We’re All In This Together

I got home from Philly last night at around 4:30 am, or so.  I couldn’t fall asleep until about an hour later, even though I was exhausted…because of what I witnessed on my way home.

I was already into VA, and just about to get off of my exit on I-66 W when I passed two stopped cars(one behind the other) in one of the far right lanes.  I couldn’t tell what was going on, and I could only see that the front car had their hazard lights on.  Just as I passed them, I looked behind me and saw a semi coming right for them.  I knew it was going to hit them.  Before I could even process what was happening, the truck crashed into the two cars and they all burst into flames.  It was the most incredible explosion I have ever seen.  It almost seemed as if I could feel the heat of the flames…it was unbelievable.  The front car flipped over and over to the left, the second car was pushed to the right and the semi barreled through them like a plow.  I am not sure, but I don’t think anyone in those two cars could have survived.  The driver of the semi might have… I don’t know.

This all happened within 10-15 seconds. 

I pulled over and called 911, but I couldn’t even tell them where I was at first.  I just kept saying, “I’m on 66 and there are three vehicles exploding behind me!”, or something like that. 

I’ve seen a lot of crazy stuff on the road, but that was definately the most horrific accident I have ever witnessed.

 

I just saw this article in Fast Company.  It gives me a bit of assurance, because this is exactly the type of approach I have about the music industry. 

Take a look.

 http://www.fastcompany.com/subscr/112/open_features-waybehindthemusic.html

I went to a show last night at The Black Cat to see Meredith Bragg and Benjy Ferree.  Benjy’s set was stellar.  I went to his Myspace  this morning to leave a comment about it, and found this interview.  It’s part Monty Python, Spinal Tap and it’s genius.  Benjy signed to Domino Records recently.  He’s been doing his thing for a long time. I’m happy for him.

So, I’ve been invited to play at an event called The Devil Stole The Beat in Atlanta, GA on Feb. 15.  It works out great for me, cause I was headed that way on tour anyhow.  It’s sponsored by, among many others, BMI and ASCAP.  I’m a BMI writer/publisher, so I have that going for me…which is nice.  Some of the people at www.discrevolt.com are actually the ones who invited me, and apparently not just anyone can play.  No invitation, no play.  I feel so swanky.

Should be a good time.  Networking, rock and roll black ops, etc.  I’ll write a follow up about it.

I think Thom Yorke is right.  Anyone can play guitar.  I think everyone should learn. 

I switched from piano to guitar - just like any other awkward thirteen year old who is desperate to find a way to express themselves would do.  Don’t get me wrong…I love the piano.  But you can’t reallly rock on it.  You can sort of rock on it. 

But you can’t do this - \\m/ or this lmml.  I rest my case.

 

I’m not sure if you know this about me, but I love pretzels.  Especially, hard pretzels.  My parents live in Pennsylvania(the origin of hard pretzels), so I’ve spent a few years aquiring the taste.

I just bought a new bag of Synder’s of Hanover Soughdough Pretzels.  I would say they’re probably my favorite.  I like to crunch on them, while checking my email, Myspace, Purevolume, Facebook, vox blog, this blog, that blog and every other nook and cranny of the internet that is my business playground.

I saw the end of a show on the History Channel(my favorite) about America’s snacks recently that featured a brief history of pretzels.  It peaked my curiosity, so I looked around online for some more information. 

This is what I found.  They were made by monks in northern Italy or southern France and given to children who memorized their prayers.  The shape of a pretzel comes from the way they would pray - with there hands across their chest.  

 In addition to being very tasty, they’re fairly good for you…and have been known to sustain one traveling musician or two, when there is nothing to eat for miles except Bart’s Bean Emporium.

This weekend, I started selling downloads of my music via www.discrevolt.com.  So far, it’s been a success.  Couple of glitches, but nothing huge. 

I’m looking forward to releasing more songs.  Right now, only Find You and First to Promise are up there with some acoustic demos and previously unreleased stuff. 

I wonder what device we will have five or ten years from now that will make this form seem antiquated.   

Seems like everytime I check my email, get on Myspace, go to Purevolume, etc., etc., somebody else I know is “about to sign” with some label.  I wonder if this surge has anything to do with the fact that record labels are scrambling to figure out how to conduct business in this new age.  I wonder if they are looking for naive and desperate bands/artists to take advantage of.  I wonder if in 2 years all of these up and coming superstars will still have the rights to their own name, and retain the rights to their publshing.  I wonder if I am wrong.  I hope so.  I hope there are still people that put records out, cause they love music.  Making money from making music isn’t wrong.  However, scratching at the door of a record label, so you can give them everything you have and not even see your record come out is definately wrong.  I’m not even sure who would really be to blame for that…the label or the band that didn’t know better.  We shall see.

This is one of the reasons I’m stoked to go to SXSW this year.  Check it out.