I had an amazing time at the ASCAP (American Society for Composers, Authors, and Publishers) "I CREATE MUSIC" EXPO in Hollywood, CA! It was held this year at the fabulous Renaissance Hotel at the famed corner of Hollywood and Highland. I met Paris Hilton for the 2nd time, spoke with her sister Nicky Hilton for the 1st, and am still incredibly inspired by the awesome collection of speakers and presenters!
John Mayer opened up and shared his newfound determination to be free of external pressure, and to be true to finding the heart of the song. Ludacris and Quincy Jones taught us to Channel the Art and Perfect the Science in everything we do; whether it be songwriting & composing, producing other artists' records in the recording studio, or performing on our musical instruments of choice. Justin Timberlake and Bill Withers topped off the weekend by inspiring us to be efficient conduits of inspiration, and effective music business gurus in this exciting internet age.
The resounding gong from this year's ASCAP EXPO? Major Record Labels are Dead. Major Music Publishers are Dying. You can do it all yourself, and have a better quality of life if you:
1.) Stay Competitive! You must remain relevant in this ever-changing technological age! Keep up in your reading, rehearsing, and re-thinking of the boxes in which you live and work!
2.) Keep the Overhead Low and the Creativity High! You don't need to wait two years to make your next record anymore. Music has become ingrained in culture to a point where savvy consumers may find out about a new band or artist through a social networking site such as myspace, facebook, or youtube and then purchase it within a few minutes via iTunes, AmazonMP3, or even directly from the artists' website! Create the music that people want... that they NEED... and give it to them as often and as conveniently as possible!
3.) Be Honest to Who You Are & Be Good to Others! Everyone can tell if you're faking it. Be real. Get Honest. Write and Create what you truly LOVE... it will show. Be good to those around you, and those whom you bump into... be conscious of how you make them feel, because it all matters!
-MJD.
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