“Rand brings a much-needed sense of humor to the craft of songwriting and his own career in the music industry. The book is more than educational; it is fun and entertaining.”

– MARK VOLMAN
(The Turtles, Assistant Professor of Entertainment and
Music Business, Belmont University)

“Herein is raw experience, street-worthy advice and accurate instruction sent from the heart of it all. Makin’ Stuff Up is a joyful documentary from an individual who has been paying attention to the rhythm of our culture. Pay attention and learn!”

– THOM SCHUYLER
(Hit songwriter, former GM RCA Label Group, 3 term president NSAI, past President and Chairman of the CMA)

“LISTEN UP SONGWRITERS! Rand Bishop has maneuvered the minefields of the music bizness on his way to the mountain of hits. Learn from his honest and heartfelt view from the front lines.”

– KENT BLAZY
(writer of five Garth Brooks #1 songs, including If Tomorrow Never Comes & Ain’t Goin’ Down Till The Sun Comes Up)

“Weaving the story of his indomitable life as a journeyman songwriter, recording artist, record producer and jack of all musical trades around a master class in songwriting, Rand Bishop’s Makin’ Stuff Up is a must read for anyone who aspires to a career making music.”

– CYNTHIA WEIL
(Grammy-winning lyricist,inductee – Songwriters Hall of Fame)

What makes Makin’ Stuff Up unique among the many excellent tomes on song-craft?
Thank you for asking...

First and foremost, Makin’ Stuff Up’s odd-numbered songwriting chapters are written as a virtual co-writing experience. You, the reader, are the author’s collaborator. All writing is about making choices. And, every option in the songwriting process (from selecting those inspired song concepts, to whether and when to break for lunch, to what feedback to accept and apply, to how much vocal level to mix into the demos) is addressed in Makin’ Stuff Up—as if you are the other person in the room with the author.

Secondly, the book is written from the perspective of a songwriter who has, along the way, amassed vast, varied and matchless industry experience—as a recording artist, record producer, A&R/talent development exec and music publisher. Each even-numbered chapter details a selected adventure from the author’s mad-mouse journey—from his high school garage bands to the top of the charts. Co-starring with Rand in these anecdotes are such industry luminaries as Clive Davis, Brian Wilson, Sylvester Stallone, Glenn Frey, Karen Carpenter and many other important and provocative personalities.

This amounts to a volume that, on one hand, enumerates the do’s and don’ts of songcraft by inviting the reader into the actual decision-making process that leads to a solidly written pop song. In its second guise, Makin’ Stuff Up comprises a confessional memoir by an industry vet who’s been just about everywhere, done just about everything, and bears the scars, and has received the royalty checks and the awards to prove it.

Read an Excerpt