outofstep.tv » music

Cherri Bomb to open for Foo Fighters in Germany

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:43:17 +0000

CHERRI BOMB tour dates upcoming shows
August 19	Highfield Festival	Leipzig, Germany
August 20	Pukkelpop Festival	Kiewit Hasselt, Belgium
August 21	Lowlands Festival	Biddinghuizen, Netherlands
August 23	Lanxess Arena (opening for the Foo Fighters)	Cologne, Germany
August 26	Reading	Reading, England
August 27	Leeds	Leeds, England
August 28	Rock En Seine	Paris, France

Reverbnation – 100+ bands reviewed… positive and negative feedback direct from the artists

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:59:14 +0000

We’ve spent an absorbant amount of time reviewing the music of over 100 artists so far that have sought out our opportunity to be featured on the Green Washed Ritual II digital music compilation with BambooSK8 – world leaders in action sports / skateboarding. We feel all artists deserve more than a simple “sorry- not chosen” so we actually spend the extra 15 minutes for each artist to provide them some constructive feedback on what we thought about their music, image, social media, profile, etc. For every 10 emails back thanking us, there is always 1 cry-baby who can’t handle being rejected. Scroll to the bottom to see the negative responses.

xxx

Date: 01/31/2011 9:00 PM

Thank you for considering us and also giving us a detailed critique. We will soon be mastering the record and possibly re-mixing it a bit so it will sound more sleek. We believe our songs are already strong enough, perhaps we’ll send different ones next time. Our new record, to be released this spring, has multiple styles on it so you only heard one piece of it. Regardless, I thank you for the comments and hope to send more stuff your way in the future. _Evan of Silent Agency

xxx

Date: 02/01/2011 3:20 AM

Thank you very much for your response! I very much appreciate your feedback! -TA

xxx

Date: 02/01/2011 7:34 AM

Thank you Geoff. The feedback is highly appreciated and will be put in place. Some of the advice is evident in my most recent recordings. Pls let me know if you would like a preview and I could get my manager to send you an mp3. Thank you for taking the time.

xxx

Date: 01/24/2011 4:34 PM

I figured that the music representing me here didn’t fit the opportunity. but i do appreciate the in-depth feedback! Thanks! Espee

xxx

Date: 01/26/2011 8:18 PM

Thanks so much for your feedback; particularly about the music sounding like a TV soundtrack! We agree and will pursue the licensing avenue! Best regards, – Ellsworth

xxx

Date: 01/26/2011 11:50 PM

Thank you for taking the time to give Rege Feedback. We appreciate your input and Mr Lark WILL read it over and take what he wants from it. JAH GUIDE, Clair Hill

xxx

Thank you for taking the time to critique our music and thank you for your kind words and scoring hopefully in the future we may have the chance to work together. Regards, Wade Clayton minor elite

xxx

Date: 01/29/2011 11:47 PM

Hi Geoff,

Thank you for the honest assesment. You’re right, that is a lot better than “sorry, not interested”. We’ll keep at it, and with help like yours, things get that much easier. Best Regards, Alan LaFranchi Merrimack Delta Dub Set

xxx

Date: 01/30/2011 4:26 PM

Thanks for your comments, I thought the ratings you gave to my song were more than I expected and very fair. I know I should try harder but confess I am a better guitar player than singer and need help to produce the sound quality. I have a pro guy coming on board so hope you like the next one a little more. Many thanks, Mama Paula.

xxx

Date: 01/24/2011 3:52 AM

Hey Geoff,
Thanks for taking the time to at least listen to our stuff, and for the feedback – we gladly take all forms of criticism on board
We’re working on some new recordings at the moment, so I’ll be sure to pass this on to the rest of the guys so we can work on our songwriting as well as the recording/mixing (we’re doing it in my garage, again).
I actually hadn’t heard of getgreenmusic.org, so I’ll be sure to check that out too – cheers for the tip.
Thanks again, and I hope you guys do well with the compilation. Cheers, Tony

xxx

Date: 01/24/2011 3:32 PM

Thank you so much !!!!!!!!!!!!

xxx

Date: 01/24/2011 1:52 AM

I Really Do Appreciate this Response Greatly and am Pleasantly Encouraged by it when you produce something all by yourself it s hard to know where you really Stand I Know you hear Lots and Lots of Music I Felt very Good about those Rankings I was in Such a rush wanting to get the Single Done in Hind Sight I probably Should ve waited till the Album was alot Closer to being Finished which at this Point it is I ll Hopefully have it Done By the End of Feb or early march- I m Hoping . “Fooled Around” is the Only Re make on it with the Exception of One Musical excerpt the rest is all Mine I think I was waiting for this to be done before I started making to Big a Push as far as marketing . Well Thanks very Much Again

xxx

Date: 01/23/2011 10:24 AM

Pretty generous, really. I appreciate your perspective. Thank you. Sincerely, John Draper of boon

xxx

Date: 01/21/2011 6:13 PM

Mr. Geoff,
THANK YOU so much for responding to my submission with such a personal assessment! I’m truly grateful for the high ranks and suggestions to improve. I’m a solo artist with limited recording/mixing abilities. I dont have the necessary equipment/ time to do my artistic expression properly. I create what I can when I can having fun along the way! Again, thank you for your time and honest input on my music and how to improve it next time.I will definitely add/follow you to keep an industry connection. Your message has given me renewed desire to strive for better and not settle…thank you! Rich Ireland

xxx

Date: 01/21/2011 3:00 PM

Thanks for your response regarding the opportunity to work with your company. If possible could you tell me which song you evaluated? that way i can use your constructive critisisim. thanks, JohnnyGame

xxx

Date: 01/20/2011 5:05 AM

Hi there. Thank you very much for your honesty and your opinions. They are highly valued.
If anything your criticisms confirm what we already know (which is good as we are aiming to fix these issues) and it’s also great to hear about the things you think we’re doing well. Thanks again for the suggestions and the advice. Best wishes, Kick-Ass Trainers

xxx

THE NEGATIVE & UGLY RESPONSES:

Now, we want to talk a little about the negative responses we get from just a few whiney artists who couldn’t handle the constructive feedback because we feel there are important lessons to learn for all of you reading this blog.

First of all, here’s the initial feedback that is given to each artist after we’ve reviewed their music.

Simple reply:

Thanks for your submission. We appreciate hearing from you, but have chosen not to work with you at this time simply because it’s not the right fit for this compilation. If all you wanted was a “yes” or “no” – then stop now and don’t read any further. For all others who can handle constructive feedback; go on.

Detailed reply:

Despite not being selected for the Green Washed Ritual II compilation we want to provide you as much feedback as we can to assist you and do it with the best intentions to help your music career. You deserve more than just a simple “sorry, not interested” like most companies do. We hope you value the extra time we took to provide as much detail as we can, as each of these responses is personalized.

Understand, we are only one critic so take what you can from it and never forget that your music is touching someone’s spirit including your own. If you do not agree with our review, that’s fine, but no need to be negative and email us back whining about it. The answer would still be “no”, respectfully.

Secondly, as you can see – what good does it do to write back and complain about 1 persons critique of your music. At the end of the day, if your fans are buying your records, coming to your shows, etc. – that’s all that matters. More so, what good does it do to write back hateful messages when someone took the time and energy to care about you and your musical aspirations. There is enough venom in the world… so don’t contribute more. So you weren’t chosen, move on.

Third, if you don’t have the backbone to absorb constructive feedback, then this is definitely not the right industry for you. Not everyone is going to like your music, so accept it. Continue to believe in yourself, but void your ego. If you are hearing the same reponses over and over, it’s time to listen to what people are saying. I remember when my band was getting bad feedback and it angred us. Then one day, we decided to make changes and before long, we had more fans at the shows and more shows – nearly 200 per year.

Fourth thing is that we learn more about a person in how they deal with issues, in this case, the response to the constructive feedback. When you write back negative emotions, you start to chip away at the trust that is needed in a working relationship. The point is that you should never ever step on someones toes, because you never know who can help you down the road. If you burn that bridge per se, you will most definitely lose out on opportunities. For example, not getting put on our newsletter or adding us on twitter; where tons of opportunities are listed! Always be kind to people and recognize that emails are bland – so don’t take things for face value that someone is trying to hurt your feelings. We are nice people, as most people are - who care!

Here’s a few of the negative responses, which were distasteful and out of line:

Note – this band loved to talk about all the beer they drink and how punk rock they are.

Date: 01/20/2011 11:39 AM

Come see us live you fuckin pussy.

xxx

Note – this band we told them we didn’t like their lyrics for use of the N-word.

Date: 01/26/2011 3:54 AM

Man yall whack ass hell. I know this is not just the typical every day shit you hear but yalls lost!!! yall will c me for sure!!!!! whatever it was i forgot fuck you

xxx

Here’s an example of someone who later apologized, which showed great character:

Date: 01/20/2011 3:10 PM

I’m sorry, I was being flippant but I didn’t mean any disrespect. I do value your opinion and your critique and take everything you said as honest criticism that can only help improve my music. But that statement truly did cause me to laugh because the two things that artists, fans, radio stations and podcasts agree on are that my music is unique and that the musicianship is exceptional. This is feedback that I’ve literally received hundreds of times, unsolicited. You don’t have to take my word for it, if you read the comments people leave you’ll see for yourself.

I can’t truly be objective about my music, but I’m a programmer with a market research background, so I paid for a study on Jango which backs up the idea that those two qualities are strongly present in my music. Having said that let me emphasize that I don’t have an inflated view of my skills as a musician. I’m a programmer, not a professional musician, and there’s a reason for that.

However, I do hear alot of metal, and the combination of tribal and rock drums, the mix of eastern harmonic minor and classical dorian riffs, and guitars so psychedelic most people think they’re keyboards, that is a fairly unique blend. The odd-metered work in Gravity is not common, which is why it appeals to jazz-fusion folks. And The Turk constantly wins high praise for its originality and creative vision.

In the aggregate, I’ve also delivered something that stands apart from the crowd, a unique blend. Mixing in the metal with Latin-inflected folk with a droning trance beat and an acoustic round for two guitars is not something that I’ve seen before on an album, and based on my fan comments and cross-genre appeal it’s been well-received despite the lack of genre alignment.

As for musicianship, I know I’m a lousy singer so you don’t need to convince me. But I’ve been getting glowing accolades for my technical skill, and if you listen to the solo work in The Turk or Gravity you’ll see why. If those don’t convince you then I can’t ever convince you because that’s about the best I can do.

Once again I apologize for coming off rude. That’s a poor reflection on me and not at all accurate. I don’t take any of this very seriously compared to work and family, but I should have taken the time to formulate a cogent response rather than something flippant, because I truly do value your feedback. It’s only from the reactions of people that don’t like my music that I can figure out how to broaden the appeal, and I don’t take any of this too personally. Best regards, Matthew

Out of Step Entertainment joins up with ReverbNation for digital music compilation

admin — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 20:40:39 +0000

1/11/11 - Reverbnation featured our opportunity for 2 artists to be selected and featured on the Green Washed Ritual II; a digital music compilation that will be distributed by BambooSK8. BambooSK8 will provide access to the compilation via its website at www.bamboosk8.com and at a variety of action sports events in 2011 (X-games, Malouf Money Cup, Dew Tour, Vans Warped Tour, etc.) We are excited at this new opportunity to work with ReverbNation, who have created an amazing platform for artists utilizing the latest in social media tools. Other artists already selected for this compilation include: Pepper, Slightly Stoopid, Giving Tree Band, Noush Skaugen, Cherri Bomb and the Aggrolites.

Check it out at http://www.bamboosk8.com/misc/music.php

ReverbNation is the leading online music marketing platform used by more than 1,000,000Artists, Managers, Record Labels, and Venues to grow their reach, influence, and business across the internet. ReverbNation provides free and affordable solutions to individual Artists and the music industry professionals that support them in the areas of web promotion, fan relationship management, digital distribution, social media marketing, direct-to-fan e-commerce, fan behavior measurement, sentiment tracking, Web site hosting, and concert booking and promotion.

Sonicbids features Out of Step Entertainment to hundred of thousands of artists

admin — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:48:41 +0000

We would like to thank Sonicbids who featured Out of Step Entertainment in its last email campaign to its hundreds of thousands of users. We have used Sonicbids for over 5 years now and value their platform for evaluating artists. Last year alone, over 70,000 gigs were booked through them. On the first day alone, over 3000+ people viewed the Out of Step profile. One thing is for certain, we will always listen to the music and give honest feedback to those that submit to us. Below are some voluntary reviews of Out of Step:

View All Reviews

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 5

the Branders on October 31, 2009 at 02:52 PM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (winter 09)

Although not selected, Out of Step Entertainment was very upfront saying Country wasn’t their forte. But because of their experience and industry standing we wanted to submit. We received a well written straight forward response, reviews, song ratings and Out of Step even sent us industry contact follow ups for our musical style. A very informative, worthwhile submittal and contact – their process was great. Honesty, integrity and helpful directions – all we could we ask for.

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 1

New Stellar Star on October 22, 2010 at 03:32 PM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Fall 09)

These guys gave some helpful advice and positive encouragement about my music. They are blunt but so is this business. Not for the faint of heart, so when you submit to this send your best.

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 1

A.C. on April 12, 2010 at 02:38 PM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Dec ’09-Mar ’10)

Not selected because they felt they wouldn’t be suited to represent my genre. Stayed very connected with me throughout the review process, were easy to communicate with, and very down to earth. Provided me with contacts to people they think might be able to help me out. Even though im not gonna be able to work with them at this time these guys are truly the best industry people i’ve dealt with.

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 1

Anna and Milovan on April 15, 2010 at 08:26 PM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Dec ’09-Mar ’10)

I submitted to Out of Step prompted by the Mid-West values reference. I was not disappointed. Even though Not Selected, Out of Step took the time to make a careful analysis of our music, they took the time to listen to other postings on You-Tube and gave us many suggestions to improve our ‘package.’ It is not often you find such helpful advice from an experienced group. Thank you Out of Step! Anna and Milovan

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 0

David Williamson on May 1, 2010 at 12:36 AM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Dec ’09-Mar ’10)

I didn’t get selected, but these guys took the time to give me a solid and professional review of my submission, including ratings of song quality, vocal technique and more. I’ll admit that I’m disappointed that they didn’t like my music more, however they left me great advice and frankly, that’s worth its weight in gold. I know I’ll be keeping an eye on this company and resubmitting to them when I record some new tracks that take advantage of their advice.

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 0

Pirahna on May 4, 2010 at 12:51 AM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Dec ’09-Mar ’10)

We were not selected, but I feel we did get our money’s worth due to their detailed feedback and song evaluation. For all I know it could’ve been written by an intern, but nevertheless it was at least personalized feedback.

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 0

Jamie Simons on July 16, 2010 at 11:30 AM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Mar-Jun ’10)

Although I wasn’t selected, Out of Step gave me a well thought out response that included valuable advice and critique’s on my musical approach that was worth the cost of submission alone. Also they recommended an entertainment laywer they trust because I had mentioned I am in need of one in my submission. With all the “It sound’s awesome” compliments from friends and fans, it’s nice to have an unbiased review to keep you on track. Thanks guys. Jamie Simons

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 0

The Whitney Myer Band on October 27, 2010 at 03:42 AM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Jun-Sep ’10)

We submited to this post and were not selected, however they were vary professional and responded with a detailed critique of our music. I don’t exactly agree with everything that they said, but I truly appreciate the unbaist opinion for what it’s worth, thanks a lot and look forward to working with them in the future.

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: 0

Milky Whites and the Bluesmen on December 21, 2010 at 10:05 AM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Jun-Sep ’10)

We were not selected although we appreciate that Out of Step Entertainment gave us a nice review. We always appreciate good feedback and hopefully they will reconsider us in the future.

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: -1

Ironwood Rain on December 22, 2009 at 07:48 PM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Fall 09)

Without a doubt the most helpful rejection ever. We weren’t right for them, but the reviewer took time to give us a detailed rating, some great info on other ideas, and even some positive feedback that we could use in our clippings. I hope the world turns and Out of Step eventually broadens their scope to include us because this is just kind of supportive organization we strive to work with! Thank you for showing that there’s still some Good Guys out there!

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: -1

Aces Up on January 5, 2010 at 07:27 AM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (Fall 09)

We were not selected, but were promptly notified, and given a stellar review with some awesome feedback. I would recomend this gig everytime. Thanks for the feedback and review guys! Much appreciated! Aces Up

NOT SELECTED

Helpful: -1

Burning Earth on March 17, 2009 at 06:53 AM:

Submitted to Out of Step Entertainment (winter 09)

Neither of the producers would put their names on GARBAGE. The recording was a mere labor of LOVE for both gentlemen. They recorded the band because THEY heard something special! and THIS is the response we got from “OUT OF STEP ENTERTAINMENT” (which in MY humble opinion, they ARE way OUT OF STEP)…Burning Earth, Thank you kindly for submitting your music… I always enjoy checking out bands and seeing what type of spirit and soul they have or don’t have for that matter. Anyhow, I’m sure you have a good solid fanbase in your local area, but beyond that I don’t see much to work with at this time. Ultimately, their is just nothing unique about what you are doing and right now, the industry is not signing anyone who isn’t truly unique nor are fans attaching themselves to bands at an alarming rate unless they are something new. If I ask… I would start the vocals sooner… chorus sounds way too 80′s glam Fear alone… intro riff is way overdone w/ harmonics, although I liked the next slayer sounding riff…but the vocals killed the mood instantly…i would suggest having a vocal hook that would start moderately and go very high to hook the audience in…chorus sounds very post-grunge sounding Reflection… riff is way overdone Whatever you say…sounds like puddle of mudd or 7 mary 3 or one of those bands; already been done!!! Even your promo photos look like a bunch of guys who play their local bar… doesn’t feel like a cohesive band with any sense of style or imagery. If you want to be regular guys in blue jeans – that works for some bands but those bands usually have incredibly well written songs. I’m not saying to be something you aren’t… but I don’t think right now you guys have really felt that connection with your true core. What I would suggest… 1. Singer needs to diversify his vocal melodies – suggest listening to jason falkner (pop melodies) or jeff buckley (diversity in the range) 2. Guitars need to be creative and create something melodic that can support the singer… or vice versa depending on how you write. Rhythm section – lock it in and support the song writing… 3. Meditate and find the true soul within the music… 4. practice, practice, practice… 5. Have fun! Hope this helps… thanks again for allowing me to give my humble input, Out of Step

SELECTED

out of step entertainment on August 15, 2009 at 04:50 PM:

Promoter for this gig

It always saddens us at Out of Step to see an artist choose to be negative. First thing to note, Out of step says “Thank you kindly…” and then at the end says “Thanks again for allowing me to give my humble input” – both are kind and courteous. Second, we were honest in saying the music wasn’t unique… which to us, it wasn’t. Tons of bands use high end producers and still don’t have good songs. Big deal! A band who displays no respect will never get anywhere… period! PEACE!!

Submitting epks and music

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:28:51 +0000

We review a lot of bands via sonicbids and it always disappoints us when people don’t put forth the due diligence to improve their chances of being selected for either management, a licensing opportunity or being on a compilation. Please do the following (ALWAYS):

1. Music should be unique, relevant with most recent material posted and don’t forget the lyrics

2. Put up your best video of your live performance or your creative videos but we prefer the former

3. Demonstrate that you’ve been touring and really want this – touring is what helps bands grow and the live show is critical to ones success!!

4. Image should represent a cohesive band unit – hire a stylist, a good photographer, etc.

5. Bio’s should be full of quantifiable details – ie. # of cds or downloads sold, # of facebook fans, # of twitter followers, # of concerts performed, etc. Nobody cares about how you met Billy at the gas station who introduced you to Bobs cousin from New York, etc. Think about what the top performers today would have in their bio and strive for it; don’t cut yourself short!!

Until you’ve done any of this…I wouldn’ t waste your hard earned money on submitting to anyone, respectfully!!!

Bamboosk8 green washed ritual II – seeking music

Geoff Koboldt — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 03:41:49 +0000

Out of Step Entertainment and BambooSK8 are pleased to announce their 2nd digital compilation: The Green Washed Ritual II. It again merges major label acts, independent label acts, as well as regular folks who just want to put out great music including 1 chosen Sonicbids winner. Last year, Avery Watts, who is represented by Papillon Entertainment was chosen among hundreds of artists for this slot.

Distribution will take place at the various events associated with the presenters across the country, but not limited to the X-games, Vans Warped Tour, Malouf Money cup, ASEC, Tampa AM, Action Sports Retail, as well as the many digital and viral efforts via the Internet. To start, 25,000 collective series digital download cards will be given out with each skateboard sold by BambooSK8, up to 100,000. This compilation was the first of its kind and reached millions of action sports and music fans.

A few of the bands included last year were: Medina Lake (Roadrunner), Ana Lovelis (DKE), Story of the Year (Epitaph), Arthur Autumn (Out of Step), Slightly Stoopid (Law) and It dies today (New World). Check out http://www.bamboosk8.com/misc/music.php

Submissions are open to a variety of genres including: Rock, Alt. Rock, Acoustic Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues, Folk, Alt. Country, Classical, World, Reggae, Metal, Rap and Hip Hop, etc. Ultimately, we are looking for something incredibly creative and fresh sounding.

www.bamboosk8.com
BambooSK8 is revolutionizing the skateboard community offering 100% bamboo skateboards instead of the typical 7 layer maple decks that encourage deforestation.

Submit at www.sonicbids.com/greenwashedritual

French duo Air at Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles – 3/27/10

Geoff Koboldt — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:10:21 +0000

Having been a fan of Air for many years, it is always a delight to see the French duo of Jean-Benoît Dunckel and Nicolas Godin. They came to the Los Angeles Disney Hall in support of their latest album, “Love 2″. Nothing could top them playing the Disney Hall with its amazing acoustics traditionally reserved for symphony-based music. Despite our seats being near the top, it provided a perfect view for the amazing visuals that accompanied the duo with drummer Joey Waronker. These visuals often matched the frequency of key notes equating to the exact melodies so you had a perfect visual of the musical waves and the rhythm that matched it. Other times the visuals circled in a tranquil yet elusive state conjuring up a range of emotions as if I were on pyschedelics. Musically, their bass tones are amazing and played with such an amazing tasteful style in the vain of Paul McCartney meets Jason Falkner; ironicly the amazingly talented Falkner played bass for them a few years back. Sonically, they are masters of melody and mood. Opening act was AM who was pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdoPn8aTBhM - La Femme D’Argent

Check out air on youtube.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/airofficial?blend=1&ob=4

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/03/live-review-air-at-disney-hall.html

Check out rocks youngest little ladies – cherribomb

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:20:47 +0000

http://www.cherribombband.com/

Imagine 4 girls that range from 11-13 years old who can play their own instruments, write their own songs, record and produce their music, handle their own marketing direction and much more… They are better than any cookie cutter project that Disney can assemble.

Los Angeles Youth Network charity event with Slash and friends

Geoff Koboldt — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:47:44 +0000

My other company Bamboosk8 contributed some charitable goods that went directly to the LAYN organization kids at the shelters and some stuff for the celebrity gift bags - check out www.layn.org for more on helping out kids who have been abandoned by their families and need hope. We also gave 2 bamboo skate decks to Slash for his kids!!

What a spectacular night of rock star celebrities coming all together to help out this wonderful cause. Imagine if you can, Slash on guitar with Dave Navarro from Janes Addiction, Travis Barker of Blink 182 on drums, Duff from GnR/Velvet Revolver on bass, Ozzy Osbourne singing, Billy Idol singing, Chester from Linkin Park singing, Andrew from Wolfmother singing, Tom Morello on guitar, Perry Farrel of Janes Addiction singing, Steven Adler from Guns and Roses fame on drums, and many more… a mixture of covers from Led Zepplin to Black Sabbath to Janes Addiction. Wow! The event was hosted by George Lopez, who was incredibly funny. I wish I could tell you all the hilarious dirty jokes he said, but this wouldn’t be the forum for that. Another funny moment was when Slash’s wife and one of the kids was on stage asking people to text to LAYN to donate $10 and not too many people were dialing, so the kid grabs the mic and say’s, “start texting mother fr’s.” The crowd just erupted in laughter and finally pulled out their phones. The event was hosted at Avalon in Hollywood on Vine Street – across from Capitol Records building. It started out with each of the celebrities doing the red carpet horse and poney show for all the TV cameras and other press before going in and rocking out. I was fortunate to meet up again with some of my guitar heroes – Dave Navarro of Janes Addiction (who is never that friendly to strangers with his “I’m too cool for the world attitude”) and Tom Morello of Rage against the Machine (who is always super cool). The silent auction involved a variety of items up for auction including a really great one in my opinion – Anthony Keidis donated his 4x gold Canadian (4 million copies) certification and autographed it. It was a huge framed item that I believe only went for $600. Other items included autographed guitars, bamboo stuff, vacations, etc. Tickets for this event ranged from $85-500 for the VIP experience, with around 800+ tickets sold. Thank you Fez for making it happen!!

So where do I begin when it comes to the music? I’m a huge music fan…

I will start off by saying this – OZZY Osbourne takes it to mach 10 within 3 seconds of getting on the stage and the crowd just couldn’t keep up. His pitch was still relatively well but its his passion that just wreaks havoc on the crowd considering his age and mental state (?) – he comes alive like a little kid with eyes that just possess you. It was awesome!! Billy Idol was rocking hard as the crowd chanted “Rebel Yell” – always great to see him; I hope he never lets that punk attitude die. Watching the chemistry of Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro as they did “mountain song” and “jane says” was memorable, as it always is to see them connect again. Andrew from Wolfmother – what a voice; enough said! They covered Wolfmothers hit “woman”…which is so Led Zepplin but still so cool. Chester from Lincoln Park – hits some high notes but not that impressed overall – granted, he just flew in from France, so I got to give him cred. Tom Morello on guitar – who else can scratch a guitar with metal and make you hum along to it? Always great to see Tom, who is incredibly upbeat and even watching him from the side of the stage – he was so into watching Billy Idol and Ozzy…feeling every bit of the emotions put out. I can remember seeing Rage Against the Machine in 1992 with House of Pain in Detroit – I knew it wouldn’t be long before they took over the world. I then attended about 7 more shows over the years until they split, then came back, then split, then came back. Travis Barker – this dude is sick… he played 90% of the night with 110% – seriously, he’s one of the best drummers out there and always a super cool guy with no ego. I had just saw Travis a few weeks back at the Tony Hawk charity event in Beverly Hills. Duff from GnR fame… always keeping the groove locked down. Even GnR’s Steven Adler came out to hit the skins as they covered “Paradise city”.

The night ended around 11:30 to all of the celeb’s being bombarded by paparazii outside of the venue… thankfully no one got hurt.

Great job Slash, LAYN, Fez, and others involved!!!! May this money donated multiply in blessings for children in need.

http://www.bamboosk8.com/news/2009/11/los-angeles-youth-network-charity-event-11229/ – more photos

Sonicbids submissions Electronic Press Kit

admin — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:10:29 +0000

Every quarter we update our listing with Sonicbids.com, as this keeps the posting fresh and content relevant in terms of what we are looking for. Towards that end, it’s ultimately finding that one or two bands or artists that we feel we would be best suited to represent.

When submitting to us or anyone for that matter, you should think first – why am I submitting to this company and what do I hope to achieve. Next, am I prepared for the honest feedback that this company might not like my music. Everyone has their own objectives and vice versa so one should never get mad at an honest review and I’m hear to tell you – you are going to always get a straight answer from us; critics too! Assisting you in any way we can is also what we strive to achieve, even if we choose not to work with you. Whether it is sending you to an attorney we know or an agent or someone who could license your music, we always try to assist or at a minimum recommend a direction we feel would help you further in your career. Sometimes, it’s just helpless and we can’t do anything. One should never get mad that they’ve invested $10-12 towards submitting through Sonicbids or any service that provides instant EPK’s. You have to invest in your career just as you do in any business but putting your money in the right spot is often difficult, and we recognize that; even with limited funds that most bands or artists have. The lesson is to trust no one at first and educate yourself as much as possible.

When submitting to us through sonicbids (paid service), we break down a few key things on a scale of 1-10 including but not limited to vocal melody, vocal tone, music hooks, music tone, uniqueness, etc. It’s our little score card to tell you what we specifically thought of your music. You can do what you want with it but hopefully it provides you some insight and helps you along your music career. For us, it’s the least we can do as some people simply never get a response when not accepted by other companies and we want to show you the respect that you deserve. We know how hard it is to get out there and gain a fanbase while putting your sweat equity into it.

Oh, and please make sure you have a video on your sonicbids profile and lyrics to the songs and don’t ramble on and on in your bio – stick to key performance indicators – ie. We have grown from 4,500 fans to 75,000 fans in 2 years while performing 150 shows per year, selling an average of $500 per night in merchandise.

Jason Falkner at Spaceland – 11/7/9

Geoff Koboldt — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:44:30 +0000

Who is Jason Falkner you might ask? Many will…

Jason is one of the most under-rated pop songwriters of our time who is not that well known; a mere cult following between LA and Japan. He’s written solo records – playing every instrument, played bass with Air, guitar with Beck, wrote songs for Brendan Benson, wrote with Travis, played in Jellyfish, the Grays, etc.

I haven’t seen Jason in quite some time so it was nice to see his new band and songs… his latest record won’t be out until a little bit later – although already released in Japan on Noise McCartney Records. I have to say – this time around – I just wasn’t feeling the music… which often happens when a good singer/performer is at the mercy of a crappy PA system like was found at Spaceland. Also, I think i’m tired of some of those same songs and format I hear every time… relatively nothing new in terms of song-writing and I guess I just expect so much more out of Jason. Nonetheless, the show was good and I always enjoy hearing Jason.

Jason – it’s been a while…if you are reading this… hit me up – let’s license some music and write some songs with some key artists I have!!

Check out jason as www.jasonfalkner.net

A&R changes

admin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:10:16 +0000

There have been massive changes on the A&R front over the last few months. Among the most notable changes were former RCA A&R Executive Matt Marshall and EMI Music Publishing Executive Ed Jefferson who both join Tom Whalley’s A&R team over at Warner Bros in Burbank. In New York, A&R Veteran Steve Ralbovsky has brought his Canvasback Music label to Atlantic from Sony. Georgina McAvenna joins Rob Stevenson’s team over at Virgin, while Julius Garcia joins Jove and Daniel Mitchell joins Bad Boy. Meanwhile, Ben Adelson exits Universal Republic. Across the pond in London, Columbia’s Nick Huggett joins Island while Philipe Ascoli and Zack Strubel both join Columbia’s A&R team. Former Sony International A&R Executive Ricardo Fernandez joins Geffen. Phil Christie exits Virgin, former Sony Urban A&R Veteran Kawn Prather joins Def Jam South in Atlanta. Also joining Def Jam South is DJ Khaled. In a massive reorganization, Bill Bennett is exiting Warner Bros. Nashville and is being replaced by John Esposito (WEA’s current Ex VP Distribution).

It might get loud – movie with Jack White, the Edge and Jimmy Page

Geoff Koboldt — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:49:22 +0000

It Might Get Loud, a documentary that consists entirely of Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge swapping stories, expounding on their experiences and of course jamming with each other. The film, directed by An Inconvenient Truth helmer Davis Guggenheim, will satisfy casual fans as well as hardcore guitar afficianados.

For me personally, I absolutely loved this film as it shows you that behind-the-scenes feeling of what it was like for these guys to tap into their genius and play from their soul versus just another imitator of their influences. The kid like smile on Jack White and the Edge’s face as Jimmy page played an old Led Zepplin riff is just touching in the most sincere way of gratitude and respect. They even take turns playing each others songs – with the edge playing an E minor and then realizing – oops, that was a B minor I was suppose to be playing. It just shows you how genuine he is, as well as going as far to mentioning each of the other members of the band; no ego whatsoever! There is no doubt that it was the blues that started it all for these guys… Son House, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie, etc. The film was shot all over the world – Ireland, England, Seattle, LA, and Nashville.

Growing up in Michigan, we were very familiar with Jack White who played drums in a band called Goober and the peas, and then obviously Brendan Benson who Jack formed the Raconteurs with, although Brendan Benson is far more talented as a song writer in my opinion. In fact, we once had drinks with all of them next to the Troubador about 4 years ago after Brendans show… Jack is incredibly tall and suspiciously nervous all the time – like who wants to steal my soul now? ahah! I remember being in Europe in 2003 and everywhere I went – all i saw was the White Stripes being advertised. It’s nice to see Jack just pick up any crappy guitar and put soul into it… and even cooler that he is from Michigan and kept it pretty real all these years.

My 2 cents,

Geoff Koboldt

A&R meeting – 8/20/9 @ musicians institute

Geoff Koboldt — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:28:50 +0000

To be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve taken the time to sit down with the Major Lable A&R executives, and with good reason – those guys are replaced every few months as the labels downsize! On the contrary, this panel had some top guys ( Max Gousse-Sr. VP A&R Island/Def Jam, Raj Jadeja-Director A&R Atlantic, Jeff Blue-A&R Consultant/Producer Jive and Michael Howe-VP A&R Downtown Records) who have weathered the storm for many years, so I took the time to head down to the Musicians Institute and listen. If I were to sum of up the experience, it’s that NOTHING HAS TRULY CHANGED WITH THE MAJOR LABELS. It’s the same broken record…same broken business model…same everything but now with even less time to develop a band, less money to put into marketing, less people on the team to support you, etc. There is no doubt that these guys jobs are tough but they work super hard 24/7 to find that next breaking band with very limited time and resources. Yet, so many people would still rather take their chances on a major label than get creative and find a way to do it themselves. It’s a catch-22 and I know it is a very tough situation; easier said than done for sure! So I’m sure you all have many questions so I will do my best to answer some of the key questions:

1) What is the best way to reach the MAJOR label executives?

Major label executives are not out going to see bands period! They literally only trust high profiled lawyers, producers, agents and other key folks in the industry; that’s the same business philosophy they have had for 50+ years and look at where they are at now!! A friend recently told me – If i was a label – I would fire everyone of these A&R guys and hire me some 15-16 year old kids who are much more in tune with what’s popular!! I’m not in their shoes to say anything, but i would imagine its a very tough job to be true to that artist while also making money for your company – ie. the label.

2) How do I find these top lawyers, agents and other key people?

There are numerous sources out there including the A&R registry, pollstar online, etc. Granted, these things cost money – but business is all about investing! Here at Out of Step, we do our best to know who is on top of their game to best help you… but with technology ever-changing the music landscape, the opportunity is now for each and everyone of you to do your own thing!

3) What are major labels looking for these days?

They are looking for “believe-ability” – that you aren’t faking this and would die for this opportunity. They are looking for hard working people. Like most things in life, it’s those that work smarter and harder than the next guy; it’s not about talent necessarily. They don’t care if you write your own songs – plenty of top songwriters will write your songs for you and top producers who will produce it. Again, these top guys cost about $50-100,000 per song minimum. So, the question that comes from these answers then is – how the hell do stay creative and not become a puppet? Only you can answer that… Labels are also doing some 360 deals these days, 1 song signings and making a lot of their money in the publishing. Towards that end, it’s the publishing that seems to save a lot of bands. Positive news is that bands seem to be getting a 2nd chance if the 1st record doesn’t flop…but the days of 3 or 4 or 5 tries is in the past. SAD!

If submitting to Out of Step for management, it is likely, we will have to develop you to get you “right” for that one shot with the majors, if that’s the route you want to go.

thanks,
Geoff Koboldt

Photo with Raj from Atlantic Records