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City Lights Entertainment
www.myspace.com/lucashunter January 18, 2008 Music 101 Local success story gives the ins, outs of music business DEVON BABIN Combine a great musician with a manager, a teacher and an author. What you get is a unique combination named Mike Wood. Wood has been in the music world since his days at Sir Robert Borden High School, and along the way has learned a lot about himself and the music business. Now the globe- trotting musician is staying put long enough to teach up-and-coming musicians all he can about the industry he managed to carve his own niche out of. Along with his band Circuit, the front man and manager has toured with the likes of Buck Cherry, Kansas, Vince Neil and Everclear. Behind the scenes he has worked with some of the most recognizable names in the industry such as Casey Kasem, Pete Gilroy and Chuck Gullo who has worked with Bryan Adams, Janet Jackson and many others. The experiences Wood has had make of the basis of his new book, You’ve got a Friend in the ‘Biz. “The thing that made it different [the book], is I went to my friends in the business,” says Wood. Kasem, Juno award winner Dale Penner, former vice president at Sony Records Don Grierson are just a few of the names in the book that give people looking for direction in the music business some hope. More than that, however, Wood gives his own stories of the ups and downs he has experienced in his travels. The travels started through a friendship he had since high school. A friend of his who grew up in Craig Henry along with Wood moved back to Lebanon with his parents. Wood didn’t hear from his friend until a couple of years later. The friend in question was on the phone, back in Ottawa and needed a place to stay. The friend stayed with Wood and his parents for a few months, then got on his feet. When his friend’s father came to visit a few months later, he felt obligated to repay Wood for helping his son. He put Wood in contact with Kasem, a relative. Within three weeks Wood was in L.A. trying his hand at getting his band noticed. “At 22 I booked myself a plane ticket, got on a plane and went to Los Angeles,” says Wood. “I spent my whole life in Nepean and my summers in Smiths Falls. I’m a small-town guy at heart and this gate is opening up. I ring the door bell and here come Casey Kasem to the door. I’m like, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’” Along with meeting with Kasem, Wood began visiting all the record labels he could. “I pounded the pavement for two weeks,” he says. “EMI literally threw me out almost by the back of my shirt.” All the hard work paid off, however, and after a lot of phone calls and creating a buzz about his band, things started to happen. They toured with great bands, played in front of huge crowds and had their music all over the place, including being heard on the popular MTV program The Real World Denver. With the success of Wood’s hard work, musicians looking to make it in the music industry started asking him for advice. A friend of his encouraged him to write a book about his experiences in 2005, which he did, but he didn’t put a lot of effort into making it a publishing success until this year. A newly revamped version is now available and selling well on websites such as amazon.com and others. If that weren’t enough, Wood has returned to Nepean on a more permanent basis as a teacher in the Pre-Music Production program at Algonquin College. “Right now my number one focus is teaching these kids the music business,” says Wood. Expanding on the information in his book, Wood gives students some of the tools and information they will need to make a crack at the music industry. Also like his book, he has a lot of guest speakers give their own advice to the students. “It’s just taken off. It’s a very, very popular course,” says Lou DiMillo, coordinator of the program. Wood suits the course perfectly. Meant as an introduction into the music business, the program is a certificate course that gives people an idea of what to expect. There are few people better than Wood to give a realistic snap shot of the industry. “He’s young. He’s in the scene,” says DiMillo. “When he gets his mind set on certain things he goes for it.” To everyone trying to help young musicians achieve their maximum potential: I am the Mother of a musical talent. I can’t deny that it’s not a tremendous challenge. Artistic personalities are often hard to deal with. They’re high energy and high passion. Like the songs say, “the sweat pours out your body”, the emotion of an uncontrollable drive to have their bared soul heard, understood, identified with . . . it’s no easy road. I’m a parent; the parent of an incredibly talented and dedicated man that I believe has a message worth hearing. Where do we begin? How do we help our child or children that we believe in, love, support?? The music business is very complex and difficult to understand. I had an unbelievably wonderful opportunity to meet with a musically talented and passionate man named Michael Wood with the band City Lights Entertainment. In a conference call with Michael Wood lasting a little more than an hour I learned more “tricks of the trade” and solid advice than I could ever have learned networking with dozens or even hundreds of experienced musicians I’ve networked with for 2-3 decades. If you are a parent that wants to help your young talent get a jump start that can launch them into stardom, Michael Wood with City Lights Entertainment is the man you want to talk with. Get your notebook and/or recorder and soak in every word of wisdom he shares with you. He’s mature, experienced, solid and sincere. Michael Wood believes that it’s important to help jumpstart the careers of new talent entering into the music industry blind, with little idea of what to do and how to do it. He has the experience and knowledge you need to get up to speed and get going to achieve your ultimate dreams. I recommend him for all musicians, entertainers, and all venues. He’s been there and has the T-shirt. He’s a compassionate, passionate and dynamic man that wants to give back to the industry what the industry has given him. Whatever he charges, he’s worth the money. Hire him and pick his brain. Learn from his experience, take his advice and embrace what he teaches. He’ll steer you in the right direction. He’ll provide you with “the easy part”. The hard part will be getting your “young adult” talents to follow the directions Michael Wood recommends. He’ll tell you the direction to take to make your move toward success in the extremely complex and competitive world of the music business. His word is gold, and with his advice, suggestions, and deep desire to help others starting at a point he knows is a hard road to travel, Michael Wood can lead you in the direction you want to travel to jumpstart your band’s road to stardom. If you want sound advice that will guide/lead you to stardom get in touch with Michael Wood from City Lights Entertainment. Once you’ve heard what he has to give, the hardest part will be to get your kid and their band to do what he says is the path to success. Good luck with your band. Michael Wood is the man! Get with him and bring your notebook, pen, and tape recorder. His word is Gospel in this business and his high energy and passion for the music business will blast you where you live. I highly recommend him for anyone trying to catch a break in the music world. I am ST Maximum sound and I believe in what Michael Wood has to offer. If I can help or answer any related questions please contact me at http://www.myspace.com/stmaximumsound. Michael Wood’s been a true inspiration to a Mother that sold her home to support her son’s dream. Many people in the music business try to take a new talent and mold them into something that can really reach the people, feed the people, share a philosophical ideology, dream, feeling, heart and soul consuming the driven and talented. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Michael Wood. He’s been a tremendous inspiration and knowledge base for me. I know he’ll do the same for you. Sincerely – Peggy, owner of ST MAMIXMUM SOUND.Cental Louisiana
Jaymz Hawley - Email - jaymzhawley@hotmail.com "I
was introduced to Mike Wood by the management for his band CIRCUIT.
I have found him to be extremely professional in his representation
of the band, as I worked with them as an A&R consultant. He
certainly has a real understanding of the industry and how to
deal with the day to day business aspects of it. He has a passion
for music and a committed belief that it not only takes talent
but vision, hard work and determination for success to be accomplished.
" "In
all of my work experiences with Mike Wood I've found him to be
an honest, enthusiastic person with an extended knowledge of the
music business." Dale
Penner, Producer of Circuit, Nickelback, Holly MacNarland "In
my duties as music columnist for The Ottawa Citizen, I have called
on Mike Wood many times over the years for interviews and information.
He has always been hard-working and professional both as a musician
and a member of the capital's entertainment community." Wes
Smiderle, The Ottawa Citizen "I
have crossed paths with Michael Wood and City
Lights Entertainment several times over the years. Our
relationship has always been, and continues to be professional,
productive, and enjoyable. I am always grateful to someone who
works hard to make my job easier. That definitely applies to City
Lights Entertainment." Eric
Longley, Entertainment Reporter, "Though
only having recently collaborated with City
Lights Entertainment, we have found them to be extremely
approachable, as well as knowledgeable with respect to various
facets of the music industry. It is evident that they share in
the enthusiasm of the artist, and convey this with thoughtful,
useful advice." "City
Lights Entertainment has been exemplary in its organizing
and hosting of charity concerts at the Cock 'N Bull Pub &
Eatery for such organizations as the Red Cross September 11 Relief
Fund and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Professional
and thorough from start to finish." Richard
Morgan - General Manager "It's Shelby from Prince George, I wanted to thank you soooooo much for
taking the time to answer the questions i've asked so far. All the
information is a big help, and i know there is alot more to the music
industry than can be said in an e-mail, but i'm just trying to get a
realistic picture of what it's all about. COOL!!!" Shelby Marquette, Musician |