Soft Knowledge

The STEM era is over.

For twenty years we've experienced the denigration of the liberal arts. For twenty years we've been ruled by tech. For twenty years it's been about entrepreneurship.

Now it's about thinking. About concepts. About ideas. Not changing the world with products, but analysis and influence.

You can't compete with the billionaires, the opportunities are too few, and if you gain any traction they'll squash you or acquire you. As for going to Silicon Valley to strike gold, you can't even afford an apartment, you're better off staying home and posting on the internet.

That's right, we live in a world of art. Of photos. Of essays. Of words. They drive our culture, but the observers and prognosticators can only see the hate, the tumult, the cacophony, they don't realize underneath it all is power.

Like Breitbart. Or InfoWars. Credit their creators with understanding the new game. They've brought Facebook to its knees. They've flummoxed Twitter. That's the power of words.

The left wing reacts, the right wing pushes forward. The left wing thinks MSNBC can conquer Fox, when the truth is the next battle will be fought online. Not with fake news so much as the appeal to millennials.

Most of whom are just trying to get along.

Yes, it's a different world from that of their parents, the baby boomers who got to protest and play simultaneously, who didn't have to worry about careers for years, who didn't have to get serious about money until the eighties. Today's college graduates are so worried about falling behind that they buy insurance, they go to work for the bank, for the consulting firm, not aware that they're instantly neutering themselves. Money is so last century. Sure, money has influence, but not as much as people.

I know, I know, this is heretical, but this is true.

The last twenty years were about tech. But when is the last time you were excited about a new app, even a new hardware product? It's all about refinement these days.

Before that it was music. Music does not drive the culture today because the makers don't understand its power. You're supposed to be a reaction to what is, not glom on to it. You're supposed to give the middle finger to the man, not be co-opted by him. You're supposed to challenge the listener, not comfort him or her.

And now it's all about politics. All Trump, all the time.

But it's also about Bernie, it's also about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

And that's where ideas come in.

An individual can topple the enterprise, assuming he or she stands up to it.

So now is the time to study art, to read books, to learn how to write, how to shoot photographs, how to tell a story. It's how Netflix won and the established players are scrambling. Fox sold to Disney which is years behind Netflix and HBO sold to AT&T and you cannot win in the future from inside the old enterprise, revolution is key, a blank slate is key.

Music will be healthy again when acts stop chasing trends. It doesn't matter whether it's acoustic instruments or iPads, it's about confronting people with the unexpected and having them make a choice. Kraftwerk sounded like nothing on the radio, but it spurned a whole genre of music. Same deal with the original rap songs, "The Message" inspired a zillion other acts.

History repeats, but never in the same way. So maybe it doesn't happen on the radio, maybe it doesn't involve the major label. Reinvention and exploration are always anathema to the established player.

So turn off "Shark Tank." Stop listening to "How I Built This." Start reading, learn how to think, know that inspiration comes when you least expect it and when you act on it you can change the world.

Assuming you're willing to walk into the wilderness to begin with.

Most people aren't, they want a safety net.

But there's no VC for ideas.

You can change the world.

If only you look inside, not outside, realize you need no help other than yourself. If you study the great thinkers and writers of the past. If you know you need nothing other than a keyboard and a connection to the internet.


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Westfield Century City

https://www.westfield.com/centurycity

It's theatre.

The mall is dying, that's what we read.

But in truth, the mall resembles everything else in modern America, there are winners and losers and you get to pick which side you're gonna be on, it takes a ton of hard work, reinvestment, most people don't want to make the effort, but if you do...

You know the mall, that's where the chain stores live.

But not in Century City.

Owned by Westfield. Which was controlled by Australians who recently blew the whole chain out. Kinda like CBS and Viacom. The story isn't Les Moonves's transgressions, but Shari Redstone's desire to merge the two companies and sell the thing, like Rupert Murdoch did with Fox. You see when an industry becomes mature, when it becomes challenged, the behemoths are victorious and the small fry are squeezed out. Kinda like concert promotion, it's Live Nation and AEG, and then a bunch of also-rans.

The Westfield Century City is a winner.

Now it used to be about the Westfield Westside Pavilion, down the street, barely thirty years old, it's toast, the retailers exited, the food court became a ghost town and now they're turning it into offices, kinda like the Sherman Oaks Galleria, which Moon Zappa made famous in "Valley Girl," it too is now mainly offices.

Only the strongest survive. The rich get richer. Can you say UNIVERSAL MUSIC?

They only redid the Century City mall a few years back. But today, like in tech, he not busy being born is busy dying, you can never rest on your laurels, you've constantly got to repair and recreate, kinda like painting the Golden Gate Bridge, you finish one end and you go back to the beginning and start all over again.

But no one goes to the mall anymore, it's dying.

THAT'S RIGHT!

But there is room for one mall in every metropolis.

Call it theatre.

Call it showrooming.

When I got a Rolex back in '77 the company didn't even have an L.A. repair shop, never mind a retail space, but they've got a store in the Century City mall. As does Breitling. And Amazon. And Tesla.

I'm wondering whether I need a new Kindle, but I went in the store today and found out I did not.

As for the Tesla, this is the way you should buy a car. I'm afraid to walk on a car lot, I don't want to be preyed upon by the salespeople, desiring to be my best friend, I'm just looking. And when you look at the mall, there's no pressure, and you want one. They said I could get a Model 3 in 2-4 months for $49,9 plus tax. But the real closer was the car itself, with the glass roof and the iPad control system. It's an appliance, more sophisticated and less complicated electronically than a Model S, and it'll blow the doors off of your gas-powered car of choice.

And they had cornhole.

And Eataly.

They made the mall into a destination.

Now I'm not a shopper, I rarely go into a store, not unless I know exactly what I'm looking for and want to buy it. But sometimes you need to browse, for ideas, for information, you need a physical location for that, the Century City mall fits the bill.

So what have we learned here?

The public only has time for the best, and if you're not it, find another vertical. Don't try to be LIKE Drake, BE Drake!

And our country has gone upscale, we're all aspirational. Everybody wants gourmet food and brand name items. Sure, there's a market at the bottom, but that's a race to the bottom, that's why Wal-Mart is challenged, they cannot grow because too many people want what they're not selling, no one brags they shop at Wal-Mart unless they're a Walton.

And experiences are everything. Which is why you must design your website for usability more than look and people still want to touch stuff.

But not a whole hell of a lot of stuff.

The mall is no longer where kids go to hang out, it's not where seniors go for coffee and a walk. It's akin to Broadway.

Westfield realized this.

You need to go.


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Paul McCartney At The Capitol Congress

"You can see all the stars as you walk down Hollywood Boulevard
Some that you recognize, some that you've hardly even heard of"

"Celluloid Heroes" The Kinks: https://spoti.fi/2OUAQBG

Paul McCartney did not write that, but he did cowrite one of the Stones' very first hits, "I Wanna Be Your Man," and Marc Maron started off asking Paul about Keith.

You should have seen his expression. With enough experience you can handle anything, nothing is new, Paul was mildly upset, he thought it should be about him, one thing you've got to know about Paul McCartney is he's self-confident, he's not like the rest of the Hollywood stars, saying it's about luck, thanking God, it was a lot of hard work, and he's reaping the rewards.

"People who worked and suffered and struggled for fame
Some who succeeded and some who suffered in vain"

You don't have to come to Hollywood to make it, but it helps. It's easier to stay home and play the game of woulda, coulda, shoulda. The truth is it's nearly impossible to make it, talent is at most fifty percent, there's desire, there's cunning, there are no accidents, no matter what anybody tells you.

And this was the semi-annual Capitol Congress, when employees from around the world are brought to the epicenter to find out about the company's wares, what's coming in the coming year, what they're gonna have to pay attention to and work.

None of them were there when the Beatles started. It's only the artists who survive. The labels are just conduits, the business is just infrastructure, but when done right, the work survives.

But it's rarely been done this right, in the history of time, there's never been a new Beatles.

And Paul was one of them.

So he's flogging a new record. Not that he thinks it's as great as what came before. But this is what he does, he's a musician.

And as level-headed as he may be, as much of a survivor as he may be, he has his down moods. He said "Nowhere Man" was about John himself, that by writing it he exorcised his demons, he felt better, just like Paul felt better by writing the negative songs on the new record.

That's right, Paul McCartney is human.

But if you grew up in the sixties, you don't believe it, even if he's sitting in front of you, his music is a part of our lives, one of the building blocks.

Not that Paul was upset about talking about the good old days.

But the most interesting part of the presentation was the stories, musicians are founts of stories.

Yes, he stole the "oohs" from Brian Wilson. Yes, the Beatles competed with the Beach Boys, yes, "Sgt. Pepper" was a reaction to "Pet Sounds," but even better was the story of meeting Brian Wilson in Derek Taylor's L.A. abode. Brian came with shades, he was embarrassed to wear them inside, but Paul said it was cool.

And then Brian played him "Good Vibrations."

You know what it's like to hear an iconic hit for the first time. Some insiders know what it's like to hear a legendary cut not only for the first time, but before almost everybody else! Same deal with "Ruby Tuesday," Paul KNEW it was a hit.

Not that he's always sure. He said oftentimes the bands are the worst single pickers, that there's always some expert at the label, how Al Coury called and told him there were megahits on "Band On The Run" and he was gonna make them so, despite the fact that the album was floundering.

And Ringo is an insomniac. Paul never had a roommate, Ringo was the first, he was up all night, in an era where Paul couldn't get noticed, couldn't get laid. For twenty years he was not a Beatle, and he remembers.

But life is good now.

But unlike today's stars he doesn't live the lifestyle 24/7.

He took the jitney from the Hamptons to the city.

He took the bus uptown. Everybody respected his privacy except for an African-American grandmother who kept exclaiming who he was, so he had her sit down right next to him.

That's right, he travels sans bodyguard, he doesn't want to lose touch with the street.

And how he's managed to be so well-adjusted and have a family life...hell, he's got eight grandchildren!

But the best story was about making "Band On The Run" in Lagos.

Fela Kuti accused him of ripping off the black man.

Paul had him come to the studio to hear the demos, which were cut before McCartney's arrival in Nigeria.

Fela said the music was cool, and invited him and his entourage to a party in the hinterlands. Paul felt it was too dangerous and decided not to smoke, which is a rarity. And then Ginger Baker took a toke and Fela remarked how the drummer was a true friend, he never turned down a smoke, so then Paul imbibed too.

And being told not to walk back into town Paul and Linda did anyway.

And were robbed. The thieves took the "Band On The Run" demos before they were cut for the album. Paul figures they recorded over them. Thank god he remembered the music enough to recreate it.

Let me try to explain it.

If you're under thirty it'd be like having an audience with Steve Jobs.

But Steve Jobs is dead. And the products he created will fade, be superseded, and Paul's work will not, at least not for a very long time.

And he laments the Beatles broke up.

He says the song people want to hear most is "Yesterday."

That he loves when the audience sings along with "Hey Jude."

And interspersed were Lennon stories and you had to pinch yourself, because Paul McCartney had no airs, it was like having the most famous person ever come sit in your living room and act like he grew up down the street.

And I thought it was only my generation, but on the way to the afterparty the thirtysomethings said they were thrilled too, after all, Paul and the Beatles STARTED IT!

So what a long strange trip it's been, and it's never gonna come back, and if it does, it's gonna be different.

It was a generational shift. Before the Beatles our parents ruled, after them we did.

We took over everything, the radio and eventually TV.

And only we knew what was going on. Our parents and the media were clueless.

And in retrospect it wasn't a fad, it was forever.

That's the power of the Beatles, that's the power of songwriting, that's the power of melody, that's the power of music.

You'd think you'd heard it all. Paul acknowledged that John took the line "I know what it's like to be dead" from Peter Fonda.

But the facts were not the nuggets, rather it was the aforementioned stories. Just like you and me, only we all think we know Paul, we're all interested.

This life, it's so crazy, the older you get the less you know, we look for touchstones and beacons.

Paul McCartney's music is certainly a touchstone.

But the funny thing is he's also a beacon. He's keepin' on, refusing to stay still. Enjoying being in the band on the run, cracking jokes with his compatriots as they do a runner from the gig.

The songs are bigger than the man.

But the man survives.

Hopefully we will too.

P.S. I didn't need to talk to him, I didn't need a picture, he doesn't need to know me, but Scott Rodger insisted we talk. And I know not to fawn, that gets no respect. So I talked to him about his ski day at Bromley a couple of years back, told him that's where I grew up skiing. He said the snow was perfect! And that _______ lives nearby, and maybe I'll run into him.

P.P.S. And I told him I wanted to hear "Big Barn Bed" in concert. Sure, it's obscure, forgotten, but it's also a favorite. He said there was a recording from the seventies he'd send me. As for "Letting Go," they used to do it, I told him it was one of my favorites.


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Mailbag

From: Waddy Wachtel
Subject: Re: Uber

I love that you're quoting starfucker!!

when we rehearsed linda's living in the usa album, we went to a club in maui (her idea!!!)
she said waddy u have to pick a song to sing ... without even thinking i said ok Starfucker... and you have to sing the choruses with me!!!! she did!!
have a blast bob!
xx
ww :)

_______________________________________

From: Lzzy Hale
Subject: Hey Bob! This is Lzzy Hale of Halestorm

I agree Bob, something that struck me in your letter is " the longer it takes you to make it, the more time you'll have on top". I see it first hand in the rock community. We cut our teeth in Active Rock, but we've always believe that The Journey was indeed the Destination, and have continued to grow and maintain a fan base for 20 years now. We are filling small stadiums if people who still live eat and breath good riffs, choruses and rockstars that stand for something.

Thank you for your article.

Lzzy Hale
Halestorm
HalestormRocks.com
Twitter: @LzzyHale , @Halestorm
FB page : Lzzy Hale
Instagram:OfficialLzzyHale
Tumblr:LzzyHaleOfficial.tumblr.com
YouTube: Halestorm
New Halestorm Album "Vicious" out Now!
https://atlantic.lnk.to/ViciousAW

_______________________________________

From: Bob Lefsetz
To: Lzzy Hale
Subject: Re: Eric Church In Rolling Stone

There's buzz on your new album, tell me more about what you're experiencing.

Bob

_______________________________________

From: Lzzy Hale
Subject: Re: Eric Church In Rolling Stone

Hi Bob, I wasn't expecting you to be free enough to reply. Thank you for the note!

I'll try to summarize best I can my journey...which we've always considered to be the ultimate destination.

I've been in this band longer than I haven't been. My little brother and I started Halestorm in the summer of 1997, when I was 13 and he was 10. He's a monster on the drums and in real life he's practically a walking drum solo..very Keith moon. We grew up listening to my dad's music, 70s and 80s rock. The light bulb turned on in middle school and we haven't stopped gigging since.

For 20 years We've played everywhere and Anywhere. We were doing 250+ dates on our own for 8 years before we were signed to Atlantic in 2005 and have over 3,000 shows under our belt since then. We've had the same line up for 15 years, and we are all still best friends, which we consider our biggest accomplishment. We surprisingly won a Grammy in 2012 for hard rock/heavy metal performance (the category no longer exists) but that was more of a personal milestone than anything else. We look back at playing our first shows which were bowling alleys, smoky bars, coffee houses, fairs and even a funeral once... and now we are a small arena band on our fourth major release on a major label, with 2 buses and a stellar crew.

We've had a crazy ride, but after just releasing this latest album "Vicious" it feels like things are beginning again in a new way. We just cracked number two on the billboard 200, which is crazy because we were just chasing what got us excited, not trying to make label happy or radio or even fans for that matter...we were out to please ourselves and so far it's been overwhelmingly positive. Proving that the human element in music is still very very important. We did this record with Nick Rasculinecz who helped amplify that human element that people experience live at our shows.

All in all we've done everything the slow and steady way, we don't play with tracks or trickery, we pride ourselves on plugging in and actually playing and singing. We make live moments with the crowds, switch up our sets and always leave room for improv...cuz that's where the magic happens. The funniest thing is that we have people ask us what our "plug ins" are for getting the guitars to sound like they do...we reply, "well, we plug them in, and turn them up, and play." You should see their faces, "wait, you're Actually playing live?" CRAZY!

We've had tremendous Ups, Downs and Sideways trips...but we've always said that success is not measured by your trophy's along the way, the glory is in Doing it! And we are. We are still doing it the meat and potatoes way. Play in front of as many people as you can, be good at your craft, don't be an asshole and fight for what you feel in our gut, that's our compass.

There's so much more I could ramble on about, but I won't take up any more of your time. I'm glad there's a buzz going 'round about what we do.

Lzzy Hale

_______________________________________

From: Charles Kennedy
Subject: Re: Airport Hell

Honestly a lot of this stuff doesn't happen in other countries. Continental EU, Australia, Japan. For how the European Union does air travel, look up "EU.261" - compensation for delays. Our airlines are too scared to leave you waiting a day and a half for a new ride. Safe travels

_______________________________________

From: Tina Withrow
Subject: Re: Carvel

This post hits close to my heart. Your hair would curl at the backward bullshit I constantly heard growing up in the deep south (thank God I rarely hear it anymore). I remember mustering up the courage to tell my dad to never say the N word in front of me again. I'm ashamed it took me so long to do it. I remember how sick I felt when I overheard that my stepmom's dad had been in the KKK. That harmless old man who taught me how to make hushpuppies? It confused me back then, and it still does--the kindness and the cruelty that so many of us are capable of. I live in one of the most segregated, gentrified cities in the country. We've been voted friendliest, most hospitable, most beautiful, blah blah blah. A tiny peninsula with millionaires and mansions just blocks away from abject essentially-all-black poverty. I'm lucky enough to have a job that gives me daily opportunities to meaningfully connect with people of all colors and backgrounds. My compassion is expanding and my personal healing from this damaged place continues...but the wounds are still sadly visible here in lovely Charleston, SC.

Thanks for your provocative musings--

Nurse Tina W.

PS--I've been following your Rituxan adventure since that's my specialty--so glad you're doing better!!

_______________________________________

From: Alex McClelland
Re: Carvel

This was magnificently written. I'm a young black man, who just graduated from an Ivy League School, with dreams of one day working in the business of hip-hop. My pure existence is propagated by the tireless efforts of generations prior. Your honesty and candor is not lost on me.

I find it to be no coincidence that hip-hop has risen to prominence during a time of such tumult for our country, and I've been saying as much since Agent Orange became empowered. I find the genre's dominance of EVERY SINGLE CHART to be a momentous accomplishment for black people. One that signifies how far we've come, and one that details how far we still have to go.

We never would have gotten to this day without the work of people like Shaun King, Travyon Martin, and Kamala Harris. What is less intuitive, however, is how we'll reflect on people like Kendrick Lamar, Nas, and Joyner Lucas. They'll be memorialized alongside the likes of Rosa, Fred and, Nina, I'm almost sure of it. But only time will tell for certain.

-Alex

_______________________________________

From: David Meerman Scott
Subject: Re: My Hometown

I grew up in New Canaan and while in High School in the late 1970s worked at the New Canaan Cheese Shop. Mr. Johnson (as I called him) came in nearly every Saturday, knew my name, and bought a fantastic selection of cheese. He was at the hight of his fame, (was on the cover of TIME Magazine which I had him sign for me), and yet he trusted my expertise in cheese and how to serve it properly. I was just a teenager and that such a great man could see me as an expert was a profound lesson for a kid working hard at a job. Sometimes on a Saturday night my friends and I would drive up to the glass house on Ponus Ridge Road and peek over the stone wall to see what was going on. We never tried to sneak in, I wouldn't do that to Mr. Johnson, but we could occasionally see a party going down. Aside from Mr. Johnson and his boyfriend we didn't know who was there. But I wish I knew who they were now.

_______________________________________

From: Nathan Hubbard
Subject: Re: Facebook

This was terrific, from start to finish.

The math that makes these companies go is achingly simple: how many users do they have, how often do those users look at content, and how many ads does the company choose to inject into that content? I actually appreciate that both Twitter and Facebook/Insta/WhatsApp are taking action to make the community somewhat less of a cesspool - they've been called to the carpet and (unlike Trump) have actually responded to the will of their constituents. I've seen the data, and I promise you that ad load on every one of those platforms could be increased. To the detriment of the user experience, sure, but NOT in a way that would drive churn. So to see them act with a (perhaps self-serving) conscience and get CRUSHED by public markets is...well...everything that's wrong with 21st century capitalism. The irony of these tech leaders who have concerning unfettered control is that they are SO unprecedentedly rich, it turns out they've blown past the threshold where increased wealth is an incentive; a 20% decline still keeps them well ensconced in the "world's richest people" list. So their incentives are driven by public approval, stature, legacy, etc. Which at this moment in time is largely driven by doing perceived good for the world. Which the markets in turn apparently feel is not in the best interests of shareholders. Which, again, is everything that's wrong with 21st century capitalism.

Nathan

_______________________________________

Subject: Re: Lox & Bagel

Bob, if you ever get tired of the music biz you have a great future as a food journalist!

My wife and I grew up in Los Angeles. Lox and bagels were ok, but just didn't send me. Deli in L.A. was pretty good and it was especially fun going to Canters where my dad, from Brooklyn, would try and explain an egg cream soda and make one the best he could with the ingredients they had. He would always apologize and tell me it wasn't correct, just a glimpse of what a real egg cream was like.

In the early 70's when I started working for Columbia Records in Los Angeles, every so often they would fly us to New York to see headquarters and how everything worked there. When I became the west coast regional album promotion manager Michael Klenfner, then the head of album promotion in New York, flew Sharon and I to the city for a visit. He told us to meet him at his house early Sunday morning for breakfast.

We were very green and felt a bit like hicks taking in the city and all it's greatness. Anyway, we show up at said hour and Klenfner comes to the door half asleep. "Oh yeah," he says, "give me a minute." He mumbled something to his wife Carol. and then made a couple quick calls inviting some other cool Columbia folks over for breakfast--then says, "Follow me."

It was raining that morning and Klenf, in his inimitable fashion, had a HUGE umbrella—very loud and multi colored. He was a big guy, built like a linebacker, and so he looked really funny bobbing down the street with his giant umbrella as Sharon and I followed behind.

Mike and Carol lived on the upper west side and so Mike took Sharon and I into what we now know as Mecca for Jewish food, especially lox—ZABAR'S! We'd never seen anything like that in our lives! Such a huge place—solely dedicated to Jewish delights. We were dumbfounded. We bought, well…EVERYTHING! And the size and taste of the bagels were something completely new to us. L.A. bagels tasted like crackers compared to these, and the lox!!! And the cream cheese!! OMG!! That's when we became big fans of it ALL.

Now we live in New York and the guys behind the counter at Zabar's know Sharon very well! She's there every few weeks getting "the usual"—lox, whitefish, cream cheese—and for dessert the piece de resistance, ZABAR'S CAKE! This is the coffee cake of the Gods!

Anyway, like Mike Bloomfield sang, "I'm Glad I'm Jewish!"

Paul Rappaport

_______________________________________

From: Danny Socolof
Subject: Re: Lox & Bagel

It musta been when I was about 12 or 13. Living in one of the 'Kang' of Yiddish enclaves; Kings Point, Long Island. And the entrepreneurial bug bit me young. I thought what if I could deliver, fresh , hot bagels on my bike to my sure as heck richer than me neighbors. Don't ya know I reached capacity so quickly I almost could not wait till Sunday mornings. EVERYONE is my house was asleep; like 5:15AM. And on my bike I went; up to town; probably about two miles, with a bike that had twin large baskets! And they knew I was coming. The "kid" who had ordered, oh, around 15 dozen bagels. And they were hot out of the oven..at like 6:15 AM. No special packing at the Bagel joint; oh no, that cost more! I got wholesale! Ha; now it gets pretty funny. Can you imagine a 12 year old kid peddling (schlepping) 15 dozen bagels on his bike back to my house where at around 7AM; the kitchen became re-pack HQ. 4 poppy + 4 sesame+ 4 plain; Next. 6 Everything and 6 Garlic. Next….you get the idea and then around 7:45 I hit the streets with the curated bagels sorted by individual order. I NEVER was so welcomed in my entire life by anybody except possibly a Rock Star or two who I landed a huge deal for. No, it was not the same. People were astonished; mesmerized when their still freshlky baked hot bagels showed up on their door step by 8:15 AM on a Sunday. Hell, they never got out of their PJ's!. And no credit cards, no Apple pay…nope; cash or no bagels. And then the best part. I'd be back home around 8:45 and would count the dosh. A simple business. How much were the goods and did I have more cash than what I started with that morning? Yes!

Maybe ~a profit of $15-$20.

I was Richer than Rockefeller. On Bagels. Sweet.

_______________________________________

From: Marty Simon
Subject: Re: Lox & Bagel

I knew from your subject heading it could only mean good food memories and love!

Having grown up in Montreal, we took for granted, the delicious treats of Schwartz's Smoked Meat and the bagels of my home town.
Best bagels by far ( yes I lived in and tried bagels in NYC, LA, LONDON, Einstein Bros in FLA.... on and on).,,but there is nothing like the hot bagels at St Viateur Bagel in Montreal. As a touring musician the night wasn't over until you went there at 2am in the morning and there was a lineup! It is still open everyday of the year 24/7!!! A dozen hot ones in the paper bag smell so good in car.... like your irresistible rye.
Lox in Mtl was so abundant you didn't have to go for name brands... on a Sunday it would be a large plate at Beauty's.. the breakfast place on St Urbain St. The area had high integrity for great Jewish food and still does.
From Wikipedia page, the description is:
"Established on May 21, 1957 by Myer Lewkowicz, the bakery takes its name from its street, St-Viateur Street. The bagel shop operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and serves over 12,000 bagels a day.".
I'm heading to Katz's Deli next weekend with my younger son... can't wait to make memories.

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From: Charles Yassky
Subject: RE: East Coast Observations

Hi Bob,
I've been reading your columns for a few years .I've discovered new music and old music thru you as well as your insights into , well, just about everything!
But I could not resist your words on "lox", a favorite subject. A few years ago myself and a couple of friends bout an artisanal smokehouse in the Catskills which happens to smoke salmon for some of the best restaurants in NY as well as others regionally. We expanded it to sell artisanal provisions as well.
People have often said it's the best t they have tasted and I do not disagree. Truthfully, it's probably the best in the USA. We ship anywhere and if you are truly a connoisseur or just an amateur( like I am in the music world),may I send you a gift of some? ( as you have bestowed your gifts upon me) Im attaching the link to the website http://www.catsmo.com/ so as to dispel any thoughts you might have of some weird sacha baron cohen prank.
Just get me an address and I'll send you some goodies( they are sent via FedEx, temperature protected , and no issue , i hope you will love it!

Regards, Charlie

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Subject: Re: Sweetheart Of The Rodeo At The Ace

Got to see a preview of this show in Nashville, in June.
So inspiring !! Can't wait to see the whole thing this Fall.
Chris and Roger have been heroes of mine since I was a teenager in Long Beach, CA. Hitchhiked to see the Byrds play in Hollywood in '65. Priceless. Grateful to call Chris a friend since our Colorado days in the '70s. Great guy. "Sweetheart.." had an enormous influence on so many of
us, NGDB included. Owe a giant debt to those guys.
As a side note, NGDB had a Top 10
Country Hit of "You Ain't Going Nowhere", featuring Chris and Roger, (from "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". vol.2) in 1989..
Sweet redemption there, considering they were denied any airplay on Country Radio in '68.
As for Marty and The Superlatives,
you won't see a better band in any genre! Marty Stuart, Kenny Vaughn, Chris Scruggs, and my
Co-Gramps, "Handsome" Harry
Stinson just kill it every nite !!
As I once heard Miranda Lambert say, "they out-play and
out-dress all of us !!" Perfect.
If you folks get a chance to see this show,or Marty Stuart and The
Superlatives with Chris Stapleton this Summer or Fall, by all means go !! Same goes for Hillman and McGuinn !
Thanks again, Bob for shining the light..

Jeff Hanna
Nashville

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From: Dave Schools
Subject: Re: Sweetheart Of The Rodeo At The Ace

I wish you could have seen the smile spread across my face as I read your rundown of the show.

I had no idea this event was occurring and no idea of the people involved...so imagine my surprise when you mentioned Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives.

I only knew Marty as the guy with the tall hair from the CMT days until Warren Haynes asked me to join a band he put together to back up Marty at Xmas Jam in Asheville in 2005.

Marty chose to play a couple of Byrds tunes and ran the group through the changes beforehand in the dressing room like a friendly pro.

Once we got onstage Marty strapped on Clarence White's original B bender Telecaster and proceeded to blow my mind and about 7000 other minds all at the same time. Frankly I can't believe I didn't stop playing the bass so I could concentrate on what the man was doing. I've never seen anything like it. Definitely one of the highlights of my career.

The set he performed with the Fabulous Superlatives was equally mind blowing. Kenny Vaughan et al most assuredly lived up to their name.

But the most amazing thing that Marty that night did was to wordlessly hush the audience (in a arena no less) by simply playing a quiet solo mandolin tune which he then built into a reverie that drove the audience insane. It was loud in that arena when the bubble finally burst! Astounding musical entertainment rendered by one man with one very small wooden instrument.

So, to read that Marty and his band elevated The Byrds celebration at the Ace wasn't surprising, but it sure made me smile.

And then to discover that the group segued from a Byrds cover made even more famous by Tom Petty into a selection of TP's tunes widened that smile.

But when I read that Marty performed my all time favorite Tom Petty tune(Runnin' Down A Dream) I started laughing at the wonder of it all. This is the joy that only music brings to me. I live for these moments so much that even reading about them brightens my mood.

American musical treasures indeed. Thanks for sharing!

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Subject: Re: Goin(g) Down

I'm from Dallas. I lived a couple of blocks from Freddie King and I knew him all his life. He lived on Robin Road, and I lived on Inwood Road. A couple of blocks, but light years away from one another during the civil rights era of the turbulent sixties. I played piano with him a little bit, and growing up I thought he was okay, but not in the league of the other Kings, B.B. and Albert. I was dead wrong.

I also knew Leon Russell very well. Marc Benno and I were in a band together that Leon produced, and I ended up staying for a spell at his house on Skyhill Drive in the LA valley when I was a teenager. This was around 1967.

Leon was playing all the sessions in the Wrecking Crew back then, though he hated it. He had his own studio at his house, and guys would all hang out there. That's where I met Rita Coolidge and Bonnie Bramlett and Carl Radle and Chuck Blackwell and the amazing Jesse Ed Davis and Don Nix and many more. Most of these folks were Leon's Okie pals, with a few southern belles and cowboys and Indians thrown in for good measure. Once a week everyone would come over and play the blues in the studio. Don Nix would run upstairs and write a blues song in ten minutes, and all these incredible session players would instantly play it. I was much younger than the other guys, and delighted just to be a fly on the wall. Sometimes they would let me play the B3 organ on these sessions, but I was definitely the low man on the totem pole, and rightly so. It was at one of these Skyhill blues sessions that Goin' Down was born. I wasn't around that night, nor was I there when Freddy and Leon recorded it a few years later. But Bob, you are right. It's one of the all time great blues songs, and Freddy King will stand the test of time, a true blues King, right up there with B.B. and Albert.

Wally Wilson
Skyville Live
Nashville TN

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Subject: Re: Goin(g) Down

Yes, go down the rabbit hole - back to the early 60's - Freddie King in his prime with his classic guitar instrumentals, "The Stumble," "Hideaway," "San-Ho-Zay." And mid-60's LA - Friday nights sometimes this live music show, 'The Beat' would come in on Channel 13 and I got to see Freddie King playin' live for the first time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEmGbMd2duk.

The 3 Kings - Freddie, B.B., and Albert. Gone but never forgotten.

Love the podcast, Bob.

Jeff Eyrich.com

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Subject: Freddie King

Bob,

My first job at a record company was Ontario Promotion Rep for Capitol
Records here in Toronto in the early 1970's.

One of the first artists I got to work with was Freddie King (Capitol
distributed Shelter at that time). I drove him around, did a couple of
interviews, then took him to the old El Mocambo club where he was
headlining. Within minutes, he had organized a poker game in the dressing
room. He invited me to join in. Being a very young and green novice to
promotion (and poker) I said sure. Eight minutes later he had me for $182.
I begged out...he just smiled and said "That's OK, I love takin' money
from all you record guys".

Lesson learned. Grand Funk never stated it better.

Bob Roper

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Subject: Re: Goin(g) Down

Hey BL our name came from one of the best of the "bluesmen" Mississippi John Hurt

Steve Boone
Lovin' Spoonful

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Subject: Re: Goin(g) Down

Re: Grand Funk/"American Band"

Sweet Connie from Little Rock told me The Allman Brothers Band was her very first rock band. I remember it vividly at a Holiday Inn in Memphis. She was a stunningly beautiful young girl with "Seventeen Magazine" natural looks. Later became a school teacher. She told me I got a gold star in her little book of "friends".

Willie Perkins
Macon, GA

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Subject: Re: Goin(g) Down

The first time I heard Goin' Down was when Freddie taught it to my brother and I in Austin the afternoon of the first of several gigs we played with him. Gettin' Ready had been recorded but not yet released. He had always been my favorite King. BB and Albert were great. But Freddie was my man. And such a gentleman. When John and I moved to L.A. in '71 to join Spirit, we always went to the Starwood at Santa Monica and Crescent Heights to see, hear, and visit with Freddie when he came to town. He played guitar like the man he was.

Al Staehely

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Subject: Re: Goin(g) Down

Thanks for recognizing Freddie Bob.

We are covering another Don Nix penned song in our show this year that Peter Frampton actually sings sitting in on our set called "Same Old Blues".
Nix was a Memphis soul vet and wrote a bunch of great songs.

It's sad when Steve announces Freddie King's name to the audience and only a couple people respond. He was such a giant in influencing rock and R&B and is fading into history.

Diane and I got to perform with Mark Farner a couple years ago at a festival where we were part of the house band. We did "I'm Your Captain" and "Some Kind of Wonderful" with Mark with Kenny Aronoff on drums. Mark is still an amazing powerhouse of singer and player. I think Mark would make an interesting guest for your podcast.

Kenny Lee Lewis-Steve Miller Band

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Subject: RE: Happy Together Tour

I took a class with Mark Volman my senior year in 2008 at Belmont University, where he still teaches. I enjoyed his class because of his honesty including unbuttoning his shirt to show us his shoulder tattoo! A light-hearted moment that showed he was committed to making the class enjoyable and fun! He loves his students and his university in two ways. First, that tour is put on my college students earning credit by touring all summer. While it's not the money-making arena shows of today's pop/hip hop/country stars, it'll give you a first-hand glimpse of life on the road and how a tour works before you graduate. Secondly, Mark let's Belmont use, "Happy Together", during the second half of every home basketball game. It's a cool moment to know that one of your professors wrote that song and wants everyone to enjoy it as much as he has.

Charles Van Dyke
Provident Music Group

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From: Craig Franklin
Subject: Re: Happy Together Tour

Bob,

I was first chair baritone horn for three years in the Westchester High School marching band, 1961-63. Howard Kaplan was first chair clarinet. He changed his last name to Kaylan because he thought having a Jewish last name would be a liability in the music business. How times have changed! (Or maybe not so much....)

Craig Franklin

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From: John Zambetti
Subject: Re: Happy Together Tour

Hey Bob,
Thank you for the mention! Sorry to have missed you guys last night.
I think your review is spot on. This is the third Happy Together show The Malibooz have opened and the first time I heard The Cowsills, I had the same reaction. Back in the day, I never took them seriously but hearing those tight harmonies unfold was a revelation.
Another revelation was how each act faithfully performed. No one rushed and there were no medleys.( The Association was in their dressing room perfecting their blend)
Backstage was a love fest. EVERY act was in the wings rooting for whomever was on stage. (Remember, this is a 40 city tour). And they were all there to high-5 each act as they came offstage.
Also I think Godfrey Townsend's backing band deserves a lot of credit. He was telling me about the attention he paid to the original recordings to capture every nuance instrumentally and vocally (all 4 members sang as well as played ). I was right next to the drummer during Happy Together waiting to see if he'd do the offbeat kick in the last verse and the 2 bars of hitting the cymbal bell in the build up at the end. Both were there.
I hate it when people throw around the word "blessing" but it is a blessing that we can hear this music by (at least some) of the original artists 50 years later! And that some of us get to play it!
This is not a Rolling Stones tour. These musicians are not returning to huge estates and opulent lifestyles but they are returning spiritually and artistically rejuvenated. It was was joy to be there.
Best,
John Z

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From: David Vaughan
Subject: Re: Peace And Love

Bob,

Long time reader, first time writer.

I knew I wasn't the only one that appreciated these guys. I have a funny story about them.

About nine years ago, some buddies of mine rented a tour bus for my bachelor party down in Austin. We decided to hit up 6th street looking like rockers. I thought it would be funny to pretend we were a famous band, each friend playing a different role, e.g. drummer, singer, manager, agent, etc.

But we couldn't be too famous, or else people would know it was BS. So, I thought it would be a good idea to be Fountains of Wayne (I was a big fan). Think about it. Everyone knows "Stacy's Mom," but no one knows what they look like. Back then, google wasn't as readily available on your phone, so it was much easier to get away with it.

So we played it up. Got VIP treatment at bars/restaurants. Girls were coming up to us asking what band we were in. When they would question the band, we would just mention "Stacy's Mom" and they were like, "Oh yeah, I love that song!" They would come on the bus, and we would make up stories about how we got pigeon-holed because of "Stacy's Mom" and complain that people didn't respect us for our other material. The girls ate it up. Nothing sketchy happened on that bus. We were just on a high that our "plan" was working, and as Don Henley says, "we worked it good."

Fast forward to my wedding day. My boss at the time was neighbors with Jody Porter's (lead guitar) cousin in Nashville. He had heard my story and decided to play a prank on me. With the help of Jody's cousin, my boss got Jody to leave an angry voice mail on his phone, ranting about some guys that were pretending to be Fountains of Wayne in Austin and how the band and his manager was pissed. They were looking for me and were going to sue, etc. My boss played it for me on his phone and my heart sank for a second...

...then he played the second voicemail from Jody, which was a "just-kidding" message, wishing me a happy marriage, thanks for being a fan, etc.

I still have the voicemails today, and everyone who attended the bachelor party got a copy. Not one bachelor party since then (that I have been a part of) has come close to matching that experience.

Jody was a good sport, and I'm a fan for life.

DV

P.S. The band's sophomore album, "Traffic and Weather," is my favorite. Sick melodies and story lyrics that paint the most vivid of pictures.

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From: Robert Heiblim
Subject: Re: Peace And Love

I quite agree, and to make matters worse the actual Fountains of Wayne they named themselves after is now closed. It was a fantasy of kitsch and lots of angel statues, but they put on a great Christmas light scene for all to tour through. A landmark no longer.

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Subject: Re: Peace And Love

People that know me…that really know me…. knew that when I used to say, 'Fountains Of Wayne is America's greatest rock 'n roll band', that I fucking meant it (and I got more eye-rolls than thumbs up for saying that). I was VP/Alternative Promotion at Atlantic Records in the late 90's. It started with their debut release on TAG/Atlantic that included the minor MTV Buzz Bin hits 'Radiation Vibe' and 'Sink To The Bottom'. This was before the American music festival (pre-Coachella) explosion so the rule of the day was radio airplay, MTV and getting your band on the all-important summer RADIO SHOW. This was the early summer of 1999 and FOW put out their first single off their 2nd CD "Red Dragon Tattoo"…another minor hit. I was able to beg them on two premiere east coast radio festivals HFStival (WHFS-DC) and River Rave (WBCN-Boston). After Saturday's HFStival the band partied all night in DC and woke up Sunday in Great Woods an hour before their River Rave set. With hangovers and bad moods the band was ready to play except for one thing…their drummer was MIA. Brian, the drummer, missed the bus call to Boston and crashed at a DC party house and as I escorted WBCN's legendary Program Director, Oedipus, to their bus to kiss his ring, they informed the two of us that they have to cancel their set cause their drummer is missing. Oedipus said 'the hell you are. Get on my stage or else' (remember, radio in 1999 was king…period). Adam Scheslinger knew that I was a hack drummer (typical frustrated musician who becomes a record executive); he also knew that I adored FOW and that I knew their entire set like the back of my hand. I did an air-drum audition on their tour bus in front of the band and Oedipus and 20 minutes later I was FOW's drummer in front of over 10,000 alt rock fans. Yes, this was to be my 15 minutes. Getting a call from their manager Cliff Burnstein/QPrime thanking me for filling in was cool and all but nowhere near as cool as the blisters on my fingers I got for jamming hard with America's greatest rock 'n roll band! Please check out 'Leave The Biker', 'Sick Day" (the best song never to be placed in a motion picture), 'Survival Car' and of course since we are in July, 'It Must Be Summer'. Thanks for bringing this band up today. Long live FOW"—Gary Spivack

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From: Eric Chaikin
Subject: Re: Peace And Love - BUBBLE GUPPIES!!

Adam Schlesinger is an unheralded pop rock genius!
If you had a 4 year old, you would be hip to BUBBLE GUPPIES -
A cartoon for little kids scored by Adam with deceptively, delectably hooky songs in every episode.
A little something for the classic rock Dad.

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From: Walter Sabo
Subject: Re: Balkanization

Well there were others. Before Lee Abrams, Allen Shaw was the President of the ABC FM stations who created the Album rock hit format with Bob Haneberry. Abrams worked for them at WRIF as a music director. The format was the creation and success of Shaw and Haneberry. That was on the rock side. Mike Phillips, Al Brady and I did the same at the NBC FM's for Adult Contemporary in 1978 which didn't have a name—we started calling it FM MOR and the name was refined. Donnie Simpson at WKYS in Washington turned Urban into a hit machine starting in 1978 with the format he created.

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From: H H Burnham
Subject: Re: Grammy Nomination Expansion

I used to consider it an honour to be a Grammy voter. I cared, I worked at it, at doing it honestly and thoughtfully.

But I quit years ago. Not just because it had lost its lustre generally, but mostly because the tossers would NOT let Boston have its own chapter. Soon after I moved here (1999) - a whole bunch of local music folks, many of them Grammy members like me, had a big meeting with the NARAS people at the Paradise one afternoon - it was in the air that this storied and great music city would finally get its due. But no...Boston had to remain an arm of the NYC chapter. How utterly fucking clueless, let alone insulting. I'd been here less than a year and I wanted to cross the room and throttle the little shit who announced it to the crowd of true music movers and shakers here. Absurd.
Come back Michael Greene - almost all is forgiven.

I still get a smattering of "Hey! My artist is up for XXX - give him/her/them a listen and your vote!" emails or FB messages. Wankers.
Honestly - fuck 'em all. Portnow's Complaint.

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From: Ian Lee
Subject: Re: Steve Boom-This Week's Podcast

I went into an Apple store while on tour because my Bose sound-link mini speaker died after 4 years non stop on the road.
They had the new apple speaker thing. It sounded great.
They had them linked together. I asked to hear just 1.
They couldn't
I asked to pair it with my phone to test it
It doesn't use Bluetooth. But the Apple Bluetooth whatever.
I asked them to show me on Spotify
It only works with Apple Music.
Sure there are ways to work around these problems and link your phone (my iPhone in this case) but driving a tour bus, it's a hassle every time you power it up.
The nice girl told me that Apple is an ecosystem
I own all Apple products. I don't need to be sold. I literally was trying to pay the extra $150 to buy it. It sounds great.
But the interface is so bad. Apple only. That it's completely impractical
Technology only trying to serve technology.
Apple has lost sight of the fact that their products need to serve the customer.
I bought a new Bose Bluetooth speaker in order to listen to the Lefsetz podcast
(Shameless plug )
Best
Ian

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Subject: RE: Arroyo Seco Weekend-Day One

Bob,

So amazing to see our favorite band, Gomez, in your column. They are the 'thing' that brought my husband and I together. We have missed them so much during their 6 year hiatus and just got to see them twice, in Brooklyn and D.C. on their Bring it On Anniversary tour. This is a photo of us with Ben and Olly, two of the people in the band and now also the names of our children.

They have a ton of 'superfans' like us who know every word to every song and dance with the energy of teens when we see them. I am so glad you got to see them and experience it. Tom Gray is a fantastic showman and no one has a voice like Ben Ottewell.

My husband worships the ground Alynda Segarra walks on. He just got tickets to see her tour with Jim James. He also told me she will be featured- not sure to what extent- in the new Blaze Foley movie coming out in August. https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/06/watch-the-trailer-for-ethan-hawkes-country-music-d.html

Thanks for highlighting some lesser known but extremely talented musicians. Wish we could have gone to the Arroyo Seco show!

Maryanne Andrews

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Subject: Re: Judy Budzik

A few months ago, I clicked on an article written by a tech friend of mine whose writing I had always enjoyed. I didn't even clock the subject of the article when a name in the first paragraph leapt out at me: it was my last boyfriend before I met my husband. And the first paragraph set the premise for the article: apparently my last boyfriend lost his umpteenth tech startup job and was moving from SF to L.A. again. He packed up everything he and his girlfriend owned into a moving truck, kissed her, walked out onto the balcony of their high-rise apartment building and jumped to his death.

That was so him. He didn't want to be a burden on her so he made a nice clean break packing and loading up the truck and left her with nothing to do but drive away and start over. It's not unlike what he did with me when our relationship ended, but at least with ours he was still alive.

He's the only boyfriend I ever had who has died. Someone I thought I loved. Someone I thought might have thought about me before choosing to die or accepting death. It's a weird feeling to think the "entire life that flashes before their eyes" could include you.

My dad died in a motorcycle accident in 2011. It was sudden and sad. But I always figured he would die before me at some point. It's very odd when the deceased is a contemporary and odder still when they are an intimate.

I'm sorry for your loss. Trust me, it's time to let the birthday invite incident go. She has. And I'm certain she would want to be remembered as you described her: nice and cool.

Angela Randall

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From: Glen Burtnik
Subject: Re: Judy Budzik

Funny you mention third grade, Bob.
When you're a kid you don't know shit. However, that statement suggests that you learn shit when you grow up. And that's bullshit. When you're grown-up you still don't know shit.
The year was 1964 and I was in third grade. I lived in a fairly integrated neighborhood and my friends and classmates were Afro-American, Asian, Mexican and Caucasian and ours was a mixed class. I've heard suggestions since describing the class as selected as an "advanced" group of students and my mom once told me my IQ scores were high, but I don't really put much into any of that. I will say it was an exciting and colorful class with our charismatic teacher, Miss Blumberg stimulating us with her approach to learning the multiplication tables.
I didn't know Virginia, but I knew who she was. A quiet classmate, she looked different from everyone else. Her features were strikingly different and there's where the worst of human nature and the bad habits of social ignorance begins.
Virginia's skin was white, at least whiter than most. She was born with albinism – a person like Virginia is commonly referred to as "albino". She was unusual visually to me and my classmates. I don't have to tell you how we humans tend to treat people who are different than the status quo. Virginia seemed shy and though I don't recall for sure, I'd guess she was probably the last chosen for games and the like. Kids suck that way.
It was a great year for me. I was supercharged with the phenomena of the new rock band from England (who pretty much effected my life's course) and busy hanging out with my friends and flirting (yes, I was always a flirt) with some of the little girls (Arlene Kravatz, Cindy Vogel and Gloria Lopez). Virginia? She just wasn't in my circle. Thinking back on it now, I must've gone along with the typical mob mentality of avoiding, ignoring – almost shunning – someone who is different or unique.
And there was more to Virginia. Her family was what she refers to as pan-African. She was born of a Negro family. You see, Virginia was not only "white", but she was also "black".
Not really knowing her, or getting to know her, I had no idea what her life was like. I paid little or no attention. Here it was, 1964, when the Civil Rights movement was in full gear, the year Martin Luther King received the Nobel Peace Prize, when Malcolm X was possibly at the height of his influence, but I was just a white third grader, barely paying attention to any of it. And there was Virginia, quietly living out her own personal dramas, of which I was completely insensitive, unaware.
Although there was no specific incident I can recall, I have lived my life feeling guilt, worried I might've contributed to alienating this innocent girl.
A half century later, I found this girl who was in my 3rd grade class. I found Virginia.
And she's amazing. Her perspective is unique and no doubt she's put up with crap many of us haven't had to.
Virginia's a good writer. Her story should be a movie…or a book. She writes about her life AND is a guide for others like her - young blacks with albinism. There's so much wrong shit and misconception and superstition. In the face of difficulty, she came out swinging.
And with just a little correspondence, she's taught me a lot – so many years later.
So, that's my little story of what can be beautiful about the internet (and specifically facebook, where I've wasted way to much time trying to talk sense to fans of mine who are also Trump fans).
Life's been good to me so far.
I enjoy reading your ramblings, as well!

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Subject: Re: Sunsoaked

Bob, so spot on with Sunsoaked. First off, my friends and I are 35-37 and actually made a game out of figuring out who in the crowd was older than us. Couldn't have been more that 5 people over 40. But it didn't matter, nobody was there to judge. Sunsoaked was an excuse to party and feel alive for a few hours.

My biggest takeaway was just how inclusive the whole event was. It's orderly, people understand that we are all in this together. Everyone was polite and watching out for one another. As we left a young girl shouted "everyone pick up one piece of trash as you leave" and all of us within ear shot started doing their part.

-Matthew Bobb

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From: Gary Merker
Subject: Who Runs things

Just got around to catching up and read "Harry Styles at the Forum." You touched on a theme that most musicians don't seem to know or understand.

THE WOMEN WILL MAKE YOU OR BREAK YOU.

Bob....you work at the top of the business, I work at the bottom, the small town local music scene. I had a sound business and worked with a lot of bands. One thing was consistently and constantly true. The bands that were successful made the ladies happy.

Women want to go out, have a few drinks, get up and dance, and have a good time. Men follow the women thinking they may get lucky. The guys buy the drinks, ring the cash register, and make the owner happy. The band gets rebooked. If it happens enough times and in enough places....success.

To the local bands I say....if you want to be successful you have to work. To get and keep work you have to make the ladies happy. Forget the stuff you love and want to play. Forget the deep cuts. Forget the obscure material. Cover, cover, cover, and cover the dance numbers. Every band hates "Mustang Sally" but it fills the dance floor every time its played. Same withe "Play That Funky Music, White Boy." And "Brick House".

Once you're out there working all the time you can sneak in your favorites here and there. They will empty the dance floor but everyone needs a rest once in a while.

I don't pay much attention to pop music, but I have been going to see national touring country acts lately. Sit up in the seats and watch the main floor. Women dancing all over the place. Same deal.

So, the moral of the story.....little local act or big national act, the song remains the same. Make the ladies happy and you will be a success.

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Subject: Re: Mailbag-Showman, "Africa," Free, Prince, Seymour, Budzik...-text

I want to add that Greg is 100% correct in saying that Michael Gracey and Hugh really drove this thing from inception and its infancy into the film we see on screen today.

Michael's passion for this project and how that translated throughout every step of the process was undeniable. He pushed everyone involved to the extent that he nearly drove many of us insane along the way, but I also know his vision and pitch on what this movie would be, kept us engaged and passionate about it throughout the many challenges that took place during the process.

I had always said, that if Michael makes 1/2 of the film he pitches in the room, it will be incredible. With that being said, none of us really knew what to expect.

This was 100% Michael Gracey's baby and brainchild and I must give credit to him for being the nonstop champion of what he saw in his unique vision on how to bring this film to fruition. I really give him huge props for that.

Greg, Lac, Manny Marroquin, Danielle Diego and Anton Monsted at Fox, and so many others contributed so much to this project that it really goes back to how it truly takes a village...

Kevin Weaver
President, Atlantic Records - west coast

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From: Gordon Chaffin
Subject: Re: Rival

This reminds me of my gym in DC, VIDA Fitness. They get your fingerprint into their system when you sign up. When you go to the gym, you rest your index finger on the reader, wait for a second, and then you're in. No card from your wallet, or beaten-up keychain fob.

With my IBS, I use their locations around the city to stop for bathroom breaks on a run. It's a saving grace to be able to just use my hand. I don't have to use a bulky belt pocket to hold a card.

The lack of public restrooms and drinking fountains in DC is another long story. But these services at a premium price, like Rival or CLEAR with security, really save you time and inconvenience.

_______________________________________

From: Sandra Charamba
Subject: Pavlo: Live In Kastoria
Hello Bob,

I follow your newsletter so I know that around now, you will be having to go in for another treatment - I hope you find solace in some enjoyable food. Indulge.

I know one whole day is a right off for you - so I thought I would send over a Private Link to the #1 concert program currently airing on PBS.

Private YouTube Link:

________________

I have invited you to several of Pavlo's concerts before while we've been in the area, and you have always kindly responded (which I appreciate) and it's never worked out.

PBS is not a platform you have written about (that I can recall) but you do often write about hard working Canadians; Toronto being a melting pot of exciting new sounds; and work ethic.
Pavlo does not have a record label behind him. (They all denied him early on)
Pavlo no longer has a manager. (No one could think outside the box)
Pavlo no longer has an agent. (He was dropped last year)
And now..Pavlo no longer searches for promoters. (They often don't know how to market his music)

We do everything ourselves. Pavlo, and I (his wife). We approached the 354 PBS stations across America ourselves last year (after the guy we hired to market our program completely dropped the ball and told us "no one is interested") and currently we have the #1 television concert program on PBS nationwide.
And along with that, we are selling out concerts across America - promoting them ALL ourselves. No label; no manager; no agent.

It's absolutely unheard of. We've turned the system on it's head.

I know you get tired of emails like this - and to be honest - I am not asking you to watch it to write about it. Truly. I respect your opinions; but at the end of the day - I am smart enough to know, it won't change our lives. An appearance on Jimmy Fallon probably won't do that. That's reality. I get it.

I just have a feeling you will "get it" - you will enjoy real musicianship - watching something new and different and ultimately genuine.

Pavlo just has lunch with Neill Dixon yesterday - so in case you are rolling your eyes at another email wanting you to "waste your time" - I promise you, he is a colleague that would tell you to check it out.

I hope you do throw it on - and I hope it takes you for a happy escape from what you may be feeling today.

Maybe indulge in some good feta today too...Opa!

With Gratitude,

Sandra

_______________________________________

Subject: Verizon, you're right!

Just switched from att after your recent email, much better. Thanks

Jason Wagner
Sonic Conscious Studio

_______________________________________

From: Melissa Ward
Subject: Re: The Americans

You're so right on the meat eating thing. Having been a vegetarian, a vegan, a raw vegan, and a fruitarian early on, when I finally started eating animal protein in small amount, it all came together for me. Health and brain clarity improved.
Today when older folks proudly tell me they are vegan or vegetarian, I hold my tongue as at our age we are losing muscle mass with each eyelid blink and small regular amounts of high quality animal protein is one of the keys to remain standing walking and talking as long as possible. Even the Dalai Lama eats meat!

_______________________________________

From: David Scott Carlick
Subject: Re: The Opiate Of The Idiots

Nice piece. True. It always struck me as a staggering coincidence that Facebook named the postings to the timeline Status Updates.

_______________________________________

Subject: Strzok

Hi Bob

I'm a career prosecutor (27 years) with the Los Angeles County District Attorney, a rock music fan and fellow Southwestern law grad.

Your Strzok was a wonderful and precise encapsulation of what is wrong with Congress, Trump and our fellow citizens perception about government employees. My fellow deputy district Attorneys and staff along with the Public Defenders and Judges do our best to make our justice system fair. It's not a perfect system by any means but I hope your letter encourages our young people to take a step back and consider joining the government or researching whether their belief in bs like the existence of a @Deep State."

Thanks for keeping up the good fight!

Rob Cheleden

_______________________________________

From: Jered Cargman
Subject: Re: Strzok

Dallas, November 22,1963, being introduced to 2000 bottling franchisers for Dr Pepper, as their new expansion into the 'teen market began, their Dr Pepper Girl was in her hotel room preparing. 1 pm and the tv is on. My mother helps me dress while I'm watching our beloved JFK and Jackie's motorcade approaching my hotel. Almost ready for my call downstairs in a ballroom filled with exuberant business men and their wives, I witness a murder! My heart broke instantly as tears gushed down my cheeks over fresh pancake make-up.
I screamed to my mother,"Every 20 years, a president dies in office"! Telephone rings and my mother picks up. It's Mr Parker CEO of DP. It was clear that my mother's priorities were for me to get the job done and compose myself. After all I had just signed a 7 year contract w DP and that would support my family of 5.
That had been my adopted dad's stradegy all along. She was visibly shaken by my grief and handed me , a 16 year old, the phone. Mr. Parker was direct and unconsoling. "No one is indispensable, dear"! His words snapped me to attention. I'd better get my proverbial shit together, for the sake of my family. So @1:30pm I began my journey into the heartless corporate world. All I could think about is, what if the president dies? And how can all the adults in good conscience sit here watching outtakes of my DP commercials, knowing our president was just shot right outside the very hotel we were in?!
And I was scheduled to perform; just me at the Piano. I signaled to my brother Alan, a drummer who the company included on this auspicious ocassion to join me and tap out a rhythm. I began with"Look down, look down that lonesome Road, followed by a piano solo of "Sentimental Journey " and concluding w "I Believe". And then came the fateful announcement, our president was dead.
Bob, I have never recovered from this experience as you so profoundly expressed our entire nation has suffered the consequence of John, Martin and Bobby. May Peace prosper in our Land and as a global citizen Our Sacred Planet.
Donna Loren

_______________________________________

From: Janet Richardson
Subject: Re: Strzok

"BUT I'M GLAD PETER STRZOK IS ON OUR SIDE!"

Amen to that!!!

I'm from Texas. In Los Angeles, and other "elite" areas of the country, I often downplay my natural southern accent because I don't want to be aligned with the ignorance of people like Gowdy and Gohmert.

And as someone from the rural south, let me state unequivocally that the problem is NOT just that rural America felt forgotten and ignored by Obama and the Democratic party. I call BULLSHIT on that ongoing commentary!

I grew up in small town Texas. My mom was a poor sharecropper, who picked cotton in a family of five kids with an alcoholic father who could not hold a job. My dad was a poor kid living on the wrong side of town who dropped out of high school at sixteen to join the military. They came from nothing. They grew up in the rural south. They raised us in the rural south. My mom eventually became an elementary school teacher. My dad went to college on the G.I. Bill. None of their siblings went to college. Their parents didn't even finish high school. My dad became a public servant. He used his hands to build things as a carpenter to pay the bills because serving in public office was to him, "a calling". Dad "served" as
a Representative, a Commissioner and a Mayor. He only left public service when million dollar campaigns became the norm, and he refused to sell out to special interest groups. But he continued to serve his community.

I grew up in small town America where everybody goes to church and to the Friday night high school football games. Most everyone had white skin and most were middle class. And while I know, first hand, that racism and hatred and crooked politicians existed then...our society didn't look so kindly on that, and so it often stayed hidden and was not "acceptable" behavior. But Trump has made it not just okay - he's made it the norm. He's given them a permit to be racist and hateful and mean, and it's tearing our country apart.

I do NOT believe that the majority of Trump followers are just disenfranchised folks who felt forgotten. NO. That is wishful thinking! The reality is more in line with what President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, "If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."

It's racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, hatred...the currency of Donald Trump. Trump has given them a feeling of power. And for some of the "kinder" Trump following folks - who don't "think" they are racist - they drink the Kool-Aid distributed by their evangelical preachers, Fox News pundits, and the like. They follow the lead of their far right ministers who believe "the end justifies the means" if they can get a conservative Supreme Court.

Things have gotten so out of whack that we're all guilty of "normalizing" it! Just a week or so ago many Democratic leaders and media folks were preaching the importance of "civility" over "good trouble" - like throwing a crooked politician out of your damn restaurant because they put brown skinned kids in cages.

We've got to quit being defensive over being educated, liberal, progressive, open-minded, etc. Those are good things! We've got to quit trying to figure out how to win "them" back or why "they" felt abandoned by Obama. It's not that! It's racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, hatred...

And we've got to stop it. Now. We'll figure out how to come together and win back some of them...or not...later on down the line.

But right now...we've got to stand up, fight back and speak up with passion and authenticity like Peter Strzok did yesterday! We've got to "tell it like it is," as my Daddy used to say!

I didn't attend my high school reunion this year, although I helped organize prior reunions. It was in my hometown where my mom was a teacher for 30 years, where my dad served as mayor, where I lived and raised my kid as a single mom, where I went to church, where I served as a community leader and volunteered in my community. The Tea Party and Trump supporters have turned my hometown into a place I often do not recognize. The planners of our reunion were like a Trump support group. I will not condone their behavior. I will not look the other way or "normalize" their behavior because they were my neighbors, they sat next to me in church or at the football game. HELL NO!

I'm lucky that I'm not stuck in a place like that. I can leave, and just visit family there. I'm lucky, I was raised by parents who were open-minded, fair, and good people...who would not tolerate racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, and hatred.

It's time we take Peter Strzok's lead and STAND THE FUCK UP for what is good and right and true!

Yesterday he issued a clarion call to:

PUSH BACK! DAMN THE CONSEQUENCES!

If we don't, there will be dire consequences to pay...for our democracy!

_______________________________________

Subject: Arrow Book Club

Hi Bob,

Is this (top right corner) the Secret Service book you got from Arrow?

(note: it is)

I am in my Scholastic office in steamy Soho working on the September 2018 version of the Arrow Book Club for Back to School as we speak. It was literally thrilling to read your email this morning on Strzok with your mention of the Secret Service book you got from Arrow. Lots of things change but Scholastic Book Clubs has been around since 1948 (with me since 1993) and our determination never wavers to make sure that ALL kids have access to books they can choose and own. When kids read books they choose themselves they develop vocabulary and the ability to express themselves. They learn to think critically and challenge the status quo. And to imagine what is possible in life.

Thank you for sharing.

All best,

Judy

Judy Newman
Reader in Chief
EVP & President, Book Clubs and eCommerce
Scholastic Inc.

_______________________________________

Subject: Re: Stereo Systems

Hey Bob.
I'm late on this . Hope you find it interesting.
I had a Harmon Kardon receiver, technics turntable & Klipsh Cornwall speakers , Nakamichi cassette player. A Dokorder 4 track reel to reel. This was the last bunch of gear I remember. Late 70's into 80's. Cannot remember the earlier gear ( drugs). Then I started touring non stop in the early 80's. While on the Bowie tour (87) I told my then wife that I won't be coming home. She then proceeded to throw out my almost 3000 lps and gave away my stereo equipment. Lesson learned. Get your gear out before leaving. Best as always, Alan Childs

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Oscar Changes

You don't react, you LEAD!

You don't try to save your old business, you invent a new one!

But don't expect the Academy to be savvy about its own business.

This is the story of disruption, this is the story of Netflix stealing eyeballs from the traditional players. Meanwhile, Bob Iger says Disney is so good, it doesn't have to create as much content. That's like Amazon saying it's not going to sell all products and it's not going to let third parties sell on its site. Meanwhile, you know the lion's share of Amazon's profit comes from AWS, Amazon Web Service, its cloud product, right? Not the idea of Bezos by the way, nor was Prime, which bonds customers to the company.

So they're gonna have a "Popular" Oscar, aka "Popcorn" Oscar. What next, a team spirit baseball award? A most expensive record at the Grammys?

As for limiting the show to three hours, is this really why people aren't watching? Of course not! It's not like you don't watch baseball because the games are so long, you just don't want to watch baseball! Furthermore, the people who complain loudest are those already watching the show, if you want to appeal to new people... They'd say make the show TWO hours and have it be totally different.

Maybe the Oscars are outmoded. Maybe the Academy has lost touch with the business. Since the same companies make television and film, maybe its best to combine the two, like the Golden Globes! Maybe it's best to make the show a party like the Golden Globes, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY!

And twenty minutes long.

It's when you get puffed-up and believe your own story that you lose touch. What next, the propping up of every antique enterprise that's faded in the internet era? I'm no Republican, but sometimes you have to let the market take its course. You can't hold back the tide of change. Maybe it's the Oscars themselves that must be flipped. Make them ALL popular and have a separate show for the indie/foreign/meaningful flicks, akin to the Indie Spirit Awards.

And how about a bit of irreverence, that's what made MTV's awards shows triumph. First and foremost it's a TV show, if it's not entertaining, few will watch. That's the first rule of entertainment, it must be PALATABLE!

And if you think this is solely about the Oscars you're dreaming.

This is evidence of baby boomer domination. The boomers remember when film drove the culture, they want to return to those days.

The baby boomers want to return to the days of the album. They want to return to physical product. They want you to put down your smartphone. They want you to save the local newspaper. They want you to save the bookstore. It's an endless anti-digital campaign. And how is this working for them?

IT'S NOT!


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Alex Jones/Infowars

Now we're trying to figure out what we built.

That's the story of globalization, it helped business, but too many of the rank and file were left behind, and they're rebelling around the world.

That's the story of tech. It was all about entrepreneurs and apps and go, go, go, but now that it's all solidified, we're wondering how to run it.

And it turns out Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg are clueless. Did you see in today's WSJ Facebook wants banks to share data? Oh, there's exculpatory language, saying it won't be used for advertising, but if you trust the rich schmoes at Facebook you're a nitwit. That's how far we've come, we don't trust tech, oh, we want it to work, but we know there's a price, we're the product, we're sacrificing, nothing is truly free.

And while Jeff Bezos may have revolutionized the "Washington Post" and Tim Cook is concerned about privacy, Facebook and Google are hoovering up information and it seems every week some site is hacked and your info is in the wild. What's a poor boy to do?

Certainly not play in a rock and roll band, that's not how you get rich these days, and performers have always had a voice and influence, but they've sacrificed that at the altar of bucks, they're selling pure hedonism to the brain dead, it's an aspirational lifestyle no different from "To Serve Man" from "The Twilight Zone." And speaking of the "Twilight Zone," remember that global warming episode, don't you feel like you're living it right now?

So Jonathan Prince at Spotify says he wants to remove bad actors from playlists. He doesn't say he wants to eliminate them from the service, he just doesn't want to promote them. And what does the industry say to him?

GO TO HELL!

That's kind of fascinating, the morally bankrupt in service to cash telling the techies they're wrong.

But that's the world we live in, one of no morality, if you can make a buck you're top-notch and no one wants to sacrifice any income.

But the truth is it's about message.

And those who've truly utilized the new technologies have profited, maybe not in cash, but in influence, and it's always about influence, if you don't think so you're just a drone, a worker bee, you're abdicating your power. Every time you say we'd better not talk politics, you're perpetuating the system, which doesn't seem to be working for anybody but the rich, and isn't that interesting.

So is it a matter of free speech?

I don't want to go all legal on you, but there are cases saying you're able to protest and do other things at the mall because that's the town square of today, at least yesterday. Are YouTube and Spotify and Instagram and Snapchat and Twitter the town square of now?

That's a question that has to be decided, and it hasn't been yet. That's why who is on the Supreme Court is so damn important.

But one side says these entities, the social media titans, the distributors, are private companies and they get to set the rules. And they just kicked Alex Jones off their systems. Proving that Jonathan Prince and Spotify were innovators, but they were just too early. That's how it works in tech, timing is everything.

Another thing we've learned is no one is bigger than the system, take away their platform and their influence wanes. Bill O'Reilly? Heard from him recently? How about Charlie Rose and the rest of the #MeToo offenders? We've decided we don't want sexual abusers running our public companies and we've now decided we don't want conspiracy theory hate groups spreading their word.

Oh, don't debate me on this. If you believe in what Alex Jones says, fine. But the truth is, your ability to amplify his fallacious message just got hampered. And sure, it's a slippery slope, but you don't know how slippery until you start sliding down it.

And the problem with the news industry is there's little opinion, other than on TV, which is not really news. The old print giants believe if they just state the facts, they'll filter through. But these outlets have been demonized and you're supposed to trust the hoi polloi before the intelligent and educated and therefore there's a vacuum in leaders, and those who rise to the challenge...

Anybody can have a platform. Anybody can appeal to a niche. But even more amazing, you can spew falsehoods, after all our President, the leader of the supposed free world, does it every damn day, more than once a day.

We live in the era of doublespeak. Automobiles with higher mileage kill drivers. The fires are raging in California because there's not enough water. When the blowhard in chief is an unreliable narrator is it any wonder that others follow in his wake?

That's how we got here, it's been a long plan, coming to fruition for the right right now. The Koch Brothers, the Federalist Society, they're getting what they wanted, whereas the left wing is full of crybabies pissed their cheese has been moved.

Until the distributors stopped Alex Jones in his tracks.

This is the beginning of the pushback, this is the beginning of the debate. In a county where the populace is so uneducated it cannot hold two opposing thoughts in its brain at the same time.

Life is a conundrum, it's not linear, there are many choices to be made, and you win or lose and are happy or sad based on the choices you make. But most people are not equipped to make those choices, they've got no power of analysis.

Therefore the tech titans have run amok.

But no longer, they're being watched.

Forget about the stock price, Wall Street is detached from America and many investors are stupid. The FANG companies run our world. But we forgot that they serve us, without customers they're impotent and broke.

There's no game without rules.

And we just got some new ones.

Maybe we need a few more.


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Jim McCarthy-This Week's Podcast

He runs Goldstar.

Don't know what Goldstar is? Go to goldstar.com and sign up, it's free!

And what will you find there?

Events.

Goldstar is in the events business. Turning you on, finding something for you to do. Most tickets are discounted, but not all.

At first Goldstar had a bad rep, devaluing concert tickets. But the truth is in this cluttered, cacophonous world it's hard to get the word out, Goldstar supplements the ticket sales of the primary promoter.

Jim came from a military background.

He went to Harvard and then taught English in Japan before returning to the States and taking a gig at Noah's Bagels. But he lost interest when the company was sold and the establishments were no longer kosher. No, Jim is not Jewish, with a name like "McCarthy"? But it turned out that Noah's stood for something deeper and the new owners only stood for profits, ultimately alienating the customers, listen to the podcast, you'll see.

So for those of you wannabe entrepreneurs, there are a lot of lessons here.

And for those wanting insight into ticketing, there are too.

But most of all Jim McCarthy is smart, he'd win in any world, not only via his brain, but his hard work and dedication.

A snippet, Jim McCarthy on entrepreneurship: https://bit.ly/2ANyVeY

Listen to Jim McCarthy on...

TuneIn: https://listen.tunein.com/JimMcCarthyLetter

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/jim-mccarthy/id1316200737?i=1000417349144&mt=2

Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/m/Dyqrealyptpes4crrfh2vyzbboq?t=Jim_McCarthy-The_Bob_Lefsetz_Podcast

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bob-lefsetz/jim-mccarthy

Overcast: https://overcast.fm/+LBr8_brCg

Castbox: https://castbox.fm/episode/Jim-McCarthy-id1099656-id87881351?country=us



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