ABOUT

 THE BLOG:

Welcome to the Music, Money & ‘How to’ blog.  I’ve  been meaning to get around to starting this for awhile!  

As you can see from this old pic, presentation was an issue from a very young age . . . . . you know how easily we all get sidetracked? 

Anyway I’ve spent a lot of time making music and working in the music biz and often get asked by up and coming musicians, songwriters and performers about music, the music biz, music and money issues or even ’How to’ type questions.  

So this site is dedicated to helping you find the answers and solve the problems of Music, Money & ‘How to’ in the Next Generation Music Business.  So these rantings may be useful on a couple of levels . . . .
 

1) If your setting out on a career in music or your planning on making you and your music a serious business in the near future . . . . then hopefully the articles, resources and info on Music DIY and related content will help you focus on profiting from your music in the  Next Generation Music Biz . . . .

2)  Your interested in the subject of “Music, Money & How to” in the Next Generation Music Biz from some other angle or you can contribute your own experiences or thoughts for the benefit of others who may drop by . . . .

Plus! and it’s a big PLUS at that – I’m tired of the negativity that seems widespread about the music biz or specifically about artists and musicians supposedly no longer going to get rewarded or not being able to make a decent living in the future from their creativity because of the serious decline of the record business.

So whats my take on it . . . . Simple, there always will be and there is always going to be ways found for creative people to rightfully be rewarded financially  for their creativity. 

Hopefully you will find some good ‘tips’ and ‘How to’ suggestions right here on this site.  Make sure YOU are embracing the ever growing possibilities technological developments are bring to all of us, especially via the internet.  Keep an eye on the opportunities and keep an eye on the money!

You can now promote and exploit you, your music, your band or your brand, whatever you want to call it in ways like never before.

Maybe you can get involved in finding other new ways and approaches to monetizing creativity for yourself or you can benefit from the experience of those who get there before you because it isn’t all over by a long shot unless you as an individual want it to be!

 

The future, if your a music maker, is all about getting involved in the Next Generation Music Biz – let’s face it, the last version of the ‘record biz’ left a lot to be desired for many a great artist when it came to financial reward and for most of that time the internet did not even exist! 

The way music is discovered and acquired has changed dramatically in recent years and yes the record business is in serious decline.   However the MUSIC BIZ is in a very healthy and very exciting state so this is a great time to be in the music biz as a writer or performer or as a music biz entrepreneur.

KEVIN J RYAN:

Kevin is best described as someone hugely passionate and knowledgeable about music and the music business. Some would call him a music biz entrepreneur but that all sounds very glorious and boring.

Bottom line is this:

1) He’s been around long enough in music to have tried and done most things.  Some successfully and some not so successfully

2) He has ‘hands on’ experience and expertise because since the 70’s he’s got his hands dirty in the following areas of the music world:

Songwriter, Session Musician, Record Plugger, Head of Artiste & Repertoire, Producer, Production Company, Music Label, Music Licensing, Music Publishing, Artist Management, Product Marketing, Music Investment Funding and Financial Management.  He has also negotiated and closed a number of deals for real money in these areas of business and has worked for and with numerous top music companies over the years.

What’s in this guy’s head may be very useful to those of you trying to cut a path in the music world.

RECENT YEARS:

 

Most of the time  has been spent involved in various music-related ventures, often as a ‘key’ founder of investment backed start-up companies focused on Music Production, Artist Development & Management, Music Publishing and the acquisition and exploitation of ‘Rights’.  Most importantly this has involved making money from music and sometimes losing it, a valuable lesson in itself. 

Some of my time is spent consulting for companies developing music and new technology related ventures plus I continue to look after songwriter/producer management interests based in the UK.

 

A LITTLE MUSIC BIZ BACKGROUND:

First entered the record industry back in the mid 70′s with B&C Records, the usual ‘mail room’ start which lead to moving into artist promotions and then A&R with The Famous Charisma Label with Artists like Genesis, Lindisfarne, Alan Parsons Project, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Audience, Clifford T Ward and various other 70′s rock / pop acts. 

Since those colourful days of the 70’s I have worked on music projects as diverse as GENESIS to LIBERTY X and that’s definitely Progressive Rock to Manufactured Pop! and a whole lot in between.  Now still involved in various aspects of the music biz, I remain passionate about music and the making of music - it’s what I know!  

ANOTHER LIFE:

My interest in music started early receiving classical training in piano, composition

 and music theory as a junior.  As a teenage songwriter I used to work with engineer producer Peter Bown at the famous EMI/Abbey Road Studios in London.  Peter, who was some years my senior, started out as an Abbey Road staff engineer and worked with bands like The Hollies, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and legendary record producers like George Martin and Phil Spector. 

Pete was instrumental in developing new projects with writers who could be directly associated with the studios parent company and publishing division EMI.  Working with Pete in the studio, writing, developing and recording material enabled me to gain  invaluable studio experience.

I learned a massive amount in those early years from people like Pete and many other people who were prepared to give a young kid like me the time.  Over a lot of years I’ve met my share of  wonderfully talented ‘music’ people and have never stopped learning, every day there is something new to learn . . . . . . . if you want to.

WHAT I LOVE TO DO:

Being a mentor and personally helping  young, talented, creative people to reach their ‘life goals’, musically, creatively, professionally and in business  is tremendously rewarding  and something I love to do.

SO if you are a young up and coming music creative, Artist, Performer, Singer/Songwriter, Music producer, Musician or Band member I hope the content on this site will help you on your way to success and most importantly help you profit from your music in the ‘next generation music biz.’ 

 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST  – MAKING MUSIC:

Here is a dance track (Ok! I like making ALL kinds of music)  that I co-wrote and produced under one of my many music  aka’s “Route 33“ that was released in the UK via Universal/Island Records and licensed to various other territories around the world.

I do still get around to making music now and again - really need to get back to it . . . . just hit that play button up in the video box on the right . . . .this is the radio mix of  ”Looking Back” and the wonderful ‘Blue Screen’ via Youtube due to the usual music industry online issues!!