I happen to think hate is a very wonderful emotion. It's like alcohol or any drug. Sure it f*cks you up, but when used sparingly and judicially, it can enhance your life. It's liberating to truly detest something in an unbridled way. And if you can't hate intensely, how can you possibly love intensely?
It's always good to have something or someone to hate. Not the whole world mind you. Just cherry pick a few obvious things and stick with them is my philosophy. One of my things is the Yankees. I can't stand them. You'll never seem me in pin stripes of any kind.
I've been hating the Yankees for as long as I can remember. They have that arrogance and swagger. They took forever to have any sort of a racially integrated team. George Steinbrenner was an a*hole who spent so much money for players that other teams had to follow. As a result, ticket prices for games nationwide are through the roof, mostly unaffordable to families except in the bleachers. The expensive tickets. The eight dollar beer. The five dollar hot dog. It's all George Steinbrenner's fault I swear. And it's all the Yankees fault. One thing I love about hate. There's no need to be rational.
That doesn't mean I don't like Yankees players. Derek Jeter is fantastic. CC Sabathia is a hoot and a wonderful talent. Paul O'Neil is one of my favorite players of all time. Mariano Rivera is a pitching god. I'd just like them 800 times better if they didn't wear that dreaded N and Y on their caps. Love the player. Hate the team. Although I have to say that Yankees past and present like Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez are great fodder for me. May they both burn in hell.
So the other night when the Yankees won the World Series (actually The Parts of North America Series), I was not a happy camper. The forces of darkness have once again taken over baseball. This is no way for a season to end. Superman has died from exposure to kryptonite. Mr. Rogers has been found out to be a pedophile. Goldman-Sachs has just purchased all of the real estate in DC including the White House and decided to rename the city Goldmanville and rename the Capitol building the Sachs Pavillion. And the Yankees have won again. Evil rules the world.
But I slept on this horrible state of affairs and when I woke I had a much better perspective. All in all it's been a pretty good decade for a Yankees hater. They've won a grand total of two times. All those billions of dollars spent and that's all they have to show for it. Man those people must be idiots.
Most decades the Yankees win more than twice. The 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 90s were truly dreadful decades for Yankees haters. The 1980s were haters heaven. They didn't win at all. Maybe that will happen next decade as well.
There's hope on the horizon. Rivera, Jeter, Damon, Matsui, and Pettite are getting way old. That's a lot of talent to replace even if you do have an infinite budget. Plus Rodriguez is still a wanker, albeit a talented one. It's been a long time since the Yankees have found All Star talent in their own farm system. This year's World Series victory just might be a last gasp. Perhaps the light will shine on our dear planet again for all of the next decade.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
The Price For An Icon
Suppose you were making a commercial and you wanted the theme to be about good times on a sunny day. You'd need background music of course. In the old days, you'd usually have some song guy or gal write a jingle for cheap. But nowadays, you want to get the attention of boomers, so you try to use songs that they know and like.
What song are you going to pick? Aim high now. This is a commercial for a huge corporation. They've got a ton of money. The ad time is going to run into tens of millions of dollars. What's iconic? The Beatles of course. Unfortunately for you, recordings of Lennon/McCartney tunes aren't available for use for commercials that aren't hawking Beatles products (the songs are, but not the original recordings). But lucky you, songs written by George Harrison are as long as the other Beatles aren't playing on the tune. And what song did George Harrison write that would be just perfect for your commercial? Times up. Here Comes The Sun.
You can just see it. All those positive images for your product on the screen and George Harrison singing his heart out in the background, "Here comes the sun and I say it's alright." Perfect!
You go to the company that handles the rights to the song. They ask what kind of commercial it will be. You say, travel, upbeat, and you mention the name of the company. They call back a few days later - they aren't in any rush, this is an iconic song - and say fine.
You ask how much.
They say three million dollars.
You ask if they can cut a deal. The music industry is tanking and all; you can get a song about the sun for next to nothing from some indy guy or gal. They say, fine, get a song for next to nothing. But this one costs three million dollars for commercial use.
Gulp. That's double the budget of the entire commercial.
You go to your client, which loved the idea of using Hear Comes the Sun. You mention the cost. They say no way.
So you go back to the company that controls the rights to Here Comes the Sun. And you say what else do you have. They come up with a list of songs. There's a new single coming out by Sheryl Crow that they mention. You could have that for 80K plus they're looking for a tie in to their video for that song. Sheryl Crow. Now that's a name a baby boomer could trust. She's pretty hot. You start thinking about using her, showing some skin, singing the tune.
You go back to your client. I got a whole new idea, you say. Sheryl Crow. New song that's coming on the charts. They want help on their video plus 80K. You sketch out the idea. They love it.
The above scenario happened a few years ago. If you want to use Here Comes The Sun in a commercial today it will still cost you three million dollars. I'm sure you can get Soak Up the Sun for a lot less than 80K today because it was already used extensively in one commercial campaign and the price of music for use in films and commercials is plummeting except for the truly iconic songs.
Will those icons like Here Comes the Sun ever drop in value? It true there is a ton of good music out there that can be bought for virtually nothing. Want a song like Here Comes the Sun for cheap? Here's one. It's by M. Ward. It's not half bad. Actually, it's about as good as Harrison's tune, which is a pretty dull throwaway tune in comparison to many in The Beatles catalog. But it's The Beatles. The recording doesn't have John, Paul or Ringo, but there is the distinctive voice of George, just like on the original Beatles record. The sentiment in Harrison's song is oh so sweet. And how many people of a certain age don't instantly smile when they hear that tune remembering when they were young? How much are those positive memories worth? Probably three million dollars or more for many years to come.
What song are you going to pick? Aim high now. This is a commercial for a huge corporation. They've got a ton of money. The ad time is going to run into tens of millions of dollars. What's iconic? The Beatles of course. Unfortunately for you, recordings of Lennon/McCartney tunes aren't available for use for commercials that aren't hawking Beatles products (the songs are, but not the original recordings). But lucky you, songs written by George Harrison are as long as the other Beatles aren't playing on the tune. And what song did George Harrison write that would be just perfect for your commercial? Times up. Here Comes The Sun.
You can just see it. All those positive images for your product on the screen and George Harrison singing his heart out in the background, "Here comes the sun and I say it's alright." Perfect!
You go to the company that handles the rights to the song. They ask what kind of commercial it will be. You say, travel, upbeat, and you mention the name of the company. They call back a few days later - they aren't in any rush, this is an iconic song - and say fine.
You ask how much.
They say three million dollars.
You ask if they can cut a deal. The music industry is tanking and all; you can get a song about the sun for next to nothing from some indy guy or gal. They say, fine, get a song for next to nothing. But this one costs three million dollars for commercial use.
Gulp. That's double the budget of the entire commercial.
You go to your client, which loved the idea of using Hear Comes the Sun. You mention the cost. They say no way.
So you go back to the company that controls the rights to Here Comes the Sun. And you say what else do you have. They come up with a list of songs. There's a new single coming out by Sheryl Crow that they mention. You could have that for 80K plus they're looking for a tie in to their video for that song. Sheryl Crow. Now that's a name a baby boomer could trust. She's pretty hot. You start thinking about using her, showing some skin, singing the tune.
You go back to your client. I got a whole new idea, you say. Sheryl Crow. New song that's coming on the charts. They want help on their video plus 80K. You sketch out the idea. They love it.
The above scenario happened a few years ago. If you want to use Here Comes The Sun in a commercial today it will still cost you three million dollars. I'm sure you can get Soak Up the Sun for a lot less than 80K today because it was already used extensively in one commercial campaign and the price of music for use in films and commercials is plummeting except for the truly iconic songs.
Will those icons like Here Comes the Sun ever drop in value? It true there is a ton of good music out there that can be bought for virtually nothing. Want a song like Here Comes the Sun for cheap? Here's one. It's by M. Ward. It's not half bad. Actually, it's about as good as Harrison's tune, which is a pretty dull throwaway tune in comparison to many in The Beatles catalog. But it's The Beatles. The recording doesn't have John, Paul or Ringo, but there is the distinctive voice of George, just like on the original Beatles record. The sentiment in Harrison's song is oh so sweet. And how many people of a certain age don't instantly smile when they hear that tune remembering when they were young? How much are those positive memories worth? Probably three million dollars or more for many years to come.
Monday, November 02, 2009
On Being a Pop Vocal God
The Grammys are coming up early next year and the list of nominated CDs came out I don't know when. But what is funny as anything is that I have a CD that's been nominated for best pop vocal. I didn't find out until today. Yes, I've been anointed. I'm now a pop singing god. I don't know how this happened. It's a cosmic twist of fate. I'm right up there with Lily Allen and um...Barry Manilow. There are 220 CDs on the nominated list. Sometime in December, the Grammys will announce the final five. My chances of getting onto that final list are zero.
But still, I'll bask in the glow for the next few weeks. I'll put aside the fact that I don't really sing pop music. I'll work the pop music god angle to the hilt. The first thing I need is a new haircut. Maybe I should get some of that spray on tan stuff too. I definitely need to get some leather pants. And I need some groupies as well. Oh I forgot! I need an entourage. Man oh man, being a pop singing god comes with so many responsibilities!
Here's the funny thing about making it to the final five. Should it happen - and it won't - I have to pay for my tickets to attend. It costs something like 200 bucks a head. Then there is the limo. Then there are the new clothes. Then there are the jewels for my sweetie - maybe we can rent some from Harry Winston - and her dress and shoes. Dont forget airfare and a hotel down in LA. We're talking a 10K bill by the time all is said and done. Being a pop singing god is not only stressful, it's expensive as hell.
For what it's worth, here's my competition:
001. TOI-MÊME
The All-American Rejects
WHEN THE WORLD COMES
DOWN
002.
Lily Allen
003. IT'S NOT ME, IT'S YOU
Anjulie
004. ANJULIE
Aqualung
005. WORDS AND MUSIC
David Archuleta
006. DAVID ARCHULETA
Kit Dylan Arrieta
007. CRY ON CUE
Asa
008. ASHA
Ashford & Simpson
ASHFORD & SIMPSON: THE REAL
THING
009.
Dan Auerbach
010. KEEP IT HID
Burt Bacharach With The Sydney
Symphony Orchestra
LIVE @ THE SYDNEY OPERA
HOUSE
011.
Basia
012. IT'S THAT GIRL AGAIN
Basix
013. DIVERSITY
The Beautiful Ones
014. GRANDIO CITY
Bella Ciao
015. FESTIVUS ITALIANO
The Pete Best Band
016. HAYMANS GREEN
Diane Birch
017. BIBLE BELT
The Bird And The Bee
RAY GUNS ARE NOT JUST THE
FUTURE
018.
The Black Eyed Peas
019. THE E.N.D.
Ken Block
020. DRIFT
Stephanie J. Block
021. THIS PLACE I KNOW
Richie Booker
022. SHINE THE LIGHT
Neal E. Boyd
023. MY AMERICAN DREAM
Sarah Brightman
024. A WINTER SYMPHONY
Teresa Bright
025. TROPIC RHAPSODY
Olivia Broadfield
026. EYES WIDE OPEN
Buddhist Monks
027. LIVE MANTRA
The Cabriolets
028. DEMO
Colbie Caillat
029. BREAKTHROUGH
A Camp
030. COLONIA
Corrin Campbell
031. EXHIBIT A
Care Bears On Fire
032. GET OVER IT!
Cash Cash
033. TAKE IT TO THE FLOOR
Celtic Thunder
034. TAKE ME HOME
Celtic Woman & The High Kings
035. A CELTIC FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Lorissa Chapa
036. SELFISH
Chester French
037. LOVE THE FUTURE
Fred Christoffer Featuring Lindsay
Mazza
038. AMAZED
Peter Cincotti
039. EAST OF ANGEL TOWN
Kelly Clarkson
040. ALL I EVER WANTED
Cobra Starship
041. HOT MESS
Leonard Cohen
042. LIVE IN LONDON
Burt Conrad
043. HOME AT LAST
Corneille
044. THE BIRTH OF CORNELIUS
Chris Cornell
045. SCREAM
David Correy
046. URBAN ROCK ODDYSEY
Samantha Crain & The Midnight
Shivers
047. SONGS IN THE NIGHT
Dawes
048. NORTH HILLS
Kristinia DeBarge
049. EXPOSED
Gavin DeGraw
050. FREE
Dido
051. SAFE TRIP HOME
Joy Dion
052. JOY & PAIN
Division Kent
053. GRAVITY
James Domine
054. THROUGH YOUR WINDOW
Kelly Domino
055. HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS
The James Douglas Show
056. THE NEW BLACK
Jessica Drake
057. JESSICA DRAKE
Dream Street
058. DREAM STREET
The Duke & The King
059. NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY
Shane Dwight
060. GIMME BACK MY MONEY
© The Recording Academy 2009 - all rights reserved 52nd GRAMMY Entry List
(Continue Next Page)
Field 1 - Pop
Category 11 - Best Pop Vocal Album
Page 17 of 19
Elizabeth & The Catapult
061. TALLER CHILDREN
Enya
062. AND WINTER CAME...
Marianne Faithfull
063. EASY COME EASY GO
Troy Fernandez
064. RIDE TIME
Dan Ferrari
065. DON'T LET IT FALL
Fiction Family
066. FICTION FAMILY
Courtney Fortune
067. SPEAK LOVE
The Fray
068. THE FRAY
Gordon Free
069. SUPERCONSCIOUS
Melody Gardot
070. MY ONE AND ONLY THRILL
Gary Go
071. GARY GO
Gemma Genazzano
072. SI ME QUIERES/IF YOU LOVE ME
Tiffany Giardina
073. NO AVERAGE ANGEL
Gladstone
074. PAPER SKY
Grand Army
075. TOYS FOR CHAOS
Cristen Grey And The Moving
Dunes
076. 10,000 THINGS
Oksana Grigorieva
077. BEAUTIFUL HEARTACHE
Trevor Hall
078. TREVOR HALL
Daryl Hall & John Oates
079. LIVE AT THE TROUBADOUR
Nichole Halleen & The Projects
NICHOLE HALLEEN & THE
PROJECTS
080.
Colin Hay
081. AMERICAN SUNSHINE
Imogen Heap
082. ELLIPSE
Anne Heaton
083. BLAZING RED
Matt Hires
084. TAKE US TO THE START
Hula Honeys
085. GIRL TALK
Hyim
086. SEX IN THE MORNING
Il Divo
087. THE PROMISE
The Inspirations
088. THEN AND NOW
Chris Isaak
089. MR. LUCKY
Marty Jabara
090. THE SOURCE
Jessie James
091. JESSIE JAMES
Michael Johns
092. HOLD BACK MY HEART
Craig Hella Johnson
093. THORNS ON THE ROSE
Jonas Brothers
LINES, VINES AND TRYING
TIMES
094.
Phoenix Jones
095. SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE
Tom Jones
096. 24 HOURS
Angela Kaset
UNDERNEATH A VINCENT VAN
GOGH SKY
097.
Keane
098. PERFECT SYMMETRY
Mat Kearney
099. CITY OF BLACK & WHITE
Sally Kellerman
100. SALLY
Keri-Lynn
101. NOTES ON A PIANO
Cheryl Keyes
102. LET ME TAKE YOU THERE
Bill LaBounty
103. BACK TO YOUR STAR
Lal Meri
104. LAL MERI
Terry Lauber And The Seattle
Sound
105. ACROSS THE SOUND
Ben Lee
106. THE REBIRTH OF VENUS
Ute Lemper & Various Artists
BETWEEN YESTERDAY AND
TOMORROW
107.
Andrew Lipke
108. MOTHERPEARL & DYNAMITE
The Little Ones
109. MORNING TIDE
Liverpool Dreams
110. JAMRUN
Lo Torc
111. GOTTA MAKE A MOVE
Crosby Loggins
112. TIME TO MOVE
Kevin Lucas Orchestra
113. GREEN AND BLUE
Luce
114. CORNER OF THE WORLD
Carolyn Malachi
REVENGE OF THE SMART
CHICKS II: AMBITIOUS GODS
115.
Barry Manilow
THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE
EIGHTIES
116.
Debra Mann
117. HOME
Charlie Mars
118. LIKE A BIRD, LIKE A PLANE
Luba Mason
119. KRAZY LOVE
Matisyahu
120. LIGHT
Imelda May
121. LOVE TATTOO
Erin McCarley
122. LOVE, SAVE THE EMPTY
© The Recording Academy 2009 - all rights reserved 52nd GRAMMY Entry List
(Continue Next Page)
Field 1 - Pop
Category 11 - Best Pop Vocal Album
Page 18 of 19
Loreena McKennitt
123. A MIDWINTER NIGHT'S DREAM
Jon McLaughlin
124. OK NOW
Meg & Dia
125. HERE, HERE AND HERE
Ingrid Michaelson
126. EVERYBODY
Rhett Miller
127. RHETT MILLER
Jacqui Naylor
128. YOU DON'T KNOW JACQ
Nevada
129. OF THE WORLD…
Never Shout Never
130. THE SUMMER EP
Stevie Nicks
131. THE SOUNDSTAGE SESSIONS
Tatiana Nicole
132. TIME 3:16
Paolo Nutini
133. SUNNY SIDE UP
Dolores O'Riordan
134. NO BAGGAGE
Owl City
135. OCEAN EYES
Painted On Water
136. PAINTED ON WATER
Parachute
137. LOSING SLEEP
Pamela Payge
138. LOVE AND HATE
Kate Pazakis
139. UNZIPPED: LIVE AT THE ZIPPER
Avi Pearce
140. CIRCLE OF LIVES
Elvis Perkins In Dearland
141. ELVIS PERKINS IN DEARLAND
Elli Perry
THE SECRET TO SCALING A
MOUNTAIN
142.
Madeleine Peyroux
143. BARE BONES
Pink
144. FUNHOUSE
Pitbull
145. REBELUTION
Playing For Change
146. SONGS AROUND THE WORLD
Paul Potts
147. PASSIONE
Asha Puthli
148. LOST
Queen Latifah
149. PERSONA
John Rensink
150. JOHN RENSINK
Lionel Richie
151. JUST GO
Stuart Rosh And The Geniuses
152. FUNDAMENTAL
Professor RJ Ross
153. FACE TO FACE
Kevin Rudolf
154. IN THE CITY
Sam & Ruby
155. THE HERE AND THE NOW
Heather Schmid
156. THE GODDESS AWAITS
Kate Schutt
157. TELEPHONE GAME
Allison Scola
158. A BRAVER KIND
The Script
159. THE SCRIPT
Paul Seaforth
160. SOMETHING REAL
Seal
161. SOUL
Shakeys Brother
162. SHAKEYS BROTHER
Duncan Sheik
163. WHISPER HOUSE
Jason Shulman
164. BUDDHA-CLOUD
Terry Silverlight
165. COLLABORATIONS: VOLUME I
Terry Silverlight
166. COLLABORATIONS: VOLUME II
Terry Silverlight
SONGWRITER/PRODUCER:
VOLUME I
167.
Terry Silverlight
SONGWRITER/PRODUCER:
VOLUME II
168.
Single File
169. COMMON STRUGGLES
16 Frames
170. WHERE IT ENDS
Sly & Robbie
171. J PARADISE
Mindy Smith
172. STUPID LOVE
Phoebe Snow
173. LIVE
Jordin Sparks
174. BATTLEFIELD
Spatial Unity
175. KNOCK ME OFF MY FEET
Regina Spektor
176. FAR
Matthew Sweet And Susanna Hoffs
177. UNDER THE COVERS VOL. 2
Swing Out Sister
178. BEAUTIFUL MESS
Taragirl
179. THE CITY: SOUL SUITE
James Taylor
180. OTHER COVERS
Anna Ternheim
181. LEAVING ON A MAYDAY
Rob Thomas
182. CRADLESONG
Arie Thompson
I’LL KNOW WHO YOU ARE WHEN
I SEE YOU AGAIN
183.
Glenn Tilbrook And The Fluffers
184. PANDEMONIUM ENSUES
Ashley Tisdale
185. GUILTY PLEASURE
Tino Tomas
186. STAY
© The Recording Academy 2009 - all rights reserved 52nd GRAMMY Entry List
(Continue Next Page)
Field 1 - Pop
Category 11 - Best Pop Vocal Album
Page 19 of 19
Tonemah
INK BLOTS & RANDOM
THOUGHTS
187.
The Uptown Band Featuring Erich
Cawalla & Jenifer Kinder
188. WAITING FOR HER
Utada
189. THIS IS THE ONE
Cindy Valentine
190. BLAME YOURSELF
Philip Vandermost
191. THE LONG PATH
Various Artists
BEN FOLDS PRESENTS:
UNIVERSITY A CAPPELLA!
192.
Various Artists
HIT MAN: DAVID FOSTER &
FRIENDS
193.
Various Artists
THE HOTEL CAFÉ
PRESENTS...WINTER SONGS
194.
Various Artists
LISTEN: A BENEFIT ALBUM FOR
OUR TIME
195.
(Nat King Cole &) Various Artists
196. RE:GENERATIONS
Various Artists
SCOTT WALKER 30 CENTURY
MAN
197.
Various Artists
198. WAR CHILD PRESENTS HEROES
Various Artists
WARDELL QUEZERGUE MUSIC
FOR CHILDREN, AGES 3 TO 103:
THE ST. AGNES SESSIONS
199.
Various Artists
200. WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
Kate Voegele
201. A FINE MESS
Ron C. Walters
AMANDA RUN - THE
SOUNDTRACK
202.
Sara Wasserman
203. SOLID GROUND
Kanye West
204. 808S & HEARTBREAK
Wet Cookies
205. SOUL PROTECTION
Brian Willoughby
206. BRIAN WILLOUGHBY
Wilson Hawk
207. THE ROAD
Ellen M. Wilson
208. SONGS OF ASCENT
Kip Winger
209. FROM THE MOON TO THE SUN
Anushka Wirasinha
210. BRAVE
Yale Alley Cats
211. GHOST OF A CHANCE
Rachael Yamagata
ELEPHANTS...TEETH SINKING
INTO HEART
212.
Yanni
213. VOICES
Yom Hadash
214. A NEW DAY
Bora Yoon
215. PHONATION
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
216. BREAK UP
Pete Yorn
217. BACK & FOURTH
Jenny Owen Youngs
218. TRANSMITTER FAILURE
Zap Mama
219. RECREATION
Zucchero
220. LIVE IN ITALY
But still, I'll bask in the glow for the next few weeks. I'll put aside the fact that I don't really sing pop music. I'll work the pop music god angle to the hilt. The first thing I need is a new haircut. Maybe I should get some of that spray on tan stuff too. I definitely need to get some leather pants. And I need some groupies as well. Oh I forgot! I need an entourage. Man oh man, being a pop singing god comes with so many responsibilities!
Here's the funny thing about making it to the final five. Should it happen - and it won't - I have to pay for my tickets to attend. It costs something like 200 bucks a head. Then there is the limo. Then there are the new clothes. Then there are the jewels for my sweetie - maybe we can rent some from Harry Winston - and her dress and shoes. Dont forget airfare and a hotel down in LA. We're talking a 10K bill by the time all is said and done. Being a pop singing god is not only stressful, it's expensive as hell.
For what it's worth, here's my competition:
001. TOI-MÊME
The All-American Rejects
WHEN THE WORLD COMES
DOWN
002.
Lily Allen
003. IT'S NOT ME, IT'S YOU
Anjulie
004. ANJULIE
Aqualung
005. WORDS AND MUSIC
David Archuleta
006. DAVID ARCHULETA
Kit Dylan Arrieta
007. CRY ON CUE
Asa
008. ASHA
Ashford & Simpson
ASHFORD & SIMPSON: THE REAL
THING
009.
Dan Auerbach
010. KEEP IT HID
Burt Bacharach With The Sydney
Symphony Orchestra
LIVE @ THE SYDNEY OPERA
HOUSE
011.
Basia
012. IT'S THAT GIRL AGAIN
Basix
013. DIVERSITY
The Beautiful Ones
014. GRANDIO CITY
Bella Ciao
015. FESTIVUS ITALIANO
The Pete Best Band
016. HAYMANS GREEN
Diane Birch
017. BIBLE BELT
The Bird And The Bee
RAY GUNS ARE NOT JUST THE
FUTURE
018.
The Black Eyed Peas
019. THE E.N.D.
Ken Block
020. DRIFT
Stephanie J. Block
021. THIS PLACE I KNOW
Richie Booker
022. SHINE THE LIGHT
Neal E. Boyd
023. MY AMERICAN DREAM
Sarah Brightman
024. A WINTER SYMPHONY
Teresa Bright
025. TROPIC RHAPSODY
Olivia Broadfield
026. EYES WIDE OPEN
Buddhist Monks
027. LIVE MANTRA
The Cabriolets
028. DEMO
Colbie Caillat
029. BREAKTHROUGH
A Camp
030. COLONIA
Corrin Campbell
031. EXHIBIT A
Care Bears On Fire
032. GET OVER IT!
Cash Cash
033. TAKE IT TO THE FLOOR
Celtic Thunder
034. TAKE ME HOME
Celtic Woman & The High Kings
035. A CELTIC FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Lorissa Chapa
036. SELFISH
Chester French
037. LOVE THE FUTURE
Fred Christoffer Featuring Lindsay
Mazza
038. AMAZED
Peter Cincotti
039. EAST OF ANGEL TOWN
Kelly Clarkson
040. ALL I EVER WANTED
Cobra Starship
041. HOT MESS
Leonard Cohen
042. LIVE IN LONDON
Burt Conrad
043. HOME AT LAST
Corneille
044. THE BIRTH OF CORNELIUS
Chris Cornell
045. SCREAM
David Correy
046. URBAN ROCK ODDYSEY
Samantha Crain & The Midnight
Shivers
047. SONGS IN THE NIGHT
Dawes
048. NORTH HILLS
Kristinia DeBarge
049. EXPOSED
Gavin DeGraw
050. FREE
Dido
051. SAFE TRIP HOME
Joy Dion
052. JOY & PAIN
Division Kent
053. GRAVITY
James Domine
054. THROUGH YOUR WINDOW
Kelly Domino
055. HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS
The James Douglas Show
056. THE NEW BLACK
Jessica Drake
057. JESSICA DRAKE
Dream Street
058. DREAM STREET
The Duke & The King
059. NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY
Shane Dwight
060. GIMME BACK MY MONEY
© The Recording Academy 2009 - all rights reserved 52nd GRAMMY Entry List
(Continue Next Page)
Field 1 - Pop
Category 11 - Best Pop Vocal Album
Page 17 of 19
Elizabeth & The Catapult
061. TALLER CHILDREN
Enya
062. AND WINTER CAME...
Marianne Faithfull
063. EASY COME EASY GO
Troy Fernandez
064. RIDE TIME
Dan Ferrari
065. DON'T LET IT FALL
Fiction Family
066. FICTION FAMILY
Courtney Fortune
067. SPEAK LOVE
The Fray
068. THE FRAY
Gordon Free
069. SUPERCONSCIOUS
Melody Gardot
070. MY ONE AND ONLY THRILL
Gary Go
071. GARY GO
Gemma Genazzano
072. SI ME QUIERES/IF YOU LOVE ME
Tiffany Giardina
073. NO AVERAGE ANGEL
Gladstone
074. PAPER SKY
Grand Army
075. TOYS FOR CHAOS
Cristen Grey And The Moving
Dunes
076. 10,000 THINGS
Oksana Grigorieva
077. BEAUTIFUL HEARTACHE
Trevor Hall
078. TREVOR HALL
Daryl Hall & John Oates
079. LIVE AT THE TROUBADOUR
Nichole Halleen & The Projects
NICHOLE HALLEEN & THE
PROJECTS
080.
Colin Hay
081. AMERICAN SUNSHINE
Imogen Heap
082. ELLIPSE
Anne Heaton
083. BLAZING RED
Matt Hires
084. TAKE US TO THE START
Hula Honeys
085. GIRL TALK
Hyim
086. SEX IN THE MORNING
Il Divo
087. THE PROMISE
The Inspirations
088. THEN AND NOW
Chris Isaak
089. MR. LUCKY
Marty Jabara
090. THE SOURCE
Jessie James
091. JESSIE JAMES
Michael Johns
092. HOLD BACK MY HEART
Craig Hella Johnson
093. THORNS ON THE ROSE
Jonas Brothers
LINES, VINES AND TRYING
TIMES
094.
Phoenix Jones
095. SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE
Tom Jones
096. 24 HOURS
Angela Kaset
UNDERNEATH A VINCENT VAN
GOGH SKY
097.
Keane
098. PERFECT SYMMETRY
Mat Kearney
099. CITY OF BLACK & WHITE
Sally Kellerman
100. SALLY
Keri-Lynn
101. NOTES ON A PIANO
Cheryl Keyes
102. LET ME TAKE YOU THERE
Bill LaBounty
103. BACK TO YOUR STAR
Lal Meri
104. LAL MERI
Terry Lauber And The Seattle
Sound
105. ACROSS THE SOUND
Ben Lee
106. THE REBIRTH OF VENUS
Ute Lemper & Various Artists
BETWEEN YESTERDAY AND
TOMORROW
107.
Andrew Lipke
108. MOTHERPEARL & DYNAMITE
The Little Ones
109. MORNING TIDE
Liverpool Dreams
110. JAMRUN
Lo Torc
111. GOTTA MAKE A MOVE
Crosby Loggins
112. TIME TO MOVE
Kevin Lucas Orchestra
113. GREEN AND BLUE
Luce
114. CORNER OF THE WORLD
Carolyn Malachi
REVENGE OF THE SMART
CHICKS II: AMBITIOUS GODS
115.
Barry Manilow
THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE
EIGHTIES
116.
Debra Mann
117. HOME
Charlie Mars
118. LIKE A BIRD, LIKE A PLANE
Luba Mason
119. KRAZY LOVE
Matisyahu
120. LIGHT
Imelda May
121. LOVE TATTOO
Erin McCarley
122. LOVE, SAVE THE EMPTY
© The Recording Academy 2009 - all rights reserved 52nd GRAMMY Entry List
(Continue Next Page)
Field 1 - Pop
Category 11 - Best Pop Vocal Album
Page 18 of 19
Loreena McKennitt
123. A MIDWINTER NIGHT'S DREAM
Jon McLaughlin
124. OK NOW
Meg & Dia
125. HERE, HERE AND HERE
Ingrid Michaelson
126. EVERYBODY
Rhett Miller
127. RHETT MILLER
Jacqui Naylor
128. YOU DON'T KNOW JACQ
Nevada
129. OF THE WORLD…
Never Shout Never
130. THE SUMMER EP
Stevie Nicks
131. THE SOUNDSTAGE SESSIONS
Tatiana Nicole
132. TIME 3:16
Paolo Nutini
133. SUNNY SIDE UP
Dolores O'Riordan
134. NO BAGGAGE
Owl City
135. OCEAN EYES
Painted On Water
136. PAINTED ON WATER
Parachute
137. LOSING SLEEP
Pamela Payge
138. LOVE AND HATE
Kate Pazakis
139. UNZIPPED: LIVE AT THE ZIPPER
Avi Pearce
140. CIRCLE OF LIVES
Elvis Perkins In Dearland
141. ELVIS PERKINS IN DEARLAND
Elli Perry
THE SECRET TO SCALING A
MOUNTAIN
142.
Madeleine Peyroux
143. BARE BONES
Pink
144. FUNHOUSE
Pitbull
145. REBELUTION
Playing For Change
146. SONGS AROUND THE WORLD
Paul Potts
147. PASSIONE
Asha Puthli
148. LOST
Queen Latifah
149. PERSONA
John Rensink
150. JOHN RENSINK
Lionel Richie
151. JUST GO
Stuart Rosh And The Geniuses
152. FUNDAMENTAL
Professor RJ Ross
153. FACE TO FACE
Kevin Rudolf
154. IN THE CITY
Sam & Ruby
155. THE HERE AND THE NOW
Heather Schmid
156. THE GODDESS AWAITS
Kate Schutt
157. TELEPHONE GAME
Allison Scola
158. A BRAVER KIND
The Script
159. THE SCRIPT
Paul Seaforth
160. SOMETHING REAL
Seal
161. SOUL
Shakeys Brother
162. SHAKEYS BROTHER
Duncan Sheik
163. WHISPER HOUSE
Jason Shulman
164. BUDDHA-CLOUD
Terry Silverlight
165. COLLABORATIONS: VOLUME I
Terry Silverlight
166. COLLABORATIONS: VOLUME II
Terry Silverlight
SONGWRITER/PRODUCER:
VOLUME I
167.
Terry Silverlight
SONGWRITER/PRODUCER:
VOLUME II
168.
Single File
169. COMMON STRUGGLES
16 Frames
170. WHERE IT ENDS
Sly & Robbie
171. J PARADISE
Mindy Smith
172. STUPID LOVE
Phoebe Snow
173. LIVE
Jordin Sparks
174. BATTLEFIELD
Spatial Unity
175. KNOCK ME OFF MY FEET
Regina Spektor
176. FAR
Matthew Sweet And Susanna Hoffs
177. UNDER THE COVERS VOL. 2
Swing Out Sister
178. BEAUTIFUL MESS
Taragirl
179. THE CITY: SOUL SUITE
James Taylor
180. OTHER COVERS
Anna Ternheim
181. LEAVING ON A MAYDAY
Rob Thomas
182. CRADLESONG
Arie Thompson
I’LL KNOW WHO YOU ARE WHEN
I SEE YOU AGAIN
183.
Glenn Tilbrook And The Fluffers
184. PANDEMONIUM ENSUES
Ashley Tisdale
185. GUILTY PLEASURE
Tino Tomas
186. STAY
© The Recording Academy 2009 - all rights reserved 52nd GRAMMY Entry List
(Continue Next Page)
Field 1 - Pop
Category 11 - Best Pop Vocal Album
Page 19 of 19
Tonemah
INK BLOTS & RANDOM
THOUGHTS
187.
The Uptown Band Featuring Erich
Cawalla & Jenifer Kinder
188. WAITING FOR HER
Utada
189. THIS IS THE ONE
Cindy Valentine
190. BLAME YOURSELF
Philip Vandermost
191. THE LONG PATH
Various Artists
BEN FOLDS PRESENTS:
UNIVERSITY A CAPPELLA!
192.
Various Artists
HIT MAN: DAVID FOSTER &
FRIENDS
193.
Various Artists
THE HOTEL CAFÉ
PRESENTS...WINTER SONGS
194.
Various Artists
LISTEN: A BENEFIT ALBUM FOR
OUR TIME
195.
(Nat King Cole &) Various Artists
196. RE:GENERATIONS
Various Artists
SCOTT WALKER 30 CENTURY
MAN
197.
Various Artists
198. WAR CHILD PRESENTS HEROES
Various Artists
WARDELL QUEZERGUE MUSIC
FOR CHILDREN, AGES 3 TO 103:
THE ST. AGNES SESSIONS
199.
Various Artists
200. WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
Kate Voegele
201. A FINE MESS
Ron C. Walters
AMANDA RUN - THE
SOUNDTRACK
202.
Sara Wasserman
203. SOLID GROUND
Kanye West
204. 808S & HEARTBREAK
Wet Cookies
205. SOUL PROTECTION
Brian Willoughby
206. BRIAN WILLOUGHBY
Wilson Hawk
207. THE ROAD
Ellen M. Wilson
208. SONGS OF ASCENT
Kip Winger
209. FROM THE MOON TO THE SUN
Anushka Wirasinha
210. BRAVE
Yale Alley Cats
211. GHOST OF A CHANCE
Rachael Yamagata
ELEPHANTS...TEETH SINKING
INTO HEART
212.
Yanni
213. VOICES
Yom Hadash
214. A NEW DAY
Bora Yoon
215. PHONATION
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
216. BREAK UP
Pete Yorn
217. BACK & FOURTH
Jenny Owen Youngs
218. TRANSMITTER FAILURE
Zap Mama
219. RECREATION
Zucchero
220. LIVE IN ITALY
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Waiting For a Miracle
I stopped going to Nashville about a year ago. The market for songs in the music industry tanked with the rise of peer to peer to network music downloads. Almost all of my contacts in Nashville were being laid off or had been laid off. When I walked into an office, people would use me as a crying pillow instead of listening to songs. In ten short years, the number of employees working in the record business has dropped 90 percent.
There are still people in record companies, just a lot fewer of them. There are still old and new acts being promoted by record companies, just a lot fewer of them as well. The music industry has undergone a very profound diet.
In rock music, it's quite possible for a new act to ignore all of the dead bodies in the music business and make a go of it. You work the social networks. You give away your music for free. You play 100 gigs a year, maybe more. And from all of that, you hope that through word of mouth and buzz, you take off. This kind of grass roots effort takes a tremendous amount of work, but it can reap big dividends.
In contrast, country music isn't like that at all. It doesn't work from the ground up. There are no real gigs to play except maybe in the Texas circuit, and that circuit is limited to Texans playing rough and tumble music that holds little interest to mainstream country music fans. Social networking seems to yield little benefit.
Country music fans are different. I think it's because they are almost all Republican and conservative. They don't believe in discovering their own music in a dive club and passing the word. Rather they wait for the music industry to tell them what is good out there. It's a top down approach. Country music fans still believe in authority figures. They want and expect the music industry - though battered and decimated - to give them new acts to hear on radio or see on CMT videos; then they decide which of those new acts they like.
What this means for a new act is that they are entirely dependent on labels for discovery and promotion. Mostly they sit and wait. Then they sit and wait some more. They play out a little locally in Nashville, but no one shows up to their gigs because they are unknown. Their managers go to the record companies' offices and promote them, hoping to get a record deal. Because the industry has contracted to a pin point, it's almost impossible for a new act to get signed, but some do. Then they wait some more.
Finally, they go to the studio and cut a couple of "sides" (otherwise known as songs). Then they wait even more. A single is launched from one of those sides. It's given to radio. Usually that single doesn't do very well on the radio because the act isn't very distinctive and there are already many other successful similar sounding acts out there. Sometimes they are dropped by the record company after than one single. But if they are lucky, they wait again. Then they cut a couple of more sides. The process is repeated.
Basically, new acts are waiting for a miracle and most new acts fail. In fact every new act I've interacted with on any level that has been associated with a Nashville label has failed. Don't blame me. It's just par for the course.
But for some, the miracle happens. They launch a single. The single takes off on the radio. And suddenly this nobody act is a somebody act. Now they don't wait anymore. They travel the county and state fair circuit playing gigs for decent cash (country music fans will not pay money for new acts in a concert setting); they'll open for established acts for little dough but in an effort to try to get some recognition (this rarely works, actually; third bill acts in a country music concert are doing the equivalent of the graveyard shift).
Most country acts rising from the muck on the basis of a single don't last more than a year. But some are propelled for several years or more on the basis of a single or two. Over my time going to Nashville, there were a few acts that emerged with some degree of staying power. The country trio now duo (their lead songwriter and backup singer was a bit butch for the country music world) Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, maybe Big and Rich, and finally of course, Taylor Swift. But I don't really view Swift as a country act; she made her success by crossing over into kiddie pop.
Why did these acts have their miracle when others with the same amount of hype, publicity and payola flounder? The lead singer of Sugarland has a very distinctive voice and their lead songwriter (exiled from the band, but still writing in Nashville) has a very unusual retro-Mama and Papas style. Carrie Underwood had the weight of the American Idol machine behind her and the standard bearers of country music divadom - Faith Hill, Trish Yearwood, Martina McBride et al. - were getting long in the tooth. Big and Rich had huge personalities and brought in the party hearty crowd. Taylor Swift was perhaps the first country singer to exploit the teen and pre-teen crowd. They were all unique in their own way.
Over the same time period these acts rose to stardom, at least 70 acts failed or are currently in a kind of purgatory still playing to small crowds at fairgrounds, still playing #3 on a big act's concert tour, and still hoping for a new big single to launch them some day in the future. I met about a dozen of them. Some were quite distinctive and talented, but there is always a risk that an act that is unusual will simply be too unusual to attract a following. But most were indistinguishable from many, many other acts out there. They sang the same kind of songs you hear on country radio every day, but no particular song that would grab an audience. They had the same personality that many country acts have, the same kind of vocal style. I would watch them and know they weren't going anywhere.
Several years ago I heard an act play in Los Angeles. It was completely unhip. Their songs were all so sincere. They reminded me of Jewel. I listened and thought, well if Jewel was going to make it today, she'd have to go to Nashville. That's what I told that act to do. I gave them unsolicited advice. Go to Nashville. With your style of music that's where you belong. Surprisingly they took that advice. Actually, I'm sure it wasn't just me who said this to them. It was obvious.
They moved. Then they waited. And they waited. Eventually their manager got them a record deal. A single was cut. It didn't go anywhere. But for a good half year, they had a nice expense account and were pampered. Is that a miracle, too? I think so. Asking for anything more than that probably is being greedy. They can tell their grandchildren that once upon a time they were almost country music stars. They'll have a video or two to show their grandkids as well. And when their grandkids watch that video and say "grandma you were beautiful," how cool is that?
There are still people in record companies, just a lot fewer of them. There are still old and new acts being promoted by record companies, just a lot fewer of them as well. The music industry has undergone a very profound diet.
In rock music, it's quite possible for a new act to ignore all of the dead bodies in the music business and make a go of it. You work the social networks. You give away your music for free. You play 100 gigs a year, maybe more. And from all of that, you hope that through word of mouth and buzz, you take off. This kind of grass roots effort takes a tremendous amount of work, but it can reap big dividends.
In contrast, country music isn't like that at all. It doesn't work from the ground up. There are no real gigs to play except maybe in the Texas circuit, and that circuit is limited to Texans playing rough and tumble music that holds little interest to mainstream country music fans. Social networking seems to yield little benefit.
Country music fans are different. I think it's because they are almost all Republican and conservative. They don't believe in discovering their own music in a dive club and passing the word. Rather they wait for the music industry to tell them what is good out there. It's a top down approach. Country music fans still believe in authority figures. They want and expect the music industry - though battered and decimated - to give them new acts to hear on radio or see on CMT videos; then they decide which of those new acts they like.
What this means for a new act is that they are entirely dependent on labels for discovery and promotion. Mostly they sit and wait. Then they sit and wait some more. They play out a little locally in Nashville, but no one shows up to their gigs because they are unknown. Their managers go to the record companies' offices and promote them, hoping to get a record deal. Because the industry has contracted to a pin point, it's almost impossible for a new act to get signed, but some do. Then they wait some more.
Finally, they go to the studio and cut a couple of "sides" (otherwise known as songs). Then they wait even more. A single is launched from one of those sides. It's given to radio. Usually that single doesn't do very well on the radio because the act isn't very distinctive and there are already many other successful similar sounding acts out there. Sometimes they are dropped by the record company after than one single. But if they are lucky, they wait again. Then they cut a couple of more sides. The process is repeated.
Basically, new acts are waiting for a miracle and most new acts fail. In fact every new act I've interacted with on any level that has been associated with a Nashville label has failed. Don't blame me. It's just par for the course.
But for some, the miracle happens. They launch a single. The single takes off on the radio. And suddenly this nobody act is a somebody act. Now they don't wait anymore. They travel the county and state fair circuit playing gigs for decent cash (country music fans will not pay money for new acts in a concert setting); they'll open for established acts for little dough but in an effort to try to get some recognition (this rarely works, actually; third bill acts in a country music concert are doing the equivalent of the graveyard shift).
Most country acts rising from the muck on the basis of a single don't last more than a year. But some are propelled for several years or more on the basis of a single or two. Over my time going to Nashville, there were a few acts that emerged with some degree of staying power. The country trio now duo (their lead songwriter and backup singer was a bit butch for the country music world) Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, maybe Big and Rich, and finally of course, Taylor Swift. But I don't really view Swift as a country act; she made her success by crossing over into kiddie pop.
Why did these acts have their miracle when others with the same amount of hype, publicity and payola flounder? The lead singer of Sugarland has a very distinctive voice and their lead songwriter (exiled from the band, but still writing in Nashville) has a very unusual retro-Mama and Papas style. Carrie Underwood had the weight of the American Idol machine behind her and the standard bearers of country music divadom - Faith Hill, Trish Yearwood, Martina McBride et al. - were getting long in the tooth. Big and Rich had huge personalities and brought in the party hearty crowd. Taylor Swift was perhaps the first country singer to exploit the teen and pre-teen crowd. They were all unique in their own way.
Over the same time period these acts rose to stardom, at least 70 acts failed or are currently in a kind of purgatory still playing to small crowds at fairgrounds, still playing #3 on a big act's concert tour, and still hoping for a new big single to launch them some day in the future. I met about a dozen of them. Some were quite distinctive and talented, but there is always a risk that an act that is unusual will simply be too unusual to attract a following. But most were indistinguishable from many, many other acts out there. They sang the same kind of songs you hear on country radio every day, but no particular song that would grab an audience. They had the same personality that many country acts have, the same kind of vocal style. I would watch them and know they weren't going anywhere.
Several years ago I heard an act play in Los Angeles. It was completely unhip. Their songs were all so sincere. They reminded me of Jewel. I listened and thought, well if Jewel was going to make it today, she'd have to go to Nashville. That's what I told that act to do. I gave them unsolicited advice. Go to Nashville. With your style of music that's where you belong. Surprisingly they took that advice. Actually, I'm sure it wasn't just me who said this to them. It was obvious.
They moved. Then they waited. And they waited. Eventually their manager got them a record deal. A single was cut. It didn't go anywhere. But for a good half year, they had a nice expense account and were pampered. Is that a miracle, too? I think so. Asking for anything more than that probably is being greedy. They can tell their grandchildren that once upon a time they were almost country music stars. They'll have a video or two to show their grandkids as well. And when their grandkids watch that video and say "grandma you were beautiful," how cool is that?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Rolling The Dice on California
California is my adopted home. I can't imagine living anywhere else. I have my choice of two major cities if I want to experience some urban life. Then there are the hundreds of miles of mostly unspoiled coast. Then there are the mountains. Then there is all that great produce. Then there is the we-don't-care-one-way-or-the-other-how-eccentric-you-are mentality. It's a wonderful state.
That's all in the plus column. But there is one big minus. California's government stinks.
It wasn't always this way. But in the 1960s, an amendment was added to the constitution requiring a 2/3 vote to pass a state budget. Then in 1978, citizens overwhelmingly passed Prop. 13, which slashed revenue from property taxes. Over subsequent years, gerrymandering divided state legislature districts along ideological lines. Finally, in 1990 Californians passed Proposition 45, which created term limits for politicians.
The end result is that state politics are dominated amateur politicians who tend to be ideologues because their districts are either on the left or the right. They have no experience with or desire to compromise. The state has no money during recessions because of the absence of a property tax cushion. Budgets would be hard enough to pass if the politicians knew how to compromise and you needed a simple majority. Neither is the case.
California is creeping backwards. Our public schools are pathetic. Our state universities don't have the classes necessary for students to graduate in four years. Our flagship universities are forced to charge high tuition, keeping many from modest income homes out. Without education, there is no reliable, future high-quality workforce.
Those are just education issues. Our prisons are overcrowded and prison policy is heavily influenced by the prison guard union. Our Department of Motor Vehicles looks like something out of 1982. It just goes down the line. My state is running on fumes.
Obviously, I'm not the only person who knows the our state government is broken. A majority of the voting public feels that way too. But polls indicate that while they know there is a problem, they don't want to solve it. Voters continue to believe in overwhelming numbers that Prop. 13 was a good thing and remains a good thing. They continue to believe that term limits are a good thing. While they know California is short of cash, a majority believes that the shortfall is simply due to fat and inefficiencies in government. If only it were so.
There is one ray of hope in public opinion. A majority believes that the California constitution needs to be changed via a constitutional convention. So while on specifics, the California voter is out to lunch, they have left a potential way out of our mess by, in general, supporting revamping the constitution.
There's a group out there trying to take advantage of this ray of hope, Repair California. It's an organization started by a consortium of businessmen from Northern California, the Bay Area Council. This is not some left-wing cabal. It's not a right-wing cabal. It's a group of people that knows that when government runs well, businesses can run well. And it's fed up with the screwed up nature of California's government.
This week Repair California will announce that they will be placing two initiatives on the November 2010 ballot. One will allow for initiatives to call for a constitutional convention (currently constitutional conventions cannot be called this way; that power was stripped many years ago by the state legislature). The other explicitly will call for a constitutional convention. The convention will be limited in scope, focusing strictly on governance issues. Taxes will not be one of the issues on the table.
Here's the kicker. The proposal will call for participants to be chosen by lottery. That's right. Any shmo potentially can be part of the constitutional convention. At first blush, this seems ridiculous. But the alternatives probably are worse. You could have an election. You could have participants appointed. Money and corruption would influence both.
I'm all for rolling the dice and having a constitutional convention composed of lottery winners.There of course need to be mechanisms in place to make sure these lottery winners aren't influenced by money once they are selected. The key is that no matter what they end up doing, we can't possibly have anything worse than we have now. They aren't going to make budget approvals require more than a two thirds majority. I hope not at any rate. Whatever they create will likely be an improvement. Hopefully, that improvement will be significant. We have no place to go but up.
That's all in the plus column. But there is one big minus. California's government stinks.
It wasn't always this way. But in the 1960s, an amendment was added to the constitution requiring a 2/3 vote to pass a state budget. Then in 1978, citizens overwhelmingly passed Prop. 13, which slashed revenue from property taxes. Over subsequent years, gerrymandering divided state legislature districts along ideological lines. Finally, in 1990 Californians passed Proposition 45, which created term limits for politicians.
The end result is that state politics are dominated amateur politicians who tend to be ideologues because their districts are either on the left or the right. They have no experience with or desire to compromise. The state has no money during recessions because of the absence of a property tax cushion. Budgets would be hard enough to pass if the politicians knew how to compromise and you needed a simple majority. Neither is the case.
California is creeping backwards. Our public schools are pathetic. Our state universities don't have the classes necessary for students to graduate in four years. Our flagship universities are forced to charge high tuition, keeping many from modest income homes out. Without education, there is no reliable, future high-quality workforce.
Those are just education issues. Our prisons are overcrowded and prison policy is heavily influenced by the prison guard union. Our Department of Motor Vehicles looks like something out of 1982. It just goes down the line. My state is running on fumes.
Obviously, I'm not the only person who knows the our state government is broken. A majority of the voting public feels that way too. But polls indicate that while they know there is a problem, they don't want to solve it. Voters continue to believe in overwhelming numbers that Prop. 13 was a good thing and remains a good thing. They continue to believe that term limits are a good thing. While they know California is short of cash, a majority believes that the shortfall is simply due to fat and inefficiencies in government. If only it were so.
There is one ray of hope in public opinion. A majority believes that the California constitution needs to be changed via a constitutional convention. So while on specifics, the California voter is out to lunch, they have left a potential way out of our mess by, in general, supporting revamping the constitution.
There's a group out there trying to take advantage of this ray of hope, Repair California. It's an organization started by a consortium of businessmen from Northern California, the Bay Area Council. This is not some left-wing cabal. It's not a right-wing cabal. It's a group of people that knows that when government runs well, businesses can run well. And it's fed up with the screwed up nature of California's government.
This week Repair California will announce that they will be placing two initiatives on the November 2010 ballot. One will allow for initiatives to call for a constitutional convention (currently constitutional conventions cannot be called this way; that power was stripped many years ago by the state legislature). The other explicitly will call for a constitutional convention. The convention will be limited in scope, focusing strictly on governance issues. Taxes will not be one of the issues on the table.
Here's the kicker. The proposal will call for participants to be chosen by lottery. That's right. Any shmo potentially can be part of the constitutional convention. At first blush, this seems ridiculous. But the alternatives probably are worse. You could have an election. You could have participants appointed. Money and corruption would influence both.
I'm all for rolling the dice and having a constitutional convention composed of lottery winners.There of course need to be mechanisms in place to make sure these lottery winners aren't influenced by money once they are selected. The key is that no matter what they end up doing, we can't possibly have anything worse than we have now. They aren't going to make budget approvals require more than a two thirds majority. I hope not at any rate. Whatever they create will likely be an improvement. Hopefully, that improvement will be significant. We have no place to go but up.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Adventures in Pop Psychology, Part I: Teenage Narcissism
Sometime around the age of fourteen, perfectly decent and wonderful kids tend to turn rotten. This rotten stage can last...forever. But usually, thank god, it seems to last for six to nine years at most. Then those same kids, now adults, return to being perfectly decent and wonderful human beings.
I know that I was like this. When I think about how awful I was - narcissistic, rude and basically uncaring - in my teenage years, I cringe. My parents should have shoved me in a closet for a few years and thrown away the key. I wasn't fit for public interaction at all. My sense of privilege and entitlement was off the charts. My ability to see beyond my own nose was non-existent.
Those that study such things say that narcissism among teens is on the rise. They tend to ascribe it to the cultural fashion of boosting self-esteem among children. I never understood those boosting efforts. B.S.'ing your kid or your student and making him or her think they possess talent they don't really have is just plain silly. A child should know their strengths and weaknesses. When I was a kid, my teachers told me I stank at drawing. My parents said I drew like an infant. They were right. I have no talent in the visual arts, absolutely zero. Why should someone have lied to me and said otherwise?
But even before this little self esteem boom we've undergone over the last twenty years, teenage narcissism was prevalent. As I watch teenagers today behave just as bad as I did (which is very bad), I've been trying to understand just why. My tendency is to assume that most aspects of our nature represent some optimum for development. Why do I think this? It just seems to fit. It's an assertion really and probably untestable.
For example, think about an infant. At about three months they learn to smile. Why don't they smile right out of the gate? OK, here's my take on it. After a couple of months of sleeplessness and changing diapers, a parent is ready to throw in the towel. It's time to just give that baby up or worse. Life is too short to deal with such mishagoss. And just when you're about to say "enough already!" that little tyke starts to smile at you. Oh my. Now he or she has got you. The timing is just right. Another month or so without that positive reinforcement of a smile and that kid would be off to a baby resale shop.
OK, another few months go by and damn you're still changing diapers and not getting enough sleep. That smile is getting old, way old. You're starting to think "baby resale shop" again. And then what happens? That kid starts to laugh. Oooooh. Now that is something new and cute. Just in the nick of time too!
So my theory is that infant development over the years has been tuned to the patience of the parent. Kids that smiled and laughed right out the gate didn't have any new tricks to show until language development. That's way, way too long a wait. Out they went before they could show their stuff. I know that sounds crazy. And it is. That's what blogs are for after all. Crazy thoughts. And I hope it's funny too in a weird way.
So what about this teenage narcissism? What's its purpose? Well for one, I think it makes it far, far easier for a parent to see their kid leave home. Think about it. If your kid is sweet and wonderful at 18, why would you want to see them go? He or she is your shining beacon of hope. Who wants to let go of a shining beacon of hope?
But if your child is rotten and has been so for four years causing all kinds of havoc at home, well then, how do you feel about your kid leaving for college or to move in with his/her ex-con boyfriend/girlfriend or whatever? Euphoric? You bet. You can't wait to get that kid out of the house. And then when they are 21 or so and are sweet again, you'd like to get them back but it's too late. They're already gone for good.
Again, this is evolutionary tuning at work. Way back when sweet kids never left home. They never went off and had kids in their own caves. Instead they remained dutiful sons and daughters until their parents' dying days. But the rotten ones were different. They went off - "good riddance to bad rubbish!" - during their child bearing years and made babies. Then when they needed help caring for those babies, they got sweet again. The grandparents helped out of course because they were so thankful their kid was nice again. And then those babies eventually smiled. And then they laughed. The cycle kept repeating.
We are the product of behaviors that are optimally timed to allow for the successful propagation of our species. I'm sure there is a crackpot paper in this theory somewhere. And I'm sure that such a crackpot paper has already been written.
I know that I was like this. When I think about how awful I was - narcissistic, rude and basically uncaring - in my teenage years, I cringe. My parents should have shoved me in a closet for a few years and thrown away the key. I wasn't fit for public interaction at all. My sense of privilege and entitlement was off the charts. My ability to see beyond my own nose was non-existent.
Those that study such things say that narcissism among teens is on the rise. They tend to ascribe it to the cultural fashion of boosting self-esteem among children. I never understood those boosting efforts. B.S.'ing your kid or your student and making him or her think they possess talent they don't really have is just plain silly. A child should know their strengths and weaknesses. When I was a kid, my teachers told me I stank at drawing. My parents said I drew like an infant. They were right. I have no talent in the visual arts, absolutely zero. Why should someone have lied to me and said otherwise?
But even before this little self esteem boom we've undergone over the last twenty years, teenage narcissism was prevalent. As I watch teenagers today behave just as bad as I did (which is very bad), I've been trying to understand just why. My tendency is to assume that most aspects of our nature represent some optimum for development. Why do I think this? It just seems to fit. It's an assertion really and probably untestable.
For example, think about an infant. At about three months they learn to smile. Why don't they smile right out of the gate? OK, here's my take on it. After a couple of months of sleeplessness and changing diapers, a parent is ready to throw in the towel. It's time to just give that baby up or worse. Life is too short to deal with such mishagoss. And just when you're about to say "enough already!" that little tyke starts to smile at you. Oh my. Now he or she has got you. The timing is just right. Another month or so without that positive reinforcement of a smile and that kid would be off to a baby resale shop.
OK, another few months go by and damn you're still changing diapers and not getting enough sleep. That smile is getting old, way old. You're starting to think "baby resale shop" again. And then what happens? That kid starts to laugh. Oooooh. Now that is something new and cute. Just in the nick of time too!
So my theory is that infant development over the years has been tuned to the patience of the parent. Kids that smiled and laughed right out the gate didn't have any new tricks to show until language development. That's way, way too long a wait. Out they went before they could show their stuff. I know that sounds crazy. And it is. That's what blogs are for after all. Crazy thoughts. And I hope it's funny too in a weird way.
So what about this teenage narcissism? What's its purpose? Well for one, I think it makes it far, far easier for a parent to see their kid leave home. Think about it. If your kid is sweet and wonderful at 18, why would you want to see them go? He or she is your shining beacon of hope. Who wants to let go of a shining beacon of hope?
But if your child is rotten and has been so for four years causing all kinds of havoc at home, well then, how do you feel about your kid leaving for college or to move in with his/her ex-con boyfriend/girlfriend or whatever? Euphoric? You bet. You can't wait to get that kid out of the house. And then when they are 21 or so and are sweet again, you'd like to get them back but it's too late. They're already gone for good.
Again, this is evolutionary tuning at work. Way back when sweet kids never left home. They never went off and had kids in their own caves. Instead they remained dutiful sons and daughters until their parents' dying days. But the rotten ones were different. They went off - "good riddance to bad rubbish!" - during their child bearing years and made babies. Then when they needed help caring for those babies, they got sweet again. The grandparents helped out of course because they were so thankful their kid was nice again. And then those babies eventually smiled. And then they laughed. The cycle kept repeating.
We are the product of behaviors that are optimally timed to allow for the successful propagation of our species. I'm sure there is a crackpot paper in this theory somewhere. And I'm sure that such a crackpot paper has already been written.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Bulls, Bears and Pigs
As the saying goes on Wall Street, bulls make money, bears make money, but pigs get slaughtered. That saying came to mind as I was watching the Yankees play the Angels in the Divisional Playoffs. The best seats in the house at Yankee Stadium are occupied by our country's newly created untouchable class. They run the financial companies that Democrats and Republicans alike have decided are too big to fail. Pigs don't get slaughtered anymore. Instead they make money too. The old Wall Street rule of thumb needs a makeover. It should be bulls make money, bears make money, and pigs get trillion dollar backing and multi-billion dollar loans from the government.
When you've decided that a company is too big to fail, you've made our country beholden to a small group of crony capitalists who we are committed to keeping rich no matter what. This is something new under the sun for America. We have decided to create a permanently super-wealthy class. Perhaps worse yet, these a*holes think they are entitled to be treated this way.
Inherent in the American ethos has been the idea that this country is special partly because it holds the possibility for upward mobility for just about anyone. It's not actually true that America allows for more upward mobility than any other country, but it is true that we think it does. What's left unsaid but implied is that downward mobility is possible as well for those that have lost their drive or make stupid decisions. But if gravity doesn't operate anymore for a certain class of individuals, then there's no room for new faces to be seen among the elite.
As you get older, you tend to see patterns repeat themselves. You tend not to panic. You've seen it all before. The world isn't going to end. But this end of downward mobility and retardation of upward mobility is something I haven't seen before. And it implies that a cornerstone of American exceptionalism - that anyone can become wealthy if they work hard enough - is disappearing. You can hear it in the tone of voice when people talk about the wealthy nowadays. Before there was admiration mixed with a hint of "I could get there too eventually" hopefulness. Now there is suspicion and derision mixed with a strong dose of "I'll never get there because the system is rigged" hopelessness.
When I was a kid, the news was full of stories of welfare cheats. Somehow a small number of the poor of this country found ways exploit our social welfare system to buy Cadillacs and filet mignon. These isolated cases fueled resentment of the poor and the partial dismantling of our social safety net.
We now have a new class of welfare cheats. They aren't poor. They already own condos worth tens of millions of dollars in Manhattan, but they want more. They are exploiting our system of corporate welfare and crony capitalism. We print hundreds of billions of dollars and run trillion dollar deficits so these people can create a new financial bubble within a year after the old one collapsed (I note that the Dow crossed the 10,000 threshold despite no real signs of economic recovery). This new generation of welfare cheats is far worse than the ones I grew up hearing about. They cost this country far more.
It's been over a year since Lehman Brothers collapsed and we entered our Great Recession. Our banks still are not loaning out money. Instead they continue down many of the investment paths that got us into our current mess, this time with government guarantees they don't deserve. Two out the three largest banks - Citigroup and Bank of America - are still in zombie mode. We keep pretending that they aren't. They should have been nationalized. I have no doubt that if they had been nationalized this country would be significantly better off today. Money would be available for businesses to borrow. We would have not established an untouchable class of financial titans. Citigroup should be no more. Bank of America should be no more. And all of their top employees should have been kicked to the curb.
I watched the Yankee game the other night and looked at the people in those prize seats going for four to five figures a pop. Many of them are there because we continue to print money to keep them in business. We have a president who is unwilling to make the tough decisions necessary to reign in the corruption on Wall Street. It's even worse. Obama is aiding and abetting their corruption.
Obama has tried to justify the ridiculous salaries these people earn by comparing them to sports figure salaries. What he fails to note is that as a result of those athletes' salaries, the tickets for major sports events are now unaffordable to the middle class. Greed in any sector of the economy has its negative repercussions. In the financial sector, the impact is particularly severe. Well over ten percent of this country is unemployed, defaults on loans continue to rise, and what is being done? Unfortunately, the answer is nothing of substance.
The rationale for creating this untouchable economic class is nonexistent. Congressman Barney Frank tries to make analogies to Baathists in Iraq. We can't just summarily throw these financial titans out, he says. We have to continue to prop up them up because they are the power behind our financial industry. Similarly, Secretary Geithner has tried to claim that these people are too important to the health of Main Street to dismiss them. These rationalizations try to make it seem as if we have no choice but to keep all the players in their seats.
We don't have to shut down all of Wall Street. But we do have to shut down its non-functioning elements. Continuing to prop up entities that are dead weight makes no sense. Over four trillion dollars worth of assets are being held by two banks that are essentially zombies. How can this be good for our country? It's not just bad for our current economy. It bodes poorly for our future. Our current economic path is one that will continue to promote the creation of financial bubbles and entrenches a financial culture that believes in risk without repercussions.
When you've decided that a company is too big to fail, you've made our country beholden to a small group of crony capitalists who we are committed to keeping rich no matter what. This is something new under the sun for America. We have decided to create a permanently super-wealthy class. Perhaps worse yet, these a*holes think they are entitled to be treated this way.
Inherent in the American ethos has been the idea that this country is special partly because it holds the possibility for upward mobility for just about anyone. It's not actually true that America allows for more upward mobility than any other country, but it is true that we think it does. What's left unsaid but implied is that downward mobility is possible as well for those that have lost their drive or make stupid decisions. But if gravity doesn't operate anymore for a certain class of individuals, then there's no room for new faces to be seen among the elite.
As you get older, you tend to see patterns repeat themselves. You tend not to panic. You've seen it all before. The world isn't going to end. But this end of downward mobility and retardation of upward mobility is something I haven't seen before. And it implies that a cornerstone of American exceptionalism - that anyone can become wealthy if they work hard enough - is disappearing. You can hear it in the tone of voice when people talk about the wealthy nowadays. Before there was admiration mixed with a hint of "I could get there too eventually" hopefulness. Now there is suspicion and derision mixed with a strong dose of "I'll never get there because the system is rigged" hopelessness.
When I was a kid, the news was full of stories of welfare cheats. Somehow a small number of the poor of this country found ways exploit our social welfare system to buy Cadillacs and filet mignon. These isolated cases fueled resentment of the poor and the partial dismantling of our social safety net.
We now have a new class of welfare cheats. They aren't poor. They already own condos worth tens of millions of dollars in Manhattan, but they want more. They are exploiting our system of corporate welfare and crony capitalism. We print hundreds of billions of dollars and run trillion dollar deficits so these people can create a new financial bubble within a year after the old one collapsed (I note that the Dow crossed the 10,000 threshold despite no real signs of economic recovery). This new generation of welfare cheats is far worse than the ones I grew up hearing about. They cost this country far more.
It's been over a year since Lehman Brothers collapsed and we entered our Great Recession. Our banks still are not loaning out money. Instead they continue down many of the investment paths that got us into our current mess, this time with government guarantees they don't deserve. Two out the three largest banks - Citigroup and Bank of America - are still in zombie mode. We keep pretending that they aren't. They should have been nationalized. I have no doubt that if they had been nationalized this country would be significantly better off today. Money would be available for businesses to borrow. We would have not established an untouchable class of financial titans. Citigroup should be no more. Bank of America should be no more. And all of their top employees should have been kicked to the curb.
I watched the Yankee game the other night and looked at the people in those prize seats going for four to five figures a pop. Many of them are there because we continue to print money to keep them in business. We have a president who is unwilling to make the tough decisions necessary to reign in the corruption on Wall Street. It's even worse. Obama is aiding and abetting their corruption.
Obama has tried to justify the ridiculous salaries these people earn by comparing them to sports figure salaries. What he fails to note is that as a result of those athletes' salaries, the tickets for major sports events are now unaffordable to the middle class. Greed in any sector of the economy has its negative repercussions. In the financial sector, the impact is particularly severe. Well over ten percent of this country is unemployed, defaults on loans continue to rise, and what is being done? Unfortunately, the answer is nothing of substance.
The rationale for creating this untouchable economic class is nonexistent. Congressman Barney Frank tries to make analogies to Baathists in Iraq. We can't just summarily throw these financial titans out, he says. We have to continue to prop up them up because they are the power behind our financial industry. Similarly, Secretary Geithner has tried to claim that these people are too important to the health of Main Street to dismiss them. These rationalizations try to make it seem as if we have no choice but to keep all the players in their seats.
We don't have to shut down all of Wall Street. But we do have to shut down its non-functioning elements. Continuing to prop up entities that are dead weight makes no sense. Over four trillion dollars worth of assets are being held by two banks that are essentially zombies. How can this be good for our country? It's not just bad for our current economy. It bodes poorly for our future. Our current economic path is one that will continue to promote the creation of financial bubbles and entrenches a financial culture that believes in risk without repercussions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
