Monthly Archives: April 2024

‘Weekly Wednesday Jams’ & ‘Inside the Songwriting’ are moving to the Substack subscription model. Regular episodes provide a front row seat to concert footage and 2024’s songwriting processes.

Given all the ‘free’ content across the web, some artist feel reticent to leverage the subscription model Substack is built on. I don’t, Substack is a perfect tool for the creative mind, it helps the artists stay organized in their work. I assume that’s why I like it, and many of the artists I respect use it as well. So many features consolidated into a single, easy to use, platform. A few weeks ago, the day after a show, I easily scheduled out concert footage with commentary as weekly podcasts thru October on Substack. I’ve found it to be a perfect place to manage my band’s existing email list. 

It feels like a local artist community.

The subscription model? Brilliant. Paid subscription? Like it or not, it’s how commerce works now. Most musicians that use ProTools understand the subscription model already and have been using it for years, all of us have. Subscriptions are how we buy music, software, services, entertainment, etc. Why not learn how to leverage subscriptions as an artist? With a bit of playing around there are easy ways to manage the cost of your paid subscription tiers. I currently set mine (with discount code) at $5 annually. Nothing.

It’s the cost of a beer at a dive bar.

READ FULL STORY ON SUBSTACK:

https://open.substack.com/pub/theram/p/subscription-based-posts?r=211fux&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Warmth of the Fire performed at The Camp Store, South Carlsbad State Beach Carlsbad, CA

Welcome to the second ever Weekly Wednesday jam. Ram here, doing what I do best, recording away here at the home studio. This week’s performance is a taste of a brand new original. A big part of the great gift of songwriting is being able to introduce a new song to the band, then shortly thereafter to live local music community audience. 

Quick housekeeping, next week this series becomes subscription based.
Here are my current subscriptions tiers >

Over the 2023 holidays, I closed out the year with family and friends on our family farm in Amish country southwest of Philadelphia, PA. Whenever I go home, the floodgates open and I come in contact with the ghosts of my past. Us artists live in the physical world, the dream world, and the spirit world. That’s why most think we’re crazy. Lucky to be born under the sign of the Scorpion, I couldn’t care less what people think.

Our thoughts and actions can turn into ghosts if we’re not careful. My mistakes I’ve worn, taken the hit on the chin, came to terms with the fact that failure is often the best teacher in life. Being labeled as the family fuckup taught me humility, especially when losing the hard earned trust of those I loved dearly. Everything had to be earned back.

READ FULL STORY ON SUBSTACK:

https://open.substack.com/pub/theram/p/warmth-of-the-fire?r=211fux&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

All Photography by Daniel Hernandez | Instagram: @drhphotsd

On the heels of yesterday’s ‘Freaky Friday’ show at the Camp Store at South Carlsbad State Beach, CA, I’d like to take a look back to the origins of one of the best music venues in North County San Diego. It wasn’t that long ago that what is now hallowed ground to local musicians, was built on a knick-knack shop that sold bad coffee, firewood, and beer to campers. God that coffee sucked. 

Luckily for us, local beer, wine, and unique pizza offerings are part of the upgraded menu. To compliment everything else, year round live music was added to the mix! Only in California, baby.

READ FULL STORY ON SUBSTACK:

https://open.substack.com/pub/theram/p/the-ram-early-photographs?r=211fux&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

So Lucky performed at The Camp Store, South Carlsbad State Beach Carlsbad, CA

Ram here, welcome to my weekly Wednesday jam. Starting today, I’m going to cherry pick from live shows we’ve been recording and create an archive of my home recordings (as of this morning, I have 30 already scheduled to be released through the summer of 2024). Kinda reminds me of the old taper sections at Grateful Dead shows back in the day, those guys were onto something, they were there trying to capture magic. 

I’ve taped shows back in the day, so it’s understandable that I’ve grown up to be a bit of a home recording nerd, and built a working home studio. Like magic, the show goes by in an instant when your on stage. Instantaneous, while each note emanating from the fretboard is frozen in time for the performer. I’m in the moment, exploring the possibilities of each song with my friends, at the end of the night I don’t even know if the show was good, bad, or ugly.

READ FULL STORY ON SUBSTACK:

https://open.substack.com/pub/theram/p/so-lucky-3292024?r=211fux&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true