My dear gal Alice Callahan snapped these photos. Many thanks to all who came out.

Excited for this show …

I had so much fun working on this video with my friend Danny Miller who owns Studio Say So. He’s phenomenal. I hope you like it …

I’ve grown increasingly obsessed with the business of music business and thinking deeply about how to be an authentic business person while remaining an authentic artist. There’s not much difference between art & business after all — they both require passion, commitment and most important, personal integrity.

Bob Lefsetz is brilliant on this topic & I enjoy everything he has to say. When he tweeted out the article (though he didn’t write it) I read it immediately, and man was I bummed out.

I expected to read that “selling out” meant lowering your artistic standards or watering down your musical taste, but was surprised when Adele was quoted as saying that selling out is pairing yourself with a brand or allowing your songs to be placed:

Adele says that, despite huge commercial offers, she refuses to “sell out” and despises artists who exploit their fans for financial gain. Rule number one in the singer’s plan is no advertising tie-ins. “I think it’s shameful when you sell out,” she says. “It depends what kind of artist you wanna be but I don’t want my name anywhere near another brand. I don’t wanna be tainted or haunted.”

I wonder why she thinks this. Not everyone gets a record deal when they’re 19 (like Adele did) … if you don’t have a record deal, how do you get your songs heard? How do you get music out there? I also wonder if her comments lack compassion for artists who yearn for doors to be opened in other ways. The current relationship between music (indie music especially) and television  / film / commercials is something to be celebrated in this age when making money as an artist is difficult.

Not mentioned in the article at all is what I think is the true reason for Adele’s amazing success – she’s good. She’s sooooo freakishly good. So talented. A true singer who doesn’t push too hard, try to be someone she isn’t, or sound like someone she isn’t. She is just herself.

But is pairing with a brand “selling out” ?? No, I think it’s simply good business … Just thinkin out loud here,

MP

You’re probably all up on your hymn-trivia and you’re aware of this already, but if not, you know “It Is Well With My Soul” ? Did you know that it was written just after the lyricist (Horatio Spafford) found out his four daughters had drowned at sea? After learning where the words came from, I can barely sing them anymore.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is very well with my soul.

Rockwood Music Hall

Don’t be shy.  It’s free.

I’ve been singing with Dusty for … three years now??  and his ability to win over the grouchiest crowd never ceases to amaze me.  Also, I stole his rhythm section awhile back & claimed them for myself – Spence Cohen & Chris Bonner.  Spence can’t make this Rockwood show but Bones’ll be there.  And Steve Elliot. And Bryn Roberts on keys. Super psyched. Please come.

Over the last 3 weeks I’ve been part of a songwriting workshop with about 9 other songwriters here in New York. We could not be more different from one another. Most are writing highly commercial songs that I could easily hear on the radio (wait, I never listen to the radio) or being sung by Ri … Riha … what’s her name? Oh yeah, RIHANNA.

I wrote 3 songs for the workshop – the 3rd song being submitted toward a cash prize. Cash is cool.  Now back to my story.

I agonized through the whole process. I wrote one song for my final submission (after a guest-industry-speaker-person advised me to “get to the chorus within 30 seconds”) and went to demo it one night with a friend. It’s a catchy tune – not terrible, actually – but lyrically dull. I had written it to fit some kind of pop-music mold so the industry folk might approve of me. As I was singing through it that night with my friend I got a stomachache. That this is NOT ME stomach ache. I went home from recording with the dejected, hopeless feeling I get when something just isn’t sitting right … when I have tried to be something I’m not.

I switched gears the day before the songs were due, and recorded a new song that I really love. I don’t know what I’ll do with this tune ultimately and the demo here is solely for the workshop … but here ’tis.  With help from my friends over a 24-hour period … Steve Elliot (guitar), Ben Shive (wurly / harmonium), Ben Wittman (perc / gloc) & recorded / engineered by Geoff Countryman.  (And thank you to Steph Shaw for last-minute recording help & gab session.)

Will this ever be on the radio?  Hmmmmm unlikely. Will Bruno Mars (who is that, by the way?) ever want to sing it? Nope. But I don’t care. I wrote a little song about one of my artistic heroes (refer to picture above!) & it feels like me. I know I have been myself.