Karaoke Forums

You all can laugh, all you want, I know who and what I am.    I work every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday.    OK Dick Tracy check the times.   Every bar I work in at least makes $50,000 a year, on karaoke.    

Name 4 people on here that have more karaoke experience.

Name 4 people that made as much money from karaoke.

Name 4 people that have spent as much on karaoke.

Name 4 people that have worked over 16,000 hours KJing.


You all show a lot of ignorance toward other peoples experience.      I still don't understand how all of the expert KJs have taken the side of the hacks, unless I have hit a few hacks on the head with my accurate information and hack descriptions.

There are a few very high quality KJs in the world.    Some of you will never attain such a standing.    Except in your mind.

Every one of my posts has contained actual information, from actual experience.    Too bad you chose to ignore it.   Tells me a lot about your character.     This is an informational site and that is what I offer.   From 14 years of struggling to be successful in the face of the one speaker hacks and wannabes and STUPID bar owners.

Repetition is the best form of learning.     How many times did you say your A,B,Cs.   Once?    Just like my information.    Sometimes you don't hear it or understand it until you're ready to.    Doesn't mean it isn't acurate or valueless.

It seems the ones that pretend to know-it-all just started this year.     Pretty brazen if you ask me.     I need my arse kicked for being knowledgeable about something you just became an instant expert at?     How really small you are.     The real world will eat you up.     Wait till the hacks swarm around your good thing.   Wait till they see you making all that easy karaoke money and decide for $1500 they can get a piece of your KJ pie.   We will see who crys about it after it's too late.    Don't think it won't happen.  Because it has happened to everyone one here over the last 15 years.   Why did you get in to it?    Think you're the only one with a functional brain cell?

Better read about all of the unemployed KJs right on this forum that can not buy a KJ job now for that very reason.

Lonman, anybody else get in to your game ever?  How about it Babs?    Swingcat?    Robdog?    Anyone new on the block want a piece of your pie?     Karaoke looks like the easiest game in town.    Until they find out you have to know something and make a substantial investment in time and money.     Doesn't mean there won't be a new wannabe hack on the block next week.

You're right, I'm full of crap.... Full of karaoke crap from all of the KJs that thought they could do what I do and put me out of business.   They are out of business.   Or they charge a fraction of what I charge just to keep working.    Doesn't mean they aren't hacks.

As far a bars closing that I use to work at.   Yes in 14 years, there have been many really nice bars that have gone under or changed hands.   Not from karaoke.  From STUPID things they did.   Like bring in a pool table to kill the packed FAMILY restaurant/ bar.   Like start a bike night to chase away good paying high class people.     Come on up, I'll show you every stupid story for every one of them.    

Two I know of went out of business because ASCAP/BMI took them to court for over $25,000 in back money.    Oh yes, they called me up on 2 different occasions before they went under, begging me to do karaoke for them.   I remember it well.   I refused because you had to carry the 800 lbs of equipment down a flight of steps.     I had one owner tell me he paid over $6,000 a year just for insurance.      

Drunk driving laws are killing them.   I just heard this story Saturday from my imaginary bar owner.    A new extensively remodeled bar at the other end of town caters to underage drinkers.   A 19 year old girl, legal is 21, wrecked her car into a pole.   The cops wanted her to testify.   She didn't.     A DUI check point was set up 100 yards away from the bar.   Tell me what is going to happen to this bar?    Karaoke isn't going to kill it.   STUPIDITY and GREED is going to kill it.


Yes, I know nothing that could help some of the clueless people on here.   Please ignore me.     Use no information I have ever written.     I'm a hopeless hack wannnabe KJ.    Someone please talk to me I need the attention.

Let me know when you can/have walked in my shoes.

Canada has the best way of doing this I think. I can't remember the details very well but I think I heard it mentioned that they pay to one company that in turn takes care of all royalties.

Eric, SESAC cropped up after you were dealing with BMI and ASCAP, I thin, Same song, second verse (or third verse in this case).

Bigjim, I was raised in Afton and my company has a store in Maryland Heights! You and I are neighbors by proxy! I will put your club on the list of places to go for the Texas Idles and if we ever have the time and money, we will be there!

_________________
[glow=darkorchid]Musica delenit bestiam feram[/glow]

In Canada it's SOCAN you pay for public performances whether karaoke, mall canned music, etc.

BD go away.  You haven't proved anything.  Your bars must suck if all they make is $50,000 a year on karaoke.  Taking karaoke once a week they're not even breaking $1,000 a night.  Then take the expenses off that $1,000 (rent, utilities, stock, wages, etc).  Oh yes i can see the success.

I believe Lonman beats you, the guy I work with beats you, not that there's much to beat.

BD you're not full of crap.  Crap is useful, it can be composted.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

$50K for a club earning off of karaoke doesn't seem like it's worth it for the club to continue karaoke.  Hell I had clubs PAYING me that.  However, I don't go into dollar figures on an open board, no class in that & doesn't prove anything anyway, & of course now you will just change your $$ figures because you really MEANT to say.

As far as experience, over 15 years karaoke, over 20 years in dj/live music/recording engineering.
BD gives advice, however, he can't prove anything he claims, thus making his advice null & void.  His technical advice is completely wrong as he can't even hook up his own equipment properly nor set-it up correctly.  So again, making anything he says null & void.

I'm personally tired of reading his higher than thou attitude.  And yes I have had people come into the club I work & try to underbid, it's pretty funny, when i'm working, the manager takes their card & points them in my direction saying that i'm the one they would need to talk to about a karaoke change - 14 years, 7 nights, 1 club!

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Lonman - that's the first I heard of ASCAP or SESAC, that's all I need is more government payouts. I will do some questioning with Ed the jukebox tender. They have to have their own license for the jukebox/pool tables/bartop electronic games etc. Those may be covered w/their license. So far BMI is the only thorn in my -ss.

What do the letters mean? Maybe I can search via internet. Don't want to raise any flags.

                                                                      bigjim56

The jukebox & table games do not have anything to do with anything else BUT those.  You need a license for everthing - radio playing, tv playing, live music, dj music, KARAOKE, MUZAK (although I believe the annual fee for them includes publishing playback rights), if you have a DANCE floor, etc...I think the live, dj & karaoke fall under the same category, however karaoke has the extra fee.

BMI - Broadcast Music, Inc.   http://www.bmi.com
ASCAP - American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers.  http://www.ascap.com
SESAC - Society of European Stage Authors & Composers.  http://www.sesac.com

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Texas Gigi,

I'm living at the Gravois Bluffs area, just 2-3 miles from Affton down Gravois road.
I have probably been to your store in Maryland Heights, is it close to the Police Station (next street over)? I went in there just to browse, they had a lot of music!
I saw a lot of symphony stuff, musicals sets etc. My bar is Homer's Sports Bar & Grill 3133 North Lindbergh in Maryland Heights. Just 1 mile south of Northwest Plaza.

The median that they just installed in front is killing us, people going the opposite way don't know to turn around at the Whitehall Manor exit. We lose a lot of business because of that. Like I said before, if I was a casino...I'd have a paved road right to the front door with billboards and pointed lights "helping" people find their way.
If you come by, I may or may not be there...I work F/T rotating shifts as a Water Treatment Plant Operator so I can only help out so much. Be sure to ask the wife, she manages it...you better hurry...in 6-8 months it could be closed. The good part about that is...then the government gets NO money.          

                                                                                   bigjim56

Lonman - thanks for the response, will do some research. Almost afraid to. Gotta do what ya' gotta do. I wonder why we have'nt been contacted by these two Gambino counterparts yet? Maybe ignorance is bliss. BMI has been hounding us since day 1.

                                                                                 bigjim56

 
 
I'll walk in those shoes when I can see for myself where they've been.  
But if all I have is your word alone, sorry I don't follow by blind faith, except in my personal beliefs.  
 
So let's play a game, I'll give you certain scenarios and you tell me which one you think is false.  
1. In my youth I have slept with two Playboy bunnies and one Penthouse Pet.  
2. I have worked with crime units in helping to solve serial killer cases.  
3. I have jammed in the studio with Black Sabbath  
4. I am independently wealthy and only do Karaoke to help combat the boredom from living in such a small town. In other words, money is irrelevant I do it for fun.  
5. I have friends in both Hells Angels and Outlaw clubs, but yet am not a member of either, but welcomed by both. How many people do you know that can say that?  
 
So you tell me. Now keep in mind, all you have is my word on whether I'm telling the truth or not. But judging by my past comments, I don't think I've ever put myself in a situation of having to prove or disprove anything I've said. Folks seem to take me as I am, I think the word I'm looking for is credibility, and I've yet to meet anyone from this board. So like I said, this is just a game. I have nothing to hide, nothing to gain, I'm no better or worse than anyone else on this board, but I'm pretty sure my words speak for themselves. Now is that something you can say?  
 
James  
Maninblack

P.S. My deepest apologies for hijacking this thread, but just like you, I think it's time we either call out the Dog, or take out the garbage.

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

Or we can just let him roam the streets of China!!!!!

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/chi ... 46057.html

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Oh man funny you should mention China. I have a friend that travels there for business on a regular basis, and wants to take me with him in the next couple of months. He comes to all of my shows and tells me that Karaoke is so huge in China that you wouldn't believe it. It's considered an honor to be able to sing Karaoke in China. In fact at the company he visits, next to the board room, they have their own Karaoke Lounge. To not sing Karaoke is considered an insult and bad business to them. In fact my friend told me that once he was in the lounge which over looks the factories and down on the streets were hundreds of folks standing out in the freezing cold singing karaoke at one of the many booths throughout the plant. Now the funny thing is they don't sing in chinese, they sing in english...yep, in fact it's one of the ways that they learn english is by singing. He told me that if you sing good Karaoke that they almost treat you like a god, along the same lines that they treat their movie  and pop stars. He said the only problem with me going, is if I went, I wouldn't want to come back, because no where else in the world is Karaoke treated with such reverence. Who woulda thunk.
Sorry I'm rambling, but your story made me think of it.
James

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

I said they at least make that much.    Now if they were not idiots, they could be making more.    If they had karaoke instead of sporting events that we have to wait for.    Or had bartenders that didn't want to screw off, instead of waiting on paying customers.    They had karaoke on the sign out front.     They could be making a lot more.    My performance is always steady, no matter how hard they try to kill their business.

I have never been a KJ.    I have just been guessing what to do.    :whistle:     


Everything in all of your previous posts could have been balogna.     Now you want us to believe some far out stuff?     WE will just have to take you as a man of your word.   Something you will not give me.  LMAO   Respect goes both ways.     I have not lied about anything so far.  :O

I promise you this.   I tell it like it is.   I don't beat around the bush.   I don't candy coat anything.     Never been a phoney.   Not a B.S.er.   Don't have to lie or make stuff up for anyone on here or any other place.      If you can't take it.   Then that's not my fault.     I like people that are very up front with me.      You don't have to lie to me or kiss my A**.     Don't try to B.S. me.     No games, just factual information that maybe some can not handle because of a delicate ego.    I did not create the position that some of you may be in.     I did create my business position.   I know what it took and I know how to stay here.     NO free ride kids.     It takes hard work and lots of money.     Not a little work and no money.    I learned all of it the hard way.     Nobody had the internet when I started.    No karaoke forum to ask questions.      I jumped into it with both feet and a $20,000 loan to pay off.     I made it work very well.     With a complete system.   Another $30,000 later I have the system I have now.     How many can say that?        A few?    Put on a good pair of karaoke shoes, then start walkin'.

That's how I treat my karaoke business.

What's so far out about the things I mentioned, please do tell. As far as respect goes, that's something that as a newbie, I had to earn. Just as with everything else in my life, I've had to earn it. Sure maybe the advice was given for free, but I'm the one who had to earn the money to go out and get it. I made my money from the shows I did, even when it was the house system which consisted of a Vocopro machine which they ran through the house speakers, mics that were falling about, 2 Chartbuster books and one songbook. All of my jobs since have been word of mouth. But I've taken every penny I've earned and put it back into the business. I pieced together my first system buy what I could afford at the time from the money I made and by spring, I will have made enough to have a second system which will completely racked and ready. Every bar I go to in my area, they all know my name and know what I do. It's called word of mouth and reputation. I don't just sit on some message board and constantly brag and belittle others, I'm out in the real world making it happen. I have no fear of people knowing who I really am, where I play, and what my setup looks like. Sure most around have bigger systems, but they've been doing it for years, yet here I am less than a year under my belt, and they all know my name. I don't say that to brag, I say it with pride of a job well done. You're only as good as your last show and I do every show as though it were my last, I give it everything I've got. By the end of the night if you didn't have fun at one of my shows, well then that's your own dayum fault, because I lay it on the line every time I step up on the stage. That's how you earn respect. Funny thing is, I'm only getting started. So tell me what's so far out about the things I mentioned. Humor me, take a guess, I'm not offended if you guess right or wrong, so go ahead, what do you have to lose? I have no secrets.

James
Maninblack

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

I, personally don't have anything, against anyone on this site.  :O  :shock:  :hug:    Most of this is a general reply.

See now MIB, if you posted those things and said I have done this, this and this.   I being the person I am, would believe that you were telling me the truth.     I have no reason to believe that you would intentionally lie about them.     I would be able to tell the truth from the B.S.   Maybe.    Depending upon other forthcoming information.    Or your previous info.

I have never posted information that would hurt anyone's business income or their business reputation.    Re-read every last one.    

It's no secret, that I do not like hacks and I will do all in my power to discourage them and put them out of business.     They hurt all of us.      Karaoke has a bad rap from years ago, that we have not been able to shake yet.     It reminds me of how Doctors look at Chiropractors.      Both professionals but somehow one is looked at illegitimately.  All KJs are looked upon as being some what like that.      They assume bad sound, screaming drunks, nobody's serious, no talent.    Hacks are illegitimate to me.     I take seriously, my karaoke business and karaoke in general, as a very unique form of entertainment the likes of which the world has never seen and will not likely see for many many years.     Karaoke is very powerful, in entertaining all ages and musical tastes at one time.   No other type of entertainment can do it regularly.    I don't like some 2 bit, one speaker using, livingroom stereo using, 2 shoe box speaker using hack, whose entire compilation of karaoke equipment (speaker/s, machine/s amp and all) can fit in 1 of my subs, thinking that they can do what I do and even compare themselves to me in any way shape or form.   It makes me a little mad.   If I happen to come of as a little over the top, maybe if everyone took their business and karaoke as serious and with as much passion, we would all be making very nice money.    While promoting nothing but high quality karaoke, that involves a little more than a bunch of screaming drunks.     And not something that some people want to settle for and call it the "karaoke" that I do.     Getting rid of the hacks or getting them to upgrade is the only way we will all benefit.   If you can't see that or don't understand, I don't know what will help you.      But you are not helping our cause by defending the hacks.    Every KJ should at least be making $300 a night.   On any night of the week.   DJs use to make that kind of money and more 15 years ago.   We do more, work harder and have more investment than the average DJ.

WE still make what we did 15 years ago.     I don't like it.   It should bother every legitimate KJ as well.    Maybe you don't want to reach my level of success.    I don't understand why you or anyone else wouldn't.     The rewards have come from my investment.     I have made all of my money back plenty of times.     I have the respect that comes from my success.

So you think all of this makes me a ghost or something to ignore?    I'm not a diplomatic, candy coating, out-of-this-world, liberal.   The real world sucks and it is a very cruel place.    Nothing is fair and it isn't easy.    You want to compete against me?    Tool up or get out of the way.   I'll run right over you without blinking.   You are doing nothing to help me.   But what you are trying to do is hurting me.    Do not cry to me when the real world hits you square in the teeth and you go down in flames from your lack of unpreparedness.     I got ready for the "real" karaoke world by studing the KJs from years ago.    I went to many shows looking and learning what not to do.     Nobody has my style of karaoke.   I have met very few that have my passion, pride or my financial investment.      And obviously I'm having a hard time trying to describe it, so everyone understands how it looks and sounds.  (Both of which are great, dispite what some want to believe, I don't care what they know, you would have to hear it for yourself.   My competition knows   )    Laugh, make fun, ridicule, whatever, you don't shake me.     Snatch the pebble if you can.    :worship:  :worship:

I read your words, and they say nothing. Why? Because they lack passion. They reek of bitterness and contempt. You go on and on about nothing. All of your banter about hacks falls on deaf ears, because you don't have the common decency to back up anything you say. Tell you what, since you didn't like my first game, let's play another.
How about you taking a picture of your setup....Folks still wont know where you're at, they wont see you in the picture, they still wont know anything about you except for the fact that you actually have a Karaoke setup in a bar somewhere supposedly in the United States. How about a pic of your 600 dollar mic? How about those huge subs that we could all fit our setup in. Come on, gimme something. But one note: I have to be able to tell beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is in fact your own setup and not some other persons. You do that, and I will also take a picture of myself in downtown Spring City kneeling in the middle of the highway, holding a sign that says, 'I am not worthy of Bigdog' and another pic of my luscious lips puckered and ready, which you can apply to your arse any time you feel fit. Come on, there's gotta be a temptation there. Think about it, you can quit going on and on about the hacks and have a lifetime of bragging rights saying how you got the Maninblack to eat crow, right here in front of everybody. I am a man of my word, and I will back up what I say. So come on, be a sport.
How bout it champ, here's your chance. If you're gonna talk the talk, then let's see you walk the walk.
Are ya game? I am.
James
Maninblack

P.S. if you do this, I will personally post my pics for everyone to see. Scouts honor.

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

"I read your words, and they say nothing. Why? Because they lack passion. They reek of bitterness and contempt. You go on and on about nothing."


I Disagree with the above!!


What they DO SOUND LIKE IS DESPERATION AND PANIC!!! CANT YOU HER THE SHIRLL SCREECHING AND EVERY HIGHER PITCH OF HIS VOICE COMING THORUGH!!????


THIS IS THE VOICE OF UTTER DESPERATION! NO ONE IS LISTENING TO HIM ANY MORE.. HE'S LOST ALL HIS ABILITY TO INFLUENCE and EXCERSICE ANY TYPE OF TECHNICAL POWER.

 LOL  LOL HE HAS IN FACT BECOME IRELEVANT!!!

_________________
"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

The only shrill screeching I hear is coming from the cages in my basement
But that's another story for another day.

_________________
I serve no man and am loyal to only one God.

Being critical of a person's success in any respect speaks volumes about the lack of your own.

Love as though you've never been hurt, Dance as though no one's watching, Sing as though God Himself were listening.

I'm not the worlds greatest writer.    I'm the worlds greatest KJ.   Get it straight.     My passion is in my equipment.   My passion is in my entertaining skills.   My passion is in my singing.    My knuckle sandwich is loaded with passion.     My writing sadly is not.    

Aspire toward greatness, I'll move over a little.  

We can howl/screech/scream drunk, at karaoke.

To take the desired pictures would require a significant investment in camera gear.   I am putting all of my money into my 9,000 song library.   30 more discs this week.

The hack next door just bought a new disc last year.    I have to keep up with the DJones.  LMAO  LMAO   Get it?????   DJ-o-n-e-s.  :O    I'm too funny.

My next great adventure is the worlds funniest Comedian/DJ-o-k-e-r.    I'll joke them to death between the singers coming up to the stage.    LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  :hug:    Send all of your 20 minute (get It? time between songs    LMAO  ) jokes in care of me.  Also looking for dance jokes.  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO    For the non singers.    LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO    Move over Leno.     Bigdog's coming after your Spot, Rover, Fido.... Get IT?  Dog names.   ...  LMAO  LMAO

Oh wait I have to queue up a song.   Some jerk thinks I'm doing karaoke at karaoke.    LMAO  LMAO Get it?  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO    Playing karaoke music at karaoke, what an novel idea.     GEt it?  Worlds greatest writer ???? Novel Idea.  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO       I just went on the paper.      LMAO  LMAO   Get it?  BIGDOG peeing on the paper..  LMAO  LMAO