First and foremost, does anyone really care? Is anyone even listening to radio anymore, let alone satellite radio? Even XM fanatic Bob Lefsetz questions satellite’s viability:

… if you pony up, you find out you’re in the wilderness, not a member of any club, not one of any size, and that freaks you out and you abandon your subscription.

He’s right. And he’s not alone. And XM and Sirius only have themselves to thank.

Throughout both companies’ histories, as marketing efforts focused on the “big” names, i.e., Major League Baseball, The NHL, the NFL, Opie and Anthony, Howard Stern, Oprah, Martha Stewart, Starbucks, Ellen DeGeneres, Tyra Banks, etc, what was weird and wonderful about satellite radio began to fade.

Having been been on the inside at XM, I witnessed it firsthand. And for a little while there we (the programmers) believed.

We believed in the true art of radio, the craft, the connection between great music and fans and the curator behind the scenes — a veritable magic of sorts, as those of you who came up through 70s radio knew all too well.

XM Cofounder Lon Levin knew this. Certainly, former Programming Senior VP and Chief Creative Officer Lee Abrams knew this.

Their vision, in the beginning, was all about celebrating that magic. And it was, truly, a beautiful thing.

But then former CEO Hugh Panero brought in the new guard: Programming Executive VP Eric Logan and John Zellner, terrestrial radio’s Infinity kings… not exactly purveyors of Abrams’ wondrous, contagious irreverence, the driving force behind XM’s once-upon-a-time magic.

Across many of the music channels, playlists were slashed and it seemed that XM was becoming a virtual mirror of terrestrial radio, just without commercials. Except, suddenly, there were commercials. Zoikes.

And still today, the channels that are most interesting, most human (XM Kids, X Country, Liquid Metal, Fungus, The Rhyme, Fine-Tuning, The Joint, The Loft, etc.) chug on but go virtually unnoticed. What’s worse is that the talented curators behind them remain grossly overworked and, sadly, underpaid. But that’s another story…

The fact is, collectively, XM and Sirius have a point: our other content options are numerous and in many cases better. So why would we keep paying for a service that’s become not all that different then terrestrial radio, which we can get for free? Good question. And I’d love to say that Mel Karmazin’s gonna save the day. But it’s no secret that Mel’s a business guy, not a music guy. Certainly, he’s no Lee Abrams.

Yet, in theory, it could happen.

Maybe if instead of continuing to blindly throw marketing dollars at the anonymous masses, satellite radio got back to what it’s poised to do best: creating a haven for the “weird and wonderful” and thereby perpetuating the shared experience, a.k.a., Lefsetz’ membership to “the club.”

After all, the masses aren’t fans. And, I can’t say this enough, FANS are what you want. Fans invest in music. Fans invest in the club. Loyal, diehard, spread-the-buzz fans who, simply by virtue of their devotion, will sell your product for you.

And it just so happens that the most likely fans of things “weird and wonderful” are adults… age 35-65… 1/3 of the population… wielding $1 trillion in disposable income. Do I sound like a broken record?

Music Industry Professor Jerry Del Colliano, in a recent Post article:

Young customers don’t have the need that we older folks have to have someone knowledgeable about the music tell them what’s new. They have their social network to tell them what’s cool.

Damn straight. Earth to Mel!

So maybe if instead of trying to be everything to everyone, satellite radio embraced this rather sizable niche and got back to its roots of humans programming for humans, then maybe the magic would prevail and satellite radio would, at the very least, survive… or at the very best, emerge as our savior. Now that would be worth paying for.

© Outlandos Music^TM 2008

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From May 2007’s Quotables, Harp Magazine:

“Get off my fuckin’ telephone. Fuck off! Both words. Do you understand those?! Implicitly. Do you understand ‘em?!”
David Lee Roth, when reached for comment (on his cell phone) by Harp about the implosion of the Van Halen reunion tour.

Dear, dear David, I can’t tell you how much joy this quote has given me. Again and again.

So, when I heard that my favorite music zine closed up shop this month I was genuinely, seriously bummed.

The rumor was true: Harp Magazine, the unequivocal rock ‘n roll go-to music companion called it quits after a stellar seven-year stint.

The brainchild of Scott Crawford, Harp’s anti-elitist ability to make both legendary music-heavies and break-out newbies wonderfully accessible to fans went unmatched. At Harp, music was paramount — an ideal that the grossly fashion-laden pages of Rolling Stone lost long ago to TV, gossip, and pop-culture. Magically, Crawford and crew maintained an exceedingly smart but nonexclusive music-lovers haven, delightfully free of all that boring, overly burdensome insiders’ tech-lingo, rampant among industry, gear-head, and other stuck-up periodicals. And unlike Mojo, Pitchfork, etc., Harp was hip without out-hipping its readership. Cool but not too cool… the kind of magazine where women and men alike were welcome, never falling into that seemingly rampant assumption that Tweedy, Iggy, et al are “guy things.” Whatever!

Besides music, Harp’s additional reviews of what I’d call essential lifestyle accessories made me feel like they knew who I was… more than just a music fan… I mean, what impatient, grocery-shopping audiophile doesn’t need these? Genius.

Which brings me to the best part: Harp was FUN to read. We all know that oft- off-color, off-kilter, off-the-wall nature of all-things-music is a given. What I’ll miss most is Harp’s unabashed willingness to embrace and celebrate exactly this. Cue Dave Grohl, America’s next president.

Alas, as the music industry continues to implode (a good thing) and the digital world swallows up print (not so much a good thing), it’s not hard to understand why Harp was forced to throw in the towel. It is hard, for me at least, to understand why a world-class magazine like Harp wasn’t more in demand. But in a world where Groban is king… what can you say? “Power to the sheeple?”

© Outlandos Music^TM 2008

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For those of you who read this…
________________________________________
From: Kate Bradley
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 4:59 PM
To: ‘Bob Lefsetz’
Subject: RE: SXSW

Hey Bob, I just wanted to chime in here.

First, no one goes to sxsw to see bands like REM and Van Morrison… because eventually, they will come to a town near you and it will probably be a better show.  And REM was there on Wednesday this year, when most people hadn’t even arrived yet.  Those big acts are not the draw.  The draw, as you sort of mentioned is passion… sxsw is all about the fans.  And the bands that know that are the ones that benefit most.

Every time I’ve been, I’ve always come back with a new connection to a band that I didn’t know before or only barely knew.  And that connection is incredibly powerful… for me, it’s what made me find the record and play it on the radio, tell my friends about it, create buzz, etc…. everything in my power that I could do to spread the word came out of that connection.  And that connection happened not because I heard them online but because I went to a live show.  What could be better than that?  All the band has to do is connect with me and then I work for them, for free!  That’s what fans do.

In a nutshell, the “shared experience” of sxsw is through the roof.  And as an artist, what you want is to monetize [th]is shared experience.  You know this. I just can’t think of a better venue than sxsw that exemplifies this, really.

And my experience there that I’ve described above is not unique… the contagious emotion that sxsw in particular creates is undeniable.  It’s a wild, magical buzz that’s worth every bit of that hefty badge price for fans… one of the best things going, really.  The bands are amazing, the buzz is really fun and energetic… and chasing that buzz is all part of the weekend… the free microbrew, the great, cheap or free food, a killer town like Austin, top-notch sound systems, the surprises, all the great random conversations that you inevitably have with random people, and just an all-around five-star time.  The people I was zipping around with, bloggers, newspaper writers, booking agents, talent buyers, publicists, label reps, musicians, and regular old fans were all having the same experience.  That’s what’s especially nice.  Sxsw acts as a leveler… it doesn’t really matter what your music industry background is or if you have one at all. The point is, you are a fan and so is everyone else… and together, we agree to be taken on a journey by all these talented and interesting artists that the folks in Austin so lovingly gather up in one place, just for us.  God bless them.

So an “unsigned band” wants to get noticed, hell yes, by FANS.  That’s the point. Fans like me are what sxsw is for.  Fans are the new music business and you can bet your ass they are at sxsw. And if people don’t get that I’m not sure that they are fans… I’m not sure they even have a pulse… it’s pretty hard to miss.  Aren’t you a fan, Bob?  I know you are.  You, of all people would have an absolute blast.

As for the bands, what they get out of it is what they get out of every date on any tour… a chance to connect.  That’s where the money is.  Make me love you and I will come back, I will tell all my friends about you, I will buy your records.  They know that.  That’s why they go.  No one goes to get “signed.”  If they do, they are idiots.  Bands go to be heard, to create fans, to maximize the shared experience.  And sure, they can do this at any venue, not just sxsw.  But the draw to Austin is the brand.  And we all know that brand-labels work… and the reason they do is because they tap into lifestyle.  And sxsw embodies lifestyle, the lifestyle of a fan.  It’s a perfect storm.

And lastly, I mentioned radio, above, because that’s been my history but I was wondering why you even bothered to mention radio in this post or at all.  Radio is irrelevant.  Does it even exist anymore?  I just don’t even think it’s worth anyone’s breath.  Any musician that has a clue doesn’t give a shit about radio, and rightly so.  Of all things, sxsw is not about radio.  And I know some people try to make it so by rebroadcasting but really, all they are actually doing is saying “we were there and you weren’t, you sorry suckers.”  Brilliant.  Besides, so much of sxsw is visceral, not just about listening… so incredibly hard to translate over the radio.  In the same way when someone tells you “you have to see them live.”  It always sounds like a ploy until you actually do it.  But once you make that leap, you’re sold.  Priceless.

Rock ‘n roll,

Kate

© Outlandos Music^TM 2008

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Saturday night, March 15

6:16 p.m. (me to Walter) Downstairs-no rush
6:18 p.m. (Walter to me) Let me put on my shoes and I’ll be down
6:18 p.m. (me to Walter) Kay

Shoes, right. My feet really hurt…

6:20 p.m. (me to my massage therapist) Got anytime monday?

Dinner. The first actual sitdown meal I’ve had in three days.

7:48 p.m. (Stephen to me) We R at Stubbs for Duffy were R U
8:07 p.m. (me to Stephen) Now?
8:08 p.m. (Stephen to me) Duffy at Stubbs
8:09 p.m. (me to Stephen) Coming
8:10 p.m. (Stephen to me) Right in front of soundboard
8:10 p.m. (me to Stephen) K

The line is too long at Stubbs. Forget it… damn. Next.

8:12 p.m. (me to Merritt) Where r u
8:13 p.m. (Merritt to me) Emos for oppenheimer and joe lean! You?
8:14 p.m. (me to Merritt) Coming
8:15 p.m. (Nick to me) Sorry, just saw this. We are having an afterhours tonight at the suite tonight around 2. Swing by.
8:19 p.m. (me to Merritt) Im here where r u?

The “you’re okay to drink” stamp at Emo’s. Brilliant.

8:21 p.m. (Gabe to me) Going to stubbs at 9 for okerville river come
8:22 p.m. (me to Gabe) Emos jolean
8:58 p.m. (Hank to me) Im @ spiros for the eyeball records showcase. Where are you?
8:59 p.m. (me to Hank) Emos jolean!
9:03 p.m. (Hank to me) Ur right around the corner. Lets meet up in a bit. My buddy astronautalis is on in 30 min. Best emcee ever.
9:13 p.m. (Stephen to me) At Boubacar Diebate from Senegal - he is Just Amazing!
9:21 p.m. (me to Stephen) Got stuck n line@duffy.jolean blowing my mind @ the moment-emos

Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong
Think Freddie Mercury meets the Clash. Unreal.

9:24 p.m. (Stephen to me) Sorry I miised Jolesn -choices, choices!
9:25 p.m. (me to Stephen) I kno killn me

At some point around now, we killed time doing this. For some reason, our “confession” hasn’t been posted yet. Good thing.

9:54 p.m. (me to Gabe, Hank & Nick) Club deville darondo
9:56 p.m. (Gabe to me) Steve earl son red fly
10:02 p.m. (Nick to me) I will be there
10:04 p.m. (me to Nick) Awesome! hasnt started yet
10:05 p.m. (me to Walter) Just saw jolean-fucking killer!
10:15 p.m. (Walter to me) I was thinking about that one. Sorry I missed it.
10:20 p.m. (me to Walter) Blew my freakin mind
10:53 p.m. (Hank to me) U still there?
10:56 p.m. (me to Hank) Yes

Darondo, by the way is this guy.

11:00 p.m. (me to Hank) Just started
11:06 p.m. (Hank to me) Bethere in a min
11:11 p.m. (me to Hank) Im @ stage left sittin on ramp
11:23 p.m. (me to Merritt & Karl) Freakin rules my brite wite funkyass!
11:34 p.m. (Merritt to me) Whpped cream!

Mingering Mike is suddenly standing next to me… awesome.

11:35 p.m. (me to Merritt) Look @ me!

Mingering Mike & me

11:38 p.m. (Hank to me) Dont see u. This song is hilarious.
11:49 p.m. (Hank to me) See u up there. No idea how 2 get there.
11:50 p.m. (me to Hank) Yeh baby
12:32 a.m. (me to Gabe) Bed
12:34 a.m. (Stephen to me) Mick Jones of the Clash singing the Sopranos Theme Song!
12:35 a.m. (me to Stephen) Shut up! Youtube that shit
12:36 a.m. (Gabe to me) K. See you in morn. Xxx00000000

Approximately 1:30 a.m., Sleeping.

1:51 a.m. (Nick to me) Come to our afterhours at the suite.

Approximately 6:30 a.m., wake up and catch flight home. Zzzzzzzzzzz.

© Outlandos Music, 2008

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The power of relatable, transcendent music and its ability to create contagious emotion — the kind of emotion that people are willing to pay for — is undeniable. Just ask the folks at SXSW.

For a hefty $650 (slightly cheaper for early purchasers), an all-access badge gets you a wonderfully overwhelming onslaught of music, curated by one of the best festivals in the country. 1500+ artists, 70+ venues.

And that’s not all… the frenzied anticipation and planning… the Austin-destined airport travelers’ camaradarie… the friendly shared-taxicab introductions… the first mouth-watering BBQ sandwich of the weekend… the surprise discovery of that elusive, most-buzzed-about day party… the endless free micro-brew… the frantic meet-up text-messaging, somehow finding time to make the obligatory trip to Allens Boots or to pick up a “Keep Austin Weird” bumper sticker… and the random conversations with fellow enthusiastic concertgoers, all happily squeezed shoulder to shoulder throughout clubs and bars and coffee shops and record stores and art galleries — anywhere a band can find a stage.

Every year, both the music and this wildly, visceral connection to mostly strangers who share a love for music — this is what that $650 price tag is worth, every cent.

Again, the shared experience. Yippee ki-yay.

If you are traveling to Austin, keep an eye out for me, I’d love to meet you! When I’m not running around with my head cut off, I’ll be here, emceeing all night.

© Outlandos Music^TM 2008

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I hate February — on a Leap Year, especially. Seasonal Affective Disorder, Cabin Fever, who knows? Let’s just say I’m ecstatic it’s officially March.

If, by chance your own February blues are still lingering, here’s a few songs that I had on replay last month which gave me solace:

There’s No Love in February by the Orion Experience
I actually found this in the catalog at Pump Audio last year. Talk about a hidden gem. Think Fountains of Wayne if they had a chick on co-lead vocals… in kind of a B-52s sort of way. Superfun! In fact, Cosmicandy is loaded with a ton of great songs and fully worth your dollars. I’m dying to see them live.

Somebody to Love by Jim Boggia
Anyone brave enough to cover Queen and do it this well is 5-stars in my book. You might know Jim from his other band, 4 Way Street (Jim Boggia, Ben Arnold, Joseph Parsons, and Scott Bricklin).

If You Were Here by Cary Brothers
I like to call Cary the “Lamb/Lion.” He’s got this romantic, tempered, passionate thing going that explodes into a one hell of a feral roar, exemplified in this Thompson Twins cover, as the song slowly builds from tender lullaby to all-out rocker. Pure genius. And a throwback to Sixteen Candles is always good. You’ll remember Cary from the Garden State soundtrack and if you haven’t yet seen his Hotel Cafe© Tour, you must, must, must.

Ragdoll by David Geraghty
Irish multi-instrumentalist for Bell X1, David’s solo work is stunning. This song reminds me of equal parts Nick Drake and Ray Lamontagne. March tour dates for Bell X1 are posted here and for added double bonus, try and catch them when The Submarines are scheduled as the opening act.

Save a Little Honey by Peter Himmelman
You know the lovely, legendary Peter. This is off his latest record, The Pigeons Couldn’t Sleep. This song in particular, I just can’t stop listening to it. It makes me happy :-).

© Outlandos Music^TM 2008

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