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.

Musikero100 in simple terms

It’s Christmas day. We finally had a meaningful Christmas party last night. Only loved ones, with quiet prayer. We sang songs to each other, exchanged simple gifts. The hit of the night was the Christmas CD / album that my little sister Minette and my niece Zoe recorded. We played their 8-song album in loop the whole night.

Minette and Zoe planned the whole thing. I was just their studio technician. I recorded their voices in one week, with Zoe’s dad, Wings (my 1st cousin). I was also their driver, when they had to go to their pictorial. I was also the make-up consultant. Zoe, a 13-year old girl, designed the entire layout on Photoshop. Minette prepared all lyrics, study CD’s, and mock up album layouts. It was a small project, but done well, in the right way. I’ve made a lot of albums, but right now, I’m most proud of this one.


Musikero100 in simple terms:

The 1st general assembly is on January 15, Friday, 8pm. Registration is at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. To be held in Timog. Details to follow. I promise to explain this all very clearly. But to appease the curious, here’s a quick and concise explanation.

Imagine this:

A hundred Musikero supporters. In one place, meeting 4x a year. Jamming, singing, drinking, partying, planning.

1st and foremost, I present the project for the quarter. For example, I propose a new album concept: Jimmy Bondoc Originals, with a 4-piece string section. Just as an example. And after I propose, we decide it’s worth doing.

Each member of the Musikero100 commits to buying this album, 10 pieces only, at P300 each (less than 10 dollars), a standard price. This member must have 9 other people to sell to. That’s the core of the concept. Yes, I know, it sounds like a downline. It is.

But remember, it’s not for profit. We do this to support a project of our choosing, so that it actually happens. So many ideas just go down the drain, just because record labels think it won’t sell. In Musikero100, we assure the artist that it will sell at least 1000 pieces. A small amount. But since we have no marketing expenses, no useless spending on promotion, then 1000 pieces is a good enough amount.
1000 assured sales will raise 300,000 pesos. It might sound big to some. It’s not. CD recording and CD reproduction cost around that much. I’m hoping we can set aside some of the money for the street children.

STREET CHILDREN?? What is this? A record label, or a charity?

You asked for a quick explanation, that's it. That’s the project, in a nutshell. For more details, come to the assembly / party on Jan. 15, 2010. It will be fun, meaningful, and red wine-filled, for people like me.

I hope to see you on January 15. I won’t be spending on you, you won’t be spending on me. Ok? Bring enough money for your own drinks and food. We’ve only just begun, so we still don’t have budgets for parties. It’s just a small place anyway, and the food prices are reasonable. Next time, let’s set aside some money for our meetings. Right now, it’s KKB. Is that ok with everyone? I hope so. Wala naman tayong choice :) See you there, save the date.

Why and How The Power Is Yours - Musikero 100

The Musikero100, and why the power is yours

The Musikero100 is a company. It’s not a club. But it is non-profit. Nobody gets paid. I know. It’s crazy.

There is, however, a payoff. A payoff that appeals only to a particular kind of person. It’s interesting to note how, as a common example, gold can mean so much to a businessman, but not to a man lost at sea who would kill for a bottle of potable water.

Musikero100 is an attempt. It's not foolproof. Not yet. It's not mediocre either. But it's a new and exciting and frightening approach to music, and it can fail as much as it can succeed. It depends so much on the willingness of people. Most importantly, It depends on you.

Ya ya ya. I know. Some of you think it's just another "artist" trying to be heard. Or, "Hey, this guy must be one of those anti-society, anti-pop culture kind of hippies, some small artist against big business.. Cool." - as you slowly navigate away from this page, back to your facebooking and youtubing, to watch a cat flush a toilet (thank you Dana Carvey).

BUT, if you are that person, who believes that cars CAN run on water, if only big businesses didn't spend so much money hiding this car from the world, read on.

IMAGINE THIS: what if YOU could control the albums and artists making these albums? What if YOU could take part in the music-creation process? What if YOU could support even a simple neighborhood musician, just because you think he is better than the singers you see on TV or hear on the radio? What if YOU could decide the next HIT SONG?

Is it possible?

I hope I've gotten you interested. Because, with Musikero100, the answer is Yes.

MUSIKERO100 will sell you albums.

HUH? That's it? You're probably thinking.

Yes. That's it. Musikero100 will sell you albums. But they will sell you the albums BEFORE they are recorded.

A member, through his membership dues, is in effect BUYING an album before it is made. In chat forums, we all decide on who to support next, what kind of albums to produce next. We distribute free mp3s of demo recordings of songs through a private site- rough and unfinished, just to give you an idea on how it will sound like. And the artists/songs that have the most demand (WITHIN M100 only) "wins". That's it. Nothing more. You commit to buy, and you may choose to sell too.

We will produce one album every 3 months. To maximize the amount of artists we can help. We just keep buying albums, which will never be expensive. All you have to do is to keep buying the albums. The moment you stop, you forfeit your membership, no hard feelings on both ends.



Here’s an interesting piece of simple arithmetic: Did you know that all it takes to record an album with a full band is around 300,000 pesos (6,000 US dollars)? For a good quality album, the standard retail price is around 300 pesos. So, in simple math, if 1000 people buy this album, the album has already recovered its cost of production, right?

If MUSIKERO100 had 100 members, and each member had at least 10 members under his responsibility, that's a thousand album sales, immediately, per release.

1000 cds. That’s NOT a lot. A gold album these days is 10,000 units. Which is not a lot either.

So, the question is, why does the world claim that the recording industry is dying? Piracy? Downloading? File sharing? Not enough people buying?

All true, perhaps. But in my opinion, there is one most poignant reason why: globalization.

GLOBALIZATION- that's a word that most of you hear everyday, but not all have taken the time to understand. I know - it might get boring. Please read on, no matter how slowly:

GLOBALIZATION according to Wikipedia:

Globalization describes an ongoing process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a globe-spanning network of communication and execution.

Ok, pause. The key words here are ONGOING, and INTEGRATED. Ongoing means it's happening. Right now. Integrated means cultures are beginning to merge with each other. Diversity is slowly decreasing. For example, kids these days from Africa are starting to use Ipods. To listen to Taylor Swift.
Ok, next part of Wikipedia's definition:

The term is sometimes used to refer specifically to economic globalization: the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, and the spread of technology.[1]
However, globalization is usually recognized as being driven by a combination of economic, technological, sociocultural, political, and biological factors.[2] The term can also refer to the transnational circulation of ideas, languages, or popular culture through acculturation.

Simply put: people are being influenced by the big businesses to want the same things, to like the same products, to wear the same styles, to eat the same fast food, and yes, to listen to the same artists.

In an ever-changing world, where globalization is homogenizing everything, people have become the same. In the opinion of some sociologists, TOO the same. Some think it's a good thing. That it's convenient. If you are among those people that believe that, then Musikero100 is NOT for you. It's ok :) Like i said, it's not for everybody. You can stop reading now.

Musikero100 is a choice. It is my choice to swim upstream, and to try to take part in the changing of the world. No one can change the world on his own. But people who have crazy ideas about how the world can be better shouldn't always be neglected. Sometimes, the crazy ones are the ones that save us.

You too have a choice. You can either control the market, or it will control you. You will not notice it. Chances are you have been controlled by the market your whole life, but have never realized it. Who's in your ipod these days? What kind of music are they playing? You might think that your choices of music are so unique, but the truth is, you're probably one out of a million downloaders of that so-called "unique" choice of song or artist.

DON'T GET ME WRONG. There is nothing wrong with pop music. It's a big business, driven by many factors, and based largely on public demand. There is nothing wrong with that.

But have you ever met a songwriter, in a small bar or small show somewhere, and realized that "Hey, this guy's songs are GREAT! They speak to me, straight to my soul!" And then you wonder, why isn't this guy's songs on the radio?
It happens all the time. Sometimes, even the popular artists have unrecorded songs, much better than their popular songs. But these songs remain unrecorded and unreleased, because the record labels claim it has no "mass appeal". So the songs remain gasping for air, until they die a natural death, along with the chance of us ever hearing that truth again.

Do you even know why you like this anonymous guy's songs so much? 2 things: 1) He's probably really good, unless you have impaired judgment, 2) More importantly, he wrote this song in a place where you come from too. You grew up in the same society, with common sunsets and rainy days. You must have crossed the same streets and seen the same houses, being built on the same old empty lots you used to both play in. In manila, it's common to grow up a few blocks away from each other, and never know this person until you meet in the office when you're both 25 years old, and realize you had been neighbors all along. The Philippines has small and crowded cities. This has happened to me so many times.

NOW - in terms of impact, how can a song by John Mayer compare to an original song written and performed by my dear friend, Paolo Santos? Sure, in the eyes of the globe, John Mayer is the greater artist (and yes, he is truly fantastic). But if you hear some of Paolo's unheard songs, you will see yellow memories of your childhood as you close your eyes, as you hear his voice effortlessly singing a melody created by his mind that your own neighborhood formed. His inflections seem more familiar than John Mayer's. His diction is classy, but somehow, it betrays a Filipino soul despite the perfection of his English. In short, when Paolo sings his songs, I know it's him. And I feel it's about me, too. And the music is ours.

Then you wake up, and realize that this beautiful song is NOT on the radio. It's not in his albums, because the market wouldn't want it, the labels say. And you find yourself overflowing with a genuine feeling, derived from Paolo's songs, wishing that you could share this feeling with more people like you. But you can't. It's just not for sale.

So if you, as a lover of music, have ever wanted either Me, or any of the Sabado Boys, or the whole Sabado Boys to record an album where we sing to a full orchestra, but the record labels do not consider it possible because it is “only” for the A market, what are we all supposed to do then? Do we just resign to that fate, of never creating realities out of the big dreams, just because the world deems it impossible? I always thought I was part of that world too.

Currently, I am forming a core group, and we are discussing the mechanics on how to create a reality out of this crazy dream. It will be opposed. It will be criticized. Some will make nasty comments about how it is a foolish attempt at reinventing the wheel. Some will maliciously accuse it as a future networking scheme. Some will just not like it. Again, it's ok. I'm not trying to talk to them. I'm trying to talk to you.

Oh, and by the way, I have a song from the Musikero album, called "Musikero". That's the whole soul of this project. I wrote it long ago and I'm just trying to make some lines from it come true. If you've heard it, great. Try to listen to it again. If you haven't, try to look for it. It's probably on the net. Hey, I didn't say globalization was all bad. The internet is great! I just wish we didn't have to love the Jonas Brothers more than Side A.

the musikero100: what it is, and why

The Musikero100 is a dream. It is a group of people led by the basic principle that change is only possible through unity.

I have been asked numerous times why I have not formed a "Fan Club". I have evaded these questions well, so far, but I have finally decided, for now, to give 2 reasons why:

1) The word FAN - I don't particularly like the word "fan", which makes it difficult to form a fan club. I know it's just a word, and many people don't care. But I do. The word "fan" gives me an uneasy feeling of hierarchy, as if a fan must submit to a false idol. I find it demeaning and superficial. I mean no offense to those who consider themselves "fans". There is nothing wrong with it, but I don't prefer the word. I am a songwriter and a poet, which is why I make a big deal out of words, what they connote, and how they sound.

a) I prefer the word "supporter". The word "supporter" connotes a cooperation, and an equality between the supporter and the supported. A supporter gives something more than adulation or idolatry. A supporter doesn't just swoon, or fall momentarily in love, or use his/her idol as a fantasy. A supporter takes part, and therefore believes.

b) "Belief" and "Faith" are big words, and a supporter must possess these in order to truly support somoene. A pillar, for example, cannot support a structure if it does not "believe" in the engineer's plan. Even a lifeless pillar must BELIEVE.

2) The word CLUB -The other reason why I haven't formed a "club" is that I think it is a huge responsibiliy. I don't want to just get "fans" or "supporters" together for no particular objective. I know a lot of people don't even know who I am, and I don't care. I've never done this for the fame. But for the few people who do know me, who do believe in me, and who want to "support" me through a club, I don't want to just get them into some social club just to collect their money, to put up insignificant shows for them, to have a few drinks, and chat mindlessly. I have always wanted to make a difference, as a musician and as a citizen.

~ Now, after much thought and time, I have finally organized a few key people to help me form Musikero100. Musikero100 is a supporters' group (not a "support group" like Alcoholics Anonymous, etc.). Through my years of playing on the road, I have met very few BUT very significant people who were able to look closely at my lyrics, and have listened closely to my spiels in between. They have broken down my melodies and speech, and have finally come to realize that I am, indeed, trying to do something. Something different.

In a future blog, and pardon the unintentional suspense, I will illustrate clearly and without anymore mystery what the Musikero100 is, and what I hope it will ultimately be. For the few believers, I assure you that it is about coming together, and creating change in this industry.