Category: Blog

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the interview

August 14, 2002
the interview

Okay, that phone interview? It got bumped up to today. It happened about 15 minutes ago. It was actually with David Nigro, though it still has something to do with Larry Flick, too, I’m not sure how that all works. They also interviewed Andrea (from Daemon) about me, so I’m honestly not sure what the whole thrust of the article is.

Except that, apparently, it’s for Billboard.

Andrea said she squealed when he told her. I find that my default reaction to big news seems to be confusion. 🙂

I don’t know yet if it involves a review at all or just an article that basically says it’s coming out. Really, like most things that have come along, it is a very cool thing, but in the end it really just amounts to a good line for press kits and phone calls. Granted, this one is a VERY good line for press kits and phone calls. It’s not that I’m trying to downplay it, but it’s all a relative thing. It’s another small step, one more place where someone might see my name and might get the CD, and it’s a nice place for my name to be seen, one that’s not easy to get into.

That means I’m glad, by the way. I know it’s hard to tell. 🙂

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updates

I have another phone interview Thursday morning with someone named Larry Flick, who apparently is a freelancer who has written for Rolling Stone. This is not to imply that I’m going to be in Rolling Stone, but the label did seem to feel it was a good sign that he was interested and wanted an interview.

Amy has also suggested that I just concentrate on booking solo gigs out of town, even doing open mics, if necessary. They’re fine with me just doing band shows in Atlanta and Athens. So, hopefully I can build up some sort of momentum and then the second or third time around score some band shows out of town.

Speaking of the band (the Million Box) it’s been continuingly difficult to schedule rehearsal for the CD release party in September. I’m not overly worried about the show coming together, but I did sort of have hopes of doing some new stuff, and maybe some cool stuff, which not having many rehearsals is sort of preventing me from doing. I have a couple of shows after the CD release (an in-store at Tower and the Candler Park festival) which I’ll have to find a replacement bassist for, so this becomes more unworkable as time passes. I already knew, since the current band is unable to play anywhere but in town, that I’d need to set up something else around the time of the release but I was worried about anyone’s feeling’s being hurt when I had to end it. but given how much trouble I’ve had over the past few shows trying to schedule things, it makes it a very easy case to make that I need to move on.

It’s getting closer to the release, even though it still doesn’t feel like it. It’s a weird spot to be in, the CD having been finished for a couple of months, with very little feedback while I wait. It’s strange enough recording in a vacuum and wondering if anyone will like it, odder still to have to wait around for the post mortem.

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permission to avoid my whining is granted

Okay, time to vent.

I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to book shows out of town. What happens (frankly, as expected) is that I can’t get people on the phone, and when I do I’m reminded (as if I needed to be reminded) that they have never heard of me.

Somehow I still am falling in between every niche I come across, at least speaking in general terms. I manage to connect with some people, but generally speaking:

Acoustic fans had trouble with me because I was too pop.
Clubs had trouble with me because I was acoustic.
Power pop fans have trouble with me because I’m too cerebral and depressing.
Indie pop fans have trouble with me because I’m too poppy.
The radio promotion company isn’t sure how to push me to radio, because the record is too slick for college radio, but commercial radio has never heard of me.

I knew booking would bring all of this down to earth, but it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with constantly being reminded that they really don’t give a fuck who I am. If radio happens to catch for some reason, and I manage to get shows booked because of that, it’ll be two months before the shows actually occur, by which time radio will be dead.

If I can get shows booked now, it’s clear they’ll be weekday shows, and there’s no way to bring a band along for those, which limits where I can play to begin with. Also, I tend to win over people a lot slower when I play solo shows.

God, I don’t want all of this to just fall flat like last time.

Edited to add: The thing is… it’s not like I’m doing anything particularly earth-shattering. If I were breaking new musical ground it would be one thing, but I mean, I’m just playing pop music, and hopefully adding a little wit and intelligence along the way. It doesn’t seem like it should be that difficult to make a way.