Pribek

Here is this year’s list of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame inductees. From Rolling Stone…

Jon Bon Jovi
Richie Sambora
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Jason Mraz
Tom Jones
Andy Williams
the Young Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati
Holland-Dozier-Holland
Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway (”You’ve Got Your Troubles,” Coca-Cola theme “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony”)
“Hair” lyricists James Rado and Gerome Ragni and composer Galt MacDermot
Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pochahontas, Prince of Egypt)
music publisher Maxyne Lange

Apart from that list being heavy on performers who have written some songs, there are some very worthy cats.

This however, is what sort of chapped my ass…

Past honoree Rob Thomas presented Jason Mraz with the Hal David Starlight Award.

Rob Thomas! Rob Freakin’ Thomas!!!

Yeah, I know these kinds of organizations try to front load with people that the simple folk will recognize but, this is supposed to be about Songwriters!

My friend, Bill Dees co-wrote one of the top 10 airplay songs of all-time (“Oh, Pretty Woman”). Co-wrote one of the best slices of popular music in the history of the universe (“It’s Over”). Had songs he wrote cut by monsters like Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and even the Germs for Christ’s Sake. He’s not in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame but Rob Thomas is!

This hall of fame may be even more bogus than the one Jann Wenner stuffs with names from his Blackberry.

O.K., yesterday I wrote this thing called “Life Is Just A Rodeo”, about Rob Thomas and his band, Matchbox 20’s decision to pull out of a gig at Cheyenne Frontier Days. I said…

Get your head in the game Thomas! If you are against rodeos, then, why in the hell would you book a gig at the Worlds…Biggest…Outdoor…Rodeo?

Then, I got a comment from Steve. I don’t recognize Steve as someone who has commented before. Steve said…

I believe that Mr. Thomas was under the impression, like so many Americans, that the BS that rodeo puts out about itself being wholesome family entertainment had a basis in reality. It was only after he was shown some of the brutality and meaningless animal abuse that takes place at Cheyenne did the band say no can do.

Fair enough. Now, from time to time I will write something where I am critical of someone. When I do, I am usually talking about some activity that the individual did.

A few times, I have received comments from people who were working in some organized fashion for a cause. I don’t have a problem with that.

My response to Steve…

A couple questions, Steve.
Are you working on behalf of or, as part of, an organization?

Are you saying that Rob Thomas, at one point, liked rodeos and booked a gig at one of the biggest and most well known rodeos in the world then, he had an epiphany and decided he didn’t like rodeos so, he canceled the gig?

Steve has not responded, which is fine. I was kind of hoping he would. I’ve been setting up some recording gear here in the Winnebago. It’s a challenge to do anything like that because, there’s some ciphering involved. You want to maximize the efficiency of every square inch. And, last night, the Joe Bald Store was out of Pall Mall Light’s so, I got regular Pall Mall’s. You get a different sort of vibe when you do the nicotine octane boost.

So, this issue was running through my head. I would like to clarify my issue with Rob Thomas.

My problem with Thomas has nothing to do with rodeos or cruelty to animals. Nothing.

I don’t think that, using a gig cancellation as a form of protest and, a way to get press coverage is a good way to do business with people.

If Thomas legitimately had an epiphany after the he signed contracts for Frontier Days, if all of the sudden he comes the conclusion that, for moral reasons, he can’t play at a rodeo then, he should cancel the gig. He should let the people that booked him know of his intent and reason why. Because, if you want to break a contract, you should supply a reason.

Now, I don’t know for a fact that Thomas did sign papers. I doesn’t really matter because Thomas made a point of announcing his side of things on the band website. Here is the complete statement from the Matchbox 20 site.

Regrettably, Matchbox Twenty will not be able to perform at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July, 18th. After careful consideration, it was decided that participating in this event would directly contradict the mission statement of SIDEWALK ANGELS FOUNDATION, our non profit organization. The other members of Matchbox Twenty support this decision and while we understand that a great deal of effort went into the planning of this show, and apologize to any and all fans who purchased tickets to see us. We ask that they please understand that it would be impossible for us to put ourselves in the position of making money from what we believe to be the mistreatment of animals.

Thomas is using this as a soapbox and, at the same time, publicizing (marketing) his own foundation.

Thomas is breaking a contract and using it as a way to promote. It’s pulling out of an obligation and, using that, as a means to create publicity.

I look at this and it makes me wonder if somebody was trying to set Frontier Days up. I wonder if it’s possible that Thomas never even intended to do the gig. Is it possible that this is some form of civil disobedience? I don’t know.

One thing I did, before I posted this thing yesterday was, look around to see if there was more rodeo protest going on. There is quite a bit. It seems to be organized and, there is a good amount directed at Frontier Days specifically.

Who knows what’s going on there?

Breaking a commitment, pulling out of a deal…backing out of a gig, maybe it’s old school thinking but, you don’t want to do that. It’s kind of a code of the road kind of thing. The old booking agent would say; “It’s not proper.”

If you don’t show “careful consideration” before the contract, you should do the show. If it becomes apparent that you are morally incapable of doing the show, after you have committed, work it out with the other side and keep it out of the press because, you are the one pulling out.

If you pull out of a deal, use your actions as a tool to promote and protest; that’s bad business.

That is bad show business.