From the Editor
GOING, GOING, ALMOST GONE
November 24, 2004

The Recording Institute of Detroit (RID) is going, going and almost gone into video production, providing students with unique opportunities to intern in audio production of video/film.   Each week, I will be producing one or two 15 minute segments for the weekly Entertainment & More (DEM) show which airs Thursday evenings on Comcast-Detroit, channel 72.  On the November 18, 2004 show the's guest host interviewed me about the practical training that we are teaching our production students and interns about music marketing.  There is a school project in test marketing Coming Back From 911, by RID Grad Dave Newland and the recording band called the Motorcity Warrentucky Rock Band.  We even wrote a letter to the president about this. 

When I say "almost gone" into video production, I mean: "Hey we're new at this - be patient"  We found that we needed a DVD maker to transfer to DVD, so we can convert to a file that we post.  Bottom line is that the first video article is going to post Sunday 11/28 (about a week late).  For the 11/25/04 DEM show, Muruga Booker was interviewed by me about the "Dodecahedruming" production technique the he is teaching to our Associate Producer Students.  My article about his technique is now posted in the issue.  This Friday we shoot Dave Newland performing 2 cuts from his Coming Back From 911 ("911") CD and he talks about the songs.  This Friday we also are shooting an interview with Record Promotions Guru, Tom Gelardi about his long and successful music business career.  Dave and Tom are scheduled for the 12/2/04 DEM show.

On our school project, wr had a very successful first 10 days in the retail stores when we sold out of stock in one store and had a couple of sales in the other Record Time store. At this time we are establishing ourself in just 2 stores - we expect to be in 50 stores by February.  Me and Tom Gelardi explain how initial sales figures need to be interpreted and what out Christmas store sales promotion entails for the 911 release, in the article entitled I Sold 10 Copies - Do I Have A Hit?

Talking about upcoming things, I have a lot to put up to make the band's website what it needs to be and will be trying to make a dent in the work over this "holiday" weekend.  The band's site at www.motorcityrockband.com is designed to have samples of the 911 cut and a special "customer area" called a "fan engine" that can be accessed with a code packed into each store CD.  This area will shortly have poster downloads and bonus cuts.

The copies that are in the stores of our 911 release are actually "preview copies" (that have all the full-audio cuts)  In about 2 weeks time we will be releasing the "final" version of this Superdisc™  single that will include 4 bonus cuts as MP3's by other successful Motorcity Acts.  These acts will have new releases through Developing Artist Productions this coming year.  Persons who purchased this preview copy can download the bonus cuts that they are missing on the CD.

One added cut is "Damn the TV's Gone" by AC Combs & The Kentucky Fox Band, which was a runaway #1 country hit in 1980.  It starts out with the line, "I got the funny feeling I don't live here anymore, When I saw my clothes sittin outside the front door." AC goes on to explain that he's not upset about the wife leaving, but "Damn. The TV's Gone."

Another added cut is "Terroristic Activity" by Muruga and the United Field Marshalls For Peace"  This and several other cuts were distributed free at the Blues From The Rainforest Band concerts in 1990, and Muruga won the Hiroshima World Peace Award in 1990 because of this release.

Two other added cuts are by a mid-Michigan rock band called Giftvs that I produced in 1998.  Jeremy, the lead singer of the group is an unbelievably good rock songwriter.  The tune "I'll Get High With You" was the tune I originally picked as his "best" (out of 200 tunes I reviewed) and the tune "Buddy" was a tune that him and I wrote for the completed, but not released, 14 cut CD called GiftvsII.  This album is scheduled to be released in 2005.

And just a reminder:  Check back each week to see the articles that we have "added" to this REQ issue.

Bob

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