Mailbag

From: Richard Griffiths
Subject: Re: Today's Aphorisms

It is better to regret what you did do than what you didn't.

There is a solution to every problem.

Nothing great can be achieved without enthusiasm.

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Subject: Re: Today's Aphorisms

Bob-
Thanks for sharing "The New Making It." It's true. And it's the reason I quit a $200K plus job at Sony Music in order to be a musician again. I left Sony Music (Columbia Records) in 2006. I stared a drum school in NYC in 2009 and because of the same ideas that have helped those six profiled in the article, I make a living from it. And that allows me to pursue my drumming dream without hesitation. My business funds my music and I get to do what I love.

The new digital world may have screwed with royalty payments, but while it ended a way of living for many, it created a whole new world of living differently for many others like me.

It's a classic case of "who moved my cheese" a book that still resonates....IMO.

People will continue to complain about the new digital world screwing up their old ways---but there is plenty of opportunity in embracing the new age. It's a fact. I'm living proof. And I'm much happier now.

Regards,
Mark Feldman
NYC

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Subject: Re: Today's Aphorisms

re: "YOU BUILD A FOLLOWING, THEN MONETIZE IT."

Hi Bob,

realizing that i am talking about a cover band (yes, it's easier than promoting original music), albeit, a band that I am super proud of called, The Fab Faux. This is a band that i co-founded with bass guitar legend, Will Lee, the coolest TV band leader for Conan, Jimmy Vivino, Joan Osborne/Patti Smith guitarist, Jack Petruzzelli and arranger genius/guitarist, Frank Agnello. My credits include, Rosanne Cash, Amy Helm and Roger Waters.

Luckily for us, we all had various studio or touring gigs in 1997 when Will sparked the idea to start the greatest and most satisfying non wigs and suits, no fake English accents, note for note accurate, heavy concentration on the post touring era (Sgt. Pepper - Abbey Road) Beatles show. We spent months renting rehearsal rooms, sitting with outtakes and demo "cassettes" and CDs that we found in Greenwich Village CD bootleg stores and diligently rehearsed together.
The musical education was the euphoric drug that fueled us. A musician will truly not know how brilliant The Beatles are until the music is broken down to its individual parts. We refused to perform live in NYC until we all felt that the performances were, in our opinion, hypnotically attached to the essence of those records.

Here is my point: when we decided to book a show, we knew that with the plethora of Beatles bands in every city and towns, we would not stand out in print ads, gain an audience until word got out on how our show was like no other - just come to the show, close your eyes and listen to the records live. Because we didn't have an audience, we decided to play for free - yes, FREE. Sometimes, Will and Jimmy would graciously bank roll our expenses when they piled up since there wasn't a guarantee. This went on for about a year.
Beyond that, with a clip board out in the audience to get emails and mailing addresses (we sat in Will's dining room on many nights, mailing post cards about upcoming shows - it was 1998 - and creating cheap looking newsletters in the early days of email) and when the audience grew, we started charging $7.00 per ticket. I think it remained at this fee for another year. By this time, the audiences were lining up around the block of a 300 capacity venue. Then came multiple night shows for a 'package' price. With rehearsal, cartage and crew fees, we were still making low bread but the shows were becoming an event and with prices affordable, dedicated fans could buy extra tickets for future believers who would never go to see a Beatles band.

To keep it fresh, we decided to no longer rely on synths and employed a horn and string section. Tickets then went to $25.00, $30 day of show. We were doing three nights a row at a club called The Bowery Ballroom on the lower east side to accommodate ticket requests and to try and make some money for ourselves. This was a venue that had no interest in cover bands but thanks to a young Beatles freak named John Moore who was booking the club, we thrived (he now co owns Bowery Presents, a giant concert promoter here on the east coast).

About a year later, David Fricke, Senior Music Editor from Rolling Stone Magazine came to see us and decided to do a big story on us and our slow rise that catered to our fans and the music. Suddenly other markets were interested and we began to perform complete Beatles records. The White Album show includes a spoken word/recreated samples accurate Revolution 9. I cannot describe our approach to it in words but I will say that one can hear a pin drop during its performance.

We stayed loyal with John Moore and Bowery Presents here in NYC and now enjoy annual sold out show at The Beacon Theatre with them as promoter. We currently have a large following in other cities such as, Chicago, LA, Ft. Lauderdale, Red Bank, NJ and Ann Arbor, Michigan with some having Live Nation as our buyer. Our e-mailing list for our monthly newsletter is 60,000+ strong plus Facebook which really does help to sell tickets. Ticket tiers still have a mandatory affordable level at all theatre shows but we do include a much higher priced VIP package which includes a post-show meet and greet. This M&G level almost always sells out immediately.

We book ourselves, have an in-house manager, bookkeeper, a giant storage facility for the 30+ guitars and two period drum sets that we use on every show and employ a dedicated crew of seven.

We also have a corporate events arm that is seeing more inquiries and commitments as the economy get better and we are part of benefit shows for virtuous causes that include The Michael J Fox Parkinsons benefit and Caron Drug Treatment Center benefit galas.

Special guests have included, Elvis Costello, Trey Anastasio, Sheryl Crow, Rob Thomas, Dion and Bettye Lavette.

I never wanted to be in a Beatles band (I was an extreme purist) but I love what we have created, love that we now incorporate our own musical personalities into the performances (we jam at outros) and along with the other partners are forever grateful to Will for convincing me to do it 18 years ago and of course, our loyal fan base for their constant patronage. Yes, it is a business now with insurance policies and worker's comp audits but it is only successful because of our initial philosophy: do it for truth, love, the euphoria of the performance and when it is ready, invite everyone that you feel will 'get it' - and hope for the best.

Rich Pagano

The Fab Faux

thefabfaux.com

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From: curtis solar
Subject: Re: Rhinofy-Blue Bandana

Hey Bob, CJ Solar here. Been subscribed to your letter since a friend first recommended it shortly after I moved to Nashville in 2010 and have been reading your letters since then. Always good stuff.

Me and my two buddies Andy Wills and Ben Goldsmith wrote Blue Bandana a little over a year ago. Ben was working the front desk at BMG and I was about to sign my first publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music, owned by Chris Dubois and Brad Paisley.

We sat down in a writer room at BMG after Ben got off that night. Andy threw out the title Blue Bandana before we started but I believe we ended up starting writing another song first. We got sidetracked and started talking about how MerleFest was coming up and that we wished we could have gone. I started reminiscing on my experiences of going to bonnaroo right out of high school in 2010 and how it was a magical experience for my friends and I.

We started with the lines "She's a bonnaroo baby, she's coachella crazy" and thought, that's pretty cool. Then we started the first verse. None of us had been to any of the other festivals but I hope to check em all out soon. We heard Wakarusa was muddy from some friends over years. And of course I listen to clips on YouTube from the famous Woodstock performances and wish I could have been there. Magical times.

We didn't demo it at first because it was so different, we figured no one in Nashville would ever cut it. I ended up squeezing it on as the 6th song on a session and the band took one pass and threw a solo on about 6 months after we wrote it. It ended up being my favorite on the session and my publisher ended up loving it and showed it to jerrod shortly after I turned it in since he writes for Sea Gayle as well. Being all of the writers first cut and a special song to all of us we were/still are super excited Jerrod took a chance on it.

The music was inspired by all of the classic rock my parents raised me on in Louisiana, from CCR to Allman Bros. Appreciate the inside scoop you give on some of the classics, really dug the piece on King Harvest a while back. "Dancing in the Moonlight" is one of my all time faves.

Glad Blue Bandana made you feel something.

CJ Solar

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Subject: RE: Rhino-Blue Bandana

Hi Bob,

I always learn something new from your writings. Today I read "MerleFest" and it piqued my curiosity. My first thought it was in relation to Merle Haggard, but I was wrong. Merle Watson. Piqued my interest even more, did some internet research and now I've added to my list of places to go…someday. BTW, a fun fact, Merle Watson was named for my dad, Merle Travis.

Write on…xo Merlene Travis

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From: Deborah Holland
Subject: Re: Rhinofy-Blue Bandana

or the boy in the red one


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