For the first time I went to 3 cities (Bloomington, Mooresville, andIndianapolis) and distributed promo packs for various Timeless Feel acts.

 The odd thing was I didn’t feel nervous or incapable, feelings which have kept me from doing this essential business legwork in the past.

 Just like when I’ve played solo sections of recent gigs, engineered, mixed and mastered recordings, and created promo packs, I was very much surprised that I no longer had the knotted-stomach feeling I’ve always had when doing these things. Rather than knowing I can’t do it and almost quaking in fear, I’ve somehow become capable in all my weakest music business areas.

 With the business aspect kicked into high gear thanks to both Nancy’s excellent help with photography/web work and Amy’s help pushing the office work and research along, I approach the last month of my first year as a musician finally fully capable of doing not just the music aspect of the music business, but the business part.

 By pushing as hard as I can next month, I will achieve my goal of having 100 promo packs distributed and have revised Electronic Promo Kits for all my acts before my birthday (March 29^th).

 I believe very strongly that every 100 promo packs in the right people’s hands and every 20 venues served an EPK I will receive between 12 and 25 job offers. And each two offers will result in a re-booking. That means blanketing the region for six months will result in 72-150 initial bookings and 36-75 re-bookings. That will be enough to keep me a full-time professional musician (and save me from handing people carts at Wal-Mart).

Joel Conner

Today is my birthday. Still 198, but I feel like I’m finally moving again. I fit into my brown pinstripe 3-piece. Last time I wore that suit was September 11, 2001 – the day the towers fell. And today is my birthday – exactly 13 months and 1 day since I started losing weight.

My goal was to lose 190 pounds in 13 months. I’ve lost 155 – still have 35 to go. People looking at me in my suits say I don’t look like I need to lose 35 – but my birthday suit says different. My suits were this birthday present to myself. Next birthday present will be my bikini body…

I’m starting country dance lessons on Wednesday. I need to know this stuff as I will be fronting a country dance band and need to be able to call the dances. Also, since I’m just the lead singer, I’m hoping to get the band to do a few songs without me each set so I can go out into the audience and get people dancing – which means I need to know how.

rbs

 The hazards of playing a small place that doesn’t serve dinner on Valentine’s Day, esp. when playing 5-7, became apparent when only about 15 people showed up during the two hours. No one bought any product, and we made a pitiful $14, but just for anyone who sees live music when there is no cover and a tip jar is out: applauding is nice, but when a group of 8 people applauds every song, stays for a set and a half, smiles and nods as they leave without leaving so much as a dime in the tip jar, it’s not cool. These people are working hard, and if you like them, put something in to show you appreciate their efforts – especially if you actually liked the performance.

 The business is going through some upheaval at the moment, but I’m sure in the long run it will be for the best.

Joel Conner

Still yo-yoing around 200 pounds. I know I’m really going to have to pour on the discipline – be tougher on myself in exercise. I will have to really push to get over what has turned into a serious plateau and I have not yet really found the motivation I need to do it. I have gotten over it before and as I recall it took a supreme effort of will. 

I really don’t have a long blog entry in me at this point. I have not found the drive and have not developed any new techniques to push me past this point and it is the motivation and nothing else that will get me there. Without it, I won’t be able to implement any new techniques or step up beyond what I have been doing to get me to this point. And at this point, the bicycling, diet, and standing desk are really only helping me maintain at about 200. 

So I’m in search of something to pull it all into focus.

rbs

Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. I’ve said I need 10 different acts to ensure enough gigs to turn into my goal ($1K gigs/month).

Cathy & I: Jazz Standards act; Soft Rock show.

Robert & I: Simon & Garfunkel Tribute; Originals show; Modern Country act.

The Future Retros: Classic Rock (‘60’s-‘70’s) act; ’80’s/Alternative act; Originals show (completely different from Robert’s & mine).

Finally, as of yesterday, Amy & I have perfected our duo version of Classics (‘60’s-‘90’s) and our own Originals show.

Next step: what used to be Promo Packs—EPKs. Research has shown that many clubs and bars book strictly from those. Still, we’ll put together promos for all of the acts as well. The goal: finish all 10 promo packs & EPKs by end of February, streamline the web site and begin distribution/contacting venues in March, and get one booking per act per month on the calendar as quickly as possible. That will be nearly enough, esp. if at least one of those bookings is a big-money show.  Eventually return engagements for 60%-80% of these, combined with merchandise sales, will attain that goal.

April 1, the 1^st anniversary of my new job, is the target date for accomplishing the EPKs/Promo Packs, getting at least one booking per act on the calendar, and contacting at least 25 venues per month for the rest of 2012 or until the goal of 10 gigs/month has been achieved.

The two years will fly by, but if I achieve the goal for myself/Timeless Feel, the next step, the 5 years after stabilizing my career, is to morph that into the Artists Studio corp. Robert & I discussed some time ago. And, being positive for a moment, if that happens I’ll then have 2-3 years to ease myself out of playing & get proceeds from engineering, venue contact, merch, etc. just as I hit 65-66, “real” retirement age. Yes, it’s an aggressive schedule, but as far as I’ve come in just 45 weeks, the odds are now better than they’ve ever been I can do it.

Joel Conner

February 5, 2012. 202 pounds.

Starting to feel very stuck right around 200 pounds. Which is far more than I intend to weigh the rest of my life. I can’t say at this point that I’m exchanging fat for muscle either as my waist size is unchanged for the past 3 weeks.

It is a frustrating moment but I have really increased my floor exercising – particularly with exercises designed to strengthen and tighten my abs. After 30 minutes I can feel them hurting the next day – but a good hurt. I have to be careful as I do not want to make these muscles thick and heavy but lean and flexible. So as much attention is given to stretching them back by laying on my belly and doing what are essentially reverse crunches.

In the past I have built large muscles. I found that I tended to use weight training as an excuse to eat more and was never satisfied with the results. My arms would get big, but my middle wouldn’t get smaller. What I’m wanting to do is lean everything out rather than building anything up.

rbs

Compared with April when I became a full-time professional musician, improvement has been exponential. But to really succeed I’ve found I need an Extreme Makeover.

 The music business has 3 parts:

• Performance (songwriting, band leading)
• Production (recording, web)
• Promotion (venue contact, lining up stores & gigs)

Few people are gifted in all three areas; those who are become successful regardless of their artistic field, from watch-making to photography.

Natural promoters make millions as top-paid agents and managers, worth it as those who get up to 50% (see: Col. Parker/Elvis) make their clients millionaires (50% of 2 million) versus the amount they’d make on their own (zero).

Production can be purchased, but it’s a lot more economical to make things yourself (to a point: CDs, yes, giant vinyl banners, no). And you can make extra money if you can offer any additional services beyond performing.

Many musicians are not very good at artistry. They can’t hold bands together, teach songs, try different keys, or tell mediocre music from great.

Now that I’m taking stock of where I am and where I have to be by April, I realize it’s time for an Extreme Makeover of all my professional musician aspects. The first step was identifying the problems and needs. I’ve enlisted my songwriting bassist, Amy, as my apprentice on commission, and we’ll be going over all plans for all musical projects and changing what needs to change over the next month. Looks promising so far.

Joel Conner

Back down below 200. A pair of black jeans I could barely squeeze into 3 months ago have become handy for fitting loosely over my suit pants to protect them from roadsplash when I’m biking to and from work.

Last entry I wrote about needing to find more inspiration. As the country music project comes along, one of the things that becomes clear is how important it is for me as the lead singer to look good. For many songs, the only thing between me and the audience will be a microphone. I won’t get to hide behind a guitar or even a mandolin.

Since I’m only lead singing for the bulk of the songs, I can give far more dynamic performances. This is upbeat rabble-rousing country that feels more like heavy metal when I perform it, and I have every intention of putting on one hell of a show. The yoga will be very helpful in preparing me for this role – both to look really good on stage and to have full range of motion and the kind of endurance I need to pull this off and make a memorable show.

We’ll try going with this motivation and see if it gets me riled to push myself as hard as I’m going to need to push to get the rest of the weight off and have the look and range of motion I want.

rbs

But perhaps the most challenging aspect is trying to make it look easy when it’s very difficult. This is critical, as artists must have faith in the engineer. Performing, and recording a live performance, are difficult enough; trying to capture that in a live studio recording is like walking a greased tightrope. The slightest tension can ruin the session. But that also makes getting to the end of the tightrope exhausting and hugely satisfying.

 Il Troubadore recorded nearly 20 tracks in a 4-hour session Saturday, all live-in-studio. I found the engineering more difficult than expected, but I believe the end product will be very much worth it. I’ll start mixing tracks today, hoping to have a rough mix by Friday.

 Two lessons for anyone contemplating studio recording: 1) Be Prepared. Have everything rehearsed to perfection. 2) See #1.

 To “raw track” an entire album live in studio in a single half-day session is quite an accomplishment for everyone.

 Including the engineer.

 J.

 PS – Look for the CD to be available as early as February. It will be well worth buying!

And I’m back over 200 – it’s going to be a struggle to get under and stay under. I want to talk about motivation now as getting the last 35 pounds off is going to take a supreme effort of will. My body has now adjusted to a smaller calorie load and dropping it much further could cause it to go into starvation mode, which would cause my body to eat muscle and retain fat.

Very much what I don’t want to do. So while I can bring the calories down a little – avoiding empty calories mostly – what I really need to do is burn calories and tone up. At this point I have two basic exercises – bicycling and yoga. My body is now used to bicycling, and the muscles that make that happen are very well developed. As such, while I burn calories by bicycling, I’m not getting the added benefit of building more muscle which burns more calories.

So it’s now the yoga that is my primary weapon against the remaining weight. I have to motivate myself to do at least 30 minutes of this exercise every evening. And keep bicycling in the snow and sluck of winter. And keep the calories down without going overboard. While there are several suits waiting for me to get smaller – gorgeous ones – I’m now finding I need more motivation than that. I’m in search of that motivation.

I’m still 14 pounds overweight.

rbs