NHT Blog

Over my ten-plus years of hosting the weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, I’ve had the opportunity to have some guests on who have been on “American Idol,” “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “The X Factor” (including one guest who won “The Voice”).  These folks have talked about their experience on the show, what they learned from it, and what they’re doing presently.

My brother will see a movie trailer and grimace and say, “I don’t need to see that movie.  I already did – when it was called” and he’ll say the title of a film that he felt was exactly like the one he’s seeing a preview for.  It’s kind of funny and I get his point, however, they ARE two different films and WILL have their differences.

Indie music artists, I’m sorry to say that you’re only as good as your latest single. Well, wait, let me give that some context before you start throwing rotten eggs at the screen.

I’m reacting this week to the song “Internet Women” by New York City-based and Cleveland-born rock singer/songwriter Dan Miraldi.  With this new release of his, I am reminded that he had submitted a song that I liked and wrote a positive review of back in December.

Not every indie music artist is at a point in their career where they can be thinking about aligning themselves with a charity yet.  That’s completely understandable when you’re starting out and/or looking at the rising costs of gas and rent and other basic living expenses.  To all of a sudden take off a percentage of your earnings to give away is tough to make peace with if it’s going to add to your struggle.  You certainly have to make an informed decision.

It’s always an exciting time when a recording artist puts out a new single or an EP or a full album.  And authors get to have the same experience when their book gets released.  In both cases, it doesn’t matter if it’s the first or the fifth.

It amazes me how many people AREN’T regular email users these days.  My gosh.  I’m on at least my Now Hear This, Inc. email SO much each day, that I don’t know how people can seemingly go days without checking their email.

Yes, I know, there’s a lot of junk.  There are a lot of spammers.  It can quickly and easily get to a point where you get discouraged from checking your email, as a result.

First and foremost, please understand that I absolutely see the irony in someone who is a publicist, not to mention the host of a weekly (close to one-hour) podcast telling people, “The less said, the better.”  Yes, I get it.  I’m a professional communicator who, in a roundabout way, talks for a living, you could say, and yet here I am writing a blog under a headline that seems awfully contradictory.

Last Wednesday on the episode of my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast that was released (number 532), John Ellison – who wrote the R&B standard “Some Kind of Wonderful” – talked about a contest he participated in when he was young.

Alright, recording artists, podcasters, authors, and other creatives.  One week ago (in the U.S.) was Tax Day, and now it’s time for inventory.  Okay, maybe it’s not actually on the calendar, but go with me on this because it’s something you don’t want to file an extension for, to use an April 15th analogy.

Way back on Episode 200 of my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, my guest was comedian Jim Florentine.  To this day, I still listen to his podcast, where he often will talk with great sarcasm about people taking pictures of their food (for social media).  His attitude is, just eat it, nobody cares.