Bob,

A friend of mine turned me on to you blog. I have to say that i look forward to reading every update. Your views on the music industry are right on! I have been thinking and feeling the same thing for a while now, it is refreshing to actually read it and know that there are other people out there that actually get it. Your recent blog "From My Side of The Screen" really hit home. I have been writing songs for a few years now and have had some success as well as countless days thinking…..why am i doing this……… The reason is not to sell records, or become famous, but to do something that i truly love to do. It took me a long time to realize that loving what you do is way more important than anything else. Especially in this day and age when the record labels struggle to make a profit in a market that is, let’s face it, evolving to a point that will be better for everyone involved. It’s really not so much about the music anymore. It’s about how willing you are to market you band/product by putting the time and effort into it to it. Connecting with fans. Creating a community that will keep coming back because your constantly updating your content. Basically everything you have said in your blogs.

Thanks and keep can’t wait for your next post.

Sincerely,

Wil Deynes
www.myspace.com/wildeynes

My response:

_________________________________

How does the cliche go, you catch more fish with honey?

No, that’s not right, fish don’t eat honey… I think it’s flies. Whatever, you get the point… Did I listen to this guy’s music because he was kissing my butt? I’m wondering that. But I don’t think so… There were two elements that captured me. The lack of desperation and his point about having already had some success. Not knowing the cat’s name, I figured maybe he was a behind the scenes songwriter, looking to get famous as a player under his own name… Whatever, I fired up his MySpace page.

And was stunned. From the very first instant, I knew this guy was not a wannabe, he had TALENT!

He had a good voice, the changes immediately enraptured me, I was drawn in. This is hit music. At least ten or twenty years ago. Today?

I kept listening. The subsequent tracks weren’t quite as good. But, the second time through, I liked the other tracks more than "Super Wonderful".

Don’t e-mail me and tell me you’re a punk fan, or a metalhead. I’m just telling you if you want mainstream success, you’ve got to sound like this guy, be talented like this guy, Wil Deynes.

He’s still too talented for me to fully believe he’s completely unsigned. God, it’s so easy to lie online, to appear indie.

Or maybe the bio is true, that he’s a Mac tech by day. Maybe that’s how he made a recording so good. That he’s giving away for free on his site:

Stay EP – Wil Deynes

you can download it as MP3 or m4a, your choice. And I think you should. Because this guy has got something.

His Website has not been updated enough recently, check the blog, the last post was July 30, 2007. But there’s a plethora of action on his MySpace page, he’s got 16 posts from fans already today, Saturday. Are the play counts accurate? Has "Super Wonderful" really been played 375,000 times? Who knows? Quite possibly, because it’s good.

I mean if John Mayer can make it, so can this guy.

Or maybe the powers-that-be can’t handle a guy who looks like this, who doesn’t have matinee, suburban good looks.

Point is, if despite his NPR break THIS guy can’t break through, if he’s not a household word, what are YOUR chances.

But it doesn’t matter that he’s not a household word to his fans. They own him now.

This guy is doing it right. Unless I’ve been snookered here. Which could be the case. But that doesn’t change the fact that this guy is GOOD!

One of the reasons the major labels missed the Net revolution is those who ran them were not computer-savvy. When they finally got e-mail, they had their assistants print it out, and type responses. is it any wonder they couldn’t understand the merits of file-trading? They never used it!

I still maintain that’s the problem… If label heads, and artists even, experienced the joy of discovery, the ability to have the world of music at your fingertips for the sampling, not only the studio releases but the rarities, P2P would be legitimized, its power would be harnessed. Hell, that’s what turned me around. I was a Napster hater until rare tracks started flowing down the pipe to my sister’s Windows computer in the summer of 2000.

But my point is not about P2P. It’s got do with artistry. You see it’s no longer enough.

Years ago, you could get away with just being the artist. You’d surround yourself with handlers and they’d get the day to day, er, shitwork, done. This was an extremely labor intensive system, but it worked because very few artists got this treatment, and those that did were throwing off huge sums of cash, to pay for it.

Those huge sums are gone. Except for a handful of superstar acts. And there’s not enough manpower to service each and every act down the food chain. In other words, you’ve got to be your own manager, your own publicity agent, sometimes even your own booking agent!

I know, I know, you don’t want to do this. You just want free time to sit around and write, to smoke pot, to watch DVDs… But that’s not how our world is constructed anymore. Along with the burden of needing two incomes to support a family, a lot of the lifting in life, some of it quite heavy, has been put on the shoulders of the individual. We do our own banking, whether it be at the ATM or online. We chart our stocks. And we like some of the modern conveniences. I’ve had bank clerks make mistakes, but never ATMs.

In other words, being a musician is not enough. Thumbing through ancient "Rolling Stone" magazines, you might yearn for that lifestyle, but it’s gone. A new act can’t get the kind of traction needed to sustain those numbers. And the new paradigm is coming down off your perch and interacting with fans.

So, you’ve got to be able to type. I’d say to put this in front of guitar lessons (assuming you already know how to play!) If you can’t type, quickly, without mistakes, you’re going to be left out of the Web world, and everything is driven by the Web now. Sure, radio delivers its own hits, but those acts are usually flashes in the pan anyway.

2. You must familiarize yourself with music sites and blogs. If you don’t know what Pitchfork and the Hype Machine are, chances are you’re not going to make it. Furthermore, you’ve got to know what’s hot. That iMeem is streaming more music than not only Yahoo, but MySpace

Imeem Unseats Yahoo: Top U.S. Music-Streaming Site

Stop concentrating on acting cool and start tracking cool.

3. You must have a Web presence. A front door to your music, your career. It must be more about information than flashy graphics. It must run fast and feature an extensive bio, that is not cookie-cutter, but unique, written by you, and a plethora of photos, not only studio shots, but candids, to humanize you. At least stream your entire new album. And give away at least one MP3. Your music is your calling card. If you can’t give your card away, how is someone going to remember you, how are they going to spread the word? And, if you’re really lucky, the word will be spread via the P2P mentioned above. Or via instant messenger. You do know you can speedily transfer files via IM, right? And you must post new content, preferably the story of your career, your struggles and heartbreaks, to your site every day. At least three times a week at least. So people will keep coming back, so they can bond with you. If you’re not willing to answer all your e-mail, quickly, put up a forum/message board. Or, do both. As for creating this site? Speak to your friends. If you don’t have someone knowledgeable who will do this for free, then you don’t have any friends. People want to give, to be involved!

4. No one will come to see you live if they don’t know who you are. Create a frenzy online then give a concert. Use Eventful.com to book shows. Go where the demand is, don’t think just because you set up your gear people are interested. Maybe you’re in New York, but your fan base is in Wisconsin. You can track not only the location of the demand via Eventful, but you can use Google’s stats to find out about who’s coming to your site, and just this week YouTube announced they’re delivering a ton of info to video posters. Use this data! It’s the new SoundScan. Cliff Burnstein is the master of SoundScan, this almost math Ph.D. uses this information to plot and steer careers. Utilize this new information to your benefit. You don’t have to be a math major yourself, this information is not that complicated to understand, but you must dig in!

5. You’re the retailer. And the wholesaler. And the manufacturer. You’ve got to sell stuff on your site. It’s about satiating the core more than scouring for new fans. They want to download your music for free and buy a CD and/or vinyl record. They want t-shirts. They want autographed photos. All of this is easily provided. Maybe your spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend has to do the heavy lifting, but they love you, right? It’s a way for you to get closer! That’s the focus, on the core team, not looking for some heavyweight to rescue you. How can they, they just started reading their own e-mail, they can’t type at all, they’re not net-savvy, they’re going to save you? Save yourself!

Am I the only one burned out on the hype? Am I the only one overjoyed that so far the movie has gotten bad reviews?

If only the war in Iraq were fought by Hollywood marketing mavens. They’d leave no stone unturned, they’d be victorious in ONE WEEKEND! That’s the Hollywood way. Overkill. Going into battle unprepared, with not enough troops, without thinking it through? No, the studios begin their marketing campaign YEARS in advance. First by teasers… Will they or won’t they? Do the stars really get along? Is Kim Cattrall really holding up production, does she really want as much MONEY as Carrie Bradshaw, er, Sarah Jessica Parker?

Then, when they finally start shooting the damn thing, we’re subjected to on-set snapshots and script leaks, all to keep us enthralled for a YEAR! Yup, they shoot these flicks A YEAR in advance, and we’re supposed to care the whole time. Even though the damn thing is only two hours long.

But it’s worst when the release is imminent. There’s a scorched earth campaign exceeding that of any general. Not only do the stars appear on seemingly every TV show, but every print outlet does a story, usually featuring the movie on its cover. Shit, are these publications really that complicit? Is it any wonder that print is dying? Who is this shit written for? How many articles do they think we can read? I thought the press’ key to success was its independence…then why in the hell is even the "New York Times" doing a feature story on Sarah Jessica Parker? As for the L.A. "Times"…they whored themselves out to Hollywood long ago.

We get an update on the stars’ personal lives. Their babies, their relationships. They’re either edge-less, afraid to offend anyone, or a juicy tidbit is revealed…like they had an abortion so as not to hurt their career, that can be buzzed about all day long on the Web and even TV. Then there’s the inane talk about a sequel… Before the box office receipts have even been counted. And the endless premieres, with their outfits…

Do these media outlets really think we care?

I think the public is smarter than that. I think everyone interested in seeing the "Sex And The City" movie was aware it was coming out AT LEAST six months ago. Why the endless effort? So the media can talk of the spectacular fall, the disappointment in revenue?

Or maybe "Sex And The City" will succeed. At least for the first weekend. Hell, it’s a holiday and there’s pent-up demand. But has everyone forgotten it was a fucking TV SHOW?

TV is shown on a small screen. Sure, flat panels are getting bigger, but when "Sex And The City" was in its heyday, 30" was a big set. The show succeeded because of STORY! Something that’s usually forgotten in these big screen epics/adaptations. Those are all about the money spent, the costumes, the scenery, the story takes a back seat and we’re not supposed to notice. Films are SPECTACULARS! The American ZEITGEIST!

No, the zeitgeist is television. Far more people see lame TV shows than these big screen extravaganzas. TV is where risks are taken. Hell, most people WATCH the movies on the small screen via DVD. But, we’re supposed to BELIEVE in the movies.

I don’t believe anymore. I stopped going. It’s a waste of time. Everything trumpeted, hyped ad infinitum, sucks. Like the "Star Wars" prequels. Shit, I remember the Ewan McGregor/Natalie Portman hype more than the few minutes of film I saw. That’s what it’s all about, the TRAPPINGS!

Maybe Hollywood is shrugging its shoulders. They spent their tens of millions and people will go to the theatres. If the movie sucks, hell, they’ll make it up in the ancillary markets, hell, we’ve heard of it, haven’t we?

But I think this formula has been overplayed. Hell, it doesn’t work in the music business anymore. Madonna’s hype didn’t deliver SoundScan boffo. And she already had a track record and the reviews were GOOD! How many people are just going to shrug and pass on the "Sex And The City" movie?

Whereas if it was actually good, I’d certainly go see it. I’ve seen every episode of the show. There were some interesting plot twists, some romantic insight. But what I loved about the show was it was episodic, ongoing, like life. Not a one time affair like a lame movie. Shit, with this amount of money and effort, they could have done a whole SEASON of the show. And I’m sure a few episodes would be lame, but a few would be great. We expect that in TV. But to blow it all in one wad…

Do you feel separated from society? These once in a lifetime events seemingly come every week, and are forgotten almost that fast. Nothing seems to matter.

And the hype is ridiculous. We loved Sarah Jessica Parker because of her humanity, not her beauty. There are scores more attractive women…. Can we stop reading about how beautiful she is, and how great her clothes are? Hell, I liked her more in "Square Pegs" anyway, before she got her boob job, before it was all about the glamour. When it was all about truth.

Truth has no part in modern media. Marketing is king. But does shoving things down people’s throats really work anymore? Or is it about focusing on the work and letting people find it, letting people embrace it and spread the word.

Come on, you know this movie can’t be good, has got to be a disappointment, can’t we stop HEARING ABOUT IT??

Just because you believe in yourself doesn’t mean I should.

I’m constantly inundated with people frustrated that they haven’t made it. Everybody says how great they are, their family, their friends, how come they can’t break through? If only they were on the radio. Won’t someone invest in them?

You’d think that record companies are the enemy. I know, I know, they’re not what they used to be, but do you really think they don’t want to sign stuff that sells? That’s easy to sell? Do you really think you’re being given the brush-off unnecessarily, that the big bad man is out to screw you? Not only the record company man, but the radio guy too?

And sure, both those outlets are now only interested in a narrow category of performer. Probably a pretty face with a number written by a song doctor or the latest urban delight. You’re right, that’s fucked. But the reason they don’t want to sign you isn’t because they’ve got a personal vendetta against you, but because they can’t SELL YOU!

And what’s worse, they can’t sell the records of an established act either. Do you think you’re as good as Elton John? He’s gone on record that he’s not going to release any more albums because no one cares, no one wants to buy them. But since you’ve dedicated your life to music, somehow you think you’re entitled!

Chances are you’re not that good. Or, if by some weird quirk of fate, you are, you’re making music that most people just aren’t interested in. Please accept this. And stop acting wounded. Frustrated that you haven’t gotten your chance. Talk to the big time managers, the ones you wish were pushing you, they’re flummoxed too, they’re having a hard enough time keeping legendary acts working.

But no, the system’s out to get you.

If you’ve hit a wall, chances are most people just don’t care. And I don’t care either. Do you think if I write about your little ditty it’s going to insure mega-success? NO ONE has that power. It’s like the world’s brain-damaged, and the neurons are not firing properly, it’s hard to get a message from one end to the other. You think you’re one gatekeeper away from worldwide acceptance, accolades and dollars, and Madonna’s new album tanks sixty four percent the second week out and she’s getting more publicity than you EVER will.

If you want instant success, write a hit tune. A hit tune is one that’s not very different from what the radio, TOP FORTY, is already playing. If you’re trying to convince the system to come over to your side of the fence, to see how your music is unique and deserves a chance, you’re living in the sixties, and even though you were probably never exposed to free form radio, that’s what you want…AND THAT DOESN’T EXIST!

A hit tune has a catchy chorus. Memorable verses. Today, it’s heavily rhythmic. STUDY THE CHART and deliver this exact sound. And be good-looking to boot. Sure, it would be great if it were different, but IT’S NOT!

If you want to take the other path, your music has to be able to be understood, digestable, HOOK PEOPLE on one listen. I mean one damn listen. I’m not talking about falling in love with someone over time, there’s not enough exposure in this world anymore. Your one chance at being heard, you must deliver a Michael Jackson or a Joni Mitchell performance. You must positively blow people away! They must not want to leave, they must buy your CD, your merch and if you were playing the next night in town, your audience would be double, because they brought everybody they knew down to the club. If you’re not getting this response night after night, you’re not good enough to be rich and famous! Maybe you can be a working musician, but you’re not going to float above the fray, you’re not going to be on the cover of "Rolling Stone", as if that mattered.

You think there’s a system. There’s no system anymore. Just a lot of people fighting for their slice of the pie. Warner Music cuts its dividend, Clear Channel can’t be sold because the buyers can’t lay their hands on the cash, superstars release albums that don’t go gold, but the system is out to screw YOU!

No one cares about you.

And I don’t either.

I’m not going to listen to your crap, I’m not your lackey. If you’re that good, I’m going to hear about you from someone else, who I trust, who does not have an investment.

Hell, we’re all frustrated. The listeners as well as the acts and businessmen. There’s no coherence in the system. How do we separate the wheat from the chaff? How do WE find out about great new music?

In the future, a trusted filter, like record companies and radio in the past, will emerge to do this job. Right now, in a time where everybody can create recordings and a label, the landscape is chaos. It’s chaos for EVERYBODY!

If you love to play music, and you’re willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING to make it, play on. But please stop bitching that you haven’t gotten your turn. The road is littered with acts light years better than you that haven’t gotten their turn. Some gave up, some retreated to journeyman status, some, like Randy Newman, went into the movie soundtrack world, where life was easier.

Maybe you love John Hiatt. But he didn’t write "…Baby One More Time", someone else did. Nor did he write "Save The Best For Last". I’m not saying he should be unhappy, just that he’s a bit of a square peg and he’s having a hard time fitting in the round hole.

You can’t even see the hole. And your peg is flaky at best. But somehow YOU deserve success.

Fuck off.