Friday, July 31, 2009

My Father...


To friends and family ~ My father Charlie Gall [aka Dr. McJazz] has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and is now in a palliative care unit in Georgetown Hospital.
If you call or email and we do not get back to you right away it is because we are with my Mom during this very difficult time.
We will try to update friends and family as often as we can.


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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Sad day yesterday as police confirmed the remains found in Mt Forest was that of Victoria Stafford.

It was difficult to watch as they removed Tori's body from the area in which she was found. I am angry as hell that the two pieces of crap that were responsible for that sweet little girls death are sitting comfortably in jail.

One trying to save her ass by supposedly "helping" the police and the other refusing to admit he is a murdering piece of garbage!!!!

Even his new lawyer is spinning that they are going fight this vigerously...without having any disclosure from the Crown [Typical defense lawyer crap]!

I also suspect [just my opinion] that Rafferty's old lawyer quit [or was fired] because he reviewed the evidence and realized he was defending a child murderer and told Rafferty to cut a deal which Rafferty obviously has refused....a testimate to just how stupid this guy really is. My thought is that he is safer in jail than out, he'd be better off in protective custody than anywhere even remotely close to Oxford County.

At least the family can now give Tori an appropriate good-bye and my heart sincerely goes out to the them.

P.S. The Chip Gall Band will be performing at Rodney Staffords' [Tori's father] Event "Kilometers For Kids" on Aug 1st at the The Oxford Auditorium. I will be performing at 8:45pm!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Calling yourself an "indie" artist may be doing more harm than good...


I am dropping "indie" from the description of my music...here's why.The only difference being "Indie" or "major" is that when you sign with a major label you are actually signing up with a huge promotion/advertising company that doubles as an incredibly unfair bank....who in the end will own your music....also 95% of you will never see a royalty cheque. However as far as the music goes the only difference is your ability to promote it to a mass market, that takes a Major Label....PERIOD! There is a hefty price for that service and it's up to you if that is the route you want to pursue.

I understand everyone's [me included] desire to label themselves as "indie" to prove you are against the establishment...but are you actually doing yourself more harm than good? Are people assuming you aren't that good because you never got signed by the big

promotion/advertising/bank? Again...that's your decision to make...I have decided I am a

recording artist....not "indie or "Major". Why put yourself behind the pack from the start...???

I believe most peoples perception of the word "indie" is the recording is bad....the music is obscure...and the artist is selling diddly squat. So why give people that misconception from the start by calling yourself "indie". Aren't we all just recording artists whether signed to a "major label" or not? Why not just call yourself a "recording artist"...that's what you are!
If someone asks you if you are signed to a label politely ask them "would it change your opinion of my music depending on my answer" they'll look at ya weird but it's fun to watch their response...lol?

People's perception of your success is directly related to how they hear about your music. For example: I released my debut CD in 2006. It sold ok for a typical "indie" release [see even I make assumption about indie] and had a song on it called "Come Home" which absolutely know one commented on. The song in mid 2009 ended up on local radio. I did some interviews etc...and suddenly the song was the most requested on the local station. The funny thing was that people who already had the CD [for almost 3 years] were asking where they could get the song. It meant nothing until they started hearing it on the radio so suddenly it was a legitimate song.

This is a micro example however my point is, that ii illustrates the difference between a major label getting your music out there on mass radio, print etc...and creating the "perception of success". People assume you are successful because of the mass promotion of your music which only a major label can provide. When that song was not on radio and just another song on an "indie" CD know one cared.

So are you an "indie artist or a "recording artist"....you decide.

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Friday, July 10, 2009

"Kilometers For Kids"



Keep Aug 1st open on your calendar.....!!!!!
Rodney Stafford [the father of Tori Stafford the little girl who was tragically murdered here in Woodstock on April 8th] has asked me to perform at "Kilometers For Kids" an fundraising event / bike ride he is putting on in conjunction with Child Find Canada.
I don't have a lot of details at the moment, however I know the activities are scheduled to start at 1pm and continue through 1am at The Oxford Auditorium in Woodstock, Ontario.
There will be lots for the kiddies' to do during the day and live bands in the evening.
I have been asked to help organize some bands for the event so I am in the process of asking friends for favors to make the event a huge success.
This man has been through hell and back over the last 3 months and it is incredible that he is taking on such an event in order to help out other families who may find themselves in the same situation he has endured.
It is the very least we can do to support this event and show Rodney and Tori's extended family we support their courage and selflessness.
I will keep everyone posted on details as they come in....

Below is an artcile from the Woodstock Sentinel Review about Rodney's Bike Ride "Kilometers For Kids".

He's a father who wants to make the world a better place for children.
Rodney Stafford plans to bike 3,453 kilometres across Canada to raise money for Child Find Ontario.
"It's all in memory of Victoria," said Stafford.
The "Kilometres for Kids" fundraiser will kick off Aug. 1 with an event at the Oxford Auditorium. The next day, Stafford will set out for Edmonton on his bike.
"I've got it slated so that there will be eight stops along the way to Edmonton," he said.
The stops will be fundraising events for Child Find Ontario. Tori's aunt Rebecca Stafford is organizing one in Edmonton and several families are working on fundraisers in Barrie and Sudbury, he said.
Stafford is looking for local sponsors to pledge 1-cent or 10-cents a kilometre in exchange for company names and logos on "Kilometres for Kids" T-shirts. He's also hoping someone will donate a bike that's capable of a cross-Canada trek.
Stafford aims to reach Edmonton by Sept. 2. After arriving, he plans to release a purple balloon from a mountain in Jasper that Tori visited on a trip with her aunt Rebecca.
"It was probably one of the highest places she ever was, and if it's true she has passed, I want to be as close as I can to release the balloon," said Stafford.
KILOMETRES FOR KIDS
Where: Oxford Auditorium at the Woodstock Fairgrounds
When: Aug. 1 from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.
What: Games, music, dancers, kids entertainment, draws for prizes and finger printing by Child Find Ontario
Admission: $10 for one adult, $15 for a couple, kids are free
All Proceeds Go To Child Find Ontario
Anyone interested in sponsoring Stafford can e-mail r_v_stafford@hotmail.com.

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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Why I need 1,000 True Fans...


Still want to be a DIY musician....you need 1,000 true fans?

As the number of artists on Myspace grows exponentially the market share of indie musicians shrinks exponentially.This reflects directly on your ability to reach your niche market and sell your music, t's and live tickets. With over 10 million artists and countingon Myspace, I was getting to the point where I never even logged in...what was the point? One tiny fish in a massive ocean of music.

Here's a scary stat for you...according to Nielsen Soundscan, a total of 105,000, new full-length albums were released in 2008, a fourfold gain fromthe earlier 2000s. And of that pot, just 6,000 releases sold 1,000 units or more in the first year. [Source ~ Digital Music News]

So 99,000 releases sold less than 1,000 units. I guess that stat actually makes most of us feel pretty good and that we are not alone in the under 1,000 units club. But just think about that for a moment...what if those 1,000 fans became true loyal fans and bought everything you put out there.[IE CD, T's Live Shows etc...].

I got to thinking about the above statistic...
Let's just do that math for an example:
1,000 True Fans:

CD $10.00 x 1,000 = $10,000.00

T's $20.00 x 1,000 = $20,000.00

Live Shows $5.00 each x 2 shows a year [minimum] = $10.00 x 1,000 = $10,000.00
Total Gross: $40,000.00/yr

As you can see 1,000 true fans can provide you with a decent gross income without asking a whole lot from them.

Buy one CD and T- shirt a year plus attend two live shows at $5.00 each....and this is only your core true fans. There would also be income generated from "fringe" fans...those on the outer circle who will buy a CD but not a shirt or maybe attend a live show to "check you out"...those fringe fans could eventually become part of your core true fans... each worth to you approx. $40.00 annually.

Instead of trying to rule the world am concentrating on local awareness of my music which seems to be garnering some results. When I did this there was much more interest in what I was doing...it was more focused....and I felt like I was making progress. Instead of trying to turn the entire world onto my music, I concentrated on the little more centralized things.

Facebook and other social networking sites are a great way of finding a core group of true fans. On Facebook you can create lists of people you know...go ahead and create a 1,000 True Fans list and ask people if they wanna be on it. Focus your attention and your posts etc...on them. They will be your core true fans who will buy your music, t's and attend your live shows.

Something to think about the next time you log into Myspace and start swimming in that great big sea!

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I am looking 1,000 true fans......are you one of them?

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Acoustic Jam at Jackie's B-Day Bash


Courtney Love...letter to recording artists


Below is an open letter to recording artsist from Courtney Love...this is not recent however still very valid and I thought I would share it with you.

Courtney Love's Letter to Recording Artists - ARTIST RIGHTS AND RECORD COMPANIES
Dear Fellow Recording Artists,

I'm writing to ask you to join the chorus of recording artists who want us all to get a fair deal from the record companies. R.E.M., the Dixie Chicks, U2, Alanis Morrissette, Bush, Prince and Q-Tip have called me with their support and we need your participation as well.

There are 3 basic facts to all recording artists should know:

1. No one has ever represented the rights and interests of recording artists AS A GROUP in negotiations with record companies.

2. Recording artists don't have access to quality health care and pension plans like the ones made available to actors and athletes through their unions.

3. Recording artists are paid royalties that represent a tiny fraction of the money their work earns.

As I was working with my manager and my new attorneys on my lawsuit with the Universal Music Group, we realized that the most unfair clauses in my contract applied to ALL recording artists. Most importantly, no one was representing artists in an attempt to change the system.
Recording artists need to form a new organization that will represent their interests in Washington and negotiate fair contract terms with record companies.

Here's what you should know:
THERE IS NO ONE WHO REPRESENTS RECORDING ARTISTS
Recording artists don't have a single union that looks out for their interests.

AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has a contract with major labels for vocalists and the AFM (American Federation of Musicians) has a contract for non-singing musicians and session players. If you're in a band, your singer is represented by a different union (AFTRA) than the rest of your group (who are represented by the AFM). AFTRA negotiates contracts for TV and Radio performers. They don't pay very much attention to the recording business; it's not their priority. The AFM acts like band members are sidemen and session players because that's mostly who the union represents.Record companies like this system because neither union represents all artists.

AFTRA and AFM only negotiate session fees and other minor issues for the singers or the "sidemen." Who looks after our interests in Washington? Until very recently, Congress believed that the RIAA spoke for recording artists. The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) is a trade group that is paid for by record companies to represent their interests. The Napster hearings last summer and a few other issues have let Washington know that NO ONE speaks for recording artists right now. We have their attention and must act quickly to make sure artists have a voice.

RECORDING ARTISTS DON'T HAVE A SAFETY NET
Compare yourself to actors and baseball players. Like the music business, the film and the sports industries generate billions of dollars in income each year, but those industries offer far better benefits to the men and women who create their wealth.
The Screen Actors Guild offers a fantastic health care plan to its members.
That health plan is paid for by the contracts that SAG has negotiated with film studios.
The baseball player's union has negotiated a pension plan that ensures that NO major league player ever finds himself without an income.
Why shouldn't recording artists get the same benefits?

RECORDING ARTISTS DON'T GET PAID Record companies have a 5% success rate. That means that 5% of all records released by major labels go gold or platinum. How do record companies get away with a 95% failure rate that would be totally unacceptable in any other business?

Record companies keep almost all the profits. Recording artists get paid a tiny fraction of the money earned by their music. That allows record executives to be incredibly sloppy in running their companies and still create enormous amounts of cash for the corporations that own them.

The royalty rates granted in every recording contract are very low to start with and then companies charge back every conceivable cost to an artist's royalty account. Artists pay for recording costs, video production costs, tour support, radio promotion, sales and marketing costs, packaging costs and any other cost the record company can subtract from their royalties.


Record companies also reduce royalties by "forgetting" to report sales figure, miscalculating royalties and by preventing artists from auditing record company books.
Recording contracts are unfair and a single artist negotiating an individual deal doesn't have the leverage to change the system.

Artists will finally get paid what they deserve when they band together and force the recording industry to negotiate with them AS A GROUP.

Thousands of successful artists who sold hundreds of millions of records and generated billions of dollars in profits for record companies find themselves broke and forgotten by the industry they made wealthy.

Here a just a few examples of what we're talking about:

Multiplatinum artists like TLC ("Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," "Waterfalls" and "No
Scrubs") and Toni Braxton ("Unbreak My Heart" and "Breathe Again") have been
forced to declare bankruptcy because their recording contracts didn't pay them
enough to survive.

Corrupt recording agreements forced the heirs of Jimi Hendrix ("Purple Haze,"
"All Along the Watchtower" and "Stone Free") to work menial jobs while his
catalog generated millions of dollars each year for Universal Music.

Florence Ballard from the Supremes ("Where Did Our Love Go," "Stop in the Name
of Love" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" are just 3 of the 10 #1 hits she sang on)
was on welfare when she died.

Collective Soul earned almost no money from "Shine," one of the biggest
alternative rock hits of the 90s when Atlantic paid almost all of their
royalties to an outside production company.

Merle Haggard ("I Threw Away the Rose," "Sing Me Back Home" and "Today I Started
Loving You Again") enjoyed a string of 37 top-ten country singles (including 23
#1 hits) in the 60s and 70s. Yet he never received a record royalty check until
last year when he released an album on the indie punk-rock label Epitaph.

Think of it this way: recording artists are often the writers, directors and
producers of their own records. They write the songs, choose the producers and
engineers who record their music, hire and oversee the photographers and
designers who create their CD artwork and oversee all parts of video production,
from concept to director to final edit. Record companies advance money for
recording costs and provide limited marketing services for the music that
artists conceive and create. In exchange, they keep almost all of the money and
100% of the copyrights.

Even the most successful recording artists in history (The Beatles, The Eagles,
Nirvana, Eminem) have been paid a fraction of the money they deserved from sales
of their records. This is a very big and very important project and we're in the
early days.

Here's what we're looking for:

1. Artists who are willing to speak to the media to publicly lend their support
to the idea that recording artists need an organization that represents our
interests in Washington and with the record companies. We also would like you
tell your managers and attorneys that you support this cause and that you expect
them, as your representatives and employees to do the same.

2. Anyone who can tell us specific stories about how artists have been ripped
off by record companies like the ones I told above.

We're going to have to educate the public and the media and Congress and the
only way we'll do that is by giving them examples they can relate to. NOW is the
time for action. Artists like Garbage and N*SYNC have have joined me in
questioning bad contracts and have also gone to court to change the system.

Record companies have merged and re-merged to the point where they can no longer
relate to their artists. Digital distribution will change the music industry
forever; artists must make sure they finally get their fair share of the money
their music earns. We need to come together quickly and present a united front
to the industry.

Your managers and attorneys will probably tell you not to rock the boat and not
to risk your "relationship" with your record company by taking a stand. Most
attorneys and managers are conflicted. Almost all entertainment law firms
represent both artists and record companies. Lawyers can't take a stand against
record companies because that's where they get most of their business. Even the
best managers often have business relationships with labels and depend on record
companies to refer new clients.

Think about Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam's stand against TicketMaster. Everyone
knew he was right and yet no other artist took a public stand against a company
that we all knew was hurting our business because our managers and attorneys
told us it would be a bad idea.

Attorneys and managers are your employees. Make sure they know how you feel and
that you want them to publicly support the idea that the terms of recording
contracts are unfair and cover too long a time period. You also want them to
support an organization that will negotiate health and pension benefits for all
recording artists.

Artists have all the power. They create the music that makes the money that
funds the business. No one has ever harnessed that power for artists' collective
good. And remember something equally important: Actors had to fight to end the
studio system that forced actors to work for one employer and baseball players
had to strike to end the reserve clause that tied a player to one team for his
entire career. Even though "experts" predicted economic disaster once actors and
athletes gained their freedom, both the film business and baseball have enjoyed
their greatest financial success once their talent was given its freedom.

Join us now in taking a public stand. Your name will help get the attention that
artists rights deserve. If you're willing to speak to the media or testify
before Congress, you can help make our goals a reality.

Do it for yourself, for your children and do it for the artists who inspired you
to make music in the first place.
Email us at: Artists@theredceiling.com

Give us your stories and your support. Tell us we can add your name to the list
of artists who support this organization. And let us know how to contact you
directly as we move forward on this project.
If you're interested in learning more about my case with Universal, visit my
manager's website: http://www.theredceiling.com.
You can download a copy of our cross-complaint and press releases that describe
the issues we're taking to court. Thanks in advance for your support.
Best regards,
Courtney Love

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Where has all the money gone...???

In the 1980's artists at the club level were actually paid for their services and paid pretty well I might add....

Yes, it may be a joke to laugh at those 80's bands with the "big hair and eyeliner" but there was a benefit to going to that
much trouble to put on a solid entertaining show. We actually got paid for our hard work!

My band SYRE regularly played [at our peak] over 250 shows a year and "grossed" a substantial amount of money year after
year. Those days are unfortunately long gone...these days clubs are barely willing to hire live entertainment... let alone
"indie" recording artists who play their own music [god forbid]. I think their are serval reasons for this...

Back in the day, there was genuine excitement about seeing bands who "may get a record deal", people would flock to their
local club to see the next "big thing". Nowadays with the onset of the internet and arguably declining music "sales", record
label A & R reps are rarely [if ever...] leaving the sanctity of their label shrine to check out bands in the local clubs... unless they are going to see what they believe to be a "sure thing".

"A sure thing" is defined as an artist who has sold 50,000+ units on their own, a track record of selling out clubs on a
regular basis, have at least 5,000+ fans on their Myspace/Facebook and have a finished "broadcast quality" recording to hand the record label. Oh yeh and they must be willing to tour relentlessly for very [and I mean very...] little personal income.

Label reps are also rarely [if ever] signing "development deals" where they bring the artist's along and mold them into what
they need at the time. Again...those days are long gone. Now they are looking for a complete package ready to go out of the
box.

For the average indie artist, it's tuff to get a club to pay you particularly if you only play your own original music. To get around paying these artists to play, club owners are hosting "Jam nights or "Open Mic' nights so they can have musicians come in and make the club money by playing for free!

Young bands flock to this type of event just so they can play a gig. This was [and continues to be] the beginning of the end for payment in return for the performance of live original music. As soon as artists devalue their services it sends a
dangerous message that they [and others] are willing to play for free just to get a gig. This tends to snowball and suddenly artists that were being paid for their services in a clubs are now being asked to play for less money... or even free.

Many artists will justify [to themselves] playing for free by saying well "we'll sell some CD' or T's at the gig" and make money that way. Only to find that it's tuff to get people to part with their hard earned cash these days.

It's very much part of the current "free society" mentality flamed by the internet...where the general public is starting to believe everything should be free. Unfortunately, our economy doesn't work that way folks and the music business is no different. It is called a "business" for a reason...artists, producers, studios, managers etc all need to make money for
their services. Without those arms of the industry making money there will be no music [or to even give away...]. Club level artists [which includes me...]have become slaves to the clubs themselves. Begging for gigs, playing for free, devaluing the very "profession" they have worked so hard to succeed in.

Now just to play devil's advocate...and in the clubs and music fans defense. Rock music [in particular] has become boring and the live presentation of music even worse. Artist have faded into that garage band mentality of the 90's and are still paying the price for boring shows and poor live attendance.

Rock music is supposed to be about excitment...not going up there and
going through the motions...if that is your mind set then don't expect to get paid for your services. If you are not excited about what you do then how can you expect others to be?
What we all need to remember is that music is a form of "entertainment" and like it or not we are "entertainers". In order to
be paid for a service you have to perform that service well....and part of being a recording artist is to "entertain" people.
Even the greatest guitar players can't juts go up there and display their chop's...even that becomes boring without some form of showmanship or in the least banter with the audience.

My message is don't be afraid to ask to be paid for our services...the clubs will make money if you draw an audience and that will happen if you are entertaining and provide a service worth the money you are [hopefully] being paid.
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