"My Effin' Life": https://shorturl.at/etLW5
I don't think I want to be a rock star anymore.
This is not the typical rock autobiography. Yes, Geddy does delve into cocaine, but he's married to his childhood sweetheart and if you're looking for tales of debauchery, this is not the place.
Then again, Geddy is Canadian. Most Americans have never been north of the border. But if they go, they'll find out it's the same, but different. Canadians tend to be very verbal, and the country is like a giant high school, everybody knows everybody and if you think you're better than everybody else, you're going to be torn right down.
In other words, Geddy is a regular person, just like you and me. Which is both amazing and refreshing in a world where our musical heroes live a fantasy life on private jets, yachts and private islands and in general live a much better life than you, because they're special.
Geddy is special. Because he's the son of Holocaust survivors.
In a world where too many deny their Jewishness, Geddy, i.e. Gary, does not. He owns it, and continues to own it. Which is refreshing in a world where too many try to pass.
That's a feature you won't find in the typical rock book, Geddy's roots. He goes back to the old country, to the concentration camp, with his mother. It's very vivid and very memorable. Geddy may give elements of growing up short shrift, but not his heritage, it made him who he is. And when his father dies long before his time, Geddy spends a year mourning according to Jewish law.
This is not your average rock star.
So, once his dad is gone (Geddy believes he died from the strenuous work and poor food in the camps), his mother doesn't have quite the power over him that was exercised previously by the parental team. In other words, Geddy is on his own. And ultimately he drops out of high school, to play music, to make it.
But he doesn't make it right away. It takes long enough that the average person would give up. Actually, Neil Peart had. He went to London, gave it a good run, and then came back to the Great White North to get into his father's business. If Rush hadn't needed a new drummer, you never would have heard of Peart, considered one of the best behind the kit ever.
As for Alex Lifeson... Like Geddy, that's not the guitarist's real last name. It's the English meaning of his Serbian moniker. That's another thing about Canada, it's a melting pot of immigrants. They say more languages are spoken in Toronto than anywhere else on the planet. I've never verified this, but my experiences in T.O. seem to indicate this.
So it's the story of boomers who experienced the Beatles, and then Cream... I went out with a Gen-X lawyer who said it's the same as it's ever been. That if you don't get it, you're too old, that today's youngsters are just as passionate about music as their forebears. That's hogwash. Unless you were there, you've got no idea of the impact of the Beatles. Guys grew their hair, they picked up guitars, the music was EVERYTHING!
So the goal is to play original music, and then you hit the road.
Geddy gives a lot of credit to his manager Ray Danniels. Then again, he disses Ray later in the book, for cutting financial corners (not screwing the band, just saving money) and not booking them in exotic places like Brazil earlier. Geddy is stunned at the passion of the fans in South America. Who knew? But music travels everywhere.
So ultimately Cliff Burnstein gives a thumbs-up and the band gets signed to Mercury and...
This is when it starts to get repetitive. The band plays night after night, but since they're openers, not that long. And then they get into a station wagon and drive hours to the next gig.
Turns out Neil Peart is a reader, and he gets Geddy hooked on books. And when they finally graduate to a bus, they watch the same movies over and over and over, quoting lines to each other.
In other words, it sounds incredibly BORING!
There are so many hours to kill. And they end up with nicknames for each other and inside jokes, it's positively adolescent, but they're grown men on a grind.
Yes, every year is the same. Make an album, tour incessantly, make another album, it goes on for more than a decade exactly like this. As for the rest of life...
Well, Geddy's girlfriend now wife starts a fashion business and those in the industry have no idea she's even married to Geddy. And when it gets really bad, they go to counseling, but Geddy says first and foremost he likes to work, and his wife is a saint, she did the child-rearing, kept the household alive and intact. And if work called, Geddy went. Work came first.
Then again, this is something that amateurs, wannabes, don't understand. That it's nearly impossible to make it, and if you want to you have to work around the clock, sacrificing so much. A lot of which most people refuse to give up.
Now as the years wear on and success grows, there are buses, and occasionally private jets, but it never really sounds luxurious. It sounds like work, and a few creature comforts to make the work just a bit more comfortable.
As for the work...
Every album is covered. The most interesting part of making the albums is choosing a producer. The band wants the feedback, which you don't get if you produce yourself. They want enthusiasm, direction, and...
Geddy's fully aware that Rush is not a traditional, mainstream act. The band expects no radio airplay, when that was everything, and for a long time gets none. They're building the band on the road, like I said above, night after night. And the bigger they get, the less respect they receive. And Geddy is not magnanimous, he says: "Fact is, to this day I have a long f*cking memory for people who treat me badly." Like Billy Preston, who parties with them all night and then never seems to remember that they've met. Then again, Robert Plant goes out of his way to be nice.
And then come the disasters.
If you're a Rush fan, you know them. If you're not, I won't mention them because I don't want to kill the element of surprise.
Yes, you can read and enjoy "My Effin' Life" even if you're not a Rush fan, even if you've never heard a Rush song. Read the Acknowledgements and you'll find out that Geddy had help, but the book reads like Geddy wrote it.
As for Geddy... I was constantly trying to put him in a slot. On one hand, he was like a kid I went to high school with. But in other ways, he's a musician, which is its own breed, which most people who want to be stars never realize. It's not exactly that Geddy has airs, then again, he goes on about how bossy he can be, how he micromanages things. He oversees mixing and mastering and the albums are finished because they have to be released so the band can go on the road, otherwise he'd tinker with them forever.
And all this goes on for decades, but then the bodies of Neil and Alex start to wear out. You may think you want to play forever, but there's attrition and aging and Neil says he wants to retire.
Geddy still hasn't metabolized this, never mind Peart's passing. It was the three of them, playing off each other, how can it be Rush with only two?
Which of course is fascinating when the Stones are on the road with only two. And other bands ply the boards with only one original member. It's hard to give up. That roar, that adulation you get back from the crowd, you can't get it anywhere else.
So Geddy now goes on walking tours with his wife. And plays with his grandkid. But he's still hankering to play music. But not exactly sure how to move forward, now that the tragedies and pandemic are in the rearview mirror.
Now if you're a dedicated rock fan, you know Rush. You heard "Tom Sawyer" on the radio, more. This is not foreign territory. Rush was a hit act before, during and after the MTV era. They have a place in the firmament. And probably, unless you're a hard core fan, "My Effin' Life" is just another book you're not going to read.
I only picked it up because of the good reviews. And in truth, it's long. I don't mean that it's hard to read, it's just that you're going along, deeply involved, and then at some point you realize it's the same cycle over and over again and then...
Well, then the changes begin.
But before that...
I'm glad that Rush dedicated themselves and made this music. But if you think you want to be in a rock and roll band, you should read this. At Berklee and Belmont too. Because the flash, the partying, the money, is only a tiny bit of the overall picture. Rush has to create this music out of thin air. They don't go to the publisher for songs, they don't employ co-writers, they build it fragment by fragment. And although the band tends to agree, there are moments of dissension, like when Alex protests about the inclusion of keyboards.
And Geddy talks about having to learn all this music and play it all on stage. It's one thing to make the record, but to perform it live?
Eventually Rush is so successful that they can do An Evening With... In other words, play for hours with no opening act. And this is extremely satisfying. But it's still only three hours out of the day. The other twenty one you're coming down from the show, you're traveling, you're killing time until the next gig. Meanwhile, your kid is growing up without you, your marriage is strained. You're part of a self-contained unit, it's not like you're putting down roots in your hometown, joining clubs and cementing relationships. In truth, it's an endless circus wherein promoters and other musicians become your buddies, and if this is your chosen line of work, kudos.
But we've become inured to the flash. We think it's all fun and games.
Not that Geddy is complaining, it's just that reading along I said to myself that this is not how I would have chosen to live my life.
Then again, I am not a musician.
Geddy Lee is. This is his story, complete. No punches are pulled, he's not trying to impress you, he's just telling you how it all went down. How he was bitten by the bug and had to follow the music, the rest of life be damned.
Honestly, I rarely read these rock books. It's hagiography, they leave the good stuff out. But I found "My Effin' Life" satisfying. I'd still like to know more about the money, how much was made, how much was spent and where it is now. Geddy does say the band sold its publishing. Then again, that was back in 2014, I wonder if they're kicking themselves that they didn't hold out a little longer for the Merck money.
Then again, Geddy can always make more music. What else is he going to do?
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Saturday, 6 April 2024
Friday, 5 April 2024
More Turning Point Tracks-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in Saturday April 6th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Thursday, 4 April 2024
OnlyFans
Porn used to be a controlled business. Because of distribution. I.e. you could make a movie, but could you get it into a theatre? Probably not. Furthermore, it wasn't so cheap to make a movie, you couldn't be like Soderbergh and shoot it on your nonexistent iPhone.
And then came home video, first videocassettes and then DVDs. Suddenly, the barrier to entry was lower. Sure, you still had to shoot the movie, but maybe you did it on one of those newfangled video cameras instead of film, saving tons of money. And distribution was still a hurdle, but it was not a controlled environment with only a handful of theatres in even major markets. You could rent and buy videocassettes and then DVDs everywhere, at the corner Blockbuster, or your local video shop.
Needless to say, the market was saturated with new porn videos. And what did the usual suspect providers say...THEY WENT BERSERK! They couldn't make as much money because of these interlopers. Star salaries went down. Companies went out of business and new corporations grew.
And then came the internet. Where porn is free. You only have to Google it.
But that might not be the experience you're looking for. One to many is so last century, today everybody wants one to one. They want a connection, they want to feel special, that they're a party of one and have a unique relationship with the talent.
Yes, porn providers are talent, just like Kim Kardashian is talent. They may not know how to play an instrument, but they certainly know how to market their wares.
And then came OnlyFans.
Never forget, the entire payment situation has changed. Today's younger generations, even as old as millennials, believe in transparency, whereas boomers and their forebears love an opaque payment system. Good luck figuring out what your royalties were in the old days of physical media. There was manufacturing, shipping, returns, free goods... Furthermore, the company and the royalty participant oftentimes had a different belief what the royalty rate was.
Kind of like in the days before Live Nation. In the old days of the concert business, you were paid in cash, you were never going to take a check, because you didn't trust the promoter. And, it wasn't always easy to get the money you deserved. Talk to any road dog of the past. They've all got a story of a promoter with a gun enforcing his position.
Now old people think the old paradigm still exists. That Spotify, et al, are screwing with their money, ripping them off. But this is patently untrue. These are public companies with records, digital leaves a trail, they pay what they say they do. Might not be as much as you want or think you deserve, but they live up to the contract.
And so does OnlyFans.
OnlyFans provides the infrastructure and gives creators eighty cents on the dollar. Yes, this is a better deal than the Apple App Store, never mind YouTube. It's transparent. You don't feel ripped-off. If you can get people to consume your content...
Now the traditional porn stars have been squeezed out, or their returns have been minimized, because of the competition. There used to be a limited number of physical appearances and fetishes you could choose from, now there's a cornucopia. If you can think of it, there's someone providing it.
So your next door neighbor is a porn star.
All you have to do is go on Instagram. Or TikTok. Or X. Or even better, Reddit. If you see someone flaunting their figure, look for the Linktree. That's where you'll find their OnlyFans handle.
You don't expect them to give it away for free do you?
Well, in some cases they do, but it's just a come on, to get you in the door.
So, on Reddit... There's a group for every physical desire extant. Search the communities. I don't want to know what your fetish is, just know that it's represented on Reddit.
So your next door neighbor and seemingly millions like her all have communities on Reddit devoted to themselves, but they also cross-post to other communities. Some they qualify for, some they don't. The goal is to intrigue the viewer so they'll check out their OnlyFans. And pay.
So these women at home, church-going (oftentimes they advertise this), married, with families... They're selling their bodies online.
Now let's be clear, only a limited number can be successful. But there's an endless supply of women trolling for cash. Unless they hit, they drop out after a couple of months. But some hit. And those that do and sustain can often make millions. Makes playing music for a living look like chump change.
So what makes these women porn stars? NOTHING! Just an internal desire to participate. There's no judge, no gatekeeper saying you're not attractive enough, or don't have a good enough personality, or don't create content that is erotically titillating to most people.
Everybody is cottage industry. The big porn companies mean about as much as the major music labels, even less. Because they're selling for everyone, and it turns out that people prefer the niches. And they don't care if you like who they do, they're satiated, they have their favorites.
But it's not only porn and it's not only music, it's every walk of life today. The barrier to entry is so low that the hoi polloi have decided to play. And the Boomers and Gen-X'ers who control media, who think they write the through line in society, who believe they're tastemakers and are in control, are not. Which is why almost everybody in the media missed Trump in 2016, but he's not the only thing they've missed.
Once again, it's distribution. At the turn of the century the belief was that all these acts that were overlooked by the labels would emerge and succeed. This didn't happen. But now it has. Because you can create on the cheap and distribute for a de minimis price and market for free. Do you think Mr. Beast buys Facebook ads? That's for the old school. The key is to be so hot that people are drawn to you.
First you have to build a fire, and that's more difficult than ever, and most people don't want to make the effort. Believe me, your next door neighbor on OnlyFans just doesn't open an account and wait for money to come in. She puts her punim and body everywhere she can think of. She casts a wide net. And it's all from the bottom up. Which is what old media can't understand. That people would rather get their news, their tips, all their information from alternative sources created by self-styled experts who are creating cottage industries.
Used to be that you thought you couldn't play, now EVERYBODY can play and the traditional world can't cope with it. You've got Lucian Grainge not wanting those with few streams getting paid. And Daniel Ek caving to his biggest supplier, or at least the most lucrative one. But Spotify isn't the only place to play. It's just another place you've got to be, like X, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit... Notice comes before monetization.
And there's no OnlyFans woman who thinks she deserves attention. She knows she's a saleswoman. She's got to find a way to convince the consumer. Unlike in music where people believe since they've decided they're musicians they're entitled to attention and remuneration. What a laugh.
Sure, OnlyFans is down and dirty. But in the digital world everything is down and dirty. It's either a one or a zero. A success or not. Get on your high horse at your peril. Either you're connecting, or you're not. Either you're a winner, or a loser.
And the OnlyFans women pivot. If this isn't working, they try something else. They don't say the public is at fault.
And, once again, the OnlyFans women superserve their customers. Sure, there's money in the monthly subscription, but even more in the upsell. You want to talk on the phone? That's possible, all you have to do is pay. It might be someone in a bathrobe who looks nothing like the picture, someone at a phone bank, but the end hit is good enough that the man is happy, and keeps coming back. You see these OnlyFans women are selling fantasies, dreams. Which is what a musician is selling too, if they are successful. People want to listen and be taken away, to a better life. They want to feel better, and it's your job to provide this.
But this isn't the dream you believe in. You're waiting for someone in Hollywood to anoint you, give you the standard rich and famous contract and expose you to everybody. Yeah, right. That dream is done. You're on your own, like the OnlyFans girls.
Who don't go to Congress for guaranteed income. They're not even organized. And in truth, neither are musicians, it's everybody for themselves. The truth is the world needs pictures and videos of naked women, but they might not need a picture of YOU! Ditto on music. We need music, but maybe not yours.
But why does everybody feel so entitled in music?
They keep starting news organizations that fail. No one says they're providing a necessary service and deserve to be profitable. No, the public votes. And if they don't like you... Most people believe that's the end. Or they're delusional.
If there's a big national porn star who's emerged on the scene in the past five years, I'm unaware of her. Porn is more profitable than ever, it's just that the proceeds are going to different people, and the middleman and his surcharge has been squeezed out. The OnlyFans women are going straight to the customers. They're not looking for print articles or TV spots, they don't want to convince gatekeepers who don't get it, they just want to get started and live by their wiles, figuring it out as they go along.
Yes, music is just like porn. And few want to accept it. Spotify, et al, are OnlyFans. The direct connection to the customer is there for the taking, nothing is standing in your way. But how do you convince people to become fans and pay you?
Porn is no longer casual. Making a video in your bedroom for the fun of it? Now it's serious business, and only the strong survive. As for the rest? They fall by the wayside, there's no sour grapes. They get tired of the effort or blame the populace for not getting it, just like so many musicians.
Once again, only the strong survive. And being talented is just part of the equation. How do you get into the customer's brain? How do you get them to whip out their wallet? What is the special something that titillates them?
You're no better than the porn star or the influencer. You're all in the same business, which is seeking attention. Sure, you can go to work for the man, who might lay you off willy-nilly, or you can go into business for yourself. But not every small business survives. And the proprietors of small businesses devote all their time and energy to them. Quick, quiz the owner of the bodega, see how many hours they work.
This is the new reality. We read endless stories in the straight press about Beyoncé, but in truth many people will never listen to her music. They don't care. They have other interests. The belief used to be that major media can convince the public. But that dream is dying. Hell, ESPN is failing. I thought people needed sports? Turns out that's not true!
If you want to know how to make it in the music business, research OnlyFans. This is what they should be teaching at Berklee. Porn is the bleeding edge of consumerism. Everything starts from the bottom up these days. You've got to believe in yourself and make the effort and that still might not be enough.
But it is for some. And those are the ones we need.
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And then came home video, first videocassettes and then DVDs. Suddenly, the barrier to entry was lower. Sure, you still had to shoot the movie, but maybe you did it on one of those newfangled video cameras instead of film, saving tons of money. And distribution was still a hurdle, but it was not a controlled environment with only a handful of theatres in even major markets. You could rent and buy videocassettes and then DVDs everywhere, at the corner Blockbuster, or your local video shop.
Needless to say, the market was saturated with new porn videos. And what did the usual suspect providers say...THEY WENT BERSERK! They couldn't make as much money because of these interlopers. Star salaries went down. Companies went out of business and new corporations grew.
And then came the internet. Where porn is free. You only have to Google it.
But that might not be the experience you're looking for. One to many is so last century, today everybody wants one to one. They want a connection, they want to feel special, that they're a party of one and have a unique relationship with the talent.
Yes, porn providers are talent, just like Kim Kardashian is talent. They may not know how to play an instrument, but they certainly know how to market their wares.
And then came OnlyFans.
Never forget, the entire payment situation has changed. Today's younger generations, even as old as millennials, believe in transparency, whereas boomers and their forebears love an opaque payment system. Good luck figuring out what your royalties were in the old days of physical media. There was manufacturing, shipping, returns, free goods... Furthermore, the company and the royalty participant oftentimes had a different belief what the royalty rate was.
Kind of like in the days before Live Nation. In the old days of the concert business, you were paid in cash, you were never going to take a check, because you didn't trust the promoter. And, it wasn't always easy to get the money you deserved. Talk to any road dog of the past. They've all got a story of a promoter with a gun enforcing his position.
Now old people think the old paradigm still exists. That Spotify, et al, are screwing with their money, ripping them off. But this is patently untrue. These are public companies with records, digital leaves a trail, they pay what they say they do. Might not be as much as you want or think you deserve, but they live up to the contract.
And so does OnlyFans.
OnlyFans provides the infrastructure and gives creators eighty cents on the dollar. Yes, this is a better deal than the Apple App Store, never mind YouTube. It's transparent. You don't feel ripped-off. If you can get people to consume your content...
Now the traditional porn stars have been squeezed out, or their returns have been minimized, because of the competition. There used to be a limited number of physical appearances and fetishes you could choose from, now there's a cornucopia. If you can think of it, there's someone providing it.
So your next door neighbor is a porn star.
All you have to do is go on Instagram. Or TikTok. Or X. Or even better, Reddit. If you see someone flaunting their figure, look for the Linktree. That's where you'll find their OnlyFans handle.
You don't expect them to give it away for free do you?
Well, in some cases they do, but it's just a come on, to get you in the door.
So, on Reddit... There's a group for every physical desire extant. Search the communities. I don't want to know what your fetish is, just know that it's represented on Reddit.
So your next door neighbor and seemingly millions like her all have communities on Reddit devoted to themselves, but they also cross-post to other communities. Some they qualify for, some they don't. The goal is to intrigue the viewer so they'll check out their OnlyFans. And pay.
So these women at home, church-going (oftentimes they advertise this), married, with families... They're selling their bodies online.
Now let's be clear, only a limited number can be successful. But there's an endless supply of women trolling for cash. Unless they hit, they drop out after a couple of months. But some hit. And those that do and sustain can often make millions. Makes playing music for a living look like chump change.
So what makes these women porn stars? NOTHING! Just an internal desire to participate. There's no judge, no gatekeeper saying you're not attractive enough, or don't have a good enough personality, or don't create content that is erotically titillating to most people.
Everybody is cottage industry. The big porn companies mean about as much as the major music labels, even less. Because they're selling for everyone, and it turns out that people prefer the niches. And they don't care if you like who they do, they're satiated, they have their favorites.
But it's not only porn and it's not only music, it's every walk of life today. The barrier to entry is so low that the hoi polloi have decided to play. And the Boomers and Gen-X'ers who control media, who think they write the through line in society, who believe they're tastemakers and are in control, are not. Which is why almost everybody in the media missed Trump in 2016, but he's not the only thing they've missed.
Once again, it's distribution. At the turn of the century the belief was that all these acts that were overlooked by the labels would emerge and succeed. This didn't happen. But now it has. Because you can create on the cheap and distribute for a de minimis price and market for free. Do you think Mr. Beast buys Facebook ads? That's for the old school. The key is to be so hot that people are drawn to you.
First you have to build a fire, and that's more difficult than ever, and most people don't want to make the effort. Believe me, your next door neighbor on OnlyFans just doesn't open an account and wait for money to come in. She puts her punim and body everywhere she can think of. She casts a wide net. And it's all from the bottom up. Which is what old media can't understand. That people would rather get their news, their tips, all their information from alternative sources created by self-styled experts who are creating cottage industries.
Used to be that you thought you couldn't play, now EVERYBODY can play and the traditional world can't cope with it. You've got Lucian Grainge not wanting those with few streams getting paid. And Daniel Ek caving to his biggest supplier, or at least the most lucrative one. But Spotify isn't the only place to play. It's just another place you've got to be, like X, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit... Notice comes before monetization.
And there's no OnlyFans woman who thinks she deserves attention. She knows she's a saleswoman. She's got to find a way to convince the consumer. Unlike in music where people believe since they've decided they're musicians they're entitled to attention and remuneration. What a laugh.
Sure, OnlyFans is down and dirty. But in the digital world everything is down and dirty. It's either a one or a zero. A success or not. Get on your high horse at your peril. Either you're connecting, or you're not. Either you're a winner, or a loser.
And the OnlyFans women pivot. If this isn't working, they try something else. They don't say the public is at fault.
And, once again, the OnlyFans women superserve their customers. Sure, there's money in the monthly subscription, but even more in the upsell. You want to talk on the phone? That's possible, all you have to do is pay. It might be someone in a bathrobe who looks nothing like the picture, someone at a phone bank, but the end hit is good enough that the man is happy, and keeps coming back. You see these OnlyFans women are selling fantasies, dreams. Which is what a musician is selling too, if they are successful. People want to listen and be taken away, to a better life. They want to feel better, and it's your job to provide this.
But this isn't the dream you believe in. You're waiting for someone in Hollywood to anoint you, give you the standard rich and famous contract and expose you to everybody. Yeah, right. That dream is done. You're on your own, like the OnlyFans girls.
Who don't go to Congress for guaranteed income. They're not even organized. And in truth, neither are musicians, it's everybody for themselves. The truth is the world needs pictures and videos of naked women, but they might not need a picture of YOU! Ditto on music. We need music, but maybe not yours.
But why does everybody feel so entitled in music?
They keep starting news organizations that fail. No one says they're providing a necessary service and deserve to be profitable. No, the public votes. And if they don't like you... Most people believe that's the end. Or they're delusional.
If there's a big national porn star who's emerged on the scene in the past five years, I'm unaware of her. Porn is more profitable than ever, it's just that the proceeds are going to different people, and the middleman and his surcharge has been squeezed out. The OnlyFans women are going straight to the customers. They're not looking for print articles or TV spots, they don't want to convince gatekeepers who don't get it, they just want to get started and live by their wiles, figuring it out as they go along.
Yes, music is just like porn. And few want to accept it. Spotify, et al, are OnlyFans. The direct connection to the customer is there for the taking, nothing is standing in your way. But how do you convince people to become fans and pay you?
Porn is no longer casual. Making a video in your bedroom for the fun of it? Now it's serious business, and only the strong survive. As for the rest? They fall by the wayside, there's no sour grapes. They get tired of the effort or blame the populace for not getting it, just like so many musicians.
Once again, only the strong survive. And being talented is just part of the equation. How do you get into the customer's brain? How do you get them to whip out their wallet? What is the special something that titillates them?
You're no better than the porn star or the influencer. You're all in the same business, which is seeking attention. Sure, you can go to work for the man, who might lay you off willy-nilly, or you can go into business for yourself. But not every small business survives. And the proprietors of small businesses devote all their time and energy to them. Quick, quiz the owner of the bodega, see how many hours they work.
This is the new reality. We read endless stories in the straight press about Beyoncé, but in truth many people will never listen to her music. They don't care. They have other interests. The belief used to be that major media can convince the public. But that dream is dying. Hell, ESPN is failing. I thought people needed sports? Turns out that's not true!
If you want to know how to make it in the music business, research OnlyFans. This is what they should be teaching at Berklee. Porn is the bleeding edge of consumerism. Everything starts from the bottom up these days. You've got to believe in yourself and make the effort and that still might not be enough.
But it is for some. And those are the ones we need.
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Charlie Brusco-This Week's Podcast
Charlie Brusco discovered the Outlaws, got them signed to Arista and steered their successful career. After resuming an earlier stint as a concert promoter, Charlie then worked with Gary Rossington and ultimately reformed Lynyrd Skynyrd and then Charlie did the same with Tommy Shaw and Styx. Today Charlie continues to manage Styx and Dave Mason and more!
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/charlie-brusco-164687628/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/charlie-brusco/id1316200737?i=1000651409573
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7BgkO9tQfYAaIxKPovIAaJ?si=qyW2ADP8T027UV1eUUiqUw
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/8d0463cd-b115-4982-b47a-8265e397bfe8/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-charlie-brusco
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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/charlie-brusco-164687628/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/charlie-brusco/id1316200737?i=1000651409573
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7BgkO9tQfYAaIxKPovIAaJ?si=qyW2ADP8T027UV1eUUiqUw
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/8d0463cd-b115-4982-b47a-8265e397bfe8/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-charlie-brusco
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Wednesday, 3 April 2024
Tesla Sales Drop
"Tesla sales plunge far more than expected": https://t.ly/1FSIB
A first mover advantage only gives you a head start, to maintain it you must continue to improve to stay ahead of the pack.
Tesla is selling old vehicles in a world where the new is everything. Elon Musk wants you to buy a Model T when the competition is selling spaceships. That's Detroit's core competence, exterior design. As for interiors and engineering, the Germans dominate here.
Needless to say, Volkswagen bumbled its early start in electric vehicles by not getting software right, by approaching its development like physical items. Software needs a single team and oftentimes fewer developers are better. VW had multiple teams, had to change overseers and its first autos had to be shipped sans features because they couldn't get the software right.
As for BMW... It was early, then hit the brakes, but in the decade since the introduction of the Model S, BMW has now turned its efforts around:
"BMW Is a Surprise Winner in Electric Vehicles": https://t.ly/McKp1
Now in truth, when it comes to luxury vehicles, most are leased. Meaning someone might have started out with a Tesla, but after three years they want something different. And for a long while there were no real options, but now there are. Furthermore, the BMWs and MBZs are far more luxurious, the Tesla interiors are still spartan.
As for software... Musk's self-driving software has been riddled with accidents and bad decisions, like not using LIDAR. Not everything Musk does is correct. And despite the introduction of a new system just recently, it is expensive and perception of the public is negative and perception is everything, just ask Joe Biden. And you have to pay attention anyway, not to mention that other manufacturers are gaining in self-driving.
And then there's price. Despite Tesla's lowering of cost to consumers, in China there are cheaper alternatives. And BYD and its brethren can introduce a new model in less than two years. Meanwhile, Musk over-promises and under-delivers. The new cheap Tesla? Keep waiting. Hell, the Cybertruck few wanted took years to finally come to market, which is like promising new housing and only building a high end needle skyscraper years late.
And then there's Stellantis, which says its EVs are now profitable. Which is a black mark on GM and Ford, who just can't get it right.
"Why Stellantis's CEO Remains All-In on EVs as Others Retrench": https://apple.news/ASZQPI5ITTF-eHdWaPZab7g
Needless to say, there's an anti-EV drumbeat, led by the "Wall Street Journal" and the right. But for all those winter charging stories... Turns out most people charge at home and no one ever talks about gas car batteries dying in winter, cars not starting, which you know all about if you've ever lived north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
And you can't fight progress. Remember all the people who said they wouldn't give up their CDs? That MP3s sounded inferior? That they had to own things?
Change happens, and oftentimes the mainstream customer wakes up last. Worst is when the customer wakes up before the industry, which is what happened in music, with Napster. You've got to be a shark in business, never sleeping, always improving.
And in what kind of world can you have your CEO so distracted? Running a car company is a full-time job.
And then there's Musk's identity/personality. Tesla was a cult, new cars were sold by old customers testifying. Now you don't want to testify because you're going to be inundated with Elon hate. You stay quiet. In today's multifarious world selling is done bottom-up, not top-down. There are just too many messages for yours to gain traction. What you need are acolytes, spreading the word.
What happens to Tesla? Right now it's too valuable for another manufacturer to swallow it. Maybe there can be a merger. Because Tesla's software is still valuable, and could be put to good use by a competitor. Tesla's core competency has always been software, not manufacturing. Apple doesn't manufacture most of its products, why should Tesla?
And the bottom line is the U.S. is moribund. While we fight tribal wars, China and the rest of the world are taking great leaps forward. If you think everything starts and grows in the U.S. today, you're plain wrong. Electric vehicles are surging in China and in Europe. It's only a matter of when you drive an electric car. Do you even have a CD player anymore?
If you are an industry leader, you cannot rest on your laurels. You must continue to improve your product or others will eat your lunch, especially if there are legacy competitors who are given time to wake up.
We've learned this again and again in tech, where what you did yesterday does not matter today. Microsoft fell asleep. But now it has pivoted into storage a la AWS. Suddenly Apple is behind the eight ball on AI. How come Microsoft saw the future and Tim Cook did not?
This applies to all verticals. You might be a leader today, but you must continue to innovate and risk to be a leader tomorrow. And image is everything. You mess with it at your peril.
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A first mover advantage only gives you a head start, to maintain it you must continue to improve to stay ahead of the pack.
Tesla is selling old vehicles in a world where the new is everything. Elon Musk wants you to buy a Model T when the competition is selling spaceships. That's Detroit's core competence, exterior design. As for interiors and engineering, the Germans dominate here.
Needless to say, Volkswagen bumbled its early start in electric vehicles by not getting software right, by approaching its development like physical items. Software needs a single team and oftentimes fewer developers are better. VW had multiple teams, had to change overseers and its first autos had to be shipped sans features because they couldn't get the software right.
As for BMW... It was early, then hit the brakes, but in the decade since the introduction of the Model S, BMW has now turned its efforts around:
"BMW Is a Surprise Winner in Electric Vehicles": https://t.ly/McKp1
Now in truth, when it comes to luxury vehicles, most are leased. Meaning someone might have started out with a Tesla, but after three years they want something different. And for a long while there were no real options, but now there are. Furthermore, the BMWs and MBZs are far more luxurious, the Tesla interiors are still spartan.
As for software... Musk's self-driving software has been riddled with accidents and bad decisions, like not using LIDAR. Not everything Musk does is correct. And despite the introduction of a new system just recently, it is expensive and perception of the public is negative and perception is everything, just ask Joe Biden. And you have to pay attention anyway, not to mention that other manufacturers are gaining in self-driving.
And then there's price. Despite Tesla's lowering of cost to consumers, in China there are cheaper alternatives. And BYD and its brethren can introduce a new model in less than two years. Meanwhile, Musk over-promises and under-delivers. The new cheap Tesla? Keep waiting. Hell, the Cybertruck few wanted took years to finally come to market, which is like promising new housing and only building a high end needle skyscraper years late.
And then there's Stellantis, which says its EVs are now profitable. Which is a black mark on GM and Ford, who just can't get it right.
"Why Stellantis's CEO Remains All-In on EVs as Others Retrench": https://apple.news/ASZQPI5ITTF-eHdWaPZab7g
Needless to say, there's an anti-EV drumbeat, led by the "Wall Street Journal" and the right. But for all those winter charging stories... Turns out most people charge at home and no one ever talks about gas car batteries dying in winter, cars not starting, which you know all about if you've ever lived north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
And you can't fight progress. Remember all the people who said they wouldn't give up their CDs? That MP3s sounded inferior? That they had to own things?
Change happens, and oftentimes the mainstream customer wakes up last. Worst is when the customer wakes up before the industry, which is what happened in music, with Napster. You've got to be a shark in business, never sleeping, always improving.
And in what kind of world can you have your CEO so distracted? Running a car company is a full-time job.
And then there's Musk's identity/personality. Tesla was a cult, new cars were sold by old customers testifying. Now you don't want to testify because you're going to be inundated with Elon hate. You stay quiet. In today's multifarious world selling is done bottom-up, not top-down. There are just too many messages for yours to gain traction. What you need are acolytes, spreading the word.
What happens to Tesla? Right now it's too valuable for another manufacturer to swallow it. Maybe there can be a merger. Because Tesla's software is still valuable, and could be put to good use by a competitor. Tesla's core competency has always been software, not manufacturing. Apple doesn't manufacture most of its products, why should Tesla?
And the bottom line is the U.S. is moribund. While we fight tribal wars, China and the rest of the world are taking great leaps forward. If you think everything starts and grows in the U.S. today, you're plain wrong. Electric vehicles are surging in China and in Europe. It's only a matter of when you drive an electric car. Do you even have a CD player anymore?
If you are an industry leader, you cannot rest on your laurels. You must continue to improve your product or others will eat your lunch, especially if there are legacy competitors who are given time to wake up.
We've learned this again and again in tech, where what you did yesterday does not matter today. Microsoft fell asleep. But now it has pivoted into storage a la AWS. Suddenly Apple is behind the eight ball on AI. How come Microsoft saw the future and Tim Cook did not?
This applies to all verticals. You might be a leader today, but you must continue to innovate and risk to be a leader tomorrow. And image is everything. You mess with it at your peril.
--
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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Sunday, 31 March 2024
Hipgnosis Embraces AI
Merck had to do something to save the company and his reputation.
"Hipgnosis Songs Fund Overstated Revenue, Earnings & Its Stakes in Music Catalogs, Says New Report - Shot Tower Capital says inadequate financial analysis and management from the investment adviser led to inaccurate information at multiple levels.": https://shorturl.at/yFIV7
Damning at many levels. Turns out being a friend to the artist does not mean you're a friend to Wall Street, does not mean you understand financials. Merck is seen as the latest in a long line of entertainment industry hucksters and despite making millions creating Hipgnosis and managing it from a separate company, Merck is indignant.
However, savvy observers believe this has little to do with Hipgnosis, that Merck is just trying to burnish his image with Blackstone, his partner, which will probably end up owning all the assets of Hipgnosis anyway.
Now Merck's pitch to the artists selling to Hipgnosis was they would never find a better friend than him, someone who understood them, who had their best interests at heart. But now, with the assets being devalued and mismanaged, Merck is doing what every red-blooded American, er, Canadian, does, that is focus on himself, put self-interest first. And therefore, Merck is ramming through this AI policy irrelevant of what Hipgnosis artists say. He's got the right, at least he believes he does. And good luck litigating, I mean how deep are your pockets? Look at all that bread Trump is spending on legal defense. I won't say Hipgnosis is willing to spend that much, but they're willing to spend more than you, so artists are SOL.
So here's the deal, Hipgnosis is going to start issuing AI songs from their artists. First in line is Elton John, with a third iteration of "Captain Fantastic."
Yes, you'll remember that it was Merck who got Elton to do a second "Captain Fantastic" album back in 2006, "The Captain & the Kid." Forget that it was an artistic and commercial flop, Merck is akin to Steve Jobs and his reality distortion field, once Merck gets you in his sights, good luck resisting him.
But this time the album is about Elton's marriage and family. In the modern world everybody wants to know more about their favorite artists, so there's a ready market for this. And it will keep Elton's legacy alive until he gets sick of retirement and goes back on the road. Elton and Merck see this as a win-win.
As for Neil Young, yes, "Harvest II" is in the works. If you loved "Heart of Gold," if "Old Man" now resonates, you're going to love this. And now that Neil is back on Spotify, cash will flow.
As for "After the Gold Rush II"... That's on the back burner, Neil's worried about looking like a breadhead, so the next Neil Young AI album will be "Trans II," with liner notes from David Geffen, admitting that he was wrong, that Neil was ahead of his time, EDM ultimately triumphed, and it was a mistake to sue Neil for the original album not being commercial.
As for those who are dead, expect a new Christine McVie Fleetwood Mac style album. Merck is angling to call it "Fleetwood Mac," but Lindsey has so far said no, pissed that he was kicked out of the band.
Richie Sambora? He's coming back. If Jon Bon Jovi could remake "Wanted Dead or Alive" as "Blaze of Glory" for the film "Young Guns II," Richie feels that creating a new take for Andy Cohen's "Housewives" franchise is fair play. And let's be honest, more people are interested in the "Housewives" than any new music from Bon Jovi. The Housewives are the new rock stars, living without limits, spending their dough willy-nilly. Realizing the opportunity, Jon is about to throw in, remembering what "Deadliest Catch" did for the original number. Tommy used to work on the docks, but he's now got a bad back and disability is not paying the bills, so why not?
So what exactly is involved?
Insiders believed that Merck/Hipgnosis would employ "Suno":
"A ChatGPT for Music Is Here. Inside Suno, the Startup Changing Everything - Suno wants everyone to be able to produce their own pro-level songs - but what does that mean for artists?": https://shorturl.at/kvNVW
But Merck had Dave Stewart test the software and it was determined it was too primitive for Hipgnosis's use. Merck is about flash, the big show, the breakthrough, and therefore he's partnering...
You'd think it would be Sam Altman and Microsoft, but you'd be wrong.
Merck is partnering with Elon Musk. Yes, Hipgnosis has got Nikki Sixx's songs, might as well get in bed with the devil, since shouting didn't seem to work.
This is a joint Tesla/SpaceX endeavor. The code has been written. It's beta for now, but everybody who's heard it is absolutely astounded. You see the software can replicate artists at their peak, before their voices cratered and they could no longer write hit songs. Garbage in, garbage out. But with this software, code-named "GrimesX," only the best stuff is put in, so only the best stuff comes out.
So what you do is enter the greatest hits of an artist, and then there are various boxes to check. Do you want to add an 808? Do you want it to sound like today or yesterday? Furthermore, personal information from each artist is entered to help flesh out the lyrics. Now every artist has not agreed to contribute, but there's so much public domain information...
Merck has hired the children of David Dunn, Shot Tower's majordomo, to write up these bios. At highly inflated salaries. Merck figures it's best to embrace your enemy. And let's not forget David Dunn almost rescued Michael Jackson, hopefully he can rescue Hipgnosis.
"Michael Jackson was near bankruptcy banker testifies as court prepares to decide if his estate owes $1 BILLION in unpaid taxes": https://rb.gy/gd8fgg
Now we all know it's hard to create a hit these days. But with the right promotion... Remember all the hoopla about that execrable new Beatles track last fall? Merck specializes in promotion, that's one of the complaints in the Shot Tower findings, that $1.5 to $2 million was spent every year on awards shows and PR, "Including significant payments to multiple industry periodicals"... So, is that why Merck always gets such favorable ink in "Hits"? Dennis and Lenny will throw Merck a bone by promoting these AI cuts, but not forever, not without more moola.
So if Merck pulls this off... Not only are the fortunes of Hipgnosis turned around, the asset value of the company will be so high that Merck plans to make a run at Universal. He wants Lucian to work for him! You might think this is impossible, but you don't know how much money Blackstone has, and the business is all about money and stock price these days, believe me.
Since Merck is the first customer, and is providing such legendary artists for material, X will heavily promote these new AI concoctions. Expect to see and hear this new music when you scroll.
So who needs artists?
The cost of new music production is too high. And it's nearly impossible to break a new act. So why not just milk the classic acts, the ones signed to Hipgnosis?
Merck and Hipgnosis have first mover advantage here. Despite all the complaints, once these AI tracks start bringing in the dough, everybody else will want in. No one was selling their catalog, and then Dylan did and everybody followed. But once you sell... You lose control, at least most of it. To get those big bucks you've got to give something up.
Forget K-pop, forget Beyoncé going country, AI is much bigger than both. AI is a musical revolution. And GrimesX is already astonishingly good. I've heard it and I was wowed. We've been waiting for a new Beatles for over half a century. Now we can have them. Along with a new Stones, a new Yes and a new Debbie Gibson.
Enough with the wannabes complaining about streaming payments, best to let the superstars reign and hoover up all the money.
Right now it's too expensive to replicate ABBA's Voyage. but don't think Merck isn't laying the pipe.
He's a visionary I tell you!
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"Hipgnosis Songs Fund Overstated Revenue, Earnings & Its Stakes in Music Catalogs, Says New Report - Shot Tower Capital says inadequate financial analysis and management from the investment adviser led to inaccurate information at multiple levels.": https://shorturl.at/yFIV7
Damning at many levels. Turns out being a friend to the artist does not mean you're a friend to Wall Street, does not mean you understand financials. Merck is seen as the latest in a long line of entertainment industry hucksters and despite making millions creating Hipgnosis and managing it from a separate company, Merck is indignant.
However, savvy observers believe this has little to do with Hipgnosis, that Merck is just trying to burnish his image with Blackstone, his partner, which will probably end up owning all the assets of Hipgnosis anyway.
Now Merck's pitch to the artists selling to Hipgnosis was they would never find a better friend than him, someone who understood them, who had their best interests at heart. But now, with the assets being devalued and mismanaged, Merck is doing what every red-blooded American, er, Canadian, does, that is focus on himself, put self-interest first. And therefore, Merck is ramming through this AI policy irrelevant of what Hipgnosis artists say. He's got the right, at least he believes he does. And good luck litigating, I mean how deep are your pockets? Look at all that bread Trump is spending on legal defense. I won't say Hipgnosis is willing to spend that much, but they're willing to spend more than you, so artists are SOL.
So here's the deal, Hipgnosis is going to start issuing AI songs from their artists. First in line is Elton John, with a third iteration of "Captain Fantastic."
Yes, you'll remember that it was Merck who got Elton to do a second "Captain Fantastic" album back in 2006, "The Captain & the Kid." Forget that it was an artistic and commercial flop, Merck is akin to Steve Jobs and his reality distortion field, once Merck gets you in his sights, good luck resisting him.
But this time the album is about Elton's marriage and family. In the modern world everybody wants to know more about their favorite artists, so there's a ready market for this. And it will keep Elton's legacy alive until he gets sick of retirement and goes back on the road. Elton and Merck see this as a win-win.
As for Neil Young, yes, "Harvest II" is in the works. If you loved "Heart of Gold," if "Old Man" now resonates, you're going to love this. And now that Neil is back on Spotify, cash will flow.
As for "After the Gold Rush II"... That's on the back burner, Neil's worried about looking like a breadhead, so the next Neil Young AI album will be "Trans II," with liner notes from David Geffen, admitting that he was wrong, that Neil was ahead of his time, EDM ultimately triumphed, and it was a mistake to sue Neil for the original album not being commercial.
As for those who are dead, expect a new Christine McVie Fleetwood Mac style album. Merck is angling to call it "Fleetwood Mac," but Lindsey has so far said no, pissed that he was kicked out of the band.
Richie Sambora? He's coming back. If Jon Bon Jovi could remake "Wanted Dead or Alive" as "Blaze of Glory" for the film "Young Guns II," Richie feels that creating a new take for Andy Cohen's "Housewives" franchise is fair play. And let's be honest, more people are interested in the "Housewives" than any new music from Bon Jovi. The Housewives are the new rock stars, living without limits, spending their dough willy-nilly. Realizing the opportunity, Jon is about to throw in, remembering what "Deadliest Catch" did for the original number. Tommy used to work on the docks, but he's now got a bad back and disability is not paying the bills, so why not?
So what exactly is involved?
Insiders believed that Merck/Hipgnosis would employ "Suno":
"A ChatGPT for Music Is Here. Inside Suno, the Startup Changing Everything - Suno wants everyone to be able to produce their own pro-level songs - but what does that mean for artists?": https://shorturl.at/kvNVW
But Merck had Dave Stewart test the software and it was determined it was too primitive for Hipgnosis's use. Merck is about flash, the big show, the breakthrough, and therefore he's partnering...
You'd think it would be Sam Altman and Microsoft, but you'd be wrong.
Merck is partnering with Elon Musk. Yes, Hipgnosis has got Nikki Sixx's songs, might as well get in bed with the devil, since shouting didn't seem to work.
This is a joint Tesla/SpaceX endeavor. The code has been written. It's beta for now, but everybody who's heard it is absolutely astounded. You see the software can replicate artists at their peak, before their voices cratered and they could no longer write hit songs. Garbage in, garbage out. But with this software, code-named "GrimesX," only the best stuff is put in, so only the best stuff comes out.
So what you do is enter the greatest hits of an artist, and then there are various boxes to check. Do you want to add an 808? Do you want it to sound like today or yesterday? Furthermore, personal information from each artist is entered to help flesh out the lyrics. Now every artist has not agreed to contribute, but there's so much public domain information...
Merck has hired the children of David Dunn, Shot Tower's majordomo, to write up these bios. At highly inflated salaries. Merck figures it's best to embrace your enemy. And let's not forget David Dunn almost rescued Michael Jackson, hopefully he can rescue Hipgnosis.
"Michael Jackson was near bankruptcy banker testifies as court prepares to decide if his estate owes $1 BILLION in unpaid taxes": https://rb.gy/gd8fgg
Now we all know it's hard to create a hit these days. But with the right promotion... Remember all the hoopla about that execrable new Beatles track last fall? Merck specializes in promotion, that's one of the complaints in the Shot Tower findings, that $1.5 to $2 million was spent every year on awards shows and PR, "Including significant payments to multiple industry periodicals"... So, is that why Merck always gets such favorable ink in "Hits"? Dennis and Lenny will throw Merck a bone by promoting these AI cuts, but not forever, not without more moola.
So if Merck pulls this off... Not only are the fortunes of Hipgnosis turned around, the asset value of the company will be so high that Merck plans to make a run at Universal. He wants Lucian to work for him! You might think this is impossible, but you don't know how much money Blackstone has, and the business is all about money and stock price these days, believe me.
Since Merck is the first customer, and is providing such legendary artists for material, X will heavily promote these new AI concoctions. Expect to see and hear this new music when you scroll.
So who needs artists?
The cost of new music production is too high. And it's nearly impossible to break a new act. So why not just milk the classic acts, the ones signed to Hipgnosis?
Merck and Hipgnosis have first mover advantage here. Despite all the complaints, once these AI tracks start bringing in the dough, everybody else will want in. No one was selling their catalog, and then Dylan did and everybody followed. But once you sell... You lose control, at least most of it. To get those big bucks you've got to give something up.
Forget K-pop, forget Beyoncé going country, AI is much bigger than both. AI is a musical revolution. And GrimesX is already astonishingly good. I've heard it and I was wowed. We've been waiting for a new Beatles for over half a century. Now we can have them. Along with a new Stones, a new Yes and a new Debbie Gibson.
Enough with the wannabes complaining about streaming payments, best to let the superstars reign and hoover up all the money.
Right now it's too expensive to replicate ABBA's Voyage. but don't think Merck isn't laying the pipe.
He's a visionary I tell you!
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Vicious Society
You've got what I want and if I can't have it too, I'm going to tear you down to the level I'm at. I'm entitled. You're no better than me.
Or maybe you are. I see you on Instagram. God, I wasn't born that beautiful. Forget what's behind the facade, it's amazing what makeup and Photoshop can do. I'm angry and depressed I lost the genetic lottery and someone has to pay for that.
As for your fabulous lifestyle... I'm at home on Saturday night with my fingers in my pants streaming "Friends." No one invites me to a party where everybody wears white in the Hamptons. I live in America, where's my opportunity?
Down the drain. Income inequality keeps growing and the myth keeps spreading that we can have it all, when in truth nobody can have it all. Hell, even Elon Musk complains.
But we didn't used to be exposed to it all. Now we can see it, at our fingertips, it's just a click away. How do we get there?
Oh, there are a ton of gurus online peddling advice. That's their business, giving you false hope. And when you end up even deeper in the hole, poorer than before, you're beyond frustrated, you're angry. You keep being told to lift yourself up by your bootstraps and you're trying but in truth that's very hard to do.
Just respect the corporation and the rich, the job providers.
But how come I have to work a split shift at the fast food restaurant?
Shut up, you're lucky you've got a job. And you've got an iPhone and a flat screen TV and I walked thirty miles in the snow to school so stop complaining, you've got it good, even though you have trouble making ends meet.
Meanwhile, Wall Street bought up all the homes in your neighborhood, jacked the rents and now you can't afford a home of your own!
Not that you used to feel entitled to a house. But Bush II essentially said it was an American right. And how did that doofus end up being President anyway. I wish my father was rich and famous, never mind President.
I see all these winners all around me, why am I a loser?
Money for nothing and your chicks for free. Yeah, that's the ticket.
So if you go to Harvard you make buddies that will grease the way for you to make billions. I didn't go to Harvard, does that mean I'm SOL?
And these online influencers are making beaucoup bucks. Forget that it's a 24/7 gig with rampant burnout, they're getting notice, they're getting rich and I keep posting and nothing is happening for me!
I mean it's one thing if you're uber-smart and talented. But so many of these people are truly no better than me. How come they can make it and I can't?
Now it used to be different. There used to be a clear division between the winners and the losers, the haves and the have-nots. But the internet blew that paradigm to hell. What the internet provided was a road, a vision, a way to the top that was never visible before. It was possible to become rich and famous all by your lonesome, without the approval of institutional gatekeepers. And now that I can see the destination and a path, if I dedicate myself I should be able to make it, right? I mean if I have to look at another wanker on social media with undeserved riches...
I can play the guitar, I can sing. I keep reading about these online phenoms, how come I'm not one of them?
Oh, and I believe everything I read and see in the phony news edifice that is all about clicks. If it bleeds it leads? That was local TV news, online if it titillates it's the headline. You click through and oftentimes find nothing. A story you already know or no story at all. Sometimes written by AI!
And I keep going backwards. It's harder to pay my bills. Those damn immigrants are at fault, coming to the U.S. to work dirty, minimum wage jobs. They're taking away work from true blue Americans I tell you. And one thing is for sure, I don't want to pay for them. The government already wastes my tax money.
As far as anybody in power listening...
Well, Joe Biden is old and out of touch. Sure, he's compassionate, but I don't think he understands me and my problems. Is that the job of the President? I'm not sure, but someone's got to stand up for me.
And while I'm losing I've got the Trump show to watch. It's very entertaining, but even I know it's ultimately b.s., that this guy is a phony grifter.
So who is truly looking out for me?
I can't find someone, other than myself. So I've got to fight my own battles.
Now my expectations used to be lower. Go to school, get a job, get married and settle down. But that's not enough anymore. If the person down the block is going on vacation, I should be able to too. Seems like everybody is winning but me. And I can't buy that, and I'm pissed!
Meanwhile, those in power want to take away the means of communication. They talk on the phone, they don't even text. They don't know that social media is informative and entertaining. I'm interested first and foremost in people, the world runs on gossip, what am I supposed to do, stare at the wall?
And if you don't like what I do I'm going to come down on you. You're not a fan of BTS? Then you're a worthless piece of crap. You didn't like "Barbie"? What's wrong with you, everybody else did, groupthink rules. You know better than to have a contrary opinion.
Just vote and everything will work out.
Yeah, I keep voting and and nothing happens. Even worse, I lose the right to abortion. I can't even get it up anymore for fear the condom will break.
Oh, it's the same as it ever was. You're just a complainer.
But it isn't the same as it ever was. You keep getting richer and lording it over me. You've got a multi-hundred foot yacht and all the celebrities I thought I believed in are partying on it. No one invited me. Meanwhile, I can't make money selling on Amazon because the terms keep getting more onerous. But I should have respect for Jeff Bezos, who stole his good friend's wife!
Man, I'm living by the rules and losing and the winners think the rules don't apply to them. Why should I keep doing the right thing?
No, I'm going to go on attack. And with the internet, I cannot only tell my friends, but everybody in the world. Why isn't anybody paying attention to me? Meanwhile, the winners are hurt I'm dissing them. Tough noogies, it goes with the territory.
Truth? In a world where Biden won and Trump and his cronies keep saying the election was stolen... The truth doesn't matter. And if you got a vaccine I don't want one, because I hate you. And I can point to stories online that prove I'm right.
The system must be rigged, I tell you.
And in truth, the system is rigged in many ways. But even if you're born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you've got to work hard and take risks to win, that has never changed, you don't sit at home and get lucky.
But I don't want to put in the effort. It's more satisfying just trying to take down the winners, I love to see them squirm, those compromised a-holes.
I mean if I can't win, someone's got to lose. And I'll put all my effort into taking you down, I'm watching you, don't think you can get away with it. And what's wrong with you that you have to parade your success in front of me 24/7 anyway. And how come you need no portfolio to become a success. I mean if the Kardashians can make it, I'm entitled to at least a little piece of the pie, right?
This sucks. Everybody's living a better life than me. Screw whether that's true, that's the way it feels. And since no one is sticking up for me, I'm on a personal crusade to right the wrongs, to make the winners suffer. Beware.
--
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-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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Or maybe you are. I see you on Instagram. God, I wasn't born that beautiful. Forget what's behind the facade, it's amazing what makeup and Photoshop can do. I'm angry and depressed I lost the genetic lottery and someone has to pay for that.
As for your fabulous lifestyle... I'm at home on Saturday night with my fingers in my pants streaming "Friends." No one invites me to a party where everybody wears white in the Hamptons. I live in America, where's my opportunity?
Down the drain. Income inequality keeps growing and the myth keeps spreading that we can have it all, when in truth nobody can have it all. Hell, even Elon Musk complains.
But we didn't used to be exposed to it all. Now we can see it, at our fingertips, it's just a click away. How do we get there?
Oh, there are a ton of gurus online peddling advice. That's their business, giving you false hope. And when you end up even deeper in the hole, poorer than before, you're beyond frustrated, you're angry. You keep being told to lift yourself up by your bootstraps and you're trying but in truth that's very hard to do.
Just respect the corporation and the rich, the job providers.
But how come I have to work a split shift at the fast food restaurant?
Shut up, you're lucky you've got a job. And you've got an iPhone and a flat screen TV and I walked thirty miles in the snow to school so stop complaining, you've got it good, even though you have trouble making ends meet.
Meanwhile, Wall Street bought up all the homes in your neighborhood, jacked the rents and now you can't afford a home of your own!
Not that you used to feel entitled to a house. But Bush II essentially said it was an American right. And how did that doofus end up being President anyway. I wish my father was rich and famous, never mind President.
I see all these winners all around me, why am I a loser?
Money for nothing and your chicks for free. Yeah, that's the ticket.
So if you go to Harvard you make buddies that will grease the way for you to make billions. I didn't go to Harvard, does that mean I'm SOL?
And these online influencers are making beaucoup bucks. Forget that it's a 24/7 gig with rampant burnout, they're getting notice, they're getting rich and I keep posting and nothing is happening for me!
I mean it's one thing if you're uber-smart and talented. But so many of these people are truly no better than me. How come they can make it and I can't?
Now it used to be different. There used to be a clear division between the winners and the losers, the haves and the have-nots. But the internet blew that paradigm to hell. What the internet provided was a road, a vision, a way to the top that was never visible before. It was possible to become rich and famous all by your lonesome, without the approval of institutional gatekeepers. And now that I can see the destination and a path, if I dedicate myself I should be able to make it, right? I mean if I have to look at another wanker on social media with undeserved riches...
I can play the guitar, I can sing. I keep reading about these online phenoms, how come I'm not one of them?
Oh, and I believe everything I read and see in the phony news edifice that is all about clicks. If it bleeds it leads? That was local TV news, online if it titillates it's the headline. You click through and oftentimes find nothing. A story you already know or no story at all. Sometimes written by AI!
And I keep going backwards. It's harder to pay my bills. Those damn immigrants are at fault, coming to the U.S. to work dirty, minimum wage jobs. They're taking away work from true blue Americans I tell you. And one thing is for sure, I don't want to pay for them. The government already wastes my tax money.
As far as anybody in power listening...
Well, Joe Biden is old and out of touch. Sure, he's compassionate, but I don't think he understands me and my problems. Is that the job of the President? I'm not sure, but someone's got to stand up for me.
And while I'm losing I've got the Trump show to watch. It's very entertaining, but even I know it's ultimately b.s., that this guy is a phony grifter.
So who is truly looking out for me?
I can't find someone, other than myself. So I've got to fight my own battles.
Now my expectations used to be lower. Go to school, get a job, get married and settle down. But that's not enough anymore. If the person down the block is going on vacation, I should be able to too. Seems like everybody is winning but me. And I can't buy that, and I'm pissed!
Meanwhile, those in power want to take away the means of communication. They talk on the phone, they don't even text. They don't know that social media is informative and entertaining. I'm interested first and foremost in people, the world runs on gossip, what am I supposed to do, stare at the wall?
And if you don't like what I do I'm going to come down on you. You're not a fan of BTS? Then you're a worthless piece of crap. You didn't like "Barbie"? What's wrong with you, everybody else did, groupthink rules. You know better than to have a contrary opinion.
Just vote and everything will work out.
Yeah, I keep voting and and nothing happens. Even worse, I lose the right to abortion. I can't even get it up anymore for fear the condom will break.
Oh, it's the same as it ever was. You're just a complainer.
But it isn't the same as it ever was. You keep getting richer and lording it over me. You've got a multi-hundred foot yacht and all the celebrities I thought I believed in are partying on it. No one invited me. Meanwhile, I can't make money selling on Amazon because the terms keep getting more onerous. But I should have respect for Jeff Bezos, who stole his good friend's wife!
Man, I'm living by the rules and losing and the winners think the rules don't apply to them. Why should I keep doing the right thing?
No, I'm going to go on attack. And with the internet, I cannot only tell my friends, but everybody in the world. Why isn't anybody paying attention to me? Meanwhile, the winners are hurt I'm dissing them. Tough noogies, it goes with the territory.
Truth? In a world where Biden won and Trump and his cronies keep saying the election was stolen... The truth doesn't matter. And if you got a vaccine I don't want one, because I hate you. And I can point to stories online that prove I'm right.
The system must be rigged, I tell you.
And in truth, the system is rigged in many ways. But even if you're born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you've got to work hard and take risks to win, that has never changed, you don't sit at home and get lucky.
But I don't want to put in the effort. It's more satisfying just trying to take down the winners, I love to see them squirm, those compromised a-holes.
I mean if I can't win, someone's got to lose. And I'll put all my effort into taking you down, I'm watching you, don't think you can get away with it. And what's wrong with you that you have to parade your success in front of me 24/7 anyway. And how come you need no portfolio to become a success. I mean if the Kardashians can make it, I'm entitled to at least a little piece of the pie, right?
This sucks. Everybody's living a better life than me. Screw whether that's true, that's the way it feels. And since no one is sticking up for me, I'm on a personal crusade to right the wrongs, to make the winners suffer. Beware.
--
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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The New Music Business
You're not a star and you're never going to be one.
Now that felt good, didn't it?
The twentieth century was all about technology putting a few artists in front of everybody. First and foremost, only a few could make and distribute recordings, never mind get on the radio. But deep pocketed labels scoured for talent and the main job was to get the record on the radio. What the act looked like, their backstory, were considerations, but very minor, everything came down to the record itself. And since recording was expensive and primitive, it was necessary to play the song all at once and get it right. In other words, talented people had to be involved, which is why studio cats were hired, you couldn't risk letting the band itself record.
In the late sixties and seventies, suddenly music drove the culture, technology allowed multiple tracks and effects for recording and consumers purchased high end stereos to get closer to the music.
And in the eighties, MTV came along to make those who were anointed with airplay bigger and richer than ever before. You could reach everybody in the world, and everybody knew who you were.
And the nineties was just the eighties on fumes. Expensive videos with good-looking people.
And then the internet came along and blew it all apart.
First and foremost, mystery was history. Everybody was available all the time. Your heroes turned out to be just like you, but oftentimes uneducated and inexperienced. And going to a show became about the audience as much as the performer. Hanging with your buddies, shooting selfies, posting on social media. And with expensive tickets, acts were forced to present spectacle and perfection. Today's big concerts oftentimes resemble the circus more than the Fillmore East.
But everybody has the same expectations.
Which are false.
The game has reset. It's about the music. And this confounds not only the labels, but the creators.
Since the Beatles, songs came straight from the heart, they were personal testimony. But then opportunity cost became so high that the songwriter for hire came back into the picture. The labels try to polish, ensure success. No different from a movie studio making a superhero sequel. How often do the studios risk producing product outside their traditional wheelhouse? Almost never, comedies don't play around the world and the spreadsheet comes before the creativity.
So now we have all these musicians who want in on a system that no longer exists.
Believe me, the independent artists complaining about streaming payments think they're one step away from world domination. Something must be holding them back. The game must be rigged. Because they're so damn good if they just got a decent chance they'd be ubiquitous, and rich.
But this paradigm is fading. Spotify statistics tell us that the percentage of revenue going to superstars keeps declining. If the superstars are reaching fewer people, what are the odds that you can reach many? Very low.
I'm not saying you can't make a living making music, just that you have to adjust your perspective, how much money you need, not want, and you've got to work around the clock. That's what it takes to get noticed.
Ironically, you should spend less time in the studio and more time promoting yourself. The exact opposite of what technology enabled in the seventies and eighties. If you got it right musically, the system would make you a star. Today you can get it right musically and only your parents are aware of your music.
No one seems to be able to adjust to this new game. The majors keep putting out less product while they slim the ranks of employees. How long til a crash? Well, this is what Boeing did. Rather than design a new plane to compete with Airbus, Boeing cheaped out and remade the 737, a decades old airframe that was never intended for this use. I mean at some point you've got to start with a clean sheet of paper, which is what Airbus did.
There's no clean sheet of paper at the major labels. They're committing the same crime from the turn of the century, believing if they can just get a handle on distribution, they can win. Yes, don't pay those with de minimis streams and pay their stars a bonus. But that's old thinking. Distribution has been flattened, everyone can get their wares in front of the public, the question is how do you make the public interested?
Well, the moribund labels couldn't figure this out, so just like with Napster, the public took the great step forward, with TikTok. And the irony is those trying to break on TikTok are just the opposite of Lucian Grainge and the insiders complaining about payments. They're doing it for free, often on a lark, pure inspiration, like the Beatles, et al. It's about the creativity, and the majors haven't been able to play that game in decades.
Yes, online creators are smart. They know it's an attention economy. And to make it you've got to create 24/7 and there's no guarantee of success. These are not the people complaining about streaming payments, those are people inured to the old system. They bought all the equipment, they might have even taken lessons. They saved up to record in a good room with a good producer and they think dividends should be paid when the game they're playing no longer even exists.
In a world where we don't even read the same news, what are the odds we're going to listen to the same music? NIL!
But no one will own this. Not the musicians, the labels or the media. This would require vision, and there's no vision involved, no planning for the future, no career outlook. Let's just keep doing it the old way and expect it to be a success.
Want to succeed? You're going to have to be different. If you're a voice only, like on the TV competition shows, you're doomed. The most important thing, as it has always been in art, is conception. The idea. To do what others have done is a fool's errand. Who cares if you can sing, play and dance. Those people are a dime a dozen. Can you wow us with a different idea?
We don't need your music. We don't need anybody's music. We need air, food and shelter, but we don't need music. People might like music, but it is their choice whether to listen. Unfortunately, scrolling TikTok is individuated and interesting in a way programmatic radio with commercials is not. We live in an on demand, personalized culture and to ignore this is to be fumbling blind.
How come the influencers have it right and the musicians have it so wrong?
The influencers know you must be new and different and build a core audience and feed it each and every day. And if you're lucky, you might make a living. And the day you stop creating is the day you stop earning.
Furthermore, not every influencer believes they're entitled to a living wage. They play and adjust their wares to gain traction. And if they don't get it, they stop. But I keep hearing from "musicians" doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different response.
If you're not a good singer... Don't tell me about Bob Dylan, he's the greatest lyricist of all time!
You've got to have the chops, desire is not enough.
But desire is important, very important. But not as important as inspiration. And if you're truly inspired and execute you might be able to gain an audience that keeps you alive.
Depressing?
That's the game we're all playing. Not to reach everybody, but enough people to stay alive. Why should it be any different in music?
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
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-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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Now that felt good, didn't it?
The twentieth century was all about technology putting a few artists in front of everybody. First and foremost, only a few could make and distribute recordings, never mind get on the radio. But deep pocketed labels scoured for talent and the main job was to get the record on the radio. What the act looked like, their backstory, were considerations, but very minor, everything came down to the record itself. And since recording was expensive and primitive, it was necessary to play the song all at once and get it right. In other words, talented people had to be involved, which is why studio cats were hired, you couldn't risk letting the band itself record.
In the late sixties and seventies, suddenly music drove the culture, technology allowed multiple tracks and effects for recording and consumers purchased high end stereos to get closer to the music.
And in the eighties, MTV came along to make those who were anointed with airplay bigger and richer than ever before. You could reach everybody in the world, and everybody knew who you were.
And the nineties was just the eighties on fumes. Expensive videos with good-looking people.
And then the internet came along and blew it all apart.
First and foremost, mystery was history. Everybody was available all the time. Your heroes turned out to be just like you, but oftentimes uneducated and inexperienced. And going to a show became about the audience as much as the performer. Hanging with your buddies, shooting selfies, posting on social media. And with expensive tickets, acts were forced to present spectacle and perfection. Today's big concerts oftentimes resemble the circus more than the Fillmore East.
But everybody has the same expectations.
Which are false.
The game has reset. It's about the music. And this confounds not only the labels, but the creators.
Since the Beatles, songs came straight from the heart, they were personal testimony. But then opportunity cost became so high that the songwriter for hire came back into the picture. The labels try to polish, ensure success. No different from a movie studio making a superhero sequel. How often do the studios risk producing product outside their traditional wheelhouse? Almost never, comedies don't play around the world and the spreadsheet comes before the creativity.
So now we have all these musicians who want in on a system that no longer exists.
Believe me, the independent artists complaining about streaming payments think they're one step away from world domination. Something must be holding them back. The game must be rigged. Because they're so damn good if they just got a decent chance they'd be ubiquitous, and rich.
But this paradigm is fading. Spotify statistics tell us that the percentage of revenue going to superstars keeps declining. If the superstars are reaching fewer people, what are the odds that you can reach many? Very low.
I'm not saying you can't make a living making music, just that you have to adjust your perspective, how much money you need, not want, and you've got to work around the clock. That's what it takes to get noticed.
Ironically, you should spend less time in the studio and more time promoting yourself. The exact opposite of what technology enabled in the seventies and eighties. If you got it right musically, the system would make you a star. Today you can get it right musically and only your parents are aware of your music.
No one seems to be able to adjust to this new game. The majors keep putting out less product while they slim the ranks of employees. How long til a crash? Well, this is what Boeing did. Rather than design a new plane to compete with Airbus, Boeing cheaped out and remade the 737, a decades old airframe that was never intended for this use. I mean at some point you've got to start with a clean sheet of paper, which is what Airbus did.
There's no clean sheet of paper at the major labels. They're committing the same crime from the turn of the century, believing if they can just get a handle on distribution, they can win. Yes, don't pay those with de minimis streams and pay their stars a bonus. But that's old thinking. Distribution has been flattened, everyone can get their wares in front of the public, the question is how do you make the public interested?
Well, the moribund labels couldn't figure this out, so just like with Napster, the public took the great step forward, with TikTok. And the irony is those trying to break on TikTok are just the opposite of Lucian Grainge and the insiders complaining about payments. They're doing it for free, often on a lark, pure inspiration, like the Beatles, et al. It's about the creativity, and the majors haven't been able to play that game in decades.
Yes, online creators are smart. They know it's an attention economy. And to make it you've got to create 24/7 and there's no guarantee of success. These are not the people complaining about streaming payments, those are people inured to the old system. They bought all the equipment, they might have even taken lessons. They saved up to record in a good room with a good producer and they think dividends should be paid when the game they're playing no longer even exists.
In a world where we don't even read the same news, what are the odds we're going to listen to the same music? NIL!
But no one will own this. Not the musicians, the labels or the media. This would require vision, and there's no vision involved, no planning for the future, no career outlook. Let's just keep doing it the old way and expect it to be a success.
Want to succeed? You're going to have to be different. If you're a voice only, like on the TV competition shows, you're doomed. The most important thing, as it has always been in art, is conception. The idea. To do what others have done is a fool's errand. Who cares if you can sing, play and dance. Those people are a dime a dozen. Can you wow us with a different idea?
We don't need your music. We don't need anybody's music. We need air, food and shelter, but we don't need music. People might like music, but it is their choice whether to listen. Unfortunately, scrolling TikTok is individuated and interesting in a way programmatic radio with commercials is not. We live in an on demand, personalized culture and to ignore this is to be fumbling blind.
How come the influencers have it right and the musicians have it so wrong?
The influencers know you must be new and different and build a core audience and feed it each and every day. And if you're lucky, you might make a living. And the day you stop creating is the day you stop earning.
Furthermore, not every influencer believes they're entitled to a living wage. They play and adjust their wares to gain traction. And if they don't get it, they stop. But I keep hearing from "musicians" doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different response.
If you're not a good singer... Don't tell me about Bob Dylan, he's the greatest lyricist of all time!
You've got to have the chops, desire is not enough.
But desire is important, very important. But not as important as inspiration. And if you're truly inspired and execute you might be able to gain an audience that keeps you alive.
Depressing?
That's the game we're all playing. Not to reach everybody, but enough people to stay alive. Why should it be any different in music?
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