7 tips/ideas/questions for artist development/refinement...

Even though I've had a real website up for some time now, I decided to post something here on this blog because it still gets a fair amount of traffic. Hey, the more links that are pointing to me online, the better I look to Google.

What started off as random rants on Twitter about artists and what they're not doing right, has turned into a regular thing I do, devoted to listing helpful tips to help artists refine what they're doing. People have been taking notice. This man who co-signs not often, is now being co-signed majorly.

I want to reach as many people as I can with info that's beneficial to them life and career wise. Hopefully these tips that started off as wee hour shouts of frustration and aggravation will reach those who need them most...

1. #Artists What's on your website? How often do you update it? Do you think it is important to have a website, or does that matter to you at all?
2. #Artists Web domains & hosting plans are inexpensive these days. Invest in your career. Free services with ads & banners reek. Unprofessional.
3. #Artists Do not email mp3 attachments to press agencies or online promo services unless asked. Attachments will be deleted. Send links.
4. #Artists Get a general rundown of venue specs before you ok a gig. Sound. Location in relation to transportation. How will show be promoted?
5. #Artists If you want people to care about what you to have offer presentation is key. There's no excuse for hard to navigate, sites, blogs or Myspace pages.
6. #Artists Get organized. Use Reverbnation to handle your mailing lists and distribute your music files so u can track your stats. http://ow.ly/HL0l
7. #Artists Until you're in a position to not have to promote your show. Promote your show, if you really care about what you do. No excuses...

Bondfire Featuring, Joya Bravo, Tah Phrum Duh Bush & Jahmed

More Info...

BiN Green

With all the talk about being 'green' I realize how inherently green we already are. Fact is, I've been turning lights off and conserving water all of my life. Ha ha ha. Bin Green! Mind you it's all about self preservation by taking care of the planet that gives you life. Something that should already be second nature. Why is this a new concept.Well because it's not. Amazing how we can be sold something we already own.

I'm going to see 'Johnny Voltik And the Technicoloreds' hosted by Tasty Keish

Man I've been to Public Assembly a whole lot this year. If it wasn't for some BRM Magazine party it was to see my homegirl TastyKeish host something. I rocked with ADM. I hosted an awesome show with The Dugout performing a group reunion school is over celebration and witness the beautiful Queen GodIs rock out like no other female performer I know can. Now i'm going out to have a great time as Johnny Voltik celebrates a new album on the way. The Lifted Crew is rock earlier in the evening which is very cool. I've rocked with them at Kenny's Castways a number of times. They're solid.

If you're around tomorrow night at 9pm. You really need to come check out the show. And come hang out with me....! Hang out! WITH ME!

Public Assembly

70 North 6th St.
Brooklyn, New York 11211
United States
Show on Map

Tel: (718) 384-4586
Web: publicassemblynyc.com

Hosted by TastyKeish of 99.5 WBAI Rise Up Radio Show

Performances by:

-Johnny Voltik and The Technicoloreds
-The Outabodies
-Lifted
-DJ Single White Female on the 1’s and 2’s

I Are Conscious PSA - No Clipping

Public transportation is not the place for personal grooming. By personal grooming I mean, clipping your fingernails.

I Love Mike Tyson

Getcha - I Are Conscious - Eklektic Gardens

Snatching up old films in the public domain, the song Getcha from I Are Conscious' mixtape Neo Retro Retro Spectro Graphiks Vol.1 was mashed up with the opening scene from, 'Dead Eyes of London'.

Album available for free streaming and download here: last.fm/music/I+Are+Conscious/Neo+Retro+Spectro+Graphiks+Vol.1

Prohibition [Unconscious Version] Produced by Malkovich Music

Newsreel: Industry Booms After Repeal of Prohibition, ca. 1933 (ca. 1933)

Artist: I Are Conscious for Eklektic Gardens [ASCAP]

iareconscious.com
twitter.com/conscious
freehiphopnow.com

borrow me a saw buck
duck there goes tommy gun
tommy's son is ice cold
cold duck, damn near
untouchable, get the gatling
how you son,
doin well
thanks for askin
put that drink down
this symposium's sober
he got karma on his side
like he walk with clovers
scoprio vision
born october two third
used to spoken words
now he speak easy
Popeye Doyle
he speak greasy
finger lickin victims
he got a thing for
stiff chicks
yeah real sick
pomade for yah low fade
real slick
slidin like the flat foots
give the fuzz the hot foot
this is more ah less-uh day camp
bootleggin, consciously
which way did he go
he went that away
scat away louie with the strong arms
thinkin to he self what a wonderful world
this could be... if it weren't for the Capital P

Prohibition

The Tale Of Saucie Sinatra [Syndicated post from iareconscious.com]

I have a great appreciation for the legendary crooners and lounge singers of the past. It’s pretty normal for people to mention Frank Sinatra as being the greatest but I honestly don’t believe most folks actually realize why he is so. When you listen to this man, you must recognize the strength of his voice. His uncanny ability to sing phrases that would pose a challenge to most, in such a smooth and effortless way. To truly say you love and understand the musical stylings of Frank Sinatra, you have to be a student of his offerings. Until you’ve actually become that, get off the band wagon.

If I’m not mistakin, Ciph Diggy of Sleepwalkas is the individual that came up with name, ‘Saucie Sinatra’. It came about over time in relation to a performance of let’s say a rather saucy Conscious during one of the last shows performed at The Knitting Factory in lower Manhattan. My buzz word for that late evening was, ‘Saucy!’, which I shouted numerous times over the course of my set.

So anyway as I mentioned before, I love the music of Frank Sinatra. Also Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, the list continues… I even have an appreciation for certain showtunes. Yes showtunes. Working on developing my own voice for music that I’m writing these days I at times listen to a lot of songs from these artists and practice singing their songs. In the midst of doing so it’s only natural to start having ideas for my own songs done in that style. So, I’ve been writing and thus far I’ve written 2 songs, penned by the one and only, ‘Saucie Sinatra’.

My idea though with these songs once recorded and created over the proverbial scoring backdrops they’d normally be performed over, I intend on tweaking the production and adding a number of foriegn elements to this genre. A bit of chopping screwing, vocoding and glitch to the clean cut matrix of loungy, crooning, swinging, big band, jazz, showtune tunage, should be interesting.

Title: This Squirrel

Written by: Saucie Sinatra

I saw this squirrel the other day,
he wasn’t at all in a mood to play
he was focused hard, on gettin away
from another squirrel, (another squirrel)
yes another squirrel, (another squirrel)

I couldn’t believe what I saw,
what that little squirrel, had clentched in his jaws
wasn’t out of the norm, but rather bizzare
he had a chicken bone, (a chicken bone)
he had a chicken bone, (a chicken bone)

Perhaps its me, but I thought it strange
like stayin bone dry in the middle of rain
been waitin awhile for a paradigm change
but not this way, (no not like this)
but not this way, (no not like this)

It’s like the sun’s done changed to the moon
then December switched places with June
Realities gone, we’re in a living cartoon
I can’t believe it! (but it’s so true)
I can’t believe it! (but it’s so true)
I won’t believe it! (but still it’s true…)
Refuse to believe ! (but still it’s true…)

Link to original post... 

Mandrill... For Serious

Think you know bout funk? Do you know about Mandrill? If you don't, well then you really don't know funk at all. No worries though, I'm finna put you on, right now! I won't say anything more. I'll just let the tunes speak... 

Symphonic Revolution

House of Wood

Mango Meat

If you're diggin the funk, let me know!

Conscious' Twitter Updates for March 27th 2009

1. @verseall I say debted instead of dead that
2. @VERSEALL Dude you gottah debt that Facebook Event posting... We've gottah be on the same page with this promotion.
3. @tinlady When'd you plan on telling someone that you acted? This changes everything...!
4. @djreadycee Word didn't know you were going out of town...
5. @missjo_ladie Well, isn't that special...
6. @MissJo_Ladie aren't we quite the humorist this morning
7. @missjo_ladie Indeed I know what love is...
8. @konkretejungle Those were numbers that randomly appeared during my walk this morning.
9. @tinlady Why not?
10. @jubei_ Indeed they do. All over NYC.
11. March 27th, 2009 Morning Playlist http://tinyurl.com/cx9qfg
12. RT FREE Twitter Software that you can use on your website or WordPress Blog! You have to check it out athttp://mytweetelite.com
13. I'm learning how to absolutely, bring myself into the present moment. It's not all meditative and trance like. You should be conscious, ...
14. Children are beautiful.
15. Do you know what love is? Manifest it!
16. 8
17. 432 Manifest it!
18. 869
19. 42
20. 25111
21. 70 71
22. 19226
23. SE7
24. BBW 5407
25. 12
26. Waiting for info on a second Say Now account.www.saynow.com/iareconscious

March 27th, 2009 Morning Playlist

Don’t You Worry About A Thing - Stevie Wonder

All I Do - Stevie Wonder

Too High - Stevie Wonder

Pop Life - Prince

It’s The Falling In Love - Michael Jackson

Carousel - Michael Jackson

Butterflies - Michael Jackson

Joy - Marvin Gaye

Brother’s Gonna Work It Out - Willie Hutch

I Choose You - Willie Hutch

Day Of Knowing - Anam Owili-Eger

The Moment - Anam Owili-Eger

The Crying Shame - Anam Owili-Eger

Reason To Be - Anam Owili-Eger

Conscious' Twitter Updates for March 26th 2009

1. How do you like that, I just missed the 4 train. Well, here comes a next one.
2. Assume some sort of responsibility in life. Quit being so jaded.
3. If the kids are dancing, it's actually a good thing. Manifest it!
4. These brief sputtering moments of what I feel are inner peace, are incredibly complex to an extent, but not really.
5. Technology isn't the problem. Careless use and, or implementation of it is... Manifest it!about 16 hours ago from txt
6. Silence the mental mind chatter now. Manifest it!
7. Gotta remember that everything begins with you. Use distractions to your benefit...
8. Check out this event: "A Monthly Bondfire @ The Bowery Poetry Club!" [Going.com http://tinyurl.com/cahpxm]
9. Helicopters in air... Why? Regardless of that, today seems weird thus far. Like the year of 1984 is upon us...