The Best/Worst things about owning an Indie Label

Finally reading R.S.'s "Alt Rock-A-Rama" (1996), which is a collection of short stories, essays, lists, etc., written by some of the coolest people in the business at that time.

Here's a great list by Jill Kalish and Steve Pilon - Jill & Keith live in Atlanta and run Long Play Records, which has released albums by the likes of the Big Fish Ensemble, the Opal Foxx Quartet and Smoke.

The Best/Worst things about owning an Indie Label

-You get lots of FREE records -BUT- they're NEVER the one's you want

- People are interested in what you do for a living and ask you lots of questions about it -BUT- the next time you see them the ask "What is the name of that record STORE you work at again?"

- Once in awhile one of your records starts to sell pretty well -BUT- then your distributor goes out of business and you STILL manage to end up losing money.

- Beer is tax deductible -BUT- only only IF you remember to get a receipt.

- Its pretty much your job to make fun of major labels -BUT- well, there's really no downside to that one.

- You can work in your underwear if you want to -BUT- there's really no downside to that one either.

- People always ask your advice on what new records to buy -BUT- they go out and buy Smashing Pumpkins and Tori Amos ANYWAY!!!

- You feel confident that your records are the absolute best records being released anywhere by anybody -BUT- everyone just buys Smashing Pumpkins and Tori Amos ANYWAY!!!

-END-

Best Bands/Concerts of the 1980s

BEST MAJORS:

1) Replacements - RE: their 3 records "Let it Be", "Tim" and "Pleased to meet Me"...I don't think there has been as good a trilogy by any band before/after - got to see them on their "Don't Tell a Soul" and last tour (too bad it was after Bobby got fired and Chris quit) for "All shook Down" at Bogarts/Cincy where we heckled the Goo Goo Dolls so bad that their fat bass player stopped playing mid-song and got into a shouting match with us. Who woulda thunk that they would strike it rich by basically stealing the 'Mats' sound and hitting the top 10 billboard. On that last tour, the 'Mats were polished and incredible. I then saw PW at least 10 times solo in the 90s with an even BETTER Band and once in the 00s playing by himself (he was brilliant!!!) at the WFPK show with Sonic Youth and that guy from the Velvet Underground...one of my top 3 songwriters/performers of all time.

2) R.E.M. - much like the 'Mats, their 3 record + E.P. were a pretty amazing run - "Chronic Town", "Murmur", "Reckoning" and "Fables of the Reconstruction", the band was mysterious and haunting when they 1st started YET the jammed hard (Folk Punk?). I saw them in Miami Oh on their "Life's rich Pageant" tour which was amazing but I missed them at their peak, would've liked to see them in their heyday of playing dive bars VS an arena w/ 10 K other fans. The next day, I went to a record store to see if they had the Connells' new record "Boyland Heights" and they didn't -BUT- they GAVE me a promotional cassette copy of it for FREE because nobody there knew who they were...I was in heaven that trip.

3) U2 - saw them on their "Joshua Tree" tour - closest thing to a revival through a rock band with 20+ K people at Kiel auditorium in STL. I saw the Connells the next night at Blueberry Hill, see more below. Best 2 day rock experience of my life!!!

4) OZZY Osbourne/Blizzard of Oz - My 1st concert when I was 12 years old in '82. I got to see Randy Rhodes 2 weeks before the helicopter accident that took his brilliance from us. He is by far my favorite guitarist to ever live. This show actually had to be rescheduled because OO had bitten the head off a bat a month earlier. I won an autographed copy of the "Diary of a Madman" L.P. from K-SHE 95 that week.

BEST INDIES:

1) Camper Van Beethoven - what a fun live band, I saw them 5 times throughout this region on their "Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart" and "Key Lime Pie" tours. One of the most exceptional/underrated guitarists of the 80s, as well as the rest of the group. I got to see Jonathan Seagull twice before he left the band and really fell for his replacement, she was pretty in an Indie chick way and very talented. IMO. def. very inventive stoner rock from a small surf town in California.

2) The Connells - the polarity of seeing U2 the night before and then seeing and hanging out w/ the Connells just blew my 20 year old mind. It was the 1st time I saw them and I actually had a beer with Mike Connell and we sparked up a friendship that lasted 6 years. His down to earth attitude made me realize that maybe I could do music myself. I kept in touch with him through the U.S.P.S. for several years and sent him tapes of my originals. He was very encouraging and I basically was on their guest list any time they made it to Louisville, Cincy and St. Louis. I've seen them at least 30 times over the years. Did anyone here see them when they played UK during their "Ring" tour? That was actually one of my favorite shows and 1st time I partied at UK.

BEST LOCALS

1) Love Jones
2) Paul K and the Prayers
3) Crain
4) Kinghorse
5) Peter Searcey/Big Wheel (wish I could've seen Squirrel Bait, unfortunately they broke up before I moved to Kentucky)
6) Hula Hoop
7) the Julia Set
8) Bush League
9) The Belligerents - Louisville's answer to the 'Mats

Starbucks

I've been thinking of this all day since I first saw this photo this morning.

I was 9 years old back in the late 70s and I loved the BSG TV show and watched it religiously while it was on. Star Wars had come just out a few years earlier and I couldn't get enough of that movie, its comic books and anything else that I could get my hands on regarding it.

Several years ago I heard about the BSG series update and watched the 1st couple of movies and I fell in love all over again with the stories and esp. the characters, even though they were sooooooo different IE a Hispanic Adama and a female Starbuck. WTF?

While it wasn't nearly the same as it was in my youth and was a HUGE departure...it was on a much larger scale and had better story telling and actually combined scifi, action, humor and most incredibly...politics and socio-economics onto an adult level and made this kid story into a brilliant weekly series which kept me on the edge of my seat.

Well this photo just juxtaposed both of my world's and IMO is one of my favorites ever.

God bless Starbucks.

Australian Music

IMO OZ is a cool as hell place I wanna go visit for a few months/years and get into the music scene someday. Some of my favorite 90s bands are from around those parts :

Garageland
The Go-Betweens

As are several other great/and/or/popular artists such as - Hunters & Collectors, The Church, Hoodoo Gurus ("What's my Scene" was a classic song back in the day), Men at Work (who didn't like them better than the Police?), the Divinyls, Mental As Anything, AC/DC (Fn classic), Dead Can Dance, INXS, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Midnight Oil (as good as u2 IMO) + Little River Band, Air Supply, Bee Gees, Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John...+ there are many many more esp. from the 50s/60s!!!

There's also a great documentary on the Indie label which initially signed Garageland:

LINK: Flying Nun Heavenly Pop Hits Documentary - Part 1

Dance Gavin Dance/Katy Perry?

I got a little flack on a message board recently...

>52media, Dance Gavin Dance followed by Katy Perry? I am literally cringing.

I know. I'm too GD honest sometimes and that pisses me off!!! I recently helped a friend move his computer repair/cafe business to another location this past week and the only station that we could get there while we painted was our local top 40/pop station...and after probably 60 listens to that damned song...IMO, that KP song F.L.O.B.W. just rocks IMO. While pop is supposed to be fluff, I like it because she's in a class by herself and does things differently while maintaining the general 'standards'.

For your better understanding on how my mind works...regarding music - I recently brought a CDR with Billy Bragg & Wilco's 2 records that they released called "Mermaid Ave" on a road trip and for the life of me I couldn't remember who's lyrics they wrote the music from until we got home and I WiKi'd it!!!!

-BUT- we heard this crappy song on the radio called "Fat Boy" from a mid 90s band from Australia and I immediately KNEW that it was Silver Chair....WTF?????

If I could change things...I would've immediately been able to tell everyone that the records were written from lyrics that Woody Guthrie's widow had given Billy and the boys from Wilco and I NEVER would have heard that other ISH.

Link: Billy Bragg - Ingrid Bergman

Billy Corgan

Billy Corgan was a genius (for a VERY short period of time in his songwriting career) and though his music had a very short 'shelf-life"...when he was on...he was absolutely brilliant!!!

He took advantage of the HUGE vacancy that Kurt left us and delivered great music, period.

Now, comparing Nirvana to the Smashing Pumpks, you can't!!!

Cobain changed the industry for the better...period. Its a HUGE milestone despite what you think of his guitar playing (IMO sloppy as hell yet perfect in its passion, intimacy and tone) and that can't ever be taken away from his legacy.

There would be no Billy G. if it wasn't for Cobain opening the door which REM, the Replacements, et al. helped him barge into....

Manchester Orchestra

Now this new band Manchester Orchestra I just heard for the 1st time yesterday reminds me of Mars Volta and more specifically, of ATDI. There's something about their high sonic sounds when they are going at it full bore then how they pull it all back and go melodic, its something beautiful IMO and I haven't heard since. I can't wait to see this band live soon.

I don't know if you agree or even hear what I'm talking about, but I haven't heard a new band with this kind of potential in a long time.

Link: Manchester Orchestra- Shake It Out

You?

MORE thoughts on Nirvana

Meh...there is nothing wrong with anyone's opinion when it comes to their taste in music or any other creative endeavor IMO. Nobody is right or wrong here. That's why the Grammy wards are usually horribly off-base each year...rem. Jethro Tull winning "Best Metal" group? 'Nuff said.

I was looking more into the social impact that Nirvana had on each of us and the industry as a whole. They sold 10+ million records back in '91/'92 and literally changed the industry, IMO for the better.

Today, we have Nickelback topping the charts due to the release of "Nevermind" and I thought that enough is enough and that we needed another major upheaval to keep our interests.

While AIC was probably the most interesting and creative band, esp. their harmonies and musicianship during that time, their sales and impact didn't have anywhere near the influence that Nirvana did -OR- even now!

What's next?

Who's going to change the industry?

Is it even possible now with CDs on the decline and digital distribution making the industry less about sales and more about 'connections'?

RE: Katy Perry

>>>Katy Perry would actually be pretty phenomenal just behind a mic with an acoustic band. her rendition of "Hackensack" is pretty amazing. She would go completely unnoticed, though. Still, don't mind some of her pop stuff.

Her version of "Hackensack" is where I noticed her and though she deviated way off course, I STILL like like her style.

Who wouldn't go after that type of FU money in her position?

U2 did it. REM did it. Hell, even Nirvana did it (to bring this discussion back to the Original Topic).

When placed in that position, would you rather sell 10s of millions or a few 100,000?

The answer is clear...

The Gaslight Anthem

I just listened to a few tracks from the Gaslight Anthem. Pretty good. Springsteen-ish with a punk/Replacements edge.

I really like the lyrics in this tune.

Link: The Gaslight Anthem

The Story of Kings of Leon

Just read about this in RS. Not a big fan, yet sometimes seeing their story helps.Looking forward to seeing it.

Link: Talihina Sky - The Story of Kings of Leon

Thoughts on the Beatles

The Beatles literally came out of nowhere and took over the world. No other group took advantage of the times such as they did. They came at the exact perfect moment (the US was still getting over JFK's assassination), they wrote their own music (not many performers did that at the time) and as you said, they were foreign in their accents, speech and upbeat music.

Its hard for me to understand how anyone with any taste for good music at all can say that they do not like or even appreciate the music that the Beatles delivered.

From their early days, which sounds simple yet their writing esp. their chord progressions changed popular music for the better IMO and were filled w/ minors on 7s, etc., that songwriters are STILL using these techniques today. Now don't even get me started on their psychedelic and late period classic rock periods. Man they were incredible!!!

IMO, I think John Lennon's "Plastic Ono Band" record can be historically linked to punk rock and even further to Kurt Cobain's raw, primal, honest and intense recordings.

Katy Perry's Rider

Saw this yesterday. Riders are negotiable for 99.9% of the artists out there. They are a pain in the ass for ALL promoters.

I've gone through rider discussions myself...basically saying "here is what we got" and buying out sections which we don't want to comply with/spend the time on, for a couple of hundred dollars, etc...

Katy Perry though, is currently on a whole 'nother level, its insane IMO.

You probably have comply with all of this without any negotiations to get her to agree to show.

Check this ish out...

Link: Read more HERE

the most important songs in my entire life !!!!

Hank Williams "Hey good Lookin'" - I remember singing this one as a kid, the melody and hook definitely helped me get interested in songwriting
The Carter Family "Wildwood Flower" - a simple classic, nothing better

Buddy Holly - "True Love Ways"- hearing this song just makes me feel happy, safe and gets me longing for the 'good ole days' whatever that means

John Lennon "Love" - simple...perfect...close 2nd "Woman"

The Replacements "Swingin' Party" - Shelli and my song, takes us back to the days/years when we were 1st together

Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach - "God Give Me Strength" - when these 2 great songwriters came together - something larger than the 2 of them clicked on this song.
R.E.M. "Good Advices" - the bridge of this knocks me over...been attempting to write a song this good since I 1st heard it.

Red House Painters "Katy Song" - there's something about this band that when feeling down, listening to them somehow makes me feel better

The Smiths "I Know It's Over" - a perfect combination hitting their stride and writing the perfect song which IMO defined the band

Music Memories from the Past

Sometimes hearing a particular song will send you back to a particular moment in your life, right?

Here's one of mine:

When I was in 4th grade at a very particular Catholic school in St. Louis MO, we had a home work assignment which we had to either start -OR- end a finished sentence.

I.E.

_____________ at the playground.
Johnny went to the _______________..

One of the options was:

________________ in a car.

My answer...after listening to a ton of Beatles was:

HE BLEW HIS MIND OUT...in a car.?

My 4th grade teacher at that time called my parents after reading my answer, (remember this was at a Catholic school and she was obviously NOT a Beatles fan), and asked them to ask me why I answered this particular question in this particular way.

I told them it was because it was a line from a Beatles song that I was listening to at that time. My parents backed me up there and everything ultimately turned out fine.

I didn't know what the big deal was about at the time, didn't really know what the line meant other than it was from a Beatles song and that it sounded COOL.

The fact that my folks backed me up at that time (and didn't send me to counseling,)really made a great impression on me, even today, that I would remember this 33+ years later!

Does hearing a song today send you back to another time?

Let's hear your story...!


(the Beatles - Day in the Life)

My New Obsession

I have woken up dreaming about this stuff the past couple days, with many reasons! Kroger Caramel Candy Crunch Ice Cream is IMO the best "spot hitter" when it comes to store bought sweats. I've gone through almost 2 cartons this past week and actually bought 2 more this morning, right before the game.

Vanilla ice cream mixed w/ bits of crumbled Baby Ruth bars and a ton of caramel.

WARNING: be careful, you may 'throw' a crown -OR- even break a tooth off if you aren't cautious with this stuff.

IMO at $2.00 a carton, on sale today at Kroger, it doesn't get any better.

Artist Spotlight: Jenny and Johnny

Everybody knows Jenny, yet who is this Johnny character? Well, it seems they've been living together the entire decade and wrote a batch of fine songs! Their new debut record sounded pretty good after 1st listen, there's one tune which was the stand-out called "Really Very Small" with a great line "See you on the way Up (all the way down) - See you on the way Down - (all the way up) ". While my 1st impression, it didn't really hit the spot as much as some of Rilo Kiley's best, I look forward to getting into this record and will report back...Tom-

Speaking of Rilo Kiley, here's the one that made me fallin love with Jenny almost immediately.



Here's a review of their record from August:

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Album review: Jenny & Johnny's 'I'm Having Fun Now' 

August 30, 2010 | 

The heterosexual working couple may be replacing the band of brothers as the primary unit of the 21st century rock group. In Arcade Fire, Sleigh Bells and the Dirty Projectors, a balanced blend of male and female sensibilities creates the kind of buzz once caused by all the boy energy of classic rock. Relatively balanced, that is: In most groups built around such units, the man remains the primary creative force (at least on the surface). As in most workplaces, in pop music women have made significant but limited gains.
Jenny & Johnny represent a different situation. In this couple, the woman is the powerhouse and the man, though forceful in his own ways, rises to her challenges. Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice have been creatively and romantically involved for half a decade; the lady, one of indie's most successful thinking beauties, is the bigger star. Maybe that's why this project, though lighthearted, has some of the prickliness of a real day-to-day relationship. The title may be "I'm Having Fun Now," but there's room for wisecracks, bitterness and worry amid the lovey-dovey stuff.
"I'm Having Fun Now" distinguishes itself from Lewis and Rice's solo efforts, or hers with band-on-hiatus Rilo Kiley, by going for a very specific tone. The fuzzy but bright production by the duo, with help from old friends Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) and Pierre de Reeder (Rilo Kiley), has been compared to classic AM radio fare but is really closer to the jangle pop of the 1980s -- bands like the Three O'Clock and Opal in L.A., Let's Active out of North Carolina, and the Chills from New Zealand. It's prettier than what today's shoegaze revivalists do, but still a little jarring and tart.
Merging voices and exchanging lines, Lewis and Rice don't duet so much as banter. Some, like "Switchblade," are directed at the kinds of shifty characters a musical couple might encounter in Hollywood. Others tackle the relationship theme in language that's highly literate and never over-sugared.
What other pop couple would dream of being together forever in a New Yorker cartoon? That's just how urbane and aware Lewis and Rice can be, working out their power dynamic with the "record" switch on.
-- Ann Powers
Three and a half stars (Out of four)
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