The MommyCast

Thanks to Gretchen and Paige at MommyCast for featuring my music in their latest Podcast. They actually played an "Untitled" song that is not on either of my albums. It was from an old demo CD. So, right now, MommyCast is the only place to hear it. The song includes piano, strings and drums.

Quotes for Thursday

"I dream my painting and paint my dream."
~ Vincent van Gogh

"We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom."
~ Dwight Eisenhower

"Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people."
~ Lee Iacocca

Unsigned Podcast

Thank you Paul!

Paul over at Unsigned Podcast featured my music in his 6/29 show.

Check out his site.

Everything Digital

Thanks to Alan over at Everything Digital for featuring my music in his Podcast last night.

Check out his site.

What's Your Goal?

Take a moment and set a new goal for yourself. If you’re scared or pessimistic, stop. It is up to you to make something happen or let something fail. There are very few “easy” things in life. Your destiny is up to you. Are you willing to put the work in to accomplish your goal(s)? If not, you’re likely still hiding your passion. Discover it.

Once you accomplish a goal, make a new one. Keep growing, keep learning, keep living your potential.

Goal quotes:

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."
~ Zig Ziglar

"Goals are dreams with deadlines."
~ Diana Scharf Hunt

"People with goals succeed because they know where they're going."
~ Earl Nightingale

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments."
~ Jim Rohn

"Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals."
~ Aristotle

Kristin McCaig - Singer/Songwriter

My good friend Kristin McCaig up in Ottawa, Canada is looking for a new drumer and bass player to join her band.

Kristin has a great voice and fills her songs with emotion. Please check out her website, listen to her music, and tell anyone you know who may be interested in auditioning for her band.

Interesting quotes:

"Words are the voice of the heart."
~ Confucius

"Her voice is full of money."
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

"When I sing, people shut up."
~ Barbara Streisand

"If a thing isn't worth saying, you sing it."
~ Pierre Augustin Caro e Beaumarchais

Pineapple Radio

A big THANK YOU to Tyler over at Pineapple Radio for featuring my music in his Podcast this evening.

Be sure to check out his Podcast.

Digital Flotsam

Thank you P.W. Fenton for featuring a couple of my songs today in your great Digital Flotsam show. I really enjoyed Show 19 (The Superstitious Edition) today.

Check out P.W.'s show.

To Love

Alright, I'm not getting sappy on you. I just believe this topic is very important.

I wanted to publicize how much I love my wife and appreciate her support. There can be a lot of hurdles to cross in a marriage. I'm not specifying a specific problem. All couples will be tested in various ways, and how you respond to the good and bad will truly expose the core of your relationship. Supporting and loving each other bind, heal, and help us grow.

Have you told someone you love them today?

Interesting quotes from various sources:

"Love is love's reward."
~ John Dryden

"All union is effected by love, and love is not love without trust."
~ Emanuel Swedenborg

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."
~ Henry David Thoreau

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
~ Jesus

Sunday Quote

"Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues."
~ Confucius

Just to clarify my mission, as personalities are not always perceived in their true form via the Internet. My mission is not self serving. My mission is to inspire others to follow their passion and reach their potential. Keep moving forward (like the new campaign motto for Toyota). :) I'm learning a lot in the process, and I'll never stop learning.

Great line from a movie I recently viewed: "Live each day like it's on purpose."

Check out Zaadz to find a lot of great quotes, insipration, and knowledge.

Featured at Gnomedex

Adam Curry was the closing keynote speaker at Gnomedex this year (a yearly technical conference, presented by Microsoft). Adam spoke about Podcasting and all the great ways it will (and is) helping musicians, radio hosts, etc. Adam spoke about my music and story of success from Podcasting as a portion of his 200th Daily Source Code. Thank you Adam!

Rob Costlow - Solo Piano Podcast

Check out this podcast I put together featuring 6 of my songs (three from each album). This was recorded as a test using a trial version of some new software (beware, the software company bleeps in promo messages for their product every now and then).

Click here:

I plan to do some "real" Podcasts in the near future.

Quotes for the Weekend

"Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit."
~ Baltasar Gracian

"Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke."
~ Benjamin Disraeli

"I will go anywhere, as long as it be forward."
~ David Livingstone

Life by the Drop

Thanks to the Life by the Drop Podcast for featuring my music today in episode #22.

Thank you P.W. Fenton!

Thank you P.W. Fenton for introducing my music to thousands (perhaps a lot more)!

P.W. has placed my music up on Sirius Satellite Radio as well as shared my music with Adam Curry and other Podcast hosts. He is placing my music up on many of his own upcoming shows.

I truly appreciate P.W. for helping me on my mission. Podcasts from all over the world are contacting me. This has been a great way to insipre other artists to really go after their passion and goals.

Podcasting is going to be a very common activity among many musicians, radio hosts, businessmen, and news services. This is just the beginning. I'm loving it.

The Colskee Cast

Thank you Colskee for feature my music today on the Colskee Cast (coming at you from London, England).

I'll be doing an interview with Colskee next week. Tune in again to hear our chat (likely next Thursday/Friday).

The NormCast

Thank you Norman for featuring my music today (6/24) on the NormCast (coming at you from Germany).

My middle name is Norman, so I found this Podcast very suitable. :)

Interesting Quote

"Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by repetition, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment."
~ Nathaniel Cotton

TINKOFF RADIO

Thank you Adam Tinkoff for featuring my music on the TINKOFF RADIO Podcast today. I'm listening to the show right now.

Adam hosts a show for KYOU 1550 AM in San Francisco. Be sure to check out the other great music he airs.

Thanks Adam for helping me with my mission.

AskMyPod

Thanks to Kay over at AskMyPod for sharing my music. I'll be interviewing with Kay next week for an upcoming Podcast.

PodcastNYC.net features "I Do"

A big THANKS to Rob over at PodcastNYC for promoting my music. You can grab some really great Podsafe music on his site. Check it out.

Vices

We all have our vices. I thought I'd share one of mine. Diet Coke. Now, even worse, it tastes better with Splenda.

Vice quotes:

"Pride is said to be the last vice the good man gets clear of."
~ Benjamin Franklin

"Ambition is not a vice of little people."
~ Michel Montaigne

"When the passions become masters, they are vices."
~ Blaise Pascal

"Men wish to be saved from the mischiefs of their vices, but not from their vices."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lifespring Podcast

Thanks to Steve over at Lifespring for featuring two of my songs on his latest Podcast. Steve interviewed me last Friday.

These are great and inspirational Podcasts. Check them out. Learn something new.

Begin Your Dreams Now. (Wow! Nice Quote.)

I received this quote from a friend today. Actually, this friend is the founder of zaadz.com. Check it out. It has the best quote section (in my mind) on the Internet.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen events, meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would have come their way.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!""
~ W.H. Murray

Tom's Trucker Travels Podcast

Tom's Trucker Travels featured me on his Podcast over the weekend. We had a nice chat. However, I talked too fast and long. Still getting used to all this... I'll correct myself for upcoming interviews. ;)

Also, be sure to check out Tom's photo website.

Passion... What's Yours?

If there is anything I can give advice on, it's passion. Follow it, go after it, do it. When your 70, do you want to ask yourself "what if?".

Stop being scared. Get out of hiding. You know what you're best at, so go for it. You know that's what you want and should be doing. It will reflect in every aspect of your life.

Passion is what has led me to every success. If you're not excited about something, if you're not willing to be flexible to move forward, if you don't take chances, meet new people, and basically fret... you need to change. Never say never. The "impossible" in many people's minds has been proven possible over and over throughout history. Help yourself now. Get started.

A couple great quotes I've come across recently:

"There art two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness."
~ Franz Kafka

“Babe Ruth struck out more than anyone in the history of baseball the year that he hit 60 home runs. Do you want to hit home runs? You’d better be willing to strike out a lot.”
~ Wayne Dyer

You ready to strike out a few times? Your home run is just around the corner.

Thanks Jon and Elizabeth!

Wow. You gotta love the Internet. Thanks to new fans (and fellow bloggers) Jon and Elizabeth for their recent review.

Thank you Jim Brickman!

Jim Brickman made me his "Brick's Picks" artist of the month (June 2005). Thank you Jim! This has led to numerous new fans and is opening some doors.

It's been a great month. I am very grateful to God and pray that he keeps my head on straight and humble.

Thank you Adam Curry!

A big THANK YOU to Adam Curry's Daily Source Code. Adam featured my music on his Podcast Tuesday (6/14). This led to numerous emails from new fans and Podcast hosts. Many other Podcasts have started to share my music. This includes Podcasts in Canada, The UK, Germany, and Austrailia. I LOVE the Internet!

I'm still receiving email and have another 7 intereviews lined up in the next couple weeks. I even had a label contact me yesterday about marketing the music more and expanding my digitial distribution. Yah baby.

Thank you Adam. You've just put a lot of fuel in my fire to keep livin' the dream.

Latest Press Release

Midwest Musician Makes His Own Path, Opens Minds, and Avoids the Mainstream Mindset

Fishers, IN – June 6, 2005 -- In an age of pre-fabricated boy bands and pop divas, few would imagine that the work of a solo pianist would garner much attention. However, the debut album Sophomore Jinx from artist Rob Costlow is becoming known around the world and his brand new release, Woods of Chaos, is bound to do the same.

Costlow’s firmly anchored to the ground with his music and priorities. “My mission is to broaden the minds of musicians and music lovers. Too many musicians get wrapped up in their own world. I try new things and do a lot of grass roots marketing, so I can open up new doors and get into the minds of music lovers who’ve been waiting for something new. This is not to serve myself, but to inspire and serve the world better. I’ve had so many children and adults approach me at performances or via email asking questions and inspired to take lessons or practice harder. Music is a great self-development outlet, and the classic instruments are great tools to build character, discipline, and creativity. We all have a choice to move forward or stay put. I choose to move forward and do my utmost to help improve people’s lives. My music is doing this, and I’m extremely grateful. A lot of people who hear and purchase my music for the first time tell me they wouldn’t typically buy or search for instrumental music. However, they can relate to the music. The music is universal, which I believe is the core factor drawing in the untypical fan. The broader my audience, the more my efforts will blossom.”

Jim Brickman (platinum selling pianist) states, “Rob Costlow definitely has his own style. His original compositions are refreshing and I would recommend his CDs to all music lovers. Keep your eyes and ears on this guy."

Costlow mainly credits the Internet for his success in gaining exposure and fans. Costlow states, “If you want to get something done, do it yourself. Don’t expect or wait for something to happen. Make it happen. Use all the resources you can.” In early 2004, Costlow placed his music all over the Internet, which recently led to a special foreign fan to fall in love with Rob’s music. This fan had a contact at a Singapore record company. In November 2004, Costlow signed a foreign record deal with Orange Music, which distributes music to six Asian territories. Sophomore Jinx, released under the title “Oceans” in Asia, is already an all-time best seller for the label. Costlow also distributes and sells CDs through his U.S. label, Tourist Records™.

Could boy-band fatigue be setting in? Are people searching for something to help them escape from the insanity of a world that seems more and more crazy? Costlow has managed to gain an audience by opening up the minds of music lovers of all ages. Perhaps we’ll soon see Costlow at the top of the charts along with the many cookie-cutter groups currently filling those positions.

CDs of Sophomore Jinx and Woods of Chaos can be purchased through Costlow’s website - http://www.robcostlow.com.

About Rob Costlow and Tourist Records™
Growing up in a large family helped Rob become focused and tenacious. As the youngest of six boys, Rob had to get used to seizing every opportunity that came his way. While working on his Masters Degree, Rob unofficially started Tourist Records™, based on a fictitious business plan. In 2002, Rob released his first professional solo project, Sophomore Jinx, containing all original music. He officially founded Tourist Records in 2004. His compositions are inspired by his family and earthly adventures throughout the United States, Canada, Italy, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Rob’s ultimate goals are to license music for use in television and film as well as help other artists who are dedicated to creating original music make their own impact in the world. He currently lives in Fishers, IN with his wife Melissa. Visit http://www.robcostlow.com for more information on Costlow.

The BreadCast

Thanks to Michael Kreidler for airing my music during his May 31 Podcast (BreadCast).