Who do we believe?

[Casey H]

Oct 23, 2008, 10:15am, squids wrote:I agree. I don't believe there's a tougher genre to write for than country music. It's a very tight lil racket there, only so much you're allowed to say but you've still gotta come up with good imagery (that isn't cliche), a good storyline (same), etc. Very tough.That's why I don't do it. Essentially while I like some of the music in that field, it doesn't speak ta me like it does to others. Best to let them get to it rather than spendin' energy I could use in a genre I'm betta at. Writin' commerical country lyrics is a gift. Same as writin' for the ala's. I say, let 'em carry on and I'll be happy to watch quietly from the sidelines, lazybones that I am. Hiya Squids (my 900 girl in leather) I don't think I'd ever write country either, or at least not lyrics. It's too painful. It's like being stuck for eternity in 11th grade English class with a Mrs. Crabapple who marks up every essay with red pen and never gives out grades higher than B-. As far as a la's, sometimes being a non-performer can have advantages in that I can take a song to a demo producer and discuss doing it "a la" this act or that act. But reading the a la's in rock listings these days I do feel REALLY old... The Arctic Monkeys?? I got sum serious downloadin' to do this weekend! Let's hope one day someone will run a listing asking for songs a la Squids, Casey, etc... Casey

[cameron]

Oct 24, 2008, 6:43pm, hurowitz wrote:I don't think I'd ever write country either, or at least not lyrics. It's too painful. It's like being stuck for eternity in 11th grade English class with a Mrs. Crabapple who marks up every essay with red pen and never gives out grades higher than B-. CaseyLOL Casey, that's so true. Sometimes I wish I could just write a melody and hand it over to Bernie Taupin or someone and say "here, make something of this". At least with lyrics you can take your time and ponder them for awhile. I have a very hard time doing that with the music, which just sort of has to happen. It just doesn't work if I try to force it. Cam

[cameron]

Oct 24, 2008, 3:52pm, claire wrote:Well, y'all come to Nashville one of these days and we'll go to Rotier's for a meat 'n three...(nobody would ever believe that a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn, NY would ever wind up in Nashville and learn to love greens!)Is it OK if I bring my nice Jewish girlfriend from New Jersey with me? She's a wonderful person, and my biggest fan (even when I write something that really sucks)!Cam

[squids]

Oct 24, 2008, 6:43pm, hurowitz wrote:Hiya Squids (my 900 girl in leather) Let's hope one day someone will run a listing asking for songs a la Squids, Casey, etc... CaseyJes fo you, honey. No interest here in bein' famous enough to be listed with Taxi! Where's the fun in that? Both my guitar and bass player are in 33 Miles and they've jes broken national in the last year, up for Dove awards, etc (I think they mighta won one, not sure) and fo'get it, they on the road alla time. I already got plenty o' mileage, thanks! Ahhhhh, Casey, did you know I set up a private line jes fo you?? Squids in leather. What an image!!

[squids]

Oct 24, 2008, 8:29pm, cameron wrote:Oct 24, 2008, 3:52pm, claire wrote:Well, y'all come to Nashville one of these days and we'll go to Rotier's for a meat 'n three...(nobody would ever believe that a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn, NY would ever wind up in Nashville and learn to love greens!)Is it OK if I bring my nice Jewish girlfriend from New Jersey with me? She's a wonderful person, and my biggest fan (even when I write something that really sucks)!CamFrom what I gather, Cam, the mo the merrier! I hope you have a blast.

[claire]

well, Cam, you know how it is between Noo Yawk and Noo Joisee...

[cameron]

Well she's originally from Philly, and I think Casey's from Philly too. So hell this could be a meet 'n five if Squidster shows up with her leather!!OK... I know I'm gettin' outta hand here...

[Casey H]

Hey, I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New Yawk!!. I lived there until I was around 25... Claire- what part of Brooklyn were you from? What HS? I grew up in the East New York section, bordering Canarsie.... and lived to tell about it... From Brooklyn, I moved to Northern New Joisey where I lived until the mid 1980's... At that point I met my future wife who was from a different Jewish Mecca, Northeast Philadelphia, and ended up settling in Philly... And rumors that she prays facing Bloomingdales are not true... cAsEy

[juniper]

"but I think it's important not to put all your eggs in the Taxi basket. Yes, I understand why Taxi keeps their standards high, but what's good for Taxi is not necessarily what's good for you. Keep promoting your songs and building your own contacts, and remember that Taxi is just another tool in your bag."Back to the original post....Cam - I feel your pain. I have renewed my Taxi membership and Dispatch since 2004. I've been to the Taxi Road Rally. I've purchased product endorsed by Taxi. But none of this has secured any deals......YET. I still hope; but as I said, I feel your pain. I've had 22 forwards over the span of my membership. I've invested a lot of money into Taxi. And as a person with practical business sense, it is frustrating.So you're right to say not to put all eggs in the Taxi basket (assuming you can afford that). Personally, I have received my first performance royalty this year but it was not through a Taxi opportunity. Hang in there. Do what you can. Thank goodness we love doing what we do cause if making money was the bottom line I know I would've quit years ago.