Dr. J

No question things are changing. Still very much a transitional time. Not all middlemen have been eliminated nor should they be. Not all musicians are management people with the time, the skills, the desire etc. to make the contacts, do the legwork etc

Right now the best middle people are the ones who see their relationship with the artist as a partnership and who share a common vision with and for that artist and who understand how to use their skills, as well as the new technologies/models, to advance that vision.

For example, one effective way for a lesser known band to tour is to open for a well known band. Straightforward – get good, get an opening slot and hit the road. Sounds easy, but difficult for a DIY artist.

Generally, most well known artists still have an agent and some form of management. If you know someone in the band that has some leverage with them that may help, but still won’t guarantee a spot on the bill. By bringing on a DIY artist, the agent has effectively reduced his/her fee and although most would like to give new bands a break, they need to make a living. Agents generally choose openers from their own rosters thus drawing a fee from both artists, as well as hoping the investment in the lesser known act eventually pays off. Agents still prefer to work with other agents/venues/managers etc. knowing the favour will be returned, rather than directly with an artist.

Just to say, it’s not impossible to be a DIY artist, but it’s still very difficult, even these days.

Cool. Thanks M. Have only read On A Cold Road and quite enjoyed it. His columns are interesting as well, especially the one on "the slippery slope."

it's a pleasure for me, moreso when I can do something that makes people happy for reasons that are personal to them.

Aloha,

Brad

Yeah.

Forgive me if I've shared this before, but as he often did for young musicians starting out in Peterborough when James went in to record his first CD, Willie came in to help out. You can imagine what it meant to have someone with the stature of Willie P. Bennett in the studio.

At one point in the session, Willie stepped out of his shoes, leaned his mandolin against a chair, set his glasses on the seat of the chair and went out for a smoke.

While he was out, James took a picture of the empty chair and the shoes etc. (it appears in the liner notes to Restless Soul). At the time, on the back of the photo, James wrote: "Willie was here."

As always, thanks for doing this Brad! You're getting faster and faster!

This is the only recorded version of the song Willie's Notes a song I love on so many different levels....even tease a Willie song (One Vessel) at the end....

"O come the day when all our tears

Are gathered in one vessel".

If for no other reason than the fact that I now have a copy of this song I'd be forever grateful. Thanks.

Good times Sat nite for sure. Great to see Brad, Mooose, the Rev and everyone....and to meet Booche...a fine fellow indeed despite his obvious affinity for les Canadiens

Like many others who were there I really recommend, if folks have a chance, that you catch Dan & The Regrets. Great band! Great guys! Really brought it Sat nite and after travelling 10 hours from Fredericton in snow and ice. Gotta love that kind of dedication to the craft!

Encore must have been a blast!

Yeah it was Kev. Seeing all those guys up there just rockin' out and having such a great time doing it....really what it's all about. Really hoping these two bands will hook up again. And yeah a double shot of Neil!

Gettin' primed even as we speak....

"got a shine on my black, black shoes...."

All the best Lisa. Have yourself a great day!

Ollie I checked w/James they're working on the same time frame as Brad. Perhaps when the Rev hits Ottawa he can verify start time.

"Recently heard a solid version of the Beatles Ticket to Ride"

holy shit. nice

Warning: Haven't heard it since....but ya never know....

Hope some folks can make it out on Sat nite. Lookin forward to catching Dan Griffin (1st time) and the Good Rev (2nd time).

Been lots going on lately w/the Spades. Should be pumped for this one. Recently heard a solid version of the Beatles Ticket to Ride and a great ballad dedicated to the late Willie P. So ya never know. See you there.

Happy birthday, Brad! Hope ya had a good one! See you on the 12th.

As you know the right decisions are seldom the easy ones, Greg. You did right. My thoughts are with you. Don't let anything cloud your memories of Hud. Thanks for sharing.

I agree with Ad and d_jango and the others who say that the proposal is problematic particularly in regards to the management and distributiuon of revenue, but I still think it offers a place to initiate discussion. If they can deliver on this promise alone (and we have no proof they can)- "Consumers can interact directly with the creators of music" - then it merits attention. It would be like eliminating TicketMaster and their shit from the distribution of concert tickets.

It's unfortunate the Star has coloured the discussion with their stupid headline - "Could $5 A Month Save The Music Industry?"

I mean who the hell cares? Who wants to pay to save an industry that has fuckin' ripped off musicians and music fans for years. Nobody. Myself included. But I'd pay (a reasonable amount) to dismantle it.

I wouldn't pay a surcharge for clothing to make sure that my broccoli was fresh...

What if it was a fig leaf?

I agree Ad it's all speculation at this point, but I still think it's a step in the right direction. Tying the charge to the internet was, I assume, simply a way of trying to tie the means to the medium. Making it a federal tax would distance it even further from the source and the audience.

Interesting concept.

Did i miss something? How does the money get distributed?

Don't know that I accept the argument that those who don't download music shouldn't have to pay. I suppose it's the same argument about your tax dollars being used to fund education (when you have no children) or subsidize daycare (when one parent stays at home) or bail out professional teams (when you have no interest in sports).

One has to look at what they're paying for. The $5.00 surcharge is not so you can download music, but rather so music will continue to be created....no matter how you access it or where you hear it....radio, TV, movies, internet, wherever....the only one who should be able to opt out would be someone who doesn't experience music in any way, shape or form....at any time.

This weekend. Hope to see some folks there!

fack it. willie deserves two parallel tribute threads

Amen to that.

Interesting Willie P. story (there are 100’s). When James was recording his solo CD (Restless Soul), Willie P. came into the studio to lay down some harmonica, mandolin and back-up vocals.

At the outset, Willie played the mandolin from various spots in the studio, and listened to the playback, until he found the one spot in the room where he got the exact sound he wanted.

Later, Willie decided to go out for smoke. Before he did though, he bent down, untied his shoes, stepped out of them, leaned his mandolin against a chair and went out for the smoke. When he came back in, he grabbed his mandolin, stepped back into his shoes and continued recording from the exact spot marked by his unmoved shoes ha-ha.

While Willie was out, James took a photo of his empty shoes and mandolin. It appears in the CD’s booklet. What a treasure the pic is now.

Willie is a huge loss.

Willie P. Bennett has passed away.

I came down from Thessalon

Toronto's not my home

I miss the north country so much

No longer will I roam

Drifting snow around my window

Drifting snow around my door

Drifting snow around my brains Lord

Won't be no drifting anymore

Willie P. Bennett

Oct. 26/51 - Feb. 15/08

One of a kind. Thanks for memories Willie. RIP

hey Hamilton congratulations! you guys make a beautiful couple.....well actually one of you contributes much more to the beauty than the other.....but anyways all the best to you both!

though i wouldn't count us out completely

you know I don't Phorbesie nor do I count Neil out.

I think Neil's comments are as much a reflection of his own state of mind (and frustration at the lack of reaction on the CSNY tour) as they are about the state of music.

I'm sure Neil remembers a time when the Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" was the rally cry for a whole generation seeking change. But the fact of the matter was that For What it's Worth spoke to the young ("something's happening here/what it is ain't exactly clear"). The older you were, the less inclined you were to feel a part of the "happening." So in a sense, wavinginthewind is correct. A call to change is going to have little impact on the folks who can afford that kind of ticket price....or who are even of an age to want to be at a CSNY show.

Change of any great measure is in the hands of the young. Always has been.

The big question facing the candidacy of Barack Obama was whether he could rally the under 30's - a group that over the past number of years has been become more and more politically dissatisfied and disenfranchised. At first, it appeared doubtful. It now appears that using music (and the internet) he is making progress. Gonna make things interesting.

I believe music can still move people, but you have to know your audience and you have to know how to reach them.....something Neil may not have considered with the CSNY tour. It's all right to say you're only going to play political songs, but if that's not what your audience is there to hear, it ain't going to make much difference. People hear only what they want to hear.

Music, in and of itself, cannot bring about change, but in the hands of certain people it can be a very powerful tool. We saw that in the sixties and we see it still today. Neil may not think so anymore, but I bet this guy would beg to differ.

Nice to see Pascale nail a Juno nomination for Artist of the Year right on

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark

I'm happy to report that this has now gone from being highly anticipated to being in hand and thoroughly enjoyed and man does it set the bar high for '08 sweet

Its a 70 acre farm on Upper Scotch Line.

hey welcome to the neighbourhood folks!

My most anticipated album came out jan. 22.

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark

One of mine as well.

One of the drawbacks of living in a small town is you don't always get things when they come out so still looking forward to this (in its entirety).

Not to sidetrack things, but did i read recently that the Lauzon family are now part of rural eastern Ontario (and the Perth community in particular), if so, welcome to the country folks!

Hope to see you around.

Back to upcoming releases.