Not unlike the rest of the world, Outlandos HQ has had Michael Jackson on perpetual replay. RIP the King.

1. Michael Jackson, Thriller

I’d forgotten what a monster album this was. I’d also forgotten that it’s important to wear socks if you’re going to attempt moonwalk. But the second time was the charm:

xo

I can’t say this enough. Assume everyone’s a lazy idiot. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to find you. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to care. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to give you my money.

No matter what your business (musicians included), it’s your job to go out and find fans. Assume that they otherwise won’t find you. So while putting up a website is nice, who cares? It’s nothing if you can’t get people to GO TO IT and BUY YOUR SHIT. Newsletters, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc… if you’re still pooh-poohing any of these, wake the fuck up (and then call me).

Because it’s not enough to just get out there… you have to lure your fans in: you have to create compelling content that can be shared. Certainly, a quality end-product (your CD) helps. But remember: how I feel about you is directly proportional to how much money I’m willing to give you, no matter how good the record is. Quality is secondary to connection. Which is why social marketing is everything. Newsletters people want to read. Tiny URLs people actually click. Blog posts people forward around….

xo

As always, taking our cue from Seth Godin… the idea being that what unites us is more than music, an axiology that extends from the music to our music-lover lifestyles: how we vote, what we drive, what we eat, what we wear, etc. The point is, we’re a tribe connected by a vibe… hence, this month’s compendium:

1. Good Pairings
Simply put:

… and my guess is, many of you do as well. Which is why we are implementing something new on The Daily Dose starting next month. A wine and cheese pick each day to go with each pair of songs, stemming from our idea of making music tactile again. Spearheading the tasty tastemaking will be Chris Stamey bassist and Whole Foods specialty cheese buyer/wine expert John Chumbris. Cheers!

2. Good Filters

Naturally, that’s in part what we aim to be with The Daily Dose. A trusted resource to cut through the noise for you. SmartBrief on Social Media has the same goal (they make my life easier every single day) and were nice enough to publish our piece on the value of emotional value last week. Invaluable exposure. Thanks Smarties!

3. Good Neighbors

It’s a team effort folks. Which is why every little bit helps. Every time you read this blog. Every time you forward it to a friend. Every time you link out to it on your own blogs. Thanks to all of you as always and also thanks to the folks at Westchester Magazine, who gave our Daily Dose it’s first pressI

4. Good Friends

Here’s where the magic happens folks… the Outlandos studio!

Really, it’s my friend Keir’s home studio. Keir is a five-star producer and believe me, I have ridiculously high standards. Every couple of weeks, I ply him with a sixpack and we record all of the voice tracks you hear on The Daily Dose.

5. Good Tips

On the note of friends & filters…

… this from my dear friend Karl: “free mp3’s (right click to save) including the rare Cocksucker Blues. You didn’t hear it from me.

xo

Every year I give my public radio station $100. It’s not much but essentially, they guilt me into it. But what’s more, I get something in exchange. Yes, there’s the programming. But that’s not the only reason why I give them money that, to be honest, as a fledgling entrepreneur, I frankly just don’t have. One fund drive a year, early in the summer, they ply me with an incentive I can’t refuse: two tickets to any Philadelphia Orchestra concert I choose at SPAC (my favorite venue in the world). What’s more is you can bring a picnic, a bottle of wine, meet up with friends, sprawl out on a blanket and gaze up at the stars — to the soundtrack of literally, some of the finest musicians in the world. It’s become a tradition. An experience that, altogether, is worth the $100, if not more.

What’s interesting is that they (public radio) go back to this well (my pocket) every year. And it never dries up. They are masterful. They have me (and my credit card) without reserve.

Two essential things are at play here. First and foremost, there’s outstanding quality on several fronts (world-class radio, a world-class orchestra, a world-class venue). But that’s not enough. Radio is free. Music is, essentially, free. The grounds at SPAC are open to public most any day — for free. My experience, however, is not free; and therefore, infinitely valuable. How I feel is worth every penny. And it’s this association of multiple senses (sound, sight, and taste) along with the ability to share it among friends that drives my emotion… which in turn compels my wallet.

The take-away, then, runs across all content-creation models — be it food, poetry, painting, music, etc.: sell me a shared experience. Not only will you get my money (even when I don’t have it to give) but also free publicity (as I brag to all my friends).

xo

Guest Post this week from another one of my faves, Salim Nourallah (who you heard on The Daily Dose 05/18/09) and who’s been on tour in Europe recently:

dear Europe

thank you for these past 3 weeks
thank you for your lush green fields
nicely manicured highways
friendly people
bowls of cheese
castles
thank you for Casa Buskies and the Astra Stubbe in Hamburg
Basti
Gunther
Matthias
Lars
thank you for their smiles and hand clapping
thank you for Berlin and the double-decker bus tour
the Hotel Adina were I swear David Bowie must also stay
whenever he visits Berlin
thank you for the great Italian food we ate while the rain poured
thank you for making the rain stop in time for us to walk back to the Adina
thank you for Potsdam and the Sanssouci Palace
for the beautiful weather that day and plenty of time before Magdeburg
thank you for Jan and his nice comment about buying Nourallah Brothers 10 years ago
thank you for mysteriously fixing my video camera
for the Atlanta Hotel (instead of another dive!) in Neukirchen-Vluyn (where else?)
for Marcus at Kulturrampe in Krefeld
and the German fan who said he was attending Eastwood High
in El Paso in 1978
thank you for the Ulenspeigel in Giessen
and the nice promoter Toby who is going to Kansas soon
thank you for the Café NUN in Karlsruhe
the perfect sound and audience
my friend Mark and his family at the ex-convent
the man in the front row who said he loved all my records
and requested “It’s Not Enough”
thank you for scenic and peaceful Bacharach
our room in the tower
our walk up to the Castle
the nice lady who gave Gavin hot chocolate
Castle Burg Eltz and the knight show from Gavin
thank you Rastatte and Aachen plus a packed house
all the people smiling and singing along with me
for the 3rd time in 4 years now
thank you for letting me see my friends Jan and Walter again
and also for G to have a chance to play with Henri
thank you for our safe and pleasant drive to the South of France
and for our friends Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby
Le Lawrence D’Arabie and the great pizza from Nico and Sabine
Emmanual and his enthusiasm for the Clash and Gavin’s Wreckless E t-shirt
thank you for all the people who bought t-shirts and cds
and even asked for me to sign them
thank you for the stories from E about Stiff
the Captain and punk rock
for the ride in his white van to Les Toques
and for the girl who danced in French to my acoustic pop songs
thank you for giving me the chance to play music with a hero of mine
thank you for our amazing flat in Paris
and our friends Maureen and Cody
for showing us round
thank you for Pere Lachais
the canal ride
pastries and Paris at night
Gavin cried when we left
thank you for 3 weeks I will never forget
that I luckily got to spend with my two favorite people (Jayme and Gavin)
maybe some of G’s first lasting memories were made on this trip?
I hope so…it would be a very nice place to start

Love

s

Salim’s new record is Constellation, which you can hear here. Do!

The Tribune has the story.

I knew Jay a bit (John was my boyfriend at the time) during his Wilco years, my favorite Wilco years; the Jay years.

Straight-ahead guitar-rock Wilco will always be my Wilco: Monday, I Got You (At the End of the Century), Outtasite (Outta Mind), I even loved Summerteeth, which almost no one did. And while Spiders (Kidsmoke) is definitely on my top 100 of all time, this new, accessible Wilco isn’t the one that’s in my heart.

Jay was an indescribable talent. I don’t know what else to say.

Apparently, all shameless self-promotion all the time… which means no list for you this week folks. In part because what actually has been playing at Outlandos HQ, nonstop, is our little labor of love, The Daily Dose.

Click the big ole fat white arrow below to hear today’s two songs, in sequence. You’ll see. It’s kind of like bite-sized, old-school radio.

Heads up that while listening, you can also purchase the songs via Amazon or iTunes (when available) by clicking their respective icons. For more info about each song/artist/album (including video, when available), click the button that has an “i” in it on the right. To see a list of previous songs featured, click the little white arrow pointing left in the upper left-hand corner. For an e-mail list of past archives, click little white box with an arrow in it in the upper left-hand corner. To e-mail a friend about The Daily Dose or to embed it on your blog or webpage, click the “share” button in the upper right-hand corner. To join me in losing my mind, try making one of these babies yourself :-).

Seriously, hope you dig it and if you do please do tell your friends (that’s that “share” button I mentioned above). I can’t do it without you.

xo