Blog Archives

Deep Cuts

9/24/2015

Cris: Do you have a favorite Huey Lewis & The News deep cut?

Johnny Colla: I still get a big kick out of "Bobo Tempo" for both the lyric and the fact that we just cut it live one night. I'm surprised critics haven't looked deeper into that song and what it's all about, considering the 'discovery' and growing popularity of West Marin County here in California.

There are a few tunes that really jump out for me on our first self-titled effort - "Change Of Heart" and "Hearts Were Made To Be Broken" to name a couple - but mostly I would love to hear that entire record remastered and slowed down a few clicks. Or should we just cut a more "mature" version top to bottom?

I like "Tell Me A Little Lie," and I always wanted to play it live with this sneaky horn line running through it, but I don't think our fans would get it . . .

Communicating

9/23/2015

Client Rich Redmond: Music is all about communicating, even in a metaphysical way. The guys in my rhythm section (Tully Kennedy and Kurt Allison) and I have been playing for 15 years now. When we put on our instruments we don’t have to talk, we just know what to do. That can only happen from showing up every day and communicating in that special way that music provides. It’s ALL about communicating.

Timing

9/21/2015

Don't obsess over what time you should post. If you post something good, it will be noticed. Posting poor content at the “perfect” time won't help you.

Dislike

9/20/2015

Facebook announced that they might be rolling out a "Dislike" button, which should help eliminate those awkward moments when several people "Like" a post about someone's mother dying. People mean well, but it can be the equivalent of giving a friend the thumbs-up sign during an open casket funeral.

Traditions

9/19/2015

I buy flowers for my wife whenever I sign a new client. I have yet to come up with a tradition for when I lose a client. But there are many possibilities. "That alternative band broke up. Here's some expired milk."

Do Not Push From One Platform To Another

9/17/2015

When you push posts from Instagram to, say, Twitter, the photo does not show up. People have to click the link to see it. And statistically, most people on Twitter never do.

Do It Right

9/15/2015

Worse than not being on social media is being on social media, but doing it poorly.

So many people, companies, etc. create a Facebook page and then never do anything with it. You wouldn't open a brick and mortar store that looks like it is abandoned. You should not do that with your virtual storefront either.

Ben Sesar: Ghost Notes

9/14/2015

Cris: You guys play large venues, where you could argue, depending on how good the sound engineer is, most of what people hear from you are the quarter notes. And yet a lot of this stuff that you are studying … you have a lot of the ghost notes and such. Do you still throw those in during live performances?

Ben Sesar (drummer for Brad Paisley): Oh yeah! Cause I can hear it. It's not my problem if you can't hear it. And that's just part of my playing, naturally. The ghost note thing. I have always just been a fan of that sound because it makes it feel otherworldly, like there's more people playing. Keith Carlock is a great example of that. It sounds tribal. It's very rhythmic and it's cool. And even if they are not heard, but felt, it's helping me subdivide. It's all part of the time keeping.

Where's The Rain?

9/13/2015

Impressive video that a fan made for clients Cowboy Mouth. It is also a great song. Sad, but great.

A Special Moment

9/12/2015

Last night sitting on stage behind Fred's drum kit ( Cowboy Mouth ) just before the band walked out. There is a special vibe right before the start of a show. You can feel the room buzzing with energy. And for me, what was just a nondescript raised platform earlier in the day suddenly becomes a sacred space.

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