March 2007
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 12, No. 3
NEXT MEETING: 5:00pm Sunday, March 4th, 2007
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to join us. Non-members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our group and what we do. For more information, visit our website at www.isgorlando.org .
Officers:
President/Treasurer
Russ Robinson (407) 851-5328
Vice President/Member Reception/Newsletter
Matthew Griffin (407) 903-1212
Secretary
Jacquelyn Fain, crosstyes1@yahoo.com
Website
Carlos Colon (352) 326-4295
Archives
Barbara Ross (407) 862-2795
President's Letter
Dear Members,
Once again, we’re back to the latest news and information on our guild. I hope this finds everyone in good health, at least healthy enough to do some composing. Even though our major holidays are behind us, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t write about Christmas or New Years.
Goodness, the weather has sure been an item here and elsewhere. Florida is still the best place to be, when we see the weather reports on TV. I’ll never forget several years ago, having returned to New York from an appearance in Miami . I got to thinking, “I really need to move to Florida !” And I did just that. Now I get plenty of enjoyment just writing about the north and enjoying the usual nice winters here. Orlando members and I spend lots of time talking about the weather. And probably most of us moved here from up north. I’m starting to write about a Yankee in Florida , and about the great winters we have here. Now, I’ve got to make it rhyme and set it to music. What if some of you do something similar?
Ester Starling recently attended the University of Florida Music Law Conference . The conference brought together professionals from different areas in and around the music industry, including musicians and lawyers and entertainment executives. Ester says she found the event enlightening and will tell us about it at Sunday’s meeting.
I’m looking forward to seeing all of you Sunday. Bring your latest composition if you have one.
Russ
Let Your Passion Sing!
By Matt Griffin
I can’t speak for you, but I like to be around people who are passionate about something. It isn’t even very important what that passion is; what I like is when someone cares about something, and cares a lot. Even if it’s just football.
OK, let’s get it out there. I care a lot that my Chicago Bears lost to the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl by the score of 29-17. Those of you who came to my Super Bowl party early in February know how much I care (thanks for coming, by the way). For the record, the Colts badly outplayed the Bears in the second half, in rainy conditions that matched the mood of Bears fans around the country. It was a brutal, painful thing to watch.
And I loved every minute of it.
So, Matt Griffin is a masochist who loves pain? Hardly. But how much better is it to feel pain than to feel nothing? It was hard to watch the game, but…it mattered to me. And years from now, I’ll still remember how it felt, how it feels to care even in a losing cause.
And this is just a silly football game I’m talking about, nothing really at stake. Most of us have lost a loved one at some point in our lives, perhaps a parent or spouse or child. It was hard to bear, wasn’t it? No one who’s never loved someone and lost them can really appreciate the depth of anguish. But it’s yin and yang, right? Love always comes with risk, and eventual loss is likely if not inevitable. Avoiding love to keep from feeling pain is much worse in the long run.
My mother died suddenly, almost eight years ago now. It still hurts, but the knife edge is gone and has been replaced by something else. Somehow the pain and the love are one, and I wouldn’t trade that odd, indescribable feeling for anything in the world. I suppose it reminds me what’s important.
Feel that strongly about anything? Write about it! Many of the world’s best songs were written in the raw heat of new love, or in the bitter pangs of loss, or in the memory of one or the other. And it doesn’t have to be so serious. Are you passionate about pizza? Millions of your fellow pizza lovers will relate to your pizza song, if the passion comes through; Domino’s might be interested, too. J Have really strong opinions about politics? Write a scathing political commentary song, like our Kristen Bruno’s “Razzle Dazzle Man”. If you care about something, anything, put your passion into words.
Am I the only one who wants the Bears and Colts to play the game again? J
ISG Bulletin Board
Jeff Mason’s gig schedule:
Appearing At O'Keefe's Irish Pub, Fridays & Saturdays from 5pm, musicians welcome!
115 S. Rockingham Tavares, FL, 352-343-2157
Appearing at Tijuana Flats on the Patio (weather permitting), Thursdays at 6pm
444 S. Hunt Club Blvd , Apopka , FL 407 774 0402
Lead Sheet preparation by Carlos Colon. A simple lead sheet contains the melody, lyrics and chord symbols. For more information, visit my website at www.cecoriginals.com and click on “Lead Sheets” at the top of the page. Website design also available. Use your website address in advertising. Newspapers, business cards, fliers, to name a few and let’s not forget the use of email. Send your link to potential clients. For more information, visit a few of my clients sites at http://www.ticopeach.net/clients.htm.
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association, Local 389. You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the interests of the professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more information. You may reach them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
We’re always looking for material for the newsletter. If you have any information that you would like to see added to the newsletter, please see Matt Griffin at the meetings or email him at isgorl@cfl.rr.com . Please keep your articles brief and to the point. Print deadline for the newsletter is approximately two weeks prior to the monthly meeting.
Classified advertising may be placed free of charge to members in good standing with the ISG . For more information on display advertising and/or classified advertising for non-members, please call Russ or Matt or email: isgorl@cfl.rr.com .
Why isn't your gig announced here? Call us with your appearance schedule!
Place your classified ad or gig announcement here! Free to ISG members as always! Just get your text to Matt by the print deadline (usually the Friday 16 days prior to the monthly meeting); email is best ( isgorl@cfl.rr.com ).
New members always welcome!
February Top Songs—Results of monthly critique session
No critiques in February--check back next month!
© 2007 ISG