Learning From Our Elders

Pete Townshend chose to use the honour of the BBC John Peel lecture this week to deliver a rant. Essentially without any central thesis, his speech went over the same well-trodden ground that old industry giants find themselves covering - piracy, publishing, copyright, etc etc etc. Definitely not very Manifesto.

Townshend falls into the trap of many of our industry elders who feel that change is happening, but cannot recognise what a new industry offers to artists. Rather than adding a positive vision with their experience of being a creator, they respond from a place of resistance. It stems from the fear of seeing the foundations of how their own careers were shaped being torn apart and rebuilt.

We have much to learn from the forefathers of pop. They developed a blueprint of a creative form that we love, and the new industry is still celebrating. Townshend is apologetic throughout the lecture of speaking about music as art. But this is the area where he should own the platform. I want to know his genius and learn from his ability as a creator, not hear him riff about the price of downloads.

I'm not dismissing the old guard as being irrelevant to building the new industry. There are many who are active in pushing change forward. Brian Eno spoke recently on Channel 4 news about his new project involving crowd sourced creativity. These types of visionaries add immensely to finding solutions. They are using their abilities as creatives to offer something new - not attach to the past and complain that things are different.

The very act of being an artist means you create change. I often think of music as a mathematical problem that I must resolve - like sonic sudoku. Perhaps pop music has made us too comfortable. Even though we now live in the most exciting and productive era for artists, we seem to not all be able to rise to the challenge. For artists like Pete Townshend, it's just too much to let go of the past and embrace what we now have.

Image by Zio Zeta on Flickr

A Tribute to Think Different

With the recent passing of Steve Jobs comes also the ten year anniversary of the iPod, and therefore more reflection on Apple and the impact the brand has had on our lives.

The blogosphere does not need another tribute to Jobs. However, I'd like the chance to acknowledge the role that Apple has played within the music industry. For without them, I don't know how we could have progressed so far in a decade.

It's not so much what Apple made, though we have to appreciate the tools they gave us. Every Gaymonkey album was produced on an Apple product - most creatives even beyond the music industry will have used one of the company's machines to generate their work. The hardware allowed us all to be producers and stretch the boundaries of our talents.

And the innovation that Jobs and his team drove through wasn't confined to the products themselves. With the iPod came iTunes - disrupting the fabric of the traditional distribution model of the industry. Now everyone could release their material and gain unlimited shelf space to sell their work. And do it internationally. The platform allowed our own label to have top 20 albums across Europe.

But what stands above this all is what sits at the heart of Jobs and Apple itself. The intention of the brand to think and do things differently.

It's this driving force that attracts the cult of Apple. The outsiders who want to identify themselves with a product that is like them. Who see themselves reflected in the vision of a business.

Gaymonkey was founded on the same principles. We believed that anything creative could be possible through the motivation of the artist. That to make it happen we could use the resources at our fingertips. That by thinking differently we could reach the goals we set ourselves - not the ones dictated to us by an industry that lacked the foresight of the new exciting digital era.

And as Gaymonkey shifts - to enable artists to achieve - the ethos we share with Apple still remains. Think different and make it happen. That's all we need to wake us up and keep us going.

Image from bangdoll on Flickr.

Sayonara Sony Walkman

Music critics in the broadsheets rejoiced today with the opportunity to write about their childhood musical memories as Sony announced that the Walkman would no longer be in production.

Reading this news today, I actually thought I'd discovered a copy of the paper from ten years ago. Can you believe that after the changes in music distribution we have been involved in over the last decade that people have still been listening to cassettes? Really??

The tragedy here - besides being subjected to tales of broadsheet journos' teenage mix tapes - is actually the story of Sony. Once revered for quality - having given us two iconic forms of media in Betamax and the Walkman - the business has struggled to maintain its dominance in a fast moving digital marketplace. Sony had every opportunity to seize the digital revolution and evolve the Walkman into the position now occupied by Apple with the iPod. However, its attachment to the physical form of media - be it the Beta cassette or the MiniDisc - has been its ultimate downfall.

As nostalgic as the Walkman makes us feel, we cannot mourn its loss. The landscape we now inhabit offers us liberation from the physicality of music. What we have in front of us is infinitely better than the past. Lets remember briefly the joy the Walkman gave us, and move on.

Mark Zuckerberg vs. Eckhart Tolle

What does the most popular social network on the internet and a spiritual movement have in common?

Yesterday I went to see The Social Network, the movie about the ambition, friendships and betrayal that went in to creating Facebook. This is an absolutely amazing piece of cinema - based on the book “The Accidental Billionaires” by Ben Mezrich - that tells the story of how Mark Zuckerberg became the youngest billiionaire on the planet. I followed the film by attending a talk by Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now and A New Earth - two must-reads that explore how a shift in human consciousness is possible through awareness of the ego that drives our behaviour.

I was struck by two things:

Its not good enough to just have a great idea

Everyone has great ideas. We are all full of them. And rarely are they original - we combine, mashup and steal from others all the time. Zuckerberg did not invent the first ever social network site - we had Friends Reunited and MySpace long before Facebook. Eckhart Tolle is not the first to explain the ego or champion awareness - the Buddha and many other spirutual thinkers got there centuries before him.

What both of these leaders have done is take great ideas, enhance them and make them relevant. Chris Cox - Facebook's VP of product - stated in The New Yorker that "Getting there first is not what its all about. What matters always is execution." I couldn't agree more - its not what you do, its how and why you do it.

The best executed ideas spread and connect communities

Facebook took very little marketing to make its way across the planet. Eckhart Tolle has sold millions of books without masses of PR and advertising.

A New Earth became a best seller with a bit of help from Oprah Winfrey, but this was simply as a result of her recommendation of the book. Facebook attracts new users via recommendation between friends. In both examples, community is at the heart of the concept. Marketing is based on inspiration, rather than mass manipulation by shouting at a target audience.

Both of these gurus have created change in our world through the way they have developed and delivered their big ideas to us. Something for every artist to consider.

The image is a Friend Wheel of my own inner circle Facebook connections.

Simon Cowell: Bad Influence, or Inspiration?

X Factor, Pop Idol and American Idol. They've all been responsible for taking talent, sucking any originality out, and spitting people to their destiny as bland manufactured pop stars. 

There are arguments that these shows are creating a generation who believe that fame is instantaneous and that being famous is a desirable career choice. Simon Cowell is the svengali at the centre of the phenomenon, and has made his fortune creating pop success. So are the programmes a bad influence - or an inspiration?

Not long ago I was ready to call for the end of X Factor due to the negative effect it has on people's aspirations. But wise words from my coach has steered me in another direction. She pointed out that Simon Cowell's talent actually lies in building up people's belief in themselves. He understands that the key to achieving anything is a firm vision of success. Those contestants that do not have 100% confidence in what they do inevitably do not make it through to the final stages. 

Strong visions are not to be confused with cocky arrogance. Last year's contestant Olly Murs is case and point - he frequently stated how much had to win the competition. But his belief in himself was not supported with a clear understanding of why he wanted it - simply put, he just wanted to win.

What is interesting is that the audience understands this subtle clue. The contestants that they are most supportive of are not necessarily the ones that have the best voices - but the ones that are most beliveable in their determination to progress. This is where Cowell's production genius comes through - his ability to reinforce the story of the artist and their dream. These are the moments that have the critical emotional impact that keep viewers tuned in - rather than the performances themselves. The likability factor is built around how genuine the audience feels the intentions of the artists are.

What Cowell can teach us all is how powerful these visions are, and how critical they become to earning success. No matter how talented you are, and whatever your business, career goal, or aspiration is - without the firm belief supported by your intention, your chances of achieving your dreams are limited.

Image by skip-rat from Flickr

Independent Record Store Day

Johnny Marr blogged this week regarding record stores in support of Independent Record Store Day. His opinion is quite different to what I posted earlier this week. On two levels ...

Firstly he argues that the record store has been forced off the high street by major retailers. I've always felt this is difficult to defend. Consumers make choices based on what they want. Great record stores - like Rough Trade - still exist and are doing just fine. They have built a strong business with clients who keep returning. Other stores - like Pure Groove - have decimated their retail stock in favour of a bar and performance space. I'm not sure many people wander past the meat markets into Clerkenwell to browse their selection, but they have a place in the community through the great free live shows they put on.

It seems to me that no one in this debate - like many other discussions about the music industry - is listening to the consumer. When we get nostalgic about record stores, we are thinking primarily of the experience that shaped our youth. Kids are clever - they don't need a high street to find great stores. Simply put, their high street is becoming digital and they choose where they shop.

Marr's second argument is that records are a great piece of art. We really need to move away from this mindset. Music is art, and the musician is an artist - who often works with great visual artists to create a beautiful experience. The CD you purchase in Tesco is not art - it is a commodity, just like the cereal and pizza you also put in your basket. Downloading an MP3 of music that creates a change inside of you - gives something back to you - is still art. We don't need a physical form with a store/label/distribution network attached to it in order to experience the art of music.

Tracey Thorn made a great comment in yesterday's Guardian. She reflected on the influence record stores have had in our lives, but then noted that we mustn't look back. Today's celebration should be less nostalgia, and more a vision of where we are going.

But in respect of today's observance, I'd like to give thanks to South Side Sound and Sound Connection in Edmonton, along with all the amazing shops on Seymour Street in Vancouver. And to the Music & Video Exchange on Berwick Street in London. But I'd like to give a giant thank you to the internet, my new independent musical universe, for connecting me to so many brilliant people and musicians over the past decade. I can't wait to see what's in store for our future!

The Icons

The National Portrait Gallery is exhibiting a Gay Icons series - ten prominent gay "selectors" are asked to each name six individuals whom they regard as inspirational. The icons are not required to be gay, but rather the show provides insight into who - and what characteristics of an icon - influence the lives of todays prominent gay figures. The portraits themselves are secondary to the stories behind the inspiration.

You couldn't see the exhibition without questioning who has been instrumental in your own life. Here are a few of my own ...

Neil Tennant

Stylish, ground breaking, and with seemingly endless stamina. Neil Tennant has always provided musical inspiration via the Pet Shop Boys - but beyond that obvious link he has been a pop culture icon on every front. Where he stands above so many of his contemporaries is through his inimitable dignity. He is a trusted and respected voice of British culture and the world is a better place because of the joy he has brought through his career.

James Dean

Those who leave the world prematurely often have iconic status thrust upon them. James Dean was a pop star in his own right. His skill as an actor was evident despite appearing in only three films. What would he achieved if his time had not been cut so short? Though we must decipher his true life story from the legend it appears he was an outlier in every aspect - it is no surprise that he continues to inspire new generations.

David Bowie

Bowie is a true genius. His songwriting skill is unparalleled, as is his talent for invention of all aspects of his world. He takes risks and in doing so has been an influence on probably anyone making music today.

John Cage

For some reason I have been fascinated by Cage from the moment I became aware of him. Odd considering my love for pop music and melody! He was a many of layers of complexity - philosopher, composer, artist, activist, Buddhist. Yet everything he did was with consistency and conviction. He gave me silence and for that I will be forever grateful.

Barrack Obama

Because very few individuals actually give hope to the world. It's a gift that we should never take for granted. Obama has only been with us for a short while but already he has achieved so much - the simple act of his rise to the top is overwhelming. He is the only politician I have ever believed in - he can actually change the world.

Bono's Big Bad Clawprint

It was only a matter of time before U2 were attacked for their latest tour. Even more offensive than the giant claw that adorns their stage is the estimate of the carbon footprint of the 44 date worldwide show.

Bono fans will no doubt let this fact slide - the rare opportunity to see their pint sized messiah in the flesh will be too important to miss. It seems entirely hypocritical for a man who has campaigned to rid the world of poverty not to at least address the impact that his career is having on those he cares so much to save. We know that climate change will have the greatest effect on poorer nations (in fact Bono's primary area of campaign concern - Africa - is already the most effected - see DFID for more info) - does he not consider this before jetting off on a carbon intensive tour? He has acknowledged the issue of climate change in contributing to global poverty when he took to the stage at Davos last year. Perhaps he's becoming forgetful in his elder years.

I'm not expecting Bono or any artist to be a saint. But walking the talk is essential to credibility, and it shouldn't be surprising that the mantra of campaigners like him fall on deaf ears. It is also worth noting that as the business model of the old industry falls away artists will be under increasing pressure to tour to make up revenue. More touring equals a bigger footprint - not only of the artists themselves, but for every fan that travels to see their shows.

I do expect artists who are role models - like U2 - to be innovators and leaders. They should be establishing the blue print for not only a new music industry, but a new way for the world to behave and interact. Bono demanded we make poverty history - I'd like to see him step up and show us how its done.

Depeche Mode - "Wrong"

Apart from the occasional Mick Jagger elbow angling, this is, well ... just right.

Looking forward to much, much more.

What Have I Done To Deserve This?

Four simple reasons why the Pet Shop Boys will be receiving the "Outstanding Contribution to Music" award at the BRITs tomorrow:

1. CONSISTENCY

50 million records sold and four number ones, their integrity remains intact by building upon their trademark sound - rather through zeitgeisty reinvention.

2. CRAFT

The duo of Tennant/Lowe are fantastic songwriters, with a panache for melody and creating both pop and art out of their music. One only needs to marvel at the genius of "Being Boring" to see how perfection can be manifested when sound meets poetry.

3. COLLABORATIONS

From day one PSB have selected incredible people to work with, when Neil Tennant tracked Bobby Orlando down to help bring "West End Girls" to life. From then they have hand picked a host of great talent to become part of their contribution to pop - be it Dusty Springfield, Harold Faltermeyer, Trevor Horn (may I include yours truly as well?). They have also brought great vision to their works through their involvement with designer Mark Farrow.

but most of all

4. CLASS

Sophisticated, intelligent, perfect.

Give Me Time - To Realise My Crime

The weekend's papers are all carrying the verdict in Boy George's latest trial for false imprisonment. Most feature the image of the now bloated and sullen pop star as he arrived in court on Friday. His story, from 80s icon through to reinvention as a club DJ, is marred with drug abuse - a rollercoaster of highs and lows, comebacks and downfall.

Perhaps it is no surprise that Boy George finds himself in this situation. He was barely into his twenties when Culture Club exploded worldwide, with George thrust into megastardom. What must it be like to suddenly find yourself the centre of the universe? Especially at this time in a decade known for its excess - it is understandable that many stars of this time ended up trapped in drug addiction. Thats part of rock'n'roll, isn't it? an essential element to becoming a pop brand. The problem is, when the fame fades, who is there to help them pick up the pieces?

In no way should Boy George be summarily excused for his downward spiral - responsibility ultimately lies with him. But I also wonder how record labels get away without fingers being pointed at them. Big corporations have a duty of care towards their employees. Unfortunately artists are not seen as employees (the artists ego would never allow that) - rather they are commodities that labels exploit - but surely the label should play a part in guaranteeing their well-being. For each tabloid column inch reporting Amy Winehouse's perpetual deterioration, seldom do you see a comment from her label detailing what they are doing to help the singer get back on the straight and narrow. Is it because cleaning up her life would detract from the PR she receives for her lifestyle (forcing newspapers to actually talk about her music for a change?).

A court attendant at Boy George's trial was reportedly underwhelmed, muttering over "all this fuss about a has-been". Boy George was an iconic, flamboyant, colourful star that helped to shape British pop music - but ultimately he is as vulnerable to abuse as anyone. In an industry that does little to protect their assets, every artist is destined to become a "has-been". Lets hope that as the music industry starts to reinvent itself it will make more of an effort to take care of its most precious resource.

No Music Day

Today - the 21st of November 2008 - is No Music Day. 

Devised by former KLF-frontman (and overall philosophical musical tinker) Bill Drummond, this day is set aside so that we might acknowledge the role that music plays in our lives. A sort-of aural-Lent, the concept strives have us individually recognise our relationship with music simply by giving it up for one day.

I think the concept is genius; in our current mass consumption + devaluation model, our appreciation of music has been tarnished. Days like today force us to think about something very precious in our lives that we take for granted.

On the No Music Day site you are asked to make a pledge as to whether you will - or won't - be observing todays festivities. Personally, I shall - no listening, no humming, no whistling. Unfortunately I can't stop the music in my head, but perhaps by observing today I will gain a better appreciation of the joy of the jukebox in my mind.

Outsiders

"Nothing of value was ever created inside the British music business. It always came from the outside, from outsiders created in the real world. These people, out of necessity, rejection, frustration and talent, and with vision, built their own ark and sailed it alongside and ahead of the music industry. 

In doing so they created their own market. They did their own research and development. They did it, and they still do it, in small clubs, playing in front of a few people, supporting other bands, going up and down the country in little vans. They do it in home-made studios, they do it on MySpace. They don't do it on XFactor."

Johnny Marr - University of Salford Lecture

from The Independent (14th Nov 2008)

I loved this transcript in Friday's Independent. First off, it was just great to get a chance to read some of Johnny Marr's thoughts on the music business. But most of all, I enjoyed how he distills down these long tail concepts.

He goes on to say how we live in a time of "conformity and uniformity" - and I agree that this is perpetuated by shows such as XFactor. I sometimes worry that a whole generation will grow up thinking that the music business alone will validate their talent, that hard work will never pay off unless that judge at the end of the stage gives them their big break.

But as Marr points out, the outsiders carry on. And in the end, it is the outsiders that are inevitably most remembered and revered for what they create.

Image by Nicola Jennings

Division Kent - Melnyk is Behind the Wheel

The enigmatic duo of Division Kent came to my attention in the spring. I was approached by a visionary guy that works with them (and has subsequently introduced me to quite a few great artists, including the talents of Keenhouse) with a request to do a remix.

DK are from Switzerland (bestowing them with immediate interest on my part ... always been fascinated by the Swiss!). They are comprised of the breathy visceral vocals of Andrea B, backed up with the sound of Sky Antinori. Theirs is a dark electropop - with smatterings of Curve and Eurythmics. They've created an atmospheric world - what I expect to find if I were to catch a glimpse behind David Lynch's giant red velvet Twin Peaks curtain ...

I'm not doing many remixes right now - only selecting those that I feel are going to give me some level of creative satisfaction. I was really excited to be able to choose any track from their latest LP - Gravity - to remix. It was simple - "In The Headlights" was undeniably inspirational. A perfect synth line with which to build upon. 

I've recently discovered that "In The Headlights" is one of several tracks on the LP produced by Gareth Jones - a true genius, responsible for some of Depeche Mode and Erasure's finest work. 

You can download the remix for the next few weeks FREE from here:

Division Kent - In The Headlights (Melnyk Is Behind The Wheel Remix)

Gravity is out now. Download it from iTunes.

Painting A Vulgar Picture

"Re-issue, repackage, repackage

Re-evaluate the songs

Double pack with a photograph

Extra track and a tacky badge"

A vulgar picture indeed. Morrissey warned against the ills of label control of artists in his epic ode from The Smiths' final studio album - Strangeways, Here We Come.

How bizarre then that Mozzer and Marr have gotten together to endorse the new mega-compilation - The Sound of the Smiths (out next week). Or is it? The Smiths are no strangers to the re-issue. We've already had the Best ... collection.

In fact my first indoctrination of the band was via the odd but utterly marvelous Louder Than Bombs. Odd in that it was a North American creation - released not long after The World Won't Listen - the European selection which was comprised of almost an identical track listing.

No doubt the new cherry-picked-by-the-gods-themselves collection has been slotted in to the release schedule just in time for xmas, and to introduce more of the catalogue to the download market. 

But why not just re-issue the collection of albums? The Smiths were a fantastic album band - The Queen Is Dead sitting very high on my own list of admired perfection. I worry that a new generation of disciples will grow up not knowing of the great song books the band created.

As for the re-mastering, this is a futile and ridiculous effort. Smiths LPs were well produced - Strangeways being a particularly marvelous studio achievement. We know, however, that music is getting louder - people are starting to expect a certain level of oomph from their purchases, which sadly is not from better production methods, but simply from digital mastering. Perhaps the folks at Warner feel that Mozzer just isn't moping loud enough - and have to have him turned up. Does re-mastering actually add value - or is it simply "earbrushing" history - changing the way we may have been meant to hear the music?

When I saw the advert for this new release today, I did get quite nostalgic. I have every Smiths LP and 12" single on vinyl - so glorious, these pieces of plastic have provided infinite inspiration ... not only for the music they hold, but the majesty of their artwork. Detail such as the hidden etchings on the vinyl's inner label ("ARE YOU LOATHESOME TONIGHT?") or simply the minimalist layout over the iconic sleeve - these moments of pop history are destined to be lost forever as we move into the digital age.  

Sadly this was your life.

Sigmund Freud - Analyse This

After a busy week getting the release party together, I had the honour of a visit from Canada from my parents. They don't get the opportunity to visit that often - once a year if I'm lucky, so it was great to have them over.

They are big James Bond fans (as am I ... yes - its true) so we went to the opening night of the new film Quantum of Solace. We all agreed the film was an incredibly adrenaline rush. The only thing missing was the theme song ...

The opening credits of every Bond film has always been a cinematic highlight for me. That classic moment where the scene changes - morphing into the iconic psychedelic title sequence as the theme begins. Who can forget the opening piano to "Nobody Does It Better" - or the twinkling mystery of "Diamonds Are Forever". These songs have been integral to the Bond brand and stand the test of time on their own.

So what has happened lately?? When was our last great Bond theme?

It certainly isn't "Another Way To Die" - from Quantum. I'm not quite sure what David Arnold was thinking - pairing up Alicia Keys with Jack White.  The track is abysmal and instantly forgettable. All noise and no drama - nothing fitting of the intensity of the film. Still, it could have been worse - we could have been blighted by an Amy Winehouse/Mark Ronson charade.

They Could Be Heroes

"Lyrically though, I'm proud of Falling Down on this album. You mentioned earlier that you thought it was about a comedown from drugs. That song started when I was sitting in my back garden this time last year and there was this beautiful early autumn sunset. I was thinking about all that climate-change bollocks and came to the conclusion that man really is incapable of destroying all this." 

Noel Gallagher, Irish Times

Noel Gallagher was never going to be a poster child for any worthwhile cause.  His small mind seems capable only of the solitary task of spewing forth the same inane drivel - in the form of either his ridiculous opinions, or the regurgitated musical mulch he's been releasing since the mid-nineties.

Certainly if he looked beyond the porch of his country pile, he'd see that man is making quite a dent in his pretty little world.  Then wouldn't it be refreshing if an icon, such as himself, were to stand up and do something about it?  Think of the influence he could have over his legions of fans. 

What if he asked every one of the unwashed masses who attends Oasis' forthcoming worldwide tour to consider taking public transportation to see them - maybe even giving them a discount to do so? Or played some gigs by webcast rather than tour to the far end of the globe by private jet?

Madonna could then take some lessons from old Noel.  I love it when she gets political. Madge likes to talk the talk - just take a peek at her live visuals for "Get Stupid'.  But she suffers from a severe case of cognitive dissonance.  While she wants her fans to seize the moment to save the world, she fails to recognise the damaging effects of her own career - with a massive carbon footprint from not only her travel, but that of her adoring masses.

We need more heroes.  Such a shame that these two continue to fail to grasp the potential of their influence.

Madonna Saves The World

There was a time when the Queen of Pop used sex and religion to cause controversy.

Now Madonna feels it necessary to strike out against public transportation.  Apparently London's roads and Underground system are so horrible that she has to walk everywhere.  Not such a big deal when your fortune is so extensive that you can afford to purchase (yet another) slice of the capital's hyper-priced real estate - just to house a gym for you and the girls.

We know that Madge likes a moan - and with a new album out very soon she needs all the column inches that she can get.  But with the green zeitgeist of the Naughties in full swing, does she really think she can get away with mixed messages?

Now hold on - Vanity Fair has chosen Madonna to grace the cover of their annual "Green Issue".  And her new single "4 Minutes" informs us that we don't have much time left to save the world.  It must be a nightmare for her publicists to deal with her credentials - between building schools in Malawi and her yogalates classes, can she really criticise a public transportation system that surely she has never stepped foot on?

Pop icons are losing their power.  In the early decades they used their influence to inspire - from John & Yoko's bed-ins, to Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas" (the UK's fastest selling single of all time).  2007's Live Earth concert, however, was heavily criticised for being irrelevant when the message of saving the planet was delivered from artists who flew in private jets to and from the event (not to mention the fact that it was sponsored by a car manufacturer).

Can self-indulgent, heavily consuming rock stars really be the ones to continue to inspire the masses?