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33677 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Xlibris Releases A New Book Featuring Music and Poetry New Book has social and spiritual messages that readers can discern from Accra, Ghana – (Release Date TBD) – Music and poetry are two forms of art that greatly complement each other and its followers. With the release of the new book Pop Poetry, author Robert Bannerman brings to readers an unforgettable and unique experience of entertainment that will leave them breathless and amazed. Pop Poetry features an astonishing collection of poems and lyrics of the band FUNKMATA. The music can be heard on the website www.funkmata.com, where the album Simple Stuff is On Line. The lyrics for the upcoming album TRANCELATION are also included. Pictures of famous Soul, funk, Folk and Rock stars are included in the work to give the reader and idea of the time and era in which the author composed some of these songs and wrote the poetry. The pictures will give readers the inside story as to the feel of RETRO in the type of music FUNKMATA is dishing out. Interestingly this book also has a very strong influence of the life and works of Jimi Hendrix. Most of the poetry is coded for readers to determine the hidden message. The author is of the view that this novelty is definitely therapeutic in its nature and can be of spiritual help to anyone in distress. Entertaining and richly-layered, readers will find Pop Poetry a unique work of talent and therapeutic literature as it contains social and spiritual messages that they can discern from. The novelty of this book is the blend of known faces with the unknown. Highly recommended for both music and poetry fans, Robert Bannerman’s Pop Poetry is now available for ordering online at Xlibris.com, Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com or at your favorite bookstore today! About the Author ROBERT BANNERMAN was born at 12 noon on the 8th of December 1952 in Accra, Ghana. Robert’s father was the first gynaecologist in Ghana and the first African to be honoured with the Fellow of the Royal College of Gynaecologist in Britain. Robert’s primary and secondary education was in England and Switzerland with the completion of his academic laurels in Computer Science in Geneva. Although a cosmopolitan who worked at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Robert preferred to play Rock’n Roll at night clubs and concert venues. This was most unbecoming of an African academic, who was privileged to taste the best of European academic institutions and then feign interest. The spirit driving his musical ambition was so great that in 1982 and 1983, he undertook two projects with the sons of the late Alistair Maclean. Both Michael and Ali Maclean were enthused with the knowledge and experience of this young African with a strong penchant for Jimi Hendrix, and a great command of English and French literature. After releasing two singles, Robert returned to his homeland Ghana, in 1983. With the advent of the internet, he undertook his latest project FUNKMATA and hosted it on the net. Most of the poetry in this collection constitute the lyrics of the first FUNKMATA album, Simple Stuff (www.funkmata.biz) email: Robert@funkmata.biz and the 2nd album titled TRANCELATION yet to be released. Robert is married with three children and is a business consultant in Accra. Pop Poetry * by Robert Bannerman Publication Date: July 5, 2006 Trade Paperback; $10.00; 53 pages; 1-4257-1257-6; Cloth Hardback; $16.99; 53 pages; 1-4257-1258-4 To request a complimentary paperback review copy, contact the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 472. Tearsheets may be sent by regular or electronic mail to Marketing Services. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x.876. Xlibris books can be purchased in any major bookstore, or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or Xlibris. For more information, contact Xlibris at (888) 795-4274 or on the web at www.Xlibris.com.

We do not need to get rid of record companies. They will get rid of themselves. The writing is on the wall. Corporate greed worldwide has spun us into a recession, due to ineptness of managers and decision makers to undertake financial transactions with due diligence and transparency. This is the cancer of the entertainment industry where executives in A&R will only promote friends and family members, instead of talented musicians. Record labels out there have dropped sales by more than 25% in the last five years, and have started laying off a lot of their staff. This void is being filled by companies on the Net marketing songwriting competitions for a fee of course and A&R production companies. Not to mention all the Indies labels and the radio promotion companies. All these guys ask for money upfront before they will even process your music. The fees range from $20.- per song in songwriting competitions to $300- $5000 for agencies, A&R and other ancillary sharks out there. The concept is to capture the musician/artist on their emotion and desire to make a breakthrough in the industry and play on that psychological anxiety. Songwriting competitions will solicit you with products from their sponsors prior to declaring the results of the competition. Meanwhile you can rest assured you will not be selected amongst those who may benefit from a publishing or record deal. The change has manifested by means of the Net. Independent musicians and other well meaning people are presently feverishly creating a digital age where the success of the music will be determined by the fans and the dj's in the radio stations. Mainstream charts and record labels will still be in control for a while until the convergence of the cost of marketing and the cost of the artist cd will reflect reduced profit margins for the marketing team and greater earnings for the artist. Star status will soon become a thing of the past and huge revenues made by some labels will shrink, enabling other fresh talent enter the music industry. The artist will also feel the economic downturn of dwindling revenues and will resort to live performances to increase their profit margin. Good live bands will rule. Playback and miming will get hurt. The consumer will reap the benefits.

Song of the Year JANUARY 2007 MARCH 2007 Awarded to Funkmata. Funkmata has been selected as a "Finalist" in the January 2007 round of the Song of the Year song and lyric competition. Song of the Year receives entries from all over the world and only the top five entries achieve "Finalist" status. Funkmata has been selected as a "Suggested Artist" in the March 2007 round of the Song of the Year song and lyric competition. Song of the Year receives entries from all over the world and only those artists whose collective works display consistently noteworthy creativity and talent receive such recognition. For more information about Funkmata please visit www.funkmata.biz For more information about Song of the Year please visit www.songoftheyear.com

Author Biography ROBERT BANNERMAN was born at 12 noon on the 8th of December 1952 in Accra, Ghana. Robert’s father was the first gynaecologist in Ghana and the first African to be honoured with the Fellow of the Royal College of Gynaecologist in Britain. Robert’s primary and secondary education was in England and Switzerland with the completion of his academic laurels in Computer Science in Geneva. Although a cosmopolitan who worked at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Robert preferred to play Rock’n Roll at night clubs and concert venues. This was most unbecoming of an African academic, who was privileged to taste the best of European academic institutions and then feign interest. The spirit driving his musical ambition was so great that in 1982 and 1983, he undertook two projects with the sons of the late Alistair Maclean. Both Michael and Ali Maclean were enthused with the knowledge and experience of this young African with a strong penchant for Jimi Hendrix, and a great command of English and French literature. After releasing two singles, Robert returned to his homeland Ghana, in 1983. With the advent of the internet, he undertook his latest project FUNKMATA and hosted it on the net. Most of the poetry in this collection constitute the lyrics of the first FUNKMATA album, Simple Stuff (www.funkmata.biz) email: Robert@funkmata.biz and the 2nd album titled TRANCELATION yet to be released. Robert is married with three children and is a business consultant in Accra. Books: Pop Poetry

Africa, Africa Africa, Africa, your ground is shaking Who can undo the trouble we’re making. With blood and greed we loot your wealth Just like the leopard with cunning stealth. Africa, Africa, when will you prosper To stand up and say this is New Order. The markets will fall, the numbers will crunch And the expats will miss their dollar lunch. For ‘tis not power nor the gun that rules But the might of, the economics school. Africa, Africa rise and shine For this will be the last time. Africa, Africa when will it end The shame the blame the hatred game.