"There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear"
"For What It's Worth"
Buffalo Springfield
When I grow up I want to own a news outlet. Maybe Fox, maybe CNN. I want to reach everybody and shape public opinion. Because right now we've got too many self-satisfied nitwits operating on skewed info trying to reach goals that cannot be achieved.
Now I'm Jewish. And last time I checked Rupert Murdoch was not. But that did not stop the protesters from calling us members of the tribe out, as if we were the problem, they said we controlled the news.
"The Jewish media is going down."
"The Goyim know."
Stand up to "the Jewish power structure."
"Jews will not replace us."
Am I scared?
You bet I am.
But I don't think expressing my fear and getting us all on the left to hold hands and sing kumbaya is gonna make any difference. Might make us feel good for a moment or two, but after that?
Now back in the sixties, the protesters didn't want to jet us back to the past, but to a better future. Whereas the agitators in Charlottesville want to return to an era that cannot be recreated. All in the name of making America "great again."
Well, I've got to tell you, if you were a minority back then, it wasn't so good.
But now the whites are on the verge of becoming a minority, payback's a bitch.
But I'm not sure it's about race. Although there's a strong undercurrent of religion, I don't think that's the prime driver either.
I think it's about economics. We're a country of haves and have-nots. And the haves think they know better and the have-nots can sense this contempt and they're throwing a monkey wrench in the works, believing this is the only way for things to improve.
Yes, they still believe in Trump. And if you think all your holier-than-thou outrage is gonna change their opinion, you've got another thing coming.
And isn't it funny that Rob Halford turned out to be gay. You see homosexuals know no party, no religion, and the truth is people don't care that much about who you sleep with, as long as they've got enough money to go their own way. But when they don't, they need a scapegoat.
Now don't get me wrong, I think it's great that the left is protesting. Hell, I'll even argue it prevented the demolition of the ACA, aka "Obamacare." But the truth is, if you think standing up here and there telling people they're wrong is gonna get you what you want, you're completely delusional.
Our only hope is the system. To a good degree, it's worked already. Trump and the right's agenda has been stymied. But then there's the penumbra, the regulations, the pullback of environmental rights, it's enough to make you cry.
And it makes no sense. The underclass supporting the billionaires.
But they're convinced government is the problem, even though it's government programs that are keeping them alive, supporting them.
So I know how this works.
If I express outrage at the adventures of the alt-right, my inbox fills up with hosannas from the left.
And vitriol from the right.
Everybody's in their own camp, working the refs.
I think it's pointless to express my opinion, I don't think it has any effect. When you're on the frontlines you experience this. When someone says they don't know anybody who voted for Trump I don't envy their cocoon, they're out of touch with what's happening in America today.
And I'm not sure exactly what is happening.
The left and some of the right are expressing outrage at Trump's false equivalency, not calling out the right wing supremacist marchers. It's all over the news...
Except on Fox. Where it came buried fifteen minutes in, after they blamed the anti-protesters for being violent themselves.
So, there's a good chance you're living in an echo chamber. I hope it makes you feel good to tweet, to yell at the TV screen, express solidarity with your brethren.
But it's not moving the ball.
P.S. There's a good chance a Democrat will win the Presidency next time, but if you think this will solve our problems, you're wrong.
P.P.S. The left is so deep into identity politics they've lost touch with the greater good. Until Democrats unite to win, the party is hopeless.
P.P.P.S. It's a long hard struggle. Reagan labeled the government useless. The Federalist Society started decades ago, resulting in right wing jurists. To this day tax cuts are seen as paying for themselves, despite evidence to the contrary. Yelling and screaming and crying foul ain't gonna cut it. The Republicans are organized, they know how to play as a team. Hell, look at the health care vote. Until the Democrats truly put aside their differences, they have no chance.
P.P.P.P.S. Taxes are good, they pay for our roads and schools and our military protection. Everybody partakes. And regulations produce safety. And almost nobody pays estate taxes and small business is not being hobbled... These are right wing canards repeated over and over again. Until the left counters them with their own viewpoint, until they set the agenda, they're doomed.
P.P.P.P.P.S. It's every person for themselves in America today. They've eradicated so much of the safety net and you pay six figures for a college education that delivers no job. And if you didn't go to college, you're doomed. Instead of fighting to get ahead, think about lifting up your brother. We are all in this together, we're more alike than different, but when times are tough we fight amongst ourselves.
P.P.P.P.P.P.S. I don't know if Trump is a momentary blip, like Jesse Ventura, or a harbinger of a future disaster. That's the America we live in today, nobody knows anything, and that includes me, but if you've got a big enough megaphone, you can sway public opinion. We are the enemy, but not as big as Facebook and Google, which control our everyday lives whilst telling us they're helping us. It's evening in America. It's ridiculous some innocent person died. Fighting over an aged statue is insane. We all want the same things, food on the table, a roof over our heads and opportunity. Focus on the big issues first. And just because your parents gave you every chance and you've succeeded through hard work that does not mean you know what is happening. Like I said, no one does. We're in uncharted waters, and no one is coming along to rescue us. Everybody's scratching for cash, we revere economic winners and decry the losers. How did we get here?
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Saturday 12 August 2017
Friday 11 August 2017
Google's Hip-Hop Video
Google Google.
That's right, just don't enter your search term in the address bar, which you can do with Safari and Chrome, instead enter "Google," to go to the main Google search page.
Wait, have I confused you?
What I want you to do is go to the Google homepage, however you want to get there. But I also want to inform Luddites that in Safari and Chrome the address bar is also a search engine window, and you can change the default search engine, but most people use Google, as they should. Google is the Uber of search engines, the one with the most market share, although nowhere near as heinous. But Google did not blink, except in the case of the Damore memo, wherein they caved to the wisdom of the crowd. I'm not saying that Damore was right, I'm not saying women should not be offered the same opportunities as men, but I am saying when issues are complicated you don't take immediate action, you take a step back and analyze all the facts. I believe this is outlined best by David Brooks in today's "New York Times" column: "Sundar Pichai Should Resign as Google's C.E.O.": http://nyti.ms/2fz7tYn And I don't agree with Brooks's conclusion, it's not dissimilar to squeezing out Travis Kalanick, but you should read his viewpoint, that's the problem with today's society, we're locked into our own tunnel vision, we don't explore others' viewpoints. We don't have to ultimately agree with them, but we do need to understand them.
Like those of hip-hop-fans.
Too many oldsters believe hip-hop sucks. They know no history, they refuse to listen, all they can do is wince and protest.
Now if you missed the memo, and it's hard to today, since messages come at you from multiple angles, August 11th has been anointed the fortieth anniversary of hip-hop. Is this truly so? Now we know Alexander Doubleday did not invent baseball, so much of what we've been taught is wrong, hell, Pluto is no longer even a planet, but that's not my point here.
My point is Google has this amazing video on the history of hip-hop.
So now you're at Google's homepage, if I haven't lost you already with my digressive diatribe. And you'll notice, above the search window, where the logo sits, always stylized, always different every day, there's a pulsating play button.
That's right, the ubiquitous diamond we got used to on tape decks, that survives in the internet world.
I wasn't gonna click it. I was researching something else.
And usually, at least in my experience, the logo is usually static. But the "play" icon was pulsating in a rotating vinyl disc, was this really a video?
I decided to find out, I decided to click.
And you should too.
Upon clicking the logo expanded into a video window with a story told by Fab 5 Freddy. And I'll tell you, I knew most of this story, but not all of it. And just when it starts to get a bit boring, a little flat, when you think you're ready to go, that's when the excitement begins.
Fab 5 Freddy teaches you how to mix, on two turntables, albeit without a microphone.
Don't skip the tutorial, play with it. Move the fader from right to left.
And then you're confronted with:
"COOL. NOW YOU DOIN' IT. LET'S FIND A NEW TRACK TO PLAY. TAP THE RECORD CRATE ICON ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT."
And you see an image of a Betty Wright album, but then Fab 5 Freddy tells you to:
"USE THE SCROLLBAR TO NAVIGATE THE RECORD CRATE"
And this is when it gets interesting... You see you're flipping through vinyl, like we did back before it became a fetish, when it was all we had, when the artwork was big and we knew it by heart, could recognize it by its SPINE!
And your instincts tell you it's gonna be all soul music, urban tunes, R&B, from that spectrum. But I'm flipping through the crate and I see one of my favorite LPs, Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken." Huh? They're as far away from hip-hop as can be.
But NOOOOO! Turns out the beat from "Fool Yourself" is the root of multiple hip-hop hits, it's sampled in A Tribe Called Quest's "Bonita Applebum," Lupe Fiasco's "Till I Get There" and Thievery Corporation's "Sweet Tides." "Fool Yourself" has got 153 beats per minute and it's in the key of D.
Billy Squier's "The Big Beat" has 102 BPM and is in the key of F, it's sampled in Jay Z's "99 Problems" and Run-DMC's "Here We Go (Live at the Funhouse)" and A Tribe Called Quest's "We Can Get Down."
And one of my favorite tracks, covered exquisitely by Stevie Winwood, Timmy Thomas's "Why Can't We Live Together," has 107 BPM and is in the key of Cm and is sampled in Drake's "HOTLINE BLING"!
You could lose an hour, maybe more shifting through the crate and finding records to mix, learning where they've been sampled, playing the originals.
And isn't it funny the denigrated hip-hoppers have no problem entering the rock world but the reverse rarely happens. But this video will open your mind, wake you up from your slumber and open you up to thoughts and possibilities you never had before.
Kind of like reading the Brooks column.
And now we've come full circle.
P.S. If this was all too complicated for you, you can just go directly to the video here: http://bit.ly/2uMnEUd
P.S. We no longer live in a top-down society, and far too often the self-anointed gatekeepers are a couple of days and a couple of changes behind the curve. And just like with video games, there are few instructions, you've got to fiddle around and figure out how to make things work yourself. Mistakes are cool, they illuminate the software, the game, they make you more adept at exploration and use.
P.P.S. The breakthroughs continue to be made by techies, because they take chances and their parent companies don't need everything to fall directly to the bottom line.
P.P.P.S. The more people know about something, the more they appreciate it. I didn't get paintings until I took an art history class. When you know where the artist is coming from, the environment within which they created, you understand, you GET IT!
That's right, just don't enter your search term in the address bar, which you can do with Safari and Chrome, instead enter "Google," to go to the main Google search page.
Wait, have I confused you?
What I want you to do is go to the Google homepage, however you want to get there. But I also want to inform Luddites that in Safari and Chrome the address bar is also a search engine window, and you can change the default search engine, but most people use Google, as they should. Google is the Uber of search engines, the one with the most market share, although nowhere near as heinous. But Google did not blink, except in the case of the Damore memo, wherein they caved to the wisdom of the crowd. I'm not saying that Damore was right, I'm not saying women should not be offered the same opportunities as men, but I am saying when issues are complicated you don't take immediate action, you take a step back and analyze all the facts. I believe this is outlined best by David Brooks in today's "New York Times" column: "Sundar Pichai Should Resign as Google's C.E.O.": http://nyti.ms/2fz7tYn And I don't agree with Brooks's conclusion, it's not dissimilar to squeezing out Travis Kalanick, but you should read his viewpoint, that's the problem with today's society, we're locked into our own tunnel vision, we don't explore others' viewpoints. We don't have to ultimately agree with them, but we do need to understand them.
Like those of hip-hop-fans.
Too many oldsters believe hip-hop sucks. They know no history, they refuse to listen, all they can do is wince and protest.
Now if you missed the memo, and it's hard to today, since messages come at you from multiple angles, August 11th has been anointed the fortieth anniversary of hip-hop. Is this truly so? Now we know Alexander Doubleday did not invent baseball, so much of what we've been taught is wrong, hell, Pluto is no longer even a planet, but that's not my point here.
My point is Google has this amazing video on the history of hip-hop.
So now you're at Google's homepage, if I haven't lost you already with my digressive diatribe. And you'll notice, above the search window, where the logo sits, always stylized, always different every day, there's a pulsating play button.
That's right, the ubiquitous diamond we got used to on tape decks, that survives in the internet world.
I wasn't gonna click it. I was researching something else.
And usually, at least in my experience, the logo is usually static. But the "play" icon was pulsating in a rotating vinyl disc, was this really a video?
I decided to find out, I decided to click.
And you should too.
Upon clicking the logo expanded into a video window with a story told by Fab 5 Freddy. And I'll tell you, I knew most of this story, but not all of it. And just when it starts to get a bit boring, a little flat, when you think you're ready to go, that's when the excitement begins.
Fab 5 Freddy teaches you how to mix, on two turntables, albeit without a microphone.
Don't skip the tutorial, play with it. Move the fader from right to left.
And then you're confronted with:
"COOL. NOW YOU DOIN' IT. LET'S FIND A NEW TRACK TO PLAY. TAP THE RECORD CRATE ICON ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT."
And you see an image of a Betty Wright album, but then Fab 5 Freddy tells you to:
"USE THE SCROLLBAR TO NAVIGATE THE RECORD CRATE"
And this is when it gets interesting... You see you're flipping through vinyl, like we did back before it became a fetish, when it was all we had, when the artwork was big and we knew it by heart, could recognize it by its SPINE!
And your instincts tell you it's gonna be all soul music, urban tunes, R&B, from that spectrum. But I'm flipping through the crate and I see one of my favorite LPs, Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken." Huh? They're as far away from hip-hop as can be.
But NOOOOO! Turns out the beat from "Fool Yourself" is the root of multiple hip-hop hits, it's sampled in A Tribe Called Quest's "Bonita Applebum," Lupe Fiasco's "Till I Get There" and Thievery Corporation's "Sweet Tides." "Fool Yourself" has got 153 beats per minute and it's in the key of D.
Billy Squier's "The Big Beat" has 102 BPM and is in the key of F, it's sampled in Jay Z's "99 Problems" and Run-DMC's "Here We Go (Live at the Funhouse)" and A Tribe Called Quest's "We Can Get Down."
And one of my favorite tracks, covered exquisitely by Stevie Winwood, Timmy Thomas's "Why Can't We Live Together," has 107 BPM and is in the key of Cm and is sampled in Drake's "HOTLINE BLING"!
You could lose an hour, maybe more shifting through the crate and finding records to mix, learning where they've been sampled, playing the originals.
And isn't it funny the denigrated hip-hoppers have no problem entering the rock world but the reverse rarely happens. But this video will open your mind, wake you up from your slumber and open you up to thoughts and possibilities you never had before.
Kind of like reading the Brooks column.
And now we've come full circle.
P.S. If this was all too complicated for you, you can just go directly to the video here: http://bit.ly/2uMnEUd
P.S. We no longer live in a top-down society, and far too often the self-anointed gatekeepers are a couple of days and a couple of changes behind the curve. And just like with video games, there are few instructions, you've got to fiddle around and figure out how to make things work yourself. Mistakes are cool, they illuminate the software, the game, they make you more adept at exploration and use.
P.P.S. The breakthroughs continue to be made by techies, because they take chances and their parent companies don't need everything to fall directly to the bottom line.
P.P.P.S. The more people know about something, the more they appreciate it. I didn't get paintings until I took an art history class. When you know where the artist is coming from, the environment within which they created, you understand, you GET IT!
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Comparing Mediabase Charts
TOP 40
Let's start with #2, since #1, "Despacito," is a phenomenon.
#2 is Shawn Mendes's "There's Nothing Holding Me Back," with 17,750 spins.
The Vevo video launched June 20th has 111,761,095 views and the lyric video from June 21 has 9,217,720 more.
On Spotify, the track has 301,709,142 streams.
ACTIVE ROCK
Foo Fighters' "Run" is number one.
Royal Blood's "Lights Out" is number 2.
The Foos' track has 1,888 spins, Royal Blood's 1,845.
The Foos' video, launched 6/1, has 13,128,817 views, the audio-only has 1,069,153 more.
"Lights Out" has 5,978,672 views.
"Run" has 13,078,974 streams on Spotify.
"Lights Out" has 13,763,032 streams on Spotify.
In other words, Active Rock tracks have one-tenth of the impact of Top 40 tracks, in reality, even less.
ADULT ROCK
#1 is The National's "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness"
It's got 620 spins, the official video has 1,707,927 views and it's got 4,683,667 streams on Spotify.
The track is a gnat on the ass of popular music. It exists, it has fans, but if you're wondering why all the focus is on Top Forty, now you know.
LATIN
An ignored format by the mainstream.
#1 is "Felices los 4," by Maluma. It's got 2,036 spins, more than the Foos.
The official video has 816,772,616 views. Yes, you read that right, nearly a billion! And you've probably never even heard of the act. and the video has only been up since April 21st. It's got 232,464,529 streams on Spotify.
COUNTRY
Billy Currington's "Do I Make You Wanna" has 8,938 spins.
But the official lyric video launched on November 22 last year, only has 4,419,195 views. Is it that country fans don't go to YouTube or there's no official video with images? And there are only 18,172,565 streams on Spotify.
So country is a dominant radio force, eclipsing Active Rock by a factor of five, but you don't see the same reaction online. Could it be that country fans are passive listeners? They traditionally get with the program last, but if I were Nashville, I'd get my customers to stream, because sales are tanking and you want your piece of that streaming pie.
CHRISTIAN
"Even If" by Mercyme has 2,053 spins. That's more than the Foos folks. And the YouTube clip, from February 17th, has 13,610,569 views. On Spotify it has 7,116,043 streams. So it appears that Christian fans are still stuck on YouTube, they haven't converted to streaming yet, but they will. And then...the hit acts might be bigger than rockers.
ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Let's go with #5, the least-known act in the top ten of the chart, James Arthur, with "Say You Won't Let Go," it's got 2,151 spins, once again more than the more famous Foos, and I'm not picking on them, it's just that they're number one on Active Rock.
Word is certainly out on YouTube/Vevo, the track has 440,595,607 views. But it was released on 9/9/16. But hit tracks take longer to rise and AC is a notoriously slow-moving format and...the track is monstrous on Spotify too, with 603,232,734 streams.
MULTIPLE FORMAT HITS
That's right, there are some acts that penetrate multiple radio formats. Like the ubiquitous Ed Sheeran, and the denigrated Imagine Dragons.
Imagine Dragons' "Believer" is #3 on Top 40, with 15,194 spins. But they're #2 on Hot Adult Contemporary, with another 6,800 spins. And they're #6 on Alternative, with 2,259 more spins. They're EVERYWHERE!
The Vevo video, released March 7th, has 165,932,871 views. The track has 347,369,019 streams on Spotify.
Is this a result of multi-format penetration?
Possibly.
But isn't it interesting that the track is a radio smash five months after online release.
URBAN & RHYTHMIC
I combine them because DJ Khaled's "Wild Thoughts" is number one on both. With 5,338 spins on Urban and 7,339 spins on Rhythmic. It's got 263,216,449 views and 231,231,790 streams. And you wonder why your Spotify check is a pittance when you don't even break seven figures?
ALTERNATIVE
Let's go with #2, Weezer, since they're much more famous than #1, Portugal. The Man. Weezer's "Feels Like Summer" has 2,652 spins, making it bigger than both #1&2 on Active Rock. (Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still" has 3,167 spins!)
Well, I guess I'm detailing both records now...
Weezer's track has 1,972,569 views since the video was released on March 15th, and 11,230,849 streams. It appears their fans would rather listen than watch.
As for "Feel It Still," it's got 12,886,531 views since March 6th and 55,113,156 streams on Spotify. Once again, notice that Spotify eclipses YouTube, meaning that the decriers of the video service are as lost as the mainstream media! The mainstream media keeps writing about these old rock acts, like the Foo Fighters and Weezer, when the truth is they're minor players in today's sphere, they might as well write about Loggins & Messina, and IFPI and the RIAA are focusing energy on the wrong target, maybe, just maybe, YouTube is a video service more akin to MTV and for repeated listening you go to Spotify...
MORE TOP FORTY
For perspective, let's focus on the last track on the Top Forty chart, Cheat Codes' "No Promises," it's #15, it just entered the chart.
Now the video was released back on May 16th. But it's got 48,536,381 views. But it's got 203,149,877 streams. Turns out Top Forty lives on streaming! The data tells us this, YouTube has been eclipsed!
And radio shows its retardation by playing a track that's already been proven a hit on Spotify long before. This is a giant problem in our business. By waiting so long to go on tracks and sticking with them radio is clogging the arteries, and signing its own death warrant. Who in hell is gonna tune in to hear that which was a hit months before? NOBODY! Radio is almost like reruns.
REDBONE
By Childish Gambino.
It's #14 with increased spins on Top 40, with 6,517, and #4 on Rhythmic with 4,199. But the video was released on November 17,2016, it's got 108,918,575 views, why did it take radio so long to wake up, it's the same track it was upon release!
As for streams, it's got 249,96,786, and it's still got legs.
CONCLUSION
Hit tracks last a long time.
Radio comes last, all the action, all the movement is on streaming services, where the young people are.
Rock acts get a disproportionate share of press, maybe since writers at news outlets are middle-aged white men. But there's little happening in that sphere. Sure, some of these acts are selling tickets, but so are classic acts who haven't had a hit in decades.
But many formats are doing business. So, music is healthy.
But all the action is online, and it's on music-only services, as opposed to YouTube.
Used to be you weren't a star until you heard your song on the radio.
Now you're not a star until you see your track in the Spotify Top 50.
Don't argue with the data.
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Let's start with #2, since #1, "Despacito," is a phenomenon.
#2 is Shawn Mendes's "There's Nothing Holding Me Back," with 17,750 spins.
The Vevo video launched June 20th has 111,761,095 views and the lyric video from June 21 has 9,217,720 more.
On Spotify, the track has 301,709,142 streams.
ACTIVE ROCK
Foo Fighters' "Run" is number one.
Royal Blood's "Lights Out" is number 2.
The Foos' track has 1,888 spins, Royal Blood's 1,845.
The Foos' video, launched 6/1, has 13,128,817 views, the audio-only has 1,069,153 more.
"Lights Out" has 5,978,672 views.
"Run" has 13,078,974 streams on Spotify.
"Lights Out" has 13,763,032 streams on Spotify.
In other words, Active Rock tracks have one-tenth of the impact of Top 40 tracks, in reality, even less.
ADULT ROCK
#1 is The National's "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness"
It's got 620 spins, the official video has 1,707,927 views and it's got 4,683,667 streams on Spotify.
The track is a gnat on the ass of popular music. It exists, it has fans, but if you're wondering why all the focus is on Top Forty, now you know.
LATIN
An ignored format by the mainstream.
#1 is "Felices los 4," by Maluma. It's got 2,036 spins, more than the Foos.
The official video has 816,772,616 views. Yes, you read that right, nearly a billion! And you've probably never even heard of the act. and the video has only been up since April 21st. It's got 232,464,529 streams on Spotify.
COUNTRY
Billy Currington's "Do I Make You Wanna" has 8,938 spins.
But the official lyric video launched on November 22 last year, only has 4,419,195 views. Is it that country fans don't go to YouTube or there's no official video with images? And there are only 18,172,565 streams on Spotify.
So country is a dominant radio force, eclipsing Active Rock by a factor of five, but you don't see the same reaction online. Could it be that country fans are passive listeners? They traditionally get with the program last, but if I were Nashville, I'd get my customers to stream, because sales are tanking and you want your piece of that streaming pie.
CHRISTIAN
"Even If" by Mercyme has 2,053 spins. That's more than the Foos folks. And the YouTube clip, from February 17th, has 13,610,569 views. On Spotify it has 7,116,043 streams. So it appears that Christian fans are still stuck on YouTube, they haven't converted to streaming yet, but they will. And then...the hit acts might be bigger than rockers.
ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Let's go with #5, the least-known act in the top ten of the chart, James Arthur, with "Say You Won't Let Go," it's got 2,151 spins, once again more than the more famous Foos, and I'm not picking on them, it's just that they're number one on Active Rock.
Word is certainly out on YouTube/Vevo, the track has 440,595,607 views. But it was released on 9/9/16. But hit tracks take longer to rise and AC is a notoriously slow-moving format and...the track is monstrous on Spotify too, with 603,232,734 streams.
MULTIPLE FORMAT HITS
That's right, there are some acts that penetrate multiple radio formats. Like the ubiquitous Ed Sheeran, and the denigrated Imagine Dragons.
Imagine Dragons' "Believer" is #3 on Top 40, with 15,194 spins. But they're #2 on Hot Adult Contemporary, with another 6,800 spins. And they're #6 on Alternative, with 2,259 more spins. They're EVERYWHERE!
The Vevo video, released March 7th, has 165,932,871 views. The track has 347,369,019 streams on Spotify.
Is this a result of multi-format penetration?
Possibly.
But isn't it interesting that the track is a radio smash five months after online release.
URBAN & RHYTHMIC
I combine them because DJ Khaled's "Wild Thoughts" is number one on both. With 5,338 spins on Urban and 7,339 spins on Rhythmic. It's got 263,216,449 views and 231,231,790 streams. And you wonder why your Spotify check is a pittance when you don't even break seven figures?
ALTERNATIVE
Let's go with #2, Weezer, since they're much more famous than #1, Portugal. The Man. Weezer's "Feels Like Summer" has 2,652 spins, making it bigger than both #1&2 on Active Rock. (Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still" has 3,167 spins!)
Well, I guess I'm detailing both records now...
Weezer's track has 1,972,569 views since the video was released on March 15th, and 11,230,849 streams. It appears their fans would rather listen than watch.
As for "Feel It Still," it's got 12,886,531 views since March 6th and 55,113,156 streams on Spotify. Once again, notice that Spotify eclipses YouTube, meaning that the decriers of the video service are as lost as the mainstream media! The mainstream media keeps writing about these old rock acts, like the Foo Fighters and Weezer, when the truth is they're minor players in today's sphere, they might as well write about Loggins & Messina, and IFPI and the RIAA are focusing energy on the wrong target, maybe, just maybe, YouTube is a video service more akin to MTV and for repeated listening you go to Spotify...
MORE TOP FORTY
For perspective, let's focus on the last track on the Top Forty chart, Cheat Codes' "No Promises," it's #15, it just entered the chart.
Now the video was released back on May 16th. But it's got 48,536,381 views. But it's got 203,149,877 streams. Turns out Top Forty lives on streaming! The data tells us this, YouTube has been eclipsed!
And radio shows its retardation by playing a track that's already been proven a hit on Spotify long before. This is a giant problem in our business. By waiting so long to go on tracks and sticking with them radio is clogging the arteries, and signing its own death warrant. Who in hell is gonna tune in to hear that which was a hit months before? NOBODY! Radio is almost like reruns.
REDBONE
By Childish Gambino.
It's #14 with increased spins on Top 40, with 6,517, and #4 on Rhythmic with 4,199. But the video was released on November 17,2016, it's got 108,918,575 views, why did it take radio so long to wake up, it's the same track it was upon release!
As for streams, it's got 249,96,786, and it's still got legs.
CONCLUSION
Hit tracks last a long time.
Radio comes last, all the action, all the movement is on streaming services, where the young people are.
Rock acts get a disproportionate share of press, maybe since writers at news outlets are middle-aged white men. But there's little happening in that sphere. Sure, some of these acts are selling tickets, but so are classic acts who haven't had a hit in decades.
But many formats are doing business. So, music is healthy.
But all the action is online, and it's on music-only services, as opposed to YouTube.
Used to be you weren't a star until you heard your song on the radio.
Now you're not a star until you see your track in the Spotify Top 50.
Don't argue with the data.
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Wednesday 9 August 2017
Greta Van Fleet
http://spoti.fi/2p0cTfA
It's a Led Zeppelin rip-off.
But didn't Led Zeppelin rip off Willie Dixon and the rest of the bluesmeisters?
If you lived through that era, you will instantly hear mid-period Zeppelin, complete with Robert Plant screams. Then you remember that was 45 years ago! About the same distance, if not longer, that Zeppelin was removed from the classic delta blues artists.
It starts off as homage. Then you take off from there. Think about all the covers on the initial Beatle albums!
If this was released in 1972, it would be immediately dismissed as a pale imitation, like Klaatu.
But it's 2017.
And rock is nowhere to be heard on the chart. It's an ancient sound that appeals mostly to aficionados. We've been waiting for someone young to jump off of classic rock, could Great Van Fleet be that band?
The thing is, if you listen, and you should, you'll be astounded that the songs are good. Full of hooks that make you want to listen to them again. And again. And that's the essence of music, not radically different from Boston's debut, which was a distillation of all that had come before, even Zeppelin's dynamics, the shift from electric to acoustic and then back again. And I'll argue that Boston was more innovative than Greta Van Fleet, but the guys in Greta Van Fleet are younger, and there's that multi-decade distance.
Now it's not like Greta Van Fleet is completely unknown, it's just that they haven't broken through. Their EP was released back in April, the day before my birthday, and they were even Apple Music's new artist of the week, but the band hasn't penetrated the public consciousness, they're just playing clubs, they're readily available, but most of the potential audience is clueless.
But how big is that audience?
We certainly know being the artist of the week at Apple Music is worthless. I'd say that every little bit helps, but the truth is Greta Van Fleet is gonna break on word of mouth, but how big will that word of mouth be?
Now Led Zeppelin's debut came out in January '69 and was not an instant smash. It wasn't until late spring that there even started to be a buzz. And they were still an underground thing until the end of October of that same year, 1969, when "Whole Lotta Love" emerged on the AM airwaves and Led Zeppelin instantly became the biggest band in the land, you couldn't go anywhere without hearing "II."
But "Whole Lotta Love" nicked from the aforementioned Willie Dixon's "You Need Love."
Now I'm not one of those people who denigrate Zeppelin because of their appropriations, I might decry the lack of credit they gave to the writers, but I'll argue some of their best material was wholly original, like "Kashmir" and "Ten Years Gone" from "Physical Graffiti," and the truth is there's very little truly original stuff out there, and we've become too lawsuit happy, come on, giving Tom Petty credit on that Sam Smith song, that's a bridge too far.
So who knows what Greta Van Fleet will develop into.
But what we've got so far...
Works.
First and foremost it's a four song EP. Which is just perfect. There's not a loser in the collection, you only want to hear MORE in an era where you're overwhelmed and want to hear LESS. The music is instantly comprehensible.
But the problem is today when you check out a band you listen to the initial track and if that doesn't reach you, you abandon it, I did, but the heart of the EP is the middle, the two tracks sandwiched in the center.
The opener, "Highway Tune" has got no melody, it's got the building blocks of Zeppelin, but it's sans the obvious hooks in...
"Safari Song," which grabs you by the throat from the beginning and won't let go, with the riff and the scream and the drums, you cannot sit still as it plays, your head starts banging to the groove, if you're an oldster you start to smile, this is a sound you've been hankering for. Hard rock is thrash, it's moved to far from the essence, but "Safari Song"...that riff, it's enough, but there's so much more. Really. Check this out.
And I'll argue the follow-up, "Flower Power," is even better. It's more hypnotic, more melodic, something that even non-hard rock fans can appreciate, not quite "Thank You," but still... It would sound perfect on the radio...
If radio still played this stuff. If we lived in 1973 instead of 2017.
There's nowhere for Greta Van Fleet to fit.
And there was nowhere for Led Zeppelin I to fit in '69. Sure, some free-format stations aired the album, but most markets did not have such outlets. It wasn't until the seventies that you got alternative stuff on the FM in the secondaries.
Today, we live in a land dominated by hip-hop and pop. It'd be like playing Jimi Hendrix in between Tony Orlando and the Osmonds. No way.
But it's "Purple Haze" we remember most.
Because some sounds are undeniable.
If you listen to Greta Van Fleet's EP "Black Smoke Rising," you'll either immediately turn it off or be hooked. And if you're hooked, you won't stop playing it and you won't stop talking about it, telling others.
Happened to me.
I was worked a couple of months back, not by Jason Flom, whose label it's on, but by listeners. But I couldn't get past the initial track. But I got an e-mail from Jeff Laufer testifying about the EP, and he listens to everything new and I trust his taste, so I pulled it up again last night and it took everything in my power to not crack my laptop and tell you about it then.
And the funny thing is, it sounds just as good today, I've got no remorse.
So what happens now?
It takes longer than ever for a track to break through the clutter, which is so deep that anybody who tells you they know what's going on is lying.
And you've got to start with tracks like the ones on "Black Smoke Rising," those that are undeniable.
And then you have to wait.
I'm not saying that a label push is irrelevant, it just has little effect. It's gonna be a long hard road to supernova.
But I think it's gonna come.
They've been at it for five years. This is not a record made by amateurs.
And the producers are unknown to me. It's everything it should be. New music made by a new generation, completely free from the constraints of the legacy players.
So...
If you've still got a big rig... Stream the tracks through those two or three way speakers, crank it up, and you'll know what it was like in the seventies. When music was everything, when it clouded out everything else, when it existed in its own private vacuum, completely separate from the rest of the world, which is one of the reasons we were drawn to it.
There's no place for Greta Van Fleet in today's world, which is part of what makes their EP so magical.
Active Rock rocks harder and is irrelevant. It's noise for a club if you're not a member you don't want to be in.
Classic Rock stations are just that, Greta Van Fleet is too young.
As for Top Forty, forget it.
But that could all change. Because you play Greta Van Fleet and it reacts. Come on, can you imagine hearing "Safari Song" come out of the car speaker, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TURN IT OFF! You'd be pissed it ended. You'd drive straight to the record store to buy it!
But that's not the way it is anymore.
Today you go directly to streaming services, and that's where you hear it first.
Now I'm hipping you at the absolute beginning. "Highway Tune" has 2.6 million streams on Spotify, which is a pittance. The other four tracks haven't even cracked a million. And on YouTube, the numbers are even less. All those people fighting Google's video service are missing the point, music doesn't live there, it's dying there, it's all about music-only streaming services.
As for the numbers on Apple Music...who knows, they don't release them.
But the truth is the button is just waiting to be pushed.
And you've got your finger on it.
Just listen.
If you get it, and many of you will, you'll tell everybody you know.
And who knows, going to a Greta Van Fleet show could be like the old days, no dancing, no special effects, only music.
And remember, rock went stratospheric as a result of Englishmen addicted to old, forgotten blues records.
Now rock has been forgotten.
Maybe Greta Van Fleet can bring it back!
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It's a Led Zeppelin rip-off.
But didn't Led Zeppelin rip off Willie Dixon and the rest of the bluesmeisters?
If you lived through that era, you will instantly hear mid-period Zeppelin, complete with Robert Plant screams. Then you remember that was 45 years ago! About the same distance, if not longer, that Zeppelin was removed from the classic delta blues artists.
It starts off as homage. Then you take off from there. Think about all the covers on the initial Beatle albums!
If this was released in 1972, it would be immediately dismissed as a pale imitation, like Klaatu.
But it's 2017.
And rock is nowhere to be heard on the chart. It's an ancient sound that appeals mostly to aficionados. We've been waiting for someone young to jump off of classic rock, could Great Van Fleet be that band?
The thing is, if you listen, and you should, you'll be astounded that the songs are good. Full of hooks that make you want to listen to them again. And again. And that's the essence of music, not radically different from Boston's debut, which was a distillation of all that had come before, even Zeppelin's dynamics, the shift from electric to acoustic and then back again. And I'll argue that Boston was more innovative than Greta Van Fleet, but the guys in Greta Van Fleet are younger, and there's that multi-decade distance.
Now it's not like Greta Van Fleet is completely unknown, it's just that they haven't broken through. Their EP was released back in April, the day before my birthday, and they were even Apple Music's new artist of the week, but the band hasn't penetrated the public consciousness, they're just playing clubs, they're readily available, but most of the potential audience is clueless.
But how big is that audience?
We certainly know being the artist of the week at Apple Music is worthless. I'd say that every little bit helps, but the truth is Greta Van Fleet is gonna break on word of mouth, but how big will that word of mouth be?
Now Led Zeppelin's debut came out in January '69 and was not an instant smash. It wasn't until late spring that there even started to be a buzz. And they were still an underground thing until the end of October of that same year, 1969, when "Whole Lotta Love" emerged on the AM airwaves and Led Zeppelin instantly became the biggest band in the land, you couldn't go anywhere without hearing "II."
But "Whole Lotta Love" nicked from the aforementioned Willie Dixon's "You Need Love."
Now I'm not one of those people who denigrate Zeppelin because of their appropriations, I might decry the lack of credit they gave to the writers, but I'll argue some of their best material was wholly original, like "Kashmir" and "Ten Years Gone" from "Physical Graffiti," and the truth is there's very little truly original stuff out there, and we've become too lawsuit happy, come on, giving Tom Petty credit on that Sam Smith song, that's a bridge too far.
So who knows what Greta Van Fleet will develop into.
But what we've got so far...
Works.
First and foremost it's a four song EP. Which is just perfect. There's not a loser in the collection, you only want to hear MORE in an era where you're overwhelmed and want to hear LESS. The music is instantly comprehensible.
But the problem is today when you check out a band you listen to the initial track and if that doesn't reach you, you abandon it, I did, but the heart of the EP is the middle, the two tracks sandwiched in the center.
The opener, "Highway Tune" has got no melody, it's got the building blocks of Zeppelin, but it's sans the obvious hooks in...
"Safari Song," which grabs you by the throat from the beginning and won't let go, with the riff and the scream and the drums, you cannot sit still as it plays, your head starts banging to the groove, if you're an oldster you start to smile, this is a sound you've been hankering for. Hard rock is thrash, it's moved to far from the essence, but "Safari Song"...that riff, it's enough, but there's so much more. Really. Check this out.
And I'll argue the follow-up, "Flower Power," is even better. It's more hypnotic, more melodic, something that even non-hard rock fans can appreciate, not quite "Thank You," but still... It would sound perfect on the radio...
If radio still played this stuff. If we lived in 1973 instead of 2017.
There's nowhere for Greta Van Fleet to fit.
And there was nowhere for Led Zeppelin I to fit in '69. Sure, some free-format stations aired the album, but most markets did not have such outlets. It wasn't until the seventies that you got alternative stuff on the FM in the secondaries.
Today, we live in a land dominated by hip-hop and pop. It'd be like playing Jimi Hendrix in between Tony Orlando and the Osmonds. No way.
But it's "Purple Haze" we remember most.
Because some sounds are undeniable.
If you listen to Greta Van Fleet's EP "Black Smoke Rising," you'll either immediately turn it off or be hooked. And if you're hooked, you won't stop playing it and you won't stop talking about it, telling others.
Happened to me.
I was worked a couple of months back, not by Jason Flom, whose label it's on, but by listeners. But I couldn't get past the initial track. But I got an e-mail from Jeff Laufer testifying about the EP, and he listens to everything new and I trust his taste, so I pulled it up again last night and it took everything in my power to not crack my laptop and tell you about it then.
And the funny thing is, it sounds just as good today, I've got no remorse.
So what happens now?
It takes longer than ever for a track to break through the clutter, which is so deep that anybody who tells you they know what's going on is lying.
And you've got to start with tracks like the ones on "Black Smoke Rising," those that are undeniable.
And then you have to wait.
I'm not saying that a label push is irrelevant, it just has little effect. It's gonna be a long hard road to supernova.
But I think it's gonna come.
They've been at it for five years. This is not a record made by amateurs.
And the producers are unknown to me. It's everything it should be. New music made by a new generation, completely free from the constraints of the legacy players.
So...
If you've still got a big rig... Stream the tracks through those two or three way speakers, crank it up, and you'll know what it was like in the seventies. When music was everything, when it clouded out everything else, when it existed in its own private vacuum, completely separate from the rest of the world, which is one of the reasons we were drawn to it.
There's no place for Greta Van Fleet in today's world, which is part of what makes their EP so magical.
Active Rock rocks harder and is irrelevant. It's noise for a club if you're not a member you don't want to be in.
Classic Rock stations are just that, Greta Van Fleet is too young.
As for Top Forty, forget it.
But that could all change. Because you play Greta Van Fleet and it reacts. Come on, can you imagine hearing "Safari Song" come out of the car speaker, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TURN IT OFF! You'd be pissed it ended. You'd drive straight to the record store to buy it!
But that's not the way it is anymore.
Today you go directly to streaming services, and that's where you hear it first.
Now I'm hipping you at the absolute beginning. "Highway Tune" has 2.6 million streams on Spotify, which is a pittance. The other four tracks haven't even cracked a million. And on YouTube, the numbers are even less. All those people fighting Google's video service are missing the point, music doesn't live there, it's dying there, it's all about music-only streaming services.
As for the numbers on Apple Music...who knows, they don't release them.
But the truth is the button is just waiting to be pushed.
And you've got your finger on it.
Just listen.
If you get it, and many of you will, you'll tell everybody you know.
And who knows, going to a Greta Van Fleet show could be like the old days, no dancing, no special effects, only music.
And remember, rock went stratospheric as a result of Englishmen addicted to old, forgotten blues records.
Now rock has been forgotten.
Maybe Greta Van Fleet can bring it back!
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Tuesday 8 August 2017
Warner Music Revenue Soars
Aren't we supposed to be bitching?
No, the future's so bright you've gotta wear shades.
It's hard to change the mantra. How the internet ruined the music business, how streaming is the devil, but you can't argue with the numbers.
Revenue was up 13.3% year over year. Recorded music was up 13.2% to $770 million.
Downloads fell by 27.3%, to $88 million from $121 million. So all you people counting on the iTunes Store to save you, you're headed in the wrong direction. Files are passe. As for those saying they want to own their music, what if streaming services crater, I must tell you that as the future ensues, you will lose the ability to play your files, just try opening a Word 1.5 document from '86 today, it's loaded with gibberish. As for the vaunted cassette revival, what a bunch of PR hogwash, does anybody even have a cassette player in an era where new cars don't even come with CD players?
Meanwhile, streaming grew 58.6%, up to $360 million from $227 million.
And who says Spotify doesn't pay.
And streaming was 46.8% of revenue, with downloads 11.4% and physical, which dropped 8.4%, 21.2%.
So it's over folks. Streaming has won.
As for vinyl, it's already peaked. Just read the WSJ story: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-vinyls-boom-is-over-1500721202
So, Time Warner never should have sold the record company. It was offloaded at a bargain basement price, by a corporation with no vision of the future. Richard Parsons is long gone, with his millions in pay intact, and the company is a shadow of its former self.
But maybe music should stand alone, after all, Universal is the driver of Vivendi.
So what this means is...
1. You've got to stop your complaining.
2. Rights holders make tons on streaming. Either go it alone or make the best deal you can with a label.
3. Convince your audience to stream. The sooner they sign up, the sooner you get paid and your scene burgeons. By feeding false facts to your fans, you're only hurting yourself. And your genre. Oldster music especially. Imagine if all the fans of Jason Isbell streamed instead of purchased, just maybe his music would hit the top lists and not only would Isbell get paid, but more people would find out about him and the whole Americana scene, of which he's the poster boy, would lift. But too many AAA acolytes and rockers would rather live in their niche and bitch.
4. Consumption rules. It's about listening as opposed to selling. You've got to make music people want to listen to.
5. Album tracks oftentimes do poorly on streaming services, people play the hit and... So make a few great tracks instead of a couple of good ones and a bunch of mediocre ones.
6. Free listening converts to paying customers. When will Apple bite the bullet and join the fun? Amazon has a free tier for Prime members and Spotify is growing at a faster pace than Apple.
7. Online is a winner take all marketplace, one company ends up with approximately 70% of the market. We already know Apple is stumbling, it looks like an Amazon/Spotify competition, although it's still early, the final chapter has yet to be written.
Yes, songwriter compensation should go up. As for writers complaining that they're not making money on album cuts, give up, close your flip-phone and join the present.
Just think of the future revenue. Most people don't have a streaming subscription.
But more will.
Because of the convenience. Because of the business proposition. The history of recorded music for one low price, it's a NO-BRAINER!
I know it's been a war, ever since the turn of the century, but it's time to put down your guns and enjoy the peacetime bump.
Spotify was first. Then came the consumers. The artists have been last.
But the early artists, the hip-hop and pop acts who followed their customers to streaming, have been reaping the rewards so far.
Time for you holdouts to get in on the action.
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No, the future's so bright you've gotta wear shades.
It's hard to change the mantra. How the internet ruined the music business, how streaming is the devil, but you can't argue with the numbers.
Revenue was up 13.3% year over year. Recorded music was up 13.2% to $770 million.
Downloads fell by 27.3%, to $88 million from $121 million. So all you people counting on the iTunes Store to save you, you're headed in the wrong direction. Files are passe. As for those saying they want to own their music, what if streaming services crater, I must tell you that as the future ensues, you will lose the ability to play your files, just try opening a Word 1.5 document from '86 today, it's loaded with gibberish. As for the vaunted cassette revival, what a bunch of PR hogwash, does anybody even have a cassette player in an era where new cars don't even come with CD players?
Meanwhile, streaming grew 58.6%, up to $360 million from $227 million.
And who says Spotify doesn't pay.
And streaming was 46.8% of revenue, with downloads 11.4% and physical, which dropped 8.4%, 21.2%.
So it's over folks. Streaming has won.
As for vinyl, it's already peaked. Just read the WSJ story: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-vinyls-boom-is-over-1500721202
So, Time Warner never should have sold the record company. It was offloaded at a bargain basement price, by a corporation with no vision of the future. Richard Parsons is long gone, with his millions in pay intact, and the company is a shadow of its former self.
But maybe music should stand alone, after all, Universal is the driver of Vivendi.
So what this means is...
1. You've got to stop your complaining.
2. Rights holders make tons on streaming. Either go it alone or make the best deal you can with a label.
3. Convince your audience to stream. The sooner they sign up, the sooner you get paid and your scene burgeons. By feeding false facts to your fans, you're only hurting yourself. And your genre. Oldster music especially. Imagine if all the fans of Jason Isbell streamed instead of purchased, just maybe his music would hit the top lists and not only would Isbell get paid, but more people would find out about him and the whole Americana scene, of which he's the poster boy, would lift. But too many AAA acolytes and rockers would rather live in their niche and bitch.
4. Consumption rules. It's about listening as opposed to selling. You've got to make music people want to listen to.
5. Album tracks oftentimes do poorly on streaming services, people play the hit and... So make a few great tracks instead of a couple of good ones and a bunch of mediocre ones.
6. Free listening converts to paying customers. When will Apple bite the bullet and join the fun? Amazon has a free tier for Prime members and Spotify is growing at a faster pace than Apple.
7. Online is a winner take all marketplace, one company ends up with approximately 70% of the market. We already know Apple is stumbling, it looks like an Amazon/Spotify competition, although it's still early, the final chapter has yet to be written.
Yes, songwriter compensation should go up. As for writers complaining that they're not making money on album cuts, give up, close your flip-phone and join the present.
Just think of the future revenue. Most people don't have a streaming subscription.
But more will.
Because of the convenience. Because of the business proposition. The history of recorded music for one low price, it's a NO-BRAINER!
I know it's been a war, ever since the turn of the century, but it's time to put down your guns and enjoy the peacetime bump.
Spotify was first. Then came the consumers. The artists have been last.
But the early artists, the hip-hop and pop acts who followed their customers to streaming, have been reaping the rewards so far.
Time for you holdouts to get in on the action.
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Monday 7 August 2017
Re-Citizen Cope
I was that A & R Scout, Bob.
I consider Cope my brother, and he's goddamn National Treasure, as far as I'm concerned.
I'm in the middle of a write here in Nashville, and will you hit you back w the rest of story when I wrap up this songwriting session.
It's a good story you'll want to hear.
He's just finished a new album, btw, and it's some of the best work he's every done, imho.
Hit you later w a story I think you'll enjoy.
Best,
Marshall Altman
____________________________________
Hey Bob,
So great to see this piece about Clarence Greenwood (Citizen Cope). I've known Clarence for a long time now, and he is family. Not "showbiz" family, but real family, through thick and thin. He's a good man, and goddamn National Treasure, in my opinion. Too long overlooked and underestimated, but I guess a little more light will shine on him today thanks to you.
I was that A & R scout that found his demo.
I'd been at Capitol in the early 90's, in the Sales department, working with Lou Mann, George Nunes, Michael White and Steve Rosenblatt, when my band Farmer finally got signed to Aware Records in '95. I spent a lot of time in the A & R department during my tenure there, and I got to know Kim Buie, Perry Watts-Russell, and Tim Devine pretty well, and when I was leaving the Capitol gig to go on tour, I talked Kim into putting me on the payroll
as an A & R Scout.
$600 month and mileage reimbursement. No business cards or anything like that, but I was getting paid, and damn I needed the $. My band wasn't making any $ at all, and the pub advance was rapidly being depleted.
So I'd check out bands when I was on the road w Farmer, and when I was back in LA, I'd listen to all the unsolicited submissions that came in. I wasn't expecting to make a career of it, honestly. I was going to be a rock star.
I'd been at it for 6 or 8 months when I was on a drive to Santa Barbara for a wedding, and as usual, I was listening to the unsolicited tapes that had come in the prior month. My girlfriend at the time would pull one from the full box in the back seat, unwrap it, tell me who it was from, and we'd listen.
We'd been stuck in traffic on the 101 for about 90 minutes when she pulled out a blank cassette. Clear plastic, clear plastic case, no label. "It's blank," she said, and went to toss it in the "Pass" box in the back seat.
I remember telling her to just put in the cassette deck, just to be sure, and she did. And then my whole life changed. Seriously.
I remember hearing the first song and thinking I'd never heard anything like it before. It was called "$200,000 (In Counterfeit $50 Bills)," and it was about this hustler from Baltimore named George. I swear to god I thought I had found the modern day Marvin Gaye, and I remember feeling like I was floating the first time I heard his voice.
There were 3 songs on the demo. "$200,000," "Temporary Fame," and "Presley," I think.
But the cassette had no contact info on it.
So I pulled on the shoulder of the 101, in Ventura, I think. Pulled the box of demos out of the back seat and tore through it, looking for some loose letter, misplaced in box. And at the bottom of the gigantic bin, there was a scrap of yellow paper, with green lines. Like a torn piece off of a legal pad. Small. Maybe a 3" triangle. Blank on the side I was looking at.
I picked it up and turned it over, and scrawled across this little scrap of paper was the following: "IF YOU LIKE THESE, I WILL SEND YOU MY HITS." - CLARENCE GREENWOOD
So I pulled off the 101 at the Seward exit in Ventura, and called the number on the scrap of paper and left a message to just the beep (no outgoing message at all) for this guy Clarence Greenwood. I said "My name is Marshall Altman. I'm the lowest person in the A & R department at Capitol Records, but I'm going to get you a record deal. Call me back."
And he did. And when I asked Kim Buie for $5000 to cut some demos w Clarence (Loren Israel, a great A & R person in his own right, pushed me into Kim's office b/c I was scared she was going to fire me if I asked for anything), to my surprise, she said yes.
He cut the tracks in DC. We mixed them @ El Dorado in Burbank w the late Brian Carlstrom. I turned the tracks in to Capitol the day I sent him back to DC. I thought the recordings were amazing. Even better than I thought they'd be. I waited to lose my job.
Then Capitol offered him a deal. So did several other labels, as I recall.
And Cope was a loyal friend, and even though he could have gone just about anywhere, he told Gary Gersh (then President of Capitol) that he would sign w Capitol if Gersh gave me a proper A & R job. And he did. And after years of toiling in a band and not really making any headway, I finally felt like I knew what to do with my life, and that somehow, all the things I knew and all the things I was good at fit together and worked. I quit the band and took the gig at Capitol.
And that's how my A & R and production career began. That was June of '97.
(I met my wife on the beach in the Caribbean a few weeks later, too. That was a good summer.)
Cope made a brilliant first album for Captiol. It was dark. though. Intense. Probably more than what Capitol bargained for at the time. But whatever.
He made the record he needed to make, as he always does, and even though Capitol dropped him, it was good for him in the end, even though he was angry and rightfully felt betrayed. So did I. But it made him wise. And anger and a little wisdom can be a great combination for an artist that learns how to use them as he did.
It took him a minute to find another home, but he eventually made what I consider to be one of the best albums of the 2000's, "The Clarence Greenwood Recordings." https://open.spotify.com/album/4cmqFKgpFzSa6FDR1I3VFr
And he's made brilliant, beautiful record since then, mostly on his own, as you mentioned.
And now I think he's approaching a true renaissance with his newest album. It's some of the best work he's ever done, and he's speaking to an audience that is looking for the perspective he's honed. Songs about love, and justice, and hope, and forgiveness, and the inequities in our hearts and in our society. The album is fearless, full of beautify and ugliness and truth. It's real. And the songs work on you, they take hold and don't let go.
This man changed my life, and his loyalty and friendship have a been a constant over the last 20 years.
A cassette tape w no label and a scrap of paper. Crazy.
Thanks for shining some light on him, Bob. He's worthy.
And btw, that Aaron Watson album "Vaquero" you wrote about a few months ago? The first single "Outta Style" just broke the top 30 at Country Radio. which is amazing for an artist not on a major label. Looks like it's going to go up again this week, too. That never happens.
Except when it does.....
They're actually not at all dissimilar, Aaron & Clarence. Both undervalued by the majors, but truly loved and appreciated by their fans. Both unwilling to compromise their visions of who they are and who they want to be.
Both of them artists, in the best sense of the word.
Hope you're well.
Best,
Marshall
____________________________________
Hoping you are well. Thanks for this piece. I managed Cope through the Dreamworks and Clive years. Was a trip, to say the least. Always believed…. some drama and comedy helped make it dealable.
Leshay
Jon Leshay
STOREFRONT ENTERTAINMENT
____________________________________
I love him!
I've known him since the beginning of his career when he dj'd with Basehead-- the Go Go Al Hip Hop group Kate Hyman signed to Imago- that toured with Public Enemy/Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy early 90's.
Funny story-- Cope crashed on my floor when he used to come to NY!
Everyone starts somewhere!
So proud of him!
Fiona Bloom
P.S. And what I love most about him-- -Cope champions others - he's always at shows, and helping other singer/songwriters and he's still so passionate about discovering artists!
Basehead were so innovative-ahead of their time. I went to about 50 or more Basehead shows - Cope always had the opportunity to shine on the road with them too!
We knew he was a star in the makes!
F
____________________________________
Might help that he's been around since 92 via Michael Ivey and Basehead, aka dcBasehead aka BYOB, but yeah, be amazed Bob.
Richard Altman
____________________________________
I saw Citizen Cope open for Santana 2002? I went to the merch booth after. He was standing there by himself. It seemed I was his only customer. He was really nice. We chatted. In 2007 he was soundchecking at the Santa Fe Music Fest. I went up front and reminded him about our first meeting. He beamed with the fact I saw him back then and supported him. He gave me an advance copy of his CD.
Artists like that deserve success.
John Kauchick
____________________________________
So glad you've discovered Citizen Cope. The first time I heard him, it was a revelation. It's sort of grown-folks music meets blue eyed soul.. but post hiphop. To me, he's in the same bin with Gary Clark, Jr, Marc Broussard, and Ray Lamontagne.. though not exactly. Me and my white college educated friends LOVE this stuff. Feels real.
But yeah, like you love, he's on his own and can keep doing this forever if he wants; I'm glad for him.
Kyle Baker
Nashville, TN
____________________________________
I remember him from WAY back when in Nashville. He was truly an amazing talent then, and apparently still is.
Thanks for sharing.
Jeremy Westby
____________________________________
Love the guy. Listened once a number of years ago and I was hooked and downloaded his music. Intelligent and passionate.
unfortunately he's not played Minneapolis in waaaay too long. Next time. I'm there. And I'm 56. Love it when I find someone new to listen too.
Love your blogging. Thank you!
Janelle Nelson
____________________________________
Great...inspirational to me as a fledgling manager.
Lavon Pagan
____________________________________
Also He paid the bills for a period of time working the streets as a ticket scalper
Patrick W. Ryan
Co-Founder
Eventellect
____________________________________
LOVE this write-up, Bob! I was turned onto Citizen Cope about 7 years ago, and have covered many of his songs at my shows. I have also heard his songs in several movies, one of my favorites being The Lincoln Lawyer. I could never figure out why I never saw him blowing up. I didn't know all of this backstory-- so interesting and totally makes sense now. Thanks!
Kison
____________________________________
Loved seeing this on Cope. He's incredibly savvy and smart. People truly connect with and appreciate his honesty. The real-life, raw emotions and topics he addresses in his lyrics, I believe make him ageless.
Last year, when Cope was playing theaters on a solo tour, I emailed into to his site searching for an interview. info@.....com. An hour later, Clarence emailed me back himself. Over the next week, we shared notes about how and where to arrange the interview. He had me come to the venue at 5pm. They escort me in and C is still sound-checking. As he finishes up, I hear him say, "Is Jeff here?" We hadn't spoken since that morning, but he remembered and was right on top of the fact he had an interview with me. Very respectful, gracious and professional.
We wandered onto his bus and had an hour-long, in-depth chat about how he rolls up his sleeves. It was fascinating. The only thing that distracted him was when his young daughter called. The rest of the world was then turned off. I always loved that and saw this entire experience as a great example as to why he is as you said... a true artist.
Best,
Jeff Gorra
Artist Waves ~ behind the art, from the artist
Founder | Writer
____________________________________
I love that you wrote this. I've been singing his praises ever since he set foot in the Roxy when I was managing it.
He blew me away and I knew that he was gonna be big… but wasn't.
I couldn't figure it out.
I asked my A&R friends and they said he was too old, it wasn't the right look, yada yada… All BS because his songs are fantastic… and that voice?
It's so sincere and he makes you feel his stories. Easily one of the best shows to catch when he's around.
So happy you got to experience this!!
David Tobin
____________________________________
Hey Bob - longtime reader and we've traded some quick e-mails about Cope.
When I was making my first record "Watching Waiting" in 2007, the producer, Marshal Altman told me a story about being on the road with his band. He was doubling as the "scout" you mentioned for Capital, and had a box of demo tapes he would listen to as they drove.
One day, he dug out Cope's demo and was blown away. That helped set Cope's recording journey into motion. Meanwhile, I still had not checked out his music. It wasn't until I walked into a below mentioned "bodega" and grabbed one the CD samplers for "The Clarence Greenwood Sessions" that just sitting there for free!
Since then I've seen Cope around 15 times. The reverence the audience displays is on par with all my favorite community-oriented shows - The Dead, Phish, ect. It starts with the music, but something happens beyond that among the people absorbing it. It becomes contagious in the audience. Chance encounters with Clarence in NYC revealed a really nice guy as well.
I'm still writing music that is steeped in Cope's influence, and I'm so glad to see you shining a light on him. It's also exciting to hear that he is taking another shot at expanding this career scope with this next project.
Thanks Bob!
Todd Carey
____________________________________
He's the best! We never miss him when he comes to Philly!
EVELYN DICHTER
____________________________________
You know I love your missives and I've kept the faith that you were going to write this one. I didn't know it would be about the brilliant Citizen Cope or one of the many other important artists who work hard, make great music and art, who reach a hungry audience and make a good living do it. My roster is full of them!
So glad you caught Cope; his concerts are so much fun. I've had the pleasure of working on his tour dates with his agent Steve Kaul and Cope is an absolute pleasure and he does great business everywhere.
The digital age has had a brilliant effect on our culture. There is a huge vibrant middle class of recording artists and industry professionals like myself who love to serve them. Yes it's a hard life on the road and nobody is getting rich. It's also amazing to see the world and play or book concerts. Middle Class is where it's at, most of the rich people I know are miserable pricks.
Jack Ross
____________________________________
Citizen Cope played two nights at the Belly Up in Aspen Aug 1 and 2. As he told you the shows are very lively, and Belly Up as you know is a great venue.
It wasn't a sellout but I'm pretty sure he only played one night last summer. The show I saw was great.
Incidentally Randy Newman played last night at a benefit at the same venue. He was fabulous and relevant.
My slightly shaky video of "Baltimore"
https://youtu.be/JB0A_Vg-5ZE
All the Best
David Chazen
____________________________________
sideways is my JAM!
great post.
Will Bloomfield
____________________________________
That first album on Dreamworks will forever be in my top albums. Don't overlook "Salvation" or the album closer "Mandy". So many great stories told on that record. A reminder that the SONG is king. And Clarence knows how to write a real song. Thx for the reminder, Bob.
https://open.spotify.com/album/0sJpaLaj2QCkxZa3x2Z6GW
Theo Aronson
____________________________________
I saw Clarence at Wolf Trap, just outside DC, last summer when he opened for Counting Crows. He made them look like amateurs. They were awful following him - stunk of stale complacency while Cope exudes staying hungry & humble. We left just after the Crows' third or fourth song.
Brian Howell
____________________________________
I saw him in Aspen last week. He was amazing! Nice hang with him after... good dude.
William M. Ward, Jr.
ROAR
____________________________________
One of my favorite artists & a huge influence in my career as a producer, singer & songwriter! Thanks for writing about him! True legend of the true artist business.
Brandyn Burnette
____________________________________
I love this.
One moment, you are absolutely convinced that there's a formula. Either loads of money behind a mediocre, manufactured record pushed by social media power built upon consistent branding partnerships and content generation -- or this. Something that is so phenomenal and inexplicable in today's unforgiving industry.
I admire Cope's music. He's a true artist. No rules. No need for rhymes or reason - just poetry.
I saw him for the first time at a festival years and years ago and then ran into him at a Grammy party about two years ago. He was standing next to me during the supporting number. I of course recognized him and introduced myself. He was dressed so normally. So casual. Like he just walked off of Venice Beach. And - the coolest part - his calm, very genuine presence was refreshing. He was like meeting a regular person at a concert on a Friday night. Normal. Comfortable.
Bravo to Citizen. He has not only built an audience without absolutely anything that is deemed critical today, he has retained his audience and even beat most who do use those tools.
Best,
Tarra Layne
____________________________________
So excited to read this one, Bob. I've been tracking Greenwood since my move to LA and he makes great stuff. I had never heard anything like it. He said he started by wanting to create the same feeling he used to feel when listening to his heroes. And that his first guitar had a different tuning, which he was unaware of at first. His timing was developed in the underground jazz scene in DC from what I learned. Such a good musician, and with none of the BS. The tunes (and streams) speak for themselves. Seems like the only pop star out there now even remotely like that is Adele. "Music is for the ears, not the eyes..."
Cheers,
Catherine Lidstone
____________________________________
I met Clarence a few years back in Santa Monica and have followed his career ever since that introduction. I have scene him perform on several occasions.
Wonderful fellow.
Peter Culhane
____________________________________
You got me to listen to him. I had heard of him but avoided due to the name and no "buzz" in my silo. I don't know what to do with him either but for an afternoon, in my office, listening to his most popular tracks...I am smiling. Thanks.
Michael A. Becker
____________________________________
Clarence Greenwood is a fabulous songwriter, musician and artist.
The Vilar should have been 110% full - chalk it up to August ...
Clarence has an incredible sense of rhythm and how to draw sonic beauty from instruments we all thought we were truly familiar with [hint: we're not].
And in so many of his songs, there's a deep rumble of musical earthquake that suddenly erupts and before you realize it, you're covered in lyric, song and something you hadn't felt before.
My only advice to him is to tour farther and wider.
If he's booked into a venue on a Friday night, he should ensure that he's booked at the same venue the next Friday night - because it will be overrun, just from the word of mouth.
So glad you brought Citizen Cope into the conversation.
He deserves true attention, accolades and the admiration of artists in pursuit of the genuine journey of music.
And, I know all the words.
See you at his next show ...
Gilbert Alloul
____________________________________
Thanks for the great write up on Citizen Cope. You forgot to mention college radio. Those are the people with their antenna's up and receiving the message from true artists.
I am in my 50's and the moment I heard CC's arrangements and lyrics I was hooked. I have only seen him twice and both were outstanding. The mystery to me is how did he get onstage with Clapton at Crossroads a few years back? Maybe you could shed some light.
Thanks for your constant discovery and dissemination of material. I always love reading your emails
Dave Brundage in NYC
____________________________________
I was about to give up on you… thanks for getting back to real music and bigger thanks for a story that is encouraging.
Pandora is background… most of it is. But you can't ignore this level of talent.
Brady Blade a former business partner and friend of mine, played drums for Clarence on the "Recordings" record and I met Clarence at SXSW in 2011 or 2012. He came on our bus and played some new songs for Brady and me. Later that day he played a show for about 350 people that was just as intimate and powerful. CC moved me.
Involuntarily, the song "Sideways" plays in my head at the news of a friends passing and comforts me. "Let the Drummer Kick" was the first song my son (at maybe 10 years of age) turned me on to from my own record collection.
Great read Bob,
thnx,
Scott Crompton
____________________________________
Wall St. Journal ran an article on him ages ago.
David Harris
____________________________________
One of your best ...
And I ain't even that huge a fan of CC ... but ...
I dig his sound and his effort.
This just confirms it.
Christopher Edison
____________________________________
Bob, thanks for writing about him. "Bullet and a Target" is a great song, but I haven't listened to much else by him. I'll check him out now.
George Evanko
____________________________________
Thank you for doing what you do. Thanks for bringing us great perspective and stories. I am a new subscriber and but a big fan.
Today was the third time that you connected with me in a more personal way in the past few months so I figured I would drop you a line. I first discovered your blog when Twiddle fans posted a link to the article you wrote about the band in March, that was one.
Then in May you wrote the Oliver Paradigm which was especially meaningful to me. You see, two years ago, inspired by Twiddle and the energy of their fans, I helped found the White Light Foundation. With influences like Waterwheel and the Rex Foundation we set out to give back to causes and charities important to the band and the community. With the support of the band and dozens of volunteers we have donated over $60,000 to more than 50 organizations in the past two years, including raising $12,000 for four charities during Twiddle's recent Tumble Down festival. We have always done it with an attitude gifted to us by the band - Love Relentlessly. The experience has been incredible, especially for an 'older' fan.
Today though, you wrote about Citizen Cope and while Clarence Greenwood over the past few years has become one of my favorite songwriters it took Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle to introduce me to him. Since that introduction I have been fortunate to see Citizen Cope perform a few times and have been blown away - not just by his talent, but by the connection of words and music to the audience. A connection I have not had to many ... although Mihali is one. Here he is doing Son's Gonna Rise with video credit to Matt and Ryan Coffey (ACKSAHARA).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO-v_4eP4mA
I hope you enjoy.
Love Relentlessly,
Steve
Steve Perlah
President and Founder
White Light Foundation
whitelightfoundation.org
facebook.com/whitelightfoundation/
____________________________________
Hey Bob, fyi - thought you'd find this interesting. Clarence responding to your article about David Brooks.
This is Clarence (Citizen Cope) writing to my sister Kathy Fletcher who runs AOK (All our Kids) and TurnArounds Arts, two programs working with low income kids. http://turnaroundartsca.org/artists/ and http://www.aokdc.org (David Brooks is very involved with AOK)
From: Cope Email
To: Kathy Fletcher
Subject: Re: The Room Where It Happens
Interesting part about David Brooks
From: Kathy Fletcher
To: Cope Email
First of all - WOW - what an email.
I do a lot of thinking about influencing the influencers and loving the people that are so easy to hate. Hard stuff but what else is there these days?
That is funny about Brooks. I spoke to his class last year (he teaches at Yale) and in his intro of me he told them that meeting my family 3 years ago completely changed his world view. That's just about the time that his columns started changing too.
I've been trying to reach you actually because AOK is having a fundraising dinner on Oct 30 and we would like to give you and Brooks an award for all the support you've shown AOK. Brooks has accepted. Would you be open to that?
I want to talk with you about my Madeline. She is an amazing young woman who needs to get out and taste the world. She has lived with us for over a year and has had some serious health issues that are now under control. She is brilliant, bi-lingual in Spanish, has a magnetic personality and is really interested in the music business. She's had a super crap life and could use a break. Can I send her to you for three months?
Call me when you can to discuss - I have a strong feeling this would be a win-win.
XO
From: Cope Email
Subject: Re: The Room Where It Happens
To: Kathy Fletcher
Hey Kathy ,
Would be honored to receive the award. I realized when Bob wrote about his new style that you had an impact. You are a real incredible light and powerful sprit and body for so many. My ex girlfriend lost her Father who was a big inspiration and love to me so most likely will be in DC this week. He was an amazing man and always made people around him feel better about themselves and important. His daughter Amani was and is a person who has always been someone who saw me as I wanted to be seen. They were incredibly close. Sad day but I see him in the afterlife w a big smile on his face flying through a divine place where people like him go.
Love
____________________________________
Nailed it. He has everyone in the palm of his hand when he's on stage...every night. every time.
Kay Adams
____________________________________
Hey Bob , Thank you for the write up. I wasn't expecting that. I really appreciate it.
Clarence Greenwood (Citizen Cope)
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I consider Cope my brother, and he's goddamn National Treasure, as far as I'm concerned.
I'm in the middle of a write here in Nashville, and will you hit you back w the rest of story when I wrap up this songwriting session.
It's a good story you'll want to hear.
He's just finished a new album, btw, and it's some of the best work he's every done, imho.
Hit you later w a story I think you'll enjoy.
Best,
Marshall Altman
____________________________________
Hey Bob,
So great to see this piece about Clarence Greenwood (Citizen Cope). I've known Clarence for a long time now, and he is family. Not "showbiz" family, but real family, through thick and thin. He's a good man, and goddamn National Treasure, in my opinion. Too long overlooked and underestimated, but I guess a little more light will shine on him today thanks to you.
I was that A & R scout that found his demo.
I'd been at Capitol in the early 90's, in the Sales department, working with Lou Mann, George Nunes, Michael White and Steve Rosenblatt, when my band Farmer finally got signed to Aware Records in '95. I spent a lot of time in the A & R department during my tenure there, and I got to know Kim Buie, Perry Watts-Russell, and Tim Devine pretty well, and when I was leaving the Capitol gig to go on tour, I talked Kim into putting me on the payroll
as an A & R Scout.
$600 month and mileage reimbursement. No business cards or anything like that, but I was getting paid, and damn I needed the $. My band wasn't making any $ at all, and the pub advance was rapidly being depleted.
So I'd check out bands when I was on the road w Farmer, and when I was back in LA, I'd listen to all the unsolicited submissions that came in. I wasn't expecting to make a career of it, honestly. I was going to be a rock star.
I'd been at it for 6 or 8 months when I was on a drive to Santa Barbara for a wedding, and as usual, I was listening to the unsolicited tapes that had come in the prior month. My girlfriend at the time would pull one from the full box in the back seat, unwrap it, tell me who it was from, and we'd listen.
We'd been stuck in traffic on the 101 for about 90 minutes when she pulled out a blank cassette. Clear plastic, clear plastic case, no label. "It's blank," she said, and went to toss it in the "Pass" box in the back seat.
I remember telling her to just put in the cassette deck, just to be sure, and she did. And then my whole life changed. Seriously.
I remember hearing the first song and thinking I'd never heard anything like it before. It was called "$200,000 (In Counterfeit $50 Bills)," and it was about this hustler from Baltimore named George. I swear to god I thought I had found the modern day Marvin Gaye, and I remember feeling like I was floating the first time I heard his voice.
There were 3 songs on the demo. "$200,000," "Temporary Fame," and "Presley," I think.
But the cassette had no contact info on it.
So I pulled on the shoulder of the 101, in Ventura, I think. Pulled the box of demos out of the back seat and tore through it, looking for some loose letter, misplaced in box. And at the bottom of the gigantic bin, there was a scrap of yellow paper, with green lines. Like a torn piece off of a legal pad. Small. Maybe a 3" triangle. Blank on the side I was looking at.
I picked it up and turned it over, and scrawled across this little scrap of paper was the following: "IF YOU LIKE THESE, I WILL SEND YOU MY HITS." - CLARENCE GREENWOOD
So I pulled off the 101 at the Seward exit in Ventura, and called the number on the scrap of paper and left a message to just the beep (no outgoing message at all) for this guy Clarence Greenwood. I said "My name is Marshall Altman. I'm the lowest person in the A & R department at Capitol Records, but I'm going to get you a record deal. Call me back."
And he did. And when I asked Kim Buie for $5000 to cut some demos w Clarence (Loren Israel, a great A & R person in his own right, pushed me into Kim's office b/c I was scared she was going to fire me if I asked for anything), to my surprise, she said yes.
He cut the tracks in DC. We mixed them @ El Dorado in Burbank w the late Brian Carlstrom. I turned the tracks in to Capitol the day I sent him back to DC. I thought the recordings were amazing. Even better than I thought they'd be. I waited to lose my job.
Then Capitol offered him a deal. So did several other labels, as I recall.
And Cope was a loyal friend, and even though he could have gone just about anywhere, he told Gary Gersh (then President of Capitol) that he would sign w Capitol if Gersh gave me a proper A & R job. And he did. And after years of toiling in a band and not really making any headway, I finally felt like I knew what to do with my life, and that somehow, all the things I knew and all the things I was good at fit together and worked. I quit the band and took the gig at Capitol.
And that's how my A & R and production career began. That was June of '97.
(I met my wife on the beach in the Caribbean a few weeks later, too. That was a good summer.)
Cope made a brilliant first album for Captiol. It was dark. though. Intense. Probably more than what Capitol bargained for at the time. But whatever.
He made the record he needed to make, as he always does, and even though Capitol dropped him, it was good for him in the end, even though he was angry and rightfully felt betrayed. So did I. But it made him wise. And anger and a little wisdom can be a great combination for an artist that learns how to use them as he did.
It took him a minute to find another home, but he eventually made what I consider to be one of the best albums of the 2000's, "The Clarence Greenwood Recordings." https://open.spotify.com/album/4cmqFKgpFzSa6FDR1I3VFr
And he's made brilliant, beautiful record since then, mostly on his own, as you mentioned.
And now I think he's approaching a true renaissance with his newest album. It's some of the best work he's ever done, and he's speaking to an audience that is looking for the perspective he's honed. Songs about love, and justice, and hope, and forgiveness, and the inequities in our hearts and in our society. The album is fearless, full of beautify and ugliness and truth. It's real. And the songs work on you, they take hold and don't let go.
This man changed my life, and his loyalty and friendship have a been a constant over the last 20 years.
A cassette tape w no label and a scrap of paper. Crazy.
Thanks for shining some light on him, Bob. He's worthy.
And btw, that Aaron Watson album "Vaquero" you wrote about a few months ago? The first single "Outta Style" just broke the top 30 at Country Radio. which is amazing for an artist not on a major label. Looks like it's going to go up again this week, too. That never happens.
Except when it does.....
They're actually not at all dissimilar, Aaron & Clarence. Both undervalued by the majors, but truly loved and appreciated by their fans. Both unwilling to compromise their visions of who they are and who they want to be.
Both of them artists, in the best sense of the word.
Hope you're well.
Best,
Marshall
____________________________________
Hoping you are well. Thanks for this piece. I managed Cope through the Dreamworks and Clive years. Was a trip, to say the least. Always believed…. some drama and comedy helped make it dealable.
Leshay
Jon Leshay
STOREFRONT ENTERTAINMENT
____________________________________
I love him!
I've known him since the beginning of his career when he dj'd with Basehead-- the Go Go Al Hip Hop group Kate Hyman signed to Imago- that toured with Public Enemy/Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy early 90's.
Funny story-- Cope crashed on my floor when he used to come to NY!
Everyone starts somewhere!
So proud of him!
Fiona Bloom
P.S. And what I love most about him-- -Cope champions others - he's always at shows, and helping other singer/songwriters and he's still so passionate about discovering artists!
Basehead were so innovative-ahead of their time. I went to about 50 or more Basehead shows - Cope always had the opportunity to shine on the road with them too!
We knew he was a star in the makes!
F
____________________________________
Might help that he's been around since 92 via Michael Ivey and Basehead, aka dcBasehead aka BYOB, but yeah, be amazed Bob.
Richard Altman
____________________________________
I saw Citizen Cope open for Santana 2002? I went to the merch booth after. He was standing there by himself. It seemed I was his only customer. He was really nice. We chatted. In 2007 he was soundchecking at the Santa Fe Music Fest. I went up front and reminded him about our first meeting. He beamed with the fact I saw him back then and supported him. He gave me an advance copy of his CD.
Artists like that deserve success.
John Kauchick
____________________________________
So glad you've discovered Citizen Cope. The first time I heard him, it was a revelation. It's sort of grown-folks music meets blue eyed soul.. but post hiphop. To me, he's in the same bin with Gary Clark, Jr, Marc Broussard, and Ray Lamontagne.. though not exactly. Me and my white college educated friends LOVE this stuff. Feels real.
But yeah, like you love, he's on his own and can keep doing this forever if he wants; I'm glad for him.
Kyle Baker
Nashville, TN
____________________________________
I remember him from WAY back when in Nashville. He was truly an amazing talent then, and apparently still is.
Thanks for sharing.
Jeremy Westby
____________________________________
Love the guy. Listened once a number of years ago and I was hooked and downloaded his music. Intelligent and passionate.
unfortunately he's not played Minneapolis in waaaay too long. Next time. I'm there. And I'm 56. Love it when I find someone new to listen too.
Love your blogging. Thank you!
Janelle Nelson
____________________________________
Great...inspirational to me as a fledgling manager.
Lavon Pagan
____________________________________
Also He paid the bills for a period of time working the streets as a ticket scalper
Patrick W. Ryan
Co-Founder
Eventellect
____________________________________
LOVE this write-up, Bob! I was turned onto Citizen Cope about 7 years ago, and have covered many of his songs at my shows. I have also heard his songs in several movies, one of my favorites being The Lincoln Lawyer. I could never figure out why I never saw him blowing up. I didn't know all of this backstory-- so interesting and totally makes sense now. Thanks!
Kison
____________________________________
Loved seeing this on Cope. He's incredibly savvy and smart. People truly connect with and appreciate his honesty. The real-life, raw emotions and topics he addresses in his lyrics, I believe make him ageless.
Last year, when Cope was playing theaters on a solo tour, I emailed into to his site searching for an interview. info@.....com. An hour later, Clarence emailed me back himself. Over the next week, we shared notes about how and where to arrange the interview. He had me come to the venue at 5pm. They escort me in and C is still sound-checking. As he finishes up, I hear him say, "Is Jeff here?" We hadn't spoken since that morning, but he remembered and was right on top of the fact he had an interview with me. Very respectful, gracious and professional.
We wandered onto his bus and had an hour-long, in-depth chat about how he rolls up his sleeves. It was fascinating. The only thing that distracted him was when his young daughter called. The rest of the world was then turned off. I always loved that and saw this entire experience as a great example as to why he is as you said... a true artist.
Best,
Jeff Gorra
Artist Waves ~ behind the art, from the artist
Founder | Writer
____________________________________
I love that you wrote this. I've been singing his praises ever since he set foot in the Roxy when I was managing it.
He blew me away and I knew that he was gonna be big… but wasn't.
I couldn't figure it out.
I asked my A&R friends and they said he was too old, it wasn't the right look, yada yada… All BS because his songs are fantastic… and that voice?
It's so sincere and he makes you feel his stories. Easily one of the best shows to catch when he's around.
So happy you got to experience this!!
David Tobin
____________________________________
Hey Bob - longtime reader and we've traded some quick e-mails about Cope.
When I was making my first record "Watching Waiting" in 2007, the producer, Marshal Altman told me a story about being on the road with his band. He was doubling as the "scout" you mentioned for Capital, and had a box of demo tapes he would listen to as they drove.
One day, he dug out Cope's demo and was blown away. That helped set Cope's recording journey into motion. Meanwhile, I still had not checked out his music. It wasn't until I walked into a below mentioned "bodega" and grabbed one the CD samplers for "The Clarence Greenwood Sessions" that just sitting there for free!
Since then I've seen Cope around 15 times. The reverence the audience displays is on par with all my favorite community-oriented shows - The Dead, Phish, ect. It starts with the music, but something happens beyond that among the people absorbing it. It becomes contagious in the audience. Chance encounters with Clarence in NYC revealed a really nice guy as well.
I'm still writing music that is steeped in Cope's influence, and I'm so glad to see you shining a light on him. It's also exciting to hear that he is taking another shot at expanding this career scope with this next project.
Thanks Bob!
Todd Carey
____________________________________
He's the best! We never miss him when he comes to Philly!
EVELYN DICHTER
____________________________________
You know I love your missives and I've kept the faith that you were going to write this one. I didn't know it would be about the brilliant Citizen Cope or one of the many other important artists who work hard, make great music and art, who reach a hungry audience and make a good living do it. My roster is full of them!
So glad you caught Cope; his concerts are so much fun. I've had the pleasure of working on his tour dates with his agent Steve Kaul and Cope is an absolute pleasure and he does great business everywhere.
The digital age has had a brilliant effect on our culture. There is a huge vibrant middle class of recording artists and industry professionals like myself who love to serve them. Yes it's a hard life on the road and nobody is getting rich. It's also amazing to see the world and play or book concerts. Middle Class is where it's at, most of the rich people I know are miserable pricks.
Jack Ross
____________________________________
Citizen Cope played two nights at the Belly Up in Aspen Aug 1 and 2. As he told you the shows are very lively, and Belly Up as you know is a great venue.
It wasn't a sellout but I'm pretty sure he only played one night last summer. The show I saw was great.
Incidentally Randy Newman played last night at a benefit at the same venue. He was fabulous and relevant.
My slightly shaky video of "Baltimore"
https://youtu.be/JB0A_Vg-5ZE
All the Best
David Chazen
____________________________________
sideways is my JAM!
great post.
Will Bloomfield
____________________________________
That first album on Dreamworks will forever be in my top albums. Don't overlook "Salvation" or the album closer "Mandy". So many great stories told on that record. A reminder that the SONG is king. And Clarence knows how to write a real song. Thx for the reminder, Bob.
https://open.spotify.com/album/0sJpaLaj2QCkxZa3x2Z6GW
Theo Aronson
____________________________________
I saw Clarence at Wolf Trap, just outside DC, last summer when he opened for Counting Crows. He made them look like amateurs. They were awful following him - stunk of stale complacency while Cope exudes staying hungry & humble. We left just after the Crows' third or fourth song.
Brian Howell
____________________________________
I saw him in Aspen last week. He was amazing! Nice hang with him after... good dude.
William M. Ward, Jr.
ROAR
____________________________________
One of my favorite artists & a huge influence in my career as a producer, singer & songwriter! Thanks for writing about him! True legend of the true artist business.
Brandyn Burnette
____________________________________
I love this.
One moment, you are absolutely convinced that there's a formula. Either loads of money behind a mediocre, manufactured record pushed by social media power built upon consistent branding partnerships and content generation -- or this. Something that is so phenomenal and inexplicable in today's unforgiving industry.
I admire Cope's music. He's a true artist. No rules. No need for rhymes or reason - just poetry.
I saw him for the first time at a festival years and years ago and then ran into him at a Grammy party about two years ago. He was standing next to me during the supporting number. I of course recognized him and introduced myself. He was dressed so normally. So casual. Like he just walked off of Venice Beach. And - the coolest part - his calm, very genuine presence was refreshing. He was like meeting a regular person at a concert on a Friday night. Normal. Comfortable.
Bravo to Citizen. He has not only built an audience without absolutely anything that is deemed critical today, he has retained his audience and even beat most who do use those tools.
Best,
Tarra Layne
____________________________________
So excited to read this one, Bob. I've been tracking Greenwood since my move to LA and he makes great stuff. I had never heard anything like it. He said he started by wanting to create the same feeling he used to feel when listening to his heroes. And that his first guitar had a different tuning, which he was unaware of at first. His timing was developed in the underground jazz scene in DC from what I learned. Such a good musician, and with none of the BS. The tunes (and streams) speak for themselves. Seems like the only pop star out there now even remotely like that is Adele. "Music is for the ears, not the eyes..."
Cheers,
Catherine Lidstone
____________________________________
I met Clarence a few years back in Santa Monica and have followed his career ever since that introduction. I have scene him perform on several occasions.
Wonderful fellow.
Peter Culhane
____________________________________
You got me to listen to him. I had heard of him but avoided due to the name and no "buzz" in my silo. I don't know what to do with him either but for an afternoon, in my office, listening to his most popular tracks...I am smiling. Thanks.
Michael A. Becker
____________________________________
Clarence Greenwood is a fabulous songwriter, musician and artist.
The Vilar should have been 110% full - chalk it up to August ...
Clarence has an incredible sense of rhythm and how to draw sonic beauty from instruments we all thought we were truly familiar with [hint: we're not].
And in so many of his songs, there's a deep rumble of musical earthquake that suddenly erupts and before you realize it, you're covered in lyric, song and something you hadn't felt before.
My only advice to him is to tour farther and wider.
If he's booked into a venue on a Friday night, he should ensure that he's booked at the same venue the next Friday night - because it will be overrun, just from the word of mouth.
So glad you brought Citizen Cope into the conversation.
He deserves true attention, accolades and the admiration of artists in pursuit of the genuine journey of music.
And, I know all the words.
See you at his next show ...
Gilbert Alloul
____________________________________
Thanks for the great write up on Citizen Cope. You forgot to mention college radio. Those are the people with their antenna's up and receiving the message from true artists.
I am in my 50's and the moment I heard CC's arrangements and lyrics I was hooked. I have only seen him twice and both were outstanding. The mystery to me is how did he get onstage with Clapton at Crossroads a few years back? Maybe you could shed some light.
Thanks for your constant discovery and dissemination of material. I always love reading your emails
Dave Brundage in NYC
____________________________________
I was about to give up on you… thanks for getting back to real music and bigger thanks for a story that is encouraging.
Pandora is background… most of it is. But you can't ignore this level of talent.
Brady Blade a former business partner and friend of mine, played drums for Clarence on the "Recordings" record and I met Clarence at SXSW in 2011 or 2012. He came on our bus and played some new songs for Brady and me. Later that day he played a show for about 350 people that was just as intimate and powerful. CC moved me.
Involuntarily, the song "Sideways" plays in my head at the news of a friends passing and comforts me. "Let the Drummer Kick" was the first song my son (at maybe 10 years of age) turned me on to from my own record collection.
Great read Bob,
thnx,
Scott Crompton
____________________________________
Wall St. Journal ran an article on him ages ago.
David Harris
____________________________________
One of your best ...
And I ain't even that huge a fan of CC ... but ...
I dig his sound and his effort.
This just confirms it.
Christopher Edison
____________________________________
Bob, thanks for writing about him. "Bullet and a Target" is a great song, but I haven't listened to much else by him. I'll check him out now.
George Evanko
____________________________________
Thank you for doing what you do. Thanks for bringing us great perspective and stories. I am a new subscriber and but a big fan.
Today was the third time that you connected with me in a more personal way in the past few months so I figured I would drop you a line. I first discovered your blog when Twiddle fans posted a link to the article you wrote about the band in March, that was one.
Then in May you wrote the Oliver Paradigm which was especially meaningful to me. You see, two years ago, inspired by Twiddle and the energy of their fans, I helped found the White Light Foundation. With influences like Waterwheel and the Rex Foundation we set out to give back to causes and charities important to the band and the community. With the support of the band and dozens of volunteers we have donated over $60,000 to more than 50 organizations in the past two years, including raising $12,000 for four charities during Twiddle's recent Tumble Down festival. We have always done it with an attitude gifted to us by the band - Love Relentlessly. The experience has been incredible, especially for an 'older' fan.
Today though, you wrote about Citizen Cope and while Clarence Greenwood over the past few years has become one of my favorite songwriters it took Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle to introduce me to him. Since that introduction I have been fortunate to see Citizen Cope perform a few times and have been blown away - not just by his talent, but by the connection of words and music to the audience. A connection I have not had to many ... although Mihali is one. Here he is doing Son's Gonna Rise with video credit to Matt and Ryan Coffey (ACKSAHARA).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO-v_4eP4mA
I hope you enjoy.
Love Relentlessly,
Steve
Steve Perlah
President and Founder
White Light Foundation
whitelightfoundation.org
facebook.com/whitelightfoundation/
____________________________________
Hey Bob, fyi - thought you'd find this interesting. Clarence responding to your article about David Brooks.
This is Clarence (Citizen Cope) writing to my sister Kathy Fletcher who runs AOK (All our Kids) and TurnArounds Arts, two programs working with low income kids. http://turnaroundartsca.org/artists/ and http://www.aokdc.org (David Brooks is very involved with AOK)
From: Cope Email
To: Kathy Fletcher
Subject: Re: The Room Where It Happens
Interesting part about David Brooks
From: Kathy Fletcher
To: Cope Email
First of all - WOW - what an email.
I do a lot of thinking about influencing the influencers and loving the people that are so easy to hate. Hard stuff but what else is there these days?
That is funny about Brooks. I spoke to his class last year (he teaches at Yale) and in his intro of me he told them that meeting my family 3 years ago completely changed his world view. That's just about the time that his columns started changing too.
I've been trying to reach you actually because AOK is having a fundraising dinner on Oct 30 and we would like to give you and Brooks an award for all the support you've shown AOK. Brooks has accepted. Would you be open to that?
I want to talk with you about my Madeline. She is an amazing young woman who needs to get out and taste the world. She has lived with us for over a year and has had some serious health issues that are now under control. She is brilliant, bi-lingual in Spanish, has a magnetic personality and is really interested in the music business. She's had a super crap life and could use a break. Can I send her to you for three months?
Call me when you can to discuss - I have a strong feeling this would be a win-win.
XO
From: Cope Email
Subject: Re: The Room Where It Happens
To: Kathy Fletcher
Hey Kathy ,
Would be honored to receive the award. I realized when Bob wrote about his new style that you had an impact. You are a real incredible light and powerful sprit and body for so many. My ex girlfriend lost her Father who was a big inspiration and love to me so most likely will be in DC this week. He was an amazing man and always made people around him feel better about themselves and important. His daughter Amani was and is a person who has always been someone who saw me as I wanted to be seen. They were incredibly close. Sad day but I see him in the afterlife w a big smile on his face flying through a divine place where people like him go.
Love
____________________________________
Nailed it. He has everyone in the palm of his hand when he's on stage...every night. every time.
Kay Adams
____________________________________
Hey Bob , Thank you for the write up. I wasn't expecting that. I really appreciate it.
Clarence Greenwood (Citizen Cope)
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Citizen Cope At The Vilar
I was astounded by the reaction. Audience members who knew every word, who whooped upon hearing the introductions. Who had to run down front and dance... HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
I didn't expect much of a crowd. There were continuing advertisements in the "Vail Daily," which had me thinking business would be soft. But that was not the case. The place was about 85% full. And it was a much younger demo than Frampton. Although not that young. A lot of thirtysomethings. As well as people older and younger, and they were there to have a good time.
I guess I've been to too many arena shows. I just read the review of Gaga's opening night in Tacoma in the NYT. She had a dozen dancers.
There were no dancers at the Vilar. Almost nothing distracted from the music. And that's a revelatory experience.
We've been selling music as background ever since the advent of the internet. That's what Pandora is, background music. There's music in video games, commercials, syncs in TV programs, the tracks are never foreground, and when you go to the show they razzle dazzle you with elements that have nothing to do with the tunes, which are often enhanced by hard drives, it's more akin to a circus than a concert, a worshiping of stars as opposed to an experience where the music washes over you and sets your mind free, makes you feel good.
Clarence Greenwood, aka "Citizen Cope," is 49. You're supposed to be done at that age.
But he didn't get any traction until his thirties. And this audience, detached from the hit parade, doesn't care about age, just music.
He led a peripatetic life. Becoming an artist by accident. A year of college got him interested in poetry. He moved to Austin and thought he'd be behind the scenes, as a producer, and then he went back to D.C. and went out as a DJ, even though he had no experience previously, but his friends in Basehead wanted him to do it.
Then he made demos. And sent them to people and got no response. Because labels are afraid of lawsuits, so they don't listen at all.
But he got lucky, a scout at Capitol found his cassette at the bottom of a pile and called him up and he was offered a demo deal, 5k, and then an album, which he recorded and it didn't come out, which confounded Clarence, after all, Capitol had PAID FOR IT!
So it was back to square one. He wrote and recorded new tracks. Cold-called Lenny Waronker, since he was such a fan of Randy Newman. And Lenny's assistant said he did not take unsolicited calls. But Clarence explained his situation, with Capitol, and he was so nice and so convincing that the assistant told Lenny he had to take the call. Wherein ensued an hour-long conversation about music, not FAME, but music.
But still no deal. Lenny wanted to hear more. And then after hearing more he said he didn't know what to do with it.
But then the action heated up. Jimmy was interested, over at Interscope, and suddenly Lyor over at IDJ. But Clarence felt best about DreamWorks, even though Jimmy told him he was making a bit mistake.
Turns out he was, or did. There was a DreamWorks album that landed with a thud, but Arista was very interested so DreamWorks let him go for a hundred grand and then Clarence made an album for Arista which was promptly folded into RCA where he was not a priority.
Now I would have given up long before. There was no radio action, nothing other than Cope's belief.
So he told RCA to give him 5,000 CDs. He believed in the record, didn't want to tell interested parties to buy it to hear it. He just gave them away, at gigs, to those who were interested, even bodega owners, he got RCA to give him more...
And then word started to spread.
RCA did a good job with licenses, there were a bunch of synchs.
And Santana covered one of his songs.
But there were none of the usual indicators. A few non-comms played the record, but he'd visit stations, like XRT and KFOG, and they wouldn't add it, he was on his own.
And he's been on his own ever since.
I asked Clarence if he got this reaction every night.
He said this was tame. He wasn't sure if it was Vail or because it was a seated venue, but usually the audience is hysterical.
I couldn't imagine attendees being much more hysterical.
Now I've been around. You judge success by the reaction. Anybody would sit there and say there's something happening here.
And it's all a result of word of mouth. And Clarence can sell tickets anywhere.
Household names barely break a million on Spotify. Clarence has got one track over 20 million, another at over 15, another over 14, one almost at 7, another almost at 6, and this guy gets no press, you're not reading stories about him in the media, he's just plugging along in an alternative universe, where the fans know.
Now he put out his last two projects himself. He was tired of working with the machine, beholden to their schedules. But this time he's wading back in, he's got a deal, he wants some of the help.
And he's been checking out managers, after managing himself.
He's come full circle.
But the amazing thing is he's not running on fumes. His music and his career are alive and vital. He's still creating. He's an artist.
That's what the business used to be based upon.
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I didn't expect much of a crowd. There were continuing advertisements in the "Vail Daily," which had me thinking business would be soft. But that was not the case. The place was about 85% full. And it was a much younger demo than Frampton. Although not that young. A lot of thirtysomethings. As well as people older and younger, and they were there to have a good time.
I guess I've been to too many arena shows. I just read the review of Gaga's opening night in Tacoma in the NYT. She had a dozen dancers.
There were no dancers at the Vilar. Almost nothing distracted from the music. And that's a revelatory experience.
We've been selling music as background ever since the advent of the internet. That's what Pandora is, background music. There's music in video games, commercials, syncs in TV programs, the tracks are never foreground, and when you go to the show they razzle dazzle you with elements that have nothing to do with the tunes, which are often enhanced by hard drives, it's more akin to a circus than a concert, a worshiping of stars as opposed to an experience where the music washes over you and sets your mind free, makes you feel good.
Clarence Greenwood, aka "Citizen Cope," is 49. You're supposed to be done at that age.
But he didn't get any traction until his thirties. And this audience, detached from the hit parade, doesn't care about age, just music.
He led a peripatetic life. Becoming an artist by accident. A year of college got him interested in poetry. He moved to Austin and thought he'd be behind the scenes, as a producer, and then he went back to D.C. and went out as a DJ, even though he had no experience previously, but his friends in Basehead wanted him to do it.
Then he made demos. And sent them to people and got no response. Because labels are afraid of lawsuits, so they don't listen at all.
But he got lucky, a scout at Capitol found his cassette at the bottom of a pile and called him up and he was offered a demo deal, 5k, and then an album, which he recorded and it didn't come out, which confounded Clarence, after all, Capitol had PAID FOR IT!
So it was back to square one. He wrote and recorded new tracks. Cold-called Lenny Waronker, since he was such a fan of Randy Newman. And Lenny's assistant said he did not take unsolicited calls. But Clarence explained his situation, with Capitol, and he was so nice and so convincing that the assistant told Lenny he had to take the call. Wherein ensued an hour-long conversation about music, not FAME, but music.
But still no deal. Lenny wanted to hear more. And then after hearing more he said he didn't know what to do with it.
But then the action heated up. Jimmy was interested, over at Interscope, and suddenly Lyor over at IDJ. But Clarence felt best about DreamWorks, even though Jimmy told him he was making a bit mistake.
Turns out he was, or did. There was a DreamWorks album that landed with a thud, but Arista was very interested so DreamWorks let him go for a hundred grand and then Clarence made an album for Arista which was promptly folded into RCA where he was not a priority.
Now I would have given up long before. There was no radio action, nothing other than Cope's belief.
So he told RCA to give him 5,000 CDs. He believed in the record, didn't want to tell interested parties to buy it to hear it. He just gave them away, at gigs, to those who were interested, even bodega owners, he got RCA to give him more...
And then word started to spread.
RCA did a good job with licenses, there were a bunch of synchs.
And Santana covered one of his songs.
But there were none of the usual indicators. A few non-comms played the record, but he'd visit stations, like XRT and KFOG, and they wouldn't add it, he was on his own.
And he's been on his own ever since.
I asked Clarence if he got this reaction every night.
He said this was tame. He wasn't sure if it was Vail or because it was a seated venue, but usually the audience is hysterical.
I couldn't imagine attendees being much more hysterical.
Now I've been around. You judge success by the reaction. Anybody would sit there and say there's something happening here.
And it's all a result of word of mouth. And Clarence can sell tickets anywhere.
Household names barely break a million on Spotify. Clarence has got one track over 20 million, another at over 15, another over 14, one almost at 7, another almost at 6, and this guy gets no press, you're not reading stories about him in the media, he's just plugging along in an alternative universe, where the fans know.
Now he put out his last two projects himself. He was tired of working with the machine, beholden to their schedules. But this time he's wading back in, he's got a deal, he wants some of the help.
And he's been checking out managers, after managing himself.
He's come full circle.
But the amazing thing is he's not running on fumes. His music and his career are alive and vital. He's still creating. He's an artist.
That's what the business used to be based upon.
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Sunday 6 August 2017
Reviews Are Everything
"Driving Tesla's Model 3 Changes Everything": https://bloom.bg/2tVksKt
If you don't want a Model 3 after reading the above review, you're probably one of the Luddites who decried Napster, insisting that CDs were better.
I get CD quality on Deezer, in my pocket, around the world, at the touch of my screen. You want the discs why?
And on Spotify, the cover image fits the vertical screen, like on Snapchat, only Luddites are still into horizontal. And if you don't have a large screen phone, you probably still use your mobile for talking. My goal is to never speak on the phone. And most people don't. Data usage has gone sky high while audio has plummeted. Your mobile device is now a computer. Just like PCs demolished minis and mainframes, the mobile is already putting a dent in PCs. In a mobile world, why would someone want an immobile device? That's how cassettes killed vinyl, mobility. As for streaming...
But the music business was led into the abyss, and ultimately its future, by its customers.
Automakers are not quite that stupid.
Or are they?
Reading the above article you'll see that the Model 3 competes directly with the BMW 3 series and the Mercedes-Benz C series. And in many ways you get more bang for the buck. The Germans have dipped their toe in the water, MBZ is investing more than BMW, but when the tipping point comes...
The tipping point always comes. The best example is digital photography. For ten years we heard it was going to replace film. Didn't happen. Then, within twelve months the worm turned and Kodak went into bankruptcy. The same way smartphones have killed standalone cameras. And you'll get hobbyists who'll go on about DSLRS, but even pros shoot on iPhones these days. I'm not much of a photographer, I don't shoot many pictures, but when I blew up my 7 Plus snaps on my desktop (yes, I still have one, I've got EVERYTHING, I hate people reviewing and analyzing what they do not have or have not seen), I was stunned. As for the camera comparison between Apple and Samsung, I refer you to the article below.
And I want to let you in on a little secret... Typing with two hands on a large phone is just as easy as typing on a BlackBerry, so if you're still using the latter device, it's now time to switch.
Anyway, the above review convinced me that Tesla is gonna make it and change the industry. They're burning cash, they can't build the cars fast enough, but people said the same thing about Spotify and now it dominates.
But in any event, Tesla will be influencing competitors.
And Elon Musk has naysayers. Anybody with a profile today does. But he's triumphing on his products as opposed to hot air.
The entertainment industry is built on hot air.
Used to be you could put out a lame product and through publicity and payments make it successful.
No longer.
I watch no visual entertainment, whether it be in the theatre or at home, without going to Rotten Tomatoes first.
Same deal with buying a product. I go to Amazon. I Google for further reviews.
All this talk about critics being irrelevant... They're more relevant than ever before, it's just that now EVERYBODY is a critic! But we trust certain sources more than others.
So, if you create something and the reviews are bad, don't fight them, it's futile, you have to start over.
People know your product is a stiff within minutes. Doesn't even take a weekend. The opinion and the data doesn't lie.
Which makes the same people who hated Napster angry.
And you can't stop reading that Hollywood hates Rotten Tomatoes.
We're moving to an era of excellence, good is not good enough. One star after another has failed in the marketplace. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry... No one is review-proof. They puff up these acts with endless publicity, but the word gets out and they fail.
As for radio...its power is greatly diminished. It plays what is reacting online.
And the younger generation is not listening. In an on demand world, music radio is an antique. Sure, radio still has power, but it has declined and will decline further.
And now my inbox will fill up with those who believe electric cars are propped up by subsidies, Samsung is better than Apple, radio is burgeoning...
But it doesn't matter.
They're all losing the war of data and reviews.
You can fund a study that says otherwise...
But the reviews and data don't lie.
Heard anybody talk about Beats 1 Radio recently?
Case closed.
"Former Google SR. VP: 'If you truly care about great photography, you own an iPhone. If you don't mind being a few years behind, buy an Android": http://bit.ly/2vDglCr
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If you don't want a Model 3 after reading the above review, you're probably one of the Luddites who decried Napster, insisting that CDs were better.
I get CD quality on Deezer, in my pocket, around the world, at the touch of my screen. You want the discs why?
And on Spotify, the cover image fits the vertical screen, like on Snapchat, only Luddites are still into horizontal. And if you don't have a large screen phone, you probably still use your mobile for talking. My goal is to never speak on the phone. And most people don't. Data usage has gone sky high while audio has plummeted. Your mobile device is now a computer. Just like PCs demolished minis and mainframes, the mobile is already putting a dent in PCs. In a mobile world, why would someone want an immobile device? That's how cassettes killed vinyl, mobility. As for streaming...
But the music business was led into the abyss, and ultimately its future, by its customers.
Automakers are not quite that stupid.
Or are they?
Reading the above article you'll see that the Model 3 competes directly with the BMW 3 series and the Mercedes-Benz C series. And in many ways you get more bang for the buck. The Germans have dipped their toe in the water, MBZ is investing more than BMW, but when the tipping point comes...
The tipping point always comes. The best example is digital photography. For ten years we heard it was going to replace film. Didn't happen. Then, within twelve months the worm turned and Kodak went into bankruptcy. The same way smartphones have killed standalone cameras. And you'll get hobbyists who'll go on about DSLRS, but even pros shoot on iPhones these days. I'm not much of a photographer, I don't shoot many pictures, but when I blew up my 7 Plus snaps on my desktop (yes, I still have one, I've got EVERYTHING, I hate people reviewing and analyzing what they do not have or have not seen), I was stunned. As for the camera comparison between Apple and Samsung, I refer you to the article below.
And I want to let you in on a little secret... Typing with two hands on a large phone is just as easy as typing on a BlackBerry, so if you're still using the latter device, it's now time to switch.
Anyway, the above review convinced me that Tesla is gonna make it and change the industry. They're burning cash, they can't build the cars fast enough, but people said the same thing about Spotify and now it dominates.
But in any event, Tesla will be influencing competitors.
And Elon Musk has naysayers. Anybody with a profile today does. But he's triumphing on his products as opposed to hot air.
The entertainment industry is built on hot air.
Used to be you could put out a lame product and through publicity and payments make it successful.
No longer.
I watch no visual entertainment, whether it be in the theatre or at home, without going to Rotten Tomatoes first.
Same deal with buying a product. I go to Amazon. I Google for further reviews.
All this talk about critics being irrelevant... They're more relevant than ever before, it's just that now EVERYBODY is a critic! But we trust certain sources more than others.
So, if you create something and the reviews are bad, don't fight them, it's futile, you have to start over.
People know your product is a stiff within minutes. Doesn't even take a weekend. The opinion and the data doesn't lie.
Which makes the same people who hated Napster angry.
And you can't stop reading that Hollywood hates Rotten Tomatoes.
We're moving to an era of excellence, good is not good enough. One star after another has failed in the marketplace. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry... No one is review-proof. They puff up these acts with endless publicity, but the word gets out and they fail.
As for radio...its power is greatly diminished. It plays what is reacting online.
And the younger generation is not listening. In an on demand world, music radio is an antique. Sure, radio still has power, but it has declined and will decline further.
And now my inbox will fill up with those who believe electric cars are propped up by subsidies, Samsung is better than Apple, radio is burgeoning...
But it doesn't matter.
They're all losing the war of data and reviews.
You can fund a study that says otherwise...
But the reviews and data don't lie.
Heard anybody talk about Beats 1 Radio recently?
Case closed.
"Former Google SR. VP: 'If you truly care about great photography, you own an iPhone. If you don't mind being a few years behind, buy an Android": http://bit.ly/2vDglCr
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Bill de Blasio Will Push for Tax on Wealthy to Fix Subway
http://nyti.ms/2hzRTfN
But they don't ride the subway!
I have a morning ritual. I wake up, unplug my phone, go to the bathroom, sit on the throne and check my e-mail, my Twitter feed and then the news, in that order.
I've grossed you out.
Well, then maybe you shouldn't read Tom Perrotta's new book, "Mrs. Fletcher," wherein the title character gets addicted to MILF porn. That was supposed to be the title of the book, "MILF," but the publisher thought the public couldn't handle it. That's the contradiction of the left, it keeps playing to mores that are facades, whereas real people sleep with their phone under their pillow, or right by the nightstand, and I don't even do that!
Now the "New York Times" app, which was just updated and sucks, the way the "Wall Street Journal" app used to, before they finally fixed it, after years, has got a curious new feature, they keep repeating old stories. You know, from days before, weeks before, MONTHS before. Which means they're afraid their readers have missed good content. And if the NEWSpaper has trouble getting through to the public, imagine the problems for everybody else. That's how hard it is to break through the clutter today.
So I'm scanning down the list of stories, seeing if the world has blown up, almost disappointed that it hasn't, the headlines are the same they were the night before, when I get to the article linked above.
And it does not compute. The rich and the right, sometimes the same thing, have done an excellent job of insisting they are job creators who earned their salaries. And here we have a rabbit hole so narrow and deep that the left cannot see it. You've got to go for hearts and minds. The left is like classic rockers bitching about Spotify, whereas the right had a long term plan to convince the public otherwise. Coal is good. Climate scientists are unsure about global warming. White people are getting a raw deal. The truth almost doesn't matter. Hell, we've got a President who's a pack of lies.
But when they tried to take away people's health care to give more money to the rich, somehow the little people, the public, you and me, understood.
Is this a turning point?
Now de Blasio needs Albany's agreement, so this tax will probably never happen. But by floating it, he's pitting the have-nots against the haves. 32,000 taxpayers would pay the half point increase, while 800,000 people at or below the poverty line would qualify for half-price MetroCards
That's right, the second prong of the proposal, after fixing the subway itself, is to subsidize the poor people who ride it.
Now I'm not talking about the everyday rider, without a car, but the POOR people. As for the everyday riders, that number has doubled since 1990 and is rising again, without a concomitant investment in the subway itself, working families and millennials without cars depend upon the service. While the wealthy never go below ground.
I'm not saying that the country is taking a rapid turn to the left. Hell, some will argue that the country already is left, agreeing with Democrats on most points on the issues, but voting for Republicans anyway. But the truth is, the rank and file American believes they've gotten a raw deal. While the rich say to buckle down and work to get ahead like they do, most of America can't find the door. And can't afford not only a BMW, but a college education. Go to school and be crippled by debt while the scions of the rich never owe a dollar.
And the truth has been out there for decades, but the public is finally wising up.
de Blasio is floating this proposal because he wants to win. There aren't enough rich people to keep him in office. Could this be a harbinger of things to come?
Ever since the nineties, it's been a badge of honor to flaunt your wealth. MTV might have fostered integration and gay marriage but even more it demonstrated the wealthy lifestyle, in "reality" shows and music videos. And people need hope, they need to believe they too can be rich, but I don't believe that anymore. Having a hit in Silicon Valley is even harder than having a smash on the hit parade. As for finance, a group of people who create nothing, that's a track far in my past, you need connections or a great education to get that gig, and the door closes on that career path in your twenties.
As for musicians, the dirty little secret is they're not that rich. They're not influencing elections. And they're afraid to take a stand, because they don't want to alienate a potential customer, they need that income.
Meanwhile, corporations, which these same musicians depend upon for sponsorship, and rich donors influence the game. It'd be like George Soros or the Koch Brothers determining what went to number one.
So are musicians out of touch?
I'd certainly say so.
But, as we go forward, will new acts stop flaunting their wealth, speak to the condition, the plight of their audience, and give back to these same people?
I doubt it, they couldn't even write a protest song.
But just maybe. Just maybe they'll tap into this dissatisfaction that is rampant, that is in the air.
And just imagine the tunes that might result. Instead of bragging, constant truth.
Could happen. Remember the folk music revival of the early sixties? It was wiped off the map by the Beatles and the British Invasion, but people continued to sing Peter, Paul & Mary songs and Dylan continued to triumph...
Interesting times.
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But they don't ride the subway!
I have a morning ritual. I wake up, unplug my phone, go to the bathroom, sit on the throne and check my e-mail, my Twitter feed and then the news, in that order.
I've grossed you out.
Well, then maybe you shouldn't read Tom Perrotta's new book, "Mrs. Fletcher," wherein the title character gets addicted to MILF porn. That was supposed to be the title of the book, "MILF," but the publisher thought the public couldn't handle it. That's the contradiction of the left, it keeps playing to mores that are facades, whereas real people sleep with their phone under their pillow, or right by the nightstand, and I don't even do that!
Now the "New York Times" app, which was just updated and sucks, the way the "Wall Street Journal" app used to, before they finally fixed it, after years, has got a curious new feature, they keep repeating old stories. You know, from days before, weeks before, MONTHS before. Which means they're afraid their readers have missed good content. And if the NEWSpaper has trouble getting through to the public, imagine the problems for everybody else. That's how hard it is to break through the clutter today.
So I'm scanning down the list of stories, seeing if the world has blown up, almost disappointed that it hasn't, the headlines are the same they were the night before, when I get to the article linked above.
And it does not compute. The rich and the right, sometimes the same thing, have done an excellent job of insisting they are job creators who earned their salaries. And here we have a rabbit hole so narrow and deep that the left cannot see it. You've got to go for hearts and minds. The left is like classic rockers bitching about Spotify, whereas the right had a long term plan to convince the public otherwise. Coal is good. Climate scientists are unsure about global warming. White people are getting a raw deal. The truth almost doesn't matter. Hell, we've got a President who's a pack of lies.
But when they tried to take away people's health care to give more money to the rich, somehow the little people, the public, you and me, understood.
Is this a turning point?
Now de Blasio needs Albany's agreement, so this tax will probably never happen. But by floating it, he's pitting the have-nots against the haves. 32,000 taxpayers would pay the half point increase, while 800,000 people at or below the poverty line would qualify for half-price MetroCards
That's right, the second prong of the proposal, after fixing the subway itself, is to subsidize the poor people who ride it.
Now I'm not talking about the everyday rider, without a car, but the POOR people. As for the everyday riders, that number has doubled since 1990 and is rising again, without a concomitant investment in the subway itself, working families and millennials without cars depend upon the service. While the wealthy never go below ground.
I'm not saying that the country is taking a rapid turn to the left. Hell, some will argue that the country already is left, agreeing with Democrats on most points on the issues, but voting for Republicans anyway. But the truth is, the rank and file American believes they've gotten a raw deal. While the rich say to buckle down and work to get ahead like they do, most of America can't find the door. And can't afford not only a BMW, but a college education. Go to school and be crippled by debt while the scions of the rich never owe a dollar.
And the truth has been out there for decades, but the public is finally wising up.
de Blasio is floating this proposal because he wants to win. There aren't enough rich people to keep him in office. Could this be a harbinger of things to come?
Ever since the nineties, it's been a badge of honor to flaunt your wealth. MTV might have fostered integration and gay marriage but even more it demonstrated the wealthy lifestyle, in "reality" shows and music videos. And people need hope, they need to believe they too can be rich, but I don't believe that anymore. Having a hit in Silicon Valley is even harder than having a smash on the hit parade. As for finance, a group of people who create nothing, that's a track far in my past, you need connections or a great education to get that gig, and the door closes on that career path in your twenties.
As for musicians, the dirty little secret is they're not that rich. They're not influencing elections. And they're afraid to take a stand, because they don't want to alienate a potential customer, they need that income.
Meanwhile, corporations, which these same musicians depend upon for sponsorship, and rich donors influence the game. It'd be like George Soros or the Koch Brothers determining what went to number one.
So are musicians out of touch?
I'd certainly say so.
But, as we go forward, will new acts stop flaunting their wealth, speak to the condition, the plight of their audience, and give back to these same people?
I doubt it, they couldn't even write a protest song.
But just maybe. Just maybe they'll tap into this dissatisfaction that is rampant, that is in the air.
And just imagine the tunes that might result. Instead of bragging, constant truth.
Could happen. Remember the folk music revival of the early sixties? It was wiped off the map by the Beatles and the British Invasion, but people continued to sing Peter, Paul & Mary songs and Dylan continued to triumph...
Interesting times.
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