Panel Descriptions MECA Music Conference • May 12-15, 2004 • Chicago, USA printer-friendly format
Daytime events will be held at the Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center (520 South Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL). See conference booklet for map of meeting spaces and up to date panel schedule information. Calendar format
Thursday May 13th
10:30AM - 11:45AM Case Studies (Urban) - Great Hall Bands/Artists will be selected in advance to participate in a discussion about their careers, with a panel of industry professionals. Come and listen to the advice the panel offers to these artists.
Artist Development (Where's the Love for Tomorrow's Stars) - Gold sponsored by Is anyone doing artist development any more? Representatives from publishing, management, record companies and performing rights organizations will talk about what they do to help up-and-comers. - M. Sean Agnew (moderator), CEO, Blue Metallic Entertainment Group LLC - Benjamin Brannen, Creative Manager, BMG Music Publishing - Richard Gottehrer, Co-Founder, Chairman, The Orchard Global Media Group - Mozy Mosanko, A&R/Senior Manager Creative Development, Jive Records - Shawn Murphy, ASCAP Midwest - Jordan Tischler, Producer, Digital Bear Entertainment
Marketing & Promotion (How Do You Separate Yourself From the pack?) - Florentine So the internet has pretty much solved that distribution hurdle and finding a club to play at is easy enough, so how come everybody isn't making money? On a level playing field, effective marketing and promotion makes all the difference. Learn effective marketing techniques from the professionals. - Jim Alderdice, President, Ikon Artists, Inc. - Julie Casey, Principal, Insight Marketing - John Hain, Founder, Uvulittle Records - Jean Marc Rejaud, Focus Marketing - Neil Sheehan, Founder, Hardcore Marketing, Inc.
Copyrights, Co-writes and Performing Rights - Windsor So your "producer" suggested a word that rhymes with angst, does that mean he co-wrote your song? Maybe you have a legitimate writing partner, how do you dot the I's and cross the T's to protect both of you? What about sampling, cover versions, etc? Get the answers to all of these questions and more. - Rob Gillis (moderator), Mobile Fidelity Records and Waterdog Records - Steven Masur, Esq , Partner,Masur & Associates, LLC - Danica Mathes, Esq, Entertainment & Intellectual Property Attorney, -Blumenfeld, Kaplan & Sandweiss, P.C. - Donald R.,Simon, Esq., Attorney,Entertainment Law Chicago, P.C.
12:15 PM - 1:30 PM Case Studies (Beginner / Rock-Pop) - Great Hall Bands/Artists will be selected in advance to participate in a discussion about their careers, with a panel of industry professionals. Come and listen to the advice the panel offers to these artists. Each case study is designed for a different level and split between rock and urban. - Rob Gillis (moderator), Mobile Fidelity Records and Waterdog Records - Danica Mathes, Esq. Entertainment & Intellectual Property Attorney, Blumenfeld, Kaplan & Sandweiss, P.C. - Eddie Phoon, Event Director, USA Songwriting Competition - Jordan Tischler, Producer, Digital Bear Entertainment
Music Production & Engineering - Gold Technical talk about computers, software, microphones and much more. Engineers will discuss the pros and cons of both home and studio recording. - Carmen Rizzo, Producer/Engineer - Terence Dover, President,Hotbed Music/Hotbed Records
Publishing Income Workshop (There's Gold in Them Thar Non-Mechanicals) - Florentine In these trying times, publishing income is proving to be the bread and butter of the industry. How can artists, from independent publishers to signed acts, help pay the bills with publishing income. - Eric Beall, Vice President, A&R, Sony Music
Sponsorships and Endorsements (Money for Nothin'?!?!) - Windsor So, are sponsorships and endorsements just for big name players or can the little guys get hands on some of those sponsor dollars and other swag? Get the scoop on what manufacturers do for up-and-coming artists how to position yourself and/or your band with sponsoring companies. - Del Breckenfeld, Director of Entertainment Marketing, Fender Musical Instruments Corp./A&R Fender Records (Rhino/WEA) - Mark Wolfson, Director of Production and Development, Playtone Records
2:30 - 3:45PM Demo Listening (Rock) - Great Hall Bring your most recent release and get feedback from various perspectives: production, songwriting, A&R, press. Three sessions for Rock/Pop - Terence Dover, President, Hotbed Music/Hotbed Records - Joanne Ledesma, President, Ledesma Music Creative Services - Neil Sheehan, Founder, Hardcore Marketing, Inc.
Attracting A&R (Defining the Elements of that Elusive "Buzz") - Gold sponsored by Many an A&R Rep. has said "If you're doing the right things, we'll find you." So, the question becomes, what are the right things to be doing? Building a fan base, touring, tracking CD sales, spins on college and commercial radio are the usual suspects. Setting aside unrealistic dreams of getting "Discovered," what are the milestones an up-and-coming band must reach to get on an A&R executive's radar screen? - Mark Wolfson (moderator), Director of Production and Development, Playtone Records - Alex Cortez, A&R Director / Promotion Manager, Mindless Music Group - Gerey Johnson, Director of A&R, A440 Music Group - Jason Jordan, Vice President, A&R, Hollywood Records NYC - Bryan Leach, VP A&R Urban, TVT Records - Jim Welch, Vice President, A&R, Arista Records
TBA - Florentine
Managers 201 - Windsor sponsored by So your band is off the ground? You've got a release or two under your belts, you're gigging regularly, have built a following and now you want to know about lawyers, booking agents, record companies and more. Hear from managers that handle National acts. - M. Sean Agnew (moderator), CEO, Blue Metallic Entertainment Group LLC - Jim Alderdice, President, Ikon Artists, Inc. - Jonathon Daniel, Manager, Crush Music Media Management - Jon Topper, Manager, Top Artist Productions - Alan Wolmark, President, CEC Management
4:15 - 5:30 Demo listening (Rock) - Great Hall sponsored by Bring your most recent release and get feedback from various perspectives: production, songwriting, A&R, press. Three sessions for Rock/Pop. - Michael Freeman (moderator), President,Coachouse Music - Alex Cortez, A&R Director / Promotion Manager, Mindless Music Group - Mozy Mosanko, A&R/Senior Manager Creative Development, Jive Records - Wes Orshoski, Assistant Managing Editor, Relix Magazine - Billy Zero, Program Director, Radio Unsigned : XM 52
College Radio and Booking - Gold There are something like 15 Million college students in the U.S. and music is a integral part of their lifestyle. If your music fits this niche, get tips on booking gigs, college radio and building a fan base at colleges Nationwide. - Greg Diekroeger, Asst. Dir. Campus Activities, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point - Chris Schuler, Agency Owner, Bass/Schuler Entertainment - Denise Wallace, President/Agent, The College Agency
Managers 101 - Florentine Are you in a band that wants to find a manager? Maybe you want to manage an up-and-coming artist? Do you need a contract? What exactly does a manager do, anyway? Get some advice from current managers about what to watch out for and what you can expect. - Rob Gillis (moderator), Mobile Fidelity Records and Waterdog Records - Bram, Partner, SoundArt Managemant (Southern Office) - Paul Farahvar, President and CEO, Shoeshine Boy Productions, Inc. - Staci Rothchild, Partner, SoundArt Management (Chicago Office) - Neil Sheehan, Founder, Hardcore Marketing, Inc.
Touring - International Markets (Anybody Know How to Say "Guarantee" in Japanese?) - Windsor Everybody says "Europeans love American bands" and all of your favorite one-hit-wonders can still make money in Japan, but how do you do it? How do you book gigs? What about your gear? Do you need a work Visa or can you claim to be on vacation? Hear from booking agents, managers and bands that have taken their act across the pond. - Panos Panay, SonicBids - Benjamin Ruth, Artist/Chicago Music Explosion - Craig Calvert, Artist
Mentoring Sessions Grant Park - 12:00 - 5:30PM Lincoln - 12:00 - 5:30PM
Friday May 14th
10:30AM - 11:45AM Demo Listening (Urban) - Great Hall Bring your most recent release and get feedback from various perspectives: production, songwriting, A&R, press. Two sessions for Urban
Publishing (Video Games / TV / Movies) - Gold Companies are spending big money on music for video games, TV commercials, movies and other media (at least that's what Moby was telling everybody a few years ago). Are up-and-coming bands making money on publishing or is everybody giving it away for the exposure? Are they really getting exposure or just getting ripped off? - Joanne Ledesma, President, Ledesma Music Creative Services - Michael Metz, Audio Engineer, High Voltage Software - Shawn Murphy, ASCAP Midwest - Tim Stasica, Audio Engineer, High Voltage Software - Mark Wolfson, Director of Production and Development, Playtone Records
Legal (Things You Should Know When Starting Out) - Florentine To fall back on a tired old clich'e, it is the Music Business after all. Ask questions and get advice about business structures, taxes, contracts and much more. - Paul Natkin (moderator), Photographer, Paul Natkin Photo Reserve - Scott Shapiro, Esq., Attorney, Shapiro & Vasilatos, P.C. - Steven Masur, Esq., Partner, Masur & Associates, LLC - Danica Mathes, Esq., Entertainment & Intellectual Property Attorney,Blumenfeld, Kaplan & Sandweiss, P.C. - Brian Mencher, Esq., Attorney, Law Office of Brian Mencher -Donald R. Simon, Esq., Attorney, Entertainment Law Chicago, P.C.
Booking - Chicago - Windsor Interested in playing Chicago? Well, here's a collection of talent buyers from some of the Chicago-area's best venues and a few people that successfully book their bands at these clubs. - Fabian Guerra (moderator), Owner, Quest Management, Talent Buyer, Beat Kitchen - Phil Kosch, Talent Buyer, Double Door - Frank Mastalerz, Owner,Future Entertainment - Paul Panicali, Talent Buyer, Durty Nellie's
CD Manufacturing - Buckingham sponsored by Planning to release a CD? Find out about CD manufacturing, mastering, artwork, printing, UPC codes and more. - Bob Feineigle, D2 digi disc limited - Collin Jordan, The Boiler Room - Stephen Jensen, F3 Design
11:45AM - 1:00PM Case Studies (Advanced / Rock-Pop) - Great Hall Bands/Artists will be selected in advance to participate in a discussion about their careers, with a panel of industry professionals. Come and listen to the advice the panel offers to these artists. Each case study is designed for a different level and split between rock and urban. - Michael Freeman (moderator), President,Coachouse Music - Jim Alderdice, President, Ikon Artists, Inc. - Benjamin Brannen, Creative Manager, BMG Music Publishing - Ralph Covert, Artist/Songwriter/Instructor - Shawn Murphy, ASCAP Midwest - Jean Marc Rejaud, Founder, Focus Marketing - Scott Shapiro, Esq., Attorney, Shapiro & Vasilatos, P.C. - Mark Wolfson, Director of Production and Development, Playtone Records
TBA - Gold Description TBA
Constructing the Ultimate Press Kit (How to Put Your Best Foot Forward with out Breaking the Bank) - Florentine sponsored by Over time, materials and postage for press kits can be a substantial financial commitment for any band. Are you sure you're sending the right stuff? What information is best left for your website, not your physical kit? What about print quality images, PDF's, videos, etc? Learn the do's and don't's from professional journalists, publicists and other professionals. - Sheryl Northrop (moderator), The Baker/Northrop Media Group - Bram, SoundArt Management (Southern Office) - Steve Forstneger, Associate Editor, Illinois Entertainer - Wes Orshoski, Assistant Managing Editor, Relix Magazine - Stephen Jensen, F3 Design
Online Tools You Can Use Monday Morning Workshop - Windsor sponsored by It's hard to imagine that less than eight years ago DIY resources available to emerging artists were few and far between. From live touring to record distribution, the gatekeepers were everywhere and the options scarce. The Internet has ushered in a brand new era of opportunity for independent artists (though not without its pitfalls and snake oil peddlers). Sonicbids founder and CEO Panos Panay, will present a unique workshop on the promise that the Internet holds for emerging artists and offer some real, hands-on advise of how to take advantage of it - now! - Panos Panay, CEO, Sonicbids
College Market Workshop - Buckingham - Greg Diekroeger, Asst. Dir. Campus Activities, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
2:30 - 3:45PM Demo Listening (Rock) - Great Hall sponsored by Sound Mind & Body Institute / AIDS Rock Ohio Bring your most recent release and get feedback from various perspectives: production, songwriting, A&R, press. Three sessions for Rock/Pop - Eric Beall, Vice President, A&R, Sony Music - Jason Jordan, Vice President, A&R, Hollywood Records NYC - Eddie Phoon, Event Director, USA Songwriting Competition - Jordan Tischler, Producer, Digital Bear Entertainment - Butch Walker, Artist/Producer/Songwriter
Touring without Tour Support (Get the Van Tuned Up) - Gold Everybody will tell you to get your band out on the road and build a following, but how do you do that and still pay the bills at home? Get some tips on livin' the life of a Road Dog. - Teri Mazurek, Peppermint Booking - Jon Topper, Manager, Top Artist Productions - Denise Wallace, President/Agent, The College Agency
Street teams and Non-Traditional Marketing - Windsor Everybody talks about street teams, but how many actually work? What can you do besides putting your band's sticker on every toll-booth on I-90? Hear from people that operate successful street teams and non-traditional marketing campaigns. - Del Breckenfeld, Director of Entertainment Marketing, Fender Musical Instruments Corp./A&R Fender Records (Rhino/WEA) - Neil Sheehan, Founder,Hardcore Marketing, Inc.
Booking Festivals -Windsor The Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events website listed over 300 summer festivals for 2003. Successfully booking your band at these festivals could provide exposure to tens of thousands of potential fans. Who is booking these events? What kind of bands are they looking for? How can you get your foot in the door? - Barry Dolins, Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events - David Bash, International Pop Overthrow
TBA - Buckingham TBA
4:15 - 5:30PM TBA - Great Hall TBA
Producers - How to value, find and work with one - Gold How do you know if you just need an engineer or a producer for your project? When does a "suggestion" turn into a songwriting credit? And what about those "points" everybody's always talking about? Find out the real deal and get your questions answered by the professionals. - Michael Freeman (moderator), President, Coachouse Music - Terence Dover, President,Hotbed Music/Hotbed Records - Vince Lawrence, Producer, Slang Music Group - Carmen Rizzo, Producer/Engineer - Butch Walker, Artist/Producer/Songwriter
TBA - Florentine TBA
Scoring Press Coverage (Don't Get Dissed by the Music Media) - Windsor Tens-of-thousands of CDs are released each year and that's not counting the ones from truly independent artists. Music journalists today have more CDs on their desks than they could ever listen to. Learn how to navigate the world of music media from the insiders. - Sheryl Northrop (moderator), The Baker/Northrop Media Group - Steve Forstneger, Associate Editor, Illinois Entertainer - Rashaun Hall, R&B Editor, Airplay Monitor, Billboard/Rap Columnist - Mike O'Cull, Freelance Journalist - ChicagoGigs.com & Illinois Entertainer - Wes Orshoski, Assistant Managing Editor, Relix Magazine - Jared Wingert, Editorial/Accounts, Musicians Hotline/The Iowa Entertainer
Booking - Regional - Buckingham Get advice from talent buyers and booking agents from around the Midwest. - Greg Diekroeger, Asst. Dir. Campus Activities, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point - Frank Mastalerz, Owner, Future Entertainment - Teri Mazurek, Peppermint Booking - Chris Schuler, Agency Owner, Bass/Schuler Entertainment - Neil Sheehan, Founder, Hardcore Marketing, Inc.
Mentoring Sessions Grant Park - 10:30 - 5:30PM Lincoln - 10:30 - 5:30PM
Saturday May 15th
11:00AM - 12:15AM Website Workshop - Windsor Sponsored by Search engine placement, sound files, domain names, webhosting, etc. Come with your questions and get answers. - Kevin Morrissey, Partner, The Morrissey Group, Inc. and ChicagoGigs.com - Stephen Jensen, F3 Design
12:00PM - 1:00PM Electric Guitar Clinic - Great Hall Electric guitar techniques taught by Gary Hoey
12:45AM - 2:00PM Defining Success (Different Examples of Success in the Music Industry) - Gold Is success in the music business really just about Multi-Platinum record sales? If you think it is, you should know that only a few hundred releases worldwide reach Platinum certification each year. Hear from some people that have managed to make a living in "the business" with out ever appearing on MTV. - Paul Natkin (moderator), Photographer, Paul Natkin Photo Reserve - David Bash, Founder, International Pop Overthrow - Ed Breckenfeld, Artist - Tia Sillers, Songwriter 1:30PM - 2:30PM Drum Clinic - Great Hall Drum set techniques taught by Steve Smith
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Starting Your First Band - Lincoln - Paul Natkin (moderator), Photographer, Paul Natkin Photo Reserve - Dan de Ramos, Artist, Echosend - Paul Farahvar, President and CEO, Shoeshine Boy Productions, Inc. - Fabian Guerra, Owner, Beat Kitchen - Michael Kranicke, Artist, Voodoo Kings
4:15PM - 5:30PM Songwriting Workshop -Gold Songwriting Workshop with Mark Selby and Grammy award winner Tia Sillers, writers of mega-hits for artists like Dixie Chicks, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and others.
Musician hearing loss / facts and solutions - Florentine This course taught by audiologist Michael Santucci provides insight into the field of hearing conservation for musicians from an audiologist who is a pioneer in this area. Drum Tuning Clinic - Lincoln Drum tuning techniques taught by Ed Breckenfeld
4:30PM - 5:30PM Bass Clinic - Great Hall Bass Guitar techniques taught by Billy Sheehan
Mentoring Sessions Grant Park - 10:30 - 4:00PM
NOTE - The schedule of events, panel topics, panelists, speakers and clinicians are subject to change. If an event has to be changed, MECA Music Conference & Festival will make every effort to make a substitution of equivalent quality and/or substance. MECA Music Conference & Festival is not liable for any inconvenience or damages caused by a change in schedule and/or presenters.