Scandalous!
IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW WANTS TO BREAK INTO JOURNALISM,
BEWARE OF PEOPLE LIKE THIS.......
Meet Marc & Annette Michaels
One of the most wonderful things about the internet is that it is jam packed full of useful information... IF you know where to search! Some information is harder to come by, so if you are looking for Hollywood Gossip columns, this isn't the right page for you. However, if you have been taken in and scammed by Marc Michaels, and or Country Music Live Magazine, you have stumbled into a great place to gather some background information. This website is dedicated to assist the seeker in finding out the truth about a certain individual, whose lies and deceptions have almost caught up with him. The hourglass is almost empty, and we are hot on the trail.
The purpose of this site is to inform you about Marc Michaels, Annette Michaels, Country Music Live Magazine, or any of the other companies with Marc listed as the "registered agent" in Tennessee. Here you will find some awesome links to websites with further information, including Marc's past lawsuits, Country Music Live Magazine's not very good standing with the Better Business Bureau, and Stacy's Music Row Report, where others have told their stories of fraud and deception. Mr. Michaels, you can run, but you cant hide forever.
I made the connection with Marc Michaels while he was still located in the
north, Pennsylvania to be a bit more accurate. I saw a copy of this new magazine,
"Country Music Live" in January of 2000. It was a new bi-monthly
publication with a live shot of Shania Twain on the cover, very slick, and I decided to call
to request guidelines to submit material. After receiving an
enthusiastic reception from Mr. Marc Michaels. I sent some sample photos
and tear sheets per his request, I was subsequently asked if some of the sample pictures
could be used in the next issue. At that time I was given a list (verbally
over the phone) of other artists who were to be included in the issue, and would I
send some pictures up to them for consideration. Of course I said yes and our work appeared starting in the
second issue! How fortunate we were, my partner and I, to be getting in on
the ground floor of what appeared to be a rising new star. The third issue
rolled out and more of our work was published, I was beyond ecstatic! The
train was moving, and we were on board ready to roll.
I had to make a couple of calls, just to check on payment issues, rates and
schedule, I was told by the 15th of the month after the date of issue.
That was fine by me, so I waited for payment. After a couple of more
calls, I finally saw a check, but the rate sheet wasn't included, so I requested
that again. There were a few more checks but the numbers weren't adding
up. There was a kind of breakdown on the invoices, A. B. C. etc, and the
money didn't seem to jibe consistently from check to check. After a more few
long distance calls, I was told the errors were due to poor a payroll company
and it would all be straightened out in the next check, "when we have our
new payroll company on board." Even with the next check the problem must
have fallen between the cracks, they were truly sorry, and the matter would be
taken care of, I was still making more requests for the rate schedule, which he
finally did fax to me in June of 2000. Upon reviewing the sheet, I
realized I was owed quite a bit of money due, according to Michaels, to the incompetence of that
(bad)
payroll company. It never seemed to be a good time to contact him after
that . Soon there was a choose this # to leave a message with this
department, choose that # to leave a message with that department voicemail
system on the phone. So I just left messages until I finally got to speak
with Marc. We were still short changed on the first few checks, but now we
weren't getting any checks. "I will check into that, you must have
fallen between the cracks." Fallen between the cracks and apparently
into the bottomless pit! We called to receive a monthly comp copy of
the magazine that should have arrived with a check, but still no
payments.
As a freelance writer I was chomping at the bit for a steady gig with a real future, and according to Marc and his wife Annette, this was it. They were going to be in town soon, and they wanted to meet. We were offered the position of exclusive Nashville photographers, we needed to get together and discuss some ideas that Marc and Annette wanted to pursue for the magazine.
My partner and I sat with Marc and Annette Michaels at a posh deli in Nashville located in the Music Row area called "Noshville", where we discussed our future with Country Music Live (CML) and all the opportunities that would be available to us. I was actually offered the position as photo editor as soon as the new office opened in Nashville. I joked about a corner office that looked out upon the BMI building. Oh how we laughed and made merry that day! Annette shared with us her story of their life in California, where she had a successful modeling agency.
Annette Michaels
How fulfilled she was doing something she loved, and now it was Marc's turn to live his dream. This was the dream to publish a couple of magazines, there were to be a lot of great opportunities on the horizon! And all our financial woes would be righted once he had his new team in place, new payroll and straightening out our checks would be a priority. There was a catch to all these promises and employment offers though, he did not want to see our work appearing in any other publications, he wanted us to be exclusive to CML. And about the money, that was going to be taken care of, just as soon as they could. "We don't want to loose you girls!"
I called to bitch about
checks AGAIN. Unfortunately I hit him (Michaels) with that old stale dilemma just
before his quick move to Nashville. You see, he informed me, the pressure of not being in the
heart of Nashville started to get to him after the first year of issues rolled off the
presses, he
realized he needed to be on "The Row" with his finger on the pulse of
the Country Music industry. This was where he needed to be, because, even though
he was "a big fish in a little pond" up there, he had full intentions
on becoming an even "bigger fish in a bigger pond" down here.
Nashville was about to be invaded by the Michaels family. And... "if
you can just hang in there with me for a little while longer, I will make
everything right. We will be all caught up.
So there I was, waiting to get all caught up, meanwhile the mortgage was being
paid via the old credit card, as were the groceries and insurance premiums, but
we were hanging in there because, well damn it, he sounded so sincere.
Marc Michaels
Marc Michaels came to Nashville from Pennsylvania, with his glossy slick new magazine in hand. Country Music Live was going to bury the competition. He told us over and over again just how wonderful things were going to be. I couldn't wait to see my office.
The thought of having that steady income, no more articles and photos sent out on spec, this was going to be a real career move! So, with the exception that should we be asked to cover a specific event by a publicist or company the exclusive rule not apply. We then agreed that CML (Country Music Live) would be given first choice of the photos we took. All was agreed upon and we left with good feelings about our decision.
The Move to Nashville finally came to fruition and the first emails came in with instructions that no one was to stop by the new office without an appointment, no phone calls unless it was of an extreme nature. It would be best for all involved if we kept our correspondence up via email only. Instructions and assignments would be doled out that way, thus keeping everyone on track with technology. But, technology provided record companies. PR firms, and publicists with even more exciting news... Not only was "Country Music live" so well received in the industry it was about to go from a bi-monthly publication to monthly status after the New Year! Oh, and the BEST news was that there was going to be a "sister" publication called "Nashville Live"
Payments were falling further and further behind, and all out emails (and unwelcome phone calls) were met with "sorry, you fell between the cracks", "Thanks for bearing with us during our transition, all will be on track shortly", "payments will be disbursed next week", I saw your check cross my desk", ...etc, etc, etc. You will see copies of there emails a bit further down the site.
Little did I know that EVERYONE on board the CML train was receiving these notes. But we fell for the lines, and come to find out these were outright lies. We received our last check from CML in January of 1991, and continued working with Marc and the Magazine until the September 1991 issue. On September 11, 1991 we sent Marc an email that expressed our disappointment with the way he was handling his financial obligations to us, and no longer wanted him to use any Morello/Ghergia material in his publication.
Later our financial problem was put into perspective when the World Trade Center, a neighborhood in Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon fell under attack. It was devastating.
In October, Marc Michaels sent out an official press release stating he was about to not only bring "Country Music Live" into the new year as a monthly publication, but that he was also going to be launching a new regional title, "Nashville Live"!
When questioned about our money situation, he claimed that the events of September 11th left him with limited finances and that he was hurting too. When I questioned the validity of this statement, since he announced in October about his prosperous endeavors for the New Year he turned into a different man. He showed his true colors right there. We started doing a little research and found out we weren't and aren't the only ones getting the shaft. NO ONE WAS GETTING PAID NO ONE GOT PAID even worse is the fact that people paid good money for subscriptions they never received. Now I admit Michaels claims to have done good by those people, but there are still those who received nothing but the bill. And his lies kept flowing like Jed Clampett's oil, and they still do.
We got a lawyer in December and have been running around trying to get satisfaction, but he seems to a routine of requesting continuance after continuance with court, then when a judgment is made against him he files appeal after appeal, wearing down the energy and trying the patience of not only the lawyer, and the plaintiff, but the judge as well. Here we are, now September 2002, and still no results.
I recently spoke to the woman who owns the home Marc and Annette rented down in Franklin, she had only regrets that she didn't know what the Michaels were all about sooner. She had take Marc to court after several months of non payment of the rent. She heard all the same lines we had, and believed them. She ended up taking Michaels to court where he swore before the judge that he would pay in 10 days. He never paid, she went back to court and received a judgment against Marc Michaels in the Williamson County Court in Tennessee. The last thing the landlord saw was a moving van in front of the house, and no sign of the Michaels family.
Marc Michaels & Country Music Live
Information/Background Links
If only we knew then what we know now! Go ahead, explore...
Civil Docket Report this one can be confusing, but the end results are right here...
IT IS ORDERED THAT THE ARBITRATION AWARD ENTERED ON 1/12/01 IN FAVOR OF PLTF AND AGAINST DEFT, COUNTRY MUSIC LIVE INC IN THE AMOUNT OF $41,395.00 IS RREINSTATED AND JUDGMENT IS ENTERED IN FAVOR OF PLTF, CREATIVE PRINT GROUP INC AGAINST SAID DEFT IN THAT AMOUNT TOGETHER WITH THE SUM OF $300.00 PURSUANT TO THE ORDER OF 4/20/01 FOR A TOTAL JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF PLTF, CREATIVE PRINT GROUP INC AND AGAINST DEFT, COUNTRY MUSIC LIVE INC IN THE AMOUNT OF $41,695.00. BY THE COURT ...TERESHKO,J 10/15/01
Civil Docket Report 2 from the early days
MARC MICHAELS, WHO HAD APPEARED AT THE INITIAL PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE PRO SE, WAS NOT REPRESENTED BY ARTHUR L. GUTKIN, ESQ. AND HAD REQUESTED EXTENSION OF TIME FOR DISCOVERY. THE TRI AL HAVING BEEN LISTED FOR OCTOBER 7, 1991, THE COURT BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS MATTER WAS TRIED IN THE FEDERAL COURT IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT, THAT COUNSEL HAS AVAILABLE TO HIM THE TRANSCRIPTS OF THE TRIAL AND THAT CONSEQUENTLY, EXTENSIVE DISCOVERY IS NOT REQUIRED; WHEREFORE, COUNSEL IS ORDERED TO COMPLETE DISCOVERY NO LATER THAT 15 DAYS BEFORE THE DATE SET FOR TRIAL. A PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1991 AT 9:00 A.M. IN COURTROOM 1110 ONE EAST PENN SQUARE, PHILA. J. CARSON 09/03/91 NOTICE UNDER RULE 236.
| 07-FEB-1992 | JUDGMENT OF NON PROS ENTERED |
NON PROS, NON PROSEQUITUR - The name of a judgment rendered against a
plaintiff for neglecting to prosecute his suit agreeably to law and the rules of
the court.
Stacy's Music
Row Report
page on Marc Michaels and Country Music Live Magazine
Tennessee Business put in "Search by using Secretary of State Control Number" 0407693
Better Business Bureau keep in mind all of Country Music hone numbers and addresses are no longer validLive's p
Can't find the web page? It's gone, however a whois search provided us the following...To help you with your continued search endeavors we are providing you with a few helpful tools, like this REVERSE EMAIL Look-up.
This free script provided by
JavaScript
Kit
Press Releases
Press Release April 2001
To writers/photographers and the Media
Press Release April 2001
To writers/photographers and the Media
Page 1 of April Press release
Page 2 of April Press Release
This bulk e-mail was sent out in March 2001 to all the
writers and photographers
working with Country Music Live:
l find a few examples of emails received from Marc
Michaels
Editor/Publisher and
March 29,2001
Dear Writers & Photographers,
As many of you may know by now, Country Music Live is moving from its
present location in Philadelphia to new offices on Music Row in
Nashville. This transition will benefit us all as we combine our rapid
growth with a much higher profile in Music City, the true home of
America's music, known simply as country music!
This exciting development has caused confusion and is very chaotic as
the logistics involved are roughly equivalent to a tornado sending
ripples through our various departments. Aside from the move both
professionally and residentially for our staff, we are also on press for
our upcoming issue and developing future issues and future projects all
at the same time.
Inevitably, errors and delays may and will occur which could possibly
effect some, if not most of you. Specifically, I am referring to payment
on the current issue or receipt of the current issue.which wouldn't
surprise me due to all that is going on. If you haven't received a
current March issue, featuring Travis Tritt, please e mail me and we
will send you one promptly.
Typically, we plan to pay on the issue which is on the newsstands by the
end of that month's issue date or shortly thereafter. However, I do
anticipate a delay in processing and thank you all for your patience and
understanding.Due to the enormous growth and acceptance of CML in
general,, all policies are subject to change as warranted and we will
always keep you informed and updated.
In the near future, when the dust settles, a designated accounting
person will be your direct contact regarding these matters. Until that
time, upon which you will be notified, PLEASE direct any accounting
issues whatsoever exclusively to me at
marcmichaels@countrymusiclive.com.
Please, no exceptions!
We will be issuing a press release shortly with contact info, but for
now, all mail should be directed to Country Music Live, 9 Music Square (Side Note
South #999 Nashville, TN 37203 This is a P.O. Box
In general, we prefer, whenever possible, that you communicate via e On Music Row)
mail or regular mail, rather than by phone. Though we want to be as
personal with you as is reasonable in a professional setting, it is too
time consuming to field direct phone calls and once established,
personal visits to our office MUST be arranged by appointment only!
Thank you for your contributions to what we are truly trying to prove is
the ultimate in country music publications....Country Music Live....Your
Backstage Pass to Country Music.
Thank you again and stay tuned.
Marc Michaels/Editor & Publisher
I can only assume that since this was a Post Office Box Address, there were no office visits at that time!
This was sent bulk email to all writers and photographers in June 2001
**Note the promise of payments that are outstanding to be sent
out by "the end of next week."
Those payments never went out.
Located on this page are a few of the emails we exchanged with Marc Michaels regarding Non-payment for work used in his publication, Country Music Live Magazine. If these images appear blurry, please email me for clearer images at axgrnd@aol.com.
This came to us from Marc
In July of 2001
This arrived in August,
he was sure he saw our check...
it never arrived.
Just to be certain, we exchanged emails
again...
once again there was
NO CHECK SENT
Things went on like this several more times, but the real kick in the ass came when we received this email...
