Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Rockstar Rising Social Music Game Launched By Whotune At SXSW


Rockstar Rising Launches Next Generation Social Game Fusing Indie Music Discovery with Gaming



Role Play Game Helps Increase Independent Artists' Fan Base with Casual Gamers; Chronicles Musicians' Journey from Parents' Garage to Rock 'n' Roll Fame and Fortune



SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, AUSTIN, Texas, March 8, 2013 � Whotune, a comprehensive promotion and discovery channel for independent artists, today launched the beta of the Rockstar Rising Facebook game during South by Southwest's (SXSW) Gaming Expo. Rockstar Rising weaves together independent artist discovery with social gaming through interactive gameplay chronicling a band's journey to fame. Throughout the game, independent artists' music is featured, which gamers must learn to level up. The game will also launch an iOS version for iPad in the coming months.



"Rockstar Rising gives artists access to a unique promotional opportunity and reaching millions of fans and gamers that were only available to artists signed with the big labels," said Karl George, CEO of Whotune. "Now we can capitalize on the larger-than-ever gaming audiences and give independent artists a chance to get their music heard, loved and recognized on a broader scope."



About the Game

Rockstar Rising is a free role play game (RPG) chronicling the journey of becoming a rockstar. The game integrates users' social networks, allowing gamers to hire and fire their Facebook friends as band mates and work their way up from garage practice to worldwide tours. From choosing outfits to purchasing equipment, gamers live the lives of up-and-coming artists as they experience the same struggles and successes as many bands in the industry.



Game play includes learning and performing songs from the independent artists of Whotune at various venues around the world in a casual arcade-style game. The band levels up by earning fame and fortune from gigs, allowing them access to bigger and better gear as well as new venues to play at. Bands can also write songs, record them in the studio, play original songs at gigs, and ultimately release an album to build even more fame and fortune.



Availability

http://apps.facebook.com/rockstarrising

For Independent Artists

Independent artists can submit their music to the Rockstar Rising game by creating an artist profile at www.whotune.com and entering the 'Rockstar Rising' competition by checking the appropriate box. All songs submitted will be considered for future versions of Rockstar Rising games.


http://apps.facebook.com/rockstarrising

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Miss 600 Release New Single 'Hello'


Following on from their UK radio success with 'Twist' and 'Typically Me', Pop/Jazz duo Miss 600 are back with their new single, the instantly appealing 'Hello'.



Their debut single 'Twist' spent an incredible seven weeks on the BBC Radio 2 A list, whilst also achieving over 3000 plays on UK radio including the BBC Local Network. Miss 600 soon followed this amazing success with their second single 'Typically Me'. Once again, the single received support from Radio 2 and the single enjoyed 6 weeks on the playlist -�‐ a remarkable achievement for a brand new artist.



'Hello' has also just been play listed on BBC Radio 2, the UK's most listened to Radio Station - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/music-events/playlist/



After a busy 2012, which saw them appear at many of the top festivals, including the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Miss 600 will be releasing their debut album 'Buying Time' on February 25th. The album builds on their 'pop with a jazz twist' sound and features collaborations with legendary film composer Ennio Morricone and former RCA singer songwriter Sam Beeton.


http://www.miss600.com

http://www.cubitrecordings.com/download/mi2n/miss600_hello_edit.mp3

Marching On! Songwriter's Square 8, LA Women In Music, Songwriter Spotlight: Ray Jessel, Eric Schwartz, Bill Burnett, Wild Honey Benefit Recap, The Square Gets Down And Funky


Sunday, March 17th Songwriter's Square will feature three legends of Los Angeles songwriting. Joining us will be James Lee Stanley, is a leader in the folk music community and board member of Folk Alliance International. James was first signed by RCA in 1973 and has continued to astound audiences with his sharp songwriting and hilarious storytelling ever since. He has released over 25 albums, tours non-stop, and is considered one of the few all time greats and undisputed geniuses among singer-songwriters.



John Batdorf started the 70's as a recording artist with Batdorf and Rodney andSilver and became a staff writer in the 80's with cuts by America and Kim Carnesamong others. In the 90's John began a new career scoring for television ("Promised Land", "Touched by an Angel") as well as film and theatre. John tours extensively, has released four solo albums and just completed his second album of acoustic takes on Rolling Stones songs with James Lee Stanley. John just recently sang on the Oscar telecast with Adele!



Lois Blaisch is a singer, songwriter, producer & performer best known for her eight times-platinum #1 hit "Could've Been" recorded by Tiffany & performed by Carrie Underwood on American Idol. Lois' songs have been nominated for three Grammy awards in the categories of Pop, Jazz & Children's Music, a Golden Reel Award for the TV theme to Disney's "Street Sharks� and have earned her a place in BMI's "Million-Airs" club. Her songs and voice can also be heard on many TV shows and platinum albums.



All three guests have performed together, written songs together and who knows what else together! I'll be there too, doing what I can to bring a bit of malarky to the proceedings!



Don't miss this show! Last month sold out a week in advance. You can purchase advanced tickets HERE. Use the promo code "james", "john", lois" or "bill" for 20% off of the admission price!

Songwriter's Square - Sunday, March 17th, 7:30PM

at the Lyric-Hyperion Theatre and Cafe, 2106 Hyperion, LA CA, 90027


http://www.billberrymusic.com/

Harmony & Groove Release App For That!


Canada's Harmony & Groove has released "App For That" as the first single off their debut album, Bringing Down The Mercury.



Playing on the now ubiquitous phrase, "there's an app for that", the song and video poke fun at the notion that an app is all you need to solve any problem.



The uptempo number is punctuated by a pulsating bass line, old-school synth licks and 70's style horn blasts. Lead singer Jeffrey Carl rises to the occasion with a slick vocal performance.



Views on YouTube are sure to rise swiftly.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzPPKAx7Oo

http://harmonyandgroove.com

Ladies Rise Up And Rock In San Francisco


An innovative new concert series highlighting women on the rock music scene kicks off with its inaugural event in San Francisco, CA, on Saturday, March 23, at 7:30pm at the Regency Lodge. Partial proceeds from the concert will benefit the GRAMMY in the Schools campaign.



"I think this is the perfect time to do an entire show featuring women making music, with some of the proceeds going to a great cause," says Carl J. Mancuso, creator of Ladies Rise Up and Rock. "Lilith Fair was a start, but I think there is a much more involving way to bring independent female musicians to the forefront of the music culture."



The concept for this seminal concert series was sparked by a Facebook conversation Mancuso had with renowned singer-songwriter J. D. Souther (Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles) after Souther expressed concern about music education funding cuts in schools across the US.



Ladies Rise Up and Rock: San Francisco will headline guitar heroine Gretchen Menn and her instrumental trio. Menn was recently named one of Fender's top 10 Guitar Goddesses and graced the cover of the February issue of Pure Guitar Magazine.



Ladies Rise Up and Rock will also include a performance by folk-rock duo the Wellspring on the heels of their debut at Austin's eminent SXSW music festival. San Francisco indie rockers Kiwi Time will open the concert with their unique mix of indie, electronica, rock, and pop. The night will be hosted by LA Comedian Samantha Hale, of the Map the Music documentary, which debuted on the Documentary Channel.



With San Francisco as a test city, Mancuso and his PR firm, Upswing Public Relations, will take the series to other major music markets around the US, networking with musicians and promoters on the indie music scene to help initiate independent female artists into the mainstream. Mancuso has been working closely with Spotlight Events Consulting SF, San Francisco sister rock duo Deer Park Avenue, and design and publicity firm Flying Ace Media to make this dream a reality.



Ladies Rise Up and Rock is sponsored by AEG Live and Best Beverage Catering (BBC). General Admission tickets are $24 and limited VIP seating is available for $40. Purchase tickets at ladiesriseupandrock.com/tickets or by calling the Regency Center at (415) 673-5716.



For more information, visit ladiesriseupandrock.com and ladiesriseupandrock.com/feature.



Facebook: facebook.com/ladiesriseupandrock

Twitter: @ladiesriseup



MEDIA CONTACT

Sarah Carolina

Flying Ace Media

916.224.6320

sarah@flyingacemedia.com


http://www.ladiesriseupandrock.com

Monday, March 11, 2013

Cleveland's Voodoo Brother Needs Your Help


Voodoo Brother needs your vote to play the Derby Ink Invitational in Harrisburg PA. Out of 1900 submissions we have made it to the final 200 with the top 20 moving on. In exchange for your vote we are giving away our debut release free at the following link



https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x30qi80jqu7ueyz/hafnvGqIHy?m



PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW AND THEN CLICKING "LIKE" ON OUR VIDEO. Clicking LIKE is the only way to vote.



https://www.facebook.com/derbyink/posts/468788849854297



Mind-blowing Artistry. Ruthless Derby Action. Music and Mayhem. Tournament to be aired April 21 on PAY-PER-VIEW: April 19th-21st, Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, PA.



Description

An epic 3-day high octane arts and entertainment event fueled by a 500+ tattoo-vendor expo featuring over 200 masters of tattoo artistry, a fast-paced banked-track roller derby tournament with $20K in cash prizes, unparalled artistic gallery displays and live hard-core rock bands that will bring the house down.



Tickets are on sale now at www.derbyink.net



http://www.voodoobrother.com

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Hollywood Greets Henley Business School At Musexpo 5th-8th May


Henley Business School's New MBA for the Music Industry Program Gets U.S. Launch at Musexpo, May 5-8, 2013 Spearheaded by Program Director, Helen Gammons.



Helen Gammons, a 30 year music industry veteran, entrepreneur and educator, will address delegates during the conference/convention, and reveal how the MBA will prove to be a major game changer for the global music industry in the New Millennium. The program officially launched at MIDEM 2012 and courses began in September.



"The program we offer is a core MBA based around experiential learning and a contextualized application for the Music Industry. There is a sharing and learning of best business practice with people from a broad industry profile and then music industry participants peel away for bespoke contextualized application," says Gammons.



The Henley Business School (University of Reading), founded in 1945, was the first business school in the UK and voted one of the top leading and most respected business schools in the world by The Times Good University Guide 2013. Henley has partnered with top leaders in the music industry to deliver the world's first MBA program for middle and senior executives. In December 2012, a high level meeting was held at the House of Commons with Edward Vaizey, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, along with UK CEO's and senior executives from across all major labels and Rights organizations. Henley discussed its 60 years of experience in supporting CEO's and other senior executives, defining the research agenda in the fields of leadership, knowledge management, human resources, organization studies and entrepreneurship.


Senior executives are unanimous in their support of the program. Also in December, Henley delivered a report to UK Prime Minister, David Cameron and Education Minister, Michael Gove, opposing planned education reforms which are seen as a deliberate side lining of Music and the Arts from the core curriculum within the English Baccalaureate. The report provides a more strategic view and is considered influential to Michael Gove's educational u-turn.


The Henley Business School's MBA in the Music Industry program was developed in collaboration with an international team of music executives, led by a steering committee of leading industry executives, in conjunction with other business professionals and Henley academia. Professor John Board, Dean of Henley Business School, stated, "This strategic partnership builds on the strengths of Henley and a dynamic creative industry in a new and powerful collaboration."


The program's design is based on the core Henley Flexible MBA program, and enhanced with a bespoke program of workshops and presentations from leading individuals and companies in the music industry to meet the specific needs of international music professionals.


Specially tailored pathways incorporated into the core modules enhance learning and focus on key industry issues. This ensures the MBA program is relevant to the creative, innovative and entrepreneurial business sector. The MBA is intended to appeal to those in all areas of business across the full music industry spectrum and includes: Business managers, industry executives, middle or senior management, owner managers, heads of departments, those responsible for building or leading teams, and creative managers, from SMEs to major corporations.


The MBA will help participants gain new perspectives and a forward thinking approach, whilst strengthening core management and leadership skills. The ultimate goal is to have a positive impact on the industry as a whole by putting it ahead of the curve, being more proactive and less reactive to change.



The MBA program has already had impact. In a Feb 2013 article in the Telegraph, John Anthony Martinez, record producer and already one of the first American students in the program, landed a plum job with US rapper, business entrepreneur and Grammy award winning artist Malik Yusef, as a direct result of his enrollment in the program. Malik and his executive team offered John the position of Executive Vice President of Business Affairs for a new unique label venture called Private Plane, focusing on branding music and other creative endeavors as luxury items, with a big reveal for the concept during 2013. Helen Gammons is available for interviews prior to and during her visit to Musexpo. See contact info below.



Steering Committee for the MBA in the Music Industry:

Ted Cohen - Managing partner of TAG strategic and known in the music industry as a leader who embraces and exploits new technologies.

Nigel Elderton - Managing Director Peermusic UK, European President Peermusic, Chairman of the MCPS, Director of PRS for Music.

Simon Napier Bell - Artist Manager, Composer and Author. The man behind Dusty Springfield's hit 慪ou don't have to say you love me' . Managed Marc Bolan, The Yardbirds, Wham and Jimmy Page.

Vick Bain - Chief Operating Officer of BASCA and Henley MBA alumnus.

Alexis Grower - Head of the Media Department at Magrath LLP Phillip R Graham - Senior Vice President, Writer/ Publisher Relations at BMI.

Jeremy Summers - Pitmans SK Sport & Entertainment LLP Lawyer.

Fred Cannon - EX BMI Senior Vice President for Government Relations, former Executive at EMI Records working with; The Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Sex Pistols, Elton John and Lionel Richie

Carl Leighton-Pope - Founder of The Performing Artists Network Agency. Simple Minds, Dire Straits, REO Speedwagon, Bryan Adams, Van Morrison, Michael Buble.

Deborah Annetts - Chief Executive ISM - classical and professional members.
Jo Dipple - CEO UK Music.

Patron of the MBA Lord Lingfield, Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor (Chairman of the Knights' Council) knighted for services to education in 1993.



For Music Trade & Consumer Press Inquiries:

In the UK:

Sacha Taylor-Cox

Impressive PR

9 Jeffrey's Place, London, NW1 9PP

Tel: 0207 284 3444, Fax: 0207 284 1840

sacha@impressivepr.com



In the U.S:

Jerry Flattum

727-688-1503

jerryflattum@gmail.com

JerryFlattum.com



Henley Business School.

Contact Information:

Helen Gammons - MBA

Program Director - MBA for the Music Industry.

Henley Business School

University of Reading

Greenlands. Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. RG9 3AU, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1491 418 803 ext 2062

Direct Mobile: 00 44 (0) 7711 668121

email: helen.gammons@henley.com

www.henley.com/mbamusic

JTV Digital Music Distribution Platform Is Live


JTV Digital just released to the public its Digital Music Distribution Platform, allowing indie artists, bands or labels to upload and deliver their music to all major digital stores worldwide like iTunes, Spotify or Amazon.



Artists keep 90% of their royalties and benefit from a Quality Control procedure on all tracks uploaded to guarantee that only top-notch content reaches the stores.



Delivery prices start as low as 0,25€ per track!



Musicians and labels can register on JTV's website, then follow the instructions received by email to access the platform.


http://www.jtvdigital.com

Foreshadow Headlines Odin's Den

Tampa, FL based metal band Foreshadow along with Kill The Sound, Oathkeeper, Aergia, and Thicket will be invading Odin抯 Den in Winter Park, FL for a one off show. This event will take place at Odin抯 Den 1335 Howell Branch Rd Winter Park, FL March 16, 2013.


This is a 18+ show. Tickets are $5 dollars in adv/ $8 day of show. More information can be found at Bookedpromotions.com, facebook.com/foreshadow76, and Foreshadow76.com.


Foreshadow uses their vocal and instrumental influences to comment heavily upon the lies that have enveloped as truth amongst the general population. Influenced by such artists who include Slayer, Lamb of God, Nile, and Pantera, Foreshadow has completed their second release, a studio EP, "The Stranger End of Death". The album was released to fans and fellow listeners independently, and has delivered the group's ideas and collective beliefs that are saturated in a sense of self-empowerment and individuality.


Individually and collectively, alike, the band is extremely familiar to stage performance. Foreshadow completed a South American headlining tour in 2012, touring Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. They have also opened for international death metal band Dying Fetus, as well as playing Fall Fest in Miami, Florida, the 11th Annual Deland Music Festival, and Kaos Fest III. Foreshadow also released their music video in April 2012 for their first single, "The Meaning of Life". This has become an underground metal hit.


http://www.foreshadow76.com

Debut Album Mik And The Old Hippies Released

The Old Hippies, named after a song by the Bellamy Brothers, is the band of singer Mike de Rijcke. The group consists of musical veterans with many years of experience. They make perfect Country music and play mainly known hits but in their own style including songs like: Teach Your Children, Thank Got For The Radio and Old Hippie. One of the best country bands Europe. Recommendable!


http://www.samsammusic.com/Mike-and-the-Old-Hippies-Country-Favourites-Volume-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Country-Favourites-Vol-1/dp/B0098LG6LE/ref=dm_cd_album_lnk_alt