Elks is a private club. To get on the list email me at: info@matthewmoranonline.com

Dangerous Girl and other songs performed live

During our recent “Roots & Roll” shows with Bill Wickham, I had the pleasure of performing in front of some friends in Palmdale. Butler’s Coffee is an excellent little venue and Kevin Smith does a great job of providing a place for songwriter’s to perform.

Here is a video of my song, Dangerous Girl, performed with Melinda Lima. She sings backup with my band but also comes out for acoustic shows. I love her work on this song. I’ve include some videos below that as well to a couple other songs from those shows. We’ve also put the lyrics in the video. Enjoy!!!

Dangerous Girl: (Watch it on YouTube)

____

Everyday Lies: (Watch it on YouTube)

____

How It Goes with the full band (Watch it on YouTube)

Yesterday morning Firefox provided an update. I installed the update and took a look at the changes – something I often neglect to do. I saw something listed called TAB GROUPS. Wow! Pretty cool.

Check out this video that demonstrates what they are and how to use them.

If you are an artist or if you help one out, ArtistData.com is an essential tool to help you manage and update your calendars. By entering your show into ArtistData, it can update your other calendars like, Facebook, myspace, and also your website. Additionally, artistdata is setup to publish your show to several of the most prominent online calendars.

This short video shows how it’s done. Enjoy and let others know.

You can see the artistdata website calendar by looking at my show page, here.

ArtistData has a number of other services, including tourbooklets and also blog syndication. Recently purchased by SonicBids, it will be interesting to see how the service evolves.

SAME GREAT INFO – NEW LOCATION

In order to simplify my life and do a better job of publishing content, I am moving my blog post and tutorials for musicians to my music page. In order to understand why, please read my blog post, Helping musicians grow their music business.

Join me and let me know what you need to know… I’ll do my best to help you.

I met songwriter Bill Wickham during the Glendale Folk & Heritage Festival in Arizona. I was immediately impressed with his songwriting and casual nature. We played together a few times in Arizona but now Bill is coming to California.. and so…

The “Roots and Roll” Tour

Okay, tour might be ambitious but Bill and I are playing 3 shows together (as of this writing).  The show dates and locations are below the posters. Click the posters to get a full-sized version and feel free to pass the poster or this page to your friends.

Thursday, September 1st, Butler’s Coffee, Palmdale

Time: 7-9PM
Address: 40125 10th Street West, Palmdale, CA 93551

Friday, September 2nd, Rusty’s Pizza, Ventura

Time: 7-9PM
Address: 444 Santa Clara St., Ventura, CA 93001

Saturday, September 3rd, The Talking Stick, Venice

Time: 6-8PM
Address: 1411-C Lincoln Blvd., Venice Beach, CA 90291

The 1st and 2nd will be acoustic shows. Tom, our drummer, should be back by the 3rd and so most of the band should be at that one.

I look forward to seeing you there.

The poster created in the tutorial can be found below. FYI: I don’t claim to be a designer  

An update for August 1, 2011

I used to hate recording. The truth is I find it tedious although it has become more pleasurable. First, having the guys at Easy Street Studio in Simi Valley, CA handle all the technical details is nice.

But anyway you cut it, the studio is NOT the stage. The stage provides immediate gratification. It also allows for “stylistic flexibility” – aka: mistakes. They are there and then gone – you move on, you perform, no one is any wiser. It is energy.

The studio, not so much and that is a critical component. A recent vocal professionally gave me this suggestion.. “Start performing in the studio – capture that energy. Don’t worry as much about pitch and performance. You can do as many takes as possible and you will get pitch but if you don’t perform you won’t get the energy.”

Okay.. that is sort of a paraphrase of a longer and more scattered conversation but the point is well-made and well-taken.

Other Observations & News

Backing Vocals/Harmonies

We are going back to the studio to finalize 8 songs we’ve tracked and start on at least 2 more. First, however, I’m taking some time to work on the backing vocals on those 10 songs and several more.

The same vocal pro referenced above, worked with Melinda and I. (Melinda is new to the band and a beautiful vocalist.. We’ll introduce her soon.) During that time, he encouraged me to stop worrying about the technical harmony – the 3rd – and simply find a new melody line to my song – and test it over my melody line. Practice with several – above and below my line. Of course.. that worked and great headway has been made.

Merchandise & Gigs

We are working hard to create some new t-shirts and book more gigs. The focus on recording took me off this activity but I am back to it again.

Also, we have a couple new t-shirt ideas in the works. Look for announcements.

For current gigs – look here. We are planning a combination of band, solo, and semi-band (me and Elliot, me and Melinda, me and some of the other band members) – NOTE, I AM IN ALL THOSE COMBOS. 

If you get a chance, come on out!

My occasional foray into song origins

Some songs have a “real life” experience backing them up. This one doesn’t.

Those who know me know that I am “almost” a teetotaler. I drink a glass of wine every other night, maybe. Sort of funny when the bar you play music at gives you free drinks and you are ordering Arnold Palmers – that is my mixed beverage of choice.

This sort of came about as a phrase through some rapid random thoughts.

We had a bottle of wine on the counter next to some cheerios – and I thought.. “wine and cheerios.. breakfast of champions.” Then I thought, “It’s too early for wine and cheerios – so dump the cheerios and go for the wine.”

Almost immediately, the idea of this song arrived. I thought it would be too early for hard liquor and some heartbroken guy could choose wine instead. Hence:
“It’s too early for whisky so I’m starting with wine.”

I liked it!

I wrote the chorus before I ever picked up my guitar but I knew immediately that it was a honkytonk – simple sort of tune. I’ve played it once before for my band and they like it – although, we’ve yet to adopt it.

CHORUS:
It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine
Too late for forgiveness, she’s made up her mind
I should be heartbroken but you know I feel fine
It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine

In my mind I created a scenario – a simple scene played over and over again.  The woman, finally fed up, leaves. In the song, I have her leave her wine so that my anti-hero can drink it the next morning. Rather than “drink it down” he “drunk it down” – which is a purposeful grammatical mishap.

I wrote the chorus, sang it for about 2 weeks before writing the rest of the song. I had the chorus written first, so I usually sing it starting with the chorus.

Here is the song in it’s entirety. Enjoy!

Too Early For Whiskey (so I’m starting with wine)

Copyright © Matthew Moran – 2010

CHORUS:

It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine
Too late for forgiveness, she’s made up her mind
I should be heartbroken but you know I feel fine
It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine

VERSE:

The sun comes up and the sorrow starts to make me think
That what I want for breakfast is a long tall drink
But my friends tell me that morning and Jack don’t mix
So this bottle of cheap red wine had better do the trick
(chorus)

VERSE

She finally got the nerve to say she’d had enough
Put her glass of wine down, packed her bags and threw them in the trunk
When I woke the next morning she was nowhere to be found
I took that half-finished glass of wine and I drunk it down
(chorus)

Let me know what you think.

Couple hours at the coffeehouse.. come on out.

We are performing from 6:30 or 7pm until 10 or so.

Laura Lynn: 7:00PM
Rena Wren & Jay Matsueda: 8:15PM
Matt Moran Band: 9:15PM

Here is a link to the latest newsletter. Below is a message I put in the newsletter. Below that is a new song I just introduced to the band.

We have some shows coming up

Friday, May 20th, at The Red Cove. We are playing with two heavy funk jam bands – The Hours Before & Jam Stain. I’m not exactly sure what heavy jam funk is but we plan to rock with them in Ventura.

Thursday, June 23rd, we are playing in Santa Barbara at The Creekside Inn.

Monday, June 27th, we are closing the night for Rena Wren at The Talking Stick in Los Angeles.

Check out the poster’s below for details or see the show page.

The Songwriter Online’s Matthew Moran will be presenting a FREE seminar titled:
Music 2 Money: Business Strategies & Technologies for the Professionally-minded Musician.

Here is the event page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160350834019036

Additional details:
Where: GC Studios, 6400 Owensmouth Ave, Woodland Hills, CA  91367
When: 2:00PM to 3:00PM
What: Matt will cover a basic business plan, merchandising, gigging strategy, and tools to help you both organize your business and create a stronger online presence.

Please help spread the word. Share on Facebook and pass along to your friends.

We are very excited to announce our review in the March 2011 issue of:
Music Connection Magazine

Music Writer, Tom Laurie, attended our show in January.. apparently, he liked it! You can also find the complete text of the review below the photo gallery.

You can click the image to see the review full-size or download a PDF here.

FYI: We are back at Yankee Doodles on April 2nd. Check the schedule.

Also, Mickey Yeh of Mickey Yeh Photography was there. Check out the gallery below:

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

123?

REVIEW

Material: Americana and country that curve in and out of the rock and roll realm. Moran’s music is sweet, in tune, and hip in nature. A little Paul Simon combined with a bit of Hootie and the Blowfish comes across quite well with the band’s Simon and Garfunkel-like choruses. Moran’s material encompasses everything from slow and chill country to rock & roll that raises your blood pressure a few notches.

Musicianship: Moran’s acoustical skills shine, while Turret on the lead guitar lets his fingers fly loose, keeping the music fresh and edgy. Kelly Irelan does a good job on backing vocals and keys while Pederson and Gallela set the tempo and keep everyone in line and on time. They all mesh well with one another, sharing laughs and looks on state that are usually reserved for old hands with a decade or more of experience together.

Performance: Yankee Doodle’s and The Matt Moran Band go hand in hand; fun, country-like and just a plain good time. At this show, the musicians had to share a small stage but they played big, showed a lot of heart and sound and left nothing in the dressing room. Moran was the most interesting to watch as he moved about the limited stage area, squeezing every ounce of energy from himself.

Summary: The member of The Matt Moran Band and their material are perfectly suited to each other – like a country breakfast down on the farm, it just fits. Their lyrics speak of doing the right thing – honesty, truth, integrity. Combine that with Americana overtones and the result is a show with a lot of soul.
- Tom Laurie

Please join us in the Lounge at RadioBuzzD - Valencia, California.

I typically want my band’s videos to have a more professional appearance. Rather than have the video just start, I wanted to add an image with the band and logo at the start of the video. I, however, am not really a graphic designer. Rather than use a complicated graphics program, I found that using Powerpoint provides a very rapid method for doing exactly what I wanted.

If you find this helpful, please pass it along and leave us a comment. Have a question? Leave that here too.

Here is an example from one of my band’s videos:

Link to: PDF | High Res JPG

A few weeks ago we had Mickey Yeh of Mickey Yeh Photography come out and shoot some photos of a live performance. We loved the shots and they were use to create our new one page press kit. Interested in booking the band, contact us at: booking@MatthewMoranOnline.com or call: 818-584-6288

We are currently scheduling studio time and hope to have a more fully-produced version of 4 songs. We will be starting with this tune – a band and fan favorite.

A Little Bit of Everything: on YouTube

Enjoy!

This survey created for free using Google Docs.
Want to know more, just ask.

We have some exciting programs and services we can offer but also want to ensure our educational material is focused on YOU and what YOU need. We will be emailing all participants the results of the survey with some expert insight into each topic of interest.

Help us spread the word and pass the survey to your friends and websites you frequent.

Thanks,
  Matt

We’re Back!!!! A mostly acoustic performance – no drums… no Tom @ The Big Buddha Lounge 6:00PM – 8:00PM 530 N. Ventura Ave. Oak View, CA 93022 (map)

If you’ve never been up to The Big Buddha Lounge, you need to. If not for our band (which is reason enough), then for the great food, ambiance, furniture, and people. David and Arianne run the place and our visits out there have rated between wonderful and magical.

Plan it right, take some time and drive up to Ojai, tool around some shopping and then make your way back to “the Lounge” and relax.

THIS IS NOT A MUSIC SHOW.

Matt Moran is providing a workshop for musicians at Guitar Center's GC Studios in Woodland Hills.

Please check back. The actual starting time for the GC Studios open house and for this workshop will be set shortly.

I will representing TheSongwriterOnline.com and taking part in a panel discussing Music, Marketing, and Artist Development this Thursday at:

The House of Blues, Los Angeles (West Hollywood)

8430 Sunset Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069 (Google map)

(323) 848–5100

The panel is schedule to run from 7:00pm – 9:00pm with plenty of time for Q & A.

The Panel and discussion is being sponsored by Cosmo Coalition and Moderated by Toni Koch.

Panel Members:

Harvey Cooper – A&R/Development, Little Hartley Music
John Scott G – G-Man Marketing
Kat Ellis – El Ey Promo / Video Webcasting
David McLane – 3D Video Producer
Matt Moran – The Songwriter Online & The Matt Moran Band

click image to open full-size

The Matt Moran Band will be in Ojai, February 4th, 2011. Playing the World Famous Deer Lodge from 9PM-11PM. The Deer Lodge is located at: 2261 Maricopa Hwy Ojai, CA 93023 (click here for a map)

Two weeks later, on February 19th, a semi-acoustic set [ no Tom   ] will take place in Oak View – just outside of Ojai, at The Big Buddha Lounge – 6PM-8PM – roughly.

One of the major challenges many musicians face is this perceived contradiction between being professional (taking an analytic, project, and execution based approach to building their music career) and the art (the creative act of writing, performing, and perfecting their craft). There is, what seems to be, an unspoken disdain for those who enact a plan that progressively grows their music career in the same way a business might grow it’s customer base and product or service distribution. As though those who approach their music this way and succeed are somehow cheating; sacrificing or compromising their art in a greedy pursuit of success.

If this is you, get over it! And quickly!

A Reasonable Plan

I want to provide insight and ideas to help you start and develop a reasonable business plan.  By reasonable I mean that you won’t need to create a 50 or 100 page business plan with analytics, charts, demographics, and detailed execution list. You will need to do a little thinking and a little writing. But the mode of operation here is to start simple and build.

Starting Points

When I wrote my first business plan for music it was probably 3 or 4 pages of general ideas. Almost no paragraphs, just bulleted list with some explanations. I identified 9 initial goals. I looked at my list and determined that I could not do all of them. Time did not permit me to. So I greatly reduced my list of "right now" items. My first 3 were the following:

• Mailing List
• Merchandise
• Venues

Mailing List

This was my first for a simple reason. I had people coming to see me play. They wanted to know when I was playing again.  Some quick thoughts on this.. start immediately. Make it simple to sign up. Use a professional service so you can quickly/easily manage the list, capture the email addresses on your website, and so that it adheres to spamming laws. I use Mailchimp these days. It isn’t the simplest but it is free until your list exceeds 1,000 fans/sign-ups.

Merchandise

If people connect with your music, they will want to take you home with them – figuratively (and I suppose literally in some cases). Bumper stickers, postcards, a demo CD with 4 songs, t-shirts, etc. There are some great inexpensive ways to create or get merchandise.

Venues

I wanted to keep track of the venues I played and what I thought about them.  There are different types and reasons for playing certain venues. I play original music and that has its own challenges. For instance, most bars want classic rock and country covers or dance music. People come to hear what they know. You can earn some money doing these but if you are playing original music, this is not your venue.

I would classify whether a venue paid (and how much), how long the set had to be, whether I was "background atmosphere" or whether it was a "listening venue" – where people came to hear original music.

Here is why. There are times I wanted to know I was being directly paid for the time I spent – restaurants and background venues. Other times, I was more interested in playing for new listeners – even if only 5 of them.

First Steps

While I listed those items first, I already had a prior web presence due to some articles and a book I’d written. You may or may not have a website. If you DO NOT have your own domain and website, that step supersedes the 3 above.

In fact, here is a quick list of steps I recommend. Each is or will be expanded upon in future posts.

1. Register and host your domain. I recommend and use BlueHost. If you sign up using our affiliate link, it cost you no more than going direct but does help support TheSongwriterOnline.com.
    
   Why bluehost? $100 per year gets you the ability to host multiple domains and they have auto-installs for many free website publishing platforms and utilities. Including WordPress (see #2).
    
2. Use WordPress for your website. WordPress is a free blogging/podcasting and content management system. I use it for my music site and for TheSongwriterOnline.com. It has a huge community of developers who build free and low-cost add-ons to add functionality to your site. It integrates with all social media platforms and has search engine benefits.

Once you have those two first steps in place then look at the 3 items above. Or build your own list and figure out what items you can actually get done well right away. Exclude the others until you have mastered the first few.

Important considerations

• Myspace is not a website: neither is Facebook, Reverbnation, SonicBids, etc. Own your piece of the Internet.
• Posting on Twitter/Facebook is not marketing. Don’t be a blip on a timeline.
• Even when playing just for tips, a CD of you sitting down at your PC is better than nothing and will help increase your tips. Let people take you home with them.

"Hey Daddy, I want an Oompa Loompa. I want you to get me an Oompa Loompa right away.  …    I want an Oompa Loompa now!!" – Veruca Salt, Willy Wonka
– continue reading and that quote will make more sense.

I’m impatient! My friends know this. When I set my mind on something I want it and I want it now. That impatience played a part in writing the song, "All I Want Is Everything."

Here is the video, with lyrics, from a recent performance with the band.

All I Want Is Everything

In 2009 I was making what felt like great strides musically, with consulting work, and in some writing projects. One of these was the formation of a band.

I had moved back to California, Rebecca was in Arizona. We were having our nightly phone conversation and I was complaining about how all these projects were taking too long to get moving.

In true self-centered fashion, I was ranting, "I just want everything! I want everything right now!" (don’t call me Veruca)  I’m sure my language and tone was colored with frustration.

When I took a moment to breath, Rebecca said quietly, "All I want is you."

Come on everyone, in unison, "Awwww. . . . ."

It stopped me in my tracks. I told her that was one of the sweetest things I’d ever heard. What happened next is subject to debate.

My perspective:
I told Rebecca I thought there was a song in there; the phrase. We ended our conversation, said our goodbye’s and I love you’s and retired for the evening.

Rebecca’s perspective:
I said excitedly, "There is a song in there. Talk to you tomorrow." At which point I quickly hung up!

You’ll have to make your determination as to which story is most accurate.

I woke early the next morning – about 4:30 or so. By 6:30 I had recorded and uploaded a rough version of this song. I proceeded to text Becky, finally waking her up, and asked her to check her email. I had sent her the song. (I told you I am impatient)

It has become a favorite for both the band and the audience.

LYRICS:

All I Want Is Everything
Copyright © 2009 – Matthew Moran

VERSE:
She said, Baby I must confess
I’m missing you, yeah I’m a mess
I reach out for you and your not here
I call for you and your not there

CHORUS
I hear you saying that you just want everything
Don’t you know I want the same thing too
She said, All I want is everything and baby that means
All I want is you

VERSE:
I want the sunlight on your face
to be your storm, your sea, your resting place
To kiss you awake, to kiss you to bed
and a brand new day to start it all again

I want passion that won’t ever end
To be your every lover and your one true friend
I want to fill your mind with fantasy
I want to chain you down, I want to set you free
(chorus)

VERSE:
I want to be your morning & be your night
Be there to make up after every fight
I want the best of you and I want your worst
I want to feed your hunger and quench your thirst

I want your 10 cent and 4-letter words
I want your rational and I want your absurd
I want love that burns hot to the touch
Yeah I want everything, is that too much
(chorus)

How about, "Coffee, Kids, and Rock & Roll!"

During a recent chat with my friend, Marc, a consultant in Salt Lake City, I was excited about our show the night prior and said, "I’m a Rock Star!"

He responded with, "I thought you were a crossover star?"

Which brought up a bit of a dilemma with the issue of genre and musical classification.

It is one I am unsure how to solve or answer. The long answer I provide when someone ask, "What kind of music do you play?" is..

"Modern Americana – acoustically driven rock and country crossover with pop sensibilities."

??????????? I really don’t understand it so I can’t expect someone else to.

Sometimes I say, "think John Mellencamp meets James Taylor meets ??"

That isn’t really it. I am thinking it is rock and roll – with an acoustic base.. or contemporary country pop?

If I say "rock & roll", people assume the current, two screaming guitars and a bit of anger. If I say "pop" they are thinking auto-tuned hip/rap. If I say "country", they think we sing about tractors and jacked-up tailgates and "pretty thangs" in Daisy Duke shorts. Americana? – it is a catch all and the people playing it know that but now even country artist hoping to appeal to a larger base use it.

In any case, the verdict remains out. When asked the question I think I’ll say, "Mighty Fine Music!"

I’m not much of a New Year’s resolution kind of guy but I would like to start the new year with some news and some plans. And then what I would love from passionate listeners. The first issue at hand is to introduce you more or less formally to the band.

 
Elliot Turret (lead guitar), Tom Galella (drums, vocals), Matt Moran (guitar, vocals),
Leif Pederson (bass, vocals), Kelly Irelan (vocals, keys)

We will be redoing a lot of the website’s content. Not so much the look but I am doing a lot more performing and work with the band than as a solo performer and I want that reflected here… the band works hard to create a great sound!

The Lineup:
Matt Moran – vocals, guitar, songwriting
Tom Galella – drums, vocals
Leif Pedersen – bass, vocals
Elliot Turret – lead guitar
Kelly Irelan – vocals, keyboard, guitar

The Plan:
Right now, it’s simple. Create a dynamic show, excellent music, good energy, and get booked in YOUR town.

We are starting with Southern California – from Santa Barbara down to Orange County. We are working with some venues and our team to play a certain area every 4-12 weeks.

In the meantime, we plan to record – first a 4 song EP but then quickly add songs to form a 11 song CD/project. We also have some new t-shirt designs and other merchandise you can get at shows or on the website.

You!!
The most important team member is you. The passionate listener (aka: fan). The first thing you need to do is listen and enjoy! If you do nothing else, we are grateful for the opportunity.

After that, we do need a small army to help us get our music to as many people as possible.  Here is what we need:

• Venues! If you know of a good venue and can help us get some bodies through their door, let us know. Better yet, if you know the venue owner, make the introduction for us.
   
• Come to a show! We promise a great experience. Grab a friend or two (or 10) and come on out. See the schedule for more information.
   
• Spread the word! Music does not spread naturally, it takes people telling people. So… tell some people.
   
• Join us on Facebook and ask others to do the same. Get on the mailing list and ask others to do the same.
   
• Order Some Merchandise! Okay, as of this writing, we don’t have the merchandise online but in the next few weeks, look for it. If you want some free merchandise, consider being a "Street Team" member.

What is a street team?
People who help us spread the word and take an active role in helping get people to shows. We send Street Teamers posters and flyers and are putting together a FREE promo package that will include t-shirts and other merchandise. To get more information, send an email to INFO @ Matthew Moran Online (DOT) com (remove spaces and convert (DOT) to “.” – helps me reduce spam).

Hope to see you at a show soon!

This is a cool new bar/lounge - casual atmosphere, really nice owners.

An acoustic set but I might have some band mates and friends out to accompany.

The Matt Moran Band returns to Simi Valley. Come on out!

We are performing as part of a night of music put on at the Bamboo Lounge by One Way Entertainment. Performances will start at 6:00PM. We play from 7-8PM with some additional acts to follow.

An acoustic set but I might have some band mates and friends out to accompany.

On Wednesdays  Brennan brings in several acts prior to their regular house band starting. We played her a few weeks back and are excited to be back.

Our set starts at 8PM, so be there at 7. :-D

Orange County's Fallen Stars and Ventura County's Matt Moran Band are teaming up for a great show up in Ventura.

You want Americana - music with some heart, come out to this show and bring a friend along.

My “Start of November 2010” newsletter.

This will only take a moment.
The band has one performance currently planned before the end of the year.
 
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 – 8PM
Brennan’s in Marina del Rey
4089 Lincoln Blvd, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 (map)
50 minutes of music with the band. If you are in the area, or know someone who is, come on out.

On the Horizon
We are going to finish out the year with some new recordings and a new t-shirt design or two. Plus, look for an announcement, we have some shows planned in January and February already and two workshops on Business Strategy, Technology, Tools,  & Online Presence for Musicians.

Upcoming performances – house concerts and full-band performances:
We are going to be scheduling house concerts in: Salt Lake, Seattle, Scottsdale, Chicago, Colorado – and the list is growing. If you are interested in helping by hosting a house concert, please check out the house concert information page.

As far as full-band gigs: Las Vegas, Phoenix, Ventura, Santa Barabara, North Hollywood… (actually, all around So Cal).

Also, look for New Mexico, Florida (planning a "Festival in the Ferns" – this needs to happen) and hopefully both a workshop and a performance in Atlanta.

Until then, there will be some new music and new recordings and you will be the first to know.

Help spread the word and don’t be shy, say hello from time to time.

Thanks,
Matt Moran

facebook

Once again, we turn to Google for an amazing tool. I’ve done several surveys for both general business and music business interested folks. I’ve used Google forms to create the surveys and when doing so, have asked if people want to learn how to create and use a form similar to what they are filling out. And surprise, it remains one of the most popular topics.

Here is a video showing how to setup your first Google Form. Of course, you will need a gmail or google apps account. But that takes no time and is one of the most valuable tools you will use.

Watch the video and then, if you wish, go to test the form out.

If you have questions or comments, leave them here on the website or send an email to one of the email addresses listed in the video.

This FREE Workshop is taking place at GC Studios (http://www.gcstudios.com)

November 2nd, 7:00PM-9:00PM

Some of what you will learn:

• Business & Marketing Plan Basics
• The true purpose of social media:
• The 7 point roadmap to online success
• Google Tools for collaborating with your team, productivity, and website analytics
• Why you MUST have a mailing list and how go grow and manage it
• Using WordPress to build your website, blogging, search engine optimization, and sharing your music
• How and when Social Media matters (how to Twitter without losing your mind or your time)
• Merchandise Basics and Ideas

There will be time for Q & A.

More information at:
http://1102gcstudios.eventbrite.com/

Story Behind The Song

We added Slam Shut to the set list. I wrote it a few years back and have played it off and on live. In fact, I played it with a house band in Arizona and that is what prompted me to put my band together.

Origins

A couple years ago my son hitchhiked around the US. He chronicles some of that journey and its spiritual impact here. While dropping him at a bus station I saw a young lady getting off or on a bus. Bus stops seem to be hard luck story breeding grounds so, although I only saw the young girl briefly, I started filling in back story.

2 songs came out of this single incident.  Do It Again (which we will write about later) and this song, Slam Shut.

Below the lyrics I have a video of a simple acoustic rendition of the song. Warning: When you see this live, the band plays this MUCH LOUDER! 

Lyrics

Slam Shut
Copyright 2010 © Matthew Moran

VERSE
She said she was looking for a better life
A brand new start, a way to jump this bumpy ride
Her broken dreams and shattered faith had been tossed aside
But give her time to find herself and she’ll get by

He hitched himself a ride just south of L.A.
Wondered if it would drop him short or take him all the way
As the city receded it was begging him to stay
He had nothing to lose, he had nothing to say
(chorus)

CHORUS 
Slam shut another door
Chalk it up to just one more
Relationship that’s gone awry

You can’t hold onto to your past
Or what was never meant to last
You gotta give in if your gonna get by

VERSE
You make your bed when you make your mind
You gotta sleep in it, you gotta do the time
There’s no use second guessing what is yours and what is mine
If the truth be told you’ve been doing fine
(chorus)

This is not a musical performance. This workshop will cover 2 hours of strategy, technology, and tips.

Come out and see the band for a 50 minute set of music in beautiful Marina del Rey.

This video shows how the Google Tasks and Google Calendar work together.

Reverbnation.com is one of the most useful tools at a musicians disposal. Sharing music, videos, images, and tools to add players, calendars, and mailing list to websites and to Facebook, make it an essential website.

One of the features you should become familiar with are TunePaks. Tunepaks are customized list of songs you can send via email, instant message, or on Facebook. You can create multiple Tunepaks and use them as needed to send to fans or to members of your band or team.

This video shows you how to create a tunepak and modify song order. Then I demonstrate the Tunepaks by putting the link into my browser.

Here is the Tunepak I created in this video:
http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/2952473

The iGoogle or Google Apps start page (newly available) give you a way to organize your various applications and see an overview of your business at a glance.

This quick video shows how to setup your iGoogle dashboard and gadgets – windows to your gmail or google applications.

Enjoy!

The latest newsletter is out. It includes: Upcoming shows at Butler’s Coffee in Palmdale, CA and with the band at Yankee Doodle’s in Simi Valley, CA. My latest musical obsession – Paul Thorn. And FREE CD update.

A few other items to let you know about…

The Band:
I’ve auditioned a couple guitar players and have one rehearsing with us tonight.

I am tentatively looking for a keyboard player and a backing vocalists. I say tentatively because I am not adding anyone to the band unless the fit is really ideal.

House Concerts:
We continue to reach out and get new house concert hosts. If you’ve wondered about house concerts – what they are, how they work, check out my house concert information page, the simple guide to house concerts, and the one page house concert guide.

We'll be performing a little over an hour - until about 11PM when the DJ starts.

Yankee Doodle's has a dedicated room and stage for music and dancing.. so come on out!!