Moby

A Conversation with Moby at SXSW

2008-03-17T19:01:00-05:00

BMI sponsored an in depth conversation with internationally distinguished musician Moby at the Austin Convention Center during SXSW on March 11. Moderated by Doreen Ringer Ross, BMI’s Vice President, Film & Television Relations, Moby discussed his music’s relationship with cinema, the challenges and rewards accompanying the composition of original scores and his new project “moby gratis”, which seeks to offer his music to independent filmmakers free of charge.

In addition, BMI songwriter Billy Bob Thornton took part in a Q&A session moderated by journalist and producer of “The Black List” Elvis Mitchell.

A video stream of the event has been posted by LAist.

More coverage of BMI's activities at SXSW2008 is available here.

Al Kooper Celebrates a Half-Century of Super Sessions

2008-01-11T19:17:00-05:00

Guess the two-word answer to a most enlightening list of questions.

Who, in 1958 at the age of 14, joined the Royal Teens (Top Five hitmakers with "Short Shorts")?

Who, in 1960, began his career as a BMI songwriter with a number called "My Kinda Love," which was recorded by Anastasia?

Who has written hundreds of songs, all part of his BMI catalog?

Who co-wrote "This Diamond Ring," the 1965 pop chart-topper for Gary Lewis and the Playboys? The song, incidentally, is approaching four million radio performances.

Who, also in '65, helped create Bob Dylan's hard, radically new rock & roll sound (and, by extension, what came to be known as “folk rock") when he played the organ — for his very first time on a released recording — on Dylan's epochal single, "Like a Rolling Stone"?
Who, in the mid-'60s, was a member of the Blues Project, the New York-based band that was among the first in this country to spread the joy (and pain) of black-influenced white electric blues?

Who, in 1967, founded Blood, Sweat & Tears, the pioneering ensemble that melded rock with the hippest horn arrangements?

Who, in 1968, came up with the concept of "Super Session," and produced the hit LP on which he co-starred with guitarists Michael Bloomfield and Stephen Stills?

Who has recorded as a sideman with, among many others and in addition to Dylan ("Highway 61 Revisited" and "Blonde on Blonde"): the Rolling Stones (piano, organ and French horn on "You Can't Always Get What You Want"); Jimi Hendrix (piano on "Long, Hot Summer Night"; The Who (on the LP "The Who Sell Out"); George Harrison (arranged and played keys on the hit "All Those Years Ago"); Simon & Garfunkel; Alice Cooper; the Butterfield Blues Band; Moby Grape; Taj Mahal; B.B. King; Lynyrd Skynyrd; Judy Collins; Joan Baez; Phil Ochs; Roger McGuinn; Tom Petty; Joe Cocker; Betty Wright; Rita Coolidge; ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman; and Trisha Yearwood? In an issue devoted to the 500 Greatest Recordings of All Time, Rolling Stone magazine included 12 albums with serious participation by our mystery man.

Who has produced commercially successful and publicly acclaimed discs by Bob Dylan, Lynyrd Skynyrd (he discovered them and produced their first three albums, which spawned the mega-hits "Sweet Home Alabama," "Free Bird," and "Saturday Night Special"), B.B. King, Rick Nelson, the Tubes (who gave the world the timeless "White Punks On Dope"), Shuggie Otis, Don Ellis, Nils Lofgren, and Joe Ely?

Who has written original soundtrack music for films like Hal Ashby's The Landlord and John Waters's Cry Baby, as well as Michael Mann's television series Crime Story, and was music director for the 1991 cable TV special "Ray Charles: 50 Years in Music"?

Whose songs have been recorded by a diverse roster of artists that includes Freddie Cannon; Lorraine Ellison; Keely Smith; "Gene Pitney ("I Must Be Seeing Things"); Bobby Vee; Lulu; Billy Fury; the Rockin' Berries; the Blues Project ("Flute Thing" and "Wake Me, Shake Me"); Ten Years After ("I Can't Keep from Cryin' Sometimes"); the Staple Singers and Rufus; Lynyrd Skynyrd ("Mississippi Kid" and "Cheatin' Woman"); Roger McGuinn; the Beastie Boys; Jay-Z; Alchemist; Dakota Staton; and Betty Wright? Then there is "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know," the heart-tugging soul ballad that was recorded by more than 25 artists, including Donny Hathaway, Kenny Lattimore, and Carmen McRae).

Answer: Al Kooper.

Any way one looks at it, Brooklyn-born (in 1944) Al Kooper has had an unusually variegated, extraordinary career. He credits Bob Gaudio for giving him his start. Gaudio later found international fame as a member and chief songwriter for the Four Seasons before producing LPs (including Frank Sinatra's Watertown, the songs for which he also co-composed) and, more recently, for writing the music for the smash Broadway, multi-Tony-winning, Jersey Boys. "He was the Royal Teens," recalls Kooper of Gaudio, "and without him hiring me I never would have begun as early as I did."

In 2008, as he celebrates his first half-century in music, that career is still moving forward. Kooper is the consummately versatile music business pro. He is, of course, a singer/songwriter. He's a multi-instrumentalist (keyboards, guitars, mandolin, synthesizers, French horn), and a producer and an engineer. Kooper also has nearly 20 albums as leader to his credit, including the excellent two-disc retrospective from Sony Music, Rare and Well Done.

Further, he warrants induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a sideman, if only for the instantly recognizable approach to the organ he created during Dylan's paradigm-shattering work of the mid-1960s. And changing the subject slightly, he's hosted and imaginatively programmed his own spot on Britain's Radio Caroline.

Kooper continues to tour with two different bands, as well as presenting a one-man show that is by turns, affecting and witty, surveying his life in music through song and anecdote. First and foremost, though is the Funky Faculty, at which he's been at the helm for the past decade. The Faculty, a sextet, is made up of veteran instructors at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, and their specialty is an engaging mix of rock, blues and jazz. Kooper himself formerly taught at Berklee and in 2001 he received, along with the late, innovative drummer Elvin Jones, a Doctorate of Music. (He also holds a doctorate from Long Island's Five Towns College.) When in New York, he often fronts an all-star foursome that also features guitarist Jimmy Vivino and bassist Mike Merritt (both from Conan O'Brien's house band) and drummer Anton Fig, from Late Show with David Letterman.

Though a debilitating condition permanently robbed him in 2001 of two-thirds of his sight, it's not stopped Kooper from taking the Funky Faculty to Norway, Denmark, Italy, England, Spain and all sorts of faraway places; late in 2007 the Faculty played for enthusiastic audiences in the Czech Republic and Japan, and more travels are in the works. Also planned for 2008: an updated edition of Dr. Kooper's autobiography, "Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards," which is a fresh, funny, and compelling read. Then there is his forthcoming disc, tentatively titled White Chocolate, due from A Minor Record Company, for which Kooper is CEO. The album is highlighted by two new songs on which he collaborated with the legendary lyricist Gerry Goffin.

During 2007 Kooper also garnered two individual honors: he was honored in New York by the Mix Foundation with the Les Paul Award, receiving an autographed Les Paul guitar from the great man, who was present for the ceremonies. Shortly thereafter, on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, Kooper dipped his hands in cement in the Rock Walk of Fame during festivities that also honored Otis Redding and the Mamas & the Papas.

Perhaps closest to Kooper's heart, however, is the scholarship that Berklee formed in his name: The Al Kooper It Can Happen Fund assists handicapped students in overcoming any difficulties that would prevent them from attending Berklee. "They do a great job," says Kooper, "and I'm very proud of what has been accomplished thus far."

As he prepares to embark on his sixth musical decade, Kooper reflects with typical straightforwardness, and speaks of BMI's significance in his career: "I've been ripped off voluminously by record companies, managers, etc. I always thought of BMI as the cavalry, coming to rescue me from a hand-to-mouth existence. When times were really tight, and it seemed as if the end might be around the corner, that BMI check would come crashing through the mail slot and bring me back to the real world. To this day, I could not exist without it."

BMI IFP Panel Spotlights Movie Music

2007-10-02T14:11:00-05:00

BMI sponsored a panel discussion, “Making Your First Feature: Music Makes the Movie,” at the 3rd annual IFP Conference, held September 16-21 in New York. The panel which took place at the Puck Building was moderated by BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, VP of Film/TV Relations.

Pictured are (l-r): panelists Tracy McKnight, Anton Sanko, Tom Dicillo, BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, IFP Executive Director Michelle Byrd and Moby

Panelists included recording artist Moby, music supervisor Tracy McKnight,; Delirious director Tom Dicillo and film composer Anton Sanko. The topic was how to achieve the right sound on an independent movie budget.

BMI sponsors many film music panels at film festivals and markets throughout the U.S. each year. These panels are designed to promote greater understanding within the filmmaking community about the aesthetic and business aspects of music in film, as well as provide an opportunity for composers, songwriters and filmmakers to learn more about each other's role.

BMI Hosts Hanlon Performance

2007-09-25T14:32:00-05:00

BMI recently hosted an introductory party for Billboard chart-topping piano virtuoso/songwriter Arthur Hanlon at the Gibson Guitar Showroom in Beverly Hills. Just signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Hanlon, who is leaning towards composing for film and television, performed “Paraiso,” “Hijo de la Luna” and other selections and had the opportunity to mingle with some of the industry’s top music supervisors.

Pictured (l-r) are: music editor Christine Luethje, music supervisor Allison Clark, BMI’s Delia Orjuela, Arthur Hanlon, Sony/ATV Music Publishing senior VP Ron Broitman, Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Wende Crowley and Renee Dabbah, and BMI’s Anne Cecere.

Hanlon, who hails from Detroit, found his calling in Latin music and holds a masters degree from the Manhattan School of Music. After moving to Miami, he released his debut album, El Piano Amarillo (The Yellow Piano), a critically acclaimed production that anchored his bond with the Latin community.

Arthur Hanlon at the piano.

Pictured (l-r) are: APM Music’s Bob Frymire, DL Music’s Rachel Norris and Dave Zumsteg, and BMI’s Anne Cecere.

IFP Filmmaker Conference “Music Makes Movie” Panel: New York

2007-09-16T16:33:00-05:00

BMI will sponsor the "Music Makes the Movie" panel at the 3rd Annual IFP Filmmaker Conference from 1:00-2:00 pm at the Puck Building (293 Lafayette Street, New York City).

BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross will be the moderator and guest panelists include musician Moby, composer Anton Sanko, director Tom DiCillo, and music supervisor Tracy McNight.

For more information about the conference, click here.

Moby Addresses Mid-Atlantic Broadcasters at 60th Annual Conference

2006-06-21T18:00:01-05:00

Musical pioneer and BMI songwriter Moby took on yet another role as keynote speaker at the 60th Annual Mid-Atlantic Broadcasters Conference held June 5-6 at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City.

Pictured are BMI's Dan Spears; Bob Dunphy, Vice President/Market Manager, Clear Channel; keynote speaker and BMI songwriter Moby; and Daniel Finn, Vice President, Regional General Manager, Greater Media New Jersey.

A singer, songwriter, producer and DJ, Moby is widely praised for bringing techno music to mainstream American and British audiences. A veteran of the music scene for more than 20 years, his unique sound integrates the genres of techno, dance, rock, pop, folk, hip-hop and soul.

The central theme of the two-day conference was how broadcasters can compete in the fast-evolving world of digital technologies. Topics included HD radio, digital downloading, satellite radio, podcasting, streaming, mobile entertainment and other forms of advanced and emerging technology. An early adopter of digital technologies, Moby has always merged both the digital and analog worlds. His address focused on his innovations and the effects the digital music age has had on how he creates, markets and distributes his music.

BMI's Dan Spears (right) presents a "Gold Record" to WCTC-AM General Manager Dan Henrickson to commemorate 60 years of service to the listeners of Central New Jersey.

BMI's Dan Spears, Assistant Vice President of Media Licensing, served as Co-Chairman of the 60th Annual Mid-Atlantic Broadcasters Conference. He is also a board member of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association (NJBA), host of the event. As an official sponsor of this year's conference, BMI was instrumental in securing Moby's participation as the keynote speaker. The annual event attracts approximately 350 radio station owners, general managers, program directors, engineers and sales executives from New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Delaware.

The NJBA, the trade association representing radio and TV stations in New Jersey, conducts educational seminars, conferences, broadcast training activities, federal rules and compliance procedures, and is the voice of New Jersey broadcasters in both Trenton and Washington. The organization was founded in 1946 by several major New Jersey radio stations and has since grown to radio and TV stations within the state and in neighboring New York City and Philadelphia.

Donah Hunter Wins Songwriter101.com Gibson Guitar Giveaway

2004-09-30T18:00:00-05:00

Queens, NY singer/songwriter Donah Hunter is the winner of the Songwriter101.com Gibson Guitar Giveaway contest. Donah's name was chosen randomly from over 3150 entries by entertainment attorney and Songwriter101.com faculty member Joe Serling (Moby, Maroon5) at the Gibson showroom in New York City. The young R&B/soul singer took home a Gibson Songwriter Deluxe acoustic/electric guitar worth over $2,300.

Donna Hunter with her new Songwriter Deluxe

Co-sponsored by BMI, Gibson Guitars, Performing Songwriter magazine, Live365.com and Baldwin Pianos, Songwriter101.com focuses on the business side of songwriting. The site is specifically geared toward the young songwriter looking to launch a professional career, and offers a wealth of information, education, and the collective knowledge and experience of some of the music industry's top experts who serve as members of the faculty.

Joe Serling presents the guitar

Drawing on a wealth of influences that includes jazz, hip-hop, gospel and reggae, Donah Hunter plays piano and drums and is teaching herself guitar. She performs regularly in New York City at venues such as Soul Caf�, Nell's, Downtime and 8th Avenue Garden, as well as throughout the metropolitan area and beyond. She recently opened for R&B groups the Manhattans and the Intruders at Riverbank Stadium in Michigan, and for newcomer Tamia at the Mango Festival in Florida.

Paul Oakenfold

2003-06-17T18:00:00-05:00

He's known as one of the top — if not the absolute premiere — DJs in the world. He has a second career as a successful a&r man under his belt, having discovered the then-unknown Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and Salt N' Pepa while working for Champion Records. But what really distinguishes Paul Oakenfold from his record-spinning peers is the fact that he's also a highly accomplished composer.

Oakenfold's career began in the late 1970s in a Covent Garden wine bar where he spun tracks with his friend Trevor Fung. However, sensing that the future of street music — especially the then radically new hip hop genre — lay in America, Paul Oakenfold made his way to New York City, where he landed a day gig in West Harlem while absorbing the sounds of the street and looking for a way to become a part of the scene. It wouldn't take long for Paul to land a gig at the Paradise Garage, where he perfected his acid house style.

Eventually, Oakenfold would return to London. By 1993, his reputation as a DJ had placed him at the top of the field, and U2 tapped Paul to spin a special brew for their Zoo TV world tour. But DJ'ing other people's music no longer fully satisfied him, and Oakenfeld, who had begun his production career in 1988, was looking for more creative work. When he was tapped to write and produce the theme to the hit television show Big Brother along with Andy Gray, Oakenfold's scoring career kicked into high gear.

Paul Oakenfold has managed to keep both his DJ and production careers soaring over the last decade. In 2001, he wrote the score to Swordfish and has contributed tracks to The Bourne Identity, Goldmember and other films. The roster of A-level recording artists he has recently worked with includes Madonna, Snoop Doggy Dog and Moby.

Sheryl Crow, Eminem, Norah Jones Top Grammy Nominees List

2003-01-06T17:00:00-05:00

BMI songwriter/artists Sheryl Crow, Eminem and Norah Jones lead the list of nominees for this year's Grammy Awards with five nods each. Nominees were announced today (1/7) at a press conference at New York's Madison Square Garden. The 45th Grammy Awards will be held on February 23 at the Garden, and will be broadcast live on CBS from 8-11:30 (ET/PT).

Sheryl Crow

Eminem

Norah Jones

Other BMI writers who received multiple nominations included four each for country darlings the Dixie Chicks, producer Arif Mardin and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger (including Record of the Year for the Nickelback smash "How You Remind Me"). Newcomer Vanessa Carlton picked up three. Fellow BMI pop divas Pink, Britney Spears and Michelle Branch garnered two nominations each, as did blues legend B.B. King, film composer Thomas Newman and gospel giant Fred Hammond.

BMI's 2003 Grammy nominees:

FIVE NOMINATIONS

Sheryl Crow
Eminem
Norah Jones

FOUR NOMINATIONS

Dixie Chicks
Chad Kroeger (SOCAN)

THREE NOMINATIONS

Vanessa Carlton
Floetry (Marsha Ambrosius, Natalie Stewart)
Arif Mardin
Pat Metheny

TWO NOMINATIONS

Michelle Branch
Michael Brecker
The Chieftains
Madukwu Chinwah
Natalie Cole
Dirty Vegas (PRS)
Foo Fighters
Carlos Franzetti
Kenny G
Pat Green
Herbie Hancock
Nellee Hooper (PRS)
B.B. King
Diana Krall (SOCAN)
Rashid Lonnie Lynn
Nappy Roots
Willie Nelson
Thomas Newman
Nickel Creek
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Dolly Parton
Pink
Britney Spears
Ralph Stanley
3 Doors Down (Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Chris Henderson, Matt Roberts)
Doc Watson
John Williams

SINGLE NOMINEES

Aaliyah
Will Ackerman
John Adams
Christina Aguilera
Darol Anger
Audio Adrenaline
Bacilos
David Balakrishnan
Charli Baltimore
Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Jeff Bass
Daniel Bedingfield (PRS)
Big Tymers
Eddie Blazonczyk
The Blind Boys of Alabama
Kevin Bond
Ryan Bowser
David Bowie (PRS)
Brandy
Norman Brown
Solomon Burke
Burning Sky
R.L. Burnside
Gary Burton
Gary Calamar
Michel Camilo
Cam’Ron
The Canton Spirituals
Capleton (PRS)
Caribbean Jazz Project
Cee-Lo
Lauren Christy
The Clinch Mountain Boys
Andy Colver (PRS)
Commissioned
Common
Creed
Bill Cunliffe
The Charlie Daniels Band
Diamond Rio
Michael Doucet
Dave Douglas
Don Edwards
Danny Elfman
Enya (PRS)
Faith Evans
Tommy Flanagan
The Flaming Lips
Béla Fleck
Michael J. Fox
Allison Brewster Franzetti
The Funk Brothers
Peter Gabriel (PRS)
David Lee Garza y Los Musicales
Osvaldo Golijov
Gov’t Mule
Al Green
Grits
Dave Grusin
Deitrick Haddon
Fred Hammond
Roy Hargrove
Jesse Harris
Don Henley
Faith Hill
Dave Holland Big Band
David Holt
Intocable
Etta James
Jars of Clay
JaRule
Jay-Z
Maxi Jazz (PRS)
Little Joe & La Familia
Elton John (PRS)
The Jordanaires
Juanes
John P. Kee
Salif Keita (PRS)
R. Kelly
Kinky
Kitaro
Jennifer Knapp
Knoc-Turn’Al
Korn
Dave Koz
Jeff Koz
Alison Krauss
Femi Kuti (SACEM)
kd lang
Jim Lauderdale
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Don Letts (PRS)
Lonestar
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
The Light Crust Doughboys
Limi-T 21
Israel “Cachao” López
Taj Mahal
Lloyd Maines
Maraca
Martina McBride
Delbert McClinton
Freddie McGregor (PRS)
Lee Thomas Miller
Mingus Big Band
Moby
Charlie Musselwhite
Meshell Ndegeocello
The Neptunes
Newsong
Nickelback (SOCAN)
*NSYNC
The Oak Ridge Boys
Makoto Ozone (JASRAC)
Lee “Scratch” Perry
Pharrell
Queens of the Stone Age
Busta Rhymes
Riders In the Sky
Peter Rowan
Nancy Rumbel
Nicky Ryan (PRS)
Roma Ryan (PRS)
Mingo Saldivar y Sus Tremendos Cuatro Espadas
Santana
John Santos and the Machete Ensemble
Al Schmitt
The John Scofield Band
Earl Scruggs
Wayne Shorter
Jon Sidel
Siggno
Allan Slutsky
Arthur Smith (PRS)
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Scott Spock
Ralph Stanley II
Sting (PRS)
Angie Stone
Omar Sosa
Luciana Souza
Jimmy Sturr
Take Six
Susan Tedeschi
John Tesh
The Temptations
Eric Tingstad
Tobymac
Trick Pony
Kathy Troccoli
Los Tucanes De Tijuana
McCoy Tyner
Jai Uttal
Bebo Valdés
Carlos “Patato” Valdés
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Scott Wenzel
Kenny Werner
Lucinda Williams
Robin Williams
Dean Wilson (PRS)
BeBe Winans
The Roland White Band
Pete Woodruff
Yellowjackets
Joe Zawinul

BMI Tops the Charts at Billboard Awards

2002-12-11T17:00:01-05:00

BMI songwriters and artists were among the top winners at the recent star-studded Billboard Music Awards held December 9 in Las Vegas. BMI rockers Creed and Nickelback (SOCAN) led the list of winners with four awards each. Creed's four wins including being named Group/Duo Albums Artist of the Year and Nickelback's smash hit "How You Remind Me" was named Hot 100 Single, Hot 100 Airplay Single and Top 40 Track of the Year.

Other big winners included superstar rapper Eminem, who won Album of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year for his multi-platinum CD, The Eminem Show. Techno-music giant Moby also took home two Billboard Awards for Electronic Album Artist and Electronic Album for 18.

BMI country songwriter/artist Toby Keith was named Country Singles Artist of the Year and a special Billboard Award was presented to Michael Jackson in recognition of the 20th anniversary of his 1982 album, Thriller, which spent more weeks at No. 1 (37 weeks) than any other album in the history of the Billboard 200.