Tune in Saturday February 8th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Friday, 7 February 2025
Saying No
Have you seen that Charli XCX ad for Uber Eats?
I've got no problem with Uber Eats. I get a monthly credit with my Amex card and when I do order delivery, that's the app I use.
Not that Uber has a great future. The question is whether self-driving cars need Uber to be successful. Right now you can book Waymo via Uber, Uber takes 10-20%, but you can also book via Waymo and...
Maybe you haven't seen Waymo yet. They're all over Los Angeles. They're just about to get on the freeway. They're Jaguars with all these attachments and I was behind one at a light, where you had to turn left against traffic, and I figured I'd be there forever, but the Waymo moved right along, I was impressed.
And now BYD is making inroads regarding self-driving. The stock went up because next week the company is going to hold a press conference where they're supposed to announce self-driving in affordable cars.
Now in truth many Chinese industrial companies are on the precipice, but BYD...man, it's a worldwide phenomenon. You do know that it stands for Build Your Dreams, right?
Then again, the U.S. is going backward. Trump just canceled EV charging infrastructure in the states. A great hosanna from the carbon-based industry and its followers only... Turns out the energy companies are moving into alternative energy sources, they can see the handwriting on the wall. And European automakers don't want tariffs on BYD, et al, because they want a fighting chance to compete in the vast China market, where their market share has recently been decimated.
But that's how you lose your power, your influence in the world. Very slowly, then all at once. Tech seems to know this, which is why the market was shaken by DeepSeek the other week.
And I've got to tell you I love my Amex Platinum card. I might not love it as much if I had to pay for it, but we live in a world where we trust brands more than people, where we're invested in our assets. Did you read the news about England and Apple's cloud today? My first reaction is why are you beating up on Apple? Did you see as a result of the EU hectoring Apple to open up its app store there is now a porn app available?
This is just like the U.S. government siding with Apple's iBooks, the end result being the agency model for e-books, and higher prices! I'm not anti-government, but certainly when it comes to tech, the government is always two steps behind, if not more.
So that Amex Platinum card has a ton of perks. I'm not saying I'm a points guy, I don't shop where I get double, it's just that I must admit...it's a club that not everybody can be a member of, and when you whip it out...I've found people treat you differently.
Not like the Centurion card, the so-called "Black Card," I love when someone in jeans, dressed-down, whips one out, but you've got to be a big spender for that, and it's invite only. Not like Soho House, which let everybody in and is now in financial trouble.
So, back to Charli XCX. It was a brat summer, right? Didn't they even call Kamala brat? Charli rode the wave. She had mindshare. She was even on the Grammys.
She appeared to have credibility. She seemed to be doing it her way.
Then again, if you investigate, there are multiple writers on her songs, her albums are made by committee. But compared to the Active Rock graveyard, Charli XCX is happening.
But for how long? I'd bet those Active Rock acts will have longer careers, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SELL OUT!
Conventional wisdom is kids no longer care if an act sells out. This is patently untrue. A fiction spread by those who get a percentage on these deals.
Let's go back to Trump. Did you see that USAID paid $100 million to "Politico"?
That's what I read on X.
But in today's "New York Times" I found out differently. I even found out about stuff I missed, like the $100 million for condoms for Hamas.
"6 Inaccurate Claims Trump Has Used to Justify His Flurry of Orders - The president was wrong about birthright citizenship around the world, the Paris climate agreement and federal funding for condoms in Gaza, among other claims."
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/us/politics/trump-executive-orders-fact-check.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vU4.T3Qn.nOrLXipAalDc&smid=url-share
And I have no desire to get political here, other than to say the Democrats are lame. And if you're interested in a great analysis re this, I point you to another "Times" article, which is a must-read for disillusioned Democrats:
"'The Damage to the Party Is Profound': Three Opinion Writers on What Happened to the Democrats"
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/opinion/democratic-party-donald-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vU4.uRMS.eaaDfoGQhBOl&smid=url-share
But one thing we know for sure, that everyone agrees on, is Trump lies. All the time. Even his supporters know this.
Once again, I don't want to litigate Trump's recent efforts, other than to say I've never felt more disconnected from the government than ever before. And I'm not the only one.
We need something, someone to believe in.
And it's not politicians. And it's not social media influencers.
I don't care if you're making bucks, I know that they're sending you that merch for free and you're telling us how great it is and...you'd better have a Plan B, because every single influencer has burned out. As for the Kardashians triumphing... Radiohead asked its audience to pay what it wanted for "In Rainbows," that paradigm only worked once, even though others tried to repeat it. The Kardashians are famous for nothing, they're rich, they're getting the last laugh, but they were there first (or maybe Paris Hilton, but she didn't have a momager who saw the potential riches in true exploitation of her cultural fame).
So...
This is where the rubber meets the road. If you want to have a long career, you can't do commercial endorsements, because everybody, especially your fans, knows that you're doing it for the money. I mean it's possible there's a product you truly believe in that you want to help spread the word on, but that's not what I see in the marketplace.
In this same basket one must put the multiple physical editions of albums. With different covers, different tracks. Ask people how they feel about their Beanie Babies today. They remember the mania, being collectors, thinking the dolls had value, now most of them are worth nothing, and the people who were invested in this near-scam feel that they were taken.
Life is long. What you do today has repercussions later.
Look at all the products/companies Katy Perry endorsed:
https://startuptalky.com/katy-perry-endorsements/
Now Katy is a joke. Her fans of yore excoriated her new album. Perry tried to get back to the garden after a bunch of missteps and it rang false to the audience, just like all her endorsement deals.
Sure, Katy got paid. But the dirty little secret is not only that acts don't get a hundred cents on the dollar with these deals, they're notoriously bad with money. Did you see that recently departed Garth Hudson declared bankruptcy THREE TIMES?
Now if you're a brand, not a band, if being a musician is just a launching pad, go for it, sell out. But if you're first and foremost an artist, you've got to learn how to say no.
If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. No matter how much money is involved.
When the record company wants you to record a song you don't like, that is not in your wheelhouse, don't say yes, say no.
They try to make you afraid of saying no. It's your one big opportunity. You'll never be able to make this money again. The ship is gonna sail. Think about what you can do with the cash, buy another house, fly private...
You've only got one career. A manager, an agent, a record company can always find someone new to promote. One misstep and you can ensure that no one wants to see you in the future, that your revenue opportunities dry up. People want to believe in you. You sang that song, that got them through their breakup, their depression... They don't want to hear you thank them or God, they just want to know that song exists and they can play it whenever they want and when they go to see you live they feel a direct connection between performer and audience member. They don't want any detritus in between.
Now the truth is the business is being taken over by people who put the music first, who are capable of saying no. Those are the acts selling tickets who are not in the Spotify Top 50. Their fans are truly keeping them alive.
But even a top-line artist's career can have legs if it's managed correctly. You can have hits and still have credibility.
But you must be capable of making wise choices.
You must be able to say no.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
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Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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I've got no problem with Uber Eats. I get a monthly credit with my Amex card and when I do order delivery, that's the app I use.
Not that Uber has a great future. The question is whether self-driving cars need Uber to be successful. Right now you can book Waymo via Uber, Uber takes 10-20%, but you can also book via Waymo and...
Maybe you haven't seen Waymo yet. They're all over Los Angeles. They're just about to get on the freeway. They're Jaguars with all these attachments and I was behind one at a light, where you had to turn left against traffic, and I figured I'd be there forever, but the Waymo moved right along, I was impressed.
And now BYD is making inroads regarding self-driving. The stock went up because next week the company is going to hold a press conference where they're supposed to announce self-driving in affordable cars.
Now in truth many Chinese industrial companies are on the precipice, but BYD...man, it's a worldwide phenomenon. You do know that it stands for Build Your Dreams, right?
Then again, the U.S. is going backward. Trump just canceled EV charging infrastructure in the states. A great hosanna from the carbon-based industry and its followers only... Turns out the energy companies are moving into alternative energy sources, they can see the handwriting on the wall. And European automakers don't want tariffs on BYD, et al, because they want a fighting chance to compete in the vast China market, where their market share has recently been decimated.
But that's how you lose your power, your influence in the world. Very slowly, then all at once. Tech seems to know this, which is why the market was shaken by DeepSeek the other week.
And I've got to tell you I love my Amex Platinum card. I might not love it as much if I had to pay for it, but we live in a world where we trust brands more than people, where we're invested in our assets. Did you read the news about England and Apple's cloud today? My first reaction is why are you beating up on Apple? Did you see as a result of the EU hectoring Apple to open up its app store there is now a porn app available?
This is just like the U.S. government siding with Apple's iBooks, the end result being the agency model for e-books, and higher prices! I'm not anti-government, but certainly when it comes to tech, the government is always two steps behind, if not more.
So that Amex Platinum card has a ton of perks. I'm not saying I'm a points guy, I don't shop where I get double, it's just that I must admit...it's a club that not everybody can be a member of, and when you whip it out...I've found people treat you differently.
Not like the Centurion card, the so-called "Black Card," I love when someone in jeans, dressed-down, whips one out, but you've got to be a big spender for that, and it's invite only. Not like Soho House, which let everybody in and is now in financial trouble.
So, back to Charli XCX. It was a brat summer, right? Didn't they even call Kamala brat? Charli rode the wave. She had mindshare. She was even on the Grammys.
She appeared to have credibility. She seemed to be doing it her way.
Then again, if you investigate, there are multiple writers on her songs, her albums are made by committee. But compared to the Active Rock graveyard, Charli XCX is happening.
But for how long? I'd bet those Active Rock acts will have longer careers, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SELL OUT!
Conventional wisdom is kids no longer care if an act sells out. This is patently untrue. A fiction spread by those who get a percentage on these deals.
Let's go back to Trump. Did you see that USAID paid $100 million to "Politico"?
That's what I read on X.
But in today's "New York Times" I found out differently. I even found out about stuff I missed, like the $100 million for condoms for Hamas.
"6 Inaccurate Claims Trump Has Used to Justify His Flurry of Orders - The president was wrong about birthright citizenship around the world, the Paris climate agreement and federal funding for condoms in Gaza, among other claims."
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/us/politics/trump-executive-orders-fact-check.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vU4.T3Qn.nOrLXipAalDc&smid=url-share
And I have no desire to get political here, other than to say the Democrats are lame. And if you're interested in a great analysis re this, I point you to another "Times" article, which is a must-read for disillusioned Democrats:
"'The Damage to the Party Is Profound': Three Opinion Writers on What Happened to the Democrats"
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/opinion/democratic-party-donald-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vU4.uRMS.eaaDfoGQhBOl&smid=url-share
But one thing we know for sure, that everyone agrees on, is Trump lies. All the time. Even his supporters know this.
Once again, I don't want to litigate Trump's recent efforts, other than to say I've never felt more disconnected from the government than ever before. And I'm not the only one.
We need something, someone to believe in.
And it's not politicians. And it's not social media influencers.
I don't care if you're making bucks, I know that they're sending you that merch for free and you're telling us how great it is and...you'd better have a Plan B, because every single influencer has burned out. As for the Kardashians triumphing... Radiohead asked its audience to pay what it wanted for "In Rainbows," that paradigm only worked once, even though others tried to repeat it. The Kardashians are famous for nothing, they're rich, they're getting the last laugh, but they were there first (or maybe Paris Hilton, but she didn't have a momager who saw the potential riches in true exploitation of her cultural fame).
So...
This is where the rubber meets the road. If you want to have a long career, you can't do commercial endorsements, because everybody, especially your fans, knows that you're doing it for the money. I mean it's possible there's a product you truly believe in that you want to help spread the word on, but that's not what I see in the marketplace.
In this same basket one must put the multiple physical editions of albums. With different covers, different tracks. Ask people how they feel about their Beanie Babies today. They remember the mania, being collectors, thinking the dolls had value, now most of them are worth nothing, and the people who were invested in this near-scam feel that they were taken.
Life is long. What you do today has repercussions later.
Look at all the products/companies Katy Perry endorsed:
https://startuptalky.com/katy-perry-endorsements/
Now Katy is a joke. Her fans of yore excoriated her new album. Perry tried to get back to the garden after a bunch of missteps and it rang false to the audience, just like all her endorsement deals.
Sure, Katy got paid. But the dirty little secret is not only that acts don't get a hundred cents on the dollar with these deals, they're notoriously bad with money. Did you see that recently departed Garth Hudson declared bankruptcy THREE TIMES?
Now if you're a brand, not a band, if being a musician is just a launching pad, go for it, sell out. But if you're first and foremost an artist, you've got to learn how to say no.
If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. No matter how much money is involved.
When the record company wants you to record a song you don't like, that is not in your wheelhouse, don't say yes, say no.
They try to make you afraid of saying no. It's your one big opportunity. You'll never be able to make this money again. The ship is gonna sail. Think about what you can do with the cash, buy another house, fly private...
You've only got one career. A manager, an agent, a record company can always find someone new to promote. One misstep and you can ensure that no one wants to see you in the future, that your revenue opportunities dry up. People want to believe in you. You sang that song, that got them through their breakup, their depression... They don't want to hear you thank them or God, they just want to know that song exists and they can play it whenever they want and when they go to see you live they feel a direct connection between performer and audience member. They don't want any detritus in between.
Now the truth is the business is being taken over by people who put the music first, who are capable of saying no. Those are the acts selling tickets who are not in the Spotify Top 50. Their fans are truly keeping them alive.
But even a top-line artist's career can have legs if it's managed correctly. You can have hits and still have credibility.
But you must be capable of making wise choices.
You must be able to say no.
--
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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Thursday, 6 February 2025
Chris Benchetler-This Week's Podcast
Chris Benchetler is a legendary skier with his own line of skis at Atomic, the Bent Chetlers. The 120 cm version is the standard of big mountain powder skiers the world over. Chris is also a graphic artist and a filmmaker. He designed the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary logo and has two new movies, "Ship of Fools" and "Butterfly in a Blizzard."
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chris-benchetler/id1316200737?i=1000689615544
https://open.spotify.com/episode/36GuReB7iZ65WXlFvLJmGZ?si=Vroe-pTGReGOv3O1eZSEYw
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/chris-benchetler-264751682/
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/2cb01771-4588-493b-9e94-99c9ba319bf5/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-chris-benchetler
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Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chris-benchetler/id1316200737?i=1000689615544
https://open.spotify.com/episode/36GuReB7iZ65WXlFvLJmGZ?si=Vroe-pTGReGOv3O1eZSEYw
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/chris-benchetler-264751682/
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/2cb01771-4588-493b-9e94-99c9ba319bf5/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-chris-benchetler
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Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
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Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Wednesday, 5 February 2025
The Magic
1
The funny thing about the people who tell me to be nice is they're motherf*ckers behind your back. They're all friendly, kissing your butt in person, but when you're not looking, they stick the knife in your back.
If I'm going to stick a knife in you, I'm going to do it in broad daylight, to your face.
I guess I learned that from my father, who was never a member of the group, but made a living telling the truth, which everybody knows but nobody wants to say.
I'm constantly analyzing people's success, and one key element is their ability to get along. Hang with others. Make friends. Network. It's a constant game, and if you lose your job you're out of the loop, because ultimately you're just a pawn.
Hell, people don't even like me writing that. Because they don't want to look at themselves. But if you really want to be a big swinging dick (a term denoting success introduced by Michael Lewis in "Liar's Poker), you not only have to know how to play the game, but be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
Anybody can be successful. Assuming they do enough work on themselves and study the game. But too many are convinced they weren't born with the right stuff, this is utterly wrong.
But that does not make them artists.
An artist exists outside the game, and reflects upon it. Which is why if you've met your favorite stars...in most cases you can't relate to them. They're oftentimes loners who trust few and might be able to exchange a few pleasantries, but they're not living in your world.
But they're able to tell the truth about it.
But somewhere along the line it became conventional wisdom that everybody could be an artist, if they just tried hard enough.
This is patently untrue.
Artistry is a calling. A walk into the wilderness. And it's the intangibles that put you over the top. Knowing the basics, being able to play your instrument, draw, that's just a starting point. You might be able to become a journeyman, a backup musician, an artist at Disney, but you're not going to become a household name. Because to do that you've got to be alienated and different, outside. Sure, there are exceptions, but very few.
And then there's the concept that if you work hard enough you're entitled to the reward.
Did you read that piece in the "New York Times"?
"No, You Don't Get an A for Effort"
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/26/opinion/school-grades-a-quantity-quality.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uk4.iiG3.jUYdAjCT-4sa&smid=url-share
I hear it all the time. Someone put a lot of work into their music, you can't criticize it. That's patently wrong.
And then there's everybody boasting about their 10,000 hours. It's 10,00 hours of HARD PRACTICE! The example I always use is if you spend 10,000 hours on the bunny slope, you will not be a world class skier.
And that's what 10,000 hours delivers, world class performance.
But that still does not make you number one. Look at the skiing World Cup... To get to that circuit... There are so many subsidiary leagues, like the Europa Cup and the NorAm series... 60-70 people start every World Cup ski race, most you've never heard of and never will. They've dedicated their lives to the sport, they're world class, but they're not winners, not at the elite level.
And sure, the families of the also-rans are supportive, but the public is only interested in the winners, or those who have the ability to truly become victorious.
And that's very few.
And it's the same in music.
2
So what I'm trying to say here is my inbox is full of people who call me a miserable hater, unsubscribing because I just won't like the generic, what they do.
But I'm searching for magic.
And you know it when you hear it.
And I heard it earlier today in a video of Lee Thomas Miller on TikTok.
Yes, TikTok has been deleted from the app store. But you can still view clips in your browser. And this one is at:
https://www.tiktok.com/@nashville_stacy/video/7467611574283521326?q=nashville%20stacy&t=1738786340219
(Be sure to click the speaker in the lower right hand corner to turn on the sound.)
So what we've got here is a guy you've probably never heard of making a joke about losing the country Grammy to Beyoncé.
I guess that's why I was served this. I wasn't looking for it.
But Lee Thomas Miller is not pissed, he's kind of making a joke.
But one thing is for sure, the audience is on his side.
And as the video unspools, some of Miller's songs are listed. He's got seven country number ones. And he co-wrote Chris Stapleton's "Whiskey and You" from Chris's 2015 album "Traveller."
Miller also co-wrote the song "The Bottom" from Stapleton's last album, "Higher," which was competing against Beyoncé in that Grammy category.
And that's all fine and dandy, but about twenty seconds into this slightly longer than one minute TikTok clip, Miller starts to sing...
"In Color."
Which he cowrote with Jamey Johnson and James Otto, which Jamey took up the country chart back in 2008.
"I said, 'Grandpa, what's this picture here?
It's all black and white, and it ain't real clear
Is that you there?,' he said, 'Yeah, I was 11'
'And times were tough back in '35
That's me and uncle Joe just tryna survive
A cotton farm, in a Great Depression'"
"In Color" is a story song. In a long history of country story songs. It talks about the war, the years passing, you get the world-weariness, there's no pandering at all.
And after Lee Thomas Miller sings the introductory verse...
He starts singing the chorus, you can hear the harmonies, the supporting instruments, the camera pulls back and you're positively wowed, this is the magic, you know it when you hear it.
This is not something someone had to tell me to like. It was all right here. I didn't care how good a guitar player Lee Thomas Miller was, I didn't care what he was wearing, what he was promoting, his brand extensions, because in this very moment the essence of greatness was revealed.
And it was clear it was not casual. It was studied, there was effort put into it, rehearsal.
And it wasn't on hard drive.
And it made me think of all those country rock records back in the day influenced by Nashville. Those harmonies. Even the Dead got in on the act with "Uncle John's Band."
I have no idea how much time it took to write this song, it doesn't matter how many people are in the audience. The chart number doesn't matter, nor whether it won an award.
That's all window-dressing, quantification in a world that doesn't truly square with it. Because each artistic endeavor is unique. Sure, there's a business in me-too, but that's not art. Art is about being the progenitor, or mixing up the elements into something new.
"If it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just tryna save each other
YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN IT IN COLOR!!"
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The funny thing about the people who tell me to be nice is they're motherf*ckers behind your back. They're all friendly, kissing your butt in person, but when you're not looking, they stick the knife in your back.
If I'm going to stick a knife in you, I'm going to do it in broad daylight, to your face.
I guess I learned that from my father, who was never a member of the group, but made a living telling the truth, which everybody knows but nobody wants to say.
I'm constantly analyzing people's success, and one key element is their ability to get along. Hang with others. Make friends. Network. It's a constant game, and if you lose your job you're out of the loop, because ultimately you're just a pawn.
Hell, people don't even like me writing that. Because they don't want to look at themselves. But if you really want to be a big swinging dick (a term denoting success introduced by Michael Lewis in "Liar's Poker), you not only have to know how to play the game, but be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
Anybody can be successful. Assuming they do enough work on themselves and study the game. But too many are convinced they weren't born with the right stuff, this is utterly wrong.
But that does not make them artists.
An artist exists outside the game, and reflects upon it. Which is why if you've met your favorite stars...in most cases you can't relate to them. They're oftentimes loners who trust few and might be able to exchange a few pleasantries, but they're not living in your world.
But they're able to tell the truth about it.
But somewhere along the line it became conventional wisdom that everybody could be an artist, if they just tried hard enough.
This is patently untrue.
Artistry is a calling. A walk into the wilderness. And it's the intangibles that put you over the top. Knowing the basics, being able to play your instrument, draw, that's just a starting point. You might be able to become a journeyman, a backup musician, an artist at Disney, but you're not going to become a household name. Because to do that you've got to be alienated and different, outside. Sure, there are exceptions, but very few.
And then there's the concept that if you work hard enough you're entitled to the reward.
Did you read that piece in the "New York Times"?
"No, You Don't Get an A for Effort"
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/26/opinion/school-grades-a-quantity-quality.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uk4.iiG3.jUYdAjCT-4sa&smid=url-share
I hear it all the time. Someone put a lot of work into their music, you can't criticize it. That's patently wrong.
And then there's everybody boasting about their 10,000 hours. It's 10,00 hours of HARD PRACTICE! The example I always use is if you spend 10,000 hours on the bunny slope, you will not be a world class skier.
And that's what 10,000 hours delivers, world class performance.
But that still does not make you number one. Look at the skiing World Cup... To get to that circuit... There are so many subsidiary leagues, like the Europa Cup and the NorAm series... 60-70 people start every World Cup ski race, most you've never heard of and never will. They've dedicated their lives to the sport, they're world class, but they're not winners, not at the elite level.
And sure, the families of the also-rans are supportive, but the public is only interested in the winners, or those who have the ability to truly become victorious.
And that's very few.
And it's the same in music.
2
So what I'm trying to say here is my inbox is full of people who call me a miserable hater, unsubscribing because I just won't like the generic, what they do.
But I'm searching for magic.
And you know it when you hear it.
And I heard it earlier today in a video of Lee Thomas Miller on TikTok.
Yes, TikTok has been deleted from the app store. But you can still view clips in your browser. And this one is at:
https://www.tiktok.com/@nashville_stacy/video/7467611574283521326?q=nashville%20stacy&t=1738786340219
(Be sure to click the speaker in the lower right hand corner to turn on the sound.)
So what we've got here is a guy you've probably never heard of making a joke about losing the country Grammy to Beyoncé.
I guess that's why I was served this. I wasn't looking for it.
But Lee Thomas Miller is not pissed, he's kind of making a joke.
But one thing is for sure, the audience is on his side.
And as the video unspools, some of Miller's songs are listed. He's got seven country number ones. And he co-wrote Chris Stapleton's "Whiskey and You" from Chris's 2015 album "Traveller."
Miller also co-wrote the song "The Bottom" from Stapleton's last album, "Higher," which was competing against Beyoncé in that Grammy category.
And that's all fine and dandy, but about twenty seconds into this slightly longer than one minute TikTok clip, Miller starts to sing...
"In Color."
Which he cowrote with Jamey Johnson and James Otto, which Jamey took up the country chart back in 2008.
"I said, 'Grandpa, what's this picture here?
It's all black and white, and it ain't real clear
Is that you there?,' he said, 'Yeah, I was 11'
'And times were tough back in '35
That's me and uncle Joe just tryna survive
A cotton farm, in a Great Depression'"
"In Color" is a story song. In a long history of country story songs. It talks about the war, the years passing, you get the world-weariness, there's no pandering at all.
And after Lee Thomas Miller sings the introductory verse...
He starts singing the chorus, you can hear the harmonies, the supporting instruments, the camera pulls back and you're positively wowed, this is the magic, you know it when you hear it.
This is not something someone had to tell me to like. It was all right here. I didn't care how good a guitar player Lee Thomas Miller was, I didn't care what he was wearing, what he was promoting, his brand extensions, because in this very moment the essence of greatness was revealed.
And it was clear it was not casual. It was studied, there was effort put into it, rehearsal.
And it wasn't on hard drive.
And it made me think of all those country rock records back in the day influenced by Nashville. Those harmonies. Even the Dead got in on the act with "Uncle John's Band."
I have no idea how much time it took to write this song, it doesn't matter how many people are in the audience. The chart number doesn't matter, nor whether it won an award.
That's all window-dressing, quantification in a world that doesn't truly square with it. Because each artistic endeavor is unique. Sure, there's a business in me-too, but that's not art. Art is about being the progenitor, or mixing up the elements into something new.
"If it looks like we were scared to death
Like a couple of kids just tryna save each other
YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN IT IN COLOR!!"
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Tuesday, 4 February 2025
Me On Rick Beato (resend with improved link)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8qSctzVhhQ
I hesitated sending this to you because of the hateful comments and my screw-up of the name of Fontaines D.C., but thinking about it... Normally my words are filtered through the lens of a journalist, whereas here you get it straight from the horse's mouth, i.e. me.
So...
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I hesitated sending this to you because of the hateful comments and my screw-up of the name of Fontaines D.C., but thinking about it... Normally my words are filtered through the lens of a journalist, whereas here you get it straight from the horse's mouth, i.e. me.
So...
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Me On Rick Beato
YouTube: https://n9.cl/d58oq
I hesitated sending this to you because of the hateful comments and my screw-up of the name of Fontaines D.C., but thinking about it... Normally my words are filtered through the lens of a journalist, whereas here you get it straight from the horse's mouth, i.e. me.
So...
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I hesitated sending this to you because of the hateful comments and my screw-up of the name of Fontaines D.C., but thinking about it... Normally my words are filtered through the lens of a journalist, whereas here you get it straight from the horse's mouth, i.e. me.
So...
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Beyoncé Backlash
This is why the Democrats lost.
I'm not watching the Grammys, and who cares. Of course I tuned in for the lame opening. I heard it was going to be "I Love L.A.," but I expected the man himself, Randy Newman, instead of Dawes and a coterie of the half-dead. Either do it right or don't do it at all!
Oh, you're such a hater, don't you like anything?
That's the thing about art. You're shooting for the bullseye. Assuming you're an artist yourself. The rest is commerce. But when you nail it, it feels so good and it resonates. One of the reasons "I Love L.A." works is because of Randy Newman's delivery, the sneer. And you only need him and his piano. Simplicity is frequently better than complication. Today's records are crammed with junk, steel wool in goggles that obscures the truth.
So we've got Brittany Howard who can't write a hit song to save her life. Brad Paisley, great guitarist, what in the hell is he doing here. Ditto on John Legend. As for Sheryl Crow...she made a deal with the devil eons ago, to be the token female at every high profile music event.
And the public doesn't care. The ratings went down. The audience dropped 9% to 15.4 million. A drop in the bucket to Mr. Beast and the rest of the influencers, but they're capturing the zeitgeist, testing limits.
And the Grammys are congratulating themselves on what has been hailed as the best show in eons...
Assuming you're only reading traditional media. Assuming you're not on TikTok. Where the backlash is DEAFENING!
I wasn't looking for it, it found me. People are up in arms about Beyoncé winning Best Country Album. Video after video.
And they're right.
And you wonder why these people voted for Trump.
Have you seen that video wherein James Carville says we ran our 7th string quarterback for President?
https://shorturl.at/d00Oe
Everything is so massaged, you can no longer speak the truth. I hate DOGE and self-appointed president Elon Musk, but the orthodoxy of the Democrats drives me wild.
This is just evidence that the Grammys have lost touch with the public. The public doesn't care about the hits as much as they used to. They're a turn-off. They hate Taylor Swift, shrug at BTS, but if you say this out loud you're a pariah!
"Cowboy Carter" is not a country album. Beyoncé even said so, she called it a "Beyoncé album." But after the manufactured backlash stating that country radio racially dismissed Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," the industry and the media were afraid to blow the whistle on Beyoncé.
This is even worse than Jethro Tull winning for best metal album. At least there's a thread, however thin, between Tull and Metallica. But Beyoncé and today's country? Just because you say something is country, that does not make it so. All you're doing is sh*tting on country fans. The same fans who elected Donald Trump, by the way.
Morgan Wallen is a pariah in leftist circles, for being drunk and using the n-word as a term of endearment like he's heard in so many rap records. Dumb, but now he's been canceled by people who think they know better, who never made a mistake in their lives themselves. Meanwhile, Wallen is the biggest act in America, bigger than Taylor Swift, the Weeknd and Beyoncé. He sells out stadiums, has his own festival that went clean, but we keep reading about friendship bracelets.
Hell, if you watched the Grammys you'd think men didn't make music. If it's macho it doesn't play. All those people listening to metal, going to see the Insane Clown Posse, attending jam band shows, focusing on people who can play their instruments as opposed to selling out to become stars...they were absent. In a kumbaya celebration wherein everybody was friends on the arena's floor and bogus awards were handed out.
You can't quantify art. That's tech. And no one goes home and listens to a Sam Altman record.
Then again, Steve Jobs did no market research and had a hard edge in pursuit of excellence. And if you know any of the legendary artists...so many are just like him.
Even Jon Stewart was stunned that Beyoncé won the country award.
But the story is most prevalent on social media.
If you want to read one tech story, read this one from last Saturday's "Wall Street Journal":
"Stop Panicking Over Teens and Social Media - Modern life is digital. Adults need to help young people navigate the costs and benefits, not launch bans and hope for the best."
Free link: https://rb.gy/ugz17a
The research showing the harm of smartphone use on the young doesn't exist. But that didn't keep the "New York Times" from printing two anti-smartphone articles this weekend.
If you read the "Times," you'd think the Grammys were a triumph.
If you went on TikTok you'd think they were a disaster.
Did you see John Rich's tweet?
"Beyonce slammed by country legend over Grammy win amid DEI push to make awards more diverse"
https://shorturl.at/6ejbd
You're rolling your eyes and saying John Rich is a right wing crank. But you're wrong, he's a hero to those people who believe they're being pissed on by those who believe they know better. And Rich revealed block voting by labels and...the truth almost doesn't matter, if Beyoncé wins the country album award the Grammys must be fixed, untrustworthy, because how can this BE?
You're telling people who love their music that an interloper knows how to do it better. You're telling them their taste is bad. You're telling them they have to create a big tent just to satisfy a group that doesn't listen to their music anyway!
And you wonder how the Democrats lost the election.
As for Beyoncé winning Album of the Year... I don't know about you, but the first thing I thought was that Grammy voters were browbeaten into giving it to her. If you asked me, I'd say to abolish the Grammys. Or turn it into a party more like the Brits, with few awards, most of which are not taken that seriously.
When it comes to music, the experts always get it wrong and the public gets it right.
The Beatles win almost no awards.
Led Zeppelin is a pariah.
You can pooh-pooh the public's taste ,but the people have consistently been more right than the Grammys. A self-congratulatory navel-gazing back-slapping organization that is so busy kvelling for honoring Beyoncé while asking us to overlook the fact that a woman who wanted change was squeezed out and it's still a boys club.
But I don't give a sh*t about the Grammys.
But I do care about the pulse of America. And right now that's on social media. In podcasts. While the Democrats keep playing to traditional media with one hand behind its back. Can't people admit it went too far? If Beyoncé wins for Best Country Album... Isn't this like trans swimmers jumping into the pool and beating biological females? You can intellectualize it all you want, but it doesn't sit right emotionally, people think it's not fair.
So I grew up in the holler. I learned how to pick. I moved to Nashville. I paid my dues. And some Top 40 superstar comes along and wins my award? I topped country radio and she was barely heard (and when she was, it was a DEI spin).
Oh, now I'm the enemy.
If wrote anything negative about Kamala people thought I was voting for Trump. Of course not. But I've got common sense when they don't.
Common sense says "Cowboy Carter" was not a country record. She was entitled to make it, people were entitled to stream it, but you can't convince country fans that it's part of their world.
And when you make a mistake like this the credibility of your entire organization comes into question.
Are you voting for what you believe or what others tell you to?
This is groupthink, of the worst order.
They keep telling us the Spotify Top 50 rule music. They keep telling us a limited number of superstars dominate. They keep telling us they know better.
But they don't.
The Grammys have lost touch with the culture. And the major labels too.
Maybe we need a holiday wherein we force everybody to go on TikTok for 24 hours.
But the Chinese will get my data! I will be exposed to falsehoods!
Live in a bubble if you want, live in fear.
But on TikTok Beyoncé lost.
And the audience is on TikTok, not even paying attention to traditional media.
If you don't know we live in a bottom up world...
You're on top and think you know better.
But you don't.
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I'm not watching the Grammys, and who cares. Of course I tuned in for the lame opening. I heard it was going to be "I Love L.A.," but I expected the man himself, Randy Newman, instead of Dawes and a coterie of the half-dead. Either do it right or don't do it at all!
Oh, you're such a hater, don't you like anything?
That's the thing about art. You're shooting for the bullseye. Assuming you're an artist yourself. The rest is commerce. But when you nail it, it feels so good and it resonates. One of the reasons "I Love L.A." works is because of Randy Newman's delivery, the sneer. And you only need him and his piano. Simplicity is frequently better than complication. Today's records are crammed with junk, steel wool in goggles that obscures the truth.
So we've got Brittany Howard who can't write a hit song to save her life. Brad Paisley, great guitarist, what in the hell is he doing here. Ditto on John Legend. As for Sheryl Crow...she made a deal with the devil eons ago, to be the token female at every high profile music event.
And the public doesn't care. The ratings went down. The audience dropped 9% to 15.4 million. A drop in the bucket to Mr. Beast and the rest of the influencers, but they're capturing the zeitgeist, testing limits.
And the Grammys are congratulating themselves on what has been hailed as the best show in eons...
Assuming you're only reading traditional media. Assuming you're not on TikTok. Where the backlash is DEAFENING!
I wasn't looking for it, it found me. People are up in arms about Beyoncé winning Best Country Album. Video after video.
And they're right.
And you wonder why these people voted for Trump.
Have you seen that video wherein James Carville says we ran our 7th string quarterback for President?
https://shorturl.at/d00Oe
Everything is so massaged, you can no longer speak the truth. I hate DOGE and self-appointed president Elon Musk, but the orthodoxy of the Democrats drives me wild.
This is just evidence that the Grammys have lost touch with the public. The public doesn't care about the hits as much as they used to. They're a turn-off. They hate Taylor Swift, shrug at BTS, but if you say this out loud you're a pariah!
"Cowboy Carter" is not a country album. Beyoncé even said so, she called it a "Beyoncé album." But after the manufactured backlash stating that country radio racially dismissed Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," the industry and the media were afraid to blow the whistle on Beyoncé.
This is even worse than Jethro Tull winning for best metal album. At least there's a thread, however thin, between Tull and Metallica. But Beyoncé and today's country? Just because you say something is country, that does not make it so. All you're doing is sh*tting on country fans. The same fans who elected Donald Trump, by the way.
Morgan Wallen is a pariah in leftist circles, for being drunk and using the n-word as a term of endearment like he's heard in so many rap records. Dumb, but now he's been canceled by people who think they know better, who never made a mistake in their lives themselves. Meanwhile, Wallen is the biggest act in America, bigger than Taylor Swift, the Weeknd and Beyoncé. He sells out stadiums, has his own festival that went clean, but we keep reading about friendship bracelets.
Hell, if you watched the Grammys you'd think men didn't make music. If it's macho it doesn't play. All those people listening to metal, going to see the Insane Clown Posse, attending jam band shows, focusing on people who can play their instruments as opposed to selling out to become stars...they were absent. In a kumbaya celebration wherein everybody was friends on the arena's floor and bogus awards were handed out.
You can't quantify art. That's tech. And no one goes home and listens to a Sam Altman record.
Then again, Steve Jobs did no market research and had a hard edge in pursuit of excellence. And if you know any of the legendary artists...so many are just like him.
Even Jon Stewart was stunned that Beyoncé won the country award.
But the story is most prevalent on social media.
If you want to read one tech story, read this one from last Saturday's "Wall Street Journal":
"Stop Panicking Over Teens and Social Media - Modern life is digital. Adults need to help young people navigate the costs and benefits, not launch bans and hope for the best."
Free link: https://rb.gy/ugz17a
The research showing the harm of smartphone use on the young doesn't exist. But that didn't keep the "New York Times" from printing two anti-smartphone articles this weekend.
If you read the "Times," you'd think the Grammys were a triumph.
If you went on TikTok you'd think they were a disaster.
Did you see John Rich's tweet?
"Beyonce slammed by country legend over Grammy win amid DEI push to make awards more diverse"
https://shorturl.at/6ejbd
You're rolling your eyes and saying John Rich is a right wing crank. But you're wrong, he's a hero to those people who believe they're being pissed on by those who believe they know better. And Rich revealed block voting by labels and...the truth almost doesn't matter, if Beyoncé wins the country album award the Grammys must be fixed, untrustworthy, because how can this BE?
You're telling people who love their music that an interloper knows how to do it better. You're telling them their taste is bad. You're telling them they have to create a big tent just to satisfy a group that doesn't listen to their music anyway!
And you wonder how the Democrats lost the election.
As for Beyoncé winning Album of the Year... I don't know about you, but the first thing I thought was that Grammy voters were browbeaten into giving it to her. If you asked me, I'd say to abolish the Grammys. Or turn it into a party more like the Brits, with few awards, most of which are not taken that seriously.
When it comes to music, the experts always get it wrong and the public gets it right.
The Beatles win almost no awards.
Led Zeppelin is a pariah.
You can pooh-pooh the public's taste ,but the people have consistently been more right than the Grammys. A self-congratulatory navel-gazing back-slapping organization that is so busy kvelling for honoring Beyoncé while asking us to overlook the fact that a woman who wanted change was squeezed out and it's still a boys club.
But I don't give a sh*t about the Grammys.
But I do care about the pulse of America. And right now that's on social media. In podcasts. While the Democrats keep playing to traditional media with one hand behind its back. Can't people admit it went too far? If Beyoncé wins for Best Country Album... Isn't this like trans swimmers jumping into the pool and beating biological females? You can intellectualize it all you want, but it doesn't sit right emotionally, people think it's not fair.
So I grew up in the holler. I learned how to pick. I moved to Nashville. I paid my dues. And some Top 40 superstar comes along and wins my award? I topped country radio and she was barely heard (and when she was, it was a DEI spin).
Oh, now I'm the enemy.
If wrote anything negative about Kamala people thought I was voting for Trump. Of course not. But I've got common sense when they don't.
Common sense says "Cowboy Carter" was not a country record. She was entitled to make it, people were entitled to stream it, but you can't convince country fans that it's part of their world.
And when you make a mistake like this the credibility of your entire organization comes into question.
Are you voting for what you believe or what others tell you to?
This is groupthink, of the worst order.
They keep telling us the Spotify Top 50 rule music. They keep telling us a limited number of superstars dominate. They keep telling us they know better.
But they don't.
The Grammys have lost touch with the culture. And the major labels too.
Maybe we need a holiday wherein we force everybody to go on TikTok for 24 hours.
But the Chinese will get my data! I will be exposed to falsehoods!
Live in a bubble if you want, live in fear.
But on TikTok Beyoncé lost.
And the audience is on TikTok, not even paying attention to traditional media.
If you don't know we live in a bottom up world...
You're on top and think you know better.
But you don't.
--
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--
Listen to the podcast:
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Sunday, 2 February 2025
AmericanaFest Salute To John Hiatt
1
Isn't that Fred Tackett?
Dealing with seating by the side of the upstairs bleachers...
I heard "Slow Turning" in the background. And I sneaked a look forward and...
There was this white-haired guy wailing on guitar and...
I scanned the Troubadour stage and I saw Billy Payne on keys. And Kenny Gradney was on bass. The heart of Little Feat was playing one of John Hiatt's most memorable numbers like they'd been lit by firecrackers. Leads were traded. I went right up to the railing and stared.
And then it was over. And although Billy Payne appeared again, Fred did not.
But maybe you don't know Fred Tackett. Maybe you don't know he composed the second side opener on "Dixie Chicken." Bonnie Raitt did a good version of "Fool Yourself," but it's Lowell George's sweet vocal that puts this over the top.
Lowell George never won a Grammy. And slipped to the other side at 34, but if you were a fan, you were not a casual listener, Lowell and Little Feat own a distinct part of your heart.
Fred is 79, he'll be 80 in August. Billy Payne is a veritable youngster at 75, he'll be 76 in March. They looked like they just walked in off the street, with no airs, but boy could they play.
They might have to play. Then again, both wrote successful songs, hopefully the revenue is coming in.
But one thing's for sure, just like the dear departed Lowell George, they're musicians, not stars. And musicians PLAY!
2
I guess what struck me was how many of the acts on stage were not on a major label, although some were once.
John Hiatt himself... He had a buzz in the early 80s, he played Wong's West, David Geffen was there. The next time I ran into Geffen he told me he'd signed him. To the nascent Geffen Records.
But Hiatt didn't connect there. He was dropped, and ultimately A&M picked up his breakthrough album "Bring the Family" after it was recorded.
Back in the day... You were either on a major label or an also-ran. Today's best musicians don't have a label at all. There's a layer of stars that get reams of press, appeal to younger generations, but those who have aged out, or have been dropped, or were never signed, are no longer demoralized, they're just doing what musicians have always done, write and play. We're back to basics. And seemingly everybody but the media industrial complex seems to know this. Music has morphed. We're in evolution. Sure, avenues of remuneration have jumped the track, however anyone in the world can listen to your music for free, and that's a good thing, no, that's a GREAT THING! You monetize last in tech. And in the attention economy, you're thrilled if anyone's paying attention at all.
3
Now the dirty little secret of tonight's Grammy telecast is so many of those acts are singing to Pro Tools. I heard Questlove talking about his SNL movie on NPR on the way to last night's gig. The Ashlee Simpson debacle. He likes some warts, some mistakes, and he said 90% of what you hear on "The Tonight Show" is live, but ever since Michael Jackson's "Thriller," acts feel it necessary to get it exactly right, because they believe this is what the audience expects, and if the spotlight is upon them, they don't want to disappoint, they want to do their best sales job.
But the funny thing is so many working musicians are no longer selling at all. They're leading with their music. And if that's not enough...
There are all these stories of brand extensions... I'll say if you want to be a Kardashian, why play music at all?
And I'm not saying everyone's entitled to make a living in music, but there are some who are better than the rest, and all of those on stage last night fit that bill.
4
The absolute highlight was Michael McDonald singing "Have a Little Faith in Me." Just him and his piano. I guarantee you if McDonald repeated the performance tonight at the Grammys it would be the pinnacle. Because that's all you need.
And experience, those miles, pay dividends.
"When the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try, baby
And have a little faith in me"
The lyrics are good, but it's the tune and the delivery that put the enterprise over the top. They call that a song.
"Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me"
Despite his dignified and sometimes debonair appearance, Michael McDonald struggled to make it. He had issues with drugs. Last night he said the last time he played the Troubadour...he'd had to be bailed out of the Van Nuys jail to hit the stage.
That's music. There's no degree that ensures success. It's something that comes from deep inside, that when done right resonates with the listener. McDonald is playing and singing with his deep voice and you're just waiting for a crack... It's so right, naked, he's on the high wire...
But he's a professional.
Utterly astounding.
5
Joe Bonamassa played "Perfectly Good Guitar." And threw off some notes, he wailed.
He didn't sink the track, it was tasteful.
All the genres could coexist. You can play a Les Paul and have a fiddle on the same stage. It's all music. The audience knows this, but not the industry.
Lyle Lovett had a moment forty years ago. But he's still here, sans his large band. He too knows how to sell a song.
As for Los Lobos?
Positively mesmerizing. Los Lobos had a moment, but they never had a hit. But they continue to exist. Albeit worse for wear physically, like all of us from way back when.
But when they laid into "Down on the Riverbed"...
This is the rock that triumphed. A band so well-oiled, so tight, and so powerful that the music itself makes you pay attention, no stage antics are necessary. Once again, it's a thrill to see pros at work.
And then there was Hiatt himself.
6
He's been up and down. And never a household name. I remember seeing him as part of Ry Cooder's band at the Country Club in Reseda back in '81. The supergroup Little Village made a good record, but times were changing and it did not garner a mass audience and its members went their separate ways.
John did play a song he had a writing credit on that is most famous in Cooder's version, "Across the Borderline."
But I'd be lying if I didn't say the highlight of his set was "Thing Called Love," well-known by its Bonnie Raitt cover on her commercial breakthrough, "Nick of Time." Hell, you probably remember the video, with Dennis Quaid.
Now last night it was a duet, with Brandy Clark. Who may not have the fame of Raitt, but who is built in her mold. Then again, like Hiatt, she's more famous as a songwriter than a recording artist.
"Ugly ducklings don't turn into swans
And glide off down the lake
Whether your sunglasses are off or on
You only see the world you make"
Ain't that the truth. You don't count the blessings you have, you build up your weak points, shine up your personality and your soul... That's what it takes to make it in music. It's a long hard road. There might be a detour to stardom, but now less than ever in the post-Beatles era.
Everybody's in their own vertical. And if you're complaining... It's a hard road, but only you are responsible for your success. When you get your moment, you've got to deliver, you've got to capture the crowd.
And there was one moment last night when Cedric Burnside performed "Icy Blue Heart." After looking Cedric up on Wikipedia, I listened as he played a song I do not know by heart and...
My mind started to drift and...
I realized this was the experience. The through thread from then to now, from being bitten by the bug to late age. Going to the gig, not to dance or make friends but to be released into a world you cannot access otherwise. Where your whole personality is in evidence, but you are alone in the room. You can see your past, you contemplate your future, all you know is this feeling...this feeling is what you live for.
And that was the feeling last night.
Setlist: https://shorturl.at/UJVx7
--
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,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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Isn't that Fred Tackett?
Dealing with seating by the side of the upstairs bleachers...
I heard "Slow Turning" in the background. And I sneaked a look forward and...
There was this white-haired guy wailing on guitar and...
I scanned the Troubadour stage and I saw Billy Payne on keys. And Kenny Gradney was on bass. The heart of Little Feat was playing one of John Hiatt's most memorable numbers like they'd been lit by firecrackers. Leads were traded. I went right up to the railing and stared.
And then it was over. And although Billy Payne appeared again, Fred did not.
But maybe you don't know Fred Tackett. Maybe you don't know he composed the second side opener on "Dixie Chicken." Bonnie Raitt did a good version of "Fool Yourself," but it's Lowell George's sweet vocal that puts this over the top.
Lowell George never won a Grammy. And slipped to the other side at 34, but if you were a fan, you were not a casual listener, Lowell and Little Feat own a distinct part of your heart.
Fred is 79, he'll be 80 in August. Billy Payne is a veritable youngster at 75, he'll be 76 in March. They looked like they just walked in off the street, with no airs, but boy could they play.
They might have to play. Then again, both wrote successful songs, hopefully the revenue is coming in.
But one thing's for sure, just like the dear departed Lowell George, they're musicians, not stars. And musicians PLAY!
2
I guess what struck me was how many of the acts on stage were not on a major label, although some were once.
John Hiatt himself... He had a buzz in the early 80s, he played Wong's West, David Geffen was there. The next time I ran into Geffen he told me he'd signed him. To the nascent Geffen Records.
But Hiatt didn't connect there. He was dropped, and ultimately A&M picked up his breakthrough album "Bring the Family" after it was recorded.
Back in the day... You were either on a major label or an also-ran. Today's best musicians don't have a label at all. There's a layer of stars that get reams of press, appeal to younger generations, but those who have aged out, or have been dropped, or were never signed, are no longer demoralized, they're just doing what musicians have always done, write and play. We're back to basics. And seemingly everybody but the media industrial complex seems to know this. Music has morphed. We're in evolution. Sure, avenues of remuneration have jumped the track, however anyone in the world can listen to your music for free, and that's a good thing, no, that's a GREAT THING! You monetize last in tech. And in the attention economy, you're thrilled if anyone's paying attention at all.
3
Now the dirty little secret of tonight's Grammy telecast is so many of those acts are singing to Pro Tools. I heard Questlove talking about his SNL movie on NPR on the way to last night's gig. The Ashlee Simpson debacle. He likes some warts, some mistakes, and he said 90% of what you hear on "The Tonight Show" is live, but ever since Michael Jackson's "Thriller," acts feel it necessary to get it exactly right, because they believe this is what the audience expects, and if the spotlight is upon them, they don't want to disappoint, they want to do their best sales job.
But the funny thing is so many working musicians are no longer selling at all. They're leading with their music. And if that's not enough...
There are all these stories of brand extensions... I'll say if you want to be a Kardashian, why play music at all?
And I'm not saying everyone's entitled to make a living in music, but there are some who are better than the rest, and all of those on stage last night fit that bill.
4
The absolute highlight was Michael McDonald singing "Have a Little Faith in Me." Just him and his piano. I guarantee you if McDonald repeated the performance tonight at the Grammys it would be the pinnacle. Because that's all you need.
And experience, those miles, pay dividends.
"When the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try, baby
And have a little faith in me"
The lyrics are good, but it's the tune and the delivery that put the enterprise over the top. They call that a song.
"Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me"
Despite his dignified and sometimes debonair appearance, Michael McDonald struggled to make it. He had issues with drugs. Last night he said the last time he played the Troubadour...he'd had to be bailed out of the Van Nuys jail to hit the stage.
That's music. There's no degree that ensures success. It's something that comes from deep inside, that when done right resonates with the listener. McDonald is playing and singing with his deep voice and you're just waiting for a crack... It's so right, naked, he's on the high wire...
But he's a professional.
Utterly astounding.
5
Joe Bonamassa played "Perfectly Good Guitar." And threw off some notes, he wailed.
He didn't sink the track, it was tasteful.
All the genres could coexist. You can play a Les Paul and have a fiddle on the same stage. It's all music. The audience knows this, but not the industry.
Lyle Lovett had a moment forty years ago. But he's still here, sans his large band. He too knows how to sell a song.
As for Los Lobos?
Positively mesmerizing. Los Lobos had a moment, but they never had a hit. But they continue to exist. Albeit worse for wear physically, like all of us from way back when.
But when they laid into "Down on the Riverbed"...
This is the rock that triumphed. A band so well-oiled, so tight, and so powerful that the music itself makes you pay attention, no stage antics are necessary. Once again, it's a thrill to see pros at work.
And then there was Hiatt himself.
6
He's been up and down. And never a household name. I remember seeing him as part of Ry Cooder's band at the Country Club in Reseda back in '81. The supergroup Little Village made a good record, but times were changing and it did not garner a mass audience and its members went their separate ways.
John did play a song he had a writing credit on that is most famous in Cooder's version, "Across the Borderline."
But I'd be lying if I didn't say the highlight of his set was "Thing Called Love," well-known by its Bonnie Raitt cover on her commercial breakthrough, "Nick of Time." Hell, you probably remember the video, with Dennis Quaid.
Now last night it was a duet, with Brandy Clark. Who may not have the fame of Raitt, but who is built in her mold. Then again, like Hiatt, she's more famous as a songwriter than a recording artist.
"Ugly ducklings don't turn into swans
And glide off down the lake
Whether your sunglasses are off or on
You only see the world you make"
Ain't that the truth. You don't count the blessings you have, you build up your weak points, shine up your personality and your soul... That's what it takes to make it in music. It's a long hard road. There might be a detour to stardom, but now less than ever in the post-Beatles era.
Everybody's in their own vertical. And if you're complaining... It's a hard road, but only you are responsible for your success. When you get your moment, you've got to deliver, you've got to capture the crowd.
And there was one moment last night when Cedric Burnside performed "Icy Blue Heart." After looking Cedric up on Wikipedia, I listened as he played a song I do not know by heart and...
My mind started to drift and...
I realized this was the experience. The through thread from then to now, from being bitten by the bug to late age. Going to the gig, not to dance or make friends but to be released into a world you cannot access otherwise. Where your whole personality is in evidence, but you are alone in the room. You can see your past, you contemplate your future, all you know is this feeling...this feeling is what you live for.
And that was the feeling last night.
Setlist: https://shorturl.at/UJVx7
--
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,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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