ROI and the Music Industry: A Guest Post by Josh Damigo

Josh Damigo is playing at Lestat's TONIGHT (Friday, December 30) at 9pm for his 10th annual Birfday show. We had a conversation the other day that lead to me inviting him to post. Sorry to get this up so late, but you still have time to make plans for Lestat's. (Happy birthday, Josh!! I love you, Bestie!!)

Whattap? It’s Josh Damigo. I took over SDDIALEDIN to teach you all a quick lesson on Return of Investment and it’s role in the life of a musician. It’ll be quick, and it’ll help with your business skills. Ready…. READ!!!

Let’s start with the basics. I’ve been a singer/songwriter in Southern California since 2006. I have a bachelor’s degree in Communications from San Diego Christian College and my Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University. I’m a member of SESAC for my PRO (Performing Rights Organization) and have opened for Jason Mraz, Matt Nathanson, Zac Brown, Eric Hutchinson, Andy Grammar, name drop, name drop, name drop… When you put all of that together, it means that I’ve studied the music industry pretty extensively over the last ten years. I’ve had my ups and downs, like the $28,000 royalty check from live shows to losing all of my money and then some on a 30 city - US tour. (It’s give and take in a musician’s life, so buckle up!)

I’m playing at Lestat’s West tonight for my 10th annual “Birfday” Show. Unfortunately, this will be my last show, at the venue, because they are increasing the cut that the venue will take, starting on January 1st from $3 a head (when I started) to $5 a head. (That’s going to cut into my profits by 40%!) And as you know, profits for a musician are already pretty minimal. That got me to thinking – When is a gig TRULY worth it? Let’s talk about what an ROI is and what it means to your music business life. (Read the rest after the jump)

What Music Industry?

Last week, in the total US, a population of 305,899,239, sold just 62,000 units last week. Units are a fancy term that big record label execs use to make their shit sound more important and a term that the Nielsen Soundscan uses to make themselves relevant. Well news flash dudes, the music industry isn't that important anymore. The chart-topper goes to Taylor Swift, whose Fearless has become a fixture at the top. The Swift record finish is the fourth-lowest number one since Soundscan started in 1991. Year-to-date, cumulative album sales are down 12 percent to 57 million.

So those are the facts. Now the question is, what the hell is the music "industry" suppose to do about it? Answer? Nothing. Every major label/major label band is absolutely freaking out, "Oh my god, what the hell are we going to do?" It has been a known fact that any CD sales don't get you money. "THEN WHY ARE WE A BAND?!?!?!?!?" asks the synthesizer, neon wearing 18 year old kid. Well Timmy, to make music not money for one, but also to TOUR!

Touring costs money, yes. But if you are signed to a label, scratch that. But if you are signed to a industry conscious label, it should be no problem. I am only 21 years old and have no experience in the music industry aside from my endeavors into radio, but what I AM is a music loving, buying, downloading, supporting, show going, money forker outter for good music, and an all around fan. Shouldn't my opinion and thoughts matter over a big 50 year old label exec?

Tuesday Newsy Bits

Viacom Inc., owner of all those stellar MTV Networks, sued Google Inc. and its YouTube online video-sharing business, seeking more than $1 billion in damages for copyright violations, reports Bloomberg's Ted Bunker. The suit, brought in federal court in New York, alleges "massive intentional" copyright infringement, Viacom said today in a statement.

Grasping at straws much, Viacom?
*****
The 2007 Warped Tour lineup has been announced, and most impressive to me is the low pre-sale ticket price. The pre-sale starts April 1 when you can buy tickets for $19.99 for a ticket and a double CD compilation. You can go to the Warped Tour site to register for pre-sale. Because I'm nice, I'm gonna list all the bands that will appear in San Diego (Chula Vista) where the tour kicks off at Coors Amphitheater on June 28. There, of course, are other bands joining the tour, but not all will appear here locally. Here are the bands playing at Coors:

A Static Lullaby
Alesana
All Time Low
Amber Pacific
Anberlin
As Cities Burn
Bad Religion
Bayside
Big D And The Kids Table
Bleed The Dream
Bless The Fall
Boys Like Girls
Buck O Nine
Circa Survive
Coheed And Cambria
Cute Is What We Aim For
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Escape The Fate
Evaline
Funeral For A Friend
Gallows
Haste The Day
Hot Rod Circuit
Human Abstract
I Am Ghost
K-os
Meg And Dia
My American Heart
New Found Glory
New Year's Day
Paramore
Pennywise
Pepper
Pistolita
Play Radio Play
Poison The Well
POS
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Set Your Goals
So They Say
Spill Canvas
The Almost
The Automatic
The Briefs
The Briggs
The Dear And Departed
The Fabulous Rudies
The Matches
The Unseen
The Vandals
Throw The Fight
Tiger Army
Vincent Black Shadow
Yellowcard
*****
Cape May has posted new songs on their MySpace page. With all the drama between band members, I presume Andre is keeping the name and has a whole new band. You can listen to the tracks here. Particularly interesting are the lyrics to People Talking.

All these people talking ‘bout me
Trying to figure out where I let them down
But when I try to put the pieces all back together
Its impossible, that’s what I’ve found

*****
A warning to all touring bands, particularly the hundreds of bands descending to the fine (*ahem*) state of Texas for South By Southwest and related festivals and performances: watch your shit. This message was posted by Colour Revolt last night around midnight:

Hello all,

A little over an hour ago, we just had our entire van, trailer and gear stolen after a show here in Dallas. The van had MISSISSIPPI plate L89OWB. It is a white 1994 Chevrolet G20 VAN.

Literally we had just packed up after our show, went back into the venue, 15 minutes later, the van and everything in it had disappeared.

Please pass this on to anyone that you know of who lives in the Dallas Fort Worth area!!!

You can call us if you live in the area, it'd be great if you could help us go to pawn shops, etc. and look for this gear. Our cell phones are about all we have left.

Jesse - 601.927.7373
Sean - 601.624.0242
Len - 601.750.0643

You can also go to their MySpace page to make a donation and see the manifest of all the gear and serial numbers that were taken with the van.
*****