"The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley, and the Partnership that Rocked the World": http://bit.ly/480ozGy
1
If you're going to music business school...
You'll learn more in this book than you will in class. Class will teach you the mechanics, the elements of publishing, how to put on a show, you will be taught how to be a worker bee, but all the money is in controlling talent, being on top, and most people do not possess the skills to do so.
Not that the book is the easiest read. Not that any book is an easy read. Reading demands commitment. But the amazing thing about reading is it will take you 90% there. All you will need is the cherry on top, the personal interactions, which will be easily achievable because with your book learning you will STAND OUT!
How do you manage relationships... I haven't seen this taught in any course. But that was what Colonel Tom Parker specialized in. Creating relationships and staying connected to people. It wasn't as simple as shaking hands, he created his own fictitious organization, the Snowmen's League of America, based on how one person snowed another. There were no meetings, and rules that the Colonel made up and changed and discarded on a whim. He inducted people at William Morris. Celebrities. It was humorous, it was fun. Colonel focused on this, fun. If it wasn't fun, he wasn't interested.
Fun used to be a core element of the music business, up until about twenty years ago, then it all became too corporatized, too institutionalized, too bottom line oriented, to its detriment.
What looks like blowing a ton of money is a good investment if it keeps your artist happy and producing. This is not the widget business.
Colonel was constantly cracking jokes. And in between asking for what he wanted. He was self-deprecating, stating that he could be wrong, and always warm at the end, noting a birthday or some other important milestone of the recipient of his correspondence. Sure, so much was transparent, but the letters certified that Colonel was thinking of you, you were in it together, on the same team. He continued to humorously ask for a bonus for being an outpost of the William Morris Agency at his home in Tennessee. When promised anything of his choosing from the RCA warehouse, he asked for a computer, long before there were desktop machines, when they were still huge and expensive! And you didn't always know when he was joking, he kept you on your toes.
As for the record label... He viewed Presley as an industry within the company, standing alone. Not only did he insist on the best deal, but no returns. And if the salesman screwed up and something came back, it could only be replaced with Presley product, and nothing else from the catalog.
And Elvis was in total control of the creative end. What songs to record, how to record them, the Colonel paved the way as opposed to too many managers inserting themselves in the creative process and pissing off their acts.
And the Colonel learned to trust his instincts. Told by William Morris that Elvis's initial movie deal was standard and then caving on his demands, the Colonel kicked himself soon thereafter. He knew better, as outsiders often do.
When RCA got its knickers in a twist and complained about a debt, the Colonel was incensed, you're getting all worked up for THIS sum of money?
That's the role of the manager, to be independent. And to get the most for his artist. Which means you just don't send a letter of demand and sit back and wait for a contract, you have to establish a relationship with people, show how your interests align.
The Colonel is the kind of self-made person who built the modern music business. Entrepreneurs with big dreams who couldn't fit into the corporate mold. That type still rules, but there are fewer of them.
2
The MONEY! Elvis was always running out! Spending more than he had.
At first tax rates were insane. 90%. But even when lower Elvis would buy things on a whim and his father Vernon would tear his hair out wondering how he was going to pay for all this.
For all the bad press, the Colonel kept his money separate. Elvis had his own accounts and if asked for advice the Colonel would give it, but otherwise he didn't meddle.
As for the deals...
You can ultimately say that the Colonel was self-dealing a bit, especially with RCA. He started off with 25%, it could be a third, but then he had all these theories that certain product was under the deal and the rest were special projects, for which he was entitled to 50%. And a lot of the RCA deal wasn't even on paper, but he held RCA to these oral agreements, he used his leverage.
And author Peter Guralnick says that it was not the Colonel's idea or preference to sell the assets to RCA. It is said the deal was completed because Elvis needed the money!
And even worse, at some point Elvis no longer wanted to work. He went on a spiritual journey. The work just did not get him off anymore. And while he was on his hejira obligations would go unfulfilled and money would not come in, but...
It's hard to do the same thing year after year and still stay excited about it. Singing the songs that made you famous decades ago. You grow up, you have other interests.
And Elvis surrounded himself with hangers-on, the so-called "Memphis Mafia," who bled him dry and talked the Colonel down and although providing companionship, kept Elvis isolated.
So?
People are people. A lot of the same rules still apply. Which is why I recommend reading this book if you're a wannabe. Parker ends up looking good, only those alive back then know for sure, but he was not the devious schemer he's portrayed to be. He paid his debts/bills immediately, didn't wait thirty days, not even a day! And if you didn't pay YOUR bills on time, he dressed you down.
It was all cottage industry, while interfacing with some of the biggest corporations in America. If you're intimidated by the big boys, you're never going to win. But you have to entrance them, get them in your circle, and then bend them to your desires. And don't forget, the company men have a different ethos, they want a salary, they're not dependent upon innovation, they're not as hungry. So change always comes from the outside.
All we see is brashness portrayed in today's world. And there are some like this. Then again, most people talking down today's bigwigs have never met them, don't know their people skills, which have allowed them to triumph.
I can't believe at this late date I'm finally interested in Elvis, but I am.
Because they were working without a net, innovating. Sure, he made all those junky movies, but that was the goal back then, to go Hollywood, and it was still the goal for a long time, Madonna "tried" to be in movies.
But it was all before the Beatles, who flipped the script, created a whole new business. And then came not only FM underground radio, but AOR and MTV and then the internet. Today's hits are akin to those before the lads from Liverpool, made by committee, steered by execs for a commercial return. But there are still entrepreneurs on the fringes.
Go where everybody else is not. Where there's room to be creative. Rather than complain about the label, figure out how to do it yourself, if you can create success, they'll come running.
And the Colonel was never sour grapes, he kept on moving forward.
You need that attitude, that optimism to survive.
If you have success, you can change the system, if you have none, no one is listening to you.
Remember that.
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Saturday, 6 September 2025
Friday, 5 September 2025
Overrated/Underrated-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in Saturday September 6th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
Phone #: 844-686-5863
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Phone #: 844-686-5863
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Decorum
Who does this guy think he is and why does he believe his sh*t doesn't stink?
RFJ, Jr.'s performance yesterday is an indictment of the idle rich, the class system wherein those with a pedigree and wealth think they're above the rest of us.
I don't care what you think about vaccines, one thing we can agree on, or at least I thought we could agree on, is how to behave.
But NO!
Maybe it started with Trump interrupting people at debates. But whatever your thoughts, CAN YOU LET ME COMPLETE MINE?
We were watching this series "Confession" on BritBox, the true story of a killer of two women and without giving away too much of the story, the investigating detective is called on the carpet for not giving a PACE warning, which is akin to a Miranda warning.
So, there is a disciplinary action. When the complaint is first filed the officer confronts the detective with the charge and the detective says he's kidding and gives his perspective. But then...
Said detective is brought in front of the big boss and told he is being suspended. And what does the detective say in response, when he is asked if he has anything to say? NOTHING! Because he realizes there is no upside, all he can do is piss off the boss, it's not going to advance his case, the boss has already decided.
And when there's the ultimate hearing the detective answers questions briefly sans passion, because this is how you behave.
A lawyer knows that with a tribunal of experts it comes down to the law (let's forget about juries), that's how the case will be decided, on the law, not histrionics. Which is why these hearings are relatively dry.
BUT NOT IN CONGRESS YESTERDAY!
It's not like RFJ, Jr. is going to lose his job. He was confirmed and it's Trump's decision. The hearing yesterday was just an exercise. But rather than sit there and listen to what the senators had to say, RFJ, Jr. kept interrupting, attacking them, asking the interlocutors themselves questions. A performance so combative and out of control that the only person who can right the situation is Jon Stewart, who famously questioned the combative nature of "Crossfire," said it accomplished nothing, and then the program was canceled.
Do you think you're endearing yourself to us by arguing to the point where you look like a jerk?
And if you're going to be so diffident, at least have your ducks in a row. As pointed out by a senator, RFJ, Jr. seemed to know a lot about certain things and very little about others. Facts when they supported his anti-vaccine agenda, nothing when numbers were contrary to his beliefs.
I mean let the senators have their say. It's kind of like being called on the carpet by your parents. You're going to get slapped on the wrist or hit and anything you say in your defense will only make matters worse.
Then again, unlike in the fifties and sixties not only do parents not hit their kids, the kids have rights and standing and can argue back. How did it come to this? I'm against corporal punishment, but the kid is the kid and the parent is the parent.
And RFJ, Jr. tragically grew up without a father in a very large family. Who was teaching him right and wrong, how to behave? The Kennedys of this generation have a long history of heinous behavior. As for going to Harvard...like he would have gotten into the college if his last name was different.
Then he trades on his name to make his money, unlike those with unknown monikers, and he even gets hooked on heroin but since he's a Kennedy, HE GETS A PASS!
Unlike RFJ, Jr., the senators were elected. And it ain't easy to do so. But RFJ, Jr. couldn't make it as a candidate and was appointed by Trump to his position and is skating just like he has his whole life.
You can put the boy in a suit but that does not mean he knows how to behave.
If RFJ, Jr. had just STFU yesterday's hearing wouldn't have dominated the news, with video after video illustrating his bad behavior. And it wasn't only major news outlets, these videos were all over TikTok. And what conclusion should viewers take from them?
RFJ, Jr. is a fighter. But like a six year old. He's going to battle everything that doesn't go his way, irrelevant of the truth. He's going to say his accusers are wrong.
This is why criminals have attorneys in court, so they don't behave like this.
But we live in a world of no consequences. Nothing will happen as a result of RFJ, Jr.'s bad behavior. Yes, Trump may cut him loose, that's his style, when things get too hot he takes action with no forewarning, but we haven't reached that point yet, not even close. Furthermore, by arguing like this and making news, raising his head, giving oxygen to the issues, RFJ, Jr. is doing nothing for his cause. Trump doesn't want the Epstein files out so he creates diversions, he doesn't want attention drawn to that which is not a winning strategy.
Maybe you don't believe in vaccines, maybe you don't believe in science. Maybe you believe more people were killed by the covid vaccine than were saved. Maybe you even believe the mRNA vaccine was not tested enough. Factually, all of the preceding are false, but good luck trying to convince believers otherwise. And it's not only right wingers, but people on the educated left too. Like Kennedy, they believe if they just eat right they'll be immune, read the analysis in today's "Wall Street Journal."
"RFK Jr. Is Dismantling Public Health. A Fringe Theory May Explain Why. - The Health and Human Services secretary has long embraced anti-scientific ideas that run counter to germ theory, the basis of treating infectious diseases"
Free link: https://www.wsj.com/health/rfk-jr-what-is-terrain-theory-66b4c660?st=ZGyGPS&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
But this has nothing to do with how you behave in public. The decorum of a hearing. RFJ, Jr. should have sat there and taken it. And responded quietly, if at all. The senators have no real power over him at this point. Why is he adding fuel to the fire, evidencing emotion and a lack of grasp of the issues and facts all the while. You don't help your cause by appearing emotional and uninformed.
It was like he was being personally attacked, like he was on trial for his life. RFJ, Jr. was so emotional, so out of control, that all you could do was cringe and then laugh. Has this guy never played at this level before? Does he really not know how the game is played?
Just because others are out of control and have no sense of decorum that does not mean you should too. We live in a society, if called on the carpet you take your lumps and if a defense is required you do so straightforwardly with facts, not emotions, and you don't attack those in charge.
But that's America today.
But really, it's an indictment of the rich and privileged. This is how RFK, Jr. grew up, believing the rules don't apply to him, that if he just yelled loud enough things would go his way.
How sad. For both him and our country.
Can't we have a little dignity?
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RFJ, Jr.'s performance yesterday is an indictment of the idle rich, the class system wherein those with a pedigree and wealth think they're above the rest of us.
I don't care what you think about vaccines, one thing we can agree on, or at least I thought we could agree on, is how to behave.
But NO!
Maybe it started with Trump interrupting people at debates. But whatever your thoughts, CAN YOU LET ME COMPLETE MINE?
We were watching this series "Confession" on BritBox, the true story of a killer of two women and without giving away too much of the story, the investigating detective is called on the carpet for not giving a PACE warning, which is akin to a Miranda warning.
So, there is a disciplinary action. When the complaint is first filed the officer confronts the detective with the charge and the detective says he's kidding and gives his perspective. But then...
Said detective is brought in front of the big boss and told he is being suspended. And what does the detective say in response, when he is asked if he has anything to say? NOTHING! Because he realizes there is no upside, all he can do is piss off the boss, it's not going to advance his case, the boss has already decided.
And when there's the ultimate hearing the detective answers questions briefly sans passion, because this is how you behave.
A lawyer knows that with a tribunal of experts it comes down to the law (let's forget about juries), that's how the case will be decided, on the law, not histrionics. Which is why these hearings are relatively dry.
BUT NOT IN CONGRESS YESTERDAY!
It's not like RFJ, Jr. is going to lose his job. He was confirmed and it's Trump's decision. The hearing yesterday was just an exercise. But rather than sit there and listen to what the senators had to say, RFJ, Jr. kept interrupting, attacking them, asking the interlocutors themselves questions. A performance so combative and out of control that the only person who can right the situation is Jon Stewart, who famously questioned the combative nature of "Crossfire," said it accomplished nothing, and then the program was canceled.
Do you think you're endearing yourself to us by arguing to the point where you look like a jerk?
And if you're going to be so diffident, at least have your ducks in a row. As pointed out by a senator, RFJ, Jr. seemed to know a lot about certain things and very little about others. Facts when they supported his anti-vaccine agenda, nothing when numbers were contrary to his beliefs.
I mean let the senators have their say. It's kind of like being called on the carpet by your parents. You're going to get slapped on the wrist or hit and anything you say in your defense will only make matters worse.
Then again, unlike in the fifties and sixties not only do parents not hit their kids, the kids have rights and standing and can argue back. How did it come to this? I'm against corporal punishment, but the kid is the kid and the parent is the parent.
And RFJ, Jr. tragically grew up without a father in a very large family. Who was teaching him right and wrong, how to behave? The Kennedys of this generation have a long history of heinous behavior. As for going to Harvard...like he would have gotten into the college if his last name was different.
Then he trades on his name to make his money, unlike those with unknown monikers, and he even gets hooked on heroin but since he's a Kennedy, HE GETS A PASS!
Unlike RFJ, Jr., the senators were elected. And it ain't easy to do so. But RFJ, Jr. couldn't make it as a candidate and was appointed by Trump to his position and is skating just like he has his whole life.
You can put the boy in a suit but that does not mean he knows how to behave.
If RFJ, Jr. had just STFU yesterday's hearing wouldn't have dominated the news, with video after video illustrating his bad behavior. And it wasn't only major news outlets, these videos were all over TikTok. And what conclusion should viewers take from them?
RFJ, Jr. is a fighter. But like a six year old. He's going to battle everything that doesn't go his way, irrelevant of the truth. He's going to say his accusers are wrong.
This is why criminals have attorneys in court, so they don't behave like this.
But we live in a world of no consequences. Nothing will happen as a result of RFJ, Jr.'s bad behavior. Yes, Trump may cut him loose, that's his style, when things get too hot he takes action with no forewarning, but we haven't reached that point yet, not even close. Furthermore, by arguing like this and making news, raising his head, giving oxygen to the issues, RFJ, Jr. is doing nothing for his cause. Trump doesn't want the Epstein files out so he creates diversions, he doesn't want attention drawn to that which is not a winning strategy.
Maybe you don't believe in vaccines, maybe you don't believe in science. Maybe you believe more people were killed by the covid vaccine than were saved. Maybe you even believe the mRNA vaccine was not tested enough. Factually, all of the preceding are false, but good luck trying to convince believers otherwise. And it's not only right wingers, but people on the educated left too. Like Kennedy, they believe if they just eat right they'll be immune, read the analysis in today's "Wall Street Journal."
"RFK Jr. Is Dismantling Public Health. A Fringe Theory May Explain Why. - The Health and Human Services secretary has long embraced anti-scientific ideas that run counter to germ theory, the basis of treating infectious diseases"
Free link: https://www.wsj.com/health/rfk-jr-what-is-terrain-theory-66b4c660?st=ZGyGPS&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
But this has nothing to do with how you behave in public. The decorum of a hearing. RFJ, Jr. should have sat there and taken it. And responded quietly, if at all. The senators have no real power over him at this point. Why is he adding fuel to the fire, evidencing emotion and a lack of grasp of the issues and facts all the while. You don't help your cause by appearing emotional and uninformed.
It was like he was being personally attacked, like he was on trial for his life. RFJ, Jr. was so emotional, so out of control, that all you could do was cringe and then laugh. Has this guy never played at this level before? Does he really not know how the game is played?
Just because others are out of control and have no sense of decorum that does not mean you should too. We live in a society, if called on the carpet you take your lumps and if a defense is required you do so straightforwardly with facts, not emotions, and you don't attack those in charge.
But that's America today.
But really, it's an indictment of the rich and privileged. This is how RFK, Jr. grew up, believing the rules don't apply to him, that if he just yelled loud enough things would go his way.
How sad. For both him and our country.
Can't we have a little dignity?
--
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--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Thursday, 4 September 2025
Pretzel Logic
Spotify playlist: http://bit.ly/4pq4aBp
1
I never knew Warren Haynes covered this, never mind INXS, both live, the work of a band that famously had left the road, whose songs were thought to be unperformable. You can only find the INXS version on YouTube, and I don't really recommend it, but the Haynes version?
Actually, my favorite Haynes cover is also live, in this case "Wasted Time," performed back at Bonnaroo in 2003 and released to the general public in 2004. I remember looking at the track listing when I received the CD in the mail... Really? "Wasted Time"? As in the song that follows "Life in the Fast Lane" and ends side one of "Hotel California," the one that doesn't even have its own Wikipedia page despite containing some of Henley's best lyrics of all time? The entire song is genius, but it's the final words that are the most memorable.
"So you can get on with your search, baby
And I can get on with mine
And maybe someday we will find
That it wasn't really wasted time"
Dating is different from the seventies. Boys and girls are supposedly friends, people hang in groups and a date is just a click away online. But back then...you had to go out, you had to mingle, you had to search and then you found someone but then you ultimately discovered they were not the one. This was being a twentysomething boomer.
But that breakup... It was so hard to cope with.
"And you're back out on the street
And you're trying to remember, oh
How do you start it over
You don't know if you can
You don't care much for a stranger's touch
But you can't hold your man"
The irony is this applies to so many boomers today. On the other side of marriage. They've been hurt, can they really risk diving back into the pool...seems to me most don't.
But we're talking about the title track of Steely Dan's third album here.
2
No one was anticipating the "Pretzel Logic" album, after all the second LP sans David Palmer's vocals was a commercial disappointment, despite being considered by the cognoscenti to be the best work Steely Dan ever did. But I never heard a single song from "Countdown to Ecstasy" on the radio.
Then again, FM couldn't quite make heads nor tails of Steely Dan. Despite its ethereal feel, "Do It Again" was an immediate smash on AM radio. And then its follow-up, the upbeat, bouncy "Reelin' in the Years," also broke on AM, but it had elements closer to the hits on that format and as a result traditional rock fans and rock radio stayed away. Actually, years later "Dirty Work" was a staple on L.A.'s soft rock station, KNX, but if a rock programmer listened to this...
No.
But the funny thing is "Can't Buy a Thrill" is my favorite Steely Dan album, even though I didn't really hear it for four years, when I moved to Los Angeles and found it in my sister's record collection. There's a song on the second side that positively slays me, "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)." Don't ask me to explain it, although now you can read an explanation about a downstairs neighbor online, but there was that sweet chorus...
"A tower room at Eden Roc
His golf at noon for free
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me"
There's the almost carnivalesque intro and ultimately the backup singers come in on the chorus and the electric guitar solo with a bite and rhythm not heard on conventional rock songs..."Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)" stands alone, fits no hole...this is not the kind of cut the meat and potatoes AOR fan wants to drive his Camaro to.
And then came "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," which broke right away on AM and was not a great opening salvo for AOR adoption. But compared to the stuff on AM at that point...this was not simple, pop that could be consumed and discarded, anything but fluff...it seemed like intellectuals cryptically telling a tale, which the two leaders of the band turned out to be. And when you bought the album...
"Pretzel Logic" had eleven songs, only one longer than four minutes, the aforementioned "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," and there was only a bit over thirty three minutes of music compared to the north of forty of the previous two LPs. What was going on?
Steely Dan was on a lame label, ABC, which despite having Joe Walsh and other hit acts was considered a black hole to fans who were enamored of the Mo and Joe show over at Warner.
And the music... What was "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"? Certainly not traditional rock in any way. And when you got the album you found jazz influences, which were anathema at the time. But if you played "Pretzel Logic" it quickly started to penetrate. The songs were not so obtuse that they could not be comprehended musically, but they were definitely different from what we'd been exposed to. There were verses and choruses, but they were just posts to hang the trimmings.
"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" opened the album and was followed up by the more dynamic, driving "Night by Night"...this was not Led Zeppelin, but it was definitely not wimpy.
Then came "Any Major Dude Will Tell You," incorporating the vernacular in its title and intimate in a buddy telling his story in your college dorm room way. There was sweetness without verging on saccharine.
"Barrytown" was upbeat, and lodged itself in your brain after only two listens. Maybe the up and down melody and where exactly was Barrytown?
The first side finished with a cover of Duke Ellington's "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," years before Joni Mitchell made "Mingus," when most rock fans had no idea who Duke was, never mind his legend, they couldn't really understand "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" but they came to know it, because it finished off the first side and that's how you played your albums, the whole side through.
As for the second side...
3
"Parker's Band" seemed to align with "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," and you didn't have to know much to know that they were singing about Charlie Parker, but most AOR listeners knew nothing about Parker, and were categorically against jazz. But "Parker's Band" was a tear. It took off like a shot and you had to hold on to your hat, you didn't have too much time to contemplate it, you could only go along for the ride.
"Through with Buzz"...the title lyrics stuck in your head, and then there was that great change in the middle.
"With a Gun" had a western feel via New York City, which was riddled with crime at this time, it was a combination of White Album acoustic combined with the proficiency of studio players. And then there was the hiding in the bushes with the Luger... "With a Gun" was a mini-movie.
Which was followed by "Charlie Freak." Which like "Barrytown" went up and down melodically, yet with a darkness underpinning the entire number.
The closing number, "Monkey in Your Soul"...was not a traditional album-ender, which was usually a summing up, a closing down, either quiet or an in-your-face final statement, whereas "Monkey in Your Soul" was more upbeat and more driving than what had preceded it, to the point where when it ended all you could do was drop the needle to listen to the album again. You were swinging, you didn't want to stop. "Monkey in Your Soul" was like a live encore, a jaunty number leaving you wanting more.
But in between "Through with Buzz" and "With a Gun" was the title track, "Pretzel Logic."
4
That GROOVE! Listeners knew what a groove was, they'd listened to soul records, but this was not traditional rock fare, nor were the horn accents, never mind those quirky lead guitar accents, looping in the background. In rock the lead guitar dominated, but not here. Until the solo, which sounded at first like a trombone on mute, dancing in a nearly spastic way, unfamiliar to the rock audience, BUT IT FELT SO GOOD!
And then back to that groove, set by the keyboard.
And then when the vocal came back...
"I stepped up on the platform
The man gave me the news
He said 'You must be joking son
Where did you get those shoes?'
Where did you get those shoes"
These were hipsters. Cool people. Who knew the difference in footwear, who would judge you based on what was on your feet, delineating a definite line between them and you.
Unlike today, Steely Dan was not accessible, they'd even stopped playing live. They were making music in darkened studios and then...who knew exactly what? But one thing was for sure, you wouldn't see them downing a beer at the local watering hole in the western-style wear that was the uniform of the era. They might not have even owned a pair of jeans. Not even Frye boots.
But you could listen to this music.
It was like Steely Dan said F*CK YOU! after "Countdown to Ecstasy" was not broadly embraced and determined they were going to do it their way, which was unlike anybody else's way.
5
I woke up with the groove of "Pretzel Logic" in my head. Not that I could remember the title of the track, but going through my brain was:
"I have never met Napoleon
But I plan to find the time"
Not a subject of rock lyrics at the time, when Robert Plant was infatuated with "Lord of the Rings."
And the amazing thing is when a song is in your brain you never lose it. It's on a loop, over and over.
But with the magic of Google I searched and of course I realized it was "Pretzel Logic" after the result was coughed up. And I immediately pulled the track up on my phone.
"I would love to tour the Southland
In a traveling minstrel show"
Needless to say minstrel shows were a thing of the past at this point. However there were rock bands crisscrossing this great nation of ours, and you could see them on stage and nowhere else. And they didn't pledge fealty to their fans, rather they were dark and private, doing who knows what in their hotel rooms...drinking alcohol, shooting drugs, getting laid. This became the lifestyle an entire generation became enthralled with. Sure, there was perceived to be plenty of money, but... You didn't have to get up for a nine to five job, you had no boss, and when you came offstage people were throwing themselves at you. And the driver was this music.
By this time there was merch. But bands were not brands. Their records were their edifice, and it was enough. You didn't feel ripped-off by the acts, you'd like to give them even more money if you could get anything in return. But they didn't want it! They were too busy traveling from town to town in a rarefied air we had no access to.
But not Steely Dan. We had no idea what they were doing, but they certainly weren't on a plane from town to town, never mind a bus. And maybe they were night owls up all night at home, but you also knew they were reading, watching and going out and experiencing and reporting back, in a way so enigmatic that all you could do was listen to the records over and over again to divine. If you wanted this hit, this was the only place you could get it. No one else evidenced the same influences. And so many of those who dominated the airwaves were uneducated and far from book smart, but Steely Dan...
"These things are gone forever
Over a long time ago, oh yeah"
--
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1
I never knew Warren Haynes covered this, never mind INXS, both live, the work of a band that famously had left the road, whose songs were thought to be unperformable. You can only find the INXS version on YouTube, and I don't really recommend it, but the Haynes version?
Actually, my favorite Haynes cover is also live, in this case "Wasted Time," performed back at Bonnaroo in 2003 and released to the general public in 2004. I remember looking at the track listing when I received the CD in the mail... Really? "Wasted Time"? As in the song that follows "Life in the Fast Lane" and ends side one of "Hotel California," the one that doesn't even have its own Wikipedia page despite containing some of Henley's best lyrics of all time? The entire song is genius, but it's the final words that are the most memorable.
"So you can get on with your search, baby
And I can get on with mine
And maybe someday we will find
That it wasn't really wasted time"
Dating is different from the seventies. Boys and girls are supposedly friends, people hang in groups and a date is just a click away online. But back then...you had to go out, you had to mingle, you had to search and then you found someone but then you ultimately discovered they were not the one. This was being a twentysomething boomer.
But that breakup... It was so hard to cope with.
"And you're back out on the street
And you're trying to remember, oh
How do you start it over
You don't know if you can
You don't care much for a stranger's touch
But you can't hold your man"
The irony is this applies to so many boomers today. On the other side of marriage. They've been hurt, can they really risk diving back into the pool...seems to me most don't.
But we're talking about the title track of Steely Dan's third album here.
2
No one was anticipating the "Pretzel Logic" album, after all the second LP sans David Palmer's vocals was a commercial disappointment, despite being considered by the cognoscenti to be the best work Steely Dan ever did. But I never heard a single song from "Countdown to Ecstasy" on the radio.
Then again, FM couldn't quite make heads nor tails of Steely Dan. Despite its ethereal feel, "Do It Again" was an immediate smash on AM radio. And then its follow-up, the upbeat, bouncy "Reelin' in the Years," also broke on AM, but it had elements closer to the hits on that format and as a result traditional rock fans and rock radio stayed away. Actually, years later "Dirty Work" was a staple on L.A.'s soft rock station, KNX, but if a rock programmer listened to this...
No.
But the funny thing is "Can't Buy a Thrill" is my favorite Steely Dan album, even though I didn't really hear it for four years, when I moved to Los Angeles and found it in my sister's record collection. There's a song on the second side that positively slays me, "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)." Don't ask me to explain it, although now you can read an explanation about a downstairs neighbor online, but there was that sweet chorus...
"A tower room at Eden Roc
His golf at noon for free
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me
Brooklyn owes the charmer under me"
There's the almost carnivalesque intro and ultimately the backup singers come in on the chorus and the electric guitar solo with a bite and rhythm not heard on conventional rock songs..."Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)" stands alone, fits no hole...this is not the kind of cut the meat and potatoes AOR fan wants to drive his Camaro to.
And then came "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," which broke right away on AM and was not a great opening salvo for AOR adoption. But compared to the stuff on AM at that point...this was not simple, pop that could be consumed and discarded, anything but fluff...it seemed like intellectuals cryptically telling a tale, which the two leaders of the band turned out to be. And when you bought the album...
"Pretzel Logic" had eleven songs, only one longer than four minutes, the aforementioned "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," and there was only a bit over thirty three minutes of music compared to the north of forty of the previous two LPs. What was going on?
Steely Dan was on a lame label, ABC, which despite having Joe Walsh and other hit acts was considered a black hole to fans who were enamored of the Mo and Joe show over at Warner.
And the music... What was "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"? Certainly not traditional rock in any way. And when you got the album you found jazz influences, which were anathema at the time. But if you played "Pretzel Logic" it quickly started to penetrate. The songs were not so obtuse that they could not be comprehended musically, but they were definitely different from what we'd been exposed to. There were verses and choruses, but they were just posts to hang the trimmings.
"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" opened the album and was followed up by the more dynamic, driving "Night by Night"...this was not Led Zeppelin, but it was definitely not wimpy.
Then came "Any Major Dude Will Tell You," incorporating the vernacular in its title and intimate in a buddy telling his story in your college dorm room way. There was sweetness without verging on saccharine.
"Barrytown" was upbeat, and lodged itself in your brain after only two listens. Maybe the up and down melody and where exactly was Barrytown?
The first side finished with a cover of Duke Ellington's "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," years before Joni Mitchell made "Mingus," when most rock fans had no idea who Duke was, never mind his legend, they couldn't really understand "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" but they came to know it, because it finished off the first side and that's how you played your albums, the whole side through.
As for the second side...
3
"Parker's Band" seemed to align with "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," and you didn't have to know much to know that they were singing about Charlie Parker, but most AOR listeners knew nothing about Parker, and were categorically against jazz. But "Parker's Band" was a tear. It took off like a shot and you had to hold on to your hat, you didn't have too much time to contemplate it, you could only go along for the ride.
"Through with Buzz"...the title lyrics stuck in your head, and then there was that great change in the middle.
"With a Gun" had a western feel via New York City, which was riddled with crime at this time, it was a combination of White Album acoustic combined with the proficiency of studio players. And then there was the hiding in the bushes with the Luger... "With a Gun" was a mini-movie.
Which was followed by "Charlie Freak." Which like "Barrytown" went up and down melodically, yet with a darkness underpinning the entire number.
The closing number, "Monkey in Your Soul"...was not a traditional album-ender, which was usually a summing up, a closing down, either quiet or an in-your-face final statement, whereas "Monkey in Your Soul" was more upbeat and more driving than what had preceded it, to the point where when it ended all you could do was drop the needle to listen to the album again. You were swinging, you didn't want to stop. "Monkey in Your Soul" was like a live encore, a jaunty number leaving you wanting more.
But in between "Through with Buzz" and "With a Gun" was the title track, "Pretzel Logic."
4
That GROOVE! Listeners knew what a groove was, they'd listened to soul records, but this was not traditional rock fare, nor were the horn accents, never mind those quirky lead guitar accents, looping in the background. In rock the lead guitar dominated, but not here. Until the solo, which sounded at first like a trombone on mute, dancing in a nearly spastic way, unfamiliar to the rock audience, BUT IT FELT SO GOOD!
And then back to that groove, set by the keyboard.
And then when the vocal came back...
"I stepped up on the platform
The man gave me the news
He said 'You must be joking son
Where did you get those shoes?'
Where did you get those shoes"
These were hipsters. Cool people. Who knew the difference in footwear, who would judge you based on what was on your feet, delineating a definite line between them and you.
Unlike today, Steely Dan was not accessible, they'd even stopped playing live. They were making music in darkened studios and then...who knew exactly what? But one thing was for sure, you wouldn't see them downing a beer at the local watering hole in the western-style wear that was the uniform of the era. They might not have even owned a pair of jeans. Not even Frye boots.
But you could listen to this music.
It was like Steely Dan said F*CK YOU! after "Countdown to Ecstasy" was not broadly embraced and determined they were going to do it their way, which was unlike anybody else's way.
5
I woke up with the groove of "Pretzel Logic" in my head. Not that I could remember the title of the track, but going through my brain was:
"I have never met Napoleon
But I plan to find the time"
Not a subject of rock lyrics at the time, when Robert Plant was infatuated with "Lord of the Rings."
And the amazing thing is when a song is in your brain you never lose it. It's on a loop, over and over.
But with the magic of Google I searched and of course I realized it was "Pretzel Logic" after the result was coughed up. And I immediately pulled the track up on my phone.
"I would love to tour the Southland
In a traveling minstrel show"
Needless to say minstrel shows were a thing of the past at this point. However there were rock bands crisscrossing this great nation of ours, and you could see them on stage and nowhere else. And they didn't pledge fealty to their fans, rather they were dark and private, doing who knows what in their hotel rooms...drinking alcohol, shooting drugs, getting laid. This became the lifestyle an entire generation became enthralled with. Sure, there was perceived to be plenty of money, but... You didn't have to get up for a nine to five job, you had no boss, and when you came offstage people were throwing themselves at you. And the driver was this music.
By this time there was merch. But bands were not brands. Their records were their edifice, and it was enough. You didn't feel ripped-off by the acts, you'd like to give them even more money if you could get anything in return. But they didn't want it! They were too busy traveling from town to town in a rarefied air we had no access to.
But not Steely Dan. We had no idea what they were doing, but they certainly weren't on a plane from town to town, never mind a bus. And maybe they were night owls up all night at home, but you also knew they were reading, watching and going out and experiencing and reporting back, in a way so enigmatic that all you could do was listen to the records over and over again to divine. If you wanted this hit, this was the only place you could get it. No one else evidenced the same influences. And so many of those who dominated the airwaves were uneducated and far from book smart, but Steely Dan...
"These things are gone forever
Over a long time ago, oh yeah"
--
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Joe Grushecky-This Week's Podcast
The Original Iron City Houserocker. Joe's got co-writes on Bruce Springsteen's latest release.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joe-grushecky/id1316200737?i=1000724964681
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4uTN2glFpxrgbHnSUDvSVA?si=ub1CSSb8QpmIylHfig3o-A
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/joe-grushecky-292213555/
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/b1618547-2454-4808-8a58-101b590c3208/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-joe-grushecky
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-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joe-grushecky/id1316200737?i=1000724964681
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4uTN2glFpxrgbHnSUDvSVA?si=ub1CSSb8QpmIylHfig3o-A
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/joe-grushecky-292213555/
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/b1618547-2454-4808-8a58-101b590c3208/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-joe-grushecky
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Wednesday, 3 September 2025
The Victim
BritBox trailer: http://bit.ly/4ghgbon
This'll keep you guessing.
This four part series stars Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald, whom you either love or just aren't aware of yet. You most recently saw her in Netflix's "Dept. Q," and she was also in season six of "Line of Duty," one of the best English series period. It's all about "bent coppers," if someone uses this term, you know they've seen the series. Macdonald was nominated for a BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actress Television for both of these series, and she won for "The Victim." Macdonald doesn't sacrifice her Scottish accent in both productions, which makes her even more believable. And unlike with Meryl Streep and many other vaunted actors, you don't see the actor behind the role. "The Victim" sports a 92/96 rating on RottenTomatoes (and "Line of Duty" rates 96/94).
I know, I know, you don't want to pay for another streaming service. But here's what I do... I sign up via Amazon and immediately cancel, so I am only charged for one month. I'd like to say it's easy to cancel on Amazon, it's not, but give it a minute and you can figure it out. Cancellation is easiest on Apple, however having all your charges in one place, i.e. Amazon, can be advantageous. Is it worth the $10.99 for one month of BritBox? (Just raised from $8.99.) I can't imagine anyone disliking "The Victim" or "Line of Duty," but I'm not promising your money back, you'll just have to trust me.
So there are multiple threads in "The Victim," which ultimately all come together, but the main thread has to do with whether Kelly Macdonald as Anna Dean is liable for posting online the name and address of the person she believes killed her son. So, this is a courtroom drama.
But not at stake in the trial, but dominant throughout the series, is who exactly killed said son. The person she outed or..? This is done just brilliantly, you're kept guessing, it's never completely clear, and when you find out who is ultimately responsible...let me just say you'll be shocked.
In addition there's a thread about a missing young woman, what happened to her after she left the bar?
And then there's the mother who keeps believing her estranged daughter will show up for her birthday, even though she hasn't seen her in years.
At first you will wonder how these threads all come together, but trust me, they will. And viewing is not as complicated as it may seem above. But having said that, TURN ON THE SUBTITLES! The Scottish accents are heavy, and unless you live there, you'll have a hard time catching every word.
I'm stunned in a world where they remade the not so great original "War of the Roses" that they haven't made American versions of these two series. In the case of "The Victim," you could use the identical script, you'd only have to change the location.
People wonder why I watch so much streaming television. But it's the highlight of my day. Because when done right it takes me away, puts me in a totally different headspace than I was when I was working.
Yes, I know some people still watch movies, but films are a different experience. They're short stories and series are novels. In series the characters are more fleshed out, there's more detail, less left unspoken, and if something is good it continues... "Line of Duty" has six seasons!
Once again, "The Victim" has only four, just under an hour apiece. The landscape is delineated and the action takes place.
What do you believe? Are your instincts correct? Are your conclusions tainted by preconceptions? These are all questions raised in "The Victim."
I guess I'm selling "The Victim" not because it's so damn good, although it is truly excellent, but it's just that when discussing what people are watching they always come up with the usual suspects and oftentimes it's tripe. But if you broaden your horizons just a little...
This is an English production. Meaning that every character is not beautiful, it's regular people and therefore you can relate.
This is first class stuff.
WATCH IT!
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This'll keep you guessing.
This four part series stars Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald, whom you either love or just aren't aware of yet. You most recently saw her in Netflix's "Dept. Q," and she was also in season six of "Line of Duty," one of the best English series period. It's all about "bent coppers," if someone uses this term, you know they've seen the series. Macdonald was nominated for a BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actress Television for both of these series, and she won for "The Victim." Macdonald doesn't sacrifice her Scottish accent in both productions, which makes her even more believable. And unlike with Meryl Streep and many other vaunted actors, you don't see the actor behind the role. "The Victim" sports a 92/96 rating on RottenTomatoes (and "Line of Duty" rates 96/94).
I know, I know, you don't want to pay for another streaming service. But here's what I do... I sign up via Amazon and immediately cancel, so I am only charged for one month. I'd like to say it's easy to cancel on Amazon, it's not, but give it a minute and you can figure it out. Cancellation is easiest on Apple, however having all your charges in one place, i.e. Amazon, can be advantageous. Is it worth the $10.99 for one month of BritBox? (Just raised from $8.99.) I can't imagine anyone disliking "The Victim" or "Line of Duty," but I'm not promising your money back, you'll just have to trust me.
So there are multiple threads in "The Victim," which ultimately all come together, but the main thread has to do with whether Kelly Macdonald as Anna Dean is liable for posting online the name and address of the person she believes killed her son. So, this is a courtroom drama.
But not at stake in the trial, but dominant throughout the series, is who exactly killed said son. The person she outed or..? This is done just brilliantly, you're kept guessing, it's never completely clear, and when you find out who is ultimately responsible...let me just say you'll be shocked.
In addition there's a thread about a missing young woman, what happened to her after she left the bar?
And then there's the mother who keeps believing her estranged daughter will show up for her birthday, even though she hasn't seen her in years.
At first you will wonder how these threads all come together, but trust me, they will. And viewing is not as complicated as it may seem above. But having said that, TURN ON THE SUBTITLES! The Scottish accents are heavy, and unless you live there, you'll have a hard time catching every word.
I'm stunned in a world where they remade the not so great original "War of the Roses" that they haven't made American versions of these two series. In the case of "The Victim," you could use the identical script, you'd only have to change the location.
People wonder why I watch so much streaming television. But it's the highlight of my day. Because when done right it takes me away, puts me in a totally different headspace than I was when I was working.
Yes, I know some people still watch movies, but films are a different experience. They're short stories and series are novels. In series the characters are more fleshed out, there's more detail, less left unspoken, and if something is good it continues... "Line of Duty" has six seasons!
Once again, "The Victim" has only four, just under an hour apiece. The landscape is delineated and the action takes place.
What do you believe? Are your instincts correct? Are your conclusions tainted by preconceptions? These are all questions raised in "The Victim."
I guess I'm selling "The Victim" not because it's so damn good, although it is truly excellent, but it's just that when discussing what people are watching they always come up with the usual suspects and oftentimes it's tripe. But if you broaden your horizons just a little...
This is an English production. Meaning that every character is not beautiful, it's regular people and therefore you can relate.
This is first class stuff.
WATCH IT!
--
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--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Released In September 1970
Spotify playlist: http://bit.ly/468F7tz
September 4, 1970
GET YER YA-YA'S OUT!
The Rolling Stones
Incredible reviews, a disappointing listen.
"Live at Leeds" came out earlier in the year and was instantly labeled the greatest live album ever...assuming you don't care about crowd noise, because there was none. You got plenty of crowd noise on "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out," but what was surprising was how rough the band was.
The Stones were mostly seen as a singles act prior to "Beggars Banquet." But even though that album contains "Sympathy for the Devil," there was such a bad taste in the public's mouth after "Their Satanic Majesties Request" that there was not instant mass adoption of what was considered a masterpiece then and now. Furthermore, it was earthy as opposed to in your face, as if the Stones had licked their wounds and were making an album for themselves, in a studio cut off from the world of stardom.
HOWEVER, "Let It Bleed" began the sales juggernaut. There were no singles, but if you purchased the album you were wowed. It was slick where "Beggars Banquet" was rough. But as big as it was... Not every ticket was sold for the fall '69 tour of America. The mania didn't really start until the spring of '71, when "Sticky Fingers" came out and "Brown Sugar" was ubiquitous. But in between those two albums we got this live LP.
Now at this point, there's an extended version with a ton more tracks available on streaming services. But if you focus on the original ten cuts...it's the two Chuck Berry covers that stick out, most especially "Carol," however "Little Queenie" is pretty good. There's a cool descending riff in the instrumental section of "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Honky Tonk Women" was okay, but this was the kind of album you bought and played, waiting for its greatness to be revealed, and when it wasn't, you didn't play it a hell of a lot more.
Now the truth is the Stones have always been rough live, sans hard drives more of a bar band that eventually locks into the groove. But having said that, they're presently playing better than they ever have. Next time through you should go, because we are getting to the point where this could truly be the last time.
September 14, 1970
UNTITLED
The Byrds
Great reviews, but Crosby was gone and was part of the CSNY juggernaut and Gene Clark and Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman were gone too. This was more of a Roger McGuinn solo album. But the band did feature Clarence White, whom insiders knew, but was only truly appreciated after his tragic death.
However, this is the album that contains "Chestnut Mare."
Yet only one person in my dorm owned this two LP set and we can say that ultimately McGuinn and the Byrds had trouble transitioning from the sixties into the seventies.
September 18, 1970
KILN HOUSE
Fleetwood Mac
The first post Peter Green album. They were a cult item in the U.S. but you did hear "Station Man" on the radio, and I always loved it.
Of course "Station Man"'s magic was enhanced by Christine McVie's vocal, even though she was not yet an official member of the group.
Fleetwood Mac built up a presence, especially with "Heroes Are Hard to Find," but no one would be talking about them today if the group didn't reconstitute itself with Stevie and Lindsey thereafter.
September 18, 1970
PARANOID
Black Sabbath
At the time the band was considered sludge rubbish by the cognoscenti and didn't get much radio play. This was a band that was ultimately built by the fans, who heard the music and spread the word. But at this point, the word had not spread too far. It wasn't like the band didn't exist, you were aware that "Paranoid" had come out, but all the critics, who still had power, especially in a world where you had limited funds and could not hear most records without buying them, said no and most abstained, at this point anyway.
September 19, 1970
PERFORMANCE
I bought this soundtrack LP for "Memo from Turner," featuring Ry Cooder's slide.
That's how it was back then, certain tracks were rare and you bought the albums to be able to hear them.
As good as "Memo from Turner" was and still is...the rest of the album didn't require more than one or two listens.
September 19, 1970
AFTER THE GOLD RUSH
Neil Young
I bought it the day it came out because that's how much I loved the highlights of "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere," most especially "Down by the River."
But "After the Gold Rush" was different. More subtle.
The country affect of "Tell Me Why"...most rock listeners had not cottoned to this sound, despite "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" and the Burritos...but they dropped the needle on the first side and came to know it.
When Neil sang "the 1970s" in the title track it was akin to an act naming your hometown from the stage. You have no idea of the weirdness of 1970. Never mind Kent State, this was a new decade. The sixties were over. What did the future portend? Turned out a licking of one's wounds and a return to the land, and this album was a perfect soundtrack for that.
No one ever talks about the brief side closers, "Till the Morning Comes" and "Cripple Creek Ferry," but they are killers.
But my favorite track was second on the second side, "Don't Let It Bring You Down," fantastic.
But really, as time went by, what I played most came two tracks later, "When You Dance I Can Really Love," which truly rocked. The antithesis of the mellowness of so much of the album.
I vacillate between saying the debut or "After the Gold Rush" is better. "After the Gold Rush" is more consistent, but the intro of "Emperor of Wyoming" sets the debut in its own environment, far from the city. And then comes "The Loner" and "I've Been Waiting for You"...FOR SUCH A LONG TIME! And you have no idea what it was like to hear "The Last Trip to Tulsa" on underground FM radio for the very first time.
P.S. As big as "Southern Man" was, it truly became legendary when Lynyrd Skynyrd referenced it in "Sweet Home Alabama."
September 23, 1970
ABRAXAS
Santana
Eagerly anticipated after the Woodstock movie, this album was a huge seller and is still the best thing Santana has ever done. Most people did not know that the single "Black Magic Woman" was originally a Fleetwood Mac song, and the cover of "Oye Cómo Va" is definitive, but really it's the quieter numbers that create such a unique listening experience, like the opener "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" and "Incident at Neshabur." Having said that, my favorite tracks are those of Gregg Rolie on the second side, most especially "Mother's Daughter" and "Hope You're Feeling Better." "Abraxas" truly stands the test of time.
September 23, 1970
IDLEWILD SOUTH
The Allman Brothers
Almost no one knew who the Allman Brothers were unless they'd seen them live. The original album is great, but it suffered from Adrian Barber's production, it lacked a certain zing. However, the debut did contain "Trouble No More" and "Dreams" and the original five minute version of "Whipping Post."
If you heard "Idlewild South" on the radio at all, they played the cheery opening track, "Revival," which truly wasn't representative of the rest of the album, never mind the band. "Idlewild South" started to gain traction at the end of 1970 into the beginning of 1971, once you heard "Midnight Rider" and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" you were a fan. As for everybody else...
Bill Graham made the Allmans the closing act at the Fillmore East, which is like...I can't think of an adequate comparison. A band that plays theatres at best getting the best slot. And then came "Fillmore East" in the summer. But really, most people, the average citizen, didn't get into the Allman Brothers until "Brothers and Sisters" and "Ramblin' Man."
As for the title... The airport had been called Kennedy for years by this point, the use of "Idlewild" was retro and notable.
P.S. In 1973, after the Allmans had left their mark, Atlantic released "Beginnings," comprised of the two initial albums, that's how much they were ignored/unknown. But I didn't realize until this very moment that Tom Dowd remixed the debut for this package.
September 25, 1970
BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES
Ringo Starr
A ton of press, you'd see it in the bins, but I don't know a single person who bought it. To this day I'm not sure I've heard it.
September 25, 1970
MAD SHADOWS
Mott the Hoople
All the hype was about the first album and its instrumental cover of "You Really Got Me." When that failed commercially, the following three albums, which are viewed positively today might as well not have come out...did you know anybody who purchased them when they were released?
September 30, 1970
JOHNNY WINTER AND
Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter had tons of hype and the public didn't buy it. There was not a specific track that drew people in and... It's hard to perceive the era if you weren't there. Music dominated the culture, press was important, you could hype something but that did not mean it sold. But after two Columbia albums, Johnny Winter formed a band with Rick Derringer, who brought along "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo," which the public could understand with one listen, which they got, because radio played it consistently. Johnny didn't return to his blues roots fully until later, after a few hit rock albums.
September 30, 1970
RUNT
Todd Rundgren
A veritable unknown, Todd was the mastermind behind Nazz, but although he wrote the songs, it was Stewkey who sang the slowed down original version of "Hello It's Me."
After the failure of that band Todd began a career behind the console and ultimately showed up as the engineer of the Band's third album, "Stage Fright," which was astounding if you were a fan.
Managed by Albert Grossman, Todd got the right to record a solo album. However, Grossman's label Bearsville was distributed by Ampex, which felt it could diversify into the record business. Ultimately it couldn't. In time Bearsville made a deal with Warner Bros., but before that Todd put out two LPs with Ampex and they were almost universally unavailable. In fact, you couldn't truly buy them until they were dumped as cut-outs when Ampex failed. Which is how I bought this album and the second, "The Ballad of Todd Rundgren," which to this day most people have never heard, even though it is Todd's best work.
As for Todd's solo debut...
There were two versions and the whole thing was an abortion. However, "Runt" did contain "We Gotta Get You a Woman." Despite the rewriting of history, the truth was "We Gotta Get You a Woman," despite being a fantastic track, was not anywhere close to a hit, you were lucky if you even heard it on the radio once.
As for the rest of the album? More than listenable, some quasi-memorable tracks, but the sound was thin and the stuff that came out thereafter was far superior. But if you're interested in the history, where Todd came from...
Meanwhile, we couldn't believe that Soupy Sales's kids were the rhythm section, we thought they were a joke, this legitimized them.
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September 4, 1970
GET YER YA-YA'S OUT!
The Rolling Stones
Incredible reviews, a disappointing listen.
"Live at Leeds" came out earlier in the year and was instantly labeled the greatest live album ever...assuming you don't care about crowd noise, because there was none. You got plenty of crowd noise on "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out," but what was surprising was how rough the band was.
The Stones were mostly seen as a singles act prior to "Beggars Banquet." But even though that album contains "Sympathy for the Devil," there was such a bad taste in the public's mouth after "Their Satanic Majesties Request" that there was not instant mass adoption of what was considered a masterpiece then and now. Furthermore, it was earthy as opposed to in your face, as if the Stones had licked their wounds and were making an album for themselves, in a studio cut off from the world of stardom.
HOWEVER, "Let It Bleed" began the sales juggernaut. There were no singles, but if you purchased the album you were wowed. It was slick where "Beggars Banquet" was rough. But as big as it was... Not every ticket was sold for the fall '69 tour of America. The mania didn't really start until the spring of '71, when "Sticky Fingers" came out and "Brown Sugar" was ubiquitous. But in between those two albums we got this live LP.
Now at this point, there's an extended version with a ton more tracks available on streaming services. But if you focus on the original ten cuts...it's the two Chuck Berry covers that stick out, most especially "Carol," however "Little Queenie" is pretty good. There's a cool descending riff in the instrumental section of "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Honky Tonk Women" was okay, but this was the kind of album you bought and played, waiting for its greatness to be revealed, and when it wasn't, you didn't play it a hell of a lot more.
Now the truth is the Stones have always been rough live, sans hard drives more of a bar band that eventually locks into the groove. But having said that, they're presently playing better than they ever have. Next time through you should go, because we are getting to the point where this could truly be the last time.
September 14, 1970
UNTITLED
The Byrds
Great reviews, but Crosby was gone and was part of the CSNY juggernaut and Gene Clark and Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman were gone too. This was more of a Roger McGuinn solo album. But the band did feature Clarence White, whom insiders knew, but was only truly appreciated after his tragic death.
However, this is the album that contains "Chestnut Mare."
Yet only one person in my dorm owned this two LP set and we can say that ultimately McGuinn and the Byrds had trouble transitioning from the sixties into the seventies.
September 18, 1970
KILN HOUSE
Fleetwood Mac
The first post Peter Green album. They were a cult item in the U.S. but you did hear "Station Man" on the radio, and I always loved it.
Of course "Station Man"'s magic was enhanced by Christine McVie's vocal, even though she was not yet an official member of the group.
Fleetwood Mac built up a presence, especially with "Heroes Are Hard to Find," but no one would be talking about them today if the group didn't reconstitute itself with Stevie and Lindsey thereafter.
September 18, 1970
PARANOID
Black Sabbath
At the time the band was considered sludge rubbish by the cognoscenti and didn't get much radio play. This was a band that was ultimately built by the fans, who heard the music and spread the word. But at this point, the word had not spread too far. It wasn't like the band didn't exist, you were aware that "Paranoid" had come out, but all the critics, who still had power, especially in a world where you had limited funds and could not hear most records without buying them, said no and most abstained, at this point anyway.
September 19, 1970
PERFORMANCE
I bought this soundtrack LP for "Memo from Turner," featuring Ry Cooder's slide.
That's how it was back then, certain tracks were rare and you bought the albums to be able to hear them.
As good as "Memo from Turner" was and still is...the rest of the album didn't require more than one or two listens.
September 19, 1970
AFTER THE GOLD RUSH
Neil Young
I bought it the day it came out because that's how much I loved the highlights of "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere," most especially "Down by the River."
But "After the Gold Rush" was different. More subtle.
The country affect of "Tell Me Why"...most rock listeners had not cottoned to this sound, despite "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" and the Burritos...but they dropped the needle on the first side and came to know it.
When Neil sang "the 1970s" in the title track it was akin to an act naming your hometown from the stage. You have no idea of the weirdness of 1970. Never mind Kent State, this was a new decade. The sixties were over. What did the future portend? Turned out a licking of one's wounds and a return to the land, and this album was a perfect soundtrack for that.
No one ever talks about the brief side closers, "Till the Morning Comes" and "Cripple Creek Ferry," but they are killers.
But my favorite track was second on the second side, "Don't Let It Bring You Down," fantastic.
But really, as time went by, what I played most came two tracks later, "When You Dance I Can Really Love," which truly rocked. The antithesis of the mellowness of so much of the album.
I vacillate between saying the debut or "After the Gold Rush" is better. "After the Gold Rush" is more consistent, but the intro of "Emperor of Wyoming" sets the debut in its own environment, far from the city. And then comes "The Loner" and "I've Been Waiting for You"...FOR SUCH A LONG TIME! And you have no idea what it was like to hear "The Last Trip to Tulsa" on underground FM radio for the very first time.
P.S. As big as "Southern Man" was, it truly became legendary when Lynyrd Skynyrd referenced it in "Sweet Home Alabama."
September 23, 1970
ABRAXAS
Santana
Eagerly anticipated after the Woodstock movie, this album was a huge seller and is still the best thing Santana has ever done. Most people did not know that the single "Black Magic Woman" was originally a Fleetwood Mac song, and the cover of "Oye Cómo Va" is definitive, but really it's the quieter numbers that create such a unique listening experience, like the opener "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" and "Incident at Neshabur." Having said that, my favorite tracks are those of Gregg Rolie on the second side, most especially "Mother's Daughter" and "Hope You're Feeling Better." "Abraxas" truly stands the test of time.
September 23, 1970
IDLEWILD SOUTH
The Allman Brothers
Almost no one knew who the Allman Brothers were unless they'd seen them live. The original album is great, but it suffered from Adrian Barber's production, it lacked a certain zing. However, the debut did contain "Trouble No More" and "Dreams" and the original five minute version of "Whipping Post."
If you heard "Idlewild South" on the radio at all, they played the cheery opening track, "Revival," which truly wasn't representative of the rest of the album, never mind the band. "Idlewild South" started to gain traction at the end of 1970 into the beginning of 1971, once you heard "Midnight Rider" and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" you were a fan. As for everybody else...
Bill Graham made the Allmans the closing act at the Fillmore East, which is like...I can't think of an adequate comparison. A band that plays theatres at best getting the best slot. And then came "Fillmore East" in the summer. But really, most people, the average citizen, didn't get into the Allman Brothers until "Brothers and Sisters" and "Ramblin' Man."
As for the title... The airport had been called Kennedy for years by this point, the use of "Idlewild" was retro and notable.
P.S. In 1973, after the Allmans had left their mark, Atlantic released "Beginnings," comprised of the two initial albums, that's how much they were ignored/unknown. But I didn't realize until this very moment that Tom Dowd remixed the debut for this package.
September 25, 1970
BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES
Ringo Starr
A ton of press, you'd see it in the bins, but I don't know a single person who bought it. To this day I'm not sure I've heard it.
September 25, 1970
MAD SHADOWS
Mott the Hoople
All the hype was about the first album and its instrumental cover of "You Really Got Me." When that failed commercially, the following three albums, which are viewed positively today might as well not have come out...did you know anybody who purchased them when they were released?
September 30, 1970
JOHNNY WINTER AND
Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter had tons of hype and the public didn't buy it. There was not a specific track that drew people in and... It's hard to perceive the era if you weren't there. Music dominated the culture, press was important, you could hype something but that did not mean it sold. But after two Columbia albums, Johnny Winter formed a band with Rick Derringer, who brought along "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo," which the public could understand with one listen, which they got, because radio played it consistently. Johnny didn't return to his blues roots fully until later, after a few hit rock albums.
September 30, 1970
RUNT
Todd Rundgren
A veritable unknown, Todd was the mastermind behind Nazz, but although he wrote the songs, it was Stewkey who sang the slowed down original version of "Hello It's Me."
After the failure of that band Todd began a career behind the console and ultimately showed up as the engineer of the Band's third album, "Stage Fright," which was astounding if you were a fan.
Managed by Albert Grossman, Todd got the right to record a solo album. However, Grossman's label Bearsville was distributed by Ampex, which felt it could diversify into the record business. Ultimately it couldn't. In time Bearsville made a deal with Warner Bros., but before that Todd put out two LPs with Ampex and they were almost universally unavailable. In fact, you couldn't truly buy them until they were dumped as cut-outs when Ampex failed. Which is how I bought this album and the second, "The Ballad of Todd Rundgren," which to this day most people have never heard, even though it is Todd's best work.
As for Todd's solo debut...
There were two versions and the whole thing was an abortion. However, "Runt" did contain "We Gotta Get You a Woman." Despite the rewriting of history, the truth was "We Gotta Get You a Woman," despite being a fantastic track, was not anywhere close to a hit, you were lucky if you even heard it on the radio once.
As for the rest of the album? More than listenable, some quasi-memorable tracks, but the sound was thin and the stuff that came out thereafter was far superior. But if you're interested in the history, where Todd came from...
Meanwhile, we couldn't believe that Soupy Sales's kids were the rhythm section, we thought they were a joke, this legitimized them.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
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-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Tuesday, 2 September 2025
Spotify Top Albums
"KPop Demon Hunters" is #1 on both the Global and USA charts.
However, Bad Bunny's "DeBi TiRAR Más FOToS" is #2 globally, but only #8 in the USA.
Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem" is #2 in the USA and #5 globally. Used to be that American country music didn't translate overseas, this is no longer true. However, Wallen is the only country artist in either Top 50, so...maybe he's just a phenomenon, an outlier, but what a success!
Lauvey's ""A Matter of Time" is #17 globally, but #3 in the USA. This is astounding, not only because Lauvey is Icelandic, but Laufey has only had two songs on the American chart, and both were Christmas tunes and one went to #89 and the other to #56. Then again, in truth this album just came out on August 22nd. But it has not been forgotten by listeners. They didn't check it out and move on, they continued to listen. This is akin to the old days, the truly old days, the sixties and seventies, when an artist who didn't sound like anybody else could carve out their own niche. And the funny thing is it's not even on a major label, it was released by AWAL...then again, at this point AWAL is part of Sony.
Deftones' "private music" is #46 globally and #14 domestically. Pretty amazing for a band whose first album came out THIRTY YEARS AGO! Sure, the album came out on August 22nd, but the band is playing stadiums and very occasionally an act would have a hit single years later, but usually with the help of a current artist, and it was usually just about the single, the album did not sell in prodigious numbers. Would Deftones be as big if it weren't for the internet, where all their music is available 24/7 around the world, able to be discovered and played by new fans? This proves you don't need Spotify Top 50 hits to be a successful artist. Furthermore, "private music" sounds nothing like anything in the Spotify Top 50. Everybody's chasing hits yet here a career act with hard core fans is triumphing doing it their own way.
Noah Kahan's "Stick Season" is #13 domestically, even though it came out in 2022! This would be impossible in the old days. Once radio stopped playing the singles, the album stopped selling. But people love Kahan and keep streaming his music and this is what new acts have to compete with, stars with established fan bases. Best to start off slow and find your way with authentic music and hope to get lucky as time goes by than polish a written by committee single that might stream but doesn't generate a dedicated fan base. Furthermore, the lyrics of "Stick Season" are personal and not always positive. Kahan is breaking all the rules and continuing to triumph.
Billie Eilish's "Hit Me Hard and Soft" is #6 globally and #23 domestically. Are streams higher internationally because she was on tour over there? Tours drive streams.
Beéle's "BORONDO" is #7 internationally. He doesn't chart domestically. He's Colombian. Not only is Latin music a big market, it's bigger than ever because it can be listened to with a click around the world.
Fuerza Regida may have a Spanish name, but they're from San Bernardino. Their album "111xpantia" is #10 internationally. And this does not represent the burst of streams of a recent release, this album came out on May 2nd, it's got staying power. The album is #30 in the U.S.
"Mi Vida Mi Muerte" by Neton Vega is #21 internationally. He's a Mexican artist, but he's playing as far north as Jones Beach. The same album is #41 domestically.
Mexican artist Junior H's "$ad Boyz 4 Life II" is #28 internationally and #42 domestically.
No one may want Katy Perry's new albums, but 2012's "Teenage Dream" is #40 internationally, it's not on the USA chart. Katy did four Mexican dates in April and two Australian dates at the beginning of June... So international touring is not driving these streams.
Mexican rapper Tito Double P's "Incómodo" is #43 internationally. It doesn't chart in the Top 50 domestically. The music is released by the Orchard via Sony.
Mexican urban music star Victor Mendivil's "Tutankamon" is #45 internationally, it's not in the domestic Top 50. He has no Wikipedia page. The music is distributed via Downtown...and you wonder why the majors are buying up the indie distributors...they're the ones with all the breaking talent! The majors can't find new hit music, never mind sign it and promote it. They rely on people who are in the weeds, who make deals that are far from rich.
Morgan Wallen's 2023 album "One Thing at a Time" is #9 domestically. Wallen has two albums in the Top Ten, Taylor Swift only one, #6's "Tortured Poets Department." However, "Folklore" is #15, "Lover" is #26, "Midnights" is #35 and "reputation" is #36. Morgan Wallen's "Dangerous: The Double Album" is #20.
"Hamilton" is #22 domestically. I guess it doesn't translate overseas. However, one must note the album came out TEN YEARS AGO!
"Rumours" is #19 domestically and #33 internationally.
Arctic Monkeys' "AM" is #22 internationally. It came out in 2013. In the days of physical retail, most stores would not have even stocked it. But today, the great records of the past never die.
Christian artist Forrest Frank's 2024 album "Child of God" is #47. It came out in 2024, "Child of God II" came out in May. Both are distributed by Warner.
Hozier's 2014 self-titled debut is #34 domestically. Welcome to the modern world where your original work can overshadow your newer music.
The Marías 2024 album "Submarine" is #25 domestically. They sing in English and Spanish, as for the style of music...can I say it's all over the place? (In a good way!) This is on Atlantic, but the contract pre-dates Elliott Grainge's tenure. The deal is through producer Ricky Reed's Nice Life, which also has Lizzo and Pussy Riot as well as Tinashe, but the latter is distributed by RCA.
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However, Bad Bunny's "DeBi TiRAR Más FOToS" is #2 globally, but only #8 in the USA.
Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem" is #2 in the USA and #5 globally. Used to be that American country music didn't translate overseas, this is no longer true. However, Wallen is the only country artist in either Top 50, so...maybe he's just a phenomenon, an outlier, but what a success!
Lauvey's ""A Matter of Time" is #17 globally, but #3 in the USA. This is astounding, not only because Lauvey is Icelandic, but Laufey has only had two songs on the American chart, and both were Christmas tunes and one went to #89 and the other to #56. Then again, in truth this album just came out on August 22nd. But it has not been forgotten by listeners. They didn't check it out and move on, they continued to listen. This is akin to the old days, the truly old days, the sixties and seventies, when an artist who didn't sound like anybody else could carve out their own niche. And the funny thing is it's not even on a major label, it was released by AWAL...then again, at this point AWAL is part of Sony.
Deftones' "private music" is #46 globally and #14 domestically. Pretty amazing for a band whose first album came out THIRTY YEARS AGO! Sure, the album came out on August 22nd, but the band is playing stadiums and very occasionally an act would have a hit single years later, but usually with the help of a current artist, and it was usually just about the single, the album did not sell in prodigious numbers. Would Deftones be as big if it weren't for the internet, where all their music is available 24/7 around the world, able to be discovered and played by new fans? This proves you don't need Spotify Top 50 hits to be a successful artist. Furthermore, "private music" sounds nothing like anything in the Spotify Top 50. Everybody's chasing hits yet here a career act with hard core fans is triumphing doing it their own way.
Noah Kahan's "Stick Season" is #13 domestically, even though it came out in 2022! This would be impossible in the old days. Once radio stopped playing the singles, the album stopped selling. But people love Kahan and keep streaming his music and this is what new acts have to compete with, stars with established fan bases. Best to start off slow and find your way with authentic music and hope to get lucky as time goes by than polish a written by committee single that might stream but doesn't generate a dedicated fan base. Furthermore, the lyrics of "Stick Season" are personal and not always positive. Kahan is breaking all the rules and continuing to triumph.
Billie Eilish's "Hit Me Hard and Soft" is #6 globally and #23 domestically. Are streams higher internationally because she was on tour over there? Tours drive streams.
Beéle's "BORONDO" is #7 internationally. He doesn't chart domestically. He's Colombian. Not only is Latin music a big market, it's bigger than ever because it can be listened to with a click around the world.
Fuerza Regida may have a Spanish name, but they're from San Bernardino. Their album "111xpantia" is #10 internationally. And this does not represent the burst of streams of a recent release, this album came out on May 2nd, it's got staying power. The album is #30 in the U.S.
"Mi Vida Mi Muerte" by Neton Vega is #21 internationally. He's a Mexican artist, but he's playing as far north as Jones Beach. The same album is #41 domestically.
Mexican artist Junior H's "$ad Boyz 4 Life II" is #28 internationally and #42 domestically.
No one may want Katy Perry's new albums, but 2012's "Teenage Dream" is #40 internationally, it's not on the USA chart. Katy did four Mexican dates in April and two Australian dates at the beginning of June... So international touring is not driving these streams.
Mexican rapper Tito Double P's "Incómodo" is #43 internationally. It doesn't chart in the Top 50 domestically. The music is released by the Orchard via Sony.
Mexican urban music star Victor Mendivil's "Tutankamon" is #45 internationally, it's not in the domestic Top 50. He has no Wikipedia page. The music is distributed via Downtown...and you wonder why the majors are buying up the indie distributors...they're the ones with all the breaking talent! The majors can't find new hit music, never mind sign it and promote it. They rely on people who are in the weeds, who make deals that are far from rich.
Morgan Wallen's 2023 album "One Thing at a Time" is #9 domestically. Wallen has two albums in the Top Ten, Taylor Swift only one, #6's "Tortured Poets Department." However, "Folklore" is #15, "Lover" is #26, "Midnights" is #35 and "reputation" is #36. Morgan Wallen's "Dangerous: The Double Album" is #20.
"Hamilton" is #22 domestically. I guess it doesn't translate overseas. However, one must note the album came out TEN YEARS AGO!
"Rumours" is #19 domestically and #33 internationally.
Arctic Monkeys' "AM" is #22 internationally. It came out in 2013. In the days of physical retail, most stores would not have even stocked it. But today, the great records of the past never die.
Christian artist Forrest Frank's 2024 album "Child of God" is #47. It came out in 2024, "Child of God II" came out in May. Both are distributed by Warner.
Hozier's 2014 self-titled debut is #34 domestically. Welcome to the modern world where your original work can overshadow your newer music.
The Marías 2024 album "Submarine" is #25 domestically. They sing in English and Spanish, as for the style of music...can I say it's all over the place? (In a good way!) This is on Atlantic, but the contract pre-dates Elliott Grainge's tenure. The deal is through producer Ricky Reed's Nice Life, which also has Lizzo and Pussy Riot as well as Tinashe, but the latter is distributed by RCA.
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Monday, 1 September 2025
Distribution
Is everything. If you can't buy it, it doesn't matter how good it is.
I bought something on Amazon. My usual seller was out, so I opted for a competitor and when the merchandise arrived, the packaging was different. And in this case the packaging is key. So I decided to return it. Which is easy, you go online, click a few boxes drop it off at Whole Foods and...
Before I left the house I decided to do some research. Turns out they don't make that packaging anymore. Now this is interesting. One person complained and an entire industry redid its packaging to make it less convenient, people are going crazy online. But in this case, I'm expecting a change in the future, because we now live in Trump's America. He's alienating our allies, RFJ, Jr. is making the nation unsafe, but I've got to give him credit, he's getting rid of B.S. Stuff that makes no sense. That is adjusted for a small minority instead of the vast majority.
So then I decided to go on a mission. To CVS. The internet told me they still had the old packaging. And if they did I could go to multiple CVS's and buy up enough inventory to carry me through to the point when the law is changed and the industry goes back to the old packaging.
I never go to a retail store. It's the world's worst experience.
This is what I don't understand about oldsters, they cling to the past when it's history. Today everything is about CONVENIENCE! Youngsters know this. They want what they want and they want it NOW! And any friction in the works is not only frustrating, they refuse to participate.
Like the movie business. Theatrical is never coming back. This year's summer gross was essentially flat, down just a bit, never mind the inflated prices. It's a bad proposition. I've got to leave my house and bake in enough time for parking and ticket buying to make sure I get there when the movie starts. And having done this, I then have to sit and watch endless trailers/commercials... I'm PAYING, why are you insulting your best customers?
Then again, I can't remember the last time I went to the movies.
So I drive down to CVS and...
Everything you've heard is true. Everything valuable is locked in a case. But it's worse than that, THEY NEVER HAVE WHAT YOU WANT!
And they didn't. But I had to pick up a prescription for Felice. So I got into line and...
This very large woman was talking on her cellphone on speaker. Is this a new thing? I was at the hospital waiting for an infusion and the woman next to me was doing this. I asked her to hold the phone to her ear and you'd think I'd asked for a kidney. Can I at least have a modicum of peace and quiet?
And then when I was next in line, the previous customer decided to reorganize her purse before sacrificing the window. I ultimately asked her to move. I know, I know, bad behavior. But I've got places to go and people to see.
That's what nobody talks about, we got all this time back during lockdown/Covid and we don't want to give it back. Medical appointments are virtual. We have more time to work and we don't want to sacrifice it. Don't love your work? I feel sorry for you.
As for what I was looking for, I was SOL. That old packaging was history, not to be found.
So then I drove to another CVS. The layout was different. I started looking for the item and when I didn't find it soon I looked for help. THERE WAS NONE! This is the physical retail experience we're supposed to adore and pay for? Utterly ridiculous.
I ultimately found where the item I wanted was shelved and they were out of both the new packaging and the old, it was like someone had ransacked the place.
Meanwhile, it's a zillion degrees out. The A/C in my car works well, but I was driving in the hills yesterday and the thermometer in the dash said 102 and... In the old days, my 2002 couldn't handle it. The temperature gauge would start to rise and then not only did you have to turn off the A/C, you had to turn on the heat to cool down the engine.
But not only is it hot, the light is different. It's September 1st. Back to school, but the hottest days in L.A. are not in June and July, but the end of August and September.
So I ultimately decided to punt and make the new packaging work, what option did I have, and I thought how great Amazon was.
HUH? AMAZON'S THE DEVIL!
This makes me insane, people fighting convenience. Like Spotify. All of the world's music at your fingertips and you can take it anywhere? Why in the hell would you want physical product?
Not that Amazon is perfect. You run the gauntlet every time you try to buy something. You've got to sift through the ads. I mean give me a break, it's a horrible experience, can you get rid of these?
But if you've got Prime, and I don't know how you cannot, the item usually comes the next day, if not the SAME DAY!
But it's better than that, they have EVERYTHING! Every product, every size, at if not the lowest price, close to it. You find it, you click on it and it arrives. What could be better?
But NO, the same people protesting in the street believing that anybody is paying attention think if they just don't buy from Amazon...
This is a failed strategy, because the service is so good and there's not a real alternative. They stopped drinking Bud Light, but that did not mean they stopped drinking beer!
And now my inbox is going to go wild with the Trumpers. I've got to ask you... These companies that left China for India, now that's not an option. The doors are closing on our society minute by minute, all in the name of AMERICA FIRST! It reminds me of that old Harold Lloyd movie, AMERICA LAST! Actions have consequences.
Never mind the fact that homicides are greater in red cities yet the military goes to blue ones.
But the truth doesn't matter.
You're supposed to be courteous when everybody feels entitled. Drives me nuts.
This is the world we live in. Who is happy?
That's what it comes down to. The friction in society is rampant and we keep hearing from oldsters, who hold the reins, that we should adhere to the old ways because they're better. HUH? Where in the hell is that the truth?
I've got no time for Jeff Bezos, but if you're buying a retail item...why in the hell would you go to a physical outlet? There's no help and they don't have what you're looking for. And the solution for most retailers is to cut, cut, cut and make the experience WORSE!
This is how the "New York Times" ended up owning national news. They refused to circle the drain. And they added Wirecutter and the Athletic and games and cooking and...
So you don't like the "Times"... That's not the point!
Everybody in America is so tribal that they can't pull back and see the forest for the trees.
Meanwhile, "Consumer Reports" thought it owned the sphere and now Wirecutter is stealing the old outlet's thunder. How? Constant reviews! Not once a month, but consistently. To the point where that's where you go.
Disruption is not done. And it won't be done until the Boomers and Gen-X'ers invested in the old ways retire and die off. They can't get over how things used to be. And some of the old things were better, but on the whole the new stuff is far superior.
If I hear one more person complaining about chatbots causing suicide... Yeah, these were well-adjusted people who just got pulled into a hole. If you believe that, you're delusional. Just like if you believe AI is going to dominate in the future you're not using it. The hallucinations/mistakes are SO bad as to make the answers unreliable.
But then there are people turning off Google AI because copyright holders are not being paid. This is just like the Amazon protesters. The truth is that in many cases, AI search is good enough, has made the search experience much better. When I need tech help it gives me just enough to get by. If I have to get names and locations right I go deeper, but a lot of search doesn't require anything deeper.
We live in meme-world and the truth becomes irrelevant, and it's not only politics. Like the dotcom era. You could deliver a Fudgsicle for free? Can we employ a little common sense?
You want to see the present, never mind the future, start with convenience. If there's an easier way to do it, that's how the flow is gonna go. And sure, make sure exactly who you're Zelling money to, but those afraid to cough up their credit cards online because of potential fraud are the same ones still writing paper checks, which are RAMPANT with fraud.
But it doesn't feel that way. This is the world we now live in, emotions are king, facts are irrelevant.
And then there are the endless complaints. Spotify is ripping off artists, Vail Resorts is ripping off skiers. Skiing has never been cheaper. It's astoundingly cheap. But you've got to hate on the big boy...
Which is why I stay home so much. Because you interact with the public and you want to tear your hair out.
And I haven't got much left!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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I bought something on Amazon. My usual seller was out, so I opted for a competitor and when the merchandise arrived, the packaging was different. And in this case the packaging is key. So I decided to return it. Which is easy, you go online, click a few boxes drop it off at Whole Foods and...
Before I left the house I decided to do some research. Turns out they don't make that packaging anymore. Now this is interesting. One person complained and an entire industry redid its packaging to make it less convenient, people are going crazy online. But in this case, I'm expecting a change in the future, because we now live in Trump's America. He's alienating our allies, RFJ, Jr. is making the nation unsafe, but I've got to give him credit, he's getting rid of B.S. Stuff that makes no sense. That is adjusted for a small minority instead of the vast majority.
So then I decided to go on a mission. To CVS. The internet told me they still had the old packaging. And if they did I could go to multiple CVS's and buy up enough inventory to carry me through to the point when the law is changed and the industry goes back to the old packaging.
I never go to a retail store. It's the world's worst experience.
This is what I don't understand about oldsters, they cling to the past when it's history. Today everything is about CONVENIENCE! Youngsters know this. They want what they want and they want it NOW! And any friction in the works is not only frustrating, they refuse to participate.
Like the movie business. Theatrical is never coming back. This year's summer gross was essentially flat, down just a bit, never mind the inflated prices. It's a bad proposition. I've got to leave my house and bake in enough time for parking and ticket buying to make sure I get there when the movie starts. And having done this, I then have to sit and watch endless trailers/commercials... I'm PAYING, why are you insulting your best customers?
Then again, I can't remember the last time I went to the movies.
So I drive down to CVS and...
Everything you've heard is true. Everything valuable is locked in a case. But it's worse than that, THEY NEVER HAVE WHAT YOU WANT!
And they didn't. But I had to pick up a prescription for Felice. So I got into line and...
This very large woman was talking on her cellphone on speaker. Is this a new thing? I was at the hospital waiting for an infusion and the woman next to me was doing this. I asked her to hold the phone to her ear and you'd think I'd asked for a kidney. Can I at least have a modicum of peace and quiet?
And then when I was next in line, the previous customer decided to reorganize her purse before sacrificing the window. I ultimately asked her to move. I know, I know, bad behavior. But I've got places to go and people to see.
That's what nobody talks about, we got all this time back during lockdown/Covid and we don't want to give it back. Medical appointments are virtual. We have more time to work and we don't want to sacrifice it. Don't love your work? I feel sorry for you.
As for what I was looking for, I was SOL. That old packaging was history, not to be found.
So then I drove to another CVS. The layout was different. I started looking for the item and when I didn't find it soon I looked for help. THERE WAS NONE! This is the physical retail experience we're supposed to adore and pay for? Utterly ridiculous.
I ultimately found where the item I wanted was shelved and they were out of both the new packaging and the old, it was like someone had ransacked the place.
Meanwhile, it's a zillion degrees out. The A/C in my car works well, but I was driving in the hills yesterday and the thermometer in the dash said 102 and... In the old days, my 2002 couldn't handle it. The temperature gauge would start to rise and then not only did you have to turn off the A/C, you had to turn on the heat to cool down the engine.
But not only is it hot, the light is different. It's September 1st. Back to school, but the hottest days in L.A. are not in June and July, but the end of August and September.
So I ultimately decided to punt and make the new packaging work, what option did I have, and I thought how great Amazon was.
HUH? AMAZON'S THE DEVIL!
This makes me insane, people fighting convenience. Like Spotify. All of the world's music at your fingertips and you can take it anywhere? Why in the hell would you want physical product?
Not that Amazon is perfect. You run the gauntlet every time you try to buy something. You've got to sift through the ads. I mean give me a break, it's a horrible experience, can you get rid of these?
But if you've got Prime, and I don't know how you cannot, the item usually comes the next day, if not the SAME DAY!
But it's better than that, they have EVERYTHING! Every product, every size, at if not the lowest price, close to it. You find it, you click on it and it arrives. What could be better?
But NO, the same people protesting in the street believing that anybody is paying attention think if they just don't buy from Amazon...
This is a failed strategy, because the service is so good and there's not a real alternative. They stopped drinking Bud Light, but that did not mean they stopped drinking beer!
And now my inbox is going to go wild with the Trumpers. I've got to ask you... These companies that left China for India, now that's not an option. The doors are closing on our society minute by minute, all in the name of AMERICA FIRST! It reminds me of that old Harold Lloyd movie, AMERICA LAST! Actions have consequences.
Never mind the fact that homicides are greater in red cities yet the military goes to blue ones.
But the truth doesn't matter.
You're supposed to be courteous when everybody feels entitled. Drives me nuts.
This is the world we live in. Who is happy?
That's what it comes down to. The friction in society is rampant and we keep hearing from oldsters, who hold the reins, that we should adhere to the old ways because they're better. HUH? Where in the hell is that the truth?
I've got no time for Jeff Bezos, but if you're buying a retail item...why in the hell would you go to a physical outlet? There's no help and they don't have what you're looking for. And the solution for most retailers is to cut, cut, cut and make the experience WORSE!
This is how the "New York Times" ended up owning national news. They refused to circle the drain. And they added Wirecutter and the Athletic and games and cooking and...
So you don't like the "Times"... That's not the point!
Everybody in America is so tribal that they can't pull back and see the forest for the trees.
Meanwhile, "Consumer Reports" thought it owned the sphere and now Wirecutter is stealing the old outlet's thunder. How? Constant reviews! Not once a month, but consistently. To the point where that's where you go.
Disruption is not done. And it won't be done until the Boomers and Gen-X'ers invested in the old ways retire and die off. They can't get over how things used to be. And some of the old things were better, but on the whole the new stuff is far superior.
If I hear one more person complaining about chatbots causing suicide... Yeah, these were well-adjusted people who just got pulled into a hole. If you believe that, you're delusional. Just like if you believe AI is going to dominate in the future you're not using it. The hallucinations/mistakes are SO bad as to make the answers unreliable.
But then there are people turning off Google AI because copyright holders are not being paid. This is just like the Amazon protesters. The truth is that in many cases, AI search is good enough, has made the search experience much better. When I need tech help it gives me just enough to get by. If I have to get names and locations right I go deeper, but a lot of search doesn't require anything deeper.
We live in meme-world and the truth becomes irrelevant, and it's not only politics. Like the dotcom era. You could deliver a Fudgsicle for free? Can we employ a little common sense?
You want to see the present, never mind the future, start with convenience. If there's an easier way to do it, that's how the flow is gonna go. And sure, make sure exactly who you're Zelling money to, but those afraid to cough up their credit cards online because of potential fraud are the same ones still writing paper checks, which are RAMPANT with fraud.
But it doesn't feel that way. This is the world we now live in, emotions are king, facts are irrelevant.
And then there are the endless complaints. Spotify is ripping off artists, Vail Resorts is ripping off skiers. Skiing has never been cheaper. It's astoundingly cheap. But you've got to hate on the big boy...
Which is why I stay home so much. Because you interact with the public and you want to tear your hair out.
And I haven't got much left!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
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KPop Demon Hunters
1
I watched it.
I've been flummoxed by the ticket sales for festivals headlined by pop acts. For a boomer who grew up on the Beatles and the ensuing classic rock, this is unfathomable. Pop was the enemy. No there there. We dug our teeth into "artists," people who honed their skills, wrote their own songs and testified about their lives. They broke apart musical structure, were all about exploration. It was a bonanza of styles. And in order to sell tickets in prodigious numbers you had to have this background and credibility, you could not be a construct of the man, you had to STAND FOR SOMETHING!
No more.
Now the music business is the hit business. And no one questions it.
Which is how it was before underground FM radio in the sixties, but we didn't really return to a pop world until MTV, which created a monoculture. And then younger generations had no frame of reference. If you grew up on Mariah Carey, what were the odds you were going to form a band like the Doors? Never mind Black Sabbath.
Now heavy metal/active rock has sustained by being off-center. It abhors the mainstream, for a long time the acts were anti-streaming. It's about the downtrodden expressing their anger. This is not Def Leppard produced by Mutt Lange creating earworms one step removed from the Beach Boys, nor even AC/DC and its thunderous riffs, no today's metal is more about the noise, the raw emotion, and if you don't have great vocal chops it doesn't matter. But this metal is a backwater. It cannot spread. Because if you too are not an angry outlier you cannot relate.
But at least there's a culture in today's metal.
Now the culture of classic rock was based on a clear dividing line between performer and audience. They were on stage, you were not. You yearned for access, which you could never attain. The band dripped out info, oftentimes cryptically, in interviews and news squibs. The image was one of a fabulous life of drugs and alcohol, women and sex. Didn't they call it "sex, drugs and rock and roll"? No more.
The rock acts wanted what the pop acts had. The exposure, the opportunities to sell out, the hits that generated cash and ticket sales. But in the process they sacrificed their credibility. With the spandex, etc. The rock acts became a joke. So we ended up living in a pop world 24/7. And even hip-hop merged with pop. It was about the hit. And even Huntrix in "KPop Demon Hunters" writes a diss track. This is the world we live in.
So at first I didn't understand "KPop Demon Hunters," the phenomenon. But if you watch the entire flick it becomes clear.
But one thing is evident straight from the start. They've pulled back the curtain on stardom, they assume the audience knows the game.
Like the private jet. Who knew what transpired on the seventies Starship, the jet the superstars leased. We believed drugs and debauchery, but we didn't really know. And then cellphone cameras came along and killed the rock lifestyle. Act badly and video would hit the internet. You had to pull your punches. Furthermore, mistreatment of women was a taboo... You had to be worried about public perception of your antics. But in "KPop Demon Hunters," like today's pop world, everything is right up front for you to see and pick apart. There is no mystery.
And the fans are more than bodies in the seats. They're active participants.
If you watch "KPop Demon Hunters," you're dying to go to a show. It's the best advertisement for live gigs I've ever seen. To be one of the screaming masses in the stadium, just to be there, part of the throng? THAT'S IT! A boomer will say you're too far away, they don't like being in a sea of humanity, but that's the attraction for young fans. That's the culture. Being at one with the act, bonding to them and believing in them.
This is the essence of KPop.
As for the music?
IT'S POP!
2
Now if you're aware of KPop, you know it's based on identity and story. Culture. It's much more than the music. The music is just the glue to keep the entire enterprise together. If you were conscious during Beatlemania, you know that everybody had their favorite Beatle. You did not have your favorite member of Led Zeppelin, that was something different. But you have you favorite member of a KPop act, who has a backstory, which they feed. Everything's on the table.
But not everybody cares. This is also genius. Rather than playing to everybody, they're playing to a niche, but that niche is huge and can sustain them. KPop is more palatable than today's metal, but it's not for everybody. But having said that, "KPop Demon Hunters" has some catchy songs.
Most specifically "Soda Pop." Give the creators credit, this is hooky. The hooks in the rock of yore were the riffs, other elements that wannabes are no longer able to create. Listen to those Beatle records, they were FULL of hooks. Bridges. All kinds of "tricks" to hook the audience.
And it's not only "Soda Pop," but "Golden" and "Your Idol" and...
In truth, this is not a new formula. Hit movie generates hit records. But with the internet we can see evidence of this success. It's right up front. At this very second, "KPop Demon Hunters" has four songs in the Spotify Top 50, and it would have more if Sabrina Carpenter hadn't just released her new album on Friday. Most of the Carpenter tracks will fade soon, some will sustain, but "KPop Demon Hunters"? It's an unending juggernaut. The song of the summer, assuming you believe in that lame construct, is "Golden," but the arbiters can't fathom this, they didn't watch the movie, how can it be so popular? And don't think it's only in the U.S. The Global Top 50 has FIVE "KPop Demon Hunters" songs. And Sabrina Carpenter is evident, but she doesn't dominate. For all the ink about Carpenter, the real money is in "KPop Demon Hunters," it's a true worldwide phenomenon, and we now exist in a global business, with streaming providing everything to everybody all over the world.
As for the music itself... Sure, it's cartoon characters, but one of the most surprising and fulfilling elements of the movie is when the curtain is pulled back after the action is over and they go to real life, showing the actual people recording the songs, singing their hearts out and having fun in a way too many front line performers are not. Everybody's so into their image, their brand, these are just women in a studio...
Soon to sell out stadiums, but that's another chapter. Yes, the tour is being baked right now.
3
So we've got the elements of modern society right up front, the essence of being a fan, and the music, but those are not enough to sustain a movie, to make it legendary.
Actually, I was watching it and didn't get it.
But then, there's a romance. Straight out of "Seventeen" magazine. If you're a young girl, it rings your bell. And although the animation is not up to Pixar levels, the love interests are beautiful and you get it. And the romantic thread plays throughout the rest of the movie.
And then there's the war between good and evil.
Let's be clear, these are Disney-type demons. Did you know the Mouse House has put out FOUR "Zombies" movies? Believe me, these are not the zombies from "Night of the Living Dead," never mind "The Walking Dead." They're just forces of evil. Like the demons in this film. They're bad, but they're not scary.
Now if you want to go deeper, you can talk about the theme of being your real self, and that's a factor, but really "KPop Demon Hunters" rests on the romance and the push and pull between good and bad. And those make a movie.
Yes, you've got a relatively traditional story laid on top of KPop. Once again, with everything up front and personal, nothing behind a curtain like in the classic rock days.
So where does this leave us?
Well, in music, the hit business is all pop. There is an alternative business, and it's pretty large, but it does not cross over, nor does most of it deserve to cross over, it's just not that good. It feeds the audience, the fans, but if you think Jesse Welles is going to be in the Spotify Top 50 you think that he's equal to Bob Dylan, and he's not anywhere near the Bobster's league. Dylan had many covers before he broke through on the radio with "Like a Rolling Stone." Unlike Welles, who's not for everybody, more of a one trick pony.
Sure, so much of today's hit country music is paint-by-numbers dreck. But not everybody in the Americana world deserves mass attention. Then again, Chris Stapleton is a superstar, illustrating that when you've got the goods, people know it and clamor to it. Then again, Stapleton is forty seven and writes and sings and plays.
And if you don't write your own material, you're inherently less believable. Of course there are exceptions, but this was the essence of classic rock, directly from the artist's heart into yours. Trying to ensure a hit, the labels have squeezed out this element, with covers and writing by committee and insisting on co-writers. You might end up with something catchy that is even a hit, but you won't end up with a classic. Like these tunes from "KPop Demon Hunters," they've got no lasting power, they're akin to New Kids on the Block. They're for now.
So...
4
Beatlemania, classic rock, are in the rearview mirror. Swiftmania is real, but it cannot hold a candle to Beatlemania, which affected the entire world, everybody...made people pick up guitars and also pick apart the music, whereas Swift's new album is made with Max Martin (and Shellback), who only needs an act to front the sound, he can create the hits all by his lonesome.
But this is what the audience expects. Which is why music is a second class citizen. Believe me, you want to go to the gig. Music will never die. But driving the culture? "KPop Demon Hunters" is a phenomenon, but it's not evidence of lasting culture, unless you consider KPop lasting culture, which is sub-Disney stuff at best.
There's plenty of money in this stuff, but don't try and convince us it matters, that it's great, that it speaks to underlying issues and changes hearts and minds. If anything, most people today seem to go to the show like lemmings. Brainless. There to see and dance to pop songs while they hang with their buddies and shoot selfies. Everybody in the business is congratulating themselves but there's no there there. I won't say it's equivalent to Kodak before digital photography, but the analogy applies. There's this belief that the public will be satiated by empty calories forever. Ariana Grande? A child star with a good voice? Even Ricky Nelson had more gravitas, never mind making better music.
Then again, it's easy to disrupt music, with the means of production and distribution in the hands of the proletariat. However, today's younger generations have no models, like we did in the classic rock era. And they want success right up front, when it comes slower than ever because of noise in the channel. Their goal is to become a brand. Whereas the acts of yore just wanted to make music, do drugs and get laid. They hoped there was money in it, but for so many when the mania was done there was none.
5
As for the movie...
This proves the power of Netflix. The business is caught up in data. Weekly grosses. Like the irrelevant "Billboard" charts, manipulated to satisfy the retro players. It's always been about mindshare. To really win you need everybody to partake, to see or listen. As for leaving money on the table... God, the dough from "KPop Demon Hunters" is just beginning...there's the music, the tour, the sequel.
And unlike superhero movies, "KPop Demon Hunters" does not assume you have a wealth of knowledge, you can go in blind and still get it.
As for the brevity of success of films/series on Netflix... This is what the studios and streamers who drip episodes out week by week don't get. EVERYTHING is evanescent. Shoot someone today, it's forgotten tomorrow. Memes come and go quickly. Why should it be any different in movies? You strike when the iron is hot, when people are interested they need to be able to partake of it all, to become part of the culture. As for the hoopla in the press... The last I checked more people had seen "Adolescence" than "White Lotus," it's just if you're baked into the old system you think otherwise because of all the old school press.
The world has changed.
If someone had pitched me the idea of "KPop Demon Hunters" would I have known it would be a gargantuan worldwide success? No. The line between success and failure in movies is a knife edge, and if you're on the wrong side you've got a stiff. And the funny thing is the more you play it safe, the more you're ensuring a stiff. You've got to hang it all out there. The audience can tell. The same way they can tell that "KPop Demon Hunters" was made for THEM! Not for critics. Not for anybody but the young people who will buy this stuff.
Do you need to watch "KPop Demon Hunters"?
Only if you're interested in a business lesson.
And if you start, hang in there, it gets better.
But it's not for you. And that's cool.
But it's for somebody. And those people are rabid for it. They watch it again and again, go to the theatre to sing along. That's the passion you're trying to generate. If you're playing to everybody you can't achieve this. If you're afraid of risks you can't succeed.
"KPop Demon Hunters" is an incredible success. It's a cash generator. Kudos.
But if you think it's one step forward for music...
You've got no ears.
And no perception.
You think a dollar today is better than thinking about a dollar ten years from now. You studied business in college, not the liberal arts. Or you're nobody from nowhere who believes they deserve to be a success at age twelve.
Want to see real creativity?
Go on TikTok.
But the same people who are not watching "KPop Demon Hunters" are not scrolling there either.
And either you're in on the joke, you can see the landscape, or you can't.
There's definitely a lot here. And to a degree it's clear. But if you're looking at the present through the past's glasses...
You're lost.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
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-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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I watched it.
I've been flummoxed by the ticket sales for festivals headlined by pop acts. For a boomer who grew up on the Beatles and the ensuing classic rock, this is unfathomable. Pop was the enemy. No there there. We dug our teeth into "artists," people who honed their skills, wrote their own songs and testified about their lives. They broke apart musical structure, were all about exploration. It was a bonanza of styles. And in order to sell tickets in prodigious numbers you had to have this background and credibility, you could not be a construct of the man, you had to STAND FOR SOMETHING!
No more.
Now the music business is the hit business. And no one questions it.
Which is how it was before underground FM radio in the sixties, but we didn't really return to a pop world until MTV, which created a monoculture. And then younger generations had no frame of reference. If you grew up on Mariah Carey, what were the odds you were going to form a band like the Doors? Never mind Black Sabbath.
Now heavy metal/active rock has sustained by being off-center. It abhors the mainstream, for a long time the acts were anti-streaming. It's about the downtrodden expressing their anger. This is not Def Leppard produced by Mutt Lange creating earworms one step removed from the Beach Boys, nor even AC/DC and its thunderous riffs, no today's metal is more about the noise, the raw emotion, and if you don't have great vocal chops it doesn't matter. But this metal is a backwater. It cannot spread. Because if you too are not an angry outlier you cannot relate.
But at least there's a culture in today's metal.
Now the culture of classic rock was based on a clear dividing line between performer and audience. They were on stage, you were not. You yearned for access, which you could never attain. The band dripped out info, oftentimes cryptically, in interviews and news squibs. The image was one of a fabulous life of drugs and alcohol, women and sex. Didn't they call it "sex, drugs and rock and roll"? No more.
The rock acts wanted what the pop acts had. The exposure, the opportunities to sell out, the hits that generated cash and ticket sales. But in the process they sacrificed their credibility. With the spandex, etc. The rock acts became a joke. So we ended up living in a pop world 24/7. And even hip-hop merged with pop. It was about the hit. And even Huntrix in "KPop Demon Hunters" writes a diss track. This is the world we live in.
So at first I didn't understand "KPop Demon Hunters," the phenomenon. But if you watch the entire flick it becomes clear.
But one thing is evident straight from the start. They've pulled back the curtain on stardom, they assume the audience knows the game.
Like the private jet. Who knew what transpired on the seventies Starship, the jet the superstars leased. We believed drugs and debauchery, but we didn't really know. And then cellphone cameras came along and killed the rock lifestyle. Act badly and video would hit the internet. You had to pull your punches. Furthermore, mistreatment of women was a taboo... You had to be worried about public perception of your antics. But in "KPop Demon Hunters," like today's pop world, everything is right up front for you to see and pick apart. There is no mystery.
And the fans are more than bodies in the seats. They're active participants.
If you watch "KPop Demon Hunters," you're dying to go to a show. It's the best advertisement for live gigs I've ever seen. To be one of the screaming masses in the stadium, just to be there, part of the throng? THAT'S IT! A boomer will say you're too far away, they don't like being in a sea of humanity, but that's the attraction for young fans. That's the culture. Being at one with the act, bonding to them and believing in them.
This is the essence of KPop.
As for the music?
IT'S POP!
2
Now if you're aware of KPop, you know it's based on identity and story. Culture. It's much more than the music. The music is just the glue to keep the entire enterprise together. If you were conscious during Beatlemania, you know that everybody had their favorite Beatle. You did not have your favorite member of Led Zeppelin, that was something different. But you have you favorite member of a KPop act, who has a backstory, which they feed. Everything's on the table.
But not everybody cares. This is also genius. Rather than playing to everybody, they're playing to a niche, but that niche is huge and can sustain them. KPop is more palatable than today's metal, but it's not for everybody. But having said that, "KPop Demon Hunters" has some catchy songs.
Most specifically "Soda Pop." Give the creators credit, this is hooky. The hooks in the rock of yore were the riffs, other elements that wannabes are no longer able to create. Listen to those Beatle records, they were FULL of hooks. Bridges. All kinds of "tricks" to hook the audience.
And it's not only "Soda Pop," but "Golden" and "Your Idol" and...
In truth, this is not a new formula. Hit movie generates hit records. But with the internet we can see evidence of this success. It's right up front. At this very second, "KPop Demon Hunters" has four songs in the Spotify Top 50, and it would have more if Sabrina Carpenter hadn't just released her new album on Friday. Most of the Carpenter tracks will fade soon, some will sustain, but "KPop Demon Hunters"? It's an unending juggernaut. The song of the summer, assuming you believe in that lame construct, is "Golden," but the arbiters can't fathom this, they didn't watch the movie, how can it be so popular? And don't think it's only in the U.S. The Global Top 50 has FIVE "KPop Demon Hunters" songs. And Sabrina Carpenter is evident, but she doesn't dominate. For all the ink about Carpenter, the real money is in "KPop Demon Hunters," it's a true worldwide phenomenon, and we now exist in a global business, with streaming providing everything to everybody all over the world.
As for the music itself... Sure, it's cartoon characters, but one of the most surprising and fulfilling elements of the movie is when the curtain is pulled back after the action is over and they go to real life, showing the actual people recording the songs, singing their hearts out and having fun in a way too many front line performers are not. Everybody's so into their image, their brand, these are just women in a studio...
Soon to sell out stadiums, but that's another chapter. Yes, the tour is being baked right now.
3
So we've got the elements of modern society right up front, the essence of being a fan, and the music, but those are not enough to sustain a movie, to make it legendary.
Actually, I was watching it and didn't get it.
But then, there's a romance. Straight out of "Seventeen" magazine. If you're a young girl, it rings your bell. And although the animation is not up to Pixar levels, the love interests are beautiful and you get it. And the romantic thread plays throughout the rest of the movie.
And then there's the war between good and evil.
Let's be clear, these are Disney-type demons. Did you know the Mouse House has put out FOUR "Zombies" movies? Believe me, these are not the zombies from "Night of the Living Dead," never mind "The Walking Dead." They're just forces of evil. Like the demons in this film. They're bad, but they're not scary.
Now if you want to go deeper, you can talk about the theme of being your real self, and that's a factor, but really "KPop Demon Hunters" rests on the romance and the push and pull between good and bad. And those make a movie.
Yes, you've got a relatively traditional story laid on top of KPop. Once again, with everything up front and personal, nothing behind a curtain like in the classic rock days.
So where does this leave us?
Well, in music, the hit business is all pop. There is an alternative business, and it's pretty large, but it does not cross over, nor does most of it deserve to cross over, it's just not that good. It feeds the audience, the fans, but if you think Jesse Welles is going to be in the Spotify Top 50 you think that he's equal to Bob Dylan, and he's not anywhere near the Bobster's league. Dylan had many covers before he broke through on the radio with "Like a Rolling Stone." Unlike Welles, who's not for everybody, more of a one trick pony.
Sure, so much of today's hit country music is paint-by-numbers dreck. But not everybody in the Americana world deserves mass attention. Then again, Chris Stapleton is a superstar, illustrating that when you've got the goods, people know it and clamor to it. Then again, Stapleton is forty seven and writes and sings and plays.
And if you don't write your own material, you're inherently less believable. Of course there are exceptions, but this was the essence of classic rock, directly from the artist's heart into yours. Trying to ensure a hit, the labels have squeezed out this element, with covers and writing by committee and insisting on co-writers. You might end up with something catchy that is even a hit, but you won't end up with a classic. Like these tunes from "KPop Demon Hunters," they've got no lasting power, they're akin to New Kids on the Block. They're for now.
So...
4
Beatlemania, classic rock, are in the rearview mirror. Swiftmania is real, but it cannot hold a candle to Beatlemania, which affected the entire world, everybody...made people pick up guitars and also pick apart the music, whereas Swift's new album is made with Max Martin (and Shellback), who only needs an act to front the sound, he can create the hits all by his lonesome.
But this is what the audience expects. Which is why music is a second class citizen. Believe me, you want to go to the gig. Music will never die. But driving the culture? "KPop Demon Hunters" is a phenomenon, but it's not evidence of lasting culture, unless you consider KPop lasting culture, which is sub-Disney stuff at best.
There's plenty of money in this stuff, but don't try and convince us it matters, that it's great, that it speaks to underlying issues and changes hearts and minds. If anything, most people today seem to go to the show like lemmings. Brainless. There to see and dance to pop songs while they hang with their buddies and shoot selfies. Everybody in the business is congratulating themselves but there's no there there. I won't say it's equivalent to Kodak before digital photography, but the analogy applies. There's this belief that the public will be satiated by empty calories forever. Ariana Grande? A child star with a good voice? Even Ricky Nelson had more gravitas, never mind making better music.
Then again, it's easy to disrupt music, with the means of production and distribution in the hands of the proletariat. However, today's younger generations have no models, like we did in the classic rock era. And they want success right up front, when it comes slower than ever because of noise in the channel. Their goal is to become a brand. Whereas the acts of yore just wanted to make music, do drugs and get laid. They hoped there was money in it, but for so many when the mania was done there was none.
5
As for the movie...
This proves the power of Netflix. The business is caught up in data. Weekly grosses. Like the irrelevant "Billboard" charts, manipulated to satisfy the retro players. It's always been about mindshare. To really win you need everybody to partake, to see or listen. As for leaving money on the table... God, the dough from "KPop Demon Hunters" is just beginning...there's the music, the tour, the sequel.
And unlike superhero movies, "KPop Demon Hunters" does not assume you have a wealth of knowledge, you can go in blind and still get it.
As for the brevity of success of films/series on Netflix... This is what the studios and streamers who drip episodes out week by week don't get. EVERYTHING is evanescent. Shoot someone today, it's forgotten tomorrow. Memes come and go quickly. Why should it be any different in movies? You strike when the iron is hot, when people are interested they need to be able to partake of it all, to become part of the culture. As for the hoopla in the press... The last I checked more people had seen "Adolescence" than "White Lotus," it's just if you're baked into the old system you think otherwise because of all the old school press.
The world has changed.
If someone had pitched me the idea of "KPop Demon Hunters" would I have known it would be a gargantuan worldwide success? No. The line between success and failure in movies is a knife edge, and if you're on the wrong side you've got a stiff. And the funny thing is the more you play it safe, the more you're ensuring a stiff. You've got to hang it all out there. The audience can tell. The same way they can tell that "KPop Demon Hunters" was made for THEM! Not for critics. Not for anybody but the young people who will buy this stuff.
Do you need to watch "KPop Demon Hunters"?
Only if you're interested in a business lesson.
And if you start, hang in there, it gets better.
But it's not for you. And that's cool.
But it's for somebody. And those people are rabid for it. They watch it again and again, go to the theatre to sing along. That's the passion you're trying to generate. If you're playing to everybody you can't achieve this. If you're afraid of risks you can't succeed.
"KPop Demon Hunters" is an incredible success. It's a cash generator. Kudos.
But if you think it's one step forward for music...
You've got no ears.
And no perception.
You think a dollar today is better than thinking about a dollar ten years from now. You studied business in college, not the liberal arts. Or you're nobody from nowhere who believes they deserve to be a success at age twelve.
Want to see real creativity?
Go on TikTok.
But the same people who are not watching "KPop Demon Hunters" are not scrolling there either.
And either you're in on the joke, you can see the landscape, or you can't.
There's definitely a lot here. And to a degree it's clear. But if you're looking at the present through the past's glasses...
You're lost.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
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Sunday, 31 August 2025
10cc in Thousand Oaks
Spotify playlist: http://bit.ly/46h9uze
1
Which is half an hour away. At least. A totally different mind-set. I'm sure there are people living in Thousand Oaks commuting to L.A., but not many, it's just too far.
And just too far for the rock aficionados, the business honchos, the lifers, to drive out for a gig. This is more akin to your local PAC than the Greek, never mind the United Theater, where the band played last time.
Well, who was coming?
That is always the question. 10cc had a few hits back in the seventies, but that's fifty years ago. Is that enough to get people out to see them?
Not a full house.
But those who were there...
2
I just couldn't understand the rapturous reception. The standing ovations. It's one thing to clap for "I'm Not in Love" or "The Things We Do For Love," but they were applauding non-hits with vigor. Who were these people?
Well, it's California so everybody is casually dressed. Like they just came from the beach, or a picnic. And they were old. Then again, so am I.
How many of these people had purchased those 10cc albums and salivated over them?
I loved, loved, LOVED the first LP with "Rubber Bullets," but until I moved to L.A. I didn't know another person who'd bought it. You'd read about it in the rock press, that's how I found out about it, but there was no radio play, the way you reached customers back in the day.
The second album?
FM rock played "Wall Street Shuffle." A little bit. No more.
The third album, "The Original Soundtrack"? Not as good as what came before, but it contained the aforementioned legendary hit, "I'm Not in Love."
The follow-up, "How Dare You!," had even less penetration in America than the first two albums.
Then the band split in half. There was 1977's giant hit "The Things We Do For Love," and then the band was essentially done.
Well, close to it anyway. "Dreadlock Holiday" was a hit everywhere but the U.S.
10cc didn't come up in conversation. They were a private luxury, for those in the know. Who knew Graham Gouldman had written those Yardbirds and Herman's Hermits hits and Eric Stewart had sung "Groovy Kind of Love" and...
This was not the bombast of seventies AOR. The thing about 10cc was they had a sense of humor, with a dash of intelligence thrown in. They weren't brain dead and nor where their fans. But where does that leave you in the world of rock and roll? Fans were passionate about the music, but not the band, they didn't get tattoos of 10cc, it was only about the music.
As it was Friday night.
3
Now if you're of a certain vintage you remember when everybody bought a guitar and there were battles of the bands... This was as mainstream as today's influencer culture. And unlike so much of today's music, you had to be able to play or it didn't work. There were no tape loops, never mind hard drives. Either you could play or you couldn't. There was no auto-tune, if you didn't have a great voice you had to be a phenomenal lyricist, and oftentimes that still wasn't enough.
The band took the stage, and that was it.
As it was Friday night.
There was a row of amps and guitars, and that was it. No backdrop, no video, no special effects, NO HARD DRIVES!
There was only one prerecorded moment, that breathy vocal "Big boys don't cry" in "I'm Not in Love," otherwise what you saw was what you got, LITERALLY!
And that was a revelation. Far from today's world. Because there were no TRAPPINGS!
Forget production, there were no fancy outfits, just people playing music.
And that's when I realized my perspective had changed. The musicians, the bands, used to be gods. Now I know they're just regular people. They used to be seen as rich, living a glamorous lifestyle. Now there are tons of people richer than musicians, and not every musician is rolling in dough. You're putting on a show. That's it. After doing a post mortem with Graham he told me he had to go, they had an early wake-up call. Sound glamorous? An endless string of one-nighters for a modicum of pay at this age? You've got to love it, because that's all there is...the aura, it's gone.
4
Now the one thing about the band on Friday night was they were TIGHT! I mean IMPOSSIBLY tight. It was positively astounding. Like they'd rehearsed to the nth degree, or maybe in this case have done the same show so many times they're a well-oiled machine.
Now you can turn up the amps and create a wash of sound that covers up your mistakes, but that was not what was happening, not at all. They were playing the music, faithfully, all these years later. But with the ensuing years, some of the lyrics gained new meaning. Or maybe it was already there and I just uncovered the wisdom.
Like in "Art for Art's Sake."
"Money for God's sake," I know, I know, but...
"Gimme a silver, gimme a gold
Make it a million, for when I get old"
Wow, that's what all these musicians are living on... THEIR PUBLISHING ROYALTIES! Which is why they're being sold for millions. Their hit days are way behind them. They're living on the past, if not in the past. All those credits? Ownership? Done on somewhat of a whim back then, absolutely crucial today.
"Keep me in exile the rest of my days
Burn me in hell but as long as it pays"
The lyrics are prescient. Forget where I am in the future, as long as I have my ROYALTIES, I'll be okay!
And then there's "The Wall Street Shuffle."
"Oh, Howard Hughes
Did your money make you better"
Forget the platitudes, the truth is life is better with money, but to assume everybody with money is happy is just plain wrong. As a matter of fact, many are not. They were ruthless in accumulation and now have few friends and can trust almost nobody. Never mind those who inherited it and have lived a life of debauchery.
You definitely need a yen to make a mark. It doesn't rain down from the sky willy-nilly. Yet the musicians of yore liked the money, but it was secondary to the tunes and the lifestyle, being in control of your own destiny.
All of this is encased in these 10cc songs. Which were too smart to be hits. Too insightful. Too FUNNY!
5
Now the amazing thing about this show is all the whiz-bang effects you know from the records are replicated on stage. All the percussion hits. It's a fan's dream.
Assuming you're a fan.
Like I said, the applause was astounding. "Feel the Benefit" is a tour-de-force, I can see people appreciating it without knowing it, with its various movements and solos...
But for this level of reaction, for this many people to stand up clapping, you had to know the song.
Or did you?
There was a fiftysomething woman in the row behind me who knew more than the hits, but when I turned around a few songs before the end, she was gone. As were a number of the other attendees.
Now I can understand leaving if you're not into it. Then again, tickets were not so cheap you would go on a whim. What was going on? It certainly wasn't traffic, there is none in Thousand Oaks, and the parking structure is huge and was far from full. Is this the new normal, had they had enough, was it just too late? I'd say they were going home to relieve the babysitter, but this generation's kids were already out of the house. Gray and white hair was rampant.
So they came out, loved it, and then had enough? Like small children, they'd reached their limit?
But the show plowed on.
6
Now I'd seen the show a year ago so it wasn't like it was brand new, but I was dying to hear "Feel the Benefit," and the band delivered. And their a cappella version of "Donna" is a showstopper. But what resonated most Friday night was a song I liked, but never previously loved, "I'm Mandy, Fly Me."
It was a hit in the U.K., was released as a single in the U.S. but if you heard it on the radio, it was probably at three in the morning.
The title says it all. An in joke with sexual connotations. But what truly puts "I'm Mandy, Fly Me" over the top are the various movements, from the intro and throughout it's anything but predictable, you're constantly surprised. And then comes the refrain...
"I'm Mandy, fly me"
It comes around now and again, there is melody, it's uplifting, there's a raw optimism that's absent in so much of today's music, the song starts in the brain and then travels down the body as opposed to so much that begins in the genitalia and just stays there.
You listen to stuff like this and you're on the edge of your seat, waving your arms, conducting the band like an orchestra.
I listened to the new Sabrina Carpenter album. It's pop music, which used to be anathema back in the seventies, the lowest common denominator. But then MTV created a monoculture and Madonna came along and the Top 40 became everything and either you were on it or you weren't. Whereas in the old days you had a vision, you executed it, and sometimes songs crossed over to the hit parade, but it was all about exploration and your statement on wax.
Like 10cc.
7
Who knows if 10cc will ever tour America again. After all, it's a business. And if everybody is not making money, it doesn't happen.
Roxy Music will never be seen on these shores again. They played arenas the last time through, people went, but Live Nation lost too much to do it again.
Never mind the aging of these performers. Graham Gouldman is 79. Spry, with all his marbles, never mind an amazing ability to play the bass, but no one is forever. You do it until you can't. And that day always comes. And then you can see the band no more.
So many of the acts you've already seen. But probably not 10cc, who waited nearly fifty years to come back to America.
If you're a fan of the hits, it's your choice. But if you were a fan of the albums you must go. Because you've got a group of guys loving to play this music and nailing it. And if you played those records in your bedroom or on cassette in your car like I did and you were enraptured by the sound...
You may never get this chance again.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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1
Which is half an hour away. At least. A totally different mind-set. I'm sure there are people living in Thousand Oaks commuting to L.A., but not many, it's just too far.
And just too far for the rock aficionados, the business honchos, the lifers, to drive out for a gig. This is more akin to your local PAC than the Greek, never mind the United Theater, where the band played last time.
Well, who was coming?
That is always the question. 10cc had a few hits back in the seventies, but that's fifty years ago. Is that enough to get people out to see them?
Not a full house.
But those who were there...
2
I just couldn't understand the rapturous reception. The standing ovations. It's one thing to clap for "I'm Not in Love" or "The Things We Do For Love," but they were applauding non-hits with vigor. Who were these people?
Well, it's California so everybody is casually dressed. Like they just came from the beach, or a picnic. And they were old. Then again, so am I.
How many of these people had purchased those 10cc albums and salivated over them?
I loved, loved, LOVED the first LP with "Rubber Bullets," but until I moved to L.A. I didn't know another person who'd bought it. You'd read about it in the rock press, that's how I found out about it, but there was no radio play, the way you reached customers back in the day.
The second album?
FM rock played "Wall Street Shuffle." A little bit. No more.
The third album, "The Original Soundtrack"? Not as good as what came before, but it contained the aforementioned legendary hit, "I'm Not in Love."
The follow-up, "How Dare You!," had even less penetration in America than the first two albums.
Then the band split in half. There was 1977's giant hit "The Things We Do For Love," and then the band was essentially done.
Well, close to it anyway. "Dreadlock Holiday" was a hit everywhere but the U.S.
10cc didn't come up in conversation. They were a private luxury, for those in the know. Who knew Graham Gouldman had written those Yardbirds and Herman's Hermits hits and Eric Stewart had sung "Groovy Kind of Love" and...
This was not the bombast of seventies AOR. The thing about 10cc was they had a sense of humor, with a dash of intelligence thrown in. They weren't brain dead and nor where their fans. But where does that leave you in the world of rock and roll? Fans were passionate about the music, but not the band, they didn't get tattoos of 10cc, it was only about the music.
As it was Friday night.
3
Now if you're of a certain vintage you remember when everybody bought a guitar and there were battles of the bands... This was as mainstream as today's influencer culture. And unlike so much of today's music, you had to be able to play or it didn't work. There were no tape loops, never mind hard drives. Either you could play or you couldn't. There was no auto-tune, if you didn't have a great voice you had to be a phenomenal lyricist, and oftentimes that still wasn't enough.
The band took the stage, and that was it.
As it was Friday night.
There was a row of amps and guitars, and that was it. No backdrop, no video, no special effects, NO HARD DRIVES!
There was only one prerecorded moment, that breathy vocal "Big boys don't cry" in "I'm Not in Love," otherwise what you saw was what you got, LITERALLY!
And that was a revelation. Far from today's world. Because there were no TRAPPINGS!
Forget production, there were no fancy outfits, just people playing music.
And that's when I realized my perspective had changed. The musicians, the bands, used to be gods. Now I know they're just regular people. They used to be seen as rich, living a glamorous lifestyle. Now there are tons of people richer than musicians, and not every musician is rolling in dough. You're putting on a show. That's it. After doing a post mortem with Graham he told me he had to go, they had an early wake-up call. Sound glamorous? An endless string of one-nighters for a modicum of pay at this age? You've got to love it, because that's all there is...the aura, it's gone.
4
Now the one thing about the band on Friday night was they were TIGHT! I mean IMPOSSIBLY tight. It was positively astounding. Like they'd rehearsed to the nth degree, or maybe in this case have done the same show so many times they're a well-oiled machine.
Now you can turn up the amps and create a wash of sound that covers up your mistakes, but that was not what was happening, not at all. They were playing the music, faithfully, all these years later. But with the ensuing years, some of the lyrics gained new meaning. Or maybe it was already there and I just uncovered the wisdom.
Like in "Art for Art's Sake."
"Money for God's sake," I know, I know, but...
"Gimme a silver, gimme a gold
Make it a million, for when I get old"
Wow, that's what all these musicians are living on... THEIR PUBLISHING ROYALTIES! Which is why they're being sold for millions. Their hit days are way behind them. They're living on the past, if not in the past. All those credits? Ownership? Done on somewhat of a whim back then, absolutely crucial today.
"Keep me in exile the rest of my days
Burn me in hell but as long as it pays"
The lyrics are prescient. Forget where I am in the future, as long as I have my ROYALTIES, I'll be okay!
And then there's "The Wall Street Shuffle."
"Oh, Howard Hughes
Did your money make you better"
Forget the platitudes, the truth is life is better with money, but to assume everybody with money is happy is just plain wrong. As a matter of fact, many are not. They were ruthless in accumulation and now have few friends and can trust almost nobody. Never mind those who inherited it and have lived a life of debauchery.
You definitely need a yen to make a mark. It doesn't rain down from the sky willy-nilly. Yet the musicians of yore liked the money, but it was secondary to the tunes and the lifestyle, being in control of your own destiny.
All of this is encased in these 10cc songs. Which were too smart to be hits. Too insightful. Too FUNNY!
5
Now the amazing thing about this show is all the whiz-bang effects you know from the records are replicated on stage. All the percussion hits. It's a fan's dream.
Assuming you're a fan.
Like I said, the applause was astounding. "Feel the Benefit" is a tour-de-force, I can see people appreciating it without knowing it, with its various movements and solos...
But for this level of reaction, for this many people to stand up clapping, you had to know the song.
Or did you?
There was a fiftysomething woman in the row behind me who knew more than the hits, but when I turned around a few songs before the end, she was gone. As were a number of the other attendees.
Now I can understand leaving if you're not into it. Then again, tickets were not so cheap you would go on a whim. What was going on? It certainly wasn't traffic, there is none in Thousand Oaks, and the parking structure is huge and was far from full. Is this the new normal, had they had enough, was it just too late? I'd say they were going home to relieve the babysitter, but this generation's kids were already out of the house. Gray and white hair was rampant.
So they came out, loved it, and then had enough? Like small children, they'd reached their limit?
But the show plowed on.
6
Now I'd seen the show a year ago so it wasn't like it was brand new, but I was dying to hear "Feel the Benefit," and the band delivered. And their a cappella version of "Donna" is a showstopper. But what resonated most Friday night was a song I liked, but never previously loved, "I'm Mandy, Fly Me."
It was a hit in the U.K., was released as a single in the U.S. but if you heard it on the radio, it was probably at three in the morning.
The title says it all. An in joke with sexual connotations. But what truly puts "I'm Mandy, Fly Me" over the top are the various movements, from the intro and throughout it's anything but predictable, you're constantly surprised. And then comes the refrain...
"I'm Mandy, fly me"
It comes around now and again, there is melody, it's uplifting, there's a raw optimism that's absent in so much of today's music, the song starts in the brain and then travels down the body as opposed to so much that begins in the genitalia and just stays there.
You listen to stuff like this and you're on the edge of your seat, waving your arms, conducting the band like an orchestra.
I listened to the new Sabrina Carpenter album. It's pop music, which used to be anathema back in the seventies, the lowest common denominator. But then MTV created a monoculture and Madonna came along and the Top 40 became everything and either you were on it or you weren't. Whereas in the old days you had a vision, you executed it, and sometimes songs crossed over to the hit parade, but it was all about exploration and your statement on wax.
Like 10cc.
7
Who knows if 10cc will ever tour America again. After all, it's a business. And if everybody is not making money, it doesn't happen.
Roxy Music will never be seen on these shores again. They played arenas the last time through, people went, but Live Nation lost too much to do it again.
Never mind the aging of these performers. Graham Gouldman is 79. Spry, with all his marbles, never mind an amazing ability to play the bass, but no one is forever. You do it until you can't. And that day always comes. And then you can see the band no more.
So many of the acts you've already seen. But probably not 10cc, who waited nearly fifty years to come back to America.
If you're a fan of the hits, it's your choice. But if you were a fan of the albums you must go. Because you've got a group of guys loving to play this music and nailing it. And if you played those records in your bedroom or on cassette in your car like I did and you were enraptured by the sound...
You may never get this chance again.
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