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The view from here – music biz gets me down
By Charles Martin | September 19, 2009
Sitting at @redrockcasino [or as they like to say @stationcasinos] pool cabana looking at @johnlegend’s empty stage which tonight will be Lynard Skynard’s full stage. It’s kind of a freebie venue that you can hear from the restaurants and bars but does have paid seating as well.
He couldn’t sell it last night.
So many great songs he’s penned and every time he went to one, it was over-produced by his immense band and the outflow waffa waffa of an outdoor arena at a hotel pool.
What’s wrong with the music biz?
If you ask Bob Lefsetz, I bet he’d agree.
Legend has so many greats. “Save Room”. “Ordinary People”. Tons more.
Every time he went on the hit parade, he turned around. My wife and I looked at each other as we were in mid-lyric and it was over. “What?” There were so many songs that I didn’t hear from my multi-album collection, I was appalled.
It’s simple. Legend on the Grammy’s solo on piano. Priceless.
Legend on tour with Obama. Rising.
Legend on Leno with accoustic backup. Unwieldingly great.
But a giant band that relies on him to carry every aspect of note, melody, and presence. Not available.
Legend is a sultry voice with a special underlying signature. Much like Sinatra or Marvin Gaye. There’s this part in his sound that says “I’m lost and I need your love to carry on…” Good subject matter for most humans from time to time. And the women love him because he’s the guy they would love their boyfriends and husbands to be on that day when they are in need of unselfish TLC. John delivers his studio music unselfishly. The great Palms recording on iTunes is one of my favorites and because he was in a small room I guess the band couldn’t take over.
Like many bands Lefsetz lists in his recent tally of top sellers, the folks that market Legend don’t think about why we like him. It’s so ridiculous. I bet if you go over to the Hilton Vegas right now Barry Manilow will have his voice out in front and the band as the cushion for which it rides. Simple. Manilow knows his sound is his lyrical magic — not a dozen studio musicians that have probably under-practiced his deep library.
I love you John, but you’ll be out of the Red Rock and Pechanga Casinos and into Nokia and Staples if you’ll leave 80% of that band behind and deliver what we came for.
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