We went to school for twenty years to make our parents proud.
Now they're stealing Medicare, what's happening for crying out loud.
We thought the rich were bluebloods who inherited their wares.
Now we find the rich earned it and think they deserve it and create the jobs and know better than you and me, whose crime is we just don't have enough money.
And our kids know the Beatles but believe in Beyonce, even more Jay Z, because when it comes to entertainment the African-Americans are king, but behind their backs everybody sneers, saying they're not entitled to a thing.
And Mr. Jones knew nothing about Dylan, but now Mr. Sulzberger knows nothing about Trump, meanwhile life goes on all around us.
Save the planet? Save yourself! That's what George Carlin said, after he told us not to bother voting, because the owners of this country weren't gonna let us in. And despite the disadvantaged no-future blue collars electing a businessman President, they're not gonna have a seat at the table. The Cabinet says just to trust them. But we've learned to sleep with one eye open.
And everything seems the same yet it's different. We've got the same spouse, the same car, the same house. But institutions are no longer to be trusted, facts are irrelevant and only money matters. After TV. Would the President-to-be be without TV?
I don't think so.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were supposed to do better than our parents, instead of them shtupping us cash while we broker their decline. Our fathers didn't have fantasies, they were raising families. We bought the future hook, line and sinker, but then the American Dream was extinguished, check the facts, er, we already established facts are irrelevant.
So it's everybody for themselves these days. And if you just trust the fat cats it'll all work out well, but they cut taxes and tried to stimulate business and then Kansas went to hell.
Used to be we had idols, musicians, who marched to a different drummer. But that was back when you wrote your own songs and being rich was a million and middle class values reigned. The poor will do what's expedient, that's the nature of those without, they're desperate, ethics go out the window, you're just trying to survive.
And those on top want to stay there.
And I'm stuck in the middle with you.
Meanwhile, the guy who sang that song is six feet under, along with the heroes who ruled for decades, as opposed to one day.
And since you can't make money, they dangle fame in front of your eyes. That's the nature of reality television, social sharing, admit it, you know how many Facebook friends you've got, you revel in lording your adventures and accomplishments over your minions. They promised us a forty hour work week and two cars in the driveway and all we got was a virtual home, a residence on networks run by billionaires, built on air, but don't you ever criticize the technologists, they deliver our craved constants, the mobile phone, the internet...without them we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. Distractions all, that's the truth. We've sacrificed our privacy and our income for a life where we're connected but more distant. Explain again how that works to me?
But there's no there there.
Even our music is virtual. And as much as we're protesting, the players bitch more. Nobody's got any answers, they just like to complain, while they're not begging for attention, for money, can you explain GoFundMe to me please, is it really any different than lettering some cardboard and hanging out at the intersection?
We just took a wrong turn. We're headed in a bad direction. There's less acceptance and there will be fewer rights but at least the old lifer won't be in power, then again, what did Pete Townshend sing, "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss"? But that was back before he sold his songs to "CSI," when he still had creative juice, when he still had something to say, before he died inside because he got old.
And speaking of old, do you enjoy seeing the aged farts again and again and again? On the original album tour, the turn of the century comeback tour, then the cleanup tour and now the retirement tour? No mas for me, I'm living on my memories, I've seen them all and none of them are what they used to be, because they've got bills like you and me, and this is how they pay them, art isn't in the back seat, it's not even in the car.
But cable is a bastion of story. And in some ways life is better than it's ever been?
But with this wake-up call we're re-evaluating, have we been asleep at the wheel in an era where the only country left in the music is the fake twang of the vocal and groupthink rules?
You don't want to be an individual, you don't want to let your freak flag fly, you'll be excoriated, you may not go to jail but you'll be a social outcast, which is anathema to a millennial, baby boomers can handle it, but if baby boomers aren't running the operation they're gone, they're already in the rearview mirror.
We can't make it here, so we need someone to blame. The fat cats, the uneducated, the educated, the poor, we're pointing fingers at everyone, we used to be in it together, but that's before life got coarse and we went off course, steer while you still can, they're gonna take the wheel out of the car soon.
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Friday 2 December 2016
Thursday 1 December 2016
Modern Marketing
1. Take a long hard look at yourself.
What kind of music do you make? Pop or genre tunes?
If you don't see your music fitting in with the Spotify Top 50, you probably don't need a label, you need a COMMUNITY! A group of active talkers who live for the music, like the Americana fanatics. They're hungry for new tunes, food that will feed them. Don't walk into the wilderness without a community, there's too much noise, your message will be drowned out. Communities nurture new acts, spread the word, and sustain old ones. Press also helps in communities, it's seen as a badge of honor when you're in the "New York Times" or on "CBS Sunday Morning," all your believers will tweet, e-mail and Facebook about it and this will keep your career going, even if it's not a triumphant moment. Your goal is to quit your day job, to have a sustaining career, and this is dependent upon fans.
But if you do see your music fitting in on the Spotify Top 50... Sign with a major label, you need their relationships. The playlist is everything and the major can get you placed. You'll get a chance, but you'll sink or swim based on the material itself. The major can just get you started. And if you gain traction on Spotify, the major can jump you to terrestrial radio, that's how it happens these days, everything gets started on the streaming service.
But what about Apple? And YouTube?
In the rearview mirror. Apple Music is hampered by not having a free tier. Furthermore, its subscribers skew older, and older people take fewer chances. As for YouTube... Streams on Spotify outstrip those on the video service these days. YouTube is a good place to actually see the video, but if you're listening, Spotify is much better.
As for exclusives...
They're history. If you see someone making an exclusive streaming deal you know they haven't gotten the memo. The truth is Spotify's market share is so much bigger than its competitors that if you're not on the Swedish service your music will be hampered and it may not ever recover. Spotify is no longer asleep, Troy Carter has made a huge difference. There are products to enhance the visibility of your project, there's seeding on playlists, and if you make an exclusive elsewhere...you lose all this, you're screwed, the joke is on you, you need Spotify to start and sustain you. The old metrics, first week "Billboard" chart, impressive publicity campaign, they're a joke, a waste of money. You get the word out online and then Spotify gives you a chance and if you gain traction they push you further, they're along for the ride. And if you don't sign up with Spotify from the get-go, you're left at the station, suitcase in your hand.
2. Exceptions to the above.
Country and hip-hop, the latter invades the Spotify Top 50, the former does not yet. If you make country music, you want to be with a major. But not necessarily if you're in the hip-hop world. Hip-hop is a giant community, word is spread independently of the press, you can come from nowhere and make it without big time help in hip-hop.
Country is developing on Spotify. If you don't see your music fitting in on the Hot Country playlist, you don't need a major, you need a community, see above.
But all acts should check out the genre specific playlists on Spotify. Under the Browse tab. If you don't see your music fitting in with the tracks on the most popular playlist...it's going to be a long hard slog. Don't expect to make much money on your recordings, because Spotify pays when people stream, i.e. actually listen. So either accept your fate, or try to make music that fits the format. Which sounds like selling out, and usually it is, but sometimes you can make music that's so transcendent it redefines the genre. You take the building blocks and then jump off from there. Very few acts can do this, but those that do become superstars. It's why Yes can still tour and Freddie Mercury and Queen are such icons, and why so much of the music of the past twenty five years has been forgotten, it's me-too.
3. Making money.
If your music fits the Spotify hit charts, voila, it's very simple, you're on the road to riches, assuming you make hit music. All the naysayers, they've got a low stream count. Sure, major label deals need to be improved, but Spotify pays out beaucoup bucks if you've got a hit. Anything under 10 million is bupkes, forget about making money. But if in the aggregate your music gets nine digits of streams...you're making bank.
If you're not making Spotify-specific music, then welcome to the road. You've got to slug it out, from gig to gig, increasing your audience. Your performance skills are more important than your music, and your agent is the king of your world. Where can you play, who can you open for? You're starting at ground zero and trying to climb the ladder, it's a long hard slog, but your fans can keep you alive, assuming you do the work. And so few do, want to do the work, that is. Everybody expects instant glory, the moon shot. And you can get a facsimile of that with the major label, but don't expect them to act instantaneously. With so much cash on the line, the majors want a guarantee, which is why they'll have you work with Max Martin or a cowriter. They can't take a risk, they only get a few shots, and they're all so EXPENSIVE! But with the major you can be famous soon, if not rich. But if you're not on a major...you may never be famous, you may never be rich. Most of your contemporaries will drop out, reducing your competition, but you're gonna fight to get to the middle, to be a working musician.
4. Albums
Can you write a hit?
Then you don't need an album, otherwise you do.
If you're not playing the Spotify game, make an album, you want something your fans can sink their teeth into. But if you're going for hits, forget the album, it's a dead construct, the audience has rejected it, the industry doesn't know it yet, and too many vocal yellers are muddying up the marketplace. The truth is the audience on Spotify listens primarily to playlists, not of their own device, assembled of many tunes. Your goal is to get on these playlists. There are exceptions, like the Weeknd, who can get most of his album heard, but most other acts cannot. Focus on the hit single. Again and again and again. No one is interested in your album cuts until you've become a star. And even then, most people only stream the hits. The album is an archaic construct. And a hundred million streams of one track pays better than one million of ten.
5. Frequency
Faster. Focus on writing and recording as opposed to touring if you're playing the Spotify game. There's plenty of time to tour to acolytes. Lady Gaga hasn't had a hit in years and she still sells tickets. The old album cycle is history. And failure is not the black mark it used to be. Little Big Town put out an experimental EP that went straight to the dumper in the late spring, but they've got a new hit single today.
6. Sponsorships
Do it for the money, not the exposure. And the dirty little secret is the public cares.
Listen to Evan Spiegel, majordomo of Snapchat, the hottest social network:
"Snap's Spiegel told advertisers last year that an emotional line exists between their companies and people. Blurring that line leads to content people find weird. So brands, he said, shouldn't try to humanize themselves on social media - which is what they get from tapping influencers. Instead, Snap offers video, banner and animation ads that stick out from normal content."
http://lat.ms/2gac8vN?utm_source=phplist5654&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Modern+Marketing
Acts come and go, managers, agents and labels are forever. So when your handlers tell you to take the money...beware, ponder the negative effect on your career.
7. Fan focus
Is not saying how much you love your fans. It is giving them extras, but primarily it's about giving them something to believe in, which is your music.
The music is the hardest part, which is why everybody focuses on everything else, it's much easier.
Your job is to touch people's souls, whether you make Spotify Top 50 music or small genre music. Bare your soul, innovate and people will be bonded to you.
But it's so difficult to do.
Not everybody can make it in music, not even the talented. Under the best of circumstances there are dead ends and dashed hopes. The goal is to stay in the game long enough to succeed. You put in your hours, you get better, you step up to bat and you make your own luck.
The business wants you to make it, everybody's rooting for you, except maybe your compatriot musicians, because when you succeed, everybody in the food chain makes money, the label, Spotify, your publisher, the promoter, the building, and, of course, the manager, agent and you. No one is holding you back but yourself. Are you ready to run the gauntlet? Then we want you!
Assuming you obey the above precepts and tickle our fancy.
Which is more difficult than ever to do.
What kind of music do you make? Pop or genre tunes?
If you don't see your music fitting in with the Spotify Top 50, you probably don't need a label, you need a COMMUNITY! A group of active talkers who live for the music, like the Americana fanatics. They're hungry for new tunes, food that will feed them. Don't walk into the wilderness without a community, there's too much noise, your message will be drowned out. Communities nurture new acts, spread the word, and sustain old ones. Press also helps in communities, it's seen as a badge of honor when you're in the "New York Times" or on "CBS Sunday Morning," all your believers will tweet, e-mail and Facebook about it and this will keep your career going, even if it's not a triumphant moment. Your goal is to quit your day job, to have a sustaining career, and this is dependent upon fans.
But if you do see your music fitting in on the Spotify Top 50... Sign with a major label, you need their relationships. The playlist is everything and the major can get you placed. You'll get a chance, but you'll sink or swim based on the material itself. The major can just get you started. And if you gain traction on Spotify, the major can jump you to terrestrial radio, that's how it happens these days, everything gets started on the streaming service.
But what about Apple? And YouTube?
In the rearview mirror. Apple Music is hampered by not having a free tier. Furthermore, its subscribers skew older, and older people take fewer chances. As for YouTube... Streams on Spotify outstrip those on the video service these days. YouTube is a good place to actually see the video, but if you're listening, Spotify is much better.
As for exclusives...
They're history. If you see someone making an exclusive streaming deal you know they haven't gotten the memo. The truth is Spotify's market share is so much bigger than its competitors that if you're not on the Swedish service your music will be hampered and it may not ever recover. Spotify is no longer asleep, Troy Carter has made a huge difference. There are products to enhance the visibility of your project, there's seeding on playlists, and if you make an exclusive elsewhere...you lose all this, you're screwed, the joke is on you, you need Spotify to start and sustain you. The old metrics, first week "Billboard" chart, impressive publicity campaign, they're a joke, a waste of money. You get the word out online and then Spotify gives you a chance and if you gain traction they push you further, they're along for the ride. And if you don't sign up with Spotify from the get-go, you're left at the station, suitcase in your hand.
2. Exceptions to the above.
Country and hip-hop, the latter invades the Spotify Top 50, the former does not yet. If you make country music, you want to be with a major. But not necessarily if you're in the hip-hop world. Hip-hop is a giant community, word is spread independently of the press, you can come from nowhere and make it without big time help in hip-hop.
Country is developing on Spotify. If you don't see your music fitting in on the Hot Country playlist, you don't need a major, you need a community, see above.
But all acts should check out the genre specific playlists on Spotify. Under the Browse tab. If you don't see your music fitting in with the tracks on the most popular playlist...it's going to be a long hard slog. Don't expect to make much money on your recordings, because Spotify pays when people stream, i.e. actually listen. So either accept your fate, or try to make music that fits the format. Which sounds like selling out, and usually it is, but sometimes you can make music that's so transcendent it redefines the genre. You take the building blocks and then jump off from there. Very few acts can do this, but those that do become superstars. It's why Yes can still tour and Freddie Mercury and Queen are such icons, and why so much of the music of the past twenty five years has been forgotten, it's me-too.
3. Making money.
If your music fits the Spotify hit charts, voila, it's very simple, you're on the road to riches, assuming you make hit music. All the naysayers, they've got a low stream count. Sure, major label deals need to be improved, but Spotify pays out beaucoup bucks if you've got a hit. Anything under 10 million is bupkes, forget about making money. But if in the aggregate your music gets nine digits of streams...you're making bank.
If you're not making Spotify-specific music, then welcome to the road. You've got to slug it out, from gig to gig, increasing your audience. Your performance skills are more important than your music, and your agent is the king of your world. Where can you play, who can you open for? You're starting at ground zero and trying to climb the ladder, it's a long hard slog, but your fans can keep you alive, assuming you do the work. And so few do, want to do the work, that is. Everybody expects instant glory, the moon shot. And you can get a facsimile of that with the major label, but don't expect them to act instantaneously. With so much cash on the line, the majors want a guarantee, which is why they'll have you work with Max Martin or a cowriter. They can't take a risk, they only get a few shots, and they're all so EXPENSIVE! But with the major you can be famous soon, if not rich. But if you're not on a major...you may never be famous, you may never be rich. Most of your contemporaries will drop out, reducing your competition, but you're gonna fight to get to the middle, to be a working musician.
4. Albums
Can you write a hit?
Then you don't need an album, otherwise you do.
If you're not playing the Spotify game, make an album, you want something your fans can sink their teeth into. But if you're going for hits, forget the album, it's a dead construct, the audience has rejected it, the industry doesn't know it yet, and too many vocal yellers are muddying up the marketplace. The truth is the audience on Spotify listens primarily to playlists, not of their own device, assembled of many tunes. Your goal is to get on these playlists. There are exceptions, like the Weeknd, who can get most of his album heard, but most other acts cannot. Focus on the hit single. Again and again and again. No one is interested in your album cuts until you've become a star. And even then, most people only stream the hits. The album is an archaic construct. And a hundred million streams of one track pays better than one million of ten.
5. Frequency
Faster. Focus on writing and recording as opposed to touring if you're playing the Spotify game. There's plenty of time to tour to acolytes. Lady Gaga hasn't had a hit in years and she still sells tickets. The old album cycle is history. And failure is not the black mark it used to be. Little Big Town put out an experimental EP that went straight to the dumper in the late spring, but they've got a new hit single today.
6. Sponsorships
Do it for the money, not the exposure. And the dirty little secret is the public cares.
Listen to Evan Spiegel, majordomo of Snapchat, the hottest social network:
"Snap's Spiegel told advertisers last year that an emotional line exists between their companies and people. Blurring that line leads to content people find weird. So brands, he said, shouldn't try to humanize themselves on social media - which is what they get from tapping influencers. Instead, Snap offers video, banner and animation ads that stick out from normal content."
http://lat.ms/2gac8vN?utm_source=phplist5654&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Modern+Marketing
Acts come and go, managers, agents and labels are forever. So when your handlers tell you to take the money...beware, ponder the negative effect on your career.
7. Fan focus
Is not saying how much you love your fans. It is giving them extras, but primarily it's about giving them something to believe in, which is your music.
The music is the hardest part, which is why everybody focuses on everything else, it's much easier.
Your job is to touch people's souls, whether you make Spotify Top 50 music or small genre music. Bare your soul, innovate and people will be bonded to you.
But it's so difficult to do.
Not everybody can make it in music, not even the talented. Under the best of circumstances there are dead ends and dashed hopes. The goal is to stay in the game long enough to succeed. You put in your hours, you get better, you step up to bat and you make your own luck.
The business wants you to make it, everybody's rooting for you, except maybe your compatriot musicians, because when you succeed, everybody in the food chain makes money, the label, Spotify, your publisher, the promoter, the building, and, of course, the manager, agent and you. No one is holding you back but yourself. Are you ready to run the gauntlet? Then we want you!
Assuming you obey the above precepts and tickle our fancy.
Which is more difficult than ever to do.
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Lenny Dykstra On Howard Stern
She was GAS.
If you think sex should be performed under the covers, in the dark, this is not for you.
If you think oral is offensive, this is not for you.
If you think old, faded baseball players who have been to jail are not worth listening to, this is not for you.
But if you want to hear Lenny Dykstra prove he's the best pussy-eater in the world...YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE!
I didn't care a whit about Dykstra. In the same way I don't care about any athlete. The truth is they're jocks, they may play well-rounded people on television, but the reality is they're members of a subculture wherein physicality is everything and you're constantly jockeying for position. If you haven't been put down by an athlete, you've never spent time in the locker room.
But I did follow Nails' career. That's what they called him, because he was just that tough. Back when players had nicknames. Where are the Yogis, Mooses and Catfishes of today?
Nonexistent. Because the players want respect. Andy is now Andrew. Bob is now Robert. How do you know you're talking to a baby boomer? He's got a Y at the end of his name!
Anyway, Nails had to retire, his body gave out. He was doctor-shopping, looking for someone to give him a pass, but my orthopedic surgeon said no, Lenny had stenosis, he had to go.
Which he did, he retired and became a financial expert.
I know, I know, LENNY DYKSTRA?
But he had a private jet and they talked about him on CNBC and I don't know, my father didn't play the stock market, he believed in real estate, he worked too hard for his money, he was risk averse, and so am I.
But Lenny loves risk. It took him all the way to the bottom, to prison, where he lost all his teeth. And now he talks in this mealy-mouthed fashion in soft tones, he doesn't come across as a braggart, but his stories are INSANE!
That's what wannabes don't understand. They keep imitating those who've made it, when the truth is we're looking for originals. People so whacked and different that we can't help but pay attention. Train wrecks like Lenny Dykstra.
So, promoting his book on Stern, back in the spring, Lenny told of his sexual exploits. And the truth about Lenny is no one believes him, they think he's telling tall tales.
So the Stern team decided to put him to the test. They wanted names. And Lenny provided them. That's right, Howard Stern had on two women who'd been eaten out by Lenny Dykstra.
I told you it was gonna get gross.
Assuming you're squeamish with sex. Personally, I love to give oral. It's a gift. The woman is appreciative. And when she comes!! She's in her own private reverie, it's astounding to watch. Like Lenny, I'd rather give than receive. Then again, this is not about my own apprehension with getting head. I guess...I feel I'm not worthy, and few know how to do it right. Then again, there was that time Alison blew me on the office floor...
So first Lenny catches Howard up on what has transpired since the publication of his book. Davey Johnson is friendly, they hung at a card show, despite Dykstra calling him a drunk. As for Mickey Rourke, Lenny wants a cage match, a fight to the death, Rourke owes him 30 grand and threatened him on TMZ but Dykstra doesn't back down, he's a man's man, with a sense of theatre, hell, do it pay-per-view, it'll get him out of his financial hole.
But that's Lenny, if you cross him, it's open season. He didn't mind sharing his blow with DeNiro, but when Bobby ignored him...the tale had to be told.
And the tale today was about eating pussy.
Lenny hired a lesbian so he wouldn't be tempted. She accompanied him on his book tour, but he couldn't resist, he ate her out, repeatedly.
And then there was the comedian... The one who was "gas."
That's another thing about Lenny, he's got that jock language, where they have code for everything. It's fascinating to listen to, because you get the gist but you've never heard the words before, kinda like that movie "Heathers," where they made up all the slang. "Gas" means "hot."
He took her back to his bungalow...
And made her take a shower.
You see Lenny's a clean freak.
Everybody's got their neuroses. But nobody reveals them. Which is what makes Lenny so fascinating. He's worried about coming. He can't be in a bathroom at the same time as a woman. Under the skin everybody's a freak, but you don't know that until you're intimate with them. Have you ever gotten a woman to fart in public? Good luck! You've got to be in a relationship for that.
So then Lenny starts talking about perfect pussy. How it can't be "zyzyggy." If it's zyzyggy, you can't shave. As for shaving, I don't get it whatsoever, that's part of the thrill for me, the hair. It's like boobs without nipples, huh? But Lenny's talking about a 90 degree pussy and I'm straining to visualize this and then Robin interrupts, he means 180 DEGREES! A straight slit! But rather than doubling-down on his mistake, Lenny admits fault, says he was never good at math, and that's what makes him so lovable. Reveal your flaws, then you'll be embraced.
And it takes the woman a long time to come, No one ever owns up to this. But Lenny doesn't get tired. Does he use his fingers? Of course not, that spoils it! Does he ever penetrate?
Yes, but only missionary, he doesn't do doggy. I mean come on, who can't love a guy who's boasting about sex and then says he doesn't do everything! Like two women at once, it's a no-go, he can't focus.
Also, he needs the twenty minutes for the kangaroo to kick in. "Kangaroo"??? What's that? It's his personal Viagra, an off-brand item, but when he peeled and revealed, SHE LAUGHED!
"Peeled and revealed," how does he come up with this stuff? Lenny's full of catch phrases, and unlike a comedian it doesn't seem rehearsed. You're getting a window into a new world, that you can't stop paying attention to!
You see Lenny Dykstra is good entertainment. Proving, once again, that being yourself is the best road to riches. Hell, in his book Lenny doesn't say to be like him, unlike Megyn Kelly, writing her tome to inspire others. Hogwash. First and foremost you're an entertainer. And if you say you'd rather spend time with Megyn as opposed to Lenny...you think you can get into Megyn's pants, and I doubt that.
So last year at this time, the Stern Show was all about stunting, an endless procession of household names hyping their work. Gets kind of repetitive, not because the star stories are uninteresting, but because their products are. They come and go instantly. But this holiday season, Howard has returned to the hijinks. He may not have strippers on Sybians, but there's the curious underbelly of life, revealed for all to see.
We all have sex. We all have our preferences, our quirks.
But we never ever talk about it. Not unless we're bragging. Demonstrate insecurity and you're punted to the back.
But listening to Lenny Dykstra on Stern was strangely riveting, entering an alternative universe that in some ways was just like your own. That's the goal of art, to express humanity, to get us to identify. Which is why music and movies are in the dumper, they're fantasies we can't relate to.
But human beings, warts and all?
Sign us up for that!
"Lenny Dykstra's Bedroom Talents Confirmed By Two Women Who Found Out Firsthand Just How Good He Is: Jessica And Jasmine Give Howard All The Details On What Makes Lenny Such A Skillful Lover": http://bit.ly/2fQlE5z?utm_source=phplist5653&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Lenny+Dykstra+On+Howard+Stern
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If you think sex should be performed under the covers, in the dark, this is not for you.
If you think oral is offensive, this is not for you.
If you think old, faded baseball players who have been to jail are not worth listening to, this is not for you.
But if you want to hear Lenny Dykstra prove he's the best pussy-eater in the world...YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE!
I didn't care a whit about Dykstra. In the same way I don't care about any athlete. The truth is they're jocks, they may play well-rounded people on television, but the reality is they're members of a subculture wherein physicality is everything and you're constantly jockeying for position. If you haven't been put down by an athlete, you've never spent time in the locker room.
But I did follow Nails' career. That's what they called him, because he was just that tough. Back when players had nicknames. Where are the Yogis, Mooses and Catfishes of today?
Nonexistent. Because the players want respect. Andy is now Andrew. Bob is now Robert. How do you know you're talking to a baby boomer? He's got a Y at the end of his name!
Anyway, Nails had to retire, his body gave out. He was doctor-shopping, looking for someone to give him a pass, but my orthopedic surgeon said no, Lenny had stenosis, he had to go.
Which he did, he retired and became a financial expert.
I know, I know, LENNY DYKSTRA?
But he had a private jet and they talked about him on CNBC and I don't know, my father didn't play the stock market, he believed in real estate, he worked too hard for his money, he was risk averse, and so am I.
But Lenny loves risk. It took him all the way to the bottom, to prison, where he lost all his teeth. And now he talks in this mealy-mouthed fashion in soft tones, he doesn't come across as a braggart, but his stories are INSANE!
That's what wannabes don't understand. They keep imitating those who've made it, when the truth is we're looking for originals. People so whacked and different that we can't help but pay attention. Train wrecks like Lenny Dykstra.
So, promoting his book on Stern, back in the spring, Lenny told of his sexual exploits. And the truth about Lenny is no one believes him, they think he's telling tall tales.
So the Stern team decided to put him to the test. They wanted names. And Lenny provided them. That's right, Howard Stern had on two women who'd been eaten out by Lenny Dykstra.
I told you it was gonna get gross.
Assuming you're squeamish with sex. Personally, I love to give oral. It's a gift. The woman is appreciative. And when she comes!! She's in her own private reverie, it's astounding to watch. Like Lenny, I'd rather give than receive. Then again, this is not about my own apprehension with getting head. I guess...I feel I'm not worthy, and few know how to do it right. Then again, there was that time Alison blew me on the office floor...
So first Lenny catches Howard up on what has transpired since the publication of his book. Davey Johnson is friendly, they hung at a card show, despite Dykstra calling him a drunk. As for Mickey Rourke, Lenny wants a cage match, a fight to the death, Rourke owes him 30 grand and threatened him on TMZ but Dykstra doesn't back down, he's a man's man, with a sense of theatre, hell, do it pay-per-view, it'll get him out of his financial hole.
But that's Lenny, if you cross him, it's open season. He didn't mind sharing his blow with DeNiro, but when Bobby ignored him...the tale had to be told.
And the tale today was about eating pussy.
Lenny hired a lesbian so he wouldn't be tempted. She accompanied him on his book tour, but he couldn't resist, he ate her out, repeatedly.
And then there was the comedian... The one who was "gas."
That's another thing about Lenny, he's got that jock language, where they have code for everything. It's fascinating to listen to, because you get the gist but you've never heard the words before, kinda like that movie "Heathers," where they made up all the slang. "Gas" means "hot."
He took her back to his bungalow...
And made her take a shower.
You see Lenny's a clean freak.
Everybody's got their neuroses. But nobody reveals them. Which is what makes Lenny so fascinating. He's worried about coming. He can't be in a bathroom at the same time as a woman. Under the skin everybody's a freak, but you don't know that until you're intimate with them. Have you ever gotten a woman to fart in public? Good luck! You've got to be in a relationship for that.
So then Lenny starts talking about perfect pussy. How it can't be "zyzyggy." If it's zyzyggy, you can't shave. As for shaving, I don't get it whatsoever, that's part of the thrill for me, the hair. It's like boobs without nipples, huh? But Lenny's talking about a 90 degree pussy and I'm straining to visualize this and then Robin interrupts, he means 180 DEGREES! A straight slit! But rather than doubling-down on his mistake, Lenny admits fault, says he was never good at math, and that's what makes him so lovable. Reveal your flaws, then you'll be embraced.
And it takes the woman a long time to come, No one ever owns up to this. But Lenny doesn't get tired. Does he use his fingers? Of course not, that spoils it! Does he ever penetrate?
Yes, but only missionary, he doesn't do doggy. I mean come on, who can't love a guy who's boasting about sex and then says he doesn't do everything! Like two women at once, it's a no-go, he can't focus.
Also, he needs the twenty minutes for the kangaroo to kick in. "Kangaroo"??? What's that? It's his personal Viagra, an off-brand item, but when he peeled and revealed, SHE LAUGHED!
"Peeled and revealed," how does he come up with this stuff? Lenny's full of catch phrases, and unlike a comedian it doesn't seem rehearsed. You're getting a window into a new world, that you can't stop paying attention to!
You see Lenny Dykstra is good entertainment. Proving, once again, that being yourself is the best road to riches. Hell, in his book Lenny doesn't say to be like him, unlike Megyn Kelly, writing her tome to inspire others. Hogwash. First and foremost you're an entertainer. And if you say you'd rather spend time with Megyn as opposed to Lenny...you think you can get into Megyn's pants, and I doubt that.
So last year at this time, the Stern Show was all about stunting, an endless procession of household names hyping their work. Gets kind of repetitive, not because the star stories are uninteresting, but because their products are. They come and go instantly. But this holiday season, Howard has returned to the hijinks. He may not have strippers on Sybians, but there's the curious underbelly of life, revealed for all to see.
We all have sex. We all have our preferences, our quirks.
But we never ever talk about it. Not unless we're bragging. Demonstrate insecurity and you're punted to the back.
But listening to Lenny Dykstra on Stern was strangely riveting, entering an alternative universe that in some ways was just like your own. That's the goal of art, to express humanity, to get us to identify. Which is why music and movies are in the dumper, they're fantasies we can't relate to.
But human beings, warts and all?
Sign us up for that!
"Lenny Dykstra's Bedroom Talents Confirmed By Two Women Who Found Out Firsthand Just How Good He Is: Jessica And Jasmine Give Howard All The Details On What Makes Lenny Such A Skillful Lover": http://bit.ly/2fQlE5z?utm_source=phplist5653&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Lenny+Dykstra+On+Howard+Stern
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Wednesday 30 November 2016
Final Kanye
I agree with you Bob. If Kanye is such a great performer and important artist, he should stick to making his music and performing for his fans. He should shut up about everything else and stay out of the press for 5 minutes. Maybe he would get more respect from fans of music like myself. He should stop making outlandish statements and stop his thinking that he is the most talented performer to ever walk the earth.
I am a rock 'n roll fan with a new respect for old school gangsta rap, but am turned off whenever I see Kanye around town (we live in the same neighborhood) or in the press.
My taste for music is in sync with your writings, and I am amazed at how many of your readers actually like Kanye.
Peace!
David Kopaloff
______________________________________
Ok, can't keep silent on this any longer.
For those who are saying he's "the greatest living creative," "most important American artist" and suchlike, it sounds frighteningly like "Donald Trump is a great businessman and will be an amazing president." This is parallel universe stuff to me.
His music AND his clothes are the Emperor's New Clothes. He can't play anything, he can't sing, he's a really weak rapper and his productions are largely recycled bits of other people's genuine work. He's brought nothing of any actual musical value that I can discern and has been the most obnoxious, delusional jackass of a personality, along with Donald Trump, on the American scene for as long as I can remember. I have rarely seen anybody dwelling so far from any known reality, so full of so little.
He has the unbelievable stones to compare himself to Jimi Hendrix, to Steve Jobs, to Einstein, Disney etc. Jimi Hendrix could, and did, play one note that would transport you, alter your cellular structure, change the way you saw things. Kanye isn't in the same FIELD as Jimi Hendrix. He isn't in the same universe of skill, vibe, cool, class, awareness, expression or anything else. He is a midget next to the great inventors & creators named above. Einstein invented/discovered the Quantum Theory of Light. Kanye designed some crotchless khaki pants. Steve Jobs brought us the Mac, iPod and iPhone. Kanye said, "Imma fix wolves."
I realize that this is a relatively weak time in music and the standards are really quite low. But calling yourself a 'genius' when you're in a field with people who actually have highly developed skills is embarrassing. In a field that's produced Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Peter Gabriel, Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Prince, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, James Brown and John Coltrane, among many others who actually have true skills, creativity and focus, Kanye West is a fleabite on the ass of Music. IMHO.
Fuzzbee Morse
______________________________________
Kanye hasn't had as much publicity in ages as you've given him... send an invoice LOLOL
Johnny Brower
______________________________________
To paraphrase a song title from 70's Australian rock band Skyhooks, "Ego Is A Dirty Word".
Well done, Bob. Nostrovia!
Shakey (Wayne Dagenais)
______________________________________
Kanye West has no talent whatsoever trash
Norman Stone
______________________________________
Why is anyone speaking anymore about this hack...let his legacy be his fantasy...I choose to enjoy real artists and real music...
Timo Cano
______________________________________
Uh... name a more important artist that's alive and still influencing culture. Life of Pablo was genius and just released this year!!! "Waves", "Ultralight Beam", "Father Stretch My Hands", "No More Parties"....How can readers say "Gold Digger" (not even close to one of his best) was his last great song??? Hilarious
Bridget Hilton
______________________________________
Merck Mercuriadis is clearly a lemming that has ingested way too much of the kool-aid...is he fucking kidding me?!! Mr. M clearly didn't understand your post....Kanye is an inflated blowhard who has created this situation he finds himself in. Full stop.
Yul Vazquez
Ceremonial Magician
NYC
______________________________________
Kanye's artistic genius is apparent in the utter volume of irrelevant peanut gallery comments listed here. The man is a music giant and will remain so. His numbers, much like Michael Jordan stats, speak for themselves.
Bob just last quarter you were proclaiming high and low like the town crier, the genius of Kanye's disruptive marketing prowess,
now you opportunistically rant about his lack of talent. In the words of Bill Withers "You're like a man that loves Jesus who says he can't stand a Jew." Nuff said.
The Real Gregory Beasley
______________________________________
On that Kanye note, don't forget the genius of Mike Dean. Houston hip hop producer legend. Started his career playing sax for Selena, came up with Rap A Lot Records, produced, Geto Boys, Scarface, and has production credits on every Kanye record except 808s and Heartbreaks. Mike Dean is 50 something years old, smokes weed like a champ, plays all the live instruments at the shows (guitar, bass, keys). Kanye works with the best producers in the game, they all produce on their own, then shoot out parts in the same room. This is why his music continues to stay fresh.
Really this is just a shoutout for Mike Dean. Unsung hero, but the knowers know.
Holler!
Brian Carrion
______________________________________
These clowns dissing on you amaze me. The problem is that greatness and fame have been conflated. Since the 1980s anyone who became famous was also considered great, when that was/is most definitely not the case. It's probably the same time money replaced substance as far as 'artistry' is concerned. Good for you to take in all that bullshit and not be heartbroken. Or at least not show it.
So often you write about places that I used to haunt. Like Pacific Palisades. I used to live in Mandeville Canyon as well. I went to Palisades High and Paul Revere Junior High. That was between the time I lived in Marin County, and then fled home/LA to return to the Bay Area. Anyway, your writings pretty much always transport me. And fuck all the clueless morons defending that talentless douchbag, Kanye. He is the black Trump. Insane, the both of them; without any evident education. Trump with all his glorious modifiers sounds like a 1980s valley girl. Kanye dreams of being Tupac. NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!!!
Keep speaking your truth! You give me the courage to continue my own path, even when it seems the deck is ever stacked against me.
Kieron Kevin McKindle
______________________________________
Kanye has always managed to capture people's attention and doing that is as tough of a balance of art and science as cooking or music.
Perhaps every facet of his life is some form of performance art? That's the most logical reason for why he shows up on episodes of The Kardashian reality show. What other self respecting artist does that unless they need the money or the act itself is art?
Anyway, he is entitled to his antics just like you are entitled to your opinion. Who or how long anyone else pays attention is always TBD. But you, like him, have built a platform and I applaud you for using it effectively.
Patrick W. Ryan
Co-Founder
Eventellect.com
______________________________________
everyone of these comments makes me think these guys are all smoking something to blur the vision of this so-called artist......
Flickflackmb
______________________________________
When people criticize Kanye it always tends to come from those who are the least connected to the kind of music he creates. Kanye like it or not is an exceptionally gifted tastemaker and a mouthpiece for many things people actually feel. Furthermore, you can't discuss the last 10-15 yrs of Music without tipping your hat to Kanye's contributions. When Kanye said George Bush doesn't care about black people, that's actually what we (black people) felt. When he hopped up on stage and told Taylor Swift Beyoncé deserved the award, that's what many people felt. Rock musicians are free to be flawed, we love them for it. For letting us see the vulnerability. We even anoint them heroes in spite of those unsavory qualities, if that's ok for them what is the validity of Kanye's exemption.
He's been the most innovative player in mainstream hip hop for as long as I can remember.
iamcgreen
______________________________________
Kanye's influence on 15 year olds is, at best, dubious.
Derek Petrillo
______________________________________
Never confusion the man
and the music he creates.
Joe Solo
______________________________________
Maybe nobody cares what some old white man thinks about Kanye, but Kanye is still a fucking idiot.
Signed,
Nobody (Matthew McDonnell)
______________________________________
i don't care about kanye, yeah, he's a genius, he's really good at making music, great producer but he's an ass. so if guys like pete rose or berry bonds can't make it to the hall of fame then why should we care what kanye thinks. he's offensive. i know that's the idea but he just seems like a spoiled dick. so i don't want to hear him anymore.
Jesse Benenati
______________________________________
Kanye West is not a talented musician and is not even a singer...
Jm, hrx records
______________________________________
Really not worth the time, this takes.
Johnny Palazzotto
______________________________________
I like how some fools come to the rescue of this self absorbed, mentally unstable glory hog. Everyone knows Kanye is about Kanye and if we're supposed to feel sorry for him I'll take a pass. At the end of the day he has enough money to remove himself from the public criticism, get help and he will still have his fortune waiting for him when he get out of whatever top notch facility he can check himself into. There are many mentally ill people that have no hope or help why are those blowhards not stepping up to defend or help them? Just look at the Congress that keeps passing on the bill put forth to help veterans or how fucked up the VA. That is where these self righteous blowhards should be focusing there attention to. Helping those who can't help themselves instead of sticking up for this egomaniacal poor little rich man.
Keep the truth flowing Mr. Lefsetz anyone can sit behind a keyboard and pedal a bubble type view of the world that only matters to there own egos.
Sincerely,
Mike DJ
______________________________________
"But I can guarantee you one thing: we will never again agree on anything as we did for Elvis"
This was a great line in Lester Bangs' eulogy for Elvis Presley,
There was one Elvis. One John Lennon. One Prince. One Leon Russell. One James Brown.
But I will never agree on an egotistical sample stealer like KW being given that same honor.
Brian Helgesen
______________________________________
Keep it gangsta Bob! Good shit
j.jefferson3rd
______________________________________
I can understand the Kanye hate, but when he checked into the mental hospital, I could only think about this video of Dave Chappelle talking about Martin Lawrence on Inside The Actors Studio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7-s0rCvXFk&utm_source=phplist5652&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Final+Kanye
Schlomo Rabinowitz
______________________________________
The problem with Kanye is his stunts are louder than his music, people
know him more for his antics than his albums. Most people don't take him
seriously. I've heard his music and think much of it is brilliant and even
ground breaking in it's genre but his nonsense admittedly leaves a bad
taste in my mouth. He just comes off like a rich, rambling, egomaniacal,
prick most of the time. So as soon as he gets started I usually tune him
out which is unfortunate because he may very well have some relevant
points. If he truly cares about getting his artistic and political message
to the people he needs to change his approach big time! If he thinks he's
truly a leader he needs to learn how to lead.
Mikael Johnston
Producer - Engineer - Remixer
______________________________________
So Kanye West is the "greatest living creative" and Donald Trump is the POTUS. Quite frankly, I fear for my children and the world they are about to inherit. Empirical evidence means nothing, truth is entirely subjective...and subjectivity is now the equivalent of objectivity. God.
John Dlugosz
______________________________________
Thank you for expressing what few have the guts to say out loud. I've been a musician/ recording artist for 40 years and the publicity machine that creates "artists" like Kanye, who can be pumped full of faux self importance to the point of insanity is one of the creepier elements of American culture. True substance is getting harder and harder to find and I'm SO tired of the crap that gets the airtime. The world needs more of the real thing (to be determined by me of course! Ha ha!)
Thanks Bob!
Shari Ulrich
______________________________________
I love ya Bob
You don't shy away from the criticisms. Most wouldn't show those
I really think you hit several nerves here
I don't know any Kanye music and I don't care. Remember when he got punked and the "cops" showed up to a video shoot. He grabbed the tapes and ran off like skittle kid. I have a hard time believing he would run from the cops with the tapes for real but when I saw it, I lost any and all interest in him. Spoiled brat with too big of an ego
Anyway, I loved and love the responses you post
Thanks for writing your own stuff too
Jeff Harris
______________________________________
if people think kanye west is a great talent, then we should all be scared of the future ....what talent?....he is an ass who thinks he can do, say and act anyway he chooses because he has money.....what has he REALLY contributed to society....anger, hostility and arrogance.....wow, what a legacy!!
CRD9138
______________________________________
My Mom used to say "I love you, but I don't love your actions". I don't love Kanye but it is his actions that deter me from giving his "genius" a chance. The title of superstar genius is reserved for those whose behavior is one becoming of the title. Springsteen, Bono, Urban, Beyonce, Hetfield, Swift. These people do things for the world beyond their music and you can gladly cite them as some type of role-model. Kanye had his slim chance. Let's hope he finally takes his rightful chair with the over wrought, also ran, loudmouth, washed up, woulda/shoulda, irrelevant, superstar category. Move over Madonna, Biebs, Chris Brown, and Liam Gallagher. Good riddance.
.
Curt Olson
______________________________________
Where did you do your psychiatric residency? If the answer is "nowhere," please keep reading. Opinions about behaviors and opinions are what journalists do. Beware judgments about those with psychiatric symptoms. It's unkind and unprofessional.
Thank you. Linda Kisker.
______________________________________
I'll be the first to admit that I am not a rap fan, that I don't know as much about rap culture as I do about rock, and that I think a lot of rap artists are massively overrated. All that being said I think anyone who does not give Kanye credit as a great musical act is wrong. Whether you like his music or not, it should be undeniable that he has inspired a whole generation of artists, pushed boundaries, and helped create the arena rap world. And I think Merck said it best, his influence over the millennial generation is far beyond any other musician in the world except perhaps Taylor Swift. But what Merck left out is that he has been both a good and bad influence.
He has inspired young artists to create interesting and innovative music. He has also taught young artists that whining and complaining about every little issue that comes across your mind, no matter who you insult or whether you actually believe it is a good idea. I saw him at MSG on the Yeezus tour and during his customary rant he got the entire arena to chant that a specific investor in the audience should invest in Donda (Ye's company). It was funny, sure, but it's not how business is done. Kanye has taught young artists that you can be a musician, a producer, a sneaker designer --a mogul in the 21st century which is great! But he's also taught them that you can interrupt another artist's award winning moment, a huge deal to many artists, and ruin it. I don't know about most people but I see obvious parallels between Kanye's behavior and the incredulous behavior of Donald Trump.
Kanye has shown young artists that it's ok to break the rules. Sometimes rules should be broken. Other times it's horribly disrespectful to the community that has helped make you a star and we should take that responsibility upon ourselves to show kids that it is not ok.
I agree that the Saint Pablo tour has helped change the game once again. He once again pushed the limits and ignored the rules -- that he couldn't turn an arena show into a massive party. That's AWESOME! Merch sales are huge and the gear is highly respected in the fashion world. But one thing that Kanye has forgotten is that he is not entitled to JACK SHIT! He himself has touted the fact that he is self-made, that he pulled himself up and made himself the mogul that he is. So why on earth should we just let him get away with saying all the bizarre crap he says, and why should we just let him be a high end fashion designer if he wants to be. He has forgotten that it was a huge part of why people respected him in the first place, that he was a self-starter. Getting to the top of the music game doesn't mean you get a free pass in everything else. Your comparison to Jordan failing in baseball is perfect.
Merck said that Elton and Bruce and Stevie would disagree with your take on this latest implosion. Obviously he would know better but I think he's ignoring the fact that all three of those artists have worked and worked and worked but never forced their fans to defend their integrity or sanity. (Ok, I Just Called to Say I Love You sucked but other than that, the point stands.)
Kanye West is an inspirational artist to a whole generation of kids and musicians which should not be ignored. However he has not taken that responsibility seriously, and he should absolutely be held accountable for that.
Jonathan Groffman
______________________________________
This ones a tiny bit stinky chap. I love your writing, but you sound just as entitled as you think your subject is.
I might be a little naive perhaps or don't care enough... but chill out mate. I'm pretty sure Kanye makes bank, I know he makes art (good/bad is really unimportant), there are a bunch of off brand rip offs of his shoes/clothing that I've seen about - I'm no fashion expert but I think that goes against what you said? You know the Beatles had egos, they're just too old for twitter...
His wife is his wife. Why is she famous? Why are you famous? The culture we live in didn't happen randomly nor should we be surprised. We built this from the ground up. All the shallowness we complain about was enabled, supported and paid for by us from day one.
We were warned but we decided to go for the face-plant anyway.
I don't think Kanye said anything that radical when it comes to trump... he didn't vote. While that's more or less generally indefensible, a significant portion of our societies fail to vote, why is that? Apathy? disheartenment? Lethargy? Maybe if you're identity/culture gets stepped on enough you stop caring... I don't think it'll affect his reputation (everyone says he's crazy right?). Did Kanye say trump was good for black people? I don't think that's what I heard. I did hear him say we shouldn't be surprised by the result and then something about our generation being distracted... which might be a fair assessment of the culture we live in. But then again he's been a bit of a muppet because I've definitely been distracted and not got what I wanted... Is that how it works? Am I entitled to a seat at the table first? Who gets to sit down first, me or you? Who's more important to whom... Kanye? Your mate Barry? TS? Max? Our new friend Biff? Probably just the money.
I personally hope they continue to spin all of this into some sort of mental health deliverance story. Even if it's hugely calculated by the big machine or whatever... folks are going to need some solid meditation skills for the years ahead. And honestly looking after your head is a great idea.
I dunno mate.
Best,
Daudi
______________________________________
I'll have what Merc's smoking...
www.jkmusic.ca
______________________________________
Bob,
That missive by Merck Mercuriadis on Kanye West is one of the funniest
bloody things I have ever read on the state of today's music. Furthermore,
I'm sure the people at West's last "concert" would give Mercuriadis a
different take on his wild claim.
Michael Carman
______________________________________
Kanye is no genius. Merely a slightly talented asshole so full of himself its sickening.How dare he compare himself to Picasso or Jesus for that matter? Yes just like Picasso, who was a thief of African sculpture which was behind Demoiselles d'avignon the earliest,most famous painting which gave Picasso genius status. That kind of bravado did knock the art world and high culture on its ear.
Picasso's quote. "be careful who you steal from." Maybe Kanye does have some wits in his head and he is comparing himself to the real maestro with some irony pertaining to that but I seriously doubt it.
Thinking he is an "ARTIST"- self-proclamation means you are bankrupt.
His music though is surprisingly non-mainstream. I have an 18 year old daughter so I listen to what she listens to. That is the only thing i can find interesting about it. Otherwise his shlock marriage to that whore and her mother the pimp is not worth anything. If you are so full of ego you believe all that crap you are definitely ready to get kicked in the pants by karma. Sorry if he is mentally ill but most of America and the world is these days. Not to much sanity left out there anymore. If anything he is simply mirroring the sad state of the energy of the world. he may be just sensitive. In that case yet thee to an ashram and chill out.
Tara Greene Tarot Consultant & more
______________________________________
Meme mirror married to a sociopath... Don't trust either... Obviously the music industry was in a pretty shitty place for him to prosper...
Dan Yotz
______________________________________
I think you found one of the biggest debatable issues around right now.
Everyone knows the name Kanye (even his name works - who else do you know named Kanye?), and even those that don't care much for him, know some of what he does.
I even like some of his tunes - although I am not a Hip Hop / RnB fan at all, I can dig a good tune when I hear it. And there is no doubt, there is some talent there, but a lot of it is (in my humble opinion) just trying to find the the sound he managed to find a couple times. And it doesn't get a second chance from myself. Others deserve my time more.
Can you get lucky more than once?
Yes, I think so - and if you are super famous, and married to someone super famous, you have a better chance of people looking for the genius in every tune you write.
Not everyone else will get that attention.
So once again, he wins. He gets the attention - even from you.
And look at the attention you have received just talking about him.
We are victims of circumstance
Shaun Booysen
______________________________________
Who the fuck cares about Kanye?
Are you watching how Trump is filling out his cabinet?
Fuck Kanye.
I've got a revolution to plan.
Eileen Marcussen
______________________________________
These comments are gold! I can almost taste the hatred!
First of all, Kanye isn't the greatest "MC/rapper/lyricist/spoken flow guru" of all time... He's not even in the conversation. However, his skills as a "producer" will be recognized for at least this generation's cycle. He has done things first that others haven't thought of, so you get artistic credit for that. For those who don't understand that, you're just old. But, the thing about computer generated "beats" is that they don't age well. That's because there will always be some kid taking your technique and applying the newest technology to it and making your original works sound dated AF.
My 90s generation had a production wizard that was spoken of in the same way... His name was Trent Reznor. He thought of a lot of things first too. When was the last time you heard "Head like Hole" or "Closer" anywhere other than on SiriusXM's "Lithium"? That answer is nowhere. His works, while wildly original, almost sound amateur compared to the production of today, which unfortunately, they are. Hell, NIN's best song in retrospect is the Cash cover of "Hurt," which does prove Trent's talent. That version sounds like he wrote the damn thing. That's nearly an impossible thing to do.
The real rub here is that Kanye is a Kardashian now. That's what's unfortunate. He had skills when his eye was on the music. Now, he thinks he's artful in a lot of other arenas. Those "professionals" decided that. But the finely marketed followers are sheep and are feeding his ego. The masses are just asses. The New Kids on the Block filled a lot of seats too. The work has suffered. Being popular doesn't make you great, the work does. Pablo isn't great, however it's still better than 95% of today's hip hop, but that ain't saying much. Look at ANY chart. There is so little imagination. That's something that he used to make in aces.
I've been along for the ride since "College Dropout." His greatness peaked on "808s" and his own hype and Kardashian styled "feed the media machine" and has carried him since.
I hope he gets his mind right, finds a mirror and gets back to his calling, creating great music.
And I don't give a damn what anybody says, his shoes are ugly.
Chris Booker
______________________________________
Kanye came in my record store that i managed called 2nd Hand Tunes on the southside of Chicago once when he used to just do beats and production for Jay-Z as he let me know. He was manic and ADD pacing back and forth also letting me know how he was going to be famous etc... and was excited we had a Bill Withers LP he couldn't find anywhere in the city that he needed for a sample. He was right.
Peter Gianakopoulos
the Old School Records
______________________________________
Insurance fraud. End of story.
Nick Bearden
______________________________________
I guess I don't care. He is so rude to people I could careless even if he is the second coming of all things music. I don't want to give people like him the time of day. it's just not that hard to be respectful. It obvious he has some problems I hope gets help
For his kids sake.
David May
______________________________________
Reading all the Kanye comments. When Kanye first came on the scene I supported him and his music but with the years his douchebaggery (lovely borrowed term from Ms Day with the Rap Coalition) just became too much. Now I don't care what he records I've tuned him out.
This is America or was... Things are about to get real ugly with President McDouche at the helm. Kanye and his lady should feel right at home as the cockroaches come out of the woodwork. I'm already seeing cracks in society happening in real time in. The Kanye craziness is about to be little more than a footnote in the pages of our once great country. At least for the time being we still have a choice as to what artists we listen to and what ones we tune out.
Greg Philippi
______________________________________
After reading through some of the replied comments on the Kanye piece, I was somewhat taken aback by how angry people got with you on what you wrote.
I thought it was pretty good piece and pretty spot on. I may not agree with all that you write, but I really do appreciate your insight and what you do in your writings.
Thanks and keep em coming!
Be well.
Craig Walker
______________________________________
You can't have a comeback without a Hit.
Adrian Strong
______________________________________
This one was much more balanced.
Kanye is a creative genius, whether white rockers like it or not. This series of emails hammers the point home. You may not like him or his music, and many of us don't like HIM, but he is an incredible artist. I've been a fan of his music for years.
Good discussion overall. Thanks for initiating.
Baris Ozyetis
______________________________________
I'm amused that anyone takes the time to write you with their $0.02, and you publish it along with all of the others.
Here's my $0.02 : for an old white guy, you're a better visionary than most artists and if we're looking for guidance from artists, then you are an artist. You're insight may not necessarily be revolutionary, but you do excellent work boiling down the bullshit to get to the point of the matter.
I tend to separate art from the artist. I don't believe that the art should have to come from some sort of ethical background. The journey should be IN the art, and not before it. Were you homeless at one time? Did you go to an elite music academy? Were you selling out shows all throughout the midwest without a label? Don't care, let me hear your music. Someone else can be impressed with the narrative. That's for them. Not me.
I don't care that Milli Vanilli didn't sing their songs - someone did! The song is REAL. It EXISTS. I've LISTENED TO IT. I feel the same way about Kanye. He's afraid of looking soft, he's a little batshit and unfiltered, but when "Jesus Walks" comes on, that shit is REAL. It's EXCELLENT. And Kanye can marry whoever he wants, interrupt whoever he wants, I don't care because that's not for me. But the song still exists.
Long and the short of it is : if you produce something I like, I pay for it. I don't need a backstory. I don't need a bullshit press release detailing how it's a blend of "classic rock band" with "best selling album of the last 10 years in the genre" and the poetic soul of "Bob Dylan/legendary poet" (it's usually Dylan). I need something to get my attention. Something to grab me by the throat and demand me to listen.
So Kanye when he isn't rapping, not terribly interested. Kanye when rapping, you have my attention. If his opinion should matter so much, why isn't it in a song - the reason I listen to him at all?
Cheers,
Mark
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In regard to Josh Berman's response:
'When Kanye saved hip hop in '04-'05 it was overrun by Puffy and Murder INC. Kanye literally brought music back into the art.'
True. Still, don't forget, Nas was making his own music long before.
'Is he a nutbag? Yes!'
Show me the papers. He seems like an insecure guy with talent to me.
'Is Kim K a mistake? Yes!'
Kim enhanced his brand. Time will tell which one survives.
'Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass. Why not Kanye?'
Two reasons: foremost, you mean John, not Paul; John chose Yoko, but Paul was/is the genius. Second, because Kanye is doing calculatingly what Paul did naturally in the 60s - everyone is: the Beatles set the standard for superstardom, and everyone has since been trying to replicate and surpass it. Time will tell if anyone will. I hope I see it in my lifetime.
'You're a fucking racist who hates hip hop.'
Again, show me the papers.
'Learn about what people like these days if you want to stay relevant you old fucking dinosaur…'
Bob's newsletter is literally about what people like these days, and how to stay relevant. He knows he's getting old, and he's shown tremendous vulnerability over the past year and more. Some more class would suit you.
'…you will be deemed a moron who never got with the times. Do you want that?'
Do YOU, Josh Berman?
John Kay
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Holy shit, it's always refreshing to get called an 'old fucking dinosaur' and an out of touch 'racist who hates hip hop' by a kid with a suspiciously middle class sounding Jewish name. We've finally arrived. It must feel good to infuriate those who seem driven to annoy anyone older than themselves.
John Brodey
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I lIke that "Paul McCartney chose Yoko Ono, and he still gets a genius pass". Yikes!!
Young Hutchison
Jumping Jack Flash
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"But Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass."
......oh dear.
Tommy Allen
______________________________________
Hey Bob!
So Josh Berman calls you a racist because you don't give Kanye the same genius pass that Paul M (McCartney, I assume) gets even though he chose Yoko?
And all this time I thought John L was the one who married her.
Thanks for clearing that up for this old fucking dinosaur Josh.
Jim Blaney
______________________________________
This Josh Berman is kinda dumb, huh?
Evan Burr
______________________________________
OK. Yes. It's all coming back to me now. How Paul M. kept bringing Yoko into the studio. All the other Beatles didn't appreciate her presence. Yea. When PAUL M. brought YOKO in... Especially John, who was like, "Hey, Paul M. Why are you bringing my future wife into the studio. WTF? She's the Mother-to-be of my kids so, Paul M, why are YOU bringing her instead of ME - her boyfriend?"
At first glance Josh Berman seems rude, disrespectful, and completely out of place. Well, if you can get past his ignorance of facts. But who needs facts in this day and age when bravado will do. Right, Kanye?
David Eaton
______________________________________
Um... hey Josh Berman
Paul passed on Yoko, sent her down to John's room... and the rest is history... or herstory.
Dan Millen
______________________________________
Someone explain the difference between John Lennon and Paul McCartney to that Josh Berman kid who emailed you. And then tell him Mommy said it's past his bedtime so he needs to turn off the computer.
Tim Fricke
______________________________________
Josh Berman -
I think you mean John L. - might wanna know which Beatle chose Yoko before you start deeming a person "moron" and "old fucking dinosaur."
David Fralin
______________________________________
You might wanna point out to Josh Berman that it was in fact John L (and not Paul M!) that chose Yoko?
Michael Hosking
______________________________________
Anyone who things Paul McCartney chose Yoko doesn't deserve to have an opinion.
Erin Cowgill
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Dear Josh Berman - LENNON chose Yoko.
Angela Randall
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Josh Berman sounds like a dick. Thanks for the read?
@samjohnsonlive
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That Josh Berman is a stone cold idiot. Poorly educated too. Conflates your criticism of Kanye with racism. What a jackass!
John in Hollywood
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RE: Josh Berman. When did Paul M. choose Yoko? Choose her for what? Are you thinking of John L.? At least dinosaurs have some sense of music history...and facts. And how does not liking hip-hop make one a racist? You need to get a grip...
David Allgood
______________________________________
Josh Berman.
If you think it was Macca and Yoko then anything you write is immediately discarded to the slagheap of bad opinion.
KP
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If Josh Berman wants to be so critical of Bob for his opinion, he may as well get the facts correct... it was John that was with Yoko and Yoko had a brain.
Also, being critical of a person does not deem that you are being critical of an entire race of people. The word "racist" is very powerful and shouldn't be used in the wrong context. That just waters it down for those who should be labeled as such.
Dan Goldich
______________________________________
He showed you!
Are Paul and Yoko still an item?
--
Best Regards,
Zach Goode
______________________________________
But Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass.
Best of the bag.
Hyperbolium
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Paul M. chose Yoko?
Kanye a great artist?
This is as crazy as the Trumpanzees handle on the truth. Name one Kanye song that'll be around in ten, let alone 50 years, I dare you. Meanwhile, Lennon and McCartney? I rest my case?
Steve Jones
______________________________________
Josh Berman,
I don't think Paul M chose Yoko. Just sayin'. Classic Kanye fan.
Stephanie Rae
______________________________________
"Paul M. chose Yoko"? That makes no sense.
Bob Giannini
______________________________________
Josh Berman tried to throw dirt and said "Paul M got Yoko..."
Are people really so so desperate to be heard QUICKLY that they can't be bothered to KNOW WTF THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT?
You clowned him by posting his jib. Best laugh of the thread.
josef blocker
el dorado
______________________________________
Paul and Yoko????
Did John and Linda know about this??
Lee Schnaiberg
______________________________________
Hey Josh Berman, JOHN chose Yoko, you moron.
cara trimboli
______________________________________
This is a brilliant post! Why all the complaints??
Alexander Dorsch
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I am a rock 'n roll fan with a new respect for old school gangsta rap, but am turned off whenever I see Kanye around town (we live in the same neighborhood) or in the press.
My taste for music is in sync with your writings, and I am amazed at how many of your readers actually like Kanye.
Peace!
David Kopaloff
______________________________________
Ok, can't keep silent on this any longer.
For those who are saying he's "the greatest living creative," "most important American artist" and suchlike, it sounds frighteningly like "Donald Trump is a great businessman and will be an amazing president." This is parallel universe stuff to me.
His music AND his clothes are the Emperor's New Clothes. He can't play anything, he can't sing, he's a really weak rapper and his productions are largely recycled bits of other people's genuine work. He's brought nothing of any actual musical value that I can discern and has been the most obnoxious, delusional jackass of a personality, along with Donald Trump, on the American scene for as long as I can remember. I have rarely seen anybody dwelling so far from any known reality, so full of so little.
He has the unbelievable stones to compare himself to Jimi Hendrix, to Steve Jobs, to Einstein, Disney etc. Jimi Hendrix could, and did, play one note that would transport you, alter your cellular structure, change the way you saw things. Kanye isn't in the same FIELD as Jimi Hendrix. He isn't in the same universe of skill, vibe, cool, class, awareness, expression or anything else. He is a midget next to the great inventors & creators named above. Einstein invented/discovered the Quantum Theory of Light. Kanye designed some crotchless khaki pants. Steve Jobs brought us the Mac, iPod and iPhone. Kanye said, "Imma fix wolves."
I realize that this is a relatively weak time in music and the standards are really quite low. But calling yourself a 'genius' when you're in a field with people who actually have highly developed skills is embarrassing. In a field that's produced Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Peter Gabriel, Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Prince, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, James Brown and John Coltrane, among many others who actually have true skills, creativity and focus, Kanye West is a fleabite on the ass of Music. IMHO.
Fuzzbee Morse
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Kanye hasn't had as much publicity in ages as you've given him... send an invoice LOLOL
Johnny Brower
______________________________________
To paraphrase a song title from 70's Australian rock band Skyhooks, "Ego Is A Dirty Word".
Well done, Bob. Nostrovia!
Shakey (Wayne Dagenais)
______________________________________
Kanye West has no talent whatsoever trash
Norman Stone
______________________________________
Why is anyone speaking anymore about this hack...let his legacy be his fantasy...I choose to enjoy real artists and real music...
Timo Cano
______________________________________
Uh... name a more important artist that's alive and still influencing culture. Life of Pablo was genius and just released this year!!! "Waves", "Ultralight Beam", "Father Stretch My Hands", "No More Parties"....How can readers say "Gold Digger" (not even close to one of his best) was his last great song??? Hilarious
Bridget Hilton
______________________________________
Merck Mercuriadis is clearly a lemming that has ingested way too much of the kool-aid...is he fucking kidding me?!! Mr. M clearly didn't understand your post....Kanye is an inflated blowhard who has created this situation he finds himself in. Full stop.
Yul Vazquez
Ceremonial Magician
NYC
______________________________________
Kanye's artistic genius is apparent in the utter volume of irrelevant peanut gallery comments listed here. The man is a music giant and will remain so. His numbers, much like Michael Jordan stats, speak for themselves.
Bob just last quarter you were proclaiming high and low like the town crier, the genius of Kanye's disruptive marketing prowess,
now you opportunistically rant about his lack of talent. In the words of Bill Withers "You're like a man that loves Jesus who says he can't stand a Jew." Nuff said.
The Real Gregory Beasley
______________________________________
On that Kanye note, don't forget the genius of Mike Dean. Houston hip hop producer legend. Started his career playing sax for Selena, came up with Rap A Lot Records, produced, Geto Boys, Scarface, and has production credits on every Kanye record except 808s and Heartbreaks. Mike Dean is 50 something years old, smokes weed like a champ, plays all the live instruments at the shows (guitar, bass, keys). Kanye works with the best producers in the game, they all produce on their own, then shoot out parts in the same room. This is why his music continues to stay fresh.
Really this is just a shoutout for Mike Dean. Unsung hero, but the knowers know.
Holler!
Brian Carrion
______________________________________
These clowns dissing on you amaze me. The problem is that greatness and fame have been conflated. Since the 1980s anyone who became famous was also considered great, when that was/is most definitely not the case. It's probably the same time money replaced substance as far as 'artistry' is concerned. Good for you to take in all that bullshit and not be heartbroken. Or at least not show it.
So often you write about places that I used to haunt. Like Pacific Palisades. I used to live in Mandeville Canyon as well. I went to Palisades High and Paul Revere Junior High. That was between the time I lived in Marin County, and then fled home/LA to return to the Bay Area. Anyway, your writings pretty much always transport me. And fuck all the clueless morons defending that talentless douchbag, Kanye. He is the black Trump. Insane, the both of them; without any evident education. Trump with all his glorious modifiers sounds like a 1980s valley girl. Kanye dreams of being Tupac. NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!!!
Keep speaking your truth! You give me the courage to continue my own path, even when it seems the deck is ever stacked against me.
Kieron Kevin McKindle
______________________________________
Kanye has always managed to capture people's attention and doing that is as tough of a balance of art and science as cooking or music.
Perhaps every facet of his life is some form of performance art? That's the most logical reason for why he shows up on episodes of The Kardashian reality show. What other self respecting artist does that unless they need the money or the act itself is art?
Anyway, he is entitled to his antics just like you are entitled to your opinion. Who or how long anyone else pays attention is always TBD. But you, like him, have built a platform and I applaud you for using it effectively.
Patrick W. Ryan
Co-Founder
Eventellect.com
______________________________________
everyone of these comments makes me think these guys are all smoking something to blur the vision of this so-called artist......
Flickflackmb
______________________________________
When people criticize Kanye it always tends to come from those who are the least connected to the kind of music he creates. Kanye like it or not is an exceptionally gifted tastemaker and a mouthpiece for many things people actually feel. Furthermore, you can't discuss the last 10-15 yrs of Music without tipping your hat to Kanye's contributions. When Kanye said George Bush doesn't care about black people, that's actually what we (black people) felt. When he hopped up on stage and told Taylor Swift Beyoncé deserved the award, that's what many people felt. Rock musicians are free to be flawed, we love them for it. For letting us see the vulnerability. We even anoint them heroes in spite of those unsavory qualities, if that's ok for them what is the validity of Kanye's exemption.
He's been the most innovative player in mainstream hip hop for as long as I can remember.
iamcgreen
______________________________________
Kanye's influence on 15 year olds is, at best, dubious.
Derek Petrillo
______________________________________
Never confusion the man
and the music he creates.
Joe Solo
______________________________________
Maybe nobody cares what some old white man thinks about Kanye, but Kanye is still a fucking idiot.
Signed,
Nobody (Matthew McDonnell)
______________________________________
i don't care about kanye, yeah, he's a genius, he's really good at making music, great producer but he's an ass. so if guys like pete rose or berry bonds can't make it to the hall of fame then why should we care what kanye thinks. he's offensive. i know that's the idea but he just seems like a spoiled dick. so i don't want to hear him anymore.
Jesse Benenati
______________________________________
Kanye West is not a talented musician and is not even a singer...
Jm, hrx records
______________________________________
Really not worth the time, this takes.
Johnny Palazzotto
______________________________________
I like how some fools come to the rescue of this self absorbed, mentally unstable glory hog. Everyone knows Kanye is about Kanye and if we're supposed to feel sorry for him I'll take a pass. At the end of the day he has enough money to remove himself from the public criticism, get help and he will still have his fortune waiting for him when he get out of whatever top notch facility he can check himself into. There are many mentally ill people that have no hope or help why are those blowhards not stepping up to defend or help them? Just look at the Congress that keeps passing on the bill put forth to help veterans or how fucked up the VA. That is where these self righteous blowhards should be focusing there attention to. Helping those who can't help themselves instead of sticking up for this egomaniacal poor little rich man.
Keep the truth flowing Mr. Lefsetz anyone can sit behind a keyboard and pedal a bubble type view of the world that only matters to there own egos.
Sincerely,
Mike DJ
______________________________________
"But I can guarantee you one thing: we will never again agree on anything as we did for Elvis"
This was a great line in Lester Bangs' eulogy for Elvis Presley,
There was one Elvis. One John Lennon. One Prince. One Leon Russell. One James Brown.
But I will never agree on an egotistical sample stealer like KW being given that same honor.
Brian Helgesen
______________________________________
Keep it gangsta Bob! Good shit
j.jefferson3rd
______________________________________
I can understand the Kanye hate, but when he checked into the mental hospital, I could only think about this video of Dave Chappelle talking about Martin Lawrence on Inside The Actors Studio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7-s0rCvXFk&utm_source=phplist5652&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Final+Kanye
Schlomo Rabinowitz
______________________________________
The problem with Kanye is his stunts are louder than his music, people
know him more for his antics than his albums. Most people don't take him
seriously. I've heard his music and think much of it is brilliant and even
ground breaking in it's genre but his nonsense admittedly leaves a bad
taste in my mouth. He just comes off like a rich, rambling, egomaniacal,
prick most of the time. So as soon as he gets started I usually tune him
out which is unfortunate because he may very well have some relevant
points. If he truly cares about getting his artistic and political message
to the people he needs to change his approach big time! If he thinks he's
truly a leader he needs to learn how to lead.
Mikael Johnston
Producer - Engineer - Remixer
______________________________________
So Kanye West is the "greatest living creative" and Donald Trump is the POTUS. Quite frankly, I fear for my children and the world they are about to inherit. Empirical evidence means nothing, truth is entirely subjective...and subjectivity is now the equivalent of objectivity. God.
John Dlugosz
______________________________________
Thank you for expressing what few have the guts to say out loud. I've been a musician/ recording artist for 40 years and the publicity machine that creates "artists" like Kanye, who can be pumped full of faux self importance to the point of insanity is one of the creepier elements of American culture. True substance is getting harder and harder to find and I'm SO tired of the crap that gets the airtime. The world needs more of the real thing (to be determined by me of course! Ha ha!)
Thanks Bob!
Shari Ulrich
______________________________________
I love ya Bob
You don't shy away from the criticisms. Most wouldn't show those
I really think you hit several nerves here
I don't know any Kanye music and I don't care. Remember when he got punked and the "cops" showed up to a video shoot. He grabbed the tapes and ran off like skittle kid. I have a hard time believing he would run from the cops with the tapes for real but when I saw it, I lost any and all interest in him. Spoiled brat with too big of an ego
Anyway, I loved and love the responses you post
Thanks for writing your own stuff too
Jeff Harris
______________________________________
if people think kanye west is a great talent, then we should all be scared of the future ....what talent?....he is an ass who thinks he can do, say and act anyway he chooses because he has money.....what has he REALLY contributed to society....anger, hostility and arrogance.....wow, what a legacy!!
CRD9138
______________________________________
My Mom used to say "I love you, but I don't love your actions". I don't love Kanye but it is his actions that deter me from giving his "genius" a chance. The title of superstar genius is reserved for those whose behavior is one becoming of the title. Springsteen, Bono, Urban, Beyonce, Hetfield, Swift. These people do things for the world beyond their music and you can gladly cite them as some type of role-model. Kanye had his slim chance. Let's hope he finally takes his rightful chair with the over wrought, also ran, loudmouth, washed up, woulda/shoulda, irrelevant, superstar category. Move over Madonna, Biebs, Chris Brown, and Liam Gallagher. Good riddance.
.
Curt Olson
______________________________________
Where did you do your psychiatric residency? If the answer is "nowhere," please keep reading. Opinions about behaviors and opinions are what journalists do. Beware judgments about those with psychiatric symptoms. It's unkind and unprofessional.
Thank you. Linda Kisker.
______________________________________
I'll be the first to admit that I am not a rap fan, that I don't know as much about rap culture as I do about rock, and that I think a lot of rap artists are massively overrated. All that being said I think anyone who does not give Kanye credit as a great musical act is wrong. Whether you like his music or not, it should be undeniable that he has inspired a whole generation of artists, pushed boundaries, and helped create the arena rap world. And I think Merck said it best, his influence over the millennial generation is far beyond any other musician in the world except perhaps Taylor Swift. But what Merck left out is that he has been both a good and bad influence.
He has inspired young artists to create interesting and innovative music. He has also taught young artists that whining and complaining about every little issue that comes across your mind, no matter who you insult or whether you actually believe it is a good idea. I saw him at MSG on the Yeezus tour and during his customary rant he got the entire arena to chant that a specific investor in the audience should invest in Donda (Ye's company). It was funny, sure, but it's not how business is done. Kanye has taught young artists that you can be a musician, a producer, a sneaker designer --a mogul in the 21st century which is great! But he's also taught them that you can interrupt another artist's award winning moment, a huge deal to many artists, and ruin it. I don't know about most people but I see obvious parallels between Kanye's behavior and the incredulous behavior of Donald Trump.
Kanye has shown young artists that it's ok to break the rules. Sometimes rules should be broken. Other times it's horribly disrespectful to the community that has helped make you a star and we should take that responsibility upon ourselves to show kids that it is not ok.
I agree that the Saint Pablo tour has helped change the game once again. He once again pushed the limits and ignored the rules -- that he couldn't turn an arena show into a massive party. That's AWESOME! Merch sales are huge and the gear is highly respected in the fashion world. But one thing that Kanye has forgotten is that he is not entitled to JACK SHIT! He himself has touted the fact that he is self-made, that he pulled himself up and made himself the mogul that he is. So why on earth should we just let him get away with saying all the bizarre crap he says, and why should we just let him be a high end fashion designer if he wants to be. He has forgotten that it was a huge part of why people respected him in the first place, that he was a self-starter. Getting to the top of the music game doesn't mean you get a free pass in everything else. Your comparison to Jordan failing in baseball is perfect.
Merck said that Elton and Bruce and Stevie would disagree with your take on this latest implosion. Obviously he would know better but I think he's ignoring the fact that all three of those artists have worked and worked and worked but never forced their fans to defend their integrity or sanity. (Ok, I Just Called to Say I Love You sucked but other than that, the point stands.)
Kanye West is an inspirational artist to a whole generation of kids and musicians which should not be ignored. However he has not taken that responsibility seriously, and he should absolutely be held accountable for that.
Jonathan Groffman
______________________________________
This ones a tiny bit stinky chap. I love your writing, but you sound just as entitled as you think your subject is.
I might be a little naive perhaps or don't care enough... but chill out mate. I'm pretty sure Kanye makes bank, I know he makes art (good/bad is really unimportant), there are a bunch of off brand rip offs of his shoes/clothing that I've seen about - I'm no fashion expert but I think that goes against what you said? You know the Beatles had egos, they're just too old for twitter...
His wife is his wife. Why is she famous? Why are you famous? The culture we live in didn't happen randomly nor should we be surprised. We built this from the ground up. All the shallowness we complain about was enabled, supported and paid for by us from day one.
We were warned but we decided to go for the face-plant anyway.
I don't think Kanye said anything that radical when it comes to trump... he didn't vote. While that's more or less generally indefensible, a significant portion of our societies fail to vote, why is that? Apathy? disheartenment? Lethargy? Maybe if you're identity/culture gets stepped on enough you stop caring... I don't think it'll affect his reputation (everyone says he's crazy right?). Did Kanye say trump was good for black people? I don't think that's what I heard. I did hear him say we shouldn't be surprised by the result and then something about our generation being distracted... which might be a fair assessment of the culture we live in. But then again he's been a bit of a muppet because I've definitely been distracted and not got what I wanted... Is that how it works? Am I entitled to a seat at the table first? Who gets to sit down first, me or you? Who's more important to whom... Kanye? Your mate Barry? TS? Max? Our new friend Biff? Probably just the money.
I personally hope they continue to spin all of this into some sort of mental health deliverance story. Even if it's hugely calculated by the big machine or whatever... folks are going to need some solid meditation skills for the years ahead. And honestly looking after your head is a great idea.
I dunno mate.
Best,
Daudi
______________________________________
I'll have what Merc's smoking...
www.jkmusic.ca
______________________________________
Bob,
That missive by Merck Mercuriadis on Kanye West is one of the funniest
bloody things I have ever read on the state of today's music. Furthermore,
I'm sure the people at West's last "concert" would give Mercuriadis a
different take on his wild claim.
Michael Carman
______________________________________
Kanye is no genius. Merely a slightly talented asshole so full of himself its sickening.How dare he compare himself to Picasso or Jesus for that matter? Yes just like Picasso, who was a thief of African sculpture which was behind Demoiselles d'avignon the earliest,most famous painting which gave Picasso genius status. That kind of bravado did knock the art world and high culture on its ear.
Picasso's quote. "be careful who you steal from." Maybe Kanye does have some wits in his head and he is comparing himself to the real maestro with some irony pertaining to that but I seriously doubt it.
Thinking he is an "ARTIST"- self-proclamation means you are bankrupt.
His music though is surprisingly non-mainstream. I have an 18 year old daughter so I listen to what she listens to. That is the only thing i can find interesting about it. Otherwise his shlock marriage to that whore and her mother the pimp is not worth anything. If you are so full of ego you believe all that crap you are definitely ready to get kicked in the pants by karma. Sorry if he is mentally ill but most of America and the world is these days. Not to much sanity left out there anymore. If anything he is simply mirroring the sad state of the energy of the world. he may be just sensitive. In that case yet thee to an ashram and chill out.
Tara Greene Tarot Consultant & more
______________________________________
Meme mirror married to a sociopath... Don't trust either... Obviously the music industry was in a pretty shitty place for him to prosper...
Dan Yotz
______________________________________
I think you found one of the biggest debatable issues around right now.
Everyone knows the name Kanye (even his name works - who else do you know named Kanye?), and even those that don't care much for him, know some of what he does.
I even like some of his tunes - although I am not a Hip Hop / RnB fan at all, I can dig a good tune when I hear it. And there is no doubt, there is some talent there, but a lot of it is (in my humble opinion) just trying to find the the sound he managed to find a couple times. And it doesn't get a second chance from myself. Others deserve my time more.
Can you get lucky more than once?
Yes, I think so - and if you are super famous, and married to someone super famous, you have a better chance of people looking for the genius in every tune you write.
Not everyone else will get that attention.
So once again, he wins. He gets the attention - even from you.
And look at the attention you have received just talking about him.
We are victims of circumstance
Shaun Booysen
______________________________________
Who the fuck cares about Kanye?
Are you watching how Trump is filling out his cabinet?
Fuck Kanye.
I've got a revolution to plan.
Eileen Marcussen
______________________________________
These comments are gold! I can almost taste the hatred!
First of all, Kanye isn't the greatest "MC/rapper/lyricist/spoken flow guru" of all time... He's not even in the conversation. However, his skills as a "producer" will be recognized for at least this generation's cycle. He has done things first that others haven't thought of, so you get artistic credit for that. For those who don't understand that, you're just old. But, the thing about computer generated "beats" is that they don't age well. That's because there will always be some kid taking your technique and applying the newest technology to it and making your original works sound dated AF.
My 90s generation had a production wizard that was spoken of in the same way... His name was Trent Reznor. He thought of a lot of things first too. When was the last time you heard "Head like Hole" or "Closer" anywhere other than on SiriusXM's "Lithium"? That answer is nowhere. His works, while wildly original, almost sound amateur compared to the production of today, which unfortunately, they are. Hell, NIN's best song in retrospect is the Cash cover of "Hurt," which does prove Trent's talent. That version sounds like he wrote the damn thing. That's nearly an impossible thing to do.
The real rub here is that Kanye is a Kardashian now. That's what's unfortunate. He had skills when his eye was on the music. Now, he thinks he's artful in a lot of other arenas. Those "professionals" decided that. But the finely marketed followers are sheep and are feeding his ego. The masses are just asses. The New Kids on the Block filled a lot of seats too. The work has suffered. Being popular doesn't make you great, the work does. Pablo isn't great, however it's still better than 95% of today's hip hop, but that ain't saying much. Look at ANY chart. There is so little imagination. That's something that he used to make in aces.
I've been along for the ride since "College Dropout." His greatness peaked on "808s" and his own hype and Kardashian styled "feed the media machine" and has carried him since.
I hope he gets his mind right, finds a mirror and gets back to his calling, creating great music.
And I don't give a damn what anybody says, his shoes are ugly.
Chris Booker
______________________________________
Kanye came in my record store that i managed called 2nd Hand Tunes on the southside of Chicago once when he used to just do beats and production for Jay-Z as he let me know. He was manic and ADD pacing back and forth also letting me know how he was going to be famous etc... and was excited we had a Bill Withers LP he couldn't find anywhere in the city that he needed for a sample. He was right.
Peter Gianakopoulos
the Old School Records
______________________________________
Insurance fraud. End of story.
Nick Bearden
______________________________________
I guess I don't care. He is so rude to people I could careless even if he is the second coming of all things music. I don't want to give people like him the time of day. it's just not that hard to be respectful. It obvious he has some problems I hope gets help
For his kids sake.
David May
______________________________________
Reading all the Kanye comments. When Kanye first came on the scene I supported him and his music but with the years his douchebaggery (lovely borrowed term from Ms Day with the Rap Coalition) just became too much. Now I don't care what he records I've tuned him out.
This is America or was... Things are about to get real ugly with President McDouche at the helm. Kanye and his lady should feel right at home as the cockroaches come out of the woodwork. I'm already seeing cracks in society happening in real time in. The Kanye craziness is about to be little more than a footnote in the pages of our once great country. At least for the time being we still have a choice as to what artists we listen to and what ones we tune out.
Greg Philippi
______________________________________
After reading through some of the replied comments on the Kanye piece, I was somewhat taken aback by how angry people got with you on what you wrote.
I thought it was pretty good piece and pretty spot on. I may not agree with all that you write, but I really do appreciate your insight and what you do in your writings.
Thanks and keep em coming!
Be well.
Craig Walker
______________________________________
You can't have a comeback without a Hit.
Adrian Strong
______________________________________
This one was much more balanced.
Kanye is a creative genius, whether white rockers like it or not. This series of emails hammers the point home. You may not like him or his music, and many of us don't like HIM, but he is an incredible artist. I've been a fan of his music for years.
Good discussion overall. Thanks for initiating.
Baris Ozyetis
______________________________________
I'm amused that anyone takes the time to write you with their $0.02, and you publish it along with all of the others.
Here's my $0.02 : for an old white guy, you're a better visionary than most artists and if we're looking for guidance from artists, then you are an artist. You're insight may not necessarily be revolutionary, but you do excellent work boiling down the bullshit to get to the point of the matter.
I tend to separate art from the artist. I don't believe that the art should have to come from some sort of ethical background. The journey should be IN the art, and not before it. Were you homeless at one time? Did you go to an elite music academy? Were you selling out shows all throughout the midwest without a label? Don't care, let me hear your music. Someone else can be impressed with the narrative. That's for them. Not me.
I don't care that Milli Vanilli didn't sing their songs - someone did! The song is REAL. It EXISTS. I've LISTENED TO IT. I feel the same way about Kanye. He's afraid of looking soft, he's a little batshit and unfiltered, but when "Jesus Walks" comes on, that shit is REAL. It's EXCELLENT. And Kanye can marry whoever he wants, interrupt whoever he wants, I don't care because that's not for me. But the song still exists.
Long and the short of it is : if you produce something I like, I pay for it. I don't need a backstory. I don't need a bullshit press release detailing how it's a blend of "classic rock band" with "best selling album of the last 10 years in the genre" and the poetic soul of "Bob Dylan/legendary poet" (it's usually Dylan). I need something to get my attention. Something to grab me by the throat and demand me to listen.
So Kanye when he isn't rapping, not terribly interested. Kanye when rapping, you have my attention. If his opinion should matter so much, why isn't it in a song - the reason I listen to him at all?
Cheers,
Mark
______________________________________
In regard to Josh Berman's response:
'When Kanye saved hip hop in '04-'05 it was overrun by Puffy and Murder INC. Kanye literally brought music back into the art.'
True. Still, don't forget, Nas was making his own music long before.
'Is he a nutbag? Yes!'
Show me the papers. He seems like an insecure guy with talent to me.
'Is Kim K a mistake? Yes!'
Kim enhanced his brand. Time will tell which one survives.
'Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass. Why not Kanye?'
Two reasons: foremost, you mean John, not Paul; John chose Yoko, but Paul was/is the genius. Second, because Kanye is doing calculatingly what Paul did naturally in the 60s - everyone is: the Beatles set the standard for superstardom, and everyone has since been trying to replicate and surpass it. Time will tell if anyone will. I hope I see it in my lifetime.
'You're a fucking racist who hates hip hop.'
Again, show me the papers.
'Learn about what people like these days if you want to stay relevant you old fucking dinosaur…'
Bob's newsletter is literally about what people like these days, and how to stay relevant. He knows he's getting old, and he's shown tremendous vulnerability over the past year and more. Some more class would suit you.
'…you will be deemed a moron who never got with the times. Do you want that?'
Do YOU, Josh Berman?
John Kay
______________________________________
Holy shit, it's always refreshing to get called an 'old fucking dinosaur' and an out of touch 'racist who hates hip hop' by a kid with a suspiciously middle class sounding Jewish name. We've finally arrived. It must feel good to infuriate those who seem driven to annoy anyone older than themselves.
John Brodey
______________________________________
I lIke that "Paul McCartney chose Yoko Ono, and he still gets a genius pass". Yikes!!
Young Hutchison
Jumping Jack Flash
______________________________________
"But Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass."
......oh dear.
Tommy Allen
______________________________________
Hey Bob!
So Josh Berman calls you a racist because you don't give Kanye the same genius pass that Paul M (McCartney, I assume) gets even though he chose Yoko?
And all this time I thought John L was the one who married her.
Thanks for clearing that up for this old fucking dinosaur Josh.
Jim Blaney
______________________________________
This Josh Berman is kinda dumb, huh?
Evan Burr
______________________________________
OK. Yes. It's all coming back to me now. How Paul M. kept bringing Yoko into the studio. All the other Beatles didn't appreciate her presence. Yea. When PAUL M. brought YOKO in... Especially John, who was like, "Hey, Paul M. Why are you bringing my future wife into the studio. WTF? She's the Mother-to-be of my kids so, Paul M, why are YOU bringing her instead of ME - her boyfriend?"
At first glance Josh Berman seems rude, disrespectful, and completely out of place. Well, if you can get past his ignorance of facts. But who needs facts in this day and age when bravado will do. Right, Kanye?
David Eaton
______________________________________
Um... hey Josh Berman
Paul passed on Yoko, sent her down to John's room... and the rest is history... or herstory.
Dan Millen
______________________________________
Someone explain the difference between John Lennon and Paul McCartney to that Josh Berman kid who emailed you. And then tell him Mommy said it's past his bedtime so he needs to turn off the computer.
Tim Fricke
______________________________________
Josh Berman -
I think you mean John L. - might wanna know which Beatle chose Yoko before you start deeming a person "moron" and "old fucking dinosaur."
David Fralin
______________________________________
You might wanna point out to Josh Berman that it was in fact John L (and not Paul M!) that chose Yoko?
Michael Hosking
______________________________________
Anyone who things Paul McCartney chose Yoko doesn't deserve to have an opinion.
Erin Cowgill
______________________________________
Dear Josh Berman - LENNON chose Yoko.
Angela Randall
______________________________________
Josh Berman sounds like a dick. Thanks for the read?
@samjohnsonlive
______________________________________
That Josh Berman is a stone cold idiot. Poorly educated too. Conflates your criticism of Kanye with racism. What a jackass!
John in Hollywood
______________________________________
RE: Josh Berman. When did Paul M. choose Yoko? Choose her for what? Are you thinking of John L.? At least dinosaurs have some sense of music history...and facts. And how does not liking hip-hop make one a racist? You need to get a grip...
David Allgood
______________________________________
Josh Berman.
If you think it was Macca and Yoko then anything you write is immediately discarded to the slagheap of bad opinion.
KP
______________________________________
If Josh Berman wants to be so critical of Bob for his opinion, he may as well get the facts correct... it was John that was with Yoko and Yoko had a brain.
Also, being critical of a person does not deem that you are being critical of an entire race of people. The word "racist" is very powerful and shouldn't be used in the wrong context. That just waters it down for those who should be labeled as such.
Dan Goldich
______________________________________
He showed you!
Are Paul and Yoko still an item?
--
Best Regards,
Zach Goode
______________________________________
But Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass.
Best of the bag.
Hyperbolium
______________________________________
Paul M. chose Yoko?
Kanye a great artist?
This is as crazy as the Trumpanzees handle on the truth. Name one Kanye song that'll be around in ten, let alone 50 years, I dare you. Meanwhile, Lennon and McCartney? I rest my case?
Steve Jones
______________________________________
Josh Berman,
I don't think Paul M chose Yoko. Just sayin'. Classic Kanye fan.
Stephanie Rae
______________________________________
"Paul M. chose Yoko"? That makes no sense.
Bob Giannini
______________________________________
Josh Berman tried to throw dirt and said "Paul M got Yoko..."
Are people really so so desperate to be heard QUICKLY that they can't be bothered to KNOW WTF THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT?
You clowned him by posting his jib. Best laugh of the thread.
josef blocker
el dorado
______________________________________
Paul and Yoko????
Did John and Linda know about this??
Lee Schnaiberg
______________________________________
Hey Josh Berman, JOHN chose Yoko, you moron.
cara trimboli
______________________________________
This is a brilliant post! Why all the complaints??
Alexander Dorsch
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Fox Innovation Lab
I drove the Mars rover!
Used to be you wanted to be on the lot. Back when movies drove the culture and Hollywood was still dreamland, back before the means of production were at our fingertips and Silicon Valley pushed the envelope and usurped L.A.'s power.
Kind of sad if you think about it. All the religious shrines have been devalued or disappeared, remember when the record store was iconic and you couldn't even get a job there? It just wasn't a retail location, it was the epicenter of a movement, ground zero for soul sustenance.
Which is all a long explanation to say that my heart did not go pitter-patter as I drove onto the Fox lot today. Movies are a sideshow, dumbed-down to play all over the world.
But when I got out of the structure and set foot on the campus...
I felt it.
Access is everything these days. You've either got it or want it. We all want to get somewhere we can't. Like backstage. And no amount of money will get you on the Fox lot, but if your name is on the list...
Do you get anxious, wondering if your name will be there?
I do. I feel an impostor, like I'm pulling one over on somebody. And at first I thought the clerk couldn't find my name, but in truth he was executing security protocols. He not only wanted my name, but the building I was going to and my ID. Because nowhere is safe anymore, or at least we don't think so. That's what's changed. You can view the world from your couch, but if you actually want to get up and go you're going to pass through many checkpoints. There are cameras everywhere, but still...bad actors abound.
Now I didn't want to ask for directions. I'm fearful of appearing a newbie, and I don't want to give the cops any reason to exclude me, to hold me back.
But I found Building 58 right away, it was right next to the parking structure.
And after taking a pee in the women's room, don't worry, it was single user and I had to go, I wandered through the building looking for Room 128. Act like you belong, even if you don't, it goes a long way.
I was early.
L.A.'s weird, everybody's late. But then you are and you feel awful.
But the rest of my group showed up soon.
There was the head of post production.
That's a big job folks, one of the biggest. And I always wonder how someone gets from there to here. They make it sound easy, but it never is, even if you're connected, and Ted Gagliano was not. He started off working for Frank Mancuso, was at Paramount for a long while, and...
The more this dude is talking the more I realize he's a huge deal, and is the President of Post Production really taking time out of his day to talk to me?
Do we cut to the chase or can I investigate?
Ted went to Princeton. Not that you'd know it by looking at him, he was wearing his jeans. The biggest jobs are done by those who don't advertise via their exterior. Rock was biggest when the players wore their street clothes. I'll argue music went downhill when Tommy Mottola and the Sony brass started wearing suits. Give Lucian Grainge credit, he rarely shows up in one.
So the Innovation Lab is preparing Fox for the future. It's coming, you know that, right? Everything changes, you do your best to survive.
Or you don't and get plowed under, like all the musicians wondering who moved their cheese.
So then Ted Schilowitz showed up. He's the hands-on guy.
And Ted S. is telling me how kids are hamstrung by society and can't wait to get home, shut the door and make decisions, interact online and with video games. Whereas oldsters are overburdened with life and by time they get home they just want to relax, sit in front of the screen and shut down.
But screens it is.
Ted S. said we're in front of one all day long. And that's true. We wake up and look at our smartphone, we go to work and sit in front of a monitor, we come home and sit in front of the TV. What's on these screens is important!
And both Teds agreed we wanted to interact.
Now virtual reality has gotten a bad rap. Kinda like 3-D TV, the techies keep raving about it and the public can't see the fruits.
And the messaging is all screwed up. All this hogwash about VR and live entertainment. Er, no. You go to live entertainment to interact with the crowd, to feel it, seeing is only a small component.
And then you have the geeks with their gaming.
The problem with gaming is...
It's trickery. There are no instructions and tons of dead ends and the frustration factor is through the roof! So many people check out.
But the truth is, VR is about the EXPERIENCE!
It's not about the window to the world, but INHABITING that world.
And the techies just cannot convey this.
But when I was on Mars today...
Fox spent millions to repurpose the film "The Martian" as a VR experience.
But first I put on the Oculus Rift headset, the one with all the buzz, the one that got a boost from Kickstarter and was ultimately bought by Facebook. Fox tried to buy it, but the company was too late. If you want to surf the crest of the future, you've got to COMMIT!
And the truth is some of the effects I saw were cool, especially standing on the parapet of a New York building and watching the New Year's Eve ball come down, but I was constantly afraid of FALLING DOWN! I'd just seen the doctor this morning, I didn't want to mess up my arm. They kept imploring me to turn, but I wasn't gonna. Especially after they told me people had fallen already.
But then I strapped on the HTC headset, with hand controllers, and jetted off to Mars.
It felt different, it felt like Mars. Lonely and red, dusty...
But then I had to take control, I had to throw switches, open doors, I was INVOLVED!
But the coolest part was getting behind the wheel of the rover. I intentionally drove it into the rocks. My seat shaked. The game was smart.
I could have driven that rover all afternoon, feeling the bumps, scanning the landscape. It was kind of like skiing, it took all my energy and concentration, I felt removed from the real world, and that's a thrill.
And you can buy the Mars excursion right now. But there are even better things coming. Narratives, but with more options.
The truth is we love narrative, we're addicted to stories. As for short attention spans, if that's the case, if kids can't concentrate, then why are they doing marathons on Netflix?
We're gonna have so much time on our hands. Machines are gonna do the work, we're not even gonna DRIVE!
So what fills the hole?
Entertainment!
Video games already outstrip movies in revenue. There's something on the horizon, more immersive. The price of the hardware has to come down, and it will, as it simultaneously gets better, but it's about a breakout hit, software.
Don't depend on the techies. These were the same people who told us to buy computers to store our recipes. Huh? The breakthrough app was AOL, interactivity, we wanted to connect. And I'm sure there will be a VR environment like "World of Warcraft" coming.
"Myst" broke open computer gaming. We just need the app everyone's got to own.
Few owned computers, even fewer had modems, then AOL drove everybody to the store, they wanted to play.
People are thinking about the future. It's not quite here, and it won't be what people say it will be, but we're on the hunt for titillation, and we go where we find it.
And the stunning thing was the two Teds were consumed by this. Conversation in music is rarely about that, it's all about the business, the money, the penumbra. But in Room 128 today we were freestyling about story, about technology, this is what you come to Hollywood for, to escape the grind of the bank, to avoid a life of drudgery.
So maybe the dream factory is ready for a rebirth. A true hyperspace that is not dependent upon "Star Wars" remakes.
One thing's for sure, I'M SITTING DOWN FOR IT!
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Used to be you wanted to be on the lot. Back when movies drove the culture and Hollywood was still dreamland, back before the means of production were at our fingertips and Silicon Valley pushed the envelope and usurped L.A.'s power.
Kind of sad if you think about it. All the religious shrines have been devalued or disappeared, remember when the record store was iconic and you couldn't even get a job there? It just wasn't a retail location, it was the epicenter of a movement, ground zero for soul sustenance.
Which is all a long explanation to say that my heart did not go pitter-patter as I drove onto the Fox lot today. Movies are a sideshow, dumbed-down to play all over the world.
But when I got out of the structure and set foot on the campus...
I felt it.
Access is everything these days. You've either got it or want it. We all want to get somewhere we can't. Like backstage. And no amount of money will get you on the Fox lot, but if your name is on the list...
Do you get anxious, wondering if your name will be there?
I do. I feel an impostor, like I'm pulling one over on somebody. And at first I thought the clerk couldn't find my name, but in truth he was executing security protocols. He not only wanted my name, but the building I was going to and my ID. Because nowhere is safe anymore, or at least we don't think so. That's what's changed. You can view the world from your couch, but if you actually want to get up and go you're going to pass through many checkpoints. There are cameras everywhere, but still...bad actors abound.
Now I didn't want to ask for directions. I'm fearful of appearing a newbie, and I don't want to give the cops any reason to exclude me, to hold me back.
But I found Building 58 right away, it was right next to the parking structure.
And after taking a pee in the women's room, don't worry, it was single user and I had to go, I wandered through the building looking for Room 128. Act like you belong, even if you don't, it goes a long way.
I was early.
L.A.'s weird, everybody's late. But then you are and you feel awful.
But the rest of my group showed up soon.
There was the head of post production.
That's a big job folks, one of the biggest. And I always wonder how someone gets from there to here. They make it sound easy, but it never is, even if you're connected, and Ted Gagliano was not. He started off working for Frank Mancuso, was at Paramount for a long while, and...
The more this dude is talking the more I realize he's a huge deal, and is the President of Post Production really taking time out of his day to talk to me?
Do we cut to the chase or can I investigate?
Ted went to Princeton. Not that you'd know it by looking at him, he was wearing his jeans. The biggest jobs are done by those who don't advertise via their exterior. Rock was biggest when the players wore their street clothes. I'll argue music went downhill when Tommy Mottola and the Sony brass started wearing suits. Give Lucian Grainge credit, he rarely shows up in one.
So the Innovation Lab is preparing Fox for the future. It's coming, you know that, right? Everything changes, you do your best to survive.
Or you don't and get plowed under, like all the musicians wondering who moved their cheese.
So then Ted Schilowitz showed up. He's the hands-on guy.
And Ted S. is telling me how kids are hamstrung by society and can't wait to get home, shut the door and make decisions, interact online and with video games. Whereas oldsters are overburdened with life and by time they get home they just want to relax, sit in front of the screen and shut down.
But screens it is.
Ted S. said we're in front of one all day long. And that's true. We wake up and look at our smartphone, we go to work and sit in front of a monitor, we come home and sit in front of the TV. What's on these screens is important!
And both Teds agreed we wanted to interact.
Now virtual reality has gotten a bad rap. Kinda like 3-D TV, the techies keep raving about it and the public can't see the fruits.
And the messaging is all screwed up. All this hogwash about VR and live entertainment. Er, no. You go to live entertainment to interact with the crowd, to feel it, seeing is only a small component.
And then you have the geeks with their gaming.
The problem with gaming is...
It's trickery. There are no instructions and tons of dead ends and the frustration factor is through the roof! So many people check out.
But the truth is, VR is about the EXPERIENCE!
It's not about the window to the world, but INHABITING that world.
And the techies just cannot convey this.
But when I was on Mars today...
Fox spent millions to repurpose the film "The Martian" as a VR experience.
But first I put on the Oculus Rift headset, the one with all the buzz, the one that got a boost from Kickstarter and was ultimately bought by Facebook. Fox tried to buy it, but the company was too late. If you want to surf the crest of the future, you've got to COMMIT!
And the truth is some of the effects I saw were cool, especially standing on the parapet of a New York building and watching the New Year's Eve ball come down, but I was constantly afraid of FALLING DOWN! I'd just seen the doctor this morning, I didn't want to mess up my arm. They kept imploring me to turn, but I wasn't gonna. Especially after they told me people had fallen already.
But then I strapped on the HTC headset, with hand controllers, and jetted off to Mars.
It felt different, it felt like Mars. Lonely and red, dusty...
But then I had to take control, I had to throw switches, open doors, I was INVOLVED!
But the coolest part was getting behind the wheel of the rover. I intentionally drove it into the rocks. My seat shaked. The game was smart.
I could have driven that rover all afternoon, feeling the bumps, scanning the landscape. It was kind of like skiing, it took all my energy and concentration, I felt removed from the real world, and that's a thrill.
And you can buy the Mars excursion right now. But there are even better things coming. Narratives, but with more options.
The truth is we love narrative, we're addicted to stories. As for short attention spans, if that's the case, if kids can't concentrate, then why are they doing marathons on Netflix?
We're gonna have so much time on our hands. Machines are gonna do the work, we're not even gonna DRIVE!
So what fills the hole?
Entertainment!
Video games already outstrip movies in revenue. There's something on the horizon, more immersive. The price of the hardware has to come down, and it will, as it simultaneously gets better, but it's about a breakout hit, software.
Don't depend on the techies. These were the same people who told us to buy computers to store our recipes. Huh? The breakthrough app was AOL, interactivity, we wanted to connect. And I'm sure there will be a VR environment like "World of Warcraft" coming.
"Myst" broke open computer gaming. We just need the app everyone's got to own.
Few owned computers, even fewer had modems, then AOL drove everybody to the store, they wanted to play.
People are thinking about the future. It's not quite here, and it won't be what people say it will be, but we're on the hunt for titillation, and we go where we find it.
And the stunning thing was the two Teds were consumed by this. Conversation in music is rarely about that, it's all about the business, the money, the penumbra. But in Room 128 today we were freestyling about story, about technology, this is what you come to Hollywood for, to escape the grind of the bank, to avoid a life of drudgery.
So maybe the dream factory is ready for a rebirth. A true hyperspace that is not dependent upon "Star Wars" remakes.
One thing's for sure, I'M SITTING DOWN FOR IT!
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Monday 28 November 2016
World Domination
It's over.
The media can't get over the fact that no one is paying attention to it. That the "New York Times" is an echo chamber, Fox News too. These baby boomers and Gen-X'ers are functioning in a different era, when one could reach everybody.
You can't reach everybody anymore.
The Police started this paradigm in music. Stewart Copeland's dad was a spook who'd been stationed in out of the way places and Stewart and his brother, the band's manager Ian, decided to take the act to the hinterlands, after all, people are people, you can make fans everywhere.
And this is how the music business has operated ever since. You cut an album every three, four or five years and then go knocking on doors all over the world, trying to drum up interest and convert people. But if you're doing that today the joke is on you, the cycle moves too fast, new product comes every hour, never mind every day, and if you're not busy creating you're being left behind.
But that's just to stay in the game.
Winning the game?
Lower your expectations.
In a world where even the NFL's ratings are taking a hit, where vaunted TV shows don't crack double digit millions in viewers, the truth is attention is scattered and you just can't gain it.
Now you can rebel against this, to no effect. This is what the oldster musicians have been doing for a decade and a half. Their main message is who let the dogs out? Not only the public expecting all the music for one low price, if not free, but the other acts they're now competing against. With the barrier to entry essentially nonexistent, new acts are climbing the wall and invading. And the same thing is happening in news. Everybody's a reporter. And the old guard just can't understand why consumers don't drop all the newbies and pay attention to THEM!
Hmm...
How does it all work out?
I DON'T KNOW!
But the biggest act of the year was the election. The debates garnered audiences unheard of previously, the numbers were especially staggering seeing how bad most entertainment products do these days. Let that be a lesson to you, when it's about life and death, about your future, people care. And fakery's got no place in the game. If you're DOING it for ratings, if you're DOING it for the money, you've missed the plot. That was one of the Donald's hooks, he was funding his campaign HIMSELF!
This is important. Because as Bob Dylan said, to live outside the law you have to be honest.
Which is why the techies triumphed. Their products were based on 0's and 1's. There was little human emotion involved. And they created items that everybody needed. Which is why techies became the new rock stars. Everybody had a Facebook page, everybody had an opinion on the service. And now there's Snapchat and...
The truth is this tech thing is long in the tooth. It's hair bands about to be replaced by hip-hop and grunge. But the lesson still stands, in order to dominate today you've got to deliver what people NEED! And just telling them they'll need it won't get you there. It's about virality, word of mouth, heat.
And the product must be palatable to most.
Which is why Adele's "21" was such a hit. Everyone's got a soft spot for artistry. We like good voices, hooks, melodies. "21" outsold everything else by a huge multiple. Then she and her team shot themselves in the foot by refusing to put "25" on streaming services and making an album that just wasn't good enough.
You want your stuff to be everywhere. The techies wrote this rule. Acceptance is key, monetization comes thereafter. But the entertainment business is a greedy, street one, it focuses on money first and leaves too much cash on the table.
But the truth is we're only interested in great. It's a world of 9's and 10's only. Sure, you might be able to gain an audience for a 7 or 8, but you can't grow it significantly, because people are overwhelmed, they don't have time for mediocre.
So you've got to lower your sights. Most people and their endeavors will not reach critical mass. And a few will triumph, but then comes the question, WHAT WILL THE REST DO?
Driverless vehicles are going to decimate the ranks of professional drivers overnight, millions of truck drivers are going to lose their jobs, and they're never coming back.
And the internet has made it so only a few musicians are wealthy.
And only a few news outlets are profitable.
So if you're in it for the long haul, climb to quality.
But know that it's almost impossible to reach critical mass.
Everybody likes something different, everybody's got a different opinion.
Fake news didn't get Donald Trump elected, angry, disenfranchised voters did. And it's hard for the media to accept this, believing it is an all powerful ruler. Just like the music business believed it could corral consumers into buying overpriced CDs.
Most people don't know Taylor Swift's music.
Most people have never heard of Drake.
Most people don't read the "New York Times."
AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T CARE!
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The media can't get over the fact that no one is paying attention to it. That the "New York Times" is an echo chamber, Fox News too. These baby boomers and Gen-X'ers are functioning in a different era, when one could reach everybody.
You can't reach everybody anymore.
The Police started this paradigm in music. Stewart Copeland's dad was a spook who'd been stationed in out of the way places and Stewart and his brother, the band's manager Ian, decided to take the act to the hinterlands, after all, people are people, you can make fans everywhere.
And this is how the music business has operated ever since. You cut an album every three, four or five years and then go knocking on doors all over the world, trying to drum up interest and convert people. But if you're doing that today the joke is on you, the cycle moves too fast, new product comes every hour, never mind every day, and if you're not busy creating you're being left behind.
But that's just to stay in the game.
Winning the game?
Lower your expectations.
In a world where even the NFL's ratings are taking a hit, where vaunted TV shows don't crack double digit millions in viewers, the truth is attention is scattered and you just can't gain it.
Now you can rebel against this, to no effect. This is what the oldster musicians have been doing for a decade and a half. Their main message is who let the dogs out? Not only the public expecting all the music for one low price, if not free, but the other acts they're now competing against. With the barrier to entry essentially nonexistent, new acts are climbing the wall and invading. And the same thing is happening in news. Everybody's a reporter. And the old guard just can't understand why consumers don't drop all the newbies and pay attention to THEM!
Hmm...
How does it all work out?
I DON'T KNOW!
But the biggest act of the year was the election. The debates garnered audiences unheard of previously, the numbers were especially staggering seeing how bad most entertainment products do these days. Let that be a lesson to you, when it's about life and death, about your future, people care. And fakery's got no place in the game. If you're DOING it for ratings, if you're DOING it for the money, you've missed the plot. That was one of the Donald's hooks, he was funding his campaign HIMSELF!
This is important. Because as Bob Dylan said, to live outside the law you have to be honest.
Which is why the techies triumphed. Their products were based on 0's and 1's. There was little human emotion involved. And they created items that everybody needed. Which is why techies became the new rock stars. Everybody had a Facebook page, everybody had an opinion on the service. And now there's Snapchat and...
The truth is this tech thing is long in the tooth. It's hair bands about to be replaced by hip-hop and grunge. But the lesson still stands, in order to dominate today you've got to deliver what people NEED! And just telling them they'll need it won't get you there. It's about virality, word of mouth, heat.
And the product must be palatable to most.
Which is why Adele's "21" was such a hit. Everyone's got a soft spot for artistry. We like good voices, hooks, melodies. "21" outsold everything else by a huge multiple. Then she and her team shot themselves in the foot by refusing to put "25" on streaming services and making an album that just wasn't good enough.
You want your stuff to be everywhere. The techies wrote this rule. Acceptance is key, monetization comes thereafter. But the entertainment business is a greedy, street one, it focuses on money first and leaves too much cash on the table.
But the truth is we're only interested in great. It's a world of 9's and 10's only. Sure, you might be able to gain an audience for a 7 or 8, but you can't grow it significantly, because people are overwhelmed, they don't have time for mediocre.
So you've got to lower your sights. Most people and their endeavors will not reach critical mass. And a few will triumph, but then comes the question, WHAT WILL THE REST DO?
Driverless vehicles are going to decimate the ranks of professional drivers overnight, millions of truck drivers are going to lose their jobs, and they're never coming back.
And the internet has made it so only a few musicians are wealthy.
And only a few news outlets are profitable.
So if you're in it for the long haul, climb to quality.
But know that it's almost impossible to reach critical mass.
Everybody likes something different, everybody's got a different opinion.
Fake news didn't get Donald Trump elected, angry, disenfranchised voters did. And it's hard for the media to accept this, believing it is an all powerful ruler. Just like the music business believed it could corral consumers into buying overpriced CDs.
Most people don't know Taylor Swift's music.
Most people have never heard of Drake.
Most people don't read the "New York Times."
AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T CARE!
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More Kanye
Mental health is no laughing matter but in fact it would appear that it's not Kanye West that has lost his mind but the vast majority of your readers . . . And maybe even you Bob. Kanye West is arguably the most important American artist of the last 15 years and The Life Of Pablo is without question one of the best albums of 2016. In a year of great tours Saint Pablo was sensational. The influence Kanye has on 15 year olds all over the world - who will be making the best music of the next 15 years - is unparalleled. Our job is to support the artist and give him or her an environment they can be confident in and that allows them to create their best work. You should all be ashamed of yourselves - whether you like his work or not - for not supporting an artist when they need it the most. Trust me from Elton to Bruce Springsteen to Stevie Wonder they would not agree with you.
Merck Mercuriadis
__________________________________
I think Jordan Wolowitz's comment should have been higher up, he's the only one defending Kanye, making very valid points, and he's super relevant / high profile in this discussion. This is the guy who booked Kanye for Meadows when he walked off mid show to attend to Kim post-robbery. Seeing Jordan defend Kanye is a big deal in my opinion. Jordan is part of Live Nation too.
I'm surprised there was no other defense of Kanye.
I agree with many of your points, but for me, he is the greatest living creative and I care about that above all else.
Sean Glass
__________________________________
When Kanye saved hip hop in '04-'05 it was overrun by Puffy and Murder INC. Kanye literally brought music back into the art. Is he a nutbag? Yes! Is Kim K a mistake? Yes! But Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass. Why not Kanye? Oh I know why, because you're a fucking racist who hates hip hop. Get off your own dick and learn about what people like these days if you want to stay relevant you old fucking dinosaur. If not you will be deemed a moron who never got with the times. Do you want that?
Josh Berman
__________________________________
The thing that stands out most to me in all of this is how angry some folks got at you for expressing your opinion. I mean people downright insulted you for having your own thoughts on this subject. I'm guessing much of the negativity really comes from jealousy at you having a platform on which to express your opinion. Kudos to you for having the necessary layer to not let that negativity pierce your skin.
Kanye is the same person I met in 1996. Only louder, and more extreme because he now has a microphone. But the truth is he was always the man you see now. Just amplified to an annoying decibel and enabled through a marriage to a fame junkie.
Sometimes douchebaggery can blind us to even decipher if there's talent beneath. I tuned him out in 96, personally. I was blinded by the early douchebaggery.
Wendy Day
Rap Coalition
__________________________________
Kanye has a better handle on the cultural zeitgeist than any blogger, cultural critic or figure in the public spotlight. His music is not as good as it used (still very solid and innovative) to be but when he was at his peak, he was a savant and pioneer in the hip hop genre. Did you watch the whole rant? It's 20 minutes. The media dismissively pieced 60 seconds of his soundbytes together to make him sound crazy. If you listen to the whole rant (all 20 minutes of it) he sounds a lot less crazy and backs up his outrageous statements with somewhat logical reasoning. It also seemed to me like the stunt was an intentional move to sabotage the tour. He may be rebelling against someone trying to pull his strings and that rant was his way of lashing out. Now he's in the hospital against his will. Seems really odd to me. If he really is crazy he deserves sympathy point blank and if he's not, there's a lot more going on that we are privy to.
Jose Ho-Guanipa
__________________________________
SO HAPPY you shared this. Truly amazing to read all the responses. Side note: I'm a 25 year old musician in Harlem and the general consensus is all old people hate Kanye. They just haven't gotten him for years. What comes off to everyone else as wanting attention comes off to the youth as authenticity. Just like your point about The Donald.
I would like to see how you feel about the illuminati. Because I feel like they'r the ones doing this to Kanye. As soon as he trashed Beyoncé in public it was over. Talking about trump and child pornography. No one wants a Kanye. Just like the real elite don't really want a Trump.
Best,
Leah Haxhi
__________________________________
Dear Bob,
I'm surprised at some of the responses to your blogs on Kanye. I would have never thought this would turn out to be an Emperor's Cloth's scenario.
Keep up the truth, Bob…nice job.
Dr. Allen Miller
__________________________________
you americans are fuckin loonies....kind regards UK
Sal Paradise
__________________________________
"And Kanye, an African-American, who said George Bush didn't care about black people, he comes out for Donald Trump?"
Bob,
That should tell you something....you're wrong about Donald Trump. Just admit it. If Kanye can see it surely you can too,
Tres Sasser
__________________________________
It is so funny to me that so many people care. Good for you brother. I could not name a Kanye tune or article of clothing or even which company sells his shoes. I got better things to do but I appreciate your commentary even if unpopular.
Michael A. Becker
__________________________________
Hi Bob, I am looking forward to the Kanye and Lady Gaga duet of "Guilty" by Barry Gibb and Barbara Streisand.
Thank you for the read!
All the best, Braden Merrick
__________________________________
Amen.
Evan Rogers
__________________________________
Bob. I can't stop laughing at some of the comments. Glad you didn't leave the negative ones out.
Erwin Flaming
__________________________________
For once I think you're wrong Bob. Kanye is extremely talented. Samito
__________________________________
Forward to Tom Quinn.... he totally missed the point. Lennon wasn't bragging or reveling in the attention, he was lamenting it and finding it quite disconcerting.
Michael Leon
__________________________________
Genius is relative; in Kanye's case, his soundboard creations are all a function of capital. There are thousands of far more talented people that might be recognized but for the lack of cash. His talent in the 'hoods I serve is garden-variety.
Let's see him hold an auditorium's attention with his naked talent, stripped of effects, for an hour or two before we call him a "genius."
Ken Shain
__________________________________
Like Sam Kinison said, if you can't play an instrument, get off the stage. That includes West.
But jeez, you must be doing something right, all that vitriol. Pretty funny.
I'm not the Kanye demo and not a fan. Zzzzz. Not a Drumpf fan either. Did enjoy your rant.
Rik Shafer
__________________________________
Given all the emotional replies, I'd say Kanye IS an artist... people feel strongly one way or another.
What's the old saying? If you're not pissing someone off, you're not doing it right! Kinda like what you do.
Being a musician. That's a matter of taste and opinion. Kanye is an artist though!
Mike Pappas
__________________________________
But to put it simply, Kanye is a bigger ass than the one he's married to. And that is a difficult thing to be.
Great rant.
Louis Lewow
__________________________________
So many responders seem to have trouble putting a label on what Kayne's done musically. I'd like to refer back to the 2000-Year-Old Man album where Carl Reiner is interviewing the latest singing sensation, Fabiola (Mel Brooks).
Carl: Now how would you describe your type of singing? It's not folk, it's not rock 'n roll, it's not progressive jazz, it's not swing. What is it?
Fabiola: It's dirty, man.
Larry Butler
__________________________________
Why do we keep feeding this fire? Can we please get back to some English Rock? That tiny country, that's not Wales, Ireland or Scotland. Though small, it once had an Empire and also a few little bands that the millenniums have never heard of, like that little band from Liverpool or a bunch of unknown lads from Birmingham that had to put "we love you" and kisses on their own van with lipstick and nail polish, in 1968 called Led Zeppelin and would they gross 1+ Billion English Pounds with a 2018 Tour?
SC Music
__________________________________
I'm hesitant to write you since I'm just an ordinary human, not a rock star, however came to know you through my kids who are musicians. Just want to let you know (if you read this) I find your wiritng brilliant and brave. I'm writing a book at the moment and wish I had half your talent. You take on things that make me cringe because of your honesty and smartness, so used to not seeing that. I especially appreciate your refreshing, self-depracating stories of your life that always hit home - people can relate, at least people I respect can. You also must have a pretty thick skin to handle all the negs. And print them.
Thanks for giving your time and mind. You're a gem.
A big fan,
Bonnie Levine
__________________________________
Great stuff Bob.
Agostino Scafidi
__________________________________
No one with an IQ larger than your average turnip cares one whit what Kanye West thinks about anything.
Gary Theroux
__________________________________
Seriously, that was the whitest bunch of emails Ive ever seen. A virtual who's who of white dude names. Steve David Jim Paul Tim Dennis....and the original email by a dude named Bob.
Is a "lock her up" chant next?
Dont get it? Fine. Kanye fans don't get Paul Rodgers, either.
Kanye is a genius. What did you say once about talent, Sui Generis, etc?
Love,
Nick Lawson
A White Guy (who gets Kanye and Paul Rodgers)
__________________________________
Are you kidding me?
The people who write these emails have not listened to Kanye West's music. Their hatred of him has nothing to do with his talent, his abilities as a writer, recording artist or a producer.
I'm a 58 year old white male who's been in the business for 30 years. Kanye has redefined the genre of hip-hop and his records are absolutely stunningly good. He is a Fearless musical innovator who takes risks with each and every album the most Indie artists would not even consider.
I'll say it, he has the kind of Genius musically that normal musical artists just don't have. Regardless of how people feel about the exploits that have kept him in the headlines and on the lips of American Presidents, his records speak for themselves. I think some of your listeners should just take the time to actually listen to them.
Best,
Chris Johnson
__________________________________
I agreed with a lot of your piece. Disagreed with a little. I'm a massive fan of Kanye the musician. Undeniable brilliance. Brilliance that put him here. No one believed in his skills as a rapper. He proved everyone wrong. His fashion talent? Mediocre. If fashion houses can make the money Kanye believes he's worth? He'd be designing leather pants for the king of Italy. But no one wanted a piece of his leather pants. And barfing up every excuse but being untalented is fucking ridiculous. But made for entertaining fodder.
You, Bob, called the dog shit when everyone is/was afraid to. I was disappointed with Ellen when she let him spew nonsensical diarrhea for 11 minutes and didn't with respond with anything snarky. I'm sure she was just figuring out her next dance routine, but still... She didn't let Mariah Carey off the hook during her last appearance? She's always verbally spanking idiot guests. But Kanye got the pass. He wasted valuable airtime repeating Walt Disney and Steve Jobs and the names of actual geniuses with PBS documentaries which Kanye torrents and obsesses over.
Which brings me to my point. Why I can't believe Kanye is crazy. Why all of this is a facade. Because Kanye is sickly obsessed with celebrities. He's obsessed with icons. With their stories. With biographies. He can't go through an interview without mentioning one. And he's not satisfied with his own. He's creating his legacy. A decade ago, when he was nothing, he would tell people he's the next Michael Jackson. And Jacko's story far exceeded his music. And Kanye is just as concerned with that - if not more than his actual music. And like Kanye...we shat all over MJ. Until he died. Then the molestation accusations and rumours and plastic surgery was all but forgotten. We were praying for his soul, whatever the fuck that means.
Kanye told us he went to the hospital, then all of a sudden we were praying for Kanye on Instagram instead of bashing him. All it took was telling people he needed a nap, and was thirsty. And here's a new chapter to the A&E Biography of Kanye West. He wasn't having meltdowns during his rants. That wasn't an example of a medical issue. That was a fucking asshole. A jealous child, angry that Jay Z and Beyonce didn't want to play. Beyonce didn't ask you to charge the stage during Taylor Swift's moment. So don't get angry when she doesn't return your calls. That was a man realizing Drake and DJ Khaled had a better song than you. Not paranoia.
But the fans who constantly eat all the bullshit excuses, like Spose/Ryan (high fives for the quote on paragraphs, because only young, non-white people are allowed to have valid points on Kanye) and half the planet who are incapable of reading between the lines, will welcome West back with open arms. And Jay Z will do a song with him, because it will be major fucking business, when in reality, everyone should roll like the one radio programmer in Sacramento - the only person with balls - and ban him. Radio banned the Dixie Chicks for dissing Bush. Radio is silent when Kanye tells RADIO TO FUCK THEMSELVES? But why not? MTV keeps bringing him back. Because they have nothing going on. And because music is fucking boring. It all fucking sucks. It's all toilet water.
And now I know how it feels to be Bob Fucking Lefsetz. I don't even know who I am anymore.
Wow.
Sincerely,
(previously) Derek Christoff
ps. "Paragraphs". Haha. What a dummy.
__________________________________
You struck a nerve Bob....I especially love when everyone takes Kanye this seriously ...He's just a musician and a decade ago was pretty damn cool....and I think the Taylor thing just kills him because if you stack up her last 10 years against his she's in it forever and the star of Kanye is fading.
I do love the scribe saying the Kardashians turned one athlete into a drug addict, one into a woman and now one into a very ill young man...Kris Humpries is laughing now.
I did appreciate the writer discussing the ticket sales and merch so let's break that down
I ll estimate he gets 1M guaranteed a show vs 85/15%split
He probably makes some money off merch but let's not forget venue probably gets 20/30% but don't over estimate that most buy the cheapest items in the $10-20 range and the $50 Ts and $100 sweats and $250 jackets DO NOT roll off the shelves
Now not mentioned is does this gentlemen have any idea what the FIXED expenses are to play MSG or Staples....that's just to get in the door!!!
And that little production which very few production companies can do safely and properly is not cheap. And local labor and rigging is insane. And of course the production company rentals staff per diems hotels air ground etc all factor in....
Don't forget the Kanye plane and ground a crew down time at Van Nuys or Teterboro all these vendors get paid.
People cancel tours for many reasons ( love the exhaustion excuse) BUT most do so out of finances......
And FYI those corp sponsors don't pay nearly as much as people think....
And those silly salaries .....a tour that size would probably need minimum people.....but at least he saves by cutting the band.....even Brit got really smart and hit said heck " I ll play to track in Vegas"......
Bieber had (24) trucks out on his last tour and he did 10X as many gigs as Kanye and he worked 5 days a week.
You want to make money as a touring artist bass out of Nashville load up 2-4 trucks and rent busses and hit the road....your rider will cover all bus stocking and you drive all night and guys and girls shower at gigs. And by the way it's a bad way to live and unless flying charter or Business Class which few tours accommodate flying commercial is a nightmare. Anyone whose ever toured will say a good bus with a few empty bunks is heaven. Especially with the roll out coaches now a days....
ELO and ELP tries this model decades ago when I was a kid with full orchestras space ships and lasers. Didn't work then still doesn't work
EGO kills a lot of tours and work for people.....
Chris Apostle
__________________________________
Smh. This is just ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as your nonsensical opinions.
Noah Sheer
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Merck Mercuriadis
__________________________________
I think Jordan Wolowitz's comment should have been higher up, he's the only one defending Kanye, making very valid points, and he's super relevant / high profile in this discussion. This is the guy who booked Kanye for Meadows when he walked off mid show to attend to Kim post-robbery. Seeing Jordan defend Kanye is a big deal in my opinion. Jordan is part of Live Nation too.
I'm surprised there was no other defense of Kanye.
I agree with many of your points, but for me, he is the greatest living creative and I care about that above all else.
Sean Glass
__________________________________
When Kanye saved hip hop in '04-'05 it was overrun by Puffy and Murder INC. Kanye literally brought music back into the art. Is he a nutbag? Yes! Is Kim K a mistake? Yes! But Paul M. chose Yoko and he still got the 'genius' pass. Why not Kanye? Oh I know why, because you're a fucking racist who hates hip hop. Get off your own dick and learn about what people like these days if you want to stay relevant you old fucking dinosaur. If not you will be deemed a moron who never got with the times. Do you want that?
Josh Berman
__________________________________
The thing that stands out most to me in all of this is how angry some folks got at you for expressing your opinion. I mean people downright insulted you for having your own thoughts on this subject. I'm guessing much of the negativity really comes from jealousy at you having a platform on which to express your opinion. Kudos to you for having the necessary layer to not let that negativity pierce your skin.
Kanye is the same person I met in 1996. Only louder, and more extreme because he now has a microphone. But the truth is he was always the man you see now. Just amplified to an annoying decibel and enabled through a marriage to a fame junkie.
Sometimes douchebaggery can blind us to even decipher if there's talent beneath. I tuned him out in 96, personally. I was blinded by the early douchebaggery.
Wendy Day
Rap Coalition
__________________________________
Kanye has a better handle on the cultural zeitgeist than any blogger, cultural critic or figure in the public spotlight. His music is not as good as it used (still very solid and innovative) to be but when he was at his peak, he was a savant and pioneer in the hip hop genre. Did you watch the whole rant? It's 20 minutes. The media dismissively pieced 60 seconds of his soundbytes together to make him sound crazy. If you listen to the whole rant (all 20 minutes of it) he sounds a lot less crazy and backs up his outrageous statements with somewhat logical reasoning. It also seemed to me like the stunt was an intentional move to sabotage the tour. He may be rebelling against someone trying to pull his strings and that rant was his way of lashing out. Now he's in the hospital against his will. Seems really odd to me. If he really is crazy he deserves sympathy point blank and if he's not, there's a lot more going on that we are privy to.
Jose Ho-Guanipa
__________________________________
SO HAPPY you shared this. Truly amazing to read all the responses. Side note: I'm a 25 year old musician in Harlem and the general consensus is all old people hate Kanye. They just haven't gotten him for years. What comes off to everyone else as wanting attention comes off to the youth as authenticity. Just like your point about The Donald.
I would like to see how you feel about the illuminati. Because I feel like they'r the ones doing this to Kanye. As soon as he trashed Beyoncé in public it was over. Talking about trump and child pornography. No one wants a Kanye. Just like the real elite don't really want a Trump.
Best,
Leah Haxhi
__________________________________
Dear Bob,
I'm surprised at some of the responses to your blogs on Kanye. I would have never thought this would turn out to be an Emperor's Cloth's scenario.
Keep up the truth, Bob…nice job.
Dr. Allen Miller
__________________________________
you americans are fuckin loonies....kind regards UK
Sal Paradise
__________________________________
"And Kanye, an African-American, who said George Bush didn't care about black people, he comes out for Donald Trump?"
Bob,
That should tell you something....you're wrong about Donald Trump. Just admit it. If Kanye can see it surely you can too,
Tres Sasser
__________________________________
It is so funny to me that so many people care. Good for you brother. I could not name a Kanye tune or article of clothing or even which company sells his shoes. I got better things to do but I appreciate your commentary even if unpopular.
Michael A. Becker
__________________________________
Hi Bob, I am looking forward to the Kanye and Lady Gaga duet of "Guilty" by Barry Gibb and Barbara Streisand.
Thank you for the read!
All the best, Braden Merrick
__________________________________
Amen.
Evan Rogers
__________________________________
Bob. I can't stop laughing at some of the comments. Glad you didn't leave the negative ones out.
Erwin Flaming
__________________________________
For once I think you're wrong Bob. Kanye is extremely talented. Samito
__________________________________
Forward to Tom Quinn.... he totally missed the point. Lennon wasn't bragging or reveling in the attention, he was lamenting it and finding it quite disconcerting.
Michael Leon
__________________________________
Genius is relative; in Kanye's case, his soundboard creations are all a function of capital. There are thousands of far more talented people that might be recognized but for the lack of cash. His talent in the 'hoods I serve is garden-variety.
Let's see him hold an auditorium's attention with his naked talent, stripped of effects, for an hour or two before we call him a "genius."
Ken Shain
__________________________________
Like Sam Kinison said, if you can't play an instrument, get off the stage. That includes West.
But jeez, you must be doing something right, all that vitriol. Pretty funny.
I'm not the Kanye demo and not a fan. Zzzzz. Not a Drumpf fan either. Did enjoy your rant.
Rik Shafer
__________________________________
Given all the emotional replies, I'd say Kanye IS an artist... people feel strongly one way or another.
What's the old saying? If you're not pissing someone off, you're not doing it right! Kinda like what you do.
Being a musician. That's a matter of taste and opinion. Kanye is an artist though!
Mike Pappas
__________________________________
But to put it simply, Kanye is a bigger ass than the one he's married to. And that is a difficult thing to be.
Great rant.
Louis Lewow
__________________________________
So many responders seem to have trouble putting a label on what Kayne's done musically. I'd like to refer back to the 2000-Year-Old Man album where Carl Reiner is interviewing the latest singing sensation, Fabiola (Mel Brooks).
Carl: Now how would you describe your type of singing? It's not folk, it's not rock 'n roll, it's not progressive jazz, it's not swing. What is it?
Fabiola: It's dirty, man.
Larry Butler
__________________________________
Why do we keep feeding this fire? Can we please get back to some English Rock? That tiny country, that's not Wales, Ireland or Scotland. Though small, it once had an Empire and also a few little bands that the millenniums have never heard of, like that little band from Liverpool or a bunch of unknown lads from Birmingham that had to put "we love you" and kisses on their own van with lipstick and nail polish, in 1968 called Led Zeppelin and would they gross 1+ Billion English Pounds with a 2018 Tour?
SC Music
__________________________________
I'm hesitant to write you since I'm just an ordinary human, not a rock star, however came to know you through my kids who are musicians. Just want to let you know (if you read this) I find your wiritng brilliant and brave. I'm writing a book at the moment and wish I had half your talent. You take on things that make me cringe because of your honesty and smartness, so used to not seeing that. I especially appreciate your refreshing, self-depracating stories of your life that always hit home - people can relate, at least people I respect can. You also must have a pretty thick skin to handle all the negs. And print them.
Thanks for giving your time and mind. You're a gem.
A big fan,
Bonnie Levine
__________________________________
Great stuff Bob.
Agostino Scafidi
__________________________________
No one with an IQ larger than your average turnip cares one whit what Kanye West thinks about anything.
Gary Theroux
__________________________________
Seriously, that was the whitest bunch of emails Ive ever seen. A virtual who's who of white dude names. Steve David Jim Paul Tim Dennis....and the original email by a dude named Bob.
Is a "lock her up" chant next?
Dont get it? Fine. Kanye fans don't get Paul Rodgers, either.
Kanye is a genius. What did you say once about talent, Sui Generis, etc?
Love,
Nick Lawson
A White Guy (who gets Kanye and Paul Rodgers)
__________________________________
Are you kidding me?
The people who write these emails have not listened to Kanye West's music. Their hatred of him has nothing to do with his talent, his abilities as a writer, recording artist or a producer.
I'm a 58 year old white male who's been in the business for 30 years. Kanye has redefined the genre of hip-hop and his records are absolutely stunningly good. He is a Fearless musical innovator who takes risks with each and every album the most Indie artists would not even consider.
I'll say it, he has the kind of Genius musically that normal musical artists just don't have. Regardless of how people feel about the exploits that have kept him in the headlines and on the lips of American Presidents, his records speak for themselves. I think some of your listeners should just take the time to actually listen to them.
Best,
Chris Johnson
__________________________________
I agreed with a lot of your piece. Disagreed with a little. I'm a massive fan of Kanye the musician. Undeniable brilliance. Brilliance that put him here. No one believed in his skills as a rapper. He proved everyone wrong. His fashion talent? Mediocre. If fashion houses can make the money Kanye believes he's worth? He'd be designing leather pants for the king of Italy. But no one wanted a piece of his leather pants. And barfing up every excuse but being untalented is fucking ridiculous. But made for entertaining fodder.
You, Bob, called the dog shit when everyone is/was afraid to. I was disappointed with Ellen when she let him spew nonsensical diarrhea for 11 minutes and didn't with respond with anything snarky. I'm sure she was just figuring out her next dance routine, but still... She didn't let Mariah Carey off the hook during her last appearance? She's always verbally spanking idiot guests. But Kanye got the pass. He wasted valuable airtime repeating Walt Disney and Steve Jobs and the names of actual geniuses with PBS documentaries which Kanye torrents and obsesses over.
Which brings me to my point. Why I can't believe Kanye is crazy. Why all of this is a facade. Because Kanye is sickly obsessed with celebrities. He's obsessed with icons. With their stories. With biographies. He can't go through an interview without mentioning one. And he's not satisfied with his own. He's creating his legacy. A decade ago, when he was nothing, he would tell people he's the next Michael Jackson. And Jacko's story far exceeded his music. And Kanye is just as concerned with that - if not more than his actual music. And like Kanye...we shat all over MJ. Until he died. Then the molestation accusations and rumours and plastic surgery was all but forgotten. We were praying for his soul, whatever the fuck that means.
Kanye told us he went to the hospital, then all of a sudden we were praying for Kanye on Instagram instead of bashing him. All it took was telling people he needed a nap, and was thirsty. And here's a new chapter to the A&E Biography of Kanye West. He wasn't having meltdowns during his rants. That wasn't an example of a medical issue. That was a fucking asshole. A jealous child, angry that Jay Z and Beyonce didn't want to play. Beyonce didn't ask you to charge the stage during Taylor Swift's moment. So don't get angry when she doesn't return your calls. That was a man realizing Drake and DJ Khaled had a better song than you. Not paranoia.
But the fans who constantly eat all the bullshit excuses, like Spose/Ryan (high fives for the quote on paragraphs, because only young, non-white people are allowed to have valid points on Kanye) and half the planet who are incapable of reading between the lines, will welcome West back with open arms. And Jay Z will do a song with him, because it will be major fucking business, when in reality, everyone should roll like the one radio programmer in Sacramento - the only person with balls - and ban him. Radio banned the Dixie Chicks for dissing Bush. Radio is silent when Kanye tells RADIO TO FUCK THEMSELVES? But why not? MTV keeps bringing him back. Because they have nothing going on. And because music is fucking boring. It all fucking sucks. It's all toilet water.
And now I know how it feels to be Bob Fucking Lefsetz. I don't even know who I am anymore.
Wow.
Sincerely,
(previously) Derek Christoff
ps. "Paragraphs". Haha. What a dummy.
__________________________________
You struck a nerve Bob....I especially love when everyone takes Kanye this seriously ...He's just a musician and a decade ago was pretty damn cool....and I think the Taylor thing just kills him because if you stack up her last 10 years against his she's in it forever and the star of Kanye is fading.
I do love the scribe saying the Kardashians turned one athlete into a drug addict, one into a woman and now one into a very ill young man...Kris Humpries is laughing now.
I did appreciate the writer discussing the ticket sales and merch so let's break that down
I ll estimate he gets 1M guaranteed a show vs 85/15%split
He probably makes some money off merch but let's not forget venue probably gets 20/30% but don't over estimate that most buy the cheapest items in the $10-20 range and the $50 Ts and $100 sweats and $250 jackets DO NOT roll off the shelves
Now not mentioned is does this gentlemen have any idea what the FIXED expenses are to play MSG or Staples....that's just to get in the door!!!
And that little production which very few production companies can do safely and properly is not cheap. And local labor and rigging is insane. And of course the production company rentals staff per diems hotels air ground etc all factor in....
Don't forget the Kanye plane and ground a crew down time at Van Nuys or Teterboro all these vendors get paid.
People cancel tours for many reasons ( love the exhaustion excuse) BUT most do so out of finances......
And FYI those corp sponsors don't pay nearly as much as people think....
And those silly salaries .....a tour that size would probably need minimum people.....but at least he saves by cutting the band.....even Brit got really smart and hit said heck " I ll play to track in Vegas"......
Bieber had (24) trucks out on his last tour and he did 10X as many gigs as Kanye and he worked 5 days a week.
You want to make money as a touring artist bass out of Nashville load up 2-4 trucks and rent busses and hit the road....your rider will cover all bus stocking and you drive all night and guys and girls shower at gigs. And by the way it's a bad way to live and unless flying charter or Business Class which few tours accommodate flying commercial is a nightmare. Anyone whose ever toured will say a good bus with a few empty bunks is heaven. Especially with the roll out coaches now a days....
ELO and ELP tries this model decades ago when I was a kid with full orchestras space ships and lasers. Didn't work then still doesn't work
EGO kills a lot of tours and work for people.....
Chris Apostle
__________________________________
Smh. This is just ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as your nonsensical opinions.
Noah Sheer
--
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