The exchange was short, but I felt it needed to become a full-on blog post. To give you a little context, I have about 3,000 Twitter followers, she’s got 1.3 Million. I just broke 1,000 fans on Facebook, she’s got six times that. So when I say that Zoe Keating is 100% independent and has never been on a major label or part of some slick industry power team, it doesn’t mean she’s at my level, still trying to grow the fan base enough to survive. She has gone forth, become fruitful, and even multiplied.

And yet, there’s this:

@matthewebel: Since touring is my weakest link, I’ll be watching you as you do this process. I really want to get out on the road again.

@zoecello: Yeah, I think its the missing piece in most DIY careers. I don’t know any booking agents.

I’ve said it many times on stage, in interviews, and when talking to music start-ups and record label people: Booking is the only thing independent musicians are getting no help with, and the last thing we need are venue suggestions and how-to advice. If Zoe Keating’s having a difficult go at it, God help those of us with 1/450th the follower base.

Who out there will step up to the plate and fill this need?

I didn’t realize it until I was naked and soapy this morning (what? I listen to podcasts in the shower!), but apparently Chris and John over at Marketing Over Coffee used little ole me as an example of how to run a paid podcast outside the iTunes environment.

Chicago Mike was asking about selling podcasts and video casts; is iTunes the only game in town?

…It’s not the only game in town, it’s the most convenient…[Matthew Ebel dot net] is probably the best non-iTunes version that I know of.

We here at Matthew Ebel Entertainment and all its subsidiaries salute Chris and John for their recognition. The revolution thanks them and will make sure marble statues of these two are erected once the Robot Army finishes conquering this galaxy.

What makes a musician think he can become a comic book writer? Music is all I’ve done since I started playing piano at age five. I’ve toured as a professional since 1999, got my degree in Music, and I’ve been making my living entirely from my music for a few years now.

So what the hell am I doing attempting to release a graphic novel? I’ve never done anything like this before. I do not run in comic book circles, I’ve never been to a comic book convention, and one look at me will tell anyone “this is not a comic book person.” I feel like an interloper heading to foreign territory. Why am I going there?

The simple answer is that I’ve never been there. The smart business move is to play to your strengths, but creativity is a collapsing bubble. If we don’t work to expand our reach, our abilities will stagnate, shrink, and eventually just fall apart. I’ve had stories and characters in my head for years (some of whom I talk to when no one else is looking), I finally felt compelled to bring them to life.

Kinda hard to do with just music, right?

I’ll be honest, though, I’m a little nervous about this whole process. I’ve never published a book before, but that’s going to be part of the project. I’ve also never worked with a real collaborator before either. Session musicians, voice actors, sure, but those are volunteers and contract help. Without them, I could find a way to make a project work if I had to.

This time, The Lives of Dexter Peterson simply cannot happen without Genesis Whitmore. I’ve never relied on a creative partner before, but I know she’s as into this project as I am. We’ve bounced ideas off of each other and made Dexter’s world(s) larger.

I think we’ll pull off something wonderful by next year, but it’s an area I’ve never played in before. I’m diving in head first and hoping for the best. Who knows? Maybe by the end of this experience I’ll be a comic book writer instead of just a musician.

Buy the DVD for just $9.99!

I’m thrilled to announce the launch of my best (and firstest) DVD I’ve ever released. This disc is hands-down the most awesome video disc I’ve ever released, taking the #1 slot in a field of… well, one.

Regardless, if you missed the fun and excitement at FWA 2010, you can now own a small piece of that through the magic of television. I initially planned on trying out the filming thing as an experiment, but by popular demand it’s now been turned into a concert you can own and cherish and use to keep your cold drinks from staining your wooden tabletop.

The video was pieced together by volunteer editor Aaron Zschau entirely from donated footage. That’s right, all those people with hand-held cameras in the audience? They’re now official cinematographers (and awesome). Since this was an all-volunteer effort, I’m putting this DVD in the store for just $9.99!

Okay, so I have your attention? Good. That’s exactly why I used such a click-bait headline in the first place (sorry about that). I’m not giving up all UStream shows forever, but I am going to stop the weekly schedule.

I’ve been doing the UStream thing since 2007, long before anyone knew you could actually do live streaming from your home computer. Back then it was a shiny new toy- a lot like podcasting in 2005. The fact that I was doing a show at all was newsworthy enough, regardless of how much fun we’ve had over the past three years. Now, with increasingly annoying popup ads and a lot more “shows” vying for attention (even if it’s just someone putting a webcam on their parakeet cage, I kid you not this thing gets 1,000 viewers), my shows need to be more than a weekly live rehearsal session.

Honestly, I feel like I’m not bringing anything new to the table on a weekly basis. Every show is… a lot like the last show. That’s not good enough, at least not by my standards. I want to make every show an event, not part of the weekly grind. You deserve better.

So from now on if you want to know when new shows are coming, join my mailing list or follow me on Twitter. I’ll announce the next show date during tomorrow’s broadcast, so tune in at 6pm Eastern at www.matthewebel.com/ustream

I mentioned this a couple of months ago, but I got the chance to model some shirts recently. It’s my first foray into the non-singing, non-speaking world of professional attention-getting, so be gentle.

I should also mention, ’cause it’s kind of obvious, that these kickass shirts are for sale. My friend Jen Seng, who designed the Goodbye Planet Earth cover, does these shirts and has now opened up a little shirt shop in a quiet corner of the internet. It’s only a small selection for now, but she’s known for her ability to make amazing art happen all the time.

So check it out at www.mugshotindustries.com and see what they’ve got!