Branding by default.

So there is a shortage of gas here in Nashville. Long lines, high prices, plastic bags over the pumps, and many stations who strait up are out of gas. Some how in the midst of it all Exxon has remained up and running.

So the question is, do I think positive about a brand who was there for me when no one else was, or do I chalk it up to big business politics and assume something shady is going on? Hard to say, right now I'm just happy to not be stuck on the side of the road.

In the music industry they say it's not always about who is best, but who sticks it out the longest. Who is still there when the dust settles. In this case it has been Exxon. Will I continue to go there faithfully like I do with Sunoco up north, and had been doing with bp? Probably not. But my approval rating of them went up, and I'm talking about their brand right now and not Shell, who was one of the first to be out.

j.

Nametags

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the idea that on any given day I walk past dozens-hundreds of people that I will never know. Not knowing them is not usually the issue. The issue is if I'm honest with myself, I don't care.

That sounds harsh; but do you stand in line at the grocery store or in the airport and more than acknowledge the existence of those around you? Each one of those people is the center of their own universe they have a lifetime of experiences, triumphs, failures, heart aches that I'll never know about. I don't know their names they wont remember my face, you get my point.

To put my conscience at ease I asked the cabinet lady at home depot a few leading questions...I figured the box store hadn't been there forever she must have had a life before that orange smock. Right? She used to live in VA, owned her own arts and crafts store, put two kids through college. This woman even helped her girls start successful businesses of their own.Oh and she was modest about it but I feel like she was a pretty good artist.

I tried this again on a recent flight from Atlanta to Nashville. The young woman next to me was a Sr. at a Kentucky University who was on her way back from L.A.. "Summer Vacation?", I asked. She then informed me she just buried her boyfriend who drowned the week before in a swimming accident. He passed while she was trying to save him. And the kicker was that she seemed okay. She was full of hope and she had plans on how to honor his life.

As artists we have the privilege of telling people our stories...but maybe we also have the responsibility of telling theirs.

j.

Lights Out on Broadway

Those who live in Nashville rarely venture downtown on Broadway. That's where the tourist hang out and of course the contrition of any local to be mistaken for a tourist. Last night however, I did make the journey towards the glowing lights. I noticed on the way a few establishments whose lights were out. Not completely out just parts of a word or letter. S__OKEY's _AR n' GR_LL

Here's my issue with lights out. I know they can be expensive and that something is better than nothing, but didn't you spend a lot of time picking just the right name for your establishment...don't you want people to get it right. If you can't even keep the lights running I really supposed to believe you're doing a great job keeping the kitchen clean or the toilette paper stocked? It's your first impression, maybe the only one you get, though it may have worked for 20 years if it's not working now and I've never seen it work then, my memory will always be only of what I experienced.

This can be said of business models, older touring acts, and metal approaches to different things. Here's two things the fast food chains do well. There lights are always working correctly (save the rare personally owned franchise, and they always add update their menu, while remaining true to their specialty. I don't eat out much but I love to try whatever is the new big poster item...I know I can always come back to a big mac or a tray of tacos if it doesn't work out.

This is why you should let people hear your music for free at least early on, maybe when you reach whopper status and become a staple of their musical diet you can charge. But you got to be like that corner crack dealer giving the first hit for free. Just make sure it's a hit.

Right now the music industry is like food court at the mall their are a bunch of samples out there to try. Help me decide between the peanut chicken and the Sabarros by being so good, I have no choice but to become a consumer.

So keep your first impression strong, I know you've been doing this for years but don't let the light get dim keep shining keep your brand strong. And be so undeniably good that with just a taste I am wanting more, lots more. Have the goods ready to follow up the initial demand when the time comes.

j.

John Mayer

If you've never read the bio on John Mayer you should check it out.

Here's the thing that John Mayer does that makes him great. He gets better. If you listen to his "Any given Thursday" record and then listen to the latest live installment, you can hear the difference. As a listener you almost feel like you've watched the artist grow up, and grow into greatness. This is what happened with the Beatles right? We saw them become legends.

Most modern top forty acts are out to make a living, not to become legends. Jessy McCartney will never be a legend, T-Pain will not be a legend. Michael Jackson is a legend. Bands and acts that push the limits, that refuse to do just enough to get by, that connect with that innate desire in man to better himself, those are the legends.

Of course the acts I listed above played it safe in the beginning, they were undeniably good. They knew how to play by the rules. But once people were hooked they used their power to push music beyond it's limits.

This is what facebook did right? It played by the social network rules at the beginning and now is a the friendly giant of the internet. You know your in when apple is treating you like part of the family. It just keeps pushing the limits, it made a better chat system,a simpler aesthetic, a more intuitive tagging and link system, and then opened it up to its users to create what they wanted.

Hearing what your audience wants as opposed to telling them. What an interesting concept. But sometimes they don't know there is something better until you show them.
So show them.

j.

Sheryl Crow

Ok I went to the opening night of the SC tour here in Nashville last night. First of all I will say they only used about a third of the space in the Somet center and even that wasn't full, my section a few rows off the floor in the center was pretty empty.

Don't get me wrong she "rocked" the house but Nashville's a tough crowd. She moved pretty good for a 46 year old mom. Didn't sound bad either. She played a few more new songs than I wanted to hear but she played enough hits to keep my attention. NO FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST?! The encore made it for me...Stevie Wonders "Higher Ground".

James Blunt I have decided has no place in a room that size, maybe at exit in or a medium club ala "The bitter end" but not the somet center, he didn't have enough hits or a big enough sound to keep me for the hour ten he played...maybe that was part of the problem he played an hour ten. Last year John Mayer split the tour with Sheryl.

James Blunt is not John Mayer! Here again I say leave the audience wanting more. The guy played 4 songs after the radio single which is all we wanted to hear. If your an opening act you get 4 maybe five songs if you have a name, But not an hour and ten min. If your going to be up there that long you better at least play the roll or a Co-Liner and Introduce the next act or some thing.

I will say what got me the most was the light show. It was great. You the stage set looked clean like an I Pod commercial if the I pod came out in 1955. But then the pristine white stage turned out to be a bunch of lights, this was a nice mid concert surprise.

Fill the room your in...if your stage presence or voice can't carry past the coffee table, GET BETTER or GO HOME. Know your audience, know your venue. If it's a smaller venue people expect you to be personal, If your in a football stadium people expect you to be epic. In the words of the Beatles "Don't Let Me Down".
j.

One track mind

Where are the killer songs? The tracks you could listen to for hours and hours. The songs that change your summer, your mind, your attitude. They left when artists stopped worrying about pushing the limits and started enacting formulas.

Of course there are still some "artsy" bands out there. But with some of them the trade off for creativity with connectivity seems unbalanced. What do you have to offer the music world? I know you've got something. You are the only person who has your unique blend of music taste and life experience. Turn that into something mind blowing and you have a shot at breaking through.

Maybe there is a formula but it's not the one we've been using for the last fifteen years. Maybe the formula is Skill+talent+unique life experience+diverse musical influences=something unique and good.

One track thats all I want from you is one great track...then another and then another, but just give me one first. Show me you've got greatness inside...that there is a creative spirit in there. Not for yourself and not even for me, but for all of us. Because music needs it. Because history needs it's great sound track. Because your better than ordinary.

j.
j.

The Opening Knight....my thoughts on Batman

OK I went to the midnight showing, I got back at four am, and I'm still not sure what I think about this film. It had the explosions of an action movie, the angst of a drama, the heart of an indie film and the length of a documentary. Not to mentions the smattering glimpses of psychotic thriller.

None of which were awful just the amalgamation of all those parts was a bit dis-congealed. And by three am I was ready to be out of there. Great ending though, real inspiring almost made up for whatever else I didn't like.

It's not a kids movie (sorry Merrick) a little too dark I'd say. Probably not a good date movie either. This movie may have had a huge opening night, but I'm interested to see if it's the blockbuster they hoped for in the next few weeks.

j.