The First Must Read Article of 2008...

... was actually written in 2007 - it just took me some time to read it. The article entitled "David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars" appeared in Wired Magazine and was actually written by Mr. David Byrne himself - not a bad source to give you insight on the music business. Some interesting tidbits I learned from reading this article:

• David Byrne does NOT think the music business is dead. It's just changing and we can all agree that is a good thing.
  
• An artist may earn less from an album with iTunes than with a traditional CD. This suprised me quite a bit but it makes sense. The record label gives the artist the same cut. And since digital downloads cost less than CDs it makes sense that their adjusted margin won't come up more positive than it was before. Record labels aren't exactly practicers of the "share the wealth" mantra.
• For an average $16 CD the artist makes $1.60 (vs. $1.40 on iTunes), the label makes $1.76 and the a store makes $0.80. I remember going to Best Buy in 2002 to buy the new Johnny Cash album and was both angry and confused when I couldn't find it on the shelf. I asked the clerk and he (after not knowing who Johnny Cash was) looked it up in their system and found they already sold both copies they had. Only two copies? Now I understand why. You aren't going to stock an entire store with CD's you think won't sell (and by think I mean told by the record labels) in the hopes I stumble in there and they make 80 cents on me.
• Less music is purchased today and more is digital. No surprise there.
• Even larger record labels (not the huge ones but ones I easily recognize) have only a dozen or so employees. It makes sense but I always envisioned a larger organization.

Please read the article if you're interested in the music business and how it impact both music and business. While you're visiting Wired also check out David Byrne interviewing Thom Yorke, and a great article on the alternate reality game surrounding Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero "marketing" campaign.

Big Poppa Hops says "I told you so!"

Last night the Rutgers Scarlet Knights beat the #3 in the country, Louisville in a college football game. This has nothing to do with music but I figured I would write about it anyway. You see my dad, Big Poppa Hops, has been a season ticket holder for the worst college football team in history for about 15 years. I remember going to games in less than half full stadium hoping they would only be down by 20 or so at half. They lost to some teams I didn’t even realize had football teams. To say they were bad would be an understatement. So if you said that only a few years after that they would be undefeated, playing in a packed stadium and would beat the #3 team in the country I assumed we would be talking about their new 5,000 seat stadium they built once they decided to drop down to Division III. But Big Poppa Hops always had faith, always knew the "sleeping giant" would one day wake up. I just never really believed it would.

The game and crowd were amazing. RU battled back from 25-7 down and won 28-25. They even turned the Empire State Building red before the game in anticipation of the game. Amazing. And to honor Big Poppa Hops commitment to watching them (and making the rest of us watch them) I bring you songs inspired by Rutgers:

This Never Happened Before by Paul McCartney: It was the first time RU beat a ranked team since 1988, and the first time Rutgers has played in a game with two ranked teams … ever…. And they played in the VERY first college football game.

Better Days by Bruce Springsteen: WAY better days… and of course Bruce HAD to make this list.

Nice Dream by Radiohead: Big Poppa Hops has been talking about this day for years… a day where fans actually came to the game. There were more students at the game last night than I saw combined in about 10 RU games I had been to. I bet he still thinks he’s dreaming.

Mind by The Talking Heads: “I need something to change your mind” sings David Byrne over and over. And RU changed some minds last night!

Jokerman by Bob Dylan: “A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet.”

Keep The Faith by Bon Jovi: I am not really a Jovi fan, but you know the RU fans will like this one.

I’m A Believer by The Monkees: I am sure Big Poppa Hops still was worried that the old Rutgers would show up and get blown out by 50 points. It looked like they actually might when they were down 25-7.

UPDATE: I guess I jinxed them as they ended up losing the next week. Sorry Big Poppa Hops!

All You Need This Week is The Da Vinci Code

What does this symbolize? And what does it have to do with stool samples?

I just became the last person in America to read The Da Vinci Code. I’ll admit it, I really liked the book. I guess it’s the literary equivalent to Coldplay, what’s not to like?

In honor of the book I have created a Da Vinci Code inspired top 5 list. Here you go:

1) My Mathematical Mind by Spoon: In honor of Robert Langdon, the book’s main charecter

2) Pyramid Song by Radiohead: Inspired by the famous or infamous glass pyramid added to the Louvre. Great tune, great band.

True story: I.M. Peh is the architect who designed the pyramid at the Louve. His sister once stuck her finger up my butt. It’s true… I swear. I was in Hong Kong, and was all “stuffed up”. Went to the doctor, and it was his sister. Not sure if there is a conspiracy theory there but somehow I think this should make it into the Da Vinci Code 2.

3) Venus by Television: Venus is talked about often in the book as the “Sacred Feminine”. Of course this song is about the Venus Di Milo, which is located in the same place as The Mona Lisa (the Louvre). Marquee Moon is one of the all-time great albums, and it’s totally overlooked today.

4) Visions of Johanna by Bob Dylan: From one of the greatest songs ever written:

“Inside the museums, Infinity goes up on trial

Voices echo this is what salvation must be like after a while

But Mona Lisa musta had the highway blues

You can tell by the way she smiles”

5) The Book I Read by The Talking Heads: I think this one is obvious.

Fact or fiction

It is possible to sit still while listening to the talking heads.

Fiction. It is not possible to sit still.

Little known fact: Radiohead got its name from a Talking Heads Song.