Archive for March, 2009
It Hurts Because It’s True
Thanks for forwarding, Niems.
Memefication
A friend forwarded me an article that rang true talking about the ‘memefication of your band’. The point, I think, is that being a band or being an artist or being any kind of ‘personality’ is not really about the things that it used to be about anymore. It’s about creating more than just music. It’s about creating a relationship. A relationship based, to a degree we haven’t seen before, on authenticity.
It’s about a persona. But not really a persona in the way that a person meant in the old days. Because in the old days there were so many more ways to hide. You could put out records every couple years and tour and maybe have a strange little documentary about the tour. But that’s sort of all there was. The spaces in between weren’t filled in by anything.
Then MTV came along. And then, truly, the real thing was the Internet and blogging, and mp3s, and websites, and Twitter, and managing that online presence. And, it’s not just about the music anymore.
That’s kind of okay with me. I like writing. I like feeding this machine. I probably don’t have the ability to embark on a multi-city national tour and it seems like such a waste of resources when the Internet gives you the ability to reach many many more people for far far cheaper.
Here’s a great quote from Carles’ article:
The modern band is not just about ‘music.’ The modern band must successfully win over fans by finding effective methods to generate themselves into a meme-source worth following. You are more than just your music. You are an aesthetic. You are the news that bros every where need to read about. You need to picture a world where you have at least 20K twitter followers who are eager to follow your lifestream on a meme-to-meme basis.
I think this is exactly right. Here’s the kinda depressing thing about this reality. It shoots holes in the argument that you’re just doing it for the music and you maybe have to accept some of that uncomfortable reality that it’s about your own narcissism and selfishness. Because if you’re getting known for a lot of things other than just the songs you write and perform. Well, that’s just true, isn’t it? Whether it’s good or not.
Listen, brother, don’t hang your head. The world changes. You can’t be just one thing anymore. Look at John Mayer.
Music And The Music Industry
I wasn’t at South By Southwest but something felt different and special about it this year. Again, despite the fact that I wasn’t there. Maybe it was the emergence of Twitter as a medium through which anyone could broadcast their thoughts (and correspondingly their thoughts about the conference) or maybe it was that the Twitter demographic overlaps with the music demographic overlaps with the indiea demographic to such an extent that the a conference focused (partially) on indie music was, by definition, going to get the Twitter-verse a-twitting.
But, the thing that I felt, and the thing that I felt as I’ve lost some hours watching the great stuff that Pitchfork has done on Pitchfork TV, in particular this Daytripping episode on Fleet Foxes. Well, the deal, it seems to me, is that the world of people making music and loving music and writing songs and getting down is alive and well. I don’t know how profitable Pitchfork is but I do know that they’re putting a spotlight on the fact that, even if people have to have day jobs, music is being made.
It is good. I believe in it.
Compare that with the moaning and groaning you hear from the major labels. I didn’t get all the way through this long essay by John Mellencamp on the demise of the music industry (I will soon, I promise) but the basic premise seems pretty flawed and out of touch to me.
No, We Did Not Go To Hebrew School Together
Zach Kaufmann just posted an interview with me that he did over the course of the past few days. I’ve never met Zach in person and we’re not related. He just really digs the record. This kind of early support is obviously very gratifying but, really, it’s just nice that we can connect over these notes and chords that are sent out through the atmosphere to random ears.
Here’s a few good parts:
This sounds ridiculous but the truth is that I think a lot of my songwriting skills have come from the fact that I’ve been singing made-up songs to myself since I was about five. I remember my neighbors leaning out their windows in high school telling me to shut up when I walked the dogs. I’ll do it wherever I am—just singing some little melody that’s popped into my head. I can seem a little crazy but if you’re going to walk around talking to yourself, New York is the place for it.
And:
Pain is a Reliable Signal, as I wrote in the post, is a definite early contender for 2009′s album of the year, even if Pitchfork and Stereogum haven’t caught on yet.
Good things.
Indie Pop Music Blog
A nice mention of the record and the backstory here.
One Of The Best Albums Of The Year
Zach Kaufmann just dropped a great review on us through Splice Today. Here’s the money quote:
Sam Jacobs, recording under the name The Flying Change, has made what I’m willing to go ahead and say is one of the best albums of the year. Forget The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Beirut and whoever else is getting all the rave Pitchfork reviews so far. Sam Jacobs is the one to watch out for.
Thank you, Zach. I think we’re going to do an interview pretty soon. Regardless, it’s always nice to be given such thoughtful praise. And he points out why I do things under the name The Flying Change … there are about 40 different people named Sam Jacobs in the New York area alone. Oh well. New York likes people named Sam Jacobs. What can I say?
