"Insuring" Angel Investors

Image via WikipediaThe idea behind insurance is that you pay for auto insurance, I pay for auto insurance, and so do a million other people. Not a million get into accidents. When a few do, it is paid for by all collectively.

Angel investors get screwed by established venture capitalists routinely. In the later rounds the VCs hog the negotiations in ways that people who believed in you early end up getting the short shift. You end up not making money even when the startup does well.

And then there is the no small matter of losing your money entirely because the startup you invested in went down.

It is a numbers game. Startups are known to go down. The best VCs expect at least one third of their startups to go down. And at the outset they have no idea which one third.

US Royalty: Staying Together

Image by cesareperdomo via FlickrImage by cesareperdomo via Flickr
Image by Lynt via Flickr
Image by _rockinfree via Flickr
One of the mesmerizing aspects of U2 for me - a group dynamics person - is that they have stayed together as a band, and if they have managed that so far, it probably is too late for them to break up now, or 10 years from now.

How did they do that?

To be able to find the right founding members, and to stick it out, year in year out. How many tech startups can make that boast? It takes a lot. How do you maintain a fiery pace of innovation? And how do you stick it out as a team?

That's an art. That's science.
Image by _rockinfree via Flickr
If the US Royalty are who I think they are, they will still be one band 20 years from now. And if they are not together 10 years from now I am going to think I bet on the wrong horse. Oh, well.

As of last night I have talked to three of the four. ("Hi, I am John." "I know.") I am going to track down the drummer also somewhere down the line. I'm sure they will be back in town soon enough.

...... singer John Thornley, guitarist Paul Thornley, bassist Jacob Michael, and drummer Luke Adams.

Happy 4th From My Friend Luke
Image by cesareperdomo via Flickr
And, by the way, they eat organic food. That should help them stay together. I asked Paul, you are on the road often, how does that impact your personal life? Oh, it's hard, he said, it's like going into the military, but I have a girlfriend.

Bono is married to his high school sweetheart.

The Beatles had a John and a Paul, and the US Royalty have a John and a Paul, only these two are brothers.

US (Bloody) Royalty!

@saveFaris
ron faris Most epic band I saw at #cmj goes to @usroyalty. I saw Jesus during "the desert can't save you"
Oct 22 via Twitter for AndroidFavoriteRetweetReply

@yeahtwiceisnice
Erika Friedlander @usroyalty best band at cmj @ Brooklyn Bowl http://t.co/pjvHLdVU
Oct 21 via InstagramFavoriteRetweetReply

@hansonmusic
HANSON Checking out @USRoyalty do a killer show during #CMJ. --Taylor http://t.co/BZAaRGHZ
Oct 22 via Twitter for iPhoneFavoriteRetweetReply

Foster The People, US Royalty
Brooklyn Bowl: Thursday: US Royalty
Music Bands, Tech StartUps: Much In Common
US Royalty
Think Different

Foster The People, US Royalty

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeBrooklyn Bowl: Thursday: US Royalty
Music Bands, Tech StartUps: Much In Common
US Royalty
Think Different

Here's Sean Parker making a mention of Foster The People.

Sean Parker's AirTime Could Net Him Tens Of Billions
Sean Parker: Mystery Man
White Male Conspiracy To Drive Me Homeless
Foster The People

Mashable: Sean Parker: Facebook Power Users Have Gone to Twitter or Google+

Unless they desperately need an advance, Parker believes, bands are better off on their own. He apologized to his friends in the recording industry but offered the slow-to-grow success of indie band Foster The People as a prime example.

This is Foster The People's signature song. I am thinking you have come across it already, like I had although I did not know the name of the band. Check it out, it is pretty cool.



And now listen to these two songs by US Royalty.




Don't tell me the US Royalty songs are not better. They have richer texture. They have richer melody. They have more meaningful lyrics. Although the Foster The People song has greater simplicity.

These two US Royalty songs remind me of some U2 songs that just tickle you at a few different levels that stay hard to locate.

Foster The People

"Don't Throw Your Business Card At Me"

Image via WikipediaI had been meaning to make it to the Dumbo Tech Breakfast MeetUp a long time now, and finally today I did, although I almost did not go: I am not a morning person. The alarm went off at seven, I rolled out of bed 30 minutes later. This was an unusual time. I am so glad I went.

Events: Week Of October 17

I found myself seated next to this hotshot programmer dude. He has already sold a company. I will not go into details. Because he and I will be in conversation mode for weeks.

But the story of the day was this other dude. At one point he simply stands up and says, "Next time don't throw your business card at me, and don't look the other way before someone has been able to give their business card to you!"

New Business Card On The Way

I was surprised. He made it sound like it had been beneath me to take his business card. That is so not me. I eagerly collect business cards. And I am very good at sending out that first email. Sometimes when there has been a backlog, and I can't remember the name to the face, or where I met the person, the email will simply say, it was good to meet you the other day.

"You have a card? Give me, I will take it," I offered.

Brooklyn Bowl: Thursday: US Royalty

I am going.

Music Bands, Tech StartUps: Much In Common
US Royalty