Why Should Artists Make Albums?

.....When hardly anyone but the most loyal and traditional music lovers are still buying them.  Have people at large lost the interest in hearing a bunch of songs in one sitting from an artist in favor of the odd tune every now and then released digitally, Youtubed, Spotified, Pandorad, etc?

Change is one of those things that happens in funny ways and over the past 2+ decades, we've seen a lot of it which I feel we are still coming to grips with.  At least I am!  I was the kind of guy growing up who spent my whole bank account buying albums in the store if I was lucky enough to find them.  It was exciting too as some of the more rare rock albums were hard to find.  I remember finding the ELP double live album Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends (which I am listening to now) as an import after trying to rack it down for months in 1992 or so.  I think I paid $25 in 1992 money for it and I was glad I did!!

To someone growing up today this kind of thing is probably the same way I looked at how old fashioned it looked in those movies when people made a phone call and it had to be switched over from some operator at a switchboard.  What a hassle!

To put things in some proper perspective, we are in a terrible recession and many are out of work or struggling to make ends meet. To add to that, think about how expensive broadband, cable and the cost of living is and then take a look at how many sold out concerts you see or attend....or have seen poorly attended or cancelled even.  It is important for people to have broadband in these times as it makes communication easier and more enjoyable so I can see why families place huge emphasis on that.

Now with digital downloads, legal and illegal, most have given up on paying for or even obtaining music, choosing to stream it instead through a variety of services and getting a CD is almost like a collector's edition...and you know what?  That's OK and if it's not, we'd all better get hip to it, because it's reality.  People will buy collector's editions at your shows or even will contact you in person or buy it through an outlet or a number of sites.

So to answer my question, the reason artists should make albums is for themselves and for the FANS and people who want the collector's edition.  They are the most loyal of your listeners and deserve it. They will be the ones at your shows that are pissed off that you don't have it for sale so you better love them for that.

You also should not shut out the 'loaders. Who's to say that just because their methods of buying or obtaining music is not the way you'd like them to buy it, that they are cheating you or making you fail? You better believe that these folks will be checking your show out or at least thinking about hopping the gate, if you've got the goods.

:0)

Leibowitz

Click here to listen to (in full for free) or buy my albums!

Send me an email!

A Narrow Escape-A New Album Coming For 2013

Hello!

I hope all of you are in high spirits and enjoying the Olympics or at least some free time to spend at your leisure.  When I have that kind of time, I usually end up not using it leisurely.  That was the case this past July with most of my "free" time being spent building a monster.

With the old studio I recorded at relocating most likely at the end of the year and Tony on tour as much as he is, I'll be moving forward with my 3rd release playing all instruments, producing as usual, and mixing and editing it as well at my own facility.

Luckily, Tony was nice enough to spot check my gear and we went through all of it to make sure I'd be set and my recording room was suitable enough.  It's good to have friends.  Now I am set to make music as much as I please.

As of now, I don't have a band and no one is beating down the doors for me to play their festival or venue solo acoustic.  This is 100% fine.  When I was trying to get booked and playing places I found it to be fun to play but dealing with the promoters or club owners was a pain.  Spending the time to get booked is a hassle and I'm not a "career musician".

I'm sure they are dealing with the economy in their own way and when the right venues and contacts are hip to the sound, I'll play wherever, within reason.  Meanwhile, I've been coming up with some ideas to put on free concerts.  I'm an explorer and I've found a few secret outlets here and there that I could plug into.

So with that, I tune up the acoustic guitar this Sunday morning and adventure into the land of absurdity once again to track down a tune or 2.

Take good care and thanks for listening!!

Josh

Bandcamp Link To Albums

Email Me!

Way Beyond Oblivion

Well, I'm on vacation.  It just started so for me the first few days are much like my other days...phone calls, emails, projects, practice, work!  It's good to have my work be in the demand that it is as well as having the drive to expand STE Marketing Solutions, my media company and label, to do other things beyond what we do already.  It's come to the point that for many reasons, STE will be doing media production inhouse, having its own studio.  Now, once upon a time I went to school to learn the ins and outs of video and audio recording and editing...the works.  Once I graduated I first saw much more of the TV and video production editing aspect and less of the production of music.  That all changed when I recorded Guitar For Money back in 2010 and through to the current day where my musical drive or output has not waned a bit.  Before I do anything serious with the studio for potential clients, I will be doing my entire next album here, save for bits here and there that I might book a local (or not so local) studio for.  I'm also going to be making mock commercials and audio promo spots.  Video will probably be something beyond that as well. All of this is exciting stuff that I'm really looking into peeling into once the gear arrives.  


On a different musical note, with regards to the 2 albums I've already done, they are available in several formats and for those who want to purchase anything, please send an email to Josh@STEMarketingSolutions.com with the subject line "Order" and let me know which album you want and I'll make sure you get it!  Guitar For Money Digipacks and posters are $12 each, shipping included going anywhere in the US.  The same deal will be the story with The Beginning Of The Endless Search For Oblivion when they arrive. If you are outside the US, please let me know where and we'll get you sorted without you feeling fleeced on shipping!!


Show Me The Way To The Stage... and be well!


Leibowitz

Artist Links:

www.leibowitz.bandcamp.com
www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic
www.facebook.com/leibowitzmusic
www.twitter.com/leibowitzmusic

The FIRE! project

Man.  Changes happen quickly in some ways and not so quickly in others.  Above all else is is the FIRE! I have to make new music and the perspective I maintain to retain focus and enthusiasm.  It's not about the money or even the shot at playing decent sized gigs anymore.  Right now we are back to basics.  Small ball.  I'm confident in my playing and the writing and getting everything I want done.  That is important.  It isn't easy but it is THE factor needed to see a musical project through to completion along with a budget and the will to do it.  This project will be the most challenging for me due to all of the changes and what I'm trying to get across as I'm not about to retread anything like I've done.  The wild whips of changes often sling you forward if you are facing the right way and can ride that wave...in spirit.  My attitude is to focus a lot more on each track this time around and there is no rush for release.  Why in the world would I? I've been playing all parts on all instruments thus far and if things keep progressing, I might just leave it that way.  I'm learning so much that there is no way that this experience will be a loss as I will be doing a lot of the mixing and technical stuff myself as well at times.  A decent part of the budget will go toward the 3 or 4 items left needed for me to make my own studio grade recordings at my own pace. I'm fortunate to be able to play real instruments and sing so I don't have to choke the life out of the recording with digital tools too much or add faux beats or whatnot but the interfaces and processes are not too different from home or studio recording I find....at least the way I do it.  Currently, I'm working on my arrangement of the 1812 Overture and I have plenty of homework left, although the track is taking shape nicely.  The thing about doing a track like this, hopefully well, is that the rest of the series of songs on the project better be damn good....and they will be!  I have some interesting works in the um...works.  I can finally put in the order for the digipacks for the 2nd album which is already available in digital format.  Posters and digipacks for Guitar For Money are still available but I'm happy to report that the stock is shrinking!!! Be well everyone and have a great weekend.  Thanks for your supporting me with your ears and nice words.  Back to the beat.

Leibowitz

Artist Links:

www.leibowitz.bandcamp.com
www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic
www.facebook.com/leibowitzmusic
www.twitter.com/leibowitzmusic

I Lost and I Don't Care

Been jamming a lot lately and playing all of the instruments I can get my hands on.  It's been a bit of a lull since a lot of what I considered action.  It hardly seems worthwhile to put any kind of release date as there hasn't been sufficient interest in anything I've done to date to have any traction whatsoever.   There's been writing and I consider it good but I'm tempted to hold off on making any release of the music.  I have a studio session booked for June and that might just be the last one I do.  I'll probably record everything else using a home studio on the cheap and keeping it for myself.  I'll play the right gigs when I feel like it.  Thanks to those who listened and supported me and the music.  Continue to go out and support your local musicians if you like what they are doing!

Josh

Cruising Altitude

Hello Y'all.  It's been some time since I've been recording, playing live and promoting the material and doing the first 2 albums.  It has been nothing less that 2 dreams come true. I've even done interviews, gotten great online radio exposure and enjoy a following of a small yet growing loyal listener base.  As with all things in life, certainly in music, changes happen and adjustments are made.  For a few minutes it feels weird to navigate the strange waters of uncertainty but if you have your goal in mind and not so much the moving parts, it really helps to hold one's ground I feel.  Finding the right perspective and having confidence kicks in and keeps you moving forward if you can find it. 
At this point I've been writing a lot and have really understood what I have made up to this point and pinpointed what makes the sound THE SOUND that is Leibowitz music.  I've kind of found the common thread that trails through all of it from the first songs I've ever written until now and the music I am making.  It will help me further define the sound on upcoming recordings and the sound will mutate but getting to this point of understanding my own musical direction is harder than one would think.  All I can tell you is that its effect will leave a listener with a feeling that it's not too derivative of anything that they really have heard, yet somehow sickeningly familiar.  It's because I want to recreate the feeling and effect that the music I love and that runs through my mind and cast it out.  It really has connected and I look foward to every new listener getting into this stuff and enjoying it.  It's not to be taken too seriously.  It really is only music and all of it fictional although I do try to be honest and truthful in my reporting.  Anyway, really was great to have The Beginning Of The Endless Search For Oblivion premiered on Tony Romero's show on Aiiradio.net on May 5h and being interviewed for that as well.  It seems many folks enjoyed it and I'll be back on the air with Tony sometime in the future with any luck!  This time around I will be premiering material with Ronald Marquiss, another amazing DJ and champion for independent artists.  There is an inside circle of folks who are like the Leibowitz musical family and I love hatching my schemes and rapping with these folks.  Onward and upward to Saturn Sound Studios (dig the alliteration for recording June 20 and 21st.  Times are good and I hope they are with you as well. 


Funfessionally,


Josh


Artist Links:


www.leibowitz.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/leibowitzmusic
www.reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic

You Might As Well Try

And make a song that everyone will love for the sole purpose of going viral....and then go on creating as you please.  I was at a meeting yesterday with an engineer who runs one of the better studios down here and he had asked me the day earlier to bring by the albums I had done.  So when I made it there early and got to take a walk around I was happy to see that the space and gear was situated as I like and I rapped with the friendly studio manager for a bit.  These meetings in no way make me nervous.  I'm not here to impress anyone, just to see if it is suitable for me to start working here and test the waters.  In some regard, all I really need to do is be grateful that they let me come check out the place and talk and act accordingly.  So the engineer sat down at the mixing console and turned on the lights.  We started in on the particulars of music right away and he popped in Guitar For Money for 1 track.  Popped in "Oblivion" and let it just run on the house speakers.  He was impressed and I was not surprised about that but he was holding the CD and just smiling and saying that Martin Kornick's cover reminded him of "Children of Men" and that it was a relief that people were still making rock albums like this and mentioned that the sound was "hip".  He mentioned Norah Jones and a few other names and compared some aspects of their most recent work.  Now the music I'm making in no way sounds like some of the names I heard, to my ears anyway...but what made me happy was that the drumming on the 2nd album had really gotten his ears perked up enough to really consider what we could do with the drums this round with the resources available.  We also spoke of exposure and what that's been like and we all know the deal.  The landscape has eroded so much that bands with music worth listening to, and taste does vary, will undoubtedly go overlooked without constant thought, effort and persistence with regards to exposure.  Similar aspects and effects apply and trickle down to music studios, so the people who love the process of making music are very much all in the same pit of understanding the current state of music in terms of dollars and cents and common sense.  Anyway, we spoke of local radio stations and events we could do with audiences and things that were very constructive and promising.  I'm all about partnerships and grass roots beginnings and I'm not out to be famous, but even getting local gigs and fans takes a lot of exposure these days as venues will not risk a poor turnout in this economy and want to know there will be people there.  You can't blame them either.  It is a joy and honor just to know what I'm doing is heading in the right direction at this stage. Back to the beat.

Leibowitz

leibowitz.bandcamp.com/album/the-beginning-of-the-endless-search-for-oblivion
leibowitz.bandcamp.com/album/guitar-for-money
facebook.com/leibowitzmusic
reverbnation.com/leibowitzmusic