From NOWHERE to where I can now see the Promised L

[christophersclaybo]

The Taxi has carried me from NOWHERE to a plane where i can now see the Promised land!My story is a long one, so I will condense as much as possible.I began writing my first song in July of 1999. I finished it some months later. Over the next few months of 2000 I wrote a few more songs--all of them a Capella. I registered them with the Library of Congress Copyright Office, back then it only cost $30.I was THE MOST FRUSTRATED PERSON... EVER! Get this! I thought I could get some record label feedback AT THE LOCAL RECORD STORE! I felt like a machine-gun shooting blanks. I tried contacting all the talk shows, from Jerry Springer to Oprah Winfrey. I even discovered Oprah's dad's telephone number and called him AND BEGGED HIM TO speak to Oprah on my behalf. (He owns a barber shop in Nashville, Tennessee AND he has an AVENUE named after him!)Later I got three letters mail from what appeared to be some REAL RECORD COMPANIES! In each letter they wrote, "We heard about you from an unnamed source... Send us $300 and we'll put music to your songs." I remember thinking, "Oprah's dad really DID decide to help me! Damn! Oprah's family has got some REAL POWER!"I sent off my song on a cassette and a check for $300But then, I got a letter from Taxi that read: "Where did we get your address and your info? We got it from the Copyright Office, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act..."The letter went on the explain how "record companies", who were really "song sharks", used this info to find potential victims, and that no real record company would charge to produce a song. "Think about it, would Warner Brothers or any other major label charge you money to produce your song? No! In fact, THEY'D invest THEIR money in YOU in the hopes of making much more in return." My excitement was suddenly deflated...The letter went on to explain about Taxi, the Better Business Bureau, and even the telephone number to an entertainment attorney.I called the bank and put a stop-payment on the check I mailed.I then telephoned the entertainment attorney,...I mailed another check and joined Taxi. This was in the spring of 2000. I was probably the most unqualified person EVER to join Taxi! Hell, I didn't have ANY music to ANY of my 10 or so songs. Michael Laskow MIGHT WOULD have said something like, "No, we don't have any listings for lyrics only." NEVERTHELESS I joined. Heck, I knew ABSOLUTELY NOBODY in the music biz!Get this! Shortly after this a wannabe local "label", called Stylz Entertainment, was having a local talent showcase. Of course I signed up! Over the phone they told me there were even be a few artists who had signed with major labels there! When my family and I showed up for the showcase I saw someone who looked just like Eminem and I thought, "Damn! Is THAT EMINEM!" Then I saw what looked like MONTEL JORDAN! I was EXCITED! (I later learned that the guy who I thought was Montel Jordan was only the head of security.)Man, was I clueless!!!I couldn't make it to the Road Rally of 2000 and it's a good thing. I had somewhat of a bad attitude back then. I would have probably ruined any chance of EVER making it.I DID come to the Road Rally of 2001. I was a little nervous about flying (I had flown only once, when I was nine months old, and of course had no memory of it.) Since it was right after 9-11, there were army personnel with machine-guns in the airports and I felt safe seeing them.I deplaned in Los Angeles and had the jitters! I remember when On the shuttle that was taking us to the Westin Hotel, I couldn't keep quiet!"Man, so THIS is not only California, but Los Angeles! Man, I will become a rapper someday! I don't care what anybody else thinks or says! Only death can stop me... and even that's questionable!""It must be nice to be 22 and single," the female passenger, who was carrying a guitar, said to herself. (Her name was Amy Jo.)I arrived at the hotel and saw Michael Laskow on the escalator. I couldn't stand still! My ego was abit bruised when he told me he was busy and couldn't talk right now.I signed up for open Mic night and provided them with a CD with a monotone track provided to me by Stylz Entertainment, some months ago. GET THIS, I was the SECOND PERSON they called up to perform! I was on top of the world! After I rapped my song "War in the City", I got a LOUD applause from the attendeees...Over the next two days I met and saw musical geniuses and lyrical wonders that made me feel like a lone moron surrounded by geniuses! I felt soooooo alone. I learned, however. I remember singing a verse and chorus of my song to two rapA & R guys."You're not feeling it. At best you can maybe write for someone else but you're not gonna make it with what you're showing us." They then simply left. Didn't say bye, just left me sitting there...Sure, it hurt, but then I gathered myself together and thought to myself, "Okay, what did I do wrong? I wasn't feeling it? HOW do I start feeling it? ... I KNOW, I'll imagine each line actually taking place as I sing it the next time I won't make the same mistake!"Later, I asked A & R guy Jeff Weber to listen to me sing a verse and chorus, remembering what I had told myself.THIS TIME, as I was finishing the song, the other people in the room (about 7) stopped what they were doing, AUDIBLY IMPRESSED! I thought, "So THAT'S how!!!"During the first two Road Rallies I attended, more than once I went up to my hotel room to cry, where no one could see me. It wasn't until my third Rally that people began to take me seriously.Now, four Road Rallies later, I have a REAL TRACK from a multi-platinum producer for one of my songs!!! my dreams are closer to coming true now than I EVER could have imagined. Thanks to Michael Laskow and a host of others who have helped me!!!

[ragani]

Hey christophersclaybo,Welcome to the boards! It's good to hear stories of progress, and it sounds like you've certainly walked down that road over the past few years... And with 4 Rallies under your belt, you've probably got garage full of great information and learning successes. I, for one, could relate to the incredible emotions you felt at the Rallies. I've only been to two of them, and at each of them I've been high and low, then high and low and high again. And I'm not talking drugs. I don't take drugs. Just pure emotions, up's and down's, and up's again. It's surprising, as I don't go through that much in my usual life, but there's so much happening at those Rally's, so much information to take in, so much exchanged, so many connections made, so many incredible and unexpected meetings and contacts, it can really knock me out for several hours each day! Then I crash out alone in my room for a while to gather myself together, pick up the pieces and head out again! Those Rallies are like having a month (no, a year!) compressed into four days... a powerhouse weekend of meetings and manifestations... sometimes my brain feels like I'm trying to cram an elephant (the Rally) into a Volkswagen (my brain). So, in short, welcome to the forum. You'll find plenty of friends here. Raags

[ciskokidd]

Hey Chris,I'm pretty sure we met at the Rally this year. I believe you performed one of your tunes at the "upstairs" open mic on Saturday night.Your writing was absolutely brilliant. There was so much power in your lyrics that it left me astounded for days to come. You have an amazing command of the english language and I think you have some amazing ideas.Welcome to the boards, stick around and get to know some of the great folks here on the forum!!It's great to have you here!Best regards,Cisco

[ckbarlow]

Great story.Where can I hear your stuff?

[christophersclaybo]

Well, that's just it. I am in the process of putting my first COMPLETED song together, entitled "Reach Out and Grab It". Now that I got a track from a multiplatinum producer AND an offer of help from a DJ / artist / songwriter in Detroit, all I gotta do is get my cousin and dad to get their butts in gear so I can put my first COMPLETE song together. Previously, I had written 20-plus songs--lyrics only. Now that I got some promising help, though, I look forward to soon getting back to you on where you can hear my stuff.

[christophersclaybo]

Jan 7, 2008, 6:10pm, Barlow wrote:Great story.Where can I hear your stuff? If you want to hear one of my songs simply email me @ www.wildmanchris2000@gmail.com. I'll reply with an email with an attachment of my song "Reach Out and Grab It".