Havanna Travel

The benefits of the effects of music on children are numerous, specifically through lyrics and music videos broadcasted today. Fitness First, the UK’s biggest gym chain, doesn’t have DJs but still recognises the importance of workout music, playing sports music at all its gyms. The No.1 song for male members is Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger, while women love Abba’s Dancing Queen.

For many people, a doctor or dentist’s waiting-room can be an anxious and uncomfortable experience often compounded by tedium. Some postpone the appointment for as long as possible to avoid the discomfort. To test the effects of background music in the operating rooms, a doctor tested eight surgeons under three different musics. Mozart, German folk music and death metal. Interestingly that increased the time it took them to proceed, but not their accuracy.

With arctic weather and credit card bills landing on doormats, there is a January blues in the air. Meanwhile, consultancy firm Mercer pretends that employees are less likely to take sick days when music is played in their workplace environment. Music can alleviate pain caused by exercise, making working out more pleasurable. “Music is integral to exercise,” explains the head of London’s Gymbox chain, Richard Hilton. “We even have live DJs. We’ve never measured the effect scientifically, but it definitely creates an uplifting mood that people love. Fitness First, the UK’s biggest gym chain, doesn’t have DJs but still recognises the importance of workout music, playing sports music at all its gyms. The No.1 song for male members is Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger, while women love Abba’s Dancing Queen.

Singer Lady Gaga has been named MTV’s Woman Of The Year.

The New York-born songstress has made headlines throughout the year with her show-stopping performances, jaw-dropping outfits and her chart-topping hits like Poker Face, Paparazzi and Just Dance.

“It means everything, I’m not only flattered but really excited - it makes me want to work harder, make better videos and better shows and better music all the time,” she told MTV.com.

Lady Gaga - whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta - revealed that her dramatic performance at the Video Music Awards was a high point in her year.

“My performance at the VMAs, for me, was a turning point artistically,” she said.

“I always dreamed about being a performer on the MTV awards. More importantly, I wanted to be a performer, and I wanted my VMA performance to be my ground-breaking, life-changing performance. So everything that I’d been working on was leading up to that moment, and then after that I gave birth to this new album, The Fame Monster. It was an amazing moment for me.”Weird but wonderful — Lady Gaga’s distinctive style gets her noticedIn a year in which female celebs have hogged the headlines with stories of meltdown and turmoil, Lady Gaga is a refreshing and upbeat change.Albeit an oddly-packaged one.Her weird but fabulous outfits are as much part of her act as the music. A dream job would be dresser to the star who channels Mary Queen of Scots one day, Egyptian mummy the next.

Cheryl Cole was reportedly comforted by rapper Tinchy Stryder after bursting into tears on The X Factor on Saturday.

The judge, who broke down after admitting that she chose the wrong song for Lloyd Daniels, was given supportive words by Stryder backstage after the show.

“Tinchy told Cheryl not to worry and reassured her she’s got bags of talent,” a source told The Sun. “He was really kind and cheered her up no end.”

Simon Cowell criticised Cole for choosing Leona Lewis hit ‘Bleeding Love’ for Daniels, claiming that it was not “the right material to survive in the competition”.

“I take full responsibility for the song. I found it really tough this week, it was diva week,” Cole responded.

Cheryl Cole was beaming after her first solo performance last night as she was congratulated by her proud bandmates.

The sense of relief was clear on the singer’s face after her X Factor performance proved critics wrong after weeks of speculation that she wouldn’t be up to singing live on her own.

But after her energetic dance routine, her supportive fellow Girls Aloud members hugged her tightly and showed she had their seal of approval.

After the show’s recording, bandmates Kimberley Walsh, Nicola Roberts and Sarah Harding all stayed behind to congratulate the 26-year-old.

If there were jealous of Cheryl’s solo success, they certainly did a good job of hiding it.

Only Nadine Coyle, who lives in Los Angeles, was absent from the recording.

After performing as a quintet on the show last year, and being criticised for their out-of-tune performance, Miss Cole was also smiles after her energetic routine.

Alanis Nadine Morissette was 6 years old when she realized that she wanted to concentrate on expressing herself through the arts.

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 1, 1974, Alanis wrote her first song when she was only 10 years old. She became a protégé of Lindsay Morgan, a popular folk singer, and they came up with a recording label and released her song Fate Stay With Me. After appearing in the American talent show Star Search, Alanis signed up with MCA Publishing and released 2 dance-pop albums in Canada.

While in Los Angeles, Alanis met producer and songwriter Glen Ballard and in 1995, through Ballard’s help, she came up with her 3rd album, Jagged Little Pill. It was released internationally by Maverick Records and became a best-seller. It spawned several hits including You Oughta Know and Ironic. She became a Grammy award winner and released more best-selling albums. Her latest album is called Flavors of Entanglement.

Aside from singing, Alanis is also a recognized stage, film, and television actress. She actively participated in The Vagina Monologues in 1999 and portrayed the role of God in the movie Dogma that same year. Alanis also hosted 2 documentaries about global warming in 2005 and 2006.

Alanis has a twin brother named Wade.

Read more about Kendall Coffey on his legal commentary and analysis site.

Kendalll Coffey comments on the Jose Padilla case.

To learn more about Kendall Coffey, check out Interview Nation.

There are a lot of independent labels out there waiting to use a talented musician to make quick money. The offers may seem hard to refuse, especially if you are a struggling artist or band that has struggled to get a record deal. A little money and exposure may seem great for the moment, but you run a high risk of getting contractually bound to that record label for the rest of your life. If a better deal comes along later, you may not be able to accept it, or you may get robbed of your rightful percentages.

All of this I learned the hard way. I was very fortunate to be able to get myself out of trouble and get a fresh start in the music business. I also took time to educate myself through books and the experiences of others, as well as mys own, to conceive a plan on how to avoid a repeat of what happened once before. This plan I believe will be very helpful for you ambitious artists pursuing your dreams. It is put into five easy steps, but make sure to read the details listed within each step.

1. Copyright your music

This is one of the most important things you can do to protect your music. Take the time, fill out the forms. There have been many instances where a person wrote a song and nothing ever came of it. Years later a signed band steals their song and remakes it. The original artist had it copywritten and sues the other record label for thousands if not millions of dollars. Instant riches! Protect your tunes.

2. Understand what you really want from your music

Figure out whether you are looking to sell your songs to record companies, or be the band and artist who performs the songs. There is good money in just writing songs for other bands. Ask for a percentage if that is your decision, because that will generally make you much more money in the long run than an up front payment. The only thing you sacrifice by writing instead of performing is the fame and exposure. Also, determine how much you stand behind your music. Are you willing to allow the record company to make several changes to your songs and try to mold you into “their sound”? How much do you believe in your product?

3. Get a contract lawyer and agent

You need an agent to represent your band to the record labels. This person doesn’t need to be an established agent in the business. It can be a friend or relative if they can talk assertively and won’t make any quick decisions without consulting the band. The record companies only want to talk to one person, not three, four, or five members of a band. It gets too confusing for them and they don’t have the time. Make sure they are looking out for your best interests and not theirs.

A contract lawyer is especially important. Just call around and find a local lawyer who specializes in contracts. When it comes time to sign the dotted line, make sure the lawyer is by your side. Don’t sign any contracts or documents until you and your lawyer have taken time to read them thoroughly and make a decision. If a record company is rushing you to sign any papers, walk away. Patience should be allowed to you if they are truly interested. If they rush you, they are planning to manipulate you.

4. Promote yourself tirelessly

Artists have been discovered a number of different ways. Every band has a different story. Use every media avenue you can to expose yourself nationally. Unless you live in L.A., New York, or Atlanta, local exposure isn’t going to be enough. Think big with your music!

5. When offers are made, research them well before committing

Don’t take the first offer made to you, only unless it’s a major record label and you researched what they offer very well. Signing bonuses are nice, but long term percentages are most important. Every artist gets a different percent with their label. The longer you have been in the business, the better your percents will get. Don’t get too greedy. Aim high and let them work you down. Twenty-five percent on the total profits on you album is very high. Most bands don’t get that. Remember, the suits and ties are the ones who make the big money. Without them, you are just selling CD’s out of the back of your trunk. If you don’t write your music, your percentages won’t be near twenty-five percent. Singer/songwriters make more money.

Good luck as you venture into the formidable music industry. There are several independent labels that are legit, but there are thousands of them that aren’t. Be careful and try to follow these steps listed above. I hope you can gain good fortune using these five steps.

Jeromie Frost is a singer, songwriter and recording artist. His story and music can be accessed at http://www.jeromiefrost.com