Re: I Think I've Figured out TAXI

pogodog · Post by **pogodog** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:28 pm

Quote:Quote:Ok....name one more!!IMO this idea that creative inspiration or the ability to be innovative with music belongs only to the young is just plain wrong. Youth does not have a monopoly on challenging the status quo... but it often has a inflated view of itself (thinks its ideas are new, better, that it knows more). Talent, skill and creative energy comes to any artist/songwriter who works at it on a consistent basis, has an open mind, is willing to learn, and is willing to follow their muse. I'm more interested in hearing music from folks who have walked a few miles... than those who are still in the walker... that's my bias Perfection !

pogodog · Post by **pogodog** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:38 pm

Quote:Quote:Dolly Parton is as well - in the country genre. But she may not count since she never gave birth. Had 14 siblings though, that's gotta count for something...even raised 4 or 5 of them with her husband Carl.I don't think it's fair to bring Dolly Parton in to this because of her two major assests!....................................Her voice and her hair! A Drag Queen i knew opened her act with the same exact line. " I'd like to thank my two major assets. My voice and my hair. " Do you live in Dallas?

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:50 pm

Quote:Quote:Ok....name one more!!I'll name four...Sheryl Crowe, 44Diana Krall, 43Carole King (still touring & writing albums), 64Shania Twain, 42IMO this idea that creative inspiration or the ability to be innovative with music belongs only to the young is just plain wrong. Youth does not have a monopoly on challenging the status quo... but it often has a inflated view of itself (thinks its ideas are new, better, that it knows more). Talent, skill and creative energy comes to any artist/songwriter who works at it on a consistent basis, has an open mind, is willing to learn, and is willing to follow their muse. I'm more interested in hearing music from folks who have walked a few miles... than those who are still in the walker... that's my bias Here's another one (I can't believe I forgot her)...Loreena McKennitt, 49 Talk about cutting edge, have you heard "An Ancient Muse"?wow.

pogodog · Post by **pogodog** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:37 am

Quote:There are a few dead-in-the-water people under 25 years old too and they'll be getting their frown lines soon enough...but let's not name any names. Thank you. You're sweet. Am I shining yet? Cause I feel like I'm shining. ?? ....I just saw this post Pitter ... And the answer is yes. You are the Shiny-ist of all. I did, however, notice a " " and a couple a "??" those are knowns bling dings, they're rare but they do pop up on occasion. To avoid these in the future virtually erase them from your memory thus removing all superficial doubt. Not a big problem... but remember, once you begin a gleam you're committed. Practice makes perfect and 20 minutes a day is better then 1 hour a week. Also, you can write this down if you'd like and post it on you bathroom mirror, " Shine proud, Shine long - Shine On " RanG

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:43 am

Quote:Quote:Based on my attendance at the last two Road Rally's with over 1,000 other musicians, songwriters, producers, etc., I'd say - 90% of Taxi members are under 35; 90% of the industry execs are over 35; and 5% of the under 35s who attend the Rally blow your socks off with their talent. I'm privileged to have heard them before the rest of the world.I think it's blatant ageism to assume that someone over 35 can't write cutting edge. How easy it is to make assumptions based on a number. I've met several professional songwriter's with hits under their belts and they were 90% over 35. Who cares? It's the SONG that counts, not the writer's age.Again, I would like to know what TAXI members over 40, especially females, have sold songs? I'm not talking about established artists writing and performing songs, I'm talking about the unknowns in TAXI. And don't you all think that no record company is going to sign a new artist over 30?? Maybe a country male......hmmm....let me know if I'm wrong? Someone tell me what female artist over 30 has been signed recently to a major deal???Ah, but now we have changed the parameters. YOu said that there were no cutting edge middle-aged female songwriters. You've been proved wrong.In fact, here are more....Jann Arden, 44Sarah McLachlan, 39Everybody knows the industry is prejudiced against older artists - the whole Hollywood movie scene, and the music folks as well. And, as a women, you know that unless you look like a vapid 13-year-old with big bazookas, you haven't got a hope anyway. So what's your point? Should pudgy creative people shoot themselves in the head on their 36th birthday? If, like me, you had a tortured childhood and no self-belief until your 30s, you should just go jump off a bridge or take an accounting course? That's the kind of thinking I detest.Personally I don't care what the music industry thinks of "new" artists over 35. I'm not looking to get signed. I don't need to get signed. I think this idea that getting signed is the magic carpet to success is a myth. The truth is you make your own success, and you define your own success. As far as I'm concerned, I am successful and I worked darn hard to be successful and I'm not going to let a number stop me from being even more successful.

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:48 am

Quote:Quote:I'll name four...Sheryl Crowe, 44Diana Krall, 43Carole King (still touring & writing albums), 64Shania Twain, 42IMO this idea that creative inspiration or the ability to be innovative with music belongs only to the young is just plain wrong. Youth does not have a monopoly on challenging the status quo... but it often has a inflated view of itself (thinks its ideas are new, better, that it knows more). Talent, skill and creative energy comes to any artist/songwriter who works at it on a consistent basis, has an open mind, is willing to learn, and is willing to follow their muse. I'm more interested in hearing music from folks who have walked a few miles... than those who are still in the walker... that's my bias OK yes they are over 40 but when they were first signed they certainly weren't that age. Give me some new artists that were over 30 when they signed a major deal, in the last, let's say.....10-years?? I say the industry signs young talent but some older songwriters can certainly supply them with material.George Canyon, 37Last year there was an article in Recording magazine, in one of Michael's interviews, about a label who just signed a 41-year-old male singer. I don't remember the name, but someone else might.There are more people in the world over 35 right now... and that perhaps they aren't interested in the bubble gum pop of the manufactured boy & girl bands who lip synch at concerts... but they are interested in artists like Dido and Jann Arden and kd Lang and Sarah M and Carole King, etc., who have walked a few miles in their shoes and have something to say that is of interest. But the music industry keeps focussing on the teenagers as their market, cause that's what's worked for them in the past... even though their market share is shrinking & new technology is challenging their status.

edteja · Post by **edteja** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:53 am

Joan Baez, Buffy St. Marie, & Janis Ian all wrote great songs after 40.

matto · Post by **matto** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:47 am

Quote:Quote:Diane Warren, 52Ok....name one more!!I'm not sure Kara has hit the big 40 quite yet but I'm sure she's over 35...and she's only the hottest writer out there right now and has cuts with Xtina, Kelly, Gwen, Hilary and the Pussycat Dolls just to name a few off the top of my head...She's also on of the coolest people you could ever meet.And didn't have MAJOR success until her 30's.Quote:true, but I feel sorry for her....never married, never been in love, hates dating.....she's missed out in the most important thing in life - having your own family. Nothing finer than hearing your son/daughter say, "dad." Nothing.Dude that's just a really dumb thing to say, sorry... ...I'm sooo glad you've figured out what the most important thing for EVERYBODY is Quote:Someone tell me what female artist over 30 has been signed recently to a major deal???You specifically asked about SONGWRITERS, not artists. I think the vast majority of Taxi members over 35 realize they are very unlikely to sign a major record deal, and Taxi would be the first to tell you that.Quote:Again, I would like to know what TAXI members over 40, especially females, have sold songs? Well I'm over forty (barely )...not female (but unless you're a crossdresser I'm not sure why you're so interested in women success stories in particular ), but I've "sold" some songs (nobody really "sells" songs in case you didn't know that...)...I' don't have the exact count but I know it was over 100 in 2006. Most of them thru Taxi connections. They didn't go to any major artists (yet), but have appeared on major TV shows including Oprah, Ugly Betty, Standoff, America's Next Top Model, Dateline, Las Vegas to name a few of the bigger ones for 2006.So...I think I'm neither a newbie...nor quite over the hill just yet .matto

nomiyah · Post by **nomiyah** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:47 am

Linda Perry is one of the most successful "cutting-edge" songwriters in this category. I recently joined the ranks of over-40 and having had some small successes in dancehall, hip hop and reggae, the only thing I can say is... stereotypes are the product of limited understanding!!!

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:12 am

Quote:So we're all in agreement on this:1) The industry doe not sign anyone over 25 or 30 to a major deal (for the most part), and2) Songwriters (for others), can be almost any age?Works for me! Thanks everyone for your input, it's greatly appreciated.I'd add something to this... "the industry doesn't not sign anyone who doesn't have a commercial look, who isn't already selling big numbers (units) & touring successfully" So in other words, you have to already be successful to be signed.