It Is Impossible for Anyone to Exactly Discuss Someone's Music

WHAT???  Have you been on the Internet lately???  That's all anyone does is discuss music!

Not exactly.  And here's why....

Music, more than any other art form, is more a creative exercise of the heart and soul, than of the mind.  The musician compiles something based on what's in their own soul.  I've met a number of musicians who sit wringing their hands when they release their record or single or MP3 or whatever it is, based on the decade, waiting for the responses.  (Disclaimer:  I'm talking about people I've met personally.  I have no idea if Barry fits this description, I've never met the man.)

There are all kinds of responses.  Some truly love what they hear.  Some will say they love it without really paying attention because they love the musician's image, and/or are trying to suck up to him.  Some hate it, but are afraid to say so; they are concerned that anything not gushingly positive will hurt the musician's feelings, or will get an outraged flood of emails in their box.  Some hate it and say so with gusto.  A few others are unfazed; you couldn't pay them enough to give a shit. 

Some of these guys hear the responses and think, "Wait, that's not what I wrote!  Where are they getting this?  They're describing something totally wrong!"

They're half right.  The part that's right is the listeners are not responding to what they wrote.  They're responding to what they heard.  When someone hears a new piece of music they have no choice but to bring a part of themselves to it - what they hear is a combination of the creation and their own experiences.  The music becomes something new for each person who hears it.

So when someone genuinely loves a piece of music, the musician found a way to connect with them on an emotional level that a lot of people can't.  That's why some of the most personal songs (the ones almost too personal to release) are the most successful.  Think "Faithfully" from Journey (never intended to be released) or Barry's "All the Time" - a song that dares to spell out isolation and vulnerability in terms most people are afraid to admit.

On the other hand, if someone hates a piece of music, you can't blame the musician for that, necessarily.  No one has any control over the experiences that each person brings to the listening.  So if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.  You also can't blame the listener for not parotting back what the musician was thinking, or intended.  Two different souls hear (feel?) two different things. 

The ultimate in a musician connecting with an audience - whether they love the creation or hate it - is if it inspires the listener to create something in response.  Look around - YouTube videos, blogs (including this one), karaoke (including the American Idol auditions, which I'm being subjected to as I type this....).  Even if the response is critical, or "negative" as some of my musical acquaintances call it, it's still an inspired response.  I don't know how many times I had to say it, "Look you got a reaction out of them!  Most times they wouldn't care!"  It doesn't seem to help but it is the truth.

With the Internet, said musicians can see the writing or video or other "inspirations".  How many times do they think, "Geez, is THAT what they got from what I did???"

And the cycle repeats.

Big Fun...!

It looks like Fifteen Minutes is really going to happen and soon!
How about getting a few clips out to the public and REALLY get some buzz going???
(I'm volunteering!)

From Barry's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/barrymanilow )
compiled via the newsgroup

From Barry's Facebook page:
Today, Barry invited his management team, agents, BMIFC staff, and

friends to a special listening party of FIFTEEN MINUTES in Hollywood,

CA.
Here is what some of the attendees said about the new album after they

heard it:


“WOW! Not what I was expecting…I can’t wait to hear it again!”
“I was so excited to hear an album of Barry’s with all new and

original songs. It’s energetic and daring, it’s a fantastic pop album

that is sure to be a hit!”
“It’s not often these days you get to listen to a whole record and

enjoy every song… this was one of those records, hands down”
“The album’s story is so very real…I was emotionally invested

throughout!”
“Immensely creative and incredibly relevant to today's world of

celebrity.”
"I kept getting goose bumps! Sometimes it was a touching lyric,

sometimes from a beautiful melody, sometimes from a powerful guitar

solo. I loved that there were so many different elements to the songs,

I was constantly being surprised."

You Rang?

Time got away from me these holidays so my traditional sappy New Years post is going to come on Groundhog Day after General Beauregard Lee looks for his shadow.  I figured I had to get back on the bandwagon after my visitor log showed some old friends stopping by that I hadn't seen in a while.  (You know who you are, you left-coasters, you.)

I had a hard time looking at the feedback from Barry's Florida shows.  So near and yet so far.  I couldn't help crossing the line from happy for the people who got to go to green with jealousy.  Best fan synopsis was by Peachy:  http://peachysplace.blogspot.com/2011/01/helloooooo-jacksonville.html

And regarding certain "other" reviews.....
First, please see my original post from WAAAAAAYYYY back when I started the blog.
The Critics
Second, when I see wholesale stupidity in the name of entertainment journalism, I think back to when I was a teenager.  As a kid, I went to science fiction conventions with my Dad who was a part-time rare book dealer.  (Not those "media" cons that center around TV shows and movies, we're talking real science fiction by serious writers of the golden age.)  Major authors gave talks, fielded questions, etc.  I got to meet Isaac Asimov a few times at these gatherings.  He liked putting on a show, so I learned to prefer to see him from a distance.  He was a five-star pervert, I was a fifteen-year-old girl.  Enough said.

Anywho, like any great artistic creator, there was always a time when someone panned him.  It seems no matter how great an artistic creation, or how esteemed the track record, you're going to get the occasional Bronx cheer from some douche who Just. Doesn't. Get. It.  Asimov was no exception.  My favorite quote of his was his stock response to those who created negative reviews.  I recreated it as a calling card below.  I strongly recommend having something like this made up in fine linen stationery, engraved ink, matching envelopes, and distribute where necessary.  Gets the point across and feels classy at the same time.

Just got done seeing February's installment of Manilow TV.  Hey, it's going to be a while before I see a live show so this is what I've got.  Not to beat a dead horse, but the "Sinatra" album release party was nothing short of orgasmic.  I could live on bread and water and that type of show.  Barry puts his heart into a performance but the Sinatra record, Paradise Cafe, Mayflower, all show a completely different part of that same heart that doesn't come out as much in the shows showcasing his own hits.  Dont' know the word - it's just different.  All the more infectious.

Have a great week, kids.  Try to stay warm and/or dry if you're on the east coast anywhere.