2013 prospective client will take the card, paying for the same product twice!

look over it from front to back, admire the quality and take in the info.

Your logo and your business card are your first impressions to any client, and when they are designed properly, they will get you business.

Less is more when it comes to cards and logos. Too much detail or too much information on your business card won’t pop out as well as if the design was clean and crisp.

A first impression should take five seconds for the viewer to understand what it is that your business has to offer. After that, they lose interest.

A clean, simple and creative, design presents you as a worthy artist in your own right. So support graphic designers as you would have them support your independent art, music or photography business.

Potent Poetry Needs Print Publisher –

By Victor Schwartzman

Few poems shake you up.

Few poems introduce you to the unknown world in your backyard. Luis Rivas writes such poetry, but you will only find it online, and even there it’s rare. His poetry needs to be in peoples’ hands.

A lot of great stuff is out there but few poets combine political and personal, sensational and sensitive. No matter who you are, there are gut punches to your sense of society in Random Acts of Terror.

That is a new chap by Rivas which includes previously published online poems with new writing.

But you can’t read it, so you’re screwed [why is it that the few words we have for physical intimacy are the same words we use for making big mistakes?].

You can’t buy the chap because Citizens for Decent Literature, arguably the leading underground poetry group in America, ain’t got the money. [CFDL’s site is http://citizensfordecentliterature. com or email to admin@citizensfordecentliterature.com.]

It’s a shame you can’t read “Random Acts of Terror.”

It is a terrific, disturbing chap.

Here is one poem you can’t read: My Brother’s Bald Tattooed Head my brother has a tattoo of the New York Yankees logo on the back of his bald shaved head but with the bottom part of the 'Y' in 'N Y' missing so that it looks like a big 'V N' instead for Van Nuys the local gang. but occasionally he lets his hair grow out. and my mom rejoices when that happens: lighting candles, hoping, praying for permanent long covering hair, and that he can successfully get off of probation without another violation, without LA City Mayor Villaraigosa and Police Chief Bratton promising to crack down on gangs – meaning that gang members, active or not be harassed, cited, detained arrested, sent back to an anti-rehabilitative over-crowded, intentionally racist, perfectly-constructed high-profit, privately-owned prison. but today he shaved his head bald again and tomorrow he might go back to jail. and more candle wicks will inevitably be ignited and more prayers will inevitably be said; more pleas of change, more bargaining with saints and virgins; everything going nowhere, everything, every word reaching nothing — not a son's ear, not the heart of society.

This is a harrowing picture of human tragedy in today’s Los Angeles. Part of its power comes from its scope: from an overview of L.A.’s gang strategy down to three people affected by it: a gang member and his mother and brother. Despite his mother’s actions and prayers, by the end of the poem the gang member has retreated from a new life and has shaved his head in acceptance of what seems to be fate. Nothing will change his choice because he believes he has no choice.

What kind of a life has a death spiral as your best choice?

Rivas writes about issues in the American Hispanic community (and, occasionally, El Salvador and Mexico). Random Acts of Terror are not bombs bur rather injustices suffered casually every day.

There is an almost overwhelming rage against the machine in his poems.

At times the solutions he sees are violent, at least symbolically.

But he also seems to know that violence and fighting against the machine can be a dead end: 9

Aliens Who Barely Exist

The device of using a blank for a name is visual, vivid and involving.

The man could have found a decent

(Dedicated to _________) _________ barely existed.

life but instead barely exists.

Society is unforgiving toward any who threaten it and show no remorse.

_________ wasn’t a US citizen, not even human; _________ was an illegal alien who had to change his name many times; _________ had to lie about his address; _________ had to lie about his birth date; _________ had to change his hair many times – from parting it on the side, to slicking it all back, to even shaving it off completely. _________ was an ex-guerilla in the civil war of El Salvador back in the 80’s, and would never be allowed to become a US citizen; _________ saw friends die and kill, shouting REVOLUCIÓN O MUERTE; and after surviving something he didn’t except he was faced with the ex-guerilla’s ultimate dilemma: what now?

While most poems in “Random Acts of Terror” are about life in Los Angeles, several address problems in El Salvador and Mexico. We’re talking politics on a sleeve.

The device of using a blank for a name is visual, vivid and involving.

_________ served a few prison terms; _________ was deported and came back again with a new name, a new haircut; _________ could only find work in warehouses, factories, bath houses and porno shops, places that didn’t mind hiring aliens who barely existed. and _________ will keep running and working, barely existing the entire time, only finding peace in the thought that wherever he is buried his tombstone will finally reveal his true birth date and maybe even his true name.

Such poems are a rare, exceptional point of view in mainstream American poetry. More important, these poems are about real stuff that should be of concern to everyone.

Is Rivas too strong for poetry?

Do you not want to mix real stuff, including politics, with your poetry?

Does that cloud your coffee? Isn’t Again, fiery politics are interwoven poetry supposed to be wallpaper, with an intimate personal story. seeable but ignorable? ______ goes from revolutionary fighting for freedom to being imprisoned for his actions to porno shop Buck up bucky, here comes a whole pile of stuff about El Salvador: worker waiting to die.

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May 2013

In El Salvador in El Salvador there are heavily-armed security guards in front of Burger King Honda dealerships and luxury hotels while the stench from a rotting run-over dog on the street saturates the hot, tropical air and the shoeless kids that perform fire-blowing and juggling at street intersections smell this and debate on whether they could eat it without getting sick or die but eventually decide to keep hustling for spare change, their feet so black from walking on the asphalt that they look like they’re wearing black dress socks in El Salvador it is considered a luxury to hang out in shopping malls occupied by transnational companies that do not need to worry about U.S. federal minimum wage laws paying Salvadorans $10 a day – what some Californians make an hour their only worry being about the burgers the new Civic models the new HD widescreen in the lobby of the American hotel their automatic rifles and shotguns always ready and loaded, aiming at the heads of desperate hungry, shoeless kids asking for spare change threatening the quiet peace of a country’s genocide.

There is so much anger in his poetry it bothers Rivas himself.

I Gotta Stop Writing Angry Poems i drive by a lady selling flowers on the day before valentine’s day roses wrapped in plastic in white painter’s buckets, a table assembled displays her high-end items: gigantic stuffed teddy bears, also wrapped in plastic, smaller bears more economically priced for those on a budget, a sheriff pulls over and begins the standard questioning: how are you? do you have a permit? you speak english? she smiles, silently, without knowing the language, and answers “no.” the sheriff, struck with a mixture of empathy and frustration, acting out of character gets back into his car and drives away, feeling hurt, hopeless but contributing ignorance as a humble offering

themselves with chores, the art of grocery shopping on a budget, job hunting, updating resumes so they appear less desperate a fire that burns at a consistent flame and then there’s me – where did I go wrong, what causes me to destroy private property, aesthetically improve public property, write out my fantasies my wishes, the complete dismantling of the towers of our oppression, of class division, the persecution of the private owners of the public modes of production, and their celebratory demise I gotta stop writing angry poems its walls are growing more and more compromised, and they’re getting really long too

Love how Rivas jokes about his own anger and ideology. Brevity is not his strongest suit; many of the poems in “Random Acts of Terror” are not in this review because they are plain long. They don’t fit.

Some poems are long because Rivas has a lot to write about. He writes it from being there, which was illustrated in the preceding poem that uses self-reflection to temper a pervasive anger. “I Gotta Stop Writing Angry Poems” demonstrates a wide scope, going from Los Angeles to India to Los Angeles again, and from broad societal issues to individual people.

We start with a woman who does not speak English. The police

I gotta stop writing angry poems it’s allowing me to sympathize with repressive elements of the state at times a long-time friend has come back from india radicalized, telling me of all the dead babies littering the streets, where mothers carry children around in knapsacks and sedate them to stop them from yelling and crying that stops them from responding appropriately to their reality, and many mothers walk around with dead children, a country of dead babies, and all I can recommend in doing is reaching out to anti-governmental organizations, fuck the red cross, for nothing should exist that allows this to take place I gotta stop writing angry poems it’s polluting my ideology something that always come to mind is my family, about to be three of us unemployed, miraculously making ends meet, left to fend for ourselves, but my parents remain calm, patient, busying

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officer, instead of harassing her, drives away. Nice.

Despite dreams of R E V O L U T I O N Rivas knows anger can be unproductive. It can lead to playing politics and not helping people.

Then we have a devastating depiction of poverty in India. Rivas is so angry he’d rather fight, he realizes, than help people.Similar conclusions can be drawn about life in Los Angeles.

Somehow this poem can get away with presenting ghastly images of poverty followed by jokes. The lines which begin with “where did I go wrong” are not to be taken seriously.

Beautiful Landscapes i do not own any beautiful landscapes or see any horizons forming at morning glowing with god’s glory i live in a small rented house behind a bigger rented house next to a huge, gray alley

Rivas sees himself only as ‘wrong’ in the sense that society thinks we take out the garbage he should shut up about injustuesday nights for tice. wednesday morning pickups “I gotta stop writing angry poems/it’s polluting my ideology” is a great line, as are its echoes throughout the poem.

we feed homeless cats and the doors remain locked when we’re at home no one votes not even those that are most affected the poor, the illegal the homeless the marginalized

Despite dreams of revolution, Rivas knows anger can be unproductive. It can lead to playing politics and not helping people.

It can lead to trying to overthrow there is no sun organizations rather than fixing or beauty or hope them.

Politics alone is not enough.

Rivas feels an obligation in his poetry, and nowhere is that obligation clearer than in the following poem. It says it all. It also could possibly be the last poem of Rivas’ you will ever read if “Random Acts of Terror” does not find a publisher or if Rivas does not publish more online.

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rudyard kipling allen ginsberg robert frost ralph waldo emerson lyn lifshin they do not live here here, there is no beauty only the obligation to document the crime of its non-existence

May 2013

Working the Book Signing Campaign

By Michael Allen

Whether or not you have a great campaign manager behind you, it is still necessary to do the same

work.

Promoting your book can and should become your full-time job once it’s published and on the shelves. Even if you are only making sales online, you’ll still want to create a buzz using proven techniques.

Most people will launch online marketing campaigns that include social media, blog tours and article writing. There are plenty of effective strategies.

But, the offline campaign strategies are still very relevant and should never be excluded from your book promotion efforts.

braries and bookstores to inquire if they would allow you to do a book signing in their facility. Most of them will jump on it and even help you get your fans in the door when they start promoting the event. It will be huge for them and you should leverage that excitement!

The reason I wanted to discuss TapouT and its origins is because that’s how you should feel about

Pricing process: The book signing event should include a promotion that offers audience members a significant discount.

“You should look at book signings as even more important than radio and television spots.”

Learn from others: Let’s take a detour from talking about book promotion to explore a small business that became a multimillion dollar company. Charles Lewis Jr. saw something in an unorthodox fighting competition that very few people did. So, he made shirts and started selling them out of the back of his car. He always made sure to park in the lots at the competitions because that’s where the fans were.

Eventually, the UFC would grow into a very popular mixed martial arts competition and along with it, TapouT grew to become the multi-

million dollar company that outfits all of UFC’s gear. Charles Lewis Jr. is better known as the “Mask” and he unfortunately died in 2009, but not before he got to see his empire rise to the fame and fortune it has become.

book signings. You don’t want to set up two or three and be done with it.

In fact, you should look at book signings as even more important than radio and television spots. Even though in a great campaign, you should be incorporating all types of media, you should always make sure you are focusing on book signings.

First of all, start small: You don’t need the huge book chains, even though it’s nice if you can gain access. But, call local

li-

In my pricing process, I begin with a pre-release where I price my book at half off of its actual value. Before I do a book signing tour, I place the price of the book at its actual value. Because I’m the author, I get the book at what it costs to print. So, I can sell a book at a book signing for half off the actual value. It gives readers an incentive to come to the book signing and buy the book there rather than online or through the publisher.

Sell out at the signing: When I’m doing a book signing, I normally arrive with no more than 30 copies. I have started a book signing with as few as 15 copies. To tap a psychological phenomenon, you actually want to sell out while you still have people in line. This might sound counter-intuitive. But, you can use it to your advantage. Now, everyone in line wants your book even more than they did before.

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Offer a signup sheet so that the people left in line without a book can get an email notification about the next time you are going to have a book signing and where it is going to be.

Develop an email list: Future readers sign up voluntarily and all you have to do is make sure you keep them updated. When you first add their name to your list, email them to remind them that they signed up at your book signing and give them a link to buy the book then if they want it.

If you offer the book in digital format, you just might find yourself getting sales that day because Kindle, Nook and other formats are much cheaper than print copies. But, those same readers just might want your print copy too. So make sure you inform them of your next book signing in their area. They will be there and they will make sure to be first in line.

The more book signings you do, the more online sales you’ll get. You will be putting your name out there and actually interacting with your readers.

When they feel as if they know you, they become more invested in you as an author. Loyal readers become your best booksellers and your books will start flying off the shelves.

Read during signings: One final note is that you should couple a book signing with a reading, and even open up the floor for a question and answer session. This gives you a chance to give your audience a taste of the book.

Then of course, be ready to answer questions.

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Your readers want to get to know you. It’s exciting for them and it should be exciting for you. So, leverage that to your advantage!

As you do more book signings, you’ll pick up your own techniques and strategies that work for you.

But, these should get you started. You’ll sell books and you’ll have fun doing it! There isn’t any better way for an author to spend his or her time.

---------------------------------------------------------------Michael Allen is a former Target Audience Magazine featured poet. He wrote the children’s book “When You Miss Me” for his daughter and collected poetic thoughts in “Thoughts and Reconsideration.” His newest book, “A River in the Ocean,” is available through his website.

Michael Allen will be touring the country signing books so check http://michaelallenonline.com for updates and notifications.

May 2013

Spotlight: Making a music video

By David Tyberg as Prof. Dimtri von Stadberg, bass/vocals, The Extraordinary Contraptions

In a lot of ways, The Extraordinary Contraptions are about spectacle.

The resources we utilized in making the video for “Lovely Lies” represent about a year’s worth of information gathering.

Elaborate stage props, epic songwriting, fancy costumes, virtuosic musicianship, and wild stage antics are all par for the course in our multiverse.

The great part was that we were able to generate symbiotic relationships with the people we wanted to work with. We teamed up with the Old West Festival outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, agreeing to perform for them at a significantly reduced cost in exchange for the run of their grounds and the assistance of their cast to film the video for “Lovely Lies.”

So when we wanted to start making music videos to support our latest album, our big question was, “How do we generate Hollywood spectacle on a starving artist’s budget?”

“How do we generate Hollywood spectacle on a starving artist’s budget?”

The answer to that $64,000 question turned out to be, “Use the resources you have in the most creative way you can imagine.”

While we were recording and planning to support our latest album, we were also keeping an eye out for people, locations, and other resources to help us visualize our rich aural stories.

We do a lot of gigs in a lot of interesting places, so we just kept a list of neat places and cool people that we might be able to tap later for video assistance.

And then we were extremely lucky to be able to work with long-time friend of the band Brad Bear, who shot and edited everything in exchange for the portfoliobuilding opportunity to work with a professional original musical ensemble.

The trick was to figure out the things that each party had to offer that the other wanted. Often times, one has resources whose value to a potential creative partner might not be apparent. Taking the time to explore that can make all the difference in the world.

Watch “Lovely Lies” on YouTube: http://youtu.be/2zxVWMZjZKo

“Lovely Lies” is a fantastic showcase for the vocal talents of Sharon, our keyboardist.

A video for that tune needed to further accentuate the swagger and bravado of her vocal delivery.

When we checked out the Old West Festival outside of Cincinnati, OH, the scene was so rich and inspiring that we knew we had to do a video there. It wasn’t long after that we realized said video had to be “Lovely Lies,” with Sharon strutting around like a boss to distract the town from the rest of us running amok.

15

What you can learn about promotion from Jim Rose

by Ellen Eldridge

“I was born premature and cross-eyed. My father was an amateur magician and mentalist. After birth I was so small I had to stay at the hospital in an incubator for two weeks. Standard cribs were too big so when I was brought home my parents fitted me in a shoe box to serve as my first bed. My mother used to joke that she didn't remember how much I weighed but she did know I was a women's size 7.�

-Jim Rose 16

May 2013

Jim Rose (right) and his partner in crime and in life, Bebe

The Circus Queen (left), can entertain as well as they can promote. The Jim Rose Circus experienced moderate success in the 1990s and was honored by an episode of “The Simpsons” where Homer ran away to join the circus as the Human Cannonball.

Rose also appeared on an episode of the “X-Files,” but I came face to face with what I recall as “The Jim Rose Freak Show,” when it opened for Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails at Madison Square Garden in 1994.

In preparation of hosting the London Burlesque Festival in May, Rose did what any independent artist would need to do: kickstart the promotion machine.

The way Rose and Bebe went about it is worth discussing here.

HISTORY: I received a press release in September 2011 that caught my eye with its subject, “The King of 1990s pop culture available for interviews.” Rose was generating press interest to promote his “Punk Storytellers” series, and I responded to the email with my interest to speak with Jim Rose.

When I met Jim Rose I was standing in the front row, squished against the barricade, at Madison Square Garden in New York City waiting to watch Marilyn Manson open for Nine Inch Nails. Rose handed me half a cucumber, which I actually brought home and saved in the freezer until my mother threw it away.

If memory serves correctly,

my friend told me all about the Jim Rose Freak Show before the show.

She eagerly encouraged me to expect the unexpected, warned me to mentally prepare myself for sights such as a man putting his entire body through the head of a tennis racquet and an enigma covered head to toe in tattoos. The angry teenager within me squealed with devious 17 trepidation.

Bebe Aschard responded to my interest in Jim Rose three days later, saying he would only be available on Fridays. We scheduled time to talk for the following Friday, but Rose never answered the phone. In my nostalgic peak, I sought out and made contact with Justinian Morton, the original Armenian “Rubberman” himself. In fact, I found a video of his act where he put his body through the head of a tennis racquet from that same show at Madison Square Garden on YouTube. Though he expressed willingness to be interviewed about it, nothing materialized.

Exactly a year later, November 2012, Rose contacted me via Facebook. I emailed Bebe and said I would still do the interview with Rose when he returned from Thailand, but there was no rush as I was due to have a baby the following month (my son was born November 27, 2012).

Doing the work will get you press as an independent artist, regardless of your field. Send a high-resolution image with a great pitch for a story idea to almost any outlet on a slow day and you’re bound to get a phone call.

In February, 2013, an email titled, “What do David Bowie, Trent Reznor and Eddie Vedder have in common?” appeared in my inbox from Jim Rose. I smiled.

The answer to the email subject question, “What do David Bowie, Trent Reznor and Eddie Vedder have in common?” was found in Bebe’s press kit.

She sells one-of-a-kind, free-standing whimsical sculptures at:

This is where the promotion machine kicked in.

www.etsy.com/shop/BebeTheCircusQueen.

These dolls breathe life with their intentional imperfections that arise from being handcrafted without the use of molds.

Attached to the email announcing that Jim Rose had been asked to host the London Burlesque Festival in May were two press kits, one for Jim Rose and one for Bebe The Circus Queen.

Rose had done all the work for the press.

Each press kit included background on the artist, high-resolution images ready for print publication and an extensive question and answer section. Each press kit confirmed that both Jim Rose and Bebe The Circus Queen were available for further comment, but that these kits should suffice for smaller articles.

Jim Rose may in many ways still ride the coattails of his former notoriety, but as a man who firmly believes “DIY is our only recourse,” he acts as an inspiration to artists everywhere.

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Bebe said that she embellishes the dolls with a collage of vintage paper, transfers, jewelry pieces and whatever she has around. Many wear a crown and a clay heart and all come with a protective acrylic varnish that makes them lightweight yet strong.

“I like to think of them as my eclectic family, Bebe said. “These dolls start off in my head for days in advance before the hands-on art work actually ever starts.”

May 2013

“My goal is to come as close to the vision in my head.,” Bebe said about crafting her unique dolls.

Her thoughts on her “living dolls” echo the sentiments of all independent artists, musicians, photographers, film makers and writers: we all seek to come as close to that vision in our head as possible in the creation of our art.

When we take the time to think how media outlets can best share what we have to offer, we make the most of promotional opportunities.

Target Audience Magazine cannot cover the London Burlesque Festival, and I really don’t have any followup questions for either Jim Rose or Bebe The Circus Queen. I sincerely hope our readers will take the time to look into what these fine DIY artists are working on, and take inspiration in the idea that you can attract attention by providing strong press kits for media coverage.

Promotion for Authors: Author Exchange “Social media serves as a platform where current relationships with customers can be nurtured and new relationships can be formed.”

Yet what’s the point of building relationships, creating conversation and nurturing relationships if ultimately it cannot sustain the business we run? Charity?

These are the ideas behind the “author exchange” – an opportunity for authors to read each other’s work and comment on both the quality of the content as well as the opportunities for reaching a fanbase.

Have you ever read a book or even a poem and thought, “This would encourage my friend going through a breakup”?

Every author has an inherent way to inspire someone; seeking that wisdom and inspiration is why most people read in the first place!

Sharing ideas with an author on how to encourage and reach his or her audience will also help that writer key in to aspects that will make his or her book sell better.

In the end, we create to make a living. Unless you truly are an artist who wants to work through your own pain or find a footing in the act of creating (a student) you need to start thinking not only of how to write a stellar song or ‘the great American novel” but also of how to reach those who will be most helped by your art.

If you’d like to read and provide feedback on a book in exchange for feedback on yours, contact: ellen@targetaudiencemagazine.com with the subject “author exchange.”

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The Flaming Lips - The Terror

Rob Zombie - Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor

Review by David Feltman

Review by David Feltman

As one might guess from the title of The Flaming Lips’ newest album, The Terror has none of the bubbly, kooky pop of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots or Clouds Taste Metallic.

Wayne Coyne and company have fashioned instead a somber and pensive album constructed leanly on nine solid tracks.

A lot about Rob Zombie’s fifth album is going to sound familiar to long time fans. At this point in his career, it’s difficult to find new angles on the devil ago-go stripper rock that Zombie coined back in the last days of White Zombie.

Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor treads much of the same ground as The Sinister Urge and Hellbilly Deluxe, but there is something subtly different about this album, something darker and meaner. That difference is the old school fat and heavy hard rock riffs hiding underneath the static effects and demon voices.

One part Can and one part My Bloody Valentine, The Terror is soft, angst-ridden and blanketed in ambient sound. Like a haunted carousel or a broken music box, every inch of song is rich in warbling, pulsing, clanking, scraping sound. Echoes and repetition form songs like “You Lust” and “The Terror,” generating a sort of meditative fugue state.

Coyne’s yielding falsetto is applied equally with these elements, never leading but never dissipating into the background. For all of the despondency and desolation contained in the album, there’s an underlying tranquility that makes it bearable.

The Terror is an album in the true sense. Each piece is incredibly dense and strong enough to stand on its own and yet has been carefully crafted to emphasize and intensify its fellow songs.

The chaos and weirdness that has plagued the band’s post-Embryonic releases has been shed.

There is nothing exactly commercial or radio friendly on this record either, but, like Thoreau at Walden Pond, The Flaming Lips gave up such trappings years ago. Their pond, however, seems to have recently suffered some terrible and creepy industrial accident. www.flaminglips.com

Zombie starts the album off on safe ground, but by the third track you realize he’s slipped you a ‘70s classic rock mickey. “Revelation Revolution” throws a bait and switch, beginning with a heavy techno beat and quickly replacing it with a riff that lies somewhere between Deep Purple and AC/DC. The new single, “Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown,” rides a psychedelic blues lick propelled by new recruit and former Marilyn Manson drummer Ginger Fish. And the band sprinkles in some Ray Manzarek style keyboards for good measure. Zombie even goes so far as to proudly parade his inspirations with a cowbell packed metal cover of Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re an American Band.”

The music is hard and fast and fun. The lyrics, however, find Zombie grasping. As if playing his very own special brand of Rob Zombie Mad Libs, both the album title and track titles like “Teenage Nosferatu Pussy,” just seem like words that were put together because he thought they sounded cool. There’s a multitude of “C’mon, c’mons” and “get it ons” and “hey, hey yeahs.” And the only conceivable excuse for “Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga” is either early onset dementia or a mild stroke. But lyrics have never been Zombie’s strongest suit and it does little to diminish his signature sound. www.robzombie.com

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May 2013

Melvins - Everybody Loves Sausages

Mike Patton - The Place Beyond the Pines

Review by Dan del Ben

Review by Dan del Ben

The Melvins have recorded so many covers throughout the past three decades that this could be the first volume in a series. However, this isn’t merely a compilation of previously released material.

Only three songs off of Everybody Loves Sausages have been reused, and even those were on very limited singles. This album is more similar to The Crybaby in that most of the songs have different guest musicians. The tone from song to song is much more consistent than on Crybaby though.

This album even features three different Melvins lineups. Much of it is comprised of the proper Melvins four-piece. Just to show that they are not fucking around, the album opens with Venom’s “Warhead.”

“Station to Station,” which was originally written by Venture Brothers villain David Bowie, features vocals

by JG Thirlwell (who scores Venture Brothers), and isn’t too different from the original. Surprisingly, the entire album doesn’t stray to far from its source materials. It’s obvious that you’re listening to the Melvins and not the Kinks (although this is the most badass Kinks cover I’ve ever heard), but all of the arrangements lay intact.

“Best Friend” by Queen, seemed like a pretty odd choice for the Melvins to cover, but it totally works with its synth-laden features that include vocals from Tweak Bird’s Caleb Benjamin.

Sausages features a few songs with the record breaking Melvins Lite lineup that features Trevor Dunn on an upright bass, and has the first new Melvins track in eight years. “In Every Dream Home a Heartache” features Jello Biafra and Kevin Rutmanis. If anyone can ham up Bryan Ferry vocals, it’s Jello Biafra. www.themelvins.net

The Place Beyond the Pines is the fourth film score by composer and rock musician Mike Patton. The film is a crime drama by Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance.

Although I did not like the film for several reasons, I find this soundtrack to be quite enjoyable. Patton’s score is dark and minimal. Out of all the film scores that he’s done, it most closely resembles The Solitude of Prime Numbers. It is also reminiscent of Angelo Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks work at times.

The second half of the album is comprised of a handful of compositions and songs not written by Patton. And while I enjoy his score, I may like his musical taste even more. There’s some really amazing pieces on this.

This section opens up with The Cryin’ Shames’ version of “Please Stay” (written by Burt Bacharach). The one piece of music that I feel stands out the most in both the film and the album is “Ninna Nanna Per Adulteri” penned by Ennio Morricone. I don’t think you can have a bad album if there’s a Morricone song on it somewhere.

The album closes out with “The Wolves” by Bon Iver, a band I normally don’t like. Being from New Jersey, the only Bon I accept is Jovi. However, the song fits here and is a good way to end the album.

The Place Beyond the Pines will be released through Milan Records. The CD hit stores April 9 and the limited edition LP will be released May 7.

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If you’re ready to pick a fight about who you think the best metal bands are, “The Merciless Book of Metal Lists”

by Howie Abrams and Sacha Jenkins will help kickstart the melee.

A review by Russell Eldridge of

Is this support and even praise because Abrams and Jenkins are holding a grudge against Mustaine?

If Mustaine had agreed to have a part in “The Merciless Book of Metal” would the tone of the book be different? If so, why bash him in his absence?

The beginning of “The Merciless Book of Metal,” states that Black Sabbath started “metal” and Metallica twisted it into its current form. Some might agree, but some might call foul.

There are those who feel that there are other bands who started “metal,” bands like Judas Priest.

And so begins the civil war.

“The Merciless Book of Metal” will be a hit from some metal heads and will find within it kindle to spark arguments on who’s the best "I am an unabashed heavy metal fan, and I know as metal band. This heavily opinionwell as anyone, that metal fans can be an extremely ated compendium loyal lot. But we are a very critical lot too. With each is comprised of 208 new movement, a new, defiant, outspoken and jam-packed pages sovereign audience is born. Music is older than all representing all that is glorious across of us, so its history is ours to writhe in and absorb." the world of heavy - Philip Anselmo (Pantera/Down) metal and features While dodging rigid dozens of never-beopinions, another battle emerges. For some, the war fore-seen photographs from iconic East Coast photogstill wages on. The war between Dave Mustaine and rapher Frank White.

Metallica. One might agree with the suggestion that Metallica was a game changer, but some would include With no stone left unturned, this book often blurs the Dave Mustaine in that equation. Mustaine’s influence lines separating fact and hilarity. You want to know on the metal world will always be felt. Of course, the about album covers that feature goats on them? What same goes for Metallica. Both bands are of equal Motorhead icon Lemmy’s warts might tell you if they importance in the world of metal. could speak? The achievements Iron Maiden would never have reached had their original vocalist Paul Dave Mustaine apparently didn’t want to have anything Dianno remained in the band? Well then, this book is to do with “The Merciless Book of Metal,” which is heavy for you. on support for Metallica. www.abramsbooks.com 22

May 2013

The church of Wovenhand is punk

By Rose Riot

extremely active in church, teaching Sunday school, joining groups and going on retreats. I even toyed around with some Christian rock but I could never make myself like it. I had cut my teeth on rock and roll and punk, and I couldn’t find anything in the Christian rock genre that gave me the same feeling as the“real”stuff.

As much as I was involved, I never found the peace that I so badly wanted. I’m not implying anything negative about church or Christianity; I did a lot of growing during that time, and I met some incredible people, but it just never seemed to be a good I can’t write about the fit for me. I felt like a fraud most of Christian band Wovenhand without the time and eventually I quit going. sharing a little bit about my spiritual history. Though I was not a “cradle When I left the church I started to reChristian,” I went to church from ally examine what made me happy, time to time when I would visit my what gave me peace, and I can hongrandmothers, one of whom was estly say now that love, my family, Episcopalian, the other Mormon. art and culture are the things that My mother was “new age” and the bring me peace. They are my relidad who raised me was a good gion. No offense meant to anyone. ol’ non-practicing New York Jew. I had curiosities in all theologies and bounced from one philosophy to another until I married a preacher’s kid and settled into Christianity. My life had been filled with weird adversities and pain, much like most people, so I was desperate for answers, much like most people.

Nothing had seemed to help me in the past; I had never really tried God before, so maybe this would be the just what I needed. “How would I know if I didn’t try?”

As with most of my interests, I dove in and submerged myself. I was

Around the time I was having artistic revelations in my life, I was introduced to the band Wovenhand. It was interesting to me that I had never heard of them during my immersion into Christianity as the band’s songs are full of dramatic biblical references and many people classify their music as Christian rock.

In one month I had two unrelated friends tell me about Wovenhand.

One of those friends was a self-professed music snob, and the other was a musician, neither one of them was a Christian. I know several Wovenhand fans now and none of them are Christian.

In fact, most of them are anti-Christian so I must ask myself why Wovenhand gets a pass with secular music fans.

Wovenhand is a three-piece from Colorado that combines tribal sounds with Middle East music, Americana, dark wave, blues and rock and roll. David Eugene Edwards, a “believer” who weaves cleric reference into many of the songs he sings, leads the band. His haunting voice relates pain, conflict, love and truth to listeners. The sound of truth makes the music relatable to Christians as well as nonbelievers.

So often, religion gets wrapped up in some bad publicity (either earned or otherwise), and it becomes very easy for those who have had bad experiences to be wary of any song that references anything other than hedonistic living.

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Wovenhand: the haunting sound of truth

“Punk rock is real”

“Punk is the brutal truth bruising your face, and that’s why I classify Wovenhand as a punk band rather than a Christian band.”

At some point in my life, I realized that living authentically was the most punk rock thing I could do.

traditionally found in the Christian rock section.

I respect this attitude, and I think my punk rock friends who would otherwise do their best to ignore Christian music, respect Wovenhand’s attitude toward music as well. Thus, Wovenhand exists as an exception to the Christian genre, floating for fans of true punk rock grit.

Disliking artists or their art purely based on their beliefs “Like what you like,” I say. A lady at church asked me seems very narrow-minded and less than punk to me. once if I ever felt guilty going to church with my tattoos showing. My answer was a very quick and bold, Liking what you like because you like it is the “No way!” (I actually thought it was good exposure for essence of punk. Punk rock is real; punk is the brutal truth the people in the small town where I lived at the time bruising your face, and that’s why I classify Wovenhand to see a little diversity). If someone asked me if I felt as a punk band rather than a Christian band. funny as an agnostic listening to Wovenhand, I would have the same answer as I had about the tattoos: I Wovenhand doesn’t try to conform to some mold that like what I like because I like it. David Eugene Edwards deems them mainstream Christians because they writes and sings about Christ because he likes to. believe in the Bible, and the band doesn’t have to Be punk, and make your choices based on YOU! manipulate its sound to fit in with the acts that are 24