With artists struggling to figure out what they need to do, we’ve developed a “Survival Guide for Engaging Fans and Building a Career in Music” to put shape around this increasingly confusing landscape. It illustrates the ‘tools-for-musicians’ ecosystem, some (but of course, not all) of the key players, their relationship to the whole, and how mobile plays into all of this.

Here’s how it works:

First, do whatever needs to be done to get discovered. This doesn’t mean getting discovered by millions of people, but rather, a core initial group of fans that you will build on.

Next, engage this core initial group of fans in an interactive and authentic way in order to convert them from casual fans into loyal fans. By doing so, fans will be much more likely to support you financially and spread the word.

Once a deep connection has been made, offer fans many ways to support you financially and make it easy for them to do so. This includes selling music and creative bundles directly from your website, offering unique merch, and giving fans the opportunity to invest in you through one of the many crowdfunding platforms out there, like PledgeMusic. Get creative and don’t assume the only way to get paid is to sell music in iTunes!

Finally, carefully analyze what has worked and what hasn’t, and adjust things accordingly. Then, repeat, repeat, repeat… and don’t forget about mobile!

In September, MobBase had the privilege of being a part of the 2012 Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco. In its 15th year, IDF is the place for Intel Corporation, along with high-tech industry developers, executives, designers and engineers, to come together and share their latest innovations and vision for the future of technology.

MobBase was invited to demo its platform in front of thousands of people during the keynote (check out the demo here), as well as teach people who visited the MobBase booth in the expo hall how to build mobile apps.

Guided by the theme, “The Future of Innovation is Wide Open,” IDF 2012 demonstrated how developers can take advantage of the latest innovations in hardware, software and services to help enable the best user experiences from the cloud to devices.

Here are some pictures from the event…visit our Facebook page for more!

When we first launched MobBase a few years ago, our goal was to offer artists a cheap and easy way to create iPhone apps and connect with fans on-the-go. Well, times have changed and iOS is no longer the only game in town. With the undeniable rise of Android, Windows Phone and other mobile phones and tablets, artists now need a cross-platform mobile strategy in order to connect with all fans. The problem is, cross platform mobile app development has been time-consuming, expensive, and a general pain in the ass…until now.

In the above video, MobBase CEO, Charles Feinn, discusses how MobBase is helping artists build one mobile app that can be launched on all devices using the mobile web. MobBase mobile web apps are HTML5 based and can be built and launched for free here.

Last week, MobBase had the privilege of demonstrating its platform during the “Security and Services in an Age of Transparent Computing” keynote at the 2012 Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. Led by Intel Senior Vice President Renée James, the keynote addressed HTML5 based applications and security.

MobBase co-founder Alan Khalfin showed an audience of more than 3,000 people how to build a mobile app with MobBase and how HTML5 is enabling MobBase clients to build one app the connects with fans on all smartphones and tablets.

Throw Me The Statue frontman, Scott Reitherman, then walked people through the band’s official mobile app, discussed how easy it was to build the app using MobBase, and how the app has helped the band connect with fans on-the-go. Throw Me The Statue also rocked the house with a 30 minute set to start the keynote! Check out a video of the MobBase demo above.

The point: launching your own mobile app is a key part of succeeding in today’s new music economy. Luckily, you can build your own mobile app for free with MobBase.

MobBase introduced today a new, free way for artists to build just one mobile app that connects with fans on any Internet-enabled screen, including iPhones and iPads, Android phones and tablets, and Blackberrys.

MobBase is a favorite solution for artists to create, launch, and manage their own, custom mobile applications. With MobBase, artists share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, information about shows, merchandise, and other content with fans on-the-go.

“It’s never been this easy, this fast or this inexpensive for an artist to have their own mobile app and connect with fans wherever they are and whatever screen they’re using,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer.

Separate apps for different devices a challenge for artists
Feinn said the proliferation of systems and screens has been a challenge for artists. “It’s been too difficult, too expensive and too time consuming to make a mobile app for every device and every environment,” he said. “The new MobBase app changes everything because artists can now build a single app to reach everyone.”

Rebelution among artists with MobBase HTML5 apps
“A mobile app is one of the best ways for Rebelution to stay connected with our fans,” said Eric Rachmany, vocalist and guitarist for Rebelution. “We use MobBase because we get an inexpensive app that looks and performs great, and works on iPhones, iPads, Androids, and everything else our fans are carrying in their pockets or purses.”

MobBase built on HTML5
The new build-it-once, publish-across-every-screen capability is made possible by HTML5, the newest version of the common language used for structuring and presenting content on the web. HTML5 apps are used by developers, including MobBase, to build applications for use on personal computers, tablets, smart phones, and other devices.

A lot for free, even more for just $5
Artists can build, launch and manage their own MobBase app for no charge. It works on iOS (iPhone, iPad), Android (phones and tablets), Blackberry, and any other mobile device that supports HTML5. For just $5 to activate and $5 a month, artists can make a mobile app and feature unlimited videos, songs and other content.

MobBase a favorite of artists, labels and concert venues
More than 500 artists, record labels and concert venues have launched their own MobBase apps, including Tila Tequila, Pepper, Parkway Drive, 9:30 Club, Rebelution, Jump Smokers, John McLaughlin, Iration, the Jacka, Zion I, and Paul Thorn.

“MobBase has been so popular with artists because it makes it so easy and inexpensive to connect and engage with fans,” said Feinn. ”The new build-it-once and publish-it-everywhere capability, and no-charge option, are sure to make it the first choice of even more artists.”

MobBase featured in Mozilla Marketplace
MobBase is one of the featured partners for the forthcoming Mozilla Marketplace, an app store for cross-platform HTML5 apps that aims to connect the ecosystem of HTML5 developers with the tens of millions of Firefox browser users. Hundreds of MobBase apps will be available in the Mozilla Marketplace in the coming months.

Big thanks to Mozilla for including MobBase in their Mozilla Marketplace Partner Spotlight! This video features MobBase co-founders Alan Khalfin and Charles Feinn and outlines how MobBase will use the Mozilla Marketplace and HTML5 to provide a cross-platform solution for artists to create mobile apps. Coming soon to a mobile device near you…

Mozilla is unlocking the power of the web as the world’s largest marketplace, creating an open ecosystem of developers and content owners with limitless possibilities for consumer interaction. The Mozilla Marketplace will roll out to millions of Firefox users later this year. MobBase is thrilled to be a part of it and to make it easier for artists to build mobile apps!

The songs
“O.N.E.” by Yeasayer
“Gimme the Music” by Nickodemus feat The Real Live Show
“Feeling Twisted” by The Disco Biscuits

How to participate?
1) Choose a song to remix and go to that song’s remix widget.
2) Download the song stems, its free and easy!
3) Create your remix using the stems and any additional music that either you have created or have a creative commons license for. You can also make your mix online by clicking on the MixMaker button of the widget.
4) Upload an MP3 of your remix via the same widget you used to download the stems. Enter as many Camp Bisco remixes as you like!
5) Share the track with your friends and ask them to comment and rate your mix and share it with their friends on Twitter, Facebook, their blogs, etc.
6) Once you’ve finished and uploaded your remix, judges from Camp Bisco and URB.com will select a winner for each track and one grand-prize winner!
7) Contest ends June 10, 2011.

Grand prize!
The winning remix of each track will receive two tickets to the festival. Each of those winners will go on to compete for the grand prize. One grand prize winner will receive 2 passes to the festival with Artist credentials, a custom MobBase Android app (with lifetime subscription) and support on how to create mobile apps, $250 for travel expenses, and the chance of a lifetime — a DJ set in front of thousands of festival goers at Camp Bisco 10!

About Camp Bisco X
Camp Bisco is an outdoor music festival held near Albany, NY. It starts on July 7th and features 3 days and 3 nights of music on 5 stages, including 2 side-by-side main stages, two afternoon and late night dance tents featuring top international Dance acts, a silent disco and an up & coming stage. Artists include the Disco Biscuits, Cut Copy, Wiz Khalifa, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Shpongle Live, Ratatat, Death from Above 1979, MSTRKRFT, Ghostland Observatory, James Murphy and Pat Mahoney (DFA/LCD Soundsystem-DJ Set), Yeasayer, Neon Indian, Four Tet, Break Science w/ RJD2, Holy Ghost! (dj set), Easy Star All Stars, Beats Antique, Das Racist, Treasure Fingers, Nickodemus, Mr. Lif and many more!

To start remixing, visit the Camp Disco Remix Contest page on URB today!

We’re excited to announce that MobBase, the fast and easy way for musicians to make mobile apps, has partnered with Guitar Center to create apps for Guitar Center employees through their GAIN Program. Thousands of Guitar Center employees are musicians themselves and through this partnership, they will be able to easily build their own iPhone and Android apps at a vastly discounted price. If you’re a member of GAIN, be sure to check this out.

The GAIN Program was launched in March 2007 to help Guitar Center team members achieve their musical aspirations. At the heart of GAIN is an extensive private social network where Guitar Center employees can post music, pictures, blogs and online discussions, in order to share with and learn from each other. In addition, GAIN presents a number of other benefits, deals, offers and opportunities to its participants, including partnerships with a number of vendors, services and institutions. The GAIN program continues to build relationships with companies, organizations and individuals who can provide exposure, insight, tools and opportunity to the musicians who work for Guitar Center, Inc.

Check out the poster we created for the campaign – it will be going up in every Guitar Center location in the US!

MobBase, the fast, easy and inexpensive way for musicians to make iPhone apps, is now the fast, easy and inexpensive way for them to get Android apps too. Musicians and music companies can now use MobBase to build their own custom applications and with no extra effort, offer them to fans using Android devices and even personal computers.

The build-once, publish across multiple platforms capability is made possible through Adobe InMarket, a service that helps MobBase distribute Adobe® AIR® applications across app stores, including the Intel® AppUp℠ storefront.

“Artists just want to make great music and great experiences for their fans,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “We’re helping them stay focused on their music and fans by eliminating the need to make a decision about a technology platform. With MobBase, they can build their own custom app and make that app available to all their fans on whatever platform or device fans prefer.”

MobBase has already launched hundreds of Android and desktop apps and is offering artists the additional distribution on Android and desktops for no additional monthly cost through this summer. The current AIR application will run on Android OS 2.2 or later equipped phones, and on personal computers running AIR. MobBase apps are expected to be published on additional mobile devices, tablets, and TVs in the future.

“MobBase is a great example of how developers are reducing costs by leveraging Adobe AIR for multi-screen app development and distributing those applications to many consumers through Adobe InMarket,” said Eric Wittman, Head of Platform Services at Adobe. “By streamlining the process of creating and publishing high value apps, MobBase can focus on creating a fantastic experience for the artist and provide the broadest possible distribution for their apps across different device types.”

Adobe AIR, a key component of the Adobe® Flash® Platform, is a cross-platform environment that makes it easy to build and deploy rich Internet applications on multiple platforms.

More than 400 artists, record labels and concert venues have launched their own MobBase apps, including Tila Tequila, X Japan, Parkway Drive, Pepper, 9:30 Club, and Paul Thorn. And producers for shows and movies including Parenthood and Stomp the Yard are using MobBase to connect with fans.

“MobBase has been such a hit with artists because it’s a low cost, surefire way to connect with fans,” said Feinn. “Making it easy to reach even more fans is a ‘can’t miss’ benefit for them, and we’re expecting a lot of artists to take advantage as a result.”

MobBase distribution partners including IODA, Jango, IRIS, BandsInTown, HelloMusic and Valleyarm will be offering MobBase Android and desktop apps to their artists and labels.

Apple has notified us they are now requiring a unique iTunes Developer Account for each new app submitted to the App Store.  The change in policy means that build-your-own-app companies, including MobBase, can no longer submit apps to the App Store under a master iTunes Developer Account.

This has an immediate impact on apps currently in the approval queue, which will have to be resubmitted under a new iTunes Developer Account.  We’ve communicated details to affected customers and offered to refund their set up fees, as well as a generous discount on iPhone activation fees going forward.

Apple tells us that apps already approved and live in the App Store are unaffected.

Apple’s change in policy means it will take more time, more effort and more money to get an iOS app, regardless of whether artists work with MobBase, make your own iPhone app company or a custom developer.

We can’t do anything about the $99 a year Apple requires for each iOS Developer Account.  However, we’re absorbing a big part of the extra cost and work involved in getting an app ready to be approved under the new Apple process.

While this is not great news for anybody, we’re doing our best to help artists navigate the changes in Apple’s policy and still provide a great way for them to build their own iPhone/iOS apps.

Artists still need a mobile app to connect with fans and help build their careers. And MobBase remains the easiest and least expensive way to get one that looks great and has all the functionality you need. And soon we’ll be announcing some more options: Android and Desktop apps are not affected by Apple’s policy change, so you will be able to get a great app for your Android and Desktop using fans at a ridiculously low price. And we’ll have a mobile web app soon too.

As always, we welcome your suggestions and ideas below.

Tila Tequila prepares to fully dominate the digital world with the launch of her very own Miss Tila iPhone app, powered by MobBase. The official Miss Tila app will allow fans into Tila’s various social media properties including her blog, her merch store, videos, photos, twitter and music. All things Tila…on-the-go!

“Tila is a great example of an artist who is passionate about using all of the tools at her disposal to connect and engage with fans online and on their mobile devices, without having to know how to program a mobile app ,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “A custom MobBase mobile app is an essential part of that mix, with the high value content that fuels the artist-fan connection. We are very excited to be working with Tila on her official mobile app!”

To download Tila’s official iPhone app, click here!

We often write about the importance of musicians having to engage and involve casual listeners in order to build deep and lasting connections with them, and to convert them to loyal fans.  These connections are what drive sales of the concert tickets, band merchandise and music artists need to pay the rent and put gas in the van.

While just getting your music discovered is no longer enough, it is extremely important that you get as many people to hear your music as possible. Obviously. The more people that hear your music, the more potential fans you have to convert into loyal fans. And while not every person who hears your music will like it (sorry), it’s a numbers game and maximizing exposure is critical in order to succeed.

Enter Jango Airplay. Jango Airplay gives you access to millions of active music fans that listen to their favorite artists on Jango.com, a vibrant social music service that lets fans create and share custom radio stations. Your music is guaranteed to play right alongside the artists that you choose in Jango’s custom radio stations, from Jay Z to Arcade Fire to Bella Fleck. Jango Airplay plays your music to their fans, who are likely to dig it. Based on what we’ve heard from many artists, this is a very cheap and effective way for you to get your music heard!

Jango is offering Evolving Music readers a special deal, where you can set up a Jango Airplay account (if you don’t already have one) and receive 100 guaranteed spins on Jango.com for FREE. Then, you can choose how much more you want to be played (packages start at as little as $10 for 250 plays) and where with basic geo-targeting. You’ll also get detailed actionable reports and data about your new fan base so that you can find out who likes you, where they live, how old they are and what other types of music they like. You got nothing to lose, so give this a try! Click here to get started.

Hello Music, the digital music platform and power tool connecting independent artists to industry resources and career opportunities, today announced it has partnered with MobBase to offer its artist community an intuitive and cost-effective solution for creating their very own personalized iPhone app.

Hello Music will offer the MobBase iPhone app solution as an additional opportunity for its independent artists to market and promote their music to fans. Through the deal, Hello Music artists receive a free month of MobBase membership, and for those artists who want more help designing their personalized app, they will also receive a free premium support package for three months valued at $200.

“Mobile is an incredibly valuable platform for artists of every level, and the mobile music market continues to flourish,” said Zack Zalon, Co-Founder, Hello Music. “While many independent artists previously found it cost-prohibitive to go mobile, MobBase levels the field for them. We are pleased to offer our artist community the ability to create their own custom app for bringing their music, photos, videos and more to the device that’s always at hand.”

“Connection fuels the fan – artist relationship” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “A MobBase mobile app is one of the most effective and least expensive ways to make that connection. “Our relationship with Hello Music is a natural because we share the common goal of helping artists build their careers.”

Existing Hello Music artists are able to access MobBase through the Hello Music Dashboard. Interested artists not already part of the Hello Music community should go to hellomusic.com to join for free and then they can make an iPhone app!

About Hello Music
Touted one of Billboard Magazine’s 10 Best Digital Music Startups, Hello Music is the digital music platform and power tool for independent artists. Providing valuable insight, resources and career opportunities, independent artists can upload their music at www.hellomusic.com for FREE, to be reviewed by Hello Music’s in-house music screening team who listens to every song submitted and provides each musician with a FREE Music Feedback Report. Hello Music matches artists with opportunities that matter, from partners including Taylor Guitars, CMJ, New Music Seminar, Durango Songwriters Expo, Balcony TV, Topspin, Yahoo! Music, Slacker, Delta Airlines Radio, Jango Airplay, TuneCore, Dropcards, Getty Images, PlayNetwork, RootMusic, Swing House Studios, Gravity Studios, The Record Shop Studios, and Next Big Sound. Launched in 2010, Hello Music was conceived and incubated by Wilshire Media Group, a digital music product design and development firm founded by Zack Zalon and Brendon Cassidy.

MobBase, the fast, easy and inexpensive way for music artists to get their own custom iPhone app, is now available to more artists in more places and through more channels than ever. A new partnership with Valleyarm is marketing MobBase to musicians in Asia, Europe, and Africa. And Music180 and Viral Nation are now offering MobBase as part of the toolkits of products and services they provide musicians to help them market and promote themselves.

“More and more musicians are reaching out to fans and bringing them backstage, on tour or into recording sessions via a mobile app,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “It’s connection that reinforces relationship and it’s what builds musical careers.”

“Our partners are helping build relationships and careers too. The shared commitment to indie and developing artists guides our partnering strategy and is fueling our growth.”

Reaching musicians in Asia, Europe, and Africa
MobBase partner Valleyarm is marketing MobBase to musicians in Australasia, The Pacific and throughout Asia and through its partner network in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The publishing and online marketer of music and video content is the leading digital distributor in the Asia Pacific, selling through hundreds of online stores including China Mobile, China Telecom, Telstra Bigpond, Beatport and Maxis Malaysia.

“A mobile app is a ‘must have’ part of artists’ promotional mix,” said Lucy Tulett, Valleyarm’s Head of Business Development. “Because it’s so fast, so easy and so inexpensive, MobBase is the hands down best mobile app solution for Valleyarm artists.”

New distribution relationships promote MobBase to more artists
Music180 is the world’s premier Artist Development Platform that gives artists career management and the ability to meet and work with the world’s top music industry professionals. With Music180’s new membership-based management programs, artists can create a custom career game plan, get pitched to labels and management companies, write and record in the studio with top music pros and more.

“We give artists expert guidance and access to top music pros to take their music careers to the next level,” said Eric Galen, CEO of Music180. “MobBase is about helping independent artists connect with fans and promote themselves – it’s a perfect complement to our services.”

Viral Nation is a social platform connecting musicians and other content providers to venues, promoters and fans. Viral Nation is offering MobBase to musicians to help them promote their music and build their careers.

More than 400 apps – including apps for Saw 3D, Stomp the Yard
More than 400 artists and also music venues, movie and TV soundtracks are using to build iPhone apps. Notables include heavy metal artists, X Japan, and also new apps for Jazz Mafia, Robbie Rivera, and Filth FM. And MobBase is powering the official soundtrack apps for the NBC television hit, Parenthood, the Saw 3D movie and the dance celebration, Stomp the Yard.

Fast, easy, and inexpensive way for artists to get their own iPhone app
MobBase is the low cost way for musicians to share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, information about shows, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices. MobBase apps are priced for starving artists and also artists who remember what it is like to starve, with many artists paying as little as $0.50 a day for their own custom iPhone app.

So you are a musician. That’s awesome. But competition is stiff and you need to make a living. Aside from live performance, music, and merch sales, there are many ways to make a living by composing or providing your tracks for film and video. And fortunately, these types of opportunities for getting paid as a musician and composer for film/video have increased astronomically over the past 10 years with the rise of, you guessed it, the internet and technology.

As a working composer and sound designer, I have managed to build a viable and growing career doing what I love, which is making music and playing with sounds. I have only been able to do so by expanding my search for composition opportunities into artistic realms never before thought of as viable to composition work. All sorts of people are now making video and require music for their videos, expanding the need for original music.

The advantage of the internet and the role it plays in increasing our exposure as artists is obvious and there is no need to belabor the point. Most of us communicate daily with folks all over the world whether it be for collaboration, paying gigs, or as friends and family. However, the advent of technology and its impact on opportunities for musicians begs a bit more analysis. Not only can musicians and composers create better and faster, but because of access to affordable technology, other types of media artists can more easily make video as well. This includes photographers, photobook creators and curators, and authors, who now actively create video to promote and showcase their work. Fortunately for us musicians, these videos need sound and music, and as a result, photographers, curators, and writers are now valid artists with which to seek opportunity.

One example of a photographer and videographer creatively using original music is Genevieve Russell of Story Portrait Media. As part of her work, Russell creates videos which incorporate dialog, photography, and music for photographers to showcase their work and present themselves. One such example is the showcase video for Norah Levine found here. Clearly, photographers, who never had need for music in the past, are now viable candidates to seek out and contact for music composition gigs.

A second example of the use of original music is a fantastically fresh new media called “flipthroughs,” being created by the Indie Photobook Library, founded by photography writer and photobook curator Larissa Leclair. This flipthrough video is a superb example of a new media mash which needs music. It features the photobook “Desert Days” by photographer Matt Austin and shows a close up of a person flipping through the photos in the book with an accompanying track by the artist A(a)rdvark/Jeff Austin. The killer track adds emotion and artistry to the act of viewing a photobook, which previously would have been a silent process. Who would have thought? A photobook curator makes a video of a photobook with original music to create a cutting-edge fresh mashup of media which best of all, requires music.

Another group who is now searching for music are book authors. The concept of a “book trailer” is a new phenomenon and many authors are either creating book trailers themselves, or are hiring professionals to do so. Regardless of how it gets done, though, these book trailers need music. There are tons of articles and blogs online that give advice on how to create a book trailer and all of them mention adding music, whether original or royalty free, as part of the process. Obviously, now, authors are a target for opportunity.

You might be wondering how you would go about finding artists who actively seek music for their work? While this could be an entirely other post, it is safe to say that “traditional” methods work. Join photography and book writer forums, post on blogs related to the subject, answers questions related to the subject on yahoo answers, search for videographers who make videos for photographers and email them directly. Yes it can be boring and take time and effort, but being active in your search to find opportunities for your music bears results. This world is ripe for music, a sonic apple waiting to be plucked.

Other types of artists/associations that now require music for projects:

1. Podcasters
2. Audio Book publishers
3. Churches
4. Poets
5. YouTube videographers

About the Author
This is a guest post by Adam A. Johnson, a music composer and sound designer who owns and operates Architect of Sound, a music company that provides custom music scoring and sound design for Film/TV/New Media projects both in the U.S. and abroad with clients in Canada, Ireland, Haiti, Egypt, and Dubai. Credits include LEGO, the United Nations, Aquafina-Pepsico, the National Endowment for the Arts, US Customs, Exxon, NYC Mayor Bloomberg and more. He also owns and operates the SFXsource.com Sound Effects and Royalty Free Music Library.

Recently, The Ting Tings teamed up with MixMatchMusic, Creative Allies, and URB.com to host a remix contest for their new single, “Hands”. The UK indie pop duo launched the contest in order to find an official remix for the song and 91 amazing remixes were submitted by fans in just one month.

The band has selected their 10 favorites and now needs your help in picking the winner, whose remix will be released with the forthcoming limited edition “Hands” Remix package (which you can pre-order here)! The winner will also receive $500. Not too shabby, eh?

Without further ado, here are the 10 finalists. Please vote for your favorites by 11:59 PM on December 16th, 2010.

The limited edition “Hands” Remix Package is a unique offering created by fans and curated by The Ting Tings. Only 500 copies of the package will be sold, which shall include original art and music submitted through The Ting Tings’ “Hands” Remix Contest. Be sure to pre-order the “Hands” Remix Package today because this will definitely sell out!

MobBase, the fast, easy and inexpensive way for you to build your own iPhone app, has integrated Soundcloud and BandsInTown to its service to make it easier for artists to share music and get fans to their gigs. MobBase is also making it easier for artists to get their own apps by making them available from BFM Digital, Ditto Music, Musicfinity, and The Indie.

The new capabilities and distribution relationships coincide with an important new milestone – 325 MobBase apps have been developed and released since the service debuted in November, 2009.

“MobBase helps artists build their careers by making it easy and inexpensive for them to connect and engage with fans,” said Charles Feinn, co-founder and CEO of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “Integrating Soundcloud and BandsInTown adds sought-after functionality, and distribution with BFM Digital, Ditto Music, Musicfinity, and The Indie makes it even easier for them to get the app they really want.”

More power to connect and engage fans
BandsInTown is a platform that connects live music fans to their favorite artists. Its integration with MobBase makes it painless for an artist to add and manage tour dates, with information about shows, including when and where it’s taking place and how to get tickets, sourced from artists’ Facebook and Myspace pages, ArtistData and thousands of venues around the world.

Soundcloud’s integration with MobBase makes it even easier for artists to add music to their custom apps. Artists can now stream tracks directly from their Soundcloud library into their MobBase app, eliminating the manual loading of mp3 files. The integration makes it fast and simple for artist to get their music into fans’ hands and on their phones.

The new technology partners complement existing integrations with Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, and Shoutcast. MobBase’s capabilities and extensive relationships with its technology partners make it a complete solution for artists.

“Our mantra is ‘get fans to the gig,’” said Todd Cronin, CEO of BandsInTown. “It’s a huge win for an artist to be able to deliver essential gig info via the same app they use to connect with fans, on the device that is with them every waking moment.”

More places to get your own custom iPhone app
BFM Digital, Ditto Music, The Indie, and Musicfinity are each offering their artists the opportunity to get their own, custom MobBase app. MobBase is also offered through IODA, Iris, and Tunecore – in addition, indie labels including Silverback Music/Controlled Substance Sound Labs, SMC Recordings, Welk Music Group, Vanguard Records, Town Thizzness, Red Bull Records, Sargent House, and 429 Records are also offering MobBase apps and promoting MobBase to their artists.

“BFM’s label partners are creating iPhone apps because they see the value of connecting with fans in real time via mobile technology,” said Steven Corn, CEO of BFM Digital. “MobBase is an ideal partner for such applications, as they are highly customizable, user-friendly and affordable for indie artists.”

More apps for more artists
More than 325 MobBase iPhone apps have been released so far, with scores more in development or in the Apple queue for approval. Prominent artists including Pepper, Parkway Drive, John McLaughlin, and Everclear are among the bands that have built and launched their own MobBase apps. MobBase is the preferred app solution for indie artists such as Rebelution, Paul Thorn, Jump Smokers, RX Bandits, Zion I, and Veronica Ballestrini.

Fast, easy and inexpensive way for artists to get their own iPhone app
MobBase is the low cost way for musicians to share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, information about shows, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices. MobBase apps are priced for starving artists and also artists who remember what it is like to starve, with many artists paying as little as $0.50 a day for their own custom iPhone app.

Are you the Ultimate Social Artist of 2010?
TheIndie.biz wants to know and to find out, they just launched a contest for musicians that has up to $25,000 in prizes! Their Ultimate Social Artist Contest invites bands and musicians from all over the world to take part and bring their fans along for the ride, who can also win up to $3,500 in prizes. The band that signs up the most fans to their TheIndie.biz profiles, while selling the most songs through the site and receiving the highest ratings from the contest’s panel of judges, wins.  Contest sponsors include YouLicense, Media2Radio, and MobBase, who has also partnered with The Indie to create iPhone apps for its artists.

“Social media has changed the music landscape,” says Damon Cleveland, CEO of TheIndie.biz. “With millions of people online, updating their profiles, chatting, giving status updates, the biggest audience in the world, at any given time, is online. TheIndie.biz gives independent musicians the opportunity to tap into that audience and introduce them to their music, while music fans from all over the world can discover new bands. The rules have changed and we want to help indie bands take advantage of the new opportunities.”

How to Participate
To participate in the contest, bands must be registered artists on The Indie, which is free. There are two phases to the contest: first, bands must have/sign up 100 fans on The Indie, after which they will be eligible to submit a song and a brief note on how they acquired their TheIndie.biz fan base. The contest winners will be judged based on:

1. The content of the song submitted (production, composition, and lyrics)
2. Number of TheIndie.biz fans
3. Artist development, marketability, and overall readiness
4. Ability of the artist to socialize their music on The Indie
5. Creativity of their social media campaign

The contest ends on October 31, 2010. Registration and participation for fans and bands is free, and all genres are welcome, so why not enter the contest here?

Prizes and Judging
The Ultimate Social Artist will be selected through a 25/25/50 weighted formula, with 25% of the weight going to the number of fans registered, 25% going to the number of songs sold on TheIndie.biz, and the remaining 50% toward the subjective portion including the song submitted along with the other elements of the band’s portfolio. The Grand Prize includes $25,00 in prizes:

• Full publicity campaign (releases, industry media blitz, etc)
• 30 day full ad campaign (Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, etc)
• Social media marketing campaign – up to 50,000+ subscribers
• A MobBase iPhone App with one year of free service
• Global marketing of winning song – up to 1,100 radio stations
• Global marketing of winning artist – up to 1,350 DJs
• One week feature placement on iTunes, Napster, Amazon, and others
• A professional, personalized band management plan
• A professional, personalized band marketing plan
• Regional tour marketing & booking
• Song/Voice licensing for The Music Producer
• Six Month private label song licensing account, and more…

About The Indie
The Indie is a premier social music promotion and distribution platform that encourages the discovery, and consumption of music created by unsigned artists, independent artists and indie labels. They strive to meet these goals by creating simplified, highly effective, social solutions that enable artists to exponentially promote their music and dramatically grow their fan base; providing artists with emerging channels where their music, performances and videos can be discovered and consumed; and creating a marketplace the attracts and encourages music fans to explore, discover, share, and consume music socially.

Last week, MobBase co-founder Alan Khalfin led a music marketing training session with Greg Rollett for Label 2.0 members. Alan shared some great music marketing strategies and explained how mobile apps are one of the best ways to engage with the modern music fan. He gave a thorough overview of the MobBase platform and shared some best practices on how to create iPhone apps for artists.

While the training session was limited to Label 2.0 members, you can listen to it here:

If you’re not a Label 2.0 member or don’t know who they are, you should definitely check them out! Label 2.0 is an interactive learning community for musicians that empowers you to build your own music business and keep all the profits. When you sign up for Label 2.0, you will receive monthly, interactive training programs that guide you through all the steps of managing your music business online.

You will get interactive screen cast videos, where you will learn how to setup marketing campaigns, manage online accounts, and utilize a plethora of resources to build a passionate fanbase. They also do white board training to deliver concepts and show processes of moving fans through buying and sales cycles. And just like they did with MobBase, they do live calls and sessions that give you the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback on your efforts. All from some of the digital music industry’s brightest minds. Check them out here.

This is a guest post by MusicNomad, a musicians advocate organization that researches, reviews and ranks thousands of companies in the music industry to filter out the ones that help musicians the most.

1. Bands (and not management or interns) should always write their own emails to be authentic.
2. Noon Eastern time on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday is the ideal time to send broadcast emails to your fans, as people are at work across the US and Europe.
3. The ideal frequency of emails to fans is about every 2 to 4 weeks, with updates on your tour, merch and music announcements.
4. Negotiate upfront if you leave from a record label that you keep your email list and you own it.
5. Give great deals through email offers for pre-orders, such as a $50 package for $25.
6. Don’t put links to iTunes and Amazon in your emails. Fans want to buy direct from you so always link them directly to your website (or Bandcamp).
7. In each email, make sure you have direct and separate links to buy merch, buy tour tickets and buy music. Don’t be afraid to have a big “Buy” button in the email.
8. Sell email exclusive package offerings around holidays such as Christmas, Halloween, Cinco De Mayo, etc or just give some music away for free that day in exchange for an email.
9. Your fan email lists are gold and building them up is huge! Collect emails and zip codes from your fans at shows or ask for them in exchange for a free download.
10. Pay someone to go around and collect emails and zip codes at your shows. It’s that important.
11. Ask your merch company for the emails and zip codes for the fans that bought your merch.
12. Send emails by zip code so that you can target emails to promote upcoming shows. The best time to send a show announcement is 30 to 45 days before the show date. The ideal time to send an email reminder about an upcoming show is 5 days before the show. Offer fans something special like a $5 off coupon at your merch table. In the subject line, be sure to put the name of that city, such as “New Tour Date announced in Chicago”. This will personalize the email and increase its overall open rate.
13. Don’t go overboard in graphics and special effects in your email, but make it look nice and spend some time designing it.
14. Before you send out a fan email, send a test email to you and your band members to see how it looks. Fix any issues before sending.
15. If you have only a fan’s email and no zip code, give something away for free (like a live show recording or free album download) in exchange for it and tell them it will help you more effectively communicate with them about tour dates or special appearances in their city. It’s the truth.
16. Don’t cut and paste blanket emails to your fans. Be authentic even if it takes you longer — you will be much more successful this way. Fans will tell a friend about the personal email they received from you and viral marketing will begin. Split up the emails and get everyone in the band involved.
17. Send an email to fans in a city you just played in and thank them for their support. Have a local connection in your email to those fans and tell them what you did in or thought about their city besides your show.

We’re happy to announce that IRIS Distribution, the digital music distribution and marketing company that represents many of the world’s leading independent record labels, has partnered with MobBase to provide affordable and cutting-edge iPhone applications to its labels and their artists. MobBase is the new service that makes it easy for musicians and record labels to create an iPhone app.

“IRIS is always looking for new ways to help our labels get music in the hands of fans, and to enable artists to build audiences and careers,” said Bryn Boughton, chief marketing officer. “Mobile applications are quickly becoming a ‘must have’ part of the label and musician tool kit, and MobBase provides one of the best, fastest and most inexpensive ways for our labels to create a custom iPhone application.”

MobBase, a service of MixMatchMusic, is a low cost way for musicians to share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, information about shows, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices.

“IRIS presents labels and their artists with a fantastic array of tools and services to help them connect with fans,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “A custom MobBase iPhone app is a perfect complement to these tools and services – it will help labels promote their acts and help artists engage fans and ultimately, get their music heard and tickets to their shows sold.”

Mobile music marketing
MobBase gives artists a mobile, interactive fan club, storefront, merchandise table, and more.  The MobBase application is highly customizable, so artists can pick and choose the content they offer to fans and also the way that content is presented.

A custom iPhone app for as little as 50 cents a day
MobBase is priced to be accessible to any artist. It costs just $20 to get going and many artists will never pay more than $15 a month to deliver music, photos, videos, tweets, info about gigs, merch and more to hundreds of fans.

About IRIS Distribution
Founded in 2003, IRIS is the only remaining independent digital distribution company in the US. The company operates a wholly owned branded entertainment and music marketing agency, BlinkerActive.  IRIS boasts a strong roster of leading independent labels from all genres and distributes to over 450 digital outlets in 85 territories around the world.  Distribution and marketing clients include Ninja Tune, kranky, K Records, Palmetto, Scion A/V, CMH, BYO, Surfdog, Chemikal Underground, Metropolis, EMI, Projekt and more. The company is based in San Francisco and New York City.

The Songs
Cozza Frenzy (Original) by Bassnectar
The Black Seeds – Slingshot
King Britt – The Intricate Beauty (feat Ryat)
Disco Biscuits – “On Time”

How to participate?
1) Choose a song to remix, and open up that Remix Wizard widget.
2) Download song stems, its free and easy!
3) Create your remix using the stems and any additional music or beats that either you have created or have a creative commons license for. You can also make your mix online by clicking on the MixMaker button of the widget.
4) Upload an MP3 of your remix via the same widget you used to download the stems. Enter as many Camp Bisco remixes as you like!
5) Share the track with your friends and ask them to comment, rate, playlist your mix and share it with their friends on twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and their blogs, etc.
6) Once you have finished and uploaded your remix, Judges from Camp Bisco and URB.com will select a winner for each track and one grand-prize winner!
7) Contest ends June 21, 2010. Winners will be notified by June 28, 2010.

Visit the Camp Disco Remix Contest page on URB to start working on your remixes today!

Prizing
Each remix will have one winner. Each of those winners will go on to compete for the Grand Prize. The winning remix of each track will receive a prize pack of CDs from each of the remix artists and two tickets to the festival. One grand prize winner will also receive 2 passes to the festival with Artist credentials, a custom MobBase iPhone app and lifetime subscription from MixMatchMusic, $200 for travel expenses and a hotel room along with the chance of a lifetime — a one-hour set in front of thousands of festival goers at Camp Bisco 9!

Camp Bisco Announces Partnership with MixMatchMusic
A new addition to the Camp Bisco remix contest team for this year is the Remix Wizard, provided by MixMatchMusic, which includes easy-to-use web-based remixing tools for beginners. ”Involving fans in the creative process through remixing is one of the best ways to make the artist – fan connection stronger,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic. “And, it’s exciting and also humbling to know that we’re playing a part in making those connections happen.” MixMatchMusic’s popular and versatile iPhone app builder MobBase will be used for the first ever Camp Bisco iPhone app.

About Camp Bisco
The 9th annual Camp Bisco festival will take place once again at the picturesque Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, New York outside New York City from July 16 to 18, 2010. The event features three nights of the Disco Biscuits and over forty other acts. Headliners include The Disco Biscuits, Thievery Corporation, LCD Soundsystem and Ween.  For complete, up-to-date information about Camp Bisco 9 click here. To start remixing, click here.

Enter the Niche Music System. Created by Hagop Tchaparian, the Niche Music System is a strategy designed to help you succeed in the music business through the leveraging of music niches. The idea is to carve a small, local niche for your music in order build initial traction and then promote and rise up through that niche to grow and widen your reach. The logic behind this is that for every niche, there is already an existing audience that is pre-exposed to the sound of that niche. So while you may need to tweak your sound to fit into a specific niche, the Niche Music System provides you with a much easier way to build an initial following.

Hagop initially created the system to mirror the processes his own band (Symposium) went through to gain attention, build a core following, play for more people and make more money. Subsequently, he helped implement a similar system in his work with English electronic artist Hot Chip (pictured below) to help them build early traction, rise through their niche and ultimately get signed by DFA/EMI.

The Niche Music System has now been turned into a 12 week video/audio/PDF course designed to help you get people to care about your music and come out of obscurity.  For a great intro to the course, you should take the time to check out the video below. While the course is normally $47/month (for three months),  because you are an Evolving Music reader, you can get it for $27/month! To sign up and receive the discount, click here.

If you’re a music industry blog/publication, record label, radio station, venue, music festival, music school, recording studio, gear/instrument company, or other music related project/company, MobBase can greatly help you connect with your audience through a custom iPhone app. For as little as $0.50 a day, you can use MobBase to build a dynamic app that shares music, photos, videos, tweets, news, event info, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices. Here’s a little taste of the different types of music industry players that are using MobBase to connect with their fans:

Music Industry Blogs, Publications and Resources:

• Indie Music Tech: A blog that explores the technologies enabling the music industry.
• Remix Comps: A community of remix contest enthusiasts that provides information on the latest remix contests going on across the web, and features streaming versions of remix contest winners.
• Wink Sound: A resource for music production videos and tutorials on Ableton, Logic, Pro-Tools, Reason, and Cubase, as well as on mixing, mastering, recording audio, beat making and Djing.
• Evolving Music: You’re looking at it dude

Record Labels and Other Music Companies:

• Controlled Substance Sound Labs/Silverback Artist Management: Record label and artist management firm; artists include Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Fishbone, The Beautiful Girls, Mat McHugh, Rebelution, and The Expendables.
• Town Thizzness: Record label created by Thizz Nation and SMC Recordings; artists include Mistah Fab, J.Stalin, D.Lo, Sleepy D, Beeda Weeda, Philthy Rich, Dj Fresh, Stevie Joe, Shady Nate, G-Stack, and Eddi Projex.
• Independent Media: Marketing and artist development company; artists include K’Naan, Tanya Morgan, J*Davey, Canibus, Shaya, Truthlive and Sin.
• Let It Burn Records: European hardcore record label.
• Flash Records: German electronica record label
• Nobel Records: Norwegian record label; artists include Jazzmaster, Bang Bang, and True Blue.
• Metal Postcards Records: Hong Kong based metal record label.

Radio and Music Discovery:

• IODA Promonet: A promotional distribution network from IODA that helps fans discover and share music from thousands of top independent artists and labels around the world.
• House Music Channel: A destination for all things house music, featuring exclusive music, mixed sets, news, information, and events from today’s hottest names in house music.
• Flawless Radio: An app that helps you discover new music and news from the hottest emerging and developing hip-hop artists.
• LyricShare: A Gospel and Christian music destination that gives unrivaled access to music, pictures, lyrics, sheet music, and videos.

Soundtracks and Soundscapes:

• Sound Healing: This app is the perfect audio companion to meditation and yoga, and includes 72 relaxing songs for meditation.
• Nurse Jackie Soundtrack: The official app for the soundtrack for Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

This batch of apps was made by musicians and music companies from around the world, and features a variety of eclectic content for you to enjoy. The apps turned out really well, and as you can see below, they aren’t cookie cutter at all — each MobBase app can have its own unique image, look and feel.  Check out all the new MobBase apps here. Or, find out how to make mobile applications.

“The MobBase adoption curve is getting steep, fast,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “It took about 90 days to launch the first 50 apps and just 30 days to get to 107. It’s more clear with every day that artists are adopting mobile apps to help build their careers, and that they choose MobBase as the fast, easy and inexpensive way to get their own app.”

MobBase is a low cost way for musicians to share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, information about shows, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices. MobBase apps are priced for starving artists and also artists who remember what it is like to starve, with many artists paying as little as $0.50 a day for their own custom iPhone app.

Prominent artists including Pepper and Everclear are among the bands that have built and launched their own MobBase apps. Feinn said growth is also coming from long tail artists, such as Tribal Seeds, Cash Lewis, NatStar the King, Radagun, Supreme The Eloheem, and indie label, Let It Burn Records. The MobBase platform has also been used to create the official iPhone app for Showtime’s Nurse Jackie soundtrack.

MobBase is a great solution for established acts,” Feinn said. “It’s also a fantastic solution for artists with small but devoted followings who are making music for the love of music. The extremely low price, the super ease of use and the ability to customize it to reflect your own look and feel makes it perfect for artists in the long tail.”

Music distribution powerhouse, IODA, and indie labels including Silverback Music/Controlled Substance Sound Labs, SMC Recordings, Welk Music Group, Vanguard Records, Sugar Hill Records, Town Thizzness, Red Bull Records, Sargent House, and 429 Records are offering MobBase apps and promoting MobBase to their artists.

Feinn said there have been more than 60,000 installs of MobBase apps by fans.

Some great news straight from the MixMatchMusic garage (aka HQ)! MobBase is proving the market for iPhone applications that connect musicians with their fans, with more than 50 applications launched since the service debuted this past November.  MobBase is the new service that makes it easy for musicians and music companies to create, launch and manage their own, custom iPhone applications.

“The Pepper iPhone app is helping us stay to connected with our fans 24/7 and the connection has been amazing,” said Bret Bollinger, a founder of Hawaii’s premier rock band. “We’ve seen a huge influx of new fans and have been able to reconnect with long time fans through our app’s integration with Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and many other sites since its launch.”

Pepper fans have installed the band’s MobBase iPhone app more than 25,000 times since the start of 2010, and have streamed Pepper’s music more than 500,000 times through the app. The Pepper app was featured in iTunes’ “What’s Hot” section in mid-January.

“For Pepper it starts with great music.  They are also a great example of a band using all of the tools at their disposal to connect and engage with fans online and on their mobile devices,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “A custom iPhone app is an important part of that mix, and key to the equation that results in engaged fans buying more concert tickets, band merchandise and music.”

MobBase is a low cost way for musicians to share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, information about shows, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices.

Bands like Everclear, RX Bandits, Rebelution, the Jacka, and Jump Smokers are finding it easy to create their own custom iPhone apps, and easy to add, manage and update content in real time through the MobBase dashboard.

IODA, one of the world’s leading digital distribution companies, is promoting MobBase as its premier solution for iPhone applications.

“We have had a great response thus far from our clients to MobBase’s iPhone apps,” said Adam Rabinovitz, vice president of marketing at IODA. “Mobbases’s web interface enables real time updating which is great for touring artists and busy, on-the-go label managers. We’ve also been testing the product ourselves with the IODA Promonet app and have been very pleased with the results.”

Additionally, indie labels Silverback Music/Controlled Substance Sound Labs, SMC Recordings, Welk Music Group, Vanguard Records, Sugar Hill Records, Town Thizzness, Red Bull Records, Sargent House, and 429 Records are also offering MobBase apps and are promoting it to their artists.

MobBase is priced for starving artists and also artists who remember what it was like to starve, with many artists paying as little as $0.50 a day for their own app. So, start building your app today! Or contact us to learn more about how to build mobile apps.

We’re excited to announce that MixMatchMusic has been selected as a finalist for Red Herring’s Global 100 award! We are thrilled to be included in this very prestigious list that honors the year’s most promising private technology ventures from around the world.

The Red Herring editorial team selected the most innovative companies from a pool of 1,200. The nominees are evaluated on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technology innovation, quality of management, execution of strategy, and integration into their respective industries.  This unique assessment of potential is complemented by a review of the actual track record and standing of a company, which allows Red Herring to see past the “buzz” and make the list an invaluable instrument for discovering and advocating the greatest business opportunities in the industry.

Finalists for the 2009 edition of the Red Herring Global 100 award are selected from the regional recipients or finalists of the Red Herring 100 awards in 2007, 2008, or 2009 ranging from Asia, Europe, and North America. For the past three years, the award has been given to the top 100 global technology companies based upon their technological innovation, management strength, market size, investor record, customer acquisition, and financial health.

What a great way to kick of 2010 for MixMatchMusic!

It’s been a busy few days for MixMatchMusic, as 34 MobBase iPhone apps are now live in iTunes! The apps turned out rather pretty, and they include a lot of great content that covers a wide variety of genres and styles. More importantly, artists will be updating their apps using the MobBase dashboard, so things will be kept super fresh! So what are you waiting for? Visit iTunes or check out the list below to download your favorite artists’ MobBase app!

Everclear: http://apps.mobbase.com/everclear
Ioda Promonet: http://apps.mobbase.com/ioda
Pepper: http://apps.mobbase.com/pepper
Rx Bandits: http://apps.mobbase.com/rxbandits
Greg Laswell: http://apps.mobbase.com/greglaswell
Zion-I: http://apps.mobbase.com/zioni
the Jacka: http://apps.mobbase.com/jacka
Rebelution: http://apps.mobbase.com/rebelution
Easy Star All Stars: http://apps.mobbase.com/easystar
Town Thizzness: http://apps.mobbase.com/thizz
Silverback Artist Management/Controlled Substance Sound Labs: http://apps.mobbase.com/sbsound
Killer Mike: http://apps.mobbase.com/killermike
Shanghai Restoration Project: http://apps.mobbase.com/srp
Jennie Laws: http://apps.mobbase.com/jennielaws
Throw Me the Statue: http://apps.mobbase.com/tmts
Black Gold: http://apps.mobbase.com/blackgold
The Blakes: http://apps.mobbase.com/blakes
Big Light: http://apps.mobbase.com/biglight
Enzyme Dynamite: http://apps.mobbase.com/enzyme
Eoin Harrington: http://apps.mobbase.com/eoinharrington
El Desayuno: http://apps.mobbase.com/desayuno
Life Love Misery: http://apps.mobbase.com/lifelovemisery
Gavroche: http://apps.mobbase.com/gavroche
Dee: http://apps.mobbase.com/deecrazylove
Kent Welton: http://apps.mobbase.com/kentwelton
The High Five Revival: http://apps.mobbase.com/thehighfiverevival
The Sleeping: http://apps.mobbase.com/thesleeping
Wink Sound: http://apps.mobbase.com/winksound
Joey Lenze: http://apps.mobbase.com/joeylenze
Street Credit: http://apps.mobbase.com/streetcredit
Roy Tal Music: http://apps.mobbase.com/roytalmusic
Kick Drum Decade Improv: http://apps.mobbase.com/kddimprov
My Boxing Fans: http://apps.mobbase.com/myboxingfans
Home Spa Goddess: http://apps.mobbase.com/ihsg

Yesterday, MixMatchMusic launched MobBase, a new service that makes it easy and inexpensive for musicians to create, launch and manage their own, custom iPhone apps. While a lot of information about MobBase has already been revealed, and you can now visit MobBase to start creating your app, there are some things that we would like to point. Here are 10 things that you may not know about your MobBase iPhone app:

Create your app for free
You can register for a MobBase account and create an iPhone app for free. When you’re ready to launch, you pay a $20 activation fee to submit your app to Apple for approval. Before submission, a MobBase team member will walk you through your app to make sure everything looks good.

Your app is a blank canvas
It’s your app, and it can have your unique image, look, and feel. The MobBase dashboard gives you a blank canvas to project your artistic vision — select from seven different layouts, arrange the features however you like, upload a loading image, upload background and button images, choose your title bar color, and select color themes. Don’t worry, you can change the app’s layout and design as often as you like.

Lyrics, album artwork and credits
Too much of the album experience has been lost in the post CD/Vinyl world, until now. With a MobBase iPhone app, you can give your fans the full album experience by adding lyrics to your songs, additional artwork for your releases, and even credits.

Fans can add videos too
In addition to featuring YouTube videos and piping in your entire YouTube channel, your fans can add video content to your app. Just pick a few tags for fans to use when uploading their videos to YouTube, and these videos will appear in your app. The tags can be as specific as you want, so if you want fan footage from a specific show or if you want fans to make their own music videos for your song, just hook them up with the tags!

There’s a whole lot of tweeting going on
Twitter is not something we take casually, and neither should you.  Add as many Twitter accounts as you want to your app, whether it be one official band account, or the Twitter accounts for all the members, even the drummer:) Then, track the buzz by piping in all the “@” mentions of your accounts. You can even have conversations with your fans about specific topics, by adding hashtags — add as many hashtags as you want, and we’ll create special sections for them.

All the music you want, from our servers or yours.
You can stream as much music as you want from your app, whether it be your full catalog or just your new single. And, you can mix up what music is playable by making songs inactive or adding new songs. To add music to your app, you can either upload the MP3s to MobBase, or you can paste in a link and stream the music from your own servers.

Update your app on the fly
After you launch your app, you can update it as often as you want, at no additional charge. And, only a few of the changes will require resubmission to Apple, which means most your changes will happen right away. Some of your updates will need to be made through the MobBase dashboard (adding new music, feeds, or featured videos; or changing the layout/customization), while others (all the feed-based content you provide, like the news, blog, shows, videos, photos, etc) will happen automatically.

Hands-on support, if you need it.
While we’ve built MobBase so that you can easily create your app through the MobBase dashboard without any programming or technical skills, we’re here to help. If you want our hands-on support while making your app, you can purchase 3 months of premium support for $200. Premium support includes unlimited phone and email support while building your app; exclusive features such as multiple news feeds, integration with your mailing list/street team, and extra content; a complete app audit that will identify ways to make your app more effective; and unlimited walk-throughs of your app before it is launched.

Photos Galore
You can add as many photos albums as you want to your MobBase app, each with an unlimited amount of photos.

To sell or not to sell?
It’s your app, and you can decide if you want to give it away for free in iTunes, or if you want to sell the app. If you sell the app, you can name the price and we’ll handle all the administrative logistics for a nominal monthly fee. After Apple takes its 30% cut, you keep the rest — we don’t rev share with you!

MobBase, a service of MixMatchMusic, helps artists connect with fans to share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, information about shows, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices.

IODA promoting MobBase as exclusive app solution to artists and labels

IODA is offering a special version of the MobBase iPhone app to its roster of independent labels and artists, including Easy Star All Stars, Big Light and Shanghai Restoration Project, each of which are launching their own MobBase app this week.

“The MobBase iPhone app is an innovative and low-cost solution for independent artists who want to participate in the explosively popular iPhone app market” said Adam Rabinovitz, vice president of marketing at IODA. “Now IODA artists can easily create their own custom app and tap into the next level of fan communication.”

IODA clients will benefit from a custom version of the MobBase app that will integrate streaming music and real-time performance metrics from IODA’s unique promotional platform, Promonet.  Rightsholders will be able to track mobile app streams in real time alongside other online promotional activity such as blog downloads from across the Promonet network.

Additionally, IODA is launching its own music discovery and promotion iPhone app built with the MobBase platform. The IODA Promonet app will enable music fans to discover and listen to a wide array of new tracks drawn from IODA’s diverse catalog, now featuring artists such as Pink Martini, Deer Tick, Aventura, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Tinariwen, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Apples in Stereo, and Vic Chestnutt.

Top indie labels promote acts with MobBase

The MobBase iPhone app has also received broad support from top indie music labels, including Controlled Substance Sound Labs, Welk Music Group, Town Thizzness and SMC Recordings. Controlled Substance Sound Labs, is launching its own MobBase app, and acts signed to the label, including Pepper, Rebelution, Fishbone and the Expendables will be launching their own apps as well.  Town Thizzness is launching its own MobBase app.  Other strategic partners include Vanguard Records, Sugar Hill Records, SMC Recordings, Red Bull Records, Sargent House, and 429 Records, who will be offering MobBase iPhone apps to their roster of artists.

“In addition to IODA’s roster of thousands of top indie labels, Controlled Substance, Town Thizzness, and SMC dramatically extend our reach,” said Charles Feinn, MixMatchMusic CEO and co-founder.  “With their help we’re making it possible for every artist to build and manage their own high quality app, and for every artist to connect with fans on their mobile devices”

Feinn said the labels and IODA are promoting MobBase as their solution for mobile applications, and that it is being marketed on the firms’ websites, via direct marketing and other channels.

Everclear, RX Bandits and other top indie artists connect with fans using MobBase

Artists including Everclear, RX Bandits, Greg Laswell, and Pepper are among the more than 20 bands launching their own custom iPhone apps built with MobBase, according to MixMatchMusic.

Feinn said the strong initial response is good but not surprising news. “Custom iPhone apps have for too long been just for the top selling artists,” he said. “With MobBase every artist can have an inexpensive yet high quality app.”

He said many artists aim to engage and involve listeners in their music in order to build deep and lasting connections with them.  Increasingly, these connections drive sales of concert tickets, band merchandise and music.  Likewise modern music fans are looking for more and deeper interaction with musicians.

“MobBase is the easy and inexpensive solution,” said Feinn.

Mobile music marketing

MobBase gives artists a mobile, interactive fan club, storefront, merchandise table, and more.  The MobBase application is highly customizable, so artists can pick and choose the content they offer to fans and also the way that content is presented. To see all the MobBase iPhone apps that are live in iTunes, click here.

A custom iPhone app for as little as 50 cents a day

MobBase is priced to be accessible to any artist. It costs just $20 to get going and many artists will never pay more than $15 a month to deliver music, photos, videos, tweets, info about gigs, merch and more to hundreds of fans.

Tomorrow (Nov. 3), MixMatchMusic will debut MobBase, a new service for musicians that makes it easy for them to create, launch and manage their own, custom iPhone applications. For as little as $0.50 a day, MobBase will enable musicians to share music, photos, videos, tweets, news, blog posts, information about shows, merchandise and other content with fans on their mobile devices.

“The iPod put music in fans’ pockets.  The MobBase iPhone app puts musicians in fans’ pockets, with the high value content that fuels the artist-fan connection,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of MixMatchMusic, MobBase’s developer. “We’ve made it so inexpensive, even starving artists can have their own app and have the same mobile presence as major acts.”

Feinn said many artists aim to engage and involve listeners in their music in order to build deep and lasting connections with them.  Increasingly, these connections drive sales of concert tickets, band merchandise and music.  Likewise modern music fans are looking for more and deeper interaction with musicians.

“Just a relative handful of artists have launched iPhone apps,” said Feinn.  “MobBase makes it easy enough and inexpensive enough that every musician can have their own app.”

Rock-reggae stars Pepper among first bands to launch MobBase app
Twenty-two artists and labels including Pepper, Everclear, Zion I, RX Bandits, Silverback Music/Controlled Substance Sound Labs, Greg Laswell, Shanghai Restoration Project, the Jacka, Easy Star All-Stars, Rebelution, Town Thizzness, Throw Me the Statue, Killer Mike, Jennie Laws, Big Light, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Black Gold, Enzyme Dynamite, The Blakes, Eoin Harrington, El Desayuno, and Gavroche have launched MobBase applications to deepen their connection with fans. To view all the MobBase iPhone apps that are live in iTunes, click here.

“Pepper fans can’t get enough about the band,” said Sally Nobbs, manager for Silverback Music, Pepper’s management firm.  “And were excited about the way that our app will fuel deeper connections with our fans, by giving them constant access to Pepper’s music, backstage video footage, photos and news, and the ability to interact with Pepper through their iPhones, no matter where they are.”

Feinn said MixMatchMusic is now making MobBase available to other musicians.

“Connecting more fans more effectively with the music they love is fundamental to individual artists’ success, and to long-term music industry revenue growth,” said Susan Kevorkian, IDC program director, Mobile Media and Entertainment. “Services like MobBase are expected to play a key role in connecting artists to their fans with cost-competitive, versatile apps as smartphones assume an increasingly central role as sources of music and related information.”

Labels and music 2.0 companies endorse MobBase
Music 2.0 pioneer IODA, along with indie labels Controlled Substance Sound Labs, SMC Recordings, Welk Music Group, Vanguard Records, Sugar Hill Records, Red Bull Records, Sargent House, and 429 Records have each agreed to offer and promote MobBase apps to their rosters of artists.

Feinn said partners are offering MobBase so their artists can build the deeper connections that result in fan engagement and ultimately sales of music, merchandise and concert tickets.  He said partners will promote MobBase as their exclusive solution for mobile applications, and that they will be marketing it on their websites, via direct marketing and other channels.

Content powers connection
MobBase gives artists a mobile, interactive fan club, storefront, merchandise table, and more.  The MobBase application is highly customizable, so artists can pick and choose the content they offer to fans and also the way that content is presented.

Feinn said there are no design constraints with MobBase.  “Musicians have a blank canvas to project their artistic vision.  We’re expecting an explosion of creativity and fun.”

Featured content supported includes:
Music.  Artists just want to make and share music.  By featuring their music in MobBase, they make it easy for fans to buy songs or even entire albums.

Videos.  With MobBase, artists can share video out takes, footage from backstage and at parties, or even feed their YouTube channel directly into the    application. Fans can also upload their own videos to their favorite artist’s app.

Photos.  An image is worth 1,000 words, so artists can create and share photo collections including album artwork, tour pictures and other images fans are clamoring for.  MobBase features seamless integration with Flickr and Picasa, so it’s easy to manage, update and add photos in real time.

News/Blog.  Artists can use MobBase to keep fans up to date on news, blog posts and behind the scenes info with RSS feeds.

Shows.  The best way to get fans to shows is to make sure they know when and where they are.  With MobBase, artists can update show times, venues, directions and other info to make sure their fans know where to find them live. MobBase features seamless integration with ArtistData and MySpace, so it’s easy to manage, update and add concert info in real time.

Discography.  Artists can connect fans with their entire catalog, album artwork, liner notes, and lyrics by featuring them in MobBase.

Twitter.  Artists can make sure their tweets reach their fans with MobBase, and fans can hear what others have to say about the band. Artist and fans can also have conversations to discuss specific topics of the artists choosing.

Store.  MobBase is like a mobile merch table, connected to artists’ web stores.  It’s a great way for artists to show their merch where it’s easiest for their fans to find it (in their pockets).

Biography.  Biographies provide fans with background and back story, information that makes the artist-fan connection that much more meaningful.

More and more.  Because MobBase is highly customizable and supports additional functionality, artists can expand on the platform to do more and engage fans more deeply.

Easy. Customizable. Dynamic.
MobBase is built on an advanced content management system that makes it easy to add, manage and update content in real-time.  Yet it is so easy to use, so easy to set up and so easy to maintain, even a rock star can do it.  And because it is highly customizable, every artist – rock star or rock star-in-the-making, can easily create their own unique app with their unique image, look and feel.  Artists aren’t locked in to a design either – they can change the app whenever the mood strikes.

Priced for starving artists
MobBase is priced for starving artists and also artists who remember what it was like to starve.  It costs just $20 to get going and many artists will never pay more than $15 a month to deliver music, photos, videos, tweets, info about gigs, merch and more to hundreds of fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A9PdJsgBUE

Congrats to Swingset Committee (aka David Dahlquist and Andrew Belinsky) for winning the contest with their sweet electro remix of the song! Listen to and download their remix here. The 1st runner prize went to DJ Dream for his “Pushed and Pulled” remix — listen to and download it here. And, the second runner up prize was won by Denis the Fish (aka Niko Melaluka) — listen to and download his “Big Fishy” remix here. All winners will receive, among other things, a pair of Sutro Vision sunglasses (signed by LB)!

Swingset Committee

Sutro sunglasses

To listen to all the remixes submitted,  check out the widget below. Be sure to tell us which remixes you like the most!

Over the last several months, MixMatchMusic has been busy working on a short film for South By Southwest, titled “Remix…A New Way to Engage Fans”. Well, we’re happy to announce that the film is now live and you are invited to see how artists and fans are turning to remixing to connect and interact with fans in a music 2.0 world.

Emerging hip hop artists, the Bayliens, are poster children for a music 2.0 world that is nearly as much about connecting with fans off stage as it is entertaining them onstage.  This film shows how they’re connecting with fans at an almost molecular level, by offering them the musical building blocks of their songs and encouraging them to remix them into new sounds and new songs. The film also features insights from AmpLive (of Zion I) and Trifonic on the power of artist-fan collaboration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCGbjR6RiGg

Musicians are navigating a dramatically changed music business landscape.  More than ever, they have to engage and involve casual listeners in order to build deep and lasting relationships with them.  The group behind the video, MixMatchMusic (aka, the dudes writing this post), is focused on helping musicians make those connections and deepening the bonds that link them with fans.

“The artist’s challenge is to convert casual fans into loyal fans, and loyal fans into paying customers,” said Charles Feinn, CEO and co-founder of music technology innovator MixMatchMusic. “Getting your music discovered just isn’t enough. Musicians have to engage and involve casual listeners in order to build deep and lasting connections with them, and to convert them to loyal fans. These connections are what drive sales of the concert tickets, band merchandise and CDs artists need to pay the rent and put gas in the van.”

According to Feinn and many other music industry observers, record labels play a smaller and smaller role in breaking new bands or even promoting signed bands. Record stores are disappearing and radio is less and less of a factor in promoting new music. And it’s hard for a new band to breakthrough amongst the millions of songs in the iTunes Store. It’s also true that music fans have changed, acclimated to the read/write web and the social interaction that comes with it, and looking for the same experience with music and the artists who create it.

“While the business part of the traditional music business is breaking down, music is alive and well and there is more music than ever,” said Feinn. “We’re on a mission to help keep music alive, and we’re doing so by helping artists forge deeper and more meaningful connections with fans.”

Feinn said a growing number of artists are turning to new Internet-based initiatives, such as the remix promotions pioneered by Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead, to help them engage with and connect with music fans.

“Involving fans in the creative process by encouraging them to remix and mash up a new song from the musical building blocks provided by the artist, is catching on as one of the best ways to make the artist – fan connection stronger,” he said.

Feinn said that more than 60 artists have launched remix promotions based on MixMatchMusic’s Remix Wizard, a simple-to-use widget that any fan with a broadband connection can use. Artists including Pepper and Zion I have loaded the building blocks of songs – the guitar, bass, keys, drums and other elements called stems, into customized versions of MixMatchMusic’s widget, and invited fans to remix the stems to create new sounds and songs with them. He said the company’s site has received more than half a million impressions since the beginning of the year, and more than 80 thousand plays of fan-created remixes.

Feinn said the Remix Wizard is a fan-friendly approach to the more complex remix technologies employed by Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead. Bands such as Pepper feature remixes submitted by fans on their sites and MySpace pages, and some artists even promise to incorporate especially imaginative fan-created interpretations of their music in future albums.

Feinn said the Remix Wizard is the first in a series of artist and fan friendly technologies from MixMatchMusic designed to forge even stronger and deeper connections.

“Music has the power to bring people together,” said Feinn. “It’s exciting and also humbling to know we’re playing a small part in making those connections happen, through our technology-based products and services that help musicians convert casual music fans into loyal fans, and loyal fans into paying customers.”

Today, we’re happy to announce that MixMatchMusic has achieved an important milestone in the adoption of its Remix Wizard with more than 50 bands hosting fan engagement promotions since October! Artists including Pepper, Zion I, Camp Lo, and Julien-K are among the bands using the MixMatchMusic Remix Wizard to power remix contests for their fans. Each of the bands have loaded guitar, bass, keys, drums and/or other music stems into personalized versions of the Remix Wizard, and invited their fans to remix, mash up and create new sounds with them.

Pepper and Zion I recently wrapped up contests for fans to remix popular tracks from their respective newly released albums. The response was tremendous, with Pepper receiving 50 remixes, 2,000 votes and 22,000 plays of Freeze. Zion I’s contest around its track “DJ DJ” received 35 remixes, 1,900 votes and close to 11,000 plays.

“The response way exceeded our expectations and it was super gratifying seeing all these fans putting their own flavor on our song… one guy even paid to ‘liven’ a sample from another band and use it in his version,” said drummist/ vocalist Yesod Williams of the band, Pepper. “Getting the fans as involved as possible was the goal and we accomplished that tenfold with MixMatchMusic!”

MixMatchMusic’s Remix Wizard is a solution for the masses. By comparison the remix promotions pioneered by seminal bands, Radiohead and NIN, were limited to the relative handful of fans with Digital Audio Workstation software. The Remix Wizard is available to every band with a song and every fan with a browser and broadband connection.

“The chance to remix Zion I’s track ‘DJ DJ’ was an opportunity for me to show off my producing chops to the Zion I crew, Amplive and Zumbi, and to my own fans,” said artist/producer Stinj-e. “Remixing tracks from bands I admire gives me a different level of interaction with their music than if I’m catching Zion I at one of their live shows. It lets me tap into my creativity.”

To get your remix on, or to listen to all the remixes that have been made, check out the Remix Wizard gallery.

Pepper has been a very busy band lately. In between being on tour with Pennywise and releasing their new live album, Kona Gold (on Law Records), they’ve been reviewing the 50 remixes that were made for their “Freeze” Remix Contest. Well, the results are in and Pepper has picked the winners. Big ups to IceHouseIndustries, Brendan Dane, and Santiago for their superb remixing skills!

IceHouseIndustries is the grand-prize winner, and will get to hang out with Pepper at their next show in sunny socal. He will also receive a copy of AmpliTube Fender and the T-RackS 3 Deluxe Mastering Suite from IK Multimedia. If you haven’t heard his remix, it’s a sophisticated blend of soulful and laid back sounds tied together with a driving electronic groove. His remix was definitely our favorite, and you can listen to it here. IceHouseIndustries is a very prolific remixer, and has a vast catalogue of remixes for you to enjoy on his website.

The 1st runner up prize goes to Santiago, who threw a fat hip-hop beat over Freeze and turned it into a warm hip-hop jam that he rapped and sang over. Check out his remix here. The 2nd runner up prize goes to Brendan Dane, who cranked up the dub effect in his layered and trippy Freeze n’Dub remix. While the contest is over, you can to listen to all of the remixes, whenever the mood strikes, in the MixMatchMusic gallery.

]]> http://evolvingmusic.mixmatchmusic.com/2009/04/24/pepper-announces-remix-contest-winners/feed/ 0 http://evolvingmusic.mixmatchmusic.com/2009/04/20/royalty-free-samples-from-prime-loops/ http://evolvingmusic.mixmatchmusic.com/2009/04/20/royalty-free-samples-from-prime-loops/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:38:08 +0000 Alan Khalfin http://evolvingmusic.wordpress.com/?p=2480

Do you ever find yourself searching far and wide for high quality, royalty-free loops that you can use in your music? If so, Prime Loops will most likely have what you’re looking for.

Prime Loops is a music production team based in the UK that meticulously crafts audiolicious loops and stems for you to use in your songs and remixes. They make pristine loops in almost every genre and format imaginable, and package them into libraries of fat and flexible samples that you can instantly download after paying a few bucks. After that, they’re royalty-free, which means that you can use them in anything you want, at no extra cost. You can even use them in songs that go on actual CDs, if that’s your kind of thing.

To give you an idea of how silly dope these loops are, Prime Loops and MixMatchMusic have partnered to bring you an exclusive set of loops on MixMatchMusic. They’ve uploaded over 50 loops for you to listen to, mashup, and get down with. Each loop is intricately created and individually mastered. Download them from MixMatchMusic, and if you need more, go to Prime Loops’ website and check out their massive collection of loops, tutorials, and studio tips.

Hoyo was awarded the grand prize for his remix, which showcased a dirty electro twist to the song. Check it out here. The first runner up was Orby Spectre, who brought the funk with his remix. And, Indecent the Slapmaster was awarded the 2nd runner up prize, and gets Evolving Music’s nod for the most creative name for a remix: “DJ DJ Slapped and Slumped“.

All in all, Zion I fans had the best remixing chops that we’ve seen so far! You can listen to all the remixes, whenever you please, on Zion I’s Remix Wizard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xBPu2OuLCA

Ladies and gentlemen, get your remixing chops ready. Starting Saturday (Feb. 28), Pepper is inviting you to make your own musical masheries of their song “Freeze”!

While Pepper originally hails from Hawaii, they now bring you their fresh mix of reggae, rock, and punk straight from sunny southern California. No, I’m not talking about Sublime here, but rather, the evolution of the brah brah music that they gave birth to. Pepper’s sound takes you from rum-fueled reggae party jams to warm coastal pop that makes you feel like you’re summertime chillin’ no matter the season. Freeze is a song from the latest Law Records release, “Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations“, which was produced by Sublime producer and former Butthole Surfer Paul Leary.

Pepper has loaded the stems to Freeze into their Remix Wizard and now wants to hear what you can do! You have two options for making a remix: you can download the stems for free and use any software you want; or you can click on the widget’s MixMaker link to make a remix in MixMatchMusic‘s simple online music editor. If you’ve never experienced remixing before, or just want to see how Freeze was made, check out the MixMaker! Either way, make sure to you upload your remix to the widget so that others can listen to, vote on, and share it.

The Freeze remix contest runs from February 28 to March 28 (2009), and Pepper will hand pick three winners. If you win the grand prize, you get two VIP passes to the next Pepper show in your hometown for your friends, and the chance to shadow Pepper’s sound engineer for the day (from load in to load out at a show in your hometown). How cool is that!

The grand prize winner will also receive the T-RackS 3 Deluxe Mastering Suite and AmpliTube Fender® (courtesy of IK Multimedia); a Law Records backpack full of Pepper swag; one pair of SkullCandy headphones; an autographed photo of Pepper; their remix featured on Pepper’s myspace; and their remix released on an upcoming album from Law Records. The first runner up will receive a copy of AmpliTube Fender from IK Multimedia, and the second runner up will get a copy of the T-RackS 3 Standard Mastering Suite from IK Multimieda. Both runner up winners will also receive two VIP passes to the next Pepper show in their hometown; a Law Records backpack full of Pepper swag; their remix featured on Pepper’s myspace; and an autographed photo of band.

So what are you waiting for, brah? Enter the Freeze remix contest here! And, look out for Evolving Music‘s interview with Pepper early next week.

The winning remixes, chosen by the Metermaids themselves, feature an eclectic range of production aesthetics and willingness by contestants to breathe new life into the Metermaids’ music. The grand prize winner’s remix, created by user System: C, features a sped up tempo from the original song, complete with a rave bassline and classic pinball sound effects. The runner up’s remix, created by user ALB 33, is an ambient groove characterized by its echoing guitar chords and airy synth drones, complemented well by a jazzy hip-hop drumbeat that gives the remix its driven pulse.

Grand Prize winner — System : C (listen to the remix here)
Runner up — ALB33 (listen to the remix here)

Also, check out these two mashup vids the Metermaids made for two tracks from Nightlife In Illinoise, featuring footage from a 1980s BMX movie and some campy ’70s TV shows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRy14knW4NY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRZHYZ0voIg

As a youngster, Mike’s family would drive from the Bay Area to Idaho every summer, and his mom would make up stories to go along with what they were seeing along the highways. So, he got imprinted with the whole combination of music, empty roads and stories early on. This shows in his music. Take a listen to “London Calling” here (no not THAT London Calling, silly).

And, Enzyme handles it well. “Girls” is remixed by Energy 92.7′s Trevor Simpson, a master producer and DJ who lays down the necessary dirty synth and driving beats to make this song bang. This song will surely find its way in the your local dance club very soon. Listen/Download Girls here!

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad was formed in 2004, by brothers Matthew and Christopher O’Brian, and mutual friends James Searl and Dylan Savage. The Rochester, New York-based group’s current lineup solidified with the addition of Rachel Orke, and Aaron Lipp. GPGDS plays an eclectic blend of roots reggae, dub, and afrobeat. The sextet’s impeccable musicianship and explosive live show have received widespread acclaim. Giant Panda will be releasing a new album in 2009, but be sure to check out their debut release Slow down.

Don’t want to wait until valentines day? You can get a taste by listening to their new track “Love 2 the DJ” here. It’s the perfect pairing for that green tea you’re enjoying.

Sabotage Soundsystem is a two-man machine made up of Big Island surfers and musicians Remy “Dub” DeRochemont and Kaleo Wassman (of Pepper). “What I love about Dub is that he encourages frequent surf breaks during recording sessions,” says Wassman. “If something wasn’t clicking or didn’t feel right we would just bail and go surf. Clear the mind, then come back and hit it again fresh,” adds DeRochemont.

The new venture for the duo culminates in music that has a decidedly laid-back rural island feel, while at the same time it is clear the two come into their own with influences and experiences that come from worldly travels, international exposure, and a long life on the road. As the title, The Boto Machine Gun implies, the new album is all at once dirty, sexy, and lethal. A guerrilla style recording, this weapon was built in people’s houses and garages on both sides of the sea, from Hawaii to SoCal. Be on the lookout for Sabotage Soundystem in 2009!

This Santa Barbara-based reggae quartet is on a mission to spread positivity, unity and awareness to any and all who will listen, and, lately, it seems as if the number of interested parties may never stop growing. Originally formed in 2004, the group consists of vocalist/guitarist Eric Rachmany, keyboardist Rory Carey, drummer Wesley Finley, and bassist Marley D. Williams. It was their mutual attendance of music classes at college in Santa Barbara that initially brought them together, and it was in this environment that the seeds of their successful future were planted.

“Courage To Grow” is an excellent album complete with crafty melodies, socially conscious lyrics and savvy musicianship. Whereas other SoCal reggae-infused groups such as Sublime and the Long Beach Dub All-Stars tend to be rock- or punk-based, Rebelution sticks much more strongly to a vintage “roots” reggae sound. The band is currently on their 2009 Winter Tour, so check them out when they hit your town! Rebelution is looking forward to a promising 2009 and the release of their second full length album.

If you’ve never heard of Mat McHugh and the Blackbird, listen up: he will rock your world. Here’s a dreamy, pop-psych track called “Under the Landslide” off his new album, SEPERATISTA!, a free-floating animal of rare sensitivity and grace, recorded with a band largely seconded from the Sydney jazz scene. Off-kilter drums, deep bass, horns, piano, organ, melodica and cello flesh out Mat’s voice, acoustic guitar and occasional ukulele on an album rich in precious sonic details.

Each story traces its way back to Mat’s time spent in India and the Black Bird, which features in the Beautiful Girls song quiver, is back and central to the albums imagery, as Mat explains: “When I lived in India I stayed in an Ashram on the Ganges River where every morning before dawn a big black crow would land on my window sill and wake me. I was kind of spaced out at the time because of all the Malaria medication and I kept having these dreams that the bird was trying to tell me something.”

Be look out for big things in 2009 from Mat McHugh, Controlled Substance Sound Labs standout new artist.

The Slightly Stoopid story can be traced to before their Controlled Substance Sound Labs days in Ocean Beach, California, when childhood chums Miles and Kyle formed the group in 1995, mixing reggae and punk sounds into one smooth stylistic cocktail. Soon after, late/great Sublime frontman Brad Nowell caught wind of the group, and signed them to his Skunk Records label – while the band members were still in high school.

Illustrating the perfect underground success story (and a testament to the new music model), Slightly Stoopid, and their label Stoopid Records, has become a case study in how to ‘make it’ without the aid of radio or MTV circa the early 21 st century. Slightly Stoopid is all the proof you’ll need to show that once and for all, with hard work, new technology and file-sharing, die-hard fans, and the right tunes, anything is possible. The group – which features Miles Doughty (Guitar, Bass, Vocals), Kyle McDonald (Guitar, Bass, Vocals), Ryan ‘RyMo’ Moran (Drums), C-Money (Trumpet, Keyboard), DeLa (Saxophone), and Oguer ‘OG’ Ocon (Congas, Percussion, Harp, Vocals) – has built a large n’ loyal fan base, who are lovingly known as either Stoopidheads or Ese Locos.

In 2008, the band released their first-ever ‘odds and ends’ collection, Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid – the group’s newest release for their growing label, Stoopid Records. Seemingly always on the move, there appears to be no slowing down in sight for Slightly Stoopid, and according to band, that’s precisely what fuels the group’s creativity. “For us, the most important thing in the future, we just want to stay busy and always playing music – whether creating, touring, or just sitting on your couch and jamming. I think we’ll always be recording. And just have fun – without the fun part, it ain’t worth it.”

Check out the video to their new single “2am” here.

The current Fishbone line up released their 8th record in 20 years, “Still Stuck in Your Throat” in March of 2007. This current lineup has steered Fishbone into a unique Jazzy/Gospel feel that has to be seen live to understand how a band could be considered “jazzy/ska/gospel/punk-rock/reggae”, as described by Fishbone’s Angelo Moore when asked to describe their newest direction. Recently, Fishbone did an amazing energetic cover of Sublime’s “Date Rape” on the album “Look At All The Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime”.

Live audiences around the world have been surrendering to the band’s stage flash and magical rhythms with uninterrupted regularity. Such passionate devotion is not lost on Fishbone, who refer to their friends on the road as “The Familyhood.” Get a taste of their live chops here. Always be on the lookout for the bone to be touring near you; their tour schedule can be found here.

Now, they bring you “Gutter Box“, a previously unreleased track fresh out of the studio, that picks up where Emergence left off. It’s rich micro-tech, IDM, and electro sounds will captivate your ears and leave you wondering what the Trifon brothers will do next. Listen to it here.

As Secretly Canandian Records prepares to release TMTS’ new EP, Purpleface, on February 17th, the boys who want statues thrown at them have decided to give you an early taste. Their song “Ship” is an understated yet inventive gem in which TMTS fuses rich, textured layers with their unique indie-pop melodies. TMTS has spent the majority of 2008 touring the US and Europe supporting its critically acclaimed debut, Moonbeams. While on the road, TMTS has explored the depths of its sound, recreating its playful mystique, and emerging as a proficient and an even more engaging live act. Purpleface is the direct result of this time, albeit showing a bit of a softer side than its predecessor. Word on the street is that TMTS is currently recording their next record in Seattle.