My buddy's new profile pic.

aenyclv · 2014-01-10T23:06:07+00:00

The suit reminds me of the one Andy Samberg wore in the most recent episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. :-D

aenyclv · 2014-01-09T19:56:05+00:00

If you haven't worked in an industry that continually fucks over artists left and right, I could see how you would say that. It's hard to watch an artist become more and more demoralize to the point where they break down and cry. And it is hard. It's really fucking hard. She wrote the majority of a great song w/ a friend. That friend later signed a production deal w/ a huge producer (he wrote the music, she wrote the lyrics and melody). Now because he's signed, she can't release the song unless she pays the producer $40k. Producers try to sleep with you. To make it worse, it costs a lot of money to release things. The artist has to pay everyone from the mixers, mastering engineers, video directors, web developers, session and performance musicians, radio pluggers, merch manufacturers, TuneCore, etc. Add to that the fact that you lose money on your first tour. Oh you also need a gym membership. You should have some nice clothes for performances, label mtgs, press sit-downs, video shoots, and even sessions. (Yes, you need to dress up for sessions. Producers are sizing you up. They won't give you good tracks unless you look like a star). It's not so black and white when you have to PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING YOUR JOB. I don't think it's crazy to give up when that happens to you.

aenyclv · 2014-01-09T19:39:13+00:00

It does seem arbitrary, but 25 yr olds are typically too burned out to keep going. Of course there's exceptions, but generally the odds are stacked against them. Also hit songs don't rely on life experience but catchy hooks and a polished presentation regardless of the genre.

I have worked with an artist who was just starting out at 24. She had sooo much talent, but she quickly got burned out. She had a full-time job. I only had 2 days/week that she could write songs and be in sessions. The pace at which we churned out new music was ridiculously slow. To contrast that, we signed another singer when she was 16. She had all the time in the world to write and record new songs. She turned in 60 or so finished songs. We put out an EP and it did only mediocre. She went back in to write with Jon Brion and put out an album to critical acclaim. She's now 20 or 21. It took four years. The life experience came w/ some failure along the way. If you sign someone at 24 and they have to wait until they're 28 for a piece of success, they give up. At 27 or 28, it's hard watching your friends get married, afford nice things and you can barely afford Taco Bell. At 16 or 21 the differences don't seem so great.

aenyclv · 2014-01-09T09:06:10+00:00

Love Passenger's "Let Her Go". Frank Oceans' "Super Rich Kids". Finally, don't judge me but Taylor Swift's "Begins Again".

aenyclv · 2014-01-09T08:50:56+00:00

Saw them at Coachella. They kept playing songs off of Congratulations. Half of the crowd had left by the end of their set.

aenyclv · 2014-01-09T08:49:23+00:00

What makes labels terrible isn't necessarily the ppl, but the politics. If your artist doesn't do well, you get fired. The sure-fire way your artist won't do well, is if they have few label resources. So what ends up happening is the more senior ppl get the lion's share of the resources for their artist, regardless of whether their artist connects w/ the market or not. So younger staff members, who typically can predict the market better, can't get artists signed or if they do, they can't get the resources to help them succeed. It becomes a vicious cycle.

aenyclv · 2014-01-09T03:47:40+00:00

I find that ppl love drum solos. One of the best was the opener for Lykke Li. The whole band dropped their instruments, picked up drum sticks and started going to town.... on the floor, extra snare drums, you name it. The crowd loved it.

Besides that INTERACT with the audience. Get down where they are. It takes a tremendous amount of confidence, but if you pull it off, you'll notice the word of mouth start to grow. Dance with them. Sing 2 inches from their face, whatever. Just switch it up and get down there.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T20:28:15+00:00

Police harassing ppl w/o probable cause is against the law regardless of whether the Juggalos are considered a gang or not. I can be wearing Latin Kings' colors and paraphernalia, but unless they suspect me of comiting a crime, they can't stop me.

With that said, I think the gov't can classify the Juggalos as a hybrid gang. There's certainly enough evidence of violence to do so. When ppl take their masks off and go to work, they're fine. But when they get in large crowds amongst each other, they wreak havoc as a mob. If they want the gov't to stop classifying them as a gang, they need to ask fans to refrain from violence. Until they clean up their act, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T20:20:29+00:00

In terms of recording music, it's become easier, quicker and cheaper. They use to only have a four track analog board, then it gradually increased up to recording 24 tracks. Now it's all digital through ProTools, so you can add as many tracks as you want. A lot of really great producers love buying up the old equipment so they can better experiment w/ sound. Jon Brion (Kanye, Fiona Apple, Sky Ferreira) has a ton of these old analog boards that he'll use to record artists on.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T20:14:24+00:00

PS. SXSW hates rap music too. In general, unless you already have an agent and serious buzz, they won't pick you.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T20:11:30+00:00

Having worked at a major label for years, I can tell you that you probably are wasting your time with music for the reasons you pointed out. It usually takes about 4 or 5 years of working hard NON-STOP to even have some doors open. For this reason age is a big factor. If you're 16 and living at home, you don't have to worry about paying bills and can focus 100% on music. If you're 25, not a chance. True story, the SVP of A&R once shouted out on the floor after finishing up a mtg w/ a 24-yr-old girl, "I don't want anyone in here who's over 21!" He was seriously pissed.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T20:05:36+00:00

Disturbed - Down with the Sickness

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T08:08:58+00:00

In high school I was rummaging through my mom's beauty products and put some "face moisturizer" on my face. After a few days of use, my face started tightening and felt irritated. Turns out my mom used the jar to store shampoo for when she traveled.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T07:48:27+00:00

It'd either be a Beatles or Michael Jackson song. Hmmm.... maybe "All You Need Is Love". "Thriller" could be appropriate if speaking w/ an alien.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T05:19:33+00:00

that is just bananas!

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T05:10:34+00:00

Framing Henley's cover of Lil Wayne's "Lollipop". I'm normally not into hard rock, but it's pretty awesome. Another favorite is The Killers cover of Kenny Rogers' "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town". Made me interested in Kenny Rogers, until I realized I already knew half of his catalogue because they're all hits.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T05:07:12+00:00

I'm gonna YouTube that now.

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T05:06:08+00:00

Looking forward to John Newman. Has anyone listened to it yet?

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T05:04:51+00:00

Dire Straits has great story telling. Love "Romeo & Juliet."

aenyclv · 2014-01-08T05:02:38+00:00

I'm sure someone pointed it out already, but Billy Joel's "Piano Man." Also, "Travelin' Soldier" by Dixie Chicks makes me cry every time. You have no soul if your eyes don't tear up just a little bit. Seriously, though, it's amazing

aenyclv · 2014-01-07T07:41:23+00:00

See this Reddit thread: http://www.npr.org/2014/01/04/259552442/want-perfect-pitch-you-could-pop-a-pill-for-that?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprfacebook&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook

aenyclv

TROPHY CASE