Response to Michael Masnick’s 2009 State of the Industry address (MB200)

First and foremost I have to say that the presentation was really distracting and annoying.  They either needed to show the speaker, or Masnick should do something more than just put words on powerpoint slides.

Now, a response to the actual presentation topics:

I agreed with everything that Masnick said.  It is no secret that the old forms of marketing for the music business needs, or more accurately, needed to change.  Masnick says that the idea of just “selling music” needs to change.  With p2p networks, its more convenient for people to download songs if it is music and music alone that they are looking for.   Masnick, in essence, is telling the fine people of the NARM confrence to connect with fans and create and sell content, rather than selling just music.  Giving your customer’s a better reason to come back besides just music is the new way to market.

It was a good presentation–definitely well put.  However, this is not a new idea.  Music and extra content packages are becoming more and more popular.  We all know about Trent Reznor’s success with tiered priced packages with Ghost I-IV.  We’ve seen this concept work again and again (Amanda Palmer’s Radiohead cover album jumps to mind).   He did use some examples that I didn’t know about, and the best thing about his examples were that he purposely used artists that didn’t have a big following, unlike Reznor and Palmer.  While it was a good presentation that I could appreciate, he really wasn’t saying anything groundbreaking.

Late Review

I am a few months late on this album review, but it must be said.

This is one of the worst albums I have listened to in the last couple of years.  I hate to be negative about other peoples’ art, and at one time I was a big Against Me! fan, but…really Tom Gabel?

I feel I do need to justify my distaste for this record by saying that I truly respect and enjoy bands that switch up their sound for different albums.  To me those brave musicians (who risk not-so-loyal fanbases by doing something new) are true artists.   Against Me! is not one of those bands.

My biggest problem with this album was that I think that certain subject matter is better covered by certain vocal styles.  Cheesy pop gang vocals about being a teenaged anarchist doesn’t really work.  Piano heavy songs like “We’re Breaking Up” and “Because of the Shame” don’t fit either the album or anything Against Me! has done before. Lyrically and aesthetically, White Crosses’s bounces inexplicably between sounding like a teenaged scene kid’s diary, and an older, almost 80′s hairband revival.  At points, it sounds like the band was going for a sound almost like The Gaslight Anthem, but can’t pull it off.  ”High Pressure Low” sounds like an East Coast gutter punk b-side.  ”Rapid Decompression” is the only song that I could see the old Against Me! having on an album, and even then, it doesn’t have any grit or bite that I loved Against Me! for.

I listened to the album over again after I cleared my mind.  I tried to convince myself that White Crosses wasn’t an Against Me! album, but an album from a band I had never heard before.  It was still flat, disjointed, and a bit ridiculous.  At the expensive of sounding like one of those pretentious punk fans, Against Me! sold out.  The new label, sound, producer, etc. just is not working for them.

SxSW summary

Like everyone who goes to IPR, it goes without saying that I have been a life long music fan.  Through a combination of following different bands, and reading different music magazines, I had heard of South by Southwest.  All I really knew was that a ton of my favorite indie bands went to Austin every spring for a music festival.  I didn’t really know any more than that and it was never a life goal to go…Texas isn’t exactly my favorite state in the country.  Sometimes very impulsive decisions work out to be some of the best.  When I heard that IPR was starting a South by Southwest class, I figured it sounded like a better use of my spring break than going home to Nebraska for two weeks, so as soon as I heard about it, I went and signed up.  Words can’t express how happy I am that I did.

After learning more about South by Southwest I got even more excited to go.  Of course, I was most excited to see the shows…2,000 bands in five days sounds awfully appealing to me.  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the panels.  I thought they would either be really boring, or that maybe they would be super sweet and mind blowing and I would end up learning lots of great techniques to help my future career.  Before we left, it was suggested that we plan the panels and shows that we were going to go to.  Because I want to be a tour manager, I picked all of the touring panels and anything that was “direct to fan” related.  I purposely didn’t plan what shows I wanted to see.  I was really excited to discover new music just by walking around Austin.

When we arrived my previous expectations changed.  The first night in Austin was a long one.  After traveling all day, I was super tired but stoked to hear some awesome music.  I started out going to shows with friends, but after a few songs into Motorhead’s set, I wanted to leave.  I started down 6th Street and tried to go into a bunch of venues.  Unfortunately, I seemed to find all of the few 21 and over venues in Austin.  I just kept going to buildings until they let me in, and then I got to see my first night of great shows.  From then on, I realized having some sort of game plan when it came to the shows still allowed me to discover new music and it helped me have the peace of mind to know I could get in and see some of my favorite bands.

My expectation about the panels completely changed.  I honestly think the panels was my favorite thing about South by Southwest.  I learned so much and loved almost every panel I went to.  I got some great tips that I will use when working in the industry.  I got to meet and hear from some of the people I look up to who already work in the industry.  The panels really made me realize just how valuable my education at IPR is.  I learned a lot of things from panels, but there was nothing that went over my head.  Some of the things that were discussed at a few panels, were already obsolete compared to what I had learned from IPR.  As a college student, I could have a confident, well informed conversation with industry professionals, and that was an amazing feeling that was well worth the trip.

Probably the greatest thing about South by Southwest was the actual networking that takes place.  From just an IPR standpoint, you can see how important networking is.  Before we left I didn’t anyone else going.  It was a little nerve wracking to go on such a big trip with strangers, but after we came back, I can say that I know and am friends with sixteen new people.  Networking is the fuel of the entertainment industry, and South by Southwest is a great place to network.  I met so many great industry professionals who were willing to talk to me.  I was being taken seriously and listened to by people working in the industry that I want to work in and I came back with some great contacts.

I am so happy that I randomly decided to go to South by Southwest.  There is no doubt in my mind that South by Southwest has changed me.  I was feeling burnt out after my second quarter of IPR, and SxSW was a fresh breath of air that gave me even more drive to work in the music industry.  I feel like this is such a worthwhile conference, that I am going to do my best to come back every year.  Whenever someone asks me about SxSW i always suggest that they go…its the best impulse decision I’ve ever made.

The coolest old lady ever.

Don't do it

I’m not one to jump on bandwagons, and when this whole Betty White resurgence hit, I thought “um Betty White is old and senile, and the only thing I liked her is was Golden Girls.”  I would now like to publicly rescind those thoughts because she killed it on SNL last weekend.

Words can’t express how much I want Betty White to be metal all the time.

Oh Rose, you’ve come a long way from St. Olaf’s…that’s a Golden Girls reference for those who have a life.

Queue Tips

I have very little of a life, and end up watching Hulu, a lot.  If you don’t have a Hulu account, I highly suggest it.  There are so many movies and tv shows, that I felt the need to give you my top 3 best shows on the site.

The best show on television (which is in between seasons, sadly) is without a doubt Sons of Anarchy. The basic gist of the FX series is a modern-day Hamlet, if Hamlet and his family were in an outlaw biker gang.  Kurt Sutter, who also wrote The Shield, did a brilliant job emotionally investing the audience in these rough-and-tumble, but good hearted criminals.  The cast, along with Sutter’s writing, really make this show.  Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal, and Charlie Hunnam star as the Morrow/Teller family who the show centers on.  Motorcycles, gun running, intense action, and amazing story lines make this my number 1 pick.

Glee!  I love this show so much!  One of the main reasons I tune into my computer to watch this show is because they take song that are guilty pleasures for me (Defying Gravity from the Wicked Soundtrack, Someone to Love by Queen, Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Taylor, etc) and give them a glee club treatment.  The show if pretty funny, hinged on a high school glee club full of misfits.  Its corny, cutting edge, and wonderful.

Add one part socially handicapped forensic anthropologist, one part idealistic FBI agent, mix in a zany lab staff and sprinkle in some dead bodies, and you have Bones.  The show follows partners Dr. Brennen and Agent Booth as they solve murder cases.  Though sometimes the show is pretty graphic with the dead bodies, its in my top 3 favorite shows.  Its sweet without being contrived and pretentious, funny, and exciting.

Tribute to Al Kooper featuring Al Kooper

I thought that I would return to my much neglected blog to talk about the amazing show I had the privilege to see last night.  The Dakota Jazz Club hosted A Tribute to Al Kooper featuring Al Kooper.  The first time I listened to “Like a Rolling Stone,” by Bob Dylan there is no doubt that I moved musically from a youth filled with Brittany Spears and NSYNC to big kid music.  That song, as cliche as it is, is one that changed me.  I set out to discover anything I could about this song; who produced it, the studio musicians, the gear used to record.  One story that stood out for me was that of  Al Kooper.

After further investigation, Al Kooper became one of my musical heros.  He is a great example of being in the right place at the right time, and in turn, leveraging his immense talent.  From my research of the Highway 61 Revisited musicians, I stumbled on to Blood Sweat and Tears, and from there, his songwriting, to Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the list goes on and on.  If you haven’t listened to the album Black Coffee, regardless of your music tastes, DO IT.  I can almost guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Being a poor college student, when I heard Al Kooper was coming to the Twin Cities I was a slightly bitter that I probably would not be able to afford tickets to see the man who helped shaped my musical mind and inspired me to write lyrics.  Luckily, I am fortunate enough to have a good friend who can pretty easily convince me to spend what little money I have and do things like go see Al Kooper.  With tickets freshly ordered I could barely sleep Saturday night.  When Sunday finally rolled around, and we arrived at the Dakota I was hardly able to contain myself…and then a faceless, booming voice came over the speakers.

The hidden Al Kooper had pre-recorded narratives to play in between the tribute band’s songs discussing how he came up with lyrics, why he wrote songs, etc.  The tribute band headed by Adam Levy of the Honeydogs, featured some of the top artists of the Twin Cities.  Even though some of the musicians playing teach at my college, I was still blown away by the incredible talent on one stage.  All I can say is that I had goosebumps for a good hour, and it was not because of the temperature.  Song after song just kept getting better and better.  Finally it was Al’s turn.

During a short intermission I went out to get some air and chat with some familiar faces.  Soon after my friend came out yelling “he’s coming on, get in here, he’s coming on!”  I rushed inside just in time to hear the opening chords of the first song and a giddy smile glued to my face and didn’t leave until hours after the end of the show.  The crowd erupted.  Kooper played originals and cover of other people’s music.  My jaw dropped closer to the floor with each song.  People often say its not good to meet your heros, but after seeing the show last night there is no way I could have forgiven myself if I would have missed this show.  The end of the set was closed with the song that started my love affair with Al Kooper’s music.  All of the musicians who played the tribute portion came up while Kooper manned the organ and the group belted “Like a Rolling Stone,” and I could have died happy right then and there.

Friday Panel

The panel that I went to today was by far the best panel I’ve seen.  I walked out of this panel super excited for a future in management.  On the panel was Noah Dinkin from FanBridge, Geraldine Chung from Atlantic Record, Jonathan Daniel from Crush Music Media Management (which happens to be my dream company to work for) and Emily White from Whitesmith Entertainment.  They really focused on how important an email list is to have for a band.  They also talked about different ways to take that list and generate revenue.  I think one of the coolest ideas I heard came from Geraldine Chung.  She said that on big events like Warped Tour, they don’t bring the usual piece of paper on a clip board for fans to write down their email lists.  Instead they get a cheap, durable computer and have kids type in their information.  I thought that this was a really great idea; it keeps paper usage down and eliminates loosing email addresses due to illegible writing.  Obviously, for some people getting emails that aren’t of the utmost importance can be annoying, but when a potential fan list email contains a widget to some premium offer, like an exclusive song, or discount to the merch store fans are more likely to spend money, and continue to check their fanlist email.  Bundle packaging is also a great way to get people to sign up for email lists and, in turn, up sell those bundles once they are released to the public.  For management companies, its also a good idea to share email lists between other artists you represent.  I had written off email lists, because I thought people never pay attention to them, but Geraldine Chung said that in one case, with the email list, in which they offered a free a download, over 80% of the people on their list went and bought the album when it was released.  With numbers like that there is no reason not to get a fan list together.  Another thing that I never thought about was that artists may not have own the rights to their mailing lists.  It is essential that artists do own the rights to their fan lists.  This was the BEST panel I went to.  If you want more information I have pages and pages of notes.

Thursday Panels

The one panel that I really enjoyed on Thursday was Meet Bookers for Top Festivals Worldwide.  On the panel was Panos Panay from Sonic Bids, a company that helps link artists to bookers and venues.  They also had Ashley Cappos, who books Banaroo, Chris Porter, the head of booking for Bumbershoot in Seattle, Washington.  Alex Schulz in charge of booking a festival called Reeperbahn in Hamburg Germany.  Last, but definitely  not least was David Silbaugh, one of the talent buyers for Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  I was surprised to hear that Reeperbahn decidedly didn’t have a headliner because they want the festival to showcase developing artists, which is cool.  Chris Porter said that when he tries looking for bands to play Bumbershoot, he thinks about what the Seattle crowd would want to hear, not necessarily the larger festival crowd.  I can’t remember who said it, but someone on the panel said “emerging artists are the life blood of the industry.”  Each member of the panel expressly said that they liked booking lots of emerging artists, especially if that band has a lot of internet buzz.  Buzz, of any kind, brings people to the festivals.  A good way to create buzz, according to the panel is to come to the city the festival is going to be in and play it a few times before the festival itself, so that you are ensured to have a little bit of  fan base.  The last little nugget they left us with came from Ashley Cappos.  Someone asked how big a role social networks played in promoting and booking.  He said that over 80% of advertising for festivals are done through social networks and media.  That more than anything, proves how big social networks are becoming more and more important.