Genre bending Lo-Boy's "Gimme 1 mo" 1st single "kicks butt!" from "The Re-Mix" official release Jan 31 2008 now online!
Heavy exciting Lo-Boy have finally released their much anticipated 1st single titled "Gimme 1 mo." This modern day "we will rock you-party like a rockstar" anthem to lets have a good time, and life in the fab lane, is creating a much deserved major buzzola! Worldwide! With so many distributors from U.S.U.K to Japan to Brazil to the ukrane,
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AirPlay Direct Taps Music Executive Roger Smith
Jackie Chan helps fight piracy with fridge magnets
The Motion Pictures Association and the China Film Copyright Protection Association plan to issue 200,000 refrigerator magnets bearing martial art film star Jackie Chan's image and an anti-piracy message to buyers of authentic DVDs in China, where piracy is rampant.
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Shawn Thomas on iMuzic.com
Since the release of his first album "Come My Way" in 1993, Shawn Thomas has proven himself one of the most diligent and persistent performers and recording artists. Pursuing his talents in many directions including songwriting, producing, musical theater, dance and choreography, choral direction, and voice instruction, Shawn Thomas emerges not only as a
competent performer and singer, but as a dynamic and versatile entertainer.
After a decade of resisting the encouragement of others to incorporate his faith into his music, in 2003 Shawn released his first "spiritual" project, "Everything I Am". This began a completely unplanned journey for Shawn into music ministry, and over the past four and a half years has introduced him to a way of worship through music he previously thought impossible. "I was afraid to sing
religious music, because I didn't think I would be allowed to do the kind of music that I enjoy. I grew up being exposed only to traditional hymns and classically based music in church, so I didn't think of contemporary music as something that could be used in worship and praise." Now, in a world now saturated with American Idols and Star Search moments, Shawn Thomas brings to the world
of music a truth beyond reality programming. With his dramatic new CD release, "Faith Unashamed", Shawn portrays an array of emotion and thought with the artistic delivery for which he is known, combined with a more deliberate message of spirituality and love. In this wide-ranging 23 track CD, his songwriting, performance, and production techniques are showcased in a variety of style and
mood, framed with dramatic skits and edgy lyrics, all with the intention of reflecting God's grace.
Released on his own label, Aaron's Rainbow Project, "Faith Unashamed" is the follow-up album to Shawn's previous CD, "ChangeD", which was nominated for a 2006 OutMusic Award for "Outstanding New Inspirational Recording". Shawn also received Stonewall Society's "Dance Award for Pride in the Arts" for the number one single "The Beat of the Lord" and was voted Indie-Music's "Best Songwriter
for 2004" after the release of his first Spiritual/Christian Music CD, "Everything I Am". Shawn's first CD project as an "out" (openly gay) artist was released in 1999. "Out in This World" peaked at number one twice, and hit number 7 for the Top 50 albums of 2000 on OutVoice.com.
With the energy and drive of singles such as the title track and "Kickin' Back", and the power and emotion of "The Human Part of Me" and "Where I Am", Shawn delivers his newest music with new found purpose and meaning, as he expresses to the world, to the Universe, and to God, "Faith Unashamed."
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Information about Barcodes for CDs and DVDs
This article is provided by CDDVD Now! and Indie Artists Alliance.
Why do I need a barcode?
If you are going to sell your CD in stores, through CD Baby, want it to look "Retail Ready" or want it tracked by Nielsen SoundScan, you need a barcode. If you are sending out promo CDs or are just selling your CD at shows, you don't
really need one.
What is a barcode?
According to Wikipedia (Open Source Encyclopedia - used by permission) the definition of a barcode is:
a machine-readable (uses dark ink on white substrate to create high and low reflectance which is converted to 1's and 0's) representation of information in a visual format on a surface. Originally barcodes stored data in the widths and spacings of printed parallel lines, but today they also come in patterns of dots, concentric circles, and hidden within images. Barcodes can be read by
optical scanners called barcode readers or scanned from an image by special software. Barcodes are widely used to implement Auto ID Data Capture (AIDC) systems that improve the speed and accuracy of computer data entry. http://www.wikipedia.com
Where can I get one?
GS1 (formerly The Uniform Code Council) dispenses all UPC bar codes.
http://www.gs1.org/
Indie Artists Alliance: http://www.indieartistsalliance.com/barcode/barcode.htm
CDDVD Now (when you produce your CD) http://www.cddvdnow.com How much do they cost?
If you subscribe directly to the GS1, the base cost is $750.00 plus a yearly renewal fee.
If you register with Indie Artists Alliance, you can register your project for $9.95 and receive your UPC barcode via e-mail (www.indieartistsalliance.com)
If you have CDDVD Now produce your CD/DVD, they provide a barcode for free.
What is Soundscan?
http://www.nielsenrei.com/
Nielsen SoundScan is an information system that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada. Sales data from point-of-sale cash registers is collected weekly from over 14,000 retail, mass merchant and non-traditional (on-line stores, venues, etc.) outlets. Weekly data is compiled and made available every Wednesday. Nielsen SoundScan is the sales
source for the Billboard music charts.
SoundScan is only able to track those CDs that have a UPC bar code.
Because of CDDVD Now's affiliation with Independent Artists Alliance, CDDVD Now's customers get a free UPC code when they produce their CD with us. This is potentially a savings of $750.00.
Registering your CD
Once you get your barcode from CDDVD Now/Indie Artists Alliance or directly from GS1(formerly the Uniform Code Council), you will need to register your product SoundScan. Download and fill out the SoundScan Title Addition Sheet:
Download U.S. Word version
Download U.S. pdf version
Download
Canada Word version
Download Canada pdf version
The Title Addition Sheet can be submitted to the Soundscan Database Department by email at dbase@soundscan.com Once a title is submitted to SoundScan, it can take up to 10-15 business days for it to be entered into the system. Once entered, the title has the ability to be tracked by SoundScan. Note: In
order to find out if a title is already registered with SoundScan, you may contact Client Services by email at clientservices@soundscan.com (If emailed please include the full UPC code), or call us at (914) 684-5525.For further questions visit the SounScan website at http://www.soundscan.com
What is BDS?
http://www.nielsenrei.com/
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems is the world's leading provider of airplay tracking for the entertainment industry. Employing a patented digital pattern recognition technology, Nielsen BDS captures in excess of 100 million song detections annually on more than 1,600 radio stations, satellite radio and cable music channels in over 140 markets in the U.S. (including Puerto
Rico) and 30 Canadian markets.
Radio formats monitored include Adult Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Album Rock, Classic Rock, Contemporary Christian, Country, Modern Rock, Oldies, R&B (including Rap and Hip Hop), Spanish (including Latin Contemporary, Regional Mexican and Tropical Salsa), and Top 40. Additionally, Nielsen BDS monitors 12 U.S. Music Video Channels and 9 Canadian Video Channels. Executives from all
facets of record companies, radio stations, publishing firms, performance rights organizations, music retailers, independent promoters, film and TV, and artist management are among those who query more than 10,000 reports daily from Nielsen BDS products - ENcore, BDSRadio.com, BDSexpress.com and BDS RealTime. Nielsen BDS information is utilized exclusively by Billboard, R&R (Radio
& Records) and the Canadian Music Network in determining their radio airplay music charts. Nielsen BDS announces Virtual Encode! Now you can submit your CD's and MP3's, free of charge, electronically through our secure Virtual Encode website. To submit your music via Virtual Encode:
Send an email with "Virtual Encode" as the subject to our Client Services Department at clientservices@bdsonline.com for a username and password. When submitting your request, PLEASE include the following information in the body of your email: Your Full Name
Company or Label Name
Contact Number
Primary Email Address
Any Additional Contact Information
You will receive login information and instructions for the Virtual Encode website, via e-mail..
To submit your music by mail
visit http://www.bdsonline.com/submit.html
VideoScan
VideoScan and ACNielsen (a partnership since January 2000, and sister companies under the VNU banner since 2001) seamlessly integrate point-of-sale (POS) data collected by both companies to provide a comprehensive view of the VHS and DVD sell-through business. VideoScan, a leader in video market research since 1993, manages the business on behalf of the partnership. With its strong
history and relationships with studios and electronic/specialty retailers, VideoScan provides industry-wide expertise and perspective. ACNielsen, the leader in data services to the consumer packaged goods industry, brings its powerful analytic capabilities and broad coverage of the discount mass, grocery and drug retailers to the partnership. Together, VideoScan and ACNielsen are the
acknowledged leader in consumer research for the VHS and DVD sell-through industry. The partnership between VideoScan and ACNielsen is known as Nielsen VideoScan. Sell-through POS (consumer purchase) sales data are collected weekly from traditional channels of video distribution including mass merchants, audio/video and video specialty retailers, electronics outlets, grocery stores, drug
stores, and some Internet sites. Nielsen VideoScan maintains this weekly POS data in one of the largest databases of VHS and DVD products in the country. Data is collected on more than 40,000 VHS items and 12,000 DVD items. Virtually every UPC code in sell-through release since 1993 can be found in our extensive database. Complete sales data in all retail channels are available as far
back as January 1999 (however Wal*Mart data is included only through 7/28/01). Prior to January 1999, limited information is available in most channels going back to 1993. Nielsen VideoScan's VHS and DVD sell-through data are made available through the Nielsen VideoScan web site and the ACNielsen NITRO data delivery system. Some of the types of reports we have available: Title Reports
with sales for each title categorized nationally, regionally (by DMA) and by retail channel.
Sales History Reports providing week-by-week title sales since 1999 or release date (if later).
Summary Reports providing industry overviews comparing sales from previous years as well as weekly comparisons to the prior year.
Market Share Reports giving annual and weekly market shares by distributor/label.
Top 100 Charts for numerous categories rank the top titles by unit sales. Charts are available for the current week's sales or for cumulative year-to-date sales. Prior year-end charts are also available. Chart categories include distributors and selected genres.
While most of their clients choose annual subscriptions, they also work with customers on a project-by-project basis. They can handle everything from sophisticated marketing and sales research and planning to simple one title sales ad-hoc requests. Nielsen VideoScan's VHS and DVD sales charts are currently published in Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Video Store Magazine, The Los
Angeles Times, The New York Times and others.
For more information contact: http://www.videoscan.com/contact.html
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Disc Duplication vs Replication - What's the Difference
Article by CDDVD Now! http://www.cddvdnow.com
CD and DVD Replication (also known as Optical DIsc Manufacturing) is a process of manufacturing your discs.
Disc Duplication is copying data onto recordable media, either CD-R or DVD-R.
Replication is a process of creating a glass master and a stamper and injection molding your discs. The data is pressed into the polycarbonate material, then a layer of foil is applied, a protective layer and then the discs are printed using either a silkscreen or offset printing method.
Duplication uses discs that have a layer of optical dye and the data is burned into the dye using a laser. This is where the expression, "to burn a disc" comes from.
Duplicating CDs and DVDs is a relatively quick and inexpensive process making it the choice for short-run needs. The discs are burned and then the artwork is printed directly on the face of the disc.
There are however instances where CD replication is a better choice.
If you want to make 1000 discs or more, CD or DVD replication will be the least expensive way to go. There are virtually no compatibility issues with CD-R but, in the case of DVD-R duplication, there are still some compatibility issues between some set-top players and DVD-R.
Replicating your DVD (stamping) virtually eliminates all compatibility issues. With stamped discs, you have a much more professional look, too. There are many benefits to replication including 100% accuracy and tremendous price breaks in larger quantities. Many times it comes down to a couple of issues, how many you need and how fast you need them.
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CDDVD Now! and Indie Artists Alliance partner with Fanbridge
"As a provider of services for musicians and business, we know the advantages of staying connected with customers through e-mail while developing our brand and community" states CDDVD Now!/Indie Artists Alliance founder Phil Peretz. "Offering the FanBridge service to our clients will allow artists to effectively stay connected and to manage their lists easily and
affordably."
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Amazon.com to Launch DRM-Free MP3 Music Download Store with Songs and Albums from EMI Music and More Than 12,000 Other
Labels
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2007--Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced it will launch a digital music store later this year offering millions of songs in the DRM-free MP3 format from more than 12,000 record labels. EMI Music's digital catalog is the latest addition to the store. Every song and album in the Amazon.com digital music store will be available exclusively in the MP3
format without digital rights management (DRM) software. Amazon's DRM-free MP3s will free customers to play their music on virtually any of their personal devices -- including PCs, Macs(TM), iPods(TM), Zunes(TM), Zens(TM) -- and to burn songs to CDs for personal use.
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Guitarist and Bandleader Jeff Healey Dies in Toronto Hospital
Guitarist and Bandleader Jeff Healey Dies in Toronto Hospital
Following a lengthy struggle with cancer, Healey passes away on the eve of the release of a new blues rock album (His First Blues Album in 8 Years)
Jeff Healey, arguably one of the most distinctive guitar players of our time, died today (Sunday March 2) in St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto. He was 41, and leaves his wife, Cristie, daughter Rachel (13) and son Derek (three), as well as his father and step-mother, Bud and Rose Healey, and sisters Laura and Linda.
Funeral and memorial arrangements are pending.
After his appearance in the movie Road House, he was signed to Arista records, and in 1988 released the Grammy-nominated album See the Light, which included a major hit single, Angel Eyes. Various "best-of" and live packages were released, and he recorded two more rock albums, before turning to his real love, classic American jazz from the '20s, '30s and '40s.
By then, however, Healey was an internationally-known star who had played with dozens of musicians, including B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and recorded with George Harrison. Mark Knopfler and the late blues legend, Jimmy Rogers.
A family man with a three-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter he preferred to stay close to home. As his rock career wound down as the millennium came, he recorded a series of three album of early jazz, playing trumpet as well as acoustic guitar in a band he called Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards. The most recent was It's Tight Like That, recorded live at Hugh's Room in Toronto in 2005,
with British jazz legend Chris Barber as guest star.
The album was the result of a joint agreement between the German label, Ruf Records, and Stony Plain, the independent Edmonton-based label that has released his three jazz CDs.
Mess of Blues was recorded in studios in Toronto, with two cuts recorded at the Jeff Healey's Roadhouse in Toronto and two at a concert in London England. The backup group on the upcoming CD ? the Healey's House Band ? played with him regularly at the downtown Roadhouse, and at a previous club bearing his name in the Queen-Bathurst area.
Early last year, Healey underwent surgery to remove cancerous tissue from his legs, and later from both lungs; aggressive radiation treatments and chemotherapy, however, failed to halt the spread of the disease.
Despite his battle with cancer, he undertook frequent tours across Canada with both his blues-based band and his jazz group; he was set for a major tour in Germany and the U.K. and was to be a guest on the BBC's famed Jools Holland Show in April.
Remembered by his musicians and his audiences for his wry sense of humour as well as his musical playfulness, Healey was a unique musician who bridged different genres with ease and assurance.
For further information, please contact:
Canada:Richard Flohil416 351-1323 / 416 997-4788 rflohil@sympatico.ca
Holger PetersenStony Plain Records780 468-6423 holger@stonyplainrecords.com
Europe Thomas Ruf.Ruf Records011 49 (0)36087 / 92200 ruf@rufrecords.de
United States Mark Pucci, MP Media770-804-9555 mpmedia@bellsouth.net
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CDDVD Now releases Replicated Dual Discs
It's not a CD, It's not a DVD, It's both, It's a DualDisc Replicated "Hybrid Disc"
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Singing Shapeshifters in the Shadow of Chernobyl: Kitka Ignites the Embers of a Disappearing Song Ritual
Confessions of a No-Frills Indie Songwriter
I'm really a fan as much as a songwriter, but a lot of songwriters say that. Elvis Costello, Elton John. They were fans first. But I was a serious fan, probably like most people who listen to "dark" music. Great songs got me through my adolescence. They got me through breakups. They kept me company.
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