Project Unicorn

I had the good fortune of seeing one of my favourite musicians recently. Owen Pallett – under the moniker of Final Fantasy – took to the stage of Union Chapel here in London. Where I, amongst others, sat transfixed in our pews – as if in worship of a musical deity, which by the end of the night most people seemed to affirm him to be.

I get to see a few artists perform quite regularly here in London, but when I can’t I go on the search for live videos, which act as the closest way I can see them “in person”. Seeing Final Fantasy perform reminded me of one of the videos that made me adamant that I had to see him live – one he shot with They Shoot Music – Don’t They? What I love about this video (and their videos in general) is that outside of the studio and off of the stage, the They Shoot Music crew create the type of videos that would have music fans wish they were there to see being made. However, that’s where the charm lies: in the fact that there is no overt, dedicated audience present. Despite shooting in public spaces, it’s almost all within a secret world – where They Shoot Music are allowing us the privilege of looking through the keyhole. Not to mention, these videos really make me want to go and visit Vienna.

Also, I just love this song.

WOnibudo Music Final Fantasy, Owen Pallett, they shoot music

Alice Cooper stopped by the office today...yes, Alice Cooper, the man, the myth, the legend himself.

We're very excited about the beginning of what we hope to be a a strong and continuing relationship with Alice (stay tuned for upcoming announcements!), but I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a bit about some fantastic things he's working on....some things all of us here at Project Unicorn are really excited about as well.

Alice Cooper is on a mission to make a difference, and he's doing it where it counts the most-in the lives of children.

Realizing that a large part of his career was built on teens around the world and that he yielded a great deal of influence over the youth culture, Alice approached his good friend and youth pastor Chuck Savale with an idea.  The two partnered together in an effort to make a significant difference in as many lives as possible, and for the past ten years, these two fathers and friends have focused on raising money to support other like-minded organizations and individuals.

To date, over $1.2 million has been donated; however, for Alice and Chuck, the dream is larger.  These two men have envisioned a center targeted at teens, built on the premise of providing teens with an outlet where they can flourish and prepare for their life ahead of them.

Enter THE ROCK, where Alice Cooper's foundation, Solid Rock will provide a safe place in which teens can develop their talents in a community based on Christian values...with a focus on self-discovery, music, self-expression, and creativity.

What Alice hopes to accomplish for these kids is amazing; he's after a demographic that's commonly ignored, and he's doing it in a way that has the potential to be the most impacting: through music (what Alice described as "the common denominator").

Project Unicorn is very excited about what looks like a promising future with Alice Cooper and Solid Rock.  Don't forget to come back for more details....we'll be keeping you updated on all the happenings here at the U.

For more info about Solid Rock and The Rock teen center, visit http://www.AliceCooperSolidRock.com.

Meredith Treinen Announcements, Music alice cooper, solid rock, the rock

I'm a huge Slightly Stoopid fan, though I've never had a chance to see them live.  (They've only been playing together for like, ten years, right?)

So I was thrilled to discover this morning that they'll be playing in Tempe, AZ on March 17th @ Tempe Town Lake.

I've heard they put on a pretty fantastic show, and this live version of 2AM just convinced me it's a must see:

So here's a shout out to Kyle, Miles, RyMo, O.G., DeLa,a nd C-Money.  See you guys out here soon!

If you're planning on coming out to the show, let me know.

Meredith Treinen Community Spotlight, Music, Video live show, slightly stoopid, tempe town lake, tour dates

SXSW has announced the Music Festival Schedule.  The Unicorn Team will be at Auditorium Shores for three nights of free music.  Acts will include The Arc Angels, Jambo, Explosions In the Sky...and much more.  So come out enjoy some great tunes, and stop by to say hello! -The Unicorn Team

Meredith Treinen Events and Conferences, Music auditorium shores, explosions in the sky, jambo, muic, sxsw, the arc angels

There is nothing better than a simple song sung well, and this week's artist of the week does just that.  An airy voice over laid back acoustics, Phoenix Williams is nothing less than a breath of fresh air. Born in Blackpool, Lancs, Phoenix was given her first guitar at the age of three and encouraged early on to pursue music.  It was clear that she had a natural ear for sound, and by the age of nineteen Phoenix focused her life on songwriting and music composition. Fast forward to 2008, a break out year for the up and coming singer songwriter.  Her album Wait and See was independently released through Deuce Records in September, and has made quite the splash on the indie music scene. After taking a few months off, Phoenix will be back on the gig circuit in March.  Stayed tuned for show announcements, as we'll be keeping you posted!  In the mean time, check out this live version of "Everything's Good," recorded at the Sanctuary Cafe in Brighton.   For more info on Phoenix Williams hop on over here, or email Rob Saunders at rob@deucemp.com.

Meredith Treinen Music deuce management, indie music, live music, phoenix williams

If you are a musician or part of an unsigned band, this may sound like a trick question. The truth is, while a lot of people want to get signed, very few are really committed to putting in the work necessary to making their dream a reality.  

Sites like Unicorn Media are great launching points for musical talent under the radar. You can upload your videos and music and create an online fan base.  Anyone who is serious about getting a recording deal should be prepared to do a lot of self promotion.

What does that mean? Well, in addition to utilizing the resources of Unicorn Media, you should also make CD’s of your music and plan on selling them and/or giving them away in order to get your sound “out there.”  You can also create your own website and MySpace page and link them to and from your Unicorn Media posts. 

What else can you do? You should refine and perfect your music as much as possible, and think about things like your genre and the demographic(s) that your sound would appeal to the most. In other words, think like a marketing director, like a recording exec, like someone in the business who has the daunting task of selecting an unknown artist or band from the pile of candidates. 

I’ll have some more pearls of wisdom for you in upcoming posts, but these tips should be enough to get you started.

Remember:

 

1. Develop your online presence
2. Be your own self-promoter
3. Refine your sound

 

    Good Luck!

Meredith Treinen Music get signed tips, unsigned band, unsigned bands

   Los Angeles pop princes Alana Gentry has been making waves with her breathy, pop sound, guitar chops and harmonica skills. The young performer has a sound I can best describe as pretty, with soft, uncomplicated melodies that play on her strengths.  The brunette also incorporates some synth influences into some of her songs—take “Amplified” and “ Scarletina” as an example. “Amplified” sounds a little like Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life,” which is a little disconcerting. When I was looking at Alana’s MySpace, I thought, “Oh! Another girl with a guitar,” but then I searched for her on YouTube and found some home videos she recorded and thought, “Now that’s what I like!” She’s sitting on her couch with her harmonica attached to her neck Bob Dylan style, donning a plaid hat and a smirk that made me like her instantly.  I really like “Thoughts of You” which is happy and light sounding—her voice takes some fun runs in this one. I also like “We’re One,” that in one instance compares Alana to the rain—great metaphor.

Meredith Treinen Music

   

I like these guys a lot! Soul, hip hop and rock group Natives of the New Dawn bring a little bit of choir, rap, funk and merriment together for a unique fusion sound with synth, keyboards, an emcee and much more.  The emcee (Vince Mann) has a very interesting style—his pronunciation of words is unique and he has a passion and intensity that comes across for the listener, not to mention great sideburns. The guitar player (Joe Fikany) delivers licks that rock my socks and the drummer (Tom Wachter) pumps the audience up with inspired beats for a dynamic live performance.  The singer and keyboard player (Tony Nouhan) has a soulful voice, adding a great twist to the classic “Aint No Sunshine (When She’s Gone),” while upright electric bassist (Ryan Coomer) keeps the rhythm.  DJ Gary Hoenicke, affectionately known as DJ Goo, offers synth without being obnoxious. I really like the energy these guys have onstage—great presence. The lyrics are perceptive and tell stories of interesting characters or situations, avoiding clichés whenever possible. “Old Shoes” is one of my favorites—funky and creative. Thinking about where your shoes have been and what sort of story they have to tell is a great concept.

Meredith Treinen Music, Musings

   

 

Indie rock, garage band 300 Pounds really brings the noise with their second full-length album, Metamorphosis.  Based in Santa Cruz, California, the 3-piece ensemble is reminiscent of a young Sublime or a mini-Cake. With quirky lyrics and a variety of tempos and style influences, 300 Pounds makes your head bob—a definite achievement. So far, “Butcher” is my favorite—it’s fast-paced, quick-witted and fun to try and decipher.  “Sick Sick Feeling” is also one I enjoy: it almost gives me a Talking Heads meets 311 vibe. Onstage, the group has an interesting dynamic. To me, the bass player (Pecos) steals the show with his funny “white-boy” dance moves—which translates really well for the audience.  The guitar player (Nate) also manages lead vocals with a fervor that lets you know he means it, and his stage presence provides the audience with some comic relief as well.  The drummer (Jon) hangs out with his kit in the back, and really goes to town on a few of the songs with catchy rhythms to back the entertaining vocals and front line. All-in-all: entertaining performances + fun music = good times for all. Make sure to check these guys out at upcoming gigs in the central California coastal area!

Meredith Treinen Music

In the Unicorn Media inbox this morning I found an insightful article on the future of the music industry and the major label’s place in that future that I wanted to highlight with our readers. The thought inspiring post came from Digital Music New’s Paul Resnikoff who will be moderating a panel on Digital Strategies for Music Industry Leaders at NARM on May 7 as well as interviewing Lisa Loeb before her on-stage performance at the industry event. Paul’s article, titled “Resnikoff’s Parting Shot: Teaching Dinosaurs New Tricks,” purports the major record labels have been doomed from the beginning to not outlast the test of time, and that regardless of their strategies and tepid experiments to change their models, they simply aren’t wired to react to the disruptions taking place right in their backyards. Paul sites “The Innovator’s Delimma” by Clayton M. Christensen on the core principals of disruptive change:

“Christensen argues that incumbent, well-performing companies are ill-equipped to adapt to disruptive competitive changes, until it’s too late. The reason is that their existing infrastructures and revenue streams are totally inconsistent with newer models and consumption patterns, and that gives every advantage to the newer entrant.”

Paul also calls out the self-defeating efforts of the majors who are still filing counterproductive lawsuits, over-pricing their digital goods, lining their own pockets with multimillion dollar salaries, and charging the very companies who are set to help them through this change exorbitant fees to license their catalogs. Paul pointedly asks:

“…do these guys really want to grow anything beyond their bank accounts?”

The article points out the deals that the majors have cut with “new media” and social networking services like MySpace and others and how the labels have wisely negotiated an equity stake in many of these deals. But what about the start-ups with a great concept, who ‘get’ the pain being felt by the artist community and who ‘get’ the new ways that consumers want to consume and share media – but who are lacking the funds or old school connections to cut deals with the majors? These innovative disruptors are the ones that the majors should have their eyes on, and be willing to learn from and partner with. We agree with Paul’s opinion in the article when he states:

“almost every new concept happening in the music industry is ultimately an experiment. Because the pressing riddle is not whether consumers are interested in music, but exactly how businesses can effectively structure themselves around that demand.”

Amen! And we say, let the majors embrace these “experiments” because for change to truly happen, for the industry to truly move beyond the recognized slump it is experiencing, we all have to be willing to embrace the disruptive change emanating from the creative brains of the next generation of musicians and entrepreneurs. Paul closes with this comment:

And this game is just beginning. Indeed, a minority of companies have successfully survived disruptive transformations in the past, though survival is never, ever a pretty process. And transformed labels can only happen through increased experimentation - and a willingness to walk away from failures.

We couldn’t agree more Paul. It’s GAME ON! Let’s go majors. It’s time to step up to the plate. Please take the time to read Paul’s full article on this topic and if you like what you read you can also subscribe to his daily email newsletter, which is packed with valuable insider info on the industry along with Paul’s expert insights and opinions.

Meredith Treinen Music