JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Brian Austin Whitney Blog Friday, February 23rd, 2007

Hi Folks,

I got a surprisingly large response from the My Take in the newsletter yesterday. I never can predict what will catch someone's attention and what won't. A lot of times when I think I have something brilliant, barely anyone notices and when I figure no one will care, a lot of people do. I bet a lot of you out there have had that experience with songs. I know I always did. It seems like every time I tossed off some fluff song people loved it and my deep important songs went over people's heads. How about you?

Brian

That just reinforces what I already thought. That is; I don't have a clue what people will like.
One thing I have figured out; everything I write must be in the deep important category.

I agree,the writer is the worst judge of his/her own material.Often songs that we think are great,gets a ho-hum reaction from the public,while songs we think are so so,are loved by the public,go figure.If we can't figure out what the public will like,how can screeners for record labels and publishers do it.Do they just take what appeals to their own taste and hope for the best.

Everett

It seems that the less time I put into a song, the more everyone will like it. Still doesn't stop me from taking my time, though...

In fact, my top sellers on iTunes are the ones that I stuck on an album almost as an afterthought. And the ones I labored for weeks over barely sell at all. Hmmm...

People are motivated to buy through fear, greed, rebellion, habit, false self image, and gluttony, far more than they are motivated by things that are positive.

The old saying, "You attract more flies with honey." is flawed logic in business. The honey if free. The flies don't have to buy it. You move more flies to flight by swinging something at them.

Not that good things don't sell. Of course they do. But even they are often "sold" through fear...fear of being "unhip" or "unsophisticated." Some critic or tastemonger said it's good, so folks feel compelled to buy.

I was shocked when I went to Europe. Shocked by the high quality of food, architecture, technology. I was under the impression that they were lagging behind us in quality...was I ever surprised. Then, I came to realize what was going on. Folks in Europe wouldn't buy a stale cheese-type white bread sandwich at a gas station. You get fresh salami and sliced local cheese on a baguette...at the gas station. Their economy, their culture, is based on the consumer being personally discriminating in their tastes.

Maybe it's the breakdown of family here, and will catch up with Europe. Kids move out, off to college, then they move two states over and call once a week. Once they're old enough that their tastes can mature, they aren't exposed to the older generation that has accumulated knowledge...perhaps here it's because of rebellion from one's parents and removal from the second generation back, the grandparents, who in times past lived in the larger family unit and had great influence on the grandchildren...now they live in Florida.

Well, whatever it is. Let's find a way to exploit it for our own personal gain.

All the Best,
Mike

Hi Brian

I love your observations about music not being dead...There is a lot more of it out there, being made by so many. In some ways, this brings a fresh new light to music, there is SO much out there---In other ways, it complicates things in new ways--- SO many people promote themselves (virtually everyone) with adjectives like new, fresh, outstanding, phenominal (you get the idea). Then when we hear it...yuk...I think the public has gotten a little numb to this...It makes it "watered down". What I'm trying to say is that when you perform (the thread on how long people will listen before they turn you off was a real eye opener) you'd better GRAB them instantly...and then remain interesting and varied and don't let them be bored for a second!!! When I write I always think about what you said when people were complaining that no one was listening in the places that they were playing...you said you have to be "SO COMPELLING THAT THEY HAVE TO LISTEN". So true...even then, the audience may have an agenda that's more important to them than listening...getting laid, networking...I find people to be generally thinking about themselves...and they know they have 5000 songs in their Ipod and can listen to music anytime...Music is definitely not dead...but it IS hard to break through the myriad of choices and complications in their lives into their heart...I loved Alan's article here and his comment
"As a songwriter, if one percent of your product is successful, you are considered a success"
It gives me motivation to keep on plugging...Thanks for taking your time to bring all this to us, all the time.

Herbie

I think it depends on the expectations of your audience The deep stuff may not go over well in a singles bar where everyone wants to get drunk and get lucky. However, it may work in a coffee house frequented by people who are into "serious thinking" or at a concert where an audience is expecting that sort of thing.

Deep stuff did very well in the sixties. So did fluff. LOL.

Brian, music-wise, what were the differences between your fluff and deep stuff. (accidental rhyme.)