Dave Carlock - A Day In The Life

Grammy winning record producer/songwriter chronicles his experience in the music industry, adventures and discoveries.

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Why Make A Record?

Today’s column is targeted at those musicians and singers who have gotten a bit of a start, they’ve built up a bit of a fanbase and they’re faced with their first real expense as an artist or band: making a recording. But before we talk about how, let’s ask a really important question: why? Oh, it seems like a simple little three letter word, but you have no idea how important this question is and how deep it goes with a musician/singer. The answer to that question exposes everything. It tells me how much you believe in yourself, it tells me how committed you are, and it tells me if you have one inkling of the work ahead of you in achieving your dream. It tells me if you really even have a dream!

I’ve seen bands completely break up at the prospect of making recordings, or just after making their first record. I’ve seen band members quit or get replaced because of recordings. As an LA session musician, I’ve been hired to replace certain band members’ parts to allow the record to be the best it can be. Because at a pro level, the song and the record are King and the Queen of the Court and the Artist is really akin to the Prime Minister. And make no mistake, just like in the UK, the Prime Minister (Artist) takes the public’s blame or the acclaim for everything while the King and Queen continue their reign. Artists come and go but songs and records live forever if they can get some attention. Because they do, the artist can remembered by default, but there’s no guarantee.

  So why should you make an independent record? The reason should be to promote the artist/band, and build fanbase. And for all the investors, self or 3rd party, this venture needs to generate enough sales to pay back costs and earn a profit for their risk, even if it’s small. Food for thought: on a $30K investment, a return of $300 profit over 12 months is still FAR better than Certificates of Deposit currently yield on the same amount, if you can guarantee the principle’s return, of course.

How about these answers:  “Because everyone else does”. WOMP WOMP WOMP… Sorry, next. “Because it sounds like a cool idea.” WOMP WOMP WOMP… NO!  “Because I’ve always wanted to.” Sorry, this one’s closest because it shows true desire, but there still has to be more. Making a record is serious business because it costs serious money! The cost of making an independent record is the cost of buying a quality new car, $30-50K. Who’s going to fund it? All the band members, right? In a perfect world, sure, but that often isn’t the case.

  Now you see why bands break up when they try to make a pro independent record. Putting four people on the hook for $7500 each if copies don’t sell makes the non-committed hit the road running. All of a sudden things got REAL. So, can the band sell the copies? 750 each? How? What’s the week-by-week plan? Sales projections? The payback math is simple--3,000 records at $10 each pays back the $30K. 5,000 units generates $20K in profit. Hmmm. This is starting to sound better, but there needs to be a plan to achieve this. You can eat an elephant one bite at a time, but you have to keep biting. Make a bite-by-bite plan, then a plan B. To think about making an independent record, you should be plotting out how you will sell 5,000 units. You should be able to sell that number in 170 shows to approx 150 people per show (20% sales/attendance). This number sounds good to labels too. And don’t cheap out! Make a sales plan. If you can’t get the right gigs, wait and get the right gigs! There are enough crappy records out there in landfills and rummage sales. Get a producer who will tell you you suck when you do (tactfully, I hope) and help you be better.

So here’s the best answer to the question “Why” you should make an pro-level independent record: “Because making a professional record will give me a vehicle to promote my music and live appearances to a new, larger fanbase. It will aid me as I do the necessary work to prepare myself for major label interest through the numerous shows I will be need to play in order to sell 3,000-5,000 units. Along this path, I will grow significantly through: the relationships I make, the performing experiences I have, my nationwide competition that I will encounter, and the invaluable big picture perspective I gain in seeing how performing live music energizes fans and sales in a successful way that is lost in the doom & gloom reporting in the upper echelon music business.” Or something like that.

  Many musicians play in a band simply for fun, or as an opportunity to party with their friends in weekend rehearsals or just to get laid after a gig. However, only in your youth can you go for the gold, when you’re willing to risk it all. It really is a lot more work than people realize. And if you’re not doing the work already, you will never impress an investor or label enough to help you get there. If you’re ever going to do it, Do It Now. NEXT WEEK: Why aspiring artists who buy recording studios either waste their money or kill their artist career (or both).

  ©2012 27 Sounds, Inc.

  Dave Carlock is a 25-year veteran of the entertainment business whose work as a recording engineer and producer, touring musician, and songwriter made him Googleable. His continuing work as an Independent Content Creator of Sound and Image has earned him a Grammy Award certificate, two Platinum Record Awards, and a Paragon Award in advertising. Currently, he brings national and international artists to make records and music videos at his production studio in the Benton Harbor Arts District. www.davecarlock.com

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Photo Credit: Sauni Lynch

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"How Do I Get A Record Deal?", she asked.

I received a call this week from an aspiring singer who asked, “What do I have to do to get signed to a record deal?” After a long pause and a deep breath, I told her that right then she had to choose the red or blue pill, because what I was about to tell her would change her perception of everything around her. Was she sure she wanted to know the truth of what the music business is all about if it meant destroying her innocent impression of the world? Her answer was yes.

I told her that if she decided that she wanted to go down the road to being a popular music artist, that she had to approach it like an aspiring Olympic athlete or a sports professional. It’s all commitment, all the time or it’s just a waste of time and an unrealized dream. Because these careers aren’t built overnight, there’s a limited age window to go for the gold and get a major signing.

  It’s also a pricey proposition. Just as Olympic contenders have coaches who are paid well for their time and expertise, producers and managers are the coaches in the music business. Because of the cost of working with those professionals due to the time commitment necessary to “train” performing and recording artists, I told her she needed to understand as best she could at her young age that she would need to accept a near poverty existence if she really wanted to make a stab at a career as a national or internationally known music artist. In this world, she may have incredible experiences but she would own little. She may never independently own a home without a 3rd party footing the bill. Financial struggle would be one of the constant thorns of her existence and I told her to seriously consider if she could handle that.

  A common solution to an artist’s cash-flow problems, though not without it’s cost, is finding a life-partner or investors to provide financial stability while an artist devotes time to pursuing their career. I told her that if she had a large trust, inheritance, personal investments, or lottery winnings, they could aid significantly in her independence. I also referred her to my coverage of Amanda Palmer’s recent activity to give her a glimpse of the kind of money it takes to create the “Brand store” for a Popular Music Artist, fund a tour, and pay the necessary professional team members to move a career forward at that level.

  During the making of the first professional record I ever worked on for Columbia Records, session keyboard player C.P. Roth advised me similarly, though a bit more enigmatically, about wanting to be an artist. “Don’t be an artist, man”, he said. “Do you know why I always have the bitchin-est snake skin boots on my feet and all these amazing keyboards to play?”, he asked, pointing to his feet and hand motioning around the room to tens of thousands worth of late 80’s synth gear. “Because artists have to pay me to get their records made. They can’t afford this stuff. It’s never-ending pay-outs to be an artist. You don’t wanna be an artist.”

And with all that, I felt I had eased-her-in enough, and finally gave her the red pill. I told her that every time she sees anything in her world regarding music, it’s paid for. Every end cap CD display in bookstore chains or Wal Mart or FYE is paid for. Every new record launched on major market radio stations is paid for (to the tune of $1.2 million for Clear Channel’s 1200 stations, as exposed by Elliot Spitzer over the last decade); and an emerging artist who hasn’t yet made dollar one still has to pay for those costs just like Mariah Carey does.

  I explained to her that whenever she sees her favorite new band opening for a major artist on tour, that slot is paid for by the newbie’s record company, show by show. Those slot’s are for sale to help offset the massive touring costs paid out by the headliner—the crew, the sound, the lights, etc.; the opening act uses all their team. A new band pays for that fanbase building access and name association marketing (“I toured with Katy Perry”). It’s an expense known as “tour support” and it can regularly total up to $100K. So without funding invested to the tune of six or seven figures, that artist’s career on a national or international level is dead. And by the way, you don’t ask your day gig if you can go off on tour for 2 months, you have to go, so usually you lose your job—again, requiring payment from investors to participate in your own career.

  After painting the picture for her, I asked if I had just blown her mind. She said with some downturned spirits that she figured it was kinda like that. I asked her if she thought she’d be happy singing at the local pub on the weekends cause that was way easier—she could hold a job and maybe make a few bucks. “No. I really think I want this”, she said.

  And for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, that’s how the unknown journey begins.

  ©2012 27 Sounds, Inc.

  Dave Carlock is a 25-year veteran of the entertainment business whose work as a recording engineer and producer, touring musician, and songwriter made him Googleable. His continuing work as an Independent Content Creator of Sound and Image has earned him a Grammy Award certificate, two Platinum Record Awards, and a Paragon Award in advertising. Currently, he brings national and international artists to make records and music videos at his production studio in the Benton Harbor Arts District. www.davecarlock.com

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Photo credit: Sauni Lynch

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Song Submissions For Big Time Rush

It’s always good to have a friend like Brandon. When we first met, he was a Milwaukeean 15 year old working on one of the bigger Blink-182 fan-run websites with his 16 year old Los Angeleno friend, Arthur. My work with Blink-182 on their self-titled album, also known as the “smiley face” album, led the two to contact me for a web interview and then a few years later, some filmed interviews for their site. The day we filmed was when I finally met Brandon, one of Blink-182’s hugest fans, face to face. And by huge, I mean 6’3”. Overtime, I came to learn that the only thing larger than Brandon’s shadow is his heart. Emo to the core but full of hope is how I always think of the now 24 year old who’s basic drive to help other people has allowed him to be in the company of some of his biggest heroes in the music business.

In recent years, Arthur went on to become a California Highway Patrol officer (“no Dave, I cannot fix your tickets”) and Brandon now works as a Washington D.C. firefighter. When he’s not saving lives, Brandon still immerses himself in the music scene at every possibility and acts as a music scout for me, keeping his ear to the street. Once or twice a year, he’ll call me with a tip on someone he thinks I’d be interested in working with. This time around, his suggestion was a bit larger than the average fledging artist looking for a boost from a producer with a name.

  In 2011, Brandon told me about an opportunity he had to work as a personal assistant for one of the members of the Nickelodeon boy-band sensation ‘Big Time Rush’ (BTR) who’s a great friend of his. While he hasn’t committed to it yet, he keeps in good contact with the group and now that the band has inked a deal for a fourth season of their series and a third album, Brandon’s decided that I should be writing songs for them.  As a result, the band comped me into their recent show at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids to get a taste of what they’re all about.

BTR’s stage was tailor-made for arena shows and was a mixture of big rock concert with hints of a Nickelodeon stage set. Multi floor, beam and girder stage design, elevated band, poles for the singers to slide down from the top and the typical center drum position was replaced by a stealthy trampoline platform, which the band used throughout the show to jump up to the next center level. This may sound silly, but it was great fun to watch. And their use of the poles? Actually, very cool.

Musically, the group’s songs were a combination of vocal rich pop music, heavy ¼ note downbeats, hints of hip hop rhythms and the occasional odd dubstep sound. Stage presence and physicality were strong and forefront and their voices were a great example of millennial blue-eyed soul. Not aimless riffing, but good soulful leads and harmonies.

  The audience, mostly tweens and young teens and their chaperones, loved this group. Their participation as a crowd was setup very well in advance, with those in the know hoisting countless hand-made signs as high toward the heavens as young arms could stretch, either with or without the occasional aid of Dad’s shoulder boost. BTR-branded ‘light sabers’ illuminated the stadium darkness and became part of the interactive fun when the group called the left half of the audience to set sabers to red and and the right half to green. OK look, this isn’t an Eminem concert, but it was fun for anyone who wasn’t too much of a hipster or a music snob to be in the moment. “When surrounded by entertainment, be entertained” is my motto.

  In terms of the pop-culture impact, any stadium filled with shrieking girls calls to mind Beatles comparisons. At this point, they aren’t yet this decade’s heir apparent, as none of them yet play instruments in the show. However, if I were pushed to figure out which one Paul is, it would probably be James Maslow. He struck me as the “cute one” in the group and the one whose ballad voice caught my attention most. After a quick glimpse at some web commentary, it appears I captured the general consensus. John? I’d say Kendall.

After being immersed in BTR’s universe for a few hours, I’m ready to start penning songs for consideration to help them “mature” on their third release. Thanks Brandon for thinking of me and suggesting that BTR & I combine forces. Looks like I owe you dinner.

  ©2012 27 Sounds, Inc.

  Dave Carlock is a 25-year veteran of the entertainment business whose work as a recording engineer and producer, touring musician, and songwriter made him Googleable. His continuing work as an Independent Content Creator of Sound and Image has earned him a Grammy Award certificate, two Platinum Record Awards, and a Paragon Award in advertising. Currently, he brings national and international artists to make records and music videos at his production studio in the Benton Harbor Arts District. www.davecarlock.com

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Hard Rock Four Winds Grand Opening/Sheryl Crow

The shrimp were the hugest things I’ve ever put in my mouth--seriously. That was my first impression of the Grand Opening/Guitar Smash celebration at the Hard Rock Café at the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, MI. After watching six Fender guitars get smashed by hard-hatted company reps and luminaries Sheryl Crow and Uncle Kracker, the evening kicked into full gear with an hour-plus set from Uncle Kracker and his band on the restaurant’s stage. The band opened with a cover of the John Anderson song “Swingin” to which I refused to admit being familiar with when asked. Uncle Kracker put on a solid set with his 6-piece band. Their singles sounded like their singles, which they should, and the band was tight in all of its hybrid southern/pop/rock mellowosity.

Being the Grand Opening, it’s fair to say that the room design was one of the night’s stars as well. Every aspect of the design of the space is geared toward the club’s live performances. A sunken dance floor makes the dancers look up to a sizable raised stage, which is side bordered by tables raised another level on left and right sides and a long drink rail that looks down on the dance floor from the rear.

Turning to look for a server from my spot at that drink rail, I noticed a subtle genius in the function-dictated form in the center ramp’s slight diagonal, which insured continuous line of sight for another drink rail paralleling the ramp’s edge on the level of the further-raised center bar. With such an attention to customer experience in the design downstairs, it was no surprise to find the upstairs balcony with zero sight-line obstructions in the stage view. What a rarity to find a bar and restaurant where the experience is clearly centered around the music presentation.

As the set concluded, I noted that the staff was really helpful and followed up on my questions. This was impressive. Staff training seems to be on the money, which is always a challenge. I felt at home here, what with the servers having weirder hair than me, fishnets, tattoos, piercings and—wait for it, wait for it—an apparently great attitude and work ethic. Wow.

After gaining my bearings, I got a text from my friend Danish complaining she was bored. There are four good things about Danish: one, she knows how to answer her phone; two, she’s just as spontaneous as me; three, she can look hot with 5 minutes notice; and four, she can get in a car immediately when I call her. These general survival assets always pay off. 30 minutes later, she’s: holding my +1 ticket to Sheryl Crow, getting straight-up Grey Goosed, hanging with members of Uncle Kracker’s band and most of all, getting blown away by the size of the shrimp. I wasn’t kidding about that.

Running through the casino to catch the show, we slide into our seats with lights down just as Sheryl Crow opens with ‘Steve McQueen’. With a “woo-hoo” hook reminiscent of Steve Miller’s ‘Take The Money & Run’, I’ve always thought it was one of her best singles. What came next was a great set of hit songs played masterfully by her great 6-piece band.

Styled in what I’d call “Western shirt-chic” and playing retro instruments, the music and the look of the band were well-matched. Vintage Ludwig drums, Gibson and Epiphone guitars and Wurlitzer electric pianos and Hammond B3 adorned the stage while contributing to the vibe in sound and aesthetic. I was really pleased to see lead guitarist Peter Stroud was onstage, his ultra-tasty slide playing being a huge part of Crow’s sound. Crow’s boyfriend, Doyle Bramhall II, also played excellent 2nd guitar and mandolin through the night.

Crow made a hilarious gaffe when she told the New Buffalo crowd how much she loved Illinois and was glad to be back. When someone onstage corrected her, she said, “Where are we? Oh we’re in Michigan! You know in the tourbus we have no idea where we are at any given moment. (long pause) Well you know what, I love Michigan! And I’ve never really liked Illinois!”

Near the end of the show, I grabbed Danish and we made our way down the center section’s aisle to get a better view. Spying a mostly empty row, I navigated into fourth row center, followed Pied Piper-like by a few women who liked where I was going with all this. Chair surfing in the land of “excuse me do you have a ticket for that seat”, I visually upset the security guy trapped behind the three-deep stage-edge crowd on stage right. The top of his head turning red forced me to go a bit more stealthy, but not before catching Peter Stroud’s eye and making him crack up as a contrast to the ultra cool demeanor he exuded throughout the evening.

As a huge treat, the last song of the encore was an incredible version of Linda Ronstadt’s ‘You’re No Good’ featuring, verbatim, the note-for-note musical parts created in the studio by my late friend and Ronstadt band member, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Gold. Hearing Andrew honored again through his behind-the-scenes creation underscored to me the worth in the hours and hours that producers spend on arrangements. That effort does matter, because great work is remembered. What a perfectly personal touch to the end of an already incredible evening. Thanks to the Hard Rock Café’, Uncle Kracker, Sheryl Crow, and thanks again Andrew for continued inspiration.

©2012 27 Sounds, Inc.

  Dave Carlock is a 25-year veteran of the entertainment business whose work as a recording engineer and producer, touring musician, and songwriter made him Googleable. His continuing work as an Independent Content Creator of Sound and Image has earned him a Grammy Award certificate, two Platinum Record Awards, and a Paragon Award in advertising. Currently, he brings national and international artists to make records and music videos at his production studio in the Benton Harbor Arts District. www.davecarlock.com

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Candid with Radio Personality Zack East and 'Stromboli'--epic

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Free Reign with Zack East

I know exactly “why” radio should exist. As a kid, I listened to music radio while alone in my room writing or working on my homework--it was a huge presence in my public school years. It gave me sounds and ideas from somewhere out there that were unlike the world I knew, made the world bigger and stoked my imagination without the visual input of television. I learned the joy of the theater of the mind largely due to my radio listenership. I’m a fan of the medium as it once was.

  In the womb-y cage of childhood, radio introduced me to disc jockeys who could pop in anytime day or night with the flick of a power switch, keeping me company. Good music radio could accomplish this because it had a personality, to the credit of the disc jockeys themselves and the wisdom of the management who enabled, chose and encouraged them. WLS–AM, the 50,000 watt, Class A Chicago station, allowed their jocks to have daily entertainment segments such as Larry Lujack’s ‘Animal Stories’ or John “Records” Landecker’s ‘Boogie Check’. These programs brought elements from classic radio drama into the music radio age with great effect and built up loyal listener followings.

  Fast forwarding to my adult life, I found that everything about radio changed. The dawn of personal computing allowed software programs to automate programming to the point that the personality of music radio became nearly extinct, certainly in smaller markets. Hand picked playlists became a thing of lore. Successful music radio personalities were sequestered to talk radio and removed from music radio’s balance sheet as the bean counters of the industry cut cost. Unfortunately, they neglected to realize that while lots of money could be made broadcasting music, anything to do with music can’t only be about making lots of money or it eventually fails. Suddenly “radio” became just a thing that I had in my car that tried to sell me something. Radio had sold its soul: you could hear it and you could feel it, if you could feel anything coming from it at all. At that point, music radio was no longer a creative or enriching participant in my life.

  In the “Market Zero” of Southwest Michigan, there seems to be a resurgence, a faint blip of actual lifeforce in music radio. In addition to WVBH, I found another source of hope borne over the summer in a one hour Saturday night broadcast on The Coast 98.3 called ‘Free Reign with Zack East’. East’s philosophy is to break the very mold he helps forge daily as the station’s Program Director. With the wise support of his station’s upper management, ‘Free Reign with Zack East’ got the greenlight to become his weekly mixtape.

East’s show is comprised of a combination of Alternative, Modern Rock, Adult Album Alternative, Indie, and New Wave formats from the last 20 years, all hand picked by East without the aid of outside consultants, who in my mind have contributed heavily to the formaldehyde stench that wafts around the radio dial. ‘Free Reign’ is both a breath of fresh air and a great step in the right direction, particularly in smaller markets. Nearly two months into its weekly broadcast life, ‘Free Reign’ has played artists that fill a hole in the standard radio experience such as Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, The Church, MGMT, and The Smiths. Not the normal broadcast playlist in markets under 75,000, that’s for certain.

  Catching up with Zack over a chance meeting in the Arts District, he excitedly talked about his new digs and explained his love for the up and coming arts community, largely due to the feeling of inclusiveness he gets when he’s there. I couldn’t help but hear in our conversation a parallel between Zack’s newest creation and his life. To me, designing a new radio show that challenges the staid playlist limitations and ideas plaguing smaller communities while infusing an ear-opening musical inclusiveness clearly mirrors what he’s done with his recent move as well. I asked him if he’d made that connection: “Interesting…”, he replied pensively. Most definitely.

  I love watching a friend spread their wings. Check out ‘Free Reign With Zack East’ on Saturdays at 10pm on 98.3 FM in Southwest Michigan or via live stream at 983thecoast.com

  ©2012 27 Sounds, Inc.

  Dave Carlock is a 25-year veteran of the entertainment business whose work as a recording engineer and producer, touring musician, and songwriter made him Googleable. His continuing work as an Independent Content Creator of Sound and Image has earned him a Grammy Award certificate, two Platinum Record Awards, and a Paragon Award in advertising. Currently, he brings national and international artists to make records and music videos at his production studio in the Benton Harbor Arts District. www.davecarlock.com