https://mofi.com/collections/eagles
There was something wrong.
You've got to be an electrician to listen to music these days, assuming you don't take the easy way out and just listen on your phone, which is surprisingly good.
My desktop Sonos app would only see the Sonos system in the house, not the Sonos system in the shed. The music was streaming on the Playbar in the bedroom, what was wrong? After realizing I was seeing the wrong Sonos system, we've got two, don't ask why, it's historical, I kept resetting the app but I could never log in to the right one, the one in the shed. Tearing what little hair I have out for forty five minutes I ultimately realized my iMac in the shed was on the wrong wifi network, it had defaulted to an inside network as opposed to the much faster one created by the Orbi mesh network, which technically isn't mesh, but is actually a bit better, not that it's cheap.
Damn.
Not only did I switch to the Orbi network, I deleted the networks generated by the main router. So no default could happen, so it would be all Orbi all the time.
But I still could not get music on my stereo system. The TV system in the shed worked fine, but not the stereo, what was up?
So I disconnected the Bridge attached directly to the ethernet cable twice, but that didn't work, but then I remembered there was a Bridge hidden on the stereo rack and I unplugged and replugged that and voila! I can hear music! But then the desktop app asks whether I want to update it and I'm worried it's going to install the new app which won't work with one of my old Bridges but I took the risk, and it all worked. I need everything to work. Of course I could have just used the iPhone app, which was up to date and worked fine, but I'm a stickler, I get satisfaction when everything works right, it makes me feel good, it's that extra one or two percent that gets you to the ultimate, which was what I was trying to achieve listening to this new MoFi Ultradisc vinyl Eagles album, but...
It sounded great, but it sounded slow.
I'd opened the package and the album was on two discs, which surprised me, because it's barely thirty seven minutes long, but I thought this was just to ensure the ultimate sound, but then, wondering if the turntable was on the fritz, I decided to look, was the vinyl 45RPM? Well, I had to unscrew the turntable compression disc to look and it was, problem solved, or was it? I didn't see any buttons, could my turntable even play 45 RPM?
I fired up Safari and went to the EAT website. Found the manual. Turns out it can, you've got to use a special tool to move the belt to a wider spot on the idler wheel. A SPECIAL TOOL? Where in the hell was that? In storage somewhere. But then I decided to take the risk, I'd already removed the compression disc, now I had to remove the vinyl record and the mat and the plinth and I looked at the belt and decided a round pen should work, and it did, flawlessly, so I put it all back together and the music was playing at the right speed and it sounded INCREDIBLE!
Too often CDs are too bright, there's no bottom, certainly on the original ones. But just to make sure the vinyl was superior, I pulled up the MoFi CD, I was stunned, the bottom was right there, it sounded...just about as good?
I was completely flummoxed, in this vinyl era, with the craze in full force, shouldn't the vinyl be a revelation?
So I started to A/B. Over and over again.
Then I realized I had to break out the headphones.
Now I'm using a $1300 EAT turntable, a $750 Sony CD player wherein the disc moves, not the lens, and it's got its own disc weight and...through the speakers my mind is doing tricks, I decided to go closer, I decided to connect the top of the line $2000+ Sennheiser headphones, and then I started A/B-ing again.
And the CD and the vinyl sounded remarkably similar. But did this make logical sense? The original recording was analog, shouldn't the vinyl reproduce the music better?
Turns out it did.
On the vinyl the you can hear the bass guitar, you can almost see Randy Meisner picking out individual notes. I kept going back and forth, it was definitive.
And the vocals seemed just a bit more separated and pristine on the vinyl. But really the difference was the background vocals, on the vinyl they were actual people, not just a sound.
But let me reinforce, these two sound sources, the vinyl and the CD, were REMARKABLY similar. The average person would never be able to pick one or the other on a consistent basis, never mind the volume level adding in an extra variable.
So, now since I'd dedicated all that time getting my Sonos system up to speed earlier in the week I decided to stream via Amazon Music HD, CD quality, and it sounded very good, but when I dropped the needle on the vinyl once again you could hear the difference, so...
I emphasize the price of the tools I was using because most people don't invest this much in their stereo equipment, and inherently get inferior sound.
Then again, there are people who invest a vast multiple of what I've got, the tweaks, who are accused of liking the equipment more than the music. And I'm sure this MoFi stuff would sound better on their systems, but...
The floor was shaking. The music was enveloping the complete room. It was up front and center, dominant, it was not a playlist streaming on crappy speakers in the background and I thought of how in the seventies getting closer to the sound was every fan's dream. And the truth is when you hear Don Henley sing "Witchy Woman" via 45 RPM vinyl you'll have an experience you can get nowhere else, it's definitely him, inside the speakers, but...
Do you want to change sides every two tracks?
Do you even want to fire up the big rig? I've got to turn on the amp. I've got to hit the right source button after the protection circuit does its bit, the phono preamp is on all the time, but I've got to turn on the turntable, go through the rigamarole of dropping and screwing down the vinyl and then drop the needle...
Playing a CD is a bit easier.
But the modern way...you just push a button, it's fast and easy, anybody can do it, even a baby. Turns out convenience is a key selling point. It's what killed piracy, Spotify, et al, were just so much easier.
And computer music started out sounding inferior, but now you can get CD quality files, even better, and if you've got the right playback equipment...
In other words, vinyl is a fetish.
But I was excited breaking the shrinkwrap. I loved opening the box and going through its contents. This is an old world experience, today everything is on demand, the goal is to own nothing. Do humans have an inherent desire to own things, does it speak to something inside our brains? Or is it about feeling superior because you've got something nobody else has?
So if you're on a quest for the ultimate sound, akin to what we were once on in the seventies, buy the vinyl and take a listen. But don't bother unless your equipment is superior, you won't hear the difference, which is why the #1 investment you should make is in your speakers. First and foremost your headphones. AirPods are great for walking around, but for critical listening you need something much MUCH better. Or you could start from scratch and invest in speakers and amplification and a way to get the music to them, a turntable, CD player and a Sonos Bridge system.
But the truth is I do almost all my listening at home via my computer speakers, a three-way Genelec system that costs a bit over $1500. Is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! You'll never be able to go back to the crap speakers of yore, you'll wince when you hear the cheap stuff.
But there is a law of diminishing returns.
If you want to get really close to the music, buy the MoFi Eagles CD. If you want the ultimate, if you need the ultimate, buy the vinyl, but you'll need to be very hands-on, you'll have to get satisfaction from the vinyl experience otherwise it's not for you.
I'm still listening...
P.S. Now I'm reconsidering. While writing this I listened to the entire Eagles CD. And when I was done with it my ears felt fatigued, I decided to drop the needle on the vinyl once again, and it just had a different feel, and there was just a little more definition to every element, and air between them. The bass on the CD was mushier than the vinyl. Maybe it's the difference between people and machines, analog and digital, vinyl is a pain in the ass but the more I listen to the vinyl the better it feels, it feels human, my ears are definitely not burning out on it. God, it sounds like there's a band inside the speakers, I can see each individual player, I can pick out their sounds...
P.P.S. I was listening to the CD layer of the MoFi Eagles disc. There's also an SACD layer, but I don't have an SACD player, do you?
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Saturday, 25 September 2021
Thursday, 23 September 2021
James McMurtry-This Week's Podcast
James McMurtry has a great new album "The Horses and the Hounds" that addresses the world from an adult perspective. We discuss the life of a modern troubadour, releasing music to generate publicity and ticket sales, for McMurtry it's all about the live show. Despite being self-deprecating, James oozes with insight. This is a chance to get into the head of one of our foremost singer-songwiters.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/james-mcmurtry/id1316200737?i=1000536376920
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7B1qXY9rnSgeosV5gTrhYf?si=OaHlS_OhRPGnYfLASzBtkQ&dl_branch=1
https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/james-mcmurtry/id1316200737?i=1000536376920
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7B1qXY9rnSgeosV5gTrhYf?si=OaHlS_OhRPGnYfLASzBtkQ&dl_branch=1
https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
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Wednesday, 22 September 2021
The Path
Don't let people tell you what to do.
There will come a time in your life where your significant other, maybe even someone you respect, will burn out on your vision, which may be faltering to boot, you must not do it their way to salve their anxiety, you must do it your way, otherwise you'll have regrets.
What is your way? You'll find out. It's got to do with feel. Something innate in humans. Trust your inner tuning fork.
I'm not saying to dismiss the advice of your parents growing up. They have more experience than you do. You play their game while you live in their house, I'm sure they tell you that all the time, "as long as you're under my roof, eating my food..."
But there will come a time when you separate from your parents.
Oh, education. If you're reading this it's probably done, but education is important, not jumping through hoops but learning things. Never drop out of high school, today you're a pariah. And go to college, not for what you learn in class, but for what you learn outside of class, with the people. Which is why you should go away to school, not be able to come home to your parents on weekends, it's part of growing up. Oh, in addition while you're at school you'll realize all the opinions of your parents are not necessarily right, you'll no longer respect them in the same way, but they'll always be your parents.
If you're lucky, they'll pay for college. I'd tell you not to borrow money for college, but that's complicated in today's world of income inequality. But you don't want to be beholden to the bank, you want to be free to graduate and go your own way, kinda like Stevie and Lindsey, they kicked around quite a long time before they got hooked up with Fleetwood Mac.
So when you graduate from college...
Don't follow the track unless you want to. You learn great stuff in business school, but if you never want to be in business... Then again, everything is business. But the truth is most everything you learn in business school takes place outside of the classroom. On trips. Oh, that's another thing, never be a skinflint, it's a loser's game. Spend to have the experience, you might never get back there, you might never have the opportunity again. But business school is about making friendships that you leverage in the future. Is that who you are?
Then again, everything is about relationships. You need friends to make your way, to have a fruitful life, to get ahead. But don't subjugate your personality to get what you want. And one thing you'll learn is everybody is replaceable, that exec you were kissing the butt of to get a better gig? They'll retire, or get fired, and they won't mean anything to you anymore.
Or you could become a professional, a doctor or a lawyer. That was the baby boomer ethos, before bankers and techies made more money. You can go to law school and never practice law and be a winner anyway, because you will learn the game, you will understand the game, and that will pay dividends. But if you go to law school take and pass the bar. Not only for the respect of others, but the key to winning in life is finishing, completing, you never want to quit unless you're banging your head against the wall ignorantly and can't see the landscape for the trees.
So, you can be somnambulant, think you're winning by being a banker or a businessman, but the truth is these jobs take up all your time. You make a ton of bucks, but you may be outside the world you want to live in. The world is full of frustrated doctors and lawyers who really want to be artists. Amor Towles sacrificed decades in finance before he felt comfortable being a writer. He ultimately won, but he lost all that time, and most people can never recover.
It's almost impossible to do one thing in life. It takes focus, and dedication, and the boasting and posting about it is irrelevant, especially in a world where everybody is hyping themselves. Want a full life? Do the work, keep your head down, people will notice, you'll be building trust and credibility that you can't see that will pay dividends down the road.
But if you go down the road less taken people aren't gonna like it, they're not gonna be supportive, because you're attempting to be free while they're stuck in the game, too scared to take a risk. And when you fumble, because you're inventing the game as well as playing it, they're going to put you down, laugh at you, tell you to wake up and fly straight.
And maybe you should. Your heart will tell you to.
But maybe you won't. Maybe deep in your heart you'll know the right path for you. It won't be clear and it won't be easy but you can see the starting point and you can put one foot in front of the other and try to make your way. And no matter what anybody says, everybody writes the script of their own life. The game is never the same. Everything is constantly changing. So the wisdom of the past may not apply tomorrow.
So if you're going your own way you have to sacrifice. And that's really tough in our consumer society, especially as those playing the traditional game start going through the game of LIFE. They'll be getting married, buying a house, having children, and you'll appear to be stuck in the same place. And you might be stuck for decades. But if you complain about being stuck, you're done. If you don't have the backbone to continue on your own path, stop, immediately, it'll never work.
And if you have college debt and a spouse and a house and children you may not be able to achieve what you want to professionally. That's okay if family is the most important thing to you, but if it's not, you're ultimately gonna regret it.
So you'll look for role models. Forget it. Not only is everybody's path unique, everybody is different. Your skills are different from another's. You'll only win if you bet on your skills. Which means play to your strengths, which may be different from your initial desires. It takes a while to figure it out, but you can, because you don't want to have any regrets.
But life happens, and you'll find yourself making commitments and getting off the path. Beware. Just because everybody else is doing it that doesn't mean you should. And the truth is you can live without anything other than food, water, shelter and friends, everything else is superfluous.
And if you do all the above, maybe you'll wake up in your forties or fifties or even sixties and it will all come together. Ironically, when your old compatriots are getting divorced and hate their jobs and are just waiting for retirement.
Then again, don't expect kudos. If you can't pat yourself on the back, you'll never win. And just so you know, the exhilaration of winning, the good feeling, lasts a very short time, and then you've got to do it again, resting on your laurels is ultimately soulless.
As for money... There's always someone with more. And once you have enough it becomes a competition. There's nothing wrong with money, but just don't let it overshadow your dream.
So when you get to the end you'll still have regrets. Tons of them. You'll have sacrificed so much. You'll lament what you've lost. What you've missed. But what you will have is yourself and your mission, and those are enough to keep you company, to keep you whole.
And never complain about your mission or tell people how hard you're working. Nobody cares, especially if there's no tangible success. You've just got to keep on keepin' on.
Bottom line, you don't want to play the coulda, shoulda, woulda game. You don't want to look back and say if only you took the risk. You're gonna lose on a regular basis, you just want to do your best not to lose where it's important to you.
And only you can judge your path. And only you can judge your success. If you're doing it for others, stop, you must do it for yourself.
Everybody will tell you to do it differently. Your parents, your teachers...they'll tell you to conform. Ironically, it's those who do best in school who do worst in careers. They're all about jumping through hoops, pleasing some entity, they don't think for themselves, they just follow the path blindly their entire lives not realizing the joke is on them.
So you're gonna be different. And you might give up opportunities. You might pass up money. You know why you're doing it, nobody else might.
And there's a good chance your parents will never be satisfied with whatever you do.
And there are spouses who waver. They're supportive and then they get frustrated. Try not to be involved with someone who puts you down. But it'll be hard when you stick to your guns and don't sacrifice. Compromise everywhere but where it's important to you.
And don't listen to anybody, nobody really knows. That person who made a billion? They might be a great salesman. Are you? There's nothing wrong with being a crappy salesman, just don't make it the focus of your life. Everybody who has won wants to tell you how to do it. They write books. And if you read them it's a good way to lose. Because once again, you're not them.
And you'll find your goals keep changing. Once you wanted to be president, now you ask yourself why anybody would want to be president. Once you wanted to be a professional athlete, but very few of them have a successful retirement, they just keep talking about the games they played in the past. Once you wanted to be famous. But that's not enough. The fame must be the byproduct.
So I'm just telling you one thing. LISTEN TO NOBODY! Everybody will tell you what to do. You'll be overwhelmed, you'll have a hard time starting, never mind staying the course. And nobody knows where all the rocks in the river are, no one knows all the pitfalls, everybody's adventure is different, and the goal is to get to the end and feel proud that you did it your way. That's what's satisfying, that's what makes a life complete.
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Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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There will come a time in your life where your significant other, maybe even someone you respect, will burn out on your vision, which may be faltering to boot, you must not do it their way to salve their anxiety, you must do it your way, otherwise you'll have regrets.
What is your way? You'll find out. It's got to do with feel. Something innate in humans. Trust your inner tuning fork.
I'm not saying to dismiss the advice of your parents growing up. They have more experience than you do. You play their game while you live in their house, I'm sure they tell you that all the time, "as long as you're under my roof, eating my food..."
But there will come a time when you separate from your parents.
Oh, education. If you're reading this it's probably done, but education is important, not jumping through hoops but learning things. Never drop out of high school, today you're a pariah. And go to college, not for what you learn in class, but for what you learn outside of class, with the people. Which is why you should go away to school, not be able to come home to your parents on weekends, it's part of growing up. Oh, in addition while you're at school you'll realize all the opinions of your parents are not necessarily right, you'll no longer respect them in the same way, but they'll always be your parents.
If you're lucky, they'll pay for college. I'd tell you not to borrow money for college, but that's complicated in today's world of income inequality. But you don't want to be beholden to the bank, you want to be free to graduate and go your own way, kinda like Stevie and Lindsey, they kicked around quite a long time before they got hooked up with Fleetwood Mac.
So when you graduate from college...
Don't follow the track unless you want to. You learn great stuff in business school, but if you never want to be in business... Then again, everything is business. But the truth is most everything you learn in business school takes place outside of the classroom. On trips. Oh, that's another thing, never be a skinflint, it's a loser's game. Spend to have the experience, you might never get back there, you might never have the opportunity again. But business school is about making friendships that you leverage in the future. Is that who you are?
Then again, everything is about relationships. You need friends to make your way, to have a fruitful life, to get ahead. But don't subjugate your personality to get what you want. And one thing you'll learn is everybody is replaceable, that exec you were kissing the butt of to get a better gig? They'll retire, or get fired, and they won't mean anything to you anymore.
Or you could become a professional, a doctor or a lawyer. That was the baby boomer ethos, before bankers and techies made more money. You can go to law school and never practice law and be a winner anyway, because you will learn the game, you will understand the game, and that will pay dividends. But if you go to law school take and pass the bar. Not only for the respect of others, but the key to winning in life is finishing, completing, you never want to quit unless you're banging your head against the wall ignorantly and can't see the landscape for the trees.
So, you can be somnambulant, think you're winning by being a banker or a businessman, but the truth is these jobs take up all your time. You make a ton of bucks, but you may be outside the world you want to live in. The world is full of frustrated doctors and lawyers who really want to be artists. Amor Towles sacrificed decades in finance before he felt comfortable being a writer. He ultimately won, but he lost all that time, and most people can never recover.
It's almost impossible to do one thing in life. It takes focus, and dedication, and the boasting and posting about it is irrelevant, especially in a world where everybody is hyping themselves. Want a full life? Do the work, keep your head down, people will notice, you'll be building trust and credibility that you can't see that will pay dividends down the road.
But if you go down the road less taken people aren't gonna like it, they're not gonna be supportive, because you're attempting to be free while they're stuck in the game, too scared to take a risk. And when you fumble, because you're inventing the game as well as playing it, they're going to put you down, laugh at you, tell you to wake up and fly straight.
And maybe you should. Your heart will tell you to.
But maybe you won't. Maybe deep in your heart you'll know the right path for you. It won't be clear and it won't be easy but you can see the starting point and you can put one foot in front of the other and try to make your way. And no matter what anybody says, everybody writes the script of their own life. The game is never the same. Everything is constantly changing. So the wisdom of the past may not apply tomorrow.
So if you're going your own way you have to sacrifice. And that's really tough in our consumer society, especially as those playing the traditional game start going through the game of LIFE. They'll be getting married, buying a house, having children, and you'll appear to be stuck in the same place. And you might be stuck for decades. But if you complain about being stuck, you're done. If you don't have the backbone to continue on your own path, stop, immediately, it'll never work.
And if you have college debt and a spouse and a house and children you may not be able to achieve what you want to professionally. That's okay if family is the most important thing to you, but if it's not, you're ultimately gonna regret it.
So you'll look for role models. Forget it. Not only is everybody's path unique, everybody is different. Your skills are different from another's. You'll only win if you bet on your skills. Which means play to your strengths, which may be different from your initial desires. It takes a while to figure it out, but you can, because you don't want to have any regrets.
But life happens, and you'll find yourself making commitments and getting off the path. Beware. Just because everybody else is doing it that doesn't mean you should. And the truth is you can live without anything other than food, water, shelter and friends, everything else is superfluous.
And if you do all the above, maybe you'll wake up in your forties or fifties or even sixties and it will all come together. Ironically, when your old compatriots are getting divorced and hate their jobs and are just waiting for retirement.
Then again, don't expect kudos. If you can't pat yourself on the back, you'll never win. And just so you know, the exhilaration of winning, the good feeling, lasts a very short time, and then you've got to do it again, resting on your laurels is ultimately soulless.
As for money... There's always someone with more. And once you have enough it becomes a competition. There's nothing wrong with money, but just don't let it overshadow your dream.
So when you get to the end you'll still have regrets. Tons of them. You'll have sacrificed so much. You'll lament what you've lost. What you've missed. But what you will have is yourself and your mission, and those are enough to keep you company, to keep you whole.
And never complain about your mission or tell people how hard you're working. Nobody cares, especially if there's no tangible success. You've just got to keep on keepin' on.
Bottom line, you don't want to play the coulda, shoulda, woulda game. You don't want to look back and say if only you took the risk. You're gonna lose on a regular basis, you just want to do your best not to lose where it's important to you.
And only you can judge your path. And only you can judge your success. If you're doing it for others, stop, you must do it for yourself.
Everybody will tell you to do it differently. Your parents, your teachers...they'll tell you to conform. Ironically, it's those who do best in school who do worst in careers. They're all about jumping through hoops, pleasing some entity, they don't think for themselves, they just follow the path blindly their entire lives not realizing the joke is on them.
So you're gonna be different. And you might give up opportunities. You might pass up money. You know why you're doing it, nobody else might.
And there's a good chance your parents will never be satisfied with whatever you do.
And there are spouses who waver. They're supportive and then they get frustrated. Try not to be involved with someone who puts you down. But it'll be hard when you stick to your guns and don't sacrifice. Compromise everywhere but where it's important to you.
And don't listen to anybody, nobody really knows. That person who made a billion? They might be a great salesman. Are you? There's nothing wrong with being a crappy salesman, just don't make it the focus of your life. Everybody who has won wants to tell you how to do it. They write books. And if you read them it's a good way to lose. Because once again, you're not them.
And you'll find your goals keep changing. Once you wanted to be president, now you ask yourself why anybody would want to be president. Once you wanted to be a professional athlete, but very few of them have a successful retirement, they just keep talking about the games they played in the past. Once you wanted to be famous. But that's not enough. The fame must be the byproduct.
So I'm just telling you one thing. LISTEN TO NOBODY! Everybody will tell you what to do. You'll be overwhelmed, you'll have a hard time starting, never mind staying the course. And nobody knows where all the rocks in the river are, no one knows all the pitfalls, everybody's adventure is different, and the goal is to get to the end and feel proud that you did it your way. That's what's satisfying, that's what makes a life complete.
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Mailbag
From: Chris Kimsey
Subject: Re: Wild World
Hi Bob ,What a joy to read your blog about Cat Stevens and Mona Bone Jackon .
I was the assistant engineer on the album . It was recorded at Olympic Studio 2, with Paul Samwell-Smith producing and George Chkiantz engineering. That album and those songs shaped my love of recording music. The songwriting was brilliant as were the arrangements and the performances by such a great group of musicians.
I remember Paul was fixated that all microphones should be in phase and carried a phase meter with him to the session.
Never seen that before .
Wonderful to remember, no plug-ins no click no grid just pure life and energy in those analog recordings.
It was Cat's first attempt at breaking away from the commercialism of the songs that preceded the album. And a new record company, Island Records and Chris Blackwell were totally on his side. Those Sessions claim a huge part of my heart which I shall never forget. Thank you Cat thank you Olympic as you say Bob great music lives forever.
Chris Kimsey Olympic Studios Barnes London
_______________________________
From: BILL MUMY
Subject: Re: Wild World
Hi Bob… Tea For the Tillerman is, in my opinion, one of not too many, truly perfect albums. All the songs hold up really well and it never sounds stale to my ears. I agree with you a hundred percent that him re-recording that classic album was a mistake.
One of the very best gigs I ever went to was in 1971 at the Troubadour. Carly Simon, her first album just released, opening for Cat Steven's. Fantastic gig! And… just to sweeten the memory, Carly kissed me at that gig. On the mouth.
And that's the way I've always heard it should be.
Hang Tough.
Mumy
Still in Laurel Cyn
_______________________________
Subject: Re: hill_deeee
Yes, Bob!
Argghh!! Please, no more complaining about Spotify. I can't have this talk with many of my musician friends. They hate Spotify so much. But they don't understand that it is free distribution and it's everywhere! That's a major advancement for musicians---but they don't take advantage.
I have a friend who gets it. He has a huge email list which he built by selling digital music education products online. When he has a show, he just emails the part of his list that is located in that area and he can sell the show out pretty quickly....with just one email! And it's all because he is on top of how to be savvy in this new digital world.
So, yes, the new model is really alive! The story you related about hill_deeee underscores it.
Here's another example.
You remember the band, Brand X? I'm sure you do as well as many of your readers.
Anyway, Brand X was just in the market for a new drummer. Their pedigree of drummers is pretty fantastic: Phil Collins (you know, proggy, Genesis-era, pre-pop star Phil Collins), Bill Bruford, Mike Clark, Chuck Burgi, Kenwood Dennard and most recently the lesser-known but fantastic Kenny Grohowski.
Who do you think they recruited? Simon Phillips? Dave Weckl? Virgil Donati? Gary Novak? Billy Cobham? Nope.
They hired Greyson Nekrutman. Who?? Yes, I know....who is he, right?
Greyson is an 18 year. old drummer who has more than 200K Instagram followers which he amassed merely by posting over the top drum solos.
And, so, that's the new game. Networking? Nope. Old-school.
Greyson hasn't really played with anyone. But Brand X hired him because they saw him online and he has 200K followers. Oh, yes, he's very very good.
But that's a way to get a prestige gig that didn't exist before....
It's real, it can work, and it IS working for those who get it and are good enough to create content that will draw in the followers...
Fascinating stuff.
-Mark Feldman
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Rosh Hashanah
Back at Ya Bob! My family was as Brooklyn Jewish 1960s as there was. We went to temple on the high holidays ,kept a kosher house etc..,On the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah in 1962 it was about 4 am and my father wakes me up…"Wanna go fishing? " wow really? So I get dressed got my fishing gear and we were off to Sheepshead Bay aJD made the 7 am boat to go for Tuna and Bluefish..It was a beautiful day and I spent some real quality time with my father ..
My neighborhood was Uber religious with lots of Holocaust survivors..they would absolutely see us on this mid September day coming home and driving no less on a major Jewish Holiday…We had that covered..My father brought 2 white shirts , ties and sports jackets and we changed right before we left the boat. When we drove down our block around 5PM lots of neighbors where out on the streets..As we drove by them my father gave them a wave..
My mother had The story covered telling a couple of the neighbors that we went to my grandmothers temple in Red Hook to spend the afternoon with her and of course we had to drive to get there. Of course they absolutely understood how else could we get there .. and when we came home the garage door was open and we just pulled in the garage nobody saw us or knew anything. What a trip that would've been if my neighbors knew that we were going fishing on Rosh Hashanah.That's the way my father was ….to pull the rabbit out of the hat sometimes when the timing was right.
Happy New Year
Peace, Jason
Jason Miles
_______________________________
From: John Cayne
Subject: Re: The Apple Keynote
Here's an Apple Watch story - if you don't own a piece of health tech/fit tech, you will.
A person I do business with has an employee who is going on medical leave for open heart surgery. Seemingly healthy, she bought an Apple Watch and within days of having it setup the watch was indicating a potential issue with her heart rate. She sees a doctor, sees a specialist and now is having heart surgery. How can we afford to not have one (or something similar)?
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
Vaccine checks at Dead & Company in Hartford with a mask request. Both are much appreciated and necessary if you ask me – but my friend and I were the only two people wearing masks.
More proof that stupidity is an ancient human trait.
Skip Roads
Boston, MA
_______________________________
From: Shari Ulrich
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
I'm a touring artist in Canada, living in BC. So far only doing a few shows in my province to 50% capacity. BUT….as of Sept. 13 we have vaccine passports, and no one is allowed into any venue, bar, restaurant or public space without their passport (which takes 15 seconds to acquire with name, birthdate, Personal Health Number, and date of one of your vaccinations.) In the 6 days it's been in place I've done 3 shows and can vouch that it works perfectly (ID must be shown with it). No fuss - staff is happy to execute and everyone is grateful to be able to attend a show in relative safety. Folks aren't tracked, and no information is collected. And anyone can download the verification app so small venues and businesses can easily execute checking electronically. I too have been saying since the vaccine came out that it's the ONLY way live music will be able to return. Period. And it works. Period.
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
Hi Bob,
After almost two years of not seeing a live show, last week on back to back nights I saw Lord Huron in Boston at what is essentially a tent. It was for all intents a sellout, about 5,000 of us who had a great time.
Getting inside took some patience as there was a long line. We had to show proof of vaccination which security didn't seem to pay much attention to. They were more concerned about keeping the line moving.
Very few chose to wear a mask. All in attendance basked in the joy of the live concert experience.
The next night I saw the Black Crowes at the 20k seat Xfinity Center amphitheater in Mansfield.
Getting in was more or less the same experience less the line. There were none as there are many gates.
Since the show was far from a sellout they were offering free ticket upgrades inside the shed. Our seats were on the lawn so, of course we took the closer seats.
It looked to be about half full or less, and again very few masks.
We ended up sitting directly behind the sound table for a great show.
I chatted with a member of the crew who was no spring chicken and he summed it up with "I haven't worked in a year and a half so I'm happy to be here and will take the risk." It sounded liked he was forced to make a difficult choice.
Therein lies the rub...These folks have to eat but risk getting sick (or worse).
Fans want to get out and see live music and some face the same choices although ours are less complicated: The experience of live music vs. the risk of exposure.
It's funny how in the moment of both shows, I didn't care about any of it. I didn't look around and think "how many ignorant people are here and are they next to me?"
I didn't think about who they voted for, what their education level was, had they lost anyone to Covid? Had they been sick themselves?
I did think about the guy I talked to, his brother road warriors and what they'd gone through. It can not have been pretty.
However, when the shows were over the thoughts creep in... I asked myself "was it worth it?" "How many ignorant people were in the venue?"
And I wonder about how many in the industry from the artists on down who's lives and livelihood have been forever altered.
Regards,
Ray Levin
_______________________________
From: Mike Donahue
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
I'm your age, Bob and
before all this would see at least 100 bands a year. Now, I can't think of one I would take the slightest risk to see. That's just how I am rollin' these days
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Touring/Covid-19
Let the anti-vaxxer people who don't care about others stay home and let's see if they like it?
By them not getting the vaccine, that's what they are asking us to do!
Iona S. Elliott
_______________________________
From: Walter Egan
Subject: Re: Great Backup Vocals Playlist
I did a house concert in Upland, Grand Oaks Live, July 24. Really nice house with a stage in the back. Then the woman who put it on died of COVID three weeks later(!)
That was when I canceled my fall dates.
I will get the booster before I do the shows booked in November.
That English label that put out my new album 'fascination' is going to put out another next year.
Stay well
Walter
_______________________________
From: Robert Meyrowitz
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
Bob,
You are right, I loved the Muhammad Ali doc. Talk about living through those times, my first job was at ABC radio. I had a small interior office across from Howard Cosell. One day I am sitting in my office and it suddenly gets dark, I look up and it is Muhammad Ali. He shouts "Cosell says you told him you could whip me. Get up." Scared the hell out of me. Cosell comes in and says "C'mon we're going to watch the champ workout." We went downstairs, got in a limo and got out at a gym. Neither Muhammad or Cosell said another word to me. 50 some odd years later still one of the most magical moments in my life.
Bob
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
I lived it right along with you back then.
My father was in fight game in Philly, where I was raised and educated, both in the classroom and on the streets. His good friend was Yank Durham who I recall calling our house one night and asking my dad if he was interested in seeing this 'kid' he wanted to work with, Joe Frazier. My dad declined.
Years later when I was in college, I split my time between Temple University and working my father's dry-cleaning store on the Main Line, just outside Philly. One day I found myself delivering a few freshly pressed suits to a high-end apartment building off City Line Avenue and I almost crapped myself when Muhammad Ali answered the door. We chatted and I told him I'd grown up in gyms with my dad, and as a result, boxing had always been part of my life
A few months later, I found myself making another stop at his home and when he saw it was me, he picked up our conversation exactly where we left off. He didn't miss a beat. I was blown away that he remembered what we talked about, down to the names of the boxers I told him I used to watch train with my father.
Looking forward to watching this one too and although he had many, for me, one of his best lines has to be "I'm so mean, I make medicine sick."
Thanks for the reminder and the DVR is set.
Bob Conrad
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
Hi Bob, terrific reminder. Cosell was really big time for Monday night football and for any big time fight. Billy Crystal does a great impersonation of him and Ali.
About 16 years ago, I was taking a client out to dinner in San Francisco at this very hard to get into restaurant that specialized in garlic infused whole Dungeness crabs. There were 4 of us at our table and about two tables away was Ali with an entourage of 5 or 6 people.
My client wanted me to go interrupt them and ask for his autograph. I said "no way, he wants his privacy". But my client kept insisting until his wife realized how uncomfortable it was for me and she said she would do it. And she got up and walked over to his table and in a few minutes she was hugging him and he was waving at us all to come over. We introduced ourselves and this was before cell phone cameras, but one of our party had a camera and Ali had agreed to take a picture with my client and his wife. Ali and everyone in his group could not have been more gracious and friendly.
My client was a buyer for "the Good Guys" chain of consumer electronics and a week later when I went to see him for an order, he had the picture framed on his office wall. I got a big order.
alan segal
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
I grew up in KY and Ali was a hero. Listening to the fights on my transistor radio. I moved to Louisville in the mid 90's for a new job. My job included quite a bit of travel and since Louisville wasn't a Hub most Mondays I was on the early Bird to Atlanta or Chicago. Ali still had a house in Louisville and one in Chicago so a lot of Monday's he'd be on my flight to Midway. The Flight Crew would escort him and his wife on 1st and then the rest of us would board. Ali and I developed a nodding relationship over several flights as he sat 1st seat aisle.
One Halloween, I returned on Friday evening from Chicago. My wife was picking me up and had brought our children in their Halloween costumes to the airport to pick up Dad. I walk off the Jetway and there are Justin and Heather in costume scaring ALI! He is hiding his eyes and laughing. Pre Cell Phone unfortunately so I don't have pictures.
A few years later the Company I worked for had distribution of our Juice in Thornton Oil. Thornton was going to sponsor a Golden Gloves Tournament in Louisville and we were asked to be a sponsor. It was to be called the Ali Cup. As a sponsor, I was invited to the pre event party. The guests were boxers, Holmes, Spinks, Sugar Ray Leonard etc. Every important boxer of the past 20 years. And they all were waiting on one person - Muhammed Ali. He walked in and they all flocked to him like kids to their Hero! My wife realized how much I loved Ali and as we were leaving she asked for my badge. I handed it to her and she headed directly to The Champ's ringside box. She called him Mr Mohammed and asked him to sign my badge. He did and it hangs in my office as a treasured relic.
I cried when he died. The end of an amazing era!
David Britton
_______________________________
From: Cotty Chubb
Subject: Re: Hartwig Masuch On The Future
In the mid-90s I was president (a fancy title that came with a decent salary) of a fairly powerful film production company on the Universal lot, run by two producers who had been Universal execs, when Edgar Bronfman jr and Seagrams bought the studio. They hired a very expensive management consultant company (Bain or McWhatever) to figure out the business they'd just bought.
The first call I got from them was almost plaintive. "Why do you spend so much money developing scripts you don't make?" It wasn't a ridiculous question, adn wehn they called again, a few months later, they asked it again.
Truthfully nobody should have hired Larry McMurtry and his wife to write a movie script based on the 1950s television show "Father Knows Best," but it was on our company's slate, bought at great expense before I was hired. So I thought the question was a fair one.
But it revealed, as you suggest, Bob, a distinct aversion to risk. And as that aversion grew, and it sure did, over the next decade, studios stopped taking risks. And look where we ended up.
With a business of massively expensive :branded entertainment content" and their sequels and universes. Yippee, reward without risk. Supposedly. Except that in the process the most vital communication and story-telling medium was robbed of most of its surprise. We know (except occasionally) what we're going to get when we go to the movies now.
And so an industry weaned several generations of audience off the pleasures of the unexpected. And that audience has now turned to a firehouse of undistinguished and primarily unmemorable streaming "content," chasing Wall Street's demand that everybody has to have a streamer.
Your words are prophetic about what will happen to music when the new owners figure out that new music, and evelopng new voices, new modalities, is just too darn risky.
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Paul Anka-This Week's Podcast
Bob,
Great podcast on Paul Anka. It was nice to see Paul pay respect to his first manager Irvin Feld. I worked for Irvin Feld after he bought the circus for 9 years before he passed in 1984. He was a tough taskmaster and you had to bring your A game everyday.
Irvin's right hand man at the time was Allen Bloom with whom I became close friends with over the years. Allen was on the early bus tours with Paul Anka, Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, Drifters, Chuck Berry. Allen kept a small spiral notebook about the size of a deck of cards and recorded every detail on gross, net, concessions, who got paid what, cash deposits, building settlements. He loved to share detail of the early road tours.
Check out the CBC video "Lonely Boy" on amazon. Many of the characters Paul speaks about are in the video like the Copa owner, Irvin and Allen.
Best regards,
Bill Powell
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
I'm a big Anka fan, saw his show at the Royal Albert Hall some years ago which was a masterclass in professionalism. I also interviewed him once, including about how he came to write 'My Way'. After we finished I asked him if he wouldn't mind writing out a couple of lines of the song and signing it. Would you believe he wrote out the entire song for me and added "This is real! Paul Anka, Dorchester Hotel." What a legend and thoroughly nice guy.
David Stark
SongLink.com
_______________________________
Subject: Paul Anka
I know I'm late but I wanted to share a few thoughts about Paul Anka & your excellent interview. I noticed that you omitted your favourite question to artists : "At this time, if you quit working, do you have enough to make it to the end?". Obviously the question wasn't necessary because we know Paul has more money than God! Which brings me to the point: A few years ago I went to see Anka at the local casino in the middle of nowhere, primarily because I had heard he puts on a good show, tickets were cheap, & it was close by.
Rama Ontario isn't the easiest place to get to, this show was never going to be reviewed, & like most casino shows, a portion of the crowd was comped or there for lack of an alternative. In fact some acts have two separate set lists/shows: a 90 minute regular concert, & a 75 minute casino set ....."get em in & back to the slots asap". That night in the middle of nowhere, one of the richest acts in the business put on an energetic full blown 2 hour concert, with forays through the venue to shake hands etc, & including ALL of the best of his catalogue. Anka wasn't selling anything & doesn't need to sell anything, & there's a lot of places in the world he could have spent that evening doing a lot of things. I was reminded of Paul McCartney who, at 79, puts on an unbelievable 3 hour show & doesn't need to be anywhere he doesn't want to be, or Peter Noone at 73 who also is one of the most entertaining & energetic legacy acts out there. Some artists do it just because they love to perform. If you a chance to see Paul Anka, grab the opportunity, you won't regret it.
Steve Cole
Elmvale, Ontario
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
Unsure if you or you're subscribers are aware but Paul Anka covers Prince's Purple Rain in his live set. How cool is that?
Andrew Paciocco
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
One more Anka story for the road
I was 15 and in love with rock music and Motown at the time. Rosalie Trombley was my hero for breaking hits and my very Italian mother was President of the Jewish women's bowling league Tuesday Bowlerettes (my parents raised us friends are friends)
Soo their year (1967) end party is at the Elmwood Casino in Windsor Ontario Canada ( the real south Detroit
And Paul Anka was appearing my Dad was not interested so I was nominated to go. All I knew was it was a nightclub and the food was good . I'm in
He Mesmerized me. In fact he came into the audience came up to our table and sang to me. It would set the bar for live shows for the rest of my frequent concert going life.your podcasts brought it all back
Brava
Lori Baldassi
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
I always thought that Anka was an egregious little shit. You and he changed my mind, and that's hard to do when you're older than dirt. Thanks!
Richard Flohil
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Paul Anka-This Week's Podcast
Just listened to this, Bob, it was so impactful and inspiring that I did so over three days, forcing myself to turn it off so I could savor and contemplate what I heard.
Not only is this the best podcast you have done, this is the best interview I have EVER heard.
No shit, Bob, Paul Anka is an AMAZING human being and he shared so much of himself and the wisdom he has accumulated that I will definitely be listening again to let it sink in even deeper.
Beyond that, however, this has just given me a lift at a time in my life that is pivotal and I am grateful to him and to YOU for providing that, more than words can express.
With age has come doubt, really for the first time in my life - well I guess it has passed through before but not like this.
And hearing Paul's energy, passion and determination to keep LIVING... drawn out and coupled with yours... whew it nearly makes me tear up.
Bob, I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
DG
_______________________________
From: Jefferson Holt
Subject: Re: The New James McMurtry Album
Hey Bob,
Don Dixon !!
So bear with me here...
I know how much you hate everybody pushing their stuff on you so I never wrote to tell you about my new project.
I've started a new record label with Jay Coyle ( Nashville) (musicgeekservices) called Propleller Sound Recordings. Our first release is a double album of the very earliest dB's recordings.
The second release will be in early 2022. " Highways and Rocketships " by Florence Dore- musician, songwriter, author and wife of Will Rigby( drummer for the dB's and Steve Earle for years). She just cut an album at Mitch Easter's Fidelatorium Studio here in North Carolina. Joining Florence were Will on drums, Peter Holsapple ( dB's, Continental Drifters, R.E.M. and Hootie and the Blowfish) Mark Spencer ( Son Volt) , Jeremy Chatzky ( Bruce Springsteen, Ronnie Spector, Laura Cantrell ).
And that album was produced by none other than Don Dixon. One of the best folk I've ever met in the music biz.
I wrote Don and asked him if he could send me a list of what he's been up to for the last twenty years and….well this is what I got !
" Since 2001 I have:
Produced albums for The Red Clay Ramblers (2), Marti Jones (3), Jim
Wann (3), David Childers (2), Madison Smartt Bell & Wyn Cooper (2),
Rosavelt (2), The Carpenter Ants (3), Sid Selvidge, Volatile Baby, The
King Dapper Combo, The Nichols Family, Chris Allen (4), The Edison
Project, Dip Ferrell & the Truetones (3), The Ohio City Singers (4),
GB Leighton, Larry Groce (2), The Coastal Cohorts (2), Kelley Ryan,
Hey Mavis (3), Tribute to Alfred Reed (various artists recorded for
the WV Music Hall of Fame), The Smithereens, Todd Burge (2), Hannah
Thomas, Micha & Mark Atkinson (2), Tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens
(various artists recorded for the WV Music Hall of Fame), Falling
Stars, The Gin Blossoms, Rod Abernethy, John Rooney, Lassie James,
Mary Hott, Austin Walkin' Cane, Mark Bates, Florence Dore, It's
Snakes, Tribute to Billy Edd Wheeler (various artists recorded for the
WV Music Hall of Fame), Wednesday Week
Performed on recordings for The Golden Palominos, Matthew Sweet,
Dottie Peoples, Robert Crenshaw, Caitlin Cary, Mary Chapin Carpenter,
Chris Stamey, Carrie Newcomer, Bill Lloyd, Jeffrey Dean Foster,
Michael Stanley, Carey Sims, Angel & the Love Mongers, Robin Rogers,
Otis Gibbs, Todd Burge, A Fragile Tomorrow, The Ohio City Singers,
Rosavelt, Falling Stars, Kelley Ryan, Chris Allen, Jim Wann, Hannah
Thomas, David Childers, Dennis McCurdy, Rod Abernethy, Kyle Davis,
Eric Gnedza, Bryan Shumate, Lassie James, Mark Bates, Coastal Cohorts,
Doug McKean, Jana Pochop, Sean Kelly, Austin Walkin' Cane, Marti
Jones, Dip Ferrell & the Truetones, Madison Smart Bell & Wyn Cooper,
Chris Allen
Mixed recordings for Amy Rigby, Chauncy, Brian Lisik, Robert Crenshaw,
Ken Hardley, Doug McKean, John Cody, Tommy Joyner, Superchunk, Bryan
Shumate,
Recorded and released my own albums which are Notepad #38, The Entire
Combustible World in One Small Room, Lucky Stars (with Marti Jones),
Music from Robert Creep, Sings the Jeffords Brothers, Living Stereo
(with Marti Jones), High & Filthy & Borderline, I Lived in the Time of
Organ Grinders
Performed on stage either solo, or with Marti Jones, Kelley Ryan, The
Ohio City Singers, or Mary Chapin Carpenter in all 48 Continental
United States, Ireland, Scotland and England…nearly 2,500 shows…"
and this….
"i forgot about my album "The Nu-Look" & my band the Jump Rabbits with whom i've done hundreds of shows with in the last 20 years…"
He did an amazing job on Florence's record and I can't wait to share it with the world.
All the best, Jefferson
Subject: Re: Wild World
Hi Bob ,What a joy to read your blog about Cat Stevens and Mona Bone Jackon .
I was the assistant engineer on the album . It was recorded at Olympic Studio 2, with Paul Samwell-Smith producing and George Chkiantz engineering. That album and those songs shaped my love of recording music. The songwriting was brilliant as were the arrangements and the performances by such a great group of musicians.
I remember Paul was fixated that all microphones should be in phase and carried a phase meter with him to the session.
Never seen that before .
Wonderful to remember, no plug-ins no click no grid just pure life and energy in those analog recordings.
It was Cat's first attempt at breaking away from the commercialism of the songs that preceded the album. And a new record company, Island Records and Chris Blackwell were totally on his side. Those Sessions claim a huge part of my heart which I shall never forget. Thank you Cat thank you Olympic as you say Bob great music lives forever.
Chris Kimsey Olympic Studios Barnes London
_______________________________
From: BILL MUMY
Subject: Re: Wild World
Hi Bob… Tea For the Tillerman is, in my opinion, one of not too many, truly perfect albums. All the songs hold up really well and it never sounds stale to my ears. I agree with you a hundred percent that him re-recording that classic album was a mistake.
One of the very best gigs I ever went to was in 1971 at the Troubadour. Carly Simon, her first album just released, opening for Cat Steven's. Fantastic gig! And… just to sweeten the memory, Carly kissed me at that gig. On the mouth.
And that's the way I've always heard it should be.
Hang Tough.
Mumy
Still in Laurel Cyn
_______________________________
Subject: Re: hill_deeee
Yes, Bob!
Argghh!! Please, no more complaining about Spotify. I can't have this talk with many of my musician friends. They hate Spotify so much. But they don't understand that it is free distribution and it's everywhere! That's a major advancement for musicians---but they don't take advantage.
I have a friend who gets it. He has a huge email list which he built by selling digital music education products online. When he has a show, he just emails the part of his list that is located in that area and he can sell the show out pretty quickly....with just one email! And it's all because he is on top of how to be savvy in this new digital world.
So, yes, the new model is really alive! The story you related about hill_deeee underscores it.
Here's another example.
You remember the band, Brand X? I'm sure you do as well as many of your readers.
Anyway, Brand X was just in the market for a new drummer. Their pedigree of drummers is pretty fantastic: Phil Collins (you know, proggy, Genesis-era, pre-pop star Phil Collins), Bill Bruford, Mike Clark, Chuck Burgi, Kenwood Dennard and most recently the lesser-known but fantastic Kenny Grohowski.
Who do you think they recruited? Simon Phillips? Dave Weckl? Virgil Donati? Gary Novak? Billy Cobham? Nope.
They hired Greyson Nekrutman. Who?? Yes, I know....who is he, right?
Greyson is an 18 year. old drummer who has more than 200K Instagram followers which he amassed merely by posting over the top drum solos.
And, so, that's the new game. Networking? Nope. Old-school.
Greyson hasn't really played with anyone. But Brand X hired him because they saw him online and he has 200K followers. Oh, yes, he's very very good.
But that's a way to get a prestige gig that didn't exist before....
It's real, it can work, and it IS working for those who get it and are good enough to create content that will draw in the followers...
Fascinating stuff.
-Mark Feldman
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Rosh Hashanah
Back at Ya Bob! My family was as Brooklyn Jewish 1960s as there was. We went to temple on the high holidays ,kept a kosher house etc..,On the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah in 1962 it was about 4 am and my father wakes me up…"Wanna go fishing? " wow really? So I get dressed got my fishing gear and we were off to Sheepshead Bay aJD made the 7 am boat to go for Tuna and Bluefish..It was a beautiful day and I spent some real quality time with my father ..
My neighborhood was Uber religious with lots of Holocaust survivors..they would absolutely see us on this mid September day coming home and driving no less on a major Jewish Holiday…We had that covered..My father brought 2 white shirts , ties and sports jackets and we changed right before we left the boat. When we drove down our block around 5PM lots of neighbors where out on the streets..As we drove by them my father gave them a wave..
My mother had The story covered telling a couple of the neighbors that we went to my grandmothers temple in Red Hook to spend the afternoon with her and of course we had to drive to get there. Of course they absolutely understood how else could we get there .. and when we came home the garage door was open and we just pulled in the garage nobody saw us or knew anything. What a trip that would've been if my neighbors knew that we were going fishing on Rosh Hashanah.That's the way my father was ….to pull the rabbit out of the hat sometimes when the timing was right.
Happy New Year
Peace, Jason
Jason Miles
_______________________________
From: John Cayne
Subject: Re: The Apple Keynote
Here's an Apple Watch story - if you don't own a piece of health tech/fit tech, you will.
A person I do business with has an employee who is going on medical leave for open heart surgery. Seemingly healthy, she bought an Apple Watch and within days of having it setup the watch was indicating a potential issue with her heart rate. She sees a doctor, sees a specialist and now is having heart surgery. How can we afford to not have one (or something similar)?
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
Vaccine checks at Dead & Company in Hartford with a mask request. Both are much appreciated and necessary if you ask me – but my friend and I were the only two people wearing masks.
More proof that stupidity is an ancient human trait.
Skip Roads
Boston, MA
_______________________________
From: Shari Ulrich
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
I'm a touring artist in Canada, living in BC. So far only doing a few shows in my province to 50% capacity. BUT….as of Sept. 13 we have vaccine passports, and no one is allowed into any venue, bar, restaurant or public space without their passport (which takes 15 seconds to acquire with name, birthdate, Personal Health Number, and date of one of your vaccinations.) In the 6 days it's been in place I've done 3 shows and can vouch that it works perfectly (ID must be shown with it). No fuss - staff is happy to execute and everyone is grateful to be able to attend a show in relative safety. Folks aren't tracked, and no information is collected. And anyone can download the verification app so small venues and businesses can easily execute checking electronically. I too have been saying since the vaccine came out that it's the ONLY way live music will be able to return. Period. And it works. Period.
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
Hi Bob,
After almost two years of not seeing a live show, last week on back to back nights I saw Lord Huron in Boston at what is essentially a tent. It was for all intents a sellout, about 5,000 of us who had a great time.
Getting inside took some patience as there was a long line. We had to show proof of vaccination which security didn't seem to pay much attention to. They were more concerned about keeping the line moving.
Very few chose to wear a mask. All in attendance basked in the joy of the live concert experience.
The next night I saw the Black Crowes at the 20k seat Xfinity Center amphitheater in Mansfield.
Getting in was more or less the same experience less the line. There were none as there are many gates.
Since the show was far from a sellout they were offering free ticket upgrades inside the shed. Our seats were on the lawn so, of course we took the closer seats.
It looked to be about half full or less, and again very few masks.
We ended up sitting directly behind the sound table for a great show.
I chatted with a member of the crew who was no spring chicken and he summed it up with "I haven't worked in a year and a half so I'm happy to be here and will take the risk." It sounded liked he was forced to make a difficult choice.
Therein lies the rub...These folks have to eat but risk getting sick (or worse).
Fans want to get out and see live music and some face the same choices although ours are less complicated: The experience of live music vs. the risk of exposure.
It's funny how in the moment of both shows, I didn't care about any of it. I didn't look around and think "how many ignorant people are here and are they next to me?"
I didn't think about who they voted for, what their education level was, had they lost anyone to Covid? Had they been sick themselves?
I did think about the guy I talked to, his brother road warriors and what they'd gone through. It can not have been pretty.
However, when the shows were over the thoughts creep in... I asked myself "was it worth it?" "How many ignorant people were in the venue?"
And I wonder about how many in the industry from the artists on down who's lives and livelihood have been forever altered.
Regards,
Ray Levin
_______________________________
From: Mike Donahue
Subject: Re: Re-Touring/Covid-19
I'm your age, Bob and
before all this would see at least 100 bands a year. Now, I can't think of one I would take the slightest risk to see. That's just how I am rollin' these days
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Touring/Covid-19
Let the anti-vaxxer people who don't care about others stay home and let's see if they like it?
By them not getting the vaccine, that's what they are asking us to do!
Iona S. Elliott
_______________________________
From: Walter Egan
Subject: Re: Great Backup Vocals Playlist
I did a house concert in Upland, Grand Oaks Live, July 24. Really nice house with a stage in the back. Then the woman who put it on died of COVID three weeks later(!)
That was when I canceled my fall dates.
I will get the booster before I do the shows booked in November.
That English label that put out my new album 'fascination' is going to put out another next year.
Stay well
Walter
_______________________________
From: Robert Meyrowitz
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
Bob,
You are right, I loved the Muhammad Ali doc. Talk about living through those times, my first job was at ABC radio. I had a small interior office across from Howard Cosell. One day I am sitting in my office and it suddenly gets dark, I look up and it is Muhammad Ali. He shouts "Cosell says you told him you could whip me. Get up." Scared the hell out of me. Cosell comes in and says "C'mon we're going to watch the champ workout." We went downstairs, got in a limo and got out at a gym. Neither Muhammad or Cosell said another word to me. 50 some odd years later still one of the most magical moments in my life.
Bob
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
I lived it right along with you back then.
My father was in fight game in Philly, where I was raised and educated, both in the classroom and on the streets. His good friend was Yank Durham who I recall calling our house one night and asking my dad if he was interested in seeing this 'kid' he wanted to work with, Joe Frazier. My dad declined.
Years later when I was in college, I split my time between Temple University and working my father's dry-cleaning store on the Main Line, just outside Philly. One day I found myself delivering a few freshly pressed suits to a high-end apartment building off City Line Avenue and I almost crapped myself when Muhammad Ali answered the door. We chatted and I told him I'd grown up in gyms with my dad, and as a result, boxing had always been part of my life
A few months later, I found myself making another stop at his home and when he saw it was me, he picked up our conversation exactly where we left off. He didn't miss a beat. I was blown away that he remembered what we talked about, down to the names of the boxers I told him I used to watch train with my father.
Looking forward to watching this one too and although he had many, for me, one of his best lines has to be "I'm so mean, I make medicine sick."
Thanks for the reminder and the DVR is set.
Bob Conrad
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
Hi Bob, terrific reminder. Cosell was really big time for Monday night football and for any big time fight. Billy Crystal does a great impersonation of him and Ali.
About 16 years ago, I was taking a client out to dinner in San Francisco at this very hard to get into restaurant that specialized in garlic infused whole Dungeness crabs. There were 4 of us at our table and about two tables away was Ali with an entourage of 5 or 6 people.
My client wanted me to go interrupt them and ask for his autograph. I said "no way, he wants his privacy". But my client kept insisting until his wife realized how uncomfortable it was for me and she said she would do it. And she got up and walked over to his table and in a few minutes she was hugging him and he was waving at us all to come over. We introduced ourselves and this was before cell phone cameras, but one of our party had a camera and Ali had agreed to take a picture with my client and his wife. Ali and everyone in his group could not have been more gracious and friendly.
My client was a buyer for "the Good Guys" chain of consumer electronics and a week later when I went to see him for an order, he had the picture framed on his office wall. I got a big order.
alan segal
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Muhammad Ali
I grew up in KY and Ali was a hero. Listening to the fights on my transistor radio. I moved to Louisville in the mid 90's for a new job. My job included quite a bit of travel and since Louisville wasn't a Hub most Mondays I was on the early Bird to Atlanta or Chicago. Ali still had a house in Louisville and one in Chicago so a lot of Monday's he'd be on my flight to Midway. The Flight Crew would escort him and his wife on 1st and then the rest of us would board. Ali and I developed a nodding relationship over several flights as he sat 1st seat aisle.
One Halloween, I returned on Friday evening from Chicago. My wife was picking me up and had brought our children in their Halloween costumes to the airport to pick up Dad. I walk off the Jetway and there are Justin and Heather in costume scaring ALI! He is hiding his eyes and laughing. Pre Cell Phone unfortunately so I don't have pictures.
A few years later the Company I worked for had distribution of our Juice in Thornton Oil. Thornton was going to sponsor a Golden Gloves Tournament in Louisville and we were asked to be a sponsor. It was to be called the Ali Cup. As a sponsor, I was invited to the pre event party. The guests were boxers, Holmes, Spinks, Sugar Ray Leonard etc. Every important boxer of the past 20 years. And they all were waiting on one person - Muhammed Ali. He walked in and they all flocked to him like kids to their Hero! My wife realized how much I loved Ali and as we were leaving she asked for my badge. I handed it to her and she headed directly to The Champ's ringside box. She called him Mr Mohammed and asked him to sign my badge. He did and it hangs in my office as a treasured relic.
I cried when he died. The end of an amazing era!
David Britton
_______________________________
From: Cotty Chubb
Subject: Re: Hartwig Masuch On The Future
In the mid-90s I was president (a fancy title that came with a decent salary) of a fairly powerful film production company on the Universal lot, run by two producers who had been Universal execs, when Edgar Bronfman jr and Seagrams bought the studio. They hired a very expensive management consultant company (Bain or McWhatever) to figure out the business they'd just bought.
The first call I got from them was almost plaintive. "Why do you spend so much money developing scripts you don't make?" It wasn't a ridiculous question, adn wehn they called again, a few months later, they asked it again.
Truthfully nobody should have hired Larry McMurtry and his wife to write a movie script based on the 1950s television show "Father Knows Best," but it was on our company's slate, bought at great expense before I was hired. So I thought the question was a fair one.
But it revealed, as you suggest, Bob, a distinct aversion to risk. And as that aversion grew, and it sure did, over the next decade, studios stopped taking risks. And look where we ended up.
With a business of massively expensive :branded entertainment content" and their sequels and universes. Yippee, reward without risk. Supposedly. Except that in the process the most vital communication and story-telling medium was robbed of most of its surprise. We know (except occasionally) what we're going to get when we go to the movies now.
And so an industry weaned several generations of audience off the pleasures of the unexpected. And that audience has now turned to a firehouse of undistinguished and primarily unmemorable streaming "content," chasing Wall Street's demand that everybody has to have a streamer.
Your words are prophetic about what will happen to music when the new owners figure out that new music, and evelopng new voices, new modalities, is just too darn risky.
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Paul Anka-This Week's Podcast
Bob,
Great podcast on Paul Anka. It was nice to see Paul pay respect to his first manager Irvin Feld. I worked for Irvin Feld after he bought the circus for 9 years before he passed in 1984. He was a tough taskmaster and you had to bring your A game everyday.
Irvin's right hand man at the time was Allen Bloom with whom I became close friends with over the years. Allen was on the early bus tours with Paul Anka, Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, Drifters, Chuck Berry. Allen kept a small spiral notebook about the size of a deck of cards and recorded every detail on gross, net, concessions, who got paid what, cash deposits, building settlements. He loved to share detail of the early road tours.
Check out the CBC video "Lonely Boy" on amazon. Many of the characters Paul speaks about are in the video like the Copa owner, Irvin and Allen.
Best regards,
Bill Powell
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
I'm a big Anka fan, saw his show at the Royal Albert Hall some years ago which was a masterclass in professionalism. I also interviewed him once, including about how he came to write 'My Way'. After we finished I asked him if he wouldn't mind writing out a couple of lines of the song and signing it. Would you believe he wrote out the entire song for me and added "This is real! Paul Anka, Dorchester Hotel." What a legend and thoroughly nice guy.
David Stark
SongLink.com
_______________________________
Subject: Paul Anka
I know I'm late but I wanted to share a few thoughts about Paul Anka & your excellent interview. I noticed that you omitted your favourite question to artists : "At this time, if you quit working, do you have enough to make it to the end?". Obviously the question wasn't necessary because we know Paul has more money than God! Which brings me to the point: A few years ago I went to see Anka at the local casino in the middle of nowhere, primarily because I had heard he puts on a good show, tickets were cheap, & it was close by.
Rama Ontario isn't the easiest place to get to, this show was never going to be reviewed, & like most casino shows, a portion of the crowd was comped or there for lack of an alternative. In fact some acts have two separate set lists/shows: a 90 minute regular concert, & a 75 minute casino set ....."get em in & back to the slots asap". That night in the middle of nowhere, one of the richest acts in the business put on an energetic full blown 2 hour concert, with forays through the venue to shake hands etc, & including ALL of the best of his catalogue. Anka wasn't selling anything & doesn't need to sell anything, & there's a lot of places in the world he could have spent that evening doing a lot of things. I was reminded of Paul McCartney who, at 79, puts on an unbelievable 3 hour show & doesn't need to be anywhere he doesn't want to be, or Peter Noone at 73 who also is one of the most entertaining & energetic legacy acts out there. Some artists do it just because they love to perform. If you a chance to see Paul Anka, grab the opportunity, you won't regret it.
Steve Cole
Elmvale, Ontario
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
Unsure if you or you're subscribers are aware but Paul Anka covers Prince's Purple Rain in his live set. How cool is that?
Andrew Paciocco
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
One more Anka story for the road
I was 15 and in love with rock music and Motown at the time. Rosalie Trombley was my hero for breaking hits and my very Italian mother was President of the Jewish women's bowling league Tuesday Bowlerettes (my parents raised us friends are friends)
Soo their year (1967) end party is at the Elmwood Casino in Windsor Ontario Canada ( the real south Detroit
And Paul Anka was appearing my Dad was not interested so I was nominated to go. All I knew was it was a nightclub and the food was good . I'm in
He Mesmerized me. In fact he came into the audience came up to our table and sang to me. It would set the bar for live shows for the rest of my frequent concert going life.your podcasts brought it all back
Brava
Lori Baldassi
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Anka and Al
I always thought that Anka was an egregious little shit. You and he changed my mind, and that's hard to do when you're older than dirt. Thanks!
Richard Flohil
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Paul Anka-This Week's Podcast
Just listened to this, Bob, it was so impactful and inspiring that I did so over three days, forcing myself to turn it off so I could savor and contemplate what I heard.
Not only is this the best podcast you have done, this is the best interview I have EVER heard.
No shit, Bob, Paul Anka is an AMAZING human being and he shared so much of himself and the wisdom he has accumulated that I will definitely be listening again to let it sink in even deeper.
Beyond that, however, this has just given me a lift at a time in my life that is pivotal and I am grateful to him and to YOU for providing that, more than words can express.
With age has come doubt, really for the first time in my life - well I guess it has passed through before but not like this.
And hearing Paul's energy, passion and determination to keep LIVING... drawn out and coupled with yours... whew it nearly makes me tear up.
Bob, I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
DG
_______________________________
From: Jefferson Holt
Subject: Re: The New James McMurtry Album
Hey Bob,
Don Dixon !!
So bear with me here...
I know how much you hate everybody pushing their stuff on you so I never wrote to tell you about my new project.
I've started a new record label with Jay Coyle ( Nashville) (musicgeekservices) called Propleller Sound Recordings. Our first release is a double album of the very earliest dB's recordings.
The second release will be in early 2022. " Highways and Rocketships " by Florence Dore- musician, songwriter, author and wife of Will Rigby( drummer for the dB's and Steve Earle for years). She just cut an album at Mitch Easter's Fidelatorium Studio here in North Carolina. Joining Florence were Will on drums, Peter Holsapple ( dB's, Continental Drifters, R.E.M. and Hootie and the Blowfish) Mark Spencer ( Son Volt) , Jeremy Chatzky ( Bruce Springsteen, Ronnie Spector, Laura Cantrell ).
And that album was produced by none other than Don Dixon. One of the best folk I've ever met in the music biz.
I wrote Don and asked him if he could send me a list of what he's been up to for the last twenty years and….well this is what I got !
" Since 2001 I have:
Produced albums for The Red Clay Ramblers (2), Marti Jones (3), Jim
Wann (3), David Childers (2), Madison Smartt Bell & Wyn Cooper (2),
Rosavelt (2), The Carpenter Ants (3), Sid Selvidge, Volatile Baby, The
King Dapper Combo, The Nichols Family, Chris Allen (4), The Edison
Project, Dip Ferrell & the Truetones (3), The Ohio City Singers (4),
GB Leighton, Larry Groce (2), The Coastal Cohorts (2), Kelley Ryan,
Hey Mavis (3), Tribute to Alfred Reed (various artists recorded for
the WV Music Hall of Fame), The Smithereens, Todd Burge (2), Hannah
Thomas, Micha & Mark Atkinson (2), Tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens
(various artists recorded for the WV Music Hall of Fame), Falling
Stars, The Gin Blossoms, Rod Abernethy, John Rooney, Lassie James,
Mary Hott, Austin Walkin' Cane, Mark Bates, Florence Dore, It's
Snakes, Tribute to Billy Edd Wheeler (various artists recorded for the
WV Music Hall of Fame), Wednesday Week
Performed on recordings for The Golden Palominos, Matthew Sweet,
Dottie Peoples, Robert Crenshaw, Caitlin Cary, Mary Chapin Carpenter,
Chris Stamey, Carrie Newcomer, Bill Lloyd, Jeffrey Dean Foster,
Michael Stanley, Carey Sims, Angel & the Love Mongers, Robin Rogers,
Otis Gibbs, Todd Burge, A Fragile Tomorrow, The Ohio City Singers,
Rosavelt, Falling Stars, Kelley Ryan, Chris Allen, Jim Wann, Hannah
Thomas, David Childers, Dennis McCurdy, Rod Abernethy, Kyle Davis,
Eric Gnedza, Bryan Shumate, Lassie James, Mark Bates, Coastal Cohorts,
Doug McKean, Jana Pochop, Sean Kelly, Austin Walkin' Cane, Marti
Jones, Dip Ferrell & the Truetones, Madison Smart Bell & Wyn Cooper,
Chris Allen
Mixed recordings for Amy Rigby, Chauncy, Brian Lisik, Robert Crenshaw,
Ken Hardley, Doug McKean, John Cody, Tommy Joyner, Superchunk, Bryan
Shumate,
Recorded and released my own albums which are Notepad #38, The Entire
Combustible World in One Small Room, Lucky Stars (with Marti Jones),
Music from Robert Creep, Sings the Jeffords Brothers, Living Stereo
(with Marti Jones), High & Filthy & Borderline, I Lived in the Time of
Organ Grinders
Performed on stage either solo, or with Marti Jones, Kelley Ryan, The
Ohio City Singers, or Mary Chapin Carpenter in all 48 Continental
United States, Ireland, Scotland and England…nearly 2,500 shows…"
and this….
"i forgot about my album "The Nu-Look" & my band the Jump Rabbits with whom i've done hundreds of shows with in the last 20 years…"
He did an amazing job on Florence's record and I can't wait to share it with the world.
All the best, Jefferson
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Reader Great Backup Vocals Playlist
https://spoti.fi/39u2scs
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Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Great Backup Vocals Playlist
https://spoti.fi/3Aveuhz
Below are my notes for today's SiriusXM show. The first 23 songs are in the Spotify playlist, the others were additional ideas.
___________________________________________
Let It Loose-Rolling Stones
I'm Not In Love-10cc
State of Independence-Donna Summer
Happy Together-Turtles
It's In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)-Betty Everett
Walk on the Wild Side-Lou Reed
The Letter-Joe Cocker
Itchykoo Park-Small Faces
Magnet and Steel-Walter Egan
California Dreamin'-Mamas & the Papas
Babylon Sisters-Steely Dan
Long Time Gone-CSN
You're Gonna Lose That Girl-Beatles
Lightnin' Strikes-Lou Christie
I've Been Searchin' So Long-Chicago
Higher Love-Steve Winwood
Big Barn Bed-Wings
Stranger in a Strange Land-Leon Russell
Here Come Those Tears Again-Jackson Browne
Cabinessence-Beach Boys
Killer Queen -Queen
The Bitch is Back-Elton John- (Did you know Dusty Springfield was one of the backup singers?)
Leader of the Pack-Shangri-La's
________
He's So Shy-Pointer Sisters
Gimme Shelter-The Rolling Stones
Church of the Poison Mind-Culture Club
Dance the Night Away-Van Halen
Good Vibrations-Beach Boys
Peg-Steely Dan
Lyin' Eyes-Eagles
Toto
Boston
So Long Marianne-Leonard Cohen
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby-Marvin Gaye
Good Shepherd-Jefferson Airplane
Night Moves-Seger
Tin Soldier-Small Faces
Rainy Days and Mondays-The Carpenters
Call Me-Al Green
Isn't It Time-the Babys
You Can't Always Get What You Want-Rolling Stones
Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)-Glass Tiger
Money for Nothing-Dire Straits
Games Without Frontiers-Peter Gabriel
Ride Like the Wind-Christopher Cross
Justify My Love-Madonna
Lighthouse-James Taylor-Crosby & Nash
Close to the Edge-Yes
Laura Nyro-Gonna Take a Miracle
Gold-John Stewart
Wishin' You Were Here-Chicago
Heart of Gold-Neil Young
Ikettes
Moody Blues
You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman-Aretha Franklin
Suspicious Minds-Elvis Presley
I Shot the Sheriff-Clapton
Many Rivers to Cross-Jimmy Cliff
Oh Happy Day-Edwin Hawkins Singers
Please Mr. Postman-the Marvelettes
I Wish it Would Rain-Temptations
Rolling in the Deep-Adele
More than a Feeling-Boston
Somebody to Love-Jefferson Airplane
Blowin' In the Wind-Peter, Paul & Mary
The Living Years-Mike and the Mechanics
I Want to Know What Love Is-Foreigner
Love Train-O'Jays
Livin' On A Prayer-Bon Jovi
Twist and Shout-Beatles
Pour Some Sugar On Me-Def Leppard
Let's Stay Together-Al Green
Stayin' Alive-Bee Gees
What I Got-Subime
Roll Away The Stone-Mott The Hoople
A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall-Bryan Ferry
It Won't Be Long-Beatles
Surfer Girl-Beach Boys
Higher and Higher-Jackie Wilson
Drive-The Cars
Waterloo Sunset-Kinks
Hot Fun in the Summertime-Sly and the Family Stone
Livin' Thing-ELO
Dreams- Fleetwood Mac.
Every Picture Tells A Story-Rod Stewart
Bowie-Young Americans
You're So Vain-Carly Simon
Elenore-Turtles
With A Little Help From My Friends-Joe Cocker
It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference - Todd Rundgren
Carry On-CSNY
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Below are my notes for today's SiriusXM show. The first 23 songs are in the Spotify playlist, the others were additional ideas.
___________________________________________
Let It Loose-Rolling Stones
I'm Not In Love-10cc
State of Independence-Donna Summer
Happy Together-Turtles
It's In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)-Betty Everett
Walk on the Wild Side-Lou Reed
The Letter-Joe Cocker
Itchykoo Park-Small Faces
Magnet and Steel-Walter Egan
California Dreamin'-Mamas & the Papas
Babylon Sisters-Steely Dan
Long Time Gone-CSN
You're Gonna Lose That Girl-Beatles
Lightnin' Strikes-Lou Christie
I've Been Searchin' So Long-Chicago
Higher Love-Steve Winwood
Big Barn Bed-Wings
Stranger in a Strange Land-Leon Russell
Here Come Those Tears Again-Jackson Browne
Cabinessence-Beach Boys
Killer Queen -Queen
The Bitch is Back-Elton John- (Did you know Dusty Springfield was one of the backup singers?)
Leader of the Pack-Shangri-La's
________
He's So Shy-Pointer Sisters
Gimme Shelter-The Rolling Stones
Church of the Poison Mind-Culture Club
Dance the Night Away-Van Halen
Good Vibrations-Beach Boys
Peg-Steely Dan
Lyin' Eyes-Eagles
Toto
Boston
So Long Marianne-Leonard Cohen
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby-Marvin Gaye
Good Shepherd-Jefferson Airplane
Night Moves-Seger
Tin Soldier-Small Faces
Rainy Days and Mondays-The Carpenters
Call Me-Al Green
Isn't It Time-the Babys
You Can't Always Get What You Want-Rolling Stones
Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)-Glass Tiger
Money for Nothing-Dire Straits
Games Without Frontiers-Peter Gabriel
Ride Like the Wind-Christopher Cross
Justify My Love-Madonna
Lighthouse-James Taylor-Crosby & Nash
Close to the Edge-Yes
Laura Nyro-Gonna Take a Miracle
Gold-John Stewart
Wishin' You Were Here-Chicago
Heart of Gold-Neil Young
Ikettes
Moody Blues
You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman-Aretha Franklin
Suspicious Minds-Elvis Presley
I Shot the Sheriff-Clapton
Many Rivers to Cross-Jimmy Cliff
Oh Happy Day-Edwin Hawkins Singers
Please Mr. Postman-the Marvelettes
I Wish it Would Rain-Temptations
Rolling in the Deep-Adele
More than a Feeling-Boston
Somebody to Love-Jefferson Airplane
Blowin' In the Wind-Peter, Paul & Mary
The Living Years-Mike and the Mechanics
I Want to Know What Love Is-Foreigner
Love Train-O'Jays
Livin' On A Prayer-Bon Jovi
Twist and Shout-Beatles
Pour Some Sugar On Me-Def Leppard
Let's Stay Together-Al Green
Stayin' Alive-Bee Gees
What I Got-Subime
Roll Away The Stone-Mott The Hoople
A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall-Bryan Ferry
It Won't Be Long-Beatles
Surfer Girl-Beach Boys
Higher and Higher-Jackie Wilson
Drive-The Cars
Waterloo Sunset-Kinks
Hot Fun in the Summertime-Sly and the Family Stone
Livin' Thing-ELO
Dreams- Fleetwood Mac.
Every Picture Tells A Story-Rod Stewart
Bowie-Young Americans
You're So Vain-Carly Simon
Elenore-Turtles
With A Little Help From My Friends-Joe Cocker
It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference - Todd Rundgren
Carry On-CSNY
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Muhammad Ali
https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/muhammad-ali/
Are you watching this?
You've got to. Even though I wasn't going to.
I came home from hiking on Sunday night and Felice said she'd watched the first episode. I had no interest, I lived through it, I knew enough about Muhammad Ali. And there'd been so many other movies and documentaries, what else could be uncovered? And I'm burned out on Ken Burns. "The Civil War" was one of the best documentaries/TV shows ever, but since then...his docs have been too long and labored and I'm sick of Peter Coyote and the way he delivers the narration, with too much gravitas and heaviness, and it ends up being an endurance test. And I must say I watched the Hemingway doc and enjoyed it, but still I got Peter Coyote, and as much as there was in the series, I wanted more.
But last night I wanted to watch "Reservation Dogs" with Felice but she shooed me away, she was watching the second episode of "Muhammad Ali." So I'm lying on the floor, stretching in front of the flat screen, watching along before I get up to read my book and...
I got hooked.
It blew my mind. Because I lived through it.
The sixties, they were coming alive right in front of my eyes.
We live in an era of upheaval today, but it's very different from the sixties. Then again, white supremacy is still a thing. But back then misinformation was not an issue, it was all about pushing the envelope, throwing off the shackles, becoming free, to be your best self. Today the white supremacists and their brethren just want to bring us back to an era that wasn't so good to begin with, especially for the blue collar workers who make up the majority of their base.
So what you've got is Muhammad Ali blazing his own path, not kowtowing and...
The country is against him.
Boston says his return matchup with Sonny Liston can't happen, but it ends up taking place in Lewiston, Maine and Ali KO's Liston in a matter of minutes. It was a big controversy back then, did Liston throw the fight? But Ali said he hit Sonny with this special screwdriver punch and...not only did I remember all this, they go into it in the documentary. And when you watch the footage it's hard not to think that Sonny threw the fight, after all he was controlled by the Mafia.
But we only saw still photos back then. Here, they have all the moving pictures. Most of which I'm seeing for the very first time.
And I'm thinking how my generation is the first that can experience this, what we grew up with being on film/tape/archived. That's de rigueur today, if anything life is over-documented, but if you want movies from the 1800's, good luck with that.
So they show Howard Cosell. He was the first to call Cassius Clay "Muhammad Ali." Cosell was a fixture in the environment, a player, everyone knew his name, he was far more powerful than any Kardashian, if not as rich, far more powerful than Drake and even Kanye. But today, no one knows Howard's name, if you weren't alive back then he doesn't exist.
AND CHRIS SCHENKEL! We saw him over and over in sports presentations, even though at the end of his tenure people started to make fun of him.
AND JIM McKAY! In 1960, so early that he's so young you wonder if it's really him!
Never mind Howard Cosell on "Wide World of Sports." That was religion if you were a kid back then, every Saturday afternoon, it was a tribal rite. You'd come in from playing sports to watch it.
That's another thing we did, sure, there was Little League, but mostly we played sports in backyards and fields and... Baseball in the summer, football in the fall, a cornucopia of snow sports in the winter. At times I'd even grab a golf club and go hit balls in the schoolyard. Well, make that "ball," I only had one.
So Cassius Clay is born in segregated Louisville and ends up a boxer on a lark, looking for a policeman after his bike is stolen.
And it's not like he's an instant phenom. And once he gets traction, everybody says he can't win, because he doesn't fight in the traditional manner, he doesn't keep his hands up, he leans away from punches. Clay is dancing, but they've never seen it before. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
So after winning the gold medal at the Olympics a syndicate of white guys is formed and they ship Clay off to San Diego for training by the great Archie Moore.
Clay gets sent home. Because he wouldn't buckle to Moore's methods. Archie wanted Cassius to conform, Clay wanted to do it his way.
So Cassius ends up with Cus D'Amato in Miami and the long road to superstardom begins.
A road that's been glossed over in the history books. Sure, Clay won, but it wasn't always smooth, and it was far from inevitable he'd make it to the top.
Meanwhile, the country is erupting. Blacks will no longer go to the back of the bus, there are freedom marches and... Today they march for authoritarianism.
And the truth is people of color are much better off today than in the sixties, but there's still a long way to go, and the whites still want to keep the "boys" down, they've given them something, ISN'T THAT ENOUGH! Change doesn't happen overnight, be happy you've gotten this far. Remind you of Deborah Dugan and the old boy network at the Grammys? A cabal of men, the usual suspects, unwilling to give up control, against all change.
And as Clay moves up the boxing food chain, people want a piece of him. Johnny Carson, because the entertainment and news media strike like dogs on anything new, chew it up, and eagerly discard it for the new new thing. But Ali maintained. With endless self-promotion. Believe me, today's social media influencers have nothing on Muhammad Ali. Ali created the paradigm, the sell was all in service to his career. The influencers? It's really no different from the Ali game except there's nothing underneath and everybody's doing it.
But Ali was the only one back then. Especially a Black man, you were supposed to know your place.
But if Ali fought in the internet era one thing would be clear, his dedication to Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. By time Ali was reclassified 1A and told to report for service most people thought the Black Muslim affiliation was a convenient crutch. But this documentary shows how that is patently untrue. Ali got interested in the Nation of Islam back in Miami, long before he was a famous professional. And he maintained his interest.
And that brings us to Malcolm X. Honestly, I was too young when Malcolm X was killed, he was never three-dimensional to me. But you learn all about Malcolm X here, this documentary is not only about Ali's career, but the context of his success, what was happening in society simultaneously. And watching it makes a boomer like me marvel that I was there and I remember it. That I lived through such turbulent times, paying attention, optimistic, yet still going to school and jumping through the hoops.
This is history come alive. I don't care if you have no interest in Muhammad Ali, you need to watch this.
And learn that Ali was right, we should have been calling him "Muhammad Ali" as soon as he changed his name. But whites didn't believe him, didn't think the change was genuine, even after Cosell called him Muhammad it took years for everybody else to do so.
And then everybody loves him.
They hate you before they love you.
But not everybody. Not everybody has the wherewithal, the inner strength to pay their dues. Sure, the spotlight was bright for Ali's fights and bloviations, but there was a lot of hard work that went unseen, the training, you watch Ali run with the bus, seemingly effortlessly, and if you are a boomer you realize how hard that was, especially because you can't do it now.
As for the narration...
It's done by actor Keith David. Who is far superior to Peter Coyote. David is more straightforward, there are fewer pregnant pauses, less fake gravitas.
And the talking heads...
Sure, some of them are the usual suspects, but most are Black men, eloquent and insightful. For far too long we've let the white man tell the Black man's story.
And there are some surprises. David Remnick? Editor of "The New Yorker"?
But that's how far Ali's reach was. And how important sports were.
America was active. As a result people were skinnier and healthier. Sports weren't professionalized at a young age, there were no traveling squads, no specialization, we were all just people, together in the pool.
But not always the Black people. They fought not for their right to party, but their right to be included, to be equal. And now, half a century later, these same white supremacists want to deny them the right of participation. Even worse, a tilted phony Supreme Court says equality reigns and there are no needs for voter protection. Imagine if you're one of the oppressed. Oh, that's right, today THE WHITES ARE OPPRESSED! The Black man got too much, affirmative action, he must be put back in his place.
But not Muhammad Ali.
This is a tour-de-force!
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Are you watching this?
You've got to. Even though I wasn't going to.
I came home from hiking on Sunday night and Felice said she'd watched the first episode. I had no interest, I lived through it, I knew enough about Muhammad Ali. And there'd been so many other movies and documentaries, what else could be uncovered? And I'm burned out on Ken Burns. "The Civil War" was one of the best documentaries/TV shows ever, but since then...his docs have been too long and labored and I'm sick of Peter Coyote and the way he delivers the narration, with too much gravitas and heaviness, and it ends up being an endurance test. And I must say I watched the Hemingway doc and enjoyed it, but still I got Peter Coyote, and as much as there was in the series, I wanted more.
But last night I wanted to watch "Reservation Dogs" with Felice but she shooed me away, she was watching the second episode of "Muhammad Ali." So I'm lying on the floor, stretching in front of the flat screen, watching along before I get up to read my book and...
I got hooked.
It blew my mind. Because I lived through it.
The sixties, they were coming alive right in front of my eyes.
We live in an era of upheaval today, but it's very different from the sixties. Then again, white supremacy is still a thing. But back then misinformation was not an issue, it was all about pushing the envelope, throwing off the shackles, becoming free, to be your best self. Today the white supremacists and their brethren just want to bring us back to an era that wasn't so good to begin with, especially for the blue collar workers who make up the majority of their base.
So what you've got is Muhammad Ali blazing his own path, not kowtowing and...
The country is against him.
Boston says his return matchup with Sonny Liston can't happen, but it ends up taking place in Lewiston, Maine and Ali KO's Liston in a matter of minutes. It was a big controversy back then, did Liston throw the fight? But Ali said he hit Sonny with this special screwdriver punch and...not only did I remember all this, they go into it in the documentary. And when you watch the footage it's hard not to think that Sonny threw the fight, after all he was controlled by the Mafia.
But we only saw still photos back then. Here, they have all the moving pictures. Most of which I'm seeing for the very first time.
And I'm thinking how my generation is the first that can experience this, what we grew up with being on film/tape/archived. That's de rigueur today, if anything life is over-documented, but if you want movies from the 1800's, good luck with that.
So they show Howard Cosell. He was the first to call Cassius Clay "Muhammad Ali." Cosell was a fixture in the environment, a player, everyone knew his name, he was far more powerful than any Kardashian, if not as rich, far more powerful than Drake and even Kanye. But today, no one knows Howard's name, if you weren't alive back then he doesn't exist.
AND CHRIS SCHENKEL! We saw him over and over in sports presentations, even though at the end of his tenure people started to make fun of him.
AND JIM McKAY! In 1960, so early that he's so young you wonder if it's really him!
Never mind Howard Cosell on "Wide World of Sports." That was religion if you were a kid back then, every Saturday afternoon, it was a tribal rite. You'd come in from playing sports to watch it.
That's another thing we did, sure, there was Little League, but mostly we played sports in backyards and fields and... Baseball in the summer, football in the fall, a cornucopia of snow sports in the winter. At times I'd even grab a golf club and go hit balls in the schoolyard. Well, make that "ball," I only had one.
So Cassius Clay is born in segregated Louisville and ends up a boxer on a lark, looking for a policeman after his bike is stolen.
And it's not like he's an instant phenom. And once he gets traction, everybody says he can't win, because he doesn't fight in the traditional manner, he doesn't keep his hands up, he leans away from punches. Clay is dancing, but they've never seen it before. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
So after winning the gold medal at the Olympics a syndicate of white guys is formed and they ship Clay off to San Diego for training by the great Archie Moore.
Clay gets sent home. Because he wouldn't buckle to Moore's methods. Archie wanted Cassius to conform, Clay wanted to do it his way.
So Cassius ends up with Cus D'Amato in Miami and the long road to superstardom begins.
A road that's been glossed over in the history books. Sure, Clay won, but it wasn't always smooth, and it was far from inevitable he'd make it to the top.
Meanwhile, the country is erupting. Blacks will no longer go to the back of the bus, there are freedom marches and... Today they march for authoritarianism.
And the truth is people of color are much better off today than in the sixties, but there's still a long way to go, and the whites still want to keep the "boys" down, they've given them something, ISN'T THAT ENOUGH! Change doesn't happen overnight, be happy you've gotten this far. Remind you of Deborah Dugan and the old boy network at the Grammys? A cabal of men, the usual suspects, unwilling to give up control, against all change.
And as Clay moves up the boxing food chain, people want a piece of him. Johnny Carson, because the entertainment and news media strike like dogs on anything new, chew it up, and eagerly discard it for the new new thing. But Ali maintained. With endless self-promotion. Believe me, today's social media influencers have nothing on Muhammad Ali. Ali created the paradigm, the sell was all in service to his career. The influencers? It's really no different from the Ali game except there's nothing underneath and everybody's doing it.
But Ali was the only one back then. Especially a Black man, you were supposed to know your place.
But if Ali fought in the internet era one thing would be clear, his dedication to Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. By time Ali was reclassified 1A and told to report for service most people thought the Black Muslim affiliation was a convenient crutch. But this documentary shows how that is patently untrue. Ali got interested in the Nation of Islam back in Miami, long before he was a famous professional. And he maintained his interest.
And that brings us to Malcolm X. Honestly, I was too young when Malcolm X was killed, he was never three-dimensional to me. But you learn all about Malcolm X here, this documentary is not only about Ali's career, but the context of his success, what was happening in society simultaneously. And watching it makes a boomer like me marvel that I was there and I remember it. That I lived through such turbulent times, paying attention, optimistic, yet still going to school and jumping through the hoops.
This is history come alive. I don't care if you have no interest in Muhammad Ali, you need to watch this.
And learn that Ali was right, we should have been calling him "Muhammad Ali" as soon as he changed his name. But whites didn't believe him, didn't think the change was genuine, even after Cosell called him Muhammad it took years for everybody else to do so.
And then everybody loves him.
They hate you before they love you.
But not everybody. Not everybody has the wherewithal, the inner strength to pay their dues. Sure, the spotlight was bright for Ali's fights and bloviations, but there was a lot of hard work that went unseen, the training, you watch Ali run with the bus, seemingly effortlessly, and if you are a boomer you realize how hard that was, especially because you can't do it now.
As for the narration...
It's done by actor Keith David. Who is far superior to Peter Coyote. David is more straightforward, there are fewer pregnant pauses, less fake gravitas.
And the talking heads...
Sure, some of them are the usual suspects, but most are Black men, eloquent and insightful. For far too long we've let the white man tell the Black man's story.
And there are some surprises. David Remnick? Editor of "The New Yorker"?
But that's how far Ali's reach was. And how important sports were.
America was active. As a result people were skinnier and healthier. Sports weren't professionalized at a young age, there were no traveling squads, no specialization, we were all just people, together in the pool.
But not always the Black people. They fought not for their right to party, but their right to be included, to be equal. And now, half a century later, these same white supremacists want to deny them the right of participation. Even worse, a tilted phony Supreme Court says equality reigns and there are no needs for voter protection. Imagine if you're one of the oppressed. Oh, that's right, today THE WHITES ARE OPPRESSED! The Black man got too much, affirmative action, he must be put back in his place.
But not Muhammad Ali.
This is a tour-de-force!
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Great Backup Vocals-This Week On SiriusXM
Tune in today, September 21st, to Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.
Phone #: 844-6-VOLUME, 844-686-5863
Twitter: @lefsetz or @siriusxmvolume/#lefsetzlive
Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
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Phone #: 844-6-VOLUME, 844-686-5863
Twitter: @lefsetz or @siriusxmvolume/#lefsetzlive
Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
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Monday, 20 September 2021
Hartwig Masuch On The Future
https://bit.ly/3krrf77
If you're interested in the recorded music business you must read this article.
Used to be, in the first decade of this century, when music was the canary in the coal mine for digital disruption, everyone was tuned into the business and when a player spoke they got heard.
Not anymore. You're probably unaware of Hartwig Masuch's words.
The big news of the past week has been about Universal Music going public. You may have seen the puff piece about Lucian Grainge in the "Financial Times": https://on.ft.com/3zv2qvc It doesn't really tell you anything you don't know, and Lucian deserves kudos, but the question is where the business is heading, the fact that Universal dominates new music, is that as laudable as it seems?
You see all the money is in catalog. Turns out the classics of the past are much more valuable than the hits of today. With everything in recorded music history available on streaming sites new music has to compete with the old and the verdict is in, people favor the old, by a large margin, 70% to 30%. How much does it cost a record company to stream old music? Right now essentially nothing. You just put it up there and reap the rewards. Might that change in the future, when the business acknowledges the power of the past? Yes, in many cases labels would be better off promoting the old acts, Queen is light years more popular than any new act.
And Universal, as a result of consolidation, has the best catalog, so it is positioned well for the future, but when investors start looking at costs are they going to get pissed how much is spent on new product for so little return? And are we going to see the breakup of these companies, since catalog is so much more valuable than new material? And even if you break new material, will it be classic in the future, or is it one and done? A moment in time. That people in the future won't be that eager to visit.
We've already seen the separation of publishing from recordings. Used to be big acts owned their own publishing and just made administration deals. But it turns out their catalogs were undervalued, and once Pimary Wave and Round Hill and Hipgnosis came along and offered big bucks, a multiple far outstripping previous prices, artists started to sell. And now so many of the greatest songs of all time are no longer controlled by the major label publishers. And Merck just started a songwriters guild... Bottom line, publishers are underpaid on streaming, because of the majors' leverage. But that leverage is eroding, will there be a righting of the wrong? Furthermore, despite the big ticket purchase of Bob Dylan's catalog by Universal and Paul Simon's by Sony, the truth is these companies are now rearguard operations, they're only dipping their toe while the new independent players are all in. In addition, the new players are putting far more effort, money and time, into their acquisitions. Most legacy publishers are about picking up the phone, the new ones are much more active.
And publishing is a predictable business. Why should it be tied up with a record company blowing all that money on new artists? You're taking a steady income and jeopardizing it. Investors don't like this.
There is so much institutional b.s. that needs to be corrected. Like executive salaries. Hartwig posits that a $10 million salary requires 2 billion streams just to pay for it. Actually, in truth the numbers are even worse.
And when I talk to promoters, the acts selling tickets are far different from the Spotify Top 50. Many doing boffo at the b.o., year in and year out, see recordings as an afterthought. Which is one reason Live Nation's stock price has gone up. Then again, despite Rapino's huge push and success in sponsorship, the lion's share of the show money goes to the acts. But not in recordings. This is going to have to change. Not as many acts want to give up all that upside for the power of a major label, especially if they don't make radio-friendly music in a world ever less radio dependent. And those that do want a bigger piece of the pie.
This is the financial industry. These are not Luddites, at least not compared to musicians. Musicians frequently want a leg up from a label that is not interested in them. They refuse to see the present, which is positively cottage industry, where you build it from the ground up and you're almost never ubiquitous. Financiers look at the hard numbers. They are hard to impress with smoke and mirrors, especially when your predictions perennially don't come true. And investors want to cut costs.
The music business believes it is winning by becoming more professional, it just isn't aware of the cost of said victory. Once the Universal bigwigs get their payday and the bean counters come in they're going to start asking about the waste, all that money spent for little success which is less success than ever before. Yes, despite the reams of b.s., today's hits have a fraction of the power of those of yore. If you're sitting at home dismissing the Spotify Top 50...it turns out you're in the majority, MOST PEOPLE are rejecting new music. Which begs the question why labels aren't doing more to promote old music. After all, there's a built-in audience.
The music business is about to become a whole lot more professional. Sure, the movie studios hoodwinked investors for years, but they weren't selling the company, at most investment in a few films. And by constantly doubling down on the old model Hollywood ceded control to Silicon Valley. A movie studio used to be a trophy property, now it's just a depreciated asset whose primary value is its library. Everybody said Reed Hastings was too far out there, ahead of his time, and then the time came to him, as the future always does, and everybody else is now playing catch-up. Not only is Netflix a big power, but so is Amazon, which is in the process of purchasing MGM, and Apple, which has nothing but money. As for HBO Max? It was bought by AT&T who had to lay it off, the telco didn't understand entertainment and realized a whole hell of a lot of investment was necessary and it didn't want to lay down the cash. But HBO and Disney are the only two survivors of old Hollywood in the new world. Everybody else came too late and has minor impact. As for theatrical distribution... Why do they keep pushing the ball uphill? Most people never go to the theatre. They're at home, in front of the flat screen. How long can you succeed by not giving them what they want? The pandemic helped move new flicks to streaming day and date, but foreign flicks have cratered, they belong on the flat screen, not in the theatre.
Music is a mature business. When that happens, you see consolidation, ergo Universal and Live Nation. And then you squeeze the costs and get ready for further disruption.
Which could happen in new music. The old model of paying an advance and then spamming media is inefficient. And you might be able to make bank on a TikTok star today, but what about tomorrow, will there be any meaningful catalog? Doubtful.
Change is brewing.
If you're interested in the recorded music business you must read this article.
Used to be, in the first decade of this century, when music was the canary in the coal mine for digital disruption, everyone was tuned into the business and when a player spoke they got heard.
Not anymore. You're probably unaware of Hartwig Masuch's words.
The big news of the past week has been about Universal Music going public. You may have seen the puff piece about Lucian Grainge in the "Financial Times": https://on.ft.com/3zv2qvc It doesn't really tell you anything you don't know, and Lucian deserves kudos, but the question is where the business is heading, the fact that Universal dominates new music, is that as laudable as it seems?
You see all the money is in catalog. Turns out the classics of the past are much more valuable than the hits of today. With everything in recorded music history available on streaming sites new music has to compete with the old and the verdict is in, people favor the old, by a large margin, 70% to 30%. How much does it cost a record company to stream old music? Right now essentially nothing. You just put it up there and reap the rewards. Might that change in the future, when the business acknowledges the power of the past? Yes, in many cases labels would be better off promoting the old acts, Queen is light years more popular than any new act.
And Universal, as a result of consolidation, has the best catalog, so it is positioned well for the future, but when investors start looking at costs are they going to get pissed how much is spent on new product for so little return? And are we going to see the breakup of these companies, since catalog is so much more valuable than new material? And even if you break new material, will it be classic in the future, or is it one and done? A moment in time. That people in the future won't be that eager to visit.
We've already seen the separation of publishing from recordings. Used to be big acts owned their own publishing and just made administration deals. But it turns out their catalogs were undervalued, and once Pimary Wave and Round Hill and Hipgnosis came along and offered big bucks, a multiple far outstripping previous prices, artists started to sell. And now so many of the greatest songs of all time are no longer controlled by the major label publishers. And Merck just started a songwriters guild... Bottom line, publishers are underpaid on streaming, because of the majors' leverage. But that leverage is eroding, will there be a righting of the wrong? Furthermore, despite the big ticket purchase of Bob Dylan's catalog by Universal and Paul Simon's by Sony, the truth is these companies are now rearguard operations, they're only dipping their toe while the new independent players are all in. In addition, the new players are putting far more effort, money and time, into their acquisitions. Most legacy publishers are about picking up the phone, the new ones are much more active.
And publishing is a predictable business. Why should it be tied up with a record company blowing all that money on new artists? You're taking a steady income and jeopardizing it. Investors don't like this.
There is so much institutional b.s. that needs to be corrected. Like executive salaries. Hartwig posits that a $10 million salary requires 2 billion streams just to pay for it. Actually, in truth the numbers are even worse.
And when I talk to promoters, the acts selling tickets are far different from the Spotify Top 50. Many doing boffo at the b.o., year in and year out, see recordings as an afterthought. Which is one reason Live Nation's stock price has gone up. Then again, despite Rapino's huge push and success in sponsorship, the lion's share of the show money goes to the acts. But not in recordings. This is going to have to change. Not as many acts want to give up all that upside for the power of a major label, especially if they don't make radio-friendly music in a world ever less radio dependent. And those that do want a bigger piece of the pie.
This is the financial industry. These are not Luddites, at least not compared to musicians. Musicians frequently want a leg up from a label that is not interested in them. They refuse to see the present, which is positively cottage industry, where you build it from the ground up and you're almost never ubiquitous. Financiers look at the hard numbers. They are hard to impress with smoke and mirrors, especially when your predictions perennially don't come true. And investors want to cut costs.
The music business believes it is winning by becoming more professional, it just isn't aware of the cost of said victory. Once the Universal bigwigs get their payday and the bean counters come in they're going to start asking about the waste, all that money spent for little success which is less success than ever before. Yes, despite the reams of b.s., today's hits have a fraction of the power of those of yore. If you're sitting at home dismissing the Spotify Top 50...it turns out you're in the majority, MOST PEOPLE are rejecting new music. Which begs the question why labels aren't doing more to promote old music. After all, there's a built-in audience.
The music business is about to become a whole lot more professional. Sure, the movie studios hoodwinked investors for years, but they weren't selling the company, at most investment in a few films. And by constantly doubling down on the old model Hollywood ceded control to Silicon Valley. A movie studio used to be a trophy property, now it's just a depreciated asset whose primary value is its library. Everybody said Reed Hastings was too far out there, ahead of his time, and then the time came to him, as the future always does, and everybody else is now playing catch-up. Not only is Netflix a big power, but so is Amazon, which is in the process of purchasing MGM, and Apple, which has nothing but money. As for HBO Max? It was bought by AT&T who had to lay it off, the telco didn't understand entertainment and realized a whole hell of a lot of investment was necessary and it didn't want to lay down the cash. But HBO and Disney are the only two survivors of old Hollywood in the new world. Everybody else came too late and has minor impact. As for theatrical distribution... Why do they keep pushing the ball uphill? Most people never go to the theatre. They're at home, in front of the flat screen. How long can you succeed by not giving them what they want? The pandemic helped move new flicks to streaming day and date, but foreign flicks have cratered, they belong on the flat screen, not in the theatre.
Music is a mature business. When that happens, you see consolidation, ergo Universal and Live Nation. And then you squeeze the costs and get ready for further disruption.
Which could happen in new music. The old model of paying an advance and then spamming media is inefficient. And you might be able to make bank on a TikTok star today, but what about tomorrow, will there be any meaningful catalog? Doubtful.
Change is brewing.
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Sunday, 19 September 2021
The Sound Of Gravel
https://amzn.to/3CjD3hU
I was afraid to go to sleep.
Then again, I didn't want to, I wanted to stay up another hour or so to finish the book but it was already long past midnight.
There's initial publicity about books, but most books catch fire and last as a result of word of mouth. That's how I found this one. Recommended by my sister's stepdaughter.
Not that I'm open to all recs, but my sister gave her taste a ringing endorsement and I'm always looking for something good, which is hard to find. Most of the best sellers are either genre fiction or not that good or too hard to read or all three. That's right, I'm talking fiction, made up, I rarely read nonfiction. I don't need no stinking self-help, it's not worth anything, the writers are not the readers and the insight is not translatable, then again people have so little confidence in themselves they believe the answers are out there when they're not, and they'll pay attention to charlatans, many of them with no CV who are doing it to get rich.
But "The Sound of Gravel" is nonfiction.
Not that it was at the top of my list. Felice read it before I did. But having finished the books at the top of my mental pile I dove in on Thursday night and...
I can't say that I was hooked at first. But then...
There are a lot of books like this, that take a while to ensnare you, to build up steam. And the problem with the beginning of "The Sound of Gravel" isn't that it's hard to read or uninteresting, it's just that it goes on and on about Mormon cultists in Mexico and you think this is where the entire book is going to be set, it's hard to relate, but then...
Yes, the writer, Ruth Wariner, was the daughter of a polygamist, who ended up having over thirty children.
And Ruth's mother had ten children.
But it's the poverty and blind belief that that stun you, that keep you reading. The fact that people grew up this way, and not so long ago.
And I'm loath to give away any of the story, because it's the twists and turns that keep you reading. They're essentially unpredictable. Just when you think the hammer is going to fall, that everything will be set straight and harmony will reign...
And since it's nonfiction, the unexpected happens. Because truth is stranger than fiction, believe it.
And I was debating with myself when to shut down my Kindle. You know how it is, you make a deal with yourself that you're going to stop reading at a certain time and then, completely out of the blue, the book you're reading takes a total left turn that you could never predict and you're just positively blown away.
I mean I was reading the book in the dark. My Kindle has a light in it. So I felt like I was somewhat in the story, across the street, not that far away. And there's a little foreshadowing, but what ultimately happens is a complete surprise. And never forget, in nonfiction, everything doesn't always turn out so well.
So you've got these Mormon polygamists. In Mexico because you can't get away with this in the U.S.
And they are true believers, they'll sacrifice anything and everything for their beliefs. The pull of their religion has them making one bad choice after another, at least by most people's standards. But they think they're the winners and the rest of us are heathens who are going to pay a price.
What is it like to grow up in an environment like this?
You're just a kid. Your mother is your mother. Remember trying to run away as a little kid? How well did that work? Maybe you were gone for half an hour, you couldn't be without your mother, never mind forage for yourself out in the real world. And when you're a kid your parents call all the shots.
So I was afraid I'd have bad dreams. Actually, I did, but not related to the content of the book.
And I woke up and finished it and...
I wasn't in quite the same mood, after all it was sunny out.
And reviews are fantastic, but there are still some one star ones. People can find fault with anything. Which is why if you're listening to the feedback, you're probably inhibited and going in the wrong direction. Not that you should never make adjustments, but today people want you to be who they want you to be, and even that doesn't satiate them.
So are there some people who won't like "The Sound of Gravel"? I guess so. Maybe those who can only read sunny, upbeat tomes. But that's not the way life is, life has ups and downs.
And most of what we see in the media is not real people. We see beautiful people, rich, and their shenanigans. What about those just like us?
We want love. And we're jealous. And we feel alone and want to be comforted. And giving up just a tiny smidge of attention is so hard that people stay in bad relationships and you mix in some religion and...
"The Sound of Gravel" came out in 2016. But it's new to you if you haven't read it yet. And it's timeless. And scary.
And riveting.
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I was afraid to go to sleep.
Then again, I didn't want to, I wanted to stay up another hour or so to finish the book but it was already long past midnight.
There's initial publicity about books, but most books catch fire and last as a result of word of mouth. That's how I found this one. Recommended by my sister's stepdaughter.
Not that I'm open to all recs, but my sister gave her taste a ringing endorsement and I'm always looking for something good, which is hard to find. Most of the best sellers are either genre fiction or not that good or too hard to read or all three. That's right, I'm talking fiction, made up, I rarely read nonfiction. I don't need no stinking self-help, it's not worth anything, the writers are not the readers and the insight is not translatable, then again people have so little confidence in themselves they believe the answers are out there when they're not, and they'll pay attention to charlatans, many of them with no CV who are doing it to get rich.
But "The Sound of Gravel" is nonfiction.
Not that it was at the top of my list. Felice read it before I did. But having finished the books at the top of my mental pile I dove in on Thursday night and...
I can't say that I was hooked at first. But then...
There are a lot of books like this, that take a while to ensnare you, to build up steam. And the problem with the beginning of "The Sound of Gravel" isn't that it's hard to read or uninteresting, it's just that it goes on and on about Mormon cultists in Mexico and you think this is where the entire book is going to be set, it's hard to relate, but then...
Yes, the writer, Ruth Wariner, was the daughter of a polygamist, who ended up having over thirty children.
And Ruth's mother had ten children.
But it's the poverty and blind belief that that stun you, that keep you reading. The fact that people grew up this way, and not so long ago.
And I'm loath to give away any of the story, because it's the twists and turns that keep you reading. They're essentially unpredictable. Just when you think the hammer is going to fall, that everything will be set straight and harmony will reign...
And since it's nonfiction, the unexpected happens. Because truth is stranger than fiction, believe it.
And I was debating with myself when to shut down my Kindle. You know how it is, you make a deal with yourself that you're going to stop reading at a certain time and then, completely out of the blue, the book you're reading takes a total left turn that you could never predict and you're just positively blown away.
I mean I was reading the book in the dark. My Kindle has a light in it. So I felt like I was somewhat in the story, across the street, not that far away. And there's a little foreshadowing, but what ultimately happens is a complete surprise. And never forget, in nonfiction, everything doesn't always turn out so well.
So you've got these Mormon polygamists. In Mexico because you can't get away with this in the U.S.
And they are true believers, they'll sacrifice anything and everything for their beliefs. The pull of their religion has them making one bad choice after another, at least by most people's standards. But they think they're the winners and the rest of us are heathens who are going to pay a price.
What is it like to grow up in an environment like this?
You're just a kid. Your mother is your mother. Remember trying to run away as a little kid? How well did that work? Maybe you were gone for half an hour, you couldn't be without your mother, never mind forage for yourself out in the real world. And when you're a kid your parents call all the shots.
So I was afraid I'd have bad dreams. Actually, I did, but not related to the content of the book.
And I woke up and finished it and...
I wasn't in quite the same mood, after all it was sunny out.
And reviews are fantastic, but there are still some one star ones. People can find fault with anything. Which is why if you're listening to the feedback, you're probably inhibited and going in the wrong direction. Not that you should never make adjustments, but today people want you to be who they want you to be, and even that doesn't satiate them.
So are there some people who won't like "The Sound of Gravel"? I guess so. Maybe those who can only read sunny, upbeat tomes. But that's not the way life is, life has ups and downs.
And most of what we see in the media is not real people. We see beautiful people, rich, and their shenanigans. What about those just like us?
We want love. And we're jealous. And we feel alone and want to be comforted. And giving up just a tiny smidge of attention is so hard that people stay in bad relationships and you mix in some religion and...
"The Sound of Gravel" came out in 2016. But it's new to you if you haven't read it yet. And it's timeless. And scary.
And riveting.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Anka and Al
PAUL ANKA:
That podcast is among the best things I have ever listened to! I didn't want it to end. And you know me. I can be the ADHD poster child. But I sat enraptured and inspired through the entire interview. Paul and I have bumped into each other a few times at events and we have some very dear mutual friends, and I've always thought I would love to get to know him better. But this podcast makes me want to buy a ticket to LA this afternoon and go hang out at his house! You did a masterful job of interviewing him - and of picking up on the little jewels he would drop from time time and making him go back and delve deeper into those revealing stories.
You're right about him being totally in tune with what is going on around him and clearly this was always the case. He's a brilliant sponge, uniquely talented and worldly wise too which makes him a triple threat; the ultimate warrior. I've always respected what he does and what I know of him as a man, but this interview moved him to the top of the pantheon for me. Viva Anka!
Thank you for doing this. I think I'm going to go back and listen again!
Bob Ezrin
______________________________________
Bob Nice Day! Enjoyed the podcast along with so many of your fans and listeners. In 1983 Paul released an album on Columbia Records called "WALK A FINE LINE." At that time Paul was more of a star in Europe THAN THE U.S. So Columbia, wanted, and Paul wanted to promote the album in Europe so Anka called me and wanted me to go with him on a 30 day tour doing TV appearances We flew the Concorde to Paris and stayed at the Plaza Athenee…. Everyone treated us like royalty like a huge rock star..everyone on the streets of all the major cities knew him and called him "PALANKA." We did TV shows all over Europe Sweden, Paris, Belgium, Cannes doing live interviews and singing songs from the Columbia album. We flew in private jets and had police escorts in almost every city…Paul was the ultimate professional..complaining but doing what had to be done. We were having breakfast at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes and heading to Belgium that morning for a TV show..Paul decided that he didn't want to go…I said we are committed he said OK .. When we got to Belgium it was pouring and cold we were going to stay over night but Paul wanted to leave right after the show. The Hotel had given us the entire presidential floor for the night with rooms full of beautiful flowers but Paul was determined to go back to Cannes so we chartered a private jet to take us back the poor hotel manager was flabbergasted!!!!
On the return flight to New York (Also Concord ) He asked me to be his manager I felt that was 'cause we had such a great time together and said "I'm not a manager" (and don't want to be ) but we can be friends"… The 30 days was the highlight of my 35 years in the record industry…again thank you Bob for rousing such great memories (And thanks to Paul Anka )…Macey Lipman
______________________________________
Thanks for sharing these and making sure we listened. This is like an audio historical document.
Alex Skolnick
______________________________________
I worked for (Jerry ) Weintraub when Management lll was the Rolls Royce 300 pound gorilla in the room. I saw first hand, or heard, many of the "future" stories. Norman Weiss, a gentleman and mentor to me, recruited me from an agent at ICM, to a manager at Management lll. I heard many a Paul Anka stories directly from Norman. He beamed with pride and fatherly love about Paul and his stories were always filled with action.
Your Anka podcast was beyond fascinating and interesting, it was edge of the seat what came next suspenseful. His openness, humIlity, and honesty was inspiring.
Your knowledge and guidance of the big picture intimate details was award winning.
When's the next episode??
Michael Brokaw
______________________________________
Honestly, it was one of the best things you've ever done. And like he said, "No one has the balls to say what you do!" Keep saying that shit!
Adam Franklin
______________________________________
How about that Paul Anka podcast?! Truly an amazing conversation!
Tim Brunelle
______________________________________
Yeah, Paul Anka, maybe your best. He's always been sharp. Your last 30 minutes with Suzi Quatro you hit a groove with your questions.
Harold Bronson
______________________________________
TREMENDOUS INTERVIEW BOB!!
THANK U!!!!
Kenn Kweder
______________________________________
Found the time yesterday…2 hours went like that…last half hour in a steady downpour which Maui needs…riveted to my backyard chair…coulda listened to another hour…you crushed this one Bob..
Tom Clark on Maui
______________________________________
hi bob,
great anka interview.
I took my mom (who is now 89 now) to see him live,
pre covid. she loved it! I was happy when he played
a mini acoustic set and included "it don't matter anymore"
(the song buddy holly recorded).
I'm emailing you not to post, but perhaps you
could let the anka camp know the following:
after listening to the interview, I went to amazon
prime to listen/purchase his new album "making memories."
there is an album cover and a link to listen to the album.
however, no cds or vinyl were available to purchase, so I clicked to listen,
and there was only the title track attached to a
different album cover. usually if one track appears,
a release date is given to hear (or purchase) full album.
not the case.
keep up the great work bob.
thank you.
marvin etzioni
president of regional records
______________________________________
Bob, I've had the pleasure of reading (and listening) to you for years. I book & produce corporate entertainment dates. Prior to that I was an agent at William Morris & also ICM where I was one of Paul Anka's agents. And I loved this podcast. Brought back some really great, fond memories. Anka has always been smart & his live show was always in a league of it's own – he is the epitome of a true performer. He also totally represents a part of showbiz that unfortunately no longer exists. His stories are real, he's always been humble, and he is still relevant after all these years. Great job to you both.
Mark Felix
______________________________________
Dear Bob,
EVERY kudo so well deserved for this Homerun!
Dennis Brent
______________________________________
Bob - you're right about the podcast! Gotta tell you a story.
When I was a kid in Italy in the late 50s, I was staying at a hotel and across the street, there was a big party in the local Italian communist party building. Of course, that was the 50s, and I had been taught that communists had cloven hooves and ate children. But this lady came to the window, saw me, and gestured to come on over. The music that was blasting out was Paul Anka's "Diana," which was/is one of my favorite songs. My takeaway was that if that was the kind of music that communists listened to, they were probably okay :)
Craig Anderton
______________________________________
My wife and I have been solid Paul Anka fans for a while now.
Please tell your readers that they should check out Paul's album, "Rock Swings". It's Paul's swingin' big band arrangements of rock hits. It's so good you'll forget who did the originals.
Jim Cuomo
______________________________________
Another Paul Anka story,
Some years ago, I recorded Paul's vocals on some material he was readying for release. He was truly wonderful to work with; enthusiastic, dedicated and very personable, as well. During our sessions, the subject came up about kids, and we shared stories about our daughters. On the last day of the sessions, as things were wrapping up, Paul snuck up behind me and slipped a $100 bill in my pocket. I told him that tipping wasn't necessary in any way, and he said, "Go buy something nice for that daughter of yours". He went on to say that if my family and I were ever in Las Vegas, give him a call and he'd get us a room at the Golden Nugget. For a man of his stature, and with his entire career to navigate daily, I'll never forget his thoughtfulness. I'm still touched by it.
John Van Nest
______________________________________
Late to the party. Your session with Paul Anka was fascinating! My ex-wife's great grandfather-in-law was a guy named Moe Gale (aka Moshe Galinski). He ran the Savoy Ballroom in the '20s-30s, discovered the Ink Spots, managed Chick Webb, and palled around with and booked Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella, etc...He also became a music publisher and according to Gale family legend, years later, Paul Anka pitched "Diana" to them. Unfortunately, Moe was busy, so his son Richard met with him, and after hearing the song said something like "it was the worst song he'd ever heard." Needless to say, when it became a huge hit Richard realized the music biz was not in the cards, so he embarked on a career as a college philosophy professor.
Chip Lovitt
______________________________________
______________________________________
AL KOOPER:
In 1968, when I was 17 and a junior counsellor at the summer camp I'd been going to since I was 11, I came under the influence of some older counsellors. Their tastes in music were naturally ahead of mine. This counsellor Bobby made me listen to BS&T's first album, Child is Father to the Man. I was stunned. It became my favourite record that year. Along, of course, with the White Album. Near the end of camp, I read in a Toronto newspaper that there was a new club opening up called The Rock Pile, located in the old Masonic Temple. And their first act would be Blood Sweat & Tears! I was beside myself. I took my new camp girlfriend to the show. The band came on stage. And lo and behold, no Al Kooper! Steve Katz from the old Blues Project was on stage but no Al. How could this be? Instead, on stage was a menacing presence, David Clayton Thomas, a singer who had been kicking around Toronto in various band incarnations. I have to say that by the end of the show, I was pretty impressed. But I couldn't get over my disappointment of not seeing Al Kooper. Of course we all know what happened now. Jump ahead a few decades and I'm working at BMG Canada in the early 90's as the VP of Business Affairs. Someone, I can't remember who, brought Al Kooper by my office. He was promoting a live album. This was not your normal hi/bye. Al and I got into the past, into music, I can't remember it all, but he was so friendly, so genuine - he even insisted I go to lunch with the rest of his BMG handlers - that I remember it as the most pleasurable moment I've ever had with an artist. The word is mensche. I know you think the same. I've always treasured the autograph he gave me that day.
Steven Ehrlick
______________________________________
One of my favorite things about Al Kooper is his pioneering use of the Ondioline, which is an early electronic keyboard instrument, Al's solo voice on that instrument is some of the finest rock keyboard soloing of all time. If you have him on your podcast sometime, could you ask him about the ondioline. You'd recognize the sound from "Baby You're A Rich Man", and I think "Runaway" but Al took it to another level and it foreshadowed the mini moog and arp odyssey lead synth sounds that would become prevalent in the '70s. Also the great song he wrote "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" is such a classic and I love the original version on that first Blood Sweat and Tears masterpiece album, it's one of my favorites to play at the Atlanta airport where I play piano although it is usually recognized as being by Donny Hathaway who as you know did an amazing version, lastly, for now, my brother Jefferson Graham recommended your Paul Anka Podcast and it's another great one, Your podcasts are my favorite to listen to on the way to and from my airport gig. I still have some catching up to do and am looking forward to the Rod Argent one next. Best from Ga.
Jez Graham
______________________________________
Thanks Bob:
Was 8 years old when I first heard I Stand Alone - laughing, protest chants, screams and - POW, the overture. For the first time I realized popular music didn't have to be two guitars, a bass and drum kit. It could be everything and anything - orchestration, rock, soul, blues, backup singers "testifying,"....it blew me away and still does.
Forty years later, I'm driving my daughter to 4th grade and we're singing at the top of our lungs "Toe Hold" and "Western Union Man" and "Right Now for You." She's growing and I've grown older, but on our drives I Stand Alone always finds it way through the speakers.
Be well
dee joseph
______________________________________
Hi Bob, while walking to class one day at SF State college in 1966, I heard some cool jazz/rock music floating through the fog. There was a little outdoor stage on the lawn and commons area in front of the cafeteria. I stopped to watch and listen to the Blues Project playing to about 20 or 30 students sitting on the lawn listening to " a flute thing" I think that was the title? It planted a earworm in me and gave me a "toe hold" to Al and eventually Blood Sweat and Tears who also played about a year later for free, but in the Gym to a much bigger stoned crowd with David Clayton Thomas vocals, Kooper and Bloomfield blowing our minds.
Great music and the 60s were inseparable.
alan segal
______________________________________
Thanks for mentioning Ellen McIlwaine,she lived in Calgary since the early 90s?.Sadly she passed away this summer from cancer. She was active on the festival scene but also spent her later years driving a school bus. Greatly appreciate all you do Bob. Dave Edmonton Canada
______________________________________
Great record. I've worn out the vinyl. After hearing Super Session I started buying Al's records and this one is the best. Somewhere, probably on his website, he mentioned that more than a few Viet Nam vets have told him this record got them through their time there. And the personnel on it! Charlie Daniels ("Big Charlie Daniels" in the liner notes) on guitar and The Blossoms on backing vocals come immediately to mind.
His originals on this record are first rate as well. The title cut and I Can Love a Woman stand very well on their own.
Doesn't get much better than this.
Dave Thorn
______________________________________
'Toe Hold' - Sharon Tandy (Capricorn / Atlantic)
Patricia Van Blerk
______________________________________
as the kids say OMG! I still listen to the first Al Kooper record regularly to this day and although I love it all my two favs are Toe Hold and Western Union Man (btw the original Jerry Butler version has a killer bass line). I've even got an obsessively large playlist on Spotify entitled Sixties Horns filled with Electric Flag, Blood Sweat and Tears , Butterfield with Horn section, Sons of Champlain, D&B and on and on. Anyway great call and I hope lots of people go and listen to all the tunes, covers and originals they won't be unhappy if they do.
Peter Roaman
______________________________________
Great article Bob.
I was hoping you would mention New York City.
A great great Kooper album
Richard Mazzei
______________________________________
Gotta mention Al Kooper's 2005 album, Black Coffee. One of the best from that year, maybe that decade.
Russ Paris
______________________________________
Thanks for the Al Kooper shout out! One of the truly great guys, and, from what I've read, a mensch. He's been asked many times over the years if he isn't owed more for his contribution to "Like a Rolling Stone," and his answer has always been the same: "It's Bob's song." I knew a record dealer who tracked down some LPs for him about 20 years ago, and Kooper was, according to him, generous and grateful. And he's done as much as anyone to make sure Mike Bloomfield is not forgotten. Yet another reminder that giants walked among us during the 60s and 70s. One very cool thing Kooper did when he was an A & R man for CBS Records: Insist that Epic records release "Time of the Season" by the Zombies as a single.
Joe Taylor
______________________________________
Great piece Bob - excellent that you laud I Stand Alone. One of my favorites of all time as well. As soon as I heard the title track on WNEW FM in NY I was sold - went right out to Sam Goody's on 49th street and bought it for $2.99 (It was a "special sale" pick. The sight of Al's face on the head of the State of Liberty - CLASSIC. I mean having The Blossoms singing backup, all those incredible Nashville Cats? They don't make 'em like this anymore.
Best Regards
Marc Offenbach
______________________________________
Thanks for the terrific column on Al Kooper. Been following Al since The Blues Project.
I Stand Alone, my favorite too. Good playlist, though I've added John the Baptist and New York City, You're A Woman.
Always find your POV interesting.
Cheers peter donato
______________________________________
I don't know anyone on planet Earth who knows I Stand Alone. For me it's Western Union Man and the Overture off the top, so awesome. It's also an interesting bridge many young artists crossed who have the ambition to try and show everyone how much they can arrange/ execute/ produce. McCartney's I or Kanye's The College Dropout - same league of song creativity.
bob wiseman
______________________________________
Great article on Al Kooper, one of the most underrated musical of the past several decades.
bill powell
______________________________________
I have a huge desert island list, but Projections (Flute Thing!), Child is Father to the Man (hated BS&T thereafter), and Super Session are all on it.
Dave Wood
______________________________________
Most important to me? He produced the first Tubes album which I love.
Take care.
Sam Schauer
______________________________________
This started yesterday with the Spotify horn playlist you emailed that had some fantastic AL Kooper tracks from the original BS&T which is by far a masterpiece of incredible genius that seriously...words cannot describe. All my life I have listened to Al's music and totally related to why he was always so pissed off at the music industry that never really gave him his true credit. He was a major major innovator, incredible songwriter, and do I even need to say producer? (Free Bird anyone!)
The first Blood Sweat & Tears album created a whole new genre for rock n roll- horns! And the songs were incredible. I Can't Quit Her, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, and Something Going On!! It friggin changed my life...I never dreamed someone could create at such a high level. It gave me inspiration forever! And that Overture!
That record reminded me of the Zombies" Odyssey And Oracle in that they were both of the most incredible quality, but were relatively unnoticed until many years later.
It seemed that Al wanted so desperately to be a soul singer but he was just a Jewish boy from Brooklyn, but his voice was vulnerable and so sincere and he pulled it off somehow. I love him and still do.
I ran sound at a small venue in the suburbs of Philly around 2001 or so...100 seat amazing venue....called The Point...not the original Main Point, but it was an awesome club a few doors down on the same block from where the original Main Point used to be, with great people coming through...I'm at the sound board one night and AL Kooper plays there solo....I could barely run the board I was so excited. After the show AL needs a ride to his hotel in the next town over, I drive him over, carry his bag, he ignores me totally...I carry his bag to the room, and he grunts a thank you and I swear to God I was high for 3 years! It was AL Kooper....holy shit....I still love him. And I was a grownup not a kid The man is a musical God...deserving of so much more credit than he ever received....He brought incredible beauty into my life for which I can never repay him. Thanks Bob for bringing him up, and thank you Al !
Leigh Goldstein
______________________________________
Al comes one zip code (11427) away from me in Hollis Hills Queens (I am Bellerose 11426.).
Love his live CD Soul of A Man
And his song, A Brand New Day.
Some incredible shows at The Bottom line, BB Kings and The Irridium.
Corey B. Bearak, Esq.
______________________________________
Don't forget Al Kooper's 2nd LP " You Never Really Know Who Your Friends Are" ! In my mind the better album of the two.
I got them both at the same time as "cut outs" when I was 12-ish and loved them not even knowing who he was and what he had done at the time. Still hum tunes from 2nd LP, love Al Kooper his attitude his creativity and his musicianship he is the real deal!!
Cheers
Tom Gillam
Austin Texas
______________________________________
Al is legend. How can he not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his contribution to the music
And he launched and produced one of the greatest rock bands of all time - Lynyrd Skynryd. C'mon, Hall! Call Al!
Larry Mollin
______________________________________
Would never have known about (let alone listened to) all the other 'versions' of Toe Hold but for you. Thank you. Al Kooper stands up there with John Lennon and Jerry Garcia as being the foundation for my music journey.
WAYNE R. HALPER, Esq.
______________________________________
Al's ear is still impeccable. In a recent interview he named Sunderland, England's Field Music as the best thing going.
...And they absolutely are. Best brother harmonists since Phil and Don, and song craft that can only be compared to the giants.
Prince was a fan as well.
Dial up their latest, Flat White Moon — it's a masterpiece.
Thanks Al!
Steve Lindstrom
That podcast is among the best things I have ever listened to! I didn't want it to end. And you know me. I can be the ADHD poster child. But I sat enraptured and inspired through the entire interview. Paul and I have bumped into each other a few times at events and we have some very dear mutual friends, and I've always thought I would love to get to know him better. But this podcast makes me want to buy a ticket to LA this afternoon and go hang out at his house! You did a masterful job of interviewing him - and of picking up on the little jewels he would drop from time time and making him go back and delve deeper into those revealing stories.
You're right about him being totally in tune with what is going on around him and clearly this was always the case. He's a brilliant sponge, uniquely talented and worldly wise too which makes him a triple threat; the ultimate warrior. I've always respected what he does and what I know of him as a man, but this interview moved him to the top of the pantheon for me. Viva Anka!
Thank you for doing this. I think I'm going to go back and listen again!
Bob Ezrin
______________________________________
Bob Nice Day! Enjoyed the podcast along with so many of your fans and listeners. In 1983 Paul released an album on Columbia Records called "WALK A FINE LINE." At that time Paul was more of a star in Europe THAN THE U.S. So Columbia, wanted, and Paul wanted to promote the album in Europe so Anka called me and wanted me to go with him on a 30 day tour doing TV appearances We flew the Concorde to Paris and stayed at the Plaza Athenee…. Everyone treated us like royalty like a huge rock star..everyone on the streets of all the major cities knew him and called him "PALANKA." We did TV shows all over Europe Sweden, Paris, Belgium, Cannes doing live interviews and singing songs from the Columbia album. We flew in private jets and had police escorts in almost every city…Paul was the ultimate professional..complaining but doing what had to be done. We were having breakfast at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes and heading to Belgium that morning for a TV show..Paul decided that he didn't want to go…I said we are committed he said OK .. When we got to Belgium it was pouring and cold we were going to stay over night but Paul wanted to leave right after the show. The Hotel had given us the entire presidential floor for the night with rooms full of beautiful flowers but Paul was determined to go back to Cannes so we chartered a private jet to take us back the poor hotel manager was flabbergasted!!!!
On the return flight to New York (Also Concord ) He asked me to be his manager I felt that was 'cause we had such a great time together and said "I'm not a manager" (and don't want to be ) but we can be friends"… The 30 days was the highlight of my 35 years in the record industry…again thank you Bob for rousing such great memories (And thanks to Paul Anka )…Macey Lipman
______________________________________
Thanks for sharing these and making sure we listened. This is like an audio historical document.
Alex Skolnick
______________________________________
I worked for (Jerry ) Weintraub when Management lll was the Rolls Royce 300 pound gorilla in the room. I saw first hand, or heard, many of the "future" stories. Norman Weiss, a gentleman and mentor to me, recruited me from an agent at ICM, to a manager at Management lll. I heard many a Paul Anka stories directly from Norman. He beamed with pride and fatherly love about Paul and his stories were always filled with action.
Your Anka podcast was beyond fascinating and interesting, it was edge of the seat what came next suspenseful. His openness, humIlity, and honesty was inspiring.
Your knowledge and guidance of the big picture intimate details was award winning.
When's the next episode??
Michael Brokaw
______________________________________
Honestly, it was one of the best things you've ever done. And like he said, "No one has the balls to say what you do!" Keep saying that shit!
Adam Franklin
______________________________________
How about that Paul Anka podcast?! Truly an amazing conversation!
Tim Brunelle
______________________________________
Yeah, Paul Anka, maybe your best. He's always been sharp. Your last 30 minutes with Suzi Quatro you hit a groove with your questions.
Harold Bronson
______________________________________
TREMENDOUS INTERVIEW BOB!!
THANK U!!!!
Kenn Kweder
______________________________________
Found the time yesterday…2 hours went like that…last half hour in a steady downpour which Maui needs…riveted to my backyard chair…coulda listened to another hour…you crushed this one Bob..
Tom Clark on Maui
______________________________________
hi bob,
great anka interview.
I took my mom (who is now 89 now) to see him live,
pre covid. she loved it! I was happy when he played
a mini acoustic set and included "it don't matter anymore"
(the song buddy holly recorded).
I'm emailing you not to post, but perhaps you
could let the anka camp know the following:
after listening to the interview, I went to amazon
prime to listen/purchase his new album "making memories."
there is an album cover and a link to listen to the album.
however, no cds or vinyl were available to purchase, so I clicked to listen,
and there was only the title track attached to a
different album cover. usually if one track appears,
a release date is given to hear (or purchase) full album.
not the case.
keep up the great work bob.
thank you.
marvin etzioni
president of regional records
______________________________________
Bob, I've had the pleasure of reading (and listening) to you for years. I book & produce corporate entertainment dates. Prior to that I was an agent at William Morris & also ICM where I was one of Paul Anka's agents. And I loved this podcast. Brought back some really great, fond memories. Anka has always been smart & his live show was always in a league of it's own – he is the epitome of a true performer. He also totally represents a part of showbiz that unfortunately no longer exists. His stories are real, he's always been humble, and he is still relevant after all these years. Great job to you both.
Mark Felix
______________________________________
Dear Bob,
EVERY kudo so well deserved for this Homerun!
Dennis Brent
______________________________________
Bob - you're right about the podcast! Gotta tell you a story.
When I was a kid in Italy in the late 50s, I was staying at a hotel and across the street, there was a big party in the local Italian communist party building. Of course, that was the 50s, and I had been taught that communists had cloven hooves and ate children. But this lady came to the window, saw me, and gestured to come on over. The music that was blasting out was Paul Anka's "Diana," which was/is one of my favorite songs. My takeaway was that if that was the kind of music that communists listened to, they were probably okay :)
Craig Anderton
______________________________________
My wife and I have been solid Paul Anka fans for a while now.
Please tell your readers that they should check out Paul's album, "Rock Swings". It's Paul's swingin' big band arrangements of rock hits. It's so good you'll forget who did the originals.
Jim Cuomo
______________________________________
Another Paul Anka story,
Some years ago, I recorded Paul's vocals on some material he was readying for release. He was truly wonderful to work with; enthusiastic, dedicated and very personable, as well. During our sessions, the subject came up about kids, and we shared stories about our daughters. On the last day of the sessions, as things were wrapping up, Paul snuck up behind me and slipped a $100 bill in my pocket. I told him that tipping wasn't necessary in any way, and he said, "Go buy something nice for that daughter of yours". He went on to say that if my family and I were ever in Las Vegas, give him a call and he'd get us a room at the Golden Nugget. For a man of his stature, and with his entire career to navigate daily, I'll never forget his thoughtfulness. I'm still touched by it.
John Van Nest
______________________________________
Late to the party. Your session with Paul Anka was fascinating! My ex-wife's great grandfather-in-law was a guy named Moe Gale (aka Moshe Galinski). He ran the Savoy Ballroom in the '20s-30s, discovered the Ink Spots, managed Chick Webb, and palled around with and booked Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella, etc...He also became a music publisher and according to Gale family legend, years later, Paul Anka pitched "Diana" to them. Unfortunately, Moe was busy, so his son Richard met with him, and after hearing the song said something like "it was the worst song he'd ever heard." Needless to say, when it became a huge hit Richard realized the music biz was not in the cards, so he embarked on a career as a college philosophy professor.
Chip Lovitt
______________________________________
______________________________________
AL KOOPER:
In 1968, when I was 17 and a junior counsellor at the summer camp I'd been going to since I was 11, I came under the influence of some older counsellors. Their tastes in music were naturally ahead of mine. This counsellor Bobby made me listen to BS&T's first album, Child is Father to the Man. I was stunned. It became my favourite record that year. Along, of course, with the White Album. Near the end of camp, I read in a Toronto newspaper that there was a new club opening up called The Rock Pile, located in the old Masonic Temple. And their first act would be Blood Sweat & Tears! I was beside myself. I took my new camp girlfriend to the show. The band came on stage. And lo and behold, no Al Kooper! Steve Katz from the old Blues Project was on stage but no Al. How could this be? Instead, on stage was a menacing presence, David Clayton Thomas, a singer who had been kicking around Toronto in various band incarnations. I have to say that by the end of the show, I was pretty impressed. But I couldn't get over my disappointment of not seeing Al Kooper. Of course we all know what happened now. Jump ahead a few decades and I'm working at BMG Canada in the early 90's as the VP of Business Affairs. Someone, I can't remember who, brought Al Kooper by my office. He was promoting a live album. This was not your normal hi/bye. Al and I got into the past, into music, I can't remember it all, but he was so friendly, so genuine - he even insisted I go to lunch with the rest of his BMG handlers - that I remember it as the most pleasurable moment I've ever had with an artist. The word is mensche. I know you think the same. I've always treasured the autograph he gave me that day.
Steven Ehrlick
______________________________________
One of my favorite things about Al Kooper is his pioneering use of the Ondioline, which is an early electronic keyboard instrument, Al's solo voice on that instrument is some of the finest rock keyboard soloing of all time. If you have him on your podcast sometime, could you ask him about the ondioline. You'd recognize the sound from "Baby You're A Rich Man", and I think "Runaway" but Al took it to another level and it foreshadowed the mini moog and arp odyssey lead synth sounds that would become prevalent in the '70s. Also the great song he wrote "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" is such a classic and I love the original version on that first Blood Sweat and Tears masterpiece album, it's one of my favorites to play at the Atlanta airport where I play piano although it is usually recognized as being by Donny Hathaway who as you know did an amazing version, lastly, for now, my brother Jefferson Graham recommended your Paul Anka Podcast and it's another great one, Your podcasts are my favorite to listen to on the way to and from my airport gig. I still have some catching up to do and am looking forward to the Rod Argent one next. Best from Ga.
Jez Graham
______________________________________
Thanks Bob:
Was 8 years old when I first heard I Stand Alone - laughing, protest chants, screams and - POW, the overture. For the first time I realized popular music didn't have to be two guitars, a bass and drum kit. It could be everything and anything - orchestration, rock, soul, blues, backup singers "testifying,"....it blew me away and still does.
Forty years later, I'm driving my daughter to 4th grade and we're singing at the top of our lungs "Toe Hold" and "Western Union Man" and "Right Now for You." She's growing and I've grown older, but on our drives I Stand Alone always finds it way through the speakers.
Be well
dee joseph
______________________________________
Hi Bob, while walking to class one day at SF State college in 1966, I heard some cool jazz/rock music floating through the fog. There was a little outdoor stage on the lawn and commons area in front of the cafeteria. I stopped to watch and listen to the Blues Project playing to about 20 or 30 students sitting on the lawn listening to " a flute thing" I think that was the title? It planted a earworm in me and gave me a "toe hold" to Al and eventually Blood Sweat and Tears who also played about a year later for free, but in the Gym to a much bigger stoned crowd with David Clayton Thomas vocals, Kooper and Bloomfield blowing our minds.
Great music and the 60s were inseparable.
alan segal
______________________________________
Thanks for mentioning Ellen McIlwaine,she lived in Calgary since the early 90s?.Sadly she passed away this summer from cancer. She was active on the festival scene but also spent her later years driving a school bus. Greatly appreciate all you do Bob. Dave Edmonton Canada
______________________________________
Great record. I've worn out the vinyl. After hearing Super Session I started buying Al's records and this one is the best. Somewhere, probably on his website, he mentioned that more than a few Viet Nam vets have told him this record got them through their time there. And the personnel on it! Charlie Daniels ("Big Charlie Daniels" in the liner notes) on guitar and The Blossoms on backing vocals come immediately to mind.
His originals on this record are first rate as well. The title cut and I Can Love a Woman stand very well on their own.
Doesn't get much better than this.
Dave Thorn
______________________________________
'Toe Hold' - Sharon Tandy (Capricorn / Atlantic)
Patricia Van Blerk
______________________________________
as the kids say OMG! I still listen to the first Al Kooper record regularly to this day and although I love it all my two favs are Toe Hold and Western Union Man (btw the original Jerry Butler version has a killer bass line). I've even got an obsessively large playlist on Spotify entitled Sixties Horns filled with Electric Flag, Blood Sweat and Tears , Butterfield with Horn section, Sons of Champlain, D&B and on and on. Anyway great call and I hope lots of people go and listen to all the tunes, covers and originals they won't be unhappy if they do.
Peter Roaman
______________________________________
Great article Bob.
I was hoping you would mention New York City.
A great great Kooper album
Richard Mazzei
______________________________________
Gotta mention Al Kooper's 2005 album, Black Coffee. One of the best from that year, maybe that decade.
Russ Paris
______________________________________
Thanks for the Al Kooper shout out! One of the truly great guys, and, from what I've read, a mensch. He's been asked many times over the years if he isn't owed more for his contribution to "Like a Rolling Stone," and his answer has always been the same: "It's Bob's song." I knew a record dealer who tracked down some LPs for him about 20 years ago, and Kooper was, according to him, generous and grateful. And he's done as much as anyone to make sure Mike Bloomfield is not forgotten. Yet another reminder that giants walked among us during the 60s and 70s. One very cool thing Kooper did when he was an A & R man for CBS Records: Insist that Epic records release "Time of the Season" by the Zombies as a single.
Joe Taylor
______________________________________
Great piece Bob - excellent that you laud I Stand Alone. One of my favorites of all time as well. As soon as I heard the title track on WNEW FM in NY I was sold - went right out to Sam Goody's on 49th street and bought it for $2.99 (It was a "special sale" pick. The sight of Al's face on the head of the State of Liberty - CLASSIC. I mean having The Blossoms singing backup, all those incredible Nashville Cats? They don't make 'em like this anymore.
Best Regards
Marc Offenbach
______________________________________
Thanks for the terrific column on Al Kooper. Been following Al since The Blues Project.
I Stand Alone, my favorite too. Good playlist, though I've added John the Baptist and New York City, You're A Woman.
Always find your POV interesting.
Cheers peter donato
______________________________________
I don't know anyone on planet Earth who knows I Stand Alone. For me it's Western Union Man and the Overture off the top, so awesome. It's also an interesting bridge many young artists crossed who have the ambition to try and show everyone how much they can arrange/ execute/ produce. McCartney's I or Kanye's The College Dropout - same league of song creativity.
bob wiseman
______________________________________
Great article on Al Kooper, one of the most underrated musical of the past several decades.
bill powell
______________________________________
I have a huge desert island list, but Projections (Flute Thing!), Child is Father to the Man (hated BS&T thereafter), and Super Session are all on it.
Dave Wood
______________________________________
Most important to me? He produced the first Tubes album which I love.
Take care.
Sam Schauer
______________________________________
This started yesterday with the Spotify horn playlist you emailed that had some fantastic AL Kooper tracks from the original BS&T which is by far a masterpiece of incredible genius that seriously...words cannot describe. All my life I have listened to Al's music and totally related to why he was always so pissed off at the music industry that never really gave him his true credit. He was a major major innovator, incredible songwriter, and do I even need to say producer? (Free Bird anyone!)
The first Blood Sweat & Tears album created a whole new genre for rock n roll- horns! And the songs were incredible. I Can't Quit Her, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, and Something Going On!! It friggin changed my life...I never dreamed someone could create at such a high level. It gave me inspiration forever! And that Overture!
That record reminded me of the Zombies" Odyssey And Oracle in that they were both of the most incredible quality, but were relatively unnoticed until many years later.
It seemed that Al wanted so desperately to be a soul singer but he was just a Jewish boy from Brooklyn, but his voice was vulnerable and so sincere and he pulled it off somehow. I love him and still do.
I ran sound at a small venue in the suburbs of Philly around 2001 or so...100 seat amazing venue....called The Point...not the original Main Point, but it was an awesome club a few doors down on the same block from where the original Main Point used to be, with great people coming through...I'm at the sound board one night and AL Kooper plays there solo....I could barely run the board I was so excited. After the show AL needs a ride to his hotel in the next town over, I drive him over, carry his bag, he ignores me totally...I carry his bag to the room, and he grunts a thank you and I swear to God I was high for 3 years! It was AL Kooper....holy shit....I still love him. And I was a grownup not a kid The man is a musical God...deserving of so much more credit than he ever received....He brought incredible beauty into my life for which I can never repay him. Thanks Bob for bringing him up, and thank you Al !
Leigh Goldstein
______________________________________
Al comes one zip code (11427) away from me in Hollis Hills Queens (I am Bellerose 11426.).
Love his live CD Soul of A Man
And his song, A Brand New Day.
Some incredible shows at The Bottom line, BB Kings and The Irridium.
Corey B. Bearak, Esq.
______________________________________
Don't forget Al Kooper's 2nd LP " You Never Really Know Who Your Friends Are" ! In my mind the better album of the two.
I got them both at the same time as "cut outs" when I was 12-ish and loved them not even knowing who he was and what he had done at the time. Still hum tunes from 2nd LP, love Al Kooper his attitude his creativity and his musicianship he is the real deal!!
Cheers
Tom Gillam
Austin Texas
______________________________________
Al is legend. How can he not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his contribution to the music
And he launched and produced one of the greatest rock bands of all time - Lynyrd Skynryd. C'mon, Hall! Call Al!
Larry Mollin
______________________________________
Would never have known about (let alone listened to) all the other 'versions' of Toe Hold but for you. Thank you. Al Kooper stands up there with John Lennon and Jerry Garcia as being the foundation for my music journey.
WAYNE R. HALPER, Esq.
______________________________________
Al's ear is still impeccable. In a recent interview he named Sunderland, England's Field Music as the best thing going.
...And they absolutely are. Best brother harmonists since Phil and Don, and song craft that can only be compared to the giants.
Prince was a fan as well.
Dial up their latest, Flat White Moon — it's a masterpiece.
Thanks Al!
Steve Lindstrom
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