How to gain exposure and fans in other ways? There are few questions:

1) Where are you located?
2) What genre are you?
3) Do you have a band, are you a solo act?

a1) If you’re located in a moderate sized city, start playing at places that suit your style. For an obvious example, if you’re pop, don’t play the local hardcore dive or else you will probabiy be physically harmed.
a2) Your genre determines your outlets for finding people. If you’re a classical/musical singer, you have to hook up with performing arts companies. If you’re indie, folk, or adult contemporary, you should start playing at local coffee shops and other intimate venues. If you’re a pop star, find a backup band and start playing larger venues, festivals and competitions. If you’re rock, find a rock backup band and start playing rock venues.
a3) If you have a backing band, you’ll have more options for places to play.

In all, simply playing out and gaining tread (through fans, connections and experience) is the best way to attract attention. The likeliness of a cold sent demo (to an A&R rep at a major company) resulting in a contract is as small as the likeliness of finding a good Mexican restaurant in Canada.

Don’t be discouraged. Meeting people is easy. Networking to the right people is the best way to get your music heard by the money up top. Stay tuned here for more tips.

Best of luck,
Jbrickman

The brains, fingers, and mouths over at the Remington camp have been busy. Not only has their tour schedule been packed with dates, but the band has released a wonderfully refined and lovingly handcrafted EP.

Off of their own record label, Blue Collar Music, The Warm Winter EP was posted for download and purchase this week. Remington is an intelligent, dance driven NYC Dance Rock group out of the genre’s namesake town. Ross Mintzer, Mike Thurber, and Greg Evans make up the trio of extraordinarily talented musicians, all of whom have spent some time at the city’s higher music education institutions (like Manhattan School). The group has already gone quite the distance, citing 2006 as the year they first started their endeavors. Although the undeniable originality of their sound is one of the group’s most attractive qualities, if you were to demand that I relate them to other artists in the field, I’d tell you that their beat spawns out of an Arcade Fire-esque forum. However, the core of the sound goes beyond any groups in my eclectic reckoning. Remington truly is one of a kind. (Random fact for music geeks: Ross Mintzer is the ineffable jazz band leader/composer/arranger Bob Mintzer’s nephew.)
Continue reading ‘New Remington EP: The Warm Winter’

Whilst browsing the internet, enjoying the vast expanse of art that exists in cyberspace, I stumbled across a photographer that really stands out.

I especially enjoyed her work in vintage camera techniques. The way she uses her medium to shape her art is striking. I’m no expert, but it looks like Alessandra employs a combination of a vintage camera with which she takes photos and the medium on which she prints the photo. I love this one:

Here’s to a smaller world thanks to the internet: She’s from Milano, Italy. If you want to see more, stop by her portfolio:

Allessandra Maggioni Photography

Or if you want to show love, stop by her deviantArt page:

Allessandra Maggioni on deviantArt

Stay well,
jbrickman

As we were catching our breath, the view nearly stole it from us again. Visibility stretched to the curved horizon, as we beheld the sprawling Adirondack wilderness. We admired the earthy monuments of the high peaks to our south, and the far reaching hills of the New York North Country. Reaching the peak of Ampersand Mountain is truly a rejuvenating experience, reminding you that life’s value is found in awe striking moments such as that.

This past Sunday, I hiked Ampersand with Mikey, Belinda and Cole.

Continue reading ‘ADKS: Ampersand Mountain’

On behalf of Cities Over Seas and the staff of Madstop Records, I’d like to thank everybody who came out to the show. We were in the company of many more friends than we anticipated, and for that we were all overjoyed. If you enjoyed our company as much we enjoyed yours, check out Cities at any one of their upcoming public dates:

5.3 - WAIH-B-Q - SUNY Potsdam - Student Union - Free
5.4 - Knowlestock - SUNY Potsdam - Knowles Quad - Free

If you care to have a memento of the experience, pick up their CD “National Phantom” on its release in late April. You will be able to download/order a CD here at MadstopRecords.com.

If you want to get connected with Cities Over Seas, stop by their Myspace at:
http://www.Myspace.com/citiesoverseas

Stay well!
Jared Brickman
A&R Executive - Madstop Records

Ever since its inception, Madstop Records has been a student-volunteer organization focused on supporting the local music community and educating its members on the operations and techniques of the music industry. Quickly developing throughout the years, the label has ever sought new avenues to participate in the music scene and help artists achieve their dreams. The growing number of Madstop Records members has brought a consistent flow of new ideas and fresh talent, continuing the evolution of the organization.

It all began in the spring of 2003, when a small group of Music Business students in SUNY Potsdam’s Record Company Administration course brainstormed and executed the launch of Madstop Records, a student-run not-for-profit label. In the following fall, with the consent of the on-campus, nonprofit auxiliary college services organization PACES, Madstop Records became an entity of PACES which is the business wing of the college foundation and as such has 501c3 status. The subsequent year found the skeleton crew at Madstop working hard to establish a structure and mode for the organization to operate by. The efforts of that year came to fruition in the June 2004 with the release of Madstop’s first album, a compilation entitled “this is the fun part”. The album was iconic of the label’s efforts: promote local artists and generate excitement about the local music scene.

Continue reading ‘The History Of An Independent Student Record Label: Madstop Records’

(doors at 7p, show at 8p)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jared Brickman
Cell Phone: xxxx
Email: madstop(at)potsdam.edu
Potsdam, NY – March 28th, 2008
REFRESHINGLY ORIGINAL INDIE ROCK BAND TO MAKE DEBUT
Cities Over Seas To Play Hurley’s Night Club - April 5th

On the evening of Saturday, April 5th, at Hurley’s - SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam’s newest band will make its debut, bringing a never before heard sound to the area’s music scene. A consortium of music talent, Cities Over Seas is highlighted by the vocals of celebrated solo artist Doug Cambell, backed by members of the previously active atmospheric rock band Slow Release, and drummer Joe Parker, who will be making his own personal debut to the scene. With songwriting by Alex Butler and Craig Marrer, the group is a slight departure from projects that its members have played in the past, incorporating new influences and elements of electronic composition into the mix. When asked what their greatest motivation is, the musicians of Cities Over Seas reply that they are making music for the sake of art and as an outlet of expression. Most members are originally from the Central New York area, where they will be spending a portion of their time playing shows and building a following. The Hurley’s show comes with the much anticipated release of their debut album, National Phantom, set to hit the market in late April.

Alex Butler, bassist and founding member of the Cities Over Seas project describes the creation of the group: “[It was] three friends that wanted to continue making music together and saw the opportunity to expand their sound and talent with new musicians that we very much respect.” The group and the album join the small legion of others that were an in-studio incarnation. National Phantom started on Butler’s laptop and keyboard, which then moved to the studio and employed live musician elements. This is where the group began to develop its sound, discovering new ways to puzzle each other’s style and taste together into a Indie rock masterpiece. The group cites the revolutionary atmospheric rock band Radiohead as their greatest influence.

The album comes out of the upcoming, student run, independent record label: Madstop Records. Its website states that it is “…a not-for-profit record label that places emphasis on supporting the music community and educating its members on practices of the music industry. ” A large portion of the work that was completed to produce Cities Over Seas’ new album was in the Madstop recording studio, using the resources that are provided to its signed artists. Alex Butler acted as executive producer, doing the majority of the audio engineering. The album was mastered by affiliate SubCat Music Studios in Syracuse, NY.

Now, just a few short months after the completion of the studio project, Cities Over Seas is ready to explore the scene. “We would like to begin working on more experimental music,” Alex explains, “trying to push our music in new directions that we find interesting and that hopefully our audiences will enjoy.” The group has several appearances in the Potsdam area before the summer, when they look to expand their reach in areas throughout Central New York and beyond.

For more information about Cities Over Seas and to listen to singles off of National Phantom go to:
http://www.MadstopRecords.com

Join Cities Over Seas in their maiden voyage:
Live @ Hurley’s Night Club - SUNY Potsdam
44 Pierrepont Dr.
Potsdam, NY 13676
All Ages
Free for SUNY Potsdam Students with ID | $3 all others

- Jared Brickman

# # #

For more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Cities Over Seas, please e-mail Jared Brickman at: madstop(at)potsdam.edu

Regardless of whether you are truly guilty or not, these 9 steps will guide you to a case dismissal. (It’s impossible to guaranty such a result, but personally, I got off a bogus ticket following these exact steps - so they work!)

(I did this in my home state of New York. There is a chance that it’s different in your state, although it seems to me to be something that would be common practice nationally.)

Dismissal - When a court dismisses your traffic violation case, you receive no penalty, and no points on your license. As far as I understand it, there are 4 ways to get your traffic violation dismissed:
- Upon recommendation by the district attorney (unlikely)
- The officer’s failure to write a supporting deposition (possible)
- The officer is too lazy, too busy, or on leave, so he doesn’t show up in court (very possible)
- You find a weakness in the officer’s notes on the ticket (possible)

Here are the steps to vie for a dismissal:
Continue reading ‘9 Quick Steps To Get Out Of Traffic Ticket’

I’ve learned quite a bit about gigs with bands in the past few year. I draw my experience from managing multiple bands, the most successful of which (Behind Bad Luck!) has played high profile gigs, such as the Knitting Factory in NYC and with revered groups like The Pietasters, Reegal Beagal, and King Django. Here is what I have learned:

Who to Contact To Book A Gig

Gigs can be done either directly through the venue or via a show promoter. Promoters are people who have nights locked at bars and venues, making it so you have to work through them to get gigs.  They’re supposed to help organize and promote your show, making it easier for the band and the venue. For these services they will usually take either a flat fee or a % of the pay your band receives. Sometimes they take 10% (which is real nice deal for band), and sometimes they’re not nice people and take something like 40%. There have been occasions in the past where my band has given a % or flat fee to a promoter for a show, and they’ve done absolutely nothing to promote or organize the show.

It is possible, albeit a little more difficult to penetrate the scene, for your band to contact venues directly and book yourself.

Agreeing On the Terms of the Gig

Continue reading ‘Booking Gigs for Your Band: Checklists Of Things To Know and Do’

My fair university wrote a press release about my band, Behind Bad Luck!’s incredible show at the Knitting Factory!

Continue reading ‘SUNY Potsdam Press Release About My Band: Behind Bad Luck!’