Every time I open the newspaper and peruse the local gig listings in my city, I’m struck by something: tribute acts are in high demand! More often than not, there are more tribute acts on the calendar than original acts. And based on the ticket prices to some of these shows, tribute acts are big business. Indeed, in 2019, some … Read More
5 Things to Look for in a Record Deal
After years of hard work, you just landed your first record deal. Amazing. Now the record label sends over the contract and it’s thirty pages long. Yikes. Here are the main points to look for in a record deal and what to avoid. 1) How Long is the Term? This is a good starting point: how long will you be … Read More
5 Things to Look for in a Music Producer Agreement
So, you’ve found the perfect producer for your upcoming recording project. Great news. Now the producer sends over a 10-page contract full of legalese regarding record royalties, songwriting splits, SoundExchange revenues, producer advances and more. Before you enter the studio, here are some key points to look for and understand: 1) Who Owns the Masters? First and foremost, you should … Read More
Band Name Disputes: Who Can Use the Band Name When a Band Breaks Up?
Bands break up all the time. And band name disputes often follow. Sometimes one or more members want to continue using the band name, as was the case with Pink Floyd in the 1980s when both Roger Waters and David Gilmour were touring with two different bands under the name Pink Floyd. Similarly, Axl Rose famously duped his band-mates into … Read More
My first NPR Interview!!
Words you don’t say very often: I just did an interview on NPR to five million listeners!! Chatted about the hurdles facing Canadian musicians touring the USA. Celebration time in Chicago
We’re touring the USA with Sebastian Bach!
The biggest tour of our career kicks off in a few months with Sebastian Bach!!
Wow. Handwritten Letter from Fred Gretsch
It’s not every day you get a letter from a legend. No, not Taylor Hawkins (that would be cool), but Fred Gretsch, whose name was on the front of my drums for over a decade. Mr. Gretsch had been reading articles on my website (!) and then up & called me the other day (!!). I gave him some impromptu … Read More
Elected President of SaskMusic for a third straight year!!
Absolutely honoured to serve as President of SaskMusic for a third straight year!!! There is more incredible talent per capita in this province than anywhere in the world and I am humbled to be a voice for it. Music is life. Life is music.
Can You Copyright a Drumbeat?
In light of the many high profile plagiarism cases making headlines in the music business over the last few years (Lana Del Rey, Led Zeppelin, Robin Thicke, Sam Smith, etc.), it felt like the right time to examine the topic of songwriting from where we all sit: the drum throne. All of the above instances of alleged plagiarism involved similarities … Read More