Spotify playlist: https://tinyurl.com/2a2kez3e
"Cold Cold Cold"
Little Feat
"Cold Blue Steel"
Joni Mitchell
"Cold Morning Light"
Todd Rundgren
"Cold Gin"
Kiss
"Cold Turkey"
Plastic Ono Band
"Stone Cold"
Rainbow
"Funky Cold Medina"
Tone Loc
"Cold Hard Bitch"
Jet
"Cold One"
Eric Church
"Stone Cold Crazy"
Queen
"Cold Back on Me"
Wendy Waldman
"Cold as Ice"
Foreigner
"She's So Cold"
Rolling Stones
"Cold Day in Hell"
Gary Moore
"Cold Wind"
Spirit
"Come In From the Cold"
Joni Mitchell
"Cold Hearted Man"
AC/DC
"Early Morning Cold Taxi"
The Who
--
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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--
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Saturday, 9 December 2023
Wind Of Change
"The sweetest fragrance, it brings a wind of change"
1
I bought "Rock On" in preparation of seeing Humble Pie at the Fillmore East.
But they were not the headliner, that was Lee Michaels, who is now only known for "Do You Know What I Mean," but before that he was a titan, of both the blues and rock. He had a unique stage show, it was just him and his organ, and a drummer. And it was a thunderous sound. "Barrel" is still one of my favorite albums, it makes me feel warm and connected when I listen to it. There was no hit, even though "What Now America" might have been one. Whereas Humble Pie...
Was a band formed by Steve Marriott and some guy who'd supposedly been a star in England, but we'd never heard of him, the fact that Peter Frampton was in the Herd didn't register.
So the killer on "Rock On" is "Shine On," it's got a great sound, the studio take eclipses Frampton's subsequent live renditions. It's got a power that is just hard to replicate live.
So Humble Pie were pretty good. Little did I know that mere months later that weekend of shows would turn into the album "Rockin' the Fillmore" and the band would become stars.
But this was after Frampton had left. As a matter of fact, Frampton said he was leaving before the tour, but it's his fingers, his playing, that pushed "Rockin' the Fillmore" over the top.
Frampton went solo in an era where we were paying attention, when rock was a movement, with mainstream and sideshow. Jethro Tull was now big as a result of "Aqualung," the fourth Led Zeppelin album, with "Stairway to Heaven," came out at the end of '71.
Oh, I neglected to tell you, that Lee Michaels/Humble Pie show was in June of '71, for context.
Meanwhile, Humble Pie, with the vastly inferior Clem Clempson replacing Frampton, substituting sludge for melody, put out "Smokin'" in March of '72, and Frampton's solo debut, "Wind of Change," didn't even come out until July of '72, when I was doing the college rail trip of Europe. And at the time record stores were pilgrimages, everywhere you went you stopped in, and it was in the bins in London that I saw "Wind of Change."
2
I woke up this morning singing "(I'll Give You) Money" in my head. I have no idea where these songs come from, but it made me think of Frampton's fourth album, the great leap forward after the walk in the woods, the figuring it out of the previous two albums. It's "Frampton" that contains the original "Show Me the Way" and "Baby, I Love Your Way," when Peter was still seen as credible, before he became a teenage idol with the double live album, which was a complete surprise to those of us who'd been following him. However, I must note that at this point my favorite cut from the LP is the opening track on side two, "Nowhere's Too Far (For My Baby)," that change in the middle of the chorus slays me.
So I'm singing "(I'll Give You) Money" in my head and it switches to "Wind of Change." How did that happen? I don't know. But one thing you've got to know is Frampton's solo debut had no impact. Humble Pie was flourishing, and most Americans still had no idea who Peter Frampton was, but that first album...it existed in its own rarefied atmosphere, if you had it you loved it, and I had it.
The opener, "Fig Tree Bay," was an invitation. Mellow, when most albums started off with a rocker, like the Stones, a single.
But it was the second side opener, "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" that creeped up on me. This is not the acoustic number from the live album. That's good, but this is different. The original studio version of "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" is a tour-de-force. It's electric, and it evolves, from the original lyrical beginning to an instrumental second half that would still turn heads today, if anybody still made this kind of music. Then again, the Atlanta Rhythm Section's "Another Man's Woman" never penetrated. Hell, people think that's a soft rock band, when just the opposite is true.
But the title song...
"The sweetest fragrance, it brings a wind of change"
Now this song starts off acoustic, it would fit perfectly on "Frampton Comes Alive," which it ultimately did.
"Take me away, take me away
Faking my way through
Take me away, take me away
Faking my way through"
The track goes from acoustic to electric and back again, something that Zeppelin specialized in. You were suspended in tranquility, and then the afterburners kicked in and you felt the jolt and it felt so good.
"Because all I do is for you"
Obviously Peter was singing about somebody, but at this point we had no idea who it was. But in truth, he was singing for us. A small coterie who'd followed him from Humble Pie, who were interested in where he'd go next. And rather than beating us over the head, like Humble Pie did with "Smokin'," Peter went the opposite way, the road less taken, the one much harder to get people's attention. At this point every burg had an FM rock station, and free format programming had given way to Lee Abrams's consolidation. So this was a great period of album rock, you purchased albums that never got airplay, that were personal, that were yours alone.
And "Wind of Change" never became iconic, so I still own it. When it goes through my head, it's only me. I've got no memories of music television performances. It's a head game, one in which you always emerge victorious.
And the warm glow of success lasts forever.
Spotify playlist: https://tinyurl.com/3s9r48dc
--
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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1
I bought "Rock On" in preparation of seeing Humble Pie at the Fillmore East.
But they were not the headliner, that was Lee Michaels, who is now only known for "Do You Know What I Mean," but before that he was a titan, of both the blues and rock. He had a unique stage show, it was just him and his organ, and a drummer. And it was a thunderous sound. "Barrel" is still one of my favorite albums, it makes me feel warm and connected when I listen to it. There was no hit, even though "What Now America" might have been one. Whereas Humble Pie...
Was a band formed by Steve Marriott and some guy who'd supposedly been a star in England, but we'd never heard of him, the fact that Peter Frampton was in the Herd didn't register.
So the killer on "Rock On" is "Shine On," it's got a great sound, the studio take eclipses Frampton's subsequent live renditions. It's got a power that is just hard to replicate live.
So Humble Pie were pretty good. Little did I know that mere months later that weekend of shows would turn into the album "Rockin' the Fillmore" and the band would become stars.
But this was after Frampton had left. As a matter of fact, Frampton said he was leaving before the tour, but it's his fingers, his playing, that pushed "Rockin' the Fillmore" over the top.
Frampton went solo in an era where we were paying attention, when rock was a movement, with mainstream and sideshow. Jethro Tull was now big as a result of "Aqualung," the fourth Led Zeppelin album, with "Stairway to Heaven," came out at the end of '71.
Oh, I neglected to tell you, that Lee Michaels/Humble Pie show was in June of '71, for context.
Meanwhile, Humble Pie, with the vastly inferior Clem Clempson replacing Frampton, substituting sludge for melody, put out "Smokin'" in March of '72, and Frampton's solo debut, "Wind of Change," didn't even come out until July of '72, when I was doing the college rail trip of Europe. And at the time record stores were pilgrimages, everywhere you went you stopped in, and it was in the bins in London that I saw "Wind of Change."
2
I woke up this morning singing "(I'll Give You) Money" in my head. I have no idea where these songs come from, but it made me think of Frampton's fourth album, the great leap forward after the walk in the woods, the figuring it out of the previous two albums. It's "Frampton" that contains the original "Show Me the Way" and "Baby, I Love Your Way," when Peter was still seen as credible, before he became a teenage idol with the double live album, which was a complete surprise to those of us who'd been following him. However, I must note that at this point my favorite cut from the LP is the opening track on side two, "Nowhere's Too Far (For My Baby)," that change in the middle of the chorus slays me.
So I'm singing "(I'll Give You) Money" in my head and it switches to "Wind of Change." How did that happen? I don't know. But one thing you've got to know is Frampton's solo debut had no impact. Humble Pie was flourishing, and most Americans still had no idea who Peter Frampton was, but that first album...it existed in its own rarefied atmosphere, if you had it you loved it, and I had it.
The opener, "Fig Tree Bay," was an invitation. Mellow, when most albums started off with a rocker, like the Stones, a single.
But it was the second side opener, "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" that creeped up on me. This is not the acoustic number from the live album. That's good, but this is different. The original studio version of "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" is a tour-de-force. It's electric, and it evolves, from the original lyrical beginning to an instrumental second half that would still turn heads today, if anybody still made this kind of music. Then again, the Atlanta Rhythm Section's "Another Man's Woman" never penetrated. Hell, people think that's a soft rock band, when just the opposite is true.
But the title song...
"The sweetest fragrance, it brings a wind of change"
Now this song starts off acoustic, it would fit perfectly on "Frampton Comes Alive," which it ultimately did.
"Take me away, take me away
Faking my way through
Take me away, take me away
Faking my way through"
The track goes from acoustic to electric and back again, something that Zeppelin specialized in. You were suspended in tranquility, and then the afterburners kicked in and you felt the jolt and it felt so good.
"Because all I do is for you"
Obviously Peter was singing about somebody, but at this point we had no idea who it was. But in truth, he was singing for us. A small coterie who'd followed him from Humble Pie, who were interested in where he'd go next. And rather than beating us over the head, like Humble Pie did with "Smokin'," Peter went the opposite way, the road less taken, the one much harder to get people's attention. At this point every burg had an FM rock station, and free format programming had given way to Lee Abrams's consolidation. So this was a great period of album rock, you purchased albums that never got airplay, that were personal, that were yours alone.
And "Wind of Change" never became iconic, so I still own it. When it goes through my head, it's only me. I've got no memories of music television performances. It's a head game, one in which you always emerge victorious.
And the warm glow of success lasts forever.
Spotify playlist: https://tinyurl.com/3s9r48dc
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
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To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Friday, 8 December 2023
Cold Songs-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in Saturday December 9th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
--
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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If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
--
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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Thursday, 7 December 2023
Aspen Live-Day One
It used to be called the Aspen Artist Development Conference. But then file-trading killed record company largesse, and the conference turned into a concert confab.
And all the action is in the show.
So the guest star today was Louis Messina.
You have to know, back in the seventies, there were a coterie of people who read "Billboard." They didn't subscribe, but they bought occasional issues, assuming the newsstand carried it, and read it at the library, because they needed to get closer. They needed to be closer.
I remember being wowed at the success of Humble Pie's "Smokin'," which was not only inferior to the band's previous work, but was nowhere near as good as Frampton's debut, "Wind of Change."
And then came Clive Davis's book. With the red cover. Mana from heaven. There wasn't another music business book this big, this impactful, until "Hit Men" in 1990. Here we got the inside story. "Rolling Stone" was for the consumer, Clive's book had business nuggets, as well as gossip, and then there were "Cashbox" and "Record World." The labels were king, those who ran them were cultural icons. To be able to meet Mo Ostin? Walter Yetnikoff? Even Bhaskar Menon? They were untouchable. The acts came and went, but they maintained.
And then it all fell apart.
Alain Levy was the Merck Mercuriadis of his day. He made offers that could not be refused to Herb and Jerry and Chris Blackwell and suddenly A&M and Island were part of PolyGram. Building a label and selling it? Irving Azoff saw how much money was being made and he jumped from running MCA to starting his own label, Giant, which launched with Seal and "Crazy."
And then it all imploded.
Back to Irving, back to 1994, when Hell Froze Over. Irving priced the Eagles tickets at what they were worth. A hundred bucks. And they all sold. And then everybody started thinking of the possibilities.
Ticketing was no longer regional and inefficient, Fred Rosen came along and built Ticketmaster. Then came the internet and professional scalping, brokers reaping profits heretofore unheard of. Furthermore, you no longer had to know a guy, because these scalped tickets were available to everybody online!
And there are only brokers because the tickets are underpriced. So then there were Platinum tickets. Sit up close and personal, get a tchotchke, meet a band member and pay multiple hundreds. And then it turned out the external elements didn't matter. People were willing to pay hundreds of dollars for guaranteed good seats.
This was a revelation and a revolution. Because antiquated thinkers still thought it was the seventies, that high ticket prices would reflect negatively on the act, undercut their credibility. But MTV changed the business, it was all flash, all the time. Bruce Springsteen might have been a secret in the seventies, but in the eighties, he was everywhere!
Younger generations didn't care what the price was, they just needed to be inside the building. Their only complaint was they couldn't get a ticket. And those on the inside knew and still know that those complaining loudly, gaining attention, are a distinct minority and delusional. They think they should be allowed to sit in the front row for fifty bucks. What next, a Mercedes-Benz for 15k?
And now there were only three major label groups. And unlike in the past, they didn't build talent, they poached it off the internet. Furthermore, they only signed that which was easy to sell. Like the movie studios and comic book movies. There's a whole slice of the public, a huge slice, that won't go to a Marvel movie, have never even seen one. The studios stopped serving this audience and lost control to the streamers, i.e., Netflix. And funnily enough, it's the same people who go to Marvel movies who listen to the Spotify Top 50. So now the interesting action is in the independent sphere. Live music is burgeoning. Record labels are moribund.
And the promoter is king.
However, the promoters started being rolled up in 1996. So we end up with a few titans. Michael Rapino. Jay Marciano.
And Louis Messina.
You probably don't know who that is. Well, maybe you do, but most people do not. What was the biggest story of the summer? Taylor Swift's Eras tour. And Louis Messina is the promoter.
And not only Taylor Swift, but George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, the Lumineers, the list goes on. Who is this person and how did he do this?
Well, concert promotion is very different from the record business. The turning point in the record business came a bit over fifty years ago, when Atlantic and Elektra became part of Warner. Suddenly, it was all corporate.
But in the concert business? It was still renegade.
And hard to get into. Because it was a license to go broke. You guaranteed the act money and then you had to sell the tickets, and sometimes you did not.
And those who survived... Are business-savvy in a way you cannot fathom. They're street smart in a way that Lucian Grainge is not. Certainly not Rob Stringer. And Robert Kyncl at Warner? He came from the visual side of entertainment, tech, he's not down and dirty.
And all the promoters are. When it's your money...
And concert promoters never retire. They gain all this wisdom, and they use this knowledge and their wiles to get business, to do business.
Louis Messina has been around forever. He was responsible for Texxas Jam.
This was a thing way back when. After Woodstock, when it was almost impossible to do a festival. Promoters would find an established location, maybe a racetrack, and do a show there. There was California Jam... But this was before people traveled for shows, you could only dream, you felt left out.
And you always wanted to get closer. You needed to get closer.
So once you get into Louis's force field, you're done. Because Louis doesn't sit at home in the office, he goes on the road. So when Ed Sheeran opened for Taylor Swift, Louis sat in the front of the bus talking to Ed and...
Soon Louis was Ed's promoter too.
It's a weird combo of personality and skill. And it's based on experience. A teen can't do it, nor can a twentysomething. You need the miles, the dead ends, you may not get a degree from a university, but your experience is even more valuable.
These promoters are square pegs who can't fit into a round hole. You can't learn how to do what they do, because they're unique characters, they're stars. They need to do it their way, not the man's way. And isn't that the essence of art?
So Louis is sitting on the riser and unlike every other successful person he's not denigrating himself, rather he's owning his status and power.
And you could feel it. This strange charisma.
This is what the record label titans used to have, used to deliver.
Now you get it in the touring business.
These are today's icons. These are the people those who need to be in the business want to get closer to. These are the people who make the show happen.
And now it's all about the show, a unique experience you can't get anywhere else.
Who are these people who put on the show, who risk all that money to create an extravaganza?
They're magicians, and we're dying to know the trick.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
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To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
And all the action is in the show.
So the guest star today was Louis Messina.
You have to know, back in the seventies, there were a coterie of people who read "Billboard." They didn't subscribe, but they bought occasional issues, assuming the newsstand carried it, and read it at the library, because they needed to get closer. They needed to be closer.
I remember being wowed at the success of Humble Pie's "Smokin'," which was not only inferior to the band's previous work, but was nowhere near as good as Frampton's debut, "Wind of Change."
And then came Clive Davis's book. With the red cover. Mana from heaven. There wasn't another music business book this big, this impactful, until "Hit Men" in 1990. Here we got the inside story. "Rolling Stone" was for the consumer, Clive's book had business nuggets, as well as gossip, and then there were "Cashbox" and "Record World." The labels were king, those who ran them were cultural icons. To be able to meet Mo Ostin? Walter Yetnikoff? Even Bhaskar Menon? They were untouchable. The acts came and went, but they maintained.
And then it all fell apart.
Alain Levy was the Merck Mercuriadis of his day. He made offers that could not be refused to Herb and Jerry and Chris Blackwell and suddenly A&M and Island were part of PolyGram. Building a label and selling it? Irving Azoff saw how much money was being made and he jumped from running MCA to starting his own label, Giant, which launched with Seal and "Crazy."
And then it all imploded.
Back to Irving, back to 1994, when Hell Froze Over. Irving priced the Eagles tickets at what they were worth. A hundred bucks. And they all sold. And then everybody started thinking of the possibilities.
Ticketing was no longer regional and inefficient, Fred Rosen came along and built Ticketmaster. Then came the internet and professional scalping, brokers reaping profits heretofore unheard of. Furthermore, you no longer had to know a guy, because these scalped tickets were available to everybody online!
And there are only brokers because the tickets are underpriced. So then there were Platinum tickets. Sit up close and personal, get a tchotchke, meet a band member and pay multiple hundreds. And then it turned out the external elements didn't matter. People were willing to pay hundreds of dollars for guaranteed good seats.
This was a revelation and a revolution. Because antiquated thinkers still thought it was the seventies, that high ticket prices would reflect negatively on the act, undercut their credibility. But MTV changed the business, it was all flash, all the time. Bruce Springsteen might have been a secret in the seventies, but in the eighties, he was everywhere!
Younger generations didn't care what the price was, they just needed to be inside the building. Their only complaint was they couldn't get a ticket. And those on the inside knew and still know that those complaining loudly, gaining attention, are a distinct minority and delusional. They think they should be allowed to sit in the front row for fifty bucks. What next, a Mercedes-Benz for 15k?
And now there were only three major label groups. And unlike in the past, they didn't build talent, they poached it off the internet. Furthermore, they only signed that which was easy to sell. Like the movie studios and comic book movies. There's a whole slice of the public, a huge slice, that won't go to a Marvel movie, have never even seen one. The studios stopped serving this audience and lost control to the streamers, i.e., Netflix. And funnily enough, it's the same people who go to Marvel movies who listen to the Spotify Top 50. So now the interesting action is in the independent sphere. Live music is burgeoning. Record labels are moribund.
And the promoter is king.
However, the promoters started being rolled up in 1996. So we end up with a few titans. Michael Rapino. Jay Marciano.
And Louis Messina.
You probably don't know who that is. Well, maybe you do, but most people do not. What was the biggest story of the summer? Taylor Swift's Eras tour. And Louis Messina is the promoter.
And not only Taylor Swift, but George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, the Lumineers, the list goes on. Who is this person and how did he do this?
Well, concert promotion is very different from the record business. The turning point in the record business came a bit over fifty years ago, when Atlantic and Elektra became part of Warner. Suddenly, it was all corporate.
But in the concert business? It was still renegade.
And hard to get into. Because it was a license to go broke. You guaranteed the act money and then you had to sell the tickets, and sometimes you did not.
And those who survived... Are business-savvy in a way you cannot fathom. They're street smart in a way that Lucian Grainge is not. Certainly not Rob Stringer. And Robert Kyncl at Warner? He came from the visual side of entertainment, tech, he's not down and dirty.
And all the promoters are. When it's your money...
And concert promoters never retire. They gain all this wisdom, and they use this knowledge and their wiles to get business, to do business.
Louis Messina has been around forever. He was responsible for Texxas Jam.
This was a thing way back when. After Woodstock, when it was almost impossible to do a festival. Promoters would find an established location, maybe a racetrack, and do a show there. There was California Jam... But this was before people traveled for shows, you could only dream, you felt left out.
And you always wanted to get closer. You needed to get closer.
So once you get into Louis's force field, you're done. Because Louis doesn't sit at home in the office, he goes on the road. So when Ed Sheeran opened for Taylor Swift, Louis sat in the front of the bus talking to Ed and...
Soon Louis was Ed's promoter too.
It's a weird combo of personality and skill. And it's based on experience. A teen can't do it, nor can a twentysomething. You need the miles, the dead ends, you may not get a degree from a university, but your experience is even more valuable.
These promoters are square pegs who can't fit into a round hole. You can't learn how to do what they do, because they're unique characters, they're stars. They need to do it their way, not the man's way. And isn't that the essence of art?
So Louis is sitting on the riser and unlike every other successful person he's not denigrating himself, rather he's owning his status and power.
And you could feel it. This strange charisma.
This is what the record label titans used to have, used to deliver.
Now you get it in the touring business.
These are today's icons. These are the people those who need to be in the business want to get closer to. These are the people who make the show happen.
And now it's all about the show, a unique experience you can't get anywhere else.
Who are these people who put on the show, who risk all that money to create an extravaganza?
They're magicians, and we're dying to know the trick.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Ursus Magana & Raf Luzy-This Week's Podcast
Ursus Magana and Raf Luzy are two of the three principals at 25/7 Media, which represents 58 acts and has 27 employees. Ursus was profiled in the "Wired" article entitled: "Watch This Guy Work, and You'll Finally Understand the TikTok Era." These two are experts in social media, in breaking acts, you'll want to listen, definitely.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/ursus-magana-and-raf-luzy-133651578/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ursus-magana-and-raf-luzy/id1316200737?i=1000637796893
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZU6TFeoBGuO98SoPlHjSw?si=nE4DEOe7Tu6clv41QlI_RA
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/07bf4689-8ad5-4f74-b265-89ece6698294/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-ursus-magana-and-raf-luzy
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Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
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Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/ursus-magana-and-raf-luzy-133651578/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ursus-magana-and-raf-luzy/id1316200737?i=1000637796893
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZU6TFeoBGuO98SoPlHjSw?si=nE4DEOe7Tu6clv41QlI_RA
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/07bf4689-8ad5-4f74-b265-89ece6698294/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-ursus-magana-and-raf-luzy
--
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, 6 December 2023
P.S.
I've walked more today than I do in a week.
I used to park and walk to my shrink, but he gave up his office and went virtual. And so many other docs give you the option today. And the problem is, I'm using all the time I save.
Driving to, parking and walking, they chewed up a lot of time but I didn't think twice about it. Actually, I'm one of the few people who doesn't bitch about traffic in L.A. It goes with the territory, time to listen to SXM. But now that I go out less frequently sometimes it pisses me off. Not so much the driving, but the traffic. I mean why is the 405 backed up to stopping at 11 A.M? Well, just before I got to my exit I saw these giant flashing arrows, and when I pulled up close it was three DOT trucks, they were crawling along as men picked up debris in front of them, not that I could see any garbage. Can't they do this at night?
Not that I don't exercise. I go out hiking in the mountains four nights a week. But the occasional mindless stroll, GONE!
So it turns out the soup place I've been going to for years is being remodeled. And searching for another place for a quick bite...we didn't find one. Quick-bite places can no longer afford the rent. You see stores in Aspen are loss leaders, flagships, they don't care if they lose dough.
And we ended up at the J-Bar, in the Jerome Hotel, where Hunter Thompson used to hang out, not that I ever saw him there. And we each had chicken noodle soup, bowls. Nothing else. Well, water, but they don't charge for that. Final bill? SEVENTY BUCKS! Now I am in Aspen, but...
That's another thing I've missed being inside, the inflation at restaurants. I noticed my grocery bill going up a hundred bucks, and I've been reading about inflation, and today it hit. And I know it's not Biden's fault, and I know interest rates may drop precipitously before November, but still...it doesn't feel right. And those who profited during the run-up of the Covid years, of the last few decades...the price doesn't matter. Truly. They may debate flying private, but gasoline, food, all the basics, it's chump change. So they tell us to believe in Bidenomics, but the average person doesn't see it. How can Biden and the Dems be so out of touch? Got to give Trump credit, he's speaking to the downtrodden, many of whom used to be Democrats, when that was the blue collar party.
So one of the thrills of coming to Aspen in December was checking out all the new equipment. But online has obviated that. You now know about the new equipment in January, during the ski show for retailers. And there are so many brands and models no one stocks everything, so you can actually learn more on the internet.
As for the clothing... Not that I was in the market for anything, but I couldn't find anything that appealed to me, that tickled my fancy. It seems that style is out and functionality is in. Skiwear is taking the lead of snowboard gear, and for a while there they diverged.
And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I now prefer Vail, the town. Aspen was original, Vail was purpose-built. As in there was no town, and they put up an ersatz Swiss village. But being ersatz, you don't expect authenticity, which is what Aspen used to deliver, but that was back in the seventies, when skiing was still hot and middle class people saw it as an option. In fact, skiing is less expensive than it's ever been, but the perception is it's expensive, so it's not growing. And because of the Sierra Club you can't build new ski areas, so those resorts that do exist are getting more crowded and...
I did see the Van Deer stuff in Gorsuch. Billy told me he'd ordered it, but he wasn't sure it would be shipped.
You see the ski business has gone virtual. People buy their equipment online, which is normally a mistake. Not only do you forgo the advice, you forgo the fit. Boots need to be fitted, you need to pay retail. And your skis need to be mounted, why not have a relationship with the shop that's going to do this for you? Because if you do, they'll take care of you, throw deals your way. Billy may charge me retail, but the service is unbelievable. And he doesn't charge for demo skis and little repairs, like pole baskets, so in the end I pay no more than those chiseling online, and get first class advice and service.
Then again, service is going out the window. Been to a department store? No wonder there are so many flash robberies, there's no one there.
And the right equipment makes all the difference, but you can't convince anybody to change their mind about anything these days, everybody's an expert, everybody knows better. But in truth there's an expert in every field and I like to find them, pays dividends. Whether it be Billy at Gorsuch or my doctor or my mechanic. Then again, I get so much satisfaction from things running right, perfectly.
As for those Van Deers... They're the personal brand of Marcel Hirscher, one of the top five racers ever. He retired after winning eight overall titles in twelve years. He's the second most winning male ski racer of all time, with 67 wins, second only to Stenmark's 86. And, of course, the true record holder in wins is Mikaela Shiffrin, with 90, and she's still racing.
Hirscher was sponsored by Red Bull. Many elite athletes are, and Red Bull pays a lot of dividends, with training, etc. And Red Bull helped fund Hirscher's ski company, the aforementioned Van Deer. And you can only get the boards at Gorsuch. This is how you compete with the internet, only sell stuff that can't be bought online. And Van Deer is making World Cup skis and now recreational skis and you probably don't care, but I do.
And I guess that's the point, I care so much.
A little bit makes all the difference, adds to the enjoyment, results in victory, just ask Red Bull's F1 team.
So it's gray. At this time of the year the sun falls behind the mountains very early. And Friday it's supposed to dump.
And it's a long way from Los Angeles.
Well, it used to be longer, before the internet, before mobile phones, before cheap airfare, used to be exotic to be somewhere else, to travel. No longer, but I'm here. Where I first came in 1970, where my father relayed untold stories on the old half hour lift at Highlands in 1979. I've got a lot of memories. I was there when it all blew up.
But now it's going to blow past me. It'll be inherited by people who think high speed lifts are de rigueur, who see skiing as an elite sport.
It's everybody's loss.
Because when you're outside, in the cold, you feel so alive.
But maybe that's just the New England upbringing in me. A cold snowy day, HEAVEN!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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I used to park and walk to my shrink, but he gave up his office and went virtual. And so many other docs give you the option today. And the problem is, I'm using all the time I save.
Driving to, parking and walking, they chewed up a lot of time but I didn't think twice about it. Actually, I'm one of the few people who doesn't bitch about traffic in L.A. It goes with the territory, time to listen to SXM. But now that I go out less frequently sometimes it pisses me off. Not so much the driving, but the traffic. I mean why is the 405 backed up to stopping at 11 A.M? Well, just before I got to my exit I saw these giant flashing arrows, and when I pulled up close it was three DOT trucks, they were crawling along as men picked up debris in front of them, not that I could see any garbage. Can't they do this at night?
Not that I don't exercise. I go out hiking in the mountains four nights a week. But the occasional mindless stroll, GONE!
So it turns out the soup place I've been going to for years is being remodeled. And searching for another place for a quick bite...we didn't find one. Quick-bite places can no longer afford the rent. You see stores in Aspen are loss leaders, flagships, they don't care if they lose dough.
And we ended up at the J-Bar, in the Jerome Hotel, where Hunter Thompson used to hang out, not that I ever saw him there. And we each had chicken noodle soup, bowls. Nothing else. Well, water, but they don't charge for that. Final bill? SEVENTY BUCKS! Now I am in Aspen, but...
That's another thing I've missed being inside, the inflation at restaurants. I noticed my grocery bill going up a hundred bucks, and I've been reading about inflation, and today it hit. And I know it's not Biden's fault, and I know interest rates may drop precipitously before November, but still...it doesn't feel right. And those who profited during the run-up of the Covid years, of the last few decades...the price doesn't matter. Truly. They may debate flying private, but gasoline, food, all the basics, it's chump change. So they tell us to believe in Bidenomics, but the average person doesn't see it. How can Biden and the Dems be so out of touch? Got to give Trump credit, he's speaking to the downtrodden, many of whom used to be Democrats, when that was the blue collar party.
So one of the thrills of coming to Aspen in December was checking out all the new equipment. But online has obviated that. You now know about the new equipment in January, during the ski show for retailers. And there are so many brands and models no one stocks everything, so you can actually learn more on the internet.
As for the clothing... Not that I was in the market for anything, but I couldn't find anything that appealed to me, that tickled my fancy. It seems that style is out and functionality is in. Skiwear is taking the lead of snowboard gear, and for a while there they diverged.
And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I now prefer Vail, the town. Aspen was original, Vail was purpose-built. As in there was no town, and they put up an ersatz Swiss village. But being ersatz, you don't expect authenticity, which is what Aspen used to deliver, but that was back in the seventies, when skiing was still hot and middle class people saw it as an option. In fact, skiing is less expensive than it's ever been, but the perception is it's expensive, so it's not growing. And because of the Sierra Club you can't build new ski areas, so those resorts that do exist are getting more crowded and...
I did see the Van Deer stuff in Gorsuch. Billy told me he'd ordered it, but he wasn't sure it would be shipped.
You see the ski business has gone virtual. People buy their equipment online, which is normally a mistake. Not only do you forgo the advice, you forgo the fit. Boots need to be fitted, you need to pay retail. And your skis need to be mounted, why not have a relationship with the shop that's going to do this for you? Because if you do, they'll take care of you, throw deals your way. Billy may charge me retail, but the service is unbelievable. And he doesn't charge for demo skis and little repairs, like pole baskets, so in the end I pay no more than those chiseling online, and get first class advice and service.
Then again, service is going out the window. Been to a department store? No wonder there are so many flash robberies, there's no one there.
And the right equipment makes all the difference, but you can't convince anybody to change their mind about anything these days, everybody's an expert, everybody knows better. But in truth there's an expert in every field and I like to find them, pays dividends. Whether it be Billy at Gorsuch or my doctor or my mechanic. Then again, I get so much satisfaction from things running right, perfectly.
As for those Van Deers... They're the personal brand of Marcel Hirscher, one of the top five racers ever. He retired after winning eight overall titles in twelve years. He's the second most winning male ski racer of all time, with 67 wins, second only to Stenmark's 86. And, of course, the true record holder in wins is Mikaela Shiffrin, with 90, and she's still racing.
Hirscher was sponsored by Red Bull. Many elite athletes are, and Red Bull pays a lot of dividends, with training, etc. And Red Bull helped fund Hirscher's ski company, the aforementioned Van Deer. And you can only get the boards at Gorsuch. This is how you compete with the internet, only sell stuff that can't be bought online. And Van Deer is making World Cup skis and now recreational skis and you probably don't care, but I do.
And I guess that's the point, I care so much.
A little bit makes all the difference, adds to the enjoyment, results in victory, just ask Red Bull's F1 team.
So it's gray. At this time of the year the sun falls behind the mountains very early. And Friday it's supposed to dump.
And it's a long way from Los Angeles.
Well, it used to be longer, before the internet, before mobile phones, before cheap airfare, used to be exotic to be somewhere else, to travel. No longer, but I'm here. Where I first came in 1970, where my father relayed untold stories on the old half hour lift at Highlands in 1979. I've got a lot of memories. I was there when it all blew up.
But now it's going to blow past me. It'll be inherited by people who think high speed lifts are de rigueur, who see skiing as an elite sport.
It's everybody's loss.
Because when you're outside, in the cold, you feel so alive.
But maybe that's just the New England upbringing in me. A cold snowy day, HEAVEN!
--
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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Aspen
I've been without people for too long.
Have you noticed it's different since Covid? That nothing ever picked up the same? It used to be a floating party, at least in L.A. There were lunches and gigs and events and you'd run into people... I won't say it was just like high school, but you felt a part of something.
And that's done. Will it ever revive? Not the same way.
I was locked up for two and a half years because of immunity issues. My debut was a year ago. But I'd be lying if I told you I felt fully integrated. At first I'd wear my mask, there were places I wouldn't go. And I skipped Cat Power at the Troubadour recently because it seemed like a Covid incubator. I've spent a year letting my hair down, gradually not wearing a mask, going to restaurants, and...
I get to the gate and Jamie and Diarmuid are wearing masks. That was surprising, they're both so active and social. Diarmuid actually told me he got Covid recently in NYC. And he had it once before. Whereas I haven't had it at all, nor has Felice.
And Diarmuid said it was two days of being extremely tired, and then he was okay. I'm prepared, I've got the Paxlovid. Oh no, you tell me not to take it, that I'll be prone to a rebound. But I'm trusting my doctor. And I'm thinking it's inevitable, just a matter of when I get Covid.
But I've given up precautions. Not absolutely completely, I'm reserving judgment, it's just that I got too far from reality, I was too outside, and I still feel so. And my hematologist told me I was still immune-suppressed, and I doubt the last Covid shot and the flu shot even worked, they don't if you get Rituxan, like I do, for my pemphigus... Yes, I'm old and talking about my health issues. It's just a matter of time. But I'm still here. And I'm at the age where you want to fight to still be here. Give yourself the best odds. Don't smoke, go to the cardiologist...you can't fight genes, but there is so much you can fight.
But I can't live in a bubble anymore.
It's not like I'm isolated. People are looking for me all day long. I worked all day Friday of Thanksgiving, I have a radio show on Saturdays, and I'm not complaining, but have things changed permanently, is this the new normal, or do I need to fight to be included.
Being 70 is weird. Yes, that's how old I am. I could chop off ten or fifteen years like most people in entertainment, but what's the point. You get to a certain age and you don't care what other people think. As for their perception... These are the same people who think the game is the same, when it's completely changed.
Diarmuid represents Josh Groban, he's doing Broadway.
Jamie works at Nederlander.
The concert business, it's flourishing. But it's weird, if you're my friend I'll definitely come. If I have a hankering to see the act I'll show up. But there are some acts I saw when they were happening, maybe multiple times, and then on the comeback tour and then thereafter...and they're not getting better, and it's too often nostalgia, and the acts act like they're in their thirties when the audience has white hair and...
The truth is there are many young acts. But it's not the same. The best ones don't fly on the major league radar screen. Or bubble under. The names you see in the Spotify Top 50? Tend not to be interesting. It's the popular music of the younger generation, now labeled "Alpha," but we've seen the movie, we know that there's so much more. We were exposed to Bobby Rydell, Fabian, we knew what a revolution the Beatles were.
There's nothing better than a great song. But the experience is visceral. You can't force it. If you don't like it soon, you probably never will. Sure, there's stuff we hear again and again that we ultimately cotton to, but that's nothing like dropping the needle on "Let It Bleed" the day it came out and hearing "Gimmie Shelter" for the first time, with that eerie sound. "War, children, it's just a shot away." They used to shoot politicians, now they shoot the hoi polloi. I fired up my computer and saw there was a mass shooting in Vegas. We expect them now, they're de rigueur, and that's sad. Kinda like Trump's pronouncements. Our driver told us Trump said he would be a dictator for one day. In the past I'd get incensed. Now, this stuff flows over the transom every damn day.
And I read an interesting piece in the "Wall Street Journal" on the plane:
"From Which River to Which Sea - College students don't know, yet they agree with the slogan": https://tinyurl.com/ycymmb4s
That's a free link. You should read it. The writer commissioned a poll, turns out most people have no idea what is going on in the Middle East, and after hearing the facts, which aren't that complicated, they're suddenly pro-Israel, they understand it.
And I was reading the news earlier which talked about the battle in the South of Gaza. And I winced over the citizens in harm's way. Then I thought how this was an actual war, as in Hamas is fighting back, and they've been doing so for two months. What is the alternative, leave Hamas in place?
You can sign off now, people always do when I don't take the Palestinians' side, don't call for an immediate ceasefire.
And then there's the article in the "Times":
"Oakland Educators Plan Unauthorized Teach-in Supporting Palestinians - The district opposes the event, and some Jewish groups raised concerns about what they saw as bias": https://tinyurl.com/4z286dpz
That too is a free link. And I'm not against people learning about the plight of the Palestinians, but:
"A coloring book for elementary students features a Palestinian character who says, 'A group of bullies called Zionists wanted our land so they stole it by force and hurt many people.'"
And if that doesn't scare you, you probably believe in from the river to the sea, as in Israel has no right to exist.
And that is the story of the day. Politics. National and worldwide. If Trump is elected does that mean the end of democracy? I'm reading Heather Cox Richardson's book about authoritarianism...this didn't happen overnight, it's been building for decades, actually longer.
So there's a lot at stake.
And I'm watching a TV series so bizarre I can't turn it off. Not much happens, but it's so weird and creepy I'm riveted to the screen. It's "The OA," the predecessor to "A Murder at the End of the World."
What's that aphorism, "may you live in interesting times"?
That's certainly true.
And we all want diversion, ergo concert attendance, TV watching, but the bigger issues have never been bigger in my lifetime. As for antisemitism... I've lived a full life, if they get me...I ain't gonna hide my Jewishness.
So there are four mountains in Aspen. There is excellent skiing. Ajax and Baldy at Sun Valley are two of, if not the best two, raw mountains in America. But there ain't that much snow. There was all that hogwash about El Niño, I stopped paying attention to that dreck years ago.
And I hope you have something to live for, something that keeps you going, for me that's skiing.
Although I saw a very interesting TikTok last night. The person said their college professor told them if someone is educated and smart they don't need external toys, because they can play inside their head forever.
Pretty fascinating.
Don't be who people want you to be.
We're looking for authenticity, the real you.
I'm being the real me.
--
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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Have you noticed it's different since Covid? That nothing ever picked up the same? It used to be a floating party, at least in L.A. There were lunches and gigs and events and you'd run into people... I won't say it was just like high school, but you felt a part of something.
And that's done. Will it ever revive? Not the same way.
I was locked up for two and a half years because of immunity issues. My debut was a year ago. But I'd be lying if I told you I felt fully integrated. At first I'd wear my mask, there were places I wouldn't go. And I skipped Cat Power at the Troubadour recently because it seemed like a Covid incubator. I've spent a year letting my hair down, gradually not wearing a mask, going to restaurants, and...
I get to the gate and Jamie and Diarmuid are wearing masks. That was surprising, they're both so active and social. Diarmuid actually told me he got Covid recently in NYC. And he had it once before. Whereas I haven't had it at all, nor has Felice.
And Diarmuid said it was two days of being extremely tired, and then he was okay. I'm prepared, I've got the Paxlovid. Oh no, you tell me not to take it, that I'll be prone to a rebound. But I'm trusting my doctor. And I'm thinking it's inevitable, just a matter of when I get Covid.
But I've given up precautions. Not absolutely completely, I'm reserving judgment, it's just that I got too far from reality, I was too outside, and I still feel so. And my hematologist told me I was still immune-suppressed, and I doubt the last Covid shot and the flu shot even worked, they don't if you get Rituxan, like I do, for my pemphigus... Yes, I'm old and talking about my health issues. It's just a matter of time. But I'm still here. And I'm at the age where you want to fight to still be here. Give yourself the best odds. Don't smoke, go to the cardiologist...you can't fight genes, but there is so much you can fight.
But I can't live in a bubble anymore.
It's not like I'm isolated. People are looking for me all day long. I worked all day Friday of Thanksgiving, I have a radio show on Saturdays, and I'm not complaining, but have things changed permanently, is this the new normal, or do I need to fight to be included.
Being 70 is weird. Yes, that's how old I am. I could chop off ten or fifteen years like most people in entertainment, but what's the point. You get to a certain age and you don't care what other people think. As for their perception... These are the same people who think the game is the same, when it's completely changed.
Diarmuid represents Josh Groban, he's doing Broadway.
Jamie works at Nederlander.
The concert business, it's flourishing. But it's weird, if you're my friend I'll definitely come. If I have a hankering to see the act I'll show up. But there are some acts I saw when they were happening, maybe multiple times, and then on the comeback tour and then thereafter...and they're not getting better, and it's too often nostalgia, and the acts act like they're in their thirties when the audience has white hair and...
The truth is there are many young acts. But it's not the same. The best ones don't fly on the major league radar screen. Or bubble under. The names you see in the Spotify Top 50? Tend not to be interesting. It's the popular music of the younger generation, now labeled "Alpha," but we've seen the movie, we know that there's so much more. We were exposed to Bobby Rydell, Fabian, we knew what a revolution the Beatles were.
There's nothing better than a great song. But the experience is visceral. You can't force it. If you don't like it soon, you probably never will. Sure, there's stuff we hear again and again that we ultimately cotton to, but that's nothing like dropping the needle on "Let It Bleed" the day it came out and hearing "Gimmie Shelter" for the first time, with that eerie sound. "War, children, it's just a shot away." They used to shoot politicians, now they shoot the hoi polloi. I fired up my computer and saw there was a mass shooting in Vegas. We expect them now, they're de rigueur, and that's sad. Kinda like Trump's pronouncements. Our driver told us Trump said he would be a dictator for one day. In the past I'd get incensed. Now, this stuff flows over the transom every damn day.
And I read an interesting piece in the "Wall Street Journal" on the plane:
"From Which River to Which Sea - College students don't know, yet they agree with the slogan": https://tinyurl.com/ycymmb4s
That's a free link. You should read it. The writer commissioned a poll, turns out most people have no idea what is going on in the Middle East, and after hearing the facts, which aren't that complicated, they're suddenly pro-Israel, they understand it.
And I was reading the news earlier which talked about the battle in the South of Gaza. And I winced over the citizens in harm's way. Then I thought how this was an actual war, as in Hamas is fighting back, and they've been doing so for two months. What is the alternative, leave Hamas in place?
You can sign off now, people always do when I don't take the Palestinians' side, don't call for an immediate ceasefire.
And then there's the article in the "Times":
"Oakland Educators Plan Unauthorized Teach-in Supporting Palestinians - The district opposes the event, and some Jewish groups raised concerns about what they saw as bias": https://tinyurl.com/4z286dpz
That too is a free link. And I'm not against people learning about the plight of the Palestinians, but:
"A coloring book for elementary students features a Palestinian character who says, 'A group of bullies called Zionists wanted our land so they stole it by force and hurt many people.'"
And if that doesn't scare you, you probably believe in from the river to the sea, as in Israel has no right to exist.
And that is the story of the day. Politics. National and worldwide. If Trump is elected does that mean the end of democracy? I'm reading Heather Cox Richardson's book about authoritarianism...this didn't happen overnight, it's been building for decades, actually longer.
So there's a lot at stake.
And I'm watching a TV series so bizarre I can't turn it off. Not much happens, but it's so weird and creepy I'm riveted to the screen. It's "The OA," the predecessor to "A Murder at the End of the World."
What's that aphorism, "may you live in interesting times"?
That's certainly true.
And we all want diversion, ergo concert attendance, TV watching, but the bigger issues have never been bigger in my lifetime. As for antisemitism... I've lived a full life, if they get me...I ain't gonna hide my Jewishness.
So there are four mountains in Aspen. There is excellent skiing. Ajax and Baldy at Sun Valley are two of, if not the best two, raw mountains in America. But there ain't that much snow. There was all that hogwash about El Niño, I stopped paying attention to that dreck years ago.
And I hope you have something to live for, something that keeps you going, for me that's skiing.
Although I saw a very interesting TikTok last night. The person said their college professor told them if someone is educated and smart they don't need external toys, because they can play inside their head forever.
Pretty fascinating.
Don't be who people want you to be.
We're looking for authenticity, the real you.
I'm being the real me.
--
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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Tuesday, 5 December 2023
Pink Plays Stadiums
You know, in the wake of her recent smash hit...
SHE DOESN'T HAVE ONE!
Let's see, her last big single "Trustfall"... Actually, that's not her last single, there have been some since, but "Trustfall" made it all the way to #82 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. Which means if you're a fan of Top Forty, you didn't hear it.
However, diving a bit deeper, the track did do better in niche formats, it was #15 on AC, #5 on Adult Top 40, #3 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and #20 on Mainstream Top 40. How many charts are there? I don't know, but if you can't make it on one of them, you're not in the business.
Or maybe you are.
Let's see, in 2022... Pink put out two solo singles. One made it all the way to #99 on the Hot 100, the other one didn't even chart at all.
2021? Her one solo single made it to #74.
2020? No solo singles, but one with Keith Urban, which made it all the way up to #52 on the Hot 100, made it to #10 on the Country Airplay chart, but even that ain't so great.
2019? One solo single that made it to #49 on the Hot 100.
2018? Three singles, one made it to #90 and two didn't even chart.
2017? One song at #13.
Pink's last number one solo track was back in 2010, with "Raise Your Glass."
Yes, Pink has done features/duets that have done better, but not all of them.
And yes, there's been airplay in other formats, but...
I've got nothing against Pink, other than the fact that she does that damn acrobatic act every damn show, she's likable. But STADIUMS?
Looking at the above numbers... If it were the past, promoters would be worried about booking her in arenas. Or would proffer a low guarantee, fearful she wouldn't sell out. But today? STADIUMS!
Chances are you haven't even been exposed to Pink's recent music. She got the party started back in 2001, and I'd be stunned if you didn't know that ubiquitous single, which was all over music television. But now music television is dead. Video is on demand online, and if you don't want to see it, you never have to. And the power of terrestrial radio? The brain dead, not the active listener, they're all on streaming services. And it's the active listener who buys concert tickets. And the bottom line is Pink does have enough active listeners to sell stadiums, and that's utterly amazing!
Stadium gigs had their heyday in the seventies. Oh, there were some in the eighties, but no one could sell that many tickets. Except for the Stones, Springsteen at the height of "Born in the U.S.A." Everybody else? It was unfathomable.
And then came the devastation of the internet. Everybody scaled down. The belief was that music was turning into a theatre business, or small arenas. Tickets would sell, and there'd be more acts on the road, but the good old days were gone. But today makes the good old days look like a sideshow!
Hit acts? Stars? They're getting less of the listening audience than ever before. That's right, star plays on streaming services are losing market share. You'd think their business would go down, but just the opposite.
Sure Pink has a long career, but when you think of the stadium acts of yore, do you put her in the same category?
And Kenny Chesney started the modern day stadium paradigm, but he always brings insurance, other hit acts, to sell tickets.
But Pink? She's got Sheryl Crow, who made her bones in the last century, and the well-known acts the Script and KidCutUp. Yes, Pink believes she needs no insurance. Sure, she's got to fill out the bill, but doesn't need anyone else to sell tickets. She can do it all by herself.
Taylor Swift? Biggest tour of the year. How many people actually saw it? Bottom line? Never has an act this big been this small. And she's the biggest one out there!
Morgan Wallen sells out stadiums and he only has a couple of albums. Unheard of in the days of yore.
Welcome to the niche-ification of the music business. Nothing is ubiquitous, you're not competing against everybody else, but yourself. People have the mindshare and the dollars for you, if they're interested. Getting them interested might be a heavy lift, but if you do, they'll lay out dough.
Turns out in a crazy, alienated world, people are more tribal than ever, they need someone to believe in. Ergo Taylor Swift. You might not care, but those who went to the show believe it was a religious experience. You didn't go to the show, didn't see the movie, and are unaware of "Cruel Summer," yet you read the news... Well, who is even reading the news? But if you do, you'd think that Swift was the Stones, when she's not. Nor the Beatles. And I could make a critical judgment of her music, but that's not the point. Swift has a diehard core audience. And it's large, but it's not everybody.
And everybody has the same iPhone, especially amongst the younger demo, Android is a joke in the U.S., because of peer pressure, if nothing else, you don't want to proffer a green bubble. (And if you do you'd better be a techie with a good reason to go Android, because otherwise you're going to be seen as cheap. Yes, your smartphone is more of an indicator of your personality and wealth than your house or car.) But if you go to the show, you can have a unique experience. One that only you can testify about. And no matter how much is on hard drive, the act does speak to the audience, you feel a one to one connection.
And then there's all those PEOPLE! Normally you're glued to your device. You're in contact, but it's all virtual. At the show you have physical contact, it's exciting. And you get to memorialize the event via photos. In the old days, maybe you saved a ticket stub, but even if you tried you often misplaced it. But a photo? It's sitting in the cloud, ready to be shown years down the line, as you wax rhapsodic about the show you went to years before.
The demand is through the roof. Will it sustain? I"m sure there will be ups and downs. And nothing juices the business like new hit acts. But what music provides you can't get anywhere else, nowhere. In a world of similarity, concerts provide unique.
So if you're not number one? Don't let it bother you. No one can reach everybody. The key is to reach somebody. And if you've got a tight bond, they'll come to see you live.
All the old paradigms, poof, they're gone! Yes, you were in the public's mind because of continued radio play, continued video play, but now both of those things... Once again, music is an on demand item. How do you create this demand and sustain it?
That's your job. That's what you need to be doing online. Don't play to the "Times," don't worry about getting on late night TV or "Entertainment Tonight" (is that still on)? Most of what you do won't be seen by many. But those you do reach? They're your army. They're your apostles. They will spread the word if you make them believe enough, if you bond them to you.
Stadiums? The joke is it's 50,000 people in a metropolitan area of millions. It's one baseball game. When the team sells out do they do carthweels in the press, does everybody know about it? No. And baseball lost the plot anyway, it became niche because it couldn't see the future and adjust for it. Following the dollars, it lost the younger generation.
And baseball can survive quite well as a niche endeavor, but you can miss the World Series, have no idea who played, and be quite satisfied.
And if baseball is niche, think about music! The sky's the limit, you too can sell out stadiums, if you play long and hard enough. Sure, Pink had the benefit of all those hits decades ago. But today, if you connect with the audience, your fans have the music at their fingertips, they can drill it into their brains to their heart's content. Everybody knows every word at a Zach Bryan show. Unheard of in the past. Because most people didn't own the records. They knew the hits. But today everybody can go deep.
Do you know any Zach Bryan songs? Probably not. This ain't the music business of yore. It's less about finding your place in the landscape, being aware of what is going on in the rest of the world than focusing on your own little niche, your world.
So are you excited to see Pink in a stadium? Which is a lousy experience, anyway? Probably not. But the point is someone is. Fewer than a million. That's right, Pink is doing 17 cities. So 17 x 50,000 (and not every stadium holds that many) is 850,000. In a country of 331.9 million. A drop in the bucket. But enough to keep Pink flying private.
Think small, because it's really big.
You live in your own vertical. Forget the competition, stay the course.
--
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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--
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SHE DOESN'T HAVE ONE!
Let's see, her last big single "Trustfall"... Actually, that's not her last single, there have been some since, but "Trustfall" made it all the way to #82 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. Which means if you're a fan of Top Forty, you didn't hear it.
However, diving a bit deeper, the track did do better in niche formats, it was #15 on AC, #5 on Adult Top 40, #3 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and #20 on Mainstream Top 40. How many charts are there? I don't know, but if you can't make it on one of them, you're not in the business.
Or maybe you are.
Let's see, in 2022... Pink put out two solo singles. One made it all the way to #99 on the Hot 100, the other one didn't even chart at all.
2021? Her one solo single made it to #74.
2020? No solo singles, but one with Keith Urban, which made it all the way up to #52 on the Hot 100, made it to #10 on the Country Airplay chart, but even that ain't so great.
2019? One solo single that made it to #49 on the Hot 100.
2018? Three singles, one made it to #90 and two didn't even chart.
2017? One song at #13.
Pink's last number one solo track was back in 2010, with "Raise Your Glass."
Yes, Pink has done features/duets that have done better, but not all of them.
And yes, there's been airplay in other formats, but...
I've got nothing against Pink, other than the fact that she does that damn acrobatic act every damn show, she's likable. But STADIUMS?
Looking at the above numbers... If it were the past, promoters would be worried about booking her in arenas. Or would proffer a low guarantee, fearful she wouldn't sell out. But today? STADIUMS!
Chances are you haven't even been exposed to Pink's recent music. She got the party started back in 2001, and I'd be stunned if you didn't know that ubiquitous single, which was all over music television. But now music television is dead. Video is on demand online, and if you don't want to see it, you never have to. And the power of terrestrial radio? The brain dead, not the active listener, they're all on streaming services. And it's the active listener who buys concert tickets. And the bottom line is Pink does have enough active listeners to sell stadiums, and that's utterly amazing!
Stadium gigs had their heyday in the seventies. Oh, there were some in the eighties, but no one could sell that many tickets. Except for the Stones, Springsteen at the height of "Born in the U.S.A." Everybody else? It was unfathomable.
And then came the devastation of the internet. Everybody scaled down. The belief was that music was turning into a theatre business, or small arenas. Tickets would sell, and there'd be more acts on the road, but the good old days were gone. But today makes the good old days look like a sideshow!
Hit acts? Stars? They're getting less of the listening audience than ever before. That's right, star plays on streaming services are losing market share. You'd think their business would go down, but just the opposite.
Sure Pink has a long career, but when you think of the stadium acts of yore, do you put her in the same category?
And Kenny Chesney started the modern day stadium paradigm, but he always brings insurance, other hit acts, to sell tickets.
But Pink? She's got Sheryl Crow, who made her bones in the last century, and the well-known acts the Script and KidCutUp. Yes, Pink believes she needs no insurance. Sure, she's got to fill out the bill, but doesn't need anyone else to sell tickets. She can do it all by herself.
Taylor Swift? Biggest tour of the year. How many people actually saw it? Bottom line? Never has an act this big been this small. And she's the biggest one out there!
Morgan Wallen sells out stadiums and he only has a couple of albums. Unheard of in the days of yore.
Welcome to the niche-ification of the music business. Nothing is ubiquitous, you're not competing against everybody else, but yourself. People have the mindshare and the dollars for you, if they're interested. Getting them interested might be a heavy lift, but if you do, they'll lay out dough.
Turns out in a crazy, alienated world, people are more tribal than ever, they need someone to believe in. Ergo Taylor Swift. You might not care, but those who went to the show believe it was a religious experience. You didn't go to the show, didn't see the movie, and are unaware of "Cruel Summer," yet you read the news... Well, who is even reading the news? But if you do, you'd think that Swift was the Stones, when she's not. Nor the Beatles. And I could make a critical judgment of her music, but that's not the point. Swift has a diehard core audience. And it's large, but it's not everybody.
And everybody has the same iPhone, especially amongst the younger demo, Android is a joke in the U.S., because of peer pressure, if nothing else, you don't want to proffer a green bubble. (And if you do you'd better be a techie with a good reason to go Android, because otherwise you're going to be seen as cheap. Yes, your smartphone is more of an indicator of your personality and wealth than your house or car.) But if you go to the show, you can have a unique experience. One that only you can testify about. And no matter how much is on hard drive, the act does speak to the audience, you feel a one to one connection.
And then there's all those PEOPLE! Normally you're glued to your device. You're in contact, but it's all virtual. At the show you have physical contact, it's exciting. And you get to memorialize the event via photos. In the old days, maybe you saved a ticket stub, but even if you tried you often misplaced it. But a photo? It's sitting in the cloud, ready to be shown years down the line, as you wax rhapsodic about the show you went to years before.
The demand is through the roof. Will it sustain? I"m sure there will be ups and downs. And nothing juices the business like new hit acts. But what music provides you can't get anywhere else, nowhere. In a world of similarity, concerts provide unique.
So if you're not number one? Don't let it bother you. No one can reach everybody. The key is to reach somebody. And if you've got a tight bond, they'll come to see you live.
All the old paradigms, poof, they're gone! Yes, you were in the public's mind because of continued radio play, continued video play, but now both of those things... Once again, music is an on demand item. How do you create this demand and sustain it?
That's your job. That's what you need to be doing online. Don't play to the "Times," don't worry about getting on late night TV or "Entertainment Tonight" (is that still on)? Most of what you do won't be seen by many. But those you do reach? They're your army. They're your apostles. They will spread the word if you make them believe enough, if you bond them to you.
Stadiums? The joke is it's 50,000 people in a metropolitan area of millions. It's one baseball game. When the team sells out do they do carthweels in the press, does everybody know about it? No. And baseball lost the plot anyway, it became niche because it couldn't see the future and adjust for it. Following the dollars, it lost the younger generation.
And baseball can survive quite well as a niche endeavor, but you can miss the World Series, have no idea who played, and be quite satisfied.
And if baseball is niche, think about music! The sky's the limit, you too can sell out stadiums, if you play long and hard enough. Sure, Pink had the benefit of all those hits decades ago. But today, if you connect with the audience, your fans have the music at their fingertips, they can drill it into their brains to their heart's content. Everybody knows every word at a Zach Bryan show. Unheard of in the past. Because most people didn't own the records. They knew the hits. But today everybody can go deep.
Do you know any Zach Bryan songs? Probably not. This ain't the music business of yore. It's less about finding your place in the landscape, being aware of what is going on in the rest of the world than focusing on your own little niche, your world.
So are you excited to see Pink in a stadium? Which is a lousy experience, anyway? Probably not. But the point is someone is. Fewer than a million. That's right, Pink is doing 17 cities. So 17 x 50,000 (and not every stadium holds that many) is 850,000. In a country of 331.9 million. A drop in the bucket. But enough to keep Pink flying private.
Think small, because it's really big.
You live in your own vertical. Forget the competition, stay the course.
--
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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Monday, 4 December 2023
Trail Of The Lost
"Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail": https://tinyurl.com/4h3w5p4f
I was dying to tell you about this but ultimately I found the ending disappointing. Furthermore, the three main cases were scrambled in the pages so sometimes you couldn't keep the players straight. However, I was struck by the dedication of the searchers, they had PURPOSE!
That's more important than money. And although there are some people who find purpose in making money, it's the vast minority. Which is why when you hear the aphorism that money won't make you happy, believe it. Yes, there's nothing worse than being broke. And up to a point extra money eases the pain of life. But we all need something to live for. Or we die.
Yes, the scions of famous people. They've got everything. But they're constantly dying before their time. Like Christina Onassis. You think you want to be her, but in truth you want to be anyone but her. Ditto on the child stars. Everybody knows them until they don't, until they become a joke. And it's not radically different from child and early twentysomething musical acts. Then again, when done right, the music speaks of their life, it delivers insight for the listeners, but when the songs are written by committee and you're just a vessel for someone else's words, ultimately you become laughable yourself. Growing up is hard, which is why so many people refuse to do it. Or, you can take the easy way out, get a job and stick with it and not ask any questions until you retire, gratefully. But a lot of those people live for what happens outside the office, and for that I feel sorry for them. They're playing it safe, and you only get to live once, and you don't want to have any regrets.
And the worst thing about purpose is sometimes it runs out. You're really into something, dedicated to it, and then it ceases being meaningful. This is the curse of the baby boomer in the music industry. They made it, they've got a job, but they keep on doing the same thing over and over. I mean at some point, who cares that some nincompoop is number one, who needs to know the new head of promotion, especially when music has never had less power in my lifetime. I'm not saying the music business is suffering, I'm just saying if you want to know which way the wind blows...the odds of a record being your weather vane are minimal. Or you could convince yourself the records have meaning, when in truth, as Bob Dylan said:
"For them that must obey authority
That they do not respect in any degree
Who despise their jobs, their destinies
Speak jealously of them that are free
Do what they do just to be
Nothing more than something they invest in"
Ain't that the truth. But Bob Dylan doesn't write this stuff anymore. He doesn't spew words. Things have changed. And sometimes it's been interesting and sometimes it hasn't, but the key is Dylan is trying to make it interesting to himself. Otherwise, why live?
Writing about "A Murder at the End of the World" I spaced mentioning something very important, about the hacking.
Yes, there's a group of hackers, and they're working together to try and crack a serial murder case, when the police aren't interested.
Now "hacker" has got a bad connotation. As the person who pierces the corporate veil and steals information. But in truth, if you're computer-savvy, you can use these skills for good, like in "A Murder at the End of the World."
It thrilled me, because these people had purpose. They weren't worried about fame, or remuneration, they were driven by the cause. And when you've got that purpose it's so great to be alive, you can't wait to wake up in the morning, to get in front of the computer.
Now in the wake of Cheryl Strayed's "Wild" the number of people hiking the Pacific Crest Trail has greatly increased. And even though we have so many modern communications methods, there is not cell service everywhere. Then again, if you've got an iPhone 14 or later, you've got the satellite SOS feature.
In other words, you're out there alone.
And I've lived this life, of camping, hiking, being off the grid, so this book had a pull that was bittersweet. But what blew my mind, was all the volunteers looking for the missing.
Droves of people. Sans compensation. You could call on them and they'd show up. They'd offer to show up. They wanted to help. They wanted to find the people, alive or dead, for closure for their relatives. And they take time from their jobs, they put themselves in harm's way, they do everything that is not reported in the slurry of news flowing through our devices 24/7. You might ask why they're doing it, viewing them as chumps, but you're probably the one who is a chump. All your toys, how happy are they making you? And showing up and being in the right place...
You get to drive. You steer. This is your life. And if you want to live a fulfilled existence, you've got to have a purpose, that you pursue to make you feel good on the inside.
And this is so challenging. So many people say they have no idea what to do with their life. They graduate from college and nothing appeals to them. Well, if you start, you'll find it. That's the way life is, you stumble into opportunities you never foresaw. But you must be in motion.
And you must know when to jump the tracks. I'm all for dedication, staying the course, but after a while...is it still ringing your bell?
Like I said above, the ending of "Trail of the Lost" is disappointing. For reasons I won't go into here, not wanting to spoil the book. But it is easy to read and riveting for a long time. A change from formula, whether it be fiction or nonfiction. A change from those books written to sell.
So actually, I'd tell everybody to read half of "A Trail of the Lost," yet that's not the way people consume stuff. But still...
It made me think.
I was dying to tell you about this but ultimately I found the ending disappointing. Furthermore, the three main cases were scrambled in the pages so sometimes you couldn't keep the players straight. However, I was struck by the dedication of the searchers, they had PURPOSE!
That's more important than money. And although there are some people who find purpose in making money, it's the vast minority. Which is why when you hear the aphorism that money won't make you happy, believe it. Yes, there's nothing worse than being broke. And up to a point extra money eases the pain of life. But we all need something to live for. Or we die.
Yes, the scions of famous people. They've got everything. But they're constantly dying before their time. Like Christina Onassis. You think you want to be her, but in truth you want to be anyone but her. Ditto on the child stars. Everybody knows them until they don't, until they become a joke. And it's not radically different from child and early twentysomething musical acts. Then again, when done right, the music speaks of their life, it delivers insight for the listeners, but when the songs are written by committee and you're just a vessel for someone else's words, ultimately you become laughable yourself. Growing up is hard, which is why so many people refuse to do it. Or, you can take the easy way out, get a job and stick with it and not ask any questions until you retire, gratefully. But a lot of those people live for what happens outside the office, and for that I feel sorry for them. They're playing it safe, and you only get to live once, and you don't want to have any regrets.
And the worst thing about purpose is sometimes it runs out. You're really into something, dedicated to it, and then it ceases being meaningful. This is the curse of the baby boomer in the music industry. They made it, they've got a job, but they keep on doing the same thing over and over. I mean at some point, who cares that some nincompoop is number one, who needs to know the new head of promotion, especially when music has never had less power in my lifetime. I'm not saying the music business is suffering, I'm just saying if you want to know which way the wind blows...the odds of a record being your weather vane are minimal. Or you could convince yourself the records have meaning, when in truth, as Bob Dylan said:
"For them that must obey authority
That they do not respect in any degree
Who despise their jobs, their destinies
Speak jealously of them that are free
Do what they do just to be
Nothing more than something they invest in"
Ain't that the truth. But Bob Dylan doesn't write this stuff anymore. He doesn't spew words. Things have changed. And sometimes it's been interesting and sometimes it hasn't, but the key is Dylan is trying to make it interesting to himself. Otherwise, why live?
Writing about "A Murder at the End of the World" I spaced mentioning something very important, about the hacking.
Yes, there's a group of hackers, and they're working together to try and crack a serial murder case, when the police aren't interested.
Now "hacker" has got a bad connotation. As the person who pierces the corporate veil and steals information. But in truth, if you're computer-savvy, you can use these skills for good, like in "A Murder at the End of the World."
It thrilled me, because these people had purpose. They weren't worried about fame, or remuneration, they were driven by the cause. And when you've got that purpose it's so great to be alive, you can't wait to wake up in the morning, to get in front of the computer.
Now in the wake of Cheryl Strayed's "Wild" the number of people hiking the Pacific Crest Trail has greatly increased. And even though we have so many modern communications methods, there is not cell service everywhere. Then again, if you've got an iPhone 14 or later, you've got the satellite SOS feature.
In other words, you're out there alone.
And I've lived this life, of camping, hiking, being off the grid, so this book had a pull that was bittersweet. But what blew my mind, was all the volunteers looking for the missing.
Droves of people. Sans compensation. You could call on them and they'd show up. They'd offer to show up. They wanted to help. They wanted to find the people, alive or dead, for closure for their relatives. And they take time from their jobs, they put themselves in harm's way, they do everything that is not reported in the slurry of news flowing through our devices 24/7. You might ask why they're doing it, viewing them as chumps, but you're probably the one who is a chump. All your toys, how happy are they making you? And showing up and being in the right place...
You get to drive. You steer. This is your life. And if you want to live a fulfilled existence, you've got to have a purpose, that you pursue to make you feel good on the inside.
And this is so challenging. So many people say they have no idea what to do with their life. They graduate from college and nothing appeals to them. Well, if you start, you'll find it. That's the way life is, you stumble into opportunities you never foresaw. But you must be in motion.
And you must know when to jump the tracks. I'm all for dedication, staying the course, but after a while...is it still ringing your bell?
Like I said above, the ending of "Trail of the Lost" is disappointing. For reasons I won't go into here, not wanting to spoil the book. But it is easy to read and riveting for a long time. A change from formula, whether it be fiction or nonfiction. A change from those books written to sell.
So actually, I'd tell everybody to read half of "A Trail of the Lost," yet that's not the way people consume stuff. But still...
It made me think.
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The War
Everybody's lost interest. It's fallen down the charts. The audience has moved on. If this were a band, the pause in fighting would be perceived as a career misstep, a loss in momentum, something hard to recover from.
You've got to agree that Taylor Swift knows how to fight a war. During a pause in the action, with the tour down, she got involved with Travis Kelce. And that death in Brazil, tragic, but it allowed Swift to show compassion. And why isn't there a call for cancellation of shows and festivals during heat waves? Oh, that's right, money talks and we're the living proof, the show must go on!
Kinda like in the wake of the Travis Scott tragedy. He's back on the road. Supposedly not doing such great business, but that has not dripped into the fawning press coverage, writers have no clue, Travis has been rehabilitated, being contrite, right before our eyes.
People just don't have the bandwidth, the attention span. Come on, think about Ukraine during another winter? This is just too long, like those three and four hour movies indulgent directors are serving us. Can't we at least have a bathroom break? No, because this is the way the director wants people to see it, damn your bladder.
And I'm not saying the rabid young left has changed its take, but the "Times" poll said that people are coming to Israel's side, as in Hamas were bad actors, butchers, on 10/7. In other words, the anti-Israel faction is smaller than we think, although very vocal.
But these anti-Israel voices were silenced by people standing up, or at least impacted by people taking a stand, exactly what musicians refuse to do, they're scared. Stay silent, that's what their handlers say. Well, the handlers don't sport their monikers, and if they were so bright, why don't they make the music?
The message has seeped out. Hamas are evildoers. And you can be queer in America, bud dead in Gaza. You look stupid if you defend Hamas. And no one likes to look stupid, especially when no one is paying attention.
Of course I'm overstating here, but the fatigue is palpable, the American public needs something new. The Palestinians are never giving up, from the river to the sea, baby. They're going to fight to the death, they're already dying, because those damn Jews have got to go.
But the Jews, um, the Israelis, we know they're different, but in truth antisemitism runs wild, don't care about their image, they know they're in a fight for their survival as a people, as a nation. They're not going to listen to anybody tell them to cool it, because no one ever listens to them. But Bibi is bad, atrocious. True, but you don't change horses in midstream. And have we looked at ourselves recently, on the verge of authoritarianism? America used to be the model for the world, now a good chunk of the country wants to secede, shut the doors, put a curtain around America, after all we need no one else. Enough with supporting these countries we can't place on a map. I'm sick of paying taxes for something that does not affect me. As for holding back Putin, he's a good guy, that's what Trump says, he's just misunderstood.
But this is untrue, you say! Doesn't matter. Truth is irrelevant. It's emotions all the time. And our emotions say that the intelligent have screwed the underclass. And the underclass are willing to burn it all down to teach them a lesson. Kinda an analogy to Hamas, don't you think? Yes, the fat cat Republicans are like Lebanon and Egypt and the rest of the Arab countries cheering on the Palestinians, but in truth they want nothing to do with them, they won't let them migrate across their borders. Keep those taxes on the rich low, the benefits are going to trickle down, I tell you!
In the modern world keeping a story alive is nearly impossible. Trump understands this. This doofus is tweeting, making news, staying in touch with his audience nearly 24/7. And they love it! He's feeding them fodder, they're rabid. He's their hero in a world where there's very little to believe in.
And the opponents? What a joke. They tell us to trust them. But we don't trust anybody. And there is a secret police, who come out and stab you if you say anything anti-Biden. He's visibly too old, he's factually too old, and what do they tell us? Look at Trump's age! But then we'll say everybody ages differently, isn't that what you told us?
And people can't even understand this. They'll think I'm pro-Trump. Because people are no longer educated to think, but to make money. Hell, I'd rather have AI make decisions than those educated in untruths in substandard schools.
Everything is up for grabs, so you're focused on yourself, preserving what you've got. Who's got time to think about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? Things aren't so good in your own life, right in front of you.
Hamas was Billie Eilish. Building her career when no one knew who she was. Eilish didn't come out of nowhere, nor did BDS, Interscope and management developed Billie Eilish and the Palestinians developed BDS, it just didn't appear spontaneously. And did you see that Billie likes women? Well, dig deep and I'm not sure that's true, at least sexually, but the headline implies it.
The headlines, conventional wisdom, tell us the Israelis, the Jews, are rich, smart and invulnerable. People are stunned that they missed the intelligence. But this just shows that they thought Israel and the IDF and the Mossad were all mighty. Based on the past. Things change. But those damn Jews, we know they're the problem, people have been told that their whole lives. They're here to replace us. They spread Tucker Carlson's word in Charlottesville, Elon Musk endorsed the generational trope, and they're trying to blackmail X, didn't you hear?
Yes, just like Israel is guilty of colonization and genocide. Even though neither applies. How can you have truth when people don't even know the definition of words?
And how can you believe in equity when Florida State is denied a slot in the playoffs. They were robbed, just like Lewis Hamilton in 2021, the system, men, not the sport, denied them their place. But life goes on. You've just go to eat it.
Can't they end that damn Israel/Hamas war? Can't everybody just get along?
Well, I guess not. You're not out protesting for Black Lives Mattering anymore and after all the brouhaha not much changed, which the Blacks will tell you happens again and again, but they're equal and not entitled to voting protection and gerrymandering is a right, not a privilege. And if you don't have power, STFU.
Everybody feels powerless, everybody needs a cause. Swift? Trump? They're easy to glom on to. They're American, they're constantly making news, they're worried about career management. Israel and Hamas? Man, that's far away. But the war is more intense now than ever! Aren't you worried about all the Palestinians who are getting killed? Yeah, I am, but man the airport is overcrowded and I'm thinking about my vacation and gas costs a fortune. But it went down! If a Mercedes-Benz goes down by 10k can most people afford it? Still no. Yet the people driving these Suburbans behind tinted windows, they don't care about the price of gas, it's a drop in the bucket. They're not struggling. And they too are sick of paying taxes. The rich know better, about everything, just like Elon Musk!
Overwhelmed yet?
Welcome to America.
And now you can see why most people have moved on from the conflict in the Middle East, they've only got time for that which directly affects them, and the war doesn't, so it's not completely forgotten, but it's in the background now. Shhh... Don't interrupt me, I'm bingeing "Friends."
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Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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You've got to agree that Taylor Swift knows how to fight a war. During a pause in the action, with the tour down, she got involved with Travis Kelce. And that death in Brazil, tragic, but it allowed Swift to show compassion. And why isn't there a call for cancellation of shows and festivals during heat waves? Oh, that's right, money talks and we're the living proof, the show must go on!
Kinda like in the wake of the Travis Scott tragedy. He's back on the road. Supposedly not doing such great business, but that has not dripped into the fawning press coverage, writers have no clue, Travis has been rehabilitated, being contrite, right before our eyes.
People just don't have the bandwidth, the attention span. Come on, think about Ukraine during another winter? This is just too long, like those three and four hour movies indulgent directors are serving us. Can't we at least have a bathroom break? No, because this is the way the director wants people to see it, damn your bladder.
And I'm not saying the rabid young left has changed its take, but the "Times" poll said that people are coming to Israel's side, as in Hamas were bad actors, butchers, on 10/7. In other words, the anti-Israel faction is smaller than we think, although very vocal.
But these anti-Israel voices were silenced by people standing up, or at least impacted by people taking a stand, exactly what musicians refuse to do, they're scared. Stay silent, that's what their handlers say. Well, the handlers don't sport their monikers, and if they were so bright, why don't they make the music?
The message has seeped out. Hamas are evildoers. And you can be queer in America, bud dead in Gaza. You look stupid if you defend Hamas. And no one likes to look stupid, especially when no one is paying attention.
Of course I'm overstating here, but the fatigue is palpable, the American public needs something new. The Palestinians are never giving up, from the river to the sea, baby. They're going to fight to the death, they're already dying, because those damn Jews have got to go.
But the Jews, um, the Israelis, we know they're different, but in truth antisemitism runs wild, don't care about their image, they know they're in a fight for their survival as a people, as a nation. They're not going to listen to anybody tell them to cool it, because no one ever listens to them. But Bibi is bad, atrocious. True, but you don't change horses in midstream. And have we looked at ourselves recently, on the verge of authoritarianism? America used to be the model for the world, now a good chunk of the country wants to secede, shut the doors, put a curtain around America, after all we need no one else. Enough with supporting these countries we can't place on a map. I'm sick of paying taxes for something that does not affect me. As for holding back Putin, he's a good guy, that's what Trump says, he's just misunderstood.
But this is untrue, you say! Doesn't matter. Truth is irrelevant. It's emotions all the time. And our emotions say that the intelligent have screwed the underclass. And the underclass are willing to burn it all down to teach them a lesson. Kinda an analogy to Hamas, don't you think? Yes, the fat cat Republicans are like Lebanon and Egypt and the rest of the Arab countries cheering on the Palestinians, but in truth they want nothing to do with them, they won't let them migrate across their borders. Keep those taxes on the rich low, the benefits are going to trickle down, I tell you!
In the modern world keeping a story alive is nearly impossible. Trump understands this. This doofus is tweeting, making news, staying in touch with his audience nearly 24/7. And they love it! He's feeding them fodder, they're rabid. He's their hero in a world where there's very little to believe in.
And the opponents? What a joke. They tell us to trust them. But we don't trust anybody. And there is a secret police, who come out and stab you if you say anything anti-Biden. He's visibly too old, he's factually too old, and what do they tell us? Look at Trump's age! But then we'll say everybody ages differently, isn't that what you told us?
And people can't even understand this. They'll think I'm pro-Trump. Because people are no longer educated to think, but to make money. Hell, I'd rather have AI make decisions than those educated in untruths in substandard schools.
Everything is up for grabs, so you're focused on yourself, preserving what you've got. Who's got time to think about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? Things aren't so good in your own life, right in front of you.
Hamas was Billie Eilish. Building her career when no one knew who she was. Eilish didn't come out of nowhere, nor did BDS, Interscope and management developed Billie Eilish and the Palestinians developed BDS, it just didn't appear spontaneously. And did you see that Billie likes women? Well, dig deep and I'm not sure that's true, at least sexually, but the headline implies it.
The headlines, conventional wisdom, tell us the Israelis, the Jews, are rich, smart and invulnerable. People are stunned that they missed the intelligence. But this just shows that they thought Israel and the IDF and the Mossad were all mighty. Based on the past. Things change. But those damn Jews, we know they're the problem, people have been told that their whole lives. They're here to replace us. They spread Tucker Carlson's word in Charlottesville, Elon Musk endorsed the generational trope, and they're trying to blackmail X, didn't you hear?
Yes, just like Israel is guilty of colonization and genocide. Even though neither applies. How can you have truth when people don't even know the definition of words?
And how can you believe in equity when Florida State is denied a slot in the playoffs. They were robbed, just like Lewis Hamilton in 2021, the system, men, not the sport, denied them their place. But life goes on. You've just go to eat it.
Can't they end that damn Israel/Hamas war? Can't everybody just get along?
Well, I guess not. You're not out protesting for Black Lives Mattering anymore and after all the brouhaha not much changed, which the Blacks will tell you happens again and again, but they're equal and not entitled to voting protection and gerrymandering is a right, not a privilege. And if you don't have power, STFU.
Everybody feels powerless, everybody needs a cause. Swift? Trump? They're easy to glom on to. They're American, they're constantly making news, they're worried about career management. Israel and Hamas? Man, that's far away. But the war is more intense now than ever! Aren't you worried about all the Palestinians who are getting killed? Yeah, I am, but man the airport is overcrowded and I'm thinking about my vacation and gas costs a fortune. But it went down! If a Mercedes-Benz goes down by 10k can most people afford it? Still no. Yet the people driving these Suburbans behind tinted windows, they don't care about the price of gas, it's a drop in the bucket. They're not struggling. And they too are sick of paying taxes. The rich know better, about everything, just like Elon Musk!
Overwhelmed yet?
Welcome to America.
And now you can see why most people have moved on from the conflict in the Middle East, they've only got time for that which directly affects them, and the war doesn't, so it's not completely forgotten, but it's in the background now. Shhh... Don't interrupt me, I'm bingeing "Friends."
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
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