Autism guy & an Honest Record Label

IT'S LIT RECORDS (cover webpage / CV)

Where to start with my story? Well, let's start with this:
1. I'm autistic
2. I'm very open and honest and
3. I'm driven, focused and intelligent. (Yes! I suckered you in with a sob story to try establish an emotional connect and yes, I am being completely honest about it!)


BEFORE WE GO FURTHER WITH THIS STORY, LET ME SUMMARISE IT FOR YOU: I HAVE AN INNER VISION OF A RECORD LABEL WHICH AIMS TO CHANGE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS WE UNDERSTAND IT:


*** IT'S LIT RECORDS ***


*The label is run by me, my Guardian Angel, Kate (also my partner & carer) and our three Bulldogs, Milhouse, Pandora & Coco Chanel.


***WHO BENEFITS?***

- MUSIC as an art form!

- EMPOWERING AUTISM as an asset and not a disabilty STARTS HERE. I love nothing more than showing people we are not a chore to deal with, but in fact, we are productive members of society with something to offer. We can be extremely fearless, honest and have a stoic disposition to our Visions.

- BELIEVE IN ME and I will give you my heart. In doing so, YOU BENEFIT from being a part of this story and watching the project unfold which you helped create.

- MUSICIANS BENEFIT as they are discouraged to make cookie cutter garbage. Instead, they benefit both artistically and financially for exploring music again.


***HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED:***

* Paying for: World renowned producers, engineers, mixers, visual artists, web-hostings, promotional and PR costs etc for one year.

* The funds will be divided into 12 pots. One for each month of the year coming. The idea is to have enough capital to build up the library while gaining traction for subscribers.

*None of this start up capital will fund the labels fixed costs. Just the curation of the music. Right now, we are building an office in the spare room of our little house that could. Family and friends are helping us build a cool little spot and as such, we have no need for premises. Nor do we currently need any wage, this is done during spare time until a time it kicks off mega style.



*Pandora is a sweetheart. She likes to goof off and make us laugh. She keeps us young at heart!


To really understand my vision, you must first understand me. Sure, I need your money, but that's not what I'm really asking you for. Money is essentially meaningless to me and not my motivator, it is however an essential tool in this world and thus, for this project!


The way I see it is things:

- I want you to invest your BELIEF in me and the guys. I need to harness the belief of 6,411  subscribers @ €3.90
to be exact (or more with a bit of magic) to capitalise this venture. I would love nothing more than that amount of people to sign up for a year and watch as we document this project and see where it ends up. With that kind of backing, belief and magic, coupled with my never ending enthusiasm,  work ethic  and sheer will we could take over the world (In a positive way that is!).

- I want to start a cultural shift. An alchemical shift away from our current treatment of music is what I desire most in my heart of hearts. I would argue it is the only artform where its value has gone to almost zero while all the others have raised up. This needs to change. It starts right here with us.

- Our service will always be fixed to the price of a Starbucks Latte: This is simple. I think it's a fair comparison. If you're able to pay that much for coffee a few times a day, which is made with anything but love, which takes mere seconds to make and with zero skill... Then we should, at the very least, align our price point to what people are happy to pay for what is, questionable goods at best.



HOW 'IT'S LIT RECORDS'
WORKS:

* It does NOT sell music.

* It 'curates' music as art.

* We exhibit 1-2 pieces of new art a month, compounding the library's exclusive exhibition.

* We rely on subscriptions for funding.

* Subscription fees are forever fixed to the cost of a Starbucks latte in Dublin, Ireland.

* People subscribe to the label for monthly/yearly access to our 'Audio Art Gallery'.

* 75% of all subscriptions are paid directly to artists on the roster.

* 25% goes to label (Cover wages of myself and Kate and/or team if we expand, fixed overheads etc).

* We publish a monthly financial report to the front of our website for our artists and subscribers.

* We invest money into making real quality pieces of art/music via renowned producers, mixers, engineers, visual artists etc. and giving artists access to tools and experiences they normally can't afford or reach.

* We encourage our musicians to not make cookie cutter music, pop structures etc. We want them to explore and follow their heart. Develop soundscapes to strike the hearts and imagination of the subscribers whose souls yearn for true music.

*Our motto is "songs, not scenes". By this we mean no genre do we adhere to. We take the music on merit alone.

I should also probably mention I have worked in the industry most of my adult life, working in roles including record labels, being a signed artist and being a manager and A&R... I'm not some dork just jumping into this like, well, a dork!




***WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?  WHAT DOES YOUR INVESTMENT OF BELIEF MEAN TO ME PERSONALLY?***

Since I was a small child, I've see things differently. I see the good in everyone. Some say it's naivety on my part, I say it's cynicism on theirs. I'm coming up to 32 years of age. I was only diagnosed with autism 1 year ago. Up until that moment of my diagnosis, I felt like a ghost amongst humans. I could never seem to get it right in life, no matter how much effort I put in to something or someone. I was completely alone though I was surrounded by family and friends, I just consistently failed at work and relationships.

*Kate & Coco having a moment. These guys never let me down and take care of me!


By happening upon a conversation a little over a year ago, something resonated in me. I feel like crying right now as I write about it. I had overheard a conversation about autism. I thought to myself "that sounds a little like me" and as soon as I thought that, what I can only describe as my soul, well, my soul shoooooook. I never felt anything like it or since. I knew there and then I had to follow it up.

A year or two before this happened, I had somehow got a place studying law in college. I was failing hard, I couldnt integrate with the students and felt so isolated, I repeated first year 3 times! I just couldnt face going in or get to grips with it. I had always been a little off I guess but now it was really obvious to me at least. Being around young people who are so bubbly and open, I just couldnt catch on. I was on the verge of dropping out.

But the diagnosis came and with it, the weight of the world dropped from my shoulders. I cried. A lot. For a loooong time. Sometimes it was happiness that there was a reason I just didn't get the world, suddenly everything made sense to me and everything was ok. Sometimes because I felt the last 30 years of my life were wasted pretending to be somebody to try fit in and hide.

But looking back now, I can sum it up as childbirth. What I mean by that is that the day the diagnosis came was the day I was actually born.The sheer pain, agony, fear and vulnerability... Those early days were as shocking to me as I can imagine a child coming into the world.

1 year on how are things going? Well, I'm delighted to report that not only did I find my feet like a 1 year old.... I'm flying with the imagination and glee of a 3 year old. I remembered who I am and what I want to be when I grow up... THIS!

I'm completely killing it! And because of all that I was able to open my heart and that got connected to my family and friends better... they get me! It got me elected as the Chairperson of  Law & Debating Society in my college, I manage a Grammy Award winning engineer, mixer & producer (Which came about by setting up this label), I've been added to the colleges LEAD degree, set up to accredit recognised student leaders with academic credits and a separate degree for their efforts.

*Left to right: DIT Dean of Bolton St. Prof. Gerard Farrell / Myself / Irish Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone & Editor of The Irish Times, Kevin O Sullivan at The Irish Times Debate Grand Final which The DIT Law & Debate Society hosted (17/02/2017)

I've been elected on to the student council (And awarded Most Valuable Councillor not so long ago too), I recently helped secure a major event for my college which had missed out on  it over the last 60 years.  After months of work and prep,  this week saw it come to fruition. And on that, it was the most successful event of its kind in its 60 year history, not only a sell out, but turning folks away. Student debates don't usually sell out let me tell you that much!

I love music. I love art. I love finding talent across all artforms and I'm really really good at it. I love business. I love and study law. I love being creative and innovative. I love trying to make the world a better place in my own way.

*Coco on the chair, Pandora and Milhouse taking care of me in my early days of diagnosis. I would sit on that chair for weeks at a time unable to function. We to this day call it "The autism chair"


They say follow your passion and you will never work a day in your life. I couldn't agree with this any more than I already do. Not being able to work a traditional 9-5 throughout my life, I've had no choice (lucky me) but to do what I love.

Now, I'm asking you to help me. It would mean the world to me that you invest your belief in myself and my project.  This is my quest for happiness and by allowing me to do what I love (nurture talent, create art, spend time with my Kate and doggies) I in turn want to give back to the world itself and help others with their dreams!