New Social Music Network Offers Musicians A Chance To Be Discovered - Online Song Contest At OKMusic Helps Artist Land Contract With Hollywood Movie

OKMusic.fm, an international social media music community still in beta, has already helped an aspiring singer get a contract to have his music in a Hollywood film through a song competition.

Canadian musician Rich Chambers’ song, "Santa's Rockin' Band," was selected by Crystal Sky Pictures producer Stephen Paul to be part of the sound track for Chilly Christmas, a family-oriented film about a boy and his dog coming out this fall as a holiday fare. The film stars C. Thomas Howell, Tom Arnold, Karan Brar and Brooke Langton.

OKMusic allows its users to upload their songs and communicate with fans. Artists can also create a profile, get advice on their careers and find out about promotional opportunities. Music lovers can discover new singers and bands and be the first among their friends to follow those musicians.

Competing against thousands of songs from around the world, Chambers impressed the judges with his winning entry, Santa’s Rockin’ Band, a country rock song that tells the story of how Santa invented Rock n’ Roll.

Chambers, a resident of Langley, B.C, Canada, works full time at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and performs gigs and the occasional charity event at night with his local band, “Half-Hour Late.” A practicing musician for more than 20 years, he composed “Santa’s Rockin’ Band” in 1994 but it never achieved the promotional exposure he had hoped.

“It’s hard for an unknown indie artist to get exposure so enough people can listen to your music to make you popular,” Chambers explained. “That’s what is so great about OKMusic.fm. They are giving artists like myself a place to be heard and a way to build a fan base.”

Eighteen years later, after discovering the community online, the Canadian native dusted off his recording and entered the OKMusic music competition, the first of many to come. Now, thanks to OKMusic, a social network where artists get discovered, he’s about to get his first movie credit.

The 44 year old musician does Rock, Blues, Pop and Country but Christmas music has always been a favorite area for Chambers to explore. He has a cover recording of the Snow Miser and Heat Miser from the stop animation Christmas special “The Year Without a Santa Claus” that has sold more than 13,000 copies so far on iTunes.

“I’ve always loved Christmas music,” he said. “I guess I’m just a kid at heart.”

Check out Chambers’ winning song here:

http://okmusic.fm/#!/works/2379?n=Santa%27s%20Rockin%27%20Band


Contact:

Robert Brown
The Bohle Company
(310) 785 0515 Ext. 231
robert@bohle.com

Network Music Magazine, Rivmixx, Expands To Include Aggregated News 24/7

Announced as part of several new features, including We7 and Spotify links, the every genre, every angle music platform has been growing in popularity since its launch earlier this year.

"Premium content is and will always be our focal point, but having the addition of quality content pouring into Rivmixx from all over the web will add another layer of engagement for our community," explained MD, Danny Mac.

Not only does Rivmixx provide at least twenty news worthy features each month - that's more than many magazines produce in a year - it also puts forward all the latest albums reviews, the latest technology tried and tested, cool websites offered up for perusal and now, as well as its own hand penned news, it provides aggregated news from the most popular music sites in every genre. Blues, reggae, jazz, country, R&B, hip hop, dance, rock, pop and other all have their very own sections, all of which run a steady stream of news from the most popular sites.

"We7 and Spotify links have now been added to our editorial too," continued Danny Mac. "This allows users to stream their favourite artists whilst browsing Rivmixx.com"

Any album, feature or news item mentioned within Rivmixx links through to the tracks on Spotify or We7 - allowing music fans to not only listen to the latest music for free, but also get the information surrounding them, professional reviews and a chance to add their own comments. In many cases there's interviews with the artists themselves too and the opportunity to become a fan and then receive all the artist's own news, blog posts and video/track/image updates.

Any fan that signs up to Rivmixx automatically gets their own 'mymixx', which is an individually tailored magazine that's produced by the artists - latest news, music, videos, blogs and events - and includes the latest news and album reviews as posted by Rivmix itself. It's another, unique magazine created by the fan for the fan, produced by their favourite artists.

Rivmixx, which launched earlier this year, has been growing steadily, in content, design, and communication. The company has proved itself as something of a taste making voice too, with several hot new acts – including Florence and the Machine, Speech Debelle and Toddla T - profiled and channelled through Rivmixx, going on to find serious success within the industry.

Chart topping artists such Chase & Status, The Flaming Lips and Robbie Williams are also featured. And now, with the addition of this new aggregated news feature, musicians from within the country and blues, among other genres, will be catered for too.

From album and new music technology reviews, interviews, festival specials, ticket giveaways, exclusive audio and video content, to hot off the press news updates; every detail is carefully designed by a team of leading music industry professionals to provide users with an unrivalled music resource.

Interested users can sign up to www.rivmixx.com using their facebook accounts, or create a new, unique, tailored profile.

Kerchoonz Social Network And Streaming Service Signs Key Independent Labels: 4AD, Matador, Rough Trade, XL Recordings

Social Networking and music streaming site Kerchoonz announced an agreement with Europe's largest independent music label group, Beggars Group. The deal will allow users of Kerchoonz free access to around 20,000 tracks from Beggars' significant catalogue. Beggars Group represents the labels XL Recordings, Rough Trade, Matador, and 4AD and whose acts include a diverse selection of award winning artists such as Bon Iver, Jarvis Cocker, Vampire Weekend, British Sea Power, Cat Power, TV On The Radio and Grammy Award Winning 'Adele' to name but a few.

The agreement with the label group represents a major boost to Kerchoonz growing catalogue of top-notch independent music. The Beggars Group catalogue will be available on demand and for free through Kerchoonz ad-funded model that allows labels and musicians to be paid for their media streams. The deal includes music from all labels and artists. Fans will be able to stream and build music playlists and interact with the artist's through the Kerchoonz.com social networking portal.

"This deal will allow us to provide an even broader selection of great independent music for all music lovers." says Indiana Gregg, co-founder of Kerchoonz. "We are honored to be working with the Beggars Group and look forward to doing our part to help grow their digital business."

"It really is a pleasure to welcome the Beggars Group to Kerchoonz," says Ian Morrow, director, "The depth of talent and quality in their repetoire and commitment to the independent music scene, really is second to none."

"We're committed to making our catalogue available through as wide a range of services as possible" says Simon Wheeler, director of Beggars, "Kerchoonz was constructed with artists rights in mind and they are exactly the kind of company which the industry should support"

About Kerchoonz
Kerchoonz, founded by Indiana Gregg and Ian Morrow in 2008, is a forward thinking, multi-media company conceived to help level the playing field for artistic people through the democratizing power of the internet and freedom of choice for the artists and the public.

Kerchoonz.com is a social networking platform that allows free exchange of music, art, ideas and entertainment. It enables fans to search and discover new music, play games, meet people, watch and upload video, keep up with news, post blogs, and a whole lot more. It is an ad-funded model that allows artists and musicians to be paid for their audio and video streams.
http://www.kerchoonz.com

About Beggars:
In 2009, the labels that form the group are 4AD, Matador Records, Rough Trade Records and XL Recordings. Artists currently working with the above labels include Adele, Anthony & The Johnsons, Atlas Sound, Basement Jaxx, Beck, Belle & Sebastian, Beirut, Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, The Breeders, Cat Power, Jarvis Cocker, Dizzee Rascal, The Hold Steady, Jay Reatard, Mogwai, M.I.A., My Morning Jacket, The National, The Raconteurs, Scott Walker, Sigur Rσs, The Strokes, Stereolab, Super Furry Animals, Thom Yorke, TV on the Radio, Vampire Weekend, Voxtrot, The White Stripes and Yo La Tengo.

Local Music Vibe Launches National Network Of Local Music Communities

Local Music Vibe, the online service provider that will power a national network of local music communities, launches today in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each local site connects fans with live music in their community, while extending the reach of local bands and venues to a broader regional network. Iconic producer, and president of the San Francisco Chapter of The Recording Academy (Grammy.com), Stephen Hart, states, "Local Music Vibe's outreach to young bands and emerging artists, providing previously non-existent performance opportunities is too cool. They do more than merely report on the music scene, they become part of it."

Anyone who registers can instantly create free, custom pages for any aspect of the music industry they represent: band, musician, performer, venue or resource, such as studio, teacher, rentals, etc. Local merchants and corporations also benefit through targeted, interactive sponsorships, and advertising opportunities. User-generated content and a local focus enable complete coverage for ex-urban markets that are currently ignored.

Local Music Vibe is an extension of the wildly successful Marin Local Music founded by husband and wife entrepreneurs Dave and Shelley Champine. Since its launch less than a year ago, MarinLocalMusic.com has dramatically improved live entertainment business by increasing attendance, improving awareness, attracting new fans of all ages, and creating exciting new events. Musicians have benefitted from networking sessions, self-promotion opportunities, and showcases. The secondary benefits to local recording studios, music stores, restaurants and bars are immense.

Brian Zisk, co-founder of The Future of Music Coalition and Executive Producer of the SanFran MusicTech Summit states, "What Marin Local Music has done for Marin's music community is incredible, and it is great that Local Music Vibe will now expand this work around the Bay Area and beyond. The sort of grass roots network which Local Music Vibe has built is poised to have significant impact as it expands around the nation."

Local Music Vibe also offers opportunities for entrepreneurs. A "Community Manager" in each location ensures quality and consistency while providing the human connection crucial to organize and energize the local scene online and in-person. This personalized, hands-on approach is unique among social networking sites and generates revenue from local events, advertisements, and sponsorships while fueling the growth for regional and national opportunities. A simple, but powerful technology platform makes it possible for one motivated person to transform a community of hundreds of thousands of music fans.

For more info, please visit http://localmusicvibe.com

Kerchoonz Live Episode 1 - Darnell

The wonderful mancunian act darnell performing a fantastic live set at kerchoonz Live #1 (House Of Rock Studios, Glasgow). 3 great songs from 2 really talented guys... Go Darnell!!

"Playing at the House of Rock studios was an amazing experience. We were so humble. We would say it was our best day ever in our journey within the music biz! Indianna Gregg was a fantastic host and Ian Marrow was just so chilled and very approachable. He was even willing to sit down and tell us some stories about his experience within the business." - Darnell www.kerchoonz.com/darnell

About Kerchoonz
Kerchoonz.com, currently live in beta and scheduled for official launch in June, is a revolutionary social networking site which allows musicians to upload their music and be paid for every stream and every download of their music. Bands can opt to offer their music either for free download, or simply allow it to be heard through streaming on the site with 'buy' buttons next to every track.
http://www.Kerchoonz.com

Kerchoonz Social Media Network Backs Illegal File-Sharing Legislation

Following on from the jail sentence handed out to illegal file-sharers, Pirate Bay, by a Swedish court, the UK's top creative industries are lobbying the government to take a firmer stance on persistent file-sharers, according to BBC news.

Up until now, the UK government has not had, it appears, the inclination to penalise such users, quoting such comments as, "We can't have a system where we're talking about arresting teenagers in their bedrooms", instead preferring to place the onus on ISP providers, setting a target of reducing the problem by at least 70% over the next few years, without publicly seeming to actually take any direct action.

The media industry, in the meantime, is being hit hard, with statistics quoting an estimated one billion music tracks and 98 million films being shared illegally in 2007 alone.

In a direct attempt to combat illegal file sharing and compensate artists, Kerchoonz.com, launching next month, is the first integrated social networking and media site to legally enable streaming and download of music, videos and online games, whilst paying the featured artists and creators of music. Its founders, Indiana Gregg and Ian Morrow, themselves Glasgow-based musicians, are ardent supporters of the campaign to introduce firm legislation towards protecting copyright on the internet.

Indiana says: "Free media comes with a price tag and sites who are profiting from the use or exchange of copyright works without compensating the rights holders are simply robbing the livelihood of artists and not only that, they are destroying any chance for new artists and bands to raise funds and investments in their music and/or get record deals. Nobody will want to invest in new music in the future if security isn't tightened on the web."

http://www.kerchoonz.com

Alexander Shulgin's "Triptych" Leverages NING Platform

In anticipation of the digital release of jazz compilation "Triptych. Shulgin's Songbook" by The Orchard, MusicDish Network announced the launch of Alexander Shulgin pages on several jazz social media sites on the NING platform. The profiles feature tracks from all three of the compilation's albums as well as videos, updates on Shulgin's music and sign-up to his newsletter.

NING SITES
* Smooth Jazz Space
* The Jazz Network Worldwide
* Washington DC Jazz Network
* Jazz and Bossa
* The Global Jazz Network

With inventive use of the Spanish nylon strung acoustic guitar as a main lead instrument, "Triptych. Shulgin's Songbook" conjures up sunsets in Spain and peaceful sunshine bathed fields swaying in the breeze. There is a blend of modern Chillout styles and some more Urban sounding Jazz tinged opuses on this album - music to have a warm bath in. This compilation is one for every Shulgin fan's collection, as well as those who simply enjoy the pleasant atmosphere it creates.

"Triptych. Shulgin's Songbook. Part I" is a fusion between jazz and easy listening, suitable for every situation - background music, cozying up with your lover, or just chilling out and relaxing. This is, of course, a tribute to the notable line-up of notable English instrumentalists, including guitarist Paul Drew, drummer John Howeels, keyboardist Simon Rushby, bassist Steve King, saxophonist Chris 'Beebe' Aldridge, and backing vocalist Laura Whittel. Recorded in spring 2008 at DWB Music record studio in the UK, the album was produced by young English producers Paul Drew, Greig Watts and Pete Barringer.

"Triptych. Shulgin's Songbook. Part II" - a piano album produced by Richard Niles and performed by well-known jazz multi-instrumentalist Gary Husband in a "minimalist" style. What makes the album most effective is the combination of Shulgin's strong compositions along with the creative interpretation of these compositions by Husband, complement each other and mesh into a strong album. The last track, entitled "Woman's Happiness Theme" features the guitar playing of Martin Taylor, a well-known British jazz guitarist, whose warm and clean sound adds a welcome and long-overdue new layer to the sound of the acoustic piano.

"Triptych. Shulgin's Songbook. Part III" - was made in a "smooth jazz" style, recorded together with the most famous worldwide jazz musicians: Billy Cobham, John Patitucci, Bob James, Bob Mintzer and others. The material was recorded during spring and summer of 2007 at New-York and London studios. The legendary Richard Niles, who before had worked with Luciano Pavarotti, Paul McCartney, Pat Matini, The Pet Shop Boys group, was a producer of the album.

About Alexander Shulgin
Alexander Shulgin is a leading composer, performer and executive in the new Russian music industry, having worked with such iconic artists as Valeria, Mumiy Troll, Dima Malikov, Gruppa.fm and many others. Mr. Shulgin owns and operates Familia Entertainment, a record label, and Familia Publishing, a publishing company.

Shulgin began his career with the legendary Russian rock band The Cruise (1983-1986), which sold 20 million copies of their first album in 1985. He went on the work on a series of international projects, from "The Taiga Symphony," a combination of Russian classic music with western rock-music performed by The Moscow Symphony Orchestra, to "Merry Christmas to the World", another ambitious East-West collaboration between Shulgin and BBC Worldwide. Shulgin is also a composer of music for films and TV, his songs appearing in films by Lukas Moodysson and Ken Russell, the TV music serial "Primadonna" as well as all the music for the first public TV channel "Spas" for which he composed.

http://alexandershulgin.musicdish.net

Kerchoonz Live Episode 1 - Donna Marie

The winner of the December Kerchoonz plays & download contest performs an amazing set in front of an 'invite only' audience at Kerchoonz Live #1 in the House Of Rock Studios, Glasgow.

"Everyone involved did a great job, lots of hard work had gone into the first Kerchoonz live event! I feel very humbled to have won the competition. Ian Morrow has a great studio. It was cool to see all the platinum records on the wall! He has produced so many albums that I listened to when I was younger. Quite surreal at times." - Donna Marie www.kerchoonz.com/donnamarie

About Kerchoonz
Kerchoonz.com, currently live in beta and scheduled for official launch in June, is a revolutionary social networking site which allows musicians to upload their music and be paid for every stream and every download of their music. Bands can opt to offer their music either for free download, or simply allow it to be heard through streaming on the site with 'buy' buttons next to every track.
http://www.Kerchoonz.com

Kerchoonz Live Episode 1 - Helicopter Girl

The fantastic 'Mercury Prize' nominated artist Helicopter Girl performs the coolest of cool sets at the House Of Rock Studios, Glasgow for Kerchoonz Live #1.

"I believe that if anyone is putting in work, they should receive compensation. At the same time, we must also be aware of things they offer that are a real plus for artists, such as the exposure. Having said that, it was lovely to receive a payment from Kerchoonz." - Helicopter Girl www.kerchoonz.com/helicoptergirl

About Kerchoonz
Kerchoonz.com, currently live in beta and scheduled for official launch in June, is a revolutionary social networking site which allows musicians to upload their music and be paid for every stream and every download of their music. Bands can opt to offer their music either for free download, or simply allow it to be heard through streaming on the site with 'buy' buttons next to every track.
http://www.Kerchoonz.com

Internet Pirates All At Sea

Enforced regulation regarding internet piracy took a giant step forward last week, with news that the operators of notorious torrent site The Pirate Bay had been charged with digital theft by a Swedish court, fined $3.6m and sentenced to one year each in jail.

The news was welcomed by the creators of Glasgow-based Kerchoonz.com, the first integrated social networking and media site to legally enable streaming and download of music, videos and on-line games whilst paying the artists and creators of music.

Co-founder of Kerchoonz.com and renowned US artist Indiana Gregg, has had personal conflict with The Pirate Bay. She says, "As a performing artist myself, I take great offence with torrent sites making a profit on the backs of musicians, who in turn, aren’t paid a penny. A small number of torrent tracker sites, including The Pirate Bay, refuse to do remove material on request and are arrogant enough to believe they are above the law. Whilst I certainly would not wish anyone to be incarcerated, this recent sentence sends a clear message to existing and would-be file sharing hosts - illegal downloading is a crime, you can be traced and sooner or later you will be prosecuted".

Her argument isn’t that users should have to pay for downloads, quite the opposite in fact. She reasons that users should be able to listen to their favourite tracks for free, but that the artists should also be given some form of payment.

Kerchoonz.com does just that. Scheduled to launch in June, it allows users to access free downloads, whilst artists, whether internationally acclaimed or as yet unsigned, are paid each time their work is streamed or downloaded. Revenue gained by unobtrusive advertising on the site is used to fund these payments, ensuring that everyone benefits.

"Already over 32,000 have signed up", says Indiana. "Although there are obviously other sites out there who offer free legal downloads, Kerchoonz.com is the first to absorb the offering into a social networking environment, ensuring full integration with Facebook and Twitter".

It is inevitable that other, similar services will appear on the internet over a very short space of time, as increasing numbers of illegal file sharers are prosecuted or close down of their own accord, before "The Internet Police" knock on their virtual door. This can only spell good news for the thousands of artists who have, since the dawn of the internet, been royally ripped off.

Kerchoonz, founded by Indiana Gregg and Ian Morrow in 2008, is a group of veteran record producers, artists, songwriters, music and technology industry professionals. Kerchoonz.com is a social networking platform that allows free exchange of music, art, ideas and entertainment. It enables fans to search and discover new music, play games, meet people, watch and upload video, keep up with news and post blogs.

Kerchoonz.com is an ad-funded model that allows artists and musicians to be paid for their audio and video streams, as well as their free downloads.doesn't want to give their music away for free, they are free to sell it and provide links to their on-line shop. But, they can still opt to be paid for streams.

http://www.kerchoonz.com

Kerchoonz Live Episode 1 - The Fortunate Sons

Kerchoonz Live Episode #1... two fantastic songs from The Fortunate Sons performed at House Of Rock Studios, Glasgow.

"The 'House Of Rock' setting was really intimate with dim lighting and candles all around. We were in the middle of performing of a new song called 'Walk on Fire' and I was bashing a tambourine with my foot, when my foot slipped and smashed the candle holder leaving a sprawling flame rolling out toward the camera's and igniting the floor. I'm surprised I was allowed to stay! It was certainly the right song choice!" - The Fortunate Sons www.kerchoonz.com/thefortunatesons

About Kerchoonz
Kerchoonz.com, currently live in beta and scheduled for official launch in June, is a revolutionary social networking site which allows musicians to upload their music and be paid for every stream and every download of their music. Bands can opt to offer their music either for free download, or simply allow it to be heard through streaming on the site with 'buy' buttons next to every track.
http://www.Kerchoonz.com

Interview With Darnell - One Of Kerchoonz' Hardest Working Bands

UK-based Darnell was one of the four bands to win the Kerchoonz December Live Sessions contest "to find the hardest working unsigned acts on the circuit." In addition to earning a "substantial amount of money" for their plays and downloads on Kerchoonz throughout the month of December, Darnell was invited to perform at the 'House Of Rock' studios in Glasgow for an 'invite only' audience.

We took the opportunity to chat with band about the secret to their online success and attitudes to artist compensation. You can read the full interview with Donna Marie, Helicopter Girl and The Fortunate Sons here.

What was the secrets to your success on Kerchoonz? And how was it playing the 'House Of Rock' studios? Any good back or on-stage anecdotes/stories?

I think the secret was a lot of spare time spent on the Internet, messaging Facebook friends as well as contacts made through MySpace, asking people to listen, and better still, download our songs on Kerchoonz,... I did bother friends a little more than usual, but as you can see it paid off. Facebook made it much easier to promote Kerchoonz because when you added our Kerchoonz page to Facebook, it adds the link with picture and all, so that was good.

As for playing at the House of Rock studios, that was an amazing experience. We were so humble. We would say it was our best day ever in our journey within the music biz! Indianna Gregg was a fantastic host and Ian Marrow was just so chilled and very approachable. He was even willing to sit down and tell us some stories about his experience within the business.

Taking to the stage was a bit daunting as it was so intimate and with cameras rolling etc,... it all took a little getting used to. By the third song, I had chilled and was starting to get into it. Unfortunately, we only got to play 3 songs each! Junior said his hands were sweating while he was playing, possibly nerves.

Our biggest thing was trying to pick the songs that we liked to play, but also songs that we thought would make an impact. When Darnell plays live, it is just one guitar and two vocals. We try and fill the room with our song the best we can - we think we did OK on that night.

Obviously, you've build an active fanbase before joining Kerchoonz. What is your general approach to online marketing? Have you had similar successes in generating traffic and/or getting paid on other sites?

We always wanted to build a band website and felt that we really needed to do that in order to progress and let people know what we are about. It was another one of those things - starting a site, the time and money!

We played a radio station in Manchester about 2 years ago and the DJ asked if we had a MySpace page. We weren't sure what that was, but she insisted that we set one up. So I did and very quickly realized that perhaps we didn't need a website after all - MySpace does it all!! Within no time, we had built up a fanbase. We found that a lot of Americans really liked our stuff which was great.

Over the last 6 months, we felt like we needed something new - and along came Kerchoonz. It's fresh, it's new and better still, you get paid, just for people downloading and listening to your music.

The Internet has changed the way we market and distribute music. But has it changed the way you approach creating music?

I think the way I approach creating music has always been the same. Our demos on MySpace and Kerchoonz are all old songs, anything from 3 to 10 years old. People can't tell. We would love to record new songs, but it all costs money. But what is great about the Internet is that you can play a gig, videotape it using a phone or camera, and within hours, you can place that video on your pages for all to see.

For example, Darnell took part in Channel 4's Orange unsigned competition. We decided to videotape our journey to London, which we placed on YouTube and Kerchoonz/MySpace. Within no time, we had 1500 hits on YouTube alone, and that's without us promoting it in any way! So we feel the Internet and today's technology can bring fans closer to the artist.

What are other ways you interact with your fans on a site like Kerchoonz? What tools have been most effective in communicating with your fans? Does it sometimes become a little overwhelming?

When we first found Kerchoonz, I thought "...aahhh something else to get used to. I can't take it anymore." But within no time, I felt it was so easy to use. I like to use the comment box when I talk to people as our fans like to see what has been said and lets them know what the real you is all about. Updating your status on Kerchoonz lets people know that you are online or have recently been online which it can generate traffic to your page.

In the U.S., recording artists are lobbying Congress to get paid for the use of their music by conglomerates like Clear Channel. Most social networking sites like MySpace or YouTube grew on the back of musicians and other creators without compensating them. Do you think that artists should demand compensation or be content with the exposure they receive? How did it feel to actually get paid by Kerchoonz?

It is fantastic to get paid by Kerchoonz. Writing your own songs and playing them live means that you rarely get paid, so the opportunity to get some compensation for doing something that you enjoy is amazing. Also, it will sure come in handy when we need to record new tunes. I don't feel it is such a big deal, but I think it will be a good incentive to get artists to sign up with the site.

As for other sites like MySpace, I don't feel artists should push to get paid as they know what they were signing up to when they started. I feel the exposure is a bigger payment than any amount of money. Being part of the first Kerchoonz Live Session will be worth more in exposure than any amount of money!

Darnell - www.Kerchoonz.com/darnell

Kerchoonz' Hardest Working Bands: Donna Marie, Helicopter Girl & The Fortunate Sons

This month, four top bands - Donna Marie, Helicopter Girl, Darnell and The Fortunate Sons - were invited to perform at the House of Rock Studios in Glasgow, UK after participating in the Kerchoonz Live Sessions December download/streams contest "to find the hardest working unsigned acts on the circuit." In addition to earning a "substantial amount of money" for their plays and downloads on Kerchoonz throughout the month of December, the bands were invited to perform at the 'House Of Rock' studios in Glasgow for an 'invite only' audience.

We took the opportunity to chat with winning bands about the secret to their online success and attitudes to artist compensation. You can read the full interview with Darnell here.

What was the secrets to your success on Kerchoonz?

[The Fortunate Sons] Kerchoonz sort of found us randomly in the hills of northern Italy (not really the sort of place you would think!). We were doing a few dates out there and our Italian host started talking about this revolutionary music website which financially supported bands. Upon our return home, we quickly signed up and the rest as they say is history.

The Fortunate Sons

How was it playing the 'House Of Rock' studios? Any good back or on-stage anecdotes/stories?

[The Fortunate Sons] The 'House Of Rock' setting was really intimate with dim lighting and candles all around. We were in the middle of performing of a new song called 'Walk on Fire' and I was bashing a tambourine with my foot, when my foot slipped and smashed the candle holder leaving a sprawling flame rolling out toward the camera's and igniting the floor. I'm surprised I was allowed to stay! It was certainly the right song choice!

[Donna Marie] Everyone involved did a great job, lots of hard work had gone into the first Kerchoonz live event! I feel very humbled to have won the competition. Ian Morrow has a great studio. It was cool to see all the platinum records on the wall! He has produced so many albums that I listened to when I was younger. Quite surreal at times.

Obviously, you've build an active fanbase before joining Kerchoonz. What is your general approach to online marketing? Have you had similar successes in generating traffic and/or getting paid on other sites?

[Donna Marie] A few months ago, I recorded a new EP and uploaded it exclusively to Kerchoonz. This meant that the people who wanted my latest EP needed had to sign up to Kerchoonz, after which they get my music for free as a kind of 'Thank You' for their support.

[The Fortunate Sons] We find that without lots of money, large scale promotion and marketing is very difficult. We do make contact with friends on our network sites like MySpace and now Kerchoonz to inform them that we're playing in their area.

[Helicopter Girl] On my MySpace page, which has grown to nearly 18,000 friends, I answer all messages personally. It's an ever growing phenomenon which can unravel as you participate in it. I don't know whether I have A general approach. I would just say that being polite and staying organised is the way forward.

The Internet has changed the way we market and distribute music. But has it changed the way you approach creating music?

[The Fortunate Sons] When you have a large group of fans with which you can interact, you realise how diverse your own fans are. I guess this allows a free artistic licence to work with your own influences and not conform to a generic sound that a larger label might demand from you. We also get an idea of what songs people prefer and use that information to decide where we want to go next.

[Donna Marie] Fans of my music have been really supportive from the beginning and I feel that I have really progressed and grown into my own style.

Donna Marie

How exactly do you interact with your fans on a site like Kerchoonz? What tools have been most effective in communicating with your fans? Does it sometimes become a little overwhelming?

[Donna Marie] Kerchoonz is pretty easy when it comes to keeping in touch with people. Emails, comments, blogs and bulletins are great little tools. I also upload new songs and demos from time to time. I think that this helps keep peoples' interest in my music so they come back often to my page and check for the latest news.

[Helicopter Girl] Based on Helicopter Girl's online interaction with people over the years, I would say that the vast majority are most likely to log on just to listen or download, whilst a smaller minority will contact you regularly with feedback, questions or even just a 'hi! how are you?' It is very varied. I keep my interactions to emails and comments so as not prevent me from also writing.

In the U.S., recording artists are lobbying Congress to get paid for the use of their music by conglomerates like Clear Channel. Most social networking sites like MySpace or YouTube grew on the back of musicians and other creators without compensating them. Do you think that artists should demand compensation or be content with the exposure they receive? How did it feel to actually get paid by Kerchoonz?

[Helicopter Girl] I believe that if anyone is putting in work, they should receive compensation. At the same time, we must also be aware of things they offer that are a real plus for artists, such as the exposure. Having said that, it was lovely to receive a payment from Kerchoonz.

Helicopter Girl

[Donna Marie] I think if companies are making money from artists, then it is only fair for the artists to get paid. Personally speaking, it costs me a small fortune playing so many gigs, traveling, promoting music, pressing CDs and paying for session musicians,... It isn't cheap. It's an expensive business and a lot of work goes into everything that I do. Getting paid by Kerchoonz was a lovely bonus. I bought myself a nice new valve microphone with my prize money - the bottle of champagne Kerchoonz gave each winner was a lovely touch.

[The Fortunate Sons] I don't think we can demand compensation from these sites. These sites have been a great way to get exposure all over the world and had they not existed, we may not be touring countries such as Italy, Germany and Spain. However, now that a site has been created which pays the artist, hopefully the industry will catch up and artists will be rewarded for the traffic they generate.

Donna Marie -www.kerchoonz.com/donnamarie
Helicopter Girl - www.kerchoonz.com/helicoptergirl
The Fortunate Sons - www.kerchoonz.com/thefortunatesons

Kerchoonz Live Sessions Invites Band's To Get Paid

Social networking site Kerchoonz.com has once again set the bar for independent music by paying artists each time fans listen to their music through its latest Kerchoonz Live Sessions. The online competition encourages artists to upload their music, get paid for their streams, and perform for a live studio audience to be broadcasted across the web (instructions below).

The site was launched in beta following a dispute between independent artist Indiana Gregg and illegal torrent website "The Pirate Bay" after the site refused to remove a link to her debut album. The Pirate Bay are currently being sued by the IFPI for inciting illegal infringement of copyright.

"Kerchoonz has been formed as an alternative to piracy" states Kerchoonz.com co-founder Ian Morrow. "We don't wish to comment on the proceedings taking place against The Pirate Bay at the moment, however, we believe that there must be an alternative to piracy that makes music lovers' happy while compensating musicians for their work. That's what Kerchoonz is all about. Kerchoonz Live Sessions' mission to help promote bands and artists who are, especially in these recessionary times, struggling to earn a living from their art."

This month, four top bands were invited to perform at the House of Rock Studios in Glasgow, UK after participating in the Kerchoonz Live December Christmas download/streams contest. The event, which was filmed before a live studio audience, will be used in a online campaign to promote and boost the winning bands:

* Donna Marie
* Helicopter Girl
* Darnell
* The Fortunate Sons

Bands who participate in Kerchoonz Live Sessions will benefit by receiving promotion in hard press, world-wide blog networking, professional live studio recordings and interview sessions with top journalists around the globe and cash prizes. The next session is scheduled for April 2009 and will feature top songwriting from bands and artists across the globe chosen by a panel of nine industry judges.

Artists and songwriters can participate in Kerchoonz Live Sessions in 3 easy steps:
* Join the Kerchoonz.com community,
* Upload your music to Kerchoonz
* Send a comment link with the song title that you would like to enter to: http://www.kerchoonz.com/kerchoonz

About Kerchoonz
Kerchoonz.com, currently live in beta and scheduled for official launch in June, is a revolutionary social networking site which allows musicians to upload their music and be paid for every stream and every download of their music. Bands can opt to offer their music either for free download, or simply allow it to be heard through streaming on the site with 'buy' buttons next to every track.
http://www.Kerchoonz.com

Unsigned And Independent Acts Receive Payout For Their Work!

Social network site Kerchoonz.com announced the winner of it's December Live Competition. Singer songwriter Donna Marie took first position having earned £250, followed by the Mercury Prize-nominated electronic artist Helicopter Girl at just under £200. Manchester-based band Darnell in third place receives £100. These figures are the tip of the iceberg and demonstrate the exciting possibilities as the site continues to grow.

"Kerchoonz.com provides artists and musicians with a fantastic opportunity to connect directly with their fans and to promote their music and gigs and so on.. It's a growing community of like-minded and enthusiastic people - it allows people to hear and download your music for free, while the artist gets paid" says the winner Donna Marie.

The Kerchoonz Live Competition offered its growing artist member base with three chances to win a cheque to recognize the numbers of plays and downloads achieved during the month of December. As a part of the prizes for the competition during December, the winning acts will be invited to participate in the inaugural Kerchoonz Live event which is to be held in February in Glasgow. It will feature a recording session with top producer Ian Morrow (Wet Wet Wet, Seal, Rod Stewart) at the House of Rock Studios. The best performing runners-up from Europe and the US will also be invited.

Kerchoonz.com is a Social Network designed by industry professionals to offer music downloads free for the fans while ensuring the copyright owners are paid. The social network's growth is set to continue apace as they are currently deep in negotiations with both independent and major record labels to help provide a total music experience.

http://www.kerchoonz.com

MusicDish To Represent Social Network Kerchoonz.com At MIDEM

MusicDish President Eric de Fontenay will be representing social media site Kerchoonz.com at this year's MIDEM conference (www.midem.com) being held from 18 to 21 January 2009 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Mr. de Fontenay will be meeting with a broad set of label and management companies at the conference to secure catalogue for the social network platform.

Kerchoonz.com is a social network site offering a simple, yet innovative concept: that musicians be compensated for the use of their music. Kerchoonz lets registered content owners share their music and videos with fans while getting paid for every stream and download. Music downloads and streams are tracked through a combination of the ISRC and play counts by utilizing unique coding and encryption within the application.

The feature-packed portal allows fans to customize their pages, play games (and post their scores), download and stream music, add music to their profiles, post on forums, join groups, watch videos, and connect with other users/artists.

www.kerchoonz.com

About MusicDish, LLC
Since 1997, MusicDish LLC has served as the bridge between the music industry and the artist. Through its extensive online presence, MusicDish provides artists with an edge over the ever-prevalent competition the music industry entails. MusicDish gives the artist the opportunity to take advantage of several different services: a creative approach to artist development and representation; online press release distribution & marketing; publications disclosing all the latest information involving the music industry; and even a indie music video channel.
http://www.musicdish.net

Kerchoonz Live Competition To Find The Hardest Working Unsigned Acts

Kerchoonz.com - the much anticipated answer to the music industry's current downloading problem - is to scrap its artist sign-up fee for Christmas.

The groundbreaking new website, swamped by over 8 million hits and 80,000 unique visitors in November, is scrapping its £12.50 fee to mark the start of Kerchoonz Live - a month long competition to find the hardest working unsigned acts on the circuit.

Bands and artists have until the end of December to use Kerchoonz.com to promote themselves and earn money in a bid to bag a recording session at a famous Glasgow studio. As well as being able to record three tracks at the hands of top producer Ian Morrow (Wet Wet Wet, Rod Stewart, Seal), acts will get to keep all money earned from plays and downloads on Kerchoonz.com.

"I can imagine it's going to be huge and why not?" says former Stereophonics star Stuart Cable. "Becoming a professional musician in a band is the hardest job in the world - so to do it this way is great."

The social media platform lets registered artists and songwriters share their music and videos with fans while getting paid for every stream and download through a combination of the ISRC and play counts by utilizing unique coding and encryption within the application. Kerchoonz pays unsigned acts half a penny for every play and up to 10p for every download - by far the largest payments available to any act choosing to give away their music online.

Artists can even earn money by recommending other musicians to the site and, with no limit on the number of people you can recommend, it's the hardest working acts that will reap the greatest rewards.

"Kerchoonz.com takes the world of online music to a completely different dimension by allowing musicians to earn money from their work without being exploited" says Co-Founder, Indiana Gregg.

Kerchoonz.com is currently locked in talks with both independent and major record labels to bring further content to the site, providing a comprehensive music catalogue for fans.

"If bands and artists use the promotional tools we provide for them, Kerchoonz.com will act just like a record company. Artists can effectively ‘sell' their music without charging their fans anything for it," says Gregg.

Kerchoonz is a place where musicians, artists, film makers, fans, business people, and technologists can meet and exchange in a free and open environment. Our mission is to provide a social platform that enables all of us to explore and create, listen and be heard, give. receive, and discover. Kerchoonz was founded by musicians who believe that artists and musicians should be encouraged and also compensated for their work.

http://www.kerchoonz.com

MusicDishTV: Interview With The Co-Founders Of Kerchoonz.com

This video clip is an interview with Kerchoonz co-founders Indiana Gregg and Ian Morrow, taken from a September 24, 2008 appearance on Channel M, the popular UK breakfast show. In this interview, Gregg and Morrow discuss the concept of Kerchoonz, exactly how musicians can make money on the site, the ever-evolving nature of the music industry, and other related topics. As Ian Morrow states, "this is probably the first site that's been written by musicians for musicians. It's 100% legal - with downloading and pirating, the genie is out of the bottle and it's probably not going to go back in." This is your chance to hear what Kerchoonz is all about - directly from the co-founders themselves! www.kerchoonz.com

MusicDishTV is more than an online video channel; it is the place to find out what's happening in the music world and hear brilliant new talent before they hit the radio airwaves. Artists & bands can submit their videos at http://tv.musicdish.net.

Behind Kerchoonz - the interview part 2

An interview with Kerchoonz co-founder and Scotland-based, singer-songwriter Indiana Gregg (part 2 of 2)

In part 2 of MusicDish e-Journal's interview with Indiana Gregg, we learn more about Kerchoonz, the site's multiple features and it's Choonz origins.

[Eric de Fontenay] The site is jam-packed with features and interactive areas. What other ways will you be attracting fans to the site?

[Indiana Gregg] There is a big online gaming area, video, live chat, TV, radio, news dig, and a lot of other stuff to have fun and be creative with. There will be a music discovery and recommendation engine to help fans find new music as well as a chart system for the various genres.

Hopefully, a lot of people will benefit from the free & legal model. Our focus is on helping artists get compensated for their work. But, we've made it fun for fans too. In fact, you don't even need to be a fan to find your "niche" at Kerchoonz. And fans are actually financially supporting their favorite artists without it costing them a dime.

Artists can track downloads and streams of their music. They will know what region or even city their fans are coming from. So, it can help to better target their audiences and plan their gigs. We're hoping that artists and labels potentially earn more through Kerchoonz than they may have done with traditional CD sales in recent years.

[Eric de Fontenay] Word-of-mouth marketing is today's holy grail. What tools does the site provide to empower fans to support their favorite artists?

[Indiana Gregg] One way is through the use of "KWIDGET," interactive widgets that help spread the word. The "referral KWIDGET" promotes the site by allowing users to paste a banner on forums, other sites and in emails. For every band or pro member that joins the site through one of these referral kwidgets, the user who pasted it receives $5.

Users can help support their favourite musicians too. If a user from our site pastes an artist's music elsewhere on the internet by embedding one of our music players, the artist still gets paid for their streams when other user's click and listen or download a song through a kwidget. If they login and register for a band or pro account, the user who pasted the kwidget again gets $5. So, even the public can earn real money by referring bands and creative people to Kerchoonz. It's spreading the word with a fun and financially interesting motivation.

[Eric de Fontenay] What role will the Industry Pros play on the site?

[Indiana Gregg] As we are going to be adding two additional "User Types" - Label & DJ - Industry Pro type users will be expected to be Publishers, Management Co's, Music & Media law firms, Engineers, Producers, Video Production Co's, Hire Co's, Accountants, Design Co's, etc.

[Eric de Fontenay] Do you handle differently artists with a large discography or labels with a catalogue?

[Indiana Gregg] Yes, labels will be allowed to upload more media and create more Sub-Profiles than a regular 'Artist/band' profile. Also, there are Gold and Platinum upgrade packages available to all users types offering more facilities relevant to each user type.

[Eric de Fontenay] What role does video play in Kerchoonz? Will video creators also be compensated for the use of their works?

[Indiana Gregg] Yes, if it is a music video and the video ISRC is entered into the Video ISRC field, the play counts and revenue will be reported back to the Video Performance Limited (VPL) body in the UK or local equivalent.

As the site develops, it is our intent to include licences with non-music genre broadcasters for their content.

[Eric de Fontenay] How will Kerchoonz attract artists who currently sell on retailers such as Amazon or iTunes? More importantly, how will it attract fans that love music but are primarily using file sharing to acquire music?

[Indiana Gregg] We aren't competing with Amazon or iTunes. So, if an artist doesn't want to give the music away as a free download, they can simply turn that function off. They can direct their fans to any online store they choose. However, they will still get paid if someone listens to their music through Kerchoonz. The streams are encrypted, so they can upload the full song without worrying about someone simply "stealing" it. If they change their mind or just want to give away a few tracks, they can do that too. Kerchoonz is flexible this way. We want to give artists, musicians, labels, bands and filmmakers interactive tools and let them choose how they want to use them.

People who use file sharing to acquire music may want to listen to the music before they download it. So, by listening to the music on Kerchoonz, they will have helped benefit the band/artists before they decide whether they want to download it or not. We hope that if they like the music, they might go ahead and support the band by downloading it either through Kerchoonz or going ahead and buying it elsewhere. If they don't like it, well, they might not want to download it anyway. But, at least they have a safe and legal way of accessing it that helps the artists and the people who were involved in creating it. This helps give bands and artists and even labels the finances that they need to continue creating. And that's what Kerchoonz is all about.

[Eric de Fontenay] Since you mention "what Kerchoonz is all about," where does the name come from?

[Indiana Gregg] Well, the name of the site came from the Choonz. Choonz are little purple people from a far off land who frequent the earth and bring us 'ideas'. The Choonz wanted to help us find a solution to the recent crises that the music and film industries have been facing on the blue planet. On their visit, the Choonz told us that they know music makers and filmmakers have been getting ripped-off and that we must do something about it for the sake of future creativity. To avoid wars and crusades, they were able to find a peaceful solution several thousand years ago on their own planet, Kerchoonz.

Choonz believe music should be free and accessible to everyone, and so they showed us the light and helped us create a way where music can be free to the public while enabling musicians and creative people to earn a living from their streams and downloads. We wanted to help out, so, out of respect for their wisdom, we named our social networking site after them: "Kerchoonz." At Kerchoonz, we think that the future of music won't work if musicians aren't compensated for their work. So, that's us, the purple website called Kerchoonz.
Go Choonz!

www.kerchoonz.com