There’s just not that much money in it anymore.

I wish the problem was streaming, I wish there was a single oppressor keeping players from scraping by. But there’s not. Times have changed, the cultural landscape is so different that anyone from the pre-internet era would not be able to fathom the business. Anyone who stopped paying attention in 2015 would not recognize the business.

Ever since Elvis Presley, ever since the baby boomers came of age, music has been an avenue to get rich. If you just practice your craft, pay your dues, get better, both in recordings and on stage, a major label checked you out and if they signed you you were on your way. The label made a commitment, usually multiple albums, they paid for you to go on the road, they promoted you to radio and the press. And you had a good chance of becoming successful, even without a hit record, the machine got your name out there, people would buy your records, there are old acts still touring today who never had a hit. You see it was a club, with a heavily guarded gate, and most people couldn’t get in. The internet demolished the gate, and now the lunatics are running the asylum.

So if you’re paying attention and up to speed, and the truth is there’s not a soul who knows completely what is going on, major labels are only interested if you come with an audience, demonstrated by social media numbers. But now it’s gotten even more specific, it’s about TikTok numbers. So what we’ve got is zillions of youngsters making very short videos to try and garner a fan base. And if they do, they’ll get a major label deal. Doesn’t matter what the music sounds like, if they’re any good, it’s an economic proposition.

Used to be labels could make stars, that’s completely untrue today. You build the fire yourself as an individual, and then the label pours gasoline on it and see if the flame sustains. And this is so expensive that very few acts are signed. Making the music is the cheapest part, selling it is where all the money is spent, in the marketing/promotion. Of course musicians don’t understand this, they don’t understand the problem with Spotify is not the service, but the labels and their heinous deals. The English government held hearings and that’s what it concluded. But we live in a post-truth era where it’s all about emotion and mob mentality rules, irrelevant of the veracity of the opinions held and proffered.

Now the truth is if you’re totally independent, and work hard and connect, you can make a living via streaming and playing live. You get the money instead of the label. You just can’t get rich. And this is why you got into it. Be clear, back at the advent, the heyday, post-Beatles, musicians, mostly male, did it to get laid and get rich, not to make the same money as the guy working at the gas station. So now when you’re in the game and making bupkes, you feel someone must be at fault, but that’s patently untrue, the game changed and you’re not aware of it.

The most important story you can read today is: 

“The Social-Media Stars Who Move Markets”: https://on.wsj.com/3jp21FM

It’s behind a paywall, so if you’re not laying down, forget about reading it. Complain all you want, but the joke is on you. You’ve got to spend to make it. For years you could do it essentially all for free, but not anymore.

So the bottom line is self-styled financial analysts, with little to no experience, have YouTube channels and they’re making bank. Three are featured. Kevin Paffrath, 33, has 1.7 million YouTube subscribers and made $5 million in just the first three months of the year. Rose Han, 32, has 522,000 YouTube subscribers and makes $2 million a year. Casey Adams, 20, has 7,860 subscribers and makes $300,000 a year. In all three cases the purveyors net more than almost any musician. You may gross a lot, but the expenses are stratospheric in music, to net $300,000 a year is a huge achievement.

And it’s not like the above three are experts giving totally accurate advice. They have to be positive 24/7. Mr. Paffrath said despite AMC going up 10% this day, hedge funds were shorting it and therefore he expected the share price to collapse.

“After the live stream ended, Mr. Paffrath started shedding thousands of subscribers, he said. Most videos with positive titles garner more than 200,000 views, he says, while videos that have negative takes on a company or an industry in the title rarely get more than 60,000 views.”

So don’t tell me how great a musician you are, how the successful have no talent, IT’S NOT ABOUT THE TALENT, IT’S ABOUT THE NUMBERS!

So, if your business is on YouTube, you’re directly connected to the money. YouTube is owned by Google, the company pays, like a slot machine, better than any club owner, better than so many promoters. The deal is clean, it’s just a matter of whether you get the views. So why would anybody want to go into music? Where the odds are long and you don’t make much?

Now the truth is the traditional financial outlets like Goldman Sachs  and Morgan Stanley, as well as hedge funds, got the memo:

“Wal Street Is Looking to Reddit for Investment Advice: Deep-pocketed banks and hedge funs now take their cues from the armies of Main Street traders”: https://on.wsj.com/3BkgMzV

They’re not complaining, they’re going where the action is. If the market is moved by punters, they’re diving in. The small investors may be irrational, but if they’re moving markets you’d best chase the game or be left out. Like the major labels. Their systems are worse than financial institutions, they leak money, but the truth is the labels understand completely where the cash is these days. Just like the big investment houses, they’re following the money. Paying attention to what moves markets, like TikTok, not judging the tunes, just the eyeballs.

For the status of the TikTok music world today please read this:

” TikTok… Boom – The app redefined what it means to break as a musician. But could a host of new challenges threaten its dominance?”: https://bit.ly/3yo6jli

I found the above article on the “Entertainment Weekly” page on Apple News+, for which I pay ten bucks a month. But not only do I pay, I read, multiple times every day. But that’s my business, information. If you’re a player you might be out of the loop, at home busy making music, complaining about the landscape, how you can’t make any money, but the joke is on you!

As for those playing the new game, read this:

“Meet 14 TikTok artists and music curators who are making a splash”: https://bit.ly/3gHVnJ1

Now if you work at a major label, none of this is news. This is what you do every day. But you’re a businessman, the musician is not. But I would say a musician needs to be a businessman today to know the field they’re inhabiting, or want to inhabit.

But it gets worse, much worse. A hit is not as big as it once was. Because there’s so much in the landscape, everything has less reach than ever before, not only musical acts, but TV shows, movies… But the old media doesn’t cotton to the new world, so it just prints the metrics of the old world. If you took high school chemistry you know how it is…they teach you about how electrons orbit around the nucleus. And first they tell you it’s circular, like the planets, but when you grasp that concept they then tell you it’s untrue, that the electrons fly in 3-D space and there is no regular path. Confused yet? The media still is. They want you to think entertainment content is limited and it’s all radiating around them, the nucleus, in a perfect orbit that they can divine. Meanwhile, you know this is untrue, wading through the chaos is your everyday job, never mind some people focusing on inaccurate information. But the media is trying to make order out of chaos in a faulty manner. First, the outlets don’t understand everything that is going on, their model is flawed. We don’t need reporters asking, we need natives, living in the vertical, testifying. If you’re asking who, what, why, where and when, you’re already behind the curve, you’ve already lost. Reporters call me all the time and they have no idea what is going on, NONE, and then they write and almost always get it wrong. So, you can codify tracks in a chart, the manipulated “Billboard” one, or the Spotify Top 50, but they don’t accurately reflect what is going on. You can be nowhere near the chart and have a big audience and make a good living. Which you can see when you look at the touring numbers.

But it gets even worse. People go where the money is. And in the sixties, seventies and eighties that was music. You didn’t need a college degree, you just had to be good at what you did, playing, singing, or both.

But then all these people in tech started making billions. It’s essentially impossible to make that money in music. And the billionaires lived rock star lifestyles, going where they wanted and spending untold monies, the way rock stars did in the last century, destroying hotel rooms, getting laid. But it turns out money is a bigger force than fame. If you’ve got cash you can get a partner, people are doing their best to cling to you. Fame? Think of all the famous social media stars that are a joke or broke or both!

Yes, being a social media star is a full time job. It burns you out.

But somehow musicians believe they can relax, smoke dope, and if it doesn’t work out it’s not their fault.

And the social media stars are all about the marketing. Which young musicians get, and then realize the marketing is more important than the music, so that’s where they put their focus. So if you’re complaining about subpar popular music…you’re right!

And then there are the creators. They go where the money is. And since it’s not in music…

And the script has flipped, it’s not about stars, it’s about the hoi polloi, the individual. On Robinhood, on TikTok and YouTube too. Everybody is a star today, almost no one is passive, they want to create more than partake. And this is why if you’re refusing to allow your music to be synched willy-nilly on YouTube and other social media sites the joke is on you. These homegrown creators are the link to your audience, they’re the ones keeping you alive. Hell, it happens on a regular basis, especially on TikTok, creators pick an old song and then it gets traction seemingly out of nowhere!

And the most successful “musicians”? They’re all into brand extension, because that’s the only way you can make big money, have the perch in the hierarchy you used to be able to have back in the sixties and seventies. You want to be a billionaire yourself, for a seat at the table. So Rihanna doesn’t make music for five years but joins the ten figure club. And the story is everywhere! Because money is the hook. As for “People” and “Us” and the rest of the gossip rags…the faces are in on the game, it’s their way to stay in the public eye, and if you’re not there, you’re usually forgotten.

Like I said above, you can make a living in the music business, and you don’t even need a label to do so. But get rich? Even if you have a label deal relatively speaking you won’t be rich compared to those with money in the world today. And the truth is most people are driven by money. Music is just a place for those without portfolio, no education, no experience, to make it. Concomitantly, if you have an education and experience you don’t want to go into music, because it’s so much easier to make big bucks elsewhere. Of course there are exceptions, but just dealing with the wankers in the music business turns off most potential business stars. It’s still cottage industry in an era of streamlined outfits that know where every dollar is, run by MBAs.

Now if you read Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” you know the first criterion of success is to be in the right place at the right time. Right now THAT IS NOT MUSIC!

It was in the sixties and seventies, and when the old paradigm was dying MTV came along and saved it. But the internet blew it apart.

This has got nothing to do with how good you are at your instrument, how many dues you’ve paid, how good your record is. As a matter of fact, you can put out a positively great record and few can hear it today. That wasn’t even true ten years ago. Used to be if it was great, people would find it. But now there’s so much in everybody’s channel they can’t keep up with everything. Which also means if you want to stay top of mind you have to release music and interact online 24/7, otherwise you’re forgotten. I know you hate this, but if you’re complaining you’re not making enough bread, this is the only way to go!

We’re still in transition. No one involved wants to speak the truth, for fear of cracking the edifice. The streaming services are beholden to the labels who want to maintain their power at all costs. Like outfits in Clayton Christensen’s “Innovator’s Dilemma,” ripe for disruption. Turns out most of the young audience wants to make clips with the tunes and what tunes they are is not as important as the catchiness of the final product. Never have the major labels had less power. Without their catalogs they’d be moribund.

The public is in control. The same public that is not 100% vaccinated and does not even agree on the same vaccine information. It’s like that in every sphere today. Music is the same way. There are people who wholly reject the Spotify Top 50 and are deep into their scenes of whatever and are totally happy. They are in control.

But it used to be the business was in control. And it depended on talented artists for an audience always eager to greet the new via a limited system. As limited as radio was, MTV was even more shaved down. Only a few acts got exposure and they were bigger than all the rest. Now there is no unifying force, only disorder. And you study the game and find your place or you’re a square peg constantly trying to fit into a round hole.

So if you want to play music for a living, go ahead. If you’re smart, you’ll stay small, you won’t have dreams of ubiquity, you’ll focus on the music to bond fans to you.

That is not the mainstream game, where the music itself is secondary, where the makers are personalities, and it all moves so fast that unless you’re truly interested, probably a young fan, you don’t even scratch your head and complain, you just inhabit the niche you want to. And you find like-minded people online. What’s not to like?

The public is happy. People consume what they want when they want.

The musicians? They’ve lost control! At least the labels are trying to keep up, the complaining players are not, they’re just waiting for it to return to what it was, and that’s never gonna happen.

A good analogy is television. Do you really think we’re going to go back to three networks, even cable with a few pay services and limited product? Never!

Adjust or die.

Or don’t start playing the game to begin with. Why go into music? It’s like being a painter, only you’ve got to constantly travel to do it. If this is your calling, go for it. Or start on TikTok. Or just go where the action really is, follow the money, which once again isn’t in music. Oh, there’s cash, just not the big cash you’re dreaming of!

Subject: my Charlie Watts story

While I was a college music student in the mid 1970s I had a summer job as record clerk at a Sam Goody record store in midtown Manhattan.  My job was to keep the shelves and racks of LPs, cassettes and 8-tracks organized and to assist shoppers in finding what they were looking for.  One afternoon Charlie Watts walked in and started browsing!  I was awe struck, but since it was my job, I approached him and ask if I could help him. He said I could indeed, and pulled out of his pocket a handwritten list of records he wanted. There were dozens of records on the list, the majority of them jazz of all kinds, but also many classical, rock, and folk records. I located almost everything on his list, which took a while, and we started to chat as I worked.  After I told him I was a huge fan of his band and a music student and a guitarist, clarinetist, and composer, he asked me what music I liked. I mentioned several 20th century pieces I liked, including some pieces by Bartok, Stravinsky, Penderecki, electronic music by Davidovsky, as well as some obscure rock music, much of which he’d never heard. He asked me to find all those records I mentioned and add them to his large pile of LPs, saying he wanted to expand his musical horizons. Besides being one of the best drummers around, Charlie Watts was a good, interesting man who treated people with respect and had a thirst for music of all kinds.

– Elliot Sokolov

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Subject: Charlie Watts

Dear Bob,

It still amazes me that 21 years later, I got to work with my pre-teen idols — and not just work… bassist Bill Wyman and I became friends for a while and would hang out together — and I feel for Bill today because he loved Charlie like a brother. When Eddie Arno and I formed Arno & Innocenti Pictures in London’s Charing Cross Road back in 1986, Charlie was our first client — a multi-camera shoot of the live recording (per the Rolling Stones Mobile, naturally) of his jazz “big band”, the Charlie Watts Orchestra. It’s true that in those years Charlie was struggling with alcohol — but he was never “drunk” — that’s unimaginable. Perhaps his natural English eccentricity was more pronounced — but even then, you didn’t know if he was having a laugh at your expense or not, because he was always so deadpan. I remember thanking him once when we’d come to the end of a long day’s shoot and he said, ‘What are you thanking me for?’ ‘For the filming, Charlie’, I replied, waving my arm at the lights and camera equipment being dismantled all around us. ‘What filming?’ he asked. Poker-faced.

It’s well-documented that he was one of the world’s Best Dressed Men. I remember being astonished the first time I saw him out of the “work” clothes he wore on stage and changed into his “street” attire. He was immaculate — and his taste was incredible. He was dressed way better than anyone I ever saw, including male icons from movies — but he wore the clothes as if he was completely unaware of how well he was turned out.

Most of the fun stories about Charlie were told to me by Bill — including the famous one where the singer summoned “his drummer” late at night, and Charlie got out of bed, dressed impeccably (as always), knocked on the singer’s door and punched him in the face with the immortal line “I’m not your f**king drummer.” Less well known are the stories of Charlie’s generosity and kindness — some of them quite eccentric, like the time in Paris during a rainstorm when he saw an elderly homeless woman get drenched after a passing car went through a puddle. He took her into a nearby clothing store and got her completely outfitted — shoes, hat, purse — the lot.

I think the moment I realized how nice a man Charlie was, and how empathetic he could be, happened one day in Olympic Studios. We were doing the final mix on the jazz film and it cut to a shot of Jack Bruce (also struggling with alcoholism) who’d played cello. Charlie wanted the fader raised so we could hear what Jack was playing. It turned out to be a single, long sorrowful note — not in any way connected to the music the rest of the band were playing. Charlie leaned forward and brought the fader down. “Poor Jack,” he said, gently — in a tone filled with understanding and with not a trace of disdain.

Can’t stop thinking about him these past two days, and what an amazing gentleman he was.

Markus Innocenti

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Subject: Re: Re-Charlie Watts

July 16, 1994. The Rolling Stones are rehearsing for the Voodoo Lounge Tour in the gymnasium at Crescent Boys School in Toronto.  I get a call from Benji LeFevre, their FOH soundman to bring the mobile there to record a six minute piece of music to be played at every stop on the tour, from when the house lights go down to when Charlie Watts appears onstage, playing the Bo Diddley beat drum intro to “Not Fade Away”, the opening song in their set. The idea is that Benji will crossfade out of the tape and into the live drum kit, and since we would be using the same mics at the same distance from the drums as the stage setup, it would be seamless. So we just need Charlie to play a four bar segment perfectly, and I will create a drum tape loop in the truck (hey, it was 1994) off the 24 track 2″ machine to extend it to six minutes.  Charlie came in, hung up his jacket on a hanger behind the kit, and started to play. (who else but Charlie Watts would wear a suit jacket to a band rehearsal in Toronto in July!) He later came out to the truck, signed an autograph for me, took a look at my shoes, and asked me where I bought them.  He then sent a runner to Aldo’s at the Eaton Centre to purchase a pair for himself.  The runner took my shoes with him to be sure he’d get the same pair.  (no cel phone cameras back in ’94)   I spent the next hour in the mobile at the console my socks.

I felt like I was taking to English Royalty, but then again, I guess I was!   Charlie spent a lot of time in the truck that day, as he and Jagger were producing the session.

We recorded him for about 30 minutes, then stopped. I wasn’t sure why, until one of the Stones’ roadies came in with a cup of tea on a saucer for Charlie. For a true English gentleman, everything stops for tea! Needless to say, it was a pretty memorable day. Jagger overdubbed maracas, and Chuck Leavell  overdubbed keyboards after that.  There were also jet sound fx, and they even brought in a couple of people to overdub conversation in an African language as part off the big sound collage.    We then transferred the 24 track analog tape to DA88 digital tape, brought those machines into the gym where the p.a console was set up, and Benji did the final mix through the p.a speaker stack at concert volume.

In addition to getting paid for the three days we were there recording, editing and mixing the track, they gave us tickets to their concert at Exhibition Stadium on Aug 7, but that was the day I moved into my current house, so I never actually got to hear the track played back in a concert setting!     Here’s a link to one of the shows on that tour with the recording at the top.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWjoXMY6FNo&ab_channel=ShadowBox

By the way, Jagger did the maracas overdub in one take.   I complemented him on it, and he said, “I learned from the best: Bo Diddley’s percussionist Jerome Green.”

Regards,

Doug McClement

LiveWire Remote Recorders

Toronto, Canada

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Subject: Re: Charlie Watts

Loved the last para in your Charlie tribute. Well done.

I am from the States, but lived in London from 2009-2015. On March 17, 2012. I went to see Charlie and his ABC&D of jazz ensemble. They were playing in Soho at the Pizza Express, a pizza restaurant/chain that was known for putting on great live jazz shows.

I am a massive Stones fan (25 gigs, 5 countries, 3 continents since 1994). I went to Charlie’s gig to see the man, not necessarily to hear the music. The venue is table setting and cozy. I had a seat by myself at a small table the back of the room by the mixing board.

At the intermission I stood up against the wall next to the mixing board. Who should walk up and stand next to me? Charlie. He was waiting to go up and play the next set.

I introduced myself and we talked about his gig and his ensemble. He asked where I was from, how long I had been living in London… just small talk. I thanked him for all the music he’s made and made a simple comment about how much I appreciated he and the Stones. The conversation lasted about 10 minutes. I played it pretty cool and didn’t overwhelm with Stones fan-boy talk.

Before he left to make his way to the stage, I thanked him for his time. He was standing to my left. He turned, put his hands on my shoulders and made a double pat gesture, nodded, smiled and walked off.

I felt like I had been blessed!

Cool, calm, collected and genuine.

He was very kind to take 10 minutes to talk to a fan.  I was one of many fans he’s interacted with, but for me it was a music-fan life moment.

To your point… “these heroes and their music keep you going.”

Judd Marcello

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From: paul draper

Subject: Re: Re-Charlie Watts

Bob,

When my band Mansun were working on our second album at Olympic Studios in 98 Charlie was working on his jazz record in studio 1, we would sneak a look in the live room at his Gretsch kit bathed in spotlights. Olympic studio 1 was long used by the Stones, Zepplin, Hendrix and even the venue for the All You Need is love broadcast by the Beatles, history dripped in the place, Claptons pick was glued to the wall. Being the UK, we scrapped Olympic as a studio instead of protecting it like the UK government finally stepped in to save Abbey Road during the Napster era, designating it a Grade 1 listed building. They turned Olympic into a cinema, however in the cauldron of the UK music scene in the 90’s Mansun were holed up trying to follow up our UK No1 debut, The Verve were recording Urban Hymns, Massive Attack were mixing Mezzanine and even Clapton was in. Charlie would arrive in the morning at Olympic in a fleet of Bentleys with his crew of East End chaps having been driven from his stud farm in Devon. The whole place was buzzing to be there at the same time as Charlie. A better dressed man Ive never seen, dapper and stylish, immaculate. A friendlier man Ive never met, he made us all cups of tea, he talks to us all as if he’d know us for years, quiet and unassuming but his presence was massive to us. Us young upstarts at the coalface of Britpop and the 90s British music scene, in awe of this living legend, he showed us all humility in the testosterone fuelled competitive atmosphere of Olympic back then.

Charlie was kind and considerate when you met him, nurturing to younger musicians, no ego, he stunned us all with his grace, but we just wanted to hear him play. The groove between his kick and snr was indeed born only from a jazz man but the feel has always been the greatest in the business, his unique hi hat style were unparalleled, check out Jumping Jack Flash at Glastonbury to see a wonderful musician in his 70s blowing away and taking 100,000 kids into an extracy that makes life worth living for at that moment, and a man so lovely, humble and gentle I cried when I heard of his passing, he touched my life.

In the UK yesterday they were blasting out Gimme Shelter at the Cricket match, England vs India, the front of the UK press was plastered with deserved tributes to Charlie pushing Afghanistan off the front pages, we’ve had a delayed reaction in the UK to Charlies passing. Kenny Jones has been on Sky News referring to Charlie like he’s still here and that his incredible catalogue of grooves and feel that made a whole generation rock and roll means he will be with us way beyond his mortal years. This makes us feel just a tiny bit better about loosing him, he’s been with us all our lives, he touched us all and his legend has exploded in the last 24 hours in the uK. 

Paul Draper

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Subject: Don Everly

Bob

A sad loss, they were so inspiring

October 1963, and coming up to my 17th birthday and I’m at my first package rock show in Manchester. Headlined by the Everly Brothers, and also featuring Bo Diddley, the Rolling Stones, and Little Richard. The second half was opened by a pair of singer/guitarists known as the Most Brothers. Little did I know that within two years my band will have been produced by Mickie Most, we will have worked (and fallen out with) with the Stones, and we’d have Lek joining Little Richard on stage at the Galaxy in LA.

Keith Hopwood

Herman’s Hermits

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Subject: Re: Re-Don Everly

Hi Bob…I wanted to add my sad happy memory. As the newly hatched in England band America, we were so proud to play our first official shows in the U.S. opening for the Everly Brothers at the Cellar Door in D.C. Having grown up as kids hearing those 2 voices singing those timeless songs we couldn’t believe we were sharing this small stage with them nightly for a week and then on to a venue in Massachusetts’s called Lenny’s for more shows. They were supportive and made us feel welcome. We’d cross paths a few times as the years passed and see Phil now and then. I made sure to take my kids to see them one year and they graciously allowed me to bring them backstage to sign their tickets and say hi. The last time I saw them was when Simon and Garfunkel brought them out in the middle of their show in L.A. for a memorable moment. And now Don and Phil have both passed over to the other side, but we will always have the music…and for that we remain forever grateful.  Dewey Bunnell

p.s. did I mention Warren Zevon and Waddy Wachtel were in their band!

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Subject: RE: Re-Don Everly

Hi Bob,

 

It was a summer evening in 1971. My wife and I headed up Yonge Street from our downtown apartment uptown to the quiet Toronto suburb of North York, home of The Beverly Hills Hook and Ladder Club. Yes, our own Beverly Hills in the great white North. The club was on a circuit whose headliners were the likes of a young Kenny Rogers with First Edition, Johnny Rivers, Frank Sinatra Jr., Brenda Lee, Tiny Tim, , and, yes, The Everly Brothers. They were the cream of this mixed bag of careers that were heading up, or down or sideways. I was tracking my own radio jock career with the timeline of their hits from Bye Bye Love, their first million seller, in 1957 (CKRC Winnipeg) right through Bird Dog, (Till) I Kissed You, and then Cathy’s Clown, their biggest hit, in 1960 (and my own breakthrough at CKEY and then 1050 CHUM Toronto). They were always with me at every high school sock hop I dee-jayed. Bye Bye Love or Wake Up Little Susie would get things moving; but the slow dance at the end was always All I Have To Do Is Dream.

 

Anyway, back at the Beverly Hills Club. The first set was pure time travel, bringing up people, places and events with every oldie. They seemed to be feeling it and we were only vaguely aware that there was supposed to be a rift between them so we played it straight – inviting them to our table between sets as first Phil and then Don took their turns individually to do the obligatory chat with the local radio guy. Somehow the stars aligned and the down home character of the boys from Tennessee broke through the normal standoffish politeness and social distancing that gets you through another gig, another town. By the end of the second set, we were aware that they were staying over Sunday before heading off on the Monday. So my wife said, why don’t we invite them for Sunday dinner? So we did. They said they’d see. 

 

Five o’clock, the appointed hour, came and went – the chicken was roasted and the potatoes were scalloped. No Everly Brothers. What seemed like an hour was only 20 minutes later when the lobby buzzer sounded. And there they were both of them. Phil and Don. At our door, five years before McCartney Let ‘Em In. Apologies accepted. Dinner is a blur now because we were star struck. I remember playing some Hank Williams and Simon and Garfunkel and the records I produced with David Clayton Thomas back in the day. They charmed the hell out of us – boyish, somewhat reserved but no affectations. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore. 

 

RIP Don, RIP Phil.

 

Duff Roman

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Subject: Re: Don Everly

Hi Bob,

It was great to read your kind words about the S&G Staples show. We, in the band, had the best seats in the house for an unforgettable show. (I played guitar on the tour.)

I once asked Phil, “How did you feel when you heard “Let ‘Em In” for the first time?” He was so humble. He said something like: “I was never 100% sure that he meant ‘us’.”  I had to point out, “He definitely meant you and Don. He broke into “Everly style” two part harmony on that line!”

One correction: The Everly Brothers didn’t “open” for S&G. If you remember, Paul and Art brought Phil and Don out as special guests in the middle of the show. They were an important part of the concert. They sang four or five brilliant, moving songs, and then Paul and Art joined them for a few more. The idea to invite the Everlys on this tour was an inspired thing to do, and a true gift to everyone who was in the hall. 

Phil and Don Everly were beyond great. We all had a blast with them. Every single show, and in between shows as well. Their singing, their musicianship was second to none. They were completely down to earth, approachable, friendly and…so cool, beyond words. 

Shortly after the tour, I was standing on a NYC subway platform (14th St and 8th Ave). I looked over and saw Peter Asher, and went over to say “Hi”. Told him I just got home from the S&G tour. When I mentioned that the Everly Brothers were on the tour, he lit up, and asked, “You had Art and Paul and Phil and Don?” I said, “Yup!”. He asked, slyly, “You know what else you needed there?” “….What?”. He responded, “…..me and Gordon!”. Needless to say, another Everly super-fan!

As you and your readers know, you can’t underestimate the impact and influence of The Everly Brothers. We are amazingly lucky to have their music in our lives.

Sending my best from NYC,

Larry Saltzman

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Subject: Re: Can’t Stop The Rain

Hello Bob,   I confess to being a very enthusiastic fan of Mr Stills and most in the know would agree with me that Manassas is truly a 5 Star Double Record.   And it features an amazing collection of musicians.

I was a Junior at Bradley University in Peoria, IL in 1973/74. I owned the record and was thrilled when they played at the Field House.  That night I decided if I ever bought a home where I wanted to escape the city blues I would call it Johnny’s Garden

Fast forward to 2008.  I didn’t have to cut my hair(most was gone) or shine my shoes, but my wife and I bought a one room cabin deep in New York’s Adirondack Park.   It’s our little piece of Heaven and the sign reads Welcome to Johnny’s Garden.

Jeffrey Crohn

Mt Kisco NY

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Subject: Re: Can’t Stop The Rain

Hey Bob. Really warms my heart reading this. I actually connected Neal with Derek to perform on this track and love seeing your response to it. You totally get it. When Neal sent me the rough, the lightbulb went off and I knew Derek had to do what he does best for this song, and Derek obviously agreed. It’s ear candy mate…

And funny enough, my documentary about Tedeschi Trucks’ reunion of the Mad Dogs & Englishmen will be making its premiere very soon and happens to include music by… NEAL FRANCIS!

With love,

Jesse Lauter

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Subject: Hey It’s Neal Francis

Bob,

Glad you like the tune.  I wrote it before the pandemic with my friend David Shaw,  and as the world keeps changing, the refrain has become something of a mantra. Leon’s first record, Shelter People, and the first Manassas record are definitely among my favorites of that era, so I welcome the comparison.  Listening to Leon growing up gave me confidence to try singing. He succeeded in making moving, soulful music without having a voice anyone would call commercially friendly.

It was indeed an honor to work with the great Derek Trucks, whose playing is only surpassed by his humility. I’m honored on a daily basis to work with Mike Starr (bass), Kellen Boersma (guitar), and Collin O’Brien (drums).  They all played their asses off on this record and I can’t wait for you and the world to hear the rest.

Thanks for listening and turning on your readers.  Here’s hoping the speeding lorry is able to stay on the road.

Neal Francis

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Subject: Re: Summer’s Almost Gone

this one – soooo pensive “..they keep making new people..”     satisfying, yet painful…..

It made me laugh. My Throat Doc told me yesterday,

“Hey you’re still singing at YOUR age? – pretty good!”  AGE-ism – hit me hard – why not?

Singing is the last thing to go.  I’ve played at enough “assisted living” gigs to know that.

You just have to get the era right.  (You’ve mentioned that). Mary Gannon, Ace of Cups Band

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Subject: Re: Summer’s Almost Gone

Bob,

I’ve felt this. I know 100%. It is a gift actually. Women feel the cut earlier, especially if you had the beauty privilege. It’s harsh and immediate like falling off a cliff, you’re suddenly invisible, after the ‘are you sexy enough to keep me looking’ gaze is gone, and the equally disturbing (but still in a box) community sanctified motherhood fades too. If you’re not in the game where are you? If you don’t derive value from the group where is your value? Keep kissing the moment Bob, with music and ice cream and Felice and friends. The smaller you go, away from Bugatti’s and Bentleys to animals and snow and mountain air the more alive you feel. You’re almost there – I think the melancholy of loss of each hour and day, and really your life, will disappear too. 

Johanna Santer

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From: Dave Dederer

Subject: Re: Mailbag

Bob,

“…Joan Jett bereft of talent…” 

A recurring tangential sentiment in the Suzi Quatro thread.

Nothing could be further from the truth. 

We got to open for Joan once, at Seattle’s now-defunct King Cat Theater, when she played with the surviving members of The Gits as a fundraiser for non-profit Home Alive, which was founded in the wake of the murder of The Gits’ singer, Mia Zapata.

I met Joan backstage.  She was nervous and asked how big the audience was and whether it seemed like a good crowd.

I really liked hearing “I Love Rock and Roll” and “Bad Reputation” and the “Crimson and Clover” cover on the radio but wouldn’t say I was a fan, nor was I a fan of The Runaways.  I had no expectations.  

Then she came out on stage and opened her mouth and started singing and THAT VOICE came out.  Strong, perfectly on pitch, tuneful, with her own unmistakable timbre and emotional edge.  I’ve heard a lot of great singers in the flesh — Ann Wilson, Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke, etc. — and I would put that moment with Joan right up there with the best of them.  So, not only has she done the hard graft of decades of work, as far as “talent” goes (if such a thing actually exists), she has it in spades.  In fact, if you want to put her “talent” in the context of the Quatro conversation, she had and has “that thing” in a way that Quatro did not, and that’s why she broke through and Quatro did not.  Period.  

dave

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From: Garrett Gravley

Subject: Re: Underwood & Aldean

Date: August 19, 2021 at 12:34:30 PM PDT

I’m a reporter in Dallas, and one thing that makes my job hard sometimes is that a lot of conservatives keep their guard up around me and refuse to talk to me every time I wear a mask.

This literally happened to me at a protest held outside a school board meeting just two days ago. And it’s happened to me many times before that. 

That’s never made me take off my mask ever, but it’s still insane to me that I’m treated as some sort of nefarious enemy all because I have a piece of cloth on my face. If that’s enough for someone to infer some political allegiance on my part, it was never about “personal choice.” 

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Re: Tour Cancellations

I just canceled the rest of a club run mid tour because of the lack of vaccination/negative test requirements in venues, specifically ones in AL and LA. Those states are among the darkest on the CDC map, and yet the promoters there have not yet joined the tons of others I see requiring them at their venues.

The one major thing I’ve noticed – the promoters who have stepped up (thinking specifically of Bowery Presents) have received an inordinate amount of violent backlash from fans on social media. Sometimes I honestly think the fans themselves will be the ones to bury the live industry.

Also a word of warning for the agents and promoters – the majority of conversations I had with my promoters on this run about what’s been happening with walk up was a little worse than we anticipated. Drop counts aren’t even matching up with the amount of presale tickets moved. I’ve been told by more than one promoter that shows that have pre sold say 1000 tickets are only hitting 75% attendance, sometimes lower. The industry is going to have to do some quick thinking to compensate if we want to make it through the fall without having to go dark again.

Zach Falkow

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Re: Tour Cancellations

Saw DMB @ Merriweather Post last night. Great show, band was tight and appeared well rested.

Two weeks ago they changed protocols starting with this show. Proof of full vaccine at least 2 weeks ago or current (48 hours) test. If you needed a test they would do it at the venue with results in 20 min. The band had put out an e-mail ENCOURAGING masking when social distancing was impossible (basically everywhere). Fan response to that request ~ less than 2% wore masks!

As with all DMB shows it was a very loud crowd sing along. Just the kind of activity that CAN get the virus flowing. So much for the socially conscious fan base.

Maybe this thing is gone by NEXT summer but if we don’t take all the right steps it’s going to be with us in perpetuity. Annual vaccines ~ new variants ~ more folks dead. Current death toll 628k.

Keep preaching!
Ole Olson

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Re: Tour Cancellations

Hi Bob. Here in South Africa we also have a strong anti- vaxxer Social Media campaign. We have a large,  vulnerable rural population which relies on the wisdom, or lack of it, by the elders in the community. Traditional medicine is still practised in most of these areas and enjoys majority support. The difficulty is to first get the support of the traditional healers and then the elders to endorse vaccinations. We have had a very slow rollout of vaccinations, mainly due to government incompetence and corruption, but fortunately the situation is rapidly improving. Keep up the good work. Robert Schroder.

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Re: Tour Cancellations

They couldn’t sell tickets. Even when a promoter wants to say this is the reason, they will defer to the act to give the “official” reason. It’s sort of an unwritten industry standard, even though I’ve actually never seen anything written into a contract where it specifically says, “If show cancels due to poor ticket sales, producer is strictly prohibited from stating this as a reason.” Maybe somebody else has seen it, but I haven’t.

Except one time. Bill Cosby, of all people, in the early 2000s, before the train wreck. Got on a conference call with the co-promoter and agent, and Cosby (who pretty much managed himself) was on the line. My partner spoke: “What do you want us to say? Scheduling difficulties?” Cosby didn’t wait for the agent to respond. “Tell them we didn’t sell any tickets. Tell them the truth!” And that was that.

Brian Martin

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Re: Tour Cancellations

We hosted the first house concert a week ago since the start of the pandemic (we’re fortunate, we have a nice studio space that is acoustically designed with full PA and lights that seats up to 67 guests). Anyway, we had skittishness, attendance was less than 2/3 for an artist that consistently sells out here when she comes to the US on her annual tour. We had everyone mask-up while indoors and everyone was happy to comply to again enjoy our intimate live music experience. We only had one person (the brother of a friend) who came and complained that he didn’t like masks — said “I’m a smoker and I find it hard to breathe with a mask”. By the way, he’s a really jolly-sized guy that looks like the poster-child for the kind of person that Covid just likes to swoop in and enjoy a stay, let’s just nickname him “Mr Pre-Existing Conditions”…

Don Adkins

Redondo Beach, CA

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Subject: Re: White Lotus

Hi Bob.

In your comments above, you use the expression ” a chink in their armor”  I know you are using that expression in accordance with it’s orginal meaning, “Middle English, a delightfully onomatopoeic word for a narrow opening or fissure. ”

That was my intention as well, when I used the expression to describe events in Afghanistan. I said that Russian and Chinese interests were rushing in to fill a political void, sensing a chink in America’s armor. And BOOM!   30 more days in the hole for me. Facebook once again decided I was too politically incorrect to be allowed on their innocent platform.  (The previous time I was incarcerated was for the sin of quoting Shakespeare during the impeachment trials – “first, kill all the lawyers”)

Apparently this expression has been deemed to be racist. And Facebook, bless its pointy little head, has deemed itself too pure a place for such a term.

I blame this 2012 article, amongst others.

https://slate.com/culture/2012/02/chink-in-the-armor-jeremy-lin-why-its-time-to-retire-the-phrase-for-good.html

Apparently I’m just too much of a rebel to be allowed on the platform. Forget killing all the lawyers .. just kill me!

cheers

Roxanne Tellier

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From: John Brodey

Subject: Re: Re-Connie Hamzy

I got to see it from two angles.  First at BCN in Boston when we would always go backstage at a show.  Despite being the guys/gals who played their records, the stars had no qualms about going after a very attractive date/girlfriend of yours.  Dennis Wilson was to be watched carefully if you wanted to see your date again that night.  

My favorite story involved one particular girl I was dating, who actually was a great great grandaughter of Susan B. Anthony.  She was very model-y, gorgeous with smokey eyes.  She would have fit right in Andy Warhol’s entourage.  

It was after a Stones gig at the Boston Garden and I’m talking to Ronnie Wood after the show as my girl Havens (Anthony) slides up next to me.  Ronnie gets a load of this and immediately asks me where can we go next.  Boston was an early town with not many late night choices so we end up going to my dumpy third floor walk up in Cambridge, just the three of us.  

I had an inkling about his game plan as I pulled out the tequila.  Shot for shot, a not so subtle competition was going to be all about the last man standing.  Who was going to get the girl?  We immediately got into some serious music conversation around my kitchen table as she was sitting quietly beside us.  We were so focused on our battle, we didn’t notice that she had been going shot for shot as well.  Just as we get into some obscure R’nB discussion, we hear a solid thunk just as her head hits the table.  Out like a light.  Ron looks at me and we both laugh as he says: Let’s call it a draw.  And with that he makes his exit into the night.  You couldn’t help but like Ronnie, the best.

As for the Def mention.  When I was the head of album promotion at Mercury, I popped into a couple of their Hysteria tour dates.  The stage set up was in the round and yes they were under the stage in a very nice open comfortable lounge type set up.  It was before they went on.  Even with my previous experiences I wasn’t quite prepared to see them all engaged in some degree of servicing all next to each other.  I could only admire the power of rockstarism.

John Hall had hit records with his band Orleans, was voted Ski Instructor of the Year at Hunter Mountain, and ultimately was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms…and in between he was one of the driving forces behind No Nukes! We discuss John’s activism as well as his musical history, how he moved to New York City and after a number of record deals ultimately struck it rich on Asylum with “Dance With Me” and “Still the One.” We go deep into the details of what it takes to not only have a hit record, but to get elected to Congress. Meanwhile, John’s still at it, he’s got a new album entitled “Reclaiming My Time.” You will thoroughly enjoy your time listening to Hall tell stories of his life and career!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/id1316200737

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast

https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast

Over the years Simple Minds have worked with the Rolling Stones on a number of occasions, mostly at various European festivals. It’s always an honour, albeit surreal. How come? Duh…Because they are the f*cking ‘Rolling Stones.’  And whilst others might refer to them as “Rock Royalty etc.”  – on a good night I have found myself thinking that what I was witnessing was more comparable to genuine ‘Zen Masters.’ A mere quirk of fate – you don’t have to do anything to be born into royalty. Whereas be ‘a master’ at anything? I don’t need to tell you that it takes colossal effort and sacrifice.

Other memories, particularly of Charlie? Well, we once shared a studio complex in the centre of Manhattan during the mid eighties, and although the rooms we worked in were of course seperate, we nevertheless shared the main area where they would all hang out for hours, to the extent I always wondered how the Stones ever got any work done?

To say that they could not have been friendlier, even encouraging, is an understatement. As individual characters they were as impossible not to love, as it is impossible for me not to love ‘the feel’ of say, Gimme Shelter,’ ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ and ‘Brown Sugar’ in particular.

Years later, backstage at a festival site in Belgium, I was delighted to be greeted by Charlie who informed me that he was having ‘A good old fashioned cup of English Breakfast tea’ – with China teapot and all – “If you fancy joining me?”

I certainly did fancy joining him. What a pleasure that was!

Rest In Peace Charlie Watts.

Jim Kerr

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In 1989, I was asked to join up with The Rolling Stones on their Steel Wheels Tour, as their tour photographer. I had worked with Keith and Ronnie before but didn’t know any of the other guys. I kept a low profile, doing my job and not bothering anyone. About a week in, while waiting in line for dinner at the buffet, I heard a voice from behind me say “Hey Paul, we have a day off in your home town next week. Can you show me around and help me find a place to buy a suit?” I turned around and was face to face with Charlie Watts. Now….anyone who knows me knows that I know ABSOLUTELY nothing about suits, but I did my research and on our off day, I called down to the concierge and ordered up a car and driver, called Charlie and he and I spent a lovely morning shopping for suits in Chicago!!

A week later we were in NYC, doing a 4 night stand at Shea Stadium. After sound check, I wandered in backstage and saw Charlie and his lovely wife Shirley sitting on a couch. He called me over and asked if I could do him a favor. Of Course- what do you need? Seems that Shirley wanted to grab a basket of apples and go outside and feed the police horses on the street. Would I accompany here and keep her safe? Once again- Of Course!! So Shirley and I went out to the street and fed the horses. Most likely none of the cops on horseback had any idea who she was, but it made Charlie so happy to see Shirley happy.

Every time I would see him after that he always asked me how my business was doing, and how my health was.

All in all, in 40 years of photographing musicians, I have never met anyone who was as nice (and classy) as Mr. Watts- also never met anyone his equal as a drummer!!!

 

Paul Natkin

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Thanks, Bob, for the insight into Charlie Watts and his place in the rock pantheon.

My high school band opened for the Stones in Dayton, Ohio, on their second US tour in November ’64.

The converted barn the promoter used for the show only had one “dressing room” for the bands. Brian Jones wasn’t even there. He had gone on to Chicago to prep for the next day’s recording session at Chess. Mick sat back in a folding chair with a hat over his eyes the whole time and Keith noodled in the corner with his guitar up to his ears as there was no practice amp. Charlie and Bill, on the other hand, were so nice and chatty and outgoing the whole time. They discussed gear and performance venues in the UK compared to the US with us and how much they were looking forward to recording in Chicago and so much more. Sadly, we were too cool to have a camera with us. But the memory is etched in my mind forever regarding the classiness of Bill and Charlie.

Larry Butler

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Hello Bob,
Like everyone, I am very upset at Charlie’s passing. He had a major impact on my life. I was born and raised in Toronto. As a young itchy teenager, my claim to fame was having pictures of Charlie Watts with my grandfather in Liverpool. He was a gunsmith and dealer in antique firearms. I was told that Charlie bought many items for his private collection from my grandfather, and visited my grandparents in Liverpool frequently.
The visits were well documented as my grandfather was also an avid photographer. Growing up in 70’s Toronto and having many pictures of a Rolling Stone made me a cool dude! I learned from my dad, that Charlie was a lover of history, and he was very interested in the American Civil War and The Wild West.

Fast forward…  I fell into the music business,  and it became my thing. In 1994,  I was the in house promoter/venue manager for Toronto’s RPM,  and the soon to open Warehouse. Rumours were swirling about a Stones club gig, and what venue would be fortunate enough to get it. One glorious life changing day, my phone rang and it was Arthur Fogel from CPI.  He asked me to hold a date for The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Secret Warm Up Gig!!!!! It was made very clear that if the word leaked out, the gig would be cancelled. I kept it a secret for two weeks, and later I received a call that Michael Cohl wanted to do a private walk through of the venue. We met and it was a go however it had to remain a secret.

The big day came and all went well for set up and sound check. I met the Stone’s security people, and I decided to make the big ask. I gave them a brief outline of my deceased grandfather’s relationship with Charlie and I asked if it would be possible to say hello. I was not expecting much as I was sure Charlie had more on his mind than to say hello to some punter. Next thing you know, two very big men came and guided me to Charlie’s dressing room. He wanted to meet me!!!!!

I spent twenty minutes talking to a wonderful, humble, and passionate man about my grandfather, antique firearms, and military history. It was a day that I have never forgotten. I have met many rockstars. He was the coolest.
R.I.P. Mr Watts.

Regards,
Gareth Brown

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I worked a Micheal Cohl/TNA presents Rolling Stone show in Fargo on Feb 17, 1999 for the “No Security “ tour. Since I was working backstage and in the dressing rooms I had to meet the band, every last one of them. Their long time head of security, Jim Callaghan, took me to meet them and one after one I shook hands said hello and carried on.. Charlie being the gent he was started chatting with me , where I was from and so on. Exactly like I expected him to be. I was always a huge fan of the band but Charlie was the man. Loved his effortless style, always playing the hi hat on the 2 and 4 and always deep in a shuffle/jazz pocket. Even after 23 years and over a thousand concerts under my belt it’s still a highlight..after the show the band wanted to watch “ Fargo” so we had a huge rear projection tv shipped up from Minneapolis. Us and the crew sat and watched the film together. Later that night I had drinks at the Holiday Inn bar and Bobby Keys was there.. couldn’t have been more perfect.

I remember back in 1989/90 when “Steel Wheels” came out the Simpson’s writers put a poster in Lisa’s bedroom that said “Steel Wheelchair” tour.. that was 31 years ago! A lot of the critics thought the band should’ve packed in years before that! As we all know they were wrong, the band kicked ass for decades to come and likely will continue to do so for a few more with Steve Jordan on the kit.

We’ve had a lot of loss lately but this one surprised me the most because it was the loss of an “immortal”
Or at least he was to me.

All the best and keep the letters coming!

Chris Frayer

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Four whole days

I sat outside the Stones rehearsal in 2013.

I heard Charlie and Keith put it all together piece by piece before anyone else arrived.

I saw Mick pose & primp – Keith ignore it and laugh – and even got into their private pre tour show at The Echo.

I’d seen The Stones many times before. But seeing the skeleton take its baby steps then become a full , stadium filling spectacle , was a real education.

Seeing me off to the side for such a long time , saying nothing and calling no attention to myself –

it was Charlie who came out to say hello.

It really was a GAS GAS GAS

Mark Flores

Guitar / SAG

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Truly one of the kings.

I worked as an assistant engineer on a jazz quintet radio session with him in 2006. I was just a kid, clearly nervous in the presence of royalty. He couldn’t have been cooler – joking with the crew, having a great time around jazz players, so happy to be talking about jazz and not the Stones.

I asked him if he knew Elvin Jones and he said “Oh Elvin was the best, real drummer, not like what I do”.

Two things struck me:
1. He played with FORCE. Even with a bebop style quintet, there was no mistaking that he played with clear confidence and intention. He generated a shocking amount of volume.
2. He smelled AMAZING. Obviously the best dressed in the room, but no one expects the drummer to be the best smelling individual on the session.

RIP to the legend.

Steve Weiss

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Back in 2014 I got called to cover Charlie’s project The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie for Keyboard Magazine at the Iridium in New York City. I had a blast interviewing pianist Ben Waters before the show, so much so that he invited me back that night to catch the gig.

Afterwards I went backstage to thank him, and I immediately was standing next to Charlie in the club’s clandestine dressing room. Ben tells him, “Charlie, this is Jon. He’s a great jazz pianist.”

And suddenly, Charlie’s eyes lit up and his expression changed, as if I gave the password to the doorman at an exclusive after hours club. He immediately started chatting to me about jazz, and his favorite players and records. For a moment I was part of the band.

I’m sure I’m just one of countless admirers of his who he made feel special. But it made a lasting impression on me. Sometimes you meet your heroes and you wish you hadn’t. But Charlie was a giant on and off the bandstand. How many people can you say that about?

Be well,

Jon Regen