JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Important Open Discussion for 2006 and Beyond: Please Chime In!

Hi Brian and everyone-

I'm not sure I am qualified to tell you what to do Brian--- You really tell it like it is. I just offer my view of JPF that you may see something in it---

I come to these boards way more often than my post count reflects. I READ. ALOT. Scott, Whitesides, Brian, Sub, Graham, alot of people have come and gone (redwriter).... I have read alot of what they've said. They are way more advanced than I am in understanding many of the concepts involved at these boards. When I first started a few years ago, i didn't understand SO MUCH of the jargon. I now proudly say I get SOME of it.
Copyrights, recording, vocal techniques, perfomance.... I have learned alot. I actually am going to make my own CD starting in a few weeks, and the questions I asked as I interviewed studios were all learned here. I may know a little about what to expect and what to look for during my sessions from what I've read here, though I may not have posted much. Don't underestimate the value of the knowledge here and the nice people who share it just because of a common love of music AND don't think that it alone isn't enough. It's invaluable to people like me.

I have several posts in the Chicago chapter about how sad it is that hardly anyone uses it. One of the Tampaites said that it fills a need because they don't have alot to go to other than what they do. This is likely how small population chapters are. However, in Chicago, there's a million things to do. It needs to be different here. I do have one suggestion that could work to get more people here involved on the boards, which then they'd be more likely to be involved in other JPF stuff. Let all JPFers post on these boards about their GIGS. So what!!! Let it START with the selfish reason of everyone wanting a place to help generate traffic to their shows. OK? Now, if this gets off the ground and let's say it Wed and I want to see what I want to do this weekend! I go the JPF Chicago and see where all my friends are gigging! At least they're coming to the board. Then they may read something, add something, I dunno. Just put in the newsletter or something that you want everyone to feel free to advertise their gigs on your boards. I know generally here, when anyone posts here for a selfish reason they get ignored, but if ENCOURAGED (just in the chapter areas) it could help. Give them a reason, even if it's free advertising. No skin off of your back, I believe! The skeleton is already here. Maybe people would start checking here instead of the local rag. Let's say you wanted to know what kind of music they played, or if they had new stuff to do (i hate when someone does exactly the same songs you saw last time). You could ask them here, make it interactive. I dunno, does that make any sense? You have to lead a horse to water before they can drink.
It IS brutal to go to a showcase and suffer through a bad performer (especially when your wife isn't that thrilled about coming anyway)Make DIFFERENT showcases with the entry level performers and work up to the pros. The best entry guy can work up to a more middle showcase with a good performance. This gives incentive to try and do well, as well as if the entry level people don't have to play for the pros, just each other, they'll have more fun. They might come to the middle one to gauge their readiness. I hope I'm not rambling here.

Brian, NOTHING matches when you come to town for a showcase. I had SO MUCH fun at every one. People come out of the woodworks. The 43 person one at the blues bar was great. I WAS disappointed you didn't make it here this year (I wanted to show you how improved a performer I am), but I understand how busy you are.

JPF is an invaluable resource to me and I can't wait to get my CD done and see what JPFers think about it.

Herbie

Just bumpin' 'er to the top.

------------------
Later,

Pat

Good discussion, folks.

Yeah, here in Hillbilly Hollywood, nothing works better than a Brian appearance. Nashville's a funny place. It's like Brian said earlier, there are amateurs, pros, and cons here and they usually don't mix well.

And here's an example of one of the problems we face...I've gotta leave for Arkansas in a half hour, so I'll be back to read more of this Sunday night. Maybe when I can afford a Blackberry? Of course now they're being sued!

All the Best,
Mike

------------------
You have to practice improvisation. -Art Tatum

Mike Dunbar Music

I think this discussion has been helpful to get some topics out. It seems to me that the "tool" of having a slate of representatives in each congressional district to utilize politically is something we need to create. I am not sure how we match that with the chapter program and perhaps they are really 2 separate things.

The challenge, of course, would be to find 435 JPF Reps to mirror the Congressional Districts. That means mobilizing well over 1% of our membership to get actively involved at a much higher level than the average member and on a voluntary basis. The question is if that is even possible?

So have emailed me off line saying that perhaps this project could turn into an actual independent political party in the future. Though there are all sorts of fun ideas that could spring out of that, if we do something like that, then we won't get any support or cooperation from either of the two main parties and I am not sure what good it could do. I've actually considered getting involved personally as a State Rep or State Senator here in Indiana, but as an independent, it's a gigantic financial uphill battle. Frankly, I wish we didn't have parties and only slates of candidate names. I think then folks could make decisions based on what was right for their constituents instead of blindly following 1 party. What really stinks is that even when Republicans and Democrats agree on issues, they feel compelled to be against whatever the other party favors for solely political reasons. My optimistic hope is that a group like us, at least on our small number of issues, can be the bridge between the two so instead of agreeing with each other, they are agreeing with us little guys in the grassroots community.

Brian

Well, I was curious, so here is a website where you can print out the US Congressional
Districts for those with inquiring minds

http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/congress.html


------------------
Steve West
Steve's Website

I'm sick today, I think the Buffalo Bills gave me the flu, and all I was doin was watching. Anyway, most other organizations that I have had the pressure (pleasure) of belonging to usually had what are referred to as "standing committees". Being that we are loosely organized it would'nt hurt to initiate a couple to see how they work.
For an example: If you have a chapter that is mostly performance oriented standing committees would possibly be;
Event Planning
Publicity/Promotion
Security
Political/Legal
Get my drift?? Its kind of like having officers, i.e. Lord of the board, Secretary/Scribe, Treasurer etc.
Nothing says that you can't change titles to more aptly apply to your own organization.
It all boils down to organization. Like having an agenda to run a meeting. It helps you make sure that you touch all the bases. Right from the Greeting; to Old Business; to New Business; to assorted Committee Reports; to a debate for the good of the organization and Closing. You have to know where you have been to know where you are going.
Just my two and a half cents.

Rick

Dear Brian,

Thank you for JPF!

I'm new here, but an old fart at cutting thru and getting to the bottom line.

I first want to volunteer my help in anyway possible to keep JPF going and growing.

I have taken the time to read almost every word of this discussion.

Here's what I see, and represents my opinion...

The potential political aspirations of the group are undefined and perhaps a little
off in target and timing.

When we consider what was said is waning interest in meetings, board participation, showcases, etc.., I don't believe we will be winning over those casuals with a voice in Washington.

It sounds good, but not if the homefires are needing fuel, then focus on the fire, and then follow the money...

People are motivated to help themselves, and the great people, to help others.

Besides money, that is what it is all about. That is why there is inconsistency.

People join JPF because they think they can use it in some way to help others or themselves in their musical aspirations.

We need to focus on tweaking the individual cities that need help. The multiple manager idea is good for that area..

But the political focus should be in getting our most talented members out there. Out where?

I don't profess to know your business at JPF, but I do know business.

Here is what's wrong with the world. We need to have a brain spooge and see into the next five years.

What's going to happen that is most important?

The best independent artists are going to achieve platinum success using the net as their primary voice. Speculation? Is that happening now? Mostly no. But it will.

How? Some net geniuses somewhere are going to say, why don't we work together to televise, promote, and sell everything?
Sounds a little like record company/radio station group/retail collusion doesn't it?

Oh, some will say that's fairly wishful. It aint.

It's going to happen, with the primary source being a force of independent net entrepenuers forged together, pushing their best right at the public. The smart guys are the ones who will be in the middle of it.

Is this hype? No.

I've been a TV Sales Manager for 20 years, and I can tell you that the proliferation of the net, fiber optic data, satellite, is 1000 times more pervasive than television. And as you know, we are not having to wait 20 years to see the massive changes. It is happening now. Ask Comcast..

We used to say that the greatest part of television commercials were that you could take your product right into the endusers living room.

There's so much more interaction and direct commerce potential on the net that it truly is overwhelming to think about it. But we need to.

If we aren't planning to be part of it, then we will have to watch the Bill Gates type guys do it. I hate crying in my soup. I hate crying.

We need to think of lots of ways to rise up to this awesome opportunity while it is still there.

Maybe we're barking up the same tree Brian.
Maybe not. But what we are talking about here is probably why you started JPF, network, help, organize. Great things, only much larger. Can it be done? Yes. Will we be part of it?

Now we need to take steroids and form coalitons with the others who are busy making monies at lower and higher levels,
in order that we may control our part of the new Nashville (so to speak) that is right in front of us, if we could only see it.

Respectfully,


Johnboy

Brian,

There are lots of really interesting ideas here. I'm not sure yet what to contribute..will do some thinking about it and get back to this one at a later date...

Great job bringing up some very important issues

Emily