April 15, 2021

Jonathan Stone - Co-Founder of Rocket Songs on Music Publishing for Independent Artists

April 15, 2021/ Chris Goyzueta

Jonathan Stone of Rocket Songs Podcast Interview

You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher |

Jonathan Stone is the co-Founder of Rocket Songs where independent artists can legally license songs from some of the top songwriters in the world. Stone has been in the music publishing world since 1974 having worked with artists such as Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Glen Ballard, Robbie Neville, Mark Mueller, Brock Walsh, and many more. In this conversation, we discuss how Rocket Songs works and how independent artists can license and release music with the platform, publishing deals, stories from his journey in the industry, and much more.

To learn more about Jonathan Stone & Rocket Songs visit https://www.rocketsongs.com/.

October 19, 2017

Davey Jay - A Copyright & Publishing Foundation Masterclass with Entertainment Attorney Davey Jay

October 19, 2017/ Chris Goyzueta

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Stitcher |

Davey Jay returns to the podcast for a copyright and publishing foundation masterclass. In this episode we discuss everything you need to know to get started with building a foundation knowledge of how copyright and publishing works. Davey Jay discusses the benefits of registering your copyright. We cover how mechanical royalties, performance royalties, and synchronization licenses work. Also, you’ll learn which codes you need to obtain to make sure all of your online streams and digital plays are being tracked correctly. The benefits of SoundExchange, and why every artist should sign-up. How do you properly cover or sample a song, and make money from it, and much more.

To learn more about Davey Jay, check out our round one episode on the show, where we discuss how she got started as an entertainment attorney, tips for those wanting to get into entertainment law, common deals, red flags with record contracts, and much more.

A few Copyright & Publishing terms to be familiar with:
Mechanical Royalties: Each time a song is reproduced on a physical or digital recording, the song owner is entitled a payment from the company doing the reproduction. The standard per copy set by the United States Copyright office is $0.091.

Performance Royalties: Every time the song is performed live (by the original artist or a cover), or the song is played on radio, over a jukebox, over speakers at a business, non-interactive streaming and interactive streaming, or any other public setting, the songwriter is entitled a performance royalty fee.

Synchronization License: A song used in sync with video, such as YouTube, Commercials, TV Shows, Video Games, or any other video, the song owner is entitled a payment at a negotiated rate, by the company using the song in their video.

Performance Rights Organizations (PRO's): In the United States, those are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. These organizations represent the songwriters and publishers, and collect performance royalties. SOCAN in Canada, and PRS in England.

Two Copyrights for a Song: One for the composition (melody and lyrics), and one for the sound recording (the actual recording of the song, aka the Master). Register at https://www.copyright.gov/.

Harry Fox Agency: Handles mechanical licenses.

From https://heroic.academy/indie-guide-music-copyright-publishing/

Highlights from this Episode
(3:38) Updates since part 1
(4:58) Topics and FAQs in Music Law 101
(6:48) Legal protection for a brand new song
(7:40) Benefits of copyrighting
(9:58) Process for registering songs
(10:58) Types of Copyright
(12:23) Copyrighting Singles/Albums
(13:47) PROs
(16:00) Businesses and licensing
(18:52) Soundexchange
(21:40) Royalty rate
(23:30) ISRC codes
(26:55) Mechanical Licenses
(29:38) Synchronization and Master use Licenses
(33:16) Songs with multiple writers
(36:52) Split Sheets and Collaboration Agreements
(38:09) Publisher share and writer share
(40:14) Benefits of having a publisher
(42:33) Co-publishing deals
(44:19) Advances in publishing deals
(45:02) Record deals and copyrights
(46:25) Cross collateralization
(52:23) Rihanna example
(55:57) Managers
(57:36) When to consult an attorney
(58:45) Band agreements
(1:00:00) Get advice form an attorney
(1:01:09) Choose a superpower
(1:01:49) First album and concert
(1:02:40) Recommended books and documentaries
(1:03:41) Mentors
(1:05:23) Recent Discovery
(1:06:43) Night of drinks with
(1:07:27) Fill-in-the-blanks

Quotes from Davey Jay
“In music law, the facts are very critical”
“As soon as you make an original work of authorship tangible, you have a copyright to it”
“Show people the big stick you’re gonna hit em with”
“Look into what they [PROs] are offering, as far as perks and benefits”
“Different types of streaming generate different types of revenue”
“There’s no set fees for Sync Licenses”
“Joint author and co-owners of the work…share everything equally, regardless of the level of contribution”
“The Appropriate publishing deal is entirely dependent upon where the songwriter is at that point in their career and who the publisher is”
“The publisher split is for any sort of licensing”
“Artists who end up broke is because they weren’t paying attention”
“Write your own music”
“Be careful with managers…they have the power to make or break you”
“When you’re starting a band is best to start with a band agreement”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Music Law 101
Will’s Pub Orlando
Lil Indies
U.S. Copyright Office
ASCAP
BMI
SESAC
Soundexchange
RIAA
ISRC Code
ISWC Code
Harry Fox Agency
Rihanna - Diamonds
REO Speedwagon
Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
Salmon Rushdie
Music, Money and Success
Alan Schlesinger
Hank & Cupcakes
Ruth Bader GInsburg
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Robin Williams
David Bowie

Contact
Meehle & Jay Business and Entertainment Law
Phone 407-792-0790

Davie Jay’s Definition of Making it
“Making it is, at the end of the day, feeling that you did good…”

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency
Music: Emily Kopp
Show Notes: Manuel Pachamoro

June 22, 2017

Jeffrey James - An Adventure in the Nashville Songwriters Scene, Publishing Deals, & Working Towards Songwriting Mastery

June 22, 2017/ Chris Goyzueta

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud

How many songs do you have to write to start getting to the good stuff? This episode features Nashville based R&B/Alt-Pop/Singer-Songwriter Jeffrey James. In this conversation we discuss reaching mastery in songwriting, the Nashville music scene and songwriters rounds, building your business team, publishing, collaborations, and much more. We dive into Jeffrey’s story about growing up playing basketball in Indiana to moving to Nashville to attend Belmont University, and his journey to getting a manager, booking agent, attorney, publishing deal with Sony/ATV Publishing.

Jeffrey James released the EP “UNSAID” in 2017, and we dive into this EP, which was released by South by Sea, and what people can expect from these songs. We also discuss him venturing into collaborations with EDM artists, and getting his song placed in the TV show “Nashville.” Jeffrey James shares all kinds of great and wonderful lessons with you in this conversation. This was the first time on the podcast where we really got to dive into the Nashville songwriter’s rounds, and Jeffrey had some great insight to share on the benefits of being part of them and how to get into that circuit. We really dive into what it takes to reaching songwriter mastery, and his pursuit of continued success in songwriter. You’ll learn about how he built his team, and much more.

Support the Show & use our Amazon Banner for your next Purchase. Thank you!

Highlights from this Episode
Nashville Music Scene (03:40)
Experience in NOLA (05:15)
Cold Blood Collaboration (06:05)
Publishing Deals (07:40)
Unsaid EP (12:30)
What happens to the unused songs (14:34)
Jeffrey’s favorite memories of a small town (15:35)
Lessons learned from small town community (18:35)
Jesus Christ Superstar experience (20:20)
Choir experience (22:55)
The book of guitar playing (24:20)
What made Jeffrey decide to do music professionally (25:40)
Who inspired Jeffrey (27:25)
Reason for moving to Nashville (28:10)
Songwriters rounds (31:50)
Nashville Co-Writing culture (39:00)
Co-Writing do’s and don’ts (40:05)
Jeffrey’s writing process (41:53)
Advice for writer’s block (43:29)
What was Jeffrey’s life before his label deal (44:50)
Moment when Jeffrey felt comfortable in his career (49:55)
The team behind the music (53:15)
How to know when you know you’ve found your voice (55:55)
What changed for Jeffrey (1:01:55)
Jeffrey James being featured on Nashville (1:03:30)
Collaborations in the music career (1:05:55)
Jeffrey’s advice on content (1:08:08)
What to expect (1:11:05)
Advice for the aspiring songwriter (1:11:50)
Behind the scenes questions (1:13:24)

Funny Fan Encounters
Superpowers
Success
First Concert & First Album
First 90 / Last 90
Favorite Media
Favorite Apps
Mentors
Night of drinks with anyone
Time Travel

Making it to Jeffrey James (1:21:30)

Quotes from Jeffrey James
“Just be nice man, people talk.”
“As big as Nashville is, it’s still a small city.”
“You start out and you’re just replication the music you know, and you do that until you find your own voice.”
“At that point it wasn’t about people hearing me, I needed to perform.”
“You grow thick skin by preforming in front of people who aren’t necessary there to hear you.”
“If they love you that night, they won’t have any problem booking you.”
“The best way to get a good lyric it to get the crappy ones out.”
“If you hear yourself talking the most, then shut up for a bit.”
“No one wants to write with the guy who uses all of his own music.”
“I gravity towards content that I can connect with my life.”
“People are coming to be without me having to swim against the current.”
“I knew what I thought was good, and the music I was making didn’t add up to that.”
“We are in the ages of singles.”
“As long as I can put out music, I will put out music.”
“I’m still finding the balance between release things and promoting them.”
“Keep writing, and don’t hold too many songs close to your heart.”
“Every song you write before you write 200 songs is crap.”