Looking Forward

NO COMPLAINING The only people who want to hear it are...other complainers. There's a whole ecosystem of people convinced that the system is stacked against them, who are constantly complaining online how unfair the game is. The truth is they are not good enough and/or unwilling to work hard enough. As for the 10,000 hour rule... It's not just 10,000 hours, it's 10,000 hours of HARD PRACTICE! Jerry Seinfeld intentionally sought out tough rooms to hone his act. Furthermore, he performed his initial five minute monologue for "The Tonight Show" in excess of a hundred times prior to taking Johnny Carson's stage. Most people are not willing to do the hard work, the rewards go to those who do. SINGING If you have a substandard voice get someone else to sing your songs unless you are the best lyricist of all time, in the league of Bob Dylan. Why start out hamstrung? A great voice used to be a criterion for a record deal, never mind success, back in the pre-internet era. But now that anybody can play, everybody believes they deserve success, even though they don't have the chops. WRITING Not only does it give you a leg up, it's where all the money is. Focus on your songwriting more than your playing unless you're planning on being a studio or backup musician. CHARACTER However, if your voice has a unique timbre, if you can deliver a song in a unique way...some people can get away without writing their own material. Don't equate this with having a good voice. Rod Stewart could never win a TV competition show, but his raspy delivery is unique and credible, at least in his heyday in the seventies. Sure Rod wrote, but he also sang others' songs...he's the one who rescued Cat Stevens's "The First Cut Is the Deepest" from the dustbin. Ditto Joe Cocker. Who else could have even conceived of his rendition of "With a Little Help from My Friends"? AUTHENTICITY/CREDIBILITY You have to be perceived as real, you have to live your true identity 24/7, because there are cameras everywhere and they're out to get you. People live to expose the faux pas and contradictions of performers online. So don't fake it unless that's your identity. If you're a part of the machine, singing songs written by committee, no one cares if you're authentic, you may be marketable, but at the core there's no there there. People are looking for something to latch on to, they want to identify. The old days of putting people on a throne and idolizing them no longer works in a world where everybody with a keyboard believes they're a deserving star. You need to reflect people's truth back upon them. You have to articulate it in a way that they can feel but not put into words. You want to foster belief, not brain dead fealty. NO You have to be able to say no. Never forget, your handlers, those surrounding you, are percentage partners. If you do the endorsement deal, the commercial, the private gig, they make money, so they're rarely going to tell you not to. Have a backbone, adhere to your beliefs. If it doesn't feel good, don't do it. If it's going to compromise your identity, don't do it. You're building an image, which must be bulletproof. It's those who stay true to themselves who have the longest careers. DON'T BE LIKE ANYBODY ELSE Just like the Kinks song. Music pushes the envelope, makes a difference in society, when it surprises people, delivers what they cannot even conceive of. We don't need a new jam band just like the last jam band. And we certainly don't need another pop singer just like the last one. If you're not unique, we don't need you. Your influences must come from outside the game. If all you're doing is studying the charts and the grosses you're missing out on life and will have nothing to say. DO THE OPPOSITE Just like George in the aforementioned "Seinfeld." Get no tattoos. You'll be asked about this in every interview. How come you're not like everybody else? Everybody else has tattoos, why don't you? Ditto on long hair. You've got to make people question, you've got to make people think. DON'T BE AFRAID TO BE RETRO We call it going back to basics. You don't need no stinkin' 808. You can have more than one chord in a song. You can make a record that is not stacked with sounds from top to bottom. Think of it this way... Can people sing your song a cappella, i.e. with no accompaniment? That's right, sans the trappings, does your song stand alone, both in changes and lyrics? And never forget the basic building blocks. The magic of a bridge. Starting with the chorus. These tricks NEVER go out of style. YOU DON'T NEED A MAJOR LABEL Now, more than ever, that's about commerce, not art. That's for pop stars who will garner success via publicity and radio and TV, the traditional game. The majors want it easy, which delivers the lowest common denominator, and they want it fast, which allows for no artist development. SPOTIFY IS NOT EVERYTHING You may look at the Spotify numbers for an act and see they're anemic and think the act is not happening. But then you see how many tickets they're selling and it doesn't add up. These acts' success lies elsewhere. Look for unique YouTube videos, or a social media presence on TikTok or Instagram Reels. A hit on TikTok will bond the fan to the artist more than a hit on Spotify. Spotify is where a fan goes LAST! (Not to rag on Spotify, it dwarfs its competitors in consumption, and therefore it's a stand-in for the on-demand streaming outlets, i.e. DSPs.) Don't be demoralized if your Spotify numbers are bad, as long as you're a success somewhere else. YOU'RE COMPETING AGAINST NO ONE This is not the old days, with a limited number of slots. It all comes down to you. You need to make headway and grow. It is not a zero sum game. And chances are you can be big and a huge slice of the public has never heard of you, never mind your music. This is the case for just about everybody, it's just that those who appear to have broad traction have better publicity, but publicity has never meant less. Getting someone to listen to new music is nearly impossible. Word of mouth is the best way to grow. But that assumes you have a track that entrances people in ten seconds, OR TEN MINUTES! You can't have it both ways. If you want the public to take your extended opuses seriously, just make extended cuts and be known for that. But if that is not your game, make it instantly palatable and memorable. This is reality, don't shoot the messenger. CREATE, CREATE, CREATE The main issue is notice, not stiff material. Stiff sinks like a stone and disappears. Rather than try and polish a turd, like the majors, bringing in outside writers, remixing a track to death, write it, cut it, post it and repeat. No one can create an 11 every time out. And your only way to increase your number of 11s is to come up to bat more. Be uninhibited, start and finish, don't second guess yourself, what feels like mediocre today people might like tomorrow. But, when you create an 11 you'll know, and so will everybody else. If you think you created an 11 and no one else reacts...you didn't create an 11. IT'S A LONG GAME If you're not in it for years, consider yourself a hobbyist. Sure, the odds of success are low, but those who do break through and sustain have been at it for eons. There's too much in the pipeline, it's so hard to gain notice. And the longer you're in it, the more you learn and the better you get. MYSTERY IS HISTORY Everybody posts online, everybody knows who everybody else is, and you should too. Consider social media part of your art. If you're just posting clips, you're doing it wrong. Be creative about it and do it YOURSELF! It must come straight from the heart. SKILL Conception beats execution every day of the week. Meaning the idea is more important than your ability to play your instrument, to get the production exactly right. Of course you have to have rudimentary skills, but you do not have to be a virtuoso on your instrument to create a great record. CHANNEL The best material comes fast, seemingly out of nowhere, you're channeling it, not thinking about it. Sure, you can sit in a room and try to eke out a song, but the best material is almost always that which comes in a flash, a burst of creativity. And when you have this moment, write it down/record it INSTANTLY! Because the mood you're in is as important as the idea. WE'RE LOOKING FOR GREAT And we want to tell everybody about it when we find it. But it's so rare. This is your job, to be so unique, so special, so deserving of attention that we've got to tell everybody we know about you. -- 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

Stephen Miller's Appointment

All you need to know is his wife Katie didn't vote, because she was afraid if she registered her address would be made public and... As it is, she and Stephen are already living on a military base, to ensure their safety. And if that doesn't tell you all you need to know... Isn't this how it always plays out? The rich/elite separate themselves from the hoi polloi to ensure their theoretical invulnerability. From Versailles to Beverly Park... They fly private, they vacation at resorts you've never heard of and... They're doing it all on your money. It's the everyday consumer who keeps the wheels of commerce humming. So how much power does the public have? Right now people are fired up. I've been living a long time and I've never seen anything like this. And all those ancient debates about the red and blue not being able to have a conversation, sit at the same table...those days are through. Of course there are dyed-in-the-wool bonkers believers on the fringes of both parties. But what we learned on Tuesday is we're more alike than different. It's finally safe to invite everybody for Thanksgiving. Because one thing we can all agree on is... We're PISSED! You're supposed to keep the public quiet, their attention diverted, the last thing you want is focus. But Trump demanded it with his antics. Whether it be shooting people in the street or building his ballroom and even more just getting rich. 90% of voters listed corruption as one of their main complaints, why they voted blue. We haven't all been on the same page since... I don't know when. And now Trump is sticking it in our eye, by appointing the architect of the policies hated by the public. An outsider from his days in high school. We don't need the class president, or the captain of the football team, but we do need someone who knows how to get along. As for Trump himself... He seems to be taking a page from Putin's playbook. Act like dissent doesn't matter, and go behind the scenes to enforce your vision. Now historically in America, at least in modern times, you could get away with your bad behavior, by saying everybody else was doing it. Even worse is drinking from the trough because the rich/elite give you access. What America did on Tuesday, and needs to do more, is say NO! That's the essence of morality, the essence of character. And that's the only thing that will save us. Netanyahu would not be saying the election was stolen if Trump didn't lay the groundwork in 2020. Ditto Bolsonaro. I'm not saying I'm approving of a mob mentality, but this is something different, the people are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. Funny how they made that movie back in the seventies and now it's the public on the bleeding edge as opposed to the film business, which notoriously plays it safe. But people are hungry for edgy. This is how music lost its power. It became about the brand, grosses and... The most revered acts of all time were not necessarily the ones who hoovered up the most money. So you've got to say no to those checks being offered. For your own benefit. You can't be above the public, but right down in the pit with people. This is what the Millers are trying to escape. But that ship sailed over a decade ago. In today's world everybody has a voice and everybody is equal. You're grist for the mill. If you're too big for your britches, if you're a lyin', stinkin', scumbag, the minions are going to go wild on you online. Everything we were told was true has been flipped. That the oligarchs dictated and... Funny how all those companies left California for Texas, what now? Did you see the mayor of Houston just decoupled from ICE? If the police stop undocumented people, they're not going to alert ICE. Give the guy credit for adjusting. Unlike Agent Orange. This is why you play the game, because you never know how it will turn out. No one expected a victory this big, no one expected the country to be this pissed. So now... We all want to return to business as usual, stop focusing on Washington, D.C., but before that happens... We've got work to do. Or as the Stones would say...WE'VE GOT THE TURD ON THE RUN! -- 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

Holiday 1970-SiriusXM This Week

Tune in Saturday November 7th to Faction Talk, channel 137, 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 -- 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

Val Garay-This Week's Podcast

He produced "Bette Davis Eyes." He engineered all those Linda Ronstadt records. He produced the Motels. And MORE! VIDEO: https://youtu.be/XR7A3Ok-3hA?si=58w5z9HrPn4OQuw6 ADUIO: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/val-garay/id1316200737?i=1000800034817 https://open.spotify.com/episode/74UdkYMEx8MD546CaNGxPL?si=0Uk16t_CSlyKLb3mIPI_YA https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/val-garay-349281778/ https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast?ref=dm_sh_Cv3BzPgkTUkZ1bM3Wmf7f4F9r -- 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

The Election

Trump is toxic. How come the Republicans didn't realize this? In truth, many of them did, but they were more afraid of the president than they were of the public, and this was a grave mistake. Akin to the Democrats in 2024. Biden said he wanted to "finish the job." It was clear he had lost a step, he was made inaccessible by his staff. But rather than state the reality, they lined up behind the old man and... You know what happened. But it's important to pause here. If Biden hadn't run there would have been a primary and there's no way Kamala Harris would have been the candidate and the Dems would have won and we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with. But both parties detached from reality and the people. And what we learned in this election is the people still rule. Just when it looked like the system was broken and inaccessible to the public, it was rescued, which is the most amazing thing, but that does not mean we will get the change people want. Because the Democrats still see themselves as an organized party, with a hierarchy, that sends messages from the top down, when in truth the public hates the Dems even more than the Republicans! That was one of the statistics in the reams of info crossing my desk this morning. This election was not about a love of Democrats, but a hatred of Donald Trump. Then again, the media has acknowledged this anti-Dem sentiment, the same media that delivered partisan screeds for the past two years. However... One of the big takeaways from this election is how money didn't matter. If I get one more f*cking text from a candidate looking for money... They spent this damn cash on television ads. Who in their right mind is still watching broadcast, even basic cable television? And even if they are, why are they not using the remote to avoid these incessant advertisements? This is another way the media is out of touch with the public. Believing that old systems still rule. There's story after story excoriating the public for being out of touch, not getting a newspaper, getting their information from YOUTUBE OR TIKTOK! Turns out the public is well-informed. And they did get their information online. Where facts and ideas are spread 24/7. They don't need no stinkin' mainstream media to know which way the wind blows (even though opinions are based on the reporting that the mainstream media does...print, not TV, which is bloviators opining at best). So we've got DOGE, we've got ICE, we've got the ballroom... But even more we've got AI and data centers. If these titans of Silicon Valley were so smart they would have found a better way to sell their message. Instead, we kept being told to leave them alone, that they knew better, and if there were potential downsides to AI...well, that's the price of inevitable progress, right? That's not a message that resonated with the public. Tech barons used to be icons, looked up to more than musicians, they were changing the world, and they were RICH! But it turns out they were the science nerds in high school without a date without social knowledge or graces. The public doesn't want to follow these people off a cliff. And people are PISSED that all these same tech companies played ball with Trump. Tim Apple? Thank god he's gone, he was so duplicitous. But oh, he was saving the company! Well, Apple would have survived anyway. Sometimes you've got to stand up for what's morally right. Unlike the law firms who settled with Trump. Who lost associates, never mind credibility. They asked us what they were supposed to do, focusing on money first and foremost, driving the legal profession even further into the ground than it was during Watergate. Used to be lawyers were respected, now they raise suspicion. And it's not only the attorneys, it's Live Nation too. Everything comes out. You put Grenell on the board, you met with Trump, you forgot that you're a public-facing enterprise and that you must pay fealty and have loyalty to the people, your customers, first. Talk about a bad look... About as bad as the billionaires in California fighting a wealth tax. Now I voted against that, we need something national, but the sentiment is clear, the public knows these people borrow against their stock and pay no taxes and they're mad as hell and ready to make these executives pay the price. As for the acts... They've been acting like Reagan is still president. If it makes money, you can't say anything negative. Hoover up those dollars. To the point where music played absolutely no role in this election, why should it, it's basically cartoons. Except for people like Zach Bryan... How can a guy with no hits sell out stadiums year after year? By being honest, credible, speaking from the heart as opposed to by committee. This is what people are looking for, truth, as opposed to warmed over commerce. The major labels have sidelined themselves. Only interested in the bottom line, they don't get involved with anything that doesn't render a quick buck. And the joke is on them, their catalogs are delivering big bucks but all the action is in live these days. Everybody with a buck, everybody with any power, carried on unchecked, not caring a whit what the "little people" think. The cronyism was off the charts. Income inequality has finally come home to roost. And you've got traditional Democrats crying over Democratic Socialists, not realizing it was less about the agenda and more about a poke in the eye of them and the rest of the establishment! Now I must say, stunningly, I have a little hope. But never underestimate the power of the Democrats to snatch defeat from the hands of victory. That's my number one worry. Now back in power, the usual suspects will behave in the usual way, which is not aligned with the public, and as a result they will squander power. But it's a new day. And it's unlike any previous day. This vote was against AUTHORITARIANISM! People felt the American way of life was on the ballot. They believe in democracy, not kings. And there has been enough blurring of the lines for people to be truly upset. Cozying up to Putin? Check the poll numbers on that. Almost NO ONE is in favor of that, never mind the rest of the anti-Trump checklist. Meanwhile, Trump got elected because he was on TV, there was nothing there, still isn't. But the Democrats lost touch with the voters, couldn't see they were now perceived to be the party of the elites, out of touch with the rank and file, and even worse, these Dems felt they were entitled to their perch, they'd worked hard in school, gotten professional jobs, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? They had contempt for those working for a living, those who didn't live life by their rules, and these people jumped to Trump, to stick it in the eye of these left wing elites. But Trump and MAGA read this as a desire for a return to the past. Which no one in America really wants, they like their flat screens, they like their smartphones, they don't want to go backward, they just want... America is a melting pot. We were told we were all equal. We want a level playing field. And we hate it when one group puts its finger on the scale and tilts the game in their favor. I'm not saying we all agree, I'm not saying there will be harmony, I'm not saying crackpot and fringe elements still don't exist, arguing for heinous policies, I'm just saying this is not what most people want. And they are the majority. They want everybody to start from the same line, with no unfair advantages. And then we get Trump's corruption. Unlike his predecessors Trump doesn't hide his questionable behavior, he rubs our faces in it, it's up close and personal. And... It's one thing if it's Putin, it's one thing if it's Eastern Europe, but a president of the United States with his hand in the till, getting rich at our expense? That's a bridge too far. You can serve, write a book, do some speaking engagements, be on some boards and end up wealthy, but making a billion in office? Corruption. Turns out this rubbed the public the wrong way. Sure, everyone's fighting for an edge, but there are basic rules, you don't flout them, run right over them. Never mind with impunity. So if you want to be successful in the coming years, look to the public first, not the enablers who will make your life easier, who you will owe a favor to. Don't disengage from the street, remember who you are and where you came from. The unfortunate thing is too many came from privileged positions and have leveraged this to succeed, and we don't like that. They've eliminated opportunity, rising from the bottom to the top is the American Dream, but it's more achievable in Canada and Europe than it is in the U.S. And the young are all about climate change, ecology. And Trump doubles down on coal, pays for wind farms to go away, does his best to cripple electric vehicles when they're taking over all around the world except here? How did we become so isolated? I can listen to music from every country in the world on Spotify, it's at my fingertips, but my country is living in the 1850s. It's a changed world. Will D.C. finally acknowledge this? I wouldn't bet on it. But they should be afraid, very afraid, because it turns out the public is not somnambulant and ignorant like they were perceived to be. Sure, there's tons of misinformation out there, but basic truths, about gas prices, health care, the war in Iran, they filtered through, more than ever before, because people are online all day long. And all they're told is to put the smartphone down. Oldsters reveling in phone-free days. Boasting how they use dumb phones. These are the same people who refused to embrace automobiles, the same people who refused to embrace COMPUTERS! And then AOL comes along and everybody is online, and has been ever since. This is a changing of the guard, a loosening of the power of the baby boomers, who unlike their parents think they're still hip and in touch and refuse to get out of the way. Well, they're being pushed aside by younger generations. Who are sick and tired of being in the back seat. As for you? Let this be a warning. Think twice about who you associate with, doing something just for the money. It might not be illegal but there's a good chance you'll lose the hearts and minds of the public, and the people ultimately rule. Power to the people right on! -- 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

The Aerosmith Extravaganza Night 2

1 Rock died because it became self-referential. You got tattoos and put on the clothes and we were supposed to believe you, but even though you sang pretty good and one could tap their toes to your music, the audience didn't feel it in the gut, there was not that visceral response. I'd like to say that something picked up the rock mantle and ran with it, but this would be untrue. At least today. Hip-hop had a good run, but when the most exciting thing is a beef between two artists you know you've lost your way. As for the popsters... If it were only about songs, we'd be living in the early sixties. AND WE ARE! But in 1964... The Beatles arrived and entranced the baby boomer population, which became glued to the radio and drooled in admiration at concerts and... Top 40 evolved into FM. And there were guitarists, and then virtuosos, from Keith Emerson to Rick Wakeman. Boundaries were being pushed. And when it started to fade, MTV came along and reinvigorated the entire scene. And that's when Billy Idol came along. I owned that Generation X LP, the debut, it was 1978 and there was something happening in the U.K. that we couldn't keep our eyes off of. They'd digested the Ramones, and multiple bands were spawned, whereas in the U.S. despite everybody bowing at the altar of the original punk band today, the truth is they were ignored at this time. There was not only punk, but new wave like Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson, and ska with the English Beat, the Specials, Selecter... There was a plethora of these acts, who seemed to come from nowhere, often with no experience, and we hoovered them right up. Some of us. Not everybody. These records did not cross over to the Top 40, but if you were a fan, addicted to the radio, a regular at the record store, you knew. And you were excited. Now what truly broke MTV was the new bands from the U.K., many of which were one hit wonders, but we didn't have a U.S. equivalent to Culture Club and Haircut 100 and no one even wore their hair like Mike Score in A Flock of Seagulls. Reagan was in office, money was paramount, and these acts seemed not to care, and as a result they laughed all the way to the bank. And eventually in the late eighties we got hair band ballads, rockers in spandex, and then Nirvana came along and blew up the past at the same time that Metallica opened an avenue for harder rock and... Since then all we've gotten is imitations. Which leads me to Lizzy Hale. She strutted, she screamed, but it washed right off of me. I could see the act, but it didn't penetrate. She wasn't dangerous. The attitude seemed forced. That's how I felt about the entire first half of last night's show. They'd seen the movie, they knew how to paint the numbers, but it was all ultimately safe. I mean does rock and roll belong in the Hollywood Bowl to begin with? And then came Billy Idol. What has he got to do with Aerosmith? I mean he did exhibit a Rebel Yell, but he started off as a punk, the antithesis to the five from Boston. Then again, Steve Stevens could come out of central casting from the era, the last hurrah, when you had long hair and picked your axe and... I wasn't expecting much, but Billy leaned into "Livin' on the Edge"... I know it, never appreciated it as much as what came before, but last night... I had to look it up on my phone. Sure, Mark Hudson was involved, so you could say there was a ringer, but if you know Hudson...he might have been on that TV show, but he's nothing like his brother who married Goldie Hawn... "There's something wrong with the world today" Ain't that the truth. But all we get with records is escape, cosplay, almost nothing straight to the heart... WE'RE LIVIN' ON THE EDGE! We most certainly are, you used to listen to a band to know which way the wind blew, now you go on social media, where the "musicians" are hawking products as part of the expansion of their band. Billy is leaning into it. Not playing to the audience. But locked into the song. He's DELIVERING IT! And that's what we're looking for. 2 I guess I single out Lizzy Hale because she was trying so hard. Too many of the first half performers were just going through the motions, there were no showstoppers, it was more akin to one of those post-Grammy spectaculars where they honor the work of somebody... You build a cast, some women sprinkled in so you don't get blowback, people show up for the opportunity to be seen and... I'm sitting there thinking I want to be touched. And then I was. By the Black Crowes. Chris Robinson was LEANING INTO IT! Talk about a guy who rubs people the wrong way. Even hard core fans, they can't get over the fact that the reunion left out past band members, especially the drummer who wrote that book. But Chris...DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE! Chris has got ATTITUDE! He's feeling the songs, they're part of him, and his brother Rich is a way underrated guitar player. The Crowes were not trying too hard, they were just doing what they do, with even a sense of humor. There was no issue of image, they gave a shout-out to George Drakoulias, saying they played the next song for the man who discovered them at their audition. And it was NO MORE NO MORE! "Baby I'm a DREAMER Found my horse and carriage" They were all dreamers. It was an utterly long shot. Their parents weren't dunning people to pay attention, oftentimes they just wished their progeny would go back to school, or get a job. But not only did musicians like those in Aerosmith take their own path, they were DIFFERENT! Sure, you might have gone to high school with them, but you lost touch long ago. You heard they were livin' for the city, doin' drugs, going down a dark path. If you thought about them at all, you shook your head, wondering how they chose to go down such a wrong road. AND THEN YOU HEARD DREAM ON ON THE RADIO! Aerosmith's first album came out when Steven Tyler was TWENTY FIVE! May sound young to you today, but if you delve into the weeds... You graduate from high school at eighteen and he spent SEVEN YEARS trying to make it. The Black Crowes didn't need to convince us, they were living the music, which lifted them above the first half acts. Didn't have to be studied, didn't have to be perfect, it just needed to have energy and feel. And then came Guns N' Roses." 3 I still can't forgive them for leaving Izzy out of the reunion. Then again, he was already gone before the first full implosion. But "Dust n' Bones"... That's still my favorite cut from the Illusions. Izzy was the secret sauce. The band hasn't put out truly great, consistent work, since. But they're playing stadiums. Seemingly year after year. Now I know why. THEY KILLED! After a lame review of their first night's performance in the L.A. "Times" I wasn't expecting much, but it could have been 1987, when the band broke. They were loud and raucous and unlike anything else... They were just one step further, louder, more edgy, more obnoxious. And everyone knows Axl is crazy. As are many of our heroes. That's why they do this, to express themselves. They channel something we can relate to. And this is all they can do, they can't fit in in the regular world, do a day job. And this was not the comeback Axl, puffy with corn rows, he was lean and wearing a t-shirt and giving it his all. AND THEY STARTED WITH MAMA KIN! Yes, they reached back to the debut and amped it up in a way that Adrian Barber could not, Aerosmith needed Jack Douglas to lift them up over the line. (Who Tyler gave a shout-out to at the end of the evening, and when the show was over the big screen listed those who were no longer with us. Rock and roll is a hard road, not everybody survives.) GN'R was not going through the motions, THEY WERE THE MOTIONS! Slash has got his Les Paul propped up at an angle. You wouldn't let your daughter go out with these guys. Now in truth, Axl gave a speech that was so calm and heartfelt that it almost had me re-evaluating, was he back on the planet? But when they tore into "Sweet Child o' Mine" and "Nightrain"...he was hopping around like he was high on...who knows what, himself! And he even shimmied! You know that patented Axl move, that sexy squirm that drove the girls wild. He's still got it. They've got it. But W. Axl Rose is 64. That's how much time has passed. Long, long time ago, as Don McLean would sing... Then again, Buddy and those on the plane were his heroes, Guns N' Roses are ours. But not as much as Aerosmith. 4 They were not going to let the opening acts blow them off the stage. No, Aerosmith delivered like their lives depended upon it, they were full bore and... This is an interesting act. Sure, Joe is Steven's sidekick, as Keith is to Mick, but this is definitely Steven's stage, he is the focus. I don't want to denigrate the rest of the band, I just want to say they're not moving, they're not playing it up, they cede the focus to Tyler, who they support at full volume, but... Sure, he's got his outfit and the streamers from his mic stand, but... You wince when Mick starts to dance. Did you see that video where he's in a dance studio rehearsing for the tour after his heart issue? Steven ain't in no dance studio, there's nothing rehearsed, managed about it, it's pure emotion. Which after telling us they were back in the saddle, Tyler implored Tom Hamilton to play... A shiver just went through me... Have you listened to "Sweet Emotion" recently? Of course it's great, but it's more than that... It's ethereal, but with the energy of kryptonite underneath. It starts to boil, and then it EXPLODES! There's a rhythm, you're nodding your head, the vocals are sweet, and then... The band's original manager David Krebs told me rock and roll died because you can't sing lyrics like this anymore. "Stand in front just a shakin' your ass" This wasn't the Beatles. And the Stones were English. But Steven Tyler... This was POSSIBLE! The music turned you into a jumping bean, you could feel it between your legs. "I'll take you backstage you can drink from my glass" And they were game, they begged to be picked. That's the power of rock and roll. "'Cause a month on the road and I'll be eating from you hand" That's the truth...CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH? And then the smoke started to pour out of the white piano wheeled on stage and.... "Every time that I look in the mirror All these lines on my face getting clearer" How many times have you heard "Dream On"? Tyler was insisting this was the FIRST TIME! He demanded attention. And even got on top of the instrument and grooved and I was worried about him up there at 78 with his feet... But he was throwing caution to the wind, which is what a true rocker does, forgets about the pitfalls, it's full steam ahead Mr. Boatswain, full steam ahead. And that brings us to the next song, COME TOGETHER! You wouldn't think they'd play a cover at this show, but... Here comes old flat-top He come grooving up slowly. "Come Together" is the only thing that is remembered from that execrable movie, it's the only thing that DESERVES TO SURVIVE from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." And then... Tyler remarks that they're the only band that still has all five original members and... Joey Kramer comes in from the wings and... He ain't movin' that well, but he gets up behind the kit and the rhythm is clear, this is "Walk This Way." But not far into it, Tyler stops the music. I feel sorry for Joey. Obviously there's something wrong with his playing, or the band just couldn't find the groove, and I'm giving Tyler props for stopping, needing to get it right. And Tyler's talking and we're waiting for the song to start again... And then it becomes PERFECTLY CLEAR! Rev Run and Darryl McDaniels enter from the wings, bopping, wearing the same hats from 1988, and they're up front and center and now we're truly WALKING THIS WAY! Tyler has ceded the stage. Run and DMC are throwing it down, making you believe you missed out when you didn't go to all those rap shows. The pure energy, the injection of adrenaline, it's the MTV 80's COME ALIVE! Yet it didn't feel like nostalgia, but pure life, a completion of the circle. We're all still here, these are our roots, rock and roll will never die... At least as long as Aerosmith is around. And then the harmonica and... The train is kept a-rollin'. Showing the band's roots, all the way from Tiny Bradshaw to the Yardbirds to Lake Sunapee. All energy, all cylinders firing. And then it was done. 5 So what did we learn? There's a reason certain acts are considered legends, why their music sustains. And it's more than what's in the grooves, it's the identity of the band members, the attitude, it's the other. Now the legend is true. Most of the time you meet your heroes and they disappoint you. But I always say NOT STEVEN TYLER! I woke up one morning to a message, Tyler was calling me from the studio, he was working with Ringo... And when I called back I chided him. WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP AT TEN A.M., DIDN'T YOU READ THE ROCK AND ROLL MANUAL? And without missing a beat, Tyler said... I THREW THAT MANUAL OUT YEARS AGO! He's that guy. He's Steven Tyler. The guy you see on stage. And it was his night. Not that the rest of the band wasn't great, didn't deliver, but it was Tyler who put on the brakes, took the band off the road. And now he's back? ABSOLUTELY! -- 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

Your Opinion Has Changed...Or Not-SiriusXM This Week

You loved or hated them previously and now... Tune in Saturday October 31st to Faction Talk, channel 137, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West. Phone #: 844-686-5863  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 -- 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

A Body That Works

Netflix trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOaz-N53bvY A mediocre name for a phenomenal series. Then again, it's translated from Hebrew, it was probably better in its initial iteration. What surprised me was "A Body That Works" was hiding in plain sight, i.e. on Netflix, not some obscure outlet that requires a payment that most people don't want to pony up. But I'd never heard of it! But it came up in my endless research of international shows and... That's just the point, they don't make shows like this in the U.S. ever. It's closer to Bergman than Spielberg. Not that it's slow, but the subject matter is everyday life, which is heavier than the fantasies sold on screens in the U.S. So what we've got here is a successful thirtysomething couple who can't have a baby, multiple miscarriages have ended their hopes. Therefore, they decide to employ a surrogate. But this ain't no slapstick comedy, this is real life. And what makes this show so great is Rotem Sela as Elie is better looking than the average bear, not a Hollywood stunner but more like the best looking girl in your high school class, someone who seems real as opposed to unapproachable. But as the series unfolds... Elie is so neurotic and controlling such that no man would want to be involved with her. This never happens in American stuff. The beautiful actress is the center of attention, the story revolves around her, we're supposed to fantasize and salivate over her, an unattainable icon with no rough edges who may be abused by the system, but is always in the right. Once again, that is not Elie. As for the surrogate, Chen... She's a single parent who has trouble making ends meet. She and her son are living in her father's apartment, and he isn't thrilled about it. Then again, when they finally move out... Chen is doing it for the money. But surrogates don't have a great image in society. She is shunned, and so is her son. But she signed up and... Elie is constantly trying to control her. In an OCD way. Elie becomes obsessed about things and instead of keeping her mouth shut, she says them and... As for Elie's husband Ido, played by Yehuda Levi, right at the start his mother is giving him sh*t about his wife. How he does whatever she says and the parents don't see him anymore. I've lived a variation on this theme, it is painful...and one thing is for sure, no one is understanding. So Ido has to sell out, go to work for the man, at the biggest law firm in Israel, to pay the surrogacy bill, since the couple's savings have been burned up with multiple rounds of IVF. But they want a baby... As for Elie, she's a book editor who doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut and go along. Movie honcho Tomer is writing an autobiography and she tells him the truth, which is very rare in the entertainment business, VERY rare. And Tomer is played by... LIOR RAZ! You know, DORON FROM "FAUDA!" And Tomer listens to Elie and starts writing from the heart, without compromise, but he also won't put up with her b.s., he calls her on it. Such that Elie has to confront her own issues, which she has never done, believing she is always right, she's wound so tight it's surprising she doesn't crack. And Raz as Tomer does it so well, neither being a bully nor a doormat. But the heart of the story is what goes on between Elie and Ido... This is my kind of series. If you want light entertainment, if you want to escape, "A Body That Works" is not for you. Not because it's dreary and heavy, but because it's REAL! There is an argument between Elie and Ido wherein Ido finally calls Elie on her sh*t and ultimately the entire relationship hangs in the balance. He's been pushed too far, he can no longer bow down and take it. But not only is Ido standing up for himself, Elie's identity and behavior are now in the mix and you realize that this argument may become determinative. I've been there. You probably have too. What starts as a run-of-the-mill argument escalates and escalates and suddenly you're in territory that you didn't anticipate. Everything was hunky-dory just a minute ago, but years worth of anger are now in play and...where do you go from there? As I've said numerous times previously, the Israelis and the Danes make the best television. And "A Body That Works" proves it. Now it's not like the Israelis don't know what they've got, "A Body That Works" was the country's highest rated drama in 2023. And when it hit Netflix, it was in the top ten in France, Germany, Poland, Romania, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Italy. And if you can find the common thread amongst those nations...I certainly can't. But not in America. We can't handle real. But the issues in "A Body That Works" are the core of life. Relationships, how you maintain them, what your life desires are, how you handle loneliness. In every episode I resonated, I said to myself I'VE BEEN THERE! I hope I haven't overhyped you. I think I've scared off those who wouldn't be interested, but as for those still sticking around... We live in an era of vapidity, seen nowhere as much as in popular music. Oh, there's money to be made, but it's mostly empty calories. It's commerce, not art. And this happened over at Netflix. At one time the streamer was known for its unconstrained alliance with artists, allowing creators to do what they wanted. But suddenly focusing on the bottom line, these creators severed the relationship and went elsewhere. Sure, the masses might want lowest common denominator, then again, when something is truly phenomenal they resonate with it just like the highbrows. It's shows like this that build a platform, in the case of Netflix it was "House of Cards," and for HBO it was "The Sopranos." There were other successful projects previously, but none that captured the zeitgeist. You want to leave the theatre or turn off the set and feel numb, unable to shake what you've experienced, because it resonates with you and your life, something no superhero extravaganza can ever achieve. Not that "A Body That Works" is either "House of Cards" or "The Sopranos." It's not that good. It's not era-defining. But it's on the road, it's on track, and if you watch it you'll know what I'm talking about. -- 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

More Songs Given Away by Major Artists-SiriusXM This Week

Tune in Saturday October 24th to Faction Talk, channel 137, 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 -- 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

It Could Happen Here

If I hear one more self-satisfied, establishment Democrat rail against Democratic Socialists... I'm gonna laugh. These people are so out of touch, they don't realize that they themselves are the problem. You see young people today don't believe in the system, and how can you, with today's news that the Democrats were responsible for the other Dan Sullivan running in Alaska: "Inside Democrats’ Secret Effort to Stack Alaska’s Ballot - Operatives aligned with Mary Peltola, the Democratic nominee for Senate, spent months recruiting candidates to peel votes from Senator Dan Sullivan, the Republican." https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/us/politics/alaska-dan-sullivan-conspiracy-peltola.html?unlocked_article_code=1.MVE.iaMH.e-RVF8mArvXR&smid=url-share It's hard to believe Democrats occupy the moral high ground with shenanigans like this. Then again, this is just evidence of how detached the Dems are from the public. The same public that continues to be told to vote, as if it would make a difference. Milos is our driver in Vail. He's from Serbia. Over the years I've gotten a complete education on the power of that country's strongman leader and the impossibility of any change. The public had surrendered to its fate. And then... The youngsters organized and ousted Vucic. They were dancing in the streets over there and ex-pats were doing the same over here. Kind of like the ousting of Orbán in Hungary. What do both of these despots have in common? They were supported by Donald Trump and they both accepted the election results and relinquished power. Funny when that is a feature of eastern European governments, but in question over here. Then again, Vladimir Putin is now our ally, and Zelensky and Ukraine are the problem. If your head is not spinning yet... But Trump believes he operates with impunity. Then again, Trumpers are concerned with corruption, the story was even featured in the "Wall Street Journal": "Grift Becomes Bigger Issue for Voters in Final Days Before Midterms" https://apple.news/ACSckEZ1mTUq2UH0PRNH8vA So who led this revolution in Serbia. THE YOUTH! The same youth who kept Lula in power in Brazil. And how did they organize? ONLINE! "The Digital Army That Catapulted Lula to Victory in Brazil - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won another term on Sunday, with the help of a seismic social media campaign that convinced Brazilians to reject his rival." https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/26/world/americas/brazil-election-lula-social-media.html Oldsters decry and deride social media not understanding it will lead to their downfall. No wonder they want to ban it. Then again, most people against TikTok have never even used the service. So the youth have detached from the government in the U.S. And it's not only them, but great swaths of the public. The affordability crisis? I just open my wallet and let them take the money out, I've got no idea what things cost or are worth anymore with runaway inflation, never mind the tax I'm paying as a result of Trump's tariffs. They think we don't know. Oh yes we do. Now in Serbia, the complicit media is under attack: "Serbian Students, Victorious and Leaderless, Go After the Media - Supporters of the opposition movement that won Sunday’s election stormed the offices of a pro-government tabloid. Another news outlet apologized for years of 'one-sided' coverage." https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/27/world/europe/serbia-student-list-news-media-vucic.html All those ass-kissers, from Bezos to Tim Apple, never mind Fox News... Did you see that Fox News's ratings have gone down? "Fox News Ratings Sink a Staggering 27% in October, but It Still Has Much a Larger Audience Than CNN or MS NOW" https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/fox-news-ratings-plunge-october-2026-cnn-ms-now-1236933379/ The nitwits in Hollywood fearful of the Skydance/Warner Discovery merger and how it will affect the news... If you're getting your news from television...you're one of those baked-in believers, whether on the right or left, who believes this is still an organized game with clearly defined rules that everybody obeys. Call it a cultural revolution, happening in the hearts and minds of the digitally native who are connected to more people online than the oldsters telling them to disconnect. You only know what is happening if you're on the phone all day long. We live in a new world, and D.C. is living in a past era. So the Democrats look like they will have huge victories next week. But this does not mean that those who voted for left wing candidates have faith in either them or the party. It's just a protest vote. Primarily against Trump. The Democratic party is about as in touch with its constituents as the Republicans are, meaning they both think they know a lot about left wing voters, but really know almost nothing. So we're having an election. Protest has waned until the dust has settled. But don't think when the voting is done everybody’s going back into their hole. No, that's when the real games will begin. Having made headway, young, digitally native voters are going to go for the jugular. And it's all so obvious. The billionaires funding an anti-tax campaign in California... Talk about a bad look. Furthermore, even the hoi polloi now know these people never pay any taxes: "The 'Buy, Borrow and Die' Wealth Strategy Has Become a $5 Trillion Market - Deloitte study finds booming market in stock-based loans to billionaires—and the lesser rich" https://apple.news/ANt-mSgk_REyuZqk5QqyGlQ You truly think that this growing income inequality would go on unchecked? And your money won't keep you safe. Collaborators? Trump may act with impunity, but it's gonna be open season on his enablers. Morality is gonna make a comeback, that's one card that the outsiders hold, and there are many more outsiders than insiders. They're rioting in the streets in France. And people think it can't happen here. They're wrong. It's just a matter of a spark, then there's a conflagration. Kinda like George Floyd in 2001, if Floyd had been white and the cop was Trump, with Schumer and Jeffries standing by saying nothing. America is much more broken than you think. On the INSIDE! As far as the outside goes, we've severed relationships with all our allies and are cozying up to dictators. When will it all break? It is not business as usual. And there's something in the air, which both Thunderclap Newman and Tom Petty knew. And the leaders are not elected officials, and they're not musicians, even techies. They're all thinking about their wallet first, meanwhile the rank and file find their coffers empty. America is ready for a rewrite. Now the Arab Spring taught us that after uproar you might end up with even more oppression, but you can only ignore the will of the people for so long. Are there left wing crackpots? OF COURSE! But if you equate them with those on the right, you're inside the right wing bubble. No, most Americans are dissatisfied with the state of our nation. And hating and owning the Dems won't put gas in your car and food on your table. Are the problems daunting? ABSOLUTELY! But the wankers who are enriching themselves in both D.C. and Silicon Valley... They're making them worse, not better. We're going in the wrong direction. Meanwhile, we're told to shut up because we've got flat screen TVs. So you walked five miles to school in the snow...THAT WAS HALF A CENTURY AGO! Sure, the standard of living has risen, but that does not mean it's risen high enough. But all we've got is newspeople so up their own rear ends, talking about the horse race, that they can't see what's really going on. There is rampant disenchantment, the public is fed up. They'd rather vote for a Democratic Socialist who aligns with their values more than the usual suspects. This does not mean they want a handout, they just want to be noticed, have a seat at the table, which they do not have now. Do they truly expect change? No, because the system is rotten. And if you start defending it you're the problem. We can't even come up with an AI policy when the technology has a 10% chance of ending civilization. And if we got rid of tariffs, Chinese cars would decimate Detroit overnight. "I went to Mexico to test-drive the cars Americans can’t buy - Mexico is a showroom for electric cars, with a growing fleet of sleek new vehicles from Chinese brands unavailable to Americans." https://apple.news/ADQ8wQTGgQqWGz13h3P5Eug The younger generation cares about pollution, they're concerned with global warming, after all, it's their planet to inherit. Assuming we're all not wiped out by some rogue AI software. All of this is self-evident. But people can't question their beliefs, can't accept that their cheese has been moved. Hollywood worries about how many movies Skydance is going to make when YouTube is eating up market share on the television screen. Turns out the public knows what it wants more than the studio chiefs. They want authenticity, credibility, they abhor edges being shorn off by committee, they want a zillion options... Does this sound like Hollywood to you? The spark is unforeseen. Everything is calm today, then there's turmoil tomorrow. America is ready to blow. Will it? Even if it doesn't right away, if those in power don't change their ways and deliver reasons to have faith in the system, it's just a matter of when. -- 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

Re-Jim Griffin

From: Stacie Griffn We have finally posted Jim’s obituary today. It was not an easy task as there is so much more to know about him and there was so much more left for him to do.  We continue to receive an enormous number of emails and postings on social media from friends and colleagues sharing stories and memories. These are very comforting to me and his son, Hazen.  He was one of the greats who led the charge that changed an entire industry.  In the beginning many people were angry and fought his ideas. Others embraced his vision and created new business models and revenue streams still in place today.  While there were years of heated debates, one mission was always at his core; he wanted artists to be fairly compensated and for fans to have unlimited access to music, movies and art. That is essentially the model for subscription streaming services that we know today.  He lobbied so hard for so long to get the industry to move from product to service. As you may remember, it was an unpopular battle to take on.  He also saw it bigger than the internet. In the late 90’s, his time in Finland with Nokia executives opened his eyes to music on mobile phones. This was at a time when most people didn’t own a cell phone.  I’ll never forget Jim sharing a meal with Russ Solomon and telling Russ that he needed to begin adapting his business model or Tower Records would never survive. Russ was furious.  I think Russ told him that he was crazy and Jim had no idea what he was talking about. A heated debate ensued.  Russ was not alone. I witnessed many people have this same visceral reaction. Jim took the brunt of many harsh comments behind his back and to his face, but he never wavered.  When I rewatch his testimony from the 2000 Napster hearing with Lars Ulrich, Hank Barry and others, I am in awe that everything Jim predicted would happen is now true. More than true, it’s so second nature to all of us that it seems impossible to think it wasn’t always this way. The Pho List was his way to bring all these ideas and discussions forward. At times, he was the loudest voice in the room, but he never wanted to be the only voice. He listened carefully and especially loved it when students joined in. We are committed to keeping the Pho List going and new discussions are happening even today.  Please feel free to share this along with Jim’s obituary.  So many of your readers may have their own stories to share about this time in history. Many are still making it happen.  For the readers who were born-digital, they may enjoy the nostalgia of how we got here. Obituary: https://www.donaldsonodenton.com/obituaries/james-griffin?ttm_pid=212678139&ttm_affiliate=legacypro&ttm_affiliatetype=standard&ttm_campaign=legacy Stacie Seifrit-Griffin -- 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

Malcolm Gladwell's Gun Book

"The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic": https://bit.ly/4zbkMky Everyone should read this book. I'm burned out on Gladwell, he's so into his shtick that oftentimes he rewrites reality to fit his thesis, and he can never admit he's wrong, and his holier-than-thou delivery...have you listened to his podcast? I stopped, after he refused to admit he was wrong after Bowdoin called him on his inaccurate reporting and when he said that L.A. is famous for its golf courses...have you ever heard ANYBODY say this other than Gladwell himself? It's like he drank his own kool-aid. Believes he is dropping morsels of truth upon us, the great unwashed. And "The Bomber Mafia" was close to crap and "Talking to Strangers" was not much better. And his whole act of saying that history is wrong and delivering new insights...he's become a one-trick pony, seeing everything through the lens that we've missed the truth and he's going to clue us in, but we're all not that dumb. So why did I read this book? Because it's short and it's a fascinating topic. Have you ever fired a gun? There's incredible power in holding one and firing off a bullet. You can't believe this power lies in your hand. I couldn't wait to put it down, fearing if I continued to hold it I'd get addicted. Which many Americans are. Let's be clear, it's not about the Second Amendment, people just love their guns. As for the Second Amendment... Gladwell parses the words in a very convincing argument. You think the Supremes are so damn smart, like their crap doesn't stink. But anyone will see that Gladwell's interpretation of the Second Amendment is correct, that's it about having guns for militias, you can't separate the two. But alas, they have! Because people want to own their guns. As for those who have a gun in the house...be afraid, be very afraid. I would never have one, for fear of shooting a friend I mistake as an intruder or myself. And that's another one of Gladwell's points. We believe there's an epidemic of shootings during crimes, and if we can just take the damn guns from the criminals, everything will be hunky-dory. But the truth is the number of homicides involved in the act of committing a crime are de minimis. Most killings are in moments of agitation, by people who believe they've been infringed upon and in the heat of the argument they blow the other person away. Don't get in an argument with an unknown person. You never know who they truly are and clashes can escalate in a minute. Let me repeat that, most shootings do not occur in the act of criminal activity, rather the shooters are mostly reasonable people who are morally offended and say something and stand their grown and what started out as a calm event, waiting in line for food, turns into a conflagration and someone ends up dead. Or in a dark moment of the soul, they kill themselves. But all the focus is on robbers and other bad actors, premeditated stuff. As for the homicide statistics... Numbers have gone down because doctors have gotten so damn good at saving firearm victims. Unless you happen to be Black. The institutionalized racism evidenced in this book is staggering. But don't we live in a post-racial society? Don't minorities and special interest groups need to stand on their own two feet and fight it out with everybody else? If only the playing field were truly level. And then there's the Supreme Court. If you've been alive long enough, and most people have not, you remember the Warren court, which in the sixties delivered justice through the eyes of the era. Which those on the right abhorred, because they didn't like the results, they wanted to stay in the past, even though the future was here. This is the essence of the MAGA movement, that if only we could return to yesteryear...which wasn't so good to begin with! So you've got Clarence Thomas, who rarely speaks, asking about analogies to the past... Yes, New York's century old Sullivan gun control law is up for debate, since you should not be able to prevent someone from owning a gun. And the discussion devolves to hundreds of years ago, Merry Old England, were there cases where people were allowed to have their guns? Up to the challenge, Gladwell goes deep and illustrates how the fact pattern the Supreme Court is relying on is patently untrue, but don't let the truth get in the way of the result you want, all the while telling us that you're an originalist getting into the heads of the Founding Fathers. What did they think about AI again or Uber? I'm sure we can look to the framers for insight. Yeah, right. And in America, we've got fewer police per capita... Once again, you've got liberal whites out of control, believing they're helping minorities when in truth they are hurting them. Like Latinx. But it's been well-documented that people in Black neighborhoods want more police, not less. But you've got liberal whitey saying to Defund the Police...where does that make sense? Not in Europe, where they have many more police people and less homicides as a result, the officers are baked into the community, there's a relationship that is not inherently adversarial, like in the U.S.A. What do I think the end result of the publication of Gladwell's tome will be? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! And there you have today in a nutshell. Everybody's baked into their opinions, and living in an echo chamber where they only hear information that aligns with their viewpoint. They don't want the truth, they don't care what's right, they want that which reinforces their beliefs, which could be completely out of touch with reality, never mind factually wrong. Gladwell has done us a service here, by addressing the issues head-on without pulling any punches. Once this book is read, it's a good basis for debate. But most people won't read it and they don't know how to debate, they were taught to the test and now are going to college to be successful in business. The liberal arts are frowned upon, and that hurts society in general. No liberal arts, no most of what Steve Jobs delivered us, typography and elegant design... But I don't want to muddy the issues here. I just want to say that this book is a well-reasoned starting point. Even declaring that assault rifles are not the problem, that they're mostly a distraction from the real issue...which is, once again, people who own guns who whip them out in everyday situations to reinforce their belief that they've been morally harmed. We need a national debate on guns. Which we never get. We've got the right saying everybody has the right to bear arms and the left in most cases saying nearly the opposite. I don't know about you, but open carry scares me. Oh, don't tell me about that guy in Bend who shot the shooter. You've got to go deeper than that, what was the underlying issue here, why was this kid doing it and can we prevent this behavior in the future, and Gladwell makes a good argument that in many cases we can. We can't see the forest for the trees, we are missing the plot, and Gladwell tells us this over and over again in this book. This is required reading. You read, don't you? -- 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

Leland Sklar-This Week's Podcast

Legendary bassist. You know, the guy with the long beard who's played with seemingly EVERYBODY! VIDEO: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=r9cRgq4WQLs&si=S67aBYnuLybzXuPZ&drli=1 AUDIO: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leland-sklar/id1316200737?i=1000797598116 https://open.spotify.com/episode/1wvlwL69LNkbbKMrGt0YqW?si=HF3Uv16zRZSTF3_zW1MGgg https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/leland-sklar-348175653 https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/c00a9591-d7e6-400e-8a18-acaa4cb0d36e/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-leland-sklar?ref=dm_sh_T0rNp9oM4kHIGiMeUqhMOjHpv -- 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

More Stranger Songs-SiriusXM This Week

So, tune in Saturday October 17h to Faction Talk, channel 137, 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 -- 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

Podcast Now On YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/@TheBobLefsetzPodcast -- 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

Re-Mike Love

I’m going for 75 minutes until I am 90! Living the dream!!! Peter Noone  ____________________________________________ Great write-up on Mike Love.  Mike was my boss for 23 years, including when I met you at the Vilar in 2019.  You’ve hit the nail on the head - Mike really loves performing for the fans.  Summers on tour with The Beach Boys were often brutal - like 32 shows in the month of August alone, each in a different city!  But as hard as it was for the band and crew, I never forgot that Mike would also spend all day doing phone interviews for radio, print and the web for upcoming shows, even early “drive time” hours.  Fielding show offers, planning the routing, and more. He is truly the epitome of a hard-working guy!  So to your point #6 “was this the last Mike Love show?”  If he can regain his health and strength, I am sure he will be back out there! Scott Totten Guitar, Voice, Production and Arranging ScottTotten.com ____________________________________________ An old friend of mine has been the tour accountant/lighting director for Mike Love and the current Beach Boys for the past twelve years. When they passed through San Diego last summer we connected and my wife and I had a chance to see the show, catch up with my friend, and hang a bit backstage. Here’s my two cents. Is Mike in great voice? No, but that’s not the point. He’s 86 and  the last living link to justify The Beach Boys touring and being on stage, and, as you pointed out, he’s all heart and genuinely loves it. The rest of the band, including Mike’s son as well as John Stamos, longtime genuine fan and talented goofball, are fantastic. The audience loved every second of it. These songs are timeless, but the original members aren’t. Mike is there. Literally, that’s all that matters. Whiners gonna whine and haters gonna hate. The show will sell out long before they should choose to not buy their ticket. More seats for the rest of us. And Mike works hard. When we saw them they were fresh off playing some dates in Ireland, and heading out the next morning to travel up the West Coast.. My friend that works for him and everybody else I talked to in the organization had nothing but positive things to say. We are lucky to be alive in this era when these folks are still among us and, in Mike’s case, wanting to share the experience with us, then let’s celebrate every moment of it we can. Thanks for all you do. Ralph Covert ____________________________________________ Mike is five years older than me. I hope I can hang on as long.   In 1980, I was a promotion rep for Boardwalk when he released his solo LP “Looking Back with Love.” The label had booked a promo tour, and I met up with him in Houston to hit the stations, do some press and visit some record stores. I figured “nothing but the best for a legend,” so I rented a loaded red Caddy to chauffeur him around in. When I picked him up at the airport, he smirked, “Got your daddy’s car, huh?” Fortunately, I managed to catch myself just before blurting out, “No, it’s from Avis.”    Jon Sullivan ____________________________________________ I produced a project with BILL CHAMPLIN for Warner Japan , and took him to Tokyo to compete in the Tokyo Music Festival in 1990. We sat in First Class and I had the seat next to Mike Love,  who was also going for the festival as the guest artist.  He got pretty blasted and liked to talk a lot. Very friendly and nice. He told me a lot of fun and interesting stories in the 12 hour flight. He talked  of how he was suing Brian Wilson for co-authorship on many songs. He seemed very confident that he would win . At the time, I was thinking he was talking thru the booze and that for him to win would be a long shot. Lo and behold, he did win!  Mike’s guest performance at the Festival was great ! He and his  polished band did an impressive 45 minute set of Beach Boys hits .  During the competition segment, Bill won Best Vocal Performance (beating out Bobby McFerrin , among others) and he and I shared the award for Best Composer.  Fun memories (seemed like yesterday!) Joey Carbone ____________________________________________ What a beautiful tribute to and analysis of Mike Love.  Mike's a problematic guy if you're a Beach Boys fan.  We know about the rants, the dumb interviews.  But even for the Brian-centric Beach Boys fans who think they hate Mike Love - who could ever have done Mike Love's parts better?  The music is what will last and I have no problem giving Mike his respect for making literally millions of people happy since the 1960's.  And as you pointed out - Mike had more to do creatively with the early Beach Boys stuff than people think.  His strong work ethic kept the band on the road - and money coming in for Brian, Al and the Beach Boys families.   Because of his snippy personality, it's hard for many of us to do what I am about to do now - which is to say THANK YOU MIKE LOVE!  The pleasure was all mine. -Ted Schreiber ____________________________________________ Thanks Bob. I hate it when people speak negatively of Mike Love. He did write the lyrics on most of the hits and he did sing the lead on many of them. He didn't have the advantage of having his father be their manager (who worked to promote Brian).    And he kept the band going and relevant when Brian couldn't or didn't want to. I always respected him for that. He put a great product out there too. The current band is excellent and I've seen them many years in a row.  All good things come to an end but what a great ride it has been and of course we'll always have the music. Feeling down? Just put on the Beach Boys and you can't help but feel better. The lyrics, melodies and the harmonies are timeless and emotionally evocative - like no other band!  They're America's Band!   Patrick Whitaker ____________________________________________ Beautifully expressed, Bob. And people need to lay off Mike Love. He's been unfairly overlooked for his role in those songs for decades and unfairly compared to Brian Wilson who was hardly a saint, just more spectacularly f*cked-up. And apparently had much better publicists. Cheers David Vawter ____________________________________________ Been a fan since..well… before the Beatles…first time live…Winterland 1973… opening with Blondie belting out a fabulous Sail On Sailor…after ball games…arenas…amphitheaters every time they played Maui (even a private gig).. That video of Mike hit hard… I know he’s been in bad shape but to see him like this? First thought was”time to hang it up”… but man what do I know? He’s been doing this pretty much nonstop his whole adult life…it’s his fuel…Over 40 songs every night…he’s going against Doctors orders and even his band…if he wants to ride this wave to the very end… he’s earned that right…we’re all a leaf on a windy day… Tom Clark ____________________________________________ Bravo for giving another face to the man.  I saw that pic of him onstage and could only think of how Paul Atkinson was at the Zombies “reunion” show at HOB in Hollywood years ago, not long before he died. Paul was a mensch, a lovely man. Oh, well…. Hugo Burnham ____________________________________________ '"Today, unless you live here, California is a pariah, a veritable joke, a hellhole with a government that doesn't work, stratospheric taxes and unaffordable real estate.” Keep in mind, California is the most populous state in the USA.   It is #1 in tech, #1 in entertainment, #1 in start up companies, #1 in agriculture, #1 in GDP (and is #4 worldwide !), #1 in venture capital, #1 in Fortune 500 companies headquarters. It ain’t perfect (I got my real estate tax bill today)……but it beats the sh*t out of Texas and Florida. Mike Bone P.S. AND I will put the UC and Cal State colleges up against ANY other states colleges ____________________________________________ Interesting piece, Bob. Lots to think about and lots to unpack.  I will tell you this: I had the honor of seeing Glen Campbell’s “The Goodbye Tour”, accompanied by several of his children, namely Ashley, a good artist in her own right…and it was a very special evening. Not without its “ouch” moments - but mostly, it was heartfelt, there were dashes of his brilliance, his playing and that voice. But, mostly - about how his kids and none other than the legendary TJ Kuenster embraced, protected and celebrated him and his music. Thank you for mentioning him in your piece, even if briefly.  Respect,  Alex Lopez Negrete  ____________________________________________ so much truth in your writing about mike love. these musicians still out there soaking up whatever love they can get from fans...and fans wanting the last ounce of whatever their rock idols have to share. seems like a win-win to me.  tom petty had it right: "i don't know but i've been told you never slow down, you never grow old." rock on! mary e. ____________________________________________ I went to Buddy Guy’s 90th Birthday at Radio City about a week ago.  He was doing it for the love of the music and the love of the crowd and for the love of other musicians.  A few years back I saw an 87 year old BB King delivering on his music.  So, maybe 85 isn’t so old if you love what you do.  John Parikhal ____________________________________________ I’ve seen the Beach Boys several times, mostly in the early 1980s. Even saw Brian with them in an odd one-off in Huntington WV of all places (Carl was sick so Brian filled in).  Point is, I love ‘em. The splintering makes me sad and I wouldn’t go to a show now. That said, I don’t have any problem with anyone who wants to go or if Mike et Al want to keep playing. They deserve to be the ones to choose when they hang up the forever symbolic surf boards. Tim Wood ____________________________________________ Hey Bob, the Beach Boys were the REASON I came to California.  Even though by 1965 I was more of a British invasion guy, the BB came first.  Ever since I heard their first hits in 10th grade I knew I would be California bound some day.  High school was 1961 to 1965 in Arlington, VA.  I went to one of the best public schools in the country, where almost everyone that graduated went to a 4 year college.  Not me, I had C minus average and barely graduated so I was off for Glendale Junior College.  Why California?  Hottest chicks, hottest hotrods, hottest weather is what the Beach Boys said, so why would anyone want to go anywhere else? So I tossed my drum set in the trunk of our 1960 Imperial and my mom and I drove across country.  We arrived on Friday the 13th of August,1965 and got a motel room in Glendale, close to the college.  My mom went to sleep and I drove off for the beach, with no map, but made it to Santa Monica via the freeway.  Coming back was another affair, got lost for hours, (half the fun), almost ran into the Watts riots, finally made it back to the motel by 3 am by asking numerous folks "Which direction is Glendale?"  I had arrived. The dream had started. My first night in CA! The Beach Boys were RIGHT! Sterling Howard, founder/owner  https://www.MusiciansContact.com ____________________________________________ If we are taking a side trip on musicians that died on stage, Col. Bruce Hampton comes to mind. Thank you, David Howard ____________________________________________ Mark Sandman from Morphine died on stage. Roderick Smith ____________________________________________ Man I love you for writing this. Mike Love is a living legend. Thank you. Jordan Holman ____________________________________________ Totally agree with you. Van Fletcher ____________________________________________ Loved this. So true. Two facts for you. One , I took my Mother to see Perry Como at Royal Albert Hall about 50 years ago . He was brilliant! Two, somewhere sometime I met Mike Love. He was brilliant! Sadly I was so fu*ked up I can’t remember where or when but I do remember he was so lovely. Richard Griffiths ____________________________________________ Hi Bob, nice piece. I had mixed emotions when I saw the first clips of Mike in his stool with Stamos championing the crowd around him … as you note it’s tough to see your hero’s lose their vocal chops and push through a show, largely on goodwill. But I think if anyone has earned the right to go out on his terms it’s Mike Love. I really appreciated your interview with him, I think he’s lived in the Wilson’s shadow way too long but he’s really been the glue that’s kept that band alive and a legit touring force. The footage wasn’t great but I hope he was basking in the adoration of that crowd, and however many more he can make.   Cheers Craig Eagleson ____________________________________________ I saw Brian maybe 10/15 yrs ago at the majestic Beacon Theater. I saw Mike with Uncle Jesse Stamos on drums after a AAA  baseball game in Buffalo in maybe 92? The latter was a celebration…people, all different stripes, singing songs and dancing in the aisles together . I was young , as were they relatively. Too much fun.  I actually sat through a baseball game to see the band. Not my sport.  The former I did to say that I saw him… like my friend saw Elvis in Niagara Falls the year he died.   Daniel C. Dwyer ____________________________________________ Thanks, Bob. John Stamos -- 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

The Horse Race

People didn't love Donald Trump in 2024. But they did hate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, we constantly have to hear about Harris possibly running again, makes me tear out what little hair I have left, she is an inauthentic loser who couldn't even get one delegate back in the 2020 primary season! There, I said it, positively heresy. She's Black, she's a woman, how could I say anything negative? Now let me see... Joe Biden was too old and they said he was not and then he evidenced this on television and told us not to believe our eyes while he dilly-dallied for weeks deciding to retire, like a baseball player who has lost a step. And we Democrats are pissed. Because the team has been managed so poorly. It's hard to be a fan when the General Manager denies the truth and when changes are made, they are worse. I didn't vote for Kamala to be the candidate, and neither did you. She was foisted upon us. But she almost won anyway, because most of the country has Democratic values, and so many people hate Donald Trump. So Trump didn't win, the Democrats forfeited. And Trump has been showered with hosannas ever since. Until now, when the media is reporting that those who voted for him are disillusioned and are now leaning towards Democrats. OF COURSE, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE WIDESPREAD SUPPORT TO BEGIN WITH! Meanwhile, all the reporting is about the mechanics, who will win in what state and although important, this is not the main issue in America today. No, people have lost faith in the Democrats and the system. The wishy-washy Dems? Who never raise their voices, who say their hands are tied, who won't stand up to Trump but also won't stand up to special interest groups? How many trans women are there in college sports anyway? But rather than say this, most Democratic candidates are afraid of pissing off...exactly who? The trans community, which is how big? This is a no-brainer, the Republicans are anti-trans, you can defend trans people without losing your mind. When even Martina Navratilova comes down against trans women in sports, you know you're on the wrong side. Once again, no problem with trans people, just everybody is not entitled to do everything! Kind of like when they refuse to say only biological women can conceive babies. This is a huge gift to the right, can't anybody on the left speak English? And speaking of English, only bleeding heart liberals could come up with the moniker "Latinx" for a group of people who hate the appellation. Ditto on defund the police, people in Black neighborhoods want MORE police! There's this endless rabbit hole of b.s. No one has a backbone. And then we get to Democratic Socialism... Traditional Democrats are missing the point, it's not about socialism whatsoever, but hatred of the usual suspects, the establishment. But the Democratic party can't reform itself, can't arrive in the twenty first century, never mind look forward. And the doofus Republicans in Congress, afraid of Trump and their own shadow. He's a paper tiger. It's like an invisible dog fence. They're all afraid of breaking ranks, crossing the line, when in truth liberation exists right outside the barrier. The public is not with Trump, he just won an election because the Democratic candidate was so bad. Sure, there's a hard core of Trumpers, but it's smaller than you think and in truth it's not about love of the Donald but hatred of the so-called coastal elite. Who even I hate. The self-anointed educated and rich who think they know better. But the irony is this is not a one party problem, there are self-righteous, pompous elite members of the Republican party, it's just that the Democrats never seem to make this point and hammer it down. We are looking for truth, for fighters, and all we get is wusses. People are more alike than different, and in truth James Carville had it right back in 1992 and for all time...IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID! Most people don't care about the day to day activities in D.C., they just want to be free to live their lives. And when you impinge upon those lives, like with the banning of abortion... The Democrats keep talking about packing the Supreme Court, doing something to undercut our rigged system, but then they never pull the trigger, they're waiting for the people to rise up and lead. Which could happen, because Trump is running the country off a cliff while the Democrats twiddle their thumbs. Find me a person who defends a Russian oligarch paying for Don, Jr.'s wedding celebration. Find me a person who is down with the closing of the Kennedy Center. Find me a person who is in support of the arch. No, Trump is acting with impunity, and no one will stop him, believing he has widespread support. HE DOESN'T! Now is the time for the true believer, not someone who equivocates, who consults polls before doing anything, who is afraid to offend anyone. We are looking for people who connect with us emotionally. Meaning both J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio have absolutely no chance of winning in 2028 assuming the Democrats run a reasonable candidate chosen by the people. We need someone to believe in. Trump got elected in 2016 because people were freaked out about the future, technology, opportunity, they wanted to put the brakes on society. Which, of course, is impossible. We needed a leader to navigate the new world, not someone who promised us a return to what once was, which wasn't so good and is never coming back again. The old farts in Congress... All they can do is hate on technology, after the fact, when it is already pervasive and dominant. And most people now hate Elon Musk, a blowhard too myopic to be aware of the public's perception of his personality and identity. But the news talks about him coming back to Washington like it's a fait accompli. There is a way out of this, and it's not so much moving to the left as in moving into the future. If one more Democrat asks me for money for TV ads... What next, radio soap operas? They hire consultants baked into the past who are only concerned with getting paid. So I'm disillusioned with both parties, as almost everybody is, especially on the left. It's only old people who are true Democratic believers, young people have never felt the power of a JFK, a politician who spoke to them. On the right... It's fear and disarray, and a refusal to acknowledge how weak Donald Trump really is, how he's out of touch with the populace. So what happens now? Maybe the Democrats take Congress. Maybe Trump interferes with the election. But gridlock will remain, a constant scrum wherein the two lines butt heads and the ball never moves either way. Meanwhile, while we're killing our young people as they get CTE from playing football. What next, executions on TV? YES! People don't want barbarism. They do want expertise. They want humanity. They want to be acknowledged and understood. People are reasonable, they don't require everything if they believe they are heard. Right now they do not feel they're being heard. So either the Democrats wake up and break the system, or Trump will bring us ever closer to true autocracy or... The public will revolt. People can only take it for so long. Gas is stratospheric in price because an uninformed idiot started a war he couldn't win, undermining the status of the U.S. in the process. The same man who takes the side of Russia against Ukraine. Do you really think the public is behind him? OF COURSE NOT! Can we at least speak English and admit this? And know that the fear for the Democratic party is not socialism, but extinction, because it has lost touch with its constituents. The right rules on fear. But when people see the light, they become less scared. But it's hard to shed light in our obtuse world where everybody gets their news from a different outlet, oftentimes biased. The Ten Commandments in school? We're sitting on the sidelines wondering what is going on. Isn't this exactly what the Constitution forbade? We live in bizarroland. Oldsters are tuning out, living on their savings. Young people have no savings and are constantly scolded by oldsters for utilizing technology, for not showing up and being abused at work. And you think this draws youngsters to them? But all we hear about is numbers. Establishment talking heads giving us analysis baked in the past. Everybody so locked into the game that they can't see what is truly going on. Meanwhile, we're on the outside, alternately detached and enraged. How come we can see the obvious and they can't? How come we can see it's not about the details, but the overall picture? How come there's no longer any agreed upon truth? How come even if I vote I still feel powerless? Change is coming. What it will look like, I don't know. A tightening of the noose or a breaking of the system. One thing is for sure, things can't go on as usual. The public knows this, the Democrats certainly do not. Rally the troops, don't divide them. Bring everybody in, don't give them a reason to stay out. Make people feel heard and included. That's the way they used to do it. But not anymore. -- 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