Today's Topic?

What's Holding You Back? Grab The Wheel and Drive!

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Tags: Brian Thompson | The DIY Daily | Cee-Lo Green | The Change Blog | Personal Development

I was browsing the music thread on Reddit and stumbled upon Drew Smith, an independent artist from Hamilton, Ontario. What caught my eye was the following headline, which had me incredibly intrigued:

So my brother outsourced his new music video to Bangalore, India. This is what he got back.

Was I intrigued? Big time.

Was the video going to be a lesson in what not to do? Was it going to become a viral sensation because it was so awful?

OR… was the end product something he could become incredibly proud of?

See for yourself:Click To Read More...

Tags: Music Video | Video Prodcution | Outsourcing | Virtual Assistant | DIY

After I wrote yesterday's article on lessons for success from KISS's Paul Stanley, I had a couple of tweets back and forth with his interviewer, Lee Hawkins (who also happens to be a musician himself) from the Wall Street Journal.

This morning Lee sent me another new interview which he thought I might be interested in with Cee-Lo Green, star judge of NBC's hit show 'The Voice' and the man behind such smash hits as Crazy and Fuck You!

Both interviews feature honest, straight-up talk on the business of music and current industry trends. Once again, there are some great takeaways for not only fellow musicians, but also for anyone living and pursuing a creative life.


These sound-bytes are as relevant to an entrepreneur as they are to any artist:Click To Read More...

Tags: Cee-Lo Green | Interview | Wall Street Journal | Lee Hawkins | Video | Inspiration | Branding

Today's Topic?
The Key to Success? The Law of Commonality.
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Tags: Brian Thompson | The DIY Daily | KISS | Paul Stanley | Mark Zuckerberg | Facebook | Music Marketing

This Week's Topic? How To Not Suck
Making your music matter online, from social media reviews to songwriting.


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Tags: The Music Biz Weekly | Brian Thompson | Michael Brandvold | Music Marketing | Music Conferences | Social Media Marketing

Unlike some people I know, KISS has never been one of my favourite bands. Although admittedly when I was kid, yes… I definitely had a little KISS-phase (insert air band here). My brief love affair with them was mostly due to them releasing a couple of major new albums (Lick It Up and its follow Animalize) right at the same time as  when I was discovering "heavy metal".

But aside from those couple of years, their music really didn't do much for me.

However, I've always respected the band's tenacity and perseverance in the music business. They've never given up,  they've always stayed true to who they were, and they always delivered the goods to their diehard fans. Their unparalleled success, in both music and business, is a testament to their keen understanding of marketing and branding.

I just finished watching an intriguing new interview Paul Stanley did with the Wall Street Journal where he made some though provoking comments. I just had to share them with you. The most notable take aways in the interview were Paul's thoughts on his key to success and his philosophy on career longevity.

Words of wisdom from someone who has led a very long and successful career pursuing his creativity and life passions:Click To Read More...

Tags: KISS | Paul Stanley | Video | Interview | Wall Street Journal | Branding | Success

Today's Topic? Hmm, Maybe You Ought To Finish That Thing.

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Tags: Brian Thompson | The DIY Daily

Before The Movie Begins
stolen from The New Yorker. don't sue me bro.

Please note that the use of any recording equipment to capture this film is strictly forbidden, including: camcorders, cameras, cell phones, charcoal, ink, paint (oil or water-based), and the human brain. On leaving the theatre, you will be assaulted by baseball-bat-wielding ushers, who will pummel your skull until you forget what you have seen.
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Tags: ACTA | SOPA | PIPA | Copyright | Copyright Reform | Copyright Infringement | New York Times | Censor The Internet | Censorship

Our all-new weekly podcast series continues with our second episode. Hit 'play' and join us for another quick 10 min. episode as we dive deeper into branding lessons musicians can learn from AC/DC. 



New episodes will air every Wednesday in all of the usual spots. You'll be able to find it right here on Thorny Bleeder, but of course you'll also be able to find it on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, The DIY Daily, MichaelBrandvold.com and BrandLikeARockStar.com.  
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Tags: The Music Biz Weekly | The Rock Star Branding Podcast | Brian Thompson | Michael Brandvold | Steve Jones | Branding | Music Marketing

Here's a free download of a slideshow presentation I prepared for my speaking engagement at Songposium 2012 in Toronto last week. 

The slides are a summary of the main "talking points" I was intending to use for my presentation… but unfortunately I ran out of time since I was having far too much fun going over this: Top 31 Ways to Suck at Social Media Marketing.

Regardless, many of the slides are represented by blogs I've already written and posted here on Thorny Bleeder. So if a certain slide intrigues you just do a quick search for it and you'll find more info.
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Tags: Brian Thompson | Songposium | Music Marketing | Social Media | Digital Strategy

I just stumbled upon this video and needed to share it. Regardless of SOPA(Stop Online Piracy Act) being squashed, our Internet freedoms and online culture continue to be threatened… globally.

ACTA has been secretly in the works for quite some time now, behind closed doors. Watch this for more info:



Info from the video description:
ACTA is one more offensive against the sharing of culture on the Internet. ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) is an agreement secretly negotiated by a small "club" of like-minded countries (39 countries, including the 27 of the European Union, the United States, Japan, etc). Negotiated instead of being democratically debated, ACTA bypasses parliaments and international organizations to dictate a repressive logic dictated by the entertainment industries.

ACTA would impose new criminal sanctions forcing Internet actors to monitor and censor online communications. It is thus a major threat to freedom of expression online and creates legal uncertainty for Internet companies. In the name of trademarks and patents, it would also hamper access to generic medicines in poor countries.
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Tags: ACTA | Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement | Video | Copyright | Copyright Reform | Censorship | Censor The Internet

So I decided to make a little "testimonial" video. It's not going to be anything fancy, just a short little thing for people to get a vibe for what I'm doing.

And I want YOU to be the star of the video. 
That's right… I'm crowdsourcing baby!

So… if I've possibly taught you some cool new things, or if I've helped you in some way, or simplified your daily routine, or inspired you or motivated you somehow, then send me a brief 10-30 second video message with your testimonial.

And it doesn't matter whether you're a present or past client, a fellow tweeter, a happy facebooker, a blog reader, a  quote lover, a newsletter diehard or a podcast fan. It doesn't matter… I just want to see your smiling face and hear what you have to say! 

So go ahead and hit the record button. Right now. Seriously. If you wait and say you'll do it later… we both know it won't happen.

So turn on your camera (or use your iPhone), say a few short words (no longer than 30 seconds) and then send the file using the form that's right here in this blog post.

On February 15 I'll edit the clips together and air the video we made together right here on this page.

This will be fun! 
I can't wait to see what you come up with.

—Brian Thompson

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Tags: Testimonial | Video | Brian Thompson | Crowdsourcing

Today's Topic?
12 Guaranteed Outcomes of Having Photography as a Hobby

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Tags: Brian Thompson | The DIY Daily | 12 Guaranteed Outcomes of Having Photography as a Hobby

Woohoo! Here it is gang, the debut episode of yet another podcast series! Welcome to…


The Music Biz Weekly Presents… The Rock Star Branding Podcast
with your hosts Brian Thompson, Michael Brandvold and author Steve Jones.


Today's Topic?
Lessons From AC/DC: Meeting Your Fan's Expectations



This all-new weekly podcast series will air every Wednesday in all of the usual spots. You'll be able to find it right here on Thorny Bleeder, but of course you'll also be able to find it on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, The DIY Daily, MichaelBrandvold.com and BrandLikeARockStar.com. 

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Tags: The Rock Star Branding Podcast | Brian Thompson | Michael Brandvold | Steve Jones | Music Marketing | Branding | AC/DC

The New Music Economy
Demand = Value

If there's no demand, there's no value.

If you create demand you create an opportunity for monetization.

Without demand, your music is essentially worthless to the public, regardless of what you paid to record and produce it.

Encourage an open environment of sharing around your music.
Sharing creates new fans.
Fans create demand.

Monetize!
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Tags: Digital Strategy | Music Marketing | Perceived Value | The New Music Economy | Demand = Value | Music Monetization

Michael Brandvold and I are excited to announce the next Music Biz Weekly Music Marketing Webinar. This is going to be another great event for everyone, especially considering the topic: How To Use Facebook To Promote Your Music!

Oh… did I mention that it's free? Here's the deets:

When:
February 6, 2012
6pm–7:30pm PST

Cost to Attend Live Webinar:
Free

Recorded Video After the Event:
$5.00Click To Read More...

Tags: Webinar | The Music Biz Weekly | Brian Thompson | Michael Brandvold | Facebook | Music Marketing | Social Media

The Internet as we know it is under serious threat. What's being sold to Congress and the American public as a piece of legislation that will "put an end to piracy", is in actuality Government sponsored censorship (not unlike Internet in China).

To be clear… unauthorized sharing (copying) of content found online could not only have your website taken down without due process, but it could also land you in jail.

For example, if you were to post a version of you performing a Michael Jackson song on YouTube, you could not only have your account removed but you could also face up to five years in prison. That's one more year than the man who killed the man Michael Jackson himself. For singing a song without first acquiring a license to do so.

That Tumblr or Pinterest page of yours where you repost someone else's photo or cartoon or image?
SOPA would kill that.

That song you downloaded and posted on your blog to share with friends and readers?
SOPA would kill that.

But beyond trying to kill the culture of sharing (which is something humans have always done), it will also kill the creation of new art altogether. Any piece of music or art that uses a mashup or a collaboration of existing pieces, without proper consent from the original creators, would be illegal and punishable.

The Stop Online Piracy Act is a misguided solutions to a misunderstood problem. For more information on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), click here.

To give you a taste of the types of beautiful music that would cease to exist if SOPA were passed… I present to you the following mashup videos created by Pogomix (illegally of course).

This Is The Type Of Art SOPA Would Kill:

Upular (Pixar Remix)

Info:
Video for the track 'Upular', composed using chords, bass notes and vocal samples from the Disney Pixar film 'Up'.

*see more examples by clicking Read More below*Click To Read More...

Tags: SOPA | PIPA | Copyright

I'm excited to finally let you guys in on something that's been in the works ever since Michael Brandvold and I recorded Episode 34 of The Music Biz Weekly Podcast with our special guest, author Steve Jones.

We had such a great time recording that podcast and had such a tremendous response from it that we decided to do some brainstorming to see what else we could possibly do together. Well, it quickly dawned on us… why spoil a good thing? Let's do more podcasts together!

And so… a new series was born:

The Music Biz Weekly Presents… The Rock Star Branding Podcast
with your hosts Brian Thompson, Michael Brandvold and Steve Jones.

This all-new weekly podcast series will air every Wednesday in all of the usual spots, with the debut episode airing on Wednesday, January 25. You'll be able to find it right here on Thorny Bleeder, but of course you'll also be able to find it on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, The DIY Daily, MichaelBrandvold.com and BrandLikeARockStar.com. Click To Read More...

Tags: Brian Thompson | Michael Brandvold | Steve Jones | The Music Biz Weekly | Brand Like A Rock Star | The Rock Star Branding Podcast

When people ask what it is that I do, I sometimes feel my response is a bit muddled and not as focussed as it should be. 

When I do branding consultations I tell clients they need to have a clear and well crafted elevator pitch that accurately conveys the message of who they are and what they're all about.

Your elevator pitch needs to be the essence of you, distilled down into a carefully concocted piece of prose. And If you're not happy with it, then you need to refine it. It needs to evolve, in tandem with you.

And so it dawned on me that I needed to heed my own advice.
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Tags: Brian Thompson | Rock n' Roll Branding Architect | Idea Development Engineer | Consultant | Digital Strategist | Music Marketing

Join Michael Brandvold and myself, Brian Thompson, for this weeks 42min. episode as we bullshit about various music and marketing topics such as Van Halen, Facebook Subscriptions, MOG and Spin Magazine Tweets Album Reviews.

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Tags: Brian Thompson | Michael Brandvold | The Music Biz Weekly | Music Marketing | Facebook | MOG | SPIN Magazine | Van Halen