My SINGULAR INTERPRETATION of SIlent Night Rejected

[zydeceltico]

OK - I'm going to really start needing to read between the lines of lines and into space and the ether to figure out what the hell these reviewers want.

My version of Silent Night was rejected because:

Hello Timothy,

I have really enjoyed your version of silent night. You have done an excellent job with the harmonies. Unfortunately it does not have the current/fresh sound that we are looking for regarding this specific compilation. Per this request "We want to hear YOUR unique take on this timeless classic. ALL GENRES, ALL TEMPOS and STYLES are welcome!!! We want your FRESH and SINGULAR INTERPRETATIONS."

NOT for any other stated reason.

Do I use my vast knowledge of the chinese language to interpret ALL TEMPOS, ALL STYLES, AND ALL GENRES,FRESH and SINGULAR INTERPRETATION as something other than creative and different than anything you've ever heard?

Come on.


Interestingly, I'm not really nearly as angry as my post might sound....I'm just truly coming to have some serious doubts about some folks ability to communicate. If you want something to absolutely necessarily sound like it wasa recorded for this weeks TOP Nashville 10 PLEASE SPECIFY that when you say instead ALL TEMPOS, ALL STYLES, AND ALL GENRES,FRESH and SINGULAR INTERPRETATION which to me absolutely and necessarily means ANYTHING GOES.

And if I am so ignorant or deluded to be misreading this listing and the screeners intentional quotation from it - please someonewho is smarter than I please help me correct the error of my ways. Seriously - cuz this is starting to feel ridiculous.
Thanks,
The song is on both of my pages below.
Tim

[Len911]

I think it would be a big obstacle to overcome "fresh/current sounding" if one wasn't under 30 years old imo,lol! When you said you spoke Chinese, I thought maybe that might work as fresh/current. I think your song is a fresh conventional or traditional version, but when they stuck the word "current", my guess is maybe it's more traditional than current??

[zydeceltico]

Hi Len -

Yes - re-reading the listing and very much in retrospect - and only in light of the return - I am now able to read the listing in a different context - -where my work does in fact sound more traditional (forget the 100 watt marshall screaming thru most of it) than contemporary.
I don't know what else to say or think. I'm beginning to not care - -which may be a good thing I suppose. I'm beginning to think that I am one of *those* who Taxi is just not the right for. I get these kinds of returns all of the time - "We love it - but it's not right."

And I do know the music business so I should really not be whining - sorry for venting my frustration.

I appreciate your response very much.

Thanks,

Tim

[Len911]

Tim, don't get discouraged. I think "contemporary" might involve donning a clown suite and speeding up the track to not quite Alvin and the Chipmunk standards,lol! Some of the lyrics don't seem quite up to "children's songs" standards, a little punkier maybe,lol! Of course that's probably because "old" people are writing the children's songs??

Frank Zappa's reflection on the music business tends to cheer me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZazEM8cgt0

Find your strengths and know your weaknesses. Then do what the heck you want,lol! There's an overabundance of advice and how-to's, but there's none that can write your book, or your song. And there's even fewer people who can recognize genius, and wouldn't know it if it slapped them in the face or bent them over and *****,lol! And I'm probably one of them!
If you're not going to care, I think that is permissible if it's concerning what other people think, but not if it's concerning your personal mental health and well being! Cheers!!

[BruceBrown]

Tim,
Don't beat yourself up too much over this. I reread the listing twice and the word current is not in the listing. Fresh is. They also referenced Neil Young and Be Bop era jazz, neither of which are current. The word I picked up on was unique. It was used more than once.
I submitted an instrumental version on slide guitar and was returned. Like you, my interpretation of the listing was just go for it as long as it's different and unique. I didn't get the idea they were wanting only contemporary.
We do our best, take it on the chin and press forward.
Good luck and good writing.
Bruce

[Len911]

Tim,
Don't beat yourself up too much over this. I reread the listing twice and the word current is not in the listing. Fresh is. They also referenced Neil Young and Be Bop era jazz, neither of which are current. The word I picked up on was unique. It was used more than once.
I submitted an instrumental version on slide guitar and was returned. Like you, my interpretation of the listing was just go for it as long as it's different and unique. I didn't get the idea they were wanting only contemporary.
We do our best, take it on the chin and press forward.
Good luck and good writing.
Bruce

It makes you wonder if the screener skimmed over the listing in this case, and just caught the word "Young" and thought "Be Bop" was "Hip Hop", lol!

[DesireInspires]

I don't know what else to say or think. I'm beginning to not care - -which may be a good thing I suppose. I'm beginning to think that I am one of *those* who Taxi is just not the right for.

That could be the case.

[Eric Bolvin]

I like this (although less solo guitar might be nice) which probably means Taxi won't. It doesn't sound like Katy Perry which could be their idea of "current".

Eb

[singer1]

I am, too, perplexed at the 'actual words' in the listings that say to us - give us something we haven't heard. We gave them a reggae version of "Jingle Bells". 'Too original' is now a category.
Now am of the mindset that 'original' to Taxi screeners, who probably don't and won't take a chance in a forest fire, mean just like what we hear everyday on the radio. You must remember, this is the same group of individuals that like to mention that Katie Perry used to work for them. What's telling is : they had no clue as to her potential till after her departure for stardom.
If you are expecting them to hear star quality in what they are reviewing, you are mistaken. Five, yes count them, five songs that I have been told are in need of work, lots of it, have been picked up by a grammy award winning producer in Nashville. They are talking about a cd project for me. If I took all the suggestions they have shoved at me, although a few of them DO have some insight, I probably would go crazy. I have had a country song called pop; when put up for a pop listing, it was called Adult Contemporary. Waiting on the latest category they will shove it in.
Remember, and they do like to use it as the 'out', "this is only one persons' opinion and don't let it change your life. This IS ONLY ONE OUTLET, not the entire industry. Chillax and peace. D.B.

... the only race we're in, is the human race... D.B.

www.taxi.com/davebradley
www.reverbnation.com/thedavebradley

[zydeceltico]

Thanks for the feedback and support Dave - and everybody else. Yeah - I've had the same experiences repeatedly with the screeners. I had a song that was supposed to be very Keith Urban - and it is and I even hired a killer Nashville singer to sing it - and it sounds like Keith Urban and it was rejected and the screener then went on to say that I needed to listen to a particular Mary Chapin Carpenter song to get a more accurate vibe for the chorus. Whatever.

So - for the forseeable future I'm done with this. I live in an area where live music is really appreciated (and paid for). Since that is oh so much more satisfying than working my butt off for rejection after rejection that is where I am happily putting my energy these days.

Luck and peace to everybody!!

Tim