OLD About
I am the former CEO of M.C.I. Publishing Corp. and the founder, and former publisher, executive editor of Music Connection and Songwriter Connection magazines.
I’m an Amazon bestselling author, a longtime blogger, and a private consultant to artists and entrepreneurs.
My 50-year career in the entertainment industry has taken me through writing, producing, publishing, performing, speaking, teaching, and consulting. Along the way, I’ve been an active member of IATSE, NABET, ASCAP, WGA, and the Musicians Union Local 47. If you’re interested, you can check out my backstory below.
I write a blog that comes out 4-5 times a month. I began blogging in 2010, and never stopped. I have written over 1000 blogs, all archived on this website. I like to call my blogs Abstractions because I try to keep them short and focused—capturing the essence of meaningful messages without the fluff. My intention is to inform, enlighten, remind, and offer thoughtful perspectives on a variety of personal challenges that confront artists, entrepreneurs,creative risk-takers, and myself.
I’m grateful for the chance to share what I’ve learned from 50 years in show business, 33 years as the publisher/executive editor of two infuential, national music magazines, six published books, four decades as a daily meditator, and more than 30 years of consulting and coaching creative people through a variety of impossible challenges. If you’re interested you can check out my consulting page.
Backstory
Early Music Career
Michael officially launched his music career as a singer, songwriter, and drummer. While still in high school, he handpicked a group of talented musicians and formed an original band called The Realm. After performing at countless high school dances, summer pool parties, college fraternity/sorority events, and local showcases, the band developed a strong reputation and, during its early years, never lost a Battle of the Bands competition.
As their popularity grew, The Realm graduated from local venues to the professional club circuit. Their big break came when they successfully auditioned for Hollywood’s legendary Hullabaloo Club on the Sunset Strip.
At the time, The Hullabaloo was one of the largest and most influential music venues in Southern California and a major hub of the exploding ’60s rock scene. The club featured a massive rotating stage that allowed bands to perform continuously without interruption, creating a nonstop live music experience. From 1966 to 1968, The Realm served as one of Hullabaloo’s house bands and became a regular fixture during the club’s peak years.
During that period, The Realm shared the stage with many rising and established artists, including Neil Diamond, The Seeds, Love, The Standells, The Music Machine, Sunshine Company, The Palace Guard, and many others. Headlining acts appearing at Hullabaloo during that era included The Yardbirds, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, The Doors, and The Turtles.
The Realm also appeared on the popular television show 9th Street West, hosted by Sam Riddle, further expanding the band’s visibility throughout Southern California.
The band’s growing momentum eventually attracted the attention of Capitol Records, which offered them a recording contract. However, after careful consideration—and on the advice of both their musicians-union attorney and their parents—the young musicians declined the offer. Looking back, Michael believes it was the right decision. The contract was heavily one-sided and offered little protection for the band. More importantly, not signing allowed each member to pursue the opportunities and experiences that would ultimately shape their future careers.
Creativity Meets Commerce
By this point, the romance of being a starving musician had begun to fade, and earning a steady income became a priority.
At the same time, Michael's father strongly encouraged him to join the motion picture industry as a special-effects studio projectionist. For the next ten years, Michael worked at virtually every major motion picture studio and television network in Hollywood. His assignments ranged from on-location production work, where he worked alongside directors, actors, and film crews on projects such as New York, New York, Billy Jack, Baby Blue Marine, and Silver Streak.
Michael also worked in the color-timing department at Technicolor, where he participated in the final color-correction process of numerous classic motion pictures. Working alongside directors and color timers, he operated the projection equipment and tracked every scene as filmmakers fine-tuned the visual look of their movies. Among the films that passed through his screening room were Chinatown, The Sting, The French Connection, Papillon, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, All the President's Men, and The Godfather.
Eventually, he landed a steady position at the CBS Sunday Night News, where he worked as a rear-screen technician, running film clips and visual elements behind legendary news anchor Charles Kuralt.
Having inherited his father's entrepreneurial spirit, Michael never limited himself to a single career path. While working in the studios, he simultaneously pursued a variety of creative ventures, including writing, photography, acting, and, whenever possible.
Writing
Michael's passion for storytelling eventually expanded beyond music and into the written word. During downtime on location and in the studios, he was constantly writing and crafting short fiction stories, which he regularly submitted to magazines with very little luck. One of his early works earned an Honorable Mention in the Reader's Digest National Fiction Writing Contest, giving him his first taste of success as a writer.
The story caught the attention of a family friend with deep connections to the New York Broadway theater community. Impressed by the concept, he offered Michael a contract to collaborate on adapting the story into a Broadway musical.
For months, the two worked tirelessly, developing characters, writing songs, and refining the script. Although the project ultimately stalled due to significant creative differences, the experience proved invaluable. It deepened Michael's understanding of storytelling, sharpened his writing skills, and reinforced his lifelong fascination with the powerful intersection of words and music.
While the musical never reached the stage, the experience ignited a lifelong love of writing and planted the seeds for future books, articles, blogs, and creative projects that would follow throughout Michael's career.
Photography
While working full-time in the studios and continuing to write songs and short stories, Michael decided to explore yet another creative path. Following in his father's entrepreneurial footsteps, he launched a photography business called Image Makers, specializing in professional headshots and promotional photography for actors, musicians, and entertainers. To attract clients, he advertised in The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Drama-Logue, one of the industry's leading publications for actors and theater professionals.
What began as another creative way to make a buck soon led to an unexpected opportunity. Michael was invited to serve as one of the official U.S. concert photographers and reviewers for the German rock publication Hitkrant. Although the position paid very little, it provided something far more valuable: unprecedented access to many of the era's biggest rock artists and live concerts.
Armed with a camera and a press pass, Michael found himself backstage, in photo pits, and face-to-face with some of the music industry's most influential performers. The experience sharpened his photography skills, introduced him to the world of music journalism, and provided firsthand exposure to the lives of artists, managers, promoters, and industry insiders. It also gave him extensive experience writing concert reviews, feature articles, and artist profiles.
Perhaps most importantly, the assignment offered Michael an inside look at the inner workings of a music publication.
Acting
Michael's first audition came at age eleven for a new television series called Circus Boy. Another young actor auditioning for the lead role was Mickey Dolenz. The two shared a laugh when they discovered how similar their names were. Dolenz landed the starring role in Circus Boy, and later achieved rock-and-roll fame as a member of the hit television series and band, The Monkees. Years later, life came full circle when Michael featured Mickey and The Monkees on the cover of Music Connection magazine.
With encouragement from a girlfriend who believed in his talent, Michael gave acting a try and auditioned for several local theater productions. His first role was in an original musical called She's Leaving Home, built entirely around Beatles songs, where he performed lead vocals on three numbers. That experience led to a featured role in Man of La Mancha, which opened to strong reviews at a popular 99-seat theater and enjoyed a successful six-week extension.
During the production, Michael befriended one of the show's guitarists. Their friendship evolved into a singing and songwriting partnership that performed throughout Southern California for nearly three years. The duo was eventually offered an exclusive songwriting “opportunity” with Universal Music, a subsidiary of Universal Studios. However, as often happens in the entertainment business, timing had other plans, and they ultimately chose to pursue separate paths.
Although the partnership ended, the experience added yet another chapter to Michael's growing education in the arts, reinforcing a lesson he would encounter throughout his career: in show business, talent is essential, but timing often makes all the difference.
Stepping Stones
The 1970s—often called the "Me Decade"—became the period when Michael truly made his bones in show business. He worked in virtually every corner of the entertainment industry, including performing, songwriting, photography, acting, location projection, journalism, and corporate media. Yet the broader his experience became, the stronger the pull back to music.
Rather than satisfying his ambitions, those years only deepened his desire to become a meaningful part of the music industry. Each opportunity added new skills, new relationships, and a deeper understanding of how the entertainment business really worked.
Looking back, Michael now realizes that every job, every setback, and every creative pursuit was preparing him for something larger. The lessons he learned as a musician, photographer, writer, journalist, entrepreneur, and industry insider were quietly converging into a single vision.
At the time, he had no idea that those experiences, actually stepping stones, would soon become the foundation for what would grow into one of the music industry's most influential trade publications.
He just hadn't discovered it yet.
Music Connection—Capturing The Zeitgeist
The inspiration for Music Connection arrived in 1977 during a spontaneous late-night road trip to Las Vegas with a good friend. They were heading there to pay tribute to Elvis Presley, who had just passed away, when Michael experienced what he can only describe as a creative download—a nonstop stream of ideas for a new kind of music publication that would serve both local musicians and the record industry execs.
Somewhere along the drive, he scribbled two words on a piece of paper: Music Connection.
It was one of those rare ideas he couldn't prove would work, but somehow knew it would.
Over the following months, Michael immersed himself in research and planning. He refined the concept, developed content ideas, secured copyrights, obtained a business license, reserved office space, located a printer, and assembled a rough mock-up of the publication. The magazine would include reviews of unsigned bands, interviews with top record company executives, industry news, and a free classified section that quickly became one of its most popular features. Musicians could search for players, buy and sell gear, promote their services, find rehearsal space, and make valuable industry connections. The more Michael developed the concept, the more convinced he became that he was onto something special.
Recognizing that the venture would require more than a one-man effort, he approached his longtime friend and fellow studio employee, Eric Bettelli, and invited him to join the adventure. Bettelli immediately saw the vision and, without hesitation, replied, "I'm in.”
In November 1977, the first issue of Music Connection hit the newsstands. Initially published as a weekly newspaper, the magazine received a modest response. After several months, Michael realized that a weekly schedule was ambitious, expensive, and, in hindsight, not one of his better ideas. The publication was soon converted to a bi-weekly format, cutting production costs in half and allowing the magazine to gain traction.
What began as a bold, risky experiment gradually evolved into essential reading for music industry executives and a trusted advocate for musicians and songwriters. Distributed nationwide through bookstores, newsstands, music stores, and Guitar Centers, Music Connection would eventually go on to become one of the most influential trade publications in the music industry.
Songwriter Connection Magazine
Five years into the growth of Music Connection, Michael recognized that songwriters needed a publication of their own—one that was as connected to the music industry as MC was. In response, he launched Songwriter Connection magazine.
The publication received rave reviews from readers but generated little enthusiasm from advertisers. The prevailing belief at the time was that songwriters simply didn't purchase enough musical instruments, studio equipment, rehearsal time, or promotional advertising to attract the level of advertiser support needed to sustain a national magazine.
What Michael had already learned from publishing MC was that advertising revenue was essential to success. Without strong advertiser support, the cost of producing Songwriter Connection soon began to erode the profits of Music Connection.
After only one year of publication, Songwriter Connection was sold to a private investor, who shortly thereafter ceased operations. Several staff members were unfortunately laid off, and Michael redirected all of the company's creative energy and resources back into strengthening and expanding Music Connection.
While Songwriter Connection proved to be a valuable publication for its readers, the experience reinforced an important lesson: in publishing, creating a great product is only half the battle—building a sustainable business model is equally important.
Seminar Leader
During the booming music industry of the early 80s, musicians were craving more information on how to get signed and there were few if any workshops, classes or seminars to attend. So, in order enhance the brand and better serve the local music connunity, Michael created “The Music Connection Survival Sessions”. A comprehensive series of seminars and workshops designed to educate musicians and industry professionals alike. These weekly classes gave MC the opportunity to present live interviews with record company A&R execs, managers, producers, etc. and covered everything from songwriting and record production to media relations, legal issues, publishing, and signing procedures—and helped musicians get valuable information direct from the horses mouth, expand the visibility and readship, and put the Music Connection brand firmly on the fasttrack to major success in the industry.
This work led to Michael being invited to be the keynote speaker at a UCLA career day, which unexpectedly turned into a two-year teaching position at UCLA Extension. His course, How to Produce Extraordinary Results in Your Showbiz Career, became the most attended c
lass in the Department of Arts & Sciences at the time.
The Music Industry Network
The success of the UCLA course inspired Michael to create The Music Industry Network (MIN), a private membership organization that connected professionals from every corner of the entertainment industry—long before "networking" became a popular buzzword.
Michael led the thriving community of more than 200 members, who met biweekly to exchange ideas, build relationships, overcome career obstacles, and create new opportunities through collaboration. The organization flourished for five years, bringing together artists, executives, managers, producers, songwriters, and entrepreneurs from throughout the industry.
Although MIN eventually concluded its run, Michael still regards it as one of the most rewarding projects of his career.
Desktop Publishing
That same year, Michael was introduced to an Apple computer and instantly became a devoted technology enthusiast. Recognizing the enormous potential of desktop publishing, he set out to transition Music Connection into the digital age.
Like many publishers at the time, he faced strong resistance from partners and staff who were comfortable with traditional production methods. After months of encouragement, training, and persistence, Apple computers began appearing on every desk in the company. Michael's message was simple: learn the new technology or move on.
The transition proved to be one of the most tumultuous periods in the company's history. Some employees embraced the change, some chose to leave, and others were let go. Yet Michael remained convinced that the future of publishing was digital.
In time, the gamble paid off. Desktop publishing dramatically increased efficiency, reduced production costs, and improved workflow throughout the organization. As Music Connection successfully entered the digital era, the company became more profitable, more competitive, and better positioned for future growth.
The AMP Network
As the Music Connection brand continued to grow and evolve, Michael saw the need to provide a more contemporary method for musicians to connect with each other. Utilizing the power of the Internet, along with MC’s clout, Michael created the AMP network, a private membership organization that catered to Artists, Musicians and Players. AMP provided professional and semi-pro musicians the opportunity to virtually connect and network with each other, on their devices, free from fans and non-music people. Eventually, after nearly a decade as a stand-alone feature, AMP was absorbed into the MC organization.
Four Small Ideas That Became Big Winners
To further unify the company’s offerings, over the years, Michael introduced several additional features and products, that served the readership, made the advertisors very happy, and furthered the growth of the brand:
The Weekly Bulletin: A subscription based newsletter which is emailed (free) to subscribers every wednesday, and provides exclusive news and opportunities for people who work in the music industry. LINK
The Blast: A (paid) opportunity for anyone in the industry to promote a product, service or event directly to the entire mailing list of Music Connection magazine via email. LINK
The Friday Freebie: A weekly give-away of products and services from our partners and advertisers in the pages of MC. Every week there is a drawing to determine who won this weeks Freebie. LINK
MC's Guide to Everything:
The first guide to appear in Music Connection was an exclusive directory of A&R reps from major and independent record labels, complete with names, contact information, and the types of music they were actively seeking. At the time, the guide was so unique and valuable that it quickly became one of the magazine's most widely read features.
Its popularity inspired Michael to include a specialized guide in every issue. Initially, the idea met resistance from staff members, who felt the guides consumed valuable editorial space and required too much time to compile. Michael disagreed. He believed these directories were among the most practical and valuable resources the magazine could provide. He was right.
As readership demand grew, advertisers quickly recognized the guides' value and eagerly sought placement within them. Since then, every issue of Music Connection has featured an exclusive industry guide covering services such as producers, publishers, entertainment attorneys, voice teachers, recording studios, rehearsal facilities, managers, booking agents, and countless other music-business resources.
Under New Management
Under Michael’s leadership, Music Connection magazine transformed from a traditional print publication into a thriving digital media company, featuring a heavily trafficked website alongside its national print edition. In recent years, the magazine has been affectionately called “the most beloved music publication in the industry.” In 2010, After 33 years as founder, CEO/Publisher, and Executive Editor, Michael sold his interest in the company he created. (See the article below “Why I Sold My Business”)
Author & Book Publisher check consistancy of dates
After years of publishing magazines, launching an independent book publishing company was a natural next step. In 1993, Michael founded "Mulholland Pacific Publishing" to produce and publish his own books, as well as selected projects he believed deserved a wider audience.
The company's first hard-cover release was Whistling Girl, the memoir of acclaimed television writer Ann Marcus, whose credits included numerous hit television dramas, soap operas, and sitcoms. The beautifully produced hardcover edition was distributed through major and independent bookstores, as well as Amazon, providing a promising start for the fledgling publishing company.
Michael eventually expanded the imprint to include his own work. To date, he has published six books under the Mulholland Pacific banner: two paperback books and four digital titles, all available through Amazon.
His first paperback, How to Care for Your Aging Parents and Still Have a Life of Your Own, was published in 1992 and reached #6 in its Amazon category. Based on extensive research and Michael's personal experience caring for his aging parents, the book received strong reviews and critical acclaim. (Currently sold out.)
His second paperback, Mastering Show Biz from the Heart: 10 Timeless Principles for Success in the Entertainment Industry, was published in 1997 and reached #13 in its Amazon category. The book offered practical guidance and enduring insights for artists and entrepreneurs seeking long-term careers in the entertainment business. (Currently sold out.)
Michael's four digital books are collections of stories, insights, inspiration, and practical wisdom drawn from a lifetime in the creative arts and entertainment industry. All are available through Amazon.
Meditation Teacher
Beyond business and the entertainment industry, Michael has devoted much of his life to the study of philosophy, spirituality, psychology, and human potential. Since 1985, he has maintained a daily meditation practice that has become a cornerstone of his personal and professional life.
Beginning in 1995, while Michael was at the height of his career in the music business, he made time each month to volunteer as a meditation teacher at California's Lompoc and Terminal Island federal penitentiaries. And For the next ten years, he traveled regularly to both facilities, teaching a unique meditation method to prison inmates seeking greater clarity, self-awareness, and inner peace.
Working with men from widely different backgrounds and life experiences, Michael witnessed firsthand the transformative power of mindfulness, self-reflection, and personal responsibility. Although the prisoners came from vastly different circumstances, many shared a common desire: to better understand themselves, find meaning in their lives, and create a more positive future.
The experience proved deeply rewarding and reinforced Michael's belief that personal growth and transformation are available to anyone willing to do the inner work—regardless of their past or present circumstances.
Reflecting on more than four decades of personal practice, Michael often summarizes the value of meditation in the simplest possible terms:
"I don't know who I would be without this simple daily practice in my life."
Blogs & Stories
In 2011, after four decades on the showbiz roller coaster, Michael began blogging. Today, his short stories and essays are read by thousands of creative artists and risk-taking entrepreneurs with big ideas and impossible dreams. His writing aims to inform, enlighten, challenge, and inspire those committed to a lifelong creative path. He publishes two to three blogs each month, all available in the Archive section of this site.
Today
Michael continues to write, speak, and serve as a private consultant to artists, entrepreneurs, content creators, and AI innovators working across the media, entertainment, and technology industries.
Drawing on decades of experience in business and the creative arts, he helps clients clarify their goals, overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and turn ideas into reality.
Whether you're seeking guidance, coaching, strategic insight, a second opinion, or simply an hour of focused conversation with Michael, each consultation is tailored to your unique goals and challenges.
To learn more or schedule a Zoom session, please visit his Consulting page.
Collapsible Text! make a duplicate of this About page and work on collapsing the back story! Blogs & Stories In 2011, after four decades on the showbiz roller coaster, Michael began blogging. Today, his short stories and essays are read by thousands of creative artists and risk-taking entrepreneurs with big ideas and impossible dreams. His writing aims to inform, enlighten, challenge, and inspire those committed to a lifelong creative path. He publishes two to three blogs each month, all available in the Archive section of this site. Today Michael continues to write, speak, and serve as a private consultant to artists, entrepreneurs, content creators, and AI innovators working across the media, entertainment, and technology industries. Drawing on decades of experience in business and the creative arts, he helps clients clarify their goals, overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and turn ideas into reality. Whether you're seeking guidance, coaching, strategic insight, a second opinion, or simply an hour of focused conversation with Michael, each consultation is tailored to your unique goals and challenges. To learn more or schedule a Zoom session, please visit his Consulting page.
Why I Sold My Business
Published in the 785th edition of Music Connection magazine,
Vol.000 No.000 June 1, 2010
I have never made a decision in my life that provoked so much soul-searching for such a long period of time. After 33 years of nurturing, nudging, prodding, caring for, and watching my baby—Music Connection magazine and its websites—grow into one of the most respected music trade publications in the industry, I have decided to step down as president and resign my position as co-publisher and executive editor.
The truth is simple: I sold my half of the company to my longtime business partner, Eric Bettelli, who will assume the role of CEO effective immediately.
Make no mistake, I arrive at this decision with a genuine sense of peace and gratitude. Eric and I remain the best of friends—more like brothers—and I am confident I am leaving the company in capable hands. MC enjoys an outstanding reputation for integrity and service, offers a variety of valuable products to musicians, and is supported by a talented staff committed to carrying the mission forward.
I am especially proud that MC, in its own humble way, has made a meaningful difference in the lives and careers of thousands of musicians around the world.
Even so, over the past several years I began to feel increasingly confined by my own success. Countless opportunities and ideas crossed my path, yet I always convinced myself that the day-to-day demands of growing Music Connection had to take priority. What once felt liberating had slowly begun to feel limiting.
To some, I have given up a dream job, and in many ways that's true. But for years I have been haunted by a simple question:
"Are you willing to risk who you are for who you could become?”
My answer has always been a resounding yes.
The best analogy I know comes from Anaïs Nin:
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
That quote perfectly captures how I feel today.
When I started MC in 1977, I had three simple goals:
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To help musicians navigate the challenges of the music business—because I am one.
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To create a career breakthrough for myself at a time when my music career was in limbo.
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Because there was absolutely nothing like Music Connection anywhere.
I originally imagined launching the magazine and then returning my full attention to music. It didn't quite work out that way.
Once the first issue hit the streets, I got swept up in the challenge and excitement of building a business. One year became five. Five became ten. Before I knew it, three decades had passed.
My music career took a back seat, but something unexpected happened: MC flourished.
Perhaps it became more successful than my music career ever would have been. Who knows?
What I do know is that writing books and blogs eventually replaced writing songs, and teaching seminars and speaking from the stage replaced performing under stage lights. It was a trade I never anticipated, but one I accept with gratitude.
What I've Learned
I've learned to embrace the unknown. The changes I've witnessed in the music business over the past decade are greater than any I've seen in all my years in entertainment. I love the way technology has transformed our industry. Who would have imagined that two computer geeks named Steve Jobs and Bill Gates would impact music and culture as profoundly as Lennon and McCartney? The medium changed, but innovation remained the driving force.
I've learned that truth triumphs over rhetoric. Although much has changed, the things that matter most remain the same: talent, relationships, commitment, persistence, authenticity, and practice—lots of practice.
I've learned that music is an expression of emotion, and who am I to judge another person's feelings? After listening to virtually every style of music imaginable for more than three decades, I have developed a profound respect for any artist who follows their creative spirit and expresses it honestly.
And finally, I've learned to speak less and listen more—though some may disagree.
Sometime around 1985, I began meditating. Since then, I have spent nearly every day trying to tame the beast between my ears. The balance I've found between the noise of rock and roll and the silence of my soul has been extraordinary.
I'm not sure who I would be without that one simple practice in my life.
What I'll Miss
Like most people leaving a long career, I'll miss the people most.
I'm proud to say I've made more friends than enemies in this business, and many of those friendships will last a lifetime. I'll especially miss the talented staff of MC—a remarkable group of people dedicated to helping musicians achieve their dreams.
I'll miss holding a brand-new issue of Music Connection fresh from the press.
And I'll miss the creative process of publishing itself—the challenge of turning words, ideas, graphics, and dreams into something tangible and meaningful.
What I Won't Miss
Firing people.
Especially good people.
In 33 years, it was the worst part of my job. Every difficult decision weighed heavily on me, and I apologize to anyone who felt that sting.
What's Next?
Truthfully, I don't know.
And that's exactly what excites me.
I still love the entertainment business. I plan to spend more time writing, teaching, speaking, consulting, and helping others navigate the challenges and opportunities in their lives and careers.
For the first time in decades, my calendar is not dictating my future.
Possibility is.
Sometimes I wonder if I sold out in 1977 when I traded my music career for an office job. Other times I feel it was exactly what I was meant to do.
Either way, music remains a trusted friend—always by my side, always inviting me to come out and play.
I cherish the ability to perform as a gift that I never take for granted. Whenever I get the chance to play with great musicians, my soul sings with joy, my fingers scream in agony, my heart races with excitement, and I laugh until I can barely catch my breath.
And that's enough.
To my friends, family, the wonderful staff of Music Connection, and everyone who has supported MC over the past three decades, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
You filled my life with challenge, purpose, friendship, and joy.
Peace & Love Forever,
Michael
