Karaoke Forums

One small difference- DK IS still in business and producing- just not in the U.S. or ( as far as I know) in English. As a long running successful company, they WOULD be a strong source of useful information.

As for long-running ( 20 years+) Karaoke Hosts here who have been successful in different types of venues, there are several that come to mind, including KJ Athena ( AND Frank ), Mr. Maroag, Brian A, Lonnie, ProSound, Thunder, and many MANY others.

It's just a toughie because we are such an opinionated bunch. Others who run their shows like WE like would obviously be OUR choice, while those who run it like THEY would would be THEIR choice...

The thing is we are discussing equally talented and successful hosts who do what they do in some very diverse ways.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

DK may be producing, but we are talking stuff that get used by majority of hosts. Show me anything since they sold their original line off to Music Factory (I believe it was). There is nothing 'new' since around 2003 or so. But again moot point. The fact that SC doesn't make current music is not relevant to their still being highly desireable by many.

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No one disagrees in regard to their disc useage. The subject was whether they would be a useful addition to the event in question.

Their main business model is now litigation for profit. This may be useful at an IP attorneys' convention, but not much of a draw for this event. Also, several folks here have stated that they do not wish to attend an event in which Kurt is involved.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with this sentiment, it does in fact make SC/Kurt a liability to the event.

As a matter of fact, it's my opinion that SC/Kurt needs the event exposure way more than the event needs SC.

My personal opinions aside, as an event organizer I would probably find a speaker on Kurt's subject ( whatever it might be) with both less negative connotation/stigma attached and more current karaoke production information- maybe someone from SyberSound, Pocket, DT, All Star, Stellar- or any other currently producing label.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I would care less about Pop Hits until they can start producing music that is worth a damn, but would be interested in what All Star has going. They have some ideas and product coming out, although quite expensive right now for their new hosting/kiosk software.
IMO Syber Sound (Party Tyme) is not a 'leader' as they do not really market to the professional user as they do not take the chance and put out stuff that is new until later after most others already have had the songs out for months, but geared more for the home user, but again that is my opinion.

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To me, SC still has influence, whether people take it as good or bad. They are still filing suits monthly so it is something people have to be aware of if they are going to use SC product. As this is mainly a DJ convention, there could be several people who are thinking of adding karaoke to their business who are not yet aware of the legalities involved so this could be quite an education for them. Even if one were to consider Kurt to be "The Enemy," it would make sense to know what "The Enemy" might be up to rather than try to pretend he doesn't exist.

Sound Choice at least took the lead in trying to do something and even if many feels it was ill advised you can bet others in the industry have been watching closely. They may be letting Kurt Slep take the flak while they sit back and see how it shakes out. But to say he is no longer an influence seems to be more wishful thinking by some than actual fact at this point.

A leader would be someone who is leading the industry as of today. Saying SC IS a leader is like saying either George Bush IS a leader or Bill Clinton IS a leader. Do they still have influence? Sure. Are they leading? No. Put it another way.. How many manus are following SC's current business plan? Is SC leading in track sales? I doubt it seriously. Are they leading in innovation? Hell No.

So maybe the proper question for those that think SC is a leader, what category, exactly, are they leading in because if the answer is past production then to me that means they WERE a leader.

Don't get me wrong I like SC products and I have very sizeable collection based on a current survey, but they are not the leaders in this business. I have said in past threads "who would be guarding the henhouse" if they weren't, and I still stand by that statement. Their products are still sung quite frequently at my shows, but they are far from leading the way to the future of karaoke..... as a matter of fact they nearly destroyed it by suing the bars that allowed pirates to play there. Leaders.... no way.

SC IS the Leaders Of Litigation and that isn't really a good area to be a leader in. You can't really say they are the leaders against piracy because their ideas are geared more toward sale recovery and their path doesn't even come close to putting the smallest of dents in the issue. Following a bad plan IS a bad plan and the rest of the industry knows it.

SC is the most vocal, but that isn't because they are a leader today. Have you ever been in a meeting where someone way down the chain is jibber jabbing all over the place and going down what we call "dirt roads"? They are passionate about their topic but everyone at the table is thinking, "man, your ideas suck and would you please just shut up?" That is pretty much anything Kurt has to say today if it's a continued wash, rinse, repeat.

Whatever their status within the industry, they have made themselves a pariah to many- if not the majority- hosts, as well as venues, and maybe some publishers as well. That's not an opinion. This is one of the most widely read and active karaoke forums around, and the majority of what I have read confirms it.

Whether you agree with what they do or not, this is a fact, and because of this I believe it would make them a liability to the event.

The organizers wish to draw Karaoke Hosts as well as others in the the music industry. As an organizer/promoter I would want to do whatever I could to make that happen, and would go out of my way to make sure that all off the the participants create a POSITIVE atmosphere. Bring in people and seminars that would DRAW, and eliminate anything that would be an obstacle to success.

In this ( admittedly isolated ) case, it's nothing subjective. Just good business.

So far- and unfortunately- the best known name associated with this event is just such an obstacle.

At the risk of repetition: I would seriously consider replacement by someone from All Star, for example.

If you want someone to talk about piracy rather than production, that's up to you- but I would find a party without an agenda that would provide unbiased and factual information.

I would also bring in folks from popular brand equipment companies to give some sort of technical seminars. Speaker, mic, software, mixer, and other hardware techies. A great draw for newbies, of course, but I think all of us could gain something from this.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

To me, it feels very subjective to leave out SC, especially in light of the latest EMI filing. What does it have to do with our business? We have seen US publishers move to block us from buying anything other than what is licensed in the US. First Selectatrack blocked US IPs but no one got too much up in arms because they switched to the Tricerasoft-backed site. So the loss wasn't felt right away. But doesn't anyone get that perhaps Canada could be next?

Many of the same people that want to jump for joy at the thought of SC getting into trouble for licensing from the UK are great backers of buying from Tricerasoft, Zoom, Karaoke Version and other non-US sources. I would think that the right to buy from many different sources would be an important issue to any host who wanted to remain competitive. I would worry about the future of all imports if SC were to lose this suit.

Hearing what SC would have to say on the issue of licensing and imports might be quite informative. I know that being a leader in the industry of suing and getting sued might not be a favorable distinction to some but the outcomes of some of these issues could affect us all in the long run.

It's a really good bet that you wouldn't get anything informative on the EMI situation. Harrington's view on "importing" certainly appears to be in the process of being challenged but nothing worth while will be known until the outcome.

I would also so it's a really good bet that even if SC loses, those wishing for a throat cutting outcome will be quite disappointed.

First and foremost, I, for one, am not jumping up and down, for two reasons:

Selling discs is what SC was supposed to do. If they did that and stopped the other crap I'd be thrilled.

Unfortunately the EMI thing DOES affect our business, and will do it even more later- thanks to their being awakened by the actions of others.

Thirdly, by opinion was NOT subjective. Business is business.

If you hold a rock concert, do you want the most popular bands to participate in hopes of a draw, or do you bring in unpopular groups? Remember what happened to Sinead O'Connor? Right or wrong, she was an untouchable due to her actions at that time. Why? It would have been bad business to be associated with her.

One last thing. Were I to attend, it would be in hopes of learning new things. Do you really think I can learn more from someone who has consistently put his company in the positions that he has than from someone repping a company without those problems that is consistantly successful?

Nothing subjective about it- I'd want the highest quality bang for my buck- and time. Wouldn't you?

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Interesting that you use Sinead as an example. I, too, thought she was a bit out there and extreme at the time. As it turns out, she was trying to bring awareness about the coverup of sex abuse of children in the Catholic Church--something that has since proved out. So yesterday's pariah may well turn out to be tomorrow's hero. Only time will tell.

there is a good reason.... those are UK companies doing business according to the law in the U.K.....their base of operations and selling their product worldwide. SC went overseas to SKIRT the law of the U.S....their base of operations and producing songs they could not produce here.


isn't this exactly why SC is not producing anymore though? by the time they put out the new songs several others already had good versions out. if that makes them "not a leader", wouldnt that have made SC "not a leader"?
I agree with PHM, once they get the right songs going like they used to, but not now. Also agree that All Star seems to be taking the reigns in the U.S. and plowing forward full speed.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

The US opted out of the world wide copyright treaties in 2011. So unless the non-US companies specifically obtain US licensing when selling to the US then they are no more pure as far as taking advantage of loopholes or "skirting the law" than SC was. In fact how many of us buy overseas just to get those artists that can't be produced here? I have the Zoom Eagles disc. Is that equally immoral?

Is there a law against US companies establishing bases of operations overseas? Seems like a lot of them have factories that take advantage of more lax laws and cheaper wages and then, for as much as we cry "Buy American" we go for the cheaper deal. I'm not defending it all--just saying that SC does not exist in a vacuum.

They were not always behind in the new music, true it wasn't always the same month as PHM or CB at the time, but the renditions were usually a little more spot on and accurate sounding and for i'd usually wait the extra couple weeks or month maybe for the better versions of 'newer' songs. However in the field of ALL other genres, they were in fact leaders and were untouchable.

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No argument- agree 100%, but today is today. At THAT time she was business suicide- and left alone.

At THIS time, SC appears to have made themselves a pariah among KJs and- apparently- some publishers. Add to that all of what can only be perceived as several examples of mismanagement, and we have someone that could only be learned from as a bad example, and who may possibly keep more people away than they could draw.

Yup, anything is possible down the road, but for the here and now it would seem to be a very bad idea to include SC as "the" best known speaker.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

Another vote for Lonman! You could pay his way to do a seminar on sound reinforcement and he'd be worth every cent to both DJs and KJs...

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Sunfly from the UK. Their stuff is as good or better than anything Zoom puts out. Sunfly is one of the few active companies that drops a disc of new material every month or so.

Plus, they run 10-disc deals every couple of months for about $25.00 USD (including postage). Unless you're buying bootlegs, this is an excellent deal.

Am I alone in liking Sunfly?

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Sunfly is pretty much partnered with SBI now days. SBI provides all their music and usually whatever Sunfly releases coincides with SBI as well. Many people prefer the line by line swipes SBI uses vs the page by page display of Sunfly.

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