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As a club owner, finding musical groups is one of the most important parts of my job. From amateur groups to serious professional acts, the right band will really make a difference in the business I do. Finding musical acts who are going to put on a good show, however, is only half the issue. The other issue is whether or not they’re going to bring in a crowd. A great undiscovered musical talent might be pretty entertaining and interesting to see in a bar, but if they don’t have the following, they are no use to me. I need musical groups that can bring people and keep them drinking all night.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t give other sorts of musical groups a chance. Sometimes, it’s nice to have an amateur band with raw, unvarnished energy come in and put on a wild rocking show. It’s just that these bands can not be counted on to make you money. Usually, I’ll just give them a couple drinks and maybe 10 bucks each if it’s a good night. Enough to cover gas money, but not cut of the door. After all, if they’re not making me any money, I can’t really afford to pay them.

Most of the amateur musical groups get this, but a few of them don’t. I’ve definitely had my share of arguments with musical bands who are expecting me to be blown away by their performance and offer them loads of money. I don’t know what they think I am. I think in some of these guys heads, club owners are supposed to be waiting there just to see them play. I think they believe honestly that, if they play in the right club, they are going to be made millionaires overnight – or at least get enough money to pay rent. I can’t do that for a small, amateur musical group. I’m just trying to make do myself.

Still, sometimes it’s good to take a risk. I’ve definitely paid good money to bring in musical groups from out of town, sometimes with disappointing results. Other times, you find a small band with incredibly loyal followers who will go with them anywhere. You bring in one band from Georgia and they bring a hundred fans, driving across multiple states to come see them play. It’s really hard to tell how it’s going to go until it does. Basically, as a club owner I just have to trust my own judgment.

So who doesn’t want to get their songs played on the radio? And who doesn’t want to win a Grammy award someday for best original song, or best album, or best new artist for that matter? But for those of us brand-new in this business, there’s just a whole lot to learn about music copyright law. Now that I’m trying to write my own songs, I guess there’s no better time to get an education about the ins and out of this rather nebulous arena.

Learning when and where music copyright law goes into effect is the place to start. Since the first writing I did was just penning new tunes to two- and three-hundred year old hymns at church, I didn’t really have much to worry about. I was using lyrics that were public domain (sort of like “Happy Birthday” — when it’s public domain, you can sing someone else’s tunes or lyrics without winding up in jail), so I didn’t have to worry about protected rights. Using these types of songs and lyrics is the way to go for beginners, but I’ve advanced beyond that point now. I’m trying to write my own stuff, and I don’t want someone else getting credit for it, which is why I needed to find out how music copyright law works.

Music copyright law protects composers, publishers, and arrangers from having their work stolen or tampered with in any way. In essence, United States music copyright law guarantees that the creator/owner of the original material has the exclusive rights to that material as long as they’re alive, plus 50 years! For songs written before 1978, the decided-on time frame is 75 years. That way, the creative folks that penned their own songs and lyrics get all the credit for them, as well as any monetary gain from their sale or broadcast. It’s a pretty terrific system, if you ask me.

The best way to protect what you’ve written, what some call your “intellectual property,” is to register what your songs or lyrics with the appropriate government agency. A good attorney is really worth your time in this regard, even if it’s just in the capacity of advising you on how and where to start. The web is full of resources and references for music copyright law, including some well-known sites that can give you step-by-step information on safeguarding your work, all of which can be done online. And you can find attorneys who specialize in our business (that’s where I found my lawyer).

So I’m glad that I did a little bit of homework, and I’m hoping that when Steven Spielberg decides to use what I’ve written as the soundtrack for his next summer blockbuster, I’ll be ready to sit back, relax, and watch those lovely royalty checks flow right into my mailbox!
 

Everyone listens to rock music as a kid, but when you are grown up your relationship to it can change. When I was first listening to it, I wasn’t aware of the history of rock music. To me, rock ‘n roll was just something fun to put on when I was partying with friends, relaxing after school, or even cleaning my room up. I liked to go to rock concerts and trade CDs with friends. I knew people in bands, and started trying to play some rock music myself. That is when things got more serious.

At the time, I didn’t realize how interesting and intricate rock and roll can get. The history of rock music is much more complex than most of the simplistic music of today would have you thinking. It has roots in traditional African American music, Caribbean music, country, and many other different styles. It has always been a music of rebellion, but the nature of that rebellion has changed over the years. Sometimes it has been remarkably simplistic while other times it has been incredibly complex. In short, it is hard to reduce it to one simple explanation.

I realized early on that I wanted to be a rock musician. I had only read a few books about bands playing rock ‘n roll, but I was absolutely captivated by the lifestyle. A lot of my friends practiced all the time while listening to the same basic bands, but I realize that exposing myself to diverse influences was every bit as important as practicing. There are many different kinds of rock musicians out there, and the more I studied the more I would learn to do.

I started listening to music online. My favorites thing to do is to put on Pandora. If you’ve never seen this site, you should check it out. Basically, you can select any band or song you want and it creates a radio station based on that. It plays songs in a similar vein, often exposing you to groups you’ve never heard of before. It plays both famous songs and ones that are less well known, guaranteeing a variety of different musical influences. It is the greatest way I know to expand your understanding of rock music. It certainly has worked for me. I’ve gone from a three chord wonder to a progressive rocker, incorporating elements of jazz, blues, and Caribbean music into a diverse mix. I even throw in a little bit of country from time to time to spice things up.

Lion King Musical

Every so often, a stage musical captures the imagination and enjoys long runs around the world. The Lion King musical is unusual in that it is based on a film. Adapted from the Disney movie, its stage transition brought instant success and appeals to the whole family. Children love the animals and spectacle and it’s a terrific introduction to theatre for them.

The story of a pride of lions on the Serengeti Plains in Africa was a challenge to produce in live theatre and an inventive use of actors in animal costumes and huge puppets was the answer. The show premiered in Minnesota in 1997 before moving to Broadway, meeting with praise from the public and critics. Other productions have included London’s West End, where it still runs, Tokyo, Toronto, Paris, Johannesburg, and Sydney. A new Taiwan production began in August 2008 and two American productions are on tour. The Lion King musical added new scenes and seven extra songs, not included in the film.

China too presented the show with a production in Shanghai in 2006 in which characters borrowed tricks from traditional Chinese Shadow Plays. One of the songs was adapted into a popular Chinese song and characters sometimes spoke in Chinese.

The vibrant characters, touching story and catchy songs with African rhythms have engrossed audiences everywhere. Elton John wrote the music and Time Rice was responsible for the lyrics with the exception of They Live in You. This song was written by Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin and the South African composer, Lebo M. The original Broadway cast featured Jason Raize as Simba and Samuel E.Wright as Mufasa. A Tony award for Best Musical was given to the Lion King musical in 1998.

The Circle of Life is probably the most well known song from the score. All the songs can be found on the CD of the Original Broadway Cast Recording, which won a Grammy award for Best Musical Show album. There is also a CD from the Lion King musical from the London Theatre Orchestra and Cast, and the casts of the Japanese, German, Dutch and French productions. The Circle of Life version in the movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Elton John also recorded his own version of the song. The Lion King musical is an exciting event that audiences respond to and the songs remain in the memory for a long time.

Anything associated with The Beatles is bound to be in demand. For musicians, the chance to own Beatles sheet music is inspiring. Unfortunately, the originals are beyond most people’s budgets! However, there are plenty of books containing reproductions, helping to recreate all the hits for the budding guitarist at a party or the more serious aspirations of a tribute band.

The books on the market cater for every skill level and for different instruments. Beginners that want an easy level will enjoy The Beatles: Complete Easy Guitar Edition, a large collection of 176 songs with simplified arrangements. Melody lines, chords and chord boxes, and lyrics are accompanied by color photographs and illustrations. More easy level Beatles sheet music is contained in Really Easy Guitar! The Beatles. The book has guitar tab, chord boxes and lyrics and a soundtrack CD. There are tips on how to play different aspects of the tunes and a helpful guide on using tab and chords for beginners.

For more intermediate players, there is Play Guitar with the Best of the Beatles. 23 hits are reproduced and there are two CDs, one with all the instruments and the other without the guitar parts so that the player can accompany the tracks. The most comprehensive Beatles sheet music for guitar is The Beatles Complete Scores Box Edition for intermediate and advanced skills. Full score transcriptions cover every one of the 203 songs that the band wrote and recorded with an additional nine songs that were covers. The score appears in tab and standard notation and each instrument and vocal has its own separate stave.

Pianists too can have fun with the Beatles back catalog by using The Beatles Complete Piano Edition. Containing almost every song, the book is aimed at easy level and there are guitar chord symbols and notations for piano and voice. Even saxophonists can join in with Beatles sheet music with Guest Spot: The Beatles Playalong for Saxophone. 10 hits are arranged for alto saxophone with melody lines and there is a CD with backing tracks. Parties can go with a bang with 101 Beatles Songs for Buskers. Beginners can join in and follow the melody, chords and lyrics in the piano/organ edition. Beatles sheet music ensures that the legacy of the most successful band of all time endures and the songs will be performed live. Original fans can take a trip down memory lane and new generations will discover some great material.