CD Review: Jeff Powers

Jeff Powers has a new disk which starts quite simply. It’s a down home blues rock song called Longest Train( Long Gone) A nice 2 chord progression played on an acoustic, with a 3 chord turnaround for the chorus. The Neil Young like vocals come n and set the tone, then the band kicks in for the track and Adding the final touch is a cigar box guitar with a slide. 

For those of you who don’t know, a cigar box guitar is just what it says; a cigar box fitted with a neck, a pickup and about 3 strings, usually played with a slide for a delta blues feel which gives this song a very train like feel.

13 seconds and 57 shots, is another very Neil Young type song about the Kent State Massacre, which sadly still resonates in today’s culture. It’s another 3 chord southern blues song and captures the drama of the event portrayed and another featuring some wicked cigar box action.

Down In New Orleans is a little more folk country in flavor. It’s really just a simple song with a pleasant charm with an accordion to accompany and give it that Louisiana flavor the song begs for.

In a Bad Mood has a very haunting melody, sounds like a lonely and brooding night on the front porch of a county home. Syncopated acoustic rhythms make this song with just a little bit of Ray Manserick style organ.

The only one I’m not completely sold on is Gypsy Girl, written about Ani DiFranco, mostly because the vocal melody doesn’t quite compliment the song, but the story is compelling and reminds me of several hippie women I’ve known throughout the years. The song is well written overall and props to the DiFranco nod.

For brevities sake, ill skip to Wild child, which deviates from the pleasant folk aesthetics we’ve heard thus far and kick you in the gut with a dirty blues via cigar box guitar once again, but it definitely the featured instrument, and has an accompanying blues harp (harmonica), the essential counterpart for delta blues rock. This is definitely the signature

After that, it settles down a bit into the brooding yet melodic folk like blues based music the cd is essentially compromised of.

The gems her on out are just because He’s Wrong, which has the vague feel of Eric Burden and the Animals.

The overall feel of the album is roots rock with an acoustic feel, accompanied by a solid backing band and is part of the return of good American music that pulls from the great American songbook. This album is deep with the emotions and musings of a man on a quest to find himself and his culture and sharing his experiences with us and I am glad he did.

4 out of five wood carved stars with a ceramic cow.

To purchase the album, click here.

Dave Widow & the Lineup.

The CD starts off with a standard Chicago Shuffle, called Bluesman. It has gritty bluesy vocal which i like, a  nice pickup in the middle and some nice horn work but lyrically, its not very impressive. It’s a straightforward content that tell us how much he likes the blues. Ok. I get that now what? He makes a bold claim but when you call yourself a bluesman, you really need to bring it on home, in more ways than one. And the lyrics just don’t seem to cut it.

The next song is Long Gone, a very 80’s Eric Clapton blues style, slightly reminiscent of the Mike McDonald Doobie Brothers era. It really does not inspire me too much; I feel the 80’s blues was some of the worst. But if you like McDonald and 80’s Clapton you will disagree with me.  Its followed by what is to me an equally tepid song similar in vibe called Leave A Piece Of Me.  Its rather 80 rock and strays from the claim that Dave is a bluesman.

Now, after you get past those, is a song called Piss You Off, which is actually quite good. Very Elmore James meets Chicago blues with a similar feel to Hurts Me Too, sans the slide guitar and here I find Dave really hits the mark of a blues singer.  This one is a slow tempo tune with the most tasteful guitar work on the album.

The next two are fairly standard blues rock fare, not too bad and definitely more suiting to Dave’s style but track 7 , well, track seven is called Nothin On You. Its biggest flaw I a drum loop from he early 90’s that should have been left in the 90’s. It’s a straightforward funk with not much to it and I recommend you skip that one. I must say that older white guys need to stay far, far away from beat loops. It seems contrived and it always seems as if they are trying too hard to appeal to younger audiences, which always is hokey. There is a sweet piano riff in the middle though.

There is one outstanding gem called Picture Of You, which is a soulful and heartfelt acoustic blues song which is by far the most well rounded song, its beautiful and the lyrics are the best  on the whole album.

Dave Widow says about the song, "[ It ] is a melancholy song about remembering a lost love, via an old photo I found, on a rainy afternoon, and it’s an Americana/dreamy-sort of tune. "
Nice real world inspiration that makes for good lyrics and It kind of reminds me of  a country version of Blind Melon. Download that song.

Skip the next, Second Hand Love, it’s trying to hard to rock.  The last one is Sweet Janine, which is another acoustic centered tune and the second best on the album.

Dave Widow is best when he is singing simple acoustic tunes. They seem heartfelt and genuine and I like them a lot. He is very good in a traditional Blues format, but he doesn’t stand out in a crowd. When he tries to be something other than those two, it shows. I would tell him to be true to himself and don’t try to appeal to anybody and his music will be far better. But I give him props on a very well produced album with a few solid cuts and superb musicianship.

I give this effort 2.5 stars with extra credit for Picture of you; that one cut alone is worth several listens.

If you want to check it o for yourself, here is the link

Why I think We Need Vaudville Again

 Lilly Loca's Vaudeville Cabaret

This is a supplemental to my last entry on open mic nights, more of what I’d like to see in the way of these modern day variety shows. I really want to see the return of Vaudeville and the sheppard’s crook! For those of you who don’t know, a sheppard’s crook was used to drag especially bad performers or performers who were on a bit too long off the stage, sometimes followed by a clown with a broom sweeping up the stage, to much comedic effect. Mostly, it would have to be used during paid performances, as a free for all may not be the best time to do it, but heck, why not? 

I know, that sounds cruel, but think about it for a minute. How many performers have you wanted to tell and act that they are simply no good? When a performer stinks like a three day old fish, give em the hook! When the act is an utter flop, you can let them know and relive the paying audience with a small bit of comedy. Trust me, people would love it.

Also, it would let the act know, in no uncertain terms, that they need to work on their act, or consider a job in the roofing business. Yes, sometimes tough love is the best love and besides, everyone involved from the performer to the audience would have full knowledge of the possibility of someone dropping the curtain on you so while your ego may be bruised, there’d be no excuse for sour grapes. The performer will either, hone his chops, or quit the business.

Either way, for the audience it’s a win-win because if the act has heart, he will go back home practice and become a better performer. If the latter, well, his or her skin is simply too thin for this business in the first place and perhaps will find a more rewarding career. Or, the possibility exists that the performer will make a habit of returning over and over again, in different personas, continuously getting the hook, ala ‘I love Lucy’. Again, audiences will love it!

Let’s face it, we all have wished this device was in use at one time or another, and I for one, think it would bring a neat addition to a scene in need of something fresh. Well, it would be retro, which after a while is fresh again. Besides, people love retro and we are seeing the return of 20s fashion, and music, to some degree, so what not go all in?

Let’s bring back all of the old hokum of the old burlesque and vaudevillian acts, the high hats and hoofers, let’s bring it all on. The one acts, the comedy duos, burlesque dancers, the freak acts (you know fire eaters, self-maimers, sword swallowers and the like). In short; I want to see a return of the vaudeville style performances and now!  I’m not saying I have anything against open mics as they are, open mics are fine, but they can be incorporated in these vaudeville shows with the professional amateur night.

How cool would it be to go to a show and you have no idea what you were going to see, but you know the acts were heavily vetted and organized according to talent, and performance values. There would be the opening act, probably 'From Dixie', or good enough for the rubes, the the second banana ( second best comedian) would perform a skit, or a monologue a musical act, then a skit, freaks, then the Top Banana, ( best comedian ), he would have his assistant, (Third Banana). then the show stopper.and the last act would be 'playing to the haircuts' ( playing as the patrons leave). Each night the order would be shuffled, all hosted by the emcee. It would be a huge production.

In fact, the entire draw would be the production itself, not necessarily the performers, although quality acts are a must to pull it off. I know, the production costs may be prohibitive, and it would take a lot of work, plus, you would have to find the right venue, but if anyone has ever heard of PrairieHome Companion, you know it could work, with the right people involved.In fact, we see popping up here and there some revivals, like Lilly Loca's Vaudeville Cabaret( pictured above), and Star Wars Cabaret.

It’s one thing to watch it on the tele or YouTube, but too see someone perform live is something else altogether! I used to see some of my friends belly dance on the beach and it was amazing, they had fire and everything! It was so cool. You can’t get that experience from the screen. There is an intimacy to live art that we have lost and what a shame it is.

And now, here's Gene Sheldon.

The Ups and Downs of Open Mic Nights

OK I’ll admit it: I don’t go to many open mic nights. Why? Well for one thing, I’m a single father which takes up quite a bit of my time and most of them tend to be at bars, or just too late for her at a tender three years of age. But that’s not the only reason. The other is that I have a hard time with performers who can’t sing or play so I tend not to travel too far to do that. 

That being said, there are a few with a fair amount of talent you can rely on. The two that stick out for me are both on Wednesday night. One is at Romano’s in Canyon Crest, off the 60 and the other is at The Vault in Redlands. Both have a fair amount of talent and only a few misguided souls. But, when I do go, I applaud everyone. Why, just for having the guts to get up on stage.

It hard to do that and most people simply cannot. Most people would literally rather die than get up on stage in front of people. And in a way, it’s even more balsy to do it when you have no talent! When I get on stage, I know people will like what I play so it’s easy for me to do. However, may people don’t know that and for them , it’s a great way to get a feel for performing in front of people and hone your skills before embarking on a professional career

My grievance is more with performers who attend to play themselves yet bash the other acts. Guess what? They usually suck themselves! You can tell a poor quality of performer by the way they behave off stage. A professional will give due credit, sit back, and not criticize because they know its open mic and they know that there are people who are either inexperienced or not all that talented. It comes with the territory. Plus, it’s just bad form. But, you will notice that the good players will stay quiet and be respectful. If you hear these guys laughing or being rude, guess what, they can’t play either! They lack sufficient skills and need to compensate by attempting to reduce everyone else to their level. Typical.

Of course, most professionals tend not to go to Open Mics because, well, they have paying gigs but occasionally, its nice to go to one just to try out new stuff to meet new people or just to have a bit of fun with an acoustic guitar, But if they do and a bad performer comes up, they politely go outside away from the stage and smoke or converse with someone until the performer is finished. It’s called courtesy and it is very crucial to a performer because if you have and desire to be respected, you yourself must show respect.

Come one, man, face it. You knew exactly what you were getting into when you came to the open mic and its free entertainment. If you don’t like it get the hell out of there and let the performers do their thing. If I hear you mocking a performer, you lose all of my respect and if you get up there, I will simply not give you my ear, or my respect. Yea it’s not much, but you won’t win over any new fans either and new fans are what we all need, if we are serious about our music.

So in closing, I would just like to say that if you intend on going to an open mic, be respectful of all the other performers and people will respect you, even if you’re not good. That is important because it helps build self-esteem and confidence so if you are serious, you might just keep coming back and getting better. If you’re the kind of douche that has to insult everyone or ridicule their performance, or complain about how much better you are, please, just stay home and prove it to yourself because we don’t want to hear that, and you’re probably not very good anyways.

How to Make Your Band Sound Like Crap; The Hazard Report Apocalypse Edition, part II

Hello and welcome back. Apparently the Mayans were wrong, about a great many things. Either that or we were all duped by sensationalist media…take your pick. Here in part two of how to ruin your band, I will tackle band mate one-upmanship. What do I mean by that? Let me explain.

When we are striving to be a one of a kind band, we often find ourselves doing one of two things. Either we are in constant competition with one another, or we are trying to impress our own band as if to validate their letting us be a part of it. Each of these does nothing but make the band sound like crap.

Take the first example, lets sat you have two lead guitar players. First of all, do you need two? If so, than you need to let each band member express themselves in order to serve the band. If you insist on being the best in your band, then clearly your motives are self-serving and you have no business being a part of your unit. You would be better off being your own front man, lead player and have everyone follow you. I must warn you, it often comes across as being a show off, and self-indulgent. I hate that crap. It also shows you lack of confidence in yourself, and a lack of respect for the other musicians in the band. Again, not cool.

For instance, there is a self-proclaimed bluesman that plays in front of everybody, shreds a whole lot and sings everything. HE is so busy trying to be impressive and indulging in himself that he does not listen to the rest of the band, which in only drums and bass. Now, this cat is GOOD, but he plays too loud, and he doesn’t bother to listen to his bass player, which he should, because she is terrible. The drummer is not very impressive either. Not bad, but very basic and dull. The point being, he was so full of himself that he neglected every other aspect of the band and turned out to be an absolutely terrible performer.

Now onto the second item which are band members trying to impress their fellow band mates all the time. You know, they hired you already, you dint need to prove yourself by being flashy all the time, and when everyone is flashy all the time, it clashed and it becomes sonic mud. That kills what may otherwise be a terrific band. Dude, you have the job, now do it and serve the song, your band s know your good, or at least they think your good. Now tighten up, listen to what everyone else is doing, especially the drummer. 

Everyone in the band should be playing conservatively until your moment to shine, and then show the audience why you are there. Have someplace to go. If your always going off, when your time comes, you have nothing left to give and it shows. Let the band breath, please.

Both of these pitfalls fall under the category of playing over the song, not with it and it derails the music. Your audience wants to her the song, not your masturbation. When you mellow out a little, and accompany the band, the overall performance shines and you become a solid act, ready for larger venues and bigger opening gigs. It’s not about you! It’s about the experience of your fans. The whole point is to create a journey, make it dynamic and cohesive otherwise you will never achieve greatness.

Armageddon Special: How to Destroy Your Band, Part I- Being an A**hole Onstage.

Hello and welcome to Armageddon. I assume since your reading this, were all still here and we can get on with our life. I suppose today’s installment will be about the Armageddon of a band. Basically, band etiquette or how not having it can ruin your band.

I know most of you have been in multiple bands as have I, and one thing that is a sure sign of a band that should not be is external blowups. I mean the kind where during the performance, the drummer loses the beat, and the whole band stumbles and instead of plugging away the front man or the lead player stops and confronts said drummer, live, in front of God and all of creation. Whoa dude, bad form! That is bad ju ju for the band and it makes your audience very uncomfortable. And it shows you’re a hack.

If this is you, get over yourself. You are fucking it up for everybody! Guess what? The audience usually doesn’t care and if you are at that point, you are most likely not playing to any decent sized crowds so your air of offense is unwarranted. What’s more, you are embarrassing your band mates and ensuring that they don’t want to work with you.

The stage is not the place for these antics. Leave your grievance for after the show. Do you remember Axle Rose? He is a twat. One of the things that make him a twat was his little temper tantrums during shows, now were talking huge, sold out arena shows here! And where is he now? Fat, bloated and singing songs no one cares about in the Drive thru at Mickey D’s. Fuck that guy. And fuck you if you’re that guy.

There is absolutely no reason to treat a band mate like shit during a performance; I don’t care how good you think you are. It’s not about how good YOU sound; it’s about the band as a whole.

To advocate for the devil a bit; if you’re the one who messed up, it serves no one to deny it. I’m not justifying the actions of said prima donna, but arguing back and forth about who is to blame will just make whoever's arguing look like an ass and you will never learn from your mistakes that way. Save it for after the show, when no one is around. The fans don’t wanna hear about who fucked what up, the just want to have a good time and you are ruining it for them. Do you really think they come back to see you after that? Hell no

Performance issues can be handles during practice. If you continue to squabble onstage, guess what? You will lose your fans, your band and you will be just one more bitter musician complaining about how nobody wants to be in a band anymore.

Christmas Edition: Why Most Christmas Music Is Completely Unneccesary

Today, I was at a loss for what to write, so I will address one of my personal grievances; re-recording Christmas music. How many artists have recorded White Christmas? I’ll tell you. Five hundred. Five hundred re recordings of the exact same song the exact same way, for over 50 years now! Why? Mostly, its record companies trying to make a quick buck. They absolutely know that Christmas nuts (no pun intended) will buy every single crappy version of a holiday standard. It’s surely not because somebody felt the world needed one more version of Winter Wonderland performed the exact same way as the original.

Let me say I enjoy Christmas music during December in the background. Not because I can rock out and play air guitar to it but because it sets the mood of the overall season and I enjoy quietly sitting with my daughter in the glow of the Xmas tree when it’s late and she’s sleepy. So no, I’m no Grinch, but I nobody has ever done White Christmas better that Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong. Certainly not Jessica Simpson (or as some may know her best, Jessica Who?).

And now every musician’s favorite whipping boy, Justin Bieber comes along and proudly announces he is adding his contribution to this insanely trite tradition. We are not impressed.

The traditional recordings have a certain timeless quality to them. They have a certain musicianship and essence that just cant be recaptured or duplicated. There is a real magic to them that is just missing in today's versions but yet every year, people record  these things in doves, regardless of the fact that there are a plethora of the exact same songs by whatever trivial artist is popular at any given time. 

You can’t seriously believe Usher wanted nothing more than to sing Santa Clause is coming to Town with Mandy Moore? Yea, right. How big was that paycheck anyways?

To me, nothing screams “I have no musical integrity” louder than a collection of Christmas classics. It’s all too easy, banal and meaningless. Christmas is already pretty lousy with commercialism.

If you absolutely must record Christmas music, take a cue from Mariah Carey and write one. What I love about All I Want for Christmas Is You is how amazingly epic, traditional and yet modern it is. Along with co-writer Walter Afanasieff, she managed to capture all of the elements of what a true Christmas classic is and will probably be the only song she has ever recorded that will live on into the distant forever.

Sadly, that seems too hard for many people to do so they bust out the old, well worn out songbook of Christmas past and give it yet one more uncalled for rendition and like with every copy, each one is less and less important and each recording waters it down more and more. But my, don’t the record labels make a lot of money doing it? And really, that’s what Christmas is about in the end isn’t it? Money, 

cheap baubles, material goods and commercial music is what this season has been reduced to. 

There exists all manner of nonsense that has completely clouded what is real about the holiday and for me, the endless, placating and meaningless Miley Cyrus or Heavy Metal  Christmas albums is part of all that. In part, I’m fine with that because in my house, I do my best to instill the warmth of family, the love, peace, joy and we honor our family traditions and the classic renditions of the early Christmas classics. On the other hand, as an artist, it really gets my goat!

Our Christmas will involve Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, All I want For Christmas by Spike Jones, and  the ancient pagan ones like O’ Tannenbaum, slightly more modern Christian ones like God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen and The first Noel. I really do prefer the older versions because with a few exceptions, the modern ones just seem watered down and all to blandly commercial.

If you are recording any of the traditional songs…I ask; why on earth would you do it if not for the money? I sincerely doubt you hope to record the definitive version of Jingle Bell Rock. Bobby Helms did that already.

On that note, enjoy your festivities, listen to some good Christmas tunes and listen to the classics and ask yourself how anyone could treat them better than Judy Garland and Mel Torme`.

Chef Spiro's Ear for Flavor!

A Diet for a New Tympanic Membrane

by Spiro Nicolopoulos

Some tastes are acquired over time. Others are intuitive. Some are just plain confusing. Often times I get synesthesia and I can literally taste what I hear. Just the other day I was watching a music awards show and I was assaulted by the flavor of McDonald's...through my eardrums. Yes, I remember being five years old when the flavor of a McD's cheeseburger or chicken McNugs were to die for. Over time, the sophistication of my sense of taste disarmed the Mcflavors all....like a cheap magician's trick they were exposed to their common flavor denominator - cardboard.

 The 2012 American Music Awards had the flavor for McBieber fever. They gave Justin Bieber the "Artist of the year" award, among other awards. When listening to Bieber, the flavor I get through my ears tastes just like McDonald's! I began to question why........Here's my answer: The present music industry tastes are based on the musical appetites of children. It's true. The vast majority of album sales comes from music geared to kids 14 and younger. It's a ""follow the money" industry par none.

 The pop world menu of artists is serving billions and billions each year. Here is how the pop world tastes to my ear:

• Bieber is the Big Mac.
• Katy Perry is the Quarter Pounder.
• One Direction is your 5peice chicken McNuggets.
•  Beyonce is the McChicken sandwich.
• Taylor Swift....well, she's the Filet O' Fish.

 Would you like fries with that? Great! There's plenty of Lil 'Wayne and Ke$ha to go around. Boy does Ke$ha get around! Don't get me wrong....I like junk food once in a while too. How about those sugary sweet lyrics? Yeah, those taste like a concentrated super-sized Mountain Dew drink. 

Here's the deal....if I keep getting audio McDonald's I will quickly develop audio high cholesterol, audio obesity, and eventually an audio coronary. Then my ears will need an audio double bypass. The music Dr. will inevitably order me to go on an audio diet to enhance my audio health again.

 Back to unprocessed natural sounds. Homegrown mixes of instruments are the best. Cut out the excess audio fat, salt, and sugar. Back to the un-auto tuned human voice. Now how about some substance in those lyrics....yes, give me the essential nutrients right there. Most music lovers are already on a diet of naturally great musical food. There's digitally great musical food too - don't get me wrong, I've danced til' dawn to the best international DJs. 

 I'm not anti-pop music at all. There has been great pop music.....just not so much lately. What bugs me is that the music awards think Bieber is the best of what's out there in terms of being an "artist." Give me a flippin' break. Who is voting for these awards shows? Is it a text in vote from Nick Jr viewers? SERIOUSLY.....what panel of adult voters voted Bieber as the best artist that American music has to offer? It's similar to having a panel of food critics vote the Big Mac as culinary item of the year.

  We don't get so upset about bad music being shoved down our throats as we do bad food. It's ok to criticize crappy photography or cuisine or perfumes or clothing.....but why not music? So many people are starting to jump on the band wagon that "music is too subjective to criticize." Who started that crappy line of logic? Probably label executives. It makes it a lot easier for them to give you a musical crap sandwich and watch the masses eat it and smile. Ke$ha? How about Katy Perry? How about Bieber? Lil' Wayne? Crap Crap Crap and more Crap....and all with capital C's. 

 May be if people had the guts to publicly hate some things other than political views then the public wouldn't be forced to tolerate having music dominated by what 14yr old kids think is cool. Remember how the rock artists of the early 1990s subverted the music industry and just criticized the hell out of pop music and made people re-think what "being cool" was worth? "Being cool" is only worth a damn when it's subversive and rebellious and gives the finger to the status quo. As soon as Wal-Mart is selling "the look of what's cool" it's over!

 At one time Satchmo was pop. Duke Ellington was pop. The Beatles were pop. Elvis was pop. Nirvana became pop! They were all dangerous too. Pot smoking, gong kicking, double entendre pelvis thrusting, sexually charged, politically subversive dangerous artists. Legends. They pushed the human equation forward a step. What do we have now that is anywhere near that? Lady Gaga perhaps?

 I'm not a fan of her music but at least she waves the flag of accepting any kind of sexual preference right in your Bible belt face. God bless her. She's dangerous and has the power to change culture at least. Music is her vehicle. I'm down for her being on the pop music map.

 Don't get me wrong and say "OK so if you don't smoke pot or whatever then you don't deserve to be successful in the music industry?" No, of course I'm not saying that. But let's leave the kids music in the Jr. section of the musical pop consciousness and let's start treating music with the same respect that we treat our cuisine. The Food Network is like a culinary version of early 1990s MTV. It's in your face about being CRITICAL about art! It's raising public awareness to what good cuisine is about. It is encouraging people to be daring about food without forgetting what it's all about....taste. There is nothing like that in the music world anymore.

At least we have the internet where we can download any great artist.....but I'm afraid most emerging artists are doomed to regional attention and to obscurity on the bigger playing field. I guess there is a good side to it: I did get to see Victor Wooten, Chic Corea, Frank Gambale, and Dave Weckl all on one stage at a 200 person capacity club. But it's also kind of sad to think that four of the world's greatest jazz artists are playing together at a 200 person capacity club. 

Anyways, I'm trying to live my life on the side of the Muse....on the side of artistry. I have alienated my "fan - friends" and musical partners time and time again to move forward ever onward. I'm not living in the past. I hate it when I hear "I miss Rolling Reunion." Too bad. I used to hear my old fans tell me "I miss your music from your solo album" when I started Rolling Reunion. I told them "too bad" as well. It's always been about the music for me. That's why I wrote 90% of the music in all of my old bands. 

I grow and I also come back to my roots, which brings me to The Paper Crowns. The Paper Crowns is essentially my fiancée Nicole and I. You can't get more real than that. The Paper Crowns album "See You Tonight" is the best album of my life so far. We wrote every lyric. We played every instrument (except for drums on 5 tracks). We recorded every note at home. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have the friends and family who have supported this album. I can't tell you how excited and thrilled and overjoyed it makes me when new fans have taken the time to let us know how much they love our album.

 To all of you who have the album, I love you and thank you so much from my heart! Thank you. Thank you. Buy one because it's that good and you will love it more if you know you supported two homegrown artists making a homegrown album. LISTEN TO THE LYRICS. Then let the tasty vocal harmonies and guitar solos move your body and soul. If you don't purchase from us that's fine...at least go and support some local artist. Do them a favor. Do us a favor. Do yourself a favor...support the arts! But please, stay away from the audio dollar McMenu!

The Art Of Negotiation IV: How Establishing a Bottom Line Helps You to Know When to Walk

Part IV in my ongoing series on negotiating a better deal for yourself.

Have you discovered where your bottom line is? Do you have a point at which you will walk away? You really need to. You simply cannot accept every gig that comes along and expect to go anywhere because that set up dangerous precedents for yourself.

Place Value on Your Act

Believe it or not, having a higher price tag on your performance increases your clout. I’m not telling you to charge a minimum of a thousand bucks, there are some acts that do, but they already have a massive followings. I’m saying start at five hundred and see what happens. Then figure out what you will not play for and you will usually get a fair amount for a new band. You may be surprised to find you land a couple at five.

Of course, you need strength heading into negotiations so you will need some value attached to your act. Obviously a quality recording, a list of venues you have performed at reviews, airplay, past fees, previous box office sales. All of this lends credibility to your band or act.

Not All Value is Based on Money

If you do not yet have this, then you need to make some compromises initially on the monetary reward but that do not mean playing for nothing. For instance, will the gig grant you a wider audience? Will they cover your travel expenses? Will there be an opening or closing act that will look good on your resume? These things are worth more than money, depending on your needs.

Don't Be Afraid to Say No

Now let’s get back to those of you with cred established and a steady following. Maybe you need to break out of your current rut. You shouldn’t be too attached to the outcome of any particular negotiation, even if the venue is one you have wanted to play for a long time, or if it’s in a town you have wanted to get into. This will enable you to walk away from a bad deal when it’s presented to you and walking away, gives you remarkable bargaining power. For one, it gets you out of a bad situation and displays your conviction of purpose.

When you display a willingness to walk away, you show you have value and even if the promoter lets you walk, he will be thinking about you. That is a good thing. He may feel remorse and offer you another gig later that meets your criteria.

Commit To Your Principles 

The other outcome may be increasing offers form the other party for fear of losing your act. At this point, they have invested a lot of energy and time into the process and most people do not want to lose on their investments. They may now be seeing where you stand and what you will not go for. Believe it or not, they will respect you for having a hard line on nonnegotiable items and now they know what you will not go for. This is crucial information and prepares the groundwork for future negotiations. Remember, every negotiation should be approached with the prospect of future dealings.

Here we can see how establishing your bottom line increases your chances of getting what you want out of a deal and in order to make it mean anything, you must walk away from a deal if it doesn’t at least meet your bare minimum, otherwise you are just hurting yourself. If you do not, you will seem desperate and promoters will not hesitate to take advantage of that desperation and you will never get anything worthwhile form your performances.

So have some respect for yourself and stick to your guns it may nit land you the immediate gig, but it will pay off in the long run. Besides, you don’t want to deal with anyone who does not respect you enough to meet your need


Ref.
http://performingbiz.com
How To Be Your Own Agent-Jeri Goldstien

Metallica , Once an Enemy Of Napster, Evolves Its Views On Streaming Music, Now Embraces Spotify With Open Arms

We have truly entered into a new age. Metallica, notorious for almost single handedly bringing down Napster back in 2000 for streaming music for free, has now joined Spotify, the world’s leading music streamer. And hell freezes over, well not really.

It’s easy for a musician to understand why Lars Ulrich, the drummer for said metal band, would be upset about Napster. To them, they were simply giving away their music that they worked so hard on and spent many thousands of dollars making. Not to mention their loss of control over their music, loss of revenue. This was the early days of MP3's  and we had no idea how the course of music would forever be changed by the internet. In all fairness, they did lose a lot of money and think about like this: you’ve built and sold engines all of your life. One day you wake up and everything you’ve ever built is given away for free and now you’re broke. How about running a restaurant for free, how long will that last? In fact, as musicians, we provide the one service everyone seems to expect for free.

Here is a statement from Lars in ’00 it sun up why he sued:

"With each project, we go through a grueling creative process to achieve music that we feel is representative of Metallica at that very moment in our lives," said Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich in the press release…

We take our craft -- whether it be the music, the lyrics, or the photos and artwork -- very seriously, as do most artists. It is therefore sickening to know that our art is being traded like a commodity rather than the art that it is. From a business standpoint, this is about piracy -- a/k/a taking something that doesn't belong to you; and that is morally and legally wrong. The trading of such information -- whether it's music, videos, photos, or whatever - is, in effect, trafficking in stolen goods."

You know what? I agree completely and I actually applaud Lars now, because the inventor of Napster is now making a lot more money off of Spotify and we as artist can allow free streaming because there are royalties attached to it. It’s been a long time since the lawless days of Napster and as a result of lawsuits and legal battles, we as artists are more protected now and I believe our fans realize that without their support, we cannot do what we do.

 Back in the days of illegal streaming and downloading, (Yes, I too am guilty of this, or have been in the past) it was a big “Fuck You” to the artist. Now people pay 99 cents per song and everyone’s happy for the most part. We can sell our music at affordable prices and make a profit doing so. Also, the big giants are still figuring this out and while they are doing so, independent labels are thriving in the new era of digital distribution.

So here we are, in 2012, the end is supposedly nigh and we as artists can now benefit from streaming and digital distribution thanks in no small part to one Mr. Lars Ulrich, now a metal pariah, but now, looking back I can see why he did what he did. I understand why the fans would have seen their success and saw his stance as greed. All they saw was a wealthy musician who seemingly had it all. Maybe he was selfish in his reasons, but I strongly feel he was protecting the intellectual property of the band and artists as a whole.

Now we are in the digital age, no one can run form it. Lars understands this and sees the value in it and he has reformed his views. Now that the band owns their material again, this move reflects their newfound respect for themselves and a much more open minded view that is required in this day and age.

This is Lars recently:

“When [Sean Parker and I] saw each other a few months ago, we could see that we had been put as adversaries but we had much more in common and sitting down was long overdue. We were younger, maybe somewhat more ignorant to what was going on in the real world. When we sat down and had a heart to heart…Spotify has solidified itself not just as the leading music service, but, as far as I’m concerned, the only one. Spotify is a global entity and Metallica works on a global basis, too.”

Now a working musician, I understand his stance and I also understand that now streaming is how music is distributed. Radio is all but worthless for new music and we have no MTV so we must utilize the new, and that is fine, as long as use of our intellectual work is compensated. I’m all for letting our copyrights expire after the 75 years, after that yes, common usage is both morally right and acceptable.

What I am sick of, is the entitled mentality of people who just think all art is free to use how they please simply because they don’t want to pay for it. What makes you entitled to my work? We are a capitalist society for the most part and until it is otherwise, we musicians can’t live off of your righteous indignation or your sense of entitlement.

That being said, I adore my fans and I am grateful for all of you who enjoy what I do. I understand some simply cannot afford it and for you, there is still Spotify, you tube and other ways to get our music.  Burn a CD, that’s always an option. But if you enjoy what we do and you can afford it, are you not morally obligated to help us financially so we can continue?

Remember- it cost us a lot of money to do this for a living. A lot of money. Right now, I have at least four to five thousand dollars’ worth of music equipment, I’ve sunk nearly ten thousand dollars or more in various recording projects and have spent thousand in gas, and I’m on the low end of the spectrum! Not to mention the sweat equity involved in creating and performing this music for everyone. I do not think asking the fans to pay for some of this is out of the question, especially if they truly enjoy what we do and for the most part, I think the fans don’t mind either, especially if they want us to make more music!

So cough up a couple of bucks, buy a single, buy an album, spend $5 on a local show, most importantly show your support for your favorite bands and let the music industry know that you value us and what we do. Otherwise, you’re just a jerk who wants free stuff.

http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/06/lars-ulrich-the-notorious-napster-destroyer-announces-his-band-metallicas-music-is-coming-to-spotify/

Max Steiner’s , Long Beach, CA

Saturday, December 1, 2012 
By Bill General 

Since December 2010, I have had the chance to see and document over 150 different bands/artists in the L.A. / O.C. area. I’ve been to hotspots such as Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa and Doll Hut in Anaheim, to West Hollywood’s Viper Room, Roxy and Whisky A Go Go. I have then gone eastward to Silverlake’s Los Globos, Silverlake Lounge and Satellite (formerly Spaceland…as seen in the movie Yes Man). North of there I’ve seen bands play in North Hollywood’s Skinny’s, and then over to Old Towne Pub in my hometown of Pasadena. 

I don’t have anything but the upmost respect and admiration for all these people – musicians – I have seen and met over the past two years. 

I have seen all kinds of bands, ranging from punk, indie alternative, hardcore rock, funk, classical, and so on… (I’ve even photograph stand-up comedians from time to time). Most of these groups are local and unsigned and some are signed to smaller labels. I’ve even documented a few major label bands such as Missing Persons, Berlin, Pearl Jam (actually in 2009), and the few bands that feature the guys from Pearl Jam, such as Brad (Stone Gossard), Flight To Mars (Mike McCready), RNDM (Jeff Ament) and even Eddie Vedder solo.

 I actually saw Matt Cameron play drums with Soundgarden in the mid-nineties, before they broke up. This being said, my main job is to shoot these bands play and then showcase them all on my website. Yes it is true there are other people who like to photograph bands, and they might even have their own websites also, but as for me, although I haven’t done this very long, I consider myself the one of the eyes of the local music scene in Los Angeles, giving a visual account of what people see when they see these bands play….

As for last Saturday, this was my second time going to Max’s Steiner in Long Beach. It’s a cool little bar on Anaheim St. Like most bars it has a huge bar in the middle of the room, pool tables, a video jukebox, and a small stage in the corner for music acts to rock the house, which is a basic summation this past Saturday night (12/1/12). 

The first band I saw upon my arrival was this two-piece band from Sam Pedro, Slig, with Kit on drums and April on guitar. Simply put, they are instrumental only…I don’t know if they do have any songs. That being said, their sound is best described as atmospheric novo prog rock (as stated on their Facebook page) and although there wasn’t a bass to go along with the rhythm of the percussion, the two were able to hold their own. Since I arrived during their set, I wasn’t able to get too many shots, but the ones I did get will suffice. I’ll just have to check them out again…which I will someday.

The next band is my buddy Sky’s group, A Bleeding Sky. This local band packs quite a punch. I was able to get a few hundred shots from all angles. Being that the eyes can’t hear what was played, I only hope the images I captured are able to tell that tale. Unlike Slig, this group has a bass player added to the mix, and with the combination of fierce drumming, ABS ain’t nuthin’ to fuck wit (a little Wu-Tang Clan reference). This mix of punk and hardcore surf rock leaves the crowd wanting more. Traces of Jimi Hendrix were evident as Sky fell to the ground, continuing to pound out chords and riffs to our delight. They even played an instrumental, “March of the Pharos,” to which I actually filmed and placed on YouTube - http://youtu.be/QoRDb0qk2l8 This is definitely a band to check out.

The third band, Sister Black, was next. For all you Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Cure, and Christian Death fans out there, this band is one to put on your list. This three-piece outfit from Downey really fit that bill. Along with hardcore punk, I am also enamored by the dark and morbid sounds of the aforementioned bands, and after getting a chance to witness Sister Black, my desire for this style is only magnified. With all the crappy rock we’re forced to listen to on KROQ, and that is only my opinion, SB, A Bleeding Sky and Slig bring you back to when rock was actually good.

To see more of Bill's work, visit www.billgeneralphotos.com

1. Slig – 2 piece band from San Pedro
Genre – Novo/Atmospheric/Hard Rock/Progressive
Members – April (guitar)
Kit (drums)
About – atmospheric, novo prog rock
facebook.com/theSLIG

2. A Bleeding Sky – 3 piece band from Long Beach
Genre – hardcore/punk/alternative/surfer rock
Members – Sky Lee Vague (guitar/vocals)
William Partnoff (bass guitar)
Robert Gallegos (drums)
facebook.com/ableedingsky

3. Sister Black – 3 piece band from Downey
Genre – goth/shoegaze/alternative rock
Members – Eddie Martin (guitar/vocals)
Steven Slade (bass guitar)
Dustin Soto-Smith (drums)
Influences – Christian Death, Sisters of Mercy, Misfits, Celtic Frost, Duran Duran
facebook.com/sister-black
(All information on bands from Facebook.com)

Le Reverie: Dark Symphony

Le Reverie is a gothic metal band pulling from Symphonic Orchestras and the best elements of modern heavy metal. They have managed to take to sound of Evanescence and bring it to a whole new level; at once aggressive and melodic. They are clearly not afraid to push the boundaries of what is considered metal.

The first track is a string section playing a brooding intro setting up the title track, Dark Symphony. Jeff Marlow shreds with a tight and compressed sound and yet full of crunch.

Setting up the next song is a melodic keyboard intro by The Mysterious ‘O’,  that is reminiscent of Faith No More's music.

The 3^rd track Twisted is a wicked song, beautifully sung by Allie Jorgen, just a bit of gravel when she needs it and nestles right in with the dark instrumentation.

Ghost of You is a beautiful Ballad somewhat recalling 80’ Heart but really doesn’t deliver the way I think it could. They do reprise it at the end with a version much more compelling. Where the first version seems empty with only a piano and string arrangement behind the vocals, the reprise picks it up in the bridge with guitars and drums, ever so subtlety and it finally  becomes the song it should've been in the first place, leaving me to wonder why the first version was included. However, the rest of the album more than makes up for it.

Le Reverie, the signature track of the band is definitely influence by the nu metal band ‘Disturbed’ in a very pleasing way and is readily followed by Hall of Mirrors, another sonic powerhouse, which I think perfectly highlights the vocals, notable is Dark Secrets, which and an element of 80’s goth and something like Cindi Lauper meets Joan Jett. I must say my favorite track is Pleasure and Pain, which could've easily been a Dio number.

The album as a whole wanders through phases of ‘Disturbed’ and ‘Faith No More’ while dipping into ‘Testament’ soundscapes that I believe any metal fan will love. What I love about this band is their absolute knowledge of dynamics and that each song allows a different member of the band to shine. While many bands seem to be a one trick pony, La Reverie can bring epic scope while stripping it all down and nearly pulls it off with perfection. It is, in my opinion a healthy addition the goth metal scene and if they keep it up, they will soon be a force to be reckoned with.

4 out of 5 skulls covered with black candles.

The purchase the album, click here:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lereverie1