ASCAP Music Expo Day 2

ASCAP MUSIC EXPO – DAY 2

Hey Kids!
It's time for more juice and dirt from out here on the left coast where the sun sets on the wrong side LOL! …The conference continues to rock. And I will say for sure that the afternoon today blew the morning out of the water kinda like sophomore slump. The morning sessions I attended including Following Your Muse (I found mine by walking out and into another panel, because after about 15 minutes there was just nothing enlightening being said). so I walked into a session on music placement in film, TV, gaming etc. It was alright although for yours truly kind of same shit different day...but I think for those new to the business and conferences it was probably very beneficial and informative.

One thing I have noticed pretty consistently and that is honestly starting to bug me just a little is that every single panel has only one female and like 3 or 4 guys – what is up with that? I know there plenty of powerful and successful women in the music business – so what they could only find one per session? Or did they just not look? Seems the only people that can interview famous femmes are other femmes…case and point both the Heart and Chaka Khan interviews. Can someone explain this strange phenomenon to me? Boys are you intimidated by us powerhouse femmes?

Speaking of Chaka Khan, I just came from that session and she is absolutely adorable, real and straight up…when asked how things have changed for women in music, she said “gender should be secondary or not even involved in the equation” (amen sista)! She went on to say that today a woman has to be the whole package (looks etc.) and she has to buy into it as well. It pisses her off…but she’ll do whatever she has to do to keep on singing. (amen again)! So tell that to your boyfriends when they ask why you need to look so hot on and offstage!

The end of Chaka's session became a total audition instead of Q&A but she was so open and allowing people to sing and beat box to her and pitch all their stuff– unbelievably gracious…me not being a soul/funk or hip-hop gal I just took my notes and photos and hung out with my new friends Vesti and Brad. Be on the lookout: Vesti will be writing a guest blog on the conference and got to check out bunch of things I couldn’t attend (hey I am only one person!). She is new to the singer/songwriter world but she’s catching on quick. Check her out at myspace.com/vestoria

Also attended a great session with Richard Marx today (yes the guy with that crazy mullet back in the ’80s). Gotta love a man who can make jokes about his own hair 20 years later. Did you know that his dad was like a famous jingle writer? You know he had to be good because the whole audience was singing along to “what's the best tuna you happen to see? Chicken, chicken of the sea." He also wrote Peter Pan – “if you believe in peanut butter clap your hands”… "my dog's better then your dog”…I know some of you youngsters are like say what? They were really famous commercials dude! BTW Richard loves the word dude and I start my song “So Much Noise” with “dude do I really look 23” - flashback ’80s because I feel like I just wrote a Pop-up video LOL ROTF!

I have to say my fave sessions at these events are not necessarily the directly educational ones but those featuring the well-known artists. I’m no starstruck teen, but they just are really compelling to listen too (granted some more then others) – I will say though what I keep hearing is that success is a lot of being in the right place at right time and some damn good luck! But one common piece of advice is to just keep writing keep writing, keep going, keep singing. Once its in the blood we all know we just can’t stop!

Really there are so many funny stories and great moments at some of these sessions but if I told you everything this blog would be endless you’d get bored, you wouldn’t read it – hey maybe your not reading it anyway HAHA!

Ya know I am actually starting to like being this journalist blogger chick!

OK signing off for today off to dinner with friends but more tomorrow for sure. I promise we have awesome video of Heart, Richard Marx and more but it needs a little editing and takes 4 ever to upload so just keep checking back because I just haven’t had time yet!

Sat Nam – Rock On! God I love music and the whole nasty fabulous business!

BTW one personal announcement; for any G-spot and Marisa Mini fans our May 23 show in Long Island was canceled! Boohoo – what can you do? We’ll book something else soon!

OX
G.

P.S. I am in the hotel lobby bar getting ready to post the blog and the table next to me is busting my chops for working – turns out it’s the founder of the band Toto and his wife…remember them “Hold the line, love isn’t always on time”…