Pribek

Last month, the top dog concert promoter, Live Nation, swallowed the top dog ticket outlet, Ticketmaster.

Now, Live Nation has struck a deal with Wal-Mart. So, you will soon be able to get socks, eggs, a haircut, contact lenses, do some banking and buy John Mayer and Britney Spears tix all at the same place.

Good. We can all stop thinking now.

There will only be three things to deal with….

Just a quick thing here; I was off-line all day yesterday dealing with some tech issues that I hope I have resolved.

Meanwhile…the possible return of Michael Vick is getting a lot of buzz. I was listening to Dennis Miller tonight and he was talking to some guy about how Vick has yet to have his “Oprah moment”. Meaning, that Vick needs to go on National T.V. with a public, heart felt apology to enhance his standing in the court of public opinion.

Also, a lot of talk about if/when he should get his N.F.L. eligibility reinstated and the fact that many teams are going public about how they aren’t interested.

Anyway, it just sort of struck me as ridiculous.

The National Football League…a haven for drug use and felons, propped up by gamblers doesn’t have room for a guy who committed disgusting, violent acts that has done his time? And, this moral high round is the result of negative public opinion?

Check this out…this is the headline from the lead story at Rolling Stone’s daily music news deal…

Woodstock Box Set Packed With Unreleased Dead, Who Tracks

Hunh!!??

Are you kidding me?

That’s not news. Stuff that didn’t make the cut for a live record that was released almost 40 years ago? “Unreleased tracks” by the Dead and the Who? Did the Who or the Dead knock it so far out of the park at Woodstock that we now need to put the culls under the microscope?

There is no music news.

Earlier this week, our good pal Sans Direction had a post in which he analyzed some goofy article where some guy had five ideas that will save the music “industry” and refuted the nonsense with pinpoint clarity. By the way Dave, I gave much thought to a comment but, I figured I might as well fill some space up here since…

…There is no music news.

Why do you suppose that is Jack?

Well, because the “music industry” hasn’t been “saved”. And, the fact is…nobody could have saved it anyway.

All the music industry has ever been…is a bunch of salesmen.

Remember “WKRP In Cincinnati”? When everybody used to bust on the pathetic guy in the ridiculous suit; the salesman? It was one of those deals where the joke worked but, the truth is; real radio stations don’t exist without salesmen.

The music industry doesn’t exist without salesmen. Nor do the newspaper, television, movie, magazine and, book publishing industries.

The music industry uses data as a commodity. Data is no longer a commodity.

Salesmen can’t sell something that is no longer a commodity.

Journalism is the next to tank. Journalism, news, is data.

Journalism needs to tank same way the music industry needed it. It has been a bloated bunch of manufacturing swill.

The news won’t disappear. Stuff will happen and word will get out. As the value of data decreases, communication increases.

And, music will survive. Cats who dig making it will continue regardless.

And believe it or not; there are salesmen who do it because it’s in their blood, in their souls. Those cats will seek out stuff to sell that they believe in and, that’s how it should be.

It’s the age of communication. It’s a righting of the ship. It’s a fucked up mess. Data isn’t a commodity but ideas will be and, it’s going to be OK.

We could use some salesmen in the music “community”. Cats who love to sell and can grasp the idea of selling ideas. Liaisons that that can foster relationships with fans and build careers. What we have right now is a bunch of talented musicians who are flailing around, spending valuable time, in a futile effort to sell themselves. The “idea” of themselves.

We could use people that can say; “You need to pay attention to this person. He/she/they have great ideas. Here’s a sample, take a listen.”, with passion and flair. That’s a true salesman. Some are throwing the term “trusted stewards” around. To me, it sounds like a diversionary tactic. Futurist babble. We need salesmen.

And, as we stumble through the fog, they will surface and re-surface. And…the show will go on. Trust me on that.