Art vs. Commerce

My friend (and old boss) Seth Resler posted a meditation on art and commerce yesterday, and it inspired me to sit down and write for the first time since...gosh, February? Really? Anyway, here's a quote:

The trick, of course, is to play tons of Nickelback, but make people think you’re playing Radiohead a lot more than you really are. So you “image” yourself with Radiohead by finding excuses to say their name without playing their music. Contests and specialty features are a great way to do this. I was the king of this kind of smoke and mirrors. During my time at BRU, the playlist was all Green Day, Linkin Park and the Chili Peppers, but the contests were all about Deathcab for Cutie, Modest Mouse and the Dropkick Murphys. Few people fake indie cred as well as I do.

And this never bothered me, because I knew that the only reason people would ever be able to hear the cool indie bands was because I played mass-appeal bands like Nickelback. Nickelback records pay the bills. And while the true music lovers may hate the band, they fail to realize that without Nickelback, their favorite bands would never get any airplay at all.

[Read the whole thing here.]

So, I got all fired up and started to leave a comment. And it just kinda went for a while. So, I figured, since I haven't posted on my own bloviation centerg for a million years, why not take this opportunity to inch Marvin Gaye down the page a bit? So then I was all like:

Hey Seth,

In spite of myself, I agree with a lot of what you're saying here. Especially the bit about the Nickelbacks of the world indirectly making life easier for the indie band du jour. I don't think Radiohead a very good example because I'd argue they're propelled by a loyal mainstream fanbase that they accumulated long before Kid A, and that if Sr. Kroeger ever wrote a song as crunchy, gritty, or mainstream-sensible as "Creep," a lot of his detractors would just shut the fuck up and find something else to gripe about. But still, a rising tide lifts all boats and all that. I'm with you.

But I have to be picayune for a moment and take issue with what I know isn't your main point: I wouldn't be so quick to pat myself on the back for faking indie cred on the radio. That's only good enough when there's absolutely no alternative, and it breeds resentment more than loyalty. Anyone who cares about indie cred can see right through the smoke and mirrors, and will gladly "make the switch" (remember that shit?) if something more authentic comes along.

These days, I don't know a single person who really cares about indie cred that turns the radio on and listens to anything other than news, sports, or public radio. "Faking" it has chased all but the Luddites (and there aren't many indie-craving Luddites around) away from terrestrial music radio broadcast, to either their iPods, or the plethora of narrowcast options available to them via the Internet that cater more directly to their tastes.

Now, As you said, that's a pretty small fraction of the population, and I do know plenty of people who still listen to the radio. They like Nickelback. They like American Idol, too. But they don't like fake indie cred either, albeit for different reasons. To them, it's just an inconvenience. They reach for the dial when a band they don't know comes on and it doesn't sound like a hit in the first 5 seconds.

I guess what I'm surprised to find myself arguing is that faking indie cred has already cost radio one small subset of listeners, and is chafing at another, larger one. Maybe, from the radio station's perspective, it's time to cut the act, stop trying to be everything to everyone, and just play exactly what brings the ratings.

Did I really just write that?

Get it on.

This is hokey, but let it never be said that, even when I'm posting as infrequently as I have been, I make careful editorial decisions with regards to the content on this site. From now until Valentine's Day, Amazon.com has decided to give away an .mp3 of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" for free. If you don't already own this (HOW COULD YOU NOT ALREADY OWN THIS?!) you now officially have no excuse. Click here, this ish is FREE.

Don't cross The Boss

Bruce Springsteen will provide your company email address to the entire frothy, biley Internet. The following pretty much speaks for itself.

(As posted at MySpace)
A Letter to Our Fans:

We know there was much confusion regarding Ticketmaster and TicketsNow during last Monday's on-sale dates. We were as confused as you were, as we were given no advance notice of the major changes in the Ticketmaster-TicketsNow world. (Bear in mind that we are not clients of any ticketing company, and that all those arrangements are between venues and ticketing companies.)

Last Monday, we were informed that Ticketmaster was redirecting your log-in requests for tickets at face value, to their secondary site TicketsNow, which specializes in up-selling tickets at above face value. They did this even when other seats remained available at face value. We condemn this practice.

We perceive this as a pure conflict of interest. Ticketmaster is there to ensure that we have a good, fair sale of our tickets at their face value plus normal ticketing charges. TicketsNow is supposed to be a secondary site where people who already have tickets may exchange, trade, and, unfortunately, speculate with them. We have asked this redirection from Ticketmaster to TicketsNow cease and desist immediately and Ticketmaster has agreed to do so in the future and has removed its unwanted material from their and our site.

We know the many cynical arguments some make in favor of the Ticketmaster system: There are rumors that some artists or managers participate in Ticketmaster charges--we do not. There are rumors that some artists or managers are receiving a percentage of the amount above face value at secondary outlets like TicketsNow--we do not. Some artists or managers may not perceive there to be a conflict between having the distributor of their tickets in effect "scalping" those same tickets through a secondary company like TicketsNow--we do.

While many of you have sent notes to us and your local promoters, you may also send accurate informational letters to Albert Lopez of Ticketmaster [Albert.Lopez@ticketmaster.com] and he will try to address your questions.

A final point for now: the one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing. Several newspapers are reporting on this story right now. If you, like us, oppose that idea, you should make it known to your representatives.

The abuse of our fans and our trust by Ticketmaster has made us as furious as it has made many of you. We will continue to do our utmost now and in the future to make sure that these practices are permanently curtailed on our tours.

Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau and the entire Springsteen Tour Team

[I found the animated .gif at Kissing Suzy Kolber, who say they found it at Texas Gal's twitter feed, so I guess maybe that's where it came from. KSK, by the way, had the best post-SuperBowl Springsteen post that I saw. Read that here.]

I scooped Kanye.

Kanye West (or a nameless minion thereof) has apparently taken notice of Providence's Triangle Forest. Sure, the copy underneath the picture is nothing more than an exact rip of the band's Wikipedia page, but still. At least it's not a direct rip of the "About Triangle Forest" section of the band's own MySpace page (see for yourself, lazybones).

For what it's worth, I was one of the judges at the WBRU Rock Hunt these guys won, and they are the realest of real deals. And I said as much way back in April of 2007. Booyah.

Kanye: 282763458264, Mike: 0 1

Lily Allen - Straight To Hell

Straight To Hell has always been my favorite favourite Clash song, so it's a pretty sure thing that if someone covers it, I'm going to listen. Lily's version is...fine I guess. It's from a charity album put together by an organization called War Child, which is a pretty good name for a group that aims to protect children living in war zones. I can get behind that.

Matt Singer interview

Download: Matt Singer - The Poet (mp3)
Also check out: myspace.com/mattsingermusic

A few months ago, I wrote a review of Matt Singer's latest EP, The Drought. Then I heard about a residency he had at The Living Room during December, so I went to check out a show. He played a bunch of stuff from The Drought, a few songs I hadn't heard before, and even found time in his set for an audience participation dreidel tournament. The way every rock show should go, really. I'm a total jackass for never getting around to writing about it (blame Left 4 Dead), because I was going to call the post "From the dreidel to the grave," which would have been a big hit, I think.

Anyway, a week or so later, Matt emailed me a quick note about the first review, and I asked if he'd like to do an interview. He very graciously consented.

Mike McClenathan: When you meet strangers at parties and they ask what you do, how do you describe it?

Matt Singer: Ferocious sensitive 90’s folk rock?

Actually, I always feel like I’m answering that question for the first time, so if you’ve got any good ideas, please let me know.

MM: You write songs on a pretty wide range of subjects. George Bush, American Idol rejects, The Catholic church, amazing dongs. What really gets you fired up to write? Or, perhaps a better question: is there anything you won't write about?

MS: I can never really predict what is going to grab me. About five years back, it’s clear that church scandals, the Iraq war and the statewide bans on gay marriage were on my mind, but looking back on that time, I realize that those songs were just as much (if not more) about personal stuff… romance, loyalty, my own craziness… The same stuff still seems to be happening in my writing… I just finished a few songs that touch on the lives of refugees and the challenges faced by immigrants, but they’re still totally personal somehow, even though I’m a relatively spoiled suburban kid.

Nowadays, it seems that for every new book I read, a song comes out of it. I’ve been reading a lot of different stuff… Dave Eggers, Alison Bechdel, Cormack McCarthy… so my songs are pretty varied. Then again, with me, they always have been.

As for dongs and sex on restroom sinks, that’s all just an over-active imagination. And wishful thinking.

And no, there is nothing I won’t write about. Except pate. Don’t care for it.

MM: You've been at this a while now. What would 2008, fresh-off-a-Living-Room-residency Matt Singer say to 2003 Matt Singer if he could?

MS: Avoid cruelty, floss daily, and take occasional deep breaths. But not too deep. Oh, and do some recording on your own, Matt… It’s great that you’ve got ridiculously talented friends who do you favors, but buy a freaking pre-amp and a decent microphone, and make it happen, for God’s sake.

MM: How much does it burn you that myspace.com/mattsinger is some other dude that plays music, who claims to sound like "ten thousand farts through paper towel tubes, all in unison"?

MS: Yeah, there are actually quite a few Matt Singers involved in the arts, including a guy from North Carolina who harassed me once for not promptly responding to an email about how cool it is that we have the same name. I like to think that I shoulder this heavy burden with grace, although I’ve been typing the hyphen in my own website for years now (matt-singer.com), and it still makes me a little queasy. Hyphens suck.

MM: Aside from the other Matt Singer, who do you listen to?

MS: Mostly, the folks from the same music scene as me… Lowry, The Blood Sugars, Pearl and the Beard are a few.

MM: During your residency at the Living Room, you were collecting different charitable donations (canned food, toys, warm clothes) each night. What are your favorite charities?

MS: The New York Immigration Coalition and Generation Q do great work. Not sure if they qualify as charities, but they are fabulous organizations.

MM: Where and when can we catch you next?

MS: Union Hall (Brooklyn), Fri. January 2nd

The Dahlak (Washington, DC), Sat. January 10th

Rockwood Music Hall (NY), Mon. January 26th

There's (still) something special happening in Johnstown, PA.

put a quarter in the telescope and you can almost make it out
the artspace that they're opening right outside downtown
it's going to be our hearts, it's going to be our souls,
it's going to take the place of work and church and school
if it doesn't get shut down by city council

Endless Mike and The Beagle Club - The Incline of Western Civilization

Got a tip the other day to check out one of the newest releases from My Idea of Fun records: S/T by Emmet and Mary. It's...well...it's sort of a post-apocalyptic rock opera. Or at least part of one. It looks like there'll be more to come, if one inspects MIoF's releases page. There's a lyrics transcription that clarifies which character (or group of characters) is singing any given line, which is an absolute must-have if you're to have any chance of following the plot. Even with it, you've got an uphill climb. But, no complaints. It's a fun little record, and if you're looking for something off the beaten path to check out, it might be perfect for you. There are sample mp3's at the link above, if you'd like a taste.

What's really striking to me about the project (and many like it coming out of Johnstown) is its ambition. The sheer magnitude of people who were involved in bringing it from concept to reality. My Idea of Fun is, as advertised, an artist collective. If you take a look at the cast, band, cult members (really), etc that put time into making this thing happen, and you happen to also know the names of the people in bands like Endless Mike and The Beagle Club and Elementary Thought Process, you'll see familiar names, among a host of others. All of whom, as the name of the label suggests, participate in huge, ambitious projects like this because it is their idea of fun.

All these people hang out at 709 Railroad Street, an art space in Johnstown. From the looks of things from afar, it's really becoming quite a happening. Keep an eye on it.