"Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them."
 - Richard Strauss

"Please note that i am simply interacting through this list and have  
 no pretention of elevating the masses. If it ever happens, i will be  
 the first one surprised."
 - Claude Castonguay 02/04/08

"I am first to be thankful for your's and other's greatly educational  
 contributions to this list so please continue to share what you know  
 but i would appreciate it if you left any presumptions about what i  
 believe and who i think i am about."
 - Claude Castonguay 02/04/08

" The rule of three is good... good, fast, cheap.... pick two."
 - David Glen Russell

"There has not been a film that has come my way
 looking for a free score that has ever broke thru. Not once
 have I said, I wish I had taken that film!"
 - Michael S Patterson 01.09.08

"... If you have doubts about the future success of a project,  
back out gracefully, and professionally before any contract is  
signed."
 - JC

"Artists dream of money and wealthy people dream of art."
- FR

"Some artists dream of having enough money to create their art ... 
unencumbered by financing, promoting, displaying, performing, distributing, 
defending, editing, revising, commercializing or marketing their art."
 - Kiki   :)

"If one measures popularity by fame then it may potentially be gauged by how
 many people attend one's funeral."
 - FR

"... if you need help with the french part, just give me a shout. I'll  
 help you out."
 - Claude  08-01-28

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the 
 inexpressible is music." 
 - Aldous Huxley

Edrums@aol.com wrote:
"Is Beethoven not worth the 
 same royalty as Britney Spears?!??!"

"It's not about a judgment on the quality of the music.
 It's about the way the music is used.
 ... at least Beethoven had the sense to keep his
 privates private when going out in public."
 - Pete

"If you're the composer, you're usually better off owning
 the music yourself and licensing it into the film,
 since you'll receive both the writer and
 publisher shares of the royalties in that scenario.
 - Mark Northam -01/26/08

"Composers are always among any given generations most profound
 men of talent and vision. Such fire should not be stifled by the pride, 
 fears, or mediocrity of others.
 - JohnBIpcress 01/24/07

"Poverty and suicide are not the answers. Worst case scenario: get a day job."
 - Joel

"One minute of music with lyrics and one minute of music without lyrics
 is worth the same $$$.  They both are used for the same purpose,
 to support the visual (movies/tv), the story, etc..."
 - Ed Baker  01/12/08

"A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the accordion, and doesn't."
 - Al Cohn

"As you all probably know, the world of film composing goes way further
 than ASCAP, BMI and what pocket change some sort of royalty will allow us...
 It will make me extremelly happy to see many of you just open your minds..." 
 - Marinho Nobre

"May I ask a possibly stupid question? Precisely what is the
 logic behind paying out more residual bucks to a composer for music with
 words, and less for instrumental compositions? One thought: Of course I can 
 understand that if a composer personally writes both music and lyrics for a 
 particular commercial jingle he should perhaps get more simply for wearing 
 two hats - that of composer plus lyricist.
 - John Bender

"Shawn, Doug, what income has Mediaguide produced for ASCAP, how many  
 dollars?  Oops.... royalties again...  darn it, I knew I was  
 writing music for some reason and I guess I must have forgetten the  
 ego bit about 4 decades ago ;-)
 - L

"I've just lost 1000's this year because my music didn't show in a  
 survey. Wanna go get it on my behalf because while I've fought for  
 others over the years I've made myself very unpopular at ASCAP so I  
 seldom get paid these days.... so quit bitching and walk a day or two  
 in my shoes..
 - L 01/13/08

This weeks menu:
Monday: Les says something nice about Pete and Mark
Tuesday: Mark says something nice about Les and Pete
Wednesday: Pete says something nice about Mark and Les
Thursday: ASCAP is closed for the day in total shock about all the nice words
Friday: Back to business as usual.
Saturday: Les and I go soaring.  Pete and I write a song together,
 and I finally send Mark the 5 bucks I owe him.

"Sunday: A pig is seen flying."
 - BRAD HECK

"I can say something nice about everyone on this list.
 We are all pursuing a career in music.  That means it is not likely
 that we will kill anyone when we make mistakes.  It is not likely we will
 pollute the environment (though undoubtedly we contribute in some measure!)
 or start a war.
"We will make some people happier and help some get through the drudgery and
 terror of their lives."
 - Fernando Rivas

"To be a musician is a curse. To NOT be one is even worse."
 - Jack Daney

"My best advice to the younger members who don't know or understand the music
 biz and the PRO's is don't sell yourselves short.  Regardless of what you
 hear and how people behave in response to your work you must believe in your
 heart that you're doing something that is important and valuable. You're
 doing something that is envied and misunderstood by a lot of people.  You're
 doing something that the big fat cat CEO's for all their money and power
 couldn't do if their lives depended on it.  If you can't hold on to that
 belief than you're in for rough times."
 - Fernando Rivas

"Having written and/or recorded and produced more than 200 discs of  
 library music and worked one-on-one in the studio with more than one  
 hundred film and TV composers on film scores, television shows and  
 other projects, I believe I am well qualified to make this statement.  
 I know exactly how composers work today, and while I agree that an  
 interesting show could be produced featuring their work, I believe the  
 public would not be as interested in the event as the readers of this  
 list."
 - Doug Wood
Composer
ASCAP Board member
President and CEO,
Omnimusic
52 Main Street,
Port Washington, NY 11050
Tel. (516) 883-0121


"I live in an place where low budgets rule. "What do you mean you can't 
 record with a real orchestra??? I gave you $750 for the entire project. 
 That's not enough??"

"I'm not kidding."

"So, a lot of my stuff is computer."
 - Les Mizzell 01/15/08


Hollywood Reporter: 
"Technology has made it possible for almost any
musician to develop composing chops in a home studio"

"OUCH"
 - Pete

Hollywood Reporter:
"It's a sexy idea for any musician, and a lot of them
 say they want to be composers, says Kathy Nelson.

"What!? It's "sexy" to be a Composer? OK, I forgive the
 first remark. I wonder what Kathy is doing for lunch.:-)"
 - Pete 01/14/08

"...BUT, we must remember that we are all and above all,
 "artists" and that other factors of learning, through this forum or not,
 can also be of enormous help on fine-tunning the quality of our product,..."
 -  Marinho Nobre

"I can only pray that all the talented musicians of this board
 will support each other, philosophically, professionally, esthetically.
 The sense of pride here amongst this cadre should be, needs be, intense
 and consuming and this because the fine art of serious music is at the
 pinnacle of human expression."
 - John B Ipcress

"Sir Thomas Beecham, a well respected British Conductor was asked why
 there were no musicians?present at?the opening of the Barbican Concert Hall
 in London in 1982.?
 His reply: 'Because all musicians talk about is money.'
 
 Nothing changes."
 - Vic Flick 01/15/08


"How can we expect the world to take us seriously if
 when we get a forum like this all we do is talk about
 financial matters.  Our livelihood depends on a larger
 grasp of technical and artistic issues. There is definitely
 a place for the financial discussion but it has largely usurped this list.'
 - Fernando Rivas

"Actually, the list is for PRO - Film Music Performing Rights 
 Organization as opposed to Film Music Professional (which is what most 
 people think it is when they sign up)"
 - Joel Braverman

"Actually not - despite the frequency of performing rights posts (more than
 any other forum or list I've ever seen), it may seem like a royalties list,
 but the actual title of the list is the Film Music Professionals list.
 - Mark Northam

"Working for free devalues not only your own work, but film music in general,
 especially in the low budget independent world. I strongly urge any composer
 who wants a career in this field to NEVER work for free. Charge very little
 if you must, but charge something.  After all, your time, your education,
 your skill, your talent, your passion, your hard work are worth something!
 If a filmmaker wants a free score, let them download some canned music.
 A custom-made score is precious! Let's treat it that way, and maybe they will  too.
 - Erika Lieberman

"Critics can't even make music by rubbing their back legs together."
 - Mel Brooks

"Not all of us (Les!) are as adept with language and subtlety as  
 Mark N."
 - Chris Merrit 011408

"I gave up using all my English language when I came to the USA ;-)"
 - Les



TO BE CONTINUED...