Today At The Tower

"Sticks and stones may break your bones
But words can break your heart"

So I'm driving to Capitol thinking about who's in my rearview mirror. Not literally, although traffic was squirrely, with the Vine exit closed, but figuratively, as in Hale Milgrim, Gary Gersh, Andy Slater, Roy Lott... Decades have gone by and what once was isn't. The music train keeps rolling along, but the most interesting thing I read this week was Tad Friend's article about Marc Andreesen in the "New Yorker." Silicon Valley wants to change the world, Hollywood just wants to get rich.

And after parking my car in the back lot, it's all about parking in Los Angeles, I take the elevator up to the top where Toni escorts me into Steve Barnett's office where he and Ambrosia are listening to a record, not a word being said, Steve staring rapturously at the wall.

This obviously wasn't done for me, I caught them in a moment. And what was playing over the speakers was...SPECTACULAR!

So I go from caring not a whit about the music business to being totally riveted, feeling that I'm back to where I once belonged.

And when the track finishes Steve tells me it's the album of the year, which sounds reasonable to me, since this is the guy who built Sam Smith in the U.S., and he's going to do his best to deliver this 67 year old another hit.

Huh?

Now I'm completely confused. So I ask "Who is this?"

DON HENLEY!

I was completely flummoxed. I'm a fan, you'd figure I'd know his voice anywhere. But the room was vast, with the B&W speakers against the far wall and very little sound-absorbing material, and I figured it had to be someone new.

But it wasn't.

Henley told me years ago that he was working on a new album. At this point I figured it'd never come out. After all, even Paul McCartney can't have a hit. Tom Petty ramps up publicity but after a week, no one cares. But one listen through this track and I was hooked. It was the lyrics above, sung in a plaintive voice Henley owns the patent on, I couldn't get them out of my head.

Ain't that the truth, especially as you get older. When you leave the schoolyard behind. It's what people say that you can't get over.

Not that this was the agenda for our lunch. But as we walked to Katsuya, as Steve told me about the new Capitol Records, I couldn't get the Henley track out of my mind.

First of all, how did Steve get it?

From Irving.

But how does Steve know Irving?

Steve called him when AC/DC were doing their Wal-Mart deal. Irving was supportive of him getting the Capitol gig.

And that's when Steve launched into his rap about it all being about people. That he learned that from his dad, that that's what separated the great teams from the also-rans. It was key that he assemble the best team at Capitol, and he believes he has.

And it's also about the plan. You've got to have all the pieces put together and execute flawlessly. It starts with great music, of course, but being tied up with Pittman and iHeart, SNL, the promoter, you've got to have it all lined up to succeed today. Because there's so much noise, it's hard to break through the clutter.

Not that Steve has all the answers. He told me he changes his mind all the time, when his people confront him and give him new insight, show him another way of doing things.

And A&R is a thing of the past. Sure, you need scouts. Yes, it's great if they can help make the records. But today it's about the audience and your gut. If the audience embraces something, go for it. Even if others say no. Hell, 11 out of 12 people at Columbia said no to One Direction. Steve went with the act anyway, based on his long relationship with Richard Griffiths, and as they say...the rest is history.

Furthermore, having had success, most prominently with the aforementioned Sam Smith, talent now calls him. Because people want to be with a winner. And a team succeeds on momentum. One success begets another, players believe they can win, no matter what anybody else says.

And we talked about the streaming wars and the concert wars. Steve said physical and downloads have another 2-3 years, that they're not dead yet. And that even though Neil Diamond's new album may not have set sales records, the ensuing promotion ended up moving over a million units of catalog.

And Steve is thinking of new ways to skin the cat. I can't reveal them all, but I will tell you that an audience of a few hundred thousand, paying five bucks a month, gives you MILLIONS at the end of the year. How do you find acts with loyal fanbases, how do you tap into those fanbases... It doesn't matter what everybody else thinks, only what you do!

And Katy Perry is gonna go back into the studio soon. She's eager to hold on to her cap as the teen queen dream.

But I couldn't stop thinking of that Henley song.

How could it be a baby boomer could write a song encapsulating truth in a way no one younger seems to be able to, all the while singing mellifluously with changes that resonate?

We went back to the building and I sampled the rest of the record.

This is the Eagles album you've been waiting for.

But is anybody waiting for an Eagles LP?

The truth is we're waiting for music that speaks to our hearts, about the human condition, that makes us feel connected as opposed to alone, that we hum in our head as we're elated and depressed, that rides shotgun in this crazy adventure we call life. That's how the Eagles got so damn big to begin with.

And the album's not coming out for months. And I can't predict radio success.

But I do know someone who cares, who knows it's all about what's in the grooves as opposed to the sponsorship deal, dug down deep in an effort to get it right and he did!

And with Steve Barnett's help you'll become aware of it.

And you'll be glad you did.

P.S. All you Eagles and Henley haters can hold your breath, put your fingertips away, because the truth is in the modern world hate is irrelevant, it's all about love. No one cares that you pooh-pooh this or that, all we care is that someone loves something. And if enough people do, you have success.

"Tomorrow's Advance Man, Marc Andreesen's plan to win the future": http://nyr.kr/1FYJkPx


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