jonpatrickmcclaren
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jonpatrickmcclaren

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Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Prospects are looking good......."

Singer-songwriter Jon Patrick McClaren recently played a showcase of sorts in front of Universal executives at a Utah resort.The Universal peeps flew the smooth-voiced McClaren out specifically to hear him in a live setting. He was the only musician invited.

Whether this leads to a record contract remains to be seen.Both instances are great news for a scene that has been virtually invisible to the major labels for years.

We've all heard those stories about Violet and Crash Alley almost getting major label deals in the '90s. These two instances could be added to the list of major teases, but they feel more real than hopeful, if for no other reason than most people aren't talking about it. - Link Magazine


"Debate Flares as Businesses Joins with Artists"

Debate flares as businesses join with artists
ROBERT MORAST


Published: 06/21/05




It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday and Jon Patrick McClaren plugs in his acoustic guitar and is ready to play.

This isn't a smoky bar or a cramped coffee shop. It's Best Buy, and a crowd of employees gather for a morning meeting and listening session with McClaren. Along with his Best Buy appearance, the Sioux Falls musician will hit the road this summer performing in 54 Wal-Mart stores.

"That kind of advertising, you can't pay for," he said. "Think of how many people go to Wal-Mart in a day."

Some music fans bristle at the thought of heading to the world's largest retailer or the local strip mall to hear a band. And critics are concerned about the influence that retailers can have on the content of music.

But increasingly, musicians are working with corporations such as Wal-Mart and coffee-giant Starbucks to spread their music. Those companies have embraced the music industry and are playing a role in how it is created, marketed and sold.

For consumers, that means more options to hear artists perform and, in some cases, easier access to new music.

To mark the 10th anniversary of her "Jagged Little Pill" album this month, Alanis Morissette recorded an acoustic version of the disc and agreed to a partnership with Starbucks that gave the coffee franchise exclusivity during the album's first six weeks of release.

Last year, Starbucks and its Hear Music imprint co-released Ray Charles' "Genius Loves Company" album with Concord Records. The album became the musician's first platinum record (meaning more than 1 million copies sold), and this spring it won eight Grammy awards for Charles, who died last year.

The timely theatrical release of "Ray" helped, but credit much of the album's success to Starbucks' ability to serve a loyal demographic that believes in the company's brand.

As of June 1, Starbucks has sold more than 750,000 copies of the CD through its stores.

"What's really apparent is that customers really trust (Starbucks') judgment," says Lee Trink, general manager of Lava Records. "There's definitely an elusive demographic there. You can access a bit of an older demographic or a demographic that's not in the habit of going to record stores."

Or so he hopes. Trink's interest in Starbucks' music power stems from Antigone Rising, an all-female rock band on his label.

The band recorded an acoustic version of its debut album, "From The Ground Up," that is sold exclusively in Starbucks' 4,400 American locations. The band sold more than 35,000 copies of the disc in the first 21 days it was available, vaulting it into the Billboard Comprehensive Album Chart, peaking at number 90.


Unhappy alliance

There are drawbacks to aligning oneself with the most powerful corporations in North America.

"I think it's a bad idea. I think that's crap," said Chris Stienstra, a 24-year-old Sioux Falls music fan. "I don't think I should have to go to Starbucks if I don't want coffee."

Competing retailers don't like the idea either. Already in a funk because music sales were down 7 percent during this year's first quarter, record retailers voiced outrage and threatened to stop selling material released by Maverick Records, which handles bands such as Morissette, Michelle Branch and The Deftones.

Another concern for artists is censorship. Wal-Mart refuses to sell any album that requires a parental advisory sticker.

Critics have charged that as the nation's largest music retailer - it tallies more than $52 million in music sales - Wal-Mart has the power to persuade artists to edit content.

Earlier this spring, Starbucks pulled Bruce Springsteen's "Devils and Dust" album from its shelves - reportedly because of veiled sexual language.

"There certainly is something that artists have to conform to," said Eric Martin Usner of Starbucks. "It's kind of like ethics in a vacuum level, kind of like pure capitalism."

A graduate student at New York University, Usner presented a paper at April's Pop Conference in Seattle about the success of Starbucks' brick-and-mortar music marketing practices in a time when digital music is beginning to flourish.

However, the disgust speaks volumes about the power of Starbucks' retail appeal.

"I think it's really brilliant," Usner said about the coffeehouse chain's music marketing strategy.

"We thought the retail space was dead. But I think that corporations that are using music to promote their brand is really taking this to the next level," Usner said.

To wit, Usner talked about the Starbucks Hear Music media bars which are Starbucks stores that offer listening stations where people can sample, purchase and burn music to a CD in-house. It's just the latest way Starbucks is using music to maintain or inspire business.

"It really is a shift in the way music has been used in advertising. It is a real culture industry," Usner said. "It's about c - Argus Leader


"Guerrilla Music Marketing"

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Nickell's Bag

Sioux Falls, S.D., isn't exactly known as a hotspot of independent rock. Nevertheless, for years, Jon Patrick McClaren has paid his dues in that mid-sized prairie city, performing at parties and bars and all of the other places where aspiring musicians are forced to cut their teeth.

"I'd play at a bar mitzvah, I'd play at a circumcision party, I'd play for you brushing your teeth in your bathroom, if that's what it takes to get heard," says McClaren. "I'll do what it takes."

But what McClaren recently decided it takes has undoubtedly raised some eyebrows in the Sioux Falls independent music scene. On June 25, he embarked on a 50-stop, two-month tour, performing at Wal-Mart stores across the western United States. Beginning in Fargo, N.D., the tour takes him through the Dakotas, into Montana, to Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri.

That an unknown, unsigned rocker struggling to get his music heard would even think of performing at Wal-Mart - which is now the nation's largest music retailer, and which isn't exactly renowned for stocking a wide selection of indie-label releases - is a credit to his chutzpah.

That he would actually do it - and risk being labeled a corporate sell-out amongst his most hardcore fans in the indie scene - is a credit to his vision.

"Playing at coffeehouses and indie rock shows at clubs, it's great, but the mainstream simply doesn't seek that out," says McClaren. "People who go to those shows, they have to actively come and seek you out, and so it takes a lot of marketing. In a town where nobody knows you, you might get 10 or 15 people to show up.

"I'm bringing my music to the mainstream, where they're comfortable, and then sort of forcing them to hear it."

At his first show in Fargo, McClaren didn't exactly get prime placement in the store: He was stuck performing in the furniture section. Since then, he has generally been allowed to perform in the front of the stores, near the check-out stands, where a constant stream of passersby is pretty much assured.

"People are there to shop, they're in a mindset where they're willing to browse," says McClaren. "So they've been really receptive and willing to give me a listen, and if they like what they hear, they are usually willing to buy my CD."

The CD is "Chasing Butterflies," a 10-song album of earnest pop-rock songs that would likely appeal to fans of Dave Matthews or Jack Johnson.

McClaren knows that he may lose some of his cred amongst the hometown scenesters. He says he's even heard murmers of "sell-out." But he shrugs off the criticism.

"A sell-out is either someone who changes their music to conform to corporate dictates, or someone who only does music to make money in the first place," says McClaren. "I personally haven't changed my music, and the fact that I've been doing this for so long (without earning a living at it) hopefully shows that I'm not just in it for the money.

"Ultimately, I'd rather have fans who connect to the music, and who don't care whether it's at the top of the pop charts or totally unknown."

Jon Patrick McClaren will bring his one-man show to town next Tuesday, for a gig at the Super Wal-Mart on Mullan Road. He'll start promptly at 6 p.m., and the performance will likely last less than half an hour. - The Missoulian


"FREE Concert"

Stockinrock Records presents an evening of entertainment featuring an acoustic concert by South Dakota's rising star, Jon Patrick McClaren at 6 p.m. Monday, July 11, at the Bozeman Wal-Mart, 1500 N. Seventh Ave.

The concert is free and open to the public.
South Dakota native, singer-songwriter Jon Patrick McClaren released his first full-length CD "Chasing Butterflies" on June 14 nationwide at Wal-Mart. His debut single, the title track "Chasing Butterflies," was nationally released on the same day.

"The CD is based on his own personal journey; McClaren uses every possible inspiration to weave a tapestry of melodic and powerful music that reaches young and old. Life circumstances are prevalent throughout his music and it's easy to understand how Jon writes from the soul with songs that everyone can relate to." - Bozeman Daily Chronicle


"Jon Patrick McClaren"

Sioux Falls singer-songwriter Jon Patrick McClaren will perform at Wal-Mart on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

McClaren is touring Wal-Marts from North Dakota to New Mexico in support of his debut album, "Chasing Butterflies." Thursday at 6 p.m., he'll perform at the Pierre Wal-Mart. His appearances are sponsored by Coke.

He describes his music as "hopeful despair" and wrote the songs on "Chasing Butterflies" while dealing with a divorce.

"It helped me get the painful emotions out and finish that chapter in my life," he said. "I want to connect with people who have been through similar things."

The Sioux Falls native, who is in his 20s, counts the Goo Goo Dolls and Dashboard Confessional as influences on his music. He has been writing music since age 4 and began getting serious about a music career in 2002.

"I always wanted to be in a band and release a CD, but I didn't really know what the content would be until I got divorced," he said.

Touring Wal-Marts was "kind of a no-brainer for me," he said. "Wal-Mart is the largest distributor of music in the world. They are extremely kind and super generous."

He will perform some covers and original songs, both from his album and not yet recorded. He is working on a second album, which will have a different theme and sound from his first, he said.

About a month ago, McClaren recorded a song for Children's Miracle Network at Aberdeen Recording Studio. He said he is looking forward to visiting Aberdeen again.

"Everybody was friendly," he said. "It was a lot of fun."

"Chasing Butterflies" is distributed by Stockinrock Records, an independent South Dakota record label that also specializes in promotion and management. - Aberdeen American News


"Making Friends at Radio"

July 8, 2005

Not only is singer/songwriter Jon Patrick McClaren making an impact with his single Chasing Butterflies, but it would also appear that he's making friends in radio, too. Jon Patrick is the ideal kind of singer - the everyday kind of guy you can sit and have a drink with, yet the star talent when it's time to shine. Not enough O's in SMOOTH! exclaims Todd Mitchell, KYYY/ Bismarck, ND. Chiming in with praise for the single is Dave Miller (KWYR/Winner, SD) with, 'Chasing Butterflies' is a lyrical gem and it will strike a cord with many listeners. Great first album and good luck Jon." You can hear Jon for yourself when he takes a time out from his tour to play at the AAA Format Symposium at 10 am on July 23 at Conclave XXX. - Main Street Tattler


Discography

"Chasing Butterflies" CD 6/14/05
"Chasing Butterflies" Single 6/13/05

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Management:
Stockinrock
Matt Widmann
605.357.0001

Radio Promotion:
Main Street Marketing
Tom Kay
952.927.4487

Press:
ODCOM
Michael Deering
952.944.1319

Available at these Major Retail Outlets on June 14th: Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Sam Goody and most Major Indies

50 Date Wal-Mart In-Store Performances Begin June 26th in North Dakota

Radio Station Shows Available

Instore Remotes, Meet and Greets and Sponsorship Tie-Ins Available

Jon has his Guitar and is ready to travel

About Jon Patrick McClaren:

Life isn't always fair, and often it's not easy, either. Jon Patrick McClaren knows this all too well.

But when he found himself on the losing end of an emotional breakup of a committed relationship, McClaren decided to channel the energy of his grief and anger into something positive.

"A lot of people, when they go through something difficult like I did, they go to therapists to get help. I write songs," says the South Dakota native.

The result of McClaren's emotional toil is "Chasing Butterflies," his first CD. Steeped in songs that stemmed from the end of a marriage, the CD captures the well of agony that McClaren felt during his darkest days, as well as the strength he summoned to get through it all. He calls the music on "Chasing Butterflies" "hopeful despair."

Collectively, the songs represent McClaren's emotional journey, from feeling spurned and angry to accepting his new life and finding resolution. Ultimately, it's about healing, passion and feeling content.

Raised on a steady diet of Pearl Jam, the Goo Goo Dolls and Dashboard Confessional, McClaren's music has a rock 'n' roll sensibility to it that is steeped in swirling acoustic guitars and swelling rhythms. His voice is full of equal parts angst and power.

But his greatest strength is his ability to write songs from the heart. McClaren is a songwriter to the very core, able to tap his own emotions and express them in a way that everybody can understand and appreciate.

"I've been playing music since I was a very young person," says McClaren, who was raised and still lives in South Dakota's largest city, Sioux Falls. "I started playing the organ at about age 3 or 4, and I played mainly the piano and organ until I learned to play the guitar in the late 90s. But the thing is, I didn't perform anywhere. I just wrote what I felt and spent a lot of time alone. I was an introverted teenager, always looking inward and trying to write down what I felt. While everybody else was out partying, I was writing music."

Along the way, McClaren learned how to use language effectively. His writing is rich and focused, yet sparse. There are not a lot of wasted words here, mostly just succinct synopses of his evolving emotional state.