TAXI.com

Yo Songsters!

I'm sorry, but I'm surely gonna get static for this topic. My recent critique on songs I submitted to the country catagory sent me for a loop! I couldn't believe one of the main reasons for my songs getting rejected is because they're far diffgerent then anything the experts of this site ever heard! I was brought up in the greatest era of music in the late 60's and 70's when my generation made the music and guitar styles that are used to day from nothing. It started with blues, rhythm blues, soul, mowtown, rock, hard rock, country rock, folk, folk rock, pop and it built up from there!!! The greatest group ever was the Beatles and they lasted far longer than any other pop band in history because their music changed and never stayed the same. "That's the way I write Taxi!" They proved that rock & roll can be taken to new heights creatively by incorporasting in enumerable styles and genres. This latest idiocy regarding what catagory my songs belong in, especially concerning my songs "Made of Stone" and "I Ain't Your Lovin Man" has stupified me! I can't believe what I'm hearing from Taxi. First of all, if something far different and new hits the music scene the record industry suddenly explodes and a new movement captures the billions of music listeners, jumping record sales into oblivion. An example of a new style of music, recently topping the charts, and making the artist who sang the song a sensation over night, is the song "Rolling In The Deep" by Adele. Her song skyrocketed on the charts because it was far different than anything that was being played on the radio at the time. To me it's a mixture 60's and 70's style music that's been reinvented into a whole new sound. "That's what I did Taxi!" I showed a you a whole new style based on 40 years of some of the greatest songs ever written in popular music and you don't recognize it. Besides, the catagory problem, Taxi wanted me to go into more detail in telling a story in my song "Made of Stone" which is about rediculous as it gets! The song isn't meant to go into great detail because the lyrics wouldn't fit the strange way I arranged the music. An example of a great song with an unusual structure is Billy Joel's "Shameless". Like my song, it doesn't go into great detail concerning the story behind the song. In fact , like Shamless, the music in my song plays a key role, as to it's desirability to record listeners. There are different types of songs. Some songs tell a story, others express feelings, some the words are meaningless and others don't make a bit of sense. Sometimes the music is more important than the lyrics in selling a tune to the public. "Made Of Stone" probably fits in more than one cartagory and it's my opinion, it fits in the country genre. "What in heavens name is Taxi Thinking????" "Give me a break people!!!!"

By the way, although there is some ligitamacy with Taxi, it's very clear the $5 con is a money maker, cause them itty bitty fees can sure add up to them big bucks if you're not selective!!!!! Could it be they're trying to get more scratch from me instead of allowing my material past their gooney squad! "Don't get made Taxi that's just a thought and I might be out of line, but I can't help feel this way over the reasons for my song rejections." Is it me, or is my dark side causing me to doubt Taxi's ability to recognize potential song hitsters. I'm probably way off track here, but it sounds like the critiquers are following a guidebook for the perfect song in a the boundless world of creativity.


What's Your Take On This Taxians!!!
Arizona Bob

...

far diffgerent then anything the experts of this site ever heard... ...if something far different and new hits the music scene the record industry suddenly explodes and a new movement captures the billions of music listeners... I showed a you a whole new style based on 40 years of some of the greatest songs ever written in popular music and you don't recognize it.

From my (perhaps limited) perspective, far more folks who are successful with Taxi are doing so with TV & library placements, versus mega-hit songwriting. Which implies, as does the presence of ALAs, that more of the listings are coming from places that are looking for music that "sounds like..." rather than "doesn't sound like anything else..." I would guess that most of the companies who list music with Taxi do so for the convenience and service, and not so much to discover the next Beatles, or Adele, or Katy Perry. You may indeed have the next great song, but perhaps Taxi isn't the right marketplace. Maybe your work is perfect as is, and the world isn't ready for you yet. Or maybe this is an opportunity to learning something.

One of the forum rules is that when referring to a listing and music, please provide the wording from the listing itself along with a link to the music. It helps ground the post in substance. It's not a trick. It's just the only way for anyone to have something to comment on.

Bob,

With your long history, you probably remember Dale Carnegie's book "How To Win Friends And Influence People"

I don't recall any chapter suggesting you acuse someone or something, in this case TAXI, being a "con" and questioning it's "ligitamacy" on a public forum .

Everyone gets discouraged and frustrated with their material returned by TAXI screeners, in your words "their gooney squad". But, ranting in private is usually a better strategy.

Do you honestly think this is the path to success in the music business?

If you do, and you are a first year TAXI member, it may be time for a refund of your membership fee.

Good luck to you as you find your way in the music business.

Chuck


And, BTW, Michael has made it very clear over the years that the $5 submission fee is a breakeven proposition for TAXI.

Well Bob, after comparing yourself to the Beatles and Adele, how can you top that?

The only thing I can say to respond to your question "what's your take on this taxians" is:

How would you feel if you went to buy a pair of shoes and you picked out a pair of brown shoes you wanted to try on and the shoe salesman insisted on bringing you several pairs of blue shoes, and then insisted on berating you for your poor taste in shoes?

In the music business, as with almost any other service business out there, there are clients who have a pretty clear idea of what they want. Some of these people use Taxi to help them find what they want. If Taxi ignored them and simply sent them everything that was submitted to them, how long do you think they would be in business?

As anyone here who has had some success via Taxi or elsewhere will tell you: it's not just the music. You need to learn how to market it, you need good communication skills, you need persistence and you need a thick skin. So far, by reading your post, you fall far short on all accounts.

Good luck, you're going to need it.



Mazz

hey,
Some great points made here. While it can be very frustrating to get a "different" song forwarded, yea, maybe
Taxi is not the place for you, Bob.
Taxi is mirroring the Industry because the Industry is calling for specific styles. And alotta current copycat shit.
Alot of my stuff is very Warren Zevon-y... I don't expect some 22-year old Critiquer to even know who that is!!
And the Beatles? Not relevant to many, unfortunately.
I'd love to hear this masterpiece of yours.
Best to ya, AZ Bob
spud

p.s. This business is about creating relationships. Very important to remember....

Well Bob, if your submission to a Country listing was far different than anything they had ever heard, and you make mention of The Beatles, Adele, Billy Joel, none of which are or were country artists, "the lyrics wouldn't fit the strange way I arranged the music", and "sometimes the music is more important than the lyrics in selling a tune to the public", and in your opinion you feel it fits the country genre, I have to ask if the Arizona title in your name refers to the state or the planet? As for the $5, from the introduction you gave, consider it a bargain, I think I'd have to have double that,lol! Seriously though, all jokes aside, I don't think you really understand country music or you would have made comparisons of country musicians in your post. If you are going to discuss why a country song is rejected, at least have the courtesy to discuss it with country examples and references to country songs, apples to apples. You wouldn't sell me on a rap song saying it is based on the best years of country music!

Hello All You Music Junkies!

As far as any of my songs being masterpieces, I don't know about that. However, I hasve a few of them on my homepage, which is under my name Robert P. Ezzo and you all can judge them for yourself. Please excuse the recordings because they were done on my PC and they're not the best. Nevertheless, it's my opinion that my songs the "Butterfly", "I Ain't Your Lovin Man" and "Made of Stone" don't clone anyones music. As far as my music being in the country catagory, I say they can be included in that genre, because the more progressive stuff you hear today isn't really country and if I remember "Shameless" was a big country hit! So there it is my friends! I've laid it all on the line!!! Again, the idea that Taxi keeps us in the dark concerning who is requesting new tunes is a little unsettling with me. Not because I think they're jiltting me, but the insistance we'll contact their clients, which is pure hooie! Most record companies don't take unsolicited music anyway. How do I know that the listings are ligit, because all I have is Taxi's word for it, hardy har har har!!! Considering Taxi makes it's money from the $5 critiques and pitches it's definitely beneficial to them to keep the green flowing. As to whether or not they recieve some sort grituity from their clients I have no way of knowing that, because that's their business anyway. Although, there have been some success stories I feel this is sort of a scam and even if my songs meet what the hidden clients are looking for it's gonna cost me a bunch, at five dollars a crack! So, in case Taxi gets offended, I'm not accusing them of purposely dragging out the critique thang to increase their nest egg! However, the method used to get your songs heard makes me a little suspicious and maybe I should ask for a refund. Regarding the people that attack me on this issue, I'm not on an ego trip and I'm not mad about my songs being rejected if there is a good reason for it. As to the sarcastic remarks made regarding this post, it's likely you either work for Lasko or you don't get the point I'm trying to make! I'm 61 years old and I don't give a rats A when it comes to speaking out on a subject. I'm a songwriter and it's fun for me to kick out a tune that comes from my creative spirit. If my material is a big hit or if its downright ka ka, I have no way of knowing. Like Dylan said, he didn't understand his music or what it meant. He just did his thing and now he's in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.

Be True To Yourselves My Friends!
Arizona Bob

rpezzo51 wrote:Hello All You Music Junkies!

As far as any of my songs being masterpieces, I don't know about that. However, I hasve a few of them on my homepage, which is under my name Robert P. Ezzo and you all can judge them for yourself. Please excuse the recordings because they were done on my PC and they're not the best. Nevertheless, it's my opinion that my songs the "Butterfly", "I Ain't Your Lovin Man" and "Made of Stone" don't clone anyones music. As far as my music being in the country catagory, I say they can be included in that genre, because the more progressive stuff you hear today isn't really country and if I remember "Shameless" was a big country hit! So there it is my friends! I've laid it all on the line!!! Again, the idea that Taxi keeps us in the dark concerning who is requesting new tunes is a little unsettling with me. Not because I think they're jiltting me, but the insistance we'll contact their clients, which is pure hooie! Most record companies don't take unsolicited music anyway. How do I know that the listings are ligit, because all I have is Taxi's word for it, hardy har har har!!! Considering Taxi makes it's money from the $5 critiques and pitches it's definitely beneficial to them to keep the green flowing. As to whether or not they recieve some sort grituity from their clients I have no way of knowing that, because that's their business anyway. Although, there have been some success stories I feel this is sort of a scam and even if my songs meet what the hidden clients are looking for it's gonna cost me a bunch, at five dollars a crack! So, in case Taxi gets offended, I'm not accusing them of purposely dragging out the critique thang to increase their nest egg! However, the method used to get your songs heard makes me a little suspicious and maybe I should ask for a refund. Regarding the people that attack me on this issue, I'm not on an ego trip and I'm not mad about my songs being rejected if there is a good reason for it. As to the sarcastic remarks made regarding this post, it's likely you either work for Lasko or you don't get the point I'm trying to make! I'm 61 years old and I don't give a rats A when it comes to speaking out on a subject. I'm a songwriter and it's fun for me to kick out a tune that comes from my creative spirit. If my material is a big hit or if its downright ka ka, I have no way of knowing. Like Dylan said, he didn't understand his music or what it meant. He just did his thing and now he's in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.

Be True To Yourselves My Friends!
Arizona Bob

Congratulations Bob,

I think you just wrote your message to Michael that may result in your membership being terminated.

Best of luck to you!!!

Chuck

crs7string wrote:

rpezzo51 wrote:Hello All You Music Junkies!

As far as any of my songs being masterpieces, I don't know about that. However, I hasve a few of them on my homepage, which is under my name Robert P. Ezzo and you all can judge them for yourself. Please excuse the recordings because they were done on my PC and they're not the best. Nevertheless, it's my opinion that my songs the "Butterfly", "I Ain't Your Lovin Man" and "Made of Stone" don't clone anyones music. As far as my music being in the country catagory, I say they can be included in that genre, because the more progressive stuff you hear today isn't really country and if I remember "Shameless" was a big country hit! So there it is my friends! I've laid it all on the line!!! Again, the idea that Taxi keeps us in the dark concerning who is requesting new tunes is a little unsettling with me. Not because I think they're jiltting me, but the insistance we'll contact their clients, which is pure hooie! Most record companies don't take unsolicited music anyway. How do I know that the listings are ligit, because all I have is Taxi's word for it, hardy har har har!!! Considering Taxi makes it's money from the $5 critiques and pitches it's definitely beneficial to them to keep the green flowing. As to whether or not they recieve some sort grituity from their clients I have no way of knowing that, because that's their business anyway. Although, there have been some success stories I feel this is sort of a scam and even if my songs meet what the hidden clients are looking for it's gonna cost me a bunch, at five dollars a crack! So, in case Taxi gets offended, I'm not accusing them of purposely dragging out the critique thang to increase their nest egg! However, the method used to get your songs heard makes me a little suspicious and maybe I should ask for a refund. Regarding the people that attack me on this issue, I'm not on an ego trip and I'm not mad about my songs being rejected if there is a good reason for it. As to the sarcastic remarks made regarding this post, it's likely you either work for Lasko or you don't get the point I'm trying to make! I'm 61 years old and I don't give a rats A when it comes to speaking out on a subject. I'm a songwriter and it's fun for me to kick out a tune that comes from my creative spirit. If my material is a big hit or if its downright ka ka, I have no way of knowing. Like Dylan said, he didn't understand his music or what it meant. He just did his thing and now he's in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.

Be True To Yourselves My Friends!
Arizona Bob

Congratulations Bob,

I think you just wrote your message to Michael that may result in your membership being terminated.

Best of luck to you!!!

Chuck

I think you just wrote your message to Michael that may result in your membership being terminated.

That seems to be the usual course of events in these circumstances.