~ The Electric Factory ~

There is something majestically free spirited about the open road.

west road drive peace

You know the only sport I ever stretch my vocal chords over, or kick a chair in frustration over - is Soccer. That is purely to do with the spontaneity & extremely unpredictable outcome in the dying minutes of a game. Drama. A football game can be a blowout, ditto for basketball, but I found out last night baseball has those similar moments to soccer where the game literally isn’t over till it’s over. I’ve never been a baseball fan, & still probably won’t be. However I’ll admit for the first time tonight, I’m excited to watch game 7 of the World Series. It’s poised beautifully. TjB

world series baseball cardinals rangers st louis texas

Breakthroughs

Don’t sit here and lament “American Idol”, laud Simon Fuller for coming up with the concept of “Pop Idol” and extending the brand.

And while you’re at it, give credit to Lou Pearlman, who created the boy band paradigm when no one wanted it.

You can’t look in the rearview mirror. You must look ahead, into the unknown. Creativity is about risk. And you can fail dramatically or succeed wildly, you won’t know until you try.

This is why we shrug our shoulders when a twelve year old rips off Jimmy Page’s licks and we’re entranced by less than perfect singers performing original material. Anyone can imitate, but can you innovate?

Innovation starts with a blank slate. Sure, you bring all you’ve learned, the tools to the table. But innovation cannot be proven by theorem, there’s no research that will tell you you’ve got a success on your hands. Rather you fly by your wits, your gut, you do what feels right instead of what looks right.

There is stagnation at the major labels because there’s no innovation. They’re dying because they’re not selling anything new. Despite having tons of money, they take no risk. This is what is hurting them more than P2P and the breaking of their distribution monopoly. One great thing about art is we want the original, we want the Beatles, not an imitator, sign the original and you can win for years. But you’ve got to take the risk. And now that music is more business than art, no one wants to.

The public is clueless. Did the public know it wanted “Idol”? Did the public know it wanted boy bands? Did the public know it wanted Kickstarter, to fund its favorites’ projects? Of course not. But when confronted with the opportunity, people jumped.

“X Factor” will never break out, never be gigantic, because people see it as me-too.

“Survivor” was huge because no one had ever seen anything like it before. The initial finale had the ratings of a playoff game. But now I no longer watch, because not only is the series the same, the players have seen it and have altered their behavior accordingly. It’s like watching “The Real World”… Reality is no longer real, it’s about people who want to be famous executing the paradigm, and we’re less interested.

Just like Simon Fuller became rich via television, so did Mark Burnett. That’s one of the great things about entertainment, it’s not about your c.v. as much as it is about your idea. Knowing people helps. As does paying your dues. “Pop Idol” and “Survivor” were not their creators’ first projects. For everybody at home thinking they’re going to be an overnight success…the people who appear that way rarely are.

The next great musical act will not come from a television show, certainly not one that’s based on competition. It’ll synthesize what came before in a new way. I’ve always marveled that no one has tried to be the new Beatles. Imagine boy bands that could write as well as sing, with songs featuring not only harmonies, but bridges. If Backstreet Boys could write, they’d still be superstars today, the songs were rich with feeling, but they were utterly meaningless, and that which sustains has more than nougat at the core.

You can tell the visionaries from the lemmings. The visionaries are confident. What they’re selling is not like everything else. On one hand you think their product is an utter failure, on the other you’re intrigued, it just might work.

No one knew they wanted Napster. Hell, most people didn’t even know they wanted MP3s. But once they experienced the ability to acquire music via the Internet, at home, they were hooked. Especially when rarities surfaced.

The innovators drag the masses into the future. Some are unwilling, those invested in the old ways and the Luddites. As soon as people start saying the old way was better, you know to forget them. Not everything new is great. But our entire culture is based upon the new. We’re not going backward, we’re going forward.

And it’s your responsibility to take us there.

american idol pop idol music making singing music art

One of the coolest photos I’ve seen of Slowhand. Glad I spotted this.

fuckyeahericclappy

Yes, yes & yes!

Love when any new Cream or Clapton related photo is unraveled. My day just got better….

paulieloves

Booker White - Aberdeen Mississippi Blues

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So for all the musical posing out there this should humble a few people. Certainly humbles me. Excuse me while I go brush off these goosebumps.

P.S… I think Justin Bieber has similar lyrics of heartbreak as these delta singers…..hmmm? gotta love 2011. - TjB

do the butterflies ever disappear? — Asked by teressafoglia

Hmmm…..if you’re talking about do butterflies ever disappear at all, then yes, of course they do! However it seems no matter how big or small the venue is to facilitate my music, I still manage to facilitate butterflies in my stomach.

Although the irony is, the nervousness is geared and built up for the “big moment” when in actual fact, the best way to annihilate all anxiety is to get playing the “big moment” as soon as possible.

I think a bit of nerves is a good thing to have no matter how experienced, talented, famous or successful you are as a musician. Or any performer for that matter. How can you play a good show if you don’t feel the need to be on you toes. Ya feel me? ;) -TjB

La Liga leaders Real Madrid lock horns with defending champions FC Barcelona this evening in one of the most highly anticipated games in the history of El Clasico.This is a colossal battle that has griped the imagination of Spain—the biggest club game on the planet that has come to be known as the “Match of the Millennium”. These two teams have been locked together at the summit of La Primera Division for weeks and I can’t wait to see the outcome between a beautifully playing Barca & Jose Mourinho’s new found Real Madrid. This fixture always produces something special, and so I’m betting a bit of magic tonight. (Hopefully in the shape of Lionel Messi….No, I am not a neutral in this fixture)

I have to thank Mr. Mayer for posting this article. As one of the thousands of kids who played in his room for hours on end, to SRV, I could not agree more with the contribution on music Stevie Ray gave to me individually & to the guitar world in general. You were the man SRV. Rest in Peace. -TjB

jhnmyr:

20 years ago today, the world lost one of the best guitar players of all time, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevie defined my love of blues music and my passion to spend as many waking hours as I could with a guitar in my hands. I never met him and I never saw him play live, but he changed my life forever. Stevie quite literally gave me a career in music. Today I’m not John Mayer the famous musician, I’m John, the kid from the Connecticut suburbs who discovered a style of music that spoke for me when nothing else did. And I post this in honor of both Stevie and the thousands of undiscovered guitar players who shut the doors to their rooms, dim the lights and play along to the music of Stevie Ray Vaughan and find their escape through a Fender Stratocaster. Please watch this man play “Texas Flood” from his 1983 performance at the El Macambo. Thank you Stevie.

jhnmyr

So forget heart candy, chocolate or cute cards on Valentines…..this will do just fine for me. Hmm mmm….. -TjB

fuckyeahpizza

A Placeholder for Brilliance

Often times when staring out into space, those around me will ask me if I am okay, or inquire as to what I am thinking about. (I’ve always found the question “what are you thinking about?” to be one of the most invasive moves of all time.) I usually try and avoid the truth and discourage being asked again by answering with something like “I was just thinking about what you look like with an axe through your head, Tom”, but most of the time, I’m thinking about my brilliant theory.

My brilliant theory is simple in its explanation, but quickly blossoms into a flora of interpretation. By understanding my theory, we can move towards a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Its tenets will have impact not only in the area of personal growth but also that of business, athletics, and in some cases, non-violent pillaging.

This theory will spawn a book, which will be emblazoned with a two word title. These two words will be stacked one atop the other, and will use a very costly prismatic de-bossing effect to dazzle the eye. My name will share roughly the bottom half of the book cover, with a band of text at the bottom to round things out. This text will be a testimonial from a well respected peer and will read something to the effect of “a compelling and empowering page-turner that musn’t be missed. - Chuck Yeager.” Because I will have blazed the trail on this theory, I will be free to name many sub-structures of my theory. Phrases like “Mind Fingering”, “The ‘Say, Say, Say’ Effect” and “Dramastic Change” will enter the flow of our cultural lexicon, where they will stay for several months.

This theory will dramatically reconfigure our social hierarchy. Using the workbook appendix in the back of the book, Americans will redefine who they look up to; the entertainers they enjoy, and the political leaders they follow.

This theory will be in constant danger of being undermined by those who feel it is a narrow-minded and foolhearty aberration of pop psychology. I will take to the cable news discussion circuit, where upon defending my point of view I will make Nancy Grace weep. Bill O’Reilly will end production of his show after realizing that the debate has brought chapter eight of my book to life. I will unpin the microphone from my sweater and spend the remainder of the night abusing alcohol. (Chapter ten.)

I have all these plans in place; I’m just working on just what in the hell my theory is. So please don’t bother me when I’m looking out into space, because you could be taking my mind off what just might save humanity as we know it.

So that ‘youtube’ page is on my computer screen & I’m not sure what I intend to search or watch at this point? Then the words ‘Detroit Ghetto’ roll through my head. This is what I found.
If I am being completely honest, this video really brought my naivety under the microscope. I always knew Detroit was considered to be one of the most dangerous cities in America but the severity of it’s run down dilapidated neighborhoods is extremely unsettling. If ever a director need shoot an post-apocalyptic film, these forgotten streets of Detroit might be the perfect place to encapsulate the ominous forecast needed. I’m not writing this with the intent to exploit Detroit’s inner city problems (God knows every city has it’s difficulties) or point the finger and laugh at Michigan’s largest city. I’m merely astonished by the extreme exterior visual of these neighborhoods and the contrast between my world and this is beyond night & day. The music only enhanced that sense of demoralization. A feeling Hollywood seldom implants into me these days. See what I mean….-T