Interesting story . I have seen Bara a number of times , and when my HP is repaired , I look forward to seeing and hearing Von . Bara sings from the heart , and just his voice feeling may take him far ‘ and away ‘ into rl popcharts .
But ,… I am curious ; does this story mean R. Stone is now sending photo-journalists into SL now and I have to be more careful what ‘I’ wear because we might end up on the frontcover of RS in photos taken at inworld concerts and cool clubs as the ’stagebar’ . omg !

Seriously , it will be interesting to see how it goes for inworld and online artists as those named above and say Esmee on YouTube , and with the near video quality of cyber graphics , the latest games , how the quality of sound and image will evolve in SL . It is also an alternative way to just chill , and listen to streamed radio in imaginary social enviroments as the furry Luskwood SIM . …..and than there is the new quality cyber-goggles/earphones ….I could go on , sorry .

Dennis, you actually ran around the Internet to claim you signed an avatar first and discredit us, yet you say you signed him in May, but there is nothing on your website about it, at all. Nothing. Period. Nothing on your blogs from May or June or July or August or September. Nothing. Not a word about this signing until after we made our announcement, and then only in your running around to our news stories to piggyback on them and say we are wrong.

You say you don’t care who is “first” but the whole point of your post was to point out your claim of it. So which is it, do you or don’t you care? No, it doesn’t matter, but it was part of what made it news, that and the fact that the label doing the signing actually has a track record and has sold more than hundreds of records by its acts. Reality has people on it who have a history of selling records, some early in their careers, some late in their careers. I don’t think your label could have gotten on Rolling Stone even if it had announced it, so maybe your only shot at getting news about Bara on here was to piggyback our story.

Somebody said RE should have done their homework first. They did. No other avatar (get it, avatar) has signed with a real world record company before this deal was announced, with a label that had the good sense to actually announce it to the world. If Bara Jonson’s label was not impotent in their business dealings, they wouldn’t have to be running around tagging onto somebody else’s news stories when they failed to tell anyone at all that they had signed an avatar. There is still nothing online about it other than this guy’s word on the comments of these news stories. If he had done his job, he would not have found us claiming a first in the news release, because we would have know, as would have the world.

No, it doesn’t matter who is the first. But my honor matters, and I don’t want to be called our as a liar or a fool when we did the research and now somebody comes running up from the sidelines saying, “We were first, we were first!” If you’d have done your job, we would have known about Bara Jonson. Even now, you waited until Sept 8th to bother with your comments….. lame.

I won’t dignify alxman’s comments with a reply.

Guywithnolife.. yes you were rigth.. I have been in and listened to music in SL now.. and there are really good musicians as you said. Really enjoyed the music there. So I was like you, sceptical cos I didnt know.. but I didnt know that was the same as having no musical history knowledge at all!? Or where you just lashing out for some reason!?

Sheila.. Im probably one of those who doesn’t understand the difference either… Von or Bara.. both avatars… “No shows or performances except by the “avatar”, not the person behind the avatar.” Isn’t it going to be very quiet then?? Since there is a real person who actually does the performing!? Also I’ve seen posters of Von with both his SL and RL pict on.. so it’s really not that separated as you say.
So congrats Von you are the first that signed.. 3 months after somebody else! And there’s probably others…

alxman - are you just assuming? or have you actually checked out any gigs in SL? Von is a fine guitar player, and recently did a gig in SL with a former member of Fleetwood Mac (perhaps you have not heard of them either?) I was sceptical about live music in SL, untill I actually saw first hand just how good some of these people are. Of course, for people with lives, perhaps just having a myspace page, and never actually playing their songs to an audience is ok - but SL gives performers a chance to play to people all over the world - live - and to get instant feedback from the audience. Good for the ‘avatar’ Von, and for any other performer involved in SL (avatar or not) who gets some wider recognition for their music!

Shouldnt the correct headline then be “Second Life Bluesman gets record deal in Second Life”. Since its all in virtual world, whats the point? Then the poor guy can not play in real life claiming to be the one signed in Second Life because then he is no longer only performing in Second Life!?
I think Second Life is comletely overrated and for people with no life anyway. If they were any good musicians they would be known in real life.

Mr. Kinsey, congrats on signing Bara however you like a few others have missed the point of Von’s signing. Von the “avatar” was signed and only the avatar will be doing the performing. No shows or performances except by the “avatar”, not the person behind the avatar. Others in SL have done records and such, but Von is the first “avatar” to be given a real world record deal as an avatar only as was stated above “virtual character”. Best of luck to your label and Bara.

Von Johin may be the first “blues” artist signed to a real-life record deal from Second Life, but he is not the first musician signed. We signed Bara Jonson (a Swedish singer and songwriter) back in May 2008. Bara is coming to Syracuse, NY later this month to play at Jazz Central and to record his debut CD, “Far and Away.”

By the way, we love Johin’s work and catch his SL shows often. Best of luck to Von Johin and his new record label. I don’t think it matters who is “first.” What matters is that talented SL musicians, like Von and Bara, are also finding RL outlets for their music.

Best regards,
Dennis Kinsey, Head Honcho
Hondo Mesa Records
PO Box 35303
Syracuse, NY 13235
315.708.5217

There are scouts in SL. Bara Jonson got signed to Hondo Mesa Records from NY in June this year. Heard hes crossing the Atlantic to record soon

Yes he is whirligig secondlife.com
is a place to grow into real life.
Maybe one day Linden Lab well find a way for more then 100 people to see
someone as good as Von Johin.

Hey I hope this means a whole bunch of scouts will be looking for the rest of us on SL

-Dann (Numbers) Russo

Agrees with whirligig, been following Von in Second Life for several months, he is just the best. Glad to see he is getting the recognition he deserves

he’s worth googling and searching on youtube, if you like great piedmont style blues picking. here’s hoping he spreads all over the internet and sells tons. this guy is the real deal.