In 2000, I used software called Acid DJ created by Sonic Foundry (now owned by Sony Music) to create all of my songs for the group I called Crowdpleaser. The software came with a disc with over 600 music loops. To date, I think I've used every one on that disc or at least I've tried too. "Blow Up" was supposed to be a combo of old school rap beats into modern electronica. It represented at the time the purpose of Crowdpleaser (now Electric Chair 3000) to combine as many styles of music into one solid whole. Truth be told, I'm a lot better at doing it now in 2011 then I was in 2000.
In 2005, "Blow Up" was played on a Taiwan radio station in the first quarter. Well, it got enough airplay to qualify for royalties.
At the time, I had no idea that it was being played anywhere. Because I never received royalties in the five years that I was with BMI, I assumed 05 was not going to be any different. To this end, I never checked my BMI account...for years.
Then one day in 2010, I decided to take songwriting seriously again and checked my BMI statement and I was shocked to see that I had a check coming to me.
Well, I clicked the box and open my pdf file to show my royalty statement and praise God there was "Blow Up" and how much money it made in 05. A grand total of $12.61. Was I upset? Hell no! It motivated me. I figured if I could one radio station to play my song, why not 100 or 1000. With the rise of internet radio, itunes and YouTube, any hustling artist or songwriter should be able to make some kind of money. The key words being hustling artist.
"Blow Up" was one of the many songs I had at the original MP3.COM. On the original MP3.Com, an independent artist could load up as many songs as he liked and have the public judge them. I had about 50 songs and some of them did relatively well. "Blow Up" wasn't one of them.
Mp3.Com was sold and all of the indie bands had to take down their songs or have them taken down. Some bands went to GarageBand other went to Myspace or their own websites.
Somebody in Taiwan must of downloaded" Blow Up"and liked it enough to play on the radio and years later I got a check for it.
This has motivated me to redouble my efforts at songwriting and promotion.
Follow this beautiful banner to hear more of the Electric Chair 3000 catalog.
