Hump Days with Jen Creed

I would like to welcome you to the first of many installments here on Wednesdays with me or as I like to call them, Hump Days with The Jen Creed. I am an Artist Coordinator here at ArtiSans Label, where I happen to be the most musically inept person in the building. As my picture accurately depicts, I don’t know how to play the acoustic guitar nor any instrument for that matter. Well, there’s one song I can play on the piano, but it’s only because my hands memorized it years ago. If you forced me to look at the sheet music it would all be over from there.

My aptitude for music is not what got me to this phenomenal place on Fender Avenue. The path that I have taken to get here has been a six-year long search to discover my abilities, strengths and ultimately what I love doing. I have worked extensively in television and short film. I’ve been a producer, editor, assistant director, utility, production assistant, location coordinator… basically I became the Jen of All Trades. Every job that I have had came about by a friend or a contact that I have forged along my career path. I am here because of my ability to step out and introduce myself to people. The perfect example is when I introduced myself to Mike (ArtiSans President) at a music festival in downtown Las Vegas right as he was trying to sit down and enjoy a quiet meal. It was the worst quiet meal he’d ever had, but he appreciated my company none-the-less.

So why am I an Artist Coordinator? Well, the process of starting and releasing an album is much like releasing a short film. They both require an insane amount of preproduction, budgeting, price shopping, permits, crew, equipment, etc. From the studio side, we help take care of all of those. We look at your goals for the next album, your budget, necessary business and legal forms, merchandise and we do all of the price shopping for you. I am the producer of your film who prepares and gathers everything to your liking so that you can sit back and be the director of your piece of art.

Swing through next week for some helpful tips on how to become a better networker to help guide you down your path.

Cheers!

Who Are You, & Why Should I Care What You Have To Say?

The first thing I think when I start reading a blog, written by some blow-hard whom I know nothing about, is "why should I listen to you?" Now I find myself in the position of being a blogger and I expect that many of you will be skimming my posts and asking yourself, "who the hell is this guy and why should I care what he has to say?" Introductions are definitely in order.

My name is John Cunningham...but I prefer J.C. or John C. I am a bass player...and yes, I chose to be a bass player. I love the role of the bass, being the tie that binds the guitars to the drums, being the most important instrument in the band (and yes I can argue that point) without being the focus. As a bass player, I love being involved in all aspects of a song, keeping true to the song while making sure that my note choices are more about the best interest of the song rather than the best interests of my ego.

I am also one of the Artist Coordinators at ArtiSans Label. As an Artist Coordinator, I have an integral role in every aspect of an album that I help release. I am the hub for all of the services that an artist needs when getting their album released. I make sure that I focus on what is important to the artist and what will most benefit the album release. It's a lot like playing bass...but without the callouses!

I have been involved in music for almost 20 years in one capacity or another, and I have made almost all the mistakes that a wide-eyed musician with hopes of being a rock star makes. I've given money to shady people that made (and broke) extravagant too-good-to-be-true promises. I've played an overwhelming amount of shows to empty venues. I once booked a great gig at the most populated hang spot on a college campus, only to arrive and find that there was a campus dance that night (we ended up playing that show to four very upset girlfriends and one overly excited janitor). I recorded a great album and left myself no money to get it replicated. I have boxes of unsold t-shirts buried in my garage. The list goes on and on and on...

But I've learned from my mistakes. I now have a ferocious appetite for discovering what works for independent artists and passing that information on to them. In my new role as a blogger I will bring my readers the information they need to not make the same mistakes I (and so many others) made.

The tides have shifted. Now, more than any other time in the history of the music industry, independent artists have access to the knowledge and tools to take control of their careers and become profitable as independents.

I just want to help.

J.C.
www.artisanslabel.com
studio.artisanslabel.com