American Gangster, a RIdley Scott fim
- Rated R
- Starts Nov. 2nd
- Denzel Washington, as Frank Lucas, a notorious gangster
- Russell Crowe, as Det. Richie Roberts, an outcast cop
http://www.americangangster.net/widget/
About Lucas:
Frank Lucas (born 1930 in Washington, North Carolina) was a heroin dealer and organized crime boss in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in Southeast Asia. He organized the smuggling of heroin from Vietnam to the U.S. by using the coffins of dead American servicemen ("cadaver connection").
He claims to have grossed US$1 million a day selling drugs on 116th Street. Federal judge Sterling Johnson, who was special narcotics prosecutor in New York at the time of Lucas' crimes, called Lucas' operation "one of the most outrageous international dope-smuggling gangs ever, an innovator who got his own connections outside the U.S. and then sold the narcotics himself in the street."
Frank Lucas was arrested in 1975 in New Jersey and was convicted of both federal and New Jersey state drug violations. In 1976, he was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Once convicted, Lucas provided evidence that led to the convictions of more than 100 drug-related criminals. His sentence was reduced and changed to parole, so that he was released from prison in 1981. In 1984 he was arrested again and convicted for new drug violations and a parole violation. He received a sentence of 7 years and was released from prison in 1991.
Frank Lucas is now wheelchair bound, as seen in the HBO documentary, "The Making of American Gangster." Actor Denzel Washington portrays Frank Lucas in the film American Gangster directed by Ridley Scott, due for release on November 2, 2007.
- JL
Lorenz Communications
www.myspace.com/lorenzcommunications
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Effective Marketing Techniques
5 EASY, SIMPLE TO USE, & EFFECTIVE MARKETING TECHNIQUES:
- build your business
- attract more leads
- increase sales
1. Keep adding or providing something new
Every time you add something new to your site create an opportunity to get more attention from friends and attracts more leads. For example, something as simple as adding new information, music, video or blog on your web site or myspace creates another selling point when prospects visits your site to see the new information.
2. Become a valuable resource for information
Look for ways you can be a resource for your friends, prospects and buyers. Supply them with helpful and free information. Provide them with your works of art and creative ideas that you know stands out from the rest. Being open minded and having open arms can carry bring back hefty returns.
3. Compete but compete differently
Find or create a reason for customers to buy your product instead of with someone else offering the same or similar products (i.e., same music, different lyrics, you get the point). For example, does your music have that "IT" factor? Or should I say "HIT" factor.
4. Promote your music or product's benefits
Customers want the benefit produced by your music or product, but not the music or product itself. Having a charismatic personality along with good salesmanship surely helps a lot most specially when pushing your music or products to the public.
5. Be not afraid of change
Change is the biggest challenge to your success. The days are gone when a business could constantly grow by simply repeating what it did successfully in the past or even recently. Keep up with the phase, the phase of today's technology, music, arts, etc. Change can be good my friends.
- JL
Lorenz Communications
www.myspace.com/lorenzcommunications
- build your business
- attract more leads
- increase sales
1. Keep adding or providing something new
Every time you add something new to your site create an opportunity to get more attention from friends and attracts more leads. For example, something as simple as adding new information, music, video or blog on your web site or myspace creates another selling point when prospects visits your site to see the new information.
2. Become a valuable resource for information
Look for ways you can be a resource for your friends, prospects and buyers. Supply them with helpful and free information. Provide them with your works of art and creative ideas that you know stands out from the rest. Being open minded and having open arms can carry bring back hefty returns.
3. Compete but compete differently
Find or create a reason for customers to buy your product instead of with someone else offering the same or similar products (i.e., same music, different lyrics, you get the point). For example, does your music have that "IT" factor? Or should I say "HIT" factor.
4. Promote your music or product's benefits
Customers want the benefit produced by your music or product, but not the music or product itself. Having a charismatic personality along with good salesmanship surely helps a lot most specially when pushing your music or products to the public.
5. Be not afraid of change
Change is the biggest challenge to your success. The days are gone when a business could constantly grow by simply repeating what it did successfully in the past or even recently. Keep up with the phase, the phase of today's technology, music, arts, etc. Change can be good my friends.
- JL
Lorenz Communications
www.myspace.com/lorenzcommunications
Thursday, October 25, 2007
What Makes an Artist
It's the song, the song, the song.
An artist may have all the looks, bells, and whistles in the world, but if he or she ain't got that "HIT SONG" the chances of that artist making it to the top or to number one spot, slim. In fact less than slim. If you noticed, some of the greatest artists ever survived the music industry are remembered not by their name, and not by their looks, but by their song. And those songs that brought artists to the top usually contain familiar choruses or what we call the "HOOK." So how do you find out if you have a hit in your hand? I'll get to that in my next paragraph, read on. With today's music producers' playlists of songs ready to be picked up by some major label does not really have any red mark beside each title that says, "HIT". In fact, any veteran music producer will tell you this, "Just because certain song sounds great to my ears, and pleasing to the palate, it doesn't mean that it's going to be number one on the chart."
Ever wonder who determine which song should be recorded? It's those guys called the "A&Rs" (artist & repertoire), they are typically the ones who recommend which song should be recorded and which artist should be signed. A&Rs are people with wide open ears and appetite for good tunes. But do they really know if certain songs are really a hit or would land on the top of the billboard chart? The answer is no. But since big name record companies have a few more dollars they can spend, they can afford to gamble and take chances in releasing launching the album of the artist that they signed.
As for those independent record companies and artists who carry out their own loans, they take measurable steps and careful spending. And even themselves haven't got any idea either if they have a hit song or not. In my years as an avid music buff, I studied, researched, and researched some more on ways to identify a hit song. One way that I know for sure is this: once you have the rough mix of the song that you'd like to release, and before spending more money on in packaging, distributing and so forth, first take that tape or should I say that CD to a couple of kids ages between 3 and 5 or slightly older, and have them listen to it first. I kid you not. Kids, yes kids. They have very good sense for good music, hit music that is, and believe this or not, if they like your song they will let you know by showing interest, by singing along with it, and or dance to it. Crazy you may think, but this is true.
There are those artists and musicians blessed with "HIT SONGS" who made it in the music business . And there are also those who made it passed a couple of months of radio plays, what we've known today as "THE ONE HIT WONDERS".
- JL
Lorenz Communications
www.myspace.com/lorenzcommunications
An artist may have all the looks, bells, and whistles in the world, but if he or she ain't got that "HIT SONG" the chances of that artist making it to the top or to number one spot, slim. In fact less than slim. If you noticed, some of the greatest artists ever survived the music industry are remembered not by their name, and not by their looks, but by their song. And those songs that brought artists to the top usually contain familiar choruses or what we call the "HOOK." So how do you find out if you have a hit in your hand? I'll get to that in my next paragraph, read on. With today's music producers' playlists of songs ready to be picked up by some major label does not really have any red mark beside each title that says, "HIT". In fact, any veteran music producer will tell you this, "Just because certain song sounds great to my ears, and pleasing to the palate, it doesn't mean that it's going to be number one on the chart."
Ever wonder who determine which song should be recorded? It's those guys called the "A&Rs" (artist & repertoire), they are typically the ones who recommend which song should be recorded and which artist should be signed. A&Rs are people with wide open ears and appetite for good tunes. But do they really know if certain songs are really a hit or would land on the top of the billboard chart? The answer is no. But since big name record companies have a few more dollars they can spend, they can afford to gamble and take chances in releasing launching the album of the artist that they signed.
As for those independent record companies and artists who carry out their own loans, they take measurable steps and careful spending. And even themselves haven't got any idea either if they have a hit song or not. In my years as an avid music buff, I studied, researched, and researched some more on ways to identify a hit song. One way that I know for sure is this: once you have the rough mix of the song that you'd like to release, and before spending more money on in packaging, distributing and so forth, first take that tape or should I say that CD to a couple of kids ages between 3 and 5 or slightly older, and have them listen to it first. I kid you not. Kids, yes kids. They have very good sense for good music, hit music that is, and believe this or not, if they like your song they will let you know by showing interest, by singing along with it, and or dance to it. Crazy you may think, but this is true.
There are those artists and musicians blessed with "HIT SONGS" who made it in the music business . And there are also those who made it passed a couple of months of radio plays, what we've known today as "THE ONE HIT WONDERS".
- JL
Lorenz Communications
www.myspace.com/lorenzcommunications
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Erica Taylor
R&B singer Erica Taylor wrote:
Hi everyone this is Erica and I'd like for you to take a short moment to read this short blog about me:
I'm energetic, respectful, idealistic, creative, assertive is I, Erica Taylor. I am a triple threat artist (I sing, I dance, I act and I'm also a model) who delivers a unique youthful sound, with versatile lyrics which I personally write. My main inspiration comes from my own experiences in life, and watching others experience their own. I started singing at the age of six and writing at the age of eight. I realized singing and writing was my passion at the age of 12 when I wrote a song called "Different" and performed it at my junior high during a dance. It came so natural to me and I loved performing and entertaining people but most of all being the center of attention. I don't like to compare myself to anyone because I feel I am original, but I am inspired by three main people, Aaliyah, Beyonce, and Alicia Keys. These three women are all beautiful, smart, innocent yet sexy, uplifting, and soulful which is very encouraging and motivating to me.
I feel at this point in my life I am driven and more inspired than I have ever been. I feel right now I need to take advantage of the time that god has granted me. I have finished school and therefore the only thing my mind, body, and soul is obligated to is my MUSIC. I know that I am very hard working, confident, motivated, inspirational, and over achieving. My work ethics are like a sprinter, I train hard, work hard, and when it comes to that race I push my hardest until I pass through that finish line.
ERICA
MEDIA OR OTHER INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT:
Lorenz Communications
www.myspace.com/lorenzcommunications
Freddie Roach
World Class Boxing Trainer
Freddie Roach, the Boxing Writers Association of America's Trainer of The Year in 2003, 2006 and 2007, and a frontrunner for the 2006 award as well, is a former pro fighter from Dedham, Massachusetts who shared the ring with former world champions Bobby Chacon, Hector Camacho, and Greg Haugen over the course of an eight year pro career that saw him lauded as one of the game's toughest competitors and an exciting television fighter while he compiled a 39-13 (15 KOs) record.
Roach is the owner and operator of the world renowned Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood California, home to some of the best boxers and local enthusiasts. Wildcard is known to be the gym that boxers built, where Roach earned numerous credits to his name including being inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, the New England Boxing Hall of Fame, and most recently the California Boxing Hall of Fame. Freddie Roach continues working as one of the most sought after trainers in the world and looks to add to his already long and impressive list of World Champions.
During his career as an active fighter, Roach, absorbed the teachings of his trainer, the legendary Eddie Futch, and soon he began his own career molding champions as a trainer. Since then, he has trained 18 world champions, including Manny Pacquiao, James Toney, Mike Tyson, Virgil Hill, Israel Vazquez, and Wayne McCullough. Roach, 46, also developed a reputation throughout the boxing community as one of the last true teachers in the sport, and he has taken that role seriously while imparting his knowledge to the rising stars of the game, such as US Olympians Vicente Escobedo and Vanes Martirosyan. On May 5th, he was in the corner for another boxing superstar as he led Oscar De La Hoya into battle against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Freddie Roach Facility: Wildcard Boxing Club, Hollywood CA
For more information on Freddie Roach visit www.wildcardbc.com or call 323.461.4170
- JL
Lorenz Communications
www.myspace.com/lorenzcommunications
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