jamesclark.com

This was a gift from the very talented Dave Wachter.

This might be my last post for a while, too. If you want updates on what’s going on with me, you can follow me on Twitter. I tend to update there way more than here.

All the best, from our family to yours!

Do you listen to Pandora Radio? They’re a very popular streaming music site, and I would love to have my music included in their library. It would help my exposure tremendously. But alas, it looks like it ain’t gonna happen.

I’ve tried submitting my two albums to them, and they rejected them both times. I am not allowed to resubmit my music for inclusion on their service… apparently they consider stuff one time and then it’s rejected forever.

They gave no explanation why they rejected my music. It’s professionally produced, it spans several genres, there’s comparable music out there, so what’s the problem? Is it just not good enough? I have no idea. I can assume based on what I’m seeing elsewhere online that Pandora simply doesn’t accept independent artist submissions. If you’re indie, if you’re unsigned to a major label, you’re unwelcome.

The only other way (based on what I see in the FAQ) to get my music included in their private club is to have fans write in and request my music :

“How do I suggest music if it’s not already on Pandora?

When you try to add a song or artist to one of your stations, or try to create a station from a song or artist, and Pandora doesn’t recognize it, please let us know!

Send your music suggestions to:
suggest-music@pandora.com”

So then I reached out to my fans for help, asking them to send an email requesting that my music be added to their catalog, just as the FAQ says. But even after several hundred such requests from fans, friends and followers, Pandora came back and said “no” yet again.

They’re response was actually, “We appreciate your fans writing into request your music, but we cannot re-review your music at this time.” Still no answer as to why. In fact, I was told, “As a policy, we choose not to discuss these matters on why we pass on certain albums.”

In other words: we don’t support independent artists, fuck you very much.

I think their policies are exclusive and shady, but that’s their business I guess. At least there are more progressive services out there like Last.fm and others.

If Pandora rejected your music, post a comment and let me know. I’m curious as to how many others have had this happen to them.

Get my album today and YOU NAME THE PRICE!

Did you get your copy of my album yet? NO?? Well, now’s your chance. I’m offering the album for sale at ANY PRICE until the end of the month. That’s right, you decide what you want to pay! Download the album for as little as $3 or $4, or $5 if you feel like being nice to me, or only $1 if you’re cheap, or get it FREE if you’re really broke like me!

Pay whatever you feel it’s worth.

This offer is being extended only to my friends and fans on Facebook, Reverbnation, and readers of my blog — and only until the end of the month!

Head on over to ukulelejim.bandcamp.com to buy the album today and name your own price!

(This short story was written by my 4-year-old daughter for Grandparent’s Day.)

Once upon a time, there was Eva, Mommy & Grandma.
They were driving in their car to the beach.
Then they were parked at the beach.
They got out of their car and went swimming.
Then they played on the swings
Then they all went home and got out of their car.

Then Eva, Mommy and Grandma went into the house.
They caught their eye on something.
They walked close and it walked further away again.
It was a shadow that looked like a big monster!
Mommy and Grandma were scared but Eva wasn’t scared because she was brave.
Eva took her Moo-Moo, put on her purple cape and zoomed out there.
Moo-Moo took a bucket of ice cream and dumped it on the shadow’s head!
Then Eva flew out of the house and got help.
She picked some flowers and found a hummingbird.
The hummingbird sucked up all the flowers and grabbed the shadow, picked him up with her feet, flew outside and threw him to the desert!
Then the hummingbird took back the flowers and flew into her house.
Eva, Mommy and Grandma were saved and lived happily ever after.

THE END