'Duck Dynasty' mess has made A&E a sitting duck

Phil Robertson, Jase Robertson, Si Robertson and Willie Robertson from the A&E series "Duck Dynasty."(A&E / December 20, 2013)

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• Also
• Photos: Rednecks generate greenbacks on TV
• 'Duck Dynasty' backlash spotlights an uneasy reality in TV industry
• 'Duck Dynasty': Robertsons threaten to pull out of popular series
• GLAAD slams 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson for 'vile' remarks
• 'Duck Dynasty's' Phil Robertson sounds off on gays, civil rights

Sometimes it is best to see if a fire will extinguish itself naturally rather than try to put it out.

By Joe Flint

December 20, 2013, 1:12 p.m.

That's something A&E might have considered before rushing to pull Phil Robertson from filming of the network's hit reality show "Duck Dynasty," about the Robertson family's duck hunting business.

To refresh: Phil Robertson gave his unfiltered views on gays (sinful) and blacks in the pre-civil rights era (seemed pretty happy to him) in an interview with GQ. First there was outrage from those offended by Robertson's remarks and then there was outrage at those angry at A&E's decision to put Phil Robertson "under hiatus from filming indefinitely."

PHOTOS: Rednecks on TV generate greenbacks

The Robertson family has indicated that it may not want to continue with the show if its patriarch isn't involved. The Robertsons have a hugely successful business and have also been on TV before and will surely find a home somewhere else if need be.

In other words, A&E needs them more than they need A&E.

If A&E and its parent companies Hearst Corp. and Walt Disney Co. are really offended by what Robertson said, then cut ties to the family completely. Stop making the show and stop airing the reruns.

But if A&E is making moves out of fear of backlash and wants to protect its franchise, then it is doing neither the show nor itself any favors. It has only served to alienate "Duck Dynasty" fans and the family responsible for its biggest hit.

Indeed, the only winners are cable news channels, which are milking this for all its worth while waiting for the next car chase or snow storm to come along.

PHOTOS: Dysfunctional TV families

As media professor Jeffrey McCall of DePauw University told the Los Angeles Times, "If A&E wants the Robertsons to make money for the channel by being authentic, then at some point A&E has to accept that reality stars will be real human beings. If A&E didn't like the Robertsons as they are, then why did they give them a weekly platform?"

"Duck Dynasty" is a slice-of-life show. No one has to watch it. Obviously something about it has struck a chord with viewers. Of course, "All in the Family" also struck a chord and probably as many people were agreeing with Archie Bunker as were laughing at him.

Odds are that if A&E had let this play out a little and given Robertson room to make some sort of mea culpa, this would have died down. A&E could also have made clear that Robertson's remarks to GQ would be addressed on the show itself.

Now A&E has to decide who to bow to first -- pressure groups or the Robertsons. Either way it  looks bad.

Once A&E figures out what to do, the next move will be to find out who gave the green light to GQ to have unfettered access to Phil Robertson.

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Eveon

EVEON shares with the world her beautiful soulful voice, as she demonstrates her versatility as an artist. She is an songwriter, artist and producer who has teamed up with the new an upcoming songwriter and producer, Xavier A. Powell. This dynamic dual has entered into the Funk/R&B genre giving the world a new and funky sound with Piece of Pie and I Give My Love To You (2013).

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BlueNevada

BLUENEVADA is a rock band based in Frederick MD. They play all original music written by singer/songwriters Shannon Blue and Dusty Nevada Corbin. They released their debut album in May 2003 and followed that recording with two EPs. BLUENEVADA is Shannon Corbin (vocals, guitar, bass, and percussion) and Dusty Corbin (vocals, guitar, piano, and bass). BLUENEVADA regularly collaborates with various artists and musicians in both live and studio performances. The band has just completed a new self-titled EP and is excited to announce upcoming performance dates in support of their new record.

BLUENEVADA has set out to become a national/international name in the world of music. Their goals include achieving worldwide sales of their original recordings. This includes national and international touring, radio airplay and promotion through traditional and non-traditional marketing techniques. The band realizes the hard work, dedication and determination it takes to achieve these goals and looks forward to any opportunity to prove their worthiness in this highly competitive commercial market.

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John Ruskan - Day By Day

Basic Band Info

Band Name: John Ruskan

Album Name: Day By Day

Email Address: jr@johnruskan.com

Website Address: http://www.johnruskan.com

Music Style: Electronic Downtempo w. Vocals

Influences: Personal

First Name :John

Last Name :Ruskan

Geographic City: New York 

State: NY

Country:USA

Zip Code:  

Band Description

John Ruskan is a New York based singer-songwriter / multi-instrumentalist. His music can be described as: Downtempo, electronic-acoustic, ambient-groove, singer-songwriter for deep trance listening.

Artist Biography

John Ruskan has been around the music scene for years. He originally made a splash in the 80's with his indie New Wave album "I Am A Model" which got huge college airplay. In this album, John played all instruments except drums, becoming one of the first pop artists to multi-track their recordings. One reason the album was considered striking was because of John's unique approach to synthesizers, which was noted by more than one reviewer.

John was able to accomplish the multi-tracking because he was owner - engineer of a 16 track recording studio on 22nd Street in Manhattan called Crossfire Studios. Crossfire was the second "budget" 16 track studio in New York. As studio operator, he worked with and advised tons of musicians who were now able to afford to record pro quality demos and indie records.

John completed several independent albums under the 22 Records banner, but eventually phased out of music in the late 80's to pursue a career in psychology, as an innovative author and originator of a type of East/West meditative self-therapy. His book, Emotional Clearing, was published by Random House in 2000, and has become a widely respected classic in the field.

In 1995, John happened to be living in Los Angeles. This was a particularly vibrant time in pop music, when the trip-hop genre was just getting underway, with groups like Massive Attack, Enigma, Moby, and many others blazing a new trail in the music world. It all was being broadcast by the local radio station, KCRW, before the internet, so you had to be there to hear it. It was a unique and exciting opportunity - a brand new, electronically based musical art form was being launched which totally captivated John and drew him back into music creation.

Since then, he has released several albums: Downtempo, electronic-acoustic, ambient-groove with trip-hop and post trip-hop grooves. His compositions are usually song-based, because John is primarily a singer-songwriter. The song themes are introspective and deal with challenges, pain, and personal evolution.

John's productions are unique in the contemporary music world and represent a cultivated and mature artistic effort. He continues to create the entire production, feeling like a painter who executes the entire painting. There are few others who are able to combine skillful songwriting with strong artistic concept, masterful electronic and acoustic musicianship, and superb audio engineering.

All of his albums may be listened to in their entirety at his website:

http://www.johnruskan.com

John now divides his time between his two major career interests, music and psychology. His psychology work may be reviewed at:

http://www.emclear.com

HEADLINE:

John Ruskan releases his sixth full-length DEEP TRANCE LISTENING album, Day By Day.

SUMMARY:

An evocative pop down-tempo song-based album that contrasts dark personal snapshots with innovative, ethereal electronic / acoustic textures and intricate, captivating, post trip-hop grooves. John performs on all instruments and vocals.

Album length: 59 minutes; 10 tracks

PRESS RELEASE:

John Ruskan releases his sixth full-length album, Day By Day. Full of personal angst, this album gives the listener the opportunity to identify with and then rise above typical negative emotional experiences such as love lost, isolation, fear, and frustration that we all face in the modern world.

Contrasted with the realism and grittiness of the lyrics is the music, which relaxes, transports and uplifts the listener to a place where the pain of everyday life is transcended.

To help achieve these goals, the music is intended to induce a deep trance listening experience. There are many musical elements carefully constructed and blended in the arrangements to achieve this goal. To get the most out of the album and to allow it to trigger inner journeys, John encourages the listener to experience it with earphones, lying down with eyes closed.

Anderson Cooper - About Pat Robinson's Ring that gives you AIDS

 I assume you've already heard about Pat Robertson's genius new "Don't Shake Hands with a Gay Because He'll Probably Poke You with an AIDS Needle in His Magic Ring" theorem. If you haven't, you're welcome! Gahd, gays, what is your prahblem!? THE GOOD CHRISTIANS JUST WANT TO SHAKE HANDS WITH YOU 4 JESUS! (And to feel your rugged, moist palms pressed against theirs in the most chaste yet holy of kisses.)

“In my own experience, our organization sponsored a meeting years ago in San Francisco where trained security officers warned me about shaking hands because, in those days, certain AIDS-infected activists were deliberately trying to infect people like me by virtue of rings which would cut fingers and transfer blood,” [Robertson] said.

“A ring that gives you AIDS? I’ve never seen that section at Zales, have you?” he quipped. “I totally get why Pat Robertson is against same-sex marriage. He just doesn’t want to give gay men a reason to wear rings.”

Berry Gordy Says, “Motown: The Musical’ Is Last Career Milestone”

Berry Gordy building Motown with greats like Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye is the greatest thing Berry Gordy has offered to the world of music but he’s not done yet. In an interview with the Associated Press, Gordy, 83, says Broadway has always been on his career bucket list. And today, he’s going to see that dream realized. “Motown: The Musical” highlights Berry’s journey through Motown. Gordy in a telephone interview with AP said, “Most likely it will be my last major endeavor in a creative way. Of course everyone disagrees with me when I say that statement. This is probably the epitome of everything I’ve done — that I’ve wanted to do.”

RG's All Nite Funk Band - Thousand Shadows

MEMPHIS TN (IFS) -- RG Ingersoll does not let a great recording get by him without his magical touches on the details that makes a good record a great record.  Already marching up the charts, "Thousand Shadows" continues to push the border lines of "taking back the hits" songwriting and production style.

Ingersoll, long time Motown recording artist, songwriter and record producer for so many of the great artists of our time that were on Motown's famed recording label back in the days of Detroit, Michigan and possibly the last artist other than Stevie Wonder to walk out of the doors and toss the keys to the new owners, Universal Music Group.

Great songs never die.  They just keep on getting played worldwide and released on various media platforms, including Television commercials, TV Specials and up and coming artists that Ingersoll works with in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

To get more information at reverbnation:  http://www.reverbnation.com/rgsallnitefunkband

Jay Leno Angers NBC's Robert Greenblatt With Ratings Jabs (Report)

Greenblatt fired off an email to the comedian after a Feb. 28 episode in which Leno skewered the network's falling to fifth place during sweeps month, the New York Times reports.



Latest returns for the week ending March 10 show an official shift in the broadcast network rankings for the 2012-13 TV season. Fox has usurped NBC's second-place status, now averaging a 2.6 rating and 7 share with adults 18-49 over NBC's 2.5 rating and 7 share.

The Peacock's troubled course over midseason will shift in two weeks when The Voice returns to the schedule, though it likely won't see the dominance it saw in the fall. Season-to-date, NBC is 7 percent shy of last year's demo average. That drop, however unfortunate, has not been as steep as ABC's (8 percent), The CW's (13 percent) or Fox's (21 percent).

CBS remains the lone broadcast network even with its showing last year, thanks in part to the Super Bowl. It's currently averaging a 3.1 rating with adults 18-49 and 9 share. This time last year, Fox was on top with a 3.3 rating in the demo.


The Voice is not the only late-midseason savior coming to the broadcast networks. With mediocre and downright bad launches across the dial, the return of Dancing With the Stars should offer some boost to ABC. And on Fox, the continued performance of American Idol, though down from last season, is still far outpacing The X Factor's showing in the fall.

During the episode's opening monologue, Leno joked about NBC’s fifth-place status: "We are behind the Spanish-language network Univision -- or, as we call it here in Los Angeles, Cinco de Ratings." Other jokes included: "It’s so bad, The Biggest Loser isn’t just a TV show anymore; it’s our new motto" and "It’s so bad, NBC called Manti Te’o and asked him to bring in some imaginary viewers."

The exchange between Greenblatt and Leno is said to have occurred before The Hollywood Reporter reported March 1 that NBC was discussing an exit plan for Leno, which would see him cede his 11:35 p.m. timeslot in 2014, possibly to be replaced by Jimmy Fallon. NBC has denied the report, but two high-level industry sources told THR the network was considering making an announcement in May.

The sources indicated NBC was concerned about ABC moving its younger-skewing Jimmy Kimmel Live! to 11:35 p.m. in January. Leno remains dominant in most ratings categories, including the 18-49 demo, though Jimmy Kimmel bested Leno in his first week in the 11:35 timeslot.

"Kimmel has done extremely well," a network veteran told THR for the March 1 story. "Jay wins overall, but on any given night, it's neck-and-neck in 18-49. I understand where they might have fear and also feel that they own the solution [in Fallon]."

Leno’s rep told the Times there would be no comment on the report.

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Why Most Indie Music Group and Labels Fail

January 2, 2013

Why Most Indie Music Groups and Labels Fail (Part 1)

BY: GLENN MACRAE 

This is part 1 of a 2 part article I wrote strictly based on my professional experienceproducing and engineering and managing artists.  Since 2006, I’ve been involved as a key member in several music groups, labels, and production teams that despite all their potential to achieve greatness, fail and fall apart, often at critical moments.

So without further ado…

1) Unchecked Egos

We all have them, but some people do not know how to keep them in check or simply to check them at the door.  Unchecked Egos will tear apart even the closest allies and cause individuals to think they can do better on their own than with the group.  Though this is sometimes the case, a great deal of wasted time and energy can be avoided. Recognize the people with potential Ego issues and eliminate them from the group/organization/team/label.  Attempt to help them with their Ego issue is not recommended as it can backfire.  Death to overinflated egos!

2) Lack of leadership

No organization can succeed without strong leadership – independent music groups and labels are no different.  Without a leader, they will undoubtedly fail. Usually, there is one person (or sometimes in the case of larger groups 2 or even 3 people) that are the natural leaders of the group.  These individuals are the most reluctant to except their positions as the leader of the group.  Oftentimes, this reluctancy comes from their notions about what a leader is – they imagine them dominating the group as a king or controlling every single aspect of the group.  This is not what a leader is or does.  The very reluctancy to lead can sometimes even be an indication that this very person is the right one to lead. Humbleness and dedication to the rise of the team/company are essential and necessary qualities.

3) Fear, Anxiety or Worry

Hesitant, would-be leaders are sometimes afraid on stepping on their allies/teammates toes.  If you are unwilling to step on a few toes – If you fear losing a few customers/clients in order to grow/evolve and further the vision- If you are afraid to kick people off of the ‘bus’ in order to figure out where to drive it – the team, and you as a leader, will not succeed.

4) Lack of direction/ No clear Goals

This is unfortunately very common.  Many assumptions about success are made, but clear goals and a vision for what success is are a must.  In other words, unless each individual defines success for themselves personally and how the group should define success on a bigger scale, then no progress will be made.  No goals, no success.  Set goals and your success will not only be defined, but the steps you need to take to achieve them will also be crystal clear.

5)Laziness/Procrastination

Procrastination is like mental masturbation because you are only f***ing yourself!  Ideas and concepts are great, but unless they are turned into objectives, completed – they will not be reality and might as well be called wishes, hopes and dreams.  You must take a sense of urgency with everything you do – even the smallest things like following up with key allies can go by undone for weeks and then a key relationship is lost/destroyed possibly forever.  Don’t let this happen!  Make a habit to take action and you will live out your dreams and achieve everything you want and more!

(part 2 coming soon)

Sony Music's OKeh Records - A Historic Jazz Label Gets a New Life

A Historic Jazz Label Gets a New Life

By NATE CHINEN

The major-label landscape hasn’t been hospitable to jazz in recent years, but there’s a bit of good news on the horizon: OKeh Records, the label that released historic early recordings by Louis Armstrong, King Oliver and Duke Ellington, is being revived under the corporate umbrella of Sony Masterworks. The new OKeh roster will feature contemporary artists, including the guitarist Bill Frisell, the saxophonist David Sanborn and the pianist and keyboardist Bob James; its first release will be “A Different Time,” by the pianist John Medeski, on April 9.

Wulf Müller, who joined Sony Classical as a jazz consultant last fall, is overseeing the label revamp. Mr. Müller has nearly 30 years of experience in the music industry, many of them in the realm of A&R and marketing for PolyGram and Universal. At OKeh he’ll work with Chuck Mitchell, who was recently appointed senior vice president of Sony Masterworks (and comes with his own major-label jazz pedigree, having worked as an executive at Verve and eOne).

“With Wulf Müller and Chuck Mitchell as the ideal partners, I’m thrilled that we are breathing new life into one of the coolest brands in recorded music history,” Bogdan Roscic, the president of Sony Classical, said in a news release scheduled for distribution on Thursday. “We feel there is currently an incredible wealth of exciting music out there that will find a new home and thrive on OKeh.”

Founded in 1918 by Otto K. E. Heinemann, a German émigré, OKeh Records released a typical mishmash of the era — popular and specialty songs — until it had a fateful hit in 1920 with Mamie Smith’s “Crazy Blues,” often credited as the first-ever blues record. Recognizing an opportunity, Heinemann began recording more African-American music, eventually hiring the pianist and singer Clarence Williams as director of “race records.”

After becoming a division of Columbia Records in 1926, OKeh went through a series of changes, branching out from jazz and blues. Among its pop hits in the ‘50s were “Cry,” by Johnnie Ray, and “I Put a Spell on You,” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. In the ‘60s the producer Carl Davis, working with Curtis Mayfield, gave the label a soul makeover. Dormant during the ‘70s and ‘80s, OKeh was also resuscitated in the mid-‘90s as a blues label, releasing albums by Keb’ Mo and G. Love & Special Sauce, among others.

For now, at least, the new OKeh will be explicitly a jazz label and only deal in new releases. (Its back catalog is the province of Sony’s Legacy division, which last year released “Louis Armstrong: The OKeh Columbia & RCA Victor Recordings 1925-1933,” a 10-CD boxed set.)

And while its first batch of announced artists consists entirely of Americans, that’s not likely to be the case for long. The revamped label’s slogan is “Global Expressions in Jazz,” and Mr. Müller, who lives in Madrid, stands behind it. “What I want to achieve with OKeh,” he said in the news release, “is to build a home for jazz and jazz-related music of the highest quality, whatever its origins are.”

A version of this article appeared in print on 01/11/2013, on page C2 of the NewYork edition with the headline: OKeh Jazz Label Gets a New Life.