i just listened, sorta, to an album that was streaming for free on itunes..major artist, long running career...it might be hitting a major pothole. i'm sure whoever is left at the label he's signed to, and his manager, and his girlfriend are all probably cringing as this thing hits the digital highway...
since the music biz has disentegrated and "access" has been granted to anyone with a computer, a cheap mic and an internet connection we've been treated to millions of these self-indulgent works...not to mention the blogs that are all over the place with more narcissists than hollywood could ever handle.
makes me miss the days of a good record exec who would actually say "uhhhh, NO" and the book publisher or editor who would actually say "uhhhhh, Hell NO". we had plenty of good things to listen to, and plenty of good things to read back then(and yeah the occasional turd snuck through) and now we have all of that and lotsa crap to shovel out of the way. or, DELETE.
]]>some artists need a deadline. some are victims of the deadline. they can't commit to a finished product, so they work right up to the deadline, and, usually past the deadline. it's not because they work slowly, or procrastinate. it's because they need someone else or some thing else to tell them to stop.
this usually results in a mess. the artist doesn't have a clear vision of their work. usually, they are chasing a "hit" or trying to please the record company or their manager, etc.
the artist that can make the decision that the work doesn't need "one more thing" is the artist that understands you can ALWAYS find "one more thing"... But does it NEED "one more thing"?
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kinda funny
]]>did you learn something from someone else's music today? everyday? if no, why not?
even the most successful producers, writers and musicians learn how to listen with a purpose. and even the most successful producers, writers and musicians learn to listen without any purpose other than just enjoying themseslves.
if you're trying to make music your life, enjoy it. that's what you want your listener to do...right?
]]>not sure what the deal is, but damien rice's track " blower's daughter" is one of the most visited posts on the site. is it rice? portman? owen? roberts? you tell me.
i think it's natalie, but i'm biased.
weird movie. who's the victim? who's the narcissist? who's co-dependant? it's a mess. like life sometimes.
]]>in the music biz you wouldnt' be wrong to think of the record labels as the marketing department of your art. or the sales department. yes, shockingly, they are in business to sell. not to make art. to sell art. if they believe they can sell the art you make, you're in. but if they don't believe they can sell your art, 'now more than any other time..'you can try to sell it on your own. good luck with that. let me see, not only are you a brilliant artist, but you're a marketing and sales genius too. you're going to make a video that will "go viral". you're going to "beat the system" you're going to prove everyone wrong...i don' think so.
it's my belief that this "opportunity" is a myth, a bill of goods, snake oil, etc.. in my opinion, if you're creating art that someone will actually want, it will find a home. if not, then all the marketing, social networking, butt-kissing, shilling and blogging won't get it past your front porch, or your website that no one visits.
the gatekeepers, tastemakers and critics might not always get it right...but they're pretty damn close most of the time..."now more than any other time.."
]]>keep it in context, it's a tv show now, and really sorta always has been. the awards are campaigned for by labels and publicists and a&r guys. the artists let them do the dirty work. the system seems to work most of the time, and really, i think mobsters picked better rockstars when they were really picking rockstars.
the grammys will go on, but the careers of most of the winners won't. some winners will die way too young, and the grammys, the parties, and the obligatory tributes will go on, and on.
i'll check some of it out on youtube.
]]>I've worked with a dozen or so casualties of the music/entertainment world. i've always been a fringe player in their worlds, and truthfully, never wanted it any other way. what bothers me is that the same formula is always in place. the talent gets a break and has some success. the talent then decides to surround themselves with "people they trust"(this really is "people who will say yes to all their ideas, people who will never call them out on anything, and people who will tell them they are amazing at literallly, everything"). if one of these "people they can trust" goes outside the plan and questions anything...buh-bye.
i'm not saying that the talent has anyone to blame but themselves, but what i am saying is there is no reason to be shocked when the same pattern of actions have the same ol' results. it's scary, to me at least, the same people that are "coincedentally" close to all these dead or close to dead artists..coincedence? not a fucking chance. these "mentors" "impressarios" and "visionaries" are all common denominators in these bad movies. just look at the recent casualties :mj, lv, wh, aw, the guy from milli vanilli, etc...these are just the ones who have passed away, i'm not even listing the ones who are still here but have lives that are total trainwrecks.
if you're on the way to being a star, or are one already, take a hard look around at the people you have close to you. are they there because they are good, honest, hard-workers or are they there because they coincedentally always agree with you, never ask questions and always put a spin on situations to make you feel good?
i do know a few artists who have people around them that are honest, hard-working, ethical and moral. those artists are still alive and, well.
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