The Liquid Kosmos

Blocked

I can't write today and that's why I have to do it. Oddly enough that was the second sentence I wrote and I thought it said everything the first one said, but better. But, from here on out, there is no editing. It's straight off the top. It's a cleanse.

I've been cleaning and watching a VH1 80's countdown marathon. I am simply fascinated with stories behind songs.
From U2's "In the Name of Love," to Poison's "Every Rose Has its Thorn," I have been clinging on the back story. Some are better than others, but they are all good. Even if they're bad. Which brings me to the world today.

Back in the 90's it was hip to talk about the future of what was being called "desktop publishing." What are you gonna do with your life, son? "I'm gonna be a desktop publisher." There's no way my parents could understand that concept because I couldn't even understand it. Computers were blowing up and no a day has gone by since when I haven't been amazed by the possibilities.

It has literally shrunk the world and leveled the playing field in ways that, even today, people don't understand. The Long Tail is a concept (or science) that basically says marketing to the masses is old thinking and music is a great example of an industry that is at a crossroads. Artists don't sell millions of records anymore and the labels are scrambling to figure out how to survive and thrive in a world of desktop selling artists.

I'm not sure how many cities there are in the world, but for the sake of argument, let's say there are 10,000. If an artist can directly sell a song to an average of 5 people in every city that's $50,000 in sales with no label in the middle. Of course that is an oversimplification, but the point is that people can find a niche that doesn't even register with the mainstream and create a career. Whatever, I'm rambling, but it's important because now is the time for dreams to come true. For you, for me, for anyone whose had an idea. It just takes a leap of faith. One that I am trying to find.

So, Queen's "Under Pressure" was just on VH1 and they had an interview with Vanilla Ice who was accused of stealing their bass line for his first big hit. Ice pulled a complete Milli Vanilli by verbally interpreting the bass and claiming it was different, but his example was exactly the same.

I once heard someone say, "Everything is cliche'" and I think there's a lot of truth there, but it's probably a cultural analogy of the Long Tail. There's similarities, bits and pieces of everything in this big melting pot of creativity. How can there not be? Everyone is creative and the Internet along with technology has thrust everyone into the game. That is, if they want to play.

This doesn't seem to be working for me, but at least it's something.

posted by The Oscillator @ 2:14 PM