marc
I’ve been in love with music since I was old enough to listen and in the music business since 1971. I’ve been a recording artist, worked in radio, worked in retail & worked in records – Island, RSO, Elektra, Warner Bros / Reprise and DreamWorks Records.
After DreamWorks closed its record division I moved away from the corporate music companies. I no longer wanted to be a part of a big corporate label – although I had some wonderful times – Warner Bros in the 80’s was a fantastic musical environment. I wanted to work even closer with artists and embrace this new internet oriented music business so I starting doing artist management and music marketing research.
My version of our mission statement would be described as “Working with music I love & people I like & embracing the musical world as it exists today with all its technological changes”. When I travel and observe, I see more people listening to more music than ever before. That’s a wonderful thing. The only real difference in the music business is that the method of delivery has changed – from 45’s and LP’s to 8 Tracks and Cassettes to CDs and now Digital Delivery. Contrary to some beliefs it is still a “record” – a recording of a musical performance. (Well, to be honest some “records” are no longer performances – they’re “contructions”). There are financial challenges every time a delivery system changes and yes sometimes the staid and once secure Acme Horse & Buggy Company is upset by the new fangled automobile. But let me say again – today more people spend more time listening to more music than ever before.
Our challenge as support people to wonderful musicians is to help them find their audience. Often the tried and true approaches work – touring and radio. But more & more support in those areas is dependent on an already existing and growing fanbase. What’s the key? The same as it has always been – Word Of Mouth. No radio station, no tv show, no magazine, no internet blog is as important as one friend saying to another – “Listen to this song – I love it”. That will be the key to Mishara Music – establishing a network of friends that care for and believe in the singer songwriter as we do – artists with a melody and a vision.
1. Has known Mishara Music partner Linda for almost 30 years and learned a whole bunch from her 25 trivia bits
2. Favorite concert was his first – August 18th, 1966 Suffolk Downs Racetrack – 4 guys from Liverpool England
3. Lived in LA for 35 years – then moved to coast of Maine – as far from LA as could in the Continental US
4. Can’t stand beets
5. Played violin in the Minneapolis Youth Symphony Orchestra
6. Favorite 20th century vacation – 10 days hiking around Mt Blanc through France, Italy & Switzerland
7. Favorite extreme wilderness vacation (tie) – 3 trips to Southeast Alaska for remote kayaking & river rafting
8. Favorite exercise – country road bicycling in Maine
9. Favorite desk item – Snoopy doghouse calendar given to me by 3 year old son
10. Is allergic to cats
11. Named Mishara Music after a cat that was named after a building
12. Favorite photograph: Art Kane’s 1958 Jazz grouping in Harlem. A copy hangs in my office always.
13. Loves caramel more than chocolate
14. Nothing beats a great apple
15. Makes the greatest vegetarian lasagne from scratch (except for the noodles)
16. 2nd favorite exercise – snowshoeing
17. Truth – to this day likes his Blackberry way more than wife’s iPhone!
18. Wears short sleeve shirts even in the dead of winter in Maine
19. Loves cargo pants because it’s easy to put music cds in the pockets
20. Current fave vacation – biennial family trip to Jazzfest in New Orleans
21. Favorite restaurant – K-Paul’s Lousiana Kitchen
22. Favorite meal – Crayfish Etouffee
23. Favorite solo pastime – hot latte, rocking chair near the roaring woodstove (wintertime) with a book!