"Meadows"

I had the world’s worst case of mononucleosis.

At first I didn’t think it was that bad. I had a sore throat and I went to the University of Utah infirmary under Al’s name. That’s what you do when you’re a starving ski bum. Cut corners. And they did the test and said it came back negative. But when I got to the point a couple of weeks later that I could not swallow, and walking to the end of the block was tiring, I called my dad for some cash and went to see a real doctor. Turns out there are two tests for mono, and they did the cheap one at the U of U. Oh, I had it, bad. And after recovering for two months on Al & Jimmy’s couch I got in my car and drove back east, which was incredibly stupid, because I was still so sick, hell, six months after that, nine months after infection, my blood test still came back as bad as it could be, but…that’s just the kind of family I come from, being sick is illegal.

Anyway, to fuel the ride, I went down to Main Street and bought six cassettes at Odyssey Records. Which I never did. Buy cassettes, that is. Because you could roll your own better at home. Buying some high quality Maxell and recording in real time. But I had no tape deck, other than Jimmy’s 8-track, and I had a Blaupunkt cassette machine in the car, and it was a multiple thousand mile ride, so…I broke down and bought ’em.

One of the cassettes was Joe Walsh’s "You Can’t Argue With A Sick Mind", which was a live album I’m sure was concocted to fulfill his ABC commitment. But I was a huge Joe fan, and this album was a bit disappointing, but there was one cut I kept playing again and again, that got me through…

"Meadows".

I didn’t have the original, from "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get", Joe’s breakthrough album from a few years before. That’s how it was back then. Of course I knew the single, "Rocky Mountain Way", but not the rest, you had to own it to know it, and that cost money. So, this was a surprise.

And this take of "Meadows" is so great, I immediately went out and bought "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" to hear the original.

And I vividly remember playing "Meadows" on Vail Pass, where they have the snow fences. On a warm spring day, early June.

But it was before that I realized… I’d heard this song before. It was "Woman From Tokyo"…


"Woman From Tokyo"

You have to understand, Deep Purple was the band that did "Hush", on Tetragrammaton Records, Bill Cosby’s label. Sure, they got some ink thereafter, but even casual readers of the rock press knew it was a different band, what we called heavy metal, when Led Zeppelin pioneered that genre, before it was taken over by speed metal, before it became the music without melody metal is today.

And the band had no traction in the U.S. until the summer of 1973, when the live take of "Smoke On The Water" invaded the radio and stayed there, for decades.

And with the public’s acceptance of "Smoke On The Water", radio went back and embraced the album it came from, "Machine Head". Kind of like after "Back In Black" broke through they played AC/DC’s "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap".

And at this point, "Machine Head" is seen as Deep Purple’s masterpiece. Containing not only "Smoke On The Water", but "Space Truckin’" and "Highway Star". But "Woman From Tokyo" came from the studio follow-up to "Made In Japan", whose take of "Smoke On The Water" was the one we knew best. And the album "Who Do We Think We Are" was entirely forgettable, maybe the band was spooked by its newfound success, but the opening cut was…"Woman From Tokyo". And lo and behold, it’s the same damn song as "Meadows". Only "Woman From Tokyo" came first.

"The Stake"

Unfortunately, "Book Of Dreams" is not on Spotify. If Steve Miller had a clue, he’d put not only this on the service, but my absolute favorite, "Brave New World", which has not only the original "Space Cowboy" and the title track, but the absolutely infectious "Kow Kow" and the incredibly beautiful "Seasons". But I guess he’d rather have them go unheard.

Yes, these acts are all living in the past (thanks Ian!) If you’re waiting for someone to buy something to hear it, you’re dreaming. In the old days, there were many fewer records, the labels were the gatekeepers, now anybody can play. It’s a different game. Used to be if you got any traction, somebody would buy your album. Now you’re starting at ground zero, nobody knows, you must make it easy for them. "Brave New World" is too good to be forgotten, but that’s what Steve’s trying to have happen.

Anyway, "Book Of Dreams" was the follow-up to "Fly Like An Eagle", which was a surprise hit. Steve was already a faded has-been when he hit in ’73 with "The Joker". Sixties acts were already forgotten by ’76. But Steve was now bigger than ever. And if you don’t love "Jet Airliner", the Paul Pena cut opening the second side of "Book Of Dreams", you’re a perennially depressed Goth dressed in black.

And on that same second side, was the curious cut "The Stake". Which sounded so similar to "Rocky Mountain Way", anybody would see the connection. And you have to know, "Rocky Mountain Way" was one of FM radio’s staples. It was a classic just one notch below "Stairway To Heaven" and "Free Bird". You would have thought Miller would have heard it…

P.S. I’m including a live cut of "The Stake", which is on Spotify, but you’ll get the idea…

P.S. I’m also including Allen Toussaint’s 1972 cut "Soul Sister" which is so similar to "The Joker"…

"Rocky Mountain Way"

Frampton burned out the voice box, not that that was his intent, overplaying of the version of "Show Me The Way" from "Comes Alive" did that, but Joe Walsh had ubiquity with that sound first. And I can live without hearing "Rocky Mountain Way" for a few more years, because I know it by heart, but I’ve never burned out on it, it’s that good.

"Surfin’ U.S.A."/"Sweet Little Sixteen"

I was just young enough to believe that "Surfin’ U.S.A." was a complete original!

Yes, there are cuts that share the same riff, that sound the same, but don’t share credits. Then there are songs that are truly the same! But since I heard "Surfin’ U.S.A." first, I always liked it better. Then again, I think it IS better! The sound of the guitar, and the chorus works a bit better. Credit Brian Wilson’s production skills. Chuck Berry’s track sounds rudimentary, the Beach Boys’ is a force of nature, a veritable tour de force that heralded the sixties youthquake.

"Sidewalk Surfin’"/"Catch A Wave"

Turnabout is fair play!

Joe Walsh ripped off Deep Purple and then HE was ripped-off by Steve Miller! The Beach Boys eclipsed Chuck Berry with a remake/cover of "Sweet Little Sixteen" and Jan & Dean had the hit with a remake/cover of "Catch A Wave", in this case known as "Sidewalk Surfin’".

Grab your board and go sidewalk surfin’ with me

Skateboarding was huge in the midsixties. But we didn’t call it that, we called it "sidewalk surfing"… And then the trend died out, because of the steel wheels that gave little traction and a rough ride, but was reborn with better wheels a decade later and has never left us.

For a long time, I liked Jan & Dean more than the Beach Boys. Sure, there was a connection, but Jan Berry was a great producer in his own right. Just listen to the sound of "Surf City"! And "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" sealed the deal. Jan & Dean had a sense of humor to go with their hooks.

But years later, when I finally got "Surfer Girl" as a birthday present, a used copy from a girl I had a crush on, I heard the original. And in this case, "Catch A Wave" is superior. IT’S THE HARP! Played by Mike Love’s sister, Maureen, it’s unexpected but oh-so-right…

Catch a wave and you’re sittin’ on top of the world

Ain’t that the truth. Some sports just deliver that high whose only competitor is sex.

And you combine the aforementioned harp with Brian Wilson’s falsetto and the carousel organ and you’ve got a masterpiece, which sounds like the sixties preserved in amber.

Spotify link

Previous Rhinofy playlists

"The 30 Richest DJs in the World"

Don’t e-mail me and tell me it’s inaccurate. That’s missing the point.

The bottom line is the public knows record labels rip off artists, that you can be on "American Idol" and be nearly broke. Musicians are people to be made fun of, derided, deejays are to be embraced. For now anyway.

Deejays do it for themselves. If they’ve got a label at all, it’s a minor element of their business. Which is playing live gigs. At extraordinary prices. Flying on private jets from job to job.

That’s all real.

And people want a piece of that.

Which is why so many people now spin records. It’s pure economics.

Fed by commercials like this, from:

Afrojack

Armin van Burren

Who wouldn’t want that lifestyle?

I’ll quibble with the after-effects of these sell-out commercials.

And make you laugh with this ancient David Guetta clip:

david guetta – loreal partyproof

But the deejays have power and money. All the things rock stars say they’ve got but so rarely possess. Traditional rock stars will whore themselves out to anybody with a buck, they’re tools of the man. Who’d want to believe in that?

But an entrepreneur…

Deejays are no different from software coders, app-writers… They’re the new heroes.

We’ll see for how long, but right now the audience is embracing them, they got the message. The Internet doesn’t only allow you to steal music, it allows you to study up and learn the truth, that the traditional music business is run by old men making all the money. If you don’t think most people are aware of this and want no part of it, you’ve got no Internet connection.

1. Justin Bieber

Musical acts have had vanity labels for eternity, whether it be Sinatra with Reprise, the Beatles with Apple, even the Youngbloods with Raccoon. But the difference is those entities functioned within the usual system. They didn’t translate to the mainstream because said musical artists did not have a direct connection with the public.

2. Twitter

Fans are literally hanging on every word. Which is why your feed really needs to be written by you, why it can’t be ghost-composed. Because it’s less about information than connection. Your fans are now your best friends. You’re not above them, but with them. Justin Bieber controls an army. Just like the Internet giants organized and got the public to stop SOPA, entertainers with huge social media followings can draw attention and create hits.

But this power must be used wisely.

Then again, one can gauge reaction and act accordingly.

3. The Track

It’s a hit. The soaring keyboard figure in the chorus is infectious.

What’s wrong with the non-Top Forty music business is it’s de-emphasized hooks. Hell, listen to the Beatles, they were the masters of hooks! They didn’t stray from this formula until everybody was on board. But today, musicians want fans to rally around their non-hooky productions. You almost can’t stop listening to "Call Me Maybe". But it’s almost impossible not to tune out everything else, despite the protestations and ministrations of the sad-sack, chip on the shoulder wannabes.

4. It Started Out As A Folk Song

A great song can be produced in many ways. One can argue "Call Me Maybe" isn’t great, but it’s certainly serviceable.

5. Nothing’s Overnight

Bieber tweeted about the track at the end of last year. But it was only when the big boys, Scooter Braun and Interscope, got behind the track, had it featured on "Ellen", that it truly gained traction.

6. Spreading The Word

Radio and TV made "Call Me Maybe" gigantic. But that doesn’t mean Bieber’s fans didn’t keep it alive in the interim.

7. Ubiquity

Despite those paying attention, there are tens of millions of people who still haven’t heard "Call Me Maybe" and never will. This is unlike the sixties/seventies or the eighties/nineties eras, the original Top Forty and MTV heydays. Back then, everyone was paying attention. Today, Carly Rae Jepsen is bigger than most everybody in the pool, but she’s not as big as she once might have been.

8. Career

No one listening to Carly Rae Jepsen thinks she’s forever. This is just a trifle. Once upon a time, music was about careers. But the Top Forty audience has been burned too many times. You’re only as good as your last hit. So, unless Carly Rae Jepsen delivers many more, she’ll fade into obscurity.

9. The Lyrics

Over the last few decades, women have gained power in the dating world. It’s de rigueur to be aggressive and ask a boy out. The embodiment of this concept in the lyrics, the fact that the female protagonist is taking a chance, appeals to girls and is also embraced by boys, who too often are shy and inhibited.

The lyrics are a great change from the I’m rolling on huge rims and am gonna kick you to the curb of hip-hop and the platitudes of rock.

10. YouTube

108,285,437 plays and counting. The images are secondary to the ability to hear the song on demand. YouTube is the new radio, especially amongst the financially-challenged younger generation. Used to be you had to save your pennies and/or nag your parents to buy the single, which required a drive to the store to boot. Now you just fire up your computer and watch. As a result, everybody "owns" the song, revenue might be down, but songs are nearer and dearer to one’s heart than ever before.

______________

CONCLUSION

Music has become a business of sour grapes. Everybody complaining. Whether it be the oldsters bitching about "Napster" or the wannabes saying they just can’t get traction, just can’t break through.

Well, first and foremost you’ve got to pay your dues. Carly Rae Jepsen is not wet behind the ears, she’s twenty six years old, she was on "Canadian Idol" in 2007, it takes just that long not only to get in the public eye, but find your voice, and by that I mean more than your ability to sing! Many can sing, few are artists.

Top Forty is professional. Lowest common denominator professional, but imagine if those in other genres paid attention to its game and used some of its clues. Now, more than ever, it’s hard to gain someone’s attention. So you’ve got to make it easy for them. By hooking them almost immediately.

Carly Rae Jepsen has achieved this. She’s become an Internet meme. Covered on YouTube and embraced in a Jimmy Fallon production. But one meme is replaced by another, never forget that.

CONCLUSION 2

I want to EMPHASIZE that the key here is the track itself. Everything else is secondary. This is a hit song. Yes, it was lucky to be embraced by Bieber and promoted by Interscope, but you’ve got to be in the game long enough to get lucky, having driven down many blind alleys beforehand.

If you’re too smug to see the charm in "Call Me Maybe", I feel sorry for you. Yes, it’s far from groundbreaking, but it just sticks in your brain, it makes you feel good, you want to hear it again and again.

That’s a hit.

"Call Me Maybe"

P.S. There are 155 versions of "Call Me Maybe" on Spotify.

1. Word Of Mouth

The media was there last.

This is akin to the seventies, when your favorite band finally hit and then everybody went back and bought the catalog and you could take a victory lap. Only in this case, as a result of the changes in the media landscape, it took more like twenty years.

Electronic music was closed out of the old gatekeeper game. Believing not enough people were interested, they stifled it.

The Internet broke EDM. You could hear it, see it and talk about it. On some level, it’s no different from the Arab Spring. It was about communication. Unfettered by the machine. We keep hearing from the disinformation committee known as the RIAA/major labels that the Internet has been bad for music. EDM proves them wrong. EDM burgeoned because of the Internet!

2. The Scene/Culture

There was culture at Woodstock, at the Fillmore, but there’s no culture at the Jiffy Lube/Verizon/Car Wreck Amphitheatre. It’s only about commerce. The Top Forty is skin deep, the EDM scene goes to your core. It’s not about getting up close, getting the right ticket, it’s about inclusion as opposed to exclusion. Which is the mantra of the generation embracing it.

3. The Music

We’re at the advent. It’s kind of like the Beatles being on Ed Sullivan and everybody going out and buying a guitar. Except that now everybody’s making music at home and utilizing SoundCloud. We couldn’t foresee "Sgt. Pepper" in 1964 and we should be optimistic as to where electronic music is going as opposed to dismissing it.

4. Killing It

This is the number one problem facing EDM today. Its embrace by the mainstream in a dash for cash, which will hollow out the scene so fast you’ll think the boy bands were forever.

It all comes down to the deejays. The deejays are in control of their culture, just like traditional musical artists. Can the deejays say no? First and foremost to the money?

We’ve had a short term mentality in the music business ever since 1981, the beginning of MTV. Let’s overexpose it, get every last dollar and then leave its carcass behind.

And once something breaks through today, it’s like the MTV of yore, except instead of having to sit in front of the tube waiting for your video, you can go online and dig deeper and deeper, feeding your habit.

In other words, EDM has to disconnect from traditional business to survive.

The deejays have to say no to major media. They have to say no to endorsements. They have to say no to everybody who wants to get between the music and their fans.

I know, I know, this is contrary to the so-called American way, where you utilize your fame to overexpose and become profitable, a paradigm Paris Hilton defined and Kim Kardashian refined. And they both got rich, but they’re both despised.

That’s not what an artist wants. An artists wants fans, who love them, forever.

5. Radio Crossover

That helped put the music into every nook and cranny. The collaborations that ended up on Top Forty radio. This is both good and bad. It’s good, because why not have the music exposed. It’s bad, because it muddies the waters and risks overexposure.

6. The Music

That’s what will grant the scene longevity. Dance clubs come and go. But great music remains.

7. Bloviating About It

It doesn’t matter what I say, never mind the mainstream media. Electronic music arrived fully-formed, with its own stars, promoters and infrastructure. Now the traditional forces want in. Used to be they were necessary, because of their power, money and influence. Now you can grow these at home.

The deejays are rich enough, they don’t need the label’s money.

The gigs are so successful, the promoters have profit.

And the media can’t spread the word to anybody but outsiders, old farts who don’t matter anyway. EDM lives on the Internet.

8. A Fad

Are the Yankees a fad? How about the Lakers?

We have been mistreating the music, paying it no respect for decades. This is a chance for change. New people beget new systems.

9. Fans first

So far, this has been the case. But in the traditional concert promotion sphere, this is anything but true. From the artists on down, it’s all about ripping fans off, like the subterfuge of ticket fees. Never mind the overpriced concessions.

10. Music Should Be Free

You can charge, but only for high quality and singles. It’s truly about the show, how can you get people to go?