Friday, February 22, 2013

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: Sarah Peacock

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: Sarah Peacock
February 22, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

You know who's awesome? Sarah Peacock!!!

I've known Sarah for a few years now and I am proud to call her a friend. She is one of those relentless independent singer/songwriters and watching her is a true inspiration. I actually played keys in her band a few times when I first started doing the full-time musician thing. We have both come a long way since those early days pounding the pavement in Atlanta.

Now, Sarah tours the country pretty much non-stop. If you ever get a chance to see her perform, do! You'll be amazed. Seriously. Her voice is so powerful, I am convinced that she could give Ann Wilson (Heart) a run for her money. She really is that good.

AND...

Sarah Peacock has a new album coming out on February 26th!! I have heard several of the new songs and I am really excited about it. Powerful songs! You can get a taste of it on her website www.sarahpeacockmusic.com (the music player is at the bottom of the page).

Here are a few places online where you can connect with Sarah Peacock
www.sarahpeacockmusic.com
www.twitter.com/stalkthepeacock
www.facebook.com/stalkthepeacock
www.youtube.com/sarahpeacockmusic


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Fire Bullets, Then Cannonballs


Fire Bullets, Then Cannonballs
February 19, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

I want to share what I think is one of the most important ideas that entrepreneurs and leaders (and artists, and producers, and...) need to understand.

In his book "Great by Choice", Jim Collins (Good to Great, Built to Last) talks about how the most successful companies are usually not the most innovative. The most successful leaders are not the ones who take the "all-in" risks or bet everything on a single idea. The most successful are those who use the  "fire bullets, then cannonballs" approach.

A bullet is an empirical test aimed at learning what works and that meets three criteria: 1. A bullet is low cost. Note: the size of a bullet grows as the enterprise grows; a cannonball for a $1 million enterprise might be a bullet for a $1 billion enterprise. 2. A bullet is low risk. Note: low risk doesn’t mean high probability of success; low risk means that there are minimal consequences if the bullet goes awry or hits nothing. 3. A bullet is low distraction. Note: this means low distraction for theoverall enterprise; it might be very high distraction for one or a few individuals. Collins, Jim (2011). Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck--Why Some Thrive Despite Them All (Kindle Location 1343). HarperBusiness. Kindle Edition.
Especially for creatives, it is easy to get excited about a new idea and immediately throw all you have into it. It is tempting to risk a lot of money, time and energy on a new idea, but I urge you to take another approach. Take the approach that super-successful people take. Fire bullets, then cannonballs.


Instead of writing all those songs, recording them, and releasing them as soon as you finish. Test them out first. Share them with your peers. Tweak them. Rewrite them. You might find that of those 10 songs you wrote, you really should only release five of them. Save your gunpowder.

Instead of spending a huge amount of money on an order of merch (an item you've never had before), do a short run first, even though the cost per unit might be higher. And before that, poll your Facebook friends. See how many "likes" you get when you post a photo of your new t-shirt idea. Save your gunpowder.

Whatever the idea, test it first. Don't just jump blindly into it. I know you think your widget is just about the most amazing thing anyone has ever thought of, ever, but give it some time. Give it some thought. Share it with a trusted friend and listen to what they have to say about it. Save your gunpowder by firing bullets to see what works. Then, when you hit a sweet spot, load up that cannonball and blast away.

A good way to destroy your career is to guess and use all your gunpowder and your only cannonball on a target that you think you might hit.

Innovation is important. Very important. But, so is (oh no, here comes the D word) discipline. You can still be creative and innovative while practicing discipline. In fact, you might see an increase in creativity when you add structure to your life and your business.

What are your thoughts? How can you test your ideas? Feel free to share your opinion about the "fire bullets, then cannonballs" approach.

Friday, February 15, 2013

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: Paul Douglas Sanner

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: Paul Douglas Sanner
February 15, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

Today, my friend Paul gets the shout-out on this Featured Friend Friday post! And honestly, he should probably be the first person to even get a mention on this blog. You see, Paul was quite possibly the first musician to hand me a mic when I landed on the music scene in Atlanta back in 2006.

Paul Douglas Sanner
Paul Douglas Sanner is one of the kindest and most enthusiastic people you will ever meet. His passion for providing a place for up-and-coming artists to share their music is unmatched. He hosts various open mics throughout the greater Atlanta area AND he has a YouTube channel dedicated to showcasing the hundreds of artists that come out to his open mics! He goes above and beyond... and beyond.

PDS is also a singer/songwriter himself. So, he knows how to relate to the musicians out there trying to "make a go" at the music thing. Paul knows how to connect with people and that definitely comes through in his music. Check out his feel-good country/folk sound at www.pauldouglasmusic.com. If you ever get a chance, look up Paul's show schedule the next time you are in the Atlanta area. He is sure to make your day better.

Here are a few places you can connect with Paul Douglas Sanner online.

www.pauldouglasmusic.com
www.twitter.com/paulsanner
www.facebook.com/pages/Paul...
www.youtube.com/pauldouglasopenmic


Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentine's Mixtape

Valentine's Mixtape
February 14, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

Happy Valentine's Day! 

A few friends and I have a little something special for you this Valentine's. Enjoy a free download of this 7-song "Valentine's Mixtape" available exclusively through NoiseTrade. Artists who contributed to this project are Carl Dylan, Mike Kinnebrew, Joy Ike, Sherilyn, The Well Reds, Sarah Peacock, and... me!

Although this music is available for free, you have the option to leave a TIP! 100% of what we receive will be donated to an awesome organization called Not For Sale. NFS is working to bring an end to human trafficking and we are proud to support them through this project. For more information on the work this non-profit does, visit notforsalecampaign.org.

For more information and to download, visit noisetrade.com/lovecollective.

Share the love! Please tell all your friends about our "Valentine's Mixtape".

Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

House Concert Photos

House Concert Photos
February 12, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

I am back in Atlanta after a quick run of shows in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. It has been pretty rainy and gray since my return to the south, but I am happy to see temperatures in the double digits. It was COLD in the midwest!

The Scoburban hasn't quite been unpacked yet and I have much to catch up on but I wanted to first share a few photos with you. The following were taken by Tracy Apps at the house concert she hosted in Milwaukee. It was a blast! Wisconsinites are some fun and kind folks. Enjoy the pics! For the complete album, go to kurtscobie.com/pics

Special thanks to Tracy for letting me use these photos. Check her out at tracyappsdesign.com.

P.S. I am planning a tour in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic for April and there are a few open dates. If this house concert idea looks like something you would like to try, let me know. Check out kurtscobie.com/houseconcerts and send me a message. Hosting a concert in your home is a truly unforgettable experience!








Friday, February 8, 2013

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: Josh Harty

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: Josh Harty
February 8, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

This week I want to give a shout out to a new friend in the industry. I ran into Josh Harty at the Eddie Owen Presents open mic recently, and this guy is fantastic! Josh is from Madison, Wisconsin and as soon as he heard about my travels to the midwest he began making phone calls to his people to get me some exposure to his network. I was blown away.

He is a really great guy with some great music as well. Check out his unique Blues/Country/Folk style at www.joshharty.com. His music is as likable as his personality. Friendly, warm, and just there to help you out with anything he can.

Josh is spending some time touring in the Southeast right now, so be sure to check out when he'll be in your area. His show schedule can be found here www.reverbnation.com/joshharty

Here are a few places where you can connect with Josh Harty.

www.joshharty.com
www.twitter.com/joshharty
www.facebook.com/pages/Josh-Harty...


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

It's Cold Up Here!

It's Cold Up Here!
February 5, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

Greetings from Madison, Wisconsin!

I have been in the midwest for about a week and it is COLD!! When I left Atlanta there was flooding and a tornado warning, but it hasn't gotten too much better. The other day it got down to THREE DEGREES BELOW ZERO where I was! Did you see my update about that?

Well, it has been a fun tour thus far. Frigid weather and all. I kicked things off at Coe College after my 14-hour drive from Atlanta on January 30th. Cedar Rapids, IA was very cool. Good folks out there! After Coe I played at Lawrence Univ. in Appleton, WI and THEN... a house concert!

I love house concerts. Such a cool way to enjoy live music. On Friday, February 1st I performed at the "Tapps Estate" and we even did a live-stream of the concert! I heard a lot of great feedback from those who tuned in so I am definitely going to try and do that again soon!

After I left Milwaukee, I stopped through Rock Island, IL to record a Daytrotter session! Daytrotter is awesome. If you want a great place to discover new music, you should check them out. Tons of performances from everyone from The Lumineers to Ed Sheeran to Alabama Shakes. I'll be posting updates about when you can listen to the recordings from that, soon.

The rest of this tour is not quite as busy, but there are some cool things happening. Follow me on Twitter for more pics and amazing tweets! ;)

Coe College poster

Brrrrrrr!!!!!

Merch table at Coe College

My view at Lawrence University

Merch setup at the House Concert

Sitting at the Daytrotter piano!

Setup and ready for the house concert guests!

Driving on ice. For about 60 miles!

Nothing like a hot shower to refresh after a 14-hour drive.

Merch table at Lawrence University

Friday, February 1, 2013

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: JD Eicher

FEATURED FRIEND FRIDAY: JD Eicher
February 1, 2013
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

This week, I want to give a shout-out to my good friend JD Eicher! I had the pleasure of touring with JD in the Spring of 2012 and not only is he really funny, but he's got some serious musical talent! Definitely check this guy out.

JD tours some as a solo artist, but he is better known as the frontman in his band. If you live near Youngstown, OH you should go catch a show. JD Eicher and the Goodnights are GREAT live. Also they are currently working on some new music in the studio! I am super excited to hear the new stuff.

If you want a taste (you do) check out the FREE download of "The Pass Along Project" via NoiseTrade. www.noisetrade.com/jdeicherandthegoodnights

Here are a few places you can connect with JD:

www.jdeicher.com
www.twitter.com/jdeicher
www.facebook.com/jdeicherandthegoodnights
www.youtube.com/jdeicher