Contest: Create the Best (Fake) Children's Album of All Time

figment_logo2a.jpgMy friend Larry and his friend Eric have a pretty cool website called Figment that seems like the logical extension of our Rock Band-playing, statistics-obsessed culture -- the site lets users create a fake band, record a fake album and market it to fans. (Their motto: "Figment – All Bands, No Music!") I think it's time to expand their list of artists, albums, and audiences. So in conjunction with Eric and Larry, I'm proud to introduce to you the Figment Children's Album Contest. The contest begins today, Wednesday, February 10 and will run until Wednesday, March 10. During that time you're being asked to create a children's album -- or, at least, everything except the actual music. The album’s artwork, description and songs all have to be relevant to the kids music genre. The crack Figment editorial staff (plus me) will be judging the entries and will crown a winner and two runners up. The winner will receive a prize package containing 2,500 pieces of Lucre (the "money" that can be redeemed for prizes on the website) plus a t-shirt. The first runner up will receive 1,500 pieces of Lucre plus a t-shirt, and the second runner up will receive a copy of 1,000 pieces of Lucre plus a t-shirt. In addition, I'll throw a kids' CD for each of the three winners. (I'm talkin' good CDs with excellent design value -- think Lunch Money's Dizzy, for example.) To enter please follow these basic rules:

Conference Me In: SXSW 2010 and Kids Music

SXSW_Music_logo.gifWhen I mentioned a while back that South By Southwest would feature another kids music panel, I omitted one small detail: I'm going to participate on the panel. That's right -- "Jumping into the Kiddie Pool: Diving for Dollars" will feature me along with four other folks talking about this little (but growing) slice of the music industry. Considering the other folks on the panel -- Tor Hyams, Karen Rappaport McHugh, Daniel Brindley (who runs Jammin' Java and manages Rocknoceros), and Marty Diamond (who books a lot of kids shows, including the Sippy Cups) -- I'll excited just to be a part of it. While I wouldn't expect somebody to register for the conference just for that one panel, if you're around -- even if you're an artist who thinks they'd never record music for kids -- on Friday, March 18 at 2 PM, stop by. It'll be lots of fun, and I'm pretty sure you'll learn something. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to be spending the next five weeks catching up on my sleep. I gather from Bill, who spoke on a similar panel last year, that I may not sleep that much that weekend.

Share: "Open Your Heart" - Laurie Berkner

Laurie Berkner takes her time recording and releasing music, so new music from her is worth noting. New music from Laurie Berkner for free for a good cause is definitely worth noting. Starting today and through February 28, the Pajama Program will be offering visitors to their website a chance to download "Open Your Heart," a new song recorded by Berkner especially for the organization, which provides new, warm sleepwear and books to children in need. (Berkner played several "Pajama Party" concerts in 2009 where she asked fans to bring pajamas and books for the program.) It's jaunty, sweet, and should have a shelf life beyond the month of February. And there are hand motions, apparently. Berkner's going to sing the song on her Valentine's Day webcast, with daughter Lucy doing the hand motions. If you want your chance to be in a Laurie Berkner video (in a manner of speaking), you can also film your kids dancing to the song and send those videos to the Pajama Program by February 22 -- they'll be compiled into a single video that the program will use to promote itself. It's not quite fame and fortune, but perhaps it's a small part of a good deed, which is enough for a Monday, no? Anyway, go here to download the track.

Why I'm Going to Kindiefest 2010

When I mentioned previously that registration for Kindiefest was open, I wasn't 100% sure that I was going myself. I mean, I had lots of fun last year, and this year promises to be even better (more panels, a keynote, a chance to hear 14 different artists playing live). But it's a really long flight from Phoenix, and a weekend away from the family essentially working. Having said all that, I'm going. And now the panel I was asked to moderate is starting to take shape, I might've been willing to go to Brooklyn for that experience alone. The panel "Old School Meets New School," will talk about the generations of family musicians -- those who've been doing it for 3 years and those who've been doing it for 30 -- and their perspectives on making music for families in today's world. At the moment, the panel includes Elizabeth Mitchell, Suni Paz, and Bill Harley. Not to mention Kids Corner's Kathy O'Connell. (And I don't think the panel's quite complete.) Yeah. You read that right. My chief goal in being moderator will be shutting up and not getting in the way. Anyway, earlybird registration for the conference ends next Monday, so if you haven't seen the burgeoning list of speakers and artists, I encourage you to do so. See you in Brooklyn.

Listen To This: "Crayon Man" - Roy Handy and the Moonshot

RoyHandy.jpgBill played "Space Kitty" on this morning's Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child, so I thought it'd be worth directing you to the other track from Roy Handy and the Moonshot, "Crayon Man" -- if Roy G. Biv is your (or your kid's) best friend, this song is for you. Also, if you (or your kid) like a good power-pop rockin' tune, this song is for you. If you (or your kid) like meowing, this song is not for you. I've heard more of Handy's music, and I think the full-length, when complete, is gonna have a lot of fans...