Mahmood Khan

Mahmood Khan is an experienced sound engineer, producer, writer, lyricist, performer and one of the pioneers of the fusion sound. After an extensive foray writing and producing music, Mahmood spent five years finding and putting together what is today known as mahmoodkhanFunk (MKF), a group of talented musicians. Check out their performance at the Sydney Opera House below:

Mahmood is a dedicated musician that has embraced the Internet and social media to promote his music.  After promoting their video on YouTube, they received 100k hits in just one week. MKF has also established a relationship with Gibson, getting them on board as partners to do some press. They are currently in the process of creating a weekly live performance of Mahmood Khan on the Internet using Livestream.

CLICK HERE to visit MKF’s site.

Category: Audiolife, Music | 1 Comment »

Tags: Audiolife artist, Mahmood Khan, mahmood khan funk

On behalf of Audiolife, I would like to welcome The Dirty Heads!  We guarantee you’ll love their upbeat, feel-good music–we know we do! CLICK HERE to visit their site and check out their jams.

They’ve also put together a pretty kick ass bundle to sell through their Audiolife store that includes: a merch item of your choice, Skullcandy headphones, signed poster, digital album download and one Limited Edition demo.  CLICK HERE to check it out!

Category: Audiolife, Music | No Comments »

Tags: Audiolife artists, The Dirty Heads

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Audiolife, an eCommerce platform for independent artists and labels, has partnered with Concord Music Group for the exclusive launch of rising pop star Anjulie’s Direct-to-Fan online store. Anjulie’s Audiolife powered store offers a fully-customized platform for fans from across the globe to gain access to exclusive content including ringtones and merchandise.

“Audiolife offers a fully-integrated Direct-to-Fan platform that caters to the new music business and its unique set of demands. Their platform will give Anjulie the opportunity to turn every song, album, and live event into a unique offering and experience for her fans,” remarked Dave Henson, New Media Manager of Concord Music Group. “We’re excited to be launching Anjulie’s store with Audiolife and look forward to launching many more artist stores in the near future.”

Fresh off her tour with Raphael Saadiq, Anjulie is gearing up to provide her fans with a custom set of products including:

• An exclusive mp3 download of “Jamba” only available through her Audiolife store in the U.S.
• Exclusive online merchandise
• Remixed downloads of some of her most popular tracks including “Love Song,” “Rain,” and “Boom”

“We’re definitely looking forward to working with Anjulie and Concord Music Group,” added Brandon Hance, CEO of Audiolife. “We think Anjulie’s fans will be quite pleased with the array of exclusive products in her store and hope it will be the first of many more artist store launches to come.”

To view Anjulie’s Audiolife-powered store, visit her site: http://www.anjuliemusic.com/store

For Anjulie interviews regarding her online store, please contact: Rebekah Iliff, Rebekah[at]Audiolife.com or call 310-770-8338.

About Audiolife

Audiolife (www.Audiolife.com) is the leading Direct-to-Fan eCommerce platform that empowers independent artists and record labels to cost-effectively make money by selling CDs, merchandise, digital downloads and ringtones with no upfront inventory costs. The first-of-its-kind eCommerce platform facilitates selling products “on-demand” directly to fans via portable storefronts on websites, blogs, and social networks. No other platform, specifically created for artists, provides a worldwide, one-stop-shop solution for custom promotion, manufacturing and distribution.

Category: Audiolife, Music | No Comments »

Tags: Anjulie, Audiolife, Concord Music Group, direct to fan online store, eCommerce

Ask yourself one question before reading this article.  Does my music sound outdated or new and innovative?

Just as technology, business structures, and the understanding of science changes over time, so does art. Music has gone through several different eras throughout history.  We’ve gone through musical periods such as Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic, most lasting over 100 years to new musical periods like swing, big band, 50’s hop, and the birth of rock n’ roll.  Modern musical eras are now getting shorter and shorter.  Of course this is mostly due to the invention of electricity and now computers have made it possible for us to explore numerous sounds that we could have never imagined turning into music.  With all of these new resources at our fingertips we must take advantage of the new choices provided for us.

In the line of work that I do I often come across bands music that sounds like they are stuck back in the 80’s hair band era or the 90’s and they are trying to sound like Creed.  It is so important that we remember that those eras in music have come and gone and the only bands/artists that will be successful playing those types of music are the bands that were at the height of their career during the time that music was most popular.  In fact, many of them were the ones that helped create that style in the first place.  So as an artist you must keep your sound changing with the times.  If you are just now breaking onto the music scene you need to bring something new to the table.

If your favorite musical genres happens to be stuck back in time, remember that you can successfully incorporate those styles with a new twist.  Take big band for example, there was a huge revival of the style about 10 years ago.  Big Band – Pop/rock became an extremely popular style.  It was definitely big band, but with a hint of something new.  This can be done with any genre. As long as you make it fresh and new you can have great success writing and performing your favorite style no matter how far back in time it goes.  Also think about artists such as Prince and Madonna (neither which do I care for) but they have successfully reinvented their image and sound to stay on top of the charts.

I suggest checking out artists such as Imogen Heap who creates music using instruments shes collected from around the world.  She also uses toy pianos, plastic tubes, and other random objects to incorporate into the padding and layers of her music.  She combines all of this with her classical piano background and her in depth knowledge of musical recording programs and what you end up with is sheer musical genius.

At the beginning of the article I proposed that you ask yourself where your music stands.  Is it up to date?  Or are you stuck back in the 80’s or 90’s? Even if you think your music is not outdated, get some opinions from other people.  Ask them who you sound like…is it someone from the past?  Or do they say its new and different and they can’t really place a finger on your sound….if so, that’s a great sign.  What can you do to make your music fresh and new without sounding like it is completely computer generated?  Start exploring your music and see what new direction you can take it.  You never know what amazing new sound you will create.

Category: Music | 3 Comments »

Tags: creating music, history of music, new genres of music

An all too common problem these days is identity theft, and the music industry is no stranger to it, because many bands and artists are trying too hard to copy other people who have already become successful. Of course it is wise to look up to other artists, be inspired by them, and study what they are doing right, but there is a thin line between learning from others and stealing their identity.

In a world where there is so much competition, it is important to be original and stand out amidst the masses. It is also important to remember that the chances are, if there is already one “John Mayer,” there isn’t going to be another one. Or at least you will not be able to live up to the standard that he has set during the peak of his career. There has only been one Michael Jackson, one Beatles, one Elvis. They were so uniquely their own and original, not to mention insanely talented, that there could never be any others.

One way to ensure that you don’t become a carbon copy of your favorite artist that you admire, is to do a lot of soul searching and find out who you were born to be. So ask yourself these questions: Who am I? Who do I want to portray? What message do I want to send the world? What resonates with me? Oftentimes bands are confused of the musical direction they want to go in, they are open to playing different genres, or having different musical career paths. Not having a clear vision, a clear definition or goal will only lead them down different side streets, but may never get them to their destination. So figure out who you are, set a clear goal and target, be very specific, and take aim at it. If you know who you are and you know what message you want to put out into the world, then it would be a lot harder to get caught up in what someone else is doing. Be uniquely yourself and that is what music and art is all about it. Being open, genuine, and real with your listeners will provide them the opportunity to connect with you in an amazing way.

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Category: Music | No Comments »

Tags: becoming a successful musician, writing good music

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Chali 2na, a prominent member of Jurassic 5 and co-founder of Ozomatli, has announced the official launch of his webstore powered by Audiolife. The webstore will allow Chali 2na to sell a custom array of products on demand and direct-to-fan.

“Since the days of Jurassic 5, the relationship I’ve built with my fans has been the most enjoyable part about being an international artist,” remarked Chali 2na. “The birth of social networking sites has opened my eyes to the strength of that relationship and connecting with my fans directly has been a truly rewarding experience for me.”

Through on demand manufacturing, Chali 2na plans to not only sell custom merchandise but also personally design products for his fans. Fans can also expect to see very creative packaging and unique product bundles.

Added Chali 2na: “Audiolife is the perfect partner for my online direct-to-fan store, ‘cause not only do they come up with amazing ideas, but the process and speed of execution is like nothing else I’ve come across in the music business. I couldn’t be happier to be building with Audiolife.”

Starting November 6, Chali 2na will be headlining “The Deadliest Catch Tour” with Gift of Gab and Mr. Lif. His debut solo album, Fish Outta Water, features world renowned artists such as Damian & Stephen Marley, Anthony Hamilton, and Talib Kweli.

The Deadliest Catch Tour Dates

Nov. 6 San Jose Voodoo Lounge
Nov. 7 San Francisco Independent
Nov. 8 Sparks, NV Vixens
Nov. 10 Ft. Collins, CO Aggies
Nov. 11 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Nov. 12 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen
Nov. 14 Bozeman, MT Zebra Cocktail Lounge
Nov. 15 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
Nov. 17 Vancouver, BC Biltmore
Nov. 18 Bellingham, WA Nightlight
Nov. 19 Seattle, WA Neumos
Nov. 20 Eugene, OR McDonald Theatre
Nov. 25 Amsterdam, Holland Melkweg/22^nd Annual Cannibus Cup

To purchase Chali 2na’s products, visit: http://audiolife.com/store/chali2na/Merchandise.aspx

For Chali 2na interviews regarding his customized online store, please contact: Rebekah Iliff, Rebekah@Audiolife.com, or call 310-770-8338.

About Audiolife

Audiolife (www.Audiolife.com) is the leading Direct-to-Fan eCommerce platform that empowers independent artists and record labels to cost-effectively make money by selling CDs, merchandise, digital downloads and ringtones with no upfront inventory costs. The first-of-its-kind eCommerce platform facilitates selling products “on-demand” directly to fans via portable storefronts on websites, blogs, and social networks. No other platform, specifically created for artists, provides a worldwide, one-stop-shop solution for custom promotion, manufacturing and distribution.

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Category: Audiolife, Music | No Comments »

Tags: Audiolife, Chali 2na, custom merchandise, direct-to-fan ecommerce, Jurassic Five

It isn’t news that the music industry is different than it was 20 years or 2 years ago for that matter.  It has been affected by both modern technology, as well as, our world economy.  In this article I will discuss what important elements you must have in order to become not only a professional musician, but a well paid one at that.

Exceptional Songwriting

The single most important thing your songs must contain are hooks, hooks, and more hooks.  A hook is simply a catchy melody combined with a lyric (often times the song title) that is the focal point of the song.  It is always that part that you get stuck in your head and just can’t quit singing in the shower.  Oftentimes, artists are inside their music for so long it is hard for them to tell if their song has a catchy enough melody to be considered a hook.  The best thing to do is to try it out on people, in front of your band mates is perfect.  Then, step away from the song and see if anyone gets the song stuck in their heads.  If it does, you have a hit. If it doesn’t, the chances are no one other than you will like it.  Toss the song and try again.

After your songwriting skills are where they need to be you must become tight as a band.  You need to practice until you don’t feel like practicing anymore.  Believe it or not, you can have a great song, with a great hook, and all of the talent in the world, but if you aren’t rhythmically tight as a band, your song will not come through to the listener.  And for the solo artist that plays guitar or keyboard, I cannot stress enough that you must be at complete ease when singing and playing at the same time.  Even if your listener knows nothing about music, he or she will be able to tell something is not right and therefore they will not enjoy your music.

Colbie Caillait was discovered on MySpace because of the large amounts of play that she received on her MySpace page and she received those plays because her songs were melodically stimulating and hooky.  In fact, once she signed with her label they only fixed a few things in post production on her self-produced CD.  Her songs were that good.
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Category: Marketing, Music | 2 Comments »

Tags: becoming a successful musician, live shows, Music Industry, songwriting

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Texas native and internet sensation Coffey Anderson, known throughout various music-loving circles for his unique approach to both singing style and direct-to-fan interaction, will launch his “Direct-to-Fan Live Sessions” series on Thursday, October 22, 2009 from 4pm – 7pm PDT. The series, hosted by the leading internet broadcasting platform Ustream, and powered by Audiolife, will give fans the opportunity to purchase real-time exclusive content available only during the live sessions.

As DIY technologies become readily available, and artists worldwide begin to produce and distribute their own content, the new music business is rife with opportunities for musicians to creatively pursue new revenue streams:

“There are probably a million artists just like me, and many that are more talented than me,” remarked Anderson. “The difference is that I’m not waiting around for someone to do the dirty work. For me, the best part of being an artist is figuring out how to creatively communicate your thoughts to people who can relate to what you are saying. Once you are taken out of the creative process, packaged and sold to the masses with which you have no relationship, then the ‘true artist’ cannot be seen. By using all of these amazing new technology platforms, assuming you have something fans can relate to, you can cost-effectively and easily create, produce, distribute…..over and over while it’s fresh.”

During the live sessions, Anderson will perform original songs and create specially designed merchandise that will be released “real-time” and available for a 24 hour period immediately following the session. At the end of the week-long series, the content produced during the Live Sessions will be available in a bundle at a one-time only promotional price.

“In my opinion, platforms like Ustream and Audiolife are paving the way for the new music business artist,” added Anderson. “The question now is: will artists make the shift and tap into their true creativity in order to exploit all of these free services. Everywhere we look there are opportunities. For artists such as myself, this is an exciting time….and I understand that in order to have a music career, now more than ever you must be willing to put in the work, continue to create quality content, and communicate with fans in new, innovative ways.”

October dates for the “Direct-to-Fan” Live Sessions are Thursday, October 22, 2009 and Thursday, October 29, 2009. All sessions will take place from 4pm – 7pm PDT. For more information visit: Ustream.com/coffeyanderson.

About Audiolife

Audiolife (www.Audiolife.com) is the leading Direct-to-Fan eCommerce platform that empowers independent artists and record labels to cost-effectively make money by selling CDs, merchandise, digital downloads and ringtones with no upfront inventory costs. The first-of-its-kind eCommerce platform facilitates selling products “on-demand” directly to fans via portable storefronts on websites, blogs, and social networks. No other platform, specifically created for artists, provides a worldwide, one-stop-shop solution for custom promotion, manufacturing and distribution.

About Ustream

Ustream (www.Ustream.tv) is the live interactive video broadcast platform that enables anyone with a camera and an Internet connection to quickly and easily broadcast to a global audience of unlimited size. In less than two minutes, anyone can become a broadcaster by creating their own channel on Ustream or by broadcasting through their own site, empowering them to engage with their audience and further build their brand.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6080288&lang=en

Category: Audiolife, Direct to Fan, Music | No Comments »

Tags: Coffey Anderson, Direct to Fan, live sessions, Ustream, video marketing

It’s “Music Monday” and Audiolife is attending the CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival in New York City.  So with that, we thought we’d share Spin.com’s list of the “25 Must-Hear Artists from the CMJ Festival.”  The following is the list of the artists, but click here to actually hear the songs and read about the artists. The bold names are the ones I personally liked.

1. Bodega Girls
2. PAC DIV
3. RubbleBucket
4. The Stalkers
5. Young Prisms
6. Best Coast
7. Still Life Still
8. The xx
9. Bear in Heaven
10. Family of the Year
11. Fanfarlo
12. You, You’re Awesome
13. Skyzoo
14. Die! Die! Die!
15. Suckers
16. Darlings
17. Neon Indian
18. Lovvers
19. No Eye Contact
20. Hammer No More the Fingers
21. Unicycle Loves You
22. Arms
23. Miracles of Modern Science
24. Let’s Wrestle
25. MyNameIsJohnMichael

Category: Events, Music | No Comments »

Tags: Audiolife, CMJ 2009, CMJ artists

In a world where almost everyone knows how to use simple design programs on their computer, it is very important that your album cover art doesn’t end up screaming,  “My drummer’s fourteen year old little brother did this for free!”  We all know that aspiring professional musicians are not known for having a lot of money to throw around, but it is essential to have quality cover art and promotional material design. Whether you are a solo artist or a band, your image says so much about who you are and what your music is about.  In this blog I will discuss three main things: 1) album art design that represents your genre and musical message; 2) high quality art equals high quality music; and 3)  what your image says to your fans and to labels.

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Category: Music | 1 Comment »

Tags: album art, band image, designing your album, promotion materials