tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78235118579040096312011-11-27T19:57:55.871-05:00Military only record label featuring active-duty and veteran artists 'it's not about politics, it's about music'Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.comBlogger441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-57146825119326570362010-03-19T12:47:00.002-05:002010-03-19T12:52:01.198-05:00

We are contacted all the time about media/art/music projects honoring the fallen. Here is one I ran across in the New York Times that I thought was worth sharing. It's simplicity is striking. One can imagine that these rooms never looked so neat and tidy during everyday life. Only in death do they look so pristine and lonely.

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-92094698493885941792010-01-04T14:12:00.002-05:002010-01-04T14:23:23.100-05:00

So, I have been a bad blogger lately. I have been at a loss for words and felt less than inspired to tackle blogging in addition to all the other year end things that we all do. While we lost power last night and the house was eerily quiet, I felt it. It was the extended thought of wanting to peck away at the keyboard and get back into the swing of the daily grind here at TTFR. I imagine that

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-25951450564703493212009-11-30T18:27:00.002-05:002009-11-30T18:47:46.786-05:00

I have worked through grief. I've gone right through the middle of it and come out the other side battered and bruised, but still a relatively whole person albeit a bit more jaded. Last week was like going back in a time machine seven years when grieving was my full-time job. Two close friends of mine experienced a similar loss as me shortly before Thanksgiving and it was like Death showed up

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-88986757422332287732009-11-19T11:11:00.003-05:002009-11-19T11:19:59.321-05:00

In business and personal relationships, I have learned that the best things happen when people or companies come to you. They saw something in what you offered, whether it be friendship or marketability, that intrigued and enticed them to pick up the phone or friend you on Facebook. Partnerships that have come to TTFR via an online search or word-of-mouth have been really successful. Everyone

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-35972724080825304932009-11-10T13:22:00.002-05:002009-11-10T13:36:46.366-05:00

While driving back and forth to WRAMC in preparation for my son's surgery, I happened upon a business named, Quickie Beckie's. Quickie Beckie's takes care of kids. That is one of the worst names I have ever heard! I was intrigued as to how anyone could think "Quickie" could be an appropriate moniker for anything other than a fast food joint or somewhere you get a happy-ending and I don't mean

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-58662155315256865912009-11-05T16:34:00.005-05:002009-11-05T17:21:42.663-05:00

About the only place I feel relatively safe nowadays is on post. It is the one place where uniform wearing service-members hold the door as you drag your kids through AAFES, your Power Zone purchases are tax-free and you get your own friendly grocery bagger to walk you to your car. It's like a safe haven in this cold cruel world we live in for those who call themselves military. I'm sad for

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-13409618725459578052009-11-02T11:27:00.006-05:002009-11-02T13:04:18.179-05:00

I was recently involved in planning an event that had multiple coordinators who, prior to this particular project, had never met. One person immediately took charge and the rest of us took the path of least resistance and let them run with it. I figured they must have done this before, so I will sit back and manage my little corner of the event while they tackle the over-arching goals. The

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-57096383904986852762009-10-29T11:54:00.004-05:002009-10-29T12:25:24.804-05:00

When starting TTFR, Sean and I visited a SCORE counselor in Newport, Rhode Island. Our counselor had an office in the basement of an old Victorian home. It was December, pitch dark, and we had to walk around the back of the house to knock on the pseudo-office door. As we approached the door, I looked down and saw a work-room to the left where an older man was peeing in the sink facing me.

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-24594173450750558412009-10-25T16:12:00.003-05:002009-10-25T16:40:29.680-05:00

Whatever it is. The Marine Corps Marathon was in DC today. I caught the tail end of the race in Crystal City as the last of the runners were approaching the 23 mile mark. There were all kinds of people that were getting it done. I couldn't help but think that running a marathon is a lot like starting a business. When you first have the idea people are skeptical. They don't know if it is

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-44514579839348625452009-10-23T06:05:00.004-05:002009-10-23T06:26:05.154-05:00

There must be profits in order to share them.No profits mean that your debt is greater than any money you actually made. Simple concept, yet a concept not easily grasped by those who have never had to actually start a business, run a business or keep one going.If you are a lucky business owner fortunate enough to work 9-till whenever-shit-gets-done because there is only YOU to gitter done as

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-89582294084386584122009-10-22T16:49:00.003-05:002009-10-22T17:21:37.945-05:00

If you know what it is. Our niche, or specialized market, is the military. To The Fallen Records only accepts submissions from those who are serving or have served in the military. At least once a week, someone who doesn't fit that criteria emails us to say we should accept music from spouses, children, parents or significant others. Thousands of labels exist that will accept submissions from

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-73796215538810303182009-10-21T12:37:00.009-05:002009-10-21T13:11:21.022-05:00

Some of you might recognize the original artwork from Hip Hop Volume 1. At the time, we wanted something simple, yet powerful when we envisioned the cover. Mind you, we had never had a CD in a brick and mortar store. On both counts, we didn't have enough experience or information to have developed a better cover design. While we were sweating at my brother's hotter than hot BCT graduation at

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-6878252904106208702009-10-20T11:57:00.007-05:002009-10-20T12:27:03.797-05:00

The tattoo came first. It was months of pondering what tat was worthy to go on that billboard-sized swath of virgin skin known as Sean's back. To The Fallen Records was born out of that initial homage to friends whose lives were cut too short in Iraq. When you die, your dreams are not only lost with you, they are lost to everyone who dreams for you. What better way to honor the dead than to

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-44162848893648221222009-10-19T18:32:00.006-05:002009-10-19T18:54:01.567-05:00

If you think you are that great of a musician, send the label an mp3. TTFR will decide if your talent is right for our next project or the one after that or the one after that. It may be or it may not be. Don't tell us how great you are. We don't expect you to beg us to listen to your track or even be somewhat appreciative. TTFR loves getting new music. It's like Christmas on a daily basis

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-35460967015240568352009-10-18T07:42:00.003-05:002009-10-18T08:04:14.305-05:00

You being the actual you or your band. With TTFR I have preferred to stay in the background quietly working on the very un-cool stuff that helps the label run more efficiently. It isn't because I prefer the un-cool stuff, it's that I prefer the anonymity that it affords me. I could blame it on my personality, which is to not to attract all that much attention to myself or I could blame it on

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-75151867125900011992009-10-16T14:45:00.007-05:002009-10-16T15:23:10.176-05:00

In our quest to please all the people all the time TTFR manufactured an edited version of our compilation CD, "Hip Hop Volume 1." I am here to tell you that only our recording engineer and manufacturer made anything on that CD. The recording engineer was paid to painstakingly de-foul the CD of curse words and the manufacturer brought this watered down version to life, both of which were a

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-32726767755861478562009-10-15T13:15:00.003-05:002009-10-15T13:52:44.595-05:00

A rainmaker IMO is a person who brings money, customers or fans, and clout to whatever it is that you are doing. The anti-rainmaker is that person who costs you money, repels customers or fans and leaves you clout-less. They are the guilty party that pisses people off, shows up late or not at all, leaves you hanging at the most inconvenient times and overall brings nothing to the metaphorical

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-27022071580693360822009-10-14T08:12:00.003-05:002009-10-14T08:33:36.473-05:00

As I sit and think about all of the mundane-ish things artists need to do in order to cultivate an actual fan base I stumbled on Muckwork, the new musician focused project of Derek Sivers, founder of CDBaby. Muckwork hasn't been released yet, but the idea is to provide a service that does all the things that artists A.) don't have time to do, B.) don't want to do, C.) don't have the know-how to

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-79724165838537108542009-10-12T20:31:00.002-05:002009-10-12T21:01:04.986-05:00

On this journey of entrepreneurship, I am convinced that TTFR is still around because Sean is the Dreamer and I am the Skeptic. In his opinion I am 'the biggest skeptic...ever.' In my opinion, he needs to get his 'head out of the clouds.' On this we can agree. We are both totally different when it comes to business and our outlook on life in general. At my kitchen table in November 2007 the

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-29591377365419912462009-10-08T15:15:00.003-05:002009-10-08T15:33:51.295-05:00

Country, Rock and Hip Hop Volume 2s released TODAYSeven may not seem like a lot of compilation CDs to release, but let me tell you it is when you are listening to thousands of submissions and coordinating with 100+ artists on those CDs and thousands in the TTFR database. For a song to get from submission to it's place on the compilation CDs it goes from here at TTFR, to our recording engineer,

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-19807693255820614042009-10-08T03:04:00.002-05:002009-10-08T03:15:50.435-05:00

MC Mafiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450537329758265981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-59451254864385530342009-10-07T12:22:00.005-05:002009-10-07T13:07:42.147-05:00

Given the number of tools out there to engage your fans in conversation, how do you prioritize which ones you give the most attention to? Between blogging, tweeting, MySpace, Facebook and the other random means we use to communicate on the web, TTFR decided to give Brands in Public a shot in order to organize the conversation going on about TTFR. The fact of the matter is that keeping our fans

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-21277545592567065562009-10-03T07:55:00.004-05:002009-10-03T08:05:26.399-05:00

TTFR is finally getting our social media sites up to speed with what goes on day to day here at the label. Time is definitely an issue. It takes a dedicated block of time to make your sites interesting enough for people to actually read. We are in the very beginning stages of growing and in the past few months, we have worn so many hats we didn't have any time to cultivate our online presence.

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-80580520800988683792009-04-30T05:04:00.000-05:002009-04-30T05:05:16.563-05:00

Thats right, the long awaited debut album from Nonstop Heat recording artist MC Mafia is available now. You can buy it here or find it soon on iTunes. Thanks to all of our supporters who made this possible. We hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as we enjoyed making it.

MC Mafiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450537329758265981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-49687972082377425922008-12-14T17:20:00.005-05:002008-12-14T20:16:46.924-05:00

Week One's Winner is...Michael Scarlett!Congrats to Week One's Winner, Michael Scarlett, and his track "Let's Play." The contest was really, REALLY close, but fans of his song managed to pump him up just enough to squeak by with a tight win over Corrin Campbell and the Election. Something tells me that she'll be back though! These two were going back and forth all week!The real big news is

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-44319006132786746732008-12-06T00:26:00.004-05:002008-12-06T11:00:13.029-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,Welcome to To The Fallen Records Presents "Top Tracks", our weekly contest for military artists. It's easy to vote. Just click the link below, or any track name, and you'll be taken to this week's Top 5 Tracks where you can vote for your favorite. Click on the picture and you'll be taken to the artist's MySpace page, if they have one. The winner has a great chance to be

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-28075922601567863752008-12-01T10:09:00.003-05:002008-12-01T10:12:48.558-05:00

Click Here to Read the Article from the Sunday Times (UK)

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-32157131048894110172008-11-11T20:31:00.000-05:002008-11-11T20:41:49.005-05:00

Written By Mikey C.The military was never really an option for me. My father never served and I never knew my grandfathers, so there wasn’t any pressure there. I grew up in the valleys of Pennsylvania, so there were no nearby bases or helicopters flying overhead to influence me either. In fact, I had no idea what USMC stood for when my good friends proudly came to class one Monday morning

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-64358536639452555002008-11-11T20:24:00.001-05:002008-11-11T20:31:40.478-05:00

By Sean GilfillanFor most of the world's record companies, even though it is Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11th is just another day. Major labels release albums on Tuesdays, so they'll be busy trying to make sure the big holiday releases that are coming out that day are "moving units", as is parlance. However, as an Iraq War veteran and the co-founder of the world's only military record

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-61329802759972176102008-11-07T18:10:00.007-05:002008-11-07T18:24:17.824-05:00

As I was browsing my favorites, I thought I'd stop by and drop some news on everyones favorite military only record label.Soldier Hard and myself (Dego), both sergeants in the Army and Marines, respectively, recently came together to work on some new music under the name DoD.It's been coming along pretty well. We're gaining a good following and I'm overall pleased with the music we've been

MC Mafiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450537329758265981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-37952878573551406222008-10-17T13:37:00.002-05:002008-10-17T13:42:05.972-05:00

New Huffington Post Blog Ladies and Gents...read it and weep...

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-59431836679258776762008-10-07T09:02:00.002-05:002008-10-07T09:11:41.537-05:00

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-43573558154865503262008-10-07T04:00:00.002-05:002008-10-07T04:10:20.186-05:00

Music is community. It is the great connective force, along with love and family, which bind our species together. When I made the decision to join the Army two years ago I knew that I'd be giving up most of what I'd worked so hard to build since I started performing. The fans, the shows, the freedom, the recognition… all of it would slowly fade into boots, dust and sleepless nights. It was

SCovellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07543263390337848078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-61613318839678424792008-09-13T20:03:00.001-05:002008-10-07T09:33:21.928-05:00

'My whole body was numb. I got up and limped towards the Humvee. A colleague was circling with blood dripping from his face. I shouted but he didn't react and I really thought I was a ghost. I thought I was dead.' In the mangled wreckage lay the body of his best friend. 'I didn't know there was anyone back there. He wasn't meant to be there.' They were both rushed back to the base and Dobbins

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-9718321386699190502008-09-13T19:29:00.002-05:002008-09-13T19:31:34.217-05:00

Check out this interview the Observer did with Isaiah aka 1/2 of the Lifers.

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-48073030095420570512008-09-11T20:55:00.002-05:002008-09-11T20:59:07.929-05:00

We’re got some exciting news to share! Keni Thomas’s new single, “Shreveport 2 LA,” from his upcoming album Gunslinger is perched in the Top 5 of Great American Country’s Top 20 Country Countdown Show! GAC is in 54 million homes nationwide. The video has been on the chart for six consecutive weeks in the Top 20, and it’s all fan voted. It’s an incredible feat as Keni is the ONLY independent

Claire Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00096178061604010303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-43949716132747581742008-09-11T14:35:00.004-05:002008-09-13T19:29:39.859-05:00

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-17368439504611129172007-07-03T14:48:00.000-05:002007-07-03T15:20:57.039-05:00

TTFR on front page of Yahoo News Today!!!!Military Supporters..........ATTEN....TION!!!!TTFR was featured on the front page of Yahoo News today!!! You are now allowed to cheer for a 5 count...(5,4,3,2,1)...that's enough!!!Keep spreading the word about the Label and keep up the support, baby!We are everywhere!!!If we are not in your AAFES or MCX, go directly to the manager and tell him you are not

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-39400746581700231792007-07-02T08:16:00.000-05:002007-07-03T15:14:49.382-05:00

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,As you all know, our Hip Hop album is doing quite well in AAFES and MCX (if you haven't already picked it up...WHAT are you waiting for???) and we are starting to put together both our Rock compilations and Country compilations.The music we are getting in is absolutely tremendous. We are getting heavy metal to classic rock to Dave Mathews to rap/rock to acoustic....you

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-29048168069405658462007-06-11T15:01:00.000-05:002007-06-11T15:15:11.986-05:00

This has absolutely nothing to do with the military or the label, but I can't help being outraged...Does Attorney General Thurbert Baker of Georgia have nothing better to do than appeal a case that was clearly unjust? To make matters worse, the AGs office does not even have email to receive the thousands of complaints that should flood their office in the coming days. I am totally disgusted

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-78556389192719332272007-05-31T19:54:00.000-05:002007-05-31T21:05:06.109-05:00

The Heart of a VolunteerI will never again volunteer for anything in such great stature again! Nothing I can and will ever come close to when I Volunteered. That word "Volunteer" just isnt the same to me anymore! I used to volunteer to take out the trash when my parents asked of their 3 children, "who's gonna take out the trash?" Little ol me "I'll do it!" I used to volunteer to sit out on some

Soldier Hardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12097209523164305103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-9410814715625109232007-05-31T09:36:00.000-05:002007-05-31T10:12:20.044-05:00

How many people join the military out of family tradition? Where has that tradition gone? Where are the fathers who served in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc. telling their children that it's an honor and a privelege to serve ones' country like their fathers told them having served in WW2? Will I not stress the obligation of duty to one's country to my children? I myself believe every person

Seannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-76902988524532250552007-05-29T13:49:00.000-05:002007-05-29T14:13:58.310-05:00

We here at TTFR think that yellow ribbons are pretty.The way that the ribbon crosses in the middle and has those bold black letters rounding the corner adds something really special to the back of your four door.There are so many other ribbons out there that you could have, red, black, pink, and even multi-colored, but you have yellow.We applaud your support of the troops a la bumper magnet.Many

To The Fallen Recordsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823511857904009631.post-56898766661885718202007-05-29T10:42:00.000-05:002007-05-29T11:06:05.515-05:00

We love MySpace just like everyone else, but we wanted to create a smaller community for our artists and potential artists, as well as our supporters to come together. Everyone from TTFR will be on here at some point with something intelligent (hopefully) or at least some useful information like how to double-check the track listing with the actual CD before you send it to be manufactured. That

Sidney Gilfillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11950462486984647616noreply@blogger.com2