Michael, can I use a clip of what you said on Taxi TV?

[Len911]

First of all the song didn't sound as good as I have heard it in it's original form, as far as the "broadcast" quality goes. So I'm thinking it wouldn't be fair for me to comment on any song played live in the shows concerning broadcast quality. I didn't see the live show though, only the taped one.

The "stoner" comments were a little wierd for me, because I grew up in the 70's and only tried marijuana once, and it didn't do anything for me, so we weren't all potheads in the 70's, though perhaps if I was a crack head I might be able to listen to "contemporary" music,lol! I think I commented somewhere, that I thought you sounded like Stephen Stills or similar. I don't think that's horrible at all. How old are you Rob? I've always listened to music that was a little before my time and not contemporary, and I don't know why I found it shocking that some 20 something year olds would listen to Frank Sinatra, etc., as I did when I was younger. Who is defining contemporary? 50, 60 and 70 year olds?lol! I remember 20 years ago when my dad told me that Willie Nelson sounded just like he always did. Willie not-contemporary Nelson!lol!

Contemporary is merely a fashion. You can be a fashion slave and play to the stylish crowd that only cares about fashion for fashion's sake,
dictated by the shepherd's to control their flock of fashion sheep, or be yourself and do what's fulfilling for yourself. I'm a bluejean and western shirt person myself, never in or out of fashion, but always still around. Bell bottoms anyone, oh, I think they're coming back,lol! So it's really not about contemporary, it's about fashion.

That said, I suppose most of the modern media is going to be about being in fashion.

[mazz]

I don't much get a chance to watch the Monday shows in real time since that falls in my work day, but I did happen to have it going on my ipad at my desk and coincidentally your song was the one that I heard and heard Micheal's comments in full before being interrupted several times and having to let the show go. Hey, that's work, gotta do it every once in a while!

Anyway, I think your attitude about this whole thing is one we can all learn from, because you are taking it all in and even though some of the comments sting (and many were just plain mean and small minded on the chat), you seem to be able to acknowledge feeling what you feel and still be able to take what you can learn from it and move forward. That alone will get you way further down the road than someone who thinks their music is perfect and the rest of the world just doesn't see it!!

My take on your song is that it rides a kind of line where it doesn't really fall into any category. It isn't fully retro and it isn't fully contemporary. Now I'm not a songwriter so I can't speak to the words, but as far as style and production goes, the presentation doesn't put it any place that someone could put their finger on. Now that may be OK if you are doing "art for art's sake", but if you are trying to sell your music to the production industry, then you need to commit to a direction. It may be that this sound is your style and you can forge ahead with it and create your own voice and maybe eventually get recognized and actually create a new trend that becomes contemporary. Some folks absolutely need to take that road, they would never be happy trying to fit their music to the needs of a TV scene or even trying to figure out how to market their stuff to that industry. But artists that are truly trendsetters are rare and usually spend their entire lives in that process. However, if you want to make your music more palatable to the production community, then you need to try to figure out what that need is and if you can fill it or not.

Yes, many will complain that the industry only looks for teeny boppers and 15 year olds, or younger, but with the licensing market needing something around 8 million individual pieces of music per year, and growing, I think that there is a place for everything. There may not be as much call for certain things, like maybe 70s music, but there will be some calls for it from time to time.

So what I'm saying is that with some production and arrangement tweaks (and maybe some lyrical ones, but I can't speak to those), you could take that song either all the way 60s/70s folk/rock, or you could do something to make it ultra contemporary like adding drum loops and cool effects on the vocals, etc. Of course, the song has to be there. A great song can take many fresh changes of clothes and still be a great song. Every once in a while a song from several decades past gets a makeover and it becomes popular again. If it's a great song to begin with, then it can survive being put through the modern production ringer. You may decide to go totally retro and market the song as "perfect for 70s stoner scenes" or something like that. If you noticed, even Michael was hedging a bit on that because it doesn't, in it's present state, even go all the way in that direction.

Bottom line of all of this, to me, is: One has to decide what they want to pursue with their music, and if it's to pursue a "not so contemporary" sound to market to production, then one has to realize that they may not get as many opportunities as someone who is on the cutting edge of styles. The thing with "classic" stuff, is that it has a shelf life, where the "flavor of the month" is often here and gone. But as someone said, production is a lot to do with fashion, particularly high end prime time stuff and current movies. But look at the success of Mad Men and the new show about the Pan Am stewardesses (as they used to be called). I guarantee Eminem won't be getting licensing on those shows any time soon!

Hang in there and keep smiling. Your ability to let this roll off your back and keep going is going to get you far.

Cheers!

Mazz

[mojobone]

^^^^^^Post of the month; a great takeaway from the brouhaha. For the record, I wasn't trying to be funny when I suggested "stoner folk" as a category when Michael asked how we might describe your track, I really thought it the most appropriate description, as I heard elements reminiscent of the Grateful Dead or an acoustic version of Clutch, the stoner rock band all my thirty-something musician friends are all trying to sound like. (in fact, I was typing that before Michael mentioned the van) No offense meant. Next we explore the subject of broadcast quality, maybe send a finished piece of music? The Monday shows are the Wild West, compared to the more thoughtful Peer-To-Peer format, and chat tends to lend itself to short bursts of knee-jerk reaction.

[sedge]

I wasn't trying to be funny when I suggested "stoner folk"

Not taken in a bad way at all bud! Quite the opposite and like I say, this post is just to see if Michael wouldn't mind me using the sound byte.

Totally blown away by the posts here!

Thanks Torden and Len too!

Len your ace, a lil TMI! haha

Thanks Mazz, TONS of good info there and some top pointers, I like your posts they are always a big benefit!


I think my little PS to the post to Michael here has triggered some reactions to the live crit, but I really do feel good and the feedback was fab all in all! any feedback NB
Not only that, where else could I have the opportunity to have my song played and thought like this, by top people. I'm just a dude that plays a few songs, it's nothing but positive to me here.

So cool this post to Michael asking about using the quote has sparked some chat and shown me again what a team Taxi members really are! Big smiles here guys. My round when I make a Rally!

[mojobone]

I tried marijuana once, but I didn't exhale.

[sedge]

I tried marijuana once, but I didn't exhale.

so you have a different excuse for that Hat?

[Len911]

I tried marijuana once, but I didn't exhale.

well, maybe that's what happened, I shouldn't have exhaled. It must have been good stuff, everyone was giggling but me.
Seriously though, I think potheads and stoners were the best people I ever met, so I don't consider that a put down in the least. Come to think of it, Willie not-contemporary Nelson is one I think,lol!! So what is tmi? too much information? I know, I do work on that when I remember to. I usually remember after the forum times me out, and I don't repost,rofl!

Michael did say that you know how to write a song, your just not as contemporary as Justin Bieber,lol! I'm gonna bite my tongue now, so I don't give out tmi,lol!

[sedge]

Len

Yeah tmi, my geekish sorry, too much info, referring to your public declaration of a pot moment ha!

Yep, was great/encouraging feedback, hope this thread doesn't get misunderstood as me saying it wasn't

[2lane]

Hey Sedge, I just watched the archive, so I didn't get to see the remarks online.
I'll tell you I liked the song, but that rings hollow based on my record of achievements, but I still really did!
I like your vocal style and approach to melody...FWIW?
BTW....hippies changed the world ya know
All the best dude
Steve

[ottlukk]

Mojo: So you spent an evening with a former president? I find this a most interesting thread. booze & drugs requested on a listing? Found the listing post most interesting, so I'll break the rules here a little bit. I've posted this tune on peer to peer, and frankly got some positive feedback, but that that was over a year or so ago, if not longer. I'll also admit that my membership is not current. I'd like feedback as to if I should rejoin TAXI to submit my tune " Here Come Mr. Booze!" for this listing. Sadly, this tune would have been appropriate for Ms. Winehouse, rest her soul. Seriously, I had it demoed by both country and contemporary outfits. Never ever got a forward out of it, though it won awards in both the GASC and Billboard contests. It's "Here ome Mr. Booze!", and you can listen to either version at www.myspace.com/suspendedspidersongs If you like it, post publicly. If you hate it, send me a private comment. Again, I apologize for using this thread instead of peer to peer. I've been here long enough to know better.
Ott