Fine Line Between Ripe and Rotten

I bit into a banana this morning and realized it was still a bit green. Not bad, really, but not very sweet. It wasn’t quite done ripening. It got me to thinking. When does ripening cross over to rotting?

Isn’t it interesting that the same process that does the ripening, without the harvest (or consumption), will eventually turn the fruit into mush.

I’m a firm (haha) believer that we as created beings cannot create anything, only take creation and rearrange it. Like the old joke about the scientist telling God he can create life, and then reaching for a pile of dirt to begin, God stops him and says, “Hey, make your own dirt”.

As a result, I see things like writing and melody creation as a series of puzzles with different pieces. We’ve got letters, and words, and notes and chords and ideas. We don’t create rhymes and emotional moments, we assemble them from our tool kit and inventories of old. Ideas aren’t created, they’re discovered. Melodies aren’t spun, they’re deciphered. Add the Holy Spirit and only then, true synergy happens. Something greater than the sum of the puzzle pieces.

I reminisce, fondly, of my green banana plucked from its ultimate potential, so early in life, only to become a poor-man’s brunch. I see another one ripening on the counter, and if protected from my a-peeling hands, one day it might be arbitrarily referred to as a rotten banana.

When will be at its optimum sweetness and firmness? One day it might be at the perfect state where it as sweet as it can be, and still firm enough to eat without triggering a repulsive reaction. Too early, and we’re cheated of the ultimate flavor; The design standard! Too late, and were deprived altogether.

I can’t help but assume that there’s a word picture there. Another clue to this never ending puzzle we call life.

Or... its just a banana.

Faith vs. Reason for the Songwriter

In a recent facebook debate, Chuck Cannon asked the question, “Does God Have free will?” This sparked an ongoing debate which quickly turned to the question, “Does God exist?”, etc.

Then the question of faith vs. reason. I always think its strange that the two are sometimes presented as polar opposites.

Here is part of Chuck’s response that seem applicable to songwriting:

Chuck Cannon commented on his status:

I am a songwriter.

I have no idea what I am going to write next. I can be in the middle of a song and have no idea what the next line is going to be. I have no way of "knowing" if the lines I write are the right ones.

But I have "faith" that I can write songs. That faith has been supported by "reason" ... I have actually made money writing songs and have had people (besides friends and family) tell me my songs are good.

But the only way I will ever write another one is to have faith that I can ...

If I just sit on my ass and have "faith" nothing will happen. (Yes, I have empirical evidence!) So I spend an enormous amount of time reading ... looking for ideas. I write off movie tickets because I find so many ideas there ... I listen to people and how they say things ... what they love ... who they love ... what they believe ...

But once I'm in the middle of a song, "reason" plays a huge role ... I analyze ... I use dictionaries, a thesaurus, quotation books ... my old harmony textbooks for musical ideas ... different instruments ... different co-writers ...

poets and mathematicians ...

they are both at work in my brain ...

so faith and reason feed on each other in my world all the time ... i bet in your world too ...

and tomorrow I can get up and crank my tractor and move some gravel around on my driveway or I can stay right here in my studio and see if a song shows up ...

fate has brought me to this moment of choice ...

and my choices have brought me to this fate ...

Peace ~ Chuck"

Performance Royalties for Performers on Radio

The proposed measure in the Senate calls for a performance royalty to be paid to the artists for airplay.

Whether you know it or not, artists are currently not compensated for terrestrial radio airplay of their music. Writers and publishers are compensated, but the owners of the recordings are not.

To my knowledge, the royalty is 1/2 cent per play, to be added to the current royalty to then be distributed to the artists.

The NAB response is that local radio stations can not afford such an increase, and would have to suspend local news coverage, weather and all kinds of other services just to pay these (inferred greedy) artists for the use of their music. They even created the phrase PERFORMANCE TAX to gather public opinion against it.

Well, lets do some math.
If a radio station plays 15 songs an hour (I challenge you to find one that plays that many), 168 hours a week, 4.3 weeks a month.. or 10,836 songs a month.

10,836 songs a month! That’s a lot of songs.. That sounds like a lot of money, right?

At 1/2 cent each... the bill comes to $54.18 a month.



If an artist’s music helps to generate an audience... which sells advertising... which pays the bills, don’t you think that artist should get a penny every couple times his song gets played?

If there’s a better and cheaper way for a station to generate listeners, I say they should go for it. Music sounds like a bargain, to me.

Seriously. How much bad news do we have to give up for 55 bucks a month?

Took It For Granted

I’ve been waking up multiple times during the night. (and its not because I drank too much water before bed)

I’ve been waking up with lines and couplets. Ideas and rhymes. A few nights ago I woke up and thought, that’s a great idea. I’ll remember that. I didn’t even need to get up and write it down, it was that good. Good thing, because I was at a hotel and I didn’t have my notepad next to me..

I forgot the idea by the time I woke up again.

Try as I might, I’m still lamenting the loss of that idea. Moleskin is back in place. Recorder is at the ready. Its been awhile since the thoughts bubbled. Now they boil at times.

I’m thankful they’re back and I will try to be prepared. Hit me, Lord. Hit me!

WANTED. Up-tempo Radio-Ready Drivel.

I was reading a posting over at Ninety Mile Wind on the current state of the country music market that prompted the following response:

The current parade of country drivel on terrestrial radio is perceived to be what the customer wants, and in some respects, it IS what the customer wants, or at least what they are willing to settle-for to get where they want to be. They play it, and people listen. (or at least advertisers think so)

Artists and writers can't stand most of it, of course, but the market exists, and it comes with formulaic risk that is easily exploited by the accountants and execs.

Pop culture will always exist, and it will rarely be pretty, and will almost always be laughable and/or forgotten in hindsight, but as long as people will put up with them, 30 second hits are not going away.

There will always be someone willing to whip up what the customer will consume.

I'm reminded of a quote from Henry Ford. When asked about giving the customers what they want, he replied, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said 'Faster Horses'.

People and labels may think they want more drivel (uptempo horses), but what people really want is a way to extract themselves from reality and for that, the current drivel and vacuum-packed productions deliver! Even we, as artists, have to admit we’re distracted from reality as we contemplate how such a mindless song ever made it to the airwaves.

Unless presented with a different destination and a compelling vehicle to get them there, the consumer will continue to shovel all the hay and manure the label’s hit-farms have to offer.

Songwriters. You were made for a higher purpose.

©2009 Tim Wheeler

A friend of mine sent me a link to unique perspective on Artists vs. Broadcaster debate over the Performance Rights Act.

Cathy Hughes Attacks John Conyers for His Support of Performance Rights Act



Another valuable perspective. Check out who else she’s attacking.

It occurs to me that it is an outright battle just to find the other side of this story. The general public only hears about the PERFORMANCE “TAX” fight, which in itself is a blatant misrepresentation. (The Government will not be involved in the payment system for the peformer’s royalties... no tax collected) The reason is that the media outlets that can spread the news are biased on the issue.

The only reason I even questioned the first news I heard on this was because of a funny feeling in my gut. I had to do some serious digging to get another perspective.

Always Follow the money.

The King Is Dead.

Michael Jackson was an Icon with a capital ‘i’. He took his work seriously and never produced a sub-par piece of work. Whether you like his style, or not, you cannot deny his consistent level of excellence. I remember waiting to watch a new video or listen to a new song when he would be working. My expectation was that it was always top shelf. I don’t remember being disappointed.

His personal life, of course, was a freak-show. There was a sweet innocence about his demeanor. Personally, I prefer not to think he was perverted, that he was trying to go back to another time when everyone wasn’t suspect. I may be wrong, but I prefer not to have to rectify that type of perversion with the art and message that his art portrayed. Some know the truth, but in this day and age you don’t know who’s telling the truth.

It was obvious he was trying to fill a bottomless hole. His plastic surgery, skin color, Neverland. Deep down, I think he was longing for acceptance. Perhaps, from his father. Perhaps from his fans. Perhaps from the press. Perhaps from himself.

Surely he got glimpses of it when each of his projects were released... Thriller had no critics... but I sense it was never enough.

I cranked up BLACK OR WHITE last night. I love that song.. mostly I love the performance. There is so much energy in that performance and so many other MJ creations.

I never idolized Michael Jackson, but I bought his stuff. It was always worth the money. I did my part to contribute to his acceptance, but I’m only human, and in the end, its not the acceptance of other humans that ultimately fulfills.

“If you’re wantin’ to be my brother it don’t matter if you’re black or white.”

Performance "Tax" on Broadcast Radio. VOTE YES! Here's why...

There’s a fire storm raging about the new performance “tax” that is being presented to Congress.

Now, I’m the first to bristle at new taxes, but I got a bad feeling in my stomach when it was the radio stations and NAB pushing to stop it in its tracks. Keep in mind that it was the broadcasters who formed BMI to limit performance royalties paid out to composers and songwriters... (competing with ASCAP) I kept hearing things like greedy record labels.. so I looked into it.

First off, the word TAX... the broadcasters came up with that.. there is no mention of the word in the bill.

Seems that performers are not paid performance royalties in the US. Writers and publishers are, and have been since 1909 or some such year.. but for 80 years, performers are not and have not been paid. The excuse the broadcasters have used for years is the music business is paid via sales as a result of radio air play. Of course, with the advent of illegal downloads, most of that revenue is gone. Additionally, as the major labels dominance continues to wane, smaller labels get more airplay, but continue to get no compensation.

NAB is arguing that it will cause less music to be played on the radio. Like there’s a lot now? Demand will dictate how much music is played on the radio, and having to pay another 1/2 cent royalty to the performer is not going to eliminate profit for the broadcasters.

Music is the reason people listen. Artists should be compensated for their work.

Furthermore, as most are unaware, there are millions collected world wide for US artists on foreign stations, but because the US does not pay, those royalties are not distributed to US artists. That would open those funds up for artists as well.

Get on your horn. Let your congressman know that we want artists to be paid, just like publishers and writers are paid.

Remember, the Big labels.. well when their gone, its just us small labels and musicians left.. and how are we going to change the laws, then?

So, unless you’re not for artist getting paid for performing their works, you should be FOR this bill, not against it.

The House Bill in question is H.R. 848. Check into it, and spread the word. Call your Representative.

Great Songs Will Prevail!

Great songs will prevail and open doors.

However, I think there's an ongoing, basic misunderstanding on who the audience is for a demo. I believe this, because I misunderstood it for years. (Not to mention tens-of-thousands-of-dollars in demos)

There’s a lot of talk about those who can’t hear a song in the raw form. Fact is, there’s a lot of people who can’t, but that’s not the point. The real question is this; Where, in the music business food chain, are you presenting your work? This will determine the level of quality you at which you need your demos recorded.

For instance, if you want to pitch to major artists and labels, you had better walk in with the full guns blazing (master quality demos). It takes time or providence even to get the chance to compete in this arena. Once you've gotten that chance, you have to present relevant and excellent work everytime, or your chance to even have an audience to listen in the future will wane quickly.

When pitching to major labels, you're in the lineup with the best of the best and rest assured, they are putting their best foot forward. The assumption will be that you, too, are submitting the best you can produce. That's a tough, (and expensive) field in which to play. The silk-purse-from-a-sow's-ear illustration applies, big time. If your song isn't ready, no amount of production is going to make it a hit... and the very act of presenting it may ruin your chances (credibility) to be in the first string of presenters in the future.

If we represent our wares in that field, you are in a real sense making yourself the publisher, and the investment of time and resources need to be commensurate with those you’re competing with. The list of great competitors cannot be adequately listed here... its huge.

If you’re presenting your songs to publishers, however, the game should be very different. I say “should”, because it doesn’t take much to “call” yourself a publisher. To make that point short, lets just say that if you sense a publisher can’t “hear” a song in raw form, move on. Find one who can.

As a writer, establish relationships with those who are connected in the industry, and can HEAR a song, through the rough as well as the polished demos. As with everything, there are those can be trusted, and those who can't. Those who are looking to make money from the bottom up (from writers), and those who want to make money the real, legit way (from hit songs) When you find the latter, however, and develop a relationship and trust with them, the game changes in your favor.

You still need to be great at what you do. You still need to be an excellent craftsman. You still need great ideas and the skills to change those ideas into great melodies, hooks that tie those ideas together, etc. But now you have the freedom to do that without spending good money on mediocre/half-developed ideas. That trusting relationship has the potential to give you a perspective you rarely get on your own. A second eye that can see the forest for the trees when you’ve been banging out the same notes and words to the point of insanity. The trusting voice who says “Hey, you said the same thing in Verse 2, that you already said in verse 1”, or, “that’s been said before, but much better than what you’ve written here”. A tough voice of truth that you can trust.

Developing relationships is one of the keys in this business, and I'm not talking about the old its-all-in-who-you-know-good-old-boys-network cliche'. I'm talking about publishers or pluggers who believe in your ability to write and/or those who want to develop you into a great writer. There are few of them still out there. You may have to present some material in "finished" form to open those doors, but once open, those relationships will allow you to grow without spending your life-savings in the process.

The long story short, when you get the idea of all ideas, for the song of all songs, it may be too late to develop the relationships that will get that song heard by the right people, in a timely basis (while the song is still relevant). Develop the relationships now, without ulterior motives. Develop them without the intention of making the best song in your catalog a hit. Go in with the frame-of-mind that thinks that the best song you can write hasn’t been written yet, so when you do write it, you’ve already established the relationships with the right people who are ready to listen.

Yes. Great songs will prevail and open doors. But they have a much better chance if the doors have already been opened and you can just walk through.

TC