2011 Goals - 9 month up-date

WOW!!! 2011 has been a roller coaster so far...and no signs of slowing down!

Let's jump right in with the up-dates...but first, here is the original post:

http://skinnydevilmusic.blogspot.com/2011/02/sdml-creative-biz-goals-for-2011.html

1) Skinny Devil TV - still in a holding pattern. Full disclosure: I've spoken to the likes of Jennifer Batten, Greg Howe, Rory Block, Dave Martone, Kelly Ritchey, Ben Lacy, & others....but this baby is coming down to money. No corporate sponsorship, no SD-TV. We may try to run ONE show as a "pilot", then use it to attempt to secure sponsorship, but right now this has floated to the back burner until the economy improves and businesses are willing to take a few chances.

But I'm all ears if anyone has any ideas!

2) "A Personal Note" - Also on back burner. Simply put, I don't have enough hours in the day to make this fly right now. For those wondering what "APN" is, just listen...HEATHER

Jason & me - Sneak Attack!

3) Music Production - BOOM! Since the last up-date, we've recorded demos for Slade, Travis, Kayla, and more...done 3 sessions at Sneak Attack Studio (Greg's A/D conversion as well as forth-coming CDs from both Julia Knight & Sydney Cubit)...scheduled October & November dates for Stephanie and JD/DQ's duo....done a mobile recording for Tango Mango...and am currently pouring thru live recordings from various gigs at Natasha's.

  

Alien Blue - LIVE!

4) Alien Blue - The CD keeps getting delayed due to gigs (most recently after being chosen as a finalist in the KBS Blues Challenge & now the KYB Blues Challenge), but we're about to schedule time and get this thing done!!! We have a song or two from Mike Froedge's Open Sky Studio (Atlanta) & will record the rest at Sneak Attack Studio (Lexington) and 13 O'clock Studio (Richmond).

5) Skinny Devil Magazine - Keeps getting pushed back as I try to find a computer guru who can help without charging me an arm & a leg. But slowly re-designing the web-site so it'll be ready when an entrepreneurial guru shows up....

6) SDML Instructor Network - Harder than I thought....but since the last up-date I've begun organizing material for e-books, putting together biz data, added my buddy Tim Fowler to the fold, speaking to 2 more Lex-area instructors, and am chatting with others out of state.

On-stage with MJ at Woodsongs!

7) Gun-for-Hire - Awaiting trax to complete the "Pharaoh 2.0" and "Denmark Dance" projects, and am on the look-out for other projects. Got to play on-stage at Woodsongs with my friend Michael Johnathon again!

8) Film/TV/media and Music Licensing - I've provided music for the zombie movie and am actively seeking more projects for film & TV. I'm also chatting with a couple of folks about licensing my solo works as well as music from Alien Blue.

9) Endorsement Deals - Securing a few select deals now. I will keep these to a bare minimum.

10) Skinny Devil Records - As before, we'll see how this pans out at year's end....

11) Recording Studio - No longer a viable goal (deals with Sneak Attack & 13 O'clock have made it unnecessary), though I still have my mobile recording gear and may well look to others to start using it actively in the community. This goal has mutated into something else....which I will announce (hopefully) by year's end!

If you're interested in engineering a small mobile set-up, let me know!

12) Workshops - On hold....BUT we're looking at a performance series (sort of a hybrid between SD-TV & formal workshops) bringing in great artists from the region. I've already spoken with award-winning bluesman "Blind-Dog" Gatewood, rippin' Americana duo Mamakitty, One-Shot Johnny, & more. Still requires some financial backing, but a MUCH smaller amount.
Now we just need a family-friendly venue that serves full meals & has a full bar (per audience requests)....that hopeully also has stage, PA, & lites!

Any ideas???

SDML showcase at Natasha's!

13) Student Opps - BOOM! Since the last up-date 3 months ago, we've booked performances at Woodsongs (pre-show), Moon Dance Amphitheater (DAC film series), hosted 2 SDML Spotlight shows (one at Common Grounds, one at Natasha's), booked students into 3 of the Pop's Singer-Songwriter events, and hosted yet another SDML guitar recital. Plus, we've seen more students playing events in Nashville, Memphis, Louisville, Cincy, etc....and encouraged even greater participation in local events like Lex-Jam! Also, I got to put my buddy Tim Fowler on the main stage at Woodosongs playing slide guitar using an Eric Hutchens custom Cigar Box Guitar!

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I also mentioned several other items in the original post.....I'm still teaching 5 days a week, but we'll have phased out Saturday by year's end, I have a new location to teach groups in the Richmond Road area, and looks like I might not significantly increase my income BUT it won't drop by 20% when I drop to teaching 4 days.

Total failure with the literary blog, but I plan to be on that soon, too! Might even start writing fan mail!

Sooo......things are cooking along. Big success in some areas and lack of success in other areas has crystalized some ideas for me, which in turn has enabled me to re-focus and, with luck (and a little help from all of YOU), turn the failures into success.

Stay tuned - we've got 3+ months left!

Time is running out in 2011 - HURRY!!!

6 Month Goal Up-date

I posted my plans & goals for 2011 at the beginning of the year so I (and others) could learn from both my successes and my failures. This post is to do an up-date...and to invite others along for the ride! You need a CD produced, engineered, or mastered? You need a guitarist for a studio or live gig? You wanna partner for one of the biz opportunities (recording studio, SD-TV, etc?)? You want a job as a guitar instructor, booking agent, personal rep, or PR agent? Or perhaps you just wanna duplicate my right moves and avoid my wrong moves? READ ON!

The original post with my goals & plans for 2011 is here:

http://skinnydevilmusic.blogspot.com/2011/02/sdml-creative-biz-goals-for-2011.html

How am I doing? Let's see:

1) Skinny Devil TV: Has mutated to web-cast...but currently on-hold. Several super artists lined up, but the financial support is just not there right now. Comes down to cash.....

2) A Personal Note: New logo, but has taken a back seat to other projects. Will ramp up at summer's end.

3) Music Production: The original post said: "Get back into producing, engineering, & mastering. In addition to Alien Blue, engineer &/or produce &/or master 6 projects this year." This one has taken off....student AND non-student projects: Already worked as producer on Sydney Cubit's up-coming CD and am actively involved with other student CDs (John Davis, Caitlyn Capriette, Paul Felice, Julia Knight, Chung Yen Twins, etc.), touring area studios, several non-student production & guitar player gigs on the table, and more. PLUS gigs as guitarist (see below).

4) Alien Blue: Half the CD was recorded at Open Sky Studio (Atlanta) and sessions are being set up for 13 O'clock Studios (Richmond) and Sneak Attack Studio (Lexington) and possible Pinnacle Studio (Lexington). Plus hope to record some live shows & maybe include some live trax on the new CD!

5) Skinny Devil Magazine: Totally on hold at the moment.

6) SDML Instructor Network: Original post said: "Actively work to expand the SDML Instructor Network to include instructors in at least 5 states outside KY. Produce expanded teaching & business materials." 2 additional states as of this writing have instructors-in-training!

7) Gun for Hire: As with item #3....played guitar on Sydney's CD and will have guitar credits on at least 2 more and a couple possible offers on the table! In addition, played bass & am currently recording guitars on a multi-state project (Pharaoh 2.0) and guitar clips for a dance project out of Denmark.

8) Film/TV/media and Music Licensing: One film credit for producing 3 songs for Caitlyn Capriette that appear in the movie "No Lost Cause"....and one more to go!

9) Endorsement Deals: I've dropped most of my old deals and will be pursuing new deals at year's end.

10) Skinny Devil Records: We'll see how this pans out by years end.....

11) Recording Studio: Original post: "Partner to open recording studio by end of 2011." Not sure how this one is going to go down. The continuing recession has put a big damper on this as well as item #1.

12) Music Workshops: On hold.

13) Student Opps: Glad this has taken off!!! Some I have provided and some not, but I have students in all manner of projects now...from touring the southern US to movies to Hard Rock Cafe & Six Flags gigs to opening for nationally touring acts to CD releases to radio airplay to big festivals.....and cutting deals with area recording studios to provide discounts for student projects....BOOM!

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Also in the original post I mentioned reducing teaching to 4 days a week (done as of June 2011), aggressively reducing debt (car is now paid off and I have little debt left other than my house payment), and increasing income by 50% (not done yet, but currently at about 10% increase).

4 out of 13 are on hold, and 8 out of 13 should meet or exceed expectations by year's end.

I'll check in again at the 3/4 mark and see how things are progressing!!!

SDML: Creative & Biz Goals for 2011

For educational purposes (mine & anyone in the arts who is or wishes to be self-employed), I decide to put all my cards on the table...my professional & artistic goals for 2011. The qualitative I don't list (things like "improving as a guitar instructor"), but the quantitative goals are put here in advance to provide a way to assess accomplishments & trajectories by year's end.

I should mention that as I've provided opportunity for others over the past decade, I've usually done so painlessly (hahaha!), but often done it by either giving up an opportunity of my own or by waving financial gain. It has become clear that this is cool when it works to everyone's advantage, but that I can help everyone much more from a position of increased fiscal security. Lucky for me that my creative projects contain a high degree of revenue generating potential, so the following projects are designed first to serve creative ends, but can also easily be monetized.

ALL of these goals include partnerships with others (financially, we're talking about up to 50% splits), so if you have expertise & desire and want to be involved, feel free to contact me.

Here's the baker's dozen:

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1) Skinny Devil TV: Actualize the "Skinny Devil TV" performance clinics, bringing regional & national talent to Lexington to produce clinics similar to what we've done in the past with Muriel Anderson and others, in a more compact 60 minute "ready for broadcast" format.

2) A Personal Note: Revitalize "A Personal Note" (custom music compositions for individuals & business) and sell 6 in 2011.

3) Music Production: Get back into producing, engineering, & mastering. In addition to Alien Blue, engineer &/or produce &/or master 6 projects this year.

4) Alien Blue: Complete & release Alien Blue's 3rd CD....release on hard-copy as well as digital download using experimental model (perhaps a "set your own price" or free lo-fi/pay up-grade) similar to Radiohead & NIN. Alien Blue live: Put Alien Blue on stage with prominent national acts at at least 4 gigs; book "revenue" restaurant gigs; book at least 3 rockin' blues &/or general music festivals; begin cost-effective merchandising.

5) Skinny Devil Magazine: Launch web-zine "Skinny Devil Magazine" and streamline SkinnyDevil.com web-site. Re-vitalize "Guitar Gods" and "Artists at the Edge" interview series and create creative & financial opportunities for performance artists (music, dance, etc.) as well as other artists (writers, visual artists, etc.).

6) SDML Instructor Network: Actively work to expand the SDML Instructor Network to include instructors in at least 5 states outside KY. Produce expanded teaching & business materials.

7) Gun for Hire: At least 4 gigs working as studio musician on projects where I am not involved as producer or engineer ...OR... in live setting as hired guitarist &/or music director.

8) Film/TV/media and Music Licensing: At least ONE film credit as musician, producer, engineer, or composer....At least ONE success in licensing music (using either Alien Blue or my personal music) for broadcast or other media (radio, games, etc.) - then begin expansion.

9) Endorsement Deals: Completely re-align endorsement partnerships, and work more closely with Eric Hutchens on his awesome Cigar Box Guitars and guitar customization.

10) Skinny Devil Records: Expand Skinny Devil Records to include artists other than Alien Blue.

11) Recording Studio: Partner to open recording studio by end of 2011.

12) Music Workshops: Partner to conduct educational workshops on hand-drumming, singing, & song-writing (lyrics & music).

13) Student Opps: Outside of obvious opportunities for students by achieving the above list of goals, provide expanded opportunities for guitar students in the areas of live performance, collaborations, TV/radio, live/studio session work, and the like.

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I'm considering dropping to 4 days of teaching a week to spend more family time (and to allow for the above projects). Despite the decrease in teaching, a definite financial goal is to aggressively seek to increase income dramatically (at least 50%) and aggressively reduce/eliminate debt.

Also considering expansion of past "style" guitar lessons into e-books to include song snippets, interview with the artists, lessons, style analysis, and more. I also hope my blog posts can begin to sound less like an office memo and more "literary"!

Time to fly...!!!