meeting you guys and gals made my year

[vicky]

Hey everyone (dots)...The Rally was great!!!...informative...and....very interesting...but meeting you all made it so much more fun....and so much more inspiring Lamont Dozier was like being in the same room with God......I got home, went to sleep for a little while, and woke up ready to record and write and hopefully listen to a few of the CDs I traded with you guys and gals...I think I clarified my plan for the next year, and planned a few collaborations that I hope will lead to something...My 2 guests had a fabulous time as well.......I got sooo much out of the classes.....I tried to go to a few that I know nothing about, and whoa.....did I learn a ton!!!I'm not sure I made any BIG connections that will lead anywhere with the heavy-weights (except Mazz ), but I did learn that I don't really have the music to push on them right now........weirdly the Rally made me appreciate country song writers more that ever, and gave me the info to say quite a bit in the Peer to Peer posts on country...Sherrill's voice is stuck in my head like a hook.......I'll stay away from the pop/rock for now because it's clear I have no idea...the artist that Michael and the A&R guys thought was "all that" to me had the biggest over-used chorus that I've heard a million times...and really what do I know ...not much as I learned... ...good thing, too...there are too many genres that interest me....and I need to narrow it down.....no American Idol for me this year....There wasn't much talk on the electronica front, (that's the demo I brought) but I still tried to get it to a few of the film and TV guys...and I have a feeling that something is gonna happen....As much as we, and the panelists try to define what makes a great song...it's clear that the emotional factor is undefinable...some songs were criticized for being "nothing new and exciting" all the while a few others are too "new and exciting, thus "not working"" ...I'll call this the X-factor...and my favorite part of music...Michael Laskow is sooo cool in person...not very CEO-ish....and really made me feel like I am a part of this thang...(Taxi)....thanks to you all....meeting you all was my favorite part of the Rally....thanks for being you (not a good song lyric)vtbpI love you guys

[Casey H]

Nov 10, 2008, 9:29am, vicky wrote:Hey everyone (dots)...The Rally was great!!!...informative...and....very interesting...but meeting you all made it so much more fun....and so much more inspiring ...I got home, went to sleep for a little while, and woke up ready to record and write and hopefully listen to a few of the CDs I traded with you guys and gals...I think I clarified my plan for the next year, and planned a few collaborations that I hope will lead to something...My 2 guests had a fabulous time as well.......I got sooo much out of the classes.....I tried to go to a few that I know nothing about, and whoa.....did I learn a ton!!!I'm not sure I made any BIG connections that will lead anywhere with the heavy-weights (except Mazz ), but I did learn that I don't really have the music to push on them right now........weirdly the Rally made me appreciate country song writers more that ever, and gave me the info to say quite a bit in the Peer to Peer posts on country...Sherrill's voice is stuck in my head like a hook.......I'll stay away from the pop/rock for now because it's clear I have no idea...the artist that Michael and the A&R guys thought was "all that" to me had the biggest over-used chorus that I've heard a million times...and really what do I know ...not much as I learned... ...good thing, too...there are too many genres that interest me....and I need to narrow it down.....no American Idol for me this year....There wasn't much talk on the electronica front, (that's the demo I brought) but I still tried to get it to a few of the film and TV guys...As much as we, and the panalists try to define what makes a great song...it's clear that the emotional factor is undefinable...some songs were criticized for being "nothing new and exciting" all the while others are too "new and exciting, thus "not working"" ...I'll call this the X-factor...and my favorite part of music...Michael Laskow is sooo cool in person...not very CEO-ish....and really made me feel like I am a part of this thang...(Taxi)....thanks to you all....meeting you all was my favorite part of the Rally....thanks for being you (not a good song lyric)vtbpI love you guys Hey VTBP! Great meeting you too! (from CTNPS)...I think if we get one thing from the A&R panel it might be "do you remember the hook a few minutes after the song is played"? Regardless of genre... Casey

[Casey H]

Nov 10, 2008, 9:53am, vicky wrote:you're the greatest Casey!!!!!!aw shucks, Vicky....

[allends]

Nov 10, 2008, 9:59am, hurowitz wrote:Nov 10, 2008, 9:53am, vicky wrote:you're the greatest Casey!!!!!!aw shucks, Vicky.... Hey, this can't be just about you and Casey after all I meant to you, Vicky! LOL Seriously, that Lamont Dozier event was worth the whole trip. What a great human being!Allen

[Casey H]

Nov 10, 2008, 10:10am, allends wrote:Nov 10, 2008, 9:59am, hurowitz wrote:aw shucks, Vicky.... Hey, this can't be just about you and Casey after all I meant to you, Vicky! LOL Seriously, that Lamont Dozier event was worth the whole trip. What a great human being!Allen VTBP and CTNPS got something special going on... hee hee

[sgs4u]

That was an amazing weekend. This year's music at the panels, was so much better than last year's. I am genuinely sad and hopeful for those of you who couldn't make it to the Rally. It's like going to a church full of music worshipers. If you choose to allow yourselves to, you'll be moved by feel the excitement and faith that the Rally participants are going to be oozing for the next while. It's fantastic beyond words, just to be there. Methinks a Tidal Wave of Taxi Love, is about to swamp this forum.

[twilsbach]

Likewise. It was cool to finally attach a voice and three dimensional face to so many posts. (Unfortunately, I don't think I ever ran in to VTBP)I did learn though that its not "allends" its "Allen DS" That alone may have been worth the price of the plane ticket. Had much fun getting to know Liam, CS7String, Steve Gilbert, AudioRayne, Aub, Vicki, Anne & all the rest a little better.I must admit, although I was signed up I didn't actually buy my plane ticket until last week and almost let this year slip through the cracks. Glad I didn't.As per usual with the Rally (this was my 3rd) that battery is fully charged and I'm ready to take another big step and get an even crisper focus on my career.Also, most random moment of my weekend: As I was coming out of one of the Driver's Ed classes, someone passed me and said quite immediately, "You smell like a Chinese chicken salad." Bizarre.

[allends]

Nov 10, 2008, 11:58am, twilsbach wrote:I did learn though that its not "allends" its "Allen DS" That alone may have been worth the price of the plane ticket. Is that a little Hoosier humor there, Tim?It was great running into you too buddy!Cheers!!!Allen DeSomer = allends(Thinking about changing the ol' screen name to stop the confusion )

[superjeezus]

Vicky, it was great to meet you finally on the last day. It was even better that you thought I might have been and A&R dude. That made me laff pretty good. Congrats on getting your track played for the panel, you did a great job on it.Best,--Andy Warr.(bald guy from Oregon)

[hazineju]

yeah Lamont was awesome- i was blown away that he has like 10,000 songs written and writes everyday- very inspiring. i did notice in the panels a lot more people having higher production skills than in years past (kinda cool that we're all getting better, but kind of annoying because it is more competitive ), and i found tanvi patel's analysis of "broadcast quality" vs. "master quality," to be interesting (amongst many other than things, of course). VTBP, i put a note to you on Jeff's post too (should've put it here...)