OT: I really want your honest thoughts....

[TRAGChick]

Here goes:

Why are people afraid to support New, Original Music.....but yet will bitch and complain that there's NOTHING NEW, FRESH, OR RELEVANT TO LISTEN TO ANYMORE???

[conversationpc]

Most of the new music I listen to anymore isn't very popular or even have a snowball's chance in hell at being popular simply because most people are either satisified with the stale pop music scene or just don't want to bother with finding new, interesting music.

[tammy]

Who do you mean? I'm not afraid...I do buy new songs from current artists that really appeal to me. Are you referring to those not with a label?

[TRAGChick]

Who do you mean?

TRAG.

I'm not afraid...I do buy new songs from current artists that really appeal to me. Are you referring to those not with a label?

I'm referring to people that claim to support us, and then never show up at shows! WTF??

Because of this, Clubs in our area won't give us the time of day.....Mark just called me to tell me yet ANOTHER club called him to say,

"Thanks, but NO THANKS...."

[conversationpc]

Who do you mean?

TRAG.

I'm not afraid...I do buy new songs from current artists that really appeal to me. Are you referring to those not with a label?

I'm referring to people that claim to support us, and then never show up at shows! WTF??

Because of this, Clubs in our area won't give us the time of day.....Mark just called me to tell me yet ANOTHER club called him to say,

"Thanks, but NO THANKS...."

I would come and see you guys if I lived in your area. If you're ever in the Indianapolis area, let me know.

[tammy]

If I lived in CT I'd come see you, Nora.

I have to be honest, 'tho...I don't go looking for music - I let it FIND ME. It has to speak to me. Sometimes, it is something a person might post, or maybe I hear it on the radio, flipping on VH1, or on a store PA. A few times I just went & grabbed something new & played it, but it didn't work for me. Once I bought the wrong artist's CD that someone mentioned & guess what? I loved the "wrong" CD so much, so that worked out well.

It's serendipitous. And, it's the mood.

One night I was driving & had some random radio station (I think it was alternative) on & the tail end of a song came on & I immediately was attracted to it - but, I couldn't find the name when I scanned the radio website playlist. I'm still bummed - I don't even know what radio station it was now. But, I also wonder if I did find it would I have the same attraction to it?

That's how I found Journey & SP's music again...it came back to me. I had forgotten it for over 20 yrs.

Besides that I'm poor & have to be very selective with music (I actually buy & don't illegally download).

[Wally_Hatchet]

It's like that everywhere.

Clubs want good cover bands that get people dancing and drinking, that play music everyone grew up listening to, then they will allow you to "sneak" a couple of originals in there each set. That way, the club owners and crowd are happy and that gives you the opportunity to get your stuff heard.

Fair or not fair, that is just the way it is for original bands around here...

[SusieP]

That's why we do covers Nora.
I'd rather sing covers for my living than not sing at all.
It's the way it is.

I don't do a Tribute to anybody, I sing their songs as 'me' but if the audience are getting familiar songs sung well, everyone is happy.
Sometimes [if you really really need to sing] you have to give up doing your original stuff and just sing.
A life without song is just no fun.

[Sassie]

I would difinitely go see you if I was close or you came around here. I would love to see you.

[RunningAlone Pgh]

I'm referring to people that claim to support us, and then never show up at shows! WTF??

Because of this, Clubs in our area won't give us the time of day.....Mark just called me to tell me yet ANOTHER club called him to say,

"Thanks, but NO THANKS...."

Hey Nora!

You guys are terrific and from what I've seen you've gotten wonderful reviews, too. Do you think it's that people have become too lazy to have to "learn" the new stuff? It's much easier to sing along with something old & familiar. That's the only reason I can figure. Wish you were closer to Pittsburgh ~ I'd be there and bringing friends!

I can't help thinking that with the kind of talent you have success will happen, but life sure puts you through hell in the meantime. doesn't it?

BTW, meant to tell you how much I like that pic of you and Mark in your avatar. Makes me think of the two of you by the glow of the mixing board.

Kim

[Deb]

A life without song is just no fun.

Couldn't agree with that more SusieP! I myself am not musically inclined, but I sure do appreciate people that are and good music. Some people wonder how ya can watch a concert dvd more than once or listen to the same music over and over.
LOL those are usually the same people that can sit in front of the idiot box (TV) for hours on end. You can take the tv, but don't try taken my music away! Some people need a drink to be the life of the party.......just give me great music...LOL...same result!

If you ever get up to Canada, Nora.............

[jrnychick]

I'm sorry to hear this, Nora! I will be honest with you though. I'm only speaking for MYSELF here, but I rarely go to bars anymore. If I go to a bar to see a band (maybe once a year), I want to see someone who I know from previous experience that I will enjoy, or someone who is recommended to me by a friend. I just can't see spending money (and my time) on an unknown. My hubby and I don't go out a lot, so when we do go out with friends, we want to be able to talk to them.

[ArnelRox]

Why are people afraid to support New, Original Music.....but yet will bitch and complain that there's NOTHING NEW, FRESH, OR RELEVANT TO LISTEN TO ANYMORE???

I'm trying to think back to the 80s here. Oh it was so long ago... Did my friends & I ever go out to a bar to hear ALL original music? I dont think we did or if we did, it was by accident. Usually we went to a bar where we knew they had a band & usually that band played a mixture of covers & some of their own music. Or we went to hear a band someone told us about. I still do that now. I dont think much has changed. Oh sure there were occasions when we'd hear about an up & coming band that was going to be playing at X or Y joint. But that wasnt that often.

If u see a band several times, u get to like some of their originals. I was just down in Marathon, FL last week & we always go to one little late nite seedy joint to hear their house band & I always ask for their originals. They can get away w/a whole set of their own originals. It's good stuff. Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys pops in & sings w/them every now & then.

Do u do ANY covers in ur sets at all Nora? Would u consider doing more covers & just SOME of ur originals? Hope I'm not insulting u by asking that.

[TRAGChick]

Thanx guys, for your honesty....I really appreciate it!

I mean, since I've been unemployed, I've been "doin' the Hustle" ~ calling radio stations; sending out emails, mp3s, press kits, etc....there's a station RIGHT ACROSS THE SOUND ~ "WLIR" ~ I've left I don't know HOW MANY messages with the Program Director....

....and zilch. Our stuff would WORK on that station!!

Also, for what it's worth.....I've even been in contact with VH1.com to update our TRAG page with the new PressKit material.....hell, in a FIT, I told Mark ~ didn't ask him; TOLD him ~ that we are doing a Video.

YouTube; the whole nine.....I know a guy who owns his own Production Co., who'd be willing to help out.

[Just_Plain_Eric]

Nora, being an independent artist can be very frustrating. Remember that it is an honor and a priviledge to be able to perform for people and sing your songs!

There are many people in the audience who would love to be able to get up onstage and sing and play but they can't for whatever reason...


Don't let the biz get you down! Remember how good it feels to have someone tell you how one of your songs touched them in some way. Beats the sh*t out of accounting

E

[*Laura]

Why are people afraid to support New, Original Music.....but yet will bitch and complain that there's NOTHING NEW, FRESH, OR RELEVANT TO LISTEN TO ANYMORE???

Not sure if you can say that people are afraid to support new music.I'd say that the market is over-saturated with new music that no one cares about .
Too much work,too little time,at least for the average music consumer.
Or,some people just listen to the old stuff they know.They might be too lazy to search for something new,or even be interested in new names as long as they have something familiar to listen too.Perhaps this is one of the reasons why cover bands can make a decent living

On the other hand,indeed,most of the new music IS irrelevant.It's like almost everything's been said and done,I don't hear true inspired songs anylonger coming from unknown acts,so why bother perusing through all these new names?
Not saying that I do that,no.Fortunately I love discovering new names and listening to new songs.I am searching for new music.
But the majority of the people can live without this,they're simply not interested to find new music.And when the new music gets to them instead,they're too busy,lazy or apathetic to give it a chance.


Not necessarily related to what you have asked,Nora,but I remembered one of Bob Lefsetz articles...Echoes my feelings exactly.
Ever read this one?
Might give you a few answers about how much everything has changed....



"I can't get over what a non-event the release of an album is today.
Oh, the media trumpets the dropping of these discs like the second
coming. But no one's paying attention. Well, that's not really true, VERY
FEW PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION!

We used to live in a small universe. Fewer than 5,000 albums were
released a year. And people like us, we knew every one. Now nobody knows
every one, and not many people care that they're uninformed. But it
gets worse, sales superstars like Avril Lavigne release "monster hit
singles" that nobody hears. "Girlfriend"? A hit in the media, but most of
America has never heard it.

Then there's Patti Smith's covers album. She just got inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she's riding a wave of publicity she
hasn't been the beneficiary of since the seventies. But will anybody buy
her record?

Not many.

Doesn't matter how good it is, most people don't care.

And it's not Patti. If you're a heritage artist putting out a new
record...nobody wants it. They just want to hear your old stuff.

And if you don't have a big time rep, then you're not going to break
through, unless you sell your soul to the promotion/marketing machine,
and then you STILL won't go platinum probably, and you'll just be a
footnote in the history of music.

What the hell is going on?

Back before publications like the L.A. "Times" printed new album
previews, we were hungry for the new discs of our favorite bands. We wanted
to hear all the new albums, maybe someone would surprise us and we'd
BECOME a fan. Now, an act has a hard core of dedicated fans and that's
IT!

But it gets worse. Household names? They don't have a dedicated sales
base. Oh, they might be able to tour if they're from the classic rock
era, but all those famous people from the last forty years, they can't
sell tonnage. NOBODY CAN SELL TONNAGE!

Oh, let's not make it black and white. There might still be phenomena.
Nickelback is a phenomenon. Then again, their initial monster hit
predated this new era. People were still listening to Top Forty radio
and watching MTV when "How You Remind" me broke. Same band releases same
initial single today? Much less impact. Hell, let's look at it this
way, if Nickelback's latest album had come out at the turn of the
decade, at the height of CD sales, it would have gone diamond, done in
excess of ten million in the U.S., I have no doubt. KID ROCK went diamond,
and he had FEWER HITS!

We read about these new discs, it's as if these acts can sell records,
but they can't. And sure, there's no more Tower and the big boxes are
stocking fewer albums, but the real story is there's just no focus.
There's a coterie of not quite adolescent girls following the mainstream,
and then everybody else is off in his own niche.

Used to be an album release was just the beginning. It was like
starting a fire on "Survivor". Once you had your flint and your logs, you
were gonna blow on the tinder, if you did it right you were gonna have a
CONFLAGRATION! Now the PEAK is when the record drops. It's all
downhill from there. Oh, a few discs build. But most just fade off into
oblivion. They're run up the flagpole and then they disappear, as the
media runs another record up the flagpole.

Acts used to be excited. We've got an album coming out! We and the
label are going to build it into a raging success! No you're not, if
you're lucky you already have a road audience and you'll sell the disc to
the people coming to the show, or actually AT the show.

Don't buy the hype. All those stories, all the reviews, almost
nobody's paying attention! Who could, it's overwhelming!

But the media and the music business don't stop. If the public isn't
interested in reading the reviews of a zillion new records and stories
of how they're being made, how come they're printing this stuff ANYWAY?
And if you can't release a record with the hope of it going platinum,
why are you investing so much money, time and effort? If you're only
going to sell 25,000, maybe you should cut the album more cheaply and
maintain a really good mailing list to get the word out, rather than
employing high-priced publicists who try to reach the masses who don't
give a shit.

This is reality. The blockbuster era is done. The business is living
a giant lie, the purveyors are participating in a giant circle jerk.
The public has tuned out, and is only listening to each other.

It's not about beating acts or labels up. It's actually depressing
that the scene is so saturated and there's so much choice that it's almost
impossible to go gold. In the future there could be a new avenue of
exposure that builds hit acts, then again, maybe not.

So don't be impressed when you read about so and so's new album.
There's nothing going on other than this story. It's a cardboard facade
with carney-level sales figures behind.

And if you're a musician, realize that it's about those who you know,
serving your fan base, growing it organically. Your dream of a big
break and mass appeal? That's not gonna happen. And, if it does, like a
flash mob, the audience will move on to something new soon thereafter."

[*Laura]

Don't let the biz get you down! Remember how good it feels to have someone tell you how one of your songs touched them in some way. Beats the sh*t out of accounting

So very well said,Eric!
That's what must keep every artist going,regardless of what the biz dictates.

Both you and Nora are very talented and I'm glad I've discovered your music!

[TRAGChick]

HOLY FREAKIN' GOOD LORD!!!!

On a "chance", I went to our VH1.com "TRAG" page...

....and they're starting to set up the "11th House" CD page!!

HAD NO IDEA~ SERIOUSLY!!
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/trag/artist.jhtml

OK:

Step 2....get video made....

Step 3....become a VH1 "You Oughta Know" Artist.....:twisted:

allllllways thinkin'.....

[styxman]

Nora,

It's a crying shame, the both of you have got so much talent and I mean that sincerely. It's a pity you're not a stones throw from Glasgow, that's one thing this city prides itself on, always giving bands an audience in a variety of cool venues. I'd say the smaller indy venues have more of a following than mainstream venues such as the SECC, where the big groups play. The music scene is very much alive and kickin' in this city.

As for Bars, unfortunately by the time the act comes on I'm seeing double and quadruple by the time they finish, I'm guessing susieP would look like Faith Hill through my eyes after a few songs, ain't that right Susie. (you under water yet?) and by the end you'd probably look like the fella from 'The Hills have eyes'

[ArnelRox]

Awesome Nora. They need pix of the album covers in there. Can u do something to make that happen?

Cant wait for the video.

[SusieP]

Nora,

It's a crying shame, the both of you have got so much talent and I mean that sincerely. It's a pity you're not a stones throw from Glasgow, that's one thing this city prides itself on, always giving bands an audience in a variety of cool venues. I'd say the smaller indy venues have more of a following than mainstream venues such as the SECC, where the big groups play. The music scene is very much alive and kickin' in this city.

As for Bars, unfortunately by the time the act comes on I'm seeing double and quadruple by the time they finish, I'm guessing susieP would look like Faith Hill through my eyes after a few songs, ain't that right Susie. (you under water yet?) and by the end you'd probably look like the fella from 'The Hills have eyes'

Nope not under water - the floods are receding, thankfully and they didn't quite make it to where I am. Scarily close though.

And I dunno about Faith Hill. Benny Hill, maybe.