SIMPLY PUT (simplest answers to FAQ's)

May 22-31, 2010




First of all, sincere thanks to all existing Musikero100 members! Grand launch soon!
This update is my attempt to answer the Frequently Asked Questions that I have encountered recently.

Ok:

FAQ #1: How do I join M100?

Simplest Answer #1: Visit a Musikero Night. Order 10 of my new Indie CDs.

FAQ #2: Why is the album Indie-produced? (Independent)

S.A. #2: My most successful song was Let Me Be The One, which was an indie song. Now, I just decided to do it again, for a full album.

FAQ #3: What do I get If I join?

S.A.#3: Not much. You get a little profit from the CDs, cos you can sell them a bit higher. But you also get my deepest thanks, and my sincere friendship. Sabi ko na nga, not much e, di ba? :) If you join, it means you want to help, not to be helped. But don’t worry, we’re working on some sponsors for giveaways and freebies,free trips, etc. but I just don’t want to guarantee anything.


FAQ #4: Why not a digital album, like what other indies do?

S.A. #4: There will be an indie release, and we will attempt to sell songs online. But right now, this digital market (selling songs online) is VERY DIFFICULT in this country, where piracy is rampant, and file sharing is unregulated. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I believe in personalised CDs. These original songs were written for M100, no one else. And if you buy, you will get albums which I personally pasted together. The design of the cover is an actual children’s book. The artwork on the album are watercolour paintings of mine, and I personally print and make them at home, together with a small production line. This is not a business, it’s a gift. From me to you. And from you to me. Sorry for the slight dramatics, but this is the path I have chosen. I don’t believe in soulless mass production for profit. If these songs ever reach the masses, it will be because all of you helped me spread the word.

~More to come, soon! Thank you!~

Networking?

January 20, 2010

Networking. Many have tried it. Most have heard of it. Interesting concept, networking is. Used properly, it can unite thousands. Used maliciously, it can fool millions.

To those of you who attended the 1st ever MUSIKERO100 assembly, thank you! What a jam-packed, inspired, dynamic night, do you agree? I hope so. I loved meeting you all, and it was so non-showbiz. So person-to-person. No pressure to be magnanimous or effervescent. Everyone was just there, listening, sharing the vibe, and considering the MUSIKERO100 concept.

Now, after that night, the questions about the finer details should be addressed. If you choose to stop reading now, just come to the same venue again, on January 30, for the 2nd assembly. Those who aren’t in the mailing list yet, just email me at jimmybondoc08@yahoo.com, and include your 1) name, 2) cell #, 3) email add. That’s all we can do for now.

We hear it all the time, this story about a guy, who joins a networking company, and now drives a Jaguar to his 5-star meetings. It’s an urban legend. Nobody I know has ever seen this guy, but I’m not implying that he doesn’t exist, ok? I’m just saying a fact, that I, myself, and my friends, have never seen a guy like this. We just hear about him.

It’s all good though. I would never put down another man’s ideas, business or endeavours. All I do is assess the things I see and hear about around me. If I like it, I learn more about it. If I don’t, I just assume I’m just not within the “target market” of this particular endeavour. For example, I would never put down a noontime show just because I don’t like it. If I don’t like it, it’s probably just because its content is aimed towards a different market. Not an inferior, nor superior market. Just- NOT me. It’s ALL good. Judge not, lest ye be judged. Willie makes millions happy, and I hear he’s changed for the better.

HOWEVER, I would like to comment about the people who JOIN these networking activities. AND not ALL people. Just the people that I know. Those that I personally know.

These friends of mine share the same story. Usually, they invest an amount like P9,999. Or P7,999. Or whatever. Something like that. Inspired by the speech of this particular network’s leader, they go out into the world, determined to find people to buy a “package” from them. They are convinced that, soon, with a little effort, and just on the side (as a sideline), they will make back their investment, and eventually double, triple, quadruple (!) their initial investment. It’s a golden dream.

Usually though, what I see is this: my friend soon loses interest in the product. He starts talking less about this “package” and its miraculous benefits, and he goes on with life as he previously knew it. No regrets, no anger towards the network… nothing. He’s just.. ok.

What’s my point?

Well, I hope I’m not upsetting anyone. I know, some people probably really do well with these schemes. I’m just saying that, in my case, as I’ve seen from people I personally know, I’ve never seen anyone get rich. Some make a little profit of a few thousand pesos (after many months of selling). And some lose a little, and never make back the initial investment they made.

---

Musikero 100. Is it a networking scheme? Yes.

Is it for profit? No.

That’s the difference.

Networking, for me, is simply a recognition of an old and basic fact, that no man stands alone. People need people. To make something happen, you need the power of a united force, not the futile, diluted efforts of individuals.

Musikero 100 just wants to make some albums happen. To afford the production of good, unique thoughts and melodies, that will otherwise die if they are not powered by the faith of a supporting group. Record labels will not produce songs that will cater to the minority, that’s just not good fiscal sense. And I will never blame them. But I WILL blame myself, if I do not fight for the unique artist, the guy who hears the unpopular truths in his mind.

So my question is this, and it goes out most especially to those who have invested money in networking schemes and have lost: IF you were willing to spend 9,999 or 7,777 pesos on a new kind of soap, or a new kind of rock, or a new kind of shoe, or a gold coin, or anything else of the same nature – would you be willing to invest a FRACTION of that, in the thoughts and melodies of a few creative minds? And the investment isn’t even your money. It’s just your willingness that is required, to work a little, to sell a few albums to your friends, whom you know would love to hear these songs anyway. And yes, I call it an investment, because there is a return of investment. In fact, the return is so great, that it exceeds the value of money.

What return, you ask?

I apologize for being metaphorical and pseudo-poetic. But I do believe in this so passionately that my mind can’t help but speak almost in prose about it. The return of investment, the profit, is this: that OPM lives on. The Filipino soul lives to sing another day, and to write about our personal sunsets, and the way the moon shines on our islands, in a way that it doesn’t anywhere else.

To those who have earned greatly from other networking schemes, I admire you truly. I’m sure it took a lot of hard work and faith. To those who are considering Musikero 100, I thank you, too. If we do this right, we will finally conquer this global problem, where songs and souls are stolen, and songwriters die their natural death, taking with them the voices that only they, as musikeros, can hear.

Nothing to do with Musikero100

This post has nothing to do with Musikero 100 :) But to my few followers and friends who have heard about my boracay dream and are aware of its importance in my life's plan, I just want to share these 2 other blogs with you.

1)www.boracaybellemontsuites.blogspot.com

2)www.bellemontpictures.blogspot.com

Another Reason for M100

New year, January 11, 2010

Unbelievable, how time just flies by.
To my Musikero 100 friends, I hope you’ve received the email. I’ll see you on Friday.

More thoughts on M100 and what it is:

My sister, Minette, is home-schooled now. She’s turning 16, and has decided to take on this less-travelled path. I am proud of her, and her desire to find her unique self, despite many self-doubts and difficulties. She is obviously a right-brain oriented person, leaning more towards artistry rather than numbers. In math, she suffered the same burdens as I did in high school. I may have been in the honors course, but my math level was definitely not at par with the rest. I struggled to keep up, and pretended to understand many topics when I actually didn’t, just to keep pace. Once, I was caught cheating by my 1st year math teacher, and I was shamed and confused. Luckily, my teacher met with myself and my mom, and she realized that I wasn’t really that bad a person. I knew she saw through me, that I wasn’t trying to be a cheater. I was just trying to pass.

Years later, I realized that I was good at math. I was just slow at it. My brain just asked too many questions. I wanted to see many angles of the same equation. My brain didn’t like memorizing formulas. It likes understanding them.

Back to Minette. She is now in a stage where she actually believes that she is not smart, at least not with numbers. And no amount of reassurance from her “kuya” can convince her otherwise. It’s frustrating, it’s heartbreaking, and most unfortunately, it’s NOT true.

I see intelligence in people, or the lack of it. I know when there’s not too much activity in between the ears of people. I also know when there is a fire of intelligence and passion, just by looking through the eyes. Minette is smarter than she thinks, or what her grades have implied. The Chinese have a firm belief in the old adage: “No such thing as bad student, just bad teacher.” Of course, I’m certainly not blaming her past teachers for her shortcomings. I’m saying that the only way that Minette can ever find her fire is if it is fuelled by PROPER instruction, that is designed to make sense to the right-brain person that she is.

Why is this connected to Musikero100?

I am retiring from showbusiness. But to my competitors, don’t get too excited. I’m still going to sing, and do shows. And I will still do Sabado Boys. I just don’t want to do this for a living anymore. I don’t want to do albums to earn money, or to do shows just to reach a quota. It kills my love for music. It makes it tedious, and boring, and heavy.

As a back-up plan, I have invested in Boracay, as some of you may know. I have developed a condominium there, in station 3, on a beautiful mountain overlooking the island paradise. 10 studio-type units and 2 villas. Beautiful and elegant. But that’s another story . .(if you're really curious, just go to www.boracaybellemontsuites.blogspot.com)

I shared that with you so that you won’t worry about me or my money. I was smart enough to invest in real estate, and I am surrounded by even smarter family members who believed in my Boracay dream.


I am going to make music that teaches. This is the kind of music I’ve always written, but these songs don’t make it to radio, because they say it’s not for “public consumption”.

And I agree, in a way. If I were the president of a record label, why the hell would I release an album that will cater to only 1% of the buying market? Ano ko, tanga?
MUSIKERO100 is an indie label. It’s independent. And the only source of money is its members. Every album is assured of at least a sale of 1000 pieces. That’s good enough to afford the album, plus it’s almost certain that most buyers will like/love the album. Because these M100 members have been supporters from the past. These members know that I have a song called “Balang-Araw Minette.” These people know my heart.

Back to Minette. Home-schooling doesn’t mean “no teachers.” It means “learn at your own pace, and your family should spend time with you and teach you.”

I am retiring from “needing” showbusiness because of this too. Because I am Minette’s teacher. Yes, even in Math. Poor girl? Hehe maybe.. But the instruction takes up half my day, which I used to spend sleeping and writing songs. But.. Life changes, and this is how it has changed for me. I’m glad to do it. I love to do it, and I love my sister. Nothing bad will happen to her on my watch. I don’t mind giving her half my life. Who knows, maybe one day, she’ll give me a kidney.

Thus,I have put together the Musikero100. Because I am still, as I will forever be, a musician. I can finally say "no" (very politely, of course)to tv guestings that I would rather not do, or stop going to parties of rich sponsors just to kiss the asses of the big boss. I shall write more. I shall sing more. No longer for profit, but for truth. Ballads, funny, satirical songs, alternative,rock, pop – you name it. But I will finally do it on my own terms.

My biggest hit was an indie release. And I’ve never topped the success of that anyway. So, in a way, I am not really changing my life. I’m just going back to how it used to be. Music for music’s sake, and spending time with my family.

See you all on January 15! I am happy this way, and I wish you all the same freedom and happiness.