How to Make a Living from Music in the Philippines

Last week, I participated in a WIPO-IPOPHL seminar on 'How to Make a Living from Music'.

The key lecturer was Mr. David Stopps, author of the book with the same name. Stopps has had a long experience in music management in the UK, having worked with some of very best acts in the world like U2, the Police and David Bowie among many others.

What Stopps discussed were both familiar and new. Conceptually, I had been trained to understand copyright and collective management to the closest detail. But Stopps was able to drive the nail home by talking about his real-life experiences and how he witnessed independent artists earn income in so many different ways, as long as intellectual property was respected and complied with. 

Stopps discussed how music is placed in advertisements, films, TV shows, video games, apps and others, earning royalty income for the artist and the producer. He also talked about making derivate income from selling merchandise and product placement during shows. 

This was very interesting stuff that reminded me of how much time and sacrifice we need to put in to elevate the Philippine music business up to that level. 

Mark Thursday Alciso of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP) talked about collective management of copyright and the challenges faced, including the unwillingness of businesses to pay license fees and the confusion caused by having several different organizations collect license fees for different rights over the same music.

Royalty collection also gets harder when one has to deal with large networks or organizations that have a ton of leverage. Artists in the Philippines seldom get paid for the use of their music in films, TV shows or advertisement, a common practice in more developed economies. What ought to be a significant source of income is reduced to zero and a shallow promise of 'artist exposure'... something they would get anyway whether or not they're paid.

Many other concerns were raised like the massive competition we get from foreign acts, the lack of radio airplay and the proliferation of substandard music in the mass market. 

In the end, we find ourselves back where we started. If we want this country to be a source of and a hub for great music, we need to make real changes in our understanding and respect for intellectual property and business. No more pushovers. No more compromise. As artists, we mean business.

_____

For those who missed the seminar, you may still benefit from David Stopp's experience by reading his book, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):

Download the PDF version of David's book from the WIPO Website

IRS journeys on to 7

and just like that... we are back.

Sundown Caffeine featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI), thanks to Nokia IAC

Here is the transcript of the original unedited interview:


What are the names of the band members?

Mark Robert Dy, "MRD" (vocals & rhythm guitar)
Conrado Cruz, "Conrad" (lead guitar)
Gerard Munsayac, "Gboy" (bass guitar)
Ian Joseph Alesna, "Ian" (drums)


How did you come up with the name of your band?

The band name emerged from our observation of Philippine cafe culture. People consume coffee or tea any time of the day, even late at night. It stops being about necessity, but true unapologetic desire. We think this is a perfect simile for our music. Like sundown caffeine, our music is something we take in not because we need to, but because we want to.


How long have you been a band?

The band was formed in Cebu back in 2004, but we only started playing with the new line-up in Manila last December 2008.


How would you describe your band's music? 

A combination of rock, blues and country, bent to suit Filipino island culture and taste.


What are you busy with now? 

We are busy arranging songs for our debut album release next year. We all have pretty tough day jobs, so it has been one monster of a balancing act.


What made you sign up at the IAC website?

A friend told us about it. What intrigued us enough to sign up as an IAC band is the fact that big corporations like Nokia are beginning to value independent artists who would, otherwise, never stand a chance against the muscle of the mainstream music industry.


What's one song that you play that you think people should hear? why? 

The song we're proudest of is Nine Rivers because of the simplicity and human-ness of its message. The song talks about making the tough effort to pick up the pieces and move on after a big tragedy... I'm pretty sure this is a sentiment anyone would be able to identify with.

You can see the music video of the song at: 
http://www.flippish.com/lss-sundown-caffeine/

If you like the song, please support us by voting at the Indyhits Website:http://www.bandpromote.com/votes.asp?BandID=525 

As of today, our song Nine Rivers is ranked number 12 out of 725 songs on the IndyHits Chart in Los Angeles, California.


Has being in the site given you more exposure?

Definitely. We are an independent band. This means you won't find our music in malls or record bars. IAC allows us to reach our audience directly without any direct cost to us. This is truly a gift from Nokia. Many people who listen to us today would never have known about our work, had it not been for sites like IAC.


How do you feel about bands using the Internet to market their music?

There's no stopping it. This is the future. Not only are we reaching a broader global audience, we are also saving a lot of paper, metal and plastic in the process. Green and global. If people use it right, the Internet can be a wonderful thing.


When are your next gigs? 

Our gig schedules change from time to time. You can check out our website for updates: www.sundowncaffeine.com 

Our next major gig will be the Island Rock Show 2: Speak Your Mind in November 14. This will happen at Checkpoint Louie's Bar in Paranaque. 


How else can people catch your band? 

Visit our official website at www.sundowncaffeine.com 


What's the best thing about being an indie band? 

Nobody tells you what to do, how you should do it, when you should do it or why.


Is there anything else you want to promote?

Support Independent Music. Support Nokia's Independent Artists Club.

Art Inspires Art: Even Angels Cry by Ida

Here is an impressive piece of digital art created by Ida from the Philippines, inspired by Sundown Caffeine's song Even Angels Cry.


Original artwork found at:
http://ida-d-great.deviantart.com/art/Even-Angels-Cry-68253354


Thanks for sharing this with us, Ida! :)


Peace out!

Final Days

And after the third hour of running through your first set, your voice is hoarse and your fingers, numb... a strong reassurance that this is what you want to do for a living.


One more hour and it might be enough for tomorrow.


You pack the letter neatly into your blue planner and say a prayer... finally, its maker shall be justified.


Your phone has been silent all night... not a word... not an acknowledgment... not a new thing, though... but there are some things people should never get used to.


Another German invitation lies on top of your desk, and you wonder if another escape will help at all. Perhaps the words will make sense if you stare at them long enough... perhaps not.


Your room is a mess... dad always told me that the condition of your surroundings reflect what's in your head... he was right.


He was so right.

Jazz Night

The thing I love about public transportation is that no matter how terrible it may be, it's always there. Each time I feel distracted by the material world, I take the public transportation. It's a chance to immerse myself into the everyday life of the people... my people. 


Every other day, lining up would be a personal hell... but today was different. I was in no hurry to get home... home wasn't even on the agenda as of yet... The familiar smells, the noise, the shouting, the muttered swearing, the cracked streets and the inhumane conditions kept me grounded for yet another night -- keeping me in a state of indifference, which I desperately needed.


And upon arrival at my destination, the most crucial thing of all came unexpected... it was Jazz Night. 


I could not recall her name but she moved like a housecat with the saddest eyes and sang with a heartfelt emptiness that echoed my very own. 

No sabía que buscaba amor hasta que le encontré

This business is no place for the meek, but tonight, I was genuinely humbled by the house band's musical prowess... and so I kept myself glued to my seat in admiration. Eight songs later, I would swallow the last drop of my current bottle, head for a table where the lone evening star would settle in and ignore the rest of her entourage... this was no place for the meek. 


No, I will not remember her name... but to me, she had the beauty of a Ria... and that is who she will be forever. No pressure, no tomorrow or yesterday to judge us. This will probably be the last time I will ever see this woman again... and so, let it be the best. For tonight, I will be Rex, which is ironic because I would feel like a slave for the rest of the night. 


The casual conversation would lead me peering into another soul's window... while my own was boarded shut... in any case, she did most of the talking and although her smile kept forcing itself into the universe, her eyes will betray a sadness that no word in any language I am familiar with would be able to describe. 


And she would talk... a lost love, a drunk father, a hollow bank account, a dream... and I would absorb all these things that I'm sure would evaporate in the next few hours... but for tonight, Rex and Ria would be the only people in existence... if only for a few more minutes.


Her next set would commence and I would grab the bill, pay our tab, take my hefty sack of law books, zip my jacket up and just leave. And just like any other night, there would be no goodbyes. I would not look back as she called out my one-night monicker through the substandard microphone. I did not see it, but I felt the first real smile for the night... only to be followed by the usual sadness in her eyes. My last sensation was catching the start of familiar tune, long left unheard:

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick, 

and think of you 

caught up in circles confusion-- 

is nothing new

I walked down the steps in a straight line, only be suprised by an old friend who recently left the priesthood. He would introduce me to his companion (girlfriend, i presume) and proceed to have a few seconds of small talk.


"You're alone", he said in an almost questioning tone.

Then you say --  go slow -- 

I fall behind -- 

the second hand unwinds

"Yes, I am", I replied. And I just left.


It was Jazz Night.