Opinion News Archives - CelebrityAccess

Lee Abrams: Unleashing the Power of Trust and Innovation

Lee Abrams — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 17:38:22 +0000

Growing up, I remember Texaco’s slogan: “You can trust your car to the man who wears the star…the big bright Texaco Star.” When a high school friend, notorious for delinquency and underage drinking, became the local Texaco manager at just 19, it became clear that trusting him with your car was a mistake, star or not. I used to think anything labeled “Government Approved” was reliable, until I realized how incompetent the government can be. Then there’s the claim of being “the Most Trusted name in News”—but trusted compared to what? Nowadays, America’s bullshit detector is sharper than ever, especially among the growing group of the “mass appeal intelligent,” who feel overlooked. The moment you have a slogan, you risk becoming one of the deceivers. Many marketers fail to grasp this, and the new mainstream consumer is increasingly skeptical. That era of blind trust is over.

This brings us to a new essential: Trust. Traditional brands might attempt to fool their audience with a “You can Trust Us” slogan, but that’s just a trick, not genuine trust.

In the digital age, you can generally trust your friends, which is a big part of social media’s influence. But brands? Very few earn genuine trust, especially considering the multitude of critics and self-proclaimed experts. This is a troubling trend, but it benefits those outside the corporate sphere. Remember the days when you could trust your local radio DJ to play great music? Now, radio has become so generic that even the average listener can tell. You might like the song, but it’s unlikely because of the DJ’s endorsement. And don’t get me started on TV news.

Today, everyone has a voice, which is fine, but you can’t trust 95% of those voices. In the world of brands, it’s probably closer to 99%, making the few trustworthy sources that much more valuable.

Trust is built on passion, character, and strength. For example, you can hear these qualities in Howard Stern’s work.

Building trust requires respect. Treat your audience like fans, and they may become loyal supporters. Treat them like mere statistics—like millennials or Gen Z—and that’s all they’ll be.

Cool and trust are the two key elements. Much of it comes down to what you don’t do, which is why we insist on rethinking everything to avoid slipping into the mediocrity of corporate culture. While I respect what corporate media has accomplished, imitating them will lead to failure. The past is the past; the focus should be on creating something new.

So, who inspires our sense of Trust and Cool? They certainly aren’t the major media players. They are visionaries like Kubrick and The Beatles, who embody both qualities through their work.

One of the crucial lessons we teach in our boot camps centers around the creation of “Sgt. Pepper” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.” These works:

– Perfectly captured their time, resonating with the culture of their era. Though dated, their essence invites curiosity and relevance today.

– Were driven by a revolutionary mindset—free and fueled by a passion for boundless creation. They represent pure truth.

This isn’t about reliving the 60s; it’s about introducing a process and style that fosters original, remarkable work that mirrors today’s world—not some outdated focus group mentality or the status quo of “NBC does it this way.” There is a way to create media that drives commerce.

This process is free from the clichés of Madison Avenue and corporate jargon. It cultivates creators—writers, producers, brand strategists—who have the potential for greatness and equips them with the mental tools to innovate at the level of “Sgt. Pepper” or “2001” in today’s context.

Gonzo creativity thrives in technology! Yet, in content creation, we often feel stuck in the past. It’s about where exceptional content merges with groundbreaking technology. We should aim to create programming that’s as enchanting as the technologies that deliver it, rather than hoping mediocre content becomes extraordinary simply by being online.

Our inspiration stems from “2001” and “Sgt. Pepper,” not from networks or old media conglomerates. It comes from the process, the soul, the truth, and the bold imagination needed to create exceptional work that reflects the 21st century. While film has embraced this approach, radio and TV formats haven’t yet achieved it.

We are crafting the future through extreme creativity, drawing inspiration from remarkable sources. The creative process is surprisingly similar across centuries; it’s just that few today are thinking this way, opting instead for boardroom decisions and autopilot creativity. Curious about that? Just browse cable television—you’ll see.

Personally, I find the most excitement in hiring talented individuals, providing them with a framework and a fresh perspective, and watching them create a 21st-century interpretation of “2001” and “Sgt. Pepper.” It’s not about copying; that’s impossible.

It’s about learning the mindset that fueled those creations. Right now, it’s not about reliving the 60s but embracing a way of thinking that inspires new brands, formats, production styles, economics, and soul. You can’t design the future without understanding the past, and then you must unleash creativity to produce something that embodies 2020—defined by the streets, imaginative minds, and the magic of creation, free from the constraints of old media and clichés.

The post Lee Abrams: Unleashing the Power of Trust and Innovation appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

The Lefsetz Letter: The Last Dinner Party At The Fonda

Bob Lefsetz — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 23:25:57 +0000

I was stunned.

If this was 1985, you’d already know their name, because they’d be all over MTV.

What we’ve got here is five English women and a male drummer who can play, sing and write songs with melodies and changes. Do you know how rare that is?

I didn’t want to go. It’s been hot as hell here in Los Angeles. It’s hard to get a parking spot in Hollywood. I’m gonna have to sit there and feign interest for an hour and a half. But I already told myself I was going to be honest, I was not going to lie. Not that I ever do. But I would not be enthusiastic if I didn’t feel it. I wasn’t going to say the band was great. I was expecting some hard rock drivel played poorly more akin to Metallica than Def Leppard, boy was I surprised.

Yes, The Last Dinner Party is managed by Q Prime. I mean why are Cliff and Peter bothering. A new band, really? They’re both in their seventies. Why don’t they just count their money and go home.

Excitement… It’s so rare these days. Stuff is good on paper. Genre-specific. Appealing to brain dead kids who the purveyors have no respect for. Meanwhile, the bands of yore sell out stadiums.

Can you pour some sugar on me?

Now don’t ask me how people find out about bands like this these days. Used to be top-down marketing. You’d hire a stylist, a director with chops and make an expensive video launching the act to the masses. Everybody played the game, few acts made it through the Pittman sieve. But when they did…

Abbey Konowitch was the most powerful person in the music business. He decided whether you got airplay or not. And then the KROQ team, which migrated from Pasadena to NYC and could be seen on both sides of the camera. We all watched, we knew all the tunes, and then the CD came along and made the labels and their executives rich. Richer than they’d ever been before. I’m not saying that the acts were broke, now that they could tour around the world, but there was more money and more of it was kept by the labels and…

These are the days everybody yearns for.

Unless you’re under the age of thirty, and then you have no frame of reference, you came of age in the internet era, where there was a plethora of music and it was every person for themselves.

But usually it’s solo acts. Platforms for brand extension. Little money-makers. The music is just grease.

And then there are those who aren’t built for the mainstream. The Active Rockers. Appealing to a hard core alienated audience. Glad that you don’t get it, don’t like it, and don’t go. But it doesn’t cross over. There’s too much of an edge, too much bite, there might be changes, but the riffs overpower the melody, and there’s a lot of shouting and less singing.

So what’s a poor boy to do, who even wants to play in a rock and roll band?

It’s girls. And you don’t need to be a rock star to get laid. But so many of those boys are now incels. Ceding the territory to the well-adjusted, the women they want to be with. And their audience, half of the opposite sex.

I’d say it was around 50/50. Maybe 60/40, women to men. And the music was far from wimpy. But they knew the tunes and sang along.

And the lead singer stopped the performance to give aid to a woman overcome by the heat. Traditionally acts don’t care, they don’t want to stop the momentum.

But the band and the audience were one.

How did they know?

Believe me, this was not a Clive Davis act, this was not Whitney Houston.

Yes, Clive specialized in what we’ve got today. Drivel. Pretty faces singing pop songs written by others.

That is not The Last Dinner Party.

If you’re authentic, people believe, they play your records and come to see you.

Cliff told me they could have played the Greek. 6,000 seats. HUH?

This is the modern world. Everything is spontaneous. Assuming it gets traction at all. You can’t even push it if you want to. That’s what the labels are looking for, a conflagration that brings the act from 0-60 overnight. An edge, a social media breakout. Whether they sign the act from TikTok or do their best to push it there.

Sometimes that works, but usually it doesn’t. Because the audience is in control. There’s no PD of the internet.

So what you need to do is hone your chops and play and…

Do you know how rare this is? Do you know how often people want me to get excited about people who can’t sing? My inbox is inundated with acts who can’t sing, people wondering why they’re not superstars.

And now I’ll get a rash of links from people believing that there’s some golden ticket out there, that will bring them to the top of the heap. But that is untrue.

Some woman at Q Prime in the U.K. saw a video online, from some club, there’s a guy who shoots videos of unknown bands there.

The Last Dinner Party, then just The Dinner Party, before another act claimed the name, had only a few gigs under their belt. Cliff and Peter saw the clip, flew to England and signed them. There were no socials, there was no data, only music.

And there was no bidding war, no one else was involved.

And then the band paid their dues, on the road, made an album with the producer of the Arctic Monkeys, on Island. The U.K. is different.

Cliff told me if I’d seen Def Leppard in their first fifty gigs…

But The Last Dinner Party is no longer rough, it’s over the hump.

Really, I couldn’t believe they were that tight, I haven’t heard anything this seamless sans hard drives in eons.

And it doesn’t matter what you think. It doesn’t matter what the “gatekeepers” think. Oh, you need to get on a Spotify playlist, that’s the ticket!

No, you only have to be good. Then people find you.

But there’s very little good out there. And when people find it they glom on to it, they believe in it.

Everybody wants to be a star. They want a shortcut, they figure if they’re on a TV competition show…

It’s all positively old school.

But there’s a new girl in school. Actually, five. And the guitarist was playing in a pit orchestra before joining the band.

Don’t bother to send me your opinion. It doesn’t matter, I don’t care.

Everybody focuses on the records, the charts. But it always comes down to live, whether you can sell tickets or not, whether the audience is dedicated, whether they care.

The Last Dinner Party is building an audience and you’ve never heard of them.

Welcome to the modern era.

Responses from Bob’s readers. These comments are not edited for content or grammar and may not reflect the views of CelebrityAccess or its staff.

I was at the show, sitting in the balcony. I’m 55, and like you, I couldn’t believe how tight they were. My wife and I discovered the band during the Coachella streaming and was blown away by Abigail’s stage presence. She has “it,” and it’s not something manufactured. She can sing and she makes it look easy. TLDP reminded me of Jehnny Beth’s fronted band, Savages. I miss them. They were a force, and TLDP looks to be moving towards the same with more commercial appeal.

It’s good to see a band bring it. We need more like TDLP.

Matthew Grandi

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The band are a throwback. Great retro sound. Great overall look.

So great to see a band breaking through these days.

We have been working with for the past year – sending out a couple singles first and then the LP to college/non-com and specialist radio.

Sometimes you push and push a band. Sometimes a band pulls you. Folks like this band. The hipsters. The musicians. The rest are following. We got the LP to number one on the chart earlier this year. Not something that happens that often on a debut album. Q Prime’s team have been on this for sure.

Also, have to say – Island have been too. With Last Dinner Party and Chappell Roan – they have been putting the time in – and seeing the rewards a year+ later.

If more labels would do this…

Adam Lewis / Owner
Planetary Group

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When The Last Dinner Party Pure Ecstasy was first released, every time we played it in our store (Euclid Records, in St. Louis, MO) – EVERY SINGLE TIME – there’d be at least TWO customers who would stop browsing to ask in awe: “What IS this?!?!”

It was an immediate purchase from them (including one almost-confrontation between the customer who got the last vinyl copy and another customer who wasn’t fast enough). Much like the Chappell Roan, we can’t keep their vinyl in stock.

The beauty of this is that people simply react to what they HEAR. They know nothing about them, but after hearing a track or two, they must have it. Moments like these are why record stores are sacred places, yes?

The beauty of the album is it gets deeper, richer and more monumental with repeated listens. And listening to it as a whole, from start to finish. So the band made a classic ALBUM; no filler tracks around video “singles.”

Our customers (of all ages) most often make quick and easy comparisons to Kate Bush. And it’s not. But “Kate Bush” is apparently the shorthand for complex, dramatic and melodic female-sung music.

Glad (and envious) you got to see them live. Thanks for sharing!

Cheers,

Toby Weiss

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I love this band so much. England has been into TLDP for a long time, relatively speaking. I resisted checking them out because I kept hearing about them and thought I wouldn’t be into it—this was end of ’22 and top of ’23 when I was looking for where I might want to move. Finally I relented and dove in—it was just the music, musicianship and the songcraft that won me over, before I even knew about how fantastic their live show was and what an absolute perfect rock star Abigail Morris is. And the best part is, it doesn’t even matter that they are female, that’s just the icing on the cake. They’ve captured lightning, I hope they can hang on to it.

Was just in LA, bummed I missed the Fonda show.

xK
Kathy Valentine

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Suffered some backlash for being “industry plants” in the U.K. but those rumours have been more or less exposed as false. The singer has always had musical ambitions, moved to London to make demos but also to go to school. Met two of the others in the few first few weeks of uni, the other two were friends of friends. They met and then ‘bang’ — COVID lockdowns. That gave then time to write, rehearse and develop a sound, and they emerged fully formed musically.
The album is excellent.

John Kendle

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You….lucky….DOG!

I knew you’d dig em’..I send you a lot of “recs”, I know, but only that which is nutrient-dense, with that old-school ethos..

I saw them performing at a festival earlier this year..Via Hulu or Prime.. Kicking ass in a sweaty little tent, while the DJs held court on the big stages..I’ve been hooked ever since..

I recently heard “The Feminine Urge” in a movie.
Maybe it’ll be Shazamed by the curious..Kelly Clarkson covered “Nothing Matters”..They’re making the rounds on the festival circuit..

They’re one meme, one “shout-out” from Taylor Swift, one opening slot away from the next rung..

James Spencer

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I read your newsletter regularly and have often wondered if you listen to The Spectrum or Alt Nation on SiriusXM. Based on your questioning where people find out about The Last Dinner Party and other artists I hear regularly on these two stations, it seems that you don’t. Some of these bands were probably featured on XMU before making their way to more “mainstream” stations. I’m in my mid-50s and don’t listen to XMU, but The Spectrum and Alt Nation are two of my favorites in the Sirius lineup. Give them a shot!

~ Gina Gasparini
Metro Atlanta

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In the UK, where this band are from, they broke the old way – BBC radio, some TV performances on chat shows and then a heavy physical pre-order campaign to jam the album into the charts. The BBC has little power to do this anymore but by focusing on 6 Music and BBC Radio 2 there’s the ability to have the older demographic, who still listen to linear radio, gain awareness of a band. It’s the same strategy used by Wet Leg a couple of years ago (also female band). This may be why in the UK, people tell me the crowds at the shows for both bands are mostly middle aged white men. (You can read an article I wrote about how this system is almost dead here).

So in the US it might appear to be some manifestation of a new model of artist development but that wasn’t the case here really. There’s a separate issue about the UK’s ability to break talent which is way too complex to get into here, but in general an indie or alternative band struggles to break via streaming in the UK, hence the focus on a dwindling radio audience and vinyl pre-order.

Cheers

Patrick Clifton

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The point is, everybody DOES know the name of Last Dinner Party. Their August date in Denver sold out in minutes last February. Fans also know the names of British compatriots like Squid, Dry Cleaning, English Teacher, Black Country New Road, Wet Leg, Black Midi, Yard Act, Sports Team….. But the folks who know are those in high school, college, 20s-ish, maybe a few 30s. But such bands and solo acts all are largely invisible not only to boomers, but to many if not most in their 40s and 50s. The unifying factor is now a mix of TikTok, streaming services, Bandcamp, etc., and if you’re not keeping up with a combination of everything, a lot of the best new pop remains invisible.

Loring Wirbel
Monument, CO

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Love it Bob!

I heard them on the radio (WXPN and WFUV) last year… great band!

Patrick Pierson

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Saw a pic of them this morning with Russell Mael cuz they’re doing “This Town” so I checked them out. Terrific stuff.

Rob Warden

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Sinner is one of my 2023 favorite tracks. And there’s so much more quality material!
Great band.

Best,

Aldo Blardone

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They’re great – and, yes, I heard of them, because I listen to BBC Radio 6!

Bob Flint
Springfield VT

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Anyone with ears should have been able to hear that The Last Dinner Party are absolutely wonderful. Maybe it’s because I’m learning from my three daughters, but man, they are good. We are in the middle of a pop moment to which you and I aren’t invited – The Last Dinner Party, Chappel Roan, Dua Lipa – hail, hail the new generation of pop, complex as hell and free from the boys.

David Frail

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Been a fan of this awesome band for a year now. I can certainly tell you how a great many of us out here in hoi polloi land find this great new music: YouTube reaction channels. That’s the same way I was introduced to Ren almost 2 years ago (and who is now my favorite musical artist on the planet). YouTube reactors, the good ones, perform the same service the good DJs and program directors used to provide back in the heyday of radio, that of spreading the gospel of talented new artists, especially independent ones. BTW, the real hotbed of great new music isn’t the US but the UK, IMO.

Marty DeHart
Nashville, TN

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Playing their current album on Spotify.
Instantly catchy. I’m hooked. This sounds like it came out of the 90s like Shakespeare’s Sister.
Good call! I’m always looking for new bands!

Turk

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Great band. Already have their album pegged for my year end list. Nothing Matters is a great song from it.

Their rise reminds me a little of Wet Leg last year. Girl rockers seem to be hot right now.

Craig Davis

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Love TLDP.

Heard’em on Spotify.

On my release radar. Heard the single which led me to the album which led to me mentioning them to a number of friends. Now I can just forward your letter.

Thanks.

Louis Heidelmeier

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I didn’t recognize the name until I listened to their album and heard “Nothing Matters”.

“Nothing Matters” is a big single for them and appears on a lot of Spotify playlists.

The band also played Coachella and Glastonbury this year. They are not really an unknown commodity.

Still it sounds like it was a good show at my current favorite venue.

Larry Green

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I love their sound and style Bob. Thanks for this.

Dan Green

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Bob, I heard them on the Sirius Spectrum channel and then saw a live video. Love the songs, the sound and the look. Totally get why Cliff and Peter (old guys like us) snatched them up. For all the tastemaking SNL purports to do, I’ve been amazed they missed this one.

Been keeping my eye out for the tour. I’ll go for sure.

Stephen Knill

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Bob – xpn in philly has been playing them for a year or so. Bruce warren has been all over them. Its stations like xon and people like bruce that bring the good music to those that wish to be enlightened.

Thanks so much for all you do

Josh millman

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For me, The Last Dinner Party was discovered on Sirius. Channel 35, XMU. They must play their single ‘The Feminine Urge’ hourly! But this channel is clearly programmed by someone (or some people) who give a sh*t. An eclectic mix of brand new indie, mixed in with indie from the past 15-20 years. This channel also allowed me to discover the show ‘Aquarium Drunkard’ (heard every Wednesday). Not only the most assorted two hours of music I’ve ever heard, delivered weekly, but also I came to find they have an outstanding website and weekly newsletter for further discovery. https://aquariumdrunkard.com/

XMU also got me into Wet Leg a couple years ago. One of the funnest fresh alternative records of the past couple of years.

As someone who works in terrestrial radio, behind the scenes, radio will be the first to admit it’s not breaking new artists. But new music is out there, and great new music at that. You just gotta look around!

Thanks,
Ryan Hobson

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…and they are all over Alternative Rock radio right now. I know you think we are irrelevant, but every little bit helps establish a band with a core constituency. This band is talented.

rpeters282

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We live one block north of Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park and hear the main stage loud and clear, especially when the fog seems to keep the sound waves from drifting up and away. We’ve ventured to the fest a handful of times to catch Radiohead, Al Green, Sharon Jones, Beck, Budos Band, others, but over the years have spent many a cold, foggy night bundled up in the garden enjoying the headliners.

I worked from home Friday afternoon and was really getting into whoever was playing, looked at the schedule and it was The Last Dinner Party. I’ve been cranking them on Spotify ever since!

Steve Gillan

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Love this band. Saw some concert clips several months ago and was blown away by the energy, the crowd response, plain ol’ rock and roll exuberance. Can’t wait to catch them live with my daughter – who at 14 years old is way ahead of my musical sophistication at that age. Streaming and social have accelerated her cross-genre musical discovery.

Clayon DuBose

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you saw and heard what I saw and heard! because the singer did the same thing at the show I saw, referencing someone who looked overheated and might need some water or attention. i wonder if it’s schtick or just a really hot summer…i was dreading parking near the SLC venue as well, planning to use the pay garage a few blocks over, by the Delta Center, but then I found a free street space – with tree shade.

Toby Mamis

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Thanks to the YouTube Coachella live stream for turning me onto Last Diner Party. Abigail is a star. In line for Record Store Day, a young lady ask me if I ever heard of them. Oh yes, I ordered the picture disk. Glad you are onto them, Bob.

John Kauchick

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The Last Dinner Party had a big buzz when their album came out last year, but I hadn’t kept up with them. It’s interesting to hear that they’re doing well touring the US. Then of course there’s Wet Leg and boygenius. Lurking behind all this is the renewed appreciation for Fanny, who were a really good band despite being seen mostly as a novelty in their heyday in the early ‘70s.

Is rock morphing into something that is primarily done by girls? That might be something for a rock writer to explore.

Tycho Manson

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??? they’ve had 2 pretty big singles already

Darryl Duffy

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The online clip of “Nothing Matters” has them sounding like a wannabe ABBA but nowhere as pop powerful as ABBA was at their best.

I hope TLDP are better live!

George Gilbert

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Love The Last Dinner Party! Seen them twice live now (their Coachella set was one of my faves of the weekend) and sad I wasn’t able to snag a ticket to their show at The Fonda. Happy to see them getting the flowers they deserve!

Kayla Kascht

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6.3 Mill views of a song on YT is far from noone ever hearing of them

Most of us music listeners on Youtube have known who they are for sometime

Peter Ferioli

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You’re right, Bob. They’re great!

emiltonmyers

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In the UK, we have music radio that people listen to, music TV that people watch, music awards that are relevant, and music festivals like Glastonbury that people go to, and are widely broadcast.
The Last Dinner Party have been growing in popular recognition for a good year plus now over here. Sometimes, if you’re good and work hard, they will find you.

Cheers

Crispin Herrod-Taylor
Managing Director, Crookwood

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Not Susana Hoffs…but kinda catchy.

Cheers,

Jay Currie

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Wow, they have it!

Great band, great find Bob, really hope they make it. Will definitely be keeping an eye on them. Hope to see them live sometime soon.

Cheers,

Thor

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They are terrible.

Joseph Koehler, CFP
President
WG Financial

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Bob: One problem is, as you know, THEY DON’T WRITE ‘EM LIKE THIS ANY MORE:
But there was a time, Way back when, , that THEY DID: https://t.ly/Q_qJK

Barry Lyons / Rent A Label

__________________________________

“How did they know?”

Kelly Clarkson has covered their hit song.
They have appeared on The Late Show.
They just played at Glastonbury 2 months ago.
They have Fifteen very highly produced “official VEVO” music videos on YouTube.
To say nothing of their professionally managed cross-platform social media strategy.

The audience knew the band’s songs because the band is well known. The Fonda holds just 1200 seats so the audience was curated.

And you write this as if it was all a big surprise. Hmmmmm?

Mark McLaughlin

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“Nothing Matters” was one of the best songs from Last Year. But you wouldn’t know it if you only listened to radio.

Oedipus

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Fredricka Mercury

Mike Bone

Thank you for your kind name check/ words in the story about The Last Dinner Party

Of course, I always like being reminded of the blessing and curse I had during that time and just how different everything has changed. Not just in the business, but the fact that I’m hardly even the most powerful person in my kitchen now!!

Best and thanks again for remembering

-Abbey!

The post The Lefsetz Letter: The Last Dinner Party At The Fonda appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

The Bob Lefsetz Podcast: Darius Rucker

Staff Writer — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:03:45 +0000

He’s got a new autobiography, “Life’s Too Short.”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darius-rucker/id1316200737?i=1000664710803

https://open.spotify.com/episode/412Xz8me0xWEOH2w2OUF4R?si=c173a8e8785f4580

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/darius-rucker-203616951/

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/d040cd30-232d-4955-b795-c51cf9de1988/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-darius-rucker

The post The Bob Lefsetz Podcast: Darius Rucker appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

How Generative AI Music Startups Are Redefining The Creative Process

Hypebot — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:49:55 +0000

(Hypebot) — Generative AI music companies are redefining the creative process by seamlessly integrating advanced technology into entertainment platforms and visual design software, delivering time-saving, streamlined, and enhanced experiences.

How Generative AI Music startups are redefining the Creative Process

by Daigo Kusunoki, Founder and CEO of SOUNDRAW

Generative AI music companies are transforming the creative industry by seamlessly integrating advanced technology into entertainment platforms and visual design software, delivering time-saving, streamlined, and enhanced creative processes.

Streamlining Music Creation Within Creative Suites

By allowing users to generate tracks directly within their creative suites, Gen-AI music companies drastically reduce the time required to create custom music. This seamless integration means that creators no longer need to switch between different applications or search for external music sources. Instead, they can compose, edit, and fine-tune tracks within the same environment where they are designing visuals or editing videos. This efficiency boost allows for a more cohesive and fluid creative process, enabling artists to focus on their core work without unnecessary interruptions.

Expanding Access to Royalty-Free AI Music

Gen-AI music companies democratize music production by providing access to high-quality, royalty-free AI-generated music. This accessibility ensures that creators of all skill levels can produce professional-grade tracks without the need for extensive musical training or expensive software. The availability of fine-tuned, royalty-free music simplifies the legal and financial hang-ups of using catalog music in projects. Sync licensing is tricky and the process of obtaining permissions from the rightsholders and the proper licenses can be a long one.

Solving the Problem of Oversaturated Music Catalogs

Any creator who has added music to a project has probably found themselves sifting through thousands of tracks in a purgatory of oversaturated catalogs. With built-in production software, this issue is effectively resolved. Gen-AI music tools can generate custom tracks tailored to the specific needs and moods of a project, eliminating the need to browse through endless options. This personalization ensures a perfect match for the project’s requirements and tone, enhancing the overall quality and impact of the final product.

Bypassing the Need for Pre-Licensed Music

Traditionally, entertainment and visual design companies have had to pre-license music for their users, adding an extra layer of complexity to the creative process. Artist-centric Gen-AI music companies with musicians on staff offer a solution by using ethically trained AI models to generate music on demand. This approach negates the need for pre-licensing and clearance, streamlining the workflow for both creators and companies. The result is a more efficient and flexible system where music can be created and used without legal or logistical hurdles.

Enhancing Game Development with Generative AI

The integration of generative AI into game development software takes audio design to a whole new level. Creating dynamic scores for in-game events, generating sound effects, and enhancing the overall realism of virtual worlds can be a languishing, time-consuming process. Built-in AI capabilities allow game designers to automatically produce high-quality audio content, adapting in real-time to gameplay scenarios. This not only accelerates the development process but also ensures that the audio experience is immersive and engaging, enhancing the player’s overall experience.

Generative AI companies are doing more than just enhancing the current creative landscape; they are fundamentally transforming it. By integrating cutting-edge AI into entertainment platforms and visual design software, these companies push the boundaries of efficiency, flexibility, and creative output by users. The ability to generate custom tracks on demand and streamline entire creative workflows in one platform empowers artists to spend more time on the complex, human elements of their projects. As this technology continues to evolve, we can anticipate more innovative applications and integrations that further democratize high-quality content creation across all mediums.

About Daigo Kusunoki

Daigo is Founder and CEO of SOUNDRAW, a Tokyo-based AI-music generator for content creators and artists. With a passion for music ignited during his student years, Daigo clinched national dance championship titles twice. Post-graduation, his love for music and movement propelled him into the tech world as an entrepreneur and innovator. In 2016, he created the wearable musical device, SoundMoovz, which became an immediate hit and sold more that 400,000 units across 17 countries in just under 18 months.

After his success with music and wearable tech, Daigo turned his sights on artificial intelligence and founded his next venture, SOUNDRAW Inc.—an AI music generation and composition service. Daigo’s passion for music and craft is the driving force behind SOUNDRAW as he looks to bring the power of music to the creator community around the world and support emerging artists with tools to help them unleash their musical potential.

The post How Generative AI Music Startups Are Redefining The Creative Process appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

The Lefsetz Letter: Richie Furay In Beaver Creek

Bob Lefsetz — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 18:32:35 +0000

It was my generation.

And I’m not quite sure how I feel about that.

It’s not like the old days, there’s so much activity in the mountains in the summer you’d almost think you were living in the city. Subsidized performing arts centers, name talent, and a ton of semi or non-talent, you open the “Vail Daily” and there’s an endless list.

And there’s a free concert series in Beaver Creek every week, Andy said he went to see Asia there, without one original member.

Richie Furay is the genuine article. With a pedigree. The only guy with that high a profile who didn’t break through to stardom. You had Stephen Stills and Neil Young and Jim Messina in Buffalo Springfield. The Eagles expanded on that sound. Furay ultimately teamed with Chris Hillman and J.D. Souther in the ill-fated Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, but the act broke up because Richie’s wife told him it was either her or the band, and Richie chose her. The scuttlebutt was that it was J.D. who broke up the act, but Richie told me he was checked out during the recording of the act’s aptly-named second LP, “Trouble In Paradise,” which was released with a whimper.

But that first Souther-Hillman-Furay Band album, I played the sh*t out of it. I recorded it for a cross-country drive. I remember this fisherman singing “Border Town” as he skied the bumps at Alta, I was stunned he knew it, I thought it was more of a secret, then again, the album did go gold.

And in the middle, of course, there was Poco. Richie’s band that never lived up to its rep commercially until he left.

And there you have it. Rock history, FROM FIFTY YEARS AGO!

That’s right, Richie Furay is eighty. Doesn’t look it, but the stunning thing is he still has his voice. And he played acoustically with his daughter on backup vocals and a young guitarist and the harmonies…were better than Crosby, Stills & Nash’s ever were. Oh, those albums were sweet, but live, at Woodstock, on “4 Way Street,” I thought it was nearly impossible to get three part harmony right live until I saw Yes, which wasn’t known for harmony, but nailed it nonetheless.

I mean all these years later, Richie still has it.

But it is all these years later.

Now the thing about these free shows, on the ice rink in the village of Beaver Creek, is people get there early, to set up chairs, to be close.

And they were all of my vintage.

And they knew who Richie Furay was.

I saw a woman dancing and singing to the heavens along with “A Good Feelin’ to Know” and that’s when I realized, they’d lived through the era just like me, when music was everything, when of course you knew the hits, but also the music of the quality acts you heard occasionally on FM, but never on AM.

The initial Poco album is a classic, “Pickin’ Up the Pieces,” which got great reviews when it came out but was dwarfed by Crosby, Stills & Nash. There was a trade, Epic got Richie and Atlantic got Crosby and Nash and…Furay believes if Poco had been on Atlantic things would have worked out differently. Then again, Leslie West believed if his manager didn’t nix his appearance in the Woodstock movie, he would have become legendary. And the truth is Mountain was pretty big in its era, but now the band is almost completely forgotten, I don’t hear about young people streaming Mountain songs.

And I don’t hear about them streaming Poco songs either.

I initially stopped after “From the Inside.” It was clear, the band was never going to break through. I was stunned when it ultimately did, when it moved over to ABC from Epic, but by then Rusty Young was a lead vocalist, which was unfathomable to early fans of the band. And I love “Heart of the Night,” and “Crazy Love” is a staple, but no one ever talks about the opening track on the first ABC album “Head Over Heels,” entitled “Keep On Tryin’,” composed and sung by Timothy B. Schmit with a voice so pure so airy so right sans commercial success it’s no wonder Timothy B. ultimately decamped for the Eagles.

So back in ’65, after a Vermont washout over Christmas, my parents took us to the Concord, where no snow would not nix a good time. I skied three of the four days, the fourth it rained, and one of the perks of the hotel, other than endless food, was nightclub entertainment, and the star was Neil Sedaka, who was by this time a has-been. We had no idea who he was. We were all Beatlemaniacs. This was my first exposure to someone touring after their prime. It was kind of creepy, then again, who would have expected that Sedaka would have a comeback in the seventies!

At the time of that show, Sedaka was twenty five. Over the hill.

And there were all the acts my parents talked about, that they went to see in NYC. They took us to see Ella Fitzgerald… All these acts on late night TV we’d never heard of, which unlike Neil Sedaka, never came back.

And in the eighties, there started to be the comedy circuit in Florida. Aged acts playing to aged fans. Maybe it started earlier, but that’s when I heard about it.

Sad.

But I was young.

And now, the acts that aren’t dead are still out there, playing to us.

Mostly retired. All about lifestyle. Not in the mainstream and not concerned about it. After all, it’s been half a century, more.

But all that music of my parents’ generation, it was disposable. Sure, not Sinatra, some of the big bands, but really, it was music of the time, there’s always popular music, but that’s different from…

The British Invasion.

The San Francisco Sound.

Singer-songwriters.

Prog rock.

Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Stones…

Our acts were icons. Untouchable. We played their records in our bedrooms, in our dorm rooms, you went to the gig on a regular basis, it was a religious experience, all about the music, no one shot selfies and many of the venues did not sell beer, although that did not mean we were not high.

Musicians were the new baseball stars. But with brains. We idolized them. We listened to what they had to say. They were beacons in a tumultuous era.

But then it became all about the money, music once again slid back into entertainment as opposed to art.

Which leaves us with our memories.

“Kind Woman.” Do you know that one? If you were more than a casual fan, you do.

And the aforementioned “A Good Feelin’ to Know” resonated with me for the first time ever.

I was a Poco fan, but when Epic sent me the two CD “Forgotten Trail (1969-74)” package in 1990 I became a devotee, long after the band’s status had been set in stone, listening to the music with no context, context was created, it was a really good band. Actually, I recommend two two CD compilations, this Poco one and “Free – Molten Gold: The Anthology.” You’ll be stunned how good Paul Kossoff was. Free was much more than “All Right Now,” never mind featuring possibly the greatest rock singer of all time, Paul Rodgers.

Richie was not a nobody. Like failed singer-songwriters singing down in Florida, at the Villages, other retirement communities, this guy was right up front and center when we were all paying attention. And he’s just as good.

Not that you know all the material. The solo stuff…

And Richie got deep into Jesus, and if that bugs you, you’re going to wince when he goes on about God during the set.

But I stood up to take a look. The first two-thirds of the space were all people my age, there were no youngsters up front, only in the back.

Now nobody likes a deal like a retiree. Especially free.

And the set started at 5:30. You could call it an Early Bird Special.

This is what it’s come to.

But even after waiting for half an hour for the crowd to thin out to say hi to Richie, people were still lined up to talk to him, to buy merch, to get a photo, to get an autograph. These are the same people who won’t go to the grocery store during rush hour, whose line up days are through, even though they lined up for tickets way back when.

And I look as old as they do. I’m no different from them. I couldn’t square it, made me want to go back to L.A. and sit in the Forum, go to a theatre show, hang with the insiders, anything but this.

It’s just like my parents’ generation. We had our acts, they meant so much to us and they won’t mean much to anybody after we’re gone. Most of rock history, kaput!

And the funny thing is most of rock history is now being written by people who weren’t there in the first place, in some cases not even born. Not only do they often get the facts wrong, the nuances they miss completely. They rely on the charts from an era where Top Forty meant nothing and some of the best acts were rarely heard on the radio.

And if you try to tell anybody younger how it used to be different, they laugh and say it’s the same as it ever was. Then again, if that’s so, why is there such hoopla over the re-release of “Stop Making Sense”?

This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, many are past being able to fool around.

You had to go to the Mudd Club, CBGB’s, being home was death, it all happened outside, at the club, whereas today the entertainment at home is nearly always superior to that outside.

It’s fading away. It’s on its last gasp. Do you embrace it or stand up and protest like the Nazi in “The Producers,” telling everybody they don’t understand how it was, what it meant.

I don’t know.

Responses from Bob’s readers. These comments are not edited for grammar or content, and may not reflect the views of CelebrityAccess or its staff.

Hi Bob,

It was nice to see you and Andy up at Beaver Creek on Thursday. Yea, the big wheel keeps on turning and I keep going out to play if someone says there are people who want to take a trip down memory lane and hear a few new tunes as well. It’s fun playing with my daughter, truthfully I wouldn’t be doing this if she wasn’t along for the ride- (she has four daughters of her own) and her husband is really supportive for the few shows we do.

Anyway, thanks for the nice article, you have a great way of taking people along on your personal journey as you observe the music. Thanks for coming out and for stopping by to say hello!!!

Richie

____________________________

I produced, engineered and mixed Richie’s “Still DELiverin’ Return to The Troubadour“ a few years back, which was the 50th anniversary concert at the Troubadour of the iconic Poco record “DeLiverin.'”

Richie is a good man and a consumate pro and can still bring it live. It was a pleasure getting to hear those iconic Poco songs after all these years.
One never knows what makes one a star but I got the impression that Richie probably didn’t care in the end about that.

Having worked with lots of stars there is something intangible that divides the “star” from the one that has sh*t gobs of talent but maybe doesn’t really care about that specific part of one’s career. I am not going to get in the secular religious piece of his or anyone’s career but I have quite a few musician friends that have set off on that path and it doesn’t really intersect with wanting to play the game.

Anyway, Richie’s music will be in the DNA of American music forever regardless.

Best back
Ross Hogarth

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Hi Bob,

Anyway, thanks for the nice article, you have a great way of taking people along on your personal journey as you observe the music. Thanks for coming out and for stopping by to say hello!!!

Richie

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I still stream Poco. I first met them at an outdoor gig I booked for them in 1971, I think, for the Simsbury (CT) Youth Center. Loved Pickin’ Up the Pieces album so much. It was an exciting time to be around live music.

Tony D’Amelio

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Poco. Central Park, Summer ’72. Powered mescaline. It started to drizzle during “Good Feeling to Know (with an extended jam at the end.) The stage lights lit the raindrops. Richie’s voice and Paul Cotton’s lead guitar turned the Manhattan night into one of the greatest musical moments of my life.

Matt Auerbach…

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One of the joys of producing concerts in the early days was the ability to make friends and keep them as they came through on tour. Every group had its own personality, created by its music, musicians and crew. Some you couldn’t wait to see, others not so much. You always looked forward to working with Poco. Not only was the music sublime, but they could sell tickets, and were a pleasure to hang out with. If every group has a public face, Poco can credit then-road manager Denny Jones. I hope some of your readers with similar backgrounds feel the same way.

Alan DeZon

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But anyway bye bye..fave Richie vocal,thx Bob

Woody Price

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Nicely written, I saw Richie as the opener for one of the final Ronstadt tours, understated excellence.

About the origins of the LA sound epitomized by the Eagles I had the same conversation with Christian Nesmith at my house several years ago which included Furay but also Christian’s Dad Michael and Rick Nelson’s Stone Cyn Band. It was a great blender at the right time that all birthed some great music.

Don Adkins
SoCal Photographer

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As good as anything today:

“Starlight (Richie Furay Band: I’ve Got a Reason) (1976)”

Tom Lewis

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Oh boy! What a great column! A few years back, I had the chance to see Richie Furay at the Turning Point in Piermont NY. A wonderful small venue that still attracts the road warriors like Steve Forbert, and many others in the tri-state musician community. The Buffalo Springfield, for me, was just the coolest band ever. Stills with that hat, and Neil with his fringed leather jacket. But I was always captured by their guitars, Neil played a Gretsch White Falcon…a guitar to die for in 1965, but it cost a thousand bucks. No wonder I bought a Hagstrom III for $129. Richie played a covet-worthy Gibson electric 12-string. Couldn’t afford a Fender Telecaster for $179 at the time…Anyway, Richie signed my copies of Poco albums, the first Buffalo Springfield LP…vinyl mind you…I bought the first version of the Buffalo Springfield’s first LP…it didn’t have For What It’s Worth as the first cut…It was Baby Don’t Scold Me. I brought the LP back to exchange it for the new version. That first LP without For What it’s Worth, became a collector’s item in the Buffalo Springfield saga. Richie signed my copy of Picking Up the Pieces and you could not have asked for a better meet and greet. Thanks for the report. I’ve been up at Vail and Beaver Creek when they get the music going and hey, rocky mountain high colorado!

Chip Lovitt

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I saw Jim Messina at Ridgefield Playhouse on the Thursday night before the Friday COVID shut live music down. A friend had extra tix and I was a little leery.

He was great. His band was like the Loggins and Messina bands, versatile with woodwinds and a lot of coloration and textures.

His voice and guitar were excellent and the songs were familiar and amazing. Acts from back in the day can be hit or miss when they reach a certain age but the Buffalo Springfield alums have done better than most.

William Nollman
Silvermine

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Saw Buffalo Springfield in 1966(?) when they toured with The Beach Boys. Became life-long fan of all the members of the band. Saw Poco in its original configuration at a local college. Last saw Richie Furay at Birchmere in Northern VA in with a band that included his daughter. He will always be among my favorite musicians.

William Hultman

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Once again, you nailed it.

On October 21, 2010 – a Thursday night in Seattle – I read online that the Buffalo Springfield were reuniting at the annual Bridge Concerts.

Withing minutes, I bought 2 10th-row tickets, booked a hotel, booked a first-class flight and, on Saturday, a friend and I were walking into the Shoreline to see them.

I patiently sat through an acoustic Billy Idol set, an acoustic Elvis Costello set (replacing an ailing Kristofferson), with Emmylou sitting in, etc.

Then there they were, Steven, Richie, and Neil with what was obviously Neil’s rhythm section.

The whole set was a acoustic, of course (it’s a Bridge Concert) but that didn’t matter.

I couldn’t believe this was happening – I was 12 when I bought Bluebird/Mr. Soul 45, and had everything they ever did on boxes, bootlegs, etc. A dead band. Yet there they were, starting with “On the Way Home”, with Richie on vocals. Richie Furay, flanked by Stills and Young!

I call these events “Lazurus Moments”.

I was close enough to see the looks on their faces and the state of their bodies. It was clear that Richie looked the same but with gray hair, and the other two looked as battle-worn as you’d expect.

Gary Lang

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Missed Furay at BC but I still have the SHF band album, from the cut-out section at Peaches. They tried to be the answer to CSN but no one cared. Richie was always close to stardom but never quite made it. I remember he was a Minister down in Boulder with his own Church years ago. Boulder had a great scene back then when Caribou Ranch was the place to be.

I saw that ASIA ad but there are two ASIA’s touring, the other one with Geoff Downes, the one at Beaver Creek? Like the two Yes’ a few years ago. So sad they can’t just all get along.

I learned to ski at the Concord and at Kutsher’s then went over to Holiday Mountain. They used to have tie-dyed snow at the Concord! Neil Sedaka’s parents I think lived in Monticello and I taught his daughter Dara to ski, or tried to, she was impossible.

A surprisingly good free show at BC last year was Ambrosia who sounded great even without David Pack, who has one of the best and most underrated voices in music. They did have the other 3 original guys and played a mix of the classic Prog stuff, the big ballads and some great covers They even joked about being labeled as Yacht Rock actually playing front of people who likely have Yachts, They really surprised me.

Now I really have to see Gary Puckett and the Union Gap at BC!

Ciao,
Barry Levinson

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Damn, Bob…this brought me to tears several times, had to write.

A guy at my first job in the grocery store in 1975 turned me on to Poco, and I became obsessed. Made special trips to Austin just to buy their albums at one of the then seven record stores within walking distance of The Drag.

The history of it, starting with Buffalo Springfield, was like an occult treasure to a “different” kid in Bumfuq South Texas. Poco was part of the biggest geneaolocial tree of rock and roll there ever was. Who did what, where the others came from…all of it was fascinating to a 16 year kid who saw rock as a sacred thing.

I learned about Illinois Speed Press and found the album on one of the Austin trips. It was like a hidden sub-history, finding out where Paul Cotton came from, and seeing how he changed the sound of the band.

Good Feelin’ To Know, as far as I was concerned, was a masterpiece of an album. THAT record should have broken them through. After that came Crazy Eyes, and you could tell Richie was leaving just by the writing, and the sound of the album itself. Finding out it was about Gram Parsons was like finding another bit of that history…that geneaology.

And the band shouldered on, became even tighter, if that’s at all possible, and put out Seven, Cantamos, and then the album with “Keep On Tryin’.” That song was what I would play people when I was trying to explain Poco to them and get them turned on to the band. I was a Pocovangelist when I was a sophomore in high school…I even did a massive painting of the cover of ‘Seven’ with the horseshoe, for my wall.

Then came Rose of Cimmaron, and when Timothy left, Rusty took over that airy-high vocal spot on the two records that finally “did it ” for them, with covers by none other than Phil Hartman.

I’m just a few years behind you in the chronological scheme of it, in that final section of the Boom called “Generation Jones”: too old to Boom, too young to GenX. I was anachronistic and autistic as a kid, glued to the radio from toddlerhood on.

I did deep dives on every kind of music, and the HISTORY OF IT was always first and foremost. The perspective of when it happened in the timeline, hell, just Historical Perspective in general, just doesn’t exist in people now. And they don’t want to know.

I am sad to see the natural progression. I feel as “cringe” as the old Big Bands my parents loved now. But rock and roll…it did bind kindred souls, no matter HOW old we were. Y’all may have been ten or so years older, but I was just as “there” with the music. The music bonded everyone, especially from ’64 to ’72, what to me were the “Golden Years” of pop music on AM.

The originals all passing, I feel an urge to make sure all that rock history that got me through a rocky teen-hood doesn’t all disappear and die. Another friend sent me a copy of a book written about the Haight Ashbury, called “We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us Against” by Nicholas Won Hoffman. He wrote it as his Thesis for “Dr. Jolly”…it has given me a whole new window onto the Haight Street scene. This is history that needs to be passed on, to be perpetuated, not to die with those who lived it.

Thanks again for another good one, Bob,

Byron Beyer

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Well, if the lyrics “Colorado mountains I can see your distant sky, bringin’ a tear of joy to my eye” didn’t resonate w/ the folks at Beaver Creek, then it’s unlikely they’d resonate anywhere else.

If I had to choose the most underrated band and artist from the 1970’s, my ballot would likely have Poco and Richie Furay at the very top. I’d probably have to select both as a write-in vote given the shameful lack of recognition of each (beyond Furay’s days w/ Buffalo Springfield), but those in the know certainly know. The Eagle’s get all the accolades as pioneers of country rock, and probably deservedly so, but the quality of Poco’s music isn’t too far behind, and in several instances their work is arguably better. Poco’s writing wasn’t always consistent, (then again, whose is), but the band’s lack of recognition and commercial success is a travesty.

No doubt if Ahmet and the strong promo team at Atlantic records had oversight of Poco’s early releases, they would have had a much better chance of success, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. For those not familiar w/ Poco’s body of work, check out their 2-disc compilation “The Forgotten Trail.” Serious music enthusiasts are familiar w/ early stage Poco players Jim Messina, Randy Meisner, Timothy B. Schmit and Richie Furay, but the late Rusty Young is arguably one of the best pedal steel players of all-time.

Stuart K. Marvin

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I lived in Boulder and had my first commercial studio there in the 70s. Poco, Firefall, Tommy Bolin, and Boz Scaggs were staples of the times. Glad Richie’s still doing it. As the Mighty Quinn said, “Take care of all your memories because you cannot relive them.” My trash bin will be full of tapes and records and books when my kids clean up after I’m gone. They might keep some actual photos and a few of my instruments, and I’m okay with all that. The satisfaction is that at least some of my story will live on, in whatever form the digital now allows. Your readers will still be quoting you until AI replaces all reading and talking. “Any day now, I (we) shall be released.”

Victor Levine

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I knew I was in trouble when I started seeing ads for bands I liked in junior high playing 4:30pm shows at The Villages. Hopefully rock ’n’ roll never forgets.

Vince Welsh

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This inspired me to see where else he was playing. At first it looked like New Jersey but then saw he’s at the Boulton Center on Long Island in Bay Shore on the 24th. Bought a couple of the few remaining tickets immediately. Looking forward to it.

Thank you!

Michael Williams

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August, Beaver Creek, the Rocky Mountains and Richie Furay… A Good Feeling To Know INDEED!

George Briner

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Bob: Thanks for remembering Poco. They belong in the RR Hall of Fame, as does America. Richie was the lead singer in Buffalo Springfield when I signed them to William Morris. They were a crusty bunch, except for Richie, he always was and has remained a kind hearted soul. The others eventually mellowed out, so kudos to them too.

Harlan Goodman and I managed Poco for eight albums, Poco Seven through Legend which delivered two top five singles and was their first and only platinum L.P.. They had a long string of managers, Green & Stone, Shiffman & Larson, Geffen & Roberts, Hartmann & Goodman, and Peter Golden. The story of their roller coaster career is classic American Rock & Roll.

The move to ABC is what changed the arc of their career. Abandoning one’s catalog was not de rigueur in those days. You lost your leverage. but Epic was too comfortable selling 350K units and never supported a single. Mybrother Phil designed many of their covers, including Poco Seven and Legend, his Horse logo remained their emblem to the end.

Forty years later I was at an ‘Old Timers Luncheon’ and sat next to this guy who informed me that he used to run Epic, and I told him how I sent Epic prexy Ron Alexenburg an original Phil Hartman watercolor of the Poco 7 cover. When we moved Poco to ABC he stomped on it and broke the glass. He sent it to me complete with footprints. I reframed it with the broken glass included. He says to me I’m Ron Alexenburg. I was totally shocked. He had lost a hundred pounds and I didn’t recognize him. He looked real good. We laughed a lot.

Music was our fuel in the sixties, Now it’s just grease to get the young people from screen to screen.

Rock ‘Til You Drop!

As ever,

John Hartmann

The post The Lefsetz Letter: Richie Furay In Beaver Creek appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Lee Abrams: Media Projections For Next Year

Staff Writer — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 17:55:09 +0000

Some personal random thoughts on where we’ll be at next year as things move at the speed of the era.

1. Digital Radio: The abundance of channels makes it difficult for any one platform to achieve critical mass. While the potential for Apple or Amazon to create exceptional ad-free radio-style channels exists, it is unlikely due to various reasons.
2. Terrestrial Radio: Although there will continue to be success stories, the industry as a whole is experiencing a slow decline, partly self-inflicted. Partly a technology reality.
3. Satellite Radio: There is a need for caution as satellite radio is losing its cool factor at a time when cool is critical.
4. TV Network News: TV network news delivers consistent performance, but often lacks innovation and originality.
5. Cable News: Cable news primarily consists of political rather than news channels, except during significant news events. Fox remains the king, while CNN faces ongoing identity and relevancy struggles.
6. Digital Video News: The future of news lies in digital video, but the code hasn’t been cracked. Presenting new ideas and big visuals on small screens will be a paradigm change.
7. Music Streaming: Music streaming has become the new standard for music consumption. Inexpensive, musically rich with improving quality. It’s the new radio in terms of musical prowess.
8. Podcasts: The podcast industry will undergo a significant shakeout as many realize the challenges of generating revenue and maintaining engagement. Only a handful of hit shows will dominate, while many will cater to niche interests indicating a healthy but over cluttered environment.
9. Social Media: Social media has made everyone a star and given everyone a voice. While this has its benefits, the consequences and implications can be troubling.
10. Newspapers: Major newspapers will survive, but cost-cutting measures, closures and content reduction will be widespread.
11. Streaming Video: The growth of streaming video will be fueled by consolidation and partnerships among platforms.
Get ready…

The post Lee Abrams: Media Projections For Next Year appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

Musician’s Guide to Spotify Countdown Pages

Hypebot — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 16:32:49 +0000

(Hypebot) — Unlock the secrets to boosting your streams with this Musician’s Guide To Spotify Countdown Pages. Learn how this powerful tool can amplify your music release strategy and keep your fans engaged.

Musician’s Guide To Spotify Countdown Pages

by Chris Robley of Reverbnation Blog

Spotify has added something pretty huge to your music promo toolkit.

They’re going big with Countdown Pages, which Spotify describes as “your ultimate pre-release destination.”

Here are the most important things you should know:

To help you build hype for an upcoming release, Spotify has combined the following features on one page:

Pre-saves
A preview of the tracklist
A timer counting down to launch
Clips to give fans a closer look
Merch offers
Fan notifications when your music goes live

In Spotify’s words, this tool will “close the gap between where music is teased and where it’s actually streamed.”

Simplifying the waterfall release

One of the most interesting aspects of Countdown Pages is… they’re dynamic.

So Countdown Pages streamline the distribution mechanics of a waterfall release, which is where you once had to “grow” an album over time by first releasing a single, then a new single bundled with the older song, then a third single along with the previous two tracks, and so forth.

It’s not rocket science, but managing waterfall releases in that manner was one extra stress during a season where you really should save your mental space and time for effective music promotion. Not busy-work.

Now you can drop new singles, merch items, and Clips over a longer duration and use the same destination — the Countdown Page — to boost engagement and pre-saves.

No more 3rd-party pre-saves?

Countdown Pages bring together many elements of Spotify’s on-platform promo in a more coordinated way. But they also could eliminate the need for artists to use 3rd-party pre-save tools and smartlinks?

I say “could” because you may have a large segment of fans who prefer different music platforms to Spotify, and you don’t want to ostracize them from your release promo just because Spotify made your life simpler on their platform.

But as much as I warn musicians that “your fans aren’t ALL on Spotify,” let’s be realistic: I know a huge percentage of you are STILL only gonna post links to Spotify.

So fine. If you’re that kinda artist, by all means, just use Spotify’s Countdown Page and forget about smartlinks and pre-saves.

Except if you have a small fanbase. Or when you’re launching a single. Or when doing a “split right” collaborative release.

Because…

Who is eligible to use Countdown Pages?

Countdown Pages are only available for albums released under one artist name. Spotify said they’d like to expand beyond that in the future. But currently you can only use Countdown Pages if you have:

more than 5k monthly listeners (based on 28-day streaming history)
an upcoming album
distributed that music to Spotify with a future release date

HERE’S HOW TO CHECK IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE:

Log into Spotify for Artists
Go to Audience then Segments
Click Active audience to see how many active listeners you have

What kind of artists should use Spotify’s Countdown Pages?

The case to use Countdown Pages is pretty strong.

Spotify claims that on average, nearly 70% of listeners who used the on-platform pre-save option went on to stream the album in its first week.

AND EARLY TESTIMONIALS SHOW HOW EFFECTIVE COUNTDOWN PAGES CAN BE:

Countdown Pages generated 6X more pre-saves than our off-platform buy link for several artists on our roster. The tool has been instrumental in helping to reach our chart goals.

—Emily Puterbaugh – GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF STREAMING & DIGITAL SALES, SECRETLY GROUP

Keep in mind though, these stats often apply to spotlight artists and prestige labels who get to test-drive the tools before a massive rollout. But it’s also true that platforms often reward creators who adopt new features. Because increasing your visibility builds awareness for their tools too.

SO MY SIMPLE RECOMMENDATION IS:

If you meet the minimum listener criteria, use Countdown Pages!

Even if you’re a debut artist. If nothing else, it’ll help you organize your promo materials, motivate you to create vertical video content that supports the release, and keep you on schedule.

And if you do already have 5k+ monthly listeners, a Countdown Page might be just the thing to reach them again where they already are (on Spotify!), get them excited, and create an easy pathway for them to return to your album once it’s live.

How to make the most of your Spotify launch with Countdown Pages

First, obviously, you’ll need to create a Countdown Page.

Then there are some additional steps you should take to get the most from your Spotify Countdown Page prior to your release date.

THESE INCLUDE:

Pitch your upcoming music to Spotify’s editorial team
Set aside a day or two to batch-record a bunch of vertical video for Clips
Create Canvas video for each track
Add new merch items
Pin your Countdown Page to the top of your profile using Artist’s Pick

For more info and inspiration, check out these Countdown Pages examples!

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The Bob Lefsetz Podcast: Keyboardist Patrick Leonard

Bob Lefsetz — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 17:59:54 +0000

Keyboardist/songwriter/producer Patrick Leonard has worked with everybody from Madonna to Elton John to Bryan Ferry to Michael Jackson to Leonard Cohen…the list goes on and on. We cover this history, as well as his love for Jethro Tull, but be absolutely sure to stay until the very end of the podcast wherein Patrick gives his take on today’s music. It comes after I say “Till next time…” We talked after the podcast was over and what Patrick said was so interesting I felt you had to hear it.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/patrick-leonard/id1316200737?i=1000664021302

https://open.spotify.com/episode/03ym02kkndQh9doLOMw3pS?si=wdplMYZVQvW_XuVi2Eyj1g

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/patrick-leonard-201381668/

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/d27f5d86-f673-450e-8e44-1a45df2a3530/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-patrick-leonard

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Lee Abrams: Programming Media In 2025 – Looking Ahead

Lee Abrams — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 17:47:44 +0000

It’s all about merging extreme creative with extreme technology. Extreme cuts through

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and media, programming has become an integral part of creating captivating and immersive content. As we ride towards 2025, it is hopeful that programming will continue to shape the way we consume media, pushing the boundaries of creativity and interactivity. This article explores the exciting developments and possibilities that lie ahead in programming media content.

1. Personalized Viewing Experience:
In 2025,personalized entertainment experiences will take center stage. With advancements in data analytics and artificial intelligence, media platforms will be able to tailor content to individual preferences and viewing habits. Imagine a streaming service that suggests stories based on your mood, interests, and previous watch history. This personalized approach will enhance user engagement and offer a more immersive viewing experience.

2. Interactive Storytelling:
Gone are the days of passive entertainment. In 2025, we can expect to see a surge in interactive storytelling, where viewers become active participants in the narrative. Through programming, media creators will develop branching storylines that respond to user choices, allowing for multiple plot outcomes. Viewers will have the power to shape the direction of programming blurring the line between audience and creator.

3. Virtual and Augmented Reality:
Virtual and augmented reality technologies have gained significant traction in recent years, and their impact on programming media content will only grow in 2025. These immersive technologies will enable viewers to step into virtual worlds, enhancing the storytelling experience. Imagine watching a live sports event from the perspective of your favorite player or exploring historical events through augmented reality overlays. Programming will be the driving force behind creating these captivating virtual and augmented reality experiences.

4. Real-Time Content Generation:
With the rise of social media and real-time communication, programmers will need to adapt quickly to keep up with the demand for fresh and engaging material. In 2025, programming will play a vital role in automating content generation. AI-powered systems will analyze trends, user preferences, and social media data to generate personalized content in real-time. This will revolutionize social media marketing, influencer campaigns, and content creation across various platforms.

5. Enhanced Visual Effects and CGI:
Visual effects and computer-generated imagery (CGI) have become an integral part of modern media production. In 2025, programming will continue to advance these technologies, enabling filmmakers and content creators to push the boundaries of visual storytelling. With improved rendering capabilities and AI algorithms, realistic and seamless integration of CGI elements into live-action footage will become more accessible, creating visually stunning and immersive experiences for viewers.

The years 2025 and beyond holds. immense potential for the programming of media content. From personalized viewing experiences and interactive storytelling to virtual and augmented reality, the future of entertainment will be shaped by programming innovations. As technology continues to evolve, content creators will have the tools to captivate audiences in new and exciting ways. The programming landscape of 2025 is set to revolutionize the entertainment industry and provide viewers with unforgettable experiences. Get ready to embark on a journey where imagination and technology converge to redefine the way we consume media. Extreme creative meets extreme technology.

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Has The Music Festival Bubble Burst?

Hypebot — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:51:22 +0000

(Hypebot) – Has the music festival bubble burst? Explore the factors that contributed to the dramatic rise in music festival cancellations.

by ArtistVerified

Festival Overload

It’s no secret that music festival ticket sales are down substantially this year. Coachella is almost always a guaranteed sellout, but not this year. Over 50 festivals have been canceled in Europe alone and the trend seems to be carrying over to North America, there is evidence from other markets such as Asia and Australia/New Zealand that this is a wider problem. When a business model becomes successful in a specific market, it’s almost a given that copycat businesses will flood the market until there is market saturation and an eventual bubble burst. What we are now seeing in the festival space may be the start of the inevitable. But what are the causes and what can be done to bring the crowds back next year?

CAUSES

Market Saturation: Has the music festival bubble burst?

The simplest and most obvious cause is market saturation. New festivals are popping up every year and they are competing for the same dollars. That means that the cream will rise to the top and fans (and sponsors) will have to choose which festivals appeal to their hearts and wallets. Traveling hundreds of miles to the mainstay festivals with the premier lineups is no longer necessary when there’s a festival with a great lineup within an hour or two. Most music fans can’t afford to attend multiple music festivals and inflation isn’t making it any easier.

The Headliners

Quite simply put, the number of true festival headliners is finite and dwindling. How many festivals can Foo Fighters or The Killers continue to headline year after year? This is a result of a number of factors but the one that is most troubling is the DSP algorithm effect. An artist that has a massive amount of streams may not be a great festival headliner. Streaming numbers cannot be equated with record sales. True festival headliners are artists with a broad appeal and a reasonably robust touring history. There are less and less contemporary artists that have that today, partially due to playing more festivals than headline dates. Further, festivals are cannibalizing the other side of the touring industry; the club dates and arena tours, which are now suffering even more than the festivals. Just ask The Black Keys or J Lo.

The Undercard

When festival lineups become increasingly unrecognizable and odd to even the youngest music fan amongst us, it’s probably not a good sign. Festival curators are losing an unwinnable battle at present because they’re becoming dependent on booking and traction data that is based on metrics that tend to lean to prediction rather than history-based analysis. The days of “this artist is gonna blow up” are over for the most part. And it’s not the curator’s fault. Like the headliners, there is a finite number of acts that people are willing to pay to see more than once a year or less. Further, some music fans want a more curated lineup appealing more to their specific tastes and aren’t getting it from the Coachella/Gov Ball “too cool for school” DSP/Tik Tok-driven lineups. Genre-targeted festivals/tours that have remained focused on artists of a particular type — whether they be established or emerging, eg Knotfest or Inkarceration seem to be doing better than Coachella or Glastonbury.

The Post-Covid Hangover (Gonna party like its 2021/2022)

The dreadful summer of no live music that was 2020, meant that music fans were chomping at the bit to get out and see more shows than ever in 2021 and 2022 and seemed to continue to do so into 2023. Artists could tour constantly if they wished and the fans would come out. The live music industry was apparently crushing it like never before. But like all good things, 2024 has signaled that the party has come to an end. Festival organizers now have the data that the pent-up demand in 2021/2022 was an aberration, not a new normal. Most artists are coming to the sad realization that successfully touring every year isn’t a reality. Artists will have to return to “taking the year off” from touring in order to sustain their market-demand, at least in the US. We likely won’t see many of this summer’s headliners back at it next year unless they tour outside North America.

The Hard Costs

Like just about every other market currently, the costs of doing business as a music festival are higher than they have ever been. But because the festival market is now more saturated with new festivals, promoters aren’t able to simply raise their prices without seeing a negative effect on sales. This is simply supply-demand economics.

Limited Sponsor Dollars

Most music festivals rely heavily on substantial sponsorship dollars to even come close to break-even, much less profitability. Sponsorship dollars are not flowing like they have in the past and the competition is even greater now with more hyper-targeted and market-curated festivals popping up. Sponsors expect more for their money and have less of it to spend. The competition for these dollars is fierce and getting fiercer.

SOLUTION?

Organic Growth

Most of the big-name festivals with longevity and history started very small and grew organically. Today, we see festivals pop up with an incredible lineup in year one and zero chance of breaking even. Certainly, it’s not easy to break even in year one or two even, but slow and steady wins almost every race. The festival that builds a sustainable relationship with attendees will stand the best chance of having longevity.

KYC

Festival attendance is almost entirely driven by experience. Yes, the artist line-up is what’s on the poster. But it’s the experience from the previous year or years that keeps people coming back. It’s imperative for festival promoters to not only know who their customers are, but what they love or don’t love about their festival. If someone has a bad time at your festival, it’s almost guaranteed that they won’t be back. Know your customer. Know as much about them as you possibly can. They bought a ticket and watched some artists on some stages and bought some merch. Which artists ? Which stages ? Which merch ? What do those fans do before attending ? Afterwards ?

Creative Curation and Experience

Festival lineups that look like every other festival lineup that year will see their turnstile numbers decrease as quickly as they grew. It’s no longer good enough, and the festival that is creatively curated to stand out as an outlier may be the one with the best shot at getting the festival-goers dollars today. Unique and memorable festival experiences will bring the fans back again and again.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, we have far exceeded the critical mass of music festivals to the point of market oversaturation, at least in the current economy. We are also seeing a sales slump at the arena and shed level. A correction is coming and those festivals which are creative and resourceful will live another season, while sadly, some others won’t.

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