A Pirate Looks At Forty

https://spoti.fi/2jcWh24

One song can make a career.

And it's not "Margaritaville," the anthem of good times, it's "A Pirate Looks At Forty."

F. was from Tallahassee, back before hanging chads and FSU championship teams. Back then it was more like Georgia than Miami, probably still is, haven't been there for decades, but for a while I experienced it, and Florida is different.

She drove to L.A. with "Hard Nose The Highway" and "A1A," she testified about Jimmy Buffett and I thought he was just the wimpy guy singing "Come Monday," boy was I wrong. Then again, I had no idea what A1A was, probably most of you still don't, but if you watch "Bloodline" you realize there's a whole 'nother lifestyle out there, far from the city rat race, it's tempting, but beware, it's populated with drinking and bad behavior, not that there's anything wrong with that. Oh, who am I kidding, that's how you get in trouble, and sometimes it goes on your permanent record.

Now we never played the "A1A" 8-track in F.'s car, because we rarely drove in her Mazda, and I didn't want to listen to it anyway. But when I saw "Son Of A Son Of A Sailor" in the promo bin at the record store, I bought it for her, and got hooked on the title track. It felt like a lifestyle I'd led in the hinterlands, far from the fast lane, where you know everybody and pursue a dream that seems far from the mainstream, but which is everything to you. The mountains, the water, they call to you. To this day, when I see mountains my heart pitter-patters, they promise adventure.

And that album contains the hit "Cheeseburger In Paradise," but I didn't become a certified Parrothead until the double live album follow-up "You Had To Be There," wherein Jimmy changes the lyrics of the opening cut, the aforementioned "Son Of A Son Of A Sailor," singing that his cast is no blast and it feels like he's pulling a trailer and you instantly become a fan, of a man who's willing to mix it up and show some personality. And that double LP is full of hits and humor, stories, and the definitive version of "A Pirate Looks At Forty," it's the one that closed me, that pushed me over to the dark side, that made me a fan.

"I wrote this for an old friend of mine down in Key West who just couldn't quite find his occupation here in the twentieth century, couldn't work at Sears..."

I can't find mine in the twenty first.

Actually, they sold us a bill of goods back in the twentieth, told us we could be all we wanted to be before we found out life was hard and we had to sell out, even though we didn't want to. We did, and have regretted it ever since, it's why we go to the shows of the classic rock acts, to remind us of what once could be.

"Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall"

Some of us want to be firemen, others nurses or sanitary engineers, but usually we cast aside childhood dreams, but a few of us don't, we get an urge, we get a desire, and it sticks with us.

"Watched the men who rode you switch from sails to steam"

It's all about the passage of time, it's the secret of life according to James Taylor, you think you matter but you don't, you're just part of a long continuum, the only thing that's constant is change, evolution.

"Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothing to plunder
I'm an over forty victim of fate"

Ever think you missed your moment? Or that your moment never was? You can see it clearly in your brain, but you just can't touch it. It's like being a beatnik in the twenty first century, when no one can afford to be.

"And I have been drunk now for over two weeks
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks"

They drink in Tallahassee. I learned how to do this in Vermont. Back before the attention economy, when we had time to kill, Catskill, and didn't know how to fill it, when we bought Michelob on the weekends and Schlitz on the weekdays and strove to have the night of our lives as we sipped and discovered we never had it, although we did have some good times. But the southerners were not ragers, it was more of a lifestyle, you drank to cope.

I used to drink to cope.

And so did F.

And there were good times and bad times, just like in that Led Zeppelin song. Laughing and crying, it's the same release. You're eating Mexican food in the Valley snuggling and storytelling and then you're home staring at the ceiling arguing in bed, could switch just that fast, that's the power of alcohol.

"I go for younger women, lived with several a while"

This line emanated from my radio as I pulled away from the Bel-Air Hotel after midnight tonight, my stereo was on the Margaritaville channel, where I'd been listening to a live Jimmy Buffett concert on the drive over, I loved hearing Mac McAnally sing "That's Where I Come From," Jimmy's always featured players in his band, and Mac is one of the best.

And I knew the songs streaming out of the stereo on the way over, but long after dark it was "A Pirate Looks At Forty" that set my mind adrift.

Jimmy's built an empire on it. He's convinced a plethora of people if they come to his show they can forget about their life for a while and dream of a better one, full of fun, where they're desirable and happy and everything works out.

"Though I ran 'em away, they'd come back one day
Still could manage to smile
Just takes a while, just takes a while"

He's living the dream, punching above his weight, achieving the impossible, flying on a wing and a prayer, his personality and his smarts, his charisma, are delivering what those playing the game cannot get, he's a screw-up, but he's irresistible, don't we all want to be this pirate at forty, fifty or sixty?

"Mother, mother ocean, after all the years I've found
My occupational hazard being my occupation's just not around
I feel like I've drowned, gonna head uptown
I feel like I've drowned, gonna head uptown"

Maybe he's blown not only his chance, but his life, but still...

He's gonna continue to march forward. Because that's all you can do in life, keep on keepin' on.

While the powerful and popular are purveying platitudes, Jimmy Buffett is speaking truth, and it's truth that resonates and pays dividends. You think your fine automobile and billfold will get you what you want, but life is not two-dimensional, it's all about who you are. Character is king.

Eventually we broke up, after too many long drunken nights.

But the alcohol remained, until I got into too much trouble and had to stop, and I've never taken another sip, not that that was the plan, I just had to pull myself up from the hole I'd fallen into. And when I'd done this, I'd gained perspective.

But I never forgot where I once was. Sure, I marveled that I survived, how many mornings did I run out to see if my car was in one piece, and I'm not proud of these stories, but they happened, and if I want to revisit those days I listen to "A Pirate Looks At Forty."

I'm not really a pirate, and I'm no longer forty, and at times I feel a failure and at others a winner, but when I listen to this record I know I can keep putting one foot in front of the other.

And that's all you can do.

Head uptown and get drunk, even if it's on Vitamin Water.


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Where Have All The Good Times Gone

https://spoti.fi/2jdVEVS

I heard Bowie's version on Deep Tracks the other night.

I was driving in the dark, on the twisty roads in the hills, and it sounded so good.

It never sounded that good before.

I bought "PinUps" and was sorely disappointed. You see I'd gotten in early, for an American, I'd been in London and Ziggy was blowing up and I bought the album and saw the band at Boston's Music Hall before most people had any idea who he was, in less than two years he played Madison Square Garden, I was there too, but this was when it was a badge of honor to be in the know and you followed bands on the way up, Bowie ascended faster than most.

And to be honest, I found "Aladdin Sane" a disappointment. But can I say my favorite cut on that LP is the closer, the slowly-building anthem "Lady Grinning Soul"? No one ever talks about that one.

And "Diamond Dogs" was a gutter move, playing to the masses, an almost lowest common denominator endeavor that made you wonder if Bowie would ever return to form.

And then came "Young Americans." A totally different sound, a surprise. And I still cannot listen to its biggest hit "Fame," although I will tolerate the title track. The groove of "Fascination" hooks me, but my absolute favorite is the second side opener "Somebody Up There Likes Me. It's the longest cut on the album, at 6:36, it starts off with a flourish, announcing the arrival of the king, and then Bowie starts to croon with emphasis, a unique combo of Englishman and James Brown, and as the track unfolds you cannot help but get on board, as Bowie gets ever more intense, throws in everything but the kitchen sink, and then you're smiling and thrusting your arm in the air and...

That is not "PinUps."

The problem with "PinUps" is the renditions are faithful. I thought he'd redo the originals, make them his own, but they were mostly pale imitations of his influences, sans magic. This was no Joe Cocker or Bryan Ferry reinventing what once was, this was a throwaway, which I'd paid good money for, making it so I couldn't buy something else, and although I'm a completist, or was, before the internet, needing to own everything, I rarely spun it and was angry about it until the other night.

But the truth is even the Van Halen cover is better, that's become the standard these days. Also kind of a cheap shot, the Dave influence, but the originals made up for the obvious remakes, then again, the band started with "You Really Got Me," and both were Kinks songs.

The Kinks...

They were on Warner Brothers before the label became iconic. They had giant hit singles on the radio when few people bought albums, as a matter of fact, all I had was the "Greatest Hits." Then they stopped touring and really didn't come back until 1970 and "Arthur" and "Victoria." And ultimately Clive Davis made them a hit act, touring arenas, on Arista, but that was something different, that was after all the "plays," that was after Ray Davies went on his personal hejira that most people were not paying attention to, but if you were...

Now my favorite sync on "The Sopranos," other than Alabama 3's opening cut, was the Kinks' "I'm Not Like Everybody Else." This was not the original, but a live rendition, from the U.S. version of the album "To The Bone," which has disappeared into the ether, it's on no streaming service, meaning you can't hear the incredible title track either. Tony wasn't like everybody else, that used to be the goal, individuality, and Ray Davies was and is an individual.

Now the original "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" is the b-side of the single of "Sunny Afternoon," which does not get the props it deserves, it's as modern today as it was back then.

And "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" was the b-side of "Till The End of the Day."

"Well, lived my life and never stopped to worry about a thing
Opened up and shouted out and never tried to sing
Wondering if I'd done wrong
Will this depression last for long"

The same depression that seems to have driven Avicii to suicide.

You don't hear about depression in today's hit music, everybody's a winner, how are you supposed to identify?

YOU CAN'T!

That's why music has lost its hold on popular culture, why it is not the driver, you resonate more with the people on TV.

"Well, once we had an easy ride and always felt the same
Time was on my side and I had everything to gain
Let it be like yesterday
Please let me have happy days"

LET IT BE LIKE YESTERDAY! How many times have you wished that???

"Ma and Pa look back at all the things they used to do
Didn't have no money and they always told the truth
Daddy didn't have no toys
But mummy didn't need no boys"

When you've got nothing, oftentimes you've got everything. Not worried about possessions, keeping up with the joneses, you're living on your wits, truly honestly, the more comfort you get, the more you get distracted.

"Well, yesterday was such an easy game for you to play
But let's face it things are so much easier today
Guess you need some bringing down
To get your feet back on the ground"

Kinda like "Positively 4th Street." This is a diss track. But not for the person's personality so much as their airs, their veneer needs to be punctured so they'll float back to earth. John Lennon did this, most famously re Paul McCartney. The English didn't want anybody to be too big for their britches, especially if they came from nothing, like most musicians.

And now it's no different from how it once was, in that everybody keeps wondering where have all the good times gone, people think technology killed society and they just want to go back to what once was, only in this case no one in their twenties is offering this insight, this wisdom.

Won't you tell me, where have all the good times gone, when pop musicians had a brain and offered insight far beyond their years.

"I'm Not Like Everybody Else" (Sopranos version): https://bit.ly/2HwGcmt


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Easy To Slip

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2HyqY08

YouTube: https://bit.ly/2HSEk6R

"Well I don't want to drift forever
In the shadow of you leaving me"

But I did, for a decade.

I was overstimulated. Interacting at the Forum, talking on the phone, out to a dinner party, and after watching an episode of "The Americans" I planned on reading my book, which I'm wholly into, "The Perfect Nanny," by Leila Slimani, translated imperfectly from the French yet the feeling sustains, but it just didn't resonate, the only thing that did was music, so I lay on the couch in the dark punching through the HQ songs on Deezer and everything was resonating, which was quite a surprise, because get wound tight enough and nothing does.

And I listened to an old Tears For Fears record, "Elemental," which sounded surprisingly good, never underestimate the power of a guitar and a tune, and then I went with the Flow and heard "Happy Together" and read about all the covers and synchs and then for some reason I needed to hear Little Feat.

Now oftentimes when I get this urge, I pull up Bonnie Raitt's "I Feel The Same," with Lowell's magic infecting the track, or maybe even James Taylor's "Angry Blues" where Lowell is subtle, but provides the essence, but tonight I wanted the real thing, so I went to the artistic breakthrough, "Dixie Chicken" and...

It sounded so good.

And I started to wonder if this sound would come back, if enough time had passed for there to be a rock renaissance, for a younger generation to get hooked on the lost sound and mutate it into something new like the English rockers did with the bluesmeisters, after all, this is what Greta Van Fleet is doing with Led Zeppelin.

And I'm thinking about Lowell George, how he died at 34 and missed so much, the fat man in the bathtub walked the edge and then fell off, it takes a lot to kill a man, but mix a cocktail of the wrong stuff and you can die overnight, makes me wonder, do you know, like Steve Jobs saying "Oh wow, oh wow!" before passing or do you go to bed thinking about what you have to do tomorrow and then...PPFFFT, it's all over?

I don't want to go that way, I want to see the end, like in a movie, the climax, maybe I'll be disappointed, maybe I'll be fulfilled, but I want to know.

And the problem with listening to music in the dark long after dark is you can't turn it off, you're alone, but you're in a cocoon, just you and the music, this how I got through after the breakup with F., after law school, with a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream I'd lie on the floor all night with the headphones on blasting, and then maybe inspired start making phone calls to the east coast when the sun came up, freaking the recipients out.

But by time K. disappeared, I was no longer drinking. But I still listened, I've always been listening, it's the only thing that roots me, on one hand I'm a loner, but with the right tunes in my ear I'm no longer flying solo.

"All the people that you can't recall
Do they really exist at all"

Like all those faces from the two years in Utah. I didn't fit in, other than my love for skiing. I'd already graduated from college, I hadn't dropped out, and when I flew through the bumps I sang a song, not to myself, but everybody, and friends picked it up and started singing it too, even though they'd never heard it, it's from Little Feat's second album, "Sailin' Shoes," the title cut of which Robert Palmer covered so well, the song is entitled "Easy To Slip."

"It's so easy to slip
It's so easy to fall"

Like Lowell, I was riding the edge, the bumps had changed, you used to be able to ski through the troughs, now you bounced off the tops, truly, it was a skill to be achieved, to execute, miss a turn and it might not be death, but a serious fall, maybe injury.

"And let your memory drift
And do nothin' at all"

Maybe it's not only me, maybe it's my entire generation, the baby boomers. We were on a fast track to nowhere, it was all about experience, not all of which took place off the couch, you'd fire up the stereo, maybe fire up a doobie, let the sound wash over you and think, HOW DID I GET HERE?

That's the riddle of my life. This is not what I contemplated, this is not what my parents foresaw, and I'm not exactly complaining, just wondering, what was it that put me on this course?

Maybe growing up in the suburbs in a Jewish family, being a middle child, going to Middlebury because I loved to ski, getting into my first long term relationship with the help of my shrink, then meeting the person who was convinced I was the one.

And then was convinced I wasn't.

That's how it happened, just not that smoothly, took years. But there was a very quick denouement, I was totally surprised.

"So I light another cigarette
And try to remember to forget"

But you can't. The memory fades, but still lingers.

And it was exacerbated by her desire not to get a divorce, which crossed with my perseverance was a bad combination, I only give up when the game is over, when my marbles are taken away, they talk about learning from failure, pivoting, I just stay the course until the path ends, when there's no more trail, and then I'm broke down and busted on the side of the road wondering where to go and what to do next.

"It's so easy to slip
It's so easy to fall"

Your parents are right. One bad move, one bad choice, and you can mess up your whole life.

Then again, at this late date, I'm convinced everybody loses ten years along the way, when things don't work out, and if you haven't had them yet, they're coming.

And the funny thing about "Easy To Slip" is it's an upbeat song, in sound anyway. Maybe that's the essence of being a musician, of being a bluesman, despite what surrounds you you find joy in playing, most of the musicians of this era picked up their instruments BEFORE the Beatles, it wasn't about the riches and the fame so much as the music.

Which ruled the world.

And everybody wants to rule the world.

Until you realize that's a fool's errand. Until you realize we're all just grist for the mill, passing through.

That's one of the bad things about aging, the memories, they haunt you, they prevent you from marching forward.

Then again, they provide a tapestry of feeling, baked into this song are all the times I sang it hiking the waterfall by Route 100, banging the bumps on Wilbere Ridge...

"Well my whole world seems so cold today
All the magic's gone away
And our time together melts away
Like the sad melody I play"

And the irony is today was so warm, just like the melody in "Easy To Slip" is not sad, it's a conundrum, but nonetheless I got overwhelmed and the only thing that could root me was a record, just when I doubted the power of one. And I slipped down into the rabbit hole of memory and my life was there in relief, the good and the bad, and her.

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what "Easy To Slip" is about, what it means, what inspired Lowell George to write it.

And I'm still trying to figure out my life.


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Mailbag

Subject: RE: Don't Bother Me

Very good one Bob, thank you. You vividly capture the excitement and make a lot of great points. Back in Britain we all felt personally proud when the Beatles conquered America - and we admired the youth of American for loving the Beatles the way we had all loved American Rock 'n' Roll in the first place!

Peter Asher CBE

______________________________________

Subject: Thank You from Open Skyz

Dear Bob,

On behalf of all of the boys in the band, a very big thank you for your April 24th post about Open Skyz. We are grateful for your kind words and appreciation of the band, that album and the production. It really means a lot to all of us.

Have great day and thank you again for your post,

Adam Holland

P.S. It really is a great album. We still keep in touch with Richie Zito and Rob Jacobson. They are great and talented guys. We have all been texting all day about your post.

What we have been up to-
In the early 2000s I was a staff writer in Nashville for Murrah Music and then i joined up with Hugo again in 2005 and did the Journey tribute called Evolution. We had a lot of fun!
Since 2009, Gerard Zappa, Craig Pullman and myself play with Steve Augeri (the guy who replaced Perry in Journey).He is fantastic - person and singer! We live normal lives during the week and do fly-dates on the weekends. Its great! We are still out there playing all over the world, writing and loving it…and appreciating every moment that are still doing it.

Thanks again for you post. We all really appreciate it.

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Nothing Without You

Bob - I've been an avid reader for some time, but this is the first time I am responding to one of your posts. It's not for you to repost, as I'm pretty sure your other readers wouldn't find it of much interest, but really it is for you as it highlights the incredible reach and connectivity of your letters across people and time. Or maybe because it was a bit cathartic for me to write this email about the back story to Open Skyz, so here it goes.

I was traveling today but woke up with the same ritual I have everyday, checking news and emails that came in overnight, looking out for your emails to see what you wanted to share with readers. Most of the time I glance at your emails and save them for later. Other times I get hooked and stand reading the entire post on my iPhone. There was absolutely nothing in today's headline that should have made me keep reading but I did, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Before Open Skyz there was Valentine, but before Valentine there was 4one1 (written that way because we thought it was cool at the time) - it was 1982. I was a founding member along with Adam Holland (guitar and the real talent behind the band), Gerard Zappa (bass), and Richie Hendler (percussion). Adam, Gerard and I were from the Five Towns and Richie was from Merrick. Gerard and I went to the local public schools, had known each other for years, and started playing in bands together in junior high. Adam went to the local private school, Woodmere Academy, and already had a reputation as a very talented musician. He and Gerard had played in a band that had recently broken up when Gerard reached out to me about putting together a new band, and if I wanted to join and play keys. When we sought to find a lead vocalist we came across a guy from a few towns over named Geoff Hammer (who went by Geof Rex and was famous for dedicating songs at our performances to "all the girls I've balled"). Geoff then introduced us to a new drummer, Neil Goluccio (who became Neil Christopher) - Richie was out and the 4one1 line up was set. We were all seniors in high school at the time and were dreaming big. Adam, Neil and Gerard, continued along after 4one1 to form, with Hugo, Valentine, Open Skyz, and Evolution, a Journey cover band.

We decided early on we didn't want to play covers. We wanted to do something a bit different, to build out the genre we called "polished metal" that reflected some ideal we had about creating rock that was authentic (we tried to make it that at the time), fun and that reflected the musicality of each band member in layers of sound. Some of the bands we riffed on were Zebra, Saga, and 707, which had a mini hit called Mega Force back in the early 80's. That said, we loved pretty much all rock music. Early on we created tunes that were built on heavy vocal harmony, and meaningful lyrics - at least to us - that our listeners could connect with. Was it shmaltzy, of course it was, but that was what we knew and who we were.

4one1 managed to create a pretty robust catalog of everything from ballads, to pumping, synth heavy danceable rock. We were obsessive about our music, and naturally spent every spare dime we had on equipment, and precious time in a recording studio in nearby Rockville center. I mean every dime and whatever came in for birthdays, Hanukkah gifts and odd jobs. We rehearsed mostly in Adam's basement - he had the biggest house and his parents didn't seem to mind. We spent a lot of time rehearsing and practicing our harmonizing - we even tried to have conversations while speaking in harmony.

We managed to lay down a three or four track demo tape of our best songs and began to drive around Long Island to play it for any club owner that would listen. I think they got a kick out of these somewhat wimpy, generally good kids with chutzpah trying to be rocker outlaws - they saw right through us. But that wasn't our biggest problem. No club owner wanted to book an original band - their customers wanted covers, full, stop.

Then as luck would have it we got a call from the owner of a club called Cheers in Deer Park, way out in Suffolk county. One of the popular Long Island cover bands at the time, Equinox, had their equipment truck stolen, and this one club owner who liked us said that if we would let them play on our equipment we could open up for them - every night, everywhere they were playing! And get paid! Given we were five guys from the greater Five Towns area, you wouldn't be surprised that we had pretty decent equipment, which helped. This was the moment that kicked off the greatest final semester of high school we could have imagined. We were able to showcase our original music, play live 4 to 5 nights a week, experience the more modest trappings of being local rock stars which meant we had our bar tabs covered and some cute groupies to hang out with. Keep in mind we weren't even old enough to get into these clubs.

Graduation came, we recorded a few more tunes at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Port Jefferson, and summer began winding down. For me, there was no question that I was going to college - my folks had enough of my rock and roll fantasies, and my band mates. But Adam, Gerard and Neil persevered, holding tight to their ideals to this day.

We aren't in touch, but occasionally I get an update. I think the last time I saw Adam was when I was studying at Columbia in the early 90's and bumped into his sister Leslie. My life has taken a very different path, and I could never have imagined back then where I find myself today today. As for the other guys, they are doing what they always planned to do. Maybe they are a faceless unknown band because the bands they emulated from early on were little more than that. Maybe because they just stuck to their principles and played what they wanted to. I wish I could have sent you some of the old 411 demos, but they are on decaying cassette tapes buried at the bottom of some old boxes in my basement.

Your post today was one of those really great surprises that keeps you smiling all day, gets those old songs running through your head, and makes you think, what if...

Thanks Bob

P.S. Thank you for responding! Are you sure this merits the mailbag? I cant tell you how many times I have wanted to respond to your posts in the past but never did. As for what I do, I am in private equity, live in Manhattan, and have 4 kids and a dog. I also discovered late in life that I was born a guitarist, though my folks insisted I play the piano - thats a whole other story. All things considered, I think I ended up taking the right path for me. I try to keep a low profile but if you want to post this without my name, please feel free to do so.

Hope you are feeling better.

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Nothing Without You

Wow! Outstanding. He is spot on! _____ was very talented, and a nice guy too! Yes, we really had a crazy senior year of High School!
Thank you for passing that along.

Adam

______________________________________

From: James McWilliam
Subject: Re: Avicii

I am messed up about this is well.

And I'm 53 and grew up a Molly Hatchet fan.

My son was 14 when he introduced me to Avicii. Right before 'Levels" became a hit. We were driving home from his hockey game. "Levels" and "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" were on his phone and he was playing them at peak volume.

I didn't really understand them but appreciated the dubs, especially the Etta James sample.

And then you touted "Wake Me Up." I was hooked but it was apparently too mainstream for my son. My 11 year old daughter loved it though.

Then I lost my son to drugs in 2015 (18 years old). So Avicii's music, music that probably shouldn't apply to me, became a link to my son. And now this link is gone as well. Possibly (probably?) to drugs. Maybe its wrong to speculate, but do the math.

In any case, I will never get it.

Jim

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Little League

Bob,
I am a little older than you and grew up along the Hudson, just north of Manhattan. Yankees, my favorite team, Giants, and Dodgers all played in the area. Mickey was my favorite player, Willie, a close second.

February 1967, on my way back from combat in Vietnam. On a plane to Miami for some R & R. I flew in coach, back then no one seemed to pay the slightest attention to a man in uniform, tanned from the jungles, adorned with medals. I waited my turn on the nearly empty plane to get off. I walked down the jet way and right by someone. He caught my eye. About 50 ahead of him, I turned around and there was Mickey slowly making his way behind me. I debated for a second and then turned to greet him. The good manners of his Oklahoma upbringing on full display. I don't recall what I said to him but I do recall what he said to me. "To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?'" I introduced myself and he thanked me for serving and we were on our separate ways.

He is still my idol.

Steve Greene

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Subject: In My Room/Brian Wilson

Hi Bob,

Long time reader - first time writer. As an only child, I had music on the radio to keep me company. I found solace in listening to records and was constantly mesmerized by them. My taste ran from the do wop groups to Sam Cooke to James Brown. But when I heard the The Beach Boys, my musical world got rocked! Growing up in Phoenix, I was four hundred miles from the California coast and couldn't swim (still can't), but their lyrics about surfing, cars, and girls filled this young teenage boy with wonder. And then there were their incredible harmonies. I, too was a huge fan of The Four Seasons' records, but Brian's use of close harmonies was new and different to me. I bought all their albums and Brian quickly became one of my musical heros.

Just before my senior year of high school, my family moved to Los Angeles. Some new friends I met were starting a band. By then I was barely proficient on several instruments, and they let me join them on organ. Our first demos found their way to Gary Usher, and he signed us to Decca Records. You probably know Gary wrote "409" and "Surfer Girl" with Brian. We were a mix of the British Invasion sound and The Beach Boys. The L.A. Teens didn't break through, but I've been fortunate to spend my life in music. I briefly got to meet Brian, but sadly, never got to work with him. However, I actually did get to do a good bit of work with Bob Gaudio. In addition to being incredibly talented, he's one of the nicest people I've met in the business.

Warmest regards,

Bill Schnee

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Subject: U2 tickets

Hi Bob,

If you have a minute go on Ticketmaster and look at the seats available on the map for U2 May 15 and May 16. The May 15 is billed as sold out. It's not. Not even close. May 16th looks like a disaster, aside from the floor almost every ticket in the place is available.

As they did in 2015 they set the face price for most good and decent seats at $330. I went in to the TM site and found to rear corner second level seats that had been re-priced at $165, I went ahead and bought four, thought I got myself "half price" tickets. Yesterday I checked and many tickets, many better than mine, were priced at $46. That's right, reduced from $330 to 46 bucks. Really, really good seats can be bought for $81.

I have spent two hours on the phones with TM and Live Nation trying to get a refund on my order and buy $46 tickets and of course they won't do it, said I should have known prices could change, saying it's now like buying an airline ticket.

I have always supported U2 and attend their shows, but have really had it with TM and all the tactics that gouge and screw normal consumers like me.

For u2, it's not a good look, and I guess that's another story.

Appreciate anything you can do to write about this.

Thanks,

Kevin Sweeney

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Subject: Re: Re-Bosch

Bob —

Love "Bosch," love the books…wanted to share this —

Was waiting here in Vegas to board a flight and noticed Michael Connelly in the same line. Turns out we were across the aisle from each other. The moment he sat down, he pulled a MacBook Air out of his briefcase and started to type. He continued until told to put it up for takeoff by a flight attendant with no idea who he is. The second the bell dinged upon reaching 10,000 feet, out came the laptop again. He typed until we landed a couple of hours later.

I've read countless articles about "setting up your creative environment" and getting everything perfect and proper "o be prepared for inspiration. I learned from watching Michael Connelly on this flight that is bullshit. You just get out your laptop — or instrument, or whatever — open up your mind and go to work.

Hope you're doing well — and can soon try out those skis!

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Subject: Re: Bosch

Hi Bob,

I'm the music editor on Bosch and was a treat to read your review.
Double-treat to get a sense of how people are reacting since it's kind of a secret how broad the audience is.

Bruno Coon

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Subject: Re: Coachella
Date: April 17, 2018 at 2:10:13 AM PDT

Hi Bob

Spot on about the declining importance of the acts at festivals. A couple of years back I was having a moan about artist backstage camping getting moved further from the action at a well known UK festival, replaced by paid-for VIPs. The financial director said something that infuriated at first but made perfect sense - "they are paying for the festival, there are an almost infinite number of people we can get to replace you as artists but only a small number of people who will pay top dollar to be VIPs".
I went and finished off my rider that had been subsidised by the VIPs.

Will Nicol

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Subject: RE: Creativity

Yes, "Surprise Me!" That is the essence of what I've taught in my career courses at UCLA and elsewhere for years. It's the key to all the success I had managing the careers of Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Trisha Yearwood and so may others. It's the reason I tell my students, "You can't sell anything to anyone unless you get their attention. To do that you have to 'Do something Unique or Special!' 'It has to have substance so that the person will want to take action!' and 'It has to be UNEXPECTED!'" At that moment a full dress marching band comes bursting through the doors and marches through the room playing like crazy. As they leave I say, "Now I have your attention. Where is your version of the marching band in everything of value you want to do? Where is your WOW! Factor?

By the way, I bought the musical HAIR in 1968 from Producer Michael Butler and brought it to the Aquarius Theater in Los Angeles where it broke all LA records and grossed $5 million dollars over three years. When the nude scene occurred just before intermission at the New York preview performance I saw it was immediately followed by a standing ovation and intermission. Before we could move three uniformed police officers appeared in front of the stage and said, "This show is lewd. We are booking the cast and all of you. At that moment I saw down the rows everyone getting rid of their pot and other drugs, dropping them behind their seats. Then the cops said, "Don't worry. We are part of the show. Enjoy the second half." At that point everyone was down on their knees scrambling to pick up their stuff. Hysterical. I went back stage and negotiated a deal with Michael Butler.

One final point. At one of my "Stardom Strategies for Musicians" classes at UCLA Lionel Richie said, "The moment they start calling you crazy is when you know you are doing something special and if they call you really crazy you are going to be a big hit." Love that.

Ken Kragen

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From: Julie Young
Subject: Re: 2018

Just want to point out that pussies are literally designed to take a pounding

If you want to talk about weakness it might be more anatomically correct to refer to scrotums or something heh ¯\_(?)_/¯

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Subject: Re: Re-Lindsey Buckingham/Fleetwood Mac

Proposed title for article about Fleetwood Mac tour: BUCKINGHAM NIXED!

Bob Paris

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From: Sara Joseph
Subject: Re: Lindsey Buckingham Fired From Fleetwood Mac

Stevie should join the Heartbreakers. That'd be fun.

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From: Thomas Geimer
Subject: Re: You're Missing The Point!!

Bob, I appreciate the exposure to the "Mountain"; I never would have found it on my own. It was poinient because recently I rented an apartment to a 27 year old young man and observed his lifestyle in total befuddlement; it was personified in the video. He was a white, high school graduate (barely), who had no identifiable direction forward, post high school. No further educational aspirations, no real hard driving desire to be a participant in the straight business world (working in the fast food empire seemed probable). But he loved music, skate boarding, fighting (on his own and watching the "cage fighters"). And absolutely staying out and up all night, every night, arriving home for sleep at 5-6 am, everyday. It was sad to watch the energy of a young strong, nice young man, die on the vine.

I watched this person devolve over two years, whereby his ultimate endeavor became traveling to various music festivals, hiring out as casual labor for set up and tear down and basically screwing and drinking in between each show. His final definitive act, was getting into a barroom fight and unknowingly punching an undercover cop. Since this wasn't his first fight, he ended up being sentenced to two years in the county jail.
I wrote a letter of character support to the presiding judge, in hopes of getting a home surveillance device sentence, rather than hard time in the jail, but it was ignored. The tragedy of watching a young lost soul being desposed of by the circumstance of no guiding influence saddens me every day as I walk by the apartment that now sits vacant.
This video, " the Mountain" is a reference point for all of us baby boomers to keep in mind as we wonder about the direction that this country is headed in. It's worse than the Trump , "Playboy" world, because it is very impulsive and wild and unpredictable, like the personality of MCGregor, the cage fighter who recently went on a wild attack against a bus. Watch out, we are not going gentle into,the night.

TVG

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From: Bryan Fogel
Subject: Re: Susan Anspach

Bob - I got to study with Susan Anspach...she had taught acting for many many years. She was living in this amazing house in Malibu right above Dukes when I met her. Got referred to her when I set out to be an actor originally 20 years ago. She was lovely and a great person. I'll remember her fondly.

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Subject: Re: Susan Anspach

Hey Bob. Thank you for the Susan Anspach email. I remember Susan the way you describe her, however from a different perspective. I grew up with her son, Caleb. We met in the 7th grade and have been close friends ever since. At a young age, I recognized that she was different than my other friend's parents; equally intimidating, supportive, fun and a wild card. Early on I was unaware of her successful acting and stage career, but knew she was unique. Her presence was powerful, yet free. She didn't take shit, but had a charming warmth. In recent years, she would accompany Caleb and our mutual friends to dinner, etc. and always asked how my music was going, offered encouragement, and showed a genuine interest in our pursuits. I am going to forward your email to Caleb. He will be thrilled. Thank you.

Bobby Tamkin
thesoundranch.com

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Subject: David and Lisa film

Small world. My dad was socially friendly with Theodore Issac Rubin who wrote "David and Lisa", a short story that became a film directed by Frank Perry with a screenplay written by his wife, Eleanor.
My sister, my only sibling, has severe mental illness. She is in a group psychiatric home in New Haven now. But back then she was in and out of mental hospitals in NY.
The film was too painful for my Dad to watch.
I was invited to see the film with both Dr Rubin and the Perrys but I was playing in a band ( junior high school) and couldn't go.
Many years later I met Keir Dullea. He told me it was the hardest role he ever had.

Jonathan Schneider

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From: Louis Verile jr
Subject: Re: The Middle Class Revolts

Hi Bob

Loved the write up on the middle class and our present (and sad) state of affairs as a country.

I'm a teacher in New Jersey and for the past eight years we've been trashed by Chris Christie and the people he suckered into voting for him. We've been told we make too much money, work half a year, not an eight hour day etc. It's all the usual nonsense spit out by people who have zero idea what it is like to be in a classroom.

My school district is enormous, 2nd biggest in the state with 4000 teachers and almost 30,000 students. We have 40 schools and more than a few of them are in rough shape both financially and behaviorally. Recently we went on strike to protest not having a contract (again) and our rapidly increasing insurance premiums. The local press did a hatchet job on us, the union and the schools in general. They would print things like "teacher making $84k a year can't make ends meet!" The public ate it up and slammed us over and over. No matter what we or the union did it was next to impossible to get our message out. The BOE wouldn't listen to us either and the night before we walked, they still didn't take us seriously. When we finally did walk, it took one day of the schools being open without us and then they wanted to talk. Needless to say the contract issue was settled by the end of the weekend.

Unions are demonized by people on the right as nothing more than a bunch of thugs. What we are is a group of professionals who banded together because we were not going to allow ourselves to be pushed around by decision makers without due process. Does that mean the system is perfect? Hell no! You'd be surprised how many teachers I know personally who are tired of looking around and seeing some teachers coasting along into the twilight of their careers.

I LOVE my job and I'm thankful I had enough common sense to go back to school and get the education I needed in order to do this. Everyday I see something different in my classroom that warms my heart and makes what will be an everlasting impression on me. I took the lessons I learned from my teachers growing up and used them to bolster my beliefs about what to do to ensure that children in my classroom receive the best education possible every single day.

Our red state brothers and sisters finally had enough and walked. My message to them? Stick it out, stay united and do not surrender your beliefs about how you feel you need to be respected by the decision makers.

No retreat, no surrender!

Lou in N.J.

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From: Sue Quigley
Subject: Re: The Middle Class Revolts

Thanks for this!! As a middle school counselor I deal with things every day (that no one has a clue of )that is going on in kid's lives that most people would find absolutely harrowing. Yet my friend who works as a Web person for a major tech company makes three times as much as I do, and with far less experience in the field. It's not a religious calling for fucks sake , it's a career , it's other people's kids but we do get treated like fast food workers, like we should just shut up and take it and keep spending money out of our own pocket to feed kids, get them school supplies, be a listening ear when their parent is too busy being the center of the universe to pay attention to what's going on with them. I see a greater divide than ever between kids of color and kids who are privileged and white and live in the "better part of town" It's not sustainable... nothing in our world right now is it seems.Mercy of the mercenaries indeed... I'm ready to be my own mercenary with a guitar and I love what you wrote.

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From: RONEY GIAH
Subject: Re: Final Rio

Bob,

Glad you came here and saw for yourself. Everytime Americans ask me how it is possible Brazil's events, words does not seem to be enough.

ps: and when i hear Sinatra singing "if you can make it there (NY, of course), you make it anywhere" i think "Friend...you don't know shit" :)

Cheers,

Roney

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Subject: Re: Final Rio

Hi, Bob!

I'm new to your LefsetzLetter. Heck! I barely know who you are or the kind of job you do. Some google research did the enlightenment....
Sorry about that. I'm more into cinema industry than music industry. Nice to virtually :) meet you

Anyway. I came through your name in the Rio Content Marketing. That leaded to the letter i'm receiving since then.

Rio. You've been writing about it. Some lines about Brazil and its former president.

Now i'll tell something to you as Brazilian citizen: Do not try to understand this place. We, brazilians, barely understand as well. WE FEEL.
This sentence of yours might explain :"You feel alive because so much is at risk. In the U.S. you're somnambulant, sleepwalking through life, in Rio you're on high alert."

Right know we're digesting the latest news and it feels like a stomachache is on the way...
i must say we all agree that we are passive. Way too loose when it comes to politics. That's a huge mistake. I think its one of this people's characteristics. And this may take our pride to ruin. I believe we'll wake up at some point of our history and take place of those who bring us down.

But if you ask if we love Brazil we'll tell you yes. Out loud. At least most of brazilians i reckon.
Living abroad is the best way to get that. Knowing the fact are tons of wrong shit going wrong in your country and even though you want to get back because this is home. It feels like home. And no one can't take that from you.

I'd say to you spend more time in Rio. But maybe you're homesick or frightened with that place. Believe me when i say there are tons of good people over here. Just like anywhere else.

"And I don't know if I've got it all right. But everywhere I went I asked the same questions. And got similar answers. I was there, I got a taste of what was going on.

And what is happening is you've got an upbeat people living for the music and the partying despite the challenges.

I literally saw how the other half lived.

My eyes were opened in Rio."

I just hope you learned something from us. Something you'll have for the rest of your life. Good or bad. Both are for making you a better person.

Best Regards.

Greco Nogueira

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From: Harrison Remler
Subject: the reason Logic wins...

Bob,

Again - thanks for all the support on Logic and VMG. It was so special meeting you - as you know I was an avid reader since my first day in the biz.

That being said - watching you and Chris develop a relationship has been equally impactful for me. Two people who I truly respect from a business and music perspective - and to see it from the sidelines in real time has been awesome.

Your understanding of Logic and recognition of his unique path to where he is today has been impressive. But, with respect I think there is still one element that is missing here. You were able to truly dissect and identify the pillars of his artist development story and its uniqueness in the major label system. Logic started his career at the most disruptive time in the history of the music business and not only has been able to adapt every step of the way but win across all platforms, and has always had the first move advantage.

However, his recent release Bobby Tarantino II, which was his second number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts in the past 11 months, and landing 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 - is a transcending album when you look at it with a strategic/timing perspective.

Logic is a child of the internet. He adapts at every phase. He and Chris start on Facebook, they dive into the importance of early touring, I jump in a minivan, make no money and we tour the country. We start running meet/greets at the 300 capacity level, Chris brokering deals directly with the venues. Facebook continues to emerge and we strategically position YouTube at the forefront of the campaigns because of sharability/discovery. Logic starts an organic relationship with gaming influencers globally. Soundcloud emerges, twitter, Instagram, snapchat and he continues to be the first mover across these platforms. (Logic has a song entitled "Alright" with Big Sean that was out for a year on Soundcloud, without being on sale, not for stream count that went gold 2 years later!)

Fast forward to now - Chris recognizes the power of momentum and timing. We don't wait for our time at the label, or a true cycle, we recognize the greatest artists are never off cycle. Logic and Chris get to work on revamping the music strategy - drive to high quality content. The idea of off cycle dissolves. Logic lands his ENTIRE album in the top 25 of spotify upon release, he dominates the charts, and continues to feed his core fanbase, while adapting to the changing pace of the industry.

You have done an amazing and much needed job highlighting this story - specifically Logic and VMG. However the one piece remaining is that Logic has continued to adapt and survive the change of this industry. His career is innovative and pioneering in that sense. Streaming lets the people speak. At this time - they want Logic.

Would love your take on this - you recognize trends as good as anyone in the industry.

Always here to chat. But not down to ski - clumziest person in the world.

Thanks for hearing me out.

HR

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Subject: RE: Eddie Money At The Grammy Museum

Bob, I always enjoy reading you. FYI, Donnie Iris is no longer a mortgage broker and is bigger and better than ever in the Western Pennsylvania/Northeastern Ohio area. We just celebrated Donnie's 75th birthday with three sold-out shows at the Greensburg Palace Theater. Just about every show in the area we play is a sell-out. Donnie's become a legend because he's a gregarious guy and still screams his ass off and hits all the high notes (even though he is three-quarters of a century old). Moreover, our band is still together (four out of the five us are original members, including Donnie) -- and we sound great. The best part is that we all still love each other. I always wanted to reach the promised land in music; now we have. It wasn't what I imagined it would be (big money, and all the trappings); its better (lifelong friendship and respect -- and having fun playing our music to our wonderful long-time fans in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Youngstown).

I invite you to come to a show if you are ever in the area.

Best,

Mark Avsec

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From: Dave Roberts
Subject: Re: My Tires

Bob,
When my parents gave me their Beetle in '65 when graduated the first thing I did was put Michelins on it, although I had no money. They didn't leak slowly the way other tires did, they were quieter, they had great traction and they lasted forever I got 80,000 on them.
In time I started driving BMWs. They're fun to drive; all together I owned a half dozen of them. The problem, as you say, is that the maintenance is crazy. The dealer is used to customers who know nothing about cars other than they can be proud of how much they spend on maintenance. The dealer will charge you for things they don't even fix. As though it's not bad enough that actually fixing something is crazy expensive. But the bigger problem is finding someone who actually can fix it who also will fix it.
So I developed relationships with independent shops, and had to tolerate the attitudes of the prima donnas who run them. At least they do actually fix the car, and they charge you slightly less. But it's still outrageous.
Finally I wound up with a Honda Accord, after my daughter and SIL had a great experience with a Honda. It's fast enough to break all speed laws, is totally happy even north of 80 mph. It's comfortable, easy to drive, very well designed. Great leather seats.
I bought the extended warranty, for 7 years and 120,000 miles. It's interesting--the price of that warranty tells you how much the insurance company thinks the car will need repairs. It was just around $1,000. I couldn't believe it. Now, when I go in for service, and wait for a grease job, I talk to other owners there. You meet lots of owners who've never had a major repair in over 100,000 miles. My daughter's car is now nearing 200,000 and runs great.
I'd like to have all the money I spent on BMWs and fixing them. And the tires! Back in the early 80s I had $400 tires. And you had to take them off in the winter because you'd slide all over the place. And you'd get another set of rims--boy, those were expensive too. I had thousands just in tires and rims.
My good old Jeep Grand Cherokee finally wore out, so now beside the Accord in the driveway is a Honda CR-V, quite a nice crossover, my AWD to get around on a snowy day. Another car with a 7 year warranty that I bought that's stem to stern--even the electronics--for just over $1,000.
As the Pennsylvania Dutch say, "We get too soon old and too late smart." But every time I drive one of my Hondas, and they start every time and run beautifully, I'm glad that I finally did get smart.
You're right, Japanese cars are the way. If you own one, it's just a car that gets you around, it's not a huge aggravation in your life and a major expense.
dave

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From: Gogi Gupta
Subject: Re: My Tires

There's a great line about where to "splurge" a little - "Always spend more on the things that separate you from the ground."

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Subject: RE: My Tires

My Father always said "Buy the best you can afford".......meaning, don't take a loan or carry it on credit, and unless you need it right away or it's a very short term use, there's never an excuse to buy junk.

He bought better tools and kept them for years, hell Craftsman would replace a broken screwdriver for life. He told me a premium manufacturer builds in service to their business model, and can afford to stand behind their product.

The current consumer Walmart mentality drives manufacturers to carry an "economy" model for everything. People don't seem to mind when they spend twenty five bucks on a toaster but it only lasts a year and they buy another- My Cuisinart cost $100 and I've had it for seven years, and it never burns the toast, it pops the bread up high enough to easily retrieve without burning yourself, and it senses when you run two or three cycles thru and keeps all the toast consistent...sure, it's toast...do I make more of it than I should, am I being anal for no reason?

Well, I like my toast damnitt, and I bought the best I could afford at the time...and my Cuisinart is still going strong and I still enjoy my breakfast...so go enjoy your nice tires and feel safe during your next trip on the highway at 80Mph....

Trent Keeling

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From: Neil Lasher
Subject: Re: Right Here, Right Now

I was at SBK when we were working Right Here Right now.
I was the National Album Promotion director.
I won't mention the band that I was trying to get Lorraine Caruso at WNEW play. But she put that bands song on and listened for 10 seconds. She said Neil, whats
Daniels direct # ?
She called Daniel and asked how he would let me play that "other" bands song for her When Right Here Right Now was not on the air.
Thank you Lorraine. You turned
An "alternative" song in to a great
Rock song as well.
You were first. And I learned a great lesson.

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From: Jeff Laufer
Subject: Re: Right Here, Right Now

RE: Jesus Jones

Dear Bob,

I worked along with Daniel Glass when Jesus Jones came out. Its funny that when a record becomes a "bonafide"hit everyone
thinks it was a "no brainer".... Honestly, it was pretty tough in those Pentecostal areas of the South... "I ain't goin' to be playin' a band with the name Jesus in it!..Eventually they all caved in and played it and it became a mega-smash... My friends at other record company's admitted that in their Wednesday marketing meetings they would ask... How did they do that?

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Subject: cool Re: Right Here, Right Now

I was Jesus Jones' publicist in the US from the beginning. There was a set-up first album before the hit album that got writers sort of interested. I was just a few years in, and remember this all like it was yesterday. A great song and an exciting ride! They were righteous guys and had a really smart and tough manager. I'll never forget they turned down an SNL offer because they wouldn't cancel a show in I think Philly. Another time, the manager walked into the Roseland Ballroom at soundcheck and she saw a bunch of VIP seats up on a riser. She had them all taken down so the VIPs had to stand with the crowd like everyone else. I never saw that before or since. - Mark Satlof (p.s. I'm pretty sure I was at that Ackerman Hall show too!)

Mark Satlof
Sr. VP | Shore Fire Media

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Subject: Well, Jesus Jones didn't disappear entirely

We're still here - never really went away.

the disruption of the industry spread to us for a while, and we
drifted, but we found our feet, after a while.

Success is a gift, but failure can be an even greater prize, but
that's only if you know how to get back on your feet again - and just
why.

Maybe there's something in that which shows everyone a way out of the
mess we seem to be in.

Our new album has a track on it called "Where are all the dreams?",
which is the flipside to RIght Here Right Now. When instead of waking
up from history, and dreaming of the future, you're stuck with the
nightmares of our reality.

https://soundcloud.com/jesusjonesband/sets/passages-jesus-jones/s-jlTv2

We're still here, still dreaming, and we still give a damn.

Thanks,

Iain Baker

Jesus Jones.

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From: Jonathan Stark
Subject: Re: The Oscars

The real reason that the Oscars (and Grammys) are dead is that there isn't an kid alive who dreams of winning one. They all want a diamond play button.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube_Play_Button

—Jonathan

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From: Rick Pascocello
Subject: Re: The Oscars

Couldn't agree more--quite a bore. Tho I was glad to see Icarus, which was Every bit as good as you say, win.

Highlight to me was that Sufjan Stevens had his mainstream moment. Hes been hiding in plain sight, under Williamsburg hipsters earbuds and the playlists of young women who grew up from Dave Mathews and John Mayers' less cerebral but equally emotionally intense messages. I thought he was awesome, and now that song he played last night is haunting me.

True story. Sufjan worked for me as a graphic designer, in another millennium when I was at Penguin Books--but one where the barriers of entry for art had begun to break down. Everyone in the Art Dept got new Macs, complete with music making software. Sufjan started as an admin, taught himself design--and better, how to make music on that Mac. While the other designers played video games in their downtime, he practiced and learned on that machine. His supervisor was a real jerk, dumped all his work on Sufjan and then took credit. Eventually, Sufjan had enough and just quit. I went to him and said, you're a great designer (He really was), what are you going to do? He said, 'I'm going to go on the road with a band and focus on my music.' I was like, "Your music...?"

I couldn't be happier for his success. You can't keep a talented artist down! And it also proves opportunity can be found in unlikely places.

Best,
Rick

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Subject: Re: CMA Foundation Kerfuffle

Thank you Bob! When this news broke, I was hoping you'd write about it. CMA did indeed act swiftly - unlike The Recording Academy - still stumbling to pick up the pieces. And make no mistake, what Portnow did was a Communications debacle. And yet, in addition to him still being there, so is his Comms Head and Comms team. Did no one prep this guy on the temperature of the no-Lorde-performance and that he had about 3-4 slots of white dudes that could have been given to her? What happened at the Grammys was not a minor PR snafu. It was a demonstrative, f**k-up that will take years to fix. Because in 9 months and 11 months when they have the nominations and ceremony, respectively, we will all be talking about the f**k-up of their "had to go to NYC" telecast (that went millions over budget) and the aftermath - and we will re-live Sheeran diss, Lorde diss, women diss, hip hop diss - all over again.

But the reaction to the Grammy's idiocy is best when there is an action: Sheran not attending - not performing (and you KNOW they asked) was the best thing! Lorde shouldn't have attended. Swift didn't. And she LOVES an awards show. The artist like Pink, Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson - Grammys darlings - Tweeting afterward... that's what needs to be done. And needs to continue. Our musicians need to have the tenacity that the Parkland teens have. Keep going!

I was shocked that CMA moved so quickly. And was THRILLED that they did. Nashville is indeed more in touch with the country than Hollywood - or Santa Monica... the Recording Academy's headquarters.

Jerry J. Sharell

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From: Kevin Vahidi
Subject: Re: ODESZA

Hey Bob,

Great to see that you are exploring and finding new verticals. One of the best kept secrets of the anthemic house music scene worldwide is the French Duo Ofenbach.

Listen to "Katchi" when you have a moment. And, their first single last year "Be Mine". Both rocked the planet from Paris runways to Ibiza to EDC Mexico just this past weekend.

And, it is absolutely true that all you is one hot single to sell out an arena. Look at Camilla Cabello's Havana. Arguably, the #1 song in airplay and global spin for the last 6 months. Without it, there'd be no tour. One song. That's it. Albums are so unnecessary these days. It's about the body of work - not the album with 8 terrible tracks and 3 good ones at best.

Be good. See you in SB.

KV

______________________________________

Subject: Spotify Goes Public

Please keep this email anonymous, as I still have to deal with the major labels regularly, and they don't like being criticized.

It's pretty obvious the majors brought this situation on themselves by insisting on such high advance payments, royalty rates, and in many cases equity, that no digital music company can make money. The only companies able to survive (besides Spotify, which has received huge outside funding and still loses tons of money) are divisions of companies that use music as a loss leader (Apple, Google, Amazon).

The majors have killed more than 150 digital music startups by insisting on such onerous licensing terms. See https://tinyurl.com/yd6l4m6r . If these companies were offered reasonable licensing terms at the outset, maybe a dozen or two would have survived, and there would be a much healthier and diverse digital music ecosystem. As you point out, they will be at the mercy of Spotify down the road, who are such a large part of their business they can't kill it without seriously injuring themselves. Karma's a bitch, isn't it.

______________________________________

From: John Dick
Subject: for your mailbag

Bob, I can't think of a more efficient way to do this, but I would love it if, in one of your upcoming mailbag letters, you could pass along a blanket "thank you" from me to your many readers who asked to sign up for my weekly email. Frankly, there were just far too many for me to reply to each one individually. Which is awesome.

And yes, they have all been added to the list.

Thanks again.
--
John Dick
CEO Civic Science

______________________________________

Subject: Re: The New York Times Article

When you write about LIve Nation, Bob, you might want to mention when the mob moved on concert promotion. Or you might not, if you value your life.

It started about the time Steve Wolf was murdered, for not going along. Jim Rissmiller went into hiding, Pacific Presentations disappeared, and Nederlander moved into LA to fill the vacuum.

Live Nation wasn't the first takeover of the concert business. Just the current one. Who will be next?

--Tyco Tom

______________________________________

Subject: Liona Boyd Re: Family

Hi Bob,

Just be very grateful that you still have a lively bunch of relatives to kibitz with on Passover! I used to love our family Seders when for fourteen years I married into a large Jewish family in Los Angles, and I usually got to say the blessing in Hebrew. Ha ha,I agree gefilte fish is not exactly Dover sole, but the kugel, tzimmes and Manischewitz more than made up for it:)

My mother is still doing well at 92, but I wanted to share one huge mistake I made when my father had bladder cancer and was dying in hospital. He always told us he wanted to die listening the music he loved, in his case Mahler, Beethoven, Bach, and of course my guitar music, but because the Toronto hospital would not allow and sound in the rooms he passed away in silence while we held his hand and the morphine brought his heart to a stop. Why did I not think to bring headphones! ??? As I wrote in my new autobiography, I shall regret this til the day it's my own turn to leave this crazy world. If your mother loves music with the same passion as you do, when the time comes please let her pass listening to whatever meaningful music has been in her life. I'm sure it will makes all the difference to what must be a surreal and perhaps, as in your dad's case, a scary experience.

A tragic, but also humorous thing happened to my father's ashes. My sister was keeping them in a double-sealed box in her house with the intention to return some to Mexico or to Spain and England where he grew up. But fate intervened.Her house was broken into, trashed completely, and the only thing they stole was the box with my dad's ashes. The police say the dark carbon was most likely mistaken for drugs. So who knows if he ended up thrown into some ditch or cut with other drugs and smoked up in the back streets of Toronto. I'm sure my father, with his wicked British sense of humour, would have chucked at his last unexpected adventure.

Liona Boyd

______________________________________

From: Simon Fraser
Subject: Re: Facebook/Cambridge Analytica

Facebook is not almost a scam. It is totally a scam.

Have a look at this Facebook page for Nissan Canada: https://www.facebook.com/nissancanada/

20 million people have liked this page. You might be surprised to learn that there are only 26 million licensed drivers in Canada. I can guarantee you that, while it is a popular car maker, 10 out of every 13 motor vehicles in Canada is NOT a Nissan.

What has happened here is that either Nissan Canada has either purchased million of likes from a click farm or a click farm has piggybacked fake likes on to the Nissan Canada page to avoid detection as click farm accounts. Probably the latter, given the traditional brand name visibility of Nissan.

This has hobbled Nissan's ability to market themselves via their Canadian Facebook page. Their only options are to either shut down the feed and start from scratch with a page restricted to Canada, or allot a budget to pay Facebook so that they can market to their page followers exclusively in Canada (a kind of social media protection racket.) And either of those solutions could put someone's head on the corporate chopping block. Instead, they tolerate the problem.

And that is why Facebook doesn't prevent the incredible amounts of fraud being committed on their platform. They are party to it. And they make billions of dollars off of it.

______________________________________

From: Amy Lewis Madnick
Subject: Re: Turning The Clock Back

Hi, Bob,

I loved La Barbara's growing up. But you are right about how good it was it true pizza terms. It was the best out there back then. And like appreciating your mom's chicken soup, even if you've tasted better since, it would be like stepping back in time to taste that La Barbera'a pizza again.

As for daylight savings, on Saturday night, I set my iPhone to wake me at 2:30 AM to shape the sourdough bread I was making for company in the morning (don't ask why I do this). But it never woke me. I realized after I had overslept a couple of hours, that there isn't a 2:30 AM on the day we "spring forward." I learned that lesson the hard way. (The bread did get made, but I had to change my morning around to accommodate the rising.)

Like you, I have a few clocks to reset, the 10 year old car, (it has a choice of daylight savings time or not), the 30 year old clock radio, the 5 year old microwave, and the $15 dollar clock in the kitchen. But someday in the future, it will be a thing of the past. But it will never be easy to adjust!

Amy

______________________________________

From: Dale McCoy
Subject: Re: Turning The Clock Back

I used the term "Rolodex" the other day, as in "file the names in your Rolodex," with a group of young 'uns and they all started looking at my wristwatch.

They thought I meant "Rolex," and I was asking them to file a list of names in their watch's contact database.

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Harvey's Tune

Bob,

Harvey Brooks is one of the greatest bass players there ever was. I was lucky enough that he took me under his wing - he was my mentor both personally and musically for many years. I played drums in a whole lot bands with "Uncle Dunk". Al Kooper's band is where we clicked first. The band was Koop, Jimmy Vivino, King Louie Harvey and Me. Used to play the Bottom Line a few times a year. Harvey and I became inseparable for the the next ten years - we were a team. A groove machine. It was easy. He played root -5 and no extra notes and his pocket was as deep as it goes. He played simple and straight out of the blues… and boy did he have stories.

True story… I actually saw him sleep and play at the same time.

He ask me to join the SF All Stars with Nick Gravenites and John Cippolina… (probably cause Buddy Miles was in jail at the time!) Next was The Chambers Brooks Band (with Lester Chambers (From the Chambers Brothers) Stu Cutler and Danny Louis (Shlifman) who is in now in Gov't Mule. We covered a lot of miles with that band - he had an old Plymouth and we wrote a song about it… "Hey Harvey… I See Your Car". With Harvey one needs to clarify - covering a lot of miles doesn't mean covering Miles Davis - Harvey played on fucking Bitches Brew!

And his picture is in Electric Ladyland (THE ALBUM not the Studio).

Next was a big chapter with The Little Big Band. Started by Jimmy Vivino, Harvey and Me, we were NYC's regular safe-haven for stars horn band that eventually gave birth to The New York Rock and Soul Revue… and the eventual return of Steely Dan at the Lone Star. Donald Fagan used to come down to a club called Hades on Tues nights to sit in and that lead to all that Steely stuff. So many live shows…. with Phoebe Snow, Cyndi Lauper, the Hooters, Dr. John and Harvey's friend and fellow Wesport resident Danny Kortchmar. This list goes on and on. I think I logged more drums and bass hours with Harvey than any bass player I've ever played with.

We used to play Harvey's tune alla time. He used to just play it by himself warming up. That tune was HIM.

He lives in Jerusalem now with his lovely childhood sweetheart Bonnie. The God's Love We Deliver shows at the Beacon are a direct descendant of that band… and Harvey Brooks.

Someday I hope there will be a Little Big Band Reunion. That band was the pinnacle of NYC at a time when you could walk form club to club and see five GREAT bands in a night.

I've fond memories… of playing with the most solid bass player I ever knowed. Thank you for giving him some props.

Peace and Love,

Gary Gold

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Chris Zarou-This Week's Podcast

I was lucky enough to be a part of the early-days, tiny, core team at Capitol who worked with Chris and Harrison on developing Jon Bellion. Two years before Jon started to get any "mainstream" attention, we were watching in real-time how quickly the fan base was building online, how passionate they were, and how that was translating into ticket sales… SOBs to Webster Hall to Terminal 5, all in a span of 2 years.

Chris is a great Artist Manager, and an even better person. To this day, every time I see him and Harrison, we all give big hugs and treat each other like part of the family, because we were all in it together at the start. I will always appreciate that, and will always reciprocate my happiness for their success.

Michael Pukownik
VP, Marketing
Warner Bros. Records

______________________________________

From: Al Kooper
Subject: Re: The Ryan Seacrest Story

Send this to that woman who said she had this problem MORE THAN ONCE.
Never tie a man's shoes unless you're tying them together

______________________________________

From: Doug Collette
Subject: Re: The Ryan Seacrest Story

If Al Franken had to go, so does Seacrest...Nuff said!!!

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Moe Shalizi

FYI - I had never heard of Marshmello before your email so I clicked through to the YouTube link for FRIENDS.

About half way through watching the video on my phone, my 8yo asked from the other room:

"Why are you watching Marshmello?"

I'm a Berklee grad from '93. The music business that existed back when I was in school is G-O-N-E. Some people just haven't gotten the memo yet.

Keep up the great work!

—Jonathan Stark

______________________________________

From: Jeff Laufer
Subject: Re: The Greatest Showman
Date: February 1, 2018 at 10:13:47 PM MST

Dear Bob,

Sometimes when I write to you its info you already know.
I watch the music charts like a hawk... I'm in love with Spotify, MediaBase and Apple.
The soundtrack of The Greatest Showman is selling like crazy! Its almost like the "old days". Its an undeniable hit!
The box office still has "legs"... its made already $269mil worldwide is cost $89 mil..... again, you must know this? Its the repeat business that's propelling it.

Hey, I hate musicals, like Howard Stern! But I went to see this one.. and it was brilliant... I did like La La Land when everyone said I would hate it...oh the same guys that wrote the music for La La Land did The Greatest Showman!So there's definitely something going on.

This is where you do your thing the best... The lead track, " This Is Me"... couldn't be more timely with its poigant message and radio doesn't even know about it! I've spoken to my Top 40 guys and they know nothing! Their answer was,
"I'll wait till the record company starts to work it"....huh! I told them this is a gift from God! . just like Rag and Bone... which was a total Sony Records train wreck! Kids were singing the song throughout the theater..
I'd never seen or heard anything like this...

The Greatest Showman - This Is Me [Official Lyric Video]: https://bit.ly/2my9ELI

______________________________________

From: Larry Butler
Subject: Enjoying the podcasts from Nashville

Hey, Bob,
Just a note to tell you how much I'm enjoying the podcasts. I'm walking for an hour or so every day and they're just perfect for that. One a day etc.
Two points of information:
1) from the Diane Warren interview, the Wayne Cochran song Last Kiss was made a hit by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers in 1964.
2) from the Jim Guerinot interview, the Beverly Theater is not now the Saban Theater. The Saban was originally the Fox Wilshire and then just the Wilshire when Nederlander was booking it. I remember working a Laurie Anderson show there. The Beverly Theater was on the south side Wilshire at Canon in Beverly Hills. It was originally the Warner Beverly Hills Theater because the movie house on Beverly Drive around the corner was the original Beverly Theater. But in the 80s Jay Marciano and others started booking the old Warner Beverly and calling it the Beverly Theater. My ex ran the box office. It was eventually torn down and is now the the parking lot for the Rolex store.
Keep up the great stuff!
Larry B

______________________________________

From: Jonathan Stark
Subject: Re: Coachella

Does music even matter at this point?

I have a degree from Berklee, and even I can't honestly say it does.

If recorded music disappeared completely (like sheet music before it) who would REALLY care? It's all basically background music now.

Actually, that's one place music matters - in the background of movies and "tv" shows (or whatever you call what we're all binge watching on Netflix).

But the movie music that matters is the score, not songs. The songs are interchangeable. Unless it's a classic hit that has contextual relevance - but that only works on nostalgic old farts like us.

In all seriousness, could we be looking at songs becoming as relevant culturally as other performing arts like ballet or figure skating?

I hope not.

But then again, I'm not sure why I care one way or the other.

Yours,

—J

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MSG Sphere

Science fiction or reality?

After today's presentation I'm leaning towards the latter.

To tell you the truth, I'm so high on carbs, having eaten so many slices of pizza, I'm grinning from ear to ear. For connoisseurs, you know that it's hard to get a good slice of pizza in L.A., just like it's hard to get great Mexican food on the east coast. Oh, they serve it, it's just a little off. Kinda like pastrami, it's all good on the east coast...on the west, pick and choose your outlets. But these slices were from Jon & Vinny's on Fairfax and they were thin and burnt, just like in New Haven, and even though I'm trying to stay away from bread, I found it irresistible. A good cherry on top of the sundae of the presentation.

So a who's who of the entertainment business showed up at the Forum this morning for a detailed presentation on the Sphere. You know, that globe you've seen in trade shots, that futuristic thing you tell yourself will never happen?

Well now I think it's real.

And the truth is, despite all the blowback about the web, I interact with more people online than I ever did in the old days, but there's a certain something about being face to face. Kinda like a camp reunion. You see everybody you know you haven't seen for a while and it's fun. That's why you want to live in L.A., that's why you want to live in the big city, you can telecommute from anywhere, but you can't get up close and personal with the people. The hang was fun. And productive.

So, the experience has been the same from time immemorial. The only thing we've added is amplification and a roof. Act gets on stage and the audience listens. Where you're sitting is key. Too close and the mix is bad, too far and the sound is muddled.

But not in the Sphere.

They had a demonstration. Of the beaming technology. Every seat gets personalized sound. Dolan said in-ear monitors, wedges, were not needed at all for performers in the Sphere.

Anyway...

They bounce the sound to the individual, at the same volume no matter where you sit. And it sounds too good to be true, and then...

We stood in the back, we heard the guitars. We moved up, heard these same guitars at the same volume. Stood on the right, heard the saxes, stood on the left, only four feet away, heard the guitars only. Sounds futuristic, but it's here NOW!

I know, I know, you don't believe me, and I didn't believe it either, until I heard it.

So the Sphere is a giant dome, the first to break ground in Vegas in the fall, up and running fourteen months later. The second up in London a year after that.

But you've got to understand, these are not just concert venues.

They are EXPERIENCES!

For far too long, Silicon Valley has wagged the entertainment industry tail. We've followed, not led. None of our own has broken barriers.

Until now.

Maybe it takes a billionaire, which Jim Dolan is. He says he had the vision almost two decades ago, but now the technology is here.

Not only the sound, but the screen.

It covers the whole dome in pixel density far outstripping HD.

And there's smellavision and they can even spray water on you and you start to think about failed technologies like 3-D and the earth-shaking system introduced for "Earthquake," but then you realize, if only the sound works, it's worth it.

So this is a breakthrough. Aligned with the times.

Just going and hearing is no longer enough. People want experiences. Something they can talk about as opposed to something they can own. And what the Sphere is is a platform, for creativity. Imagine IMAX on steroids. MSG has a fund for creativity, pitch 'em and they might say yes. What can you do with the technology?

And it's not only music, but trade shows and new immersive experiences we depend on Hollywood to create.

I'd love to be a skeptic, but I'm convinced.

Creatively.

As for financially?

He who takes the big risks gets the big rewards.

Or the big losses.

But this is a giant leap forward, and it's EXCITING!


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Don't Bother Me

https://spoti.fi/2HqFSWt

We had "Meet The Beatles!" before the band appeared on "Ed Sullivan." The single of "She Loves You" on Swan backed with "I'll Get You" too, actually we had that first.

They called it "Beatlemania," and it truly was. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" exploded out of transistors right after the New Year and the band was on everybody's lips, back when we were young and impressionable, when distractions were limited and you could easily gain everybody's attention, assuming you had the platform and the goods.

I know some boomers were old enough to buy the album themselves, but the bulge was comprised of a younger set, without driver's licenses, they bugged their parents to purchase "Meet The Beatles!" with the desire only a child can exhibit, mixed with nagging, and sure, parents wanted to shut their kids up, but even more they wanted to deliver for them, in an era where an LP cost between two and three dollars. We'd heard about a "jet set," but we not only weren't members, we didn't know anybody who was, we were not famous, that was a tiny group of people, and as far as being rich...those were people who drove Cadillacs, we couldn't contemplate a lifestyle beyond that. Which is to say satiating your children's desires used to be so much cheaper, so much easier to achieve.

And when "Meet The Beatles!" came home you might have played it on the console stereo in the living room, but if you were lucky you had a record player in your bedroom, a box containing a speaker with a heavy tonearm that turned the vinyl gray with repeated plays, and which oftentimes sported a taped-on nickel or dime to ensure there was no skipping.

And we played the album, over and over again, for two reasons, we had so little product and we had so few distractions. We'd sit there in front of the box, as close as possible, and soak up the sound, believing the more we knew it the closer we were to the source, the magical Beatles.

And unlike its English iteration, the album contained "I Want To Hold Your Hand," opening side one. And no listening of the track today can simulate what once was, a fresh sound that exploded out of the speaker that sounded like nothing else.

And at this point, you hear "I Saw Her Standing There" much more, with its reference to the object of desire being seventeen. Truth was we thought that was too young back then, she would still be in HIGH SCHOOL! Then again, didn't people drop out earlier in the U.K? It was all exotic, England went from the backward Mother Country to the primary influence overnight. We soaked up the clothing and the accent, anything to get closer.

And at this late date, most of the focus is on the Beatles' later work, from "Rubber Soul" on, when they were experimenting, testing limits, when the lyrics and the execution were more mature.

And for a few decades there, we had little access to "Meet The Beatles!" You had to own the LP and a record player and the desire to spin it, hearing the clicks and pops evidencing history. And you didn't.

And then there was the seventies renaissance with "Breakfast With The Beatles" and in the eighties the albums came out on CD and suddenly, the Beatles were a staple of our society, they sustained.

But...

You rarely heard those initial two minute tracks.

"Little Child" was even 1:46, it didn't seem like someone implored the band to condense their message, it's just that they spun off diamonds, they were thrilled they had anybody's attention, they didn't want to overdo it, they wanted to nail it and bask in the accolades.

And everybody had their favorite Beatle. Paul, the cute one. Or John, the brainy one. Or Ringo, the playful one.

Or George, the sensitive one. He stood on stage picking the notes, he was essential but gained less attention, less focus, and then there was "Don't Bother Me."

It was raw and dark in a way that nothing else on the LP was.

Sure, "This Boy" was sensitive and quiet, but it sounded like something that ultimately seemed to come from the "American Graffiti" soundtrack, it looked back, not forward.

And "Till There Was You" was literally a cover, which we all knew, because prior to the Beatles the dominant, universal sound was Broadway Original Cast albums.

But "Don't Bother Me"...

In retrospect, the vocal was different, but at this time, except for Ringo, we thought they all sounded the same. But the track and the intonation...they stood out.

"Since she's gone
I want no one
To talk to me"

This we understood. Our ultimate goal was to be popular, and most people were not, so they sat in their bedrooms contemplating their loner status. They didn't want to confide in their parents, they were not best friends, they had all these feelings they couldn't express, but they were in the grooves of this record.

"So go away and leave me alone"

How many times did you say this to the 'rents? We just wanted to be left alone, to wallow in our thoughts, we felt if we stewed in our own juices long enough we'd cook ourselves into a better mood. Then again, we had to get up the next day and go to school, there was a reset button, a veritable "Groundhog Day," a chance to get it right the next time.

"I can't believe
That she would leave
Me on my own"

Indignation, it's the human condition when you're a teenager, feeling your way. You're not resigned to your spouse, to your job, you're jumping through hoops and when one is taken away, you feel it. It's personal. Despite people saying it's them and not you, deep inside you doubt that, you KNOW it's you.

"I know I'll never be the same
If I don't get her back again
Because I know she'll always be
The only girl for me"

You've got to be damn old until you realize life is a process, with ups and downs, and that you can survive almost anything and end up better off. It's all personal before this. And loss seems permanent. You're convinced you'll never find anyone as good, and since this was probably the first time you were in love, or got to second base, or third, or even home, it was all the more visceral, the comedown back to where you once were was EXCRUCIATING!

"But till she's here
Please don't come near
Just stay away"

It's like you're truly wounded, if someone touches you, talks to you, it's gonna hurt too much to endure. You're willing your way back to the past, when the only way to go is forward.

So the dark, brooding Beatle wrote a dark brooding song. He was more sensitive, he wasn't always winning. That smile gave Paul everything he wanted. John was too smart for the room, he was ready with a quip, it paid dividends. Ringo was the butt of the joke and the life of the party and...

George was left out.

That's what it felt like.

And the winter seems endless at that age. Now life passes too quickly. Then it couldn't pass fast enough. You sat in your bedroom after school, on weekends, and played your records again and again and again, you knew them by heart, they were best friends. That's why girls screamed at gigs, they were so invested in the act, they couldn't believe the band was there in the flesh, so close, yet so far, to scream was to be in the moment, for soon you'd be back home with your memories, and memories fade.

The guitar intro seems to be saying...

I'm gonna tell you a story.

And when the track starts to fade out two minutes later...

You're left wondering what happened, what came after, how George was feeling. Could this mega-successful act be just like you and me?

They were and they were not.

The Beatles were the first with this level of success.

But we're all human under the skin.

And we get in touch with our humanity through art.

Most art is disposable.

And then there's that stuff that lasts, that permeates our skin, seeps in and becomes part of us.

And its saturation is not based on premeditation, but inspiration. Doesn't matter if it's ragged, perfection is irrelevant, it's got more to do with a FEELING!

When I hear "Don't Bother Me" I'm brought right back to the winter of '64. Sledding in the backyard, skiing at Mt. Snow, watching Jim McKay on "Wide World of Sports."

It's as if "Meet The Beatles!" is a younger brother, or a cousin, a blood relative.

And at this point, fifty years hence, "Don't Bother Me" is my favorite song on the record.

He gets the least attention, but George was an integral part of the band. He played the leads, which we all started to pick out shortly. He was the youngest member. But he seemed to have thought about it, and with "Don't Bother Me" he started to speak his truth. Ain't it always darkness that leads us to the light.


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