Choices have consequences.
I love dark. And depressing too. But mostly "Ozark" is just dark. Why is it so satisfying?
Because in a life of phoniness we want reality played back to us. We want to feel honest emotions.
And we love story.
That's what the short attention span theatre people don't get, those who keep going on about people having no ability to focus, making everything more brief, distilling it down to the hook, we want to go deep, we want to grab hold and go for the ride. We want to see how it all turns out. Because life is a long complicated journey with unforeseen twists and turns that will take you places you heretofore couldn't contemplate. Some of them good, most of them bad.
That's the truth. Life is about loss. If you're lucky, you emerge from the womb intact. And from there it's downhill. Your parents don't give you enough attention. You're not good at school. You fall down and get hurt. You get dumped. The key is to pick yourself up and keep going because life is about hope, and when you lose that you're finished.
And ironically, watching these extended series gives you hope.
"Game of Thrones" will take you away. And escape can be good, but I'm eager for a touch of reality, with a twist, like on "Ozark."
Now here comes the spoiler alert. If you're gonna watch this Netflix series, stop here. Because art is best when you've got no idea what is coming. Which is why modern reviews suck and I don't get seeing a flick over and over again. I want a fresh experience, just like life. You wake up and walk out the front door and you've got no idea what will happen.
And you've got no idea what will happen in the first ten minutes of "Ozark," you have no idea what it's about.
And then you do.
Let's just say that Marty Byrde made a bad choice.
And he's living with the consequences of that.
That's the problem with life. What seems inconsequential today has devastating effects tomorrow. You slack in high school and then you find you can't get into a good college. You're too anxious to stop and put on a condom and now she's pregnant. And the truth is we've all experienced these situations, this private angst. How do we get out of it?
Some people run. Those without character.
Character is everything in this life. Far superior to money. There are plenty of lying, stealing rich people who have money but little else. They trust nobody but themselves and believe accumulation and power are everything. But that's untrue, relationships are key, you've got to do the right thing or be wary of your choice changing the rest of your life.
Now we're all tempted a bit.
And we need to be broken from our cocoons.
But the irony is those ruling today, the Silicon Valleyites, did the hard work we were unwilling to do. Or didn't see on the horizon. All that studying, being labeled a nerd. Life is long. You don't want to top out in high school.
So Marty Byrde does not have the luxury of saying no. Not whatsoever. His back is up against a wall, he can neither pussyfoot nor waste time. He has to make one decision after another, it's literally life or death.
Now few situations are like this. But what would you do when pressed against the wall. Cry for mommy? Pray to God? They don't work. You'll fall or get shot anyway.
And crisis supersedes petty disagreements, even major disagreements. You've got to come together to conquer, and people rise to the occasion.
Or they don't.
The criticism is right. "Ozark" gets the vibe right, but the plot not so much. And unlike the best of "House of Cards," there are few life lessons, few nuggets.
But the emotions...
You think your fancy degree will triumph against the nincompoop hillbillies you degrade? As if your education and breeding are a trump card?
Irrationality rules. You might think two steps ahead, but someone else might be running on emotion.
So the world can be split into two types of people. Those who believe in instant gratification, running on their emotions, and those who navigate on the highway and never hit the guard rails. To win, you've got to walk the wire in between. You've got to have your wits about you.
I thought about all this while watching "Ozark."
You should watch it too.
https://www.netflix.com/title/80117552
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Saturday 29 July 2017
Tesla Model 3
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/tesla/model-3/2018/exclusive-tesla-model-3-first-drive-review/
We believe in people.
We love our technology, our devices, but what thrills us most is the individuals who spearhead their development. And although occasionally it's a pair, like Larry and Sergey, it's usually just one. The faceless team doesn't excite us. The same way we wait for the slugger to take the plate at cleanup. We want to see the naked feats of the soaring soul.
And it's not only men, it's women too. Madonna was the star of the eighties. Because she kept pushing heretofore unseen boundaries. She flipped the script. Calling herself the "Material Girl" when the boomers had been trying to disown that concept. Which drew fans to her. And haters too. We argued about Madonna.
We rarely argue about pop stars anymore.
They don't have that impact, that ubiquity. And their goal is to play it safe and go for the money, otherwise why would every act utilize the same writers and producers, and mixers too! They want to buy insurance. Whereas our heroes fly without a net.
Elon Musk has haters. Especially on the right. Especially in the "Wall Street Journal." They can't stop talking about subsidies, about economics, but that doesn't matter to me, those are the people cleaning up after the elephants in the now lost and forgotten circus. I'm interested in people on the bleeding edge, who not only can see the possibilities, but EXECUTE!
I just read the above-linked review of the Model 3 on Twitter.
That's another thing the wankers don't get. They think a company is supposed to be more, more, MORE! Gaining more adherents, making more money. If Wall Street ran Columbia Records Bob Dylan would have been dropped for not generating a greater return on each record. And "Sgt. Pepper" would have been scrapped for having no singles. I'm not saying critics are not important. I'm not saying the public should not have a voice. I'm just saying our priorities are screwed up. Twitter is the best place to be plugged in, to get the news interesting to you. If I didn't follow Elon Musk, I'd have never seen that "Motor Trend" article.
And when I read it, I started to smile.
Do you know how hard it is to build a car? To start a company from scratch?
First and foremost, the Model 3 looks cool. And it also goes from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds, which is less than half the time it takes a Prius. And it handles better not only than a Bolt, but the Alfa Romeo the writer drove to the site. And all you can do is sit at home and wonder...HOW DID THEY DO THIS?
That's what it was like in the golden era of classic rock. We broke the shrinkwrap, dropped the needle and wondered...HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH THIS STUFF!
And to tell you the truth, we had a similar feeling in the heyday of MTV. Sure, "Sledgehammer" is a great song, but it was even a better video. But now every track features a TR-808 when that sound was passe in the 80s.
There's commerce and revolution.
The Model 3 is a revolution.
Sure, you can put it in context, ask about the penetration of electric cars, note that England is outlawing gasoline engines by 2040. But I'm still stunned that they came up with it.
Kinda like my original Mac with LaserWriter. It could print circles without jaggies. WYSIWYG. I don't think anybody under forty knows what that means, but it was jaw-dropping thirty years ago.
So we buy Teslas to show our devotion, like we used to wear rock t-shirts, as a badge of honor, illustrating not only our faith in the artist, but that we went to the show. Now you can buy the same shirt, pre-aged, at the mall. Who wants one of those? That's fashion, I'm talking BELIEF!
I need more to believe in. I love my iPhone 7, but I don't believe in it.
When I listen to "It's Alright Ma" I'm flummoxed, how did Dylan come up with this stuff?
Our leaders are not in D.C. And they're not on Wall Street either. They're people deep in their niche who will hear no naysaying on their way to putting a dent in the universe. It's not about the money, that's not what drives them. It's about making what they see in their head come to fruition. It's about the achievement. It's about the bettering of society.
And it titillates us all.
@TeslaMotors: Watch a Tesla Model 3 vs. Volvo S60 side-pole impact test pic.twitter.com/dXBQkstrdo
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We believe in people.
We love our technology, our devices, but what thrills us most is the individuals who spearhead their development. And although occasionally it's a pair, like Larry and Sergey, it's usually just one. The faceless team doesn't excite us. The same way we wait for the slugger to take the plate at cleanup. We want to see the naked feats of the soaring soul.
And it's not only men, it's women too. Madonna was the star of the eighties. Because she kept pushing heretofore unseen boundaries. She flipped the script. Calling herself the "Material Girl" when the boomers had been trying to disown that concept. Which drew fans to her. And haters too. We argued about Madonna.
We rarely argue about pop stars anymore.
They don't have that impact, that ubiquity. And their goal is to play it safe and go for the money, otherwise why would every act utilize the same writers and producers, and mixers too! They want to buy insurance. Whereas our heroes fly without a net.
Elon Musk has haters. Especially on the right. Especially in the "Wall Street Journal." They can't stop talking about subsidies, about economics, but that doesn't matter to me, those are the people cleaning up after the elephants in the now lost and forgotten circus. I'm interested in people on the bleeding edge, who not only can see the possibilities, but EXECUTE!
I just read the above-linked review of the Model 3 on Twitter.
That's another thing the wankers don't get. They think a company is supposed to be more, more, MORE! Gaining more adherents, making more money. If Wall Street ran Columbia Records Bob Dylan would have been dropped for not generating a greater return on each record. And "Sgt. Pepper" would have been scrapped for having no singles. I'm not saying critics are not important. I'm not saying the public should not have a voice. I'm just saying our priorities are screwed up. Twitter is the best place to be plugged in, to get the news interesting to you. If I didn't follow Elon Musk, I'd have never seen that "Motor Trend" article.
And when I read it, I started to smile.
Do you know how hard it is to build a car? To start a company from scratch?
First and foremost, the Model 3 looks cool. And it also goes from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds, which is less than half the time it takes a Prius. And it handles better not only than a Bolt, but the Alfa Romeo the writer drove to the site. And all you can do is sit at home and wonder...HOW DID THEY DO THIS?
That's what it was like in the golden era of classic rock. We broke the shrinkwrap, dropped the needle and wondered...HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH THIS STUFF!
And to tell you the truth, we had a similar feeling in the heyday of MTV. Sure, "Sledgehammer" is a great song, but it was even a better video. But now every track features a TR-808 when that sound was passe in the 80s.
There's commerce and revolution.
The Model 3 is a revolution.
Sure, you can put it in context, ask about the penetration of electric cars, note that England is outlawing gasoline engines by 2040. But I'm still stunned that they came up with it.
Kinda like my original Mac with LaserWriter. It could print circles without jaggies. WYSIWYG. I don't think anybody under forty knows what that means, but it was jaw-dropping thirty years ago.
So we buy Teslas to show our devotion, like we used to wear rock t-shirts, as a badge of honor, illustrating not only our faith in the artist, but that we went to the show. Now you can buy the same shirt, pre-aged, at the mall. Who wants one of those? That's fashion, I'm talking BELIEF!
I need more to believe in. I love my iPhone 7, but I don't believe in it.
When I listen to "It's Alright Ma" I'm flummoxed, how did Dylan come up with this stuff?
Our leaders are not in D.C. And they're not on Wall Street either. They're people deep in their niche who will hear no naysaying on their way to putting a dent in the universe. It's not about the money, that's not what drives them. It's about making what they see in their head come to fruition. It's about the achievement. It's about the bettering of society.
And it titillates us all.
@TeslaMotors: Watch a Tesla Model 3 vs. Volvo S60 side-pole impact test pic.twitter.com/dXBQkstrdo
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Friday 28 July 2017
Mailbag
From: Alok Petrillo
Re: The New Mick Jagger Tracks
Hey Bob,
Thank you for your kind words regarding my remix of Mick Jagger's "Gotta Get a Grip". This is a track that I'm extremely proud of and honored to have signed. I met Mick in Brazil a few months ago and when he asked me to do this I was shocked. I was in the middle of a tour and stopped everything to get it just right. Mick really dove in heads on this project with me and helped me get this the way it is now. At one point I really felt that he couldn't get any satisfaction! By the fifth version we got it just right and the reaction from everyone involved was incredible. I knew we had created something special. Anyways, I very happy it's out for everyone to hear and extremely grateful for the positive reaction.
Best,
Alok
________________________________________
From: Tony Hawk
Re: Bieber Stops
Hi Bob,
Thanks for sharing this healthy perspective about life on the road. I have been touring on and off since the age of 14 (35 years now!) and it's true; you're firing all the time, the days bleed together, and your crew becomes your surrogate - yet more dysfunctional - family. And there is no room for sucking at your job, even for an hour. I've learned through the follies of excess to stay focused on why I'm here and why I get to live this dream: because I'm good at riding a skateboard. And to prioritize time with my family over any celebrity-driven media opportunities. This revelation came later than it should, but I am thankful I didn't get eaten by the machine like so many others. The public always want more, especially if you are saving your best for the ones that will love you after the hype fades. I wish more entertainers could realize this before destroying themselves. Saying no is powerful and enlightening, but so difficult.
Still waiting on that offer for a Vegas residency though...
-Tony Hawk
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Re: The New Mick Jagger Tracks
Hey Bob,
Thank you for your kind words regarding my remix of Mick Jagger's "Gotta Get a Grip". This is a track that I'm extremely proud of and honored to have signed. I met Mick in Brazil a few months ago and when he asked me to do this I was shocked. I was in the middle of a tour and stopped everything to get it just right. Mick really dove in heads on this project with me and helped me get this the way it is now. At one point I really felt that he couldn't get any satisfaction! By the fifth version we got it just right and the reaction from everyone involved was incredible. I knew we had created something special. Anyways, I very happy it's out for everyone to hear and extremely grateful for the positive reaction.
Best,
Alok
________________________________________
From: Tony Hawk
Re: Bieber Stops
Hi Bob,
Thanks for sharing this healthy perspective about life on the road. I have been touring on and off since the age of 14 (35 years now!) and it's true; you're firing all the time, the days bleed together, and your crew becomes your surrogate - yet more dysfunctional - family. And there is no room for sucking at your job, even for an hour. I've learned through the follies of excess to stay focused on why I'm here and why I get to live this dream: because I'm good at riding a skateboard. And to prioritize time with my family over any celebrity-driven media opportunities. This revelation came later than it should, but I am thankful I didn't get eaten by the machine like so many others. The public always want more, especially if you are saving your best for the ones that will love you after the hype fades. I wish more entertainers could realize this before destroying themselves. Saying no is powerful and enlightening, but so difficult.
Still waiting on that offer for a Vegas residency though...
-Tony Hawk
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Thursday 27 July 2017
McCain Says No
We don't like team players.
That's the American Way. We're one of a kind mavericks who believe we can go our own way. Maybe that's how we got into this mess. All this millennial hogwash about getting along, being a member of the group, staying silent rather than throwing a monkey wrench into the discussion.
Meanwhile, we laud the leaders, the entrepreneurs, those who are different.
That's how Trump got elected in the first place.
Hillary, and I can't believe they're still talking about her, after all they won, was the best prepared and the best educated but she was so busy triangulating that she ended up inauthentic. And what we Americans crave most is authenticity.
We can debate all day long whether McCain's reputation is deserved, whether he truly is a maverick, we can go through his history and find fault but one thing's for sure, he gave the Republican Party the middle finger tonight.
Now this was not foreseeable. He flew back from surgery to put this process in action, to enable this vote. But it turned out that was just the first inning, the first round, it was a head fake.
And maybe it's about being near death. When you just don't give a fuck.
That's what the young don't understand about the old. They've seen the movie, they know it's b.s., at some point they're gonna do what they want as opposed to what they're told to do.
And why is it Republicans recant on their death beds, remember Lee Atwater?, but the Democrats don't. At this point both parties are beholden to corporations but when the grim reaper comes knocking at your door, no corporation is gonna save you, no big daddy, you're on your own, you can kiss your ass goodbye.
That's what America has turned into. Paying fealty. Giving to get back. Even though very few can win. And we've all become disillusioned, we don't think great things can happen. Hell, that's what Trump ran on, making America Great Again. Well, I've lived a few decades at this point and I don't want to go back to the past whatsoever. I decry income inequality, I've got complaints, but it's better than it's ever been. Technology has made all of our lives better. Even though it's hard to pay the rent for so many.
But the solution is not to jet back to the past.
And there's no jetting back in health care.
Turns out people want to be taken care of. They want a level playing field. Just like everybody's got a gay uncle or sister or cousin, everybody knows someone who's gone bankrupt from health bills, or has fought the system unsuccessfully, or has been presented with a bill they cannot afford. Through no fault of their own! They're just minding their own business and they get cancer, diseases they've never heard of before. They're on the precipice of death.
And some don't care.
But that's not what they say.
They obfuscate. They say you should have taken responsibility. That everyone can get health care in the emergency room. That we've got to protect jobs, we've got to protect the corporations. They talk about small businesses, but that's fallacious, the man, the company, is the big kahuna here, in terms of revenue and employment.
Slice and dice it however you want, I don't care. I don't even care what side you're on.
All I know is we've got entertainers more sold out and more duplicitous than politicians. You might bop your head to the sound, but they live for sponsorship. They don't stand for anything but money. And then tonight, just when we think we know who McCain is, that he cannot do the right thing...
He does.
That's an American. That's the American Way.
Doing the right thing as opposed to the expedient.
Not worrying about the team, but the game.
And the game is we're a nation of individuals. We have to get along. We have to look after each other. Or else the whole thing fails.
Countries are fragile. Just look at Venezuela. Hell, the globe is different from the one I used to have in my childhood bedroom.
Who do we tell our kids to look up to? Who are their heroes? Who speaks the truth?
Tonight McCain did the right thing, damn the team, he was worried about the consequences.
Are you gonna follow in his footsteps?
We need people to point the way, otherwise we get lost.
Tonight we were found.
Amen.
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That's the American Way. We're one of a kind mavericks who believe we can go our own way. Maybe that's how we got into this mess. All this millennial hogwash about getting along, being a member of the group, staying silent rather than throwing a monkey wrench into the discussion.
Meanwhile, we laud the leaders, the entrepreneurs, those who are different.
That's how Trump got elected in the first place.
Hillary, and I can't believe they're still talking about her, after all they won, was the best prepared and the best educated but she was so busy triangulating that she ended up inauthentic. And what we Americans crave most is authenticity.
We can debate all day long whether McCain's reputation is deserved, whether he truly is a maverick, we can go through his history and find fault but one thing's for sure, he gave the Republican Party the middle finger tonight.
Now this was not foreseeable. He flew back from surgery to put this process in action, to enable this vote. But it turned out that was just the first inning, the first round, it was a head fake.
And maybe it's about being near death. When you just don't give a fuck.
That's what the young don't understand about the old. They've seen the movie, they know it's b.s., at some point they're gonna do what they want as opposed to what they're told to do.
And why is it Republicans recant on their death beds, remember Lee Atwater?, but the Democrats don't. At this point both parties are beholden to corporations but when the grim reaper comes knocking at your door, no corporation is gonna save you, no big daddy, you're on your own, you can kiss your ass goodbye.
That's what America has turned into. Paying fealty. Giving to get back. Even though very few can win. And we've all become disillusioned, we don't think great things can happen. Hell, that's what Trump ran on, making America Great Again. Well, I've lived a few decades at this point and I don't want to go back to the past whatsoever. I decry income inequality, I've got complaints, but it's better than it's ever been. Technology has made all of our lives better. Even though it's hard to pay the rent for so many.
But the solution is not to jet back to the past.
And there's no jetting back in health care.
Turns out people want to be taken care of. They want a level playing field. Just like everybody's got a gay uncle or sister or cousin, everybody knows someone who's gone bankrupt from health bills, or has fought the system unsuccessfully, or has been presented with a bill they cannot afford. Through no fault of their own! They're just minding their own business and they get cancer, diseases they've never heard of before. They're on the precipice of death.
And some don't care.
But that's not what they say.
They obfuscate. They say you should have taken responsibility. That everyone can get health care in the emergency room. That we've got to protect jobs, we've got to protect the corporations. They talk about small businesses, but that's fallacious, the man, the company, is the big kahuna here, in terms of revenue and employment.
Slice and dice it however you want, I don't care. I don't even care what side you're on.
All I know is we've got entertainers more sold out and more duplicitous than politicians. You might bop your head to the sound, but they live for sponsorship. They don't stand for anything but money. And then tonight, just when we think we know who McCain is, that he cannot do the right thing...
He does.
That's an American. That's the American Way.
Doing the right thing as opposed to the expedient.
Not worrying about the team, but the game.
And the game is we're a nation of individuals. We have to get along. We have to look after each other. Or else the whole thing fails.
Countries are fragile. Just look at Venezuela. Hell, the globe is different from the one I used to have in my childhood bedroom.
Who do we tell our kids to look up to? Who are their heroes? Who speaks the truth?
Tonight McCain did the right thing, damn the team, he was worried about the consequences.
Are you gonna follow in his footsteps?
We need people to point the way, otherwise we get lost.
Tonight we were found.
Amen.
--
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How To Promote
MAKE ART
"A great song can make the worst artist in the world a star."
Quincy Jones
Which is why no one from the "Voice" has had any success and Bob Dylan is the most respected solo artist of the rock era. Quincy Jones went through eight hundred songs to find what ended up on "Thriller." Michael Jackson has the fame, but without Q he's not the King of Pop. Think about this after you record your number and expect it to go straight to the top of the chart. Hell, some of Springsteen's GIVEAWAYS were smash hits. I'm not saying you shouldn't try, I'm just saying the bar is very high and woodshedding pays dividends and the song is the most important thing.
DISSEMINATE TO YOUR FRIENDS
And only them. Don't hire a PR person to send CDs to every outlet. You're wasting your money. And don't send a file EVER and if you send a CD, file or link to someone in the business, they're just going to ignore it and throw it away/delete it. And they're not going to tell you they did this and they're not going to tell you your music sucks if you even get an answer, they're going to encourage you, because everyone inside has a story of being harassed by a wannabe. Ten percent of the public is certifiably insane, the problem is you just don't know which ten percent it is, so you ignore everything.
WAIT FOR A REACTION
If your friends say it's great, they'll spread the word for you. It's even cool if they rave to put them on the spot and tell them to spread the word further. But if you get no reaction, or a negative one, just post your work on Soundcloud and YouTube and move on. Your past is a time bomb, a land mine, waiting to go off if you gain any traction in the future. Although it's funny, seemingly everybody who makes it wants to bury their initial attempts.
IF YOU GET A REACTION
Put it on Spotify. All the streaming services. It's cheap and it's easy. Use Tunecore or CD Baby. But don't expect to make any money, don't even expect any listens, it's just that if you've got something worth hearing you want it to be available.
BUILD STATISTICS
That's all purveyors are interested in. All labels are interested in. They're looking for a story, if you can't tell one, they're not going to sign you. They know how the game is played, they know the above facts, the know the barrier to entry is almost nonexistent. They also know great tracks are ignored and good is not good enough. They're looking for the one listen smash, not the work track, it's hard enough to break the smash, hell, Rag'n'Bone Man's "Human" was number one all over the world except for America, where Sony couldn't break it, and that's one of the best tracks of the past year. Sure, you can rail against the system and go your own way, that's fine, but it's all about the story.
PLAY LIVE
Ticket sales are more important than listens. If you can prove you can sell tickets, agents are interested and all the money is on the road. But this is a grass roots operation. You can't get an agent worth their salt if you're not already bringing in people. So, you've got to beg the club, pay the club, trade dates with other acts, and don't complain, this is the way it is. Do you know companies have to pay to get their products stocked at supermarkets, they're called "slotting fees." When you bitch and moan about inequities it just demonstrates you're an amateur, you've got to break through these barriers.
STAY IN THE GAME
Everybody gives up. Perseverance is key. You get better, you know more people and opportunities arise. But it could be ten years and it could be never. Focus on being friendly and networking, and if you're not willing to give something up, if there's no quid pro quo, expect doors to remain closed, no one likes a taker.
CATCHING FIRE
It happens on streaming services first. Radio is last.
If your listens are building you can hire a playlist company to lobby Spotify, et al, to give you a chance. But know, if you're on a list and you're skipped or not saved, you're over. That's the modern game. It's all in the numbers. Telling someone how great your track is is worthless.
TIME TO MAKE IT
Tracks move slower than ever before. Sure, there are cuts by stars that are acknowledged instantly, but so many of them instantly disappear. Whereas stuff like Childish Gambino's "Redbone" was released in 2016 and it's only recently that it's gone ballistic. It's the same song, but when people hear it they react. And the key here is Daniel Glass, whose label Glassnote released it. Once you've got traction, it takes a team to put something over the top. Best to employ those who have skin in the game, those on per project contracts talk a good game but oftentimes don't deliver, there's always another track. And Glass has acts signed to his label who've made tracks he won't put out, because if they're not great, it's not worth expending the effort of his team.
CONCLUSION
It's harder than ever to make it. And don't listen to the wankers, if you do make it you're gonna make a ton of coin. And there are stories of total independents succeeding, acts all by their lonesome, but most success stories are a result of relationships. Which is what labels have. Managers too. The usual suspects are part of the network. To deny this would be like hiring your neighbor who coded at the Ivy and expect him to gain you entrance to Silicon Valley, it won't happen.
So don't bother promoting yourself to those who do not care. No one has any time except for great, and it's hard to wade through the weeds to even find that. When you ask for someone's time you'd better deserve it.
Most don't.
But a few do.
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"A great song can make the worst artist in the world a star."
Quincy Jones
Which is why no one from the "Voice" has had any success and Bob Dylan is the most respected solo artist of the rock era. Quincy Jones went through eight hundred songs to find what ended up on "Thriller." Michael Jackson has the fame, but without Q he's not the King of Pop. Think about this after you record your number and expect it to go straight to the top of the chart. Hell, some of Springsteen's GIVEAWAYS were smash hits. I'm not saying you shouldn't try, I'm just saying the bar is very high and woodshedding pays dividends and the song is the most important thing.
DISSEMINATE TO YOUR FRIENDS
And only them. Don't hire a PR person to send CDs to every outlet. You're wasting your money. And don't send a file EVER and if you send a CD, file or link to someone in the business, they're just going to ignore it and throw it away/delete it. And they're not going to tell you they did this and they're not going to tell you your music sucks if you even get an answer, they're going to encourage you, because everyone inside has a story of being harassed by a wannabe. Ten percent of the public is certifiably insane, the problem is you just don't know which ten percent it is, so you ignore everything.
WAIT FOR A REACTION
If your friends say it's great, they'll spread the word for you. It's even cool if they rave to put them on the spot and tell them to spread the word further. But if you get no reaction, or a negative one, just post your work on Soundcloud and YouTube and move on. Your past is a time bomb, a land mine, waiting to go off if you gain any traction in the future. Although it's funny, seemingly everybody who makes it wants to bury their initial attempts.
IF YOU GET A REACTION
Put it on Spotify. All the streaming services. It's cheap and it's easy. Use Tunecore or CD Baby. But don't expect to make any money, don't even expect any listens, it's just that if you've got something worth hearing you want it to be available.
BUILD STATISTICS
That's all purveyors are interested in. All labels are interested in. They're looking for a story, if you can't tell one, they're not going to sign you. They know how the game is played, they know the above facts, the know the barrier to entry is almost nonexistent. They also know great tracks are ignored and good is not good enough. They're looking for the one listen smash, not the work track, it's hard enough to break the smash, hell, Rag'n'Bone Man's "Human" was number one all over the world except for America, where Sony couldn't break it, and that's one of the best tracks of the past year. Sure, you can rail against the system and go your own way, that's fine, but it's all about the story.
PLAY LIVE
Ticket sales are more important than listens. If you can prove you can sell tickets, agents are interested and all the money is on the road. But this is a grass roots operation. You can't get an agent worth their salt if you're not already bringing in people. So, you've got to beg the club, pay the club, trade dates with other acts, and don't complain, this is the way it is. Do you know companies have to pay to get their products stocked at supermarkets, they're called "slotting fees." When you bitch and moan about inequities it just demonstrates you're an amateur, you've got to break through these barriers.
STAY IN THE GAME
Everybody gives up. Perseverance is key. You get better, you know more people and opportunities arise. But it could be ten years and it could be never. Focus on being friendly and networking, and if you're not willing to give something up, if there's no quid pro quo, expect doors to remain closed, no one likes a taker.
CATCHING FIRE
It happens on streaming services first. Radio is last.
If your listens are building you can hire a playlist company to lobby Spotify, et al, to give you a chance. But know, if you're on a list and you're skipped or not saved, you're over. That's the modern game. It's all in the numbers. Telling someone how great your track is is worthless.
TIME TO MAKE IT
Tracks move slower than ever before. Sure, there are cuts by stars that are acknowledged instantly, but so many of them instantly disappear. Whereas stuff like Childish Gambino's "Redbone" was released in 2016 and it's only recently that it's gone ballistic. It's the same song, but when people hear it they react. And the key here is Daniel Glass, whose label Glassnote released it. Once you've got traction, it takes a team to put something over the top. Best to employ those who have skin in the game, those on per project contracts talk a good game but oftentimes don't deliver, there's always another track. And Glass has acts signed to his label who've made tracks he won't put out, because if they're not great, it's not worth expending the effort of his team.
CONCLUSION
It's harder than ever to make it. And don't listen to the wankers, if you do make it you're gonna make a ton of coin. And there are stories of total independents succeeding, acts all by their lonesome, but most success stories are a result of relationships. Which is what labels have. Managers too. The usual suspects are part of the network. To deny this would be like hiring your neighbor who coded at the Ivy and expect him to gain you entrance to Silicon Valley, it won't happen.
So don't bother promoting yourself to those who do not care. No one has any time except for great, and it's hard to wade through the weeds to even find that. When you ask for someone's time you'd better deserve it.
Most don't.
But a few do.
--
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Amazon Echo Show
This is like buying a Mac in 1984. The capabilities are endless, but the software is limited.
In this case, it's skills.
Apple is so far behind. They just introduced their unavailable smart speaker and Amazon comes out with a readily available smart speaker with video!
I'd like to say it's an incomplete product. That it's typical of a half-baked Amazon offering, fresh off the drawing board with kinks not worked out. But that is not true. What's amazing is the unboxing experience, it rivals Apple's, it EQUALS Apple's.
There's no extraneous information. Almost none at all. You strip the cellophane and plug the Show in and it walks you through set-up, which had no glitches whatsoever. You find your wi-fi network. You enter your password. You download the Alexa app, if you've got no previous Echo, and then confirm your name and password and then the Show updates itself, which takes about ten minutes, but it keeps you posted all along the way, and then you're inside.
Where you gonna go?
We live in a software world. The hardware era is behind us. Seemingly, anyway. When was the last time you updated your computer? Even your phone? And I'll tell you, the age of cosmetics is history. If you're purchasing a new device to advertise yourself as young and hip and forward-thinking, you're missing out. Sure, you can wait for an iPhone 8. But what is astounding about the 7, the Plus anyway, and if you don't have a big phone you're missing out, is the chip and the camera. The pictures are ASTOUNDING! Only hobbyists need a standalone device. And when you run iOS 10 on an older device, you can see the difference, it's slow. But what's under the hood is never sexy to the hoi polloi, but it should be!
So the fit and finish on the Show is perfect.
And it understands AND HEARS, what you say. It is ready for prime time. Which Siri is still not, as for Google Home...it's got good answers when it hears me, but it never seems to, and I've about given up.
And I was worried that by talking to the Show I'd awaken my Echo in the next room.
But there was no confusion.
But the device could not do much. Couldn't show videos from YouTube. You see the wall between companies is growing, and right now the leader is Amazon. You might think it's Apple and Google, but you'd be wrong. Amazon has got your wallet, you employ the company/service for so many things. At this point, Prime is changing the culture more than the iPhone. Listen to me. We live in the physical world. The ability to get almost anything anywhere in two days means that...you don't have to worry about going on vacation and leaving things behind, you don't have to worry about being off the grid, this is what I needed when I lived in Vermont and Salt Lake back in the seventies. There is no more flyover country. The people who still say there is are the ones still flummoxed by Trump's victory. Everybody's got cable TV, everybody's got internet, everybody's got a mobile phone, everybody's got a SMARTPHONE! You think the gossip doesn't reach Iowa? And I'm gonna let you in on a dirty little secret, most people in Los Angeles don't leave home. They're no different from those in the middle of the country. Because the traffic is so bad! Of course I'm overstating the truth, but not by much.
We're all equal here in America.
So now you've got a clock and the weather and all kinds of things that are nice but you can live without.
As for the vaunted calling feature...
We do have FaceTime and Skype, but there is a convenience factor in not having to have to whip out your phone or sit in front of the computer.
And the video is not fuzzy and the world is split into two types of people... Those on the voice control revolution train and those who are not.
And it's not about sound quality, although the Show sounds astounding for its size, but the aforementioned convenience. This is the future. This is why Spotify is eclipsing YouTube. And when I told the Show to play the Spotify Hot Country playlist it started right in, with a picture of the album cover on screen. Is this the return of liner notes?
That's right, it's about possibilities. Stop lamenting what you've lost and look to what you've gained, which may be similar to what was, but with a twist.
Do you need a Show today?
Absolutely not.
But if you want to know what's gonna happen tomorrow?
IT'S ESSENTIAL!
P.S. I just did some research and found out you could watch YouTube on the Show: http://amzn.to/2h7bovW But still, the wall between tech titans remains.
P.P.S. There's a learning curve. We live in the era of no help. Which is the result of not paying for services. Then again, no one wants to pay for help anyway and corporations want to cut costs so you're on your own, pumping your own gas and troubleshooting your own devices. That's another way the world is split. If you're overwhelmed when your device/software hits a wall and want someone to save you, can't figure it out yourself, you're in the left behind economy. Most times, if you sit there long enough, do enough online research, you can find the solution to your problem. And you feel so satisfied! But the truth is, this is the modern learning experience, being mentally nimble. They don't teach that in books, but you can teach yourself.
In this case, it's skills.
Apple is so far behind. They just introduced their unavailable smart speaker and Amazon comes out with a readily available smart speaker with video!
I'd like to say it's an incomplete product. That it's typical of a half-baked Amazon offering, fresh off the drawing board with kinks not worked out. But that is not true. What's amazing is the unboxing experience, it rivals Apple's, it EQUALS Apple's.
There's no extraneous information. Almost none at all. You strip the cellophane and plug the Show in and it walks you through set-up, which had no glitches whatsoever. You find your wi-fi network. You enter your password. You download the Alexa app, if you've got no previous Echo, and then confirm your name and password and then the Show updates itself, which takes about ten minutes, but it keeps you posted all along the way, and then you're inside.
Where you gonna go?
We live in a software world. The hardware era is behind us. Seemingly, anyway. When was the last time you updated your computer? Even your phone? And I'll tell you, the age of cosmetics is history. If you're purchasing a new device to advertise yourself as young and hip and forward-thinking, you're missing out. Sure, you can wait for an iPhone 8. But what is astounding about the 7, the Plus anyway, and if you don't have a big phone you're missing out, is the chip and the camera. The pictures are ASTOUNDING! Only hobbyists need a standalone device. And when you run iOS 10 on an older device, you can see the difference, it's slow. But what's under the hood is never sexy to the hoi polloi, but it should be!
So the fit and finish on the Show is perfect.
And it understands AND HEARS, what you say. It is ready for prime time. Which Siri is still not, as for Google Home...it's got good answers when it hears me, but it never seems to, and I've about given up.
And I was worried that by talking to the Show I'd awaken my Echo in the next room.
But there was no confusion.
But the device could not do much. Couldn't show videos from YouTube. You see the wall between companies is growing, and right now the leader is Amazon. You might think it's Apple and Google, but you'd be wrong. Amazon has got your wallet, you employ the company/service for so many things. At this point, Prime is changing the culture more than the iPhone. Listen to me. We live in the physical world. The ability to get almost anything anywhere in two days means that...you don't have to worry about going on vacation and leaving things behind, you don't have to worry about being off the grid, this is what I needed when I lived in Vermont and Salt Lake back in the seventies. There is no more flyover country. The people who still say there is are the ones still flummoxed by Trump's victory. Everybody's got cable TV, everybody's got internet, everybody's got a mobile phone, everybody's got a SMARTPHONE! You think the gossip doesn't reach Iowa? And I'm gonna let you in on a dirty little secret, most people in Los Angeles don't leave home. They're no different from those in the middle of the country. Because the traffic is so bad! Of course I'm overstating the truth, but not by much.
We're all equal here in America.
So now you've got a clock and the weather and all kinds of things that are nice but you can live without.
As for the vaunted calling feature...
We do have FaceTime and Skype, but there is a convenience factor in not having to have to whip out your phone or sit in front of the computer.
And the video is not fuzzy and the world is split into two types of people... Those on the voice control revolution train and those who are not.
And it's not about sound quality, although the Show sounds astounding for its size, but the aforementioned convenience. This is the future. This is why Spotify is eclipsing YouTube. And when I told the Show to play the Spotify Hot Country playlist it started right in, with a picture of the album cover on screen. Is this the return of liner notes?
That's right, it's about possibilities. Stop lamenting what you've lost and look to what you've gained, which may be similar to what was, but with a twist.
Do you need a Show today?
Absolutely not.
But if you want to know what's gonna happen tomorrow?
IT'S ESSENTIAL!
P.S. I just did some research and found out you could watch YouTube on the Show: http://amzn.to/2h7bovW But still, the wall between tech titans remains.
P.P.S. There's a learning curve. We live in the era of no help. Which is the result of not paying for services. Then again, no one wants to pay for help anyway and corporations want to cut costs so you're on your own, pumping your own gas and troubleshooting your own devices. That's another way the world is split. If you're overwhelmed when your device/software hits a wall and want someone to save you, can't figure it out yourself, you're in the left behind economy. Most times, if you sit there long enough, do enough online research, you can find the solution to your problem. And you feel so satisfied! But the truth is, this is the modern learning experience, being mentally nimble. They don't teach that in books, but you can teach yourself.
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The New Mick Jagger Tracks
http://spoti.fi/2uG1t3v
What kind of crazy fucked-up world do we live in where a septuagenarian rock star is hipper than musicians decades, even half a century younger?
One in which the single is everything and you drop it unannounced and then you do it all over again. Lather, rinse, repeat. That's right, you want to be in the marketplace, satiating the core, who come to your show, hoping you gain traction so newcomers will come on board, but if not, you go back to the drawing board over and over again.
The album is a failed construct. It doesn't satiate the audience. Which buys it, devours it and wants more or ignores it completely in a world where you lead with the hit and then people decide to go deeper.
Or not.
No one has any time. Rock stars aren't gods, they're barely even stars, don't get caught up in your own myth, you've got to participate, the internet has turned the concept of artistry on its head, where is it written that a musician should record ten or twelve tracks and release them all at once and go on tour in between? And many of those in the hip-hop world know it's not about the road anyway, but recordings. There's little creativity on the road, just the same tracks over and over again, satiating the audience and making money, but it doesn't move your enterprise FORWARD!
So Mick Jagger puts out two tracks without any advance notice. The press buildup does not work in an on demand world. People want it all and they want it now. So, if you're a fan, and I am, even though those two Jagger solo albums suffered from the lack of the Stones, the songs were okay but the sound was generic, I'm gonna give his new stuff a chance.
And the cuts are very good but they're not hits. They're album tracks. You listen once, or twice, and then you discard.
But then...
We're at the beginning of the news cycle.
I was listening on Spotify, doing online research, going to the videos on Vevo.
The videos... This is where Jagger missed the mark. Videos are worthless unless they go viral. And the "England Lost" clip is worth one view. Well-produced, exquisite in black and white, retro yet present, it's boring but you eventually get to the punch line and once you've heard it you never want to watch it again. The one for "Gotta Get A Grip" is just a mess. You can barely make it through. It's like Jagger's still living in the eighties, when people were forced to watch to listen on MTV, they couldn't fast-forward. If you can't create something people want to watch again and again, just put out a lyric video so people still getting their music on YouTube can play, but in the U.K. YouTube for music is declining in favor of Spotify.
But I'm watching the clips, on the inane Vevo site, with one of the worst search functions online, how come I can't see all the clips? And then the video segues into a remix...AND IT'S BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL TRACK!
And then I frantically start to search Spotify to see if this remix is included. And it turns out there are FOUR! And the one with the most famous, Seeb, is the most disappointing, but then you listen to the Alok and you're stunned, THIS IS A HIT! You want to hear it again, it's modern without selling out, with the emphasized groove and bass. It is as if you've ventured in a time machine from the seventies to today.
And the "England Lost" iteration with Skepta isn't quite as satisfying, it seems too de rigueur, just another guest rapper to try to put the track over the top, but it is interesting.
And suddenly Mick Jagger, who's been out of the new music discussion for years, has gotten an hour of my time. And is gonna get more. Because of the remixes. Maybe Kanye was right when he kept changing that album after release. The charts couldn't handle it, the industry couldn't handle it, but the audience certainly could. Music is a living, breathing thing, And the oldsters have not been able to cope with this since the advent of sampling.
Then again, technology has always mutated the music.
And the publicity cycle.
And...
It's still evolving. I won't say Mick Jagger is at the bleeding edge, but he is running with the pack, showing you can teach an old dog new tricks. Now I'm waiting for the rest of the ancient to get off their butts and wake up. Sure, you want a hit, and don't tell me radio won't play it, terrestrial is losing power every single day and Beats One is moribund, but if you are an artist, if you are a creator, you want to get in the sandbox and play, and your legacy is such that your fans, keeping you alive on the road, a paradigm the Stones employed even better than the Dead, the dirty little secret is their beloved LPs barely sold, want to get dirty with you!
https://www.vevo.com/artist/mick-jagger
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What kind of crazy fucked-up world do we live in where a septuagenarian rock star is hipper than musicians decades, even half a century younger?
One in which the single is everything and you drop it unannounced and then you do it all over again. Lather, rinse, repeat. That's right, you want to be in the marketplace, satiating the core, who come to your show, hoping you gain traction so newcomers will come on board, but if not, you go back to the drawing board over and over again.
The album is a failed construct. It doesn't satiate the audience. Which buys it, devours it and wants more or ignores it completely in a world where you lead with the hit and then people decide to go deeper.
Or not.
No one has any time. Rock stars aren't gods, they're barely even stars, don't get caught up in your own myth, you've got to participate, the internet has turned the concept of artistry on its head, where is it written that a musician should record ten or twelve tracks and release them all at once and go on tour in between? And many of those in the hip-hop world know it's not about the road anyway, but recordings. There's little creativity on the road, just the same tracks over and over again, satiating the audience and making money, but it doesn't move your enterprise FORWARD!
So Mick Jagger puts out two tracks without any advance notice. The press buildup does not work in an on demand world. People want it all and they want it now. So, if you're a fan, and I am, even though those two Jagger solo albums suffered from the lack of the Stones, the songs were okay but the sound was generic, I'm gonna give his new stuff a chance.
And the cuts are very good but they're not hits. They're album tracks. You listen once, or twice, and then you discard.
But then...
We're at the beginning of the news cycle.
I was listening on Spotify, doing online research, going to the videos on Vevo.
The videos... This is where Jagger missed the mark. Videos are worthless unless they go viral. And the "England Lost" clip is worth one view. Well-produced, exquisite in black and white, retro yet present, it's boring but you eventually get to the punch line and once you've heard it you never want to watch it again. The one for "Gotta Get A Grip" is just a mess. You can barely make it through. It's like Jagger's still living in the eighties, when people were forced to watch to listen on MTV, they couldn't fast-forward. If you can't create something people want to watch again and again, just put out a lyric video so people still getting their music on YouTube can play, but in the U.K. YouTube for music is declining in favor of Spotify.
But I'm watching the clips, on the inane Vevo site, with one of the worst search functions online, how come I can't see all the clips? And then the video segues into a remix...AND IT'S BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL TRACK!
And then I frantically start to search Spotify to see if this remix is included. And it turns out there are FOUR! And the one with the most famous, Seeb, is the most disappointing, but then you listen to the Alok and you're stunned, THIS IS A HIT! You want to hear it again, it's modern without selling out, with the emphasized groove and bass. It is as if you've ventured in a time machine from the seventies to today.
And the "England Lost" iteration with Skepta isn't quite as satisfying, it seems too de rigueur, just another guest rapper to try to put the track over the top, but it is interesting.
And suddenly Mick Jagger, who's been out of the new music discussion for years, has gotten an hour of my time. And is gonna get more. Because of the remixes. Maybe Kanye was right when he kept changing that album after release. The charts couldn't handle it, the industry couldn't handle it, but the audience certainly could. Music is a living, breathing thing, And the oldsters have not been able to cope with this since the advent of sampling.
Then again, technology has always mutated the music.
And the publicity cycle.
And...
It's still evolving. I won't say Mick Jagger is at the bleeding edge, but he is running with the pack, showing you can teach an old dog new tricks. Now I'm waiting for the rest of the ancient to get off their butts and wake up. Sure, you want a hit, and don't tell me radio won't play it, terrestrial is losing power every single day and Beats One is moribund, but if you are an artist, if you are a creator, you want to get in the sandbox and play, and your legacy is such that your fans, keeping you alive on the road, a paradigm the Stones employed even better than the Dead, the dirty little secret is their beloved LPs barely sold, want to get dirty with you!
https://www.vevo.com/artist/mick-jagger
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Tuesday 25 July 2017
Bieber Stops
The road kills.
Used to be you went on the road to promote the record.
Now you go on the road to make bucks.
Now let's not make this about Napster, or Spotify either. The truth is if you're winning on the road, you're making more dough in adjusted dollars than you were in the heyday of CDs. Sure, you've got expenses, but have you looked at ticket prices? And sponsorship?
But the road is a slog. It's like entering a tunnel. Ask me to go on the road and do the same thing 150 times in a row and there's no way. What's worse, even if you're flying private, staying at the best hotels, it's a grueling lifestyle. You get off stage and you can't calm down. Oftentimes you're with the same people you've hung with for years, and you're not a star in their eyes, it's all locker room all the time, and most musicians got into music to get out of the locker room. Then again, most people plying the boards today are not musicians.
This is not the Allman Brothers changing it up every night.
There are lighting cues and backups on hard drives, it's more akin to a Broadway show, but at least on the Great White Way you get to stay in one place and the people come to you.
Which is why Vegas is burgeoning. With tons of infrastructure, it's a good place for the people to come to you. Instead of moving on to a new city every day.
The road killed Kurt Cobain.
And it killed Chris Cornell too.
Cobain was in pain, his team should have said no go. But never mess with the power of money.
And do you really think that Cornell wanted to go on the road and play theatres? After playing arenas? No, he was doing it for the bucks.
I'm not saying there isn't a high, just that the other 22 hours of the day are long and tiring and you never get enough sleep and...
My most creative time is around midnight. Do you think I can fall asleep after writing? Absolutely not, I'm trashed today. But I run on inspiration and you've got to follow it. Which is why music is not a 9 to 5 job, why the musicians work late at night and wake up at noon. They live in an alternative universe, different from the hoi polloi, I love when it gets dark and the e-mail stops, when the traffic is gone and the world is my own. You've got to throw off convention to upset the apple cart. What I mean is art, when done right, not only reflects society, it questions and changes it. Which is why people want to go to the show anyway. To experience that high, to get close to the other, to get away from their mundane, humdrum lives.
A working stiff gives it their all and comes home at 6 or maybe even 7 or 8. And sure, in this connected world they might get disturbed thereafter via electronic communications. But an artist? They're firing all the time, from peak to peak, weekends are no different from weekdays, and when they show up to perform, they've got to be in top form. There are no off days when you're a performer, string them together and your career is trashed.
So, artists cope with dope.
There's all this talk about substances and inspiration. More it's a way to cope, to fall asleep, to calm down after the adrenaline rush. Performing a show is like skydiving. You're never completely calm, you're always gonna get that rush.
So Bieber goes around the world satisfying fans and feeding the machine, making money. But it's work. It's not some investor sitting at home watching the market, counting their money. You've got to get up and do it again. And you can't be a pretender. You've got to give it your all.
And it becomes too much.
A friend of mine toured with U2 and it took a year to recover. Truly.
It's great that these people can make so much money, but if you don't think there's a cost...
How much money do you need?
Well, in a world where titans fly private and own islands, everyone is envious, especially those on the fringe of that number, like entertainers. They're exposed to it, they want it. As do the percentage players, the managers and the agents.
Sometimes you've got to say no, to save yourself.
History is littered with acts that gave it all and then ended it all, whether directly or through misadventure.
Now if you want to go on the road, improvise, get drunk, get laid, see it as an experience, go ahead. Used to be by going to every town you reached people and spread the word, built your career. Most acts today build their careers online, the road is just a cleanup effort.
So kudos to Scooter and Justin for calling it quits.
The public be damned.
There's never enough to satisfy the public. They want all of you, until there's nothing left.
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Used to be you went on the road to promote the record.
Now you go on the road to make bucks.
Now let's not make this about Napster, or Spotify either. The truth is if you're winning on the road, you're making more dough in adjusted dollars than you were in the heyday of CDs. Sure, you've got expenses, but have you looked at ticket prices? And sponsorship?
But the road is a slog. It's like entering a tunnel. Ask me to go on the road and do the same thing 150 times in a row and there's no way. What's worse, even if you're flying private, staying at the best hotels, it's a grueling lifestyle. You get off stage and you can't calm down. Oftentimes you're with the same people you've hung with for years, and you're not a star in their eyes, it's all locker room all the time, and most musicians got into music to get out of the locker room. Then again, most people plying the boards today are not musicians.
This is not the Allman Brothers changing it up every night.
There are lighting cues and backups on hard drives, it's more akin to a Broadway show, but at least on the Great White Way you get to stay in one place and the people come to you.
Which is why Vegas is burgeoning. With tons of infrastructure, it's a good place for the people to come to you. Instead of moving on to a new city every day.
The road killed Kurt Cobain.
And it killed Chris Cornell too.
Cobain was in pain, his team should have said no go. But never mess with the power of money.
And do you really think that Cornell wanted to go on the road and play theatres? After playing arenas? No, he was doing it for the bucks.
I'm not saying there isn't a high, just that the other 22 hours of the day are long and tiring and you never get enough sleep and...
My most creative time is around midnight. Do you think I can fall asleep after writing? Absolutely not, I'm trashed today. But I run on inspiration and you've got to follow it. Which is why music is not a 9 to 5 job, why the musicians work late at night and wake up at noon. They live in an alternative universe, different from the hoi polloi, I love when it gets dark and the e-mail stops, when the traffic is gone and the world is my own. You've got to throw off convention to upset the apple cart. What I mean is art, when done right, not only reflects society, it questions and changes it. Which is why people want to go to the show anyway. To experience that high, to get close to the other, to get away from their mundane, humdrum lives.
A working stiff gives it their all and comes home at 6 or maybe even 7 or 8. And sure, in this connected world they might get disturbed thereafter via electronic communications. But an artist? They're firing all the time, from peak to peak, weekends are no different from weekdays, and when they show up to perform, they've got to be in top form. There are no off days when you're a performer, string them together and your career is trashed.
So, artists cope with dope.
There's all this talk about substances and inspiration. More it's a way to cope, to fall asleep, to calm down after the adrenaline rush. Performing a show is like skydiving. You're never completely calm, you're always gonna get that rush.
So Bieber goes around the world satisfying fans and feeding the machine, making money. But it's work. It's not some investor sitting at home watching the market, counting their money. You've got to get up and do it again. And you can't be a pretender. You've got to give it your all.
And it becomes too much.
A friend of mine toured with U2 and it took a year to recover. Truly.
It's great that these people can make so much money, but if you don't think there's a cost...
How much money do you need?
Well, in a world where titans fly private and own islands, everyone is envious, especially those on the fringe of that number, like entertainers. They're exposed to it, they want it. As do the percentage players, the managers and the agents.
Sometimes you've got to say no, to save yourself.
History is littered with acts that gave it all and then ended it all, whether directly or through misadventure.
Now if you want to go on the road, improvise, get drunk, get laid, see it as an experience, go ahead. Used to be by going to every town you reached people and spread the word, built your career. Most acts today build their careers online, the road is just a cleanup effort.
So kudos to Scooter and Justin for calling it quits.
The public be damned.
There's never enough to satisfy the public. They want all of you, until there's nothing left.
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Electric Cars & CTE
Is there a connection?
In case you're unaware of today's JAMA report, 110 of 111 NFL players were found to have CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Now this is a select group, deceased players whose brains have been donated to Boston University, but if even every other dead player since the study began was found to be clear, that would still mean 9% of NFL players have dementia.
The stories are horrifying. Even Tyler Sash, who played safety for the Super Bowl winning Giants in 2011, had it.
How long before people stop watching football?
They've already stopped playing.
People think everything's forever. Like the answering machine, like rock and roll, like baseball. I remember when football was a second-class citizen to baseball, when the latter was truly the "National Pastime." Now I'm not saying baseball will disappear, the internet has taught us that everything marginal survives to a point, but I will say that the NBA and soccer and e-sports dominate the minds of millennials and younger, and the boomers refuse to accept this.
But the boomers gave up smoking. It's rare to find a boomer who didn't used to puff. But they stopped. When they saw it killed.
And these same boomers are racing to electric cars. Which conservative voices keep saying are propped up by subsidies and will never triumph.
Tell that to BMW and Mercedes, German companies who are doubling-down. And to Volvo, which is going all electric, albeit hybrid, soon. They got the message. Along with self-driving cars. When are the owners and the public going to get the message about football?
If you believe the values of football franchises are going to continue to rise into the stratosphere, you probably believed that real estate would never collapse in 2008. But at least people need places to live, real estate can come back, whereas football?
The same educated class switching to electric cars has already said they don't want their kids to play football.
That's what wrong about today's society, the belief that the uneducated rule. They don't, they might push back, they might need a hand, a leg up, but to appeal to their base interests is to be stuck in a backwater. Turns out the smart and highly educated triumph. Which is the main cause of income inequality. Sure, a Tesla is a badge of honor, but it also doesn't pollute. And if you still say the power has to come from somewhere, you're right, but the truth is electric motors are much more efficient than gas, and therefore there's ultimately less pollution.
But I don't have to convince you. You're just a couple of years and a couple of changes behind me. You'll wake up.
So when the news of this story spreads, will people feel comfortable sitting in front of the screen every Sunday? I'll admit I enjoyed the Super Bowl, but it was the only game I watched last year. Because the NFL is going in the wrong direction in so many ways. Denying the truth as people lose their sensibilities. I loved Jim McMahon, now he's a shell of his former self. It makes you wince and you want no part of it.
So, if I were an NFL owner, I'd wait a few months and then sell. You never want to appear desperate. And you don't want to wait for the high, you've got to be willing to leave some money on the table, which is what great investors know.
And I'd invest in sports that appeal to younger generations.
And I'd acknowledge one effect of Trump's election is the press has doubled down. Not the online headlines, but the traditional newspapers, mostly the "New York Times" and the "Washington Post." And right wingers can decry these institutions as much as they want, that's their prerogative. But the truth is the world runs on information. And these outlets with reporters unearth and disseminate that information. Which is why I still read the "Wall Street Journal," which is a shell of its former self, despite hating the inane editorial page (did you see Jerry Brown's letter in response, whew!) they still cover industries and stories that the "Times" does not.
Want to win in this world?
Read. TV news is a pale facsimile of print. Hell, how often does Rachel Maddow quote the WaPo?
And isn't it interesting that Bezos saved the WaPo.
The bright and educated are still running the world. Don't think otherwise. And if you believe the NFL is on the way up, you're probably smoking a Marlboro right now.
"110 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had Brain Damage.": http://nyti.ms/2v51wsK
Jerry Brown and a Republican re cap-and-trade (unfortunately behind a paywall, but not everything in life is free, to succeed you've got to pay): http://on.wsj.com/2uUqv1f
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In case you're unaware of today's JAMA report, 110 of 111 NFL players were found to have CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Now this is a select group, deceased players whose brains have been donated to Boston University, but if even every other dead player since the study began was found to be clear, that would still mean 9% of NFL players have dementia.
The stories are horrifying. Even Tyler Sash, who played safety for the Super Bowl winning Giants in 2011, had it.
How long before people stop watching football?
They've already stopped playing.
People think everything's forever. Like the answering machine, like rock and roll, like baseball. I remember when football was a second-class citizen to baseball, when the latter was truly the "National Pastime." Now I'm not saying baseball will disappear, the internet has taught us that everything marginal survives to a point, but I will say that the NBA and soccer and e-sports dominate the minds of millennials and younger, and the boomers refuse to accept this.
But the boomers gave up smoking. It's rare to find a boomer who didn't used to puff. But they stopped. When they saw it killed.
And these same boomers are racing to electric cars. Which conservative voices keep saying are propped up by subsidies and will never triumph.
Tell that to BMW and Mercedes, German companies who are doubling-down. And to Volvo, which is going all electric, albeit hybrid, soon. They got the message. Along with self-driving cars. When are the owners and the public going to get the message about football?
If you believe the values of football franchises are going to continue to rise into the stratosphere, you probably believed that real estate would never collapse in 2008. But at least people need places to live, real estate can come back, whereas football?
The same educated class switching to electric cars has already said they don't want their kids to play football.
That's what wrong about today's society, the belief that the uneducated rule. They don't, they might push back, they might need a hand, a leg up, but to appeal to their base interests is to be stuck in a backwater. Turns out the smart and highly educated triumph. Which is the main cause of income inequality. Sure, a Tesla is a badge of honor, but it also doesn't pollute. And if you still say the power has to come from somewhere, you're right, but the truth is electric motors are much more efficient than gas, and therefore there's ultimately less pollution.
But I don't have to convince you. You're just a couple of years and a couple of changes behind me. You'll wake up.
So when the news of this story spreads, will people feel comfortable sitting in front of the screen every Sunday? I'll admit I enjoyed the Super Bowl, but it was the only game I watched last year. Because the NFL is going in the wrong direction in so many ways. Denying the truth as people lose their sensibilities. I loved Jim McMahon, now he's a shell of his former self. It makes you wince and you want no part of it.
So, if I were an NFL owner, I'd wait a few months and then sell. You never want to appear desperate. And you don't want to wait for the high, you've got to be willing to leave some money on the table, which is what great investors know.
And I'd invest in sports that appeal to younger generations.
And I'd acknowledge one effect of Trump's election is the press has doubled down. Not the online headlines, but the traditional newspapers, mostly the "New York Times" and the "Washington Post." And right wingers can decry these institutions as much as they want, that's their prerogative. But the truth is the world runs on information. And these outlets with reporters unearth and disseminate that information. Which is why I still read the "Wall Street Journal," which is a shell of its former self, despite hating the inane editorial page (did you see Jerry Brown's letter in response, whew!) they still cover industries and stories that the "Times" does not.
Want to win in this world?
Read. TV news is a pale facsimile of print. Hell, how often does Rachel Maddow quote the WaPo?
And isn't it interesting that Bezos saved the WaPo.
The bright and educated are still running the world. Don't think otherwise. And if you believe the NFL is on the way up, you're probably smoking a Marlboro right now.
"110 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had Brain Damage.": http://nyti.ms/2v51wsK
Jerry Brown and a Republican re cap-and-trade (unfortunately behind a paywall, but not everything in life is free, to succeed you've got to pay): http://on.wsj.com/2uUqv1f
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Monday 24 July 2017
Is All Publicity Good Publicity?
No one talks about Uber anymore.
I was listening to Howard Stern interview Robert O'Neill, the guy who shot Bin Laden, and he got me, I fired up my phone and downloaded the sample chapter of his book "The Operator" to my Kindle. Previously the hype had slid off me. I'd seen "Zero Dark Thirty." But I'm fascinated with physical feats, SEAL training, how your body gives out but your mind takes over. And one piece of advice O'Neill gave, which is so good, is if you're gonna quit, wait a day to do so.
United's numbers went up. That's right, after they dragged that guy off the plane and everybody said they were gonna boycott the airline it didn't happen. Now, of course, you can say the people had no choice, with the majors having divided up the airspace into tiny monopolies, but I'll posit people just don't care.
That's the story of the year. That's the story of the Trump election. The left wing is so wrapped up in gender politics that it's missing the issue, which is primarily economic. Sure, women shouldn't hit the glass ceiling, but can I put food on the table?
The last big Uber story was that they hired Bozoma Saint John away from Apple. Now other than seeing her last year in the Apple presentation, has this woman done anything of note? I'm not saying it's a bad hire, but if she's bonding with Arianna Huffington and they're trying to make the company touchy-feely, I doubt that will work.
Because it's never worked in the past.
Warner Music was getting excoriated in the press for Interscope Records. They sold the company back to its founders, who turned around and made a deal with Universal for beaucoup bucks. Jimmy Iovine has an HBO series made about him, Michael Fuchs, who ran HBO before he got control of Warner Music and made this decision, is less than a footnote, no one knows who he is anymore.
You don't react to the publicity.
Dov Charney was fired from American Apparel and it went bankrupt. Now he's restarted as Los Angeles Apparel, will he win?
I'd bet on him.
Founders are different people. They have vision. And rough edges. Steve Jobs gets booted by Apple and the company goes in the dumper. He comes back and it becomes the most valuable company on the planet. Coincidence? I think not. Furthermore, if Steve was still alive today would he be taking the same privacy tack as Tim Cook? I don't think so. The money is in the data, and Apple keeps saying they're not using the data, satisfying the public outcry but denying the fact that most people just don't care that much and cough it all up. You love the services, you love the right recommendations, you say you don't want to let someone know you, and then you do. It's quite a conundrum.
And the founders of Google brought on adult supervision with Eric Schmidt, and then demoted him. He could make the trains run on time, but he had no vision.
Uber is a service. Dependent upon buzz.
Now all the buzz is at Lyft. Seemingly every day there's a story about Lyft. Self-driving cars, the founder... Don't you see what's happening here? The press killed Uber. The board blinked and now it's a second-class citizen that will probably never recover.
Sure, Kalanick was brash. Sure, there was a sexual culture.
But you had to applaud the guy who stood up to entire COUNTRIES! I'm in France and the cabbies are flipping out but I'm dialing up an Uber on a regular basis. Screw the establishment, I'm all for disruption, because every economy that tried to hold back the future failed. Which makes you wonder about the narrow-mindedness of the U.K. and U.S., thinking they can secede from the global marketplace. France was so busy protecting French culture that it became irrelevant.
One person makes a difference. A band rarely survives the loss of its lead singer.
It's hard to define excellence, other than with results. You can't replicate the winners of this world. They're rough outsiders with laser-focus and oftentimes short tempers, and this irks the few while delivering pleasure to the majority.
Uber's on a bad path. If the board were smart, and it's not, it'd bring Travis back before it's too late.
All that publicity, about people deleting the app, mostly it came from people not using the service anyway. One thing about Uber, IT WORKED! People will abandon your product if it's bad. But you don't swerve from success just because refs without portfolio start crying foul.
Remember when Beavis and Butt-Head were pariah number one?
Remember when Eminem was excoriated?
Remember when the Beatles broke and long hair was a taboo?
You can teach a young dog new tricks. Steve Jobs proved it.
You can rehabilitate Travis Kalanick.
As for company culture...
This was the same company that made ride-sharing a household word.
That's right, you hobble the innovator.
The same people who called the election wrong are championing Kalanick's ouster?
Their track record ain't that good.
They're wrong.
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I was listening to Howard Stern interview Robert O'Neill, the guy who shot Bin Laden, and he got me, I fired up my phone and downloaded the sample chapter of his book "The Operator" to my Kindle. Previously the hype had slid off me. I'd seen "Zero Dark Thirty." But I'm fascinated with physical feats, SEAL training, how your body gives out but your mind takes over. And one piece of advice O'Neill gave, which is so good, is if you're gonna quit, wait a day to do so.
United's numbers went up. That's right, after they dragged that guy off the plane and everybody said they were gonna boycott the airline it didn't happen. Now, of course, you can say the people had no choice, with the majors having divided up the airspace into tiny monopolies, but I'll posit people just don't care.
That's the story of the year. That's the story of the Trump election. The left wing is so wrapped up in gender politics that it's missing the issue, which is primarily economic. Sure, women shouldn't hit the glass ceiling, but can I put food on the table?
The last big Uber story was that they hired Bozoma Saint John away from Apple. Now other than seeing her last year in the Apple presentation, has this woman done anything of note? I'm not saying it's a bad hire, but if she's bonding with Arianna Huffington and they're trying to make the company touchy-feely, I doubt that will work.
Because it's never worked in the past.
Warner Music was getting excoriated in the press for Interscope Records. They sold the company back to its founders, who turned around and made a deal with Universal for beaucoup bucks. Jimmy Iovine has an HBO series made about him, Michael Fuchs, who ran HBO before he got control of Warner Music and made this decision, is less than a footnote, no one knows who he is anymore.
You don't react to the publicity.
Dov Charney was fired from American Apparel and it went bankrupt. Now he's restarted as Los Angeles Apparel, will he win?
I'd bet on him.
Founders are different people. They have vision. And rough edges. Steve Jobs gets booted by Apple and the company goes in the dumper. He comes back and it becomes the most valuable company on the planet. Coincidence? I think not. Furthermore, if Steve was still alive today would he be taking the same privacy tack as Tim Cook? I don't think so. The money is in the data, and Apple keeps saying they're not using the data, satisfying the public outcry but denying the fact that most people just don't care that much and cough it all up. You love the services, you love the right recommendations, you say you don't want to let someone know you, and then you do. It's quite a conundrum.
And the founders of Google brought on adult supervision with Eric Schmidt, and then demoted him. He could make the trains run on time, but he had no vision.
Uber is a service. Dependent upon buzz.
Now all the buzz is at Lyft. Seemingly every day there's a story about Lyft. Self-driving cars, the founder... Don't you see what's happening here? The press killed Uber. The board blinked and now it's a second-class citizen that will probably never recover.
Sure, Kalanick was brash. Sure, there was a sexual culture.
But you had to applaud the guy who stood up to entire COUNTRIES! I'm in France and the cabbies are flipping out but I'm dialing up an Uber on a regular basis. Screw the establishment, I'm all for disruption, because every economy that tried to hold back the future failed. Which makes you wonder about the narrow-mindedness of the U.K. and U.S., thinking they can secede from the global marketplace. France was so busy protecting French culture that it became irrelevant.
One person makes a difference. A band rarely survives the loss of its lead singer.
It's hard to define excellence, other than with results. You can't replicate the winners of this world. They're rough outsiders with laser-focus and oftentimes short tempers, and this irks the few while delivering pleasure to the majority.
Uber's on a bad path. If the board were smart, and it's not, it'd bring Travis back before it's too late.
All that publicity, about people deleting the app, mostly it came from people not using the service anyway. One thing about Uber, IT WORKED! People will abandon your product if it's bad. But you don't swerve from success just because refs without portfolio start crying foul.
Remember when Beavis and Butt-Head were pariah number one?
Remember when Eminem was excoriated?
Remember when the Beatles broke and long hair was a taboo?
You can teach a young dog new tricks. Steve Jobs proved it.
You can rehabilitate Travis Kalanick.
As for company culture...
This was the same company that made ride-sharing a household word.
That's right, you hobble the innovator.
The same people who called the election wrong are championing Kalanick's ouster?
Their track record ain't that good.
They're wrong.
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Re: Garth Brooks At The Forum
It was a big Eagles/
special guest
co-headliner back
in the day. I came
early and was in my
tent (what was going
to be my dressing-
room). Garth came
in without his hat. I
had no idea who he
was. He was looking for a crew guy- his guitar wouldn't work. He had no idea who I was.
I took the guitar and
while I was working on
it, we just talked. It
was magic. He was
wonderful, straight
across, and totally
humble.
He was nervous about
opening for the
Eagles. I told him the Eagles were probably nervous about following him. That
had never occured
to him-
I put in a new battery
and he was on his way.
Later we found out
who we both were.
Profound apologies
on both ends. He's
still that same guy who
came into my tent.
Hasn't changed a bit.
Joe Walsh
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special guest
co-headliner back
in the day. I came
early and was in my
tent (what was going
to be my dressing-
room). Garth came
in without his hat. I
had no idea who he
was. He was looking for a crew guy- his guitar wouldn't work. He had no idea who I was.
I took the guitar and
while I was working on
it, we just talked. It
was magic. He was
wonderful, straight
across, and totally
humble.
He was nervous about
opening for the
Eagles. I told him the Eagles were probably nervous about following him. That
had never occured
to him-
I put in a new battery
and he was on his way.
Later we found out
who we both were.
Profound apologies
on both ends. He's
still that same guy who
came into my tent.
Hasn't changed a bit.
Joe Walsh
--
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Mailbag
From: Rick Nicita
Subject: Re: John Heard
Bob,
I was John Heard's agent for much of the 1970's….. He was an extremely smart, hugely talented iconoclast who never wanted stardom….In fact, he resisted it with all his strength….Others with a fraction of his talent have gone much much farther…He was basically at odds with the starmaking machinery and he suffered from it.
I can sum him up by telling about when he was offered a lead role in a PBS production of THE SCARLET LETTER in the late 70's….PBS paid SAG scale, or less if they could get away with it….Of course, he wanted to do it, as he should have…..Good agent that I was, I asked PBS to pay him more than their usual pittance….They were thrilled to have John in their production and they agreed to improve the offer so I closed the deal…..I came back to my office after lunch one day soon after making that deal to find a stack of pink "While You Were Out" phone messages (remember them?) from John in which he vented at great length his anger at me for asking for and getting him more money than he was offered…I apologized and he ultimately forgave me.
A truly unique and special person and artist….Watch CUTTER'S WAY and you'll be amazed.
Rick Nicita
___________________________________________
From: Colin Hay
Subject: Re: John Heard
Yes Mr Lefsetz, ain't that the truth. But they don't. Every day I wake up, reach for the phone, already thinking, I wonder who died today. I feel sad that they've gone, followed by a feeling of relief, that it wasn't me. That's the one thing we all share, that for each and every one of us, just to state the obvious, one day will be our last.
We're on the road, literally. Every day we travel somewhere else, and check into the hotel. Today it's Big Bear. I like to leave as little a footprint as possible, reaching into my case, and grabbing what I need for the show that night. My wife on the other hand, moves in. I go down to the lobby for 10 minutes to do any small thing, and when I return, it's as if we've been living there for six months. It's redecorated. Home for a day. What more can you ask for?
When I pass on, someone may well ask where I was when I went. "Oh that guy, he died at home, I think it was a DoubleTree, you know, the one that gives you the cookies."
As you say, one day the road ends, sometimes in a head on crash, or sometimes you may just fall asleep at the wheel.
Until then, good times.
Colin
___________________________________________
From: Michael Des Barres
Subject: Re: Ozark
Gimme the beat boys & free my soul I wanna get lost in Netflix & Rock & Roll. I have binged on everything in my life.. why stop now?...Good morning Bob...
___________________________________________
From: Ken Kragen
Subject: Re: Garth Brooks At The Forum
Bob: Seems like I have some connection to everything you write about these days. Garth Brooks is certainly one of them. I managed Trisha Yearwood for most of the 1990's up to and including the first major tour she did with Garth and before they started living together.
But long before that my long-time (33 years) client, Kenny Rogers, took Garth, out on tour with him as an unknown. Garth never forgot that and repayed the favor several times including guesting on one of the last TV specials I did with Kenny.
Having seen many Garth Brooks shows going all the way back to the beginning I am certain that he is one of the most unique and powerful entertainers ever. What he does, better than anyone else, is involve the audience and, in fact, they become the major factor in the show. He acts as their cheerleader and whips them into a virtual frenzy that is truly amazing.
I am also convinced that he is one of the best marketers in the business. He knows as well as anyone how to create a brand, nurture it and promote the daylights out of it.
Loved your writing about his show. You are doing some wonderful things this summer. Oh, and by the way, I just got back from seeing my former client Lionel Richie open the Mid State Fair in Paso Robles, CA and he was terrific as always.
All the best, Ken
___________________________________________
From: David Lipsitz
Subject: Re: Garth Brooks At The Forum
Bob - I was motivated by your email to look for a video of Garth singing Operator, which I was quickly able to find on Youtube. When he chuckles at mentioning "LA" I looked down at the upload date and saw that it was today. Then, at the 1:00 minute mark they show the requestor holding up his sign and I see you sitting behind him!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTKk-JOLHok&utm_source=phplist5946&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Mailbag
___________________________________________
From: Lee T. Guzofski
Subject: A New Game
We don't have a lot of money
So we share a beach house down the Jersey Shore with 2 other families and 2 other single girls.
We have invented a new game called "Relations"
Where we sit around late at night, after the kids go to bed, and 6 musically-knowledgable adults play a tune on Spotify
The next person (we're going counter-clockwise tonight) HAS TO PICK FROM THE OFFERRED RELATED ARTISTS AND PLAY A SONG.
Once it makes a full circle, the next person can pick anything. Changes the genre.
And everyone has to keep going.
Fascinating.
We have rolled from Southern Rock to the Philadelphia Sound to 80's hip hop, to disco, to the Stooges.
It is incredible, if you play with smart people.
Sorry... It's my turn.
They are playing "Stomp" by The Brothers Johnson
So I am going "Fire" by Ohio Players because it's easy and I am emailing you. (My wife is hitting play on my behalf)
My point brother is...
NO OTHER SERVICE LETS YOU INVENT A GAME LIKE THIS
Whip it out at your next fancy event once you hook your phone up to the speaker.
You learn about people.
Your friend & fan,
LTG
--
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Subject: Re: John Heard
Bob,
I was John Heard's agent for much of the 1970's….. He was an extremely smart, hugely talented iconoclast who never wanted stardom….In fact, he resisted it with all his strength….Others with a fraction of his talent have gone much much farther…He was basically at odds with the starmaking machinery and he suffered from it.
I can sum him up by telling about when he was offered a lead role in a PBS production of THE SCARLET LETTER in the late 70's….PBS paid SAG scale, or less if they could get away with it….Of course, he wanted to do it, as he should have…..Good agent that I was, I asked PBS to pay him more than their usual pittance….They were thrilled to have John in their production and they agreed to improve the offer so I closed the deal…..I came back to my office after lunch one day soon after making that deal to find a stack of pink "While You Were Out" phone messages (remember them?) from John in which he vented at great length his anger at me for asking for and getting him more money than he was offered…I apologized and he ultimately forgave me.
A truly unique and special person and artist….Watch CUTTER'S WAY and you'll be amazed.
Rick Nicita
___________________________________________
From: Colin Hay
Subject: Re: John Heard
Yes Mr Lefsetz, ain't that the truth. But they don't. Every day I wake up, reach for the phone, already thinking, I wonder who died today. I feel sad that they've gone, followed by a feeling of relief, that it wasn't me. That's the one thing we all share, that for each and every one of us, just to state the obvious, one day will be our last.
We're on the road, literally. Every day we travel somewhere else, and check into the hotel. Today it's Big Bear. I like to leave as little a footprint as possible, reaching into my case, and grabbing what I need for the show that night. My wife on the other hand, moves in. I go down to the lobby for 10 minutes to do any small thing, and when I return, it's as if we've been living there for six months. It's redecorated. Home for a day. What more can you ask for?
When I pass on, someone may well ask where I was when I went. "Oh that guy, he died at home, I think it was a DoubleTree, you know, the one that gives you the cookies."
As you say, one day the road ends, sometimes in a head on crash, or sometimes you may just fall asleep at the wheel.
Until then, good times.
Colin
___________________________________________
From: Michael Des Barres
Subject: Re: Ozark
Gimme the beat boys & free my soul I wanna get lost in Netflix & Rock & Roll. I have binged on everything in my life.. why stop now?...Good morning Bob...
___________________________________________
From: Ken Kragen
Subject: Re: Garth Brooks At The Forum
Bob: Seems like I have some connection to everything you write about these days. Garth Brooks is certainly one of them. I managed Trisha Yearwood for most of the 1990's up to and including the first major tour she did with Garth and before they started living together.
But long before that my long-time (33 years) client, Kenny Rogers, took Garth, out on tour with him as an unknown. Garth never forgot that and repayed the favor several times including guesting on one of the last TV specials I did with Kenny.
Having seen many Garth Brooks shows going all the way back to the beginning I am certain that he is one of the most unique and powerful entertainers ever. What he does, better than anyone else, is involve the audience and, in fact, they become the major factor in the show. He acts as their cheerleader and whips them into a virtual frenzy that is truly amazing.
I am also convinced that he is one of the best marketers in the business. He knows as well as anyone how to create a brand, nurture it and promote the daylights out of it.
Loved your writing about his show. You are doing some wonderful things this summer. Oh, and by the way, I just got back from seeing my former client Lionel Richie open the Mid State Fair in Paso Robles, CA and he was terrific as always.
All the best, Ken
___________________________________________
From: David Lipsitz
Subject: Re: Garth Brooks At The Forum
Bob - I was motivated by your email to look for a video of Garth singing Operator, which I was quickly able to find on Youtube. When he chuckles at mentioning "LA" I looked down at the upload date and saw that it was today. Then, at the 1:00 minute mark they show the requestor holding up his sign and I see you sitting behind him!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTKk-JOLHok&utm_source=phplist5946&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Mailbag
___________________________________________
From: Lee T. Guzofski
Subject: A New Game
We don't have a lot of money
So we share a beach house down the Jersey Shore with 2 other families and 2 other single girls.
We have invented a new game called "Relations"
Where we sit around late at night, after the kids go to bed, and 6 musically-knowledgable adults play a tune on Spotify
The next person (we're going counter-clockwise tonight) HAS TO PICK FROM THE OFFERRED RELATED ARTISTS AND PLAY A SONG.
Once it makes a full circle, the next person can pick anything. Changes the genre.
And everyone has to keep going.
Fascinating.
We have rolled from Southern Rock to the Philadelphia Sound to 80's hip hop, to disco, to the Stooges.
It is incredible, if you play with smart people.
Sorry... It's my turn.
They are playing "Stomp" by The Brothers Johnson
So I am going "Fire" by Ohio Players because it's easy and I am emailing you. (My wife is hitting play on my behalf)
My point brother is...
NO OTHER SERVICE LETS YOU INVENT A GAME LIKE THIS
Whip it out at your next fancy event once you hook your phone up to the speaker.
You learn about people.
Your friend & fan,
LTG
--
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Sunday 23 July 2017
Garth Brooks At The Forum
"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday"
Actually, it was sometime after eleven.
Garth Brooks could be the biggest act in America. But in today's siloed world where everything exists in its own niche, you can be unaware of this.
Until you go to a show.
Tickets are eighty bucks. And Garth keeps adding shows until everybody can get in. He's putting a dent in scalping, but not completely. And sometimes he does two shows. He can start as late as eleven thirty at night and continue until three thirty a.m. Sound like anybody you know? That's right, the Grateful Dead. At the Fillmore East. And when every show is choreographed, oftentimes imprinted on the tour laminate, you never know what you'll hear at a Garth gig.
Other than the hits.
He plays them and everybody knows the words. The only song in which the crowd was not deafening was the new one, which Garth put the lyrics of on the big screen, so they could sing along. And he hasn't had a hit in years and his music ain't on Spotify but if you were a fan of country before the bros took over, you know them all by heart. He's the king of Wal-Mart and Amazon too. And if you're in the demo and you were inside the building...
Your head exploded.
Now this is a funny crowd. Almost evenly split between men and women. Families. Young 'uns. It looks like...America. You know, hot dogs and beer, and the flag waving too, before the right wing made patriotism a litmus test and the left wing seceded from the conversation, after bellowing at the blowhards, leaving many hard-working Americans lost in the shuffle.
I don't see these people on the Westside. Even the San Fernando Valley. And there were a few African-Americans and even more Latinos but they all live in Southern California, they all are integral parts of society, and they all remember when radio was the driver and if you won there, you won everywhere.
That era is dead. We all don't know the same songs and oftentimes we don't know more than the hits. But if you made it before the internet blew up the paradigm, you're an institution, you're part of the audience's DNA.
Now Garth is anti-charisma. He's so different from the rock and pop stars. It's not so much that he's self-deprecating, but that he's all out, fully available, he holds nothing back, he's conversational and goofy and you don't feel a barrier between you and him. It's so strange, other country acts do this too, but maybe they're just imitating him. And the more you watch him you realize this can't be an act, this has got to be the real Garth. And then you realize you've never even been to Oklahoma, maybe you're out of touch with a whole swath of Americans making up the fabric of this country. No, I'm not talking about the fictitious silent majority that Spiro Agnew and Sarah Palin can't stop talking about, but people who are just living their lives, who are not consumed by politics, who think cooking and eating and drinking and playing and raising your kids is the essence of life.
Now when Trisha Yearwood takes the stage for her bit, she shows footage of her cooking show, from the Food Network. And you notice nobody's skinny and they're eating carbs and having a good time and you wonder if you've got it wrong, lionizing the thin non-eaters. I'm not saying obesity is cool, I'm just saying so much entertainment is out of touch with the audience.
But not Garth Brooks.
So at times there are five guitarists up front.
There are three backup singers.
Garth no longer flies, but the drummer is in a cage that lifts and rotates, but does not go upside down, although I was waiting for it to, I wanted to see Tommy Lee given a run for his money.
And everybody's a long-termer. Garth is nothing but loyal. Which is strange in today's society, where everybody's looking to trade up. He goes with the guys he came with. Talks about working it out on Tuesday nights before he made it, yup, it's some of the exact same people.
And he plays to the far reaches of the arena. Running around. And he's a bundle of energy that never stops.
But the highlight is...
When he comes out for the encores.
Now you never know, he's already given it his all. Done not only "Friends In Low Places," but "The Dance." All the hits are done. You can't bitch that you didn't get your money's worth. You're applauding and you expect the lights to come back on at any minute and then...
Garth reappears.
Just him and his guitar.
And he looks out over the audience and...
He starts playing requests.
He looks at the signs and whips off the songs. Ones he hasn't played in years. Ones not even written by him! Someone asked for a Keith Whitley song!
And then there was the couple holding signs that their first date was at a Garth Brooks show and now they've seen three and they're married with a baby on the way and Garth can't help but do their song.
And it's like James Taylor. All quiet and intimate and acoustic.
But without a script, without a set-list.
And you think this is a gimmick, a set-up, but Garth goes on and on, playing more and more requests, and you start to tingle, you're experiencing a magic you can't get anywhere else, the combination of music and emotion that is the elixir of the live experience.
And then Garth picks on the guy right in front of me! Who's fifty eight and has been holding up a series of signs throughout the evening.
He wants Garth to play "Operator."
But isn't that a Jim Croce song?
It most certainly is...
"Operator, well could you help me place this call..."
Now I never saw Croce live. And I never liked "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown." But I do love "I Got A Name" and my favorite is "Operator" and how does Garth know all the words without a teleprompter? And he's so sincere, he's not oversinging, this isn't "American Idol," this is someone who lived through the era when singer-songwriters were king and he's caught in his reverie.
But then Garth starts to strum and...
It's indelible. You know the original. Which broke the act. Which was a staple of the seventies. Which begins with that acoustic figure...
"I was a little too tall
Could've used a few pounds
Tight pants, points, hardly reknown"
He's playing NIGHT MOVES! It messes you up. He lived through this too. He's been in a Chevy trying to touch the points sitting way up high. It's like all of the arena, all of your life, melted into one soft ball, like being high on drugs, only in this case it was only music.
And then...
It was nine o'clock on a Saturday.
It's a song about a piano man, but Garth is playing his guitar, and you can only stand there and beam, as you throw your arms high in the air and sing along.
We were all in the mood for a melody.
And Garth had us feelin' all right.
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Actually, it was sometime after eleven.
Garth Brooks could be the biggest act in America. But in today's siloed world where everything exists in its own niche, you can be unaware of this.
Until you go to a show.
Tickets are eighty bucks. And Garth keeps adding shows until everybody can get in. He's putting a dent in scalping, but not completely. And sometimes he does two shows. He can start as late as eleven thirty at night and continue until three thirty a.m. Sound like anybody you know? That's right, the Grateful Dead. At the Fillmore East. And when every show is choreographed, oftentimes imprinted on the tour laminate, you never know what you'll hear at a Garth gig.
Other than the hits.
He plays them and everybody knows the words. The only song in which the crowd was not deafening was the new one, which Garth put the lyrics of on the big screen, so they could sing along. And he hasn't had a hit in years and his music ain't on Spotify but if you were a fan of country before the bros took over, you know them all by heart. He's the king of Wal-Mart and Amazon too. And if you're in the demo and you were inside the building...
Your head exploded.
Now this is a funny crowd. Almost evenly split between men and women. Families. Young 'uns. It looks like...America. You know, hot dogs and beer, and the flag waving too, before the right wing made patriotism a litmus test and the left wing seceded from the conversation, after bellowing at the blowhards, leaving many hard-working Americans lost in the shuffle.
I don't see these people on the Westside. Even the San Fernando Valley. And there were a few African-Americans and even more Latinos but they all live in Southern California, they all are integral parts of society, and they all remember when radio was the driver and if you won there, you won everywhere.
That era is dead. We all don't know the same songs and oftentimes we don't know more than the hits. But if you made it before the internet blew up the paradigm, you're an institution, you're part of the audience's DNA.
Now Garth is anti-charisma. He's so different from the rock and pop stars. It's not so much that he's self-deprecating, but that he's all out, fully available, he holds nothing back, he's conversational and goofy and you don't feel a barrier between you and him. It's so strange, other country acts do this too, but maybe they're just imitating him. And the more you watch him you realize this can't be an act, this has got to be the real Garth. And then you realize you've never even been to Oklahoma, maybe you're out of touch with a whole swath of Americans making up the fabric of this country. No, I'm not talking about the fictitious silent majority that Spiro Agnew and Sarah Palin can't stop talking about, but people who are just living their lives, who are not consumed by politics, who think cooking and eating and drinking and playing and raising your kids is the essence of life.
Now when Trisha Yearwood takes the stage for her bit, she shows footage of her cooking show, from the Food Network. And you notice nobody's skinny and they're eating carbs and having a good time and you wonder if you've got it wrong, lionizing the thin non-eaters. I'm not saying obesity is cool, I'm just saying so much entertainment is out of touch with the audience.
But not Garth Brooks.
So at times there are five guitarists up front.
There are three backup singers.
Garth no longer flies, but the drummer is in a cage that lifts and rotates, but does not go upside down, although I was waiting for it to, I wanted to see Tommy Lee given a run for his money.
And everybody's a long-termer. Garth is nothing but loyal. Which is strange in today's society, where everybody's looking to trade up. He goes with the guys he came with. Talks about working it out on Tuesday nights before he made it, yup, it's some of the exact same people.
And he plays to the far reaches of the arena. Running around. And he's a bundle of energy that never stops.
But the highlight is...
When he comes out for the encores.
Now you never know, he's already given it his all. Done not only "Friends In Low Places," but "The Dance." All the hits are done. You can't bitch that you didn't get your money's worth. You're applauding and you expect the lights to come back on at any minute and then...
Garth reappears.
Just him and his guitar.
And he looks out over the audience and...
He starts playing requests.
He looks at the signs and whips off the songs. Ones he hasn't played in years. Ones not even written by him! Someone asked for a Keith Whitley song!
And then there was the couple holding signs that their first date was at a Garth Brooks show and now they've seen three and they're married with a baby on the way and Garth can't help but do their song.
And it's like James Taylor. All quiet and intimate and acoustic.
But without a script, without a set-list.
And you think this is a gimmick, a set-up, but Garth goes on and on, playing more and more requests, and you start to tingle, you're experiencing a magic you can't get anywhere else, the combination of music and emotion that is the elixir of the live experience.
And then Garth picks on the guy right in front of me! Who's fifty eight and has been holding up a series of signs throughout the evening.
He wants Garth to play "Operator."
But isn't that a Jim Croce song?
It most certainly is...
"Operator, well could you help me place this call..."
Now I never saw Croce live. And I never liked "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown." But I do love "I Got A Name" and my favorite is "Operator" and how does Garth know all the words without a teleprompter? And he's so sincere, he's not oversinging, this isn't "American Idol," this is someone who lived through the era when singer-songwriters were king and he's caught in his reverie.
But then Garth starts to strum and...
It's indelible. You know the original. Which broke the act. Which was a staple of the seventies. Which begins with that acoustic figure...
"I was a little too tall
Could've used a few pounds
Tight pants, points, hardly reknown"
He's playing NIGHT MOVES! It messes you up. He lived through this too. He's been in a Chevy trying to touch the points sitting way up high. It's like all of the arena, all of your life, melted into one soft ball, like being high on drugs, only in this case it was only music.
And then...
It was nine o'clock on a Saturday.
It's a song about a piano man, but Garth is playing his guitar, and you can only stand there and beam, as you throw your arms high in the air and sing along.
We were all in the mood for a melody.
And Garth had us feelin' all right.
--
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