2015 CVWW August

AUGUST 2015

THE Lifestyle Magazine for Custom Vehicle & Music Enthusiasts

ALWAYS FREE

Born in LA, the brainchild of Evan Rodaniche, CAGE9 has packed venues across the US, Japan and Central America. Their music has been featured on video games, as a WWE entrance soundtrack, on TV and movie soundtracks, and even on a children's show. CAGE9 touches all genres, their influence everywhere.

But don't take our word for it, listen to USA Today: “...the initial impact could cause whiplash, but this Panamanian rock band makes great use of subtlety, too, like the layered guitars and the falsetto that kicks in just when you expect a scream.” p. 6

Contents...

Off the Beaten Path: Streaming: the future of Music or its Nightmare

3

News You Can Use - Cars: How to Get the Best Trade In for Your Car

14

News You Can Use: How to Lead an Adventurous Life

18

Jamie Paullus Jamie Paullus continues to WOW our readers with the BEST Spokane has to offer - this month: music greats SLAYER and KING DIAMOND. Page 22

Order in the Chaos: 5 Reasons the Music Biz is in the Toilet HAIR TRIGGER: a Comic from Anthony Hitaffer

20 26 Sherry Keith Mystic Photography continues her up close and personal view into the Vegas music scene with Powerman5000...

Page 16

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Streaming: the Future of the Music Industry or its Nightmare If you wonder what the person next to you ly: “Valuable things should be paid for. It‟s my on the bus or train wearing headphones and look- opinion that music should not be free.” ing at their mobile screen is listening to, it is probaEd Sheeran, Beyoncé and Coldplay have bly the new radio – a streaming service. used similar tactics, offering CDs and digital According to the music business body the downloads for sale before putting them on streamBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI), Britons ing services – the opposite of the way radio has streamed 14.8bn tracks last year, almost double the been used for promotion for decades.

7.5bn of 2013, as internet connectivity improves Yet streaming revenues are rising fast, acand becomes pervasive. cording to the BPI‟s figures: they have zoomed Compared to buying music downloads, from zero in 2007 to £76.7m in 2013. Data restreaming services have a number of advantages. leased by the Entertainment Retailers Association Listeners can range over millions of tracks – the and BPI this week suggested wholesale streaming “universal jukebox”, create and share playlists so- revenues were £125m for 2014. (The ERA reported cially, discover new artists effortlessly through streaming revenues of £175m, but typically its val“artist radio”, and listen anywhere (even down- ues show a 40% retail markup over the BPI‟s loading temporarily for times when their wholesale figures.) The problem with streaming smartphone gets no signal). services, though, is that they seem remarkably inefThis year Apple is expected to muscle in on fective at persuading people to hand over their the scene using the Beats brand it bought for $3bn money. If they are the new radio, well, who pays (£2bn) in May 2014, as is Google‟s YouTube, to listen to the radio? And unlike radio, advertising which last November launched a paid-for, ad-free cannot cover the cost of the service. music and video streaming service, YouTube MuSpotify, for example, is available to nearly sic Key. 1.1 billion internet users around the world, yet it Snapchat, best known for its self-destructing can claim only 12.5 million paying users and 50m photos and videos that are a hit with teenagers, is ad-supported accounts. So only 1% of potential also planning a music feature, according to emails subscribers actually pay. Another service, Deezer, leaked as part of the hack of Sony Pictures. A part- claims to be in 182 countries, giving it about as nership with the music video service Vevo could be many potential users (and payers) as Spotify; in incorporated into future versions – which surely mid-2013 it reported 16 million monthly active ushelped the Silicon Valley darling raise another ers, and 5 million subscribers. $485m, valuing it at more than $10bn, in the past The US-only Pandora claims 250 million few weeks. users, but only 3.3 million paying its $5 a month Sometimes it seems as if everyone is plan- subscription. ning a music streaming service, just as a decade Mark Mulligan of Midia Consulting who ago everyone down to HMV and Walmart offered has a long track record watching the music busimusic downloads. ness, reckons there are only about 35 million payBut unlike downloads, musicians do not ing subscribers worldwide for all streaming seruniversally love streaming. vices, out of more than a billion potential users.

At the start of November, Taylor Swift reMulligan thinks the problem is the price. moved her new album and back catalogue from Even before the digital revolution, the average perSpotify and the other streaming services, having son spent less than £5 a month on music, with complained in a Wall Street Journal column in Ju- most spending accounted for by a small number of

Streaming: the Future of the Music Industry or its Nightmare big buyers. Cutting subscription prices would en- “We‟ve reached a very interesting point where tice many more to pay, he thinks, easily making up there are important changes to come,” a BPI for lost revenues. “I‟ve been banging the pricing spokesman said. “It seems that we‟re moving todrum for so long the stick has broken,” he said re- wards a time of people understanding that streamcently. “Unfortunately there was pitifully little pro- ing is the future.” gress in 2014, with label fears of cannibalising Apple is understood to be seeking lower per9.99” – the price of a standard album, in dollars or song payments from the music labels, so it can ofeuros, on iTunes – “dominating thoughts”. Some- fer lower subscription rates. Google‟s paid-for thing needs to change. The figures suggest stream- YouTube Music Key service launched in Noveming is eating into digital downloads rather than CD ber with a six-month free trial and a discounted sales: its revenue growth is almost exactly matched £7.99-a-month cost (down from £9.99). Mulligan by a fall in digital download revenues, now at their expects that discount to continue, and pricing tiers lowest level since 2011. In the US, Nielsen Sound- to fall in line.

Scan has confirmed the same pattern</a>, with Yet YouTube itself might be a key obstacle paid song downloads down 12% in 2014, from to boosting subscriptions, because it is unofficially 1.26bn to 1.1bn, while song streaming rocketed the world‟s largest ad-supported music streaming from 106bn to 164bn. service. Teenagers use it to find songs and related There‟s another difficulty: streaming services artists exactly as they do the normal streaming sertend to lose money. vices. (Snapchat‟s user demographic is a perfect Pandora, the market-listed US streaming match for that sort of service – which Vevo may service, hasn‟t made an annual profit since it float- seek to capitalise on.) When Swift removed her ed in 2011. Spotify still records losses – even content from streaming services, it created a media though it is expected to seek a flotation this year. uproar – but all her songs, including new album The main problem is that for each song streamed, 1989, could still be found on YouTube. the service has to pay a set amount to the record Mulligan thinks artists and labels will have labels; the more songs streamed, the greater the to swallow their pride and accept the world of payment, creating a cost barrier that never shrinks. change – and lower payments.

Spotify says it pays out 70% of its revenues to art“The whole „changing download dollars inists. to streaming cents‟ issue continues to haunt That could be about to change with the arri- streaming though,” he said. “With streaming serval of Apple. Its acquisition of Dr Dre‟s Beats was vices struggling to see a route to operational profitseen as a defensive move after a dramatic fall in ability the perennial issue of sustainability remains iTunes music downloads and revenues. “Apple a festering wound. The emerging generation of arthad to address streaming,” Syd Schwartz, a former ists such as Avicii and Ed Sheeran who have never EMI Music executive, told Rolling Stone in May. known a life of platinum album sales will learn When Apple introduces Beats Music outside how to prosper in the streaming era. The rest will the US, it could galvanise the market. Music indus- have to learn to reinvent themselves, fast – really try figures are eager to see what effect it could have fast.” because data suggests iPhone owners are typically Charles Arthur higher spenders (and so easier to convert to paying The Guardian.com subscribers) than the average smartphone buyer.

<CV WorldWide> Let’s start off with introduc- That's definitely at work on the record we're currently madly in the studio trying to complete. ing the band and their roles.

<EVAN> Me / Evan Rodaniche: Lead vocals and We're definitely exploring some wild new frontiers guitars, producer, songwriter, mastermind, mad and tangents in a very organic but still rocking kind of way. So we continue to give credence to the scientist. name…and there's no space because I dislike getBrian Sumwalt: drummer ting lumped in with the other name-space-number Matt Borowski: rhythm guitars bands. HaHa Leslie Wyatt: bass and backing vocals

<CV WW> What was the reason for deciding to <CV WW> We understand you originally formed move and base the band out of Los Angeles? the band in Panama City in 1993.Tell us what the <EVAN> I wanted to dedicate my life to music. catalyst was behind that, how you decided on the There's way more opportunities and room to grow name “Cage9”… in a place like LA or in the US period. So many <EVAN> Ouch - that sure doesn't make me sound other musicians to learn from. So many more peoold! LOL That is what Wikipedia says because es- ple who listen to the kind of music we play. So sentially this is the 20th version of my high school much more land mass! Yeah Panama was just tiny band and the name has basically followed me in terms of all that. But I definitely miss the simwherever I may have roamed and regardless of plicity of life down there. You have to go a little who else was in the band. But in reality, Cage9 crazy to survive up here. But again, musically came into existence around 1999 when it became a speaking, that's a good thing. more literal version of what it is today. The name means "no cage." Kind of a running joke in which the 9 refers to the German word for no - being nein. The concept being that we're shunning limitations, boxes and confining ideas of who we, and everyone else thinks we should be as a band. Always kind of trying to keep a fresh perspective of what we should do next and aim for musically.

<CV WW> What got you into music, and at what age? <EVAN> At 14 my best friend's dad was teaching him to play guitar (following in his footsteps as a band leader). I sat in on the sessions and picked it up quicker - so he became a drummer and we started a band. I think it broke his dad's guitarist heart but he became our number one supporter - his work ethic, passion, motivation and painfully unfaltering dedication to the craft continues to inspire my progress to this day even though he passed away awhile back.

<CV WW> Who would you consider some of your main musical influences? <EVAN> I receive influence from my surrounding musical environment daily. I'm always trying to keep my focus engaged and excited by what is going on in the world and incorporate it into what we do. I was born into music by bands like Guns N' Roses, Metallica and Iron Maiden, Faith No More, Smashing Pumpkins and The Beatles but I'd consider newer artists like Alt-J, Nothing More, (ex) My Chemical Romance, Dredg, Enter Shikari, and so many more a part of what we do.

<CV WW> We hear that Evan produces as well and recently produced MadLife’s album “21st <CV WW> Between 2007 and 2011 Evan perCentury Megalomaniac” and provided some back- formed with Powerman 5000 under the pseudoground vocals. Tell us about that. We featured nym “Evan9” as the guitar player and also prothem a few months back. They are all great musi- duced their album 2009 “Somewhere On The Othcians and an amazing band, that album is great. er Side”. Tell us about that experience. <EVAN> I do a lot of production work where <EVAN> Powerman 5000 was a great experience bands will come to me with the basic body of their for me. I'd known their old drummer Adrian for songs and I'll just dive in and add sounds, harmo- quite a while and he was a Cage9 fan - coming to a nies, production and synths and whatever the lot of our local shows. At some point Terry Corso songs need to push them into a new realm. I'd from Alien Ant Farm, who was playing guitar in guess you say that's my day job. I've been friends Powerman at the time, couldn't do a few shows so with the Madlife guys for a good 10 years so it was they asked me to sit in. It evolved to where Cage9 great to get to work with them finally. I've also would open a tour and I'd play in both bands every done that with the past two Powerman 5000 al- night and of course eventually I became a song bums, Boy Hits Car, a new record coming out writer and producer for the band as well. It was soon for Lacey Sturm from Flyleaf…recorded vo- awesome to get to know the band's fans, travel in a cals with Danny (ex-Asking Alexandria). I stay bus, play some of the huge festivals and be part of busy with that as well!…and yes of course Cage9 is a top notch live act like that. You can't help but my main gig as far as that's concerned. I write, rec- learn. Spider One is a brilliant artist and visionord, produce, mix and master all our material as ary…but at the end of the day I'm happier doing well.

Cage9 - I guess I'm a little bit of a control freak and want to write my own rules.

<CV WW> Cage9 has been direct openers for Ozzy Osbourne and Bad Religion, that had to be amazing to open for such great acts. How did that come to be and what did you take away from that?

Were you nervous at all? <EVAN> Those openings were in Panama, our hometown, where of course we have a great following. So every now and then we get invited to open something awesome like that. I have pretty healthy pre-show stage fright so yeah, big shows take a lot out of me! But I like to think I do a good job of taking that nervous energy and translating it into a great high energy, inspired and compelling live show.

<CV WW> You have also shared the stage with notable acts Queensrÿche, Candlebox, Seether, Sevendust, Hellyeah, Filter, In This Moment, Tesla, Karnivool, Buckcherry, MxPx, Powerman 5000, Dokken, Quiet Riot, Lynch Mob, Hinder, Boy Hits Car and Smile Empty Soul. You guys have toured with some great great bands. How did that feel to tour and share the stage with them? <EVAN> It's always a bit of an out of body experience and hard to fathom while it's happening. It's It went over great and got us on MTV Latino - the usually more like a year later you‟re like, holy shit, good thing about that market of course, is there's a did I open for Ozzy??! lot less bands in our genre to compete with. We keep talking about doing it again so we very likely <CV WW> Your song "My Doppelgänger (Doble will.

Opuesto)," was released in English as well as The Dukes of Hazzard and WWE songs Spanish and received full rotation on MTV Lati- we've done are all kind of a product of just living in LA and networking enough to be on people's rano.

Tell us about that, and we also heard Cage9 rec- dars for stuff like that. You never know when orded a version of the theme song to “The Dukes you'll be the right band for something a music supervisor is looking for. But it's extremely random.

of Hazzard” which was used in the trailer for the 2005 movie. How did that transpire? <CV WW> In 2012, Cage9 toured the U.S. with

<EVAN> Growing up in Spanish-speaking Pana- The Sammus Theory, with additional shows in ma, I was still always a fan of American/BritishJapan as part of The Unionway Festival. How made, English speaking rock and roll. However, I was that was totally exposed and appreciated rock en Espanol too so releasing songs in Spanish was always and how did you like playing in Japan? something we were compelled to do every now <EVAN> We LOVE Japan. All our albums since and then. However it wasn't until "El Motivo" that 2005's "El Motivo" have been released there with we endeavored to do an entire release in Spanish. great success so we have a killer fan base and

packed shows with everyone singing the lyrics said, people still love music - and maybe even whenever we go. In fact the label that releases our more than ever. But it's not the classic worship of music over there also has way bigger bands in the rock star scenario of the past. People are fans of US like Asking Alexandria, Devil Wears Prada singles and single sub-genres instead entire genres. and more yet they claim that Cage9's "El Motivo" So it's hard to land one effective hit or do one thing is still their biggest selling album to date. Very that really increases your value. Instead you have proud of that! to work tirelessly, tour and release as much content as possible on top of just being as good as you can <CV WW> Have you played overseas at all? If at what you do, hoping to reach your audience. In so, how were you received? The music scene there that respect, I think we have as good a shot as anyone. I think the new album we're working on is gois so different than the states. Die Hard music fans ing really make our existing fans happy and make there with huge festivals, etc. us many new ones so we're very hopefully and <EVAN> Out of country you can sometimes be a pumped. But we're realistic too. We don't expect to bit of a novelty and that works in your interest as a become rich or famous - we just want to give it band. A lot more excitement, like people are seeing 150% and do our best to enjoy being in a band. something they don't always get to see. You gotta' soak it in!

<CV WW> What are your thoughts on the use & necessity of Social Media?

<CV WW>Tell us about the music industry to- <EVAN> Gotta do it. At least to some extent. Altday, where do you think Cage9 fits in? hough how does that translate to gaining new fans?

<EVAN> Well, as you know it's tougher than ever I'm not totally sure - your existing fans sure want to make money making music today. That being to hear from you but does it inspire new listeners… over time maybe but it's not like some silver bullet to gaining fans. It's a symptom of the way things function at the moment.

<CV WW> How do you feel about music download sales, would you prefer a return to CD's and such? <EVAN> Double edged sword. It sucks for making music. But it's great for fans. In the long run we'll see if it was good or bad. But who really knows.

<CV WW> Tell us about your first time on stage, what was going through your head? <EVAN> I suck. I don't belong here. Why is everyone staring at me? Oh god I suck.

<CV WW> Who do you listen to in your down time? <EVAN> Lorde, Slayer, Manu Chau, Periphery, Depeche Mode, Miles Davis, The Mars Volta… etc.

<CV WW> You have toured all over and with

Also, I could go on quite a bit about toursome amazing bands. Is there any one show that end pranks.

Our last tour end with our friends sticks out and is memorable for you and why?

<EVAN> We played a show in Panama about 2 Straight Line Stitch was a lot of fun. We somehow years ago that was probably the best show I've ever got our hands on their intro and started our set played. We nailed our hour long set flawlessly. We with it and then basically turned them into us by mined every song from our repertoire in a compel- the end of their set. Running out on stage and ling way with lots of room for crowd participation dressing them in our suits, covering their backdrop and improvisation. It was late. The crowd of like with a badly handmade Cage9 logo and of course 1000 people were wasted (it was like a free beer pelting them with air guns…etc. Dead Horse Traushow) and going nuts jumping off the speakers and ma who were also on the bill got it pretty good too. singing every word back. That was perfect and They have a song where the lyric says something about "listen, listen, listen to the sheep" in refermay be really hard to top. ence to conformist people who follow all the rules blindly. So naturally during that song we down<CV WW> Any funny stories to tell from tour loaded barnyard animal sounds - mainly sheep life? baying - and cranked them through their onstage <EVAN> On the tour we did 2 years ago with our monitors while they played. Epic. The crowd had friends the Sammus Theory, they photo-shopped a no clue what was going on. face into one of our van pictures and convinced me beyond all reasonable doubt that we had taken a <CV WW> Do you guys have a favorite place to photo of a ghost looking in the window of our van. play and why?

Touring does that to the mind. <EVAN> It's a draw between Tokyo, Panama City, Panama and Idaho Falls, Idaho. Because they rock.

<CV WW> What can fan's expect to see at a Cage9 show? <EVAN> I really can't remember a show in which we gave anything less than some percentage over 120. We really pride ourselves on going all out and delivering our songs as they were meant to be heard and then some.

<CV WW>Tell us about the song and music writing process. It is a group process or does one person write the music. <EVAN> I write all the lyrics and come up with most of the song concepts and arrangements but there are quite a few songs on this new record where Brian (drummer) and I have been just jamming, recording, refining and re-jamming while recording to get a more live feel. The chemistry between band members is a tricky thing. But when you get to the point where you're reading each other‟s minds and developing ideas together you're definitely going to hear it in the mix.

<CV WW> What is the motivation behind the

songs written? Do any of them speak to you on a personal level and why? <EVAN> Every song is always personal. Even if you're role playing and imagining yourself into a made up song writing scenario - you're still occupying the story line. It's your baby. You'll always think of that song as family and you'll be biased to it - whether it was any good or not. You'll still be proud of the fact that you made it. So it goes.

<CV WW> What do you all like to do in your down time or is it all music all the time? <EVAN> This is a 24/7 gig. You never stop being a musician. I'm always thinking about what comes next. What song am I going to work on next?

What happens after the 2nd chorus in that one new song? What tour might we set out upon next? How do we improve our live show? Your mind is always in it. I approach music like an athlete approaches the Olympics.

<CV WW> Where do you think you are in the journey of Cage9? <EVAN> Jeez. I don't know. I don't think about a beginning or ending. That would probably drive you mad. How much breathe do I have left? Who knows? The police told me it was best left unsolved. Dusting for vomit and all.

works?

<CV WW> What kind of advice would you offer <EVAN> As of today we have 19 new songs in a to a band starting out? state of completion or close for a new record. <EVAN> If you're not having fun you're probably Probably some of the most intense music we've ever made. We're very excited about it but we don't doing it right. necessarily know what we're going to do with it… <CV WW> What does Cage9 have planned for LOL. We've also got a new video for one of the songs that we directed, shot and produced on our the rest of 2015? Any tours or projects in the own for a song called tentatively "Everything You Love Will Someday Die." We had fans, friends and random acquaintances of all kinds come to our rehearsal spot and filmed them singing the lyrics. It looks crazy. Hopefully we'll be releasing both shortly with national and international tours to follow. We also self-produced and released a video for a song on the record (earlier this year) which also might happen be the album title. Check out "Illuminator" on YouTube:

How to Get the Best Trade-in Value for Your Car One of the great unknowns in buying a used sale value. car is what to do with your trade-in. Do you sell it Lang's top tip for getting the most trade-in yourself? Trade it in to the dealer? Or possibly do- value is making sure your car is clean when being nate it to charity? While value is set by strict IRS presented to a dealer. “A clean car always sells for guidelines for charitable donations, you can con- more money. Make sure the vehicle is perfectly trol what value you get for your used car when it‟s clean. You could add some value if it‟s detailed for time to trade it in. a high-end vehicle. Dealers look at how the vehicle Steven Lang is a man who knows the used is going to look on their lot. That‟s their first and car industry inside out. In addition to covering the foremost concern. You want to have everything car industry as a journalist, he has been an auto clean,” Lang says. auctioneer and car dealer for nearly 16 years.

The next advice Lang offers is to document He has also been in charge of inspecting, apprais- recent work done on your used car. “If you have ing and liquidating over 10,000 vehicles a year for any added value to the vehicle, such as you‟ve reCapital One Auto Finance. cently done some expensive maintenance to it such His latest project is the Long- as a new timing belt or if for a hybrid you got a Term Quality Index. It‟s a study begun in early new battery for it, that information with receipts 2013 that now has tabulated the long-term reliabil- will help you get a better value. You can get some ity results of over 748,000 older used cars, SUVs level of compensation for that. It‟s not going to be and trucks throughout the United States. It con- for the entire repair,” he says. tains trade-in information from across the country.

Dealers will be able to market the car to cusFor example, the index shows a Mazda tomers with the enhancements. There is an added Mazda5 usually is traded in with 97,004 miles, value for a dealer when they don‟t have to do addiwhich is below the industry average of 126,654 tional work to a used car when it is traded in, Lang miles. Trading in a Mazda5 with more miles could adds. decrease its value. Also, you can see via the index Cliff Wood, executive vice president of that a Mazda5 has better than average reliability in stores at CarMax, disagrees slightly with Lang‟s the 2010 model year, which could also help its re- suggestions. He says, “You might be tempted to take a spin through the car wash on your way to get your vehicle appraised. Save your time and cash. A car wash or last-minute maintenance will not impact the overall offer they make on the vehicle. What‟s most important is the long-term maintenance and care of your car.”

He adds, “To determine an offer on a car, most appraisers will look at mileage, the condition of the vehicle, the vehicle‟s accident history and how well it‟s been maintained, inside and out.”

Something that could hurt your resale value is the level of customization your used car has. As Wood says, “Even though you may enjoy personalizing your car, aftermarket modifications like

larger tires or a unique paint color can narrow the market appeal, which in turn can lower the offer.”

While you may not want to paint your used car before trading it in, restoring stock equipment like its original wheels could help.

Both men also say a mistake car sellers make is not knowing the true value of their used cars when it comes time to trade them in. “Always get a written appraisal from a company you trust.

You can use online resources to provide general guidance, but know that these sites are not always accurate in estimating the offer you'll get on a vehicle,” Wood says. Wood's own CarMax offers appraisals, which are good for seven days and don‟t require that you purchase a used car from the chain.

Lang says Edmunds.com is the most precise of the online appraisal tools. “Objectively I find Edmunds has the most accurate prices,” he says.

Another way to determine the value of your tradein vehicle in your local market is to advertise it for sale on Craigslist. “See how many bites you get for a given price,” he says. “You‟re testing the marketplace.”

Finally, the best value for your trade-in continues to be selling it on your own if your used car still runs. Lang says you should trade in a car not in running condition if a dealer allows it and has trade-in allowances that provide exaggerated value to your non-functioning used car. Also, he says cars with major issues like transmission or engine problems should also be traded in because private buyers don‟t want to purchase potential headaches.

Otherwise, you are going to see more value by selling it yourself. Lang says the difference could be as high as 20 to 30 percent. “I would say 95 percent of the time you‟re better off retailing it, even with problems,” he says. Make sure the car is running well. “Minor repairs that have a marked improvement in the performance are usually worth it,” he adds.

5 Tips on How to Lead a More Adventurous Life from OpenRoadJourney.com Humans are, by nature, explorers. We like to see stuff. We like to go places. Adventure is in our blood.

But, as we get older, our sense of adventure gets muted by jobs, family, and other responsibilities that we all face as adults. Too many things pull us in too many different ways.

And, that's a shame.

Before you know it, you're looking back over the years of your life and counting your most exciting memories on one hand. Everything else simply blurs into a time span of nothing more than existence.

We all started out as the greatest of advenin your cubicle and daydreamed of a different life, turers - as children. Everything was new, all we or experienced mid-life crises, you know what I'm wanted to do was explore. It didn't matter if it was talking about. the woods in the back, or that cupboard that mom Those events are just our mind rebelling locked up and won't let us into. against the flame of adventure getting weaker in For those of you with kids, you know what our soul. It's our subconscious telling us that the I'm talking about. Remember when they first start- path of comfort and safety in our life isn't always ed to crawl? They went and looked at everything, the best thing. What's this have to do with motorand everything was exciting. You couldn't get cycles?

No matter what reason you think you them to sit still no matter what. bought that motorcycle for - I have a theory that Then, we got older and we were taught it the real reason was because your mind was subwas necessary to plan. Make sure you have every consciously trying to rekindle that sense of adven"I" dotted and "t" crossed. Otherwise, bad things ture. will happen, you won't finish school, you won't get Motorcycles are a way to explore. When a job... and the flame of adventure got a little you bought that motorcycle, you were looking to weaker. fuel that flame of adventure in your soul. It doesn't Then, we got even a little older (yes, it does matter if you're in your 20's or 50's, an experienced happen), and we were taught it was critical to plan. rider or a brand new rider.

Plan for retirement, plan for the kids, plan for your But, rekindling that sense of adventure just next vacation. Otherwise, bad things will happen, doesn't happen with the purchase of a motorcycle, you won't retire, your vacation will be boring... much less a purchase of anything. So, here are five and the flame of adventure got a little weaker still. tips on how to become a better adventurer: You get the picture.

Life isn't about being safe and comfortable - 1) Plan less. I'm not knocking planning, it's usualit's about living, being adventuresome, getting out ly necessary. But don't try to figure out everyof our comfort zones. It's about being a kid again. thing beforehand. Pick one or two destinations, If you've ever had a bit of wanderlust, or sat versus a whole weekend of hour by hour activi-

ties. Pick one or two cool roads and routes that you want to try, instead of every mile of the trip. Make sure you have more unplanned time than planned time. The worst that's going to happen? You might get a little bored. The best?

Well, the possibilities are endless and damn exciting.

2) Take little steps. An adventure doesn't have to do to living life in general. be a weeklong trip, a weekend trip, or even a day trip. Adventure and time aren't related.

I'll leave you with my all-time favorite poRide your bike to work one day. Pick up groceries with your motorcycle (this has the extra ben- em, modified for the adventure seeking, motorcycle riding, explorer in us all: efit of saving money!). The point is you don't need a big span of time. Simply try to change Life should NOT be a journey to the grave your framework of thinking from "I'm going to with the intention of arriving safely have an adventure or explore something new," in an attractive and well preserved motorcycle, to "how I can try something different today verBut rather to skid in sideways, sus what I always do." brake squeezed in one hand, 3) Get Lost. People seem to have an intense fear throttle twisted in the other, of getting lost. I'm not sure why. What's the fear gas tank on empty, based on? That they'll run out of gas? Be embartires worn out and screaming rassed about having to ask how to get home?

"WOO HOO what a ride!"

That the road will run out? Who knows. But, here's a fact: sometimes the best way to find something is to get lost. So, the next time you find yourself wondering what's down that little road you just passed, turn around and find out.

4) Share it with other people. To me, an important part of my personal life is to make memories. And, the best way to make memories is with others. Not only do you end up having someone that you can laugh about the experience with, but you inspire a sense of adventure in others.

5) Get uncomfortable. I thought about making this one "Don't Worry So Much", but the key is to make yourself uncomfortable, and worrying is part of being uncomfortable. So, actually, I want you to worry, because that's a sign you're getting out of your comfort zone. I don't know why, but our society has become a society of maximizing comfort and minimizing worry.

I'm not so sure that's a good thing. If you haven't' bought that motorcycle because you're worried you might get hurt, do it anyway. If you don't like it, you can always sell it.

That's it. Try just one of these and I guarantee you'll feel a little stir in your soul. These tips apply just as equally to riding motorcycles as they

5 REASONS THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS IN THE TOILET

by DANIEL NUSSBAUM It doesn‟t take a big-shot music executive or Concert Revenues Don’t Do Enough to Help a statistician to see that the music industry is in a According to Boluk, the U.S. concert indusmajor period of upheaval. try has tripled since 1999, largely due to performers Sales of recorded music are at or near all- earning an average of 35 percent more on pertime lows, digital downloads and concert revenues ticket prices (adjusted for inflation). But the overaren‟t doing enough to stop the bleeding, and tech- whelming majority of that live music revenue nology has made recording and sharing music easi- growth, 83 percent, has gone to artists not in the er than ever, driving up competition in an already top 100 tour earners. traditionally competitive industry.

In 2000, the top 100 touring artists took Liam Boluk is a venture capitalist and strate- home 90 percent of all concert revenue in the U.S. gist with a lot to say about the music industry. In Now, that number is down to just 44 percent. a new report for REDEF, Boluk examines Taken together with rapidly declining rechow innovation, technology, and industry practic- orded music sales, the “disappointing” concert reves have collided to throw the entire music business enue numbers are a serious blow to the wallets of into a state of flux and explores how the industry most popular mainstream artists. can relaunch itself into the robust, money-making The upside is that indie musicians are makmachine it had been just a few decades ago. ing more money than ever on rigorous touring Here is a list of 5 ways the music industry is schedules, and, according to Boluk, are slowly canin serious trouble and some insight into how it can nibalizing what little is left of recorded music sales. get itself turned around.

Music is Less ‘Rare’ Than It’s Ever Been Music Sales are in the Toilet The shift in music distribution from physical Sales of recorded music have declined by 70 to digital has made music more readily available percent since 1999, even while adjusting for infla- than at any time in history. tion, according to Boluk. After years of sustained Hop over to YouTube or SoundCloud and growth, digital music downloads from online out- there are literally millions of hours of unheard mulets like iTunes have also begun to decline. sic stashed online, albeit with greatly varying deWhat‟s disheartening is that music is seem- grees of quality. ingly consumed more today than at any time in The point is, when major labels controlled history, with people popping in earbuds almost every aspect of making a record, including recordeverywhere, from the gym to the subway. ing, distribution, marketing and so on, they also Physical retail sales have perhaps taken the controlled the level of output in the music industry. biggest hit; last year, Walmart, which sells the With the proliferation of user-uploaded conmost physical albums in the country by a long shot tent sites like YouTube (not to mention streaming (one out of every four CDs sold in the U.S.), cut its services like Spotify), the artificial “scarcity” of stock of CDs and its associated retail space in good music has been exposed. Spotify boasts a colstores by 40 percent. That means only the hottest lection of 30 million songs in its library, available titles get carried in Walmart stores, which, after for anytime-anywhere consumption. And, accordiTunes, is the second-largest music retailer in the ing to Boluk, the average Spotify user streams country.

1,300 tracks per month. With a library and a listen-

ing habit that large, the “value” of each track nec- more frustrating by the changing way in which artessarily goes down. While musicians like to think ists get paid. While artists with big, mainstream their albums are “valuable” (and they are, in the physical releases usually collect a majority of their sentimental sense of the term), the saturation of the revenue just a few months after the album goes on market has proven the exact opposite to be true. sale, streaming revenues come every month and, in many cases, in significantly smaller amounts. AdStreaming Services Can’t Save the Industry (Yet) ditionally, artists and their management teams The music world held its collective breath in may not know if an album is a hit for a significantNovember when Taylor Swift, arguably the biggest ly longer period of time. superstar on the planet, pulled all of her music from Spotify.

Record Labels Continue to Stiff Artists The move was a sharp rebuke to SpotiMusic distribution channels can only take so fy over the seemingly skimpy royalty payments the much of the blame for the industry‟s current dyscompany makes to artists for streams of their mu- function. According to Boluk, contracts between sic; according to Boluk, Spotify pays artists any- record labels and their artists have changed little in where between $0.006 and $0.0084, just fractions the last decade despite the major overhaul the inof a penny, per stream. dustry has gone through as a whole.

And it‟s not just Spotify; personalized radio To illustrate the point, Boluk pointed to an service Pandora has also come under fire for the eye-opening statistic from a recent Ernst & Young royalties it pays out to artists per stream. report: record labels took home 73 cents out of eveOf course, this results in songs streamed tens ry dollar paid out by Spotify and competitor of millions of times generating just a few thousand Deezer, while songwriters got 16 cents and artists dollars for their artists. Once royalties to songwrit- got 11. ers and publishers are factored in that number With the importance of record labels dimindrops even lower. ishing as barriers of entry into the industry are lowThe economic performance of Spotify is also ered, this hardly seems fair. far from rock-solid. While the company boasts of As Boluk himself put it, at the conclusion of having 75 million active users, 76 percent of those the report: “Most importantly, however, artists users accessed the service for free in 2014, contrib- must recognize that without new label agreements, uting only nine percent of the company‟s total rev- their tide will never turn.” enue. According to Billboard, Spotify‟s operating For more on the state of the music business losses have doubled since 2013, even while reve- and what the industry can do to survive, check out nue grew 45 percent to $1.22 billion. the rest of Boluk‟s REDEF report here.

Another potentially frustrating aspect of streaming services lies in the way the companies set the value, and the subsequent payout, for each track. Boluk demonstrated the complex system with an example using rapper Drake:  If Spotify users stream more music in August than July, but the same amount of Drake, Drake would see a smaller cheque for the same play count. This could even happen despite an increase in Spotify‟s Monthly Revenue  If Spotify‟s Monthly Revenue is flat, but Drake‟s stream count grows faster than total track volume, he could be paid less per stream but generate more revenue  If revenues increase, Drake could see greater royalties even if stream counts drop This confusing payout structure is made

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