RonVitale

Artistic Creative Control: Fiona Apple's Album

First check out this article entitled Fiona Apple is Cookin' on the Net. I read this article the other day and I'm amazed that Epic has refused to release an album that Fiona Apple had turned in (especially since she's a multi-platinum selling artist). However, I'm more amazed that the power of the Internet is enabling up to 20,000 simultaneous users to download her unreleased album and judge for themselves if it's worth listening to or not.

I am a writer and I desire to be paid for my work. I imagine that a muscian would like to be paid for hers. But what do you do if your record company has decided to block the release of your album because they believe there are no "singles" on it? The RIAA is thinking in terms of the current business model. An artist such as Norah Jones can pop out of nowhere and sell more CDs than anyone could have imagined. Refusing to release an artist's CD because music executives don't think it has a hit single on it is a bit short-sighted.

What I would be interested in knowing is whether Fiona Apple's management team released the CD to the Seattle radio station in an attempt to drum up fan interest. With viral marketing extremely popular, all an artist needs to do is to pass on some information (or a song) to fans and it'll spread through the Internet like wildfire. Who needs a marketing team when you can have your fans do your work for you? Unfortunately, this will only work if you're already successful.

In today's economy, companies need to think smart. Instead of trying to shut down technologies like BitTorrent, why not find ways to use these tools to help advertise an artist? I am quickly finding that the large amount of money and time I spend on a CD is becoming more and more of nuisance to me. Why buy the CD when I can download it on iTunes (for cheaper)? Sure I love having the liner notes, but is it really worth that much extra money?

There's a balance right now between music that is available for free (illegally) on the Internet and artists who are struggling to earn a living. The matter is further complicated with European countries who have different copyright laws that those of the United States.

An artist working and trying to survive in today's market needs to ask herself: "What can I offer my fans that they won't get online for free?" I purchased the recent Tori Amos CD that came packaged with a DVD. Nice touch. Although the content didn't blow me away, I chose to buy the CD/DVD package because the price point was excellent (under $16) and I wanted to support her work. I was able to download her songs through the Internet approximately two weeks before, but I still bought the CD.

In a related article, rumors are spreading that the BBC intentionally leaked the first episode of the new "Doctor Who" science fiction series. Although the BBC denies this claim, if it is true, it's an amazing piece of advertisement. Not only are they getting free press in all the articles being written about the episode, people are downloading the file and sharing the information with their family and friends. How much would it have cost to advertise and cover the same ground? More than the BBC has to spend, I would think.

So when you pop that CD into your player the next time, take a moment to think about what songs you're aren't listening to because a music executive has decided that they'll not release CDs from some successfully artists. It's a sobering thought to think that you can sell millions and millions of CDs and then be told that your latest work isn't worth releasing. Shouldn't the consumer be the judge of that?

Making Time to Write

My closest friends and family know that I bitch a lot about not having time.  I like to think that I work as hard as I possibly can.  I played hard.  I work hard.  I just do.  But there are days (like today) in which I'm just drained.  Exhausted.  I've been up since before 6 a.m., worked all day long, spent some time with my son and chased him around, and then finished painting the kitchen baseboards.

A writer's life is just like anyone else's--filled with responsibilities.  But I've never been the type of writer who works on a regular basis.  Maybe if I had the popularity of Stephen King, I could focus large chunks of time on my writing, but I've never been successful in writing for huge blocks of time.  That's never been my style.

What I like best (not what works best, but what I like best) is just sitting in front of a computer and writing away.  Like this.  Just to write.  To be free, to not worry about the spelling and the grammar, and the weight of the world on one's shoulders.  Do you know what I mean? 

Just to write.  You see, when I write this way I feel a sense of freedom and it's the best form of escapism I can partake. 

There are times when I'm writing that I can "see" scenes unravel in my mind's eye.  I can see the scene.  I can heard the sounds, check the colors out.  It's almost like watching a movie with my eyes open.  I am most at ease with my writing when I'm not thinking about my writing.  I'm just doing it.  There's time to edit later.  In my experience, if I don't jot it down or work on it, then it's never going to get done.  There's always something else that will pop up into my field of view and I'll focus on that.

Movie: Garden State

If you didn't see "Garden State" last year, take some time to rent it. You won't be disappointed. The acting is solid, the story interesting, and the movie will suck you in--that's if you're open minded and aren't too picky with seeing flaws in movies.

Right now I'm listening to the "Garden State" soundtrack (Zach Braff won a Grammy for best soundtrack compilation). If you're interested in Zach's Blog, be sure to check it out.

I remember the first time I saw "Garden State" and how I was impressed and touched. The film definitely hit a nerve and I smiled at identifying so much with the characters in the movie. How often do we watch the world around us and see everyone running around and we're standing still, trying to make sense of it all?

Damn good film.

And the music: Great to write to and awesome for inspiration.

The Coin Collector: Draft Two

At around 6:30 a.m. yesterday, I finished my second draft of my story "The Coin Collector." I hadn't worked on the story in the last week having been busy with work and the like.

I did some thinking on this story and I'm consciously trying to raise the level of my writing as well as keeping the story concise. It's a simple story. Nothing too complicated in it.

I'm hoping to finish it in a week or two. I've asked my wife to read it and to give me some feedback on it. I find that she's a good reader, able to point out some excellent opinions about a scene.

Is there anything else on the horizon with writing? At the moment, I am not in the middle of another story and I've put the novel on "hold" so that I can finish up the story and prepare to go away on my business trip next month.

I have to get going. Take care.