The Music Melting Pot

Recently I have had the idea of a melting pot in which all those who would like to be involved submit bands into a pool. Take the bands and specific songs that truly move you, the ones that you could listen to on repeat for 3 1/2 days, the ones that make you tear up. Then write them down and post them all to the page, and immediately pick one from someone else that is out of your element. . . the genre that you rarely listen to. Take it in, learn something. . like it, love it, hate it. Just try it. Analyze it with out your friend telling you that you have to listen to this dope track, or hearing a song on the radio and being too lazy to change the channel.

When devoting just 5 minutes to listen to something you are able to take it all in without feeling obligated to do so. Imagine the spider web effect that could stem from this. . . all the music that you would be introduced to in the time it takes to check your email. I grew up to classic rock, for those of you from Boulder KBCO 97.3FM, People like Tom Petty and John Hiatt... Sheryl Crow (whom I had the chance to kiss when I was 8. . shit happens, I learned my lesson.) I slowly moved into bands like Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails. I started producing and mixing Techno soon there after. Then got in Rap and Hip Hop, I still keep my pop side though... You have to credit the person that actually wrote the song that 4 billion people love. I was talking to a colleague of mine and mentioned the artist Colbie Caillat and her song Bubbly. . she thought I was talking about some type of liquor. Now granted I do drink a lot and had she been familiar with the artist. . She is WAY out of my genre. (and I would prefer that my friends not know either) Natasha Bedingfield is another, you probably don't know her as the singer/songwriter of the MTV show Laguna Beach's theme song. Well I'm feelin' her too.

Today I listen to and produce mainly hip hop, but have never lost my roots of all genres of music, you would think that my play list was the culmination of 65 ADHD kids with 3 choices each. So I implore you to expand your mind and listen to something new, Shit teach me something. . . send me your list! Sing me the song you made up in the shower. And allow people to hear what you hear without the pressure of pleasing you. So Get to thinking. . Code writers, GIVE ME A PLATFORM! Cheers Kids

Redman and Akir

The phrase “if these walls could talk” losses its meaning when walking into the lobby of the Fox Theatre. The walls don’t talk, they shout. They are riddled with pictures of shows from Snoop Dogg to String Cheese Incident and Tom Petty to Primus. This venue has lived an amazing life so far. Hundreds of world-renowned artists have played there. Thursday was no different, maximum occupancy was hit at about 10:30 when Akir took the stage. Accompanying him was Hasan Salaam, Payshir, and DJ G.I. Joe. The energy there never ceases to amaze me. With two tiers on both sides of the elongated room it forms a pit of 600+ people, siphoning the energy to the center. If words could only explain when Redman took the stage. Every show I go to I’m constantly reminded why I live for this. The crowd jumps up and down in waves caused by un-synced minds. I only watch from the balcony or back stage, I’m mostly over the shoulder-to-shoulder mayhem. I prefer the birds eye view over anything. The show went till about 1 am and I spent the rest of the night partying with the artists until about 4 am. I’m pleased that hip hop is not dead. .. now if rap could only face that plague. Redman did however give a speech that touched on music downloading. I stopped listening. . If he was asking me to stop, I wouldn’t. And if he was encouraging me to continue. . the speech was impertinent to me. GET OUT AND GO TO SOME SHOWS.

www.myspace.com/foxtheatre

www.myspace.com/akir
www.myspace.com/hasansalaam
www.myspace.com/payshir
www.myspace.com/djgijoe

Live Revival

I was recently reading a blog by a colleague of mine about his total despise for Justin Timberlake. In it he talked of his total captivation by an HBO special featuring a live show. I agree in the sense of how he began, Mickey Mouse club all the way to the total pop domination, but what he has become is what all artists should strive to be. He is a performer, in every aspect of the word. As an artist he broke the ties of media company control and allowed his actual talent to shine through.


I steal music and never feel an ounce of guilt even though I produce and manage artists, CD prices are through the roof. I will however run an old lady down to ensure that I get tickets to a concert. The music industry needs to take what they can get and then get out of the artists pockets instead or raping our world’s brilliant minds. You would be surprised how easy it is to start on your own. In an article I was reading in the New York Times, Columbia Records executive Steve Barnett had offered the idea of taking 50% of artist’s tour and merchandise money to try and save the drowning record label. Now if you don’t know, this is the only money that artists truly ever get. Every nickel otherwise is taxed down to its core. Imagine if all the millions of dollars spent on promotion of a CD and it’s sales were instead used to fund live shows; to ensure that one night left a permanent image in your mind.