Last night I went to a discussion panel about Youth, Branding, and Music at Ogilvy & Mather. I got there late, stood in the back, and listened to the same questions that I hear at every panel about data analytics, tying commercials to ROI, bands being considered sell outs...etc. The list goes on.
The panel closed and Deer Tick came on -- Contemporary American Country/Folk band which reminded me of a younger, less polished and less evolved Feliz Brothers.
I was bummed for two reasons. I showed up late, so I missed the introduction of the panelists and had absolutely no clue who they were or what they did when I got there. And the information that I did gleam off of the 15 minute Q&A was merely scraping the surface of the issue.
Artists and brands have been battling it out for centuries. Do I place my music on a Ford commercial and if I do, will I perceived as selling out, less indie, too american... etc. Many people have done articles on the issue. The music industry died, evolved, re-evolved all in the face of digital adversity. Genre are mixed, labels are dead, everyone is trying to monetize.... slowly.
This means that the experience with the consumer and the band is crucial. The experience with the band is what makes you loyal, not just the music anymore but the interaction, the feeling, the success, the reputation, the journey.
As we move deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole what we see is that bands can't be bands anymore. They need to embody what the consumer wants to represent. The band needs to find that niche and push their audience in weird, crazy, and awkward ways that keep them loyal, but keep them guessing.
BANDS MUST BE A BRAND. Not sell a different brand, not sell their music as a genre band, but they need to be a brand.
Does this mean selling out and doing a Ford commercial? Maybe if you are a JLo or putting your face on the inside of a stiletto pump would rock it out for Lady Gaga. Whatever it is... do it with idea that your audience wants to be a part of you and make you their experience. So don't confuse them, keep them guessing, but keep it real. People don't like sell outs... but they also don't like liars. Stick to who you are and your audience will be happy when you are on a Vicky Sec commercial... if you are Lykke Li.
I used to sing to Alanis Morissette's "Isn't it Ironic"... when I was thirteen years old. Contextually I doubt I had any clue what irony meant at that age.
Are lyrics necessary for your musical adventure?
Beijing, China is getting a ton of press as one of the HOTTEST INDIE scenes in the world. Everyone is loving their music... especially their heart for the crazy rock that they are playing in the undergrounds music scenes in China.
If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I went to Ding Dong Lounge on Friday to see Carsick Cars and P.K.14 represent 'Indie' as they banged on their drums and sang in a language that I did not understand. The music was sick. Every song emulated a little bit of every band I love here in the U.S. Their sound is raw, epic, and memorable. And even though I can't get the lyrics... listening to the lead singer screaming his lungs out, it definitely felt like what they were playing was for the love of music.
Check out the entire article about them and their music:
Are lyrics necessary for your musical adventure?
Beijing, China is getting a ton of press as one of the HOTTEST INDIE scenes in the world. Everyone is loving their music... especially their heart for the crazy rock that they are playing in the undergrounds music scenes in China.
If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I went to Ding Dong Lounge on Friday to see Carsick Cars and P.K.14 represent 'Indie' as they banged on their drums and sang in a language that I did not understand. The music was sick. Every song emulated a little bit of every band I love here in the U.S. Their sound is raw, epic, and memorable. And even though I can't get the lyrics... listening to the lead singer screaming his lungs out, it definitely felt like what they were playing was for the love of music.
Check out the entire article about them and their music:
"Music expresses what which cannot be put into words." ~ Victor Hugo
WNYC is my go-to for news in the morning. The other day they had an interesting discussion about politics and musicians – Musician Activists: Passion or Publicity?
It got me thinking of the ways in which musicians choose to take their exposure to the next level and how these tactics could possibly help (and potentially hurt) a musician’s career. The minute that tweet went up about the next post, I got flooded with email.
I have added resources to this post, to give some guidance, so we can begin a discussion about politics and musicians. These links are examples of how musicians have incorporated politics into their repertoire and if musicians are reliable sources and should be given a platform to share their opinion.
I open this discussion to you. Comment on this post and share your opinion about the links/or how you feel.
Here are some questions to get you all thinking:
1. Would you rather listen to a good song with politics that you don't agree with or a bad song that has politics you do agree with?
2. How do you feel about politics bleeding into a musicians art?
3. Using music to empower the public is the arguement but what happens when that empowerment is for "unethical" or "unconstitutional ways" - Then should it still be protected?
4. And finally, does embedding politics give musicians a leg up on connecting to their audience members or alienate them?
TAKE the POLL – “What People Are Saying”. I will post results in 4 weeks.
NPR: Musician Activists: Passion or Publicity?
Sound Check researches and reports on musicians and some of their intimate dealings with politics.
Will.i.am: 'Yes We Can' -
A music video produced by Will.i.am in favor of Obama winning the 2008 presidential election.
UJam: Free World -
Pearl Jam and Bono playing together embedding politics in music singing about uniting as one country against poverty in Africa.
Bono: Speech at the Prayer Breakfast with World Leaders -
"I'm certainly not here because I'm a rock star. Talk about a fish out of water."
The Rolling Stones Magazine: The Battles of Rage Against the Machine
"A lot of people who are cynics and have completely abandoned the idea that music can effect political change, abandoned it entirely as a product of cultural cynicism. That's completely defeatist." - de la Rocha
It got me thinking of the ways in which musicians choose to take their exposure to the next level and how these tactics could possibly help (and potentially hurt) a musician’s career. The minute that tweet went up about the next post, I got flooded with email.
I have added resources to this post, to give some guidance, so we can begin a discussion about politics and musicians. These links are examples of how musicians have incorporated politics into their repertoire and if musicians are reliable sources and should be given a platform to share their opinion.
I open this discussion to you. Comment on this post and share your opinion about the links/or how you feel.
Here are some questions to get you all thinking:
1. Would you rather listen to a good song with politics that you don't agree with or a bad song that has politics you do agree with?
2. How do you feel about politics bleeding into a musicians art?
3. Using music to empower the public is the arguement but what happens when that empowerment is for "unethical" or "unconstitutional ways" - Then should it still be protected?
4. And finally, does embedding politics give musicians a leg up on connecting to their audience members or alienate them?
TAKE the POLL – “What People Are Saying”. I will post results in 4 weeks.
NPR: Musician Activists: Passion or Publicity?
Sound Check researches and reports on musicians and some of their intimate dealings with politics.
Will.i.am: 'Yes We Can' -
A music video produced by Will.i.am in favor of Obama winning the 2008 presidential election.
UJam: Free World -
Pearl Jam and Bono playing together embedding politics in music singing about uniting as one country against poverty in Africa.
Bono: Speech at the Prayer Breakfast with World Leaders -
"I'm certainly not here because I'm a rock star. Talk about a fish out of water."
The Rolling Stones Magazine: The Battles of Rage Against the Machine
"A lot of people who are cynics and have completely abandoned the idea that music can effect political change, abandoned it entirely as a product of cultural cynicism. That's completely defeatist." - de la Rocha
I was at a concert at the Bell House for CMJ. I was there to see Au Revoir Simone -- a band that everyone told me was cute. The lineup was okay and I was interested in seeing the other openers before ARS.
Still Flyin' seemed like a fun promising opener. "Lyrical/Visual" is how they label themselves. I listen to their myspace page and "Lyrical/Visual" does not come to mind. They do not sound like any other band - Black Swan Green, Apache Beat, etc. - that I would consider to be that genre.
They come on stage. There are too many people and only half have any value add to the band. Lots of dancing which is distracting more than amuzing. (This is not 'Visual'.) Their neon colored headbands and outfits don't represent any image. They seem like a mess. Their music, instrumentally, is well put together. But as a band they are lacking that congruity that makes them memorable.
The Postmarks come up next. The lights are lowered to a red hue, the lead vocalist comes up in a skin tight black and white striped dress and a tambourine for the first song. The song starts slow, a video feed turn
s on in the background. This band knows who they are. They are going for a 1970's nouveau riche pop genre with some flavor influence from the Cranberries. The video feed in the background is phenomenal and actually seems more interesting than some of their music. Musically there are bands that are better than The Postmarks. But they caught my attention and it was because what I saw from them was an image, a brand, and identity. I could connect with them because they know who they were.
Still Flyin' seemed like a fun promising opener. "Lyrical/Visual" is how they label themselves. I listen to their myspace page and "Lyrical/Visual" does not come to mind. They do not sound like any other band - Black Swan Green, Apache Beat, etc. - that I would consider to be that genre.
They come on stage. There are too many people and only half have any value add to the band. Lots of dancing which is distracting more than amuzing. (This is not 'Visual'.) Their neon colored headbands and outfits don't represent any image. They seem like a mess. Their music, instrumentally, is well put together. But as a band they are lacking that congruity that makes them memorable.
The Postmarks come up next. The lights are lowered to a red hue, the lead vocalist comes up in a skin tight black and white striped dress and a tambourine for the first song. The song starts slow, a video feed turn
s on in the background. This band knows who they are. They are going for a 1970's nouveau riche pop genre with some flavor influence from the Cranberries. The video feed in the background is phenomenal and actually seems more interesting than some of their music. Musically there are bands that are better than The Postmarks. But they caught my attention and it was because what I saw from them was an image, a brand, and identity. I could connect with them because they know who they were.----------
The other day I was discussing the difference between how people perceive you versus who you inherently think you are.
How people see me and listen to me, is how they are ultimately going to garner an opinion of me. What we believe to be 'real' is sometimes not what is perceived.
How people perceive you is their reality. Not how you think you are.
Bands need to push themselves to create a perception that aligns with what they want their audience to believe is true. Create a way in which that thought is not just an idea, but rather what you project all the time.
In very simple terms -- get a brand. Find a way to appeal to your consumer so that when they look at you and listen to you, there are no contradictions.
Still Flyin' had a ton of possibilities, but when I saw them live, they fell short. Their punk/Ska/horn music could have been pushed to the next level, but their image wasn't there, leaving me with so many questions.
The Postmarks didn't leave me asking questions.
They left me wanting to see them at a live concert again.
The other day I was discussing the difference between how people perceive you versus who you inherently think you are.
How people see me and listen to me, is how they are ultimately going to garner an opinion of me. What we believe to be 'real' is sometimes not what is perceived.
How people perceive you is their reality. Not how you think you are.
Bands need to push themselves to create a perception that aligns with what they want their audience to believe is true. Create a way in which that thought is not just an idea, but rather what you project all the time.
In very simple terms -- get a brand. Find a way to appeal to your consumer so that when they look at you and listen to you, there are no contradictions.
Still Flyin' had a ton of possibilities, but when I saw them live, they fell short. Their punk/Ska/horn music could have been pushed to the next level, but their image wasn't there, leaving me with so many questions.
The Postmarks didn't leave me asking questions.
They left me wanting to see them at a live concert again.
Ok. Fair question.
"Hummingbyrd because hummingbird in Spanish is 'colibri' but nobody's gonna remember that or spell it right. Right? Why 'byrd'? Ask my friend Mark. I have no idea.
First thing I want to say is..."
... Thank you Mark... for debuting on the first post of Hummingbyrd.
It is Halloween and as I listen to Jazz music before jet setting out in the cold and rainy night air, all I can think is that we are in for a ride. Welcome to HummingByrd Sings... where music is what we talk about.
Happy Halloween New York City.
"Hummingbyrd because hummingbird in Spanish is 'colibri' but nobody's gonna remember that or spell it right. Right? Why 'byrd'? Ask my friend Mark. I have no idea.
First thing I want to say is..."
... Thank you Mark... for debuting on the first post of Hummingbyrd.
It is Halloween and as I listen to Jazz music before jet setting out in the cold and rainy night air, all I can think is that we are in for a ride. Welcome to HummingByrd Sings... where music is what we talk about.
Happy Halloween New York City.
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