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Skeptical about TAXI?
You're not alone...

Dear Passengers,

If you've spent much of your life dreaming, but not doing anything with your music, you need to read this post from our forum. If isolation, frustration, skepticism and apprehension have been holding you back, taking five minutes to read this incredibly honest post might be a life changer for you.

The link to our most recent Industry Listings follows below.

Talk to you soon,
Michael

Testimony - '09 Road Rally Rocks Solid!

« Thread Started on Nov 13, 2009, 11:51pm »

I really dislike beginning this incredibly positive post with a negative thought. But before I witnessed TAXI's revelatory Road Rally first hand, my attitude and perspective was just that — negative with a capital N. (Booooo!)

My experience as a musician here in Los Angeles over the past 25 years has left me a little more than jaded. I have had such difficulties with so many aspects of the music business it would break anyone's spirit. It's not that I haven't had some success, it was mainly the fact that getting through to the decision makers consistently was just so darn difficult if not impossible. (And many of the decision makers I have had close contact with haven't a creative bone in their body).

I have never given up hope. I never stopped writing, playing, recording or practicing. I always knew that I was a lifer when it came to my musical persistence, but I wasn't sure what kept me going after being so dissatisfied with the business. Something inside just kept pushing me to continue . . . I now understand why . . .

I joined TAXI last month. I went to the Road Rally and it was an experience that I will never forget. To say it was a life changing experience is an understatement! (and an all too familiar TAXI-esque cliche).

What was so life changing you might ask? Hmmmmm. How much time do you have . . .

First of all, my initial reason for attending the Rally was to see if it was legit. I did not book a room to stay in the hotel, because I was pretty much certain that this was going to be just another of the many, many, MANY rip off scams that I've wasted my time (and money) with over the years. A corporate attack on the creative independent community. All of my apprehensions were soon properly amended.

Thursday, the first day of the Rally in itself didn't convert me, obviously because it was a day just to register and check in. I was however very much intrigued by watching, listening and talking to many of the TAXI members. The sign in procedure was smooth even considering the line that went down the hall out into the parking garage. These guys were definitely organized. My wife and I hung around to listen to the open mic and were very pleased with quite a few of the performers! It was our unanimous decision to spend the night and continue on until Friday to see what was up.

Twenty–five years of living in La-La land, if nothing else, has enabled me with a very unique talent of sniffing B.S. from a hundred miles away. So come Friday morning I was ready, really ready, with my B.S. detector all fired up and prepared for action. I had never heard of [Rally keynote and Lifetime Achievement honoree] Jeffrey Steele, but that didn't surprise me much, as I've locked myself away in the studio for most of the last decade. I initially thought that my detector was broken because I was not getting any reading whatsoever! In fact I found myself swept away with Jeffrey, Michael, and pretty much every other person I came in contact with.

At the end of day one, my head was buzzing! (And it wasn't just from the Starbucks or our occasional trips to the bar). I had met and exchanged conversation, music, emails, information and contact info with a dozen or more extremely talented people. I was lucky enough to have my music listened to — and approved of — during an A&R panel. (Talk about your heart skipping beats)! And another panel exec. asked me to connect with him on Facebook. Holy sheet. That was more interaction than I've had in the past 10 years easily!

The next two days were as absolutely wonderful as Friday, and in some ways even better. Everything was so well thought out — even down to having water coolers on either isle in the main auditorium. I've been a part of many productions and shows and there is ALWAYS something that is in need of improvement. Not with this show.

The most important thing I came away with is that locking myself away from the world is only going to be beneficial in one specific area of the music biz. I always knew that connections were vital to success as an artist/songwriter/musician and even producers/composers. What I didn't know is that those connections were not going to come from a Hollywood party or movie premier. They are going to come from people in prominent positions in the industry who are connected to their craft entirely, spiritually and are willing to give back and rub shoulders with eager new talent. This is what the TAXI Road Rally was to me.

I am humbled with all of the useful, insightful info, strategies, and the uplifting vibe that I absorbed at the Rally. To think that I thought I couldn't learn a thing or two (or a thousand) embarrasses the heck out of me, but I now realize that by letting go of my ego and getting out of my own way — I have the ability to soar as high as I've always dreamed. TAXI has taught me that all of my hopes and dreams CAN become a reality if a few rules are understood, practiced and then eventually broken — (the right way).

It's already one week since the Rally and I'm still buzzing. If anyone wants to contact me for any reason I can be reached at skyko@skylabsound.net. I welcome any and all who are wondering if TAXI is legit or worth the investment. (Oh, I almost forgot I got forwarded on my first two submissions this week!)

It would be easy to overlook the obvious with so much excitement. I was only able to thank a few of the TAXI staff who were directly responsible for making last weekend spectacular. Our thanks go out to every person that went the extra mile to make this years rally rock. Thank you!

One last thing. I could clearly see the immense esteem in which ALL of the music professionals held Michael Laskow. He has such a definite and genuine love for music, his staff, his business and the people it affects. He asked all the right questions and took part in the Rally as if he were submitting music himself. How frickin' cool is that!? [Producer] Ron Harris and I were talking about our mutual desire to play and create music obsessively when we were younger — it was all that mattered. Now that we are older we can see things differently. There is something behind the music — something that makes it so enchanting, so irresistible . . .

He was spot on when referring to the love of music. He said, "Music is just the vehicle."
—Skyko

To read the full thread, click here!

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PLEASE NOTE!

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Submission Policies

• You must be a current member of TAXI to submit your material. If you're not already a member, click here to find out how to join.
  
• The Submission Fee is $5.00 per song for every listing (unless otherwise noted). Listings that ask for up to three songs per listing would be $5, $10, or $15 based on whether you are submitting 1, 2, or 3 songs to that listing.
  
• You must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the proper amount of postage with each submission if you would like to receive a critique and/or have your tape/CD returned. Enclosing one SASE with a several submissions doesn't work. Multiple submissions go into a different bins or to different screeners as soon as we receive them, and are returned to you at different times.
  
• We notify you by postcard if forwarded for any listing--No SASE needed for forward notification.
  
• Late submissions slow everything down. We are very pleased to have significantly improved our listing turnaround time. We can't accept late submissions and stay efficient.
  
• You must use your official TAXI Music Submission Form with the BarCode information at the top. Roll up your burritos so that Bar Code is exposed and readable without having to unwrap or re-wrap your burrito. It's OK if your check covers the bar code, because we take it out before scanning the bar code anyway.
  
• Those of you who have seen the music room know what kind of volume we handle. All of these little rules help us to serve you better.
  
• Miguel's Tape Burrito
  (Always filling, Low Cal, Non-fat, Never delicious)

  Place the submission form face-down with the top pointing away from you. Place the lyric sheets, envelopes, etc. on top of it in the same fashion. Place the cassette near the bottom of the sheets, and roll it all up from bottom to top. The end result will give you a tape burrito that will be 8 1/2 inches wide, and have the girth of a cassette. The submission form will end up on the outside, and your name and the listing number will be readily visible for our data entry people. No folding of anything! Please tuck your checks in the rubber bands so they are easily found without unraveling the whole enchilada.
  

REMEMBER TO PLEASE INCLUDE A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE WITH YOUR SUBMISSION IF YOU WANT A CRITIQUE BACK.

If you have material you would like critiqued without responding to a specific listing, you've come to the right place. Fill out the submission form with the song title(s) and author(s) as usual, but in place of the listing number write "CUSTOM" in capital letters.
Please include a note specifying the aspects you would like the listener to address.
For example, some members like to have their craft (lyrics, rhyme, structure, etc.) closely critiqued. Others want to know for which genre their writing is best suited (sorry, but we can't recommend specific listings for you to pitch to). Still others want a review of their photos, bios, package, etc.
The submission fee is $20 per song. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and make sure to specify if you want the tape (or CD) back, or just a critique. Remember, these critiques are for your own edification and development and NOT targeted for a label or publisher, and therefore will not be forwarded.