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I have earned the right to speak in the royal we...right?

A recent Forbes article, brought my way by ASCAP newsletter, talks about impending changes to the Internet. Read it here.

 After reading it, I have more questions than answers:
 - Is the Obama policy for Internet better or worse than what is being proposed now, and why?
 - How would new policies affect content creators?
 - How would new policies continue or impede the monopoly of major Internet companies?

It is clear that over the past ten years, the content that creative people make is offered for free online in many forms; whether audio, video, photos and writing.

While the Internet offers a place to showcase work, and to view portfolios, it also cuts out the "retail" element that the music industry relied on, in the past, to generate revenue.

The content creators are made to feel like we are lucky to be able to show our work online; meanwhile, Internet and smartphone companies keep the lights on.

 While the Internet is often toted as a "great tool" it is also th…

This video shows Frank Zappa testifiying before Congress, and serves as a reminder about the importance of musician's and artist's rights. Here is a run-down on songs, recordings and relted copyrights, licensing and royalties. Here is a video about owning your own publishing. Even if you are only partially in understanding of this topic, please use this as an excuse to dig deeper, research more and become informed. Here is one more about the importance of Publishing...food for thought!

I've often looked at myself as Chicagoan. When I graduated art school (I know, I know, barf on the implications of intelligentsia), I thought I was being super professional by making an email with the word "Chicago" in it. This was when emails were cryptic and the Internet was still onthe ripples from the stone of AOL.

It took a little planning, and careful meandering of my goldfish watching responsibilities but I was able to break away from the ties that bind and go, camera in hand, like Hunter S. Thompson, to the Second Annual Mississippi Saxophone Festival.

I look forward to sharing the article and the photos and the most important lesson, however, was getting out of Dodge.

It is an important thing to do literally-- we are meant to travel as musicians and spread the love, and our brand, and CD sales (if anyone is buying) on "tour". Tour these days usually means grungy people (hey, I am running sound and I took a shower) playing on a stage to about 5 people…

On Axis Music is hard at work finalizing the book layout for this collection of lyrics.

by Hannah Frank

Some sites offer the kitchen sink while others are like an intriguing first date. Here are some categories to help your online game. Organize your site by deciding your purpose: sales, familiarity with your brand (soft sell), presentation of data, email capture (ongoing communication) or "internet tourism".

1. Sell, Sell Sell: The homepage features an immediate "call to action" and display of merch. The goal is clear: the site "first impression" is designed for clicking and buying. This isn't necessarily bad: if fans will come to the site to find out how to buy a product, this is a declaration that the website is a trusted POS (point of sale).

2. Pleased to Meet Me: Many website designs are focused on blogging, but that doesn't mean you need to invent yourself as something more interesting than you are. This type of site is a labor-intensive collection of videos, blog entries, essays, poems, artwork, pictures of cats, etc.  It's …