Michael J Media

Michael J. Media June 2012 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:09:00 +0000

Contact: Mike Farley
608-848-9707
mike@michaeljmedia.com www.michaeljmedia.com
www.soundcloud.com/michael-j-media
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-J-Media-Group/165446790245456

Summer. Seriously, I know it's not officially summer yet, but most folks consider Memorial Day to Labor Day to be summer. I happen to know the seasons as Football Season, Winter, Summer and Football Season. Anyway, this is a great time of year. Everyone is outside, there are cool pools and colder beverages. There are longer periods of daylight. It's all good, isn't it? Well, I'm not going to sit here and say everything is perfect in this world, but it sure is better with music. And here are some projects we have this month......

New Clients and Upcoming Releases

Andrew Leahey & The Homestead: Like Tom Petty and Steve Earle, Andrew Leahey writes songs that split the difference between rock & roll, Americana, and alt-country. A Virginia native, he began his career as a vocalist, singing at Juilliard during his early 20s and performing at venues like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Now a full-time Nashville resident, he writes, records, and tours with the band Andrew Leahey & the Homestead, a Southern supergroup featuring members of Exebelle & the Rusted Cavalcade, the Trillions, and the Mason Brothers. www.andrewleaheymusic.com

Rose's Pawn Shop: This group of Los Angeles based young musicians combined in their collective musical melting pot the old style American sounds of Woody Guthrie, Bill Monroe, and Hank Williams, the high energy punk of The Ramones, and The Pogues, and the melodic songwriting sensibilities of Elliott Smith and The Beatles. They are creating something musically unique and yet imbued with a familiarity and accessibility. www.rosespawnshop.com

C-Leb & The Kettle Black: The Kettle Black Seattle natives C-Leb & the Kettle Black recently released their debut album, The Kettle Black, and have been turning heads since. The band’s unique sound blends old blues with progressive beats, heavy synth, harmonica and slide guitar to repurpose a soul-inspiring lyrical sound for a new generation through the blues genre. www.c-lebsounds.com

Ben Levin Group: Ben Levin Group’s newest release, Invisible Paradise is by far his most intricate and expressive work to date. The album is a 38-minute piece of music divided into 7 movements about change and the dichotomy between joy and sorrow. Everything about the piece changes constantly. The music jumps and jolts between soaring guitar and violin harmonies, rhythmic piano textures, hip-hop backbeats, lush choral vocals and even the production style gradually morphs throughout the piece. www.benlevingroup.com

Natalie Stovall: The release of her first album, Late Night Conversations saw a top 50 radio hit with her song “If I Run To You Now” and the placement of that song in the National Lampoon movie “Bag Boy”. In the past couple years Natalie has used that momentum to become one of the hottest booked independent acts in America. Performing and fiddling over 200 dates a year at college campuses, military bases, fairs, festivals, clubs, and bars is all just par for the course with Natalie. www.nataliestovall.com

Michael Kaeshammer: Michael has been called Canada’s triple-threat combo of piano virtuosity, vocal ability and charisma. This potent combination has earned the Toronto based artist international critical acclaim and a loyal and growing fan base. Kaeshammer's performances are pure delight and his energy knows no bounds. www.michaelkaeshammer.com

Starroy is a band cut from the sounds of the South — fashioned only a stone's throw away from the home of the blues and a quick nap from the land of country; deeply rooted in the mud of the soulful Delta and fixed by the funk and groove of the Big Easy… Some would say you're a product of your environment. With that in mind, Starroy doesn't fall too far from the tree. www.starroy.com

Mark Bates: Night Songs (June 12) Folks, I'm over the moon about this album. You've got to check it out. Only 23 years old, Los Angeles by way of West Virginia and Nashville singer/songwriter Mark Bates has garnered critical acclaim for his debut, Down the Narrow, on NPR and the BBC while reaching the top 20 on the Americana UK charts. His music paints an honest picture of the world he comes from and the new album, Night Songs, produced by Eric Liljestrand (Lucinda Williams) is well worth a listen. www.markbatesmusic.com

Jesse Terry Empty Seat on a Plane (July 10) Jesse has been selected by the New Music Seminar as one of the Top 100 "Artists On The Verge". It's a HUGE honor and he's so excited about the NYC conference/showcase in June. As a result of his Top 100 NMS selection, Tommy Boy Records has chosen him to be one of the artists featured on their New Music Seminar compilation. Jesse's new album streets next month with a CD release show at Rockwood Music Hall. www.jesseterrymusic.com

Dan Miraldi: Sugar & Adrenaline (July 17) Cleveland rocker Dan Miraldi is back with a potent new album with a release date set for July 12 at House of Blues. Miraldi, who has been touring the past year in support of his 2011 release, Rock N Roll Band combines diverse influences ranging from Elvis to The Beatles to Green Day. www.danmiraldi.com

Other News:

Columbus band Red Wanting Blue will be appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman on July 18. The band has been tearing up the road for a decade and a half, and is finally enjoying the national recognition they richly deserve and are touring in support of their latest, From the Vanishing Point on Fanatic Records. www.redwantingblue.com

Tab Benoit took top honors at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis last month, as Contemporary Male Artist and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, and his album Medicine won Contemporary Blues Album. The premier blues music event in the world, the Blues Music Awards were held Thursday May 10, 2012 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Benoit is touring in support of his Best Of collection on Concord Music. www.tabbenoit.com

In the Studio and Playing a Few Shows:

Boom Chick www.boomchickboomchick.com

David Mayfield Parade: www.davidmayfieldparade.com

Poco: www.poconut.org

Tim Mahoney www.timmahoney.com

Tommy & The High Pilots www.thehighpilots.com

Chris Knight: www.chrisknight.net

Recent Releases

Lynn Taylor: Barfly www.lynntaylormusic.com

The Mighty Short Bus: The MSB Family Band www.mightyshortbus.com

Treasa Levasseur: Broad www.treasalevasseur.com

The Iveys: Days & Nights www.theiveysmusic.com

Stolen Rhodes: Falling Off the Edge www.stolenrhodes.com

Josh Harty: Nowhere www.joshharty.com

Touring Acts

Pure Prairie League www.pureprairieleague.com

Charlie Parr: www.charlieparr.com

Darrell Scott www.darrellscott.com

Cash'd Out (Johnny Cash Tribute) www.cashdout.com

Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime www.badfish.com
Scotty Don't (original project of Badfish members) www.scottydont.com

Jon Pousette-Dart www.pousette-dart.com

Red Wanting Blue: www.redwantingblue.com

David Jacobs-Strain www.davidjacobs-strain.com

Burning River Ramblers: self-titled www.reverbnation.com/theburningriverramblers

Ludo www.ludorock.com

The Companies We Represent

Bullz-Eye.com: With reviews, original entertainment features, sports, commentary, men's fitness advice, humor and blogs covering a wide range of topics, Bullz-Eye.com is one of the premier online entertainment magazines for men. Bullz-Eye.com/Black Mountain Publishing also publishes several blogs including Premium Hollywood, The Scores Report and Mikey's Kitchen. www.bullz-eye.com

Blogs and Writing Contributions

Mikey's Kitchen

Progressives Punch Back

Just Another Autism Blog

Big Blue View

Bullz-Eye.com's Grub for Guys

# # #

Michael J. Media May 2012 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:11:00 +0000

Michael J. Media May 2012 Newsletter

Contact: Mike Farley
608-848-9707
mike@michaeljmedia.com www.michaeljmedia.com
www.soundcloud.com/michael-j-media

Seriously, at what point did time start whipping by like this? It’s really MAY FIRST? Remember when you were a kid in the back seat of the car, watching out the window of the freeway as the trees were whipping rapidly by? That’s how I feel the last few years have been going. It makes you want to stop and smell the roses sometimes (you’re welcome, Louisville). No, really. I remember as a kid that the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas was an eternity. Now I count the weekends in between and wonder how much time we actually have to work, shop and still have a life in order to get to the holidays. Even for me, an avid football fan (my wife will tell you that is an understatement), the offseason doesn’t seem so horribly long anymore. And the summer really does feel like a few weekends, which, technically, it is. There are not enough hours in the day, either, or enough days in the week. So we all must make the best of it as we can. Thankfully, music is a constant that helps gets us through the week and move us along, and here is what we have going on this month….

New Clients and Upcoming Releases

Jesse Terry Empty Seat on a Plane After compiling a batch of songs that he was happy with for his second album, Jesse Terry decided that he wanted to create an album that showcased his singer/songwriter vibe without putting too many bells and whistles on top of the guitar and vocal. Nashville producer/engineer Neilson Hubbard helped to bring the material to life and shared Terry’s vision of “less is more.” The result of their work together is Empty Seat on a Plane, set for release July 10. www.jesseterrymusic.com

Chris Schutz & The Tourists Sunglasses on Starlight is set to release their new album, Sunglasses at Starlight on May 15. The album, which is the follow-up to their 2010 debut, Gemini, was recorded live (with the exception of the bonus track) in one take at the infamous Black Lodge Studios, where William S. Burroughs, Kurt Cobain and Al Jourgensen from Ministry have all recorded. Sunglasses at Starlight was produced by Ed Rose in Eudora, Kansas. www.chrisschutz.com

Lynn Taylor: Barfly It’s often part of human nature that after taking a long break from something, you come back to it energized and with renewed passion. Such is the case with Nashville-based Americana artist Lynn Taylor, formerly of the ragtag string band Felix Wiley, who is back with a Paul Burch-produced album, Barfly. www.facebook.com/BarFly.LynnTaylor

Tab Benoit: A fierce commitment to creative and environmental ideals comes to the forefront in a compilation of recordings from Tab Benoit’s years, so far, on the Telarc label. Legacy: The Best of Tab Benoitgathers 14 tracks that mark some of the high points in the career of an artist who has been aptly described as “the new kid from the old school.” Legacy was released on April 3, 2012, on Telarc, a division of Concord Music Group, and Benoit is touring in support of the new album. www.tabbenoit.com

Mark Bates: Night Songs www.markbatesmusic.com

The Mighty Short Bus: The MSB Family Band www.mightyshortbus.com

Recent Releases

Stolen Rhodes: Falling Off the Edge www.stolenrhodes.com

Tommy Womack: Now What! www.tommywomack.com

David Olney: The Stone www.davidolney.com

Josh Harty: Nowhere www.joshharty.com

Treasa Levasseur: Broad www.treasalevasseur.com

The Iveys: Days & Nights www.theiveysmusic.com

Recent Releasesand Touring Acts

Tim Mahoney www.timmahoney.com

Cash'd Out www.cashdout.com

Red Wanting Blue: From the Vanishing Point www.redwantingblue.com

Jon Pousette-Dart www.pousette-dart.com

David Jacobs-Strainwww.davidjacobs-strain.com

Zach Williams & The Reformation: A Southern Offering www.zwrnation.com

Charlie Parr: Keep Your Hands on the Plow www.charlieparr.com

David Mayfield Parade: www.davidmayfieldparade.com

Dan Miraldi: Rock N Roll Band www.danmiraldi.com

Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime www.badfish.com

Scotty Don't (original project of Badfish members) www.scottydont.com

Burning River Ramblers: self-titled www.reverbnation.com/theburningriverramblers

Pure Prairie Leaguewww.pureprairieleague.com

Darrell ScottLong Ride Home www.darrellscott.com

Tommy & The High Pilotswww.thehighpilots.com

Poco www.poconut.org

Chris Knightwww.chrisknight.net

Boom Chick www.boomchickboomchick.com

Ludo www.ludorock.com

Will Kimbrough www.willkimbrough.com

Blogs and Writing Contributions

Mikey's Kitchen

Progressives Punch Back

Just Another Autism Blog

Big Blue View

Bullz-Eye.com's Grub for Guys

# # #

Tim Mahoney Transitions to Commentator and More

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Media Alert

April 9, 2012

TIM MAHONEY TRANSITIONS TO COMMENTATOR AND MORE

Minneapolis Musical Artist Offers Insight on K-Twin for Season 2 of The Voice Following Last Season’s Appearance

Minneapolis, MN—One of Minnesota’s favorite sons, Tim Mahoney, is leveraging his appearance on Season 1 of NBC’s hit reality show, The Voice, offering weekly commentary for Season 2 on 96.3 K-Twin in the Twin Cities (Tuesday mornings just after 8 am CST). Mahoney, who convinced one of Team Christina’s finalists, Chris Mann, to compete this season, has obviously championed Mann as well as fellow Minnesotan Jordis Unga. Of course, all of this has raised Mahoney’s profile a bit more, and given new life to last fall’s single, “Hey Adam Levine,” which was written tongue-in-cheek about Mahoney’s Voice experience.

Mahoney, who is putting the finishing touches on a new EP slated for release in June, recently endeared himself to his faithful Minnesota fan base by writing a song, “Believe,” for high school hockey player Jack Jablonski, who was paralyzed in a game in December 2011. The song made a huge impact in the Twin Cities, as did another song written for a good cause, Minnesota’s Give to the Max Day last November, “Just Give.” All of this has paved the way for Mahoney to perform at many private and/or charity events, including current ones to support cancer research.

In addition, with the Minnesota Twins’ home opener set for Monday against the Los Angeles Angels, it’s worth mentioning that Mahoney’s “Theme Song,” as well as a few other tracks, will be played at Target Field between innings.

As for the new EP, Mahoney says it will be “part acoustic, part full production, with a solo piano song—kind of a collage of what I’ve been up to lately.” For a preview of one of the new songs, “The Truth Can Hurt,” click here.

For more information, please visit www.timmahoney.com or Mahoney’s Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/timmahoneycmon

or Tim’s iTunes page

Twitter: @timmahoneymusic

Publicity: Mike Farley/Michael J. Media Group/ 608-848-9707/ mike@michaeljmedia.com

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Michael J. Media April 2012 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:16:00 +0000

Michael J. Media April 2012 Newsletter

Contact: Mike Farley
608-848-9707
mike@michaeljmedia.com www.michaeljmedia.com
www.soundcloud.com/michael-j-media

Greetings everyone, and welcome to April 2012. The first quarter of the year is in the books and April is a good month in several ways. I’m a big sports fan so I am looking forward to the NCAA final tonight, followed by the start of baseball season this week, followed by the Masters in golf starting Thursday and continuing through Sunday.

Before I get to our current roster and projects, I wanted to pose a few questions that have been nagging at my little brain the last few days….and maybe you can all have some fun sending me replies, which I may post next month….

When did everything become so expensive? I mean, I started wearing glasses about five years ago. And they cost maybe $125. In 2009, I think I paid $300 for glasses and my exam, which at that time was not covered by my insurance. I had my first eye exam in three years last weekend, and they were giving me sticker shock, trying to get me to buy glasses that were around $650 AND sunglasses that were around $500. So, almost $1200 for glasses. I wound up going with a nice pair of glasses and sunglasses clip-ons that totaled around $425. That’s more like it, but still ridiculous. Cushions for some outdoor deck furniture we bought—50 bucks each. And yesterday I priced the same New Balance running shoes I wear every day, everywhere—they were maybe $80 a few years back and are now $150 at the New Balance outlet store. I know prices have gone up on most products, but why have some things gone up exponentially?

Next question: why does everyone feel the need to drive 30 miles per hour over the speed limit, and up my ass when I’m cruising along at posted speed or 5 mph over? I think they must now teach people in driver’s ed how to tailgate without hitting the car in front of you, because it’s become an epidemic. Can anyone explain why this is or why it’s acceptable? I just think people should slow down in general.

Actually, that should be everyone’s motto these days. Slow down, try to enjoy the things life has to offer, like music. Ah, you knew I had to get back to this eventually, right?.......

New Clients and Upcoming Releases

Mark Bates: Night Songs Only 23 years old, Los Angeles based singer/songwriter Mark Bates has garnered critical acclaim for his debut, Down the Narrow, on NPR and the BBC while reaching the top 20 on the Americana UK charts. Mark was born and raised in Hurricane, West Virginia and his music paints an honest picture of the world he comes from. His new album, Night Songs, is due later this spring and was produced by Eric Liljestrand (Lucinda Williams). www.markbatesmusic.com

Stolen Rhodes: Falling Off the Edge After the casual listener stumbles upon Philadelphia rock band Stolen Rhodes, the first thing they may ask for is how they came up with this unique name. But before or after that, they will listen to the group, and its debut album Falling Off The Edge, which streets on April 3. This is a young band that channels classic rock through its own youthful sound and vision. www.stolenrhodes.com

The Mighty Short Bus: The MSB Family Band Award-winning Madison band The Mighty Short Bus (MSB) decided to do something different, in reaction to what was being done by many mainstream music acts these days. They decided to step out of the studio, and instead went to a barn amongst the rolling hills of The Driftless Area, set up some microphones in a circle and played and forming The MSB Family Band, a six-piece acoustic group that is, according to principal singer and songwriter Frank Busch, “the definition of Americana music.” www.mightyshortbus.com

Cash'd Out is the premiere Johnny Cash tribute act, and the only tribute band endorsed by and linked from JohnnyCash.com, the official Johnny Cash website. Cash'd Out has over 150 of JC's songs in their repertoire, and can deliver up to four hours of non-stop entertainment, including the June Carter Cash duets brought back to fame in the recent Oscar winning movie Walk the Line. www.cashdout.com

Recent Releases

Tommy Womack: Now What! www.tommywomack.com

David Olney: The Stone www.davidolney.com

Josh Harty: Nowhere www.joshharty.com

Treasa Levasseur: Broad www.treasalevasseur.com

The Iveys: Days & Nights www.theiveysmusic.com

Brad Brooks: Harmony of Passing Light www.bradbrooksmusic.com

New Releases Coming Soon From....

Jesse Terry www.jesseterrymusic.com

Tim Mahoney www.timmahoney.com

Recent Releases and Touring Acts

Ludo www.ludorock.com

Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime www.badfish.com
Scotty Don't (original project of Badfish members) www.scottydont.com

Poco www.poconut.org

Chris Knight www.chrisknight.net

Burning River Ramblers: self-titled www.reverbnation.com/theburningriverramblers

Pure Prairie League www.pureprairieleague.com

Darrell Scott Long Ride Home www.darrellscott.com

Tommy & The High Pilots www.thehighpilots.com

David Mayfield Parade: www.davidmayfieldparade.com

Boom Chick www.boomchickboomchick.com

Charlie Parr: Keep Your Hands on the Plow www.charlieparr.com

Dan Miraldi: Rock N Roll Band www.danmiraldi.com

Red Wanting Blue: From the Vanishing Point www.redwantingblue.com

David Jacobs-Strain www.davidjacobs-strain.com

Zach Williams & The Reformation: A Southern Offering www.zwrnation.com

Blogs and Writing Contributions

Mikey's Kitchen

Progressives Punch Back

Just Another Autism Blog

Big Blue View

Bullz-Eye.com's Grub for Guys

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Michael J. Media March 2012 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Michael J. Media March 2012 Newsletter

Contact: Mike Farley
608-848-9707
mike@michaeljmedia.com www.michaeljmedia.com
www.soundcloud.com/michael-j-media

Hey everyone, welcome to March 2012. In February, I had my back surgery, am (slowly) getting back to normal, and my Giants won the Super Bowl. Apologies to my clients and friends who are Patriots fans. And the Michael J. Media train rolls on, with a few new releases and several that are coming soon, as well as tours supporting them.....have a look and listen!

New Clients and Upcoming Releases

David Olney: The Stone (March 20)--Following 2011’s David Olney presents Film Noir, The Stone is the second installment in Olney’s current series of “mini-album” releases. The new collection features three of his previously released songs completely reinterpreted and three new tunes to round out the story. It’s no mystery what story is being told, but this is in no way a religious thing. It's just another telling of the Greatest Story Ever Told presented by a great storyteller. www.davidolney.com

Josh Harty: Nowhere--Originally from the Dakotas, this Madison based Americana singer/songwriter is releasing his new album, Nowhere, in the US after a successful European run. Harty's music has been described as "authentic as American music gets." www.joshharty.com

Treasa Levasseur: Broad--Her EPK says it best--"Funny, ballsy, the type of old-school dame who can get away with wearing a three-piece suit and hold her own with the gents. That’s Treasa Levasseur. Now she has completed a third full-length album which represents both a return to her roots and a gutsy move into uncharted territory — and she’s cheerfully titled it Broad."
www.treasalevasseur.com

Tumbledown House: Fables and Falsehoods (March 20) They write about gambling, murder, booze and bicycles; and they do it against the backdrop of a musical landscape that has been described as “gritty saloon jazz,” “modern speakeasy music,” and “Tom Waits in a cocktail dress.” Tumbledown House, the Montana group fronted by sultry vocalist Gillian Howe and eclectic indie jazz guitarist Tyler Ryan Miller, is back with a new album, Fables and Falsehoods (due March 2012), the follow-up to their self-titled 2009 debut. www.tumbledownhouse.com

Russell Howard: City Heart (March 20) Sometimes it’s the turns taken along life’s road that turn out to be the most scenic. Charlotte based and Dallas bred singer/songwriter Russell Howard knows about such detours, and he wound up seizing a potential lost opportunity in 2010 while in the midst of recording a project that turned out to be his new EP, City Heart. www.russellhowardmusic.com

Boom Chick: Boom Chick is Frank Hoier on guitar & vocals and Moselle Spiller on drums. Formed in Brooklyn, NY Sept 2009, their sound is a reflection of their ecstatic love for early American rock & roll, surf guitar, early country music & Delta blues. They have released one album to date, Show Pony and as of February, 2012 a 7" single "Shake Can Well." Currently on tour with David Mayfield Parade. www.boomchickboomchick.com

Recent Releases

Erik Brandt: The Long Winter www.ErikBrandt.com

The Iveys: Days & Nights www.theiveysmusic.com

Brad Brooks: Harmony of Passing Light www.bradbrooksmusic.com

Martin Zellar: Roosters Crow www.martinzellar.com

Tommy Womack: Now What! www.tommywomack.com

New Releases Coming Soon From....

A Clever Con www.aclevercon.com

Jesse Terry www.jesseterrymusic.com

Tim Mahoney www.timmahoney.com

Recent Releases and Touring Acts

Charlie Parr: Keep Your Hands on the Plow www.charlieparr.com

Sunspot: The Slingshot Effect www.sunspotmusic.com

Dan Miraldi: Rock N Roll Band www.danmiraldi.com

Red Wanting Blue: From the Vanishing Point www.redwantingblue.com

Bill Toms www.billtoms.com

David Jacobs-Strain www.davidjacobs-strain.com

Darrell Scott Long Ride Home www.darrellscott.com

Tommy & The High Pilots www.thehighpilots.com

David Mayfield Parade: www.davidmayfieldparade.com

Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime www.badfish.com
Scotty Don't (original project of Badfish members) www.scottydont.com

Poco www.poconut.org

Burning River Ramblers: self-titled www.reverbnation.com/theburningriverramblers

Zach Williams & The Reformation: A Southern Offering www.zwrnation.com

Pure Prairie League www.pureprairieleague.com

Chris Knight www.chrisknight.net

Cornflower Blue: Run Down The Rails www.cornflowerbluemusic.com

Me and The Machine: releases from Joel Meeks, Nathan Griffin and Adam Burrows
www.meandthemachine.com

Progressives Punch Back

Just Another Autism Blog

Big Blue View

Bullz-Eye.com's Grub for Guys

# # #

Michael J. Media February 2012 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:53:00 +0000

Greetings everyone, and welcome to February 2012. Yes, you read that correctly--February. Do you ever feel like the weeks and months and years become a blur as you get older? I do, and it's even more so once you have kids. But one thing that helps slow the blur is trying to enjoy everything life throws at you. And for me, February is starting off with two things I am looking forward to--my Giants playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday, after one of the most impressive regular season finishes and another wild playoff run. (Side note, you can read some of my commentary at Big Blue View. Oh, and you can read and try my new Super Bowl recipes, published yesterday on Bullz-Eye.com's Grub for Guys). The other thing I'm looking forward to is back surgery on Tuesday. It's an outpatient procedure, but still surgery--and I can't wait to feel some relief after living with a bad disc for years. I'm also looking forward to resting for a few days before diving back into work the following week. Sometimes, even when you have a forced rest period like this, it's nice to recharge the batteries, so to speak--which is great, because I have so much amazing talent to represent. What talent, you ask? Here is a brief glimpse with some links.....

First, I started a Soundcloud link where you can hear samples of our clients. It needs to be updated, but please visit and give a listen.

New Clients and Upcoming Releases

Erik Brandt: The Long Winter (February 2012) Twin Cities based multi-instrumentalist and singer is the front man for Urban Hillbilly Quartet, and this is his third solo release. The album covers a wide swath of music--from indie rock to country to jazz to folk. www.ErikBrandt.com

The Iveys: Days & Nights (February 21): It may be a full calendar year later than anticipated, but the new release from sibling rock trio The Iveys is well worth the wait, with their most powerful and emotional batch of songs. www.theiveysmusic.com

Brad Brooks: Harmony of Passing Light (February 28) San Francisco based artist is amid a renaissance of incredible singer/songwriters in the Bay area, and he's been recognized as combining "the orchestral sophistication of Queen, the melodic sensibility of Elvis Costello and the punk energy of early Talking Heads." www.bradbrooksmusic.com

David Olney: The Stone (March 20) The second in a series of thematic mini-albums, The Stone is the follow-up to 2011's David Olney Presents: FILM NOIR. Olney can tell a story like few can, and he is about to deliver some unique biblical perspectives with this new release. www.davidolney.com

Martin Zellar: Roosters Crow (February 7) www.martinzellar.com

Tommy Womack: Now What! (February 21): www.tommywomack.com

Tumbledown House: Fables and Falsehoods (March 20): www.tumbledownhouse.com

Russell Howard: City Heart (March 2012): www.russellhowardmusic.com

Dam Brino: self-titled (March 30) www.dambrinomusic.com

New Releases Coming Soon From

A Clever Con www.aclevercon.com

Jesse Terry www.jesseterrymusic.com

Tim Mahoney www.timmahoney.com

Recent Releases and Touring Acts

Red Wanting Blue: From the Vanishing Point www.redwantingblue.com

Darrell Scott Long Ride Home www.darrellscott.com

Cornflower Blue: Run Down The Rails www.cornflowerbluemusic.com

Jeff Campbell: Stop and Go www.jeffcampbellmusic.com

Charlie Parr: Keep Your Hands on the Plow www.charlieparr.com

Sunspot: The Slingshot Effect www.sunspotmusic.com

Dan Miraldi: Rock N Roll Band www.danmiraldi.com

Me and The Machine: releases from Joel Meeks, Nathan Griffin and Adam Burrows
www.meandthemachine.com

Burning River Ramblers: self-titled www.reverbnation.com/theburningriverramblers

Zach Williams & The Reformation: A Southern Offering www.zwrnation.com

Tommy & The High Pilots www.thehighpilots.com

David Mayfield Parade: www.davidmayfieldparade.com

Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime www.badfish.com
Scotty Don't (original project of Badfish members) www.scottydont.com

Poco www.poconut.org

Pure Prairie League www.pureprairieleague.com

Chris Knight www.chrisknight.net

David Jacobs-Strain www.davidjacobs-strain.com

The Companies We Represent

Bullz-Eye.com: With reviews, original entertainment features, sports, commentary, men's fitness advice, humor and blogs covering a wide range of topics, Bullz-Eye.com is one of the premier online entertainment magazines for men. Bullz-Eye.com/Black Mountain Publishing also publishes several blogs including Premium Hollywood, The Scores Report and Mikey's Kitchen. www.bullz-eye.com

Blogs and Writing Contributions:

Mikey's Kitchen

Progressives Punch Back

Just Another Autism Blog

Big Blue View

Bullz-Eye.com's Grub for Guys

# # #

Michael J. Media January 2012 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Michael J. Media January 2012 Newsletter and Client Roster

Contact: Mike Farley/ 608-848-9707/ mike@michaeljmedia.com

www.michaeljmedia.com

New Clients

Tommy Womack Now What! A successful singer/songwriter with tracks recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Todd Snider, Jason Ringenberg, Dan Baird, Scott Kempner and others, Womack is the recording artist behind 2007's career-defining There, I Said It! album, as well as founding member of the band DADDY with Will Kimbrough. A two-time winner of "BEST SONG" in the Nashville Scene's annual "Best of Nashville" poll, Tommy is releasing a new solo studio album Now What! next month. www.tommywomack.com

Tumbledown House Fables and Falsehoods They write about gambling, murder, booze and bicycles; and they do it against the backdrop of a musical landscape that has been described as “gritty saloon jazz,” “modern speakeasy music,” and “Tom Waits in a cocktail dress.” Tumbledown House, the Montana group fronted by sultry vocalist Gillian Howe and eclectic indie jazz guitarist Tyler Ryan Miller, is back with a new album, Fables and Falsehoods (due March 2012), the follow-up to their self-titled 2009 debut. www.tumbledownhouse.com

Russell Howard: City Heart Sometimes it’s the turns taken along life’s road that turn out to be the most scenic. Charlotte based and Dallas bred singer/songwriter Russell Howard knows about such detours, and he wound up seizing a potential lost opportunity in 2010 while in the midst of recording a project that turned out to be his new EP, City Heart, set for release in early 2012. www.russellhowardmusic.com

Dam Brino A former Miss Mississippi who competed in the Miss America Pageant and has performed at benefits across the nation (as well as on the MSNBC benefit concert and CNBC’s The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch) to raise over $15 million for victims of Hurricane Katrina (and has performed with the likes of Morgan Freeman, Faith Hill, Pam Tillis and Macy Gray) Dam Brino (a.k.a. Kristian Dambrino) is back with a stunning self-titled EP of new songs with acclaimed Nashville producer Neilson Hubbard. www.dambrinomusic.com

Returning Clients

Darrell Scott After an incredible year touring as a featured member of Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, Darrell Scott is set to release his latest, Long Ride Home, the follow up to his critically acclaimed and Grammy nominated A Crooked Road. Scott has a full slate of tour dates in place to support Long Ride Home. www.darrellscott.com

Me and the Machine: Those in the know in Nashville understand that in a city known for country music, there are hundreds of extremely talented songwriters that most average listeners may not have heard of. Local label Me and the Machine, run by Josh and Lisa Preston, has been putting some of this incredible talent on the map for the past few years, and its 2011 releases feature some of the label's best work as well. www.meandthemachine.com

Other News/Upcoming Releases

Charlie Parr When you’re a well-respected and prolific talent as singer/songwriter/picker Charlie Parr is, you tend to collect friends and admirers with seamless ease. Parr’s latest project, Keep Your Hands on the Plow, is a collection of (mostly) traditional gospel songs being released by House of Mercy Recordings on January 10. The album features Emily Parr (Charlie’s wife, who often lends backing vocals to his work; Four Mile Portage (string duo from Duluth); and Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker from Low (dubbed as the “slowest of the ‘slowcore’ bands”). www.charlieparr.com

The Iveys This El Paso sibling pop/rock group is back, and has just wrapped up recording their sophomore album, due out next month. Following lead singer Arlen Ivey's recovery from damaged vocal cords, the group is also out playing some shows in and around El Paso. www.theiveysmusic.com

Cornflower Blue Run Down the Rails www.cornflowerbluemusic.com

Martin Zellar Roosters Crowwww.martinzellar.com

Red Wanting Blue From the Vanishing Point www.redwantingblue.com

Jeff Campbell Stop and Go www.jeffcampbellmusic.com

In the Studio

Jesse Terry Jesse has wrapped up his new album (also with Neilson Hubbard in Nashville) due out in spring 2012 www.jesseterrymusic.com

A Clever Con Their Pledge Music campaign complete, this New Jersey rock band is busy recording their upcoming release, which will be a duo of two EPs in 2012. www.aclevercon.com

Recent Releases

Burning River Ramblers self titled debut www.reverbnation.com/theburningriverramblers

Sunspot The Slingshot Effect www.sunspotmusic.com

Dan Miraldi Rock N Roll Band www.danmiraldi.com

Zach Williams & The Reformation A Southern Offering www.zwrnation.com

Some Love for the Companies we Represent

Bullz-Eye.com With reviews, original entertainment features, sports, commentary, men's fitness advice, humor, and blogs covering a wide range of topics, Bullz-Eye.com is one of the premier online entertainment magazines for men ages 18-34. Bullz-Eye.com/Black Mountain Publishing also publishes blogs such as Premium Hollywood, The Scores Report and Mikey's Kitchen. www.bullzeye.com

On Tour

Papa Grows Funk www.papagrowsfunk.com

Chris Knight www.chrisknight.net

Will Kimbrough www.willkimbrough.com

Pure Prairie League www.pureprairieleague.com

Poco www.poconut.org

Tommy and the High Pilots www.thehighpilots.com

Tim Mahoney www.timmahoney.com

Jason & The Scorchers This legendary Nashville band is celebrating its 30th anniversary with some tour dates in the Southeast early this month, following a New Year's Eve appearance at The Rutledge in Nashville. www.jasonandthescorchers.com

Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime (celebrating 11 years) www.badfish.com
Scotty Don't (original project of Badfish members) www.scottydont.com

David Jacobs-Strain www.davidjacobs-strain.com

Jon Pousette-Dart www.pousette-dart.com

Blogs and Other Writing Projects

Mikey's Kitchen (food blog) www.mikeyskitchen.com

Just Another Autism Blog

Progressives Punch Back

Contributor to NY Giants Blog: Big Blue View

Contributor to Bullz-Eye.com

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Michael J. Media December 2011 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:48:00 +0000

Happy holidays, everyone. I can't believe I'm saying that, and that 2011 is rapidly coming to a close. Thanksgiving is already a week ago, and now Christmas is 24 days away. You know all that crap they tell you when you're a kid about how the years whiz by when you get older? Yeah, about that -- it's freaking true. That's why I think it's important to try and live life to the fullest, and be thankful for what you have. I sure do, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving I have to say how thankful I am for my clients, that I get to do what I love every day, and how I have the opportunity to represent some amazing talent -- some you've heard of, and some of whom you should if I'm doing my job effectively. On that note, check out what we have going on this month.....

New and exciting newly designed website: www.michaeljmedia.com
Thank you Josh Preston of Me and the Machine and please check out their awesome new releases from Adam Burrows, Nathan Griffin and Joel Meeks.

New Clients

Burning River Ramblers--They were named one of the Top 25 Bands to Watch by the Cleveland Plain Dealer this summer, and they are playing quite a few shows during the holiday break (most of the band are students at Ohio University) in their hometown. The band's self-titled debut album was released in August 2011. www.reverbnation.com/theburningriverramblers

Cornflower Blue--Cornflower Blue is Trevor May and Theresa McInerny, a country/rock duo from Canada who are releasing their new album, Run Down the Rails, in early 2012. Rootsy arrangements, thoughtful lyrics, stunning harmonies, and hot guitar solos have led people to compare Cornflower Blue to other male/female groups such as Richard and Linda Thompson, or Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons. www.cornflowerbluemusic.com

Martin Zellar--Martin Zellar, formerly of the Polygram band Gear Daddies, will release his new album, Roosters Crow, his first in nine years, on February 7, 2012. Martin, who now lives in Central Mexico but has roots in Minneapolis, will release the album to coincide with the Gear Daddies' 25th anniversary and tour the U.S. in support of it. www.martinzellar.com

Returning Clients

Jason & The Scorchers--This legendary Nashville band will be celebrating its 30th anniversary with some tour dates in the Southeast in late December and early January, including a New Year's Eve appearance at The Rutledge in Nashville. www.jasonandthescorchers.com

David Mayfield Parade--It's been quite a year for David Mayfield after the release of his new solo album, The David Mayfield Parade, and including appearances at Bonnaroo and Mountain Stage among others, and as a featured band to watch in Southwest Spirit's 40th anniversary issue, including a partnership with iTunes and Southwest Airlines' in-flight music. www.davidmayfieldparade.com

The Iveys--This El Paso sibling pop/rock group is back, and has just wrapped up recording their sophomore album, due out in February 2012. Following lead singer Arlen Ivey's recovery from damaged vocal cords, the group is also out playing some shows in and around El Paso. www.theiveysmusic.com

Other News/Upcoming Releases

Charlie Parr--As someone with an encyclopedic knowledge of American folk, blues and country music, Charlie Parr is an Americana legend. And he's about to release an album (in January 2012) of traditional gospel songs, featuring some amazing talent such as Emily Parr, Four Mile Portage, and Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker from Low. The album is being released by Minnesota based label House of Mercy. www.charlieparr.com

Red Wanting Blue--In advance of their debut album recorded for Fanatic/EMI, From the Vanishing Point, on January 10, this longstanding group of Ohio based road warriors has released a holiday song--a cover of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." The band has a full slate of nationwide tour dates for early 2012 as well in support of the new record. www.redwantingblue.com

Jeff Campbell--San Francisco based singer/songwriter Jeff Campbell (from Bay area band Pine and Battery) is releasing his debut solo acoustic album, Stop and Go, in January. The idea for the project came to Campbell when going through some old demos with co-producer Charlie Wilson. www.jeffcampbellmusic.com

Ludo--Still touring in support of their latest Island Records' release, Prepare the Preparations, Ludo is back with its "A Very Ludo Christmas" shows on December 10 in St. Louis and December 11 in Chicago. www.ludorock.com

Tim Mahoney--Minneapolis mainstay has released a holiday song on the Home for the Holidays compilation of holiday songs put out by Target stores of Minnesota musical acts. Mahoney's version of "Winter Wonderland" is on this year's edition. www.timmahoney.com

A Clever Con--Their Pledge Music campaign is rolling along, and the band is busy recording their upcoming release, which will be a duo of two EPs in 2012. www.aclevercon.com

Megan Slankard--Megan is wrapping up the touring in support of 2011's A Token of the Wreckage with an acoustic "evening with" show presented by KC Turner at the Swedish American Hall in San Francisco December 10. www.meganslankard.com

Tommy and the High Pilots--Cantillon Entertainment Group is presenting their third annual "A Tommy and the High Pilots Christmas" December 23 at the Lobero Theatre in their hometown of Santa Barbara, with special guests JR Richards of Dishwalla and Tim Lopez of Plain White T's. www.thehighpilots.com

Jesse Terry--Jesse is in the studio working on his new album due out in early 2012 after reaching 100% on his Pledge Music campaign. www.jesseterrymusic.com

Recent Releases

Sunspot: The Slingshot Effect www.sunspotmusic.com

The Energy: Streets of In-Between www.theenergy-music.com

Papa Juke: Out of the Blues www.papajuke.com

Corey Hart: Winter Bones www.coreyhartmusic.com

Dan Miraldi: Rock N Roll Band www.danmiraldi.com

Zach Williams & The Reformation A Southern Offering www.zwrnation.com

Some Love for the Companies we Represent

Bullz-Eye.com: With reviews, original entertainment features, sports, commentary, men's fitness advice, humor, and blogs covering a wide range of topics, Bullz-Eye.com is one of the premier online entertainment magazines for men ages 18-34. Bullz-Eye.com/Black Mountain Publishing also publishes blogs such as Premium Hollywood, The Scores Report and Mikey's Kitchen. www.bullzeye.com

TAXI: Back for its fifteenth year, the TAXI Road Rally was held at the Westin Hotel in Los Angeles last month, and composer Charles Fox received TAXI's Living Legend Award. www.taxi.com

On Tour
Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime (celebrating 10 years) www.badfish.com
Scotty Don't (original project of Badfish members) www.scottydont.com

David Jacobs-Strain www.davidjacobs-strain.com
Papa Grows Funk www.papagrowsfunk.com

Whitney Mann www.whitneymannmusic.com

Chris Knight www.chrisknight.net

Ida Jo www.idajoandtheshow.com

Will Kimbrough www.willkimbrough.com

Pure Prairie League www.pureprairieleague.com

Poco www.poconut.org

Jon Pousette-Dart www.pousette-dart.com

The Mighty Short Bus www.mightyshortbus.com

Blogs and Other Writing Projects

Mikey's Kitchen (food blog) www.mikeyskitchen.com

Just Another Autism Blog

Progressives Punch Back

Contributor to NY Giants Blog: Big Blue View

Contributor to Bullz-Eye.com

# # #

Michael J. Media November 2011 Newsletter and Client Roster

noreply@blogger.com (Madison G-man) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Happy November, everyone. I am going to count this as a new month and a new beginning, because the past sixty or so days have been extremely trying in a technology sort of way. Our website was hacked, as you might have already gathered if you attempted to go there recently. We are working on resolving that as we speak.

But wait, there’s more. Forgive me for giving you some personal accounts that you may not care about, but trust me, I will get to something you will or should find important. Yesterday I contracted a virus on my PC that rendered it to a blank piece of machinery (weird things have been happening for a few weeks now, however). It’s the second time since August I’ve had a virus, but this one was nastier than the first one and is forcing me to plod along slowly as if I’m using a computer and the Internet for the first time.

Last month I was the victim of credit card and debit card fraud—thankfully my credit card company and bank almost instantly knew these were bad charges and called me and also luckily, the damage was less than a hundred bucks in each case, and even then they were reversed.

Is all of this related? I don’t know, but doesn’t it seem odd? The fact that you can now be online and feel like someone is literally watching your every move is an extremely frightening proposition. It’s like we’ve come so far that we’ve come too far.

Anyway, I am lucky. I have Carbonite online backup—something that helped me when I bought a new PC last year, and something that is about as invaluable as it gets right now. This is not a commercial and they are not paying me to say this—but if you are not using this or a service like it, you could easily lose all of your files. Since I run a small business from home, this is worth far more than the $50 per year it costs. Not having my regular PC yesterday also forced me to do something I have been putting off—getting the website fixed, and also getting identity theft protection. So my other point here is the importance of protecting yourself from fraud that is becoming more and more widespread these days.

Nothing is more valuable than the lives and health of ourselves and of our family. But I would argue that in 2011, personal information comes after that on the importance scale, and as such it’s important that we do what we can to protect that. That’s my message for the day and for the start of November, and I thought it made sense to begin this newsletter that way. Meanwhile, here is more for you to chew on and listen to……

New Clients

Ron Pope After finishing his successful tenure as a Universal Republic recording artist, Ron Pope’s new album, Whatever It Takes, is a game changer, combining all the things that make his music refreshing and special; part guitar hero, part introspective songwriter, he writes from a perspective that is always earnest and sincere and creates music with an overpowering sense of grandeur that you can’t help singing along to. Pope is currently on a nationwide tour. www.ronpopemusic.com

Music Hates You: Music Hates You is the angriest band in Athens, Georgia. In a town known for esoteric pop bands and quirky, sometimes precious, singer/songwriters, Music Hates You is the dissenting vote – the sound of disenchantment. The band is touring in support of their latest, Where Did All This Dirt Come From? www.musichatesyou.com

The Energy: Mere days after they finished recording their latest album, Streets of In-Between, Brooklyn based band The Energy appeared on Voice of America (VOA) “Border Crossings” program for some 100 million listeners, and shortly thereafter helped to host an episode of ESPN’s “Inside the Big East.” Selling out many of New York City’s and Boston's premier venues over the past three years, the band currently ranks among the top grossing indie acts in the Northeast. www.theenergy-music.com

Papa JukeColorado based Papa Juke is blues with a difference and their intoxicating and infectious original sound is courageously creative and enticingly danceable. Their heartfelt live performances are both hauntingly memorable and contagiously fun loving. You will go home after one of their shows strangely fulfilled yet still wanting more. The group is currently supporting their latest release, Out of the Blues. www.papajuke.com

Other New/Upcoming Releases

The Iveys: After lead singer Arlen Ivey took care of his damaged vocal cords by seeing many specialists and getting way more rest than he would have liked, this El Paso based sibling group is back in the studio wrapping up their sophomore release, due out in early 2012. They are also playing a few shows in and around Texas and New Mexico. Stay tuned! www.theiveysmusic.com

A Clever Con: New Jersey rock band is in the studio working on their new release(s)…more on that soon! www.aclevercon.com

Sunspot: The Slingshot Effect (November 22) www.sunspotmusic.com

Jeff CampbellStop and Go (January 2012) www.jeffcampbellmusic.com

Red Wanting Blue: From the Vanishing Point (January 2012) www.redwantingblue.com

Recent Releases

Corey Hart: Winter Bones www.coreyhartmusic.com

Tim Mahoney: “Hey Adam Levine,” Tongue-in-cheek track about Mahoney’s experience on NBC’s “The Voice.” www.timmahoney.com

Ashley Brooke Toussant: Sweetheart http://abtmusic.tumblr.com/

Dan Miraldi: Rock N Roll Band www.danmiraldi.com

Bill Toms: Memphis www.billtoms.com

Griffen Alexander: The Sound and the Sea www.GriffenAlexander.com

Hannah Miller: O Black River www.hannahmillermusic.com

Carley Tanchon: Leave the Light On www.CarleyTanchon.com

The Hops: Won’t It Be Fun www.thehops.net

Arty Hill: Another Lost Highway www.artyhill.com

Zach Williams & The Reformation: A Southern Offering www.zwrnation.com

Some Love For The Companies We Represent

Bullz-Eye.com: With movie and music reviews, original entertainment features, sports commentary, men’s fitness columns, humor content, and blogs covering a wide range of topics, Bullz-Eye.com has become one of the premier entertainment sites for men between the ages of 18-34. Bullz-Eye/Black Mountain Publishing also publishes several blogs including Premium Hollywood, The Scores Report and Mikey’s Kitchen. www.bullzeye.com

On Tour

David Jacobs-Strain www.davidjacobs-strain.com

Jesse Terry www.jesseterrymusic.com

Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime www.badfish.com

Scotty Don’t (original project of Badfish members): www.scottydont.com

Charlie Parr: www.charlieparr.com

Ludo: www.ludorock.com

Tommy & the High Pilots: www.thehighpilots.com

Michel Logen: www.michaellogen.com

Ida Jo: www.idajoandtheshow.com

Will Kimbrough www.willkimbrough.com

Megan Slankard: www.meganslankard.com

The Greencards: www.thegreencards.com