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Welcome back for the last time on Anything Music! Throughout the semester, I found myself writing about legendary artists and/or their iconic hits. Given that this will be my last post here, I decided to tell the story of an artist who’s widely known legacy knows no generational gaps – Elvis Presley. Most everyone has at least heard the name, and countless others are aware of his status as the quintessential pop star. This week, I will be delving into the humble beginnings and tragic ending of music’s “King of Rock N’ Roll.”

Elvis Aaron Presley (with the original “Aron” being changed by Elvis to the biblical Aaron) was born on January 8th, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi to Vernon and Gladys Presley. Elvis was supposed to be a twin, though his brother Jesse was stillborn, leaving Elvis as an only child. Elvis lived a rather nomadic early life with his parents, who had little money and frequently moved from home to home. Elvis’ devotion to his parents was unyielding (especially to his mother), and was easily raised to share in their faith for God. In his frequent Church-goings, Elvis took a liking to gospel music that sowed the seeds of his musical endeavors later on.

Left to Right: Gladys, Elvis and Vernon Presley

January 8th, 1946 proved a fateful day for Elvis – he received his very first guitar as an 11th birthday gift. Within a few years of playing, Elvis won a talent show at his high school in Memphis. His talents became increasingly evident as he worked his way through high school and graduated in 1953. Elvis took up various jobs to help fund his dream to be a full-time musician, and within the same year of his graduation, Elvis cut his first demos at a soon-to-be Sun Records (then “The Memphis Recording Service”). By 1954, he was signed to the label, and in 1955 his contract was sold to the legendary RCA Victor, setting the sky as his only limit.

A young Elvis in the studio in 1956

1956 saw Elvis become a sensation that swept and divided the United States. His first No.1 hit “Heartbreak Hotel” and No.1 album Elvis Presley propelled Elvis into the mainstream, even landing him movie contracts with Paramount Pictures (“Love Me Tender”). The rising star proved incredibly unique – boldly challenging the rigid social barriers of yesteryear. However, his perfect timing in begetting a fanbase grounded in rebellion gave way to the destruction of these dated cultural barriers. In these early days, Elvis was well on his way to ushering in a new age of music and culture.

Elvis’s debut album that set the precedent for his later work. 

 

An early performance of Heartbreak Hotel; The screams from the audience say all that is needed to be said about how beloved Elvis was. 

Following a three year stint in the military, Elvis returned to the mainstream landscape he reconstructed. He immediately returned to his chart-topping ways with his hit soundtrack from his film “GI Blues.” Other films such as “Blue Hawaii,” “Girls! Girls! Girls!,” and “Viva Las Vegas” were all wildly successful in some way, whether the movie itself received critical acclaim or the soundtrack did. Even when the movie stardom slowed by the late 60s, Elvis’ “68 Comeback” TV special reeled audiences right back into the King to be swooned by his untouchable capabilities as a well rounded artist. These highs in his career were, unfortunately, no longer mirrored by highs in his personal life by this time anymore. Rather, the turn of the decade would mark the beginning of Elvis’ fall from grace.

Blue Hawaii’s soundtrack saw success separate from the film, with the since timeless “Can’t Help Falling in Love” remaining the hit that seemingly everyone knows!

From the ’68 Comeback, this performance of Blue Christmas is always a lovely fit for the holiday season

Despite a promising wedding to actress Priscilla in 1967, Elvis’s love life would devolve during the early 70s and lead to a divorce in 1973. The two had one daughter named Lisa Marie Presley prior to their split, and in spite of Priscilla taking custody, Elvis would still see his daughter regularly. Complimenting this hardship was an ongoing struggle with prescription drug abuse, which likely played into an eventual weight problem that slowly tainted his image as the fit rock star he was known as. His abuse led to an eventual hospitalization, though his enduring popularity gave him no incentive to change his ways. On June 26th, 1977, Elvis would perform his last concert at the Indianapolis’ Market Square Arena before returning to his “Graceland” mansion for the next few months to rest. Sadly, Elvis would pass away in the very early morning hours of August 16th, 1977 following a collapse and rush to the hospital. The cause of death was heart failure, later attributed his prescription drug use.

One of Elvis’s last performances; the weight gain is evident, and other clips from the latter end of the 70s show the impact of his drug use on his performances.Regardless, this clip shows he could still manage electric performances that wowed millions. 

The funeral was held within two days of Elvis’ death, though it only took hours following the publication of Elvis’ passing for the world to feel the intense shock. Since then, Elvis remains one of the most successful and world-renowned artists of all time. With over 18 No.1 singles and a number of platinum-and-gold certified albums, Elvis was always at the top of his game and remains as the Guinness World Record’s Best Selling Solo Artist with over 1 billion copies of his work sold. He was posthumously inducted into three Halls of Fame – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in ’86, the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in ’01. Years as recent as 2018 have seen countless TV specials and documentaries dedicated to the artist’s life, speaking volumes of the uniquely timeless nature of one of modern music’s most influential artists. Put bluntly, Elvis Presley gave a wildly new meaning to the old adage –  “long live the king.”

My farewell

As previously mentioned, I fell into the trend of focusing my writing on artists and their work. I thoroughly enjoyed this work, finding myself willing to go above and beyond more often then not to ensure I do each artist justice. I hope that this blog has been evoked some curiosity about music’s past, present and future. As a send off, I leave you with a familiar message I feel best aptly characterizes music’s other-worldly capabilities…

“The best music transcends your playlist, or your CD, and moves into a different place in your life where it just becomes your companion. It does something a little bit more than just makes you sing along. It hopefully places you somewhere in your life, at a time you will always remember.”

– John Mayer

 

Welcome back! I decided to wrap up the discussions of the music industry and briefly return to the stories of legendary artists. This week’s artist is particularly special; dressed like a cowboy with a battered Fender Stratocaster in tow, the late-great Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the 1980s, bringing the genre back into the mainstream through his triple-threat of brilliant songwriting, transcendent guitar playing, and unique voice. This post will delve into the backstory and untimely death of SRV, as well as his lasting impact on musicians today.

Stephen Ray Vaughan  was born in Dallas, Texas on October 3rd, 1954. Stevie was inspired by his older brother Jimmie to take up music, encapsulated by Jimmie’s guitar playing. Stevie began playing guitar at age 7, eventually playing in garage bands by age 12. During his teens, he joined more serious, semi-professional garage bands and saw his rapidly evolving skillset tested in occasional nightclub gigs around his hometown. By Stevie’s junior year of high school, what little academic drive he had faded, and Stevie inevitably dropped out of high school to pursue his dream as a full-time musician.

A young SRV (the common abbreviation for Stevie Ray Vaughan)

It was in Stevie’s late teens that his path in life became clear as his musical career escalated. He founded his first blues band – Blackbird – in 1971 and moved to Austin, where occasional sit-ins with different bands let to his work as a sideman in Paul Ray’s Cobras in 1975. In 1976, the Cobras became Austin’s band of the year, though in 1977, Stevie’s band-floating came to an end with the foundation of his own Triple Threat Revue with bassist W.C. Clark vocalist Lou Ann Barton. Barton’s departure came just two years after the formation, opening the slot for Stevie to take. In 1979, the band was renamed to Double Trouble – derived from the blues hit by Otis Rush – and featured the since iconic trio of drummer Chris Layton, bassist Tommy Shannon (W.C. Clark dropped out of the band in ’78), and frontman Stevie Ray Vaughan.

In 1982, having since proven their talents through Texas’ music club circuit,  Stevie and Double Trouble afforded themselves an opportunity that skyrocketed the group into stardom. The band was slated to play at the Montreux Jazz and International Music Festival in Switzerland, though the night did not go quite as expected for anyone involved. The band, ready to go, went above and beyond and gave a spectacular performance. They played a select variety of songs intended to show the audience that Double Trouble was not merely a blues cover band, but a talented group that would move the blues forward. Despite seemingly unreal performances, including an signature medley of Freddie King’s “Hideaway” into Stevie’s own “Rude Mood”, as well as Stevie’s iconic “Pride and Joy” and Larry Davis’ “Texas Flood,” a small group of blues-purists attendees actually boo’ed Stevie and Double Trouble throughout a portion of the set. According to Stevie’s road manager Dan Opperman, Stevie was “pretty disappointed.” Opperman noted how a disheartened Stevie handed off his guitar to Opperman and ducked away in his dressing room with his head in his hands.

The opening medley; the boos occurred later on in the set, though an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience was preeminent. 

This story certainly did not end with the boos of blues purists, however, as Stevie and Double Trouble played at the Montreux Casino Lounge the next night with an influential Jackson Browne in the audience. Amazed by Stevie’s talents, Browne offered his studio up to the band, which ultimately lead to the recording of the their since-timeless debut album Texas Flood. Alongside recognition and praise from Browne, a young David Bowie simultaneously offered Stevie work as a guitarist on what would become one of David Bowie’s best selling and widely recognized records, Let’s Dance. 

Double Trouble’s debut album was released just months after Let’s Dance, though Stevie was slated by his management team to tour for his own record rather than for Bowie’s 1983 World Tour. Texas Flood proved wildly successful, peaking at 38 on the charts and working its way onto rock radio stations where exposure was amplified. Following a lucrative tour, Double Trouble wasted no time in recording and releasing their second, equally iconic and even more successful album Couldn’t Stand the Weather in May of 184. The sophomore album peaked at 31 on the charts and was certified RIAA Gold by 1985’s end. Keyboardist Reese Wynans was welcomed as a member to the band shortly before the band’s third album Soul to Soul, which was released in September of 1985 and peaked at 34 on the charts.

SRV with David Bowie and Nile Rodgers.

 

The beggining

 

The sequel – Couldn’t Stand The Weather showed the world that Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble were nothing less than an unprecedented blues powerhouse.

A brilliant interview of SRV in ’85 – His calm demeanor and humbled nature in the face of overwhelming public praise was a staple of his personality.

In September of 1986, Stevie collapsed in Germany due to progressively declining health. He had found himself heavily addicted to drugs and alcohol, though continued to work as hard as he could despite his worsening condition. Remarkably, Stevie managed to recover from this rock-bottom fall following a small cancellation of shows during a European tour and successfully recovery in the U.S. He not only went on to release the live album Live Alive in November (just two months later!) of that same year and set forth on an intense supporting tour in the U.S., but Stevie went on to amazingly kick his addiction to drugs and alcohol for good.

By the turn of the decade, Stevie’s career was continuing to boom. He performed at countless concerts, including an opening for Robert Plant, a headliner at the News Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and another European tour with Double Trouble. Stevie recorded his fourth album In Step with Double Trouble and released it in June of 1989. The album not only peaked at number 33 on the charts, but it earned Stevie and Double Trouble their second GRAMMY (the first being for “Blues Explosion” in 1984) for Best Contemporary Blues Recording. Even the sky seemed to be no limit for Stevie Ray Vaughan at this rate, though the following year would manifest a more unpredictable future.

SRV in 1988

Stevie Ray Vaughan impressed many of the modern blues’ founding fathers; From left to right – Albert King, B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan

On August 27th, 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble were concluding a late-night set with an encore jam including guest artists Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Roberty Cray, and Jimmie Vaughan. Following the performance and backstage discussions of playing together again, the performers and their crew/family members boarded four helicopters bound for Chicago. Originally, there were no seats available for Stevie, as they had been reserved for Jimmie, Connie (Jimmie’s wife), and one of Clapton’s tour managers. Wanting to get back to his girlfriend Janna Lapidus, Stevie asked Jimmie and Jimmie’s wife Connie if he could take one of the last seat’s. Jimmie obliged, catching the next flight with his wife, Chris Layton and Jimmie’s manager Mark Proct. The helicopters departed at 1 A.M., though one of the helicopters failed to arrive at its destination, prompting concerns and confusion. Tragically, the helicopter was found in pieces, later discovered to have slammed into a hillside at a high speed. Some speculated that it was Clapton’s helicopter that crashed, but the news broke that its was Stevie Ray Vaughan who was onboard, alongside members of Clapton’s crew, an agent and a bodyguard.

Stevie’s death not only headlined, but shocked the world of the music.

Gone too soon; a scene from the crash site

Taken the day of Stevie’s death; from left to right – Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Stevie and Jimmie

Stevie’s untimely death in 1990 sent shockwaves throughout the music community that are still felt today. Even after the hey-days of various successful, post-humous releases of studio compilations and unfinished works, the influence of Stevie Ray Vaughan remains notable today. For guitarists in particular¹, Stevie’s signature style and catalogue of licks are increasingly mainstreamed by industry stars and widely viewed Instagram “bedroom” guitarists alike. Most notable among the aforementioned  to be influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan is John Mayer, as he is best credited with launching the fusion style of Stevie, Hendrix, and other blues players into a new generation’s welcoming attention. At his outset in the early 2000s, there were virtually no other artists successfully doing what Mayer was doing – masterfully combining the sounds of Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix and various others in such a way that appealed to an array of fans. Moreover, many of the Instagram guitarists and up-and-coming artists of today are influenced by John Mayer themselves, inevitably adopting Mayer’s habits and, in turn, hints of Stevie’s enduring art.

Dream Come True: According to Mayer, it was “the honor of a lifetime” to induct Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame

 

¹For further validation, take a dive into the guitar side of YouTube and you will very quickly understand what I am referring to above. 

Welcome back! Last week’s post was centered around Billboard and it’s debated “Hot 100.” Remaining in the realm of the music industry”s controversial facets, I decided to take on a topic arguably more polarizing than the Charts – The GRAMMY’s. Since it’s inception in the 1950s, the GRAMMY’s were simply intended to recognize outstanding musical achievement by prominent artists. Recent years have seen these intentions questioned, however, sparking debate over whether or not the GRAMMY’s ever actually accomplish this goal. If so, do they really matter?

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, colloquially known as “The Recording Academy,” was founded in 1957. The Recording Academy intended to operate as an organization of professional musicians, though came to include comedy, spoken word and music videos later on. It was headed by Columbia executive Paul Weston, who took point on various decisions that would come to define the GRAMMY’s as we know it. Alongside other early members, Weston played key roles in devising the concept of an award ceremony for music that parallels those of movies and TV shows (the established Oscars and Emmys). He once stated that “the academy has been under discussion for years now,” and that he and his constituents “feel its about time the record industry grows up and gets a little recognition for its part in the entertainment industry.” Ultimately, these early ambitions would come to fruition as the 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1959.

Beyond Business: Paul Weston was also a conductor, arranger, and pianist who worked alongside the likes of Bob Hope and Doris Day

On May 4th, 1959, the first ceremony commenced in two locations simultaneously, with Academy members gathering at the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton in California and the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York. Many of the industry’s leading figureheads gathered for the historic proceedings, including the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. Following introductions, with comedy acts and musical skits segueing into the LA venue’s ceremonies, the night went off without a hitch. 28 GRAMMY’s were given out for 28 different categories, among these including the first Record of the Year and Song of the Year for  “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” by Domenico Modugno.  Album of the Year was awarded to The Music from Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini, and Best Vocal Performance, Female, and Best Jazz Performance, Individual was awarded to Ella Fitzgerald. The night was hailed as a success by various publications, with The Billboard (awfully familiar) notably running headlines such as “Academy Smoothly Moves Into Orbit: First Awards Well-Organized Affair As Top Stars Go On Parade,” making favorable comparisons to the Oscars and Emmys.

Sinatra at the podium following his win. 

 

Peggy Lee at the 1st GRAMMY Awards 

The praise, although mostly positive, was not universal. Suprisingly, Frank Sinatra was widely expected to walk away leading in awards, though only led in nominations (six).  Sinatra walked away with a single GRAMMY not for his vocal work, but for Best Album Cover as an art director for his own Only The Lonely. Three awards – Best Comedy Performance and Best Recording For Children, and Best Engineered Record—Non Classical – were controversially awarded to “The Chipmunk Song,” sparking outrage among music critics who felt that the music industry was refusing to acknowledge the then-recent rise of Rock n’ Roll. Such critiques and seemingly non-sensical decisions by the voting committee members came to prefigure ongoing debates over the GRAMMY’s validity and integrity in coming years. However, this would not occur before the evolution of the GRAMMY’s from 1959 onward.

As time passed, the GRAMMY Awards continued to evolve, later being telecast (November 29th, 1959) and eventually situated in one venue rather than two or three (late 60s – early 70s). Performances and introductions of artists and awards evolved over the past 60 years as well, becoming their own reason alone to tune into the GRAMMYs. In 2000, The Recording Academy launched The Latin GRAMMY Awards with a telecast on CBS, becoming the first primarily-Spanish language primetime program carried on Network Television. The Latin GRAMMY’s, similar to their U.S. counterpart, utilized the peer-voting system (simply musicians appointed to a voting committee to judge nominees) to recognize artistic/technical excellence in recordings. In its 19 years on air, The Latin GRAMMY’s have come to represent the same intended heights of achievement in the Latin music industry that the U.S. counterpart strives to make, though the 2010’s have not been agreeable to the latter’s goals

Logo for the 2000 Latin GRAMMY Awards

Most recent years have seen spikes in ongoing contentions that those both within and outside of the music industry have with the awards ceremony, increasingly contrasting those of the past. Earlier debate arose over lack of voters’ recognition of cultural icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin during their heydays. These artists would only go on to receive lifetime-esque awards in later years, though the cultural lag of the voter base remained under considerable scrutiny and accusation of giving certain artists the cold shoulder. The critiques still concern the aforementioned, though have morphed to mainly surround gender/race representation, as well as whether or not GRAMMY’s carry the prestige amongst musicians they used to. 2018’s ceremony drew heavy criticisms over only one woman receiving a solo award on the air, with incendiary comments by then-President Neil Portnow asserting that women need to “step up” to advance their careers only drastically worsening matters (Portnow was wise enough to step down after 2019’s GRAMMY’s). Unsurprisingly, 2019’s ceremony saw a far greater representation of not only female artists, but African Americans as well, though questions of the GRAMMY’s relevance and cultural significance still arose. Arguments over wins such as Cardi B’s “Invasion of Privacy” for Best Rap Album, and Kacey Musgraves “Golden Hour” for Album of the Year raised stern questions over whether or not the voting committee of The Recording Academy was truly in touch with the genre’s being judged.

Despite never winning during his short though impactful years, the award above was conferred roughly 20 years after Hendrix’s untimely death. 

 

Drake, one of several artists who chose not to attend or endorse past GRAMMY ceremonies due to a strong belief in the ceremony’s snubbing of artists¹, made an appearance to accept Best Rap Song for his hit “God’s Plan.” In a stunning feat of raw courage, Drake delivered a passive-aggressive takedown of the GRAMMY’s, noting how the industry is “a business where sometimes it’s up to a bunch of people that might not understand what a mixed race kid from Canada might have to say or a fly Spanish girl from New York.” Immediately following this already tension-raising statement, Drake pressed forward by boldly asserting that if “there’s people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain, in the snow, spending their hard earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don’t need this right here, I promise you that. You already won.” Moments later, the broadcast inexplicably cut too commercial.

Everyone at the #GRAMMYs is a winner tonight according to @Drake. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sQ1NqKXQ7m

— CBS (@CBS) February 11, 2019

Drake wasted no time in passionately though calmly highlighting the fact that success in music goes beyond the GRAMMYs.

It was eventually made clear that no cut-off was intended, as they believed Drake’s pause signaled and end to his speech and thus a cut to commercial. It was also publicized that Drake was offered to return post commercial to finish his thoughts, though Drake claimed he was happy with what he had said. Regardless, such new, odd controversies at the GRAMMY’s speak volumes of The Recording Academy’s undeniable growing pains with an increasingly politicized, changing music industry. In a divided industry now intertwined with identity politics as part of deep-seated culture, criticisms are undoubtedly bound to arise. Such an atmosphere is not entirely new, as even the pastime issues over rock icons, albeit rather more binary as time tells than today’s issues, are conceptually similar to those of today. Personally, I acknowledge that different complications as products of different time periods are what lead to the seemingly shaky decision making, though this hardly means I agree with it. I easily take the opposing side held by the likes of Drake and others on this matter. My consistency remains with previous statements of music being more than pursuits of superficial trappings (as Drake himself nodded to in his speech). A GRAMMY, or even a nomination, is still undeniably beneficial in a musicians career, but they are not the endgame. As Brandon Clark – a music copyright lawyer and Recording Academy member who regularly attends the Grammys – words it, “It’s something that most artists would like to have, but if they don’t, it’s not a big deal. It’s like homecoming court for high school kids: It’s cool but it doesn’t really matter in the whole scheme of things.”

A reason to stick around: The live performances of the GRAMMY’s can be outstanding, like one of my personal favorites above. Although not depicted, CBS cut to an amazed Prince giving John Mayer a standing ovation following the performance. 

 

¹The GRAMMY’s may never shake the accusations of snubbing artists out of personal prejudices, whether they be musical or sociological. Some of the GRAMMYs most hotly contested “snubs” through the years include Tupac, Nas, Journey, Guns N’ Roses, Diana Ross, and Queen.

Hello! Last week, I briefly remarked how music is not entirely defined by a popularity contest, and how I felt that the best music “transcends the playlist,” going beyond the background white noise in your car or at a party. I was careful in wording that statement, as it would be shortsighted to imply a song’s popularity is not at all indicative of its quality. Moreover, the success of an artist (and in turn their songs) in the music industry is traditionally dictated by their works’ exposure, whether it be through sellouts of records in the 60’s or mass streamings in the 2010’s. Billboard, an advertising journal turned music publication, has been ranking songs by the aforementioned measures in the U.S. for decades now with their historically versatile charting system. These various charts – the most popular being the “Hot 100” –  have become industry standards, defined by genre, quantity (i.e. top 100 or 200), and even country. The charts themselves came relatively later on in the life of Billboard itself, however, and it is the story of the two that I will be diving into this week!

Billboard began as Billboard Advertising with no intention of revolving around the music industry. The startup was launched in fall of 1894 by partners William H. Donaldson and James H. Hennegan as a journal-esque publication for billposting businesses. The first issue circulated November 1st, 1894, covering eight pages with a cover price of 10 cents and a yearly subscription of 90 cents. It’s cover page stated that the new publication was “devoted to the interests of advertisers, poster printers, bill posters, advertising agents and secretaries of fairs,” though such intentions would change in a few short years.

The publication initially took on discussions of the “science of advertising,” with headlining columns “Bill Room Gossip” and “The Indefatigable And Tireless Industry Of The Bill Poster” suggesting a seemingly predictable future direction for the organization’s content. However, in June of 1896, Billboard Advertising set forth the first of several major shifts in its lifetime, with the first being towards the entertainment industry with the introduction of a “Fair Department.” The Fair Department covered billboard-advertised carnivals and fairs, while the parent magazine featured ads throughout the pages for attractions similar in nature. By February of 1897, the first metamorphosis had come to fruition, as the publication’s handle was shortened to The Billboard (remaining so until 1961) and its pages were now crammed with countless listings of fairs, carnivals, and other related advertisements. New columns such as “Stage Gossips” arose at the time, dedicated to coverage of the then-budding entertainment industry.

November 1st, 1894. Billboard is soon to be 125 years old!

As time pressed on, The Billboard continued with its newfound focus, working in additions of new columns dedicated to followings of veteran performer’s activities. The Billboard also created the “Letter Box”, which essentially acted as a traveling performer’s mail forwarding service. Specifically, the Letter Box provided a column of names of performers whose mail was gathered at the Billboard offices (i.e. fan mail). Difficulties due to technological constraint made for a daunting task, though the “Letter Box” column successfully created a sense of connection that quite literally made The Billboard the “hub of the entertainment community.”

Yet another small-scale though notable shift in The Billboard’s agenda occurred in the early 1900’s with the first mentionings of musicians appearing in 1904 issues. In September of 1905, the first column solely dedicated to music was published, and song promoters dubbed “song pluggers” were featured in newer issues. In 1940, the publication historically introduced its first weekly tallies of songs ranked by sales, with the first “No.1 hit” being “I’ll Never Smile Again” by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, with lead vocals by Frank Sinatra. 15 years later, the  “Top 100” charts were compiled in 1955, though the eye-catching “Hot 100” debuted in 1958. From their debut onward, the Hot 100 and sister charts themselves evolved almost separately from the magazine, with Billboard contributors adapting their calculations to various technological changes changing music consumption (i.e. 45 RPM singles in 1949, CD’s, digital downloads, and 2012’s streaming).

The forerunner of Billboard’s charts. The regionalization of “popularity” is rather disregarded in Billboard’s later charts

A snapshot of the kind of content The Billboard was featuring. Talks of such technology in a mainstream newspaper are largely unheard of, and would only find a modern day equivalency in an online forum. 

In 1961, the publication went through a yet another transition, becoming Billboard Music Week (with its final renaming to just Billboard occurring two years later) and abandoning the coverage of general show business and tightening the scope on music. During the early stages of the revamp, the magazine was a weekly business journal for the professional musician (notably featuring discussions of up and coming technologies), though would evolve into a music editorial for the avid listener over the next few decades. 2005 saw the final major transition in a history of constant reshaping, with a total redesign and a slightly broadened scope to encompass all forms of digital/mobile entertainment. The charts, practically separate from the magazine, continued not only their technological evolution to their current online format, but their growth in prominence in music industry. The chart’s incredibly simplistic nature in discerning leading tracks begot quick attention from and considerable influence over the public. This not only lent credence to its quickly established name, but to its continued usage as the industry’s hit scale.

 

The iconic logo of the Billboard’s “Hot 100” Charts.

 

A 2005 issue following the the May 2005 restructure. The mentioning of a then new Xbox 360 showcase the new policies of broadened horizons implemented by newer leadership. 

 

May 11th, 2019 – Issue 12

Despite residing largely online, Billboard continues to offer print magazines that have only become increasingly aesthetic in recent years.

 

To this day, it remains undeniable how integral the Billboard Charts have become in the music industry. However, their validity in recent years has come under fire, particularly due to the advent of streaming and its subsequent reminder of how incredibly complex music consumption has become. Various music critics and journalists have questioned in recent years how comparable Billboard achievements are across generations, raising awareness to the reality of Billboard’s arguably disconcerting track record as a measure of hits. Author Steve Knopper (“Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age”) remarked for The Washington Post that comparing the success of Kanye West or Drake by today’s Billboard’s charting standards to the likes of Michael Jackson in the 80s or The Beatles in the 60s is “like apples and oranges” due to “a completely different type of success and consumption.” Cultural critic Chuck Klosterman furthered Knopper’s argument, questioning alongside author Donald S. Passman (“All You Need to Know About the Music Business”) whether the charts are even all that relevant anymore beyond satisfying minds curious about which track sits at No.1.  Donald Passman himself noted how pre-digital age charts were actually  based specifically on record shipments to stores, and thus record companies would unethically send copious amounts of records to stores in attempts to boost chart positions. Klosterman also argues that charts are poor indicators of a song’s actual cultural impact, comparing how although Prince had five No.1 hits, an incredibly (if not equally) influential Led Zeppelin never had one, making for an unresolved conundrum of Billboard’s Chart integrity as a whole.

Silvio Pietroluongo, the VP of charts and data development, believes that Billboard has been “fairly nimble on downloading and even more so on streaming to make sure we’re reflecting where the music consumer is going.” Back in 2013, he was also on record for saying that “the Hot 100 is, by leaps and bounds, our most-trafficked chart … It’s still the most-quoted chart among media, labels, and PR companies when there is a success story to publicize.” I find it difficult to contest the notion that the Hot 100’s clout remains pervasive, though how “nimble” they have been with keeping up with technological change is questionable given growing ease of piracy. Regardless, there are plenty of arguments for and against the Billboard charts, though one thing is certain –  when pop-culture looks to who is succeeding and who is not, the likes of the “Hot 100” help guide the way, for better or for worse.

 

 

 

*Note: The topic of the “Hot 100” and fellow chart’s validity is incredibly complex and leaves room constant back and forth. For example, as a counter to the Prince/Led Zeppelin example, Led Zeppelin never really released any singles of their most popular songs during their heyday or played into the strategy necessary to chart high (sounds awfully familiar). Because of this, it should really come as no surprise that Led Zeppelin never had a No.1. Arguments like these can drag on, though to do this topic justice within the context of a single blog post, dilution was necessary to avoid long-winded, inevitably off-topic discourse.

Hello and welcome back to Anything Music! For this week’s post, I decided to delve into the story of an artist who flew under the public’s radar, though dropped the jaws of many musicians from his time. The man is JJ Cale, an  incredibly talented singer-songwriter whose original style is praised by the likes of Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, and countless others whom Cale touched with his criminally underrated music.

John J. Cale, widely known as JJ Cale

Born on December 5th, 1938 in Oklahoma City, JJ Cale was encapsulated by music from a young age. His earliest influences were the likes of guitar visionary Les Paul, Rock & Roll star-boy Chuck Berry, and country-fingerstyle icon Chet Atkins. It was through attempted imitations of these artists that Cale would develop his unique, laid back “Tulsa Sound” that seamlessly blended rock, blues, folk, and country. Cale sowed the seeds of his future career through performances at local music clubs during the 1950s. After playing alongside the likes of Leon Russel and David Gates, Cale moved out to Los Angeles in the 1960s to further his career. It was in LA that Cale tracked “After Midnight,” his first of several iconic hits that he himself would not popularize. The song would instead gain traction as a cover by a young though established Eric Clapton, whose adaptation peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Charts in 1970. “After Midnight’s” success not only gave Clapton his first solo rock hit, but simultaneously propelled Cale’s career as a devout songwriter.

The ATCO Records 1970 vinyl of Clapton’s rendition of “After Midnight,” with Cale’s full name ascribed beneath the title.

Prior to Clapton’s rendition of “After Midnight,” a disillusioned Cale had briefly abandoned the record business and retired to local playing in Tulsa. The influence of Clapton according to Cale, however, “opened up a bunch of doors in Nashville and that’s when Naturally was done.” Naturally, Cale’s 1972 debut album, created shockwaves still felt today by artists reared in latter 2oth century music. The album achieved moderate success with the single “Crazy Mama” that broke the top 25 on the Billboard, though it was through other artists that Cale’s work would spread to millions -a trend that persisted throughout his career. Covers of Cale’s songs “Call Me the Breeze,” “Bringing it Back,” “Crazy Mama” and “Clyde”  by established artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kansas, The Band, and Waylon Jennings spanned records and radio alike.

Denying stardom was not the only abnormality in JJ Cale’s career. The cover art’s depiction of a raccoon was a unique stylistic choice that differed wildly from the typical snapshot of an artist one would see on debut albums. 

This trend of contemporaries adapting and praising Cale’s music helped seat Cale in his unique place in music history, though this fate was not a result of industry ignorance towards Cale. The truth behind his lack of recognition lies in an infamous reputation for declining lucrative opportunities, many of which from industry heads and influential figures that most budding artists could only dream of reaching.  Prominent among the notorious refusals was a last minute cancellation of a performance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. The tale, popularly retold by friend Danny Farrington, tells of Cale’s brief time on the set. Cale and his Oklahoma bandmates were set to perform “Crazy Mama,” though were told by one of Cale’s handle’s while setting up that they did not need to plug in anything because they only lip-sync. Despite pushback from Cale, insisting they would sound just as good as the record, the director insisted that they do not need their equipment, and that lip syncing to the record is how the show goes. Cale, in what was easily a defining moment, took the high road and decided to leave. As Cale and his bandmates were packing up and loading their truck, Dick Clark caught word of what was happening, and frantically intercepted them. Clark leveled with Cale, telling him that his appearance on the show would undoubtedly elevate the song on the charts, though Cale’s mind was not changed one iota. With gear and bandmates in tow, JJ Cale drove off.

A fascinating NYT Op-Doc about JJ Cale featuring Danny Farrington’s recollection of the American Bandstand story. 

Cale never took on a life of music in pursuit of superficial trappings such as wealth, prestige, and prominence. He was incredibly determined to remain true to himself, and in turn, to the music he sought to create. One of the few lucrative offers Cale actually accepted was an invitation to play the Carnegie Hall in 1996. Naturally, what excited Cale was not the mere clout that many would undoubtedly long for, but the emotional allure of the lifetime opportunity. Cale was not only excited to be performing in such an esteemed venue with an intimate musical atmosphere, but he was also elated to be playing with his friends once again. This high profile move, however, was still an anomaly in Cale’s persistent shunning of pop-culture fame in the U.S. Nonetheless, this neglect helped spawn a strong fanbase in Europe. Despite only performing twice in the continent over the course of four decades (to the dismay of those who offered countless more gigs), Cale still sold out shows, most notably in London during a three-night show that sold out around 10,000 tickets. It was this trade off of promising, career expanding opportunities for a life of simplicity on his own terms that Cale seemingly made without hesitation. For Cale, the choice was clear – the music is what mattered most.

Cale performing his enduring “Call Me the Breeze” at the Carnegie Hall

Towards the end of his life, Cale remained true to himself and continued to make the music he was meant to make. In 2006, JJ Cale collaborated with the artist whom he had the most profound impact on – Eric Clapton. Cale, who had given hits such as the aforementioned “After Midnight,” as well as the very popular “Cocaine” to Clapton, was finally going to work directly with him on a project. The combined talent produced The Road to Escondido, which quickly attracted critical acclaim. Cale won not only his first Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album, but his first RIAA Certified Gold Award, following sales of over 500,000 units. Not before additional collaborative work on Clapton’s own albums and elsewhere, Cale’s fulfilled life in music would come to a close in July of 2013, leaving behind a fanbase of avid listeners and talented artists alike.

Some of his last – though among his most successful – work

 

Two years prior to their collaboration, the two performed together at the 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival

Following his death, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Albert Lee and many others came together to create The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale. Named after his single popularized by Lynyrd Skynryd, “Call Me The Breeze,” the album featured renditions of Cale’s music, both released and unreleased material. The incredibly sensitive album was wildly popular at the outset, peaking in the top five in various European countries where loyal fans remained, as well as at number two on the U.S. charts. Amidst emotional tracks, a particularly special moment on the album occurred during the performance of its namesake by Clapton and Albert Lee. Not only did Clapton make “Call Me the Breeze” the lead track, but cleverly chose to use the original count-in recording of Cale from the 70’s as the lead in to Clapton and Lee’s rendition. Given this, it’s no surprise that in a sea of artists moved and inspired by Cale’s work, Clapton stands out. He most notably stated that “making this record was a way for me to say thank you for all the inspiration over the years. I suppose at some point I started to feel mildly outraged that he hadn’t got the recognition that, at least I thought, he should have had.”

With a cover art as moving as the music, The Breeze was a lovely send off.

 

JJ Cale lived the full life of a true-blue musician. He sacrificed the spotlight he could have easily had in an exchange for the life most long for – one of self-fulfillment and content. Uncomfortable with public acclaim and unconcerned with achieving commercial success, Cale was able to dedicate himself completely to the crafts of songwriting, and thus achieved an iconic status among a wide array of esteemed musicians. He is a strong foundation for the argument that simply because an artist is not at the forefront of tabloids, charts, or media, it does not always mean that they are lesser than their counterparts. In fact, many of those who did reach such stature that were influenced by his work regard Cale as a coveted figure, with Neil Young  even comparing him to Jimi Hendrix as among the greatest of all time. At its essence, music is not entirely defined by its placing in a popularity contest. Rather, it is defined by its ability to transcend the record and take you somewhere. JJ Cale had set out to do one thing – just that.

 

A personal favorite from the commemorative album. Clapton in an interview about the album said that John Mayer “is a master” who Clapton thinks “doesn’t even know how good he is.”

 

 

Hello again! I have decided to keep with the theme of last week’s post and tell the story of another legendary song from another outstanding artist. This week, I will dive into the backstory and success of Eric Clapton’s ethereal single, “Tears In Heaven.”

The date was March 20th, 1991. In Manhattan, NY, Eric Clapton’s four-and-a-half year old son Conor Clapton, was living with his mother Lori Del Santo in a duplex apartment. During an early morning cleaning, a housekeeper was making the rounds through the apartment when a window was accidentally left open. What followed could very easily be described as every parent’s worst nightmare – Conor darted past the housekeeper into the room and, not seeing the window, tripped out of the window and landed on a four story building directly adjacent to the apartment complex. Within twenty minutes of Conor’s fall, Clapton was called to the apartment. The death would ultimately be deemed accidental by New York Police, and Eric Clapton stated that, “It couldn’t be anybody’s fault – even the man who opened the window. I don’t know if he knew there was a child in the apartment, so he can’t be held to blame.” Clapton, though forgiving and understanding, which incredibly grief stricken, and thus fatefully turned to his music to cope.

Eric Clapton with his son, Conor Clapton.

Amidst recording sessions for the soundtrack of 1991’s film Rush, Clapton was working with lyricist Will Jennings, who was best known for his work with Steve Winwood. Clapton found a place in the film where another song for the soundtrack could fit, though he confided in Jennings, “I want to write a song about my boy.” With only one verse written, he turned to Jennings to complete the rest, which Jennings would ultimately do despite initial reluctance given the deeply personal subject of the song. Following the song’s completion, Clapton grew increasingly uncertain of whether or not the song would work out in the film after all, though was convinced by Rush director Lili Zanuck. According to Clapton, “her argument was that it might in someway help someone, and that got my vote.”

The critically acclaimed Rush soundtrack, through which “Tears in Heaven” made its debut. 

Despite Rush’s short-lived run in theaters and swift fade into obscurity, that intimate story of encountering a loved one in the afterlife dubbed “Tears in Heaven” swiftly rose to critical acclaim. On March 28th, 1992, over a year after Conor Clapton’s tragic fall, “Tears In Heaven” would peak at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. On August 18th, 1992, “Tears In Heaven would become the centerpiece of Clapton’s now renowned acoustic album Unplugged. Several months later, Eric Clapton would sweep the 1993 Grammy’s in taking home a total of 6 Grammys, with “Tears in Heaven” winning Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. The other three Grammy’s were awarded to the legendary “Layla” for best Rock Song, and Unplugged for Album of the Year and Rock Vocal Performance.

 

An elated Clapton, pictured with his six Grammys. 

 

Unplugged

As time wore on, Clapton would find himself increasingly  distanced from the heartache of his son’s death, and subsequently “Tears In Heaven.” Following a series of concerts in Japan, Clapton would announce in 2004 that “Tears in Heaven” and the similarly acclaimed single “My Father’s Eyes” (also written in ’91 with Conor’s death in mind) would be phased out of his set lists. Clapton, in talks with the Associated Press, admitted “I didn’t feel the loss anymore, which is so much a part of performing those songs… I really have to connect with the feelings that were there when I wrote them… they’re kind of gone and I really don’t want them to come back, particularly. My life is different now.” Clapton would go onto describe feeling rather conflicted when performing the two songs, citing that the two songs may “need a rest” and if he were to perform them again, he would “introduce them from a much more detached point of view.”

“Tears In Heaven” has found its place in the music industry’s history as one of the most heartfelt pieces of all time, with readers of the Rolling Stone dubbing it the number 1 saddest song of all time in a poll some years ago. In similar online searches of the saddest songs ever written, “Tears in Heaven” will more or less appear at the very least near the tops of the lists, if not at the top. Given this, “Tears In Heaven” should not be mistaken for just another 90’s acoustic pop hit. Rather, “Tears in Heaven” is a moving inquiry of whether or not we will ever meet those we have lost in our lives again. Given its resonance amongst millions at both at its peak and today, “Tears In Heaven” is a prime example of music’s unparalleled ability to make listener’s feel something they otherwise wouldn’t.

 

Although an “official” video and audio exists (linked here), the version below is from the Unplugged album. Personally, I found that the song’s emotional exudation is infinitely more prominent with the compliments of the instrumental ensemble, background vocalists, and view of Clapton as he feels through the tune. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_82Dtdjf8mQ

 

 

 

Welcome back! For this week’s post, I have decided to take a close look at the story behind one of Bob Dylan’s most legendary, enduring works – Hurricane. Written in 1975, Dylan co – wrote the single with Jacques Levy after meeting the incarcerated boxer-turned-alleged killer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter.

The legendary singer-songwriter live in concert.

The story began when Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and friend John Artis were convicted in May of 1966 for  gunning down three white men at the Lafayette Bar and Grill in Paterson, New Jersey (not too far from where I am from!). Artis and Carter were near the scene of the crime, and shortly after the shootings the two were stopped by police. The police brought the men to one of the dying victims at a nearby hospital to be potentially identified as the killers. The pair was not I.D.’d, and legal investigations lead to a decision to not indict the men. However, the two would still be convicted, due to an accusation by career criminal Alfred Bello. Bello had been near the Lafayette the night of the crime, and as a bid to acquire leniency from the police, claimed he could I.D. the two then on-the-loose killers. As a result, Carter and Artis were both charged with triple murder and sentenced to three life prison terms. 

By 1975, a copy of Carter’s autobiography newly written The 16th Round: From Number 1 Contender to Number 45472 made its way to Bob Dylan (amongst various other celebrities) as part of a start-up campaign for Carter’s release. The 1974 autobiography tells of how Carter’s running as the top contender for the world middleweight boxing champion title was stopped short by the controversial conviction. The autobiography additionally covers the topics of growing up black in in the United States, his personal experience growing up in and out of prison, and his intense fights as a boxer. Dylan, encapsulated by Carter’s story, met the man within thirty days of reading the book. The two men hit it off quickly, with Carter remarking that “We sat and talked for many hours, and I recognized the fact that here was a brother.” Dylan stated in a similar light, “I realized that the man’s philosophy and my philosophy were running down the same road, and you don’t meet too many people like that.” Following this meeting, Dylan quickly grew dead-set on writing a song.

A young Rubin “Hurricane” Carter during his prolific, promising boxing career.

Dylan was coming off of the heels of his comeback album Blood on the Tracks, and had moved to Greenwich Village, New York in search of creative inspiration. Dylan quickly found a chemistry with theatre legend and songwriter Jacques Levy, and the pair spent several a period of time co-writing songs. Eventually, Levy’s theatre-influenced visual writing style coupled with Dylan’s craftiness would give birth to the enduring “Hurricane.”

In its earliest form, Columbia Records asked that slight changes be made in the song to omit potentially libelous references. After recutting the song to meet the label’s requests, “Hurricane” would be re-recorded in October and released in November as a single. With a total runtime of 8:33, the track was not only a vivid, immersive recreation of the fateful night that landed Carter behind bars, but a passionate rally cry against the seemingly racist nature of the questionable conviction. Soon after completion of the studio recording in October, though, Dylan took to the road with his Rolling Thunder Revue, staring Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Allen Ginsburg, and Roberta Flacka. The group performed a number of successful shows with Dylan’s motive being to spread the free-Carter message behind his impassioned creation.

 

The 1975 vinyl featuring “Hurricane” -broken into two parts due to the song’s 8:33 runtime – as a single prior to its album release in January of 1976. 

Following the launch of the tour, the Hurricane story snowballs toward its climax. On December 7th, sometime into the touring, a notable show took place in which Dylan and his Revue played at Carter’s prison in New Jersey. The following night, Dylan’s show would garner over $100,000 for Carter’s legal fund from a sold out Madison Square Garden show. The following month on January 5th, 1976, Bob Dylan’s next album Desire released with “Hurricane” as the opening track. Weeks later would see the success of “Hurricane II,” another charity concert held for Carter at the Houstons’ Astrodome. Dylan’s act was joined by various venerable musicians including Steven Stills, Carlos Santana, and Stevie Wonder.

Joan Baez and Bob Dylan famously performing in an unusual white face during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour.

In spite of Dylan’s best efforts, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously, though temporarily, overturned the Lafayette convictions citing that the prosecution withheld evidence potentially favorable to the defense. Ultimately, the two men were yet again convicted and sentenced to life once more. It would not be until 1985 that the New Jersey Federal District Court would overturn the conviction, and in spite of some legal backlash, Carter was set free, with John Artis being freed later on due to legal complications not related to the Lafayette murders.

As for “Hurricane”, the song remains one of Bob Dylan’s most enduring hits and one of Rock’s most impactful protest songs. Through the touring of Dylan and his Rolling Thunder Revue, “Hurricane” helped propel Carter’s case to forefront of mainstream media. Such a feat goes to show more than simply the incredible cultural impact of Bob Dylan, but the raw power of music itself.

 

Although it blends fact with some fiction, this pseudo-documentary featuring real footage from the concert and an interview with Bob Dylan is an intriguing addendum to my overview of the Rolling Thunder Revue’s remarkable performances!

 

Hello again! This week, we will be discussing one of the internet’s most beloved virtuosic musicians – Jacob Collier. For this post, I will provide a substantial overview of Jacob Collier’s life in music and what exactly makes him so special.

Performer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and musical phenomena.

     Jacob Collier was born into a family of exceptional talent. The musicality falls more-so on his mother’s side, as she works as an instructor at the Royal Academy of Music alongside being a successful violinist. Not only is his mother a notable musician, but his grandparents on his mother’s side are also professional violinists. Given this, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Collier was encapsulated by music from a young age. He was successful in teaching himself a plethora of instruments, with proficiencies in bass guitar, guitar, mandolin, and drums.  However, Collier’s skills abilities as an instrumentalist truly shine through his abilities on the piano, where his ability to improvise complex, intriguing melodies shines through. Collier had already made waves in the music industry by his early 20’s, beginning in his late teens on Youtube. Collier made dreams come true, from being signed by industry icon Quincy Jones to receiving mentorship and opportunities to play with Jazz legend Herbie Hancock. Arguably, his most notable achievement in the industry thus far has been winning two Grammys for his arrangements “You and I” and “Flinstones” in 2017. 

 

The young prodigy posed elated and humble with his new awards

     Today, Jacob continues to impress on the world stage throughout his various tours around the globe, sharing his seemingly limitless musical capacities. For the remainder of this article, however, I’d like to provide a better sense of why Collier is so special by backtracking to 2016. It was during this time that Jacob posted a complex, multi-tracked cover arrangement of the Christmas Carrol, In The Bleak Midwinter.  Jacob performed a common tonal shift known as a modulation, which occurs when a piece changes tonalities or keys at any given point in the composition. Some of the most popular examples of this are found in Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” at around 2:50 and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” at around 3:36. Although, these kinds of modulations and other variants are concerned with key changes to other conventional keys (i.e. “Man in the Mirror” modulates a half step from G to G sharp/A flat). Collier, whose cover began in E major, modulates to F major and then to G half-sharp major.

A still of Collier enthusiastically providing a musical masterclass to eager patrons (linked below). 

     Is this a real key? How is this possible? Collier managed to not only work his way into this “key between keys” but make it musical by way of talent-infused finesse. During a masterclass, Collier talks of his extensive exploration of harmony, and how he is aware of subtle yet notable differences between tuning systems and intervals between notes. Taking the key of D, Collier described the A432 tuning (an alternate tuning system; the A note above the middle C vibrates at 432 hertz) as feeling “indoors,” while A440 hertz (the standardized, mainstream tuning system also dubbed “concert pitch” that most all of the music you listen to is tuned to) provides a for a slightly different feeling of “outdoors.” This shifting of the very tuning system Collier is working within – exploiting the subtle, microtonal differences between notes – and this “stretching” of harmony is what Collier explains as what led him to compose the seamless transition from E Major into the “non-existent” key of G – half sharp.

The aforementioned masterclass is a wonderful exhibition of Collier’s musical intellect, and is very much representative of how deeply connected he is with music itself. Although there will always be virtuosic musicians, child prodigies and whatnot, there won’t always be other Jacob Colliers. Moreover, Collier sets himself far apart from the already gifted select few through his incredible abilities to bend the rules of music in uncharted ways. Through this, Collier crafts incredibly complex and exciting musical pieces that can wow many – from legendary record producers and jazz musicians to youtube passerby’s alike!

 

Collier tends to be very animated on stage; still taken from a show

 

Jacob performing at an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, throughout which Collier beautifully played six different instruments, though technically seven if you include his voice!

Welcome back to another post on Everything Music. This coming Friday, John Mayer – one of my favorite artists – will be releasing his second single this year (the Friday of the week this is being written). The first single released back in February, dubbed “I Guess I Just Feel Like” is an honest disclosure of Mayer’s current view on the world around him. The upcoming single, that’s BPM and length has already been disclosed on his Instagram, will be titled “Carry Me Away.” In honor of this upcoming single, and a recent reveal of an album entering the works next year, I’d like to provide a brief overview of John Mayer’s transition from mainstream pop fixation, to tabloid fixture, to one living the life all true-blue musicians long for.

An incredible documentary made by a fan of John’s that I would highly recommend, as provides an excellent timeline of John’s life in music. Mayer actually liked the documentary so much, he wrote a letter to the creator praising his work! 

John Mayer was born on October 16th, 1977 in Bridgeport, Connecticut and was raised in Fairfield, Connecticut. After younger years of developing an unyielding passion for the guitar and music, John Mayer would inevitably attract the attention of Aware Records, and then Sony’s Columbia Records, the latter of which would put out his first highly successful album Room for Squares. Alongside the album’s success, Mayer’s famous “Your Body is a Wonderland” would go on to win a Grammy for Best Male Vocal Pop Performance in 2003. Following this success, an eventful career ensued, where the only the sky seemed to truly be the limit. Mayer would go on to win 6 more Grammy’s and receive 19 nominations for various works, such as his critically acclaimed 2006 album Continuum (an album many consider his best) and hit single Daughters off of 2003’s Heavier Things.

Years go by and John Mayer still remains very much a hot topic. However, Mayer’s headlines would eventually be made for all the wrong reasons. The public became increasingly more concerned about who John Mayer’s next love affair was with, rather than when the next body of work would be released and in what direction would he take it. Mayer’s transition from musical praise to repeated tabloid features reached a devastating climax when a 2010 interview with Playboy magazine left many of Mayer’s fans in utter dismay (and myself when I first encountered it!). Following his various unsettling remarks, John Mayer would disappear from the spotlight, beginning what could be seen as the second act of his career.

Following the removal of a granuloma on his vocal chords, Mayer (with a noticeably weakened the voice that, today, has considerably improved with time) would go on to release his 2012 album Born and Raised, as well as Paradise Valley the following year. Both of these albums would be noticeably different from his formerly bluesy-adult pop, now with a more obvious country influence. However, John Mayer would make a return to his original style with 2017’s The Search For Everything, though with a new, more matured vibe.

Today, John Mayer has been living the dream he always wanted to live – to play and “make music for the rest of my life,” as he put it when thanking a crowd following a sold out show in L.A. I, myself, can attest to Mayer’s content with his current life in music, as I was very fortunate enough to witness one of his electric performances at Madison Square Garden back in July. During the show, Mayer shared several heart to hearts with the audience members, telling us the stories behind several of his enduring hits, and how he loved being able to perform them for us that night. To read of the once chart-topping pop icon’s newfound path on his long road of a musical career is one thing, but to truly experience it during his outstanding 2019 Summer Tour was another. Simply put, John Mayer is living the life of his musical dreams.

 

Some pictures from July 26th, 2019 at MSG!

 

 

 

 

Hello! Welcome to “Anything Music,” which will be my personal blog discussing various topics within the music industry. For my first post, I decided to take on a copyright lawsuit that not only gained considerable mainstream attention, but created a dangerous new precedent in the music industry.

The lawsuit was filed against Katy Perry by a Christian rapper known as Flame around five years ago. The jury recently ruled in favor Flame, deciding that Katy Perry and her co-writers had taken a six note riff (a musical sequence of notes) from Flame’s Christian Gospel song Joyful Noise and used it in their pop hit Dark Horse. On the surface, this case sounds entirely plausible! However, if we delve deep into the nitty gritty of the case and the art of songwriting, we come to find that the verdict is not only borderline nonsensical, but threatening to the future of the music industry.

Inserted above is a cleverly devised (and now widely accepted) critical analysis of the lawsuit by musical intellectual and YouTuber Adam Neely. Neely elaborates on several important points, including how the original lawsuit’s fine print only makes a point of damages (those of which having only to do with the music video’s featuring of “paganism” and “witchcraft” and nothing really related to the music itself), and how the tambre of the instruments was taken from Flame’s song (which undeniably implies that one can own the sound of an instrument!) Although I could write at length on each point and the absurdity behind them, the one from the video I will discuss and expand upon is the six note phrase in question.

In western music, there are only 7 notes available (with 12 possible pitches when you include semitones), and only so many unique melodic combinations that can be made with what is available. As demonstrated in the first several minutes of the video, there is a considerable number of songs written well before Flame’s song that feature this sort of descending line, some of which sound even more similar to Joyful Noise then Dark Horse does to Joyful Noise!

What does this really mean though? Is Flame the thief? Who is at fault here? In actuality, these similarities between the songs means, or at least should mean, very little. Moreover, nobody really stole anything, at least not in the traditional sense. To make sense of this, let’s briefly discuss the “Four Chord Song.” This musical trend of sorts derives its name from the I-V-vi-IV chord progression that is highly popular and is used by countless artists in a wide array of songs. In the key of C major, these chords are C – G – Am – F (the chords of the Beatles enduring hit, Let it Be), and in the key of E major, they are E-B-C#m-A (the chords of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ biggest hit Under the Bridge, as well as Journey’s classic Don’t Stop Believin’). There are countless other songs (many of which you likely know and love) that use this progression in other keys. To showcase some of these other sings, linked below is a video of Australian comedy group “Axis of Awesome.” The group performs a sketch in which they perform a notable number of different songs that use the same aforementioned chord progression.

Now I won’t get too far ahead of myself, as standard chord progressions such as the I-V-vi-IV are copyright protected (although the Robin Thicke Vs. Marvin Gaye and Ed Sheeran Vs. Marvin Gaye lawsuits now bring the copyrighting of chords, genre, and even feel into question), and it’s not even as though Dark Horse and Joyful Noise share the same progression. All this being said, my point is not that past hits with identical chord progressions and no lawsuits prove that this lawsuit is ridiculous. Rather, my point is that many musical compositions share various commonalities, which is expected given all musicians forge their music using the same 12 keys and 7 notes. Moreover, songwriting itself relies heavily on walking the thin line between what is seen as influence and what is stealing. In fact, David Bowie when asked if he considered himself an “original artist” quickly replied, “Not by any means. More like a tasteful thief.”

When it comes to the fundamental building blocks of musical pieces, you cannot own chords, and you cannot own scales as Adam Neely’s thumbnail proclaims. Yet, Todd Decker, the expert musicologist who argued for Flame’s side of the case, bafflingly managed to convince the musically uneducated jury that the descending line in the minor scale seen countless times throughout music was an original idea of Flame’s. The cases’ ensuing victory for Flame carried a slew of implications and uncertainty within the music industry. Just what exactly can artists draw from? How much further will outlandish lawsuits inhibit the creativity of the songwriters of tomorrow?