Tonight I am not going to write of music in the media, but I will write of music that we discussed in my writing class.  We watched a film on "Zines" which can have multiple definitions, but if I had to choose one, I would say that it would be defined as " a self-published magazine regarding a fanatical interest."  We watched the film and it stirred up different emotions within me.  Part of me understood where these "fanatics" were coming from , for we all some type of obsession in some way shape or form.  But another part of me was upset at the way these people seemed seemed to look down upon those who were successful in their own right.  I understand their point of  view in a sense. They feel as though once you become recognized from a successful corporation (lets say a successful magazine) then you lose who you are as an artist.  In class we discussed the fact that the good thing about Zines is the fact that the audience and the artist themselves seem to have more open communication with each other.  There is not that wall of corporation that is blocking you from the artist which can make some artists feel that they have a better connection with their audience.
  The argument that these "zinesters" make is regarding let say music is "How can you have a connection with an artist when you are one of thousands jam packed in a huge stadium?"  I can understand this point of view, but at the same time I also know that it is possible to have a connection with an artists even if you are one in a million.  The connection is made if you are a good artist.  If you have that "it" factor, then you can make that connection.  I have been to many different concerts of all different genres and I feel as though a person can decipher if an artist is truly a good artist based on the connection that they feel with them at a live concert.  For example, I went to a Fray concert last Fall shortly after (well maybe not shortly but months after) a Bruce Springsteen concert.  The difference was that of night and day for I couldn't make any connection at The Fray concert.  Although the music sounded great, I felt as thought they were just there to play and that was it.  The only thing that I could honestly focus on was the huge array of cell phone "lights" and bad singing by the audience.  I know I use Springsteen as an example quite often, but it is all in good reason.  I have attended his concerts and the experience is nothing short of a music revival.  He has the audience in the palm of his hand and we are  willing to be there.

Springsteen and the E-Street Band were always fully involved in the way that they were going to sound to their audience.  Here they are working in the studio.

  Springsteen is a perfect example of a successful artist that is still able to make a connection with his audience.  Do we physically always have to make a connection with the artist?  I mean, sure I would love a handwritten letter from Bruce Springsteen mailed to my door, but in all actuality that won't happen and I am perfectly fine with that.  I feel as though I already have that personal connection with the artist by listening to their songs and relating them to my own life.  The fact of the matter is that it is quite easy for an artist to lose their identity when being under the name a successful record label.  However, I believe that the artist has to create a certain balance between themselves and the record label.  Springsteen was an artist who could have lost his identity through the record label. After the successful "Born to Run" album, he had  a desire to want to take his music into his own hands.  Following many lawsuits, he finally regained his voice and was able to produce his next album. The artist first needs to gain and appreciate the help that they are getting from the record label, and then they can have the luxury to make changes later on.  Without that initial signing with a successful record label, there would not be albums. If I were a musician, I would thank my lucky stars that I was signed by a huge record company.  When push comes to shove, all humans want to be heard.  Every artist wants to get their message out to someone who can relate to their music.  Once you become successful, then you can have the luxury to make decisions for the way in which you want to portray yourself to your audience.  I believe that a lot of artists in my present generation simply get swallowed by a record label and do not create that balance of remaining true to themselves while also listening to the direction of the label.  I feel as though they get lazy and are too wrapped up in the glamour of the music industry and forget about who they are as artists.  In all actuality, the music industry shouldn't be glamours, or at least it wasn't thirty years ago.  Musicians struggled for their recognition and now it seems as though only the pretty faces can get a record label. 
   I want to wrap this up by just stating that there is no reason for  a person to blame another for being successful. You can express yourself through a successful magazine just like you would through a zine, but the zinesters in the film seemed to stubborn to negotiate with corporations.  Life is all one big compromise for goodness sake!  I mean,  a lot of their writing is great and unique and it probably should be read by many different people, but it will never get the chance for these writers are too stubborn to compromise with a successful corporation.  They need to grow up, and negotiate in order to get their voices heard.  Just because you are writing for a successful magazine, doesn't by any way mean that you are losing who you are as a person.  If these writers are so good then they should take on that challenge and see if they can write for a successful company without losing thier own identity.  That's the challenge that every writer has to deal with and it is only normal.  I felt such a sense of immaturity coming from these writers.  I felt as though they were complaining and felt a sense of sadness from each person in the film. If they know who they are as a writer and as a person, then they should find no struggle with losing their identity in their writing. 

Bruce Springsteen HBO Special "The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town"

It has been two days since "The Promise: The Making of the Darkness on the Edge of Town", I still can not seem to get over it.  I have always been a big Bruce fan.  After watching this powerful and informative documentary, I am that much more in love with this musician.  In 1975, Bruce Springsteen was a household name in music.  He had huge success with his 1975 album "Born to Run" and when that tour was finished, he left fans wondering what his next album would be like.  Would it be as successful?  Would he have the same sound? When will it be out?
   The three  years between "Born to Run" and "The Darkness on the Edge of Town" were not easy. Lawsuits involving Springsteen and his then manager Mike Appel were in the works.  He was under Appel's management for the Born to Run album, and although he was successful with Appel, he wanted to be able to produce is own album.  Until the lawsuit was settled, Springsteen was not able to enter the studio without Appel, or a producer that was approved by Mike Appel.  This whole process took about a year, and it left the fans wondering "Where is this guy Bruce Springsteen?"  The future of Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band was looking cloudy.  Clouds of doubt hovered over their heads.  They didn't want to be one of those bands who were successful one day and then gone the next.
 Finally, Springsteen gained control and  the band was able to get in the studio and start recording their next album.  Springsteen didn't want to have that same "wall of sound" (big sound) that he had in his 1975 "Born to Run" album.  Although it was successful, he didn't want to have two albums that sounded the same.   The 1975 album also deserved that big sound, for it was an album that illustrated living life without abandon.  When listening to the album, you do not only hear songs, but you hear stories.  When asked about the album, Springsteen describes that "It can all be taken place in the course of one evening in all these different locations.  All these different stories on one long summer night." Springsteen describes the theme of the album perfectly in this HBO documentary named "Wings for Wheels:  The Making of Born to Run".  Check out the whole clip to step into this wonderful album...


  Like stated before, the years in between Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town were dreary, dark and confusing.  This feeling is reflected in the album.  The wild abandon of Born to Run, was halted with unavoidable consequences of becoming a famous rock star.  Springsteen became was now a well-known name and had to become his own Boss (maybe thats how he got the name?) in order to be successful in his next record.  The theme of this album differs greatly from "Born to Run" in the sense that it is the illustration of  a man coming to terms with adulthood.  There is a compromise that must be made between logic and abandon.  Watch this clip from "The Promise:The Making of the Darkness on the Edge of Town" and you will get a sense of the difference of the two albums.








Springsteen 2008 Magic Tour:  Thats me with my fist straight in air!



    So after watching this amazing documentary, I'm left wondering if we have any true singer/songwriters anymore.  I think of the music and bands of my generation such as Kings of Leon, Maroon Five, the Fray;and even though they are all great bands, there is just something missing.  I honestly don't think that these bands would be in the studio recording day after day, month after month trying to perfect the sound of their album.  I don't feel as they have the patience.  Or maybe they would have their assistants run around for them to make their job easier?  They have gotten their success too soon.  They haven't paid their dues.  It has been far to easy for them.  If you were to go back in time, these bands simply wouldn't last.  I have seen all of these bands live and  I have seen Bruce Springsteen live.  The difference is like night and day.  I don't feel a true connection with any of the bands of my generation and that is sad. Springsteen concerts are like a music revival.  Its an experience that I can not put into words.  After over twenty five years, this man is still alive and able to bring a crowd to their feet.  He is able to relate to both young and old.  His music sends a universal message of desire, hunger and need.  When I listen to the music on the radio today...all I can hear...are little boys whining.  I won't want to hear that in twenty five years...

Goo Goo Dolls Live at the Ryan Center: Review

Hey all! 
  Its just about one month in the Fall semester and if you are a college student, you can agree with me when I say it has been one long week.  Its that time where professors start giving projects and tests and it seems to be flying at us all at once.  Luckily, midweek of this past week (Wednesday September 29th) I was able to take a break and watch 90's rock band The Goo Goo Dolls perform at the Ryan Center.  They performed new songs from their upcoming album "Something for the Rest of Us" as well as old classic songs that we all grew up on in the 90's.
  I wanted to get tickets for ground level standing-aka the best spot to be for a rock concert-but I settled for some pretty good seats.  My friends and I got there about fifteen minutes before the show was to start at 8:00.  I called ahead of time and found out that there was going to be an opening band for the Goo Goo Dolls.  I asked if they knew who it was and they didn't.  I didn't expect anything special from the opening band so I figured I wasn't missing much.



"The Time Blane Band"  Lead singer Tim Blane his in the middle with the whit shirt

    We got to our seats, talked, took pictures and were just antsy for the show to begin.  All of a sudden we hear a saxophone being played on the stage.  First thing that come to our minds "Are there any songs by the Goo Goo Dolls that start with a saxophone?"  We thought for a moment and then a four other members emerge from the darkness. They introduce themselves as the Tim Blane Band from Boston Massachusetts., and let me tell you-they were an awesome opener.  Their sound was a mix of soft rock ( Think The Fray or John Mayer) and Louisiana Stomp.  They seemed to get everyones attention with their catchy songs and smooth voices.  I know that they got my attention! As soon as I got home I checked out their site, and you should too!  My favorite song by them is called "Fan of Your Eyes".  It is a ,sweet song with great vocals that remind me a lot of John Mayer.  I hope more recognition is brought to this band, for I see a lot of potential in their songs.  We left the show a few minutes early before everyone else and were able to meet The Tim Blane Band and not only were they great musicians, but they were cool nice guys as well. I wish them the best of luck!

The Goo Goo Dolls

  Phew! My hands hurt from typing...and that was just the opening band!  So the Tim Blane Band left the stage about half past eight and then the lights dim to a dark shade of red.  This was it!  The Goo Goo Dolls hit the stage with a new song off their new album-I forget the name I'm sorry :(.  I'm sure it was a great song, but it was tough opening with a new song, for most of the audience didn't know the words.  I thought it would have been smarter to open with an upbeat well known song such as "Broadway" or "Slide" but its okay!  Everyone still yelled and jumped to their feet simply because we were so excited to see them right in front of us!  Again, they performed their new songs but they also performed a great deal of their old songs.   It was my first time seeing the Goo Goo Dolls and to my surprise, they sounded just as good live as the do on the radio.  Usually when seeing a band live, you expect them to have a rougher, "less clean" sound, but this was not the case with the Goo Goo Dolls.  The fact that they sound so great live shows the quality of this band.  They thanks us for being fans and supporting them for fifteen years.  After seeing them live, I can tell you that I will continue supporting them.  They were great.  The Goo Goo Dolls were simply Goo Goo Gooooood!

-JDSkills