I'm doing my usual morning get up, make coffee and read my email which usually contains 1 or 2 or 3 posts from my fav blogger, Bob Lefsetz. His unrelenting, daily output of opinions, rants, questions and ideas for survival in my industry (not that I agree with them all) manages to keep me in touch with what's going on and provides me with information I would likely miss. Being a 50 something now, I continuely run the risk of losing touch, encumbered by life's accumulative distractions and it is that idea that drives me to continue to do what I can to not become a redundant spectator in my chosen occupation. I really don't want to be one of those sitting around bitching about how things aren't like they used to be. Well, FFS, things aren't like they used to be and thank God for that!!! If it was, we'd all still be mismanaged by criminals, oblivious to the fact that we were being taken. Anyways, I now take advantage of every bit of help I can get to at least, try and keep up with what is going on. I was just reading a thread from the Los Angeles Times Pop and Hiss Blog reviewing the FYF Fest and what struck me as I was reading was how easy it is to lose touch with your own business if you stop moving with the flow of progress. Again, it is this great fear that I have of not knowing and falling into that social category of being completely ignorant of what is actually going on yet, maintaining this arrogant, self-important opinion about it all. You all know the person I mean. It used to be my friend's parents telling us to turn that damn music down since it was just a bunch of noise anyways. Yeah, you're right Mrs. Wright. I'm guessing this Led Zepplin music really is just a bunch a crap and not worth listening to... Anyways, not meaning to digress too much...
Where was I? Uh... right. I'm not talking about the processed product that the usual suspects in media ram down our throats as hip and happening but, music that fans are really supporting without the corporate hype, of their own accord because it says something compelling and important to them. Like real music used to. Like the bands I listened to. Bands that are building fan loyalty. 20,000 people out for bands I've never heard of? Dead Man's Bones? Local Natives? Washed Out? You don't see these bands on ET. I'm embarrassed to say I don't know any of these bands. But, you can read for yourself. Outside of the usual promoter short falls in not providing enough decent services and facilities for the fans like more bathrooms and reasonable access to cheap food and drinks (sounds like the concerts I used to go to 35 years ago!) there was a lot of great music by bands I've never heard of and it all sounded pretty successful (FYF is in it's 7th year) without people being hammered with massive service fees. Read for yourself if you'd like,
Anyways, I was thinking after reading this and it struck me that I need to continue to swim hard to keep up with the flow. Music as art continues to move and it always will so, it is up to me to acknowlege it's forward motion through my interest, desire and effort. Things are changing drastically and the internet is having the equivalent effect on the music industry that the meteor that hit the earth when the dinosaurs were around did. There is a new order being set and I plan on having a say in my own position in it all. I am not ready to quit just yet and will go down fighting at the very least. I know some of you are with me on this. There is too much good stuff going on and I don't want to miss it. Keep in touch with the flow kids. Seek it out because it's moving right now...
J.
