ONOFFON

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 2:54 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day is from our first TAXI forward feedback sheet. I submitted three songs - "Mardi Gras", "Opus", and "Shadowglass" - here are the overall comments -"Beautifully played and recorded. Strong compositions, well arranged. It's working on every level. This is my listing so I know exactly what I'm looking for. Your tracks may be a bit too challenging for the MOR inflight channel I'm programming now but I may be able to use them on other channels.""Strong compositions, production, and musicianship. If not for this project, then possibly others."All three songs received 10's across the board, in every category -"Mardi Gras" - "Catchy, clever melody line. Excellent musicianship and production. Upbeat and fun.""Opus" - "Beautiful but a little too introspective for this listing.""Shadowglass" - "Lovely melody. Excellent musicianship. Interesting 'B' section with the descending dischords."Our sincere thanks to Listener ID #193 for all the excellent ratings and comments...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 7:43 am

Today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day is an email I received from JamBands.com, after they received our Your Mind CD that I had sent them for review. Erica Lynn, the reviewer, sent me this email as she was on the road, covering the Phish tour for their website. Her official review is the first review I posted on this thread and still remains in the archives of JamBands.com -Subject: Re: ONOFFONOrganization: uh-oh productionsTo: Von Babasin <von@onoffon.com>"Von... I must say... I review about 4-5 cd's a month, and I have *never* had the experience that I did with your CD... it was *incredible*.. took me on a musical journey that I honestly was not prepared to take.As a musician myself, I hope to goodness that one day I am able to produce sounds as expressive as your band does... Please keep me informed as to a tour schedule or releases or whatnot. I'd love to check you out; I'm in the NYC area, however, and it looks like you're on the west coast..?Keep in touch, and thanks again.best,erica lynn"Erica's is still one of the most expressive reviews we're ever received and I still use it to this day to help promote our music - much thanks to Erica - I will be sending her a copy of our latest release when it finally comes out...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 4:13 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day is another in a long line of features we've received throughout our journey in cyberspace -Subject: "Please Baby Please" will be Track of the Day at garageband.com!To: von@onoffon.com"Dear Von,Congratulations! As a result of some very enthusiastic reviews from garageband.com members, in seven days Please Baby Please will be Track of the Day at garageband.com.For 24 hours on 2001-01-14 (PST) Please Baby Please will be featured on garageband.com's Funk/Soul/R&B front page. The address for this page will be:http://www.garageband.com/genre/funksoulrnb So make sure you've got a current photo of ONOFFON uploaded, and then enjoy your time in the spotlight. It would be cool if you could post a link to garageband.com on your website, but no sweat if you don't fancy it.Best wishes from all at garageband.com and keep up the great work!IvyBand Services, garageband.com"Always nice to get features, no matter when or where - thanks as always to GB...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 6:48 am

Something a little different for today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day - since it's Father's Day, in honor of my father, Harry Babasin, I was fortunate to win a very special auction on eBay - In the 50's, a true audiophile would purchase a reel-to-reel tape so they could hear the purest form of the recorded music possible. This is a commercially produced reel-to-reel tape of my father's group, The Jazzpickers, from 1957 by Mercury/EmArcy Records.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 4018699625 Of course, I have the original master tape and copies of the album, but this is a very rare addition to our archives. Happy Father's Day - you father's!

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 4:09 am

ONOFFON's SSP of the day consists of a couple of responses to a quote I posted by Frank Zappa about the perpetuation of mediocrity by the music business - needless to say, it was well received -From: Chris MedagliaSubject: Zappa quote from Von"Von, thanks for posting that Zappa quote/interview thing, that was a cool take on the industry from someone battling it from the inside, and that was in the '80's!! What a loss. I'm sure that hearing how the cream rises to the top really irks you as well. If anyone on this list has not heard ONOFFON, I suggest you check them out, they are incredible, and proof that the cream doesn't always rise to the top (well, at least not yet!!). Don't give up, dude, you are an amazing talent with a rich heritage. It kills me that people like you and your band are not a household name (yet), but the Zappa thing really puts it in perspective.Mediocrity is the opiate of the people.See ya,Chris"From: Paula BrightSubject: Re: Zappa quote from Von"I've already determined secretly in my mind the likelihood of who amongst the lot of us who turn up here and on nearby lists have the best chance of SOMEhow breaking out, maybe, someday, somehow, maybe...if something magical happens...and am in NO WAY insulting any of the rest of us...just a feeling I get from their determination, the fact that I see them everywhere I go, and the fact that I love their sound...And I have to agree that ONOFFON is in that ballpark...I wish this meant more in the big scheme of things---but it doesn't, because I'm nobody and can't help 'em a bit!!! But I can send good thoughts...so I do. Then again, I do that for all of us...lotta dreamers here, and I love dreamers.Especially the ones who keep busy working at it.Paula the Verbose and Often Verboten Philosopher"When I feel like I just can't take another day of the control the industry exercises over the music that gets promotion and airplay, I read emails like this - that have showed us the kinds of support that drives us forward...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 7:45 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day is an announcement I received that we would be featured on the front page of a website called IndieGrow.com - love those features -Subject: ONOFFON featureReviewed by CaveDog"My pleasure to provide the feature, I have a habit of continually promoting artists I believe have talent and drive. ONOFFON is on my list so I'll be highlighting you guys from time to time. Providing quality music to the public is part of the IndieGrow mission and it's critical I try to select the best, which I believe I have. A word of thanks for the threads highlighting your review in the Smiley thread. I'm glad you appreciated the good words, but they're well deserved.-CaveDog"It's truly gratifying to continually receive these kinds of accolades from people who open their minds to what independent artists are trying to do... our sincere thanks to CaveDog for his appreciation of our music....

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:14 am

During the earliest days of ONOFFON, I knew that film and video was an ideal outlet for what we were doing - a medium that didn't discriminate against age or image - the only thing that matters is whether the composition fits the mood of the visual imagery and the quality of recording is on the level that can enhance the overall production. As today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day, an email from the first producer to add our music to her art film -Subject: "she sees her in idea"To: von@onoffon.com"Hello there Von--You will be receiving some stuff in the snail mail soon, re: my use of ONOFFON's music in the video, 'she sees her in idea'. I'm really pretty happy with how it turned out. The pieces of yours that I used were:'Remember Only...' (intro, about 7 minutes) in the first section, called 'the poem game', and'The Gift Must Always Move' (excerpt--first two minutes), and'Weekend in Montreal' (entire piece) in the last section, called 'Anastasia'. So, basically, you guys will have a lot of exposure from this video (assuming it gets broadcast and shown as much as I plan to)! I put in full credits at the end (you'll see). I think you'll be surprised when you see how well the music fits this video--there are parts where something in the music lines up just right with something in the video, and it seems like the music was made for this project! (in fact, some folks--test audiences--have made this very comment). I hope that you will be pleased with the final product as well.This weekend I'll be making some dubs of the tape, and will send a VHS copy off to you ASAP.Thanks very much,janet grau"It was great that our music fit so well with her images - I love the fact that she felt some of the music seemed to be composed specifically for her film - very cool - thanks to Janet for giving us the opportunity to contribute to her creation...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:43 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day comes from CD Baby - when Derek decided to put out the first 'Best of the Best' comp CD of what CD Baby had to offer, we were one of the first selected -Subject: shhh... (ONOFFON: surrender now)From: CD Baby <cdbaby@cdbaby.com>To: <von@onoffon.com>"Dear VonPlease read this carefully. I'm sending this to YOU, not to everyone on CD Baby. And it needs a response from you. I've just put together a CD Baby compilation CD made up of only the "Best of the Best" in the store, and I've chosen..."Weekend in Montreal" from your CD:ONOFFON: surrender nowThere were actually 3 people here working full-time for 10 days to blindly listen to every CD in the store and pick their absolute favorite songs for this compilation. So congratulations! Only about 2% of what's here was chosen. They were VERY picky.UNLESS YOU EMAIL ME BACK AND TELL ME **NOT** TO INCLUDE YOUR SONG ON THIS PROMO CD, I'LL ASSUME IT'S OK. Read on...ABOUT THIS CD BABY COMPILATION CD:* It's free. Not for sale. No royalties to me, you, or anyone. It's just a multimedia advertisement for your album on CD Baby.* It's promotional, meant to generate more sales, and call attention to the music I think is best, whether it's a top-seller or not.* I'm making 2000 CDs this time, and I'm planning on sending it to the factory this week. I'll let you know long before we press up more.* It's in a full-color cardboard sleeve with the CD Baby head like the postcards I sent you. The back has a blurb telling them all the music on here is taken from full-length CDs that can be bought at CD Baby.* The back has a blurb saying, "SUPPORT INDIE MUSIC! Please appreciate the free sample these musicians are giving you. These are great musicians that chose not to sign their life away to a corporation. If you like an MP3 then go to CD Baby to hear their other tracks and buy their regular CD. Most CD are only $10 and we send them to you within 24 hours.!"* NEXT time I do a compilation like this I'll probably ask for $20 from the bands involved to help cover some costs. But congratulations... you're on the very first "experimental" one, so it's free.* Of course I'll send you one of these CDs when they get back from the factory in a few weeks.AND LASTLY, PLEASE DON'T ANNOUNCE THIS TOO LOUDLY, because I don't want to hurt the feelings of the majority of the artists in CD Baby that weren't chosen for this comp.Derek Sivers, CD Baby"I've always deeply appreciated our association with Derek and CD Baby - he is a tireless supporter of independently produced musicians and it was an honor to have been chosen for this first compilation. I still have my copy of the comp - thanks Derek, for everything...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 6:01 am

ONOFFON's SSP of the Day is a review from Chad Shoppa of Cyberneticon - ONOFFON - Surrender NowReviewed by Chad Shoppa"Hey, Von!I got to listen to your CD a couple days ago, but am just now finding the time to give you a quick write up. So here it is!The musicianship of your group is GREAT. I really mean that. Every member of ONOFFON goes BEYOND being competant. You are all very GOOD (even great at times). The interplay between your guitar and bass is very effective. It's a good thing your band IS proficient-- your music style really depends on your excellent sense of timing. I can tell you are a very cohesive group. You are very lucky to have found one another!I can't play the comparison game myself, since I don't listen to this kind of music at all (I don't know WHO to compare you to.) Kind of jazzy. Kind of rocking. A little Bluesy. Some folkish classical toward the end... But overall very good-- you have got an awesome package wrapped up there!Did anything not work for me? Nothing too serious. The length of the CD is a double-edged sword for me. On the one hand, I like the CDs I hear to last about forty minutes, then quit. So I might gripe that your CD was a little long for me. But on the other hand, I appreciate the concept of giving people more for their money. A CD holds 74 minutes or so-- why not fill it? Myself, I often add a lot of hidden tracks behind my initial dozen or so to fill the CD... If a CD is too long for somebody, they can always stop it and go back later. David Bowie's CD "Outside" has seventeen tracks and lasts sixty-plus minutes. I love that CD. I just can't listen to it in one sitting...Anyway, I think you are a person that is obviously an accomplished and experienced musician. Most people can't play your bass grooves. I really mean that! At least, no one in Iowa can play them!Sincerely,Chad Shoppa"I truly appreciate Chad's comments and wish him the best in his musical endeavors...

onoffon · Post by **onoffon** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 4:09 am

The ONOFFON SSP of the Day comes from a disc jockey who has played independent music on his show - The Upper Room - for quite a few years now, Joe Kelley -Subject: Thanks for the great CdsTo: von@onoffon.com"Hi Von:Thanks for your great CDs. I've been listening for the past two days and will begin to air on my shows this weekend. Best thing I love about your music as is a challenge to pinpoint the genre, similiar to my radio show.Your 1997 Cd has a song which could be my theme song of the last year. "Weekend In Montreal." My girlfriend lives in Montreal and in the last year I have made 8 treks up to Montreal. Fortunately, next week she is coming down here for 3 weeks vacation. While playing your newest CDand talking to a friend on the phone, they inquired as to what kind of music I was listening. I told them OnOffOn and let them hear a snippet. They loved it too.I'll keep you posted on airplay.Talk with you soon.Joe KelleyWVOF 88.5 FMFairfield, Connecticut"Thanks to Joe for helping spread the music of ONOFFON...