John Thompson Bio

John J. Thompson has been involved in the music industry for nearly twenty years. In 1989, at the age of 19, Thompson founded True Tunes Etc, in Wheaton Illinois. True Tunes became “ground zero” for the emerging underground of faith-fueled modern music, eventually launching an internationally distributed magazine (True Tunes News) and mail-order company, and a concert venue (Upstairs At True Tunes). After leaving the True Tunes staff in 2000, Thompson accepted a position Marketing Coordinator for Cornerstone Festival. Along the way he also built a solid reputation as a music critic and feature writer for many publications including CCM Magazine, HM Magazine, Christianity Today and Christian Musician. Thompson has been the Director of Creative and Copyright Development for EMI CMG Publishing since early 2007 where he oversees A&R, Film and TV Promotions, Print Music, Artist Development, Lyric Licensing and Archives.

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Production Using Rewire, Standalones, and VST’s In Protools 1 of 4

Thursday, April 26, 2012 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Producers and/or engineers interested in taking their music to the next level. This first of four workshops will focus on the basics of how to integrate production software. Be prepared to learn how to edit or create using protools with rewire, reason, different vst instruments, and standalone production software. Please all producers and engineers be sure to bring any materials you may want to assess or cover in this process.This event will take place at The Memphis Music Resource Center on Thursday, April 26th, from 6:30-8:30 pm. RSVP today at http://production1of4-eorg.eventbrite.com/

In The Studio with Premo D’Anger

Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join us for an “In The Studio” session with artist/musician/producer Premo D’Anger. We will take a in depth look at how to create industry standard productions using virtual instruments and commonly used recording software such as Logic and Protools.  Producers and songwriters are encouraged to attend to learn various techniques of how to create songs from scratch and get a great understanding of what is needed to take their production to a professional level. There will be a Q&A portion at the end of the session and we will also discuss how to efficiently balance a musical career and touring, while being a dedicated producer.Premo is the musical director for Justin Timberlake’s Tennman/ Interscope signed recording artist FREESOL. He has been able to tour and share the stage with a musical gumbo of artists like Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, The Foo Fighters, Elton John, Lady Antebellum, Diddy, TPain, Lil Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, Gnarls Barkley and of course, Justin Timberlake to name a few.  He has also had the pleasure of working alongside great super producers such as Cool n Dre (Fat Joe, Game, Queen Latifah), Mike Elizondo (Dr Dre, Eminem, 50 cent), Dave Tozer (John Legend, The Roots, Musiq Soulchild), Jim Jonsin (Lil Wayne, T.I., B.O.B) and Printz Board (Black Eyed Peas). From each one of these experiences he has taken and applied them to create his own unique musical style and sound. When he isn’t on the road, Premo works to develop artists through his imprint The Danger Zone.

 If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at (901) 527-1029 or via e-mail at isaac@memphismeansmusic.com

Learn the Social Media Numbers Game and Build Your Fanbase with Jed Carlson of ReverbNation
Jed Carlson is clearly more than a “marketing geek” as he refers to himself in the beginning of his presentation at the Music Resource Center last week.  A Co-Founder of Reverbnation and COO of the company, it is clear that Jed loves music, musicians and is a guiding force behind Reverbnation , whose corporate ethos is one of equalizing and democratization of tools for artists.  Even more endearing, instead of simply peddling his products, he asked questions of the audience and engaged them in a dialog, almost from the get-go.  Although his company offers many options for bands and artists to capitalize on and leverage their fanbase, that assumes that all bands/artists have fans, and frankly, that is not the case.  So his presentation focused on getting those first 5, 10, 20 fans and scaling up from there.  For starters, it’s important to have something compelling in your music and/or image, right? This seems like it should be obvious, but as Jed discussed the numbers of artists releasing records in different genres of music and the costs of converting fans in different genres, it became very apparent that a small few are doing things well while the masses are floundering to get attention.  So Jed’s advice – keep it simple, keep it compelling, Keep it authentic, Keep good content coming, get your first fans, and scale it up!

Web Clinic with David Dufresne of Bandzoogle
Make a strong front page with easy navigation, keep it simple, ditch flash animation – these were some of the great website tips that David Dufresne gave at the Web Clinic hosted by the Memphis Music Foundation during the recent Folk Alliance International conference.  Bandzoogle is a company that has created a very simple but robust website template for artists/bands.  With monthly payment options ranging from $10,$15, and $19, Bandzoogle is one of the few services that will NOT take a percentage of artists sales from their site.  David discussed some core concepts of website best practices:  excessive scrolling is BAD, multiple tool/task bars is BAD, overcomplicated design BAD, updating regularly GOOD, using social media sites as spokes into your website (hub) GOOD.  David also discussed how their site tools can integrate with Topspin, Nimbit and other Direct-to-Fan tools.  The main thing is that your website convey some basic important contact information, be a front line for your branding, and that it have a way for you to share/sell music and gather email addresses.

“We’re proud to say that the city’s celebration of local music will be extended over the course of the entire month,” stated Deyo.  “It’s great to see excitement being generated from all areas of the community involved in the dynamic development of music as a business in Memphis.”

Memphis Means Music Month will play host to a variety of events and artist performances. The Memphis Music Foundation has teamed with artists, businesses, churches, schools, retails shops, and restaurants to celebrate one of the city’s common cultural bonds – Memphis Music.

M3 Month 2011 launches with a kick-off celebration at the Memphis Music Foundation and will conclude with the River Arts Festival.  Traditions developed in its first two years will continue along with many special new events and surprise announcements throughout the month. For more information and a full calendar of M3 Month affiliated events, go to www.memphismeansmusic.com/m3week.

Kick-off Celebration

The public is invited to start M3 Month off right on September 30th from 5:00-7:00 pm with the Memphis Music Foundation Open House during the South Main Trolley Tour. Businesses along South Main will celebrate Memphis Music in their own way on September 30th until 9:00p.m.The Foundation invites the community for food, wine, beer, and, of course, great music. Special guest businesses will be Select -O-Hits and the Memphis Blues Society.

Memphis Means Music Month Events

Plug In Music Expo and Grammy GPS – October 1

The Memphis Music Foundation pairs its Plug In Music Expo with The Recording Academy’s professional development event GRAMMY GPS. Both events will take place on the Stax Campus, featuring a business expo, seminars, and expert mentoring sessions.

Court Square Concert Series – October 2, 9, and 16

Court Square Concert Series will have you dancing in the streets during the month of October. Come downtown and listen to great music to reenergize you for your work week ahead. Guest performers are 2 Mule Plow, Tennessee Mass Choir, Memphis Jones, and Star & Micey. Each concert runs from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public.  Blankets, picnic baskets, and coolers are encouraged. For more information, visit www.downtownmemphis.com.

Ardent 16 over 48 – October 7-9

Ardent will record 16 bands in 48 hours in its newly designed Studio C. Bands will be able to submit their music for consideration for a deeply discounted studio time. For more information, visit www.thenewstudioc.com.

“Memphis: The Musical” – October 14-23

Broadway play, “Memphis: The Musical,” is set to begin its national tour in its namesake city when it plays at The Orpheum Theatre. The Tony Award winner for Best Musical is a fictionalized story of the birth of rock ’n’ roll radio in 1950s Memphis. It is loosely based on the life of WHBQ deejay Dewey Phillips. For more information, visit www.orpheum-memphis.com

River Arts Festival- October 23-24

Featuring four stages over two days, The River Arts Festival is programmed by local music organizations from The Blues Foundation and the Memphis Acoustic Music Association to Neosoulville and Makeshift Music. A variety of artists are set to perform including Memphis Music Launch finalists Delta Collective & Butta MD, traditional Mexican group Banda Ahullido, reggae artists Chinese Connection Dub Embassy, and indie rockers Mouserocket.

The entire community is encouraged to participate in Memphis Means Music Month, and event attendance is only one way to do it. The Music Foundation offers suggestions for businesses, stores and dining establishments to get involved, as well as view a full calendar of M3 Month affiliated events at www.memphismeansmusic.com/m3week.

About the Memphis Music Foundation

 The Memphis Music Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to working with the community to cultivate a viable economic engine for Memphis by providing musicians and the music industry with resources and opportunities for growth and independence. The Foundation exists to educate the music community about music business systems and trends, help artists develop plans for future business growth, and create dynamic marketing and promotional opportunities for Memphis music. The Foundation’s anchor program, the Music Resource Center is an interactive, living education and information center that offers a devoted staff, tools, and educational programs to help area musicians and music professionals. The Foundation is funded, in part, by public and private funds provided through the Economic Development (MemphisED) Plan, designed to ensure economic growth and prosperity in Memphis and Shelby County.

1. It doesn’t matter what kind of music you make.

You build your own audience. There’s an established niche for every genre, from folk to metal. Don’t worry about playing to everybody, just play to somebody.

The last thirty years, the MTV era has been about giving people what they want to hear. Major labels and media, most especially radio, had control of a narrow sieve and if you didn’t fit with their criteria, you couldn’t play. That isn’t true for today. Those powers have hardly any influence. Nowadays, you can reach your audience easily online, you’ve just got to start making the music you like!

2. You’ve got to be good.

This is about practice. We’re in a music era, not a marketing era. Ignore those who “tweet” and Facebook their goings-on instead of focusing on the music. It’d be like Steve Jobs selling Dell. It wouldn’t blow up overnight. Even better, Ferrari selling Smart cars. A great marketer is nothing without a great product, focus on the product.

Play for three or four hours a day. Take lessons. Play in your garage before you play in public.

3. Learn how to use Pro Tools/Logic.

You record yourself before professionals want to work with you and way before you can afford them. Technology is part of the music-making process. Knowing how to lay down the sound improves the end product. And once you know how the stuff works, you can tell professionals what you want in their terms, playing on their level. There’s no excuse for walking into a studio and being abused by producers who say they know better.

4. Fans are your best friends.

This is the essence of “pay to play.” Instead of bitching that a club owner won’t let you play unless you bring fans, bring those closest to you, and their friends, and their friends too, and generate so much cash that the booker will be dying to have you back. It’s YOUR responsibility to make it, not someone else’s. The days of limited exposure that pay dividends are over. If you play a gig without bringing your own fans there will be no one there, or those who are just don’t care.

5. Fans start with friends.

Your friends are your street team. Don’t enable them until your music is ready, until they can turn someone on without losing credibility. You build from those you know, not those you don’t.

6. Play live as much as you can without losing money.

If people aren’t coming, stop playing out live and retool your act. Once they’re showing up, spread to new markets, trade gigs with those successful in other territories. Other bands are not your competition, but your friends.

7. Have something to sell at gigs.

People want to support you, they want souvenirs. They buy CDs and vinyl not to play, but to embody their belief in you, to evidence their identity. If you’re small, have only a few items for sale, otherwise people are turned off. Every time you tour a market again, have a new item for sale, a new patch, a new sticker. Don’t think so much about making money as enabling fans to spread the word.

8. Social networking is for fans.

Twitter and Facebook are irrelevant until you get traction. They’re rallying points for those who already believe. Once you’ve got fans, feed them information about gigs and goings-on. Once you’ve got a plethora of true believers, tweet and post about your inner life. No one cares about your life until you approach stardom.

9. Stardom is on your own terms.

No chart can define stardom. Don’t compare your career with others. Don’t lose your path. The first goal is giving up your day job. Your second goal is earning enough money to buy a house. Your third goal is being able to take enough time off to be creative, to rekindle your muse.

10. Recordings

You need ‘em once you’ve got traction. Quality is key. And quality must improve as your career grows. New fans at the advent will overlook your failings. But once you gain a name your music must be more polished and be able to close those who barely care, who are only doing a drive-by. If your music isn’t good enough at any point in the ascent, stop playing live and go back to practicing and writing.

11. You want an album for the gig.

Ironically, albums are most important when you’re starting out. Maybe it’s just an EP, four songs, but people want something they can bite into, can familiarize themselves with. Sure, start with one track, but then you’ve got nothing to sell at the gig. A great MP3 posted online, for free, so it can be traded, can rocket you into the stratosphere almost immediately, if it’s that good. But that’s a huge if. If your music is truly that great, and most isn’t, make that your calling card, maybe you don’t even have to play live at first, like Toronto’s Weeknd. But most people don’t emerge fully-formed, you’ve got to build more slowly, more gradually. Chances are you don’t even know where you’re going at first, you’ve got to find your way.

12. Once you’ve gained huge success, release a steady stream of music.

The music stokes the fire of the enterprise. It’s the kindling, not the log. You’re nothing without the music, which is why you should constantly satiate fans with new stuff. That keeps your touring numbers up, that allows you to sell merch. Taking a year or two off to record an album causes you to lose momentum. Sure, it might deliver a payday, but that paradigm is fading with the death of physical product and the replacement of MP3s with streaming.

13. YouTube

Your fans will post clips. Imperfections work for you. Amateurishness is in your favor. Same with traded live shows. This is fan business, which you must enable. Allow photos, recording and videotaping. This is your marketing. And don’t deliver authorized live shows, whether video or audio, until you have haters. That’s when you know you’ve truly made it, when you have vocal haters. These haters can be pointed to the high quality live stuff to be proven wrong. They won’t admit it, but it seeps in, it helps, like those clips of Lady Gaga alone at the piano.

14. Don’t sell out to anyone unless you’re in it for the short haul.

Major labels are about feeding a fading Top Forty market and those working there when you sign will be different from those employed even a year or two down the line. You don’t want to be beholden to anyone, because only you know the music and you must forge your own path.

We’re entering a new era where music is not only omnipresent, it once again trumps film and TV. But the responsibility is upon you, the younger generation. You’ve got to build it in order for them to come. You must put music ahead of money. You must respect everyone in the food chain. You must not rip anybody off.

People need things to believe in. The barrier to entry in music is minimal, providing rampant opportunities. You can deliver for them.

Forget everything you know prior to this date. About radio, labels and arena tours. That system was built for a different era. Labels were constructed for an era when there was limited distribution and recording was expensive. Now anybody can distribute and recording is cheap. Radio was the only way to hear the music. Now the music can be heard everywhere, it’s free for the taking on Spotify and YouTube. TV is where you go to meet the old guard playing by the old rules. MTV barely plays any music and the networks just air what is mainstream. The mainstream has been blown apart. There will be icons in the future, but the audience will come to the musicians, not vice versa. You won’t compromise, you won’t give people what they want, you’ll be unique and people will be drawn to you.

15. FORGET ABOUT MARKETING, FORGET ABOUT MONEY, FOCUS ON MUSIC AND THE REST WILL FALL IN PLACE!

Michael Phelps swam unknown in pools for over a decade before he became an overnight Olympic sensation. That’s how it’s gonna work in music. You’re gonna be paying your dues, unheralded, until finally you break through. You’re gonna be nobody, then somebody. Forget Justin Bieber, forget Greyson Chance, that isn’t music, that’s commerce. No different from selling hula-hoops, Furbys and pet rocks. Here today and gone tomorrow. Build to last, go for the long haul, have substance. Naysayers might state that they hate your music, but they’ll begrudgingly admit you can PLAY!