From: Brandon Wagner
Subject: Re: I’m Listening To

Bob,

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your columns over the past 8 months.  I thank a good friend in the New York industry for forwarding me your e-mails till I signed up on your list.

I owe you for turning me on to Sufjan Stevens. Opening up Rolling Stone a few weeks ago…BAM!…a little blurb about them. 

Thanks for the Low Millions info as well.

Here is what I’ve been listening to the past 6 months…

http://www.averimusic.com/

Band from just north of Boston.  Strong, genuine pop rock songs. They remind me of early Matchbox 20 (aka Tabitha’s Secret).  After selling out the Paradise a few times they are headlining at the Avalon.  Not by radio airplay or label support, but by booking high school and college gigs knowing good music will touch people enough to bring more friends to the next gig. Their website has a few songs that immediately play and good mix of free Mp3’s as well as pointing the visitor towards iTunes.

I don’t work for them as I live in Hoboken, NJ…but all about spreading GOOD music.

Keep up the insightful work.  Your pieces take me away from my day to day world of healthcare.

Take it easy,
Brandon

The only thing that got me to listen to this band’s music is the fact that this guy’s not involved, he’s just a fan, wanting to turn me on to his fave.

I guess by this point you’ve heard about that band that went to number one in the U.K. with no label, just by giving away MP3s of its music on its Website.  While Sony BMG is busy planting a rootkit on your computer, fucking with your operating system, all in the name of locking up the music so you CAN’T give it to anybody else, new acts not indentured to major labels are using the new media tools to get the word out.

I’ve never heard of Averi before today.  Turns out I even know the band’s manager.  But there was no big hype campaign.  No radio airplay.  In the old days this would mean a band was bad, but today it just means the act doesn’t fit the exposure paradigm and/or no fat cat has decided to push the button.

I have no idea of the A&R history on this act, but if scouts haven’t tracked this band down and tried to sign it I’m stunned.

I’m not going to speak of their credibility.  I’m just going to say after the music played for a bit, I GOT IT!  There are changes, and riffs.  You can believe.  If you’re home alone, this record can be your friend.

Obviously something is happening.  They’re going to be playing on a cruise.  The last record was made with a real producer.  But what blows my mind is that something this good can still be flying below the radar.  As fucking asshole label presidents are looking for fifteen year old girls radiating sexuality to mold into the next two-dimensional pop star they’re ignoring real people playing real music.

Check this out.  Don’t tell me you don’t love it.  Don’t tell me it didn’t change YOUR life.  Just tell me how in a world where everybody says it’s about songs nobody has recognized the greatness/value of THESE songs and signed this act to a major label deal?

Maybe this band doesn’t want one of those deals.

Then again, this ain’t jam music.  This is the kind of stuff a major can SELL!