When In Doubt? Ask The Little Black Dog
UPC: 659057830520
UPC: 837101437059
UPC: 796873013970
UPC: 796873020220
UPC: 837101443852
UPC: 884501171373
1. The Music Player Doesn't Work!
We can't have that! Please click here for tips on how to fix the problem.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]2.Can I Get Your Records In Local Record Stores?
Sure you can. If they aren't in stock (and they often won't be unless I happen to be passing through town), just give your friendly independent record store proprietor the title and UPC bar code and he or she can happily order it for you. (That's why we put 'em next to the little shopping cart icon.)
[an error occurred while processing this directive]3. $9.95 Seems Like An Odd Amount To Charge?
This is actually a huge issue. It's the fair amount for me.Or rather, that's their deal. My economics are a bit different. I keep the entire cost of production, including postage and fulfillment, under $2 per unit. So do the math. I ain't gotta sell squillions to make a living.
Oh, oh. I smell a rant coming...
And another thing: $16.95 was always a crap deal. It was a crap deal back when CDs first came on the scene in the 1980's and it's pretty much stayed a crap deal to this day, despite some recent price drops. It's like the major drug companies who charge $200 a month for a drug, simply because they can, and there are no 'market forces' to keep things in line. If 'the market' had been at work, we would have seen prices come down after a few years, as they do in other areas. It made sense to charge more back in the day because they did have substantial costs in setting up new manufacturing equipment and systems. Fair enough. But after that? It turned into pure gravy. They had zero cost of development in much of their sales--after all they were simply re-packaging all of their back catalogues and selling us the same thing over again that we already had in vinyl. But still charging $16.95. OK. Wanna know the cost to manufacture a CD? When I order them in units of 2,500 it's about $1. Now imagine what it must be for a big run for a Madonna or Jay-Z record. So let's add this up: You pay $16.95. But the cost of manufacture is under a dollar. And the artist is often getting less than $2. So where's the remaining $13.95 going? Things that make ya go 'Hmmm'.
I mention all this because there's so much talk about the sad state of the music biz. Well, all I can say is, 'good riddance' to the old model. It really was a complete rip-off for both artists and consumers. Maybe some share-holders made out well and, as an ardent capitalist I say, 'Well done to you!'. However, even without the Internet, the party couldn't last forever. One can only wish that whatever replaces the current system will be more equitable for the artists (that would be me) and the consumers (that would be you.)
[an error occurred while processing this directive]4. So How Do All The Links From Various Internet Radio Stations Work?
When you click on Live365 or Pandora (please do!) you're really clicking on good old fashioned radio. Sites like these have two models: they either come with advertising (visual with sites like Pandora, or in terms of traditional commercials in the 'free' version of Live365). They often come with a 'no commercials' version which is supported by user-subscriptions. I neither model does the artist 'pay to play'. I establish relationships with the DJs and they make the decisions as to what to play. If they dig what I'm doing, I get rotation on their stations. This is how it should be.
A Quick Political Announcement To Help Save Internet Radio!
Last year, there was a ruling last March 5th by the Copyright Ruling Board (CRB) that would have forced internet radio station royalty payments to triple.Their reasoning was to bring internet royalty payment 'in line with terrestrial radio.' If put into effect, this decision would have put pretty much all internet radio stations immediately out of business. Thankfully, a coalition of broadcasters, listeners and legislators have been able to put this ruling on hold. But it's only a stop gap. No one in the recording community will breathe easy until a permanent fix is provided and fortunately there is one in the hopper. House Resolution 2060, sponsored by Congressman Jay Inslee of Seattle, WA. The Internet Radio Equality Act is now working it's slow way through Congress. You can read more at the above link, or by checking out the SaveNetRadio.Org. Please check 'em out because time is running out.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]5. Your Background Seems To Be In R&B And Jazz. So Why All The ’Astral/Prog‘ Crap?
That's an excellent question. And the short answer is: When
you're young, you go where the money is. And the slightly longer answer is:
Hey I love all the music I've ever gotten to play professionally. But
we all have to follow our heart. Some of the most difficult conversations I
have ever had have occurred over the past few years from totally
well-meaning friends and prior associates begging me to wake up and
smell the smooth jazz. It's really hard when your friends look at you like,
'Hey brother. Stop wasting your time on all that astral/prog crap and get
back to making some real music. You know, like you used to.' They
mean well. You know who you are.
6. What About The Gear/Equipment You Play?
You can learn the details here.
Jeez man, not another rant?
But can we talk? Can we talk? I've said it before and I'll say it again: it really doesn't make that much difference for what I do. Yeah, maybe it makes a difference for the true virtuosos, but frankly, I've always had to be a 'ham and egger' switching between so many instruments on so many gigs that I guess I just learned to make do with whatever was about. The funny thing is that, I have gone through periods 'where only the best will do'. And the interesting thing is that I always ended up gravitating back to the el-cheapo-s. They're just more comfy. And, at the end of the day, I realized that I sound pretty much the same no matter what I play. What does seem to matter to me, with my wee tiny little hands, is that comfy factor. Some of those pricey instruments look great; sound great; but make me feel like I'm trying to reel in that giant tarpon down in the Florida Keys.
But then in the 90's, I noticed another funny thing: all the Ford/Chevy/Dodge models of guitars and basses, (aka. Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker) one day became freakin' off the hook in value. In other words, the standard models that we all know and love, that used to go for $400, suddenly became 'vintage'. I've had guys offer me $3,000 for my crappy Stratocaster that I got for $175 from some junky off the street.
Here's my point: if you're starting to play; or if your
kid is starting to play and is bugging you about a 'good guitar', let me
tell ya this: The build quality of just about every model of electric or
acoustic guitar and bass out there, starting from $200 and up, is better than the build quality of most older Fender and Gibson guitars than
now go for $25,000 at auction. You can't go wrong with any guitar
from any reputable shop. This fantastic value for money ratio is
possible through the magic of automated manufacturing, which now ensures
consistent quality. And of course, having Chinese slaves putting 'em
together doesn't hurt either.
Long story short: Never stress about gear. It's all good these days.
7. How Come You're Not Hanging Out At MySpace.Com Like All The Hip, With It Musicians?
Perhaps the answer lies inside the question! Actually, I do have a MySpace page which may be found here.
The reason I never paid it much mind is because the current prevailing wisdom is that one can build a following on MySpace which a highly popular band can use to leverage a record deal with a label. That sounds great, but after doing this now for seven years, that just ain't a strategy that's gonna work for an artist such as meself.
There are two kinds of stores in the world: supermarkets and shops. The supermarket has a broad appeal. It needs to attract as many people as possible. If you're a young band and want to get signed, you best be a bloody SAFEWAY... not that your content has to be watered down, but you have to have pretensions of broad appeal.
If you're a shop, you have no such pretensions. You recognise that what you do is a niche market, whether it be replacement parts for Alfa Romeos, Vintage Sauterne Wines, or 'Progressive Rock'.
To me, MySpace often has the feel of a giant Wal-Mart. Sure you get a lot of 'traffic', but is it the right kind of traffic? Let's say the Alfa Romeo shop rents space right next to the Wal-Mart. Is that a great location? Is that a great location for that type of business--in spite of the great number of people who will pass by?
I currently focus my efforts on making jcHMusic.com as useful as possible for the people who make the effort to come here. I'm assuming that you'll come here because this kind of stuff matters more to you than the typical MySpace surfer.
Or I could be wrong. Better hedge my bets and post
something over there. Quick.
8. So What's The Deal With The Little Dog?
Cue the tiny little violins. When I was married—and while I was out of town, my wife got a cutey-wooty little $1,000 black fluffball of puppy love. This creature turned into the most miserable piece of yappy vermin to ever have the unmitigated gall to be described as 'dog'.
When I got divorced, my dear, departed informed me that she was also
getting rid of the dog. For some reason, I snapped and, instead of doing the
rational thing and replying,
'What took ya so long?' I replied, 'He's coming with me.'
Some inner voice spoke to me and said that if I could get this poor
excuse for a life form whipped into shape, why then, I'd be able to handle
just about anything this divorce was throwing my way. It took a year,
but in the end, Ruaráigh truly became 'man's best friend.' So much so that,
over the years I've taken in six on behalf of various rescue programs. It
seems that dogs like this get frequently bought, then tossed away when
owners figure out that they didn't know what they were getting themselves
into.
Anyhoo. The little black dogs have been the one consistent thing with me
since I began this journey. They've followed me on planes, trains, through
sailing boat adventures and five different places to live in six years. They
are loyal, sure-footed on boats and a total blast, if properly trained.
There's a lesson in all this someplace.
9. And What About The Little Wheelie Logo?
Hey dude, I'm trying to preserve thelegacy of the brand here. As if. The little 'suntower' logo was created twenty something years ago during another life I had as a software guy. It was supposed to represent “Tar Na Greinne” a real place in the west of Ireland, literally 'the tower of the sun', It always had a magical sound to me. Back when the record company was 'suntower music' it made sense. But then again, no one associated 'suntower music' with 'JC Harris' so we changed the business to JCHMusic to make it easier for people to find us. The 'sun' is a bit of harmless nostalgia.
Yeah, but what about Siberian Khatru?
D'Oh! I knew you were gonna ask. I had no idea it had anything to do with the rock band 'Yes' and that fabulous song, until after I started selling my own CDs and people started pointing it out. Really truly. Could you understand any of the lyrics to that song when you heard it? Me either. Just one of those synchronicities of life, I suppose. But, unlike Jon Anderson, I actually had some meaning in mind when I chose the word.
