Melle and John Dear Mowing Club, introduction

[Melle and Ilse]

Suze asked us to join the group, I sort of have to find out how it
works.. Hopefully this mail gets on the right page (otherwise:
sorry..)

I'm Ilse, I'm not a musician, my boyfriend Melle is (http://
nl.youtube.com/user/FanvanMel).
Melle is not so active on YouTube, mostly because he doenst feel
comfortable promoting himself (I think thats typically Dutch... Its
"not done" to be too enthousiastic about youself)
I decided to make vids with his songs about a year ago, just for fun
(and in the hope that one day someone... well, you know what I mean).

We live in The Netherlands, and here is relatively not much attention
for Melles music, -not for his solo work, nore his band "John Dear
Mowing Club", allthough they played with people like Calexico and
Daniel Johnston. (I thought that would do it, but nope.)
When you are American and you play in The Netherlands you somehow get
more attention than local musicians,. What comes from far is always
better must be the thought... maybe its the same in the USA and we
need to swop places? (we are going to the states in august this year,
we'll see if it works..)

I dont know what I can do for this group, but well... I'm a member
now, and hopefully things work out for all musicians here.

All the best,

Ilse

[Rods Bobavich]

First of all welcome to the club. Second, don't be afraid of self
promotion. I think everyone has this sense of false humility. However,
there are ways to promote without telling everyone, "I'm the greatest
thing since sliced bread!" The most common type of promotion on
YouTube is friend invitations. As you find people that might be
interested in what you're doing just click on their "Add Friend" link.
It's their choice whether you get added or not. But in the process
they often view your stuff.

If they like it they will likely subscribe. If they really like you
them may share it with all their friends. This is the basic technique
used by most YouTubers to get their videos out to the world. You can
also send messages but that is much more intrusive. I've found there
is almost twice as much effectivity if you use the friend invite
method. While you're at it. Don't forget to invite me!!!
http://youtube.com/onemanpiano

I'll be glad to view your videos and watch your progress. Again
welcome to the group. And blessings on your music. Er your boyfriends
music... LOL

...Rods ;-)

[suuzzee5]

{{{{ Ilse }}}} Thanks for joining the group ... it's always so good
to see you! You already know I'm a huge fan of Melle's music, both
his solo work and the band. And you are in the role of their
promoter, which I think is really cool! I would be very interested in
learning how musicians in The Netherlands do promote their
music...what they are comfortable doing or not doing. I'm sure
different musicians might answer that question differently, but it
would help to know what is typically considered acceptable in the
Dutch music community. Here in the US, many musicians work hard to
get their names and their music known, but their efforts don't
necessarily guarantee success. Another observation about
musicians ... the business side of things seems to be really hard work
when compared to the composing and performing. Musicians just write
and perform music so naturally ... it's like breathing. :)

Maybe we could open a discussion on this that is separate from the
Introductions. I think the question you raised is really important.
Rods, how do we do this? (...sorry, Ilse, but I'm very new at this
group thingy and don't know my way around the site yet...)

Suze :)

[emifolk]

welcome my friends glad you're joining us
wanna say it's the same here in my hometown it's very hard for s local
band to get a gig there are a lot of band playing here but the most of
them from far far awy the same with my cds sold more in Berlin or
Frankfurt and all over germany then here in my hometown don't know why
but it's reality maybe thing will get improved someday got nothing
against these band from every where 'cause i saw a lot of fantastic
concerts over the years
sta strong and best wishes to you and the band
(wrote this a few hours ago but couldn't find it anywhere so mabe it
receive twice)

greetings to all of you

[THEREDNECKPEPI64]

Hi to all,for me is really difficult to write in English but if
possible consider me an active member of this blog.
Pepi

[Rods Bobavich]

Hello Pepi.

If you want write in another language and use one of the online
translators. It's not so important that the grammar is perfect but
more that the your heart and knowledge are shared...

WELCOME to YTMusic!

...Rods ;-)

[emifolk]

Hey Pepi don't worry about you english it's the same with my grammar
sometimes my thought are quicker as i can write and later i recongnize
i made some faults i see it as learning by doing and it's a quite
effect to get improved hope that's been written right
greetings S-Folker-J

[suuzzee5]

{{{{ Pepi }}}} Thanks so much for joining the group! I'm very glad
you're here! Please just jump in and say whatever you want to say.
If somebody doesn't understand, hopefully they will ask for more
information. I use the Google Translate to read posts and channel
descriptions and have also used it to make comments on other people's
videos. Will also be happy to use it here if you would rather post in
Italian. It is annoying that none of the translators will translate
Japanese. If anybody knows the name of a translator that can handle
Japanese, I'd like to have the name of it. Hugs! Suze

Google Translate: :)

((((Pepi)))) Grazie così tanto per l'adesione del gruppo! Sono molto
contento che stai qui! Vi preghiamo di appena vai in e dire quello che
volete dire. Se qualcuno non capisce, si spera che vi chiederà per
ulteriori informazioni. Io uso la Google Translate di leggere i post
di canale e le descrizioni e le hanno anche utilizzato per formulare
osservazioni su altre persone video. Sarà inoltre felice di usarlo qui
se volesse invece posto in italiano. E 'seccante che nessuno dei
traduttori si tradurrà giapponese. Se qualcuno conosce il nome di un
traduttore in grado di gestire il giapponese, mi piacerebbe avere il
nome di essa. Hugs! Suze

[suuzzee5]

I'm really curious about why this would be the case. After Ilse and
Folker posted, I began thinking about the situation here. Here in the
mountains, local musicians frequently get asked to play. Bluegrass is
the native music and most of the musicians here play bluegrass, as
well as gospel and some folk. In fact, just about everybody here
sings or plays an instrument of some kind. Music is always a part of
local gatherings, even very small ones. There doesn't seem to be any
separation between music and the rhythms of life here, but that's not
been the case when I've lived other places such as Florida or
Washington, D.C. I think the difference between mountain music and
music elsewhere in the States is that people here in the mountains
feel a sense of pride and ownership in the music and I'm thinking that
may be part of the reason the local bands do so well. Am wondering
whether that translates to CD sales though... CDbaby or
countysales.com might have some insight into this. Let me make sure I
understand the core issue here before I go ask them.
Ilse...Folker ... is the issue how to get your local community to
support you the way your family and friends support you? How to get
the hometown folks out to hear you and then buy your CDs? Suze

[Rods Bobavich]

Being that I'm a world traveler and am from everywhere I've found that
people generally show more interest in me if the never know I was
local. Then I'm exotic and the questions come pouring in. "You live in
India!?!" LOL... I think this is a human nature thing. It probably
explains the large success that many online music makers have had with
MySpace recently. It's a way to connect with the crowd that think
you're exotic...

It seems that there are two types of communities. One is a "folk
music" (people who participate together with folks) and the other is
"Rock & Roll" (the ever infamous tour buses). It seems that the more
"cosmopolitan" a city the less they are interested in local musicians.
Bob Dylan had to go out-of-state to pursue his music and I think
that's true for most of us. Seems our music is appreciated more
outside our usual stomping ground. Jesus said that a "prophet is
without honor in his home town." I think that principle applies here
too...

As to CD sales, I suspect that outside sales are probably almost
always better. There are always more people outside. And if you can
see them in concert locally all the time why pay money for their CDs?
I've often wondered if over saturation on the radio kills CD sales for
big names. Seems this would follow the same trend. I'd love to know
some number relationships between SNOCAP & LAST.FM plays vs CD sales.
Don't know how it would be possible to get those though...

Please keep us posted on what you find out! I'd love to here CDBaby's
take on this stuff!!!

...Rods ;-)

[emifolk]

hello there
the local community don't support any local bands or solo performers
here in my hometown the most of the promoters think that they make
less money with the local musicians you can be a support to some more
famous bands but it's a hard fight between the musicians to get such a
gig the people in charge sitting in their offices most of them play in
a band and they always promote their own music it's even hard to get a
rehearsel room
10 years ago there were a lot of pubs where local bands could play but
it's always the same the neighborhood complains about the noise and
sooner or later the pub was closed in my hometown me and the band play
only two gigs over the year in the same pup that's all
the most worried thing is that you can get a gig on some festivals but
then you have to play without getting any money some of the bands do
that but a lot of musicians complain about it 'cause it destroys their
income it's like Pcasso once said as some parisien said "Mr. Picasso
you don't have to pay to hear the chanteuse in our etablissement it's
an honour that you be here" Picasso gave 1000 Francs to the musicians
( a lot of money in the mid of the last century) and said to the
owners of the etablissement: "if we don't pay these musicians the day
will come we ain't got any musicians" i think he was right
it's always a struggle to get a well paid gig must be nice to live in
america as a musician but most of he germans they got a bad musical
taste they listen to the radio stuff like Modern Talking and this kind
of moneymakers which always play the same and sing some awful lyrics
very dumb and meaningless
got more reaction on my own songs via youtube than i ever got in my
hometown they don't understand what i'm singing about and there's no
interest to care about it's a shame but i don't give up music is the
greatest spirit of mankind good honest handsome music and i always
will try to make this kind of music that make people think and stir
up their engagment for a better world to live in but it's a hard and
long way germans prefer to look television the nation of poets and
thinkers are sitting in a deep deep hole i don't like to say that
about my nation but it's the truth
don't let it bring me down i'm an optimist and love to play make more
money with my paintings so i feel allright

best wishes to all of you
Suze hugs to you for your kind support you touched my heart and this i
will never forget
sunny greetings
Folker

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