Copyrighting your song is easy.  And there is a trick you can use to save money.  I would go thru the process step by step, however, the Library of Congress website does a great job of walking you thru the process.  Here it is: http://www.copyright.gov/forms/.  The trick is to copyright lots of songs at once (under one filing).  The fee is $35 dollars if you copyright one song or many songs.  And you can use MP3's.  You can also copyright poems and other works as well.  I definitely takes a bit of time to get thru the process, but it is well worth it. 

In the meantime, be sure to go thru the "poor man's copyright."  This is the process of "protecting" your work without going thru the official copyright process via the Library of Congress.  In the old days, we used to put our songs on a CD and mail it to ourselves.  We would not open the mailing, so that it would have that unopene, postmarked envelope to show a judge some day.  There are some flaws in this process (ie, you could mail yourself a blank envelope without sealing it, get the postmark you desire, and then put the CD in later).  Fortunately, there is a better and easier way.  Upload your songs to www.clownbasket.com and you will accomplish a similar goal.  Each upload is timestamped, so, you always have that mp3 file uploaded on a certain date, at a certain time.  Tough to dispute that.

Keep in mind, I am not advocating a Poor Man's Copyright in lieu of a real copyright.  Get your works copyrighted.  It is important!

If you liked Borne Identity, then you need to go to Netflix and queue up Three Days of the Condor.  The movies are not all that similar in their content or plot.  But, instead, they have the same "tone".  These movies keep you stressfully interested by way of an undercurrent of suspense and intrigue.  Certain movies seem to do that, most recently Old Country for Old Men and 3:10 to Yuma. 

Most movie buffs have seen the Borne movies with Matt Damon.  In Three Days, Robert Redford is the main character.  Both actors seem to approach their roles in a similar way: complexity and vulnerability.  Now, keep in mind, this movie was made in the 70s.  So it is far more subtle than any of the Bornes.  No explosions or dramatic fist fights.  It is, instead, a mental thriller, much like All the Presidents Men or Marathon Man.  So make sure you approach the movie with your 70s goggles on. 

In the story Robert Redford works for the CIA.  He is a book worm.  His small department of 9 or so is tasked with one purpose: read books and manuscripts.  They "read everything", trying to find hidden plots by other governments.  (Does that role actually exist in our government?)  One work day, he gets back from lunch on a rainy day only to find that his entire department has been brutally gunned down.  Redford is alone with no one to trust except his own instincts and training.  As the movie goes on, you become more and more convinced that he will figure out his conundrum.  Keep in mind, Redford is not a "rock star" main character.  He is a stern, mysterious man with likability and intrigue.  It is that 70's flair that makes this movie a classic.  And lets not forget Max von Sydow and Faye Dunaway.  Both are perfect for their rolls. 

If you like 70's esoteric thrillers, you will love Three Days of the Condor.  The original Borne Identity.

The new song by Chapter 37 got me thinking about college for some reason.  Probably the guitar work at the begining - reminicient of Nirvanna.  Anyway, I had two and a half botched music opportunities happen within a 2 year time period during my freshman and sophmore years college.

The first was Phish.  My suite-mate at UW-Madison kept telling me about this awesome band named Phish.  He was way into hooch and listening to this "newer" band.  We are talking fall of 1990.  The height of political correctness and begining of alternative rock.  He was a funny guy.  East coast, Boston-type.  Very smart.  Stuck in a dorm with a bunch of Mid-westerners who thought of Madison as a party school.  Oddly enough, most of the east coast crowd had no idea of the Madison reputation.  Apparently Madison's reputation on the east coast was much more academic-centric.  I digress.  We called him Jam.  I think his name was James and I think he went on to have a role with the band as a promotor.  Jam was serious about Phish and he said he was going to book them for a gig in Madison.  I remember thinking to myself, how cool could a band be that Jam could book?  Hey, you can book MY band if you want!  But Jam didn't like my music.  He liked Phish.  And I hated it.  Everything he played for me made no sense.  You think this sounds like the Dead?  I love the Dead and Phish can't hold a candle!

Anyway, Jam booked Phish to play in Madison.  I went to the concert (mostly because I didn't want to let Jam down).  I stood in the front row.  I still remember them jumping on the little trampolines during the song "Bouncing 'Round the Room".  Classic.  I had a good time.  Here's the deal.  Jam insisted that he was going to introduce us to the band after the show.  I was not much for smoking pot, so I ducked out.  My other roommate and Jam hung out with Trey and the boys most of the night after the show.  I blew it.  I could have hung out with one of the best guitarists to hit the scene in the last 25 years!  Ugh.

Shortly after that missed opportunity was another blown call.  My buddys begged me to join them for a trip to Milwaukee.  They were going to see Neil Young at a "quaint" venue.  I waffled back and forth and decided against going.  BTW, I LOVED Neil Young at the time.  I have no idea why I didn't go.  Must have been a girl...

Anyway, they came back from this concert and said that Neil was up on stage in front of a crowd in the hundreds (not thousands).  He had like 25 guitars all lined up on the stage.  He would pace up and down the stage with his hand up to his chin (pondering) and then, out of spontaneous inspiration, select a guitar that prompted a specific song.  He had differnt tunings too.  In fact, I think he played Cinnamon Girl.  Again, I WASN'T THERE, so I am only telling what was told to me!  What a blown opportunity.

The last was not a huge deal to me.  My roomates my sophmore year loved Bruce Hornsby.  They begged me to go to his show when he came to Madison.  I said no way.  They ended up on stage with him during the show.  These guys were beaming when they got back.  But even then I didn't care.  Still don't.