The C-Word
I have a theory: If we continue referring to music as “content,” we’re giving license and incentive to those it benefits should the language stick. I’m not saying that if we stop using the c-word we’ll suddenly prosper, but rather that continuing to give it cred is bad Karma. It puts a hex on our livelihood. The Universe hears us.
Sample Me
Generally when a song of mine is sampled (or licensed for advertising) I want to make sure it doesn’t taint the integrity of the copyright by incorporating (or associating it with) something vulgar or offensive. Other than that I’m pretty open to giving it the thumbs up. In fact a while back my co-writer’s publisher turned down a use for “What a Girl Wants” in a Tampon ad. Truth be told I wouldn’t have had a problem with that. After all, what more could a girl want than a tampon when she needs one? It’s only natural. 🙂
Deciphering The Spotify Spin
Spotify professes to be our friend — a champion of the creator — the birther of the “Spotify Secret Genius” — a manufactured honor conceived to pander to our egos and a title that is now so laughably transparent. For a service that preaches the value of music and the people who create it, they sure are trying pretty hard to f*ck us over…as covertly as possible.
Songwriters Vs. Spotify
Spotify strokes the creative community with writing camps and lavish parties. They blast our faces on Sunset Boulevard Billboards proclaiming us a Secret Genius for writing such big hits and host award shows in our honor. Very nice. But what they don’t want to do…is pay us.
Light at the End of the Streaming Tunnel
If you didn’t sell your catalogue during the gold rush, fear not. We may have to think of it as “holding on to real estate during a down market in a neighborhood that could get really hot.”
A Songwriter's State of the Union
There is much work to do and it’s not going to be easy, but if we don’t try we can forget the idea of a next generation being able to make music and earn a living like many of us did. And then music will be written by amateurs, imposters, and the uninspired.
Make the Music Industry Great Again
The Donald has promised to do things differently. This is an area where I hope he does. It would be a Huge gesture of good will and would improve an ecosystem in disarray.
Where is the "Justice" in the DoJ?
“I can't help wondering if this may be the moment for the songwriting community to try to make a stand as a united front.”
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Airport....
The streaming revolution has been a gift to users. We can access as much music as we want, whenever and wherever we want it. For ten bucks. And, we can put our selection back on a shelf and opt for something else if for any reason we aren’t satisfied. That’s a pretty good deal. One would think that for an all-you-can-eat buffet, the value of music would have risen, not declined.
Come Together
When it comes to deciding who should go to DC to represent the creative community it is my view that no single group will be as influential or effective as we can be in a united front.
Writer's Block...Work It Out!!
If you still don’t have any ideas at the end of a workout I would seriously consider a new career.
