LIVE from the Hive

Welcome NewBees

2008-07-23T06:27:00.001-07:00

It's been a lovely week in the hive.
Hot, but lovely.

We're happy to welcome a couple of newBees who are helping out with spreading the word and creating some buzz.
(Street Team magic at it's best. We can always use help with booking and promotion and anything you feel you're good at. Every little bit helps.

We're excited, as well, to welcome our lovely intern, who should arrive in about a month. Her focus will be on the OP, which could definitely use some TLC.
There will be a proper introduction once she's here.

Just wanted to send a shout out to you guys who are helping to make some magic. Have a great week.

The First Ever Tell-a-Friend-a-Thon

2008-06-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

We know we're learning as we go and every where we can.

This great idea came from a friend of LEA's who's been a great encouragement over the years. She has single handedly sent a small army of friends to LEA's shows by previewing her music during workout sessions.

So, we're making it easy for folks like her to get the word out there and offering small treats for those who do.

Anyone who sends to friends who actually sign up at the site:

Sign up

5 friends : honey sweets

10 friends: the new CD, Get It Right

15 friends : a T shirt & CD

20 friends : a ticket to an upcoming show at Baldwin Station

The Hive is Alive!

2008-06-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

Ladies, Gentlemen,

We are very pleased to announce that the hive has arrived and is now standing and in use.

It's our idea that working near a constant reminder of our place in nature is a great way to stay inspired. While it's taken a lot of work and womanpower to get her going, the hive is standing and providing just the comfortable space in which to work that we expected.

Here's a photo of the roofless hive (aka yurt), during the pitching process.
Here's LEA working away on her computer. Probably sending some very important email out to you.
A few days after the yurt was standing and still roofless, LEA reported being visited by a bird - sitting a few feet above her head in a branch. It began to sing its song as loudly as she'd ever heard it and she said, she knew that she was in the right place.

It's a huge privilege to be in the beautiful place, working at what we love: bringing great music to people in a way that makes all of our lives a little bit sweeter.

We'd love to have you drop by sometime and check it out.

LEA's CDs Have Arrived!!!

2008-05-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is our great pleasure to present to the world, Get It Right by singer/songwriter LEA.
In fact, today, LEA had the great pleasure of packing and sending out the pre-orders.
We think they look and sound great. Can't wait to hear what you think!

Those of you who caught the early bird bug will be getting your CDs before the week's end - except for our foreign customers. Please give USPS a few extra days to deliver. They're on their way.

As you know, you can still pre-order for the discounted price of 10 bucks until LEA's birthday, June 20. Thereafter, the CD'll cost ya $15. I'd jump on that, if it were me.

In other news, we are refining our mission and MO for the OP and should be posting the new website any day now. We'll let you know!

B

Sweet Sweet Solar Lovin

2008-05-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

At this very moment, we're sending you a message from the sun.
To be more precise, we're powering our computer (and the entire office) using solar power.

This weekend, LEA pored over the instructions and assembled a solar powered generator kit in front of headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. It was way easier and far less expensive than any of us anticipated.

Of course, we're still small and are using electricity mainly to run office computers, printers and similar small appliances, but we're very pleased to make the transition from depending on the grid to do our work, to using energy from a clean, renewable source.

Fortunately, we've got a pretty good amount of natural light & are using CFL's in the dim hours. We've also purchased a fair amount of our printed material from a cool online source which offers 100% recycled alternatives for items like letterhead and business cards. It's still baby steps, but we feel confident that they're baby steps in the right direction.

If you've got other suggestions on how you've done great green things at the office or at home, let us know!!

B

PS. Look for our new website sometime this week!

Publish Post

Brick by Brick

2008-05-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

So, big cities and tall buildings have their pros and cons, but anyone can appreciate what they represent when it comes to vision and human accomplishment.
A print advertisement I saw recently featured the image of a lonely brick. The caption: Skyscraper

The clearer the vision (mortar) becomes, the more supplies and products (bricks) arrive, the more organized (blueprint) we get, the more exciting everything becomes.

Sheryl Crow knows what she's talking about. Wonder if she's looking for a label ;)
Everyday is a winding road. New, improved ideas flow in from various sources. And we get a little bit closer to completing the picture.

We made some adjustment requests with the designer, so the website might be a couple of days delayed.

We are currently talking with a couple of filmmakers, coincidentally both based in NJ, about filming a music video and a documentary of the label groundbreaking.

The CDs haven't arrived yet, which one might think would hold back progress - in sending out pre-orders and copies for review and such. Actually, there are a thousand other adminisitrative things that need to be done. (PS, this would be a great time to pre-order for a $5 discount. Had to throw that in there)

Right now, we're compiling mailing lists of press outlets and local charities that we hope to build relationships with over the coming months. Already gotten some great tips from folks about some women's orgs that weren't on our radar and a few radio stations that might like Get It Right. You got tips? Hook us up.

This weekend, we got LEA performing in a Music for Myanmar Benefit event. Tentatively, she'll be doing a Songs for Freedom concert at the Chesapeake Children's Museum, as well. She's got a bunch of straight up concerts coming up, as well. As always, check out her site for her schedule.

The focus of our energy remains two fold: making and breaking great music & wielding that music (and the talent of our artists) for positive change.

Loving every minute of it.

Building the Hive

2008-05-11T01:50:00.000-07:00

HooHa everybody,

There have been quite a handful of developments in the last couple of days.

The most exciting news to report is that we've begun talking with a German grad student about joining us with Operation Pollination. She seems to be very dedicated to working with music and activism, which is exactly our goal. That means, if all goes according to plan, we will have the help of an enthusiastic, capable young intern. We'll make proper introductions as soon as all negotiations are final.

In other, interesting news, our hive is coming along quite swimmingly.

We are so fortunate to currently live in a place where there are more trees than people and a lovely area of cleared grass that would be just perfect for a hive.

We have decided to place a 13 foot portable yurt in that place and to power all of our office activity using a solar powered generator.

This exciting, first of all, because it is the greenest, most inspired, inspiring option we discussed. We will be close to home and constantly reminded that we are a part of nature (not just close to nature, as we often say).

These are the lovely worker bees responsible for designing and delivering our hive. We can't wait. Check out their portable yurts.

When ours is all done, maybe we'll have an Open Hive Day, so you can see how we're working. Or at least send loads of pictures!

BEEwell,

Storm in the Brain

2008-05-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

So, the team has been brainstorming
*The team pretty much consists of anybody who will listen, give feedback, and flat out say so when ideas need to be overhauled or canned.

We have landed on the great, central driving force of the label: Operation Pollination.
You'll find a complete mission statement at the website very soon.

What's really exciting is that the first artist, LEA has chosen to spread goodness to the cause of "giving voice to Women".

Goodness knows, there is an endless list of causes that we will pursue to touch in our humble way. (I, for one, am looking forward to doing some work on environmental awareness).
Women's issues is a terrific place to start and a fitting cause for LEA.

Her lyrics have often, (not so subversively) been about issues like prostitution, adortion and single motherhood. The goal now is to take her heart for women's issues and her talent for songwriting and turn it into something that will benefit our community.

I think we have really figured it out.
More information very soon.

As always, BEEwell

Greetings Blogosphere

2008-05-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Buzz bigBEE here and this is the first blog from the hive.

We're all very busy, working hard to bring you some musical sweetness.

While, we're at it, we want to spread some love in various ways.

Right now, we've got Operation Pollination underway and look forward to unveiling the plan to save the world (or just touch a few folks in our neighborhood) with good music.

Stay tuned...