Music in 2009 – My 10 Favorite Things

It’s the end of December at the end of 2009. This year few by faster than I’d like to admit. I grew another year older, we lost our old dog Piedmont, we got a new puppy named Tucker, and my oldest daughter became a teenager. All in all it was a great year.

Along the way, I fell in love with some new music. In no particular order, here are 10 of my favorite records of the year.

The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

These guys from North Carolina delivered a beautiful acoustic album filled with sadness and soul. The title track is my favorite on the record as it chronicles the break up and decision to leave a life behind in the hopes of finding a new one. This isn’t the most upbeat record of the year but it is certainly one of the best.

The XX (self-titled)

These guys get my vote for best new artist of the year. I was turned on to this record three or four months ago just before a trip to the UK. When I got there I found myself wandering through the world’s best record store, Rough Trade. As I walked the aisles I was completely taken by the music over head. It was this record. From that day on, I listened to it non-stop. The song “Crystalised” is magic.

Wilco – Wilco (The Album)

Jeff Tweedy & crew deliver another great record. This one feels a little more upbeat than previous Wilco efforts, but still packs the intelligence you’ve come to expect from them. I have to say, I love the track “You and I” featuring Feist. One of my favorite songs of the year.

Silversun Pickups – Swoon

These guys have been hanging around for a few years, coming out of Silverlake in LA. Their song “Panic Room” knocked me off my feet earlier this year. These guys bring an edge and an energy you’d expect out of a band from Silverlake.

Kings of Leon – Only By The Night

The Kings of Leon’s break out album, according to iTunes, but these guys have been around for a while. This is their 4^th studio record and each one gets better and better. These guys are keeping the flame of good old fashioned southern rock & roll alive and well.

Dead Confederate – Dirty Ammo

This band from Athens, Georgia brings a fresh take on grungy southern rock. This record was recorded live at The Earl in Atlanta (an old hang out of mine – greatest burger in Atlanta). I like this record because it reminds me of my time in the South. There’s nothing like a great southern rock band from Athens. This record is offered as a free download on their site. They are asking for a $1 donation to help raise money for the famous Georgia Theater which burned down in June of this year. This band hasn’t received the attention it deserved. My hope is that they’ll be around a while longer so that people outside of Athens have time to find them.

Them Crooked Vultures (self-titled)

A super-group made up of Dave Grohl, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin can’t be all that bad, now can they? This is exactly what you would expect, a straight up rock and roll record straight out of the garage.

Neko Case – Middle Cyclone

This is Neko Cases’s 5^th album. If you haven’t discovered her yet you need to check out this record. She’s built quite a following in the Northwest where I used to live. She is a rising star. This record is widely considered to be one of the top 10 records of the year.

Kid Cudi – Man on The Moon / End of Day

A solid debut record from the young hip-hop artist from Cleveland, Ohio. I had the opportunity to sit down with Cudi earlier this year. He’s a smart, grounded, intelligent, and talented young artist. Knowing that he was a protégé of Kanye West, I expected him to show up with a certain attitude. He brought none of that. This guy seems to have a bright future ahead of him. If his debut record is any indication, I think we have a lot to look forward to. He’s also set to star in the new Mark Wahlberg HBO show coming later this year.

Visqueen – Message To Garcia

This band calls Seattle, Washington its home. They’ve paid their dues playing in clubs all over town as well as other towns in the PNW. The band features a lead singer named Rachel Flotard, one of the coolest people I met while living in Seattle. The band also features a friend of mine named Tom Cummings. We worked together for a few years. He was the quietest, nicest, hard working guy on our team. You never would have guessed in a hundred years that at night he strapped on a guitar and jammed with the band. I would like to see good things happen in life for my old friend Tom.

Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue

OK, if you’re paying attention you would know that this record was released in September of 2008. I didn’t really discover it until early in 2009 so I am counting it. Jenny Lewis is an extremely talented artist. Her songs are intelligent and her voice is beautifully haunting and captivating. The title track “Acid Tongue” is my favorite.

“I’ve been down to Dixie and dropped acid on my tongue” pretty much says it all.

Ms. Lewis is my favorite female artist and deserves more attention than she gets.

Grizzly Bear – Veckatimist

This Brooklyn based band’s breakout record is another that will undoubtedly show up on many of the year’s top 10 lists. These guys bring a lot of different things to their music. I don’t’ claim to be able to explain it. All I can say is that it works. Check it out.

Gomez – A New Tide

This isn’t the best Gomez album but the song Airstream Driver is one of my favorite tracks of the year. I’m not sure why but I just like it. I saw them earlier this year at Lollapalooza and was surprised by how good they were live. Check them out if  you get the chance.

OK – yeah, I know. That was 13 picks. Consider the extra three a bonus.

Now its your turn….what are your favorite albums or songs of the year??

Have a great 2010.

Peace.

G

WITH THE BRAND
What Converse Learned From Its “Love Noise Tour” In China

By Geoff Cottrill

Converse sees itself as an advocate and catalyst for creativity. It’s something that drives how we allocate all of our marketing resources. As a brand, our job is to support and celebrate the creative community around the world.
In China, we saw an opening to do just that by aligning ourselves with the country’s incredibly vibrant underground indie music scene.
There are great new bands, an energy and an edge that other cities lost long ago. What they lack is support. There is no touring infrastructure in China. There are no city-to-city caravans of tour buses and big rigs. Venues are few and far between.
Converse saw an opportunity to work with a few of these young bands. We didn’t ask them to star in commercials wearing our shoes. We didn’t ask them to write jingles for us. Instead, we got to know them and asked what kind of help they needed.
They told us they had always dreamed of going out on tour. They explained to us that they wanted to explore their own country and share their music with like-minded kids. So we bought a tour bus, hired a driver and hit the road with them in late 2008.
So many people in China refer to the music these artists create as “noise” that musicians embraced that tag and proudly declare that they “make noise.” We loved that idea so much that we named our bus trip the “Converse Love Noise” tour. We connected with two bands and created a five-city tour for them – and for us.
Our headliners, both from Beijing, were PK14, a respected pioneer of the underground scene, and Queen Sea Big Shark, a new-generation upstart. The bands didn’t play in big venues but along the way we stopped at small clubs and street corners in Nanjing, Hangzhou, Changsha, Wuhan and Xian. As we rolled into each city, we added a local band to the bill.  Each night these bands played to audiences of 200-300 people.
So, what happened along the way? Beyond buying the tour bus, and coordinating the tour dates, venues, and logistics, we sent a small camera crew on the road to capture the personal stories of each of the members of the bands. The bus itself went from a big white bus to an interactive canvas as the bands and the kids along the journey took it upon themselves to paint every inch of it. When it rolled back in Beijing it was covered in graffiti and other artistic expressions. It was a mess but it was one of the most beautiful things we had ever seen. It told a story.
During the tour, the bands blogged about their journey as well as gave personal, on-camera interviews. We learned that these kids have something to say and just want to be heard. As China opens up more and more, allowing its young to have a little bit more of a voice will free them up to be more creative.
As a result of the tour, we had more three million visits to our Web site in China from last December through the end of March. We’ve gotten more than 1.8 billion (yes, billion) impressions through our online partners and a print and outdoor campaign.  We edited the footage we shot and produced an hour-long documentary of the tour. Earlier this year, we gave away more than 100,000 DVDs of the documentary at retail stores throughout China with purchase of Converse merchandise..
Music, art and fashion are all colliding in China and what we found was inspiring and truly invigorating.  We saw our consumers everywhere — onstage, in mosh pits, and outside on the curb. The indie music culture and scene in China is incubating incredible talent, but it needs support and leverage for access to larger audiences.
In a society that views rock music as “noise,” we wanted to uncover the passion of these kids – in their own words and their own music. This was the premise of the Love Noise tour. By supporting creativity, specifically indie rock in China, we had the opportunity to grow together with the scene, to add value and to influence this new generation.
Something very special is happening in China. Brands interested in breaking into the market should find a way of contributing to the artist community and advancing their cause – to be heard, to be young and to have some fun along the way. Make it about them. Elevate and amplify what they are doing.

Geoff Cottrill is chief marketing officer of Converse and is also a member of the Grammy Foundation board of directors.

Thanks Coach Bowden

by Geoff Cottrill

November 19, 2009

Today, as I fly across the country once again, I’ve spent the past hour (or so) thinking about days gone by. Some days have been great, some haven’t. That’s the way life is. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. You hope that at the end of the road you wind up with more wins than losses – but you accept the losses along the way. The losses are what make us better. They make us look deep inside ourselves. They help to define our character. Yeah, it’s a lot more fun to win. I know that. But it’s our lifetime record of wins and losses that defines who we are.

Many years ago (more than I’d like to admit) I went to college at Florida State University. I grew up always thinking I was going to be a Gator. As my senior year in high school ended, my hopes of playing division 1 soccer never really materialized. I applied to Florida. I applied to Florida State. I got accepted at both places. I decided to go to FSU because most of my friends were going to Florida. I wanted a new adventure. I also didn’t want to start college during the summer just after graduating from high school, which is what Florida wanted me to do. I wanted a summer to play before going away to college. So, FSU here I come. If it were today, I likely wouldn’t have gotten into either place. Both are great institutions and have over the years, significantly raised their academic standards. Both have a well-deserved reputation as a world-class party school. No one who has ever graduated (or temporarily attended before flunking out) from Florida State can’t hold their own at the neighborhood dinner party. Tallahassee was a fun place to go to school. This piece isn’t about that though. This piece is about something else.

This piece isn’t about college football.

In 1976, I turned 13 years old. That same year a man named Bobby Bowden became the head coach at Florida State. At the time FSU wasn’t considered to be a college football powerhouse. The guys down in Gainesville used to routinely embarrass the Seminoles. Beating FSU was an annual event. The Seminoles were made fun of , as the university that used to be a teaching college for women (there’s really nothing funny about that but the folks in Gator-town sure thought so). In order to build FSU’s program, Coach Bowden and the university decided to take their show on the road. They scheduled away games against powerhouse teams like Nebraska, Oklahoma, & Ohio State. During the early 80’s they needed to do this. They needed the money. A funny thing happened along the way. The Seminoles started getting better. They started beating these teams. I remember the second month of my freshman year, when we beat Nebraska on the road, and then a few weeks later The Ohio State University, we partied on Tennessee Street like we owned the world. Ken’s Tavern was overflowing with people celebrating. This was a lot for an 18 year old kid to take in. I joined the crowd and fell in love with the Florida State Seminoles. So did many, many other people.

We were an average team when I attended FSU. I managed to stretch my time there to 5 football seasons (my folks still kid me about this). We never beat the mighty Gators while I was there. Zero wins against my high school friends in Gainesville. 5 straight painful losses. We were still on the cusp of something great. In four and a half short years I went from thinking I was going to be a member of Gator-nation to absolutely hating everything blue and orange. I became a Seminole. I am still one today.

I sometimes joke about the fact that I was educated in the state of Florida – therefore I am not that good at math or spelling. Its an old joke and it always gets a chuckle. I got a decent education at FSU. Not a Harvard MBA by any means. I’m lucky though. I now have Harvard MBAs working for me. But, that’s not what this is about.

This is about the guy who brought Florida State from being known as The Florida State School for Women to a nationally respected university. Yeah, I know its kind of sad to use sports to raise your profile as a university but lets be honest – we’re not the only school.

This is about Coach Bobby Bowden.

After graduation I stayed loyal to my ‘Noles. I went back for games. I went to bowl games. I cheered and pulled for my team. We started to win a lot more games than we lost. Coach Bowden was considered a football genius. He wasn’t afraid to take chances. He inserted plays into his game plan that prior to running them had only been executed in the backyards and sand lots. He was also known as a devout Christian and a Southern gentleman. He carried himself with grace. He never looked down on anyone. He was approachable and real. His sense of humor has always made me laugh. There hasn’t been an interview I’ve seen over the years when he didn’t say something like “dag-gumit” with his Southern charm.

Bobby Bowden, the coach that toured the state relentlessly during the off-season recruiting and raising money from the boosters. He sacrificed time with his family for our fine school. He worked hard to land the top recruits and to add more Golden Chiefs to the FSU booster organization. He spoke at lunches, dinners, & played in golf tournaments. My Dad once had the opportunity to play golf with Coach Bowden. He recalls the day fondly, saying that Bobby was funny, talkative, and fully engaged. My Dad said he thought Coach Bowden must have forgotten his name because every time my Dad took a shot Coach yelled, “Good shot, boy!”. That’s a memory that my Dad will always have and one that I will also always cherish even though I wasn’t even there. That’s the kind of stuff Coach Bowden was known for.

Bobby Bowden, the coach that led the Seminoles to 14 straight years of 10 or more wins in a season. This has never been done and I’d venture to say may never happen again. During his time at FSU he delivered 2 national championships. Had it not been for a few kicks that flew wide to the right, we would have had 2 or 3 more. But hey, you can’t have everything. We suffered many tough losses to our friends in south Florida. The thugs in green and orange. The same guys that have a “U” on the side of their helmets. Yeah Miami, I am talking about you. University of MIAMI and you choose to put a “U” on the side of your helmet. That says a lot about you guys. Wait, this piece isn’t about that either.

Coach Bowden. The second highest winning coach in NCAA history behind another class act – Joe Paterno. Bobby won’t catch Joe. Somehow, as a Seminole, that makes sense to me. Too many wide rights. Congratulations Joe. We tip our hats to you and to Penn State.

A few months ago a man named Jim Smith made some public comments about Coach Bowden. I do not know Mr. Smith. He is a former secretary of state in Florida. He is also the former attorney general of the Sunshine State. Mr. Smith is also the chairman of Florida State’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Smith, a guy that not too many people in the state of Florida know that well, no matter what offices he’s held. Mr. Smith, who I am sure has done some nice things along his journey, came out and said it was time for Coach Bowden to retire. He wasn’t happy with the winning percentage. He wasn’t happy with the losses the ‘Noles were racking up. Mr. Smith, the Monday morning quarterback of college football, said it was time for Coach Bowden to move to a retirement home and to pass the torch to the “coach in waiting”.

Mr. Smith’s remarks came as a surprise to many, Coach Bowden included. Sure, there have been grumbling for a few years about whether or not it was time for Bobby to go. People wondered if the game had passed him by. Maybe Coach Bowden, the man that has dedicated his life to teaching young men the game of football, had suddenly lost touch with today’s player, they said about him. Coach Bowden, the same man that sat in the living rooms of so many young kids promising their parents that he would look after their boys. Coach Bowden, the man that helped to put Florida State on the national map. Coach Bowden, the guy that put so many great teams on the field, filled the stadium with crazed fans, and won national championships. The national championships that led to bigger TV deals for the university. The guy who helped build the school, a new stadium, and the reputation of our school.

Mr. Smith said it was time for Coach Bowden to go. Mr. Smith said we needed to win more games. Mr. Smith, the man who lost the plot somewhere along the way. Mr. Smith, the politician and chairman of the Board of Trustees, decided that the losses were not acceptable. Nope. We simply can’t lose. We need the money to keep flowing in. We need to sell tickets. We need to get to the BCS every year.

Mr. Smith, I have news for you.

You’re wrong.

Coach Bowden has given us so much more than wins and losses. He’s given us more than a few trophies that rest in the trophy case in the athletic center that he built.

Mr. Smith, who are you to judge a man who has always carried himself with dignity and grace…….win or lose. What qualifies you to say its time for him to step down? It’s your desire to win and not to lose. What kind of representative of a teaching institution are you?

A few days after Mr. Smith’s comments were made public I received an e-mail from the president of FSU, T.K. Wetherell. The letter said that no decisions had been made about the Coach’s future at FSU. It sounded to me like decisions had been made. And, this made me sad.

I love to win. We all do. But, we all lose sometimes. The losses make us better. They make us stronger. They shape us. They mold us into the people we are. They help us build character. I always thought that was what my university stood for.

Coach Bowden has given his life to Florida State University. We’ve all enjoyed the fruits of his life’s work. We never once thought about asking him to step down those 14 years when we won 10 or more games. Not once did it ever cross our minds.

We were with him when he was winning. Now, Mr. Smith and others (lots of friends of mine), are walking away from the man that has given them so much.

Florida State University. FSU, a university dedicated to teaching young men and women more than what’s in the text books they use in class. This university, my school, has disappointed me more than I could have ever dreamed they could.

Let Coach Bowden stand on the sidelines as long as he wants. He’s earned it. If we don’t win another game the entire time he stands there I, along with many others, will stand and cheer for our beloved “Noles. Yeah, we like to beat those lizards in Gainesville. It’s a lot of fun when we do. It’s also not the end of the world when we don’t.

You win some. You lose some.

You live. You learn.

Mr. Smith – you’ve lost the plot on why the university exists to begin with.

To teach, not to win football games.

Mr. Smith, maybe its time YOU retire. I am about as qualified to say that to you as you are to say it about Coach Bowden. Maybe we should come out publicly and say its time for you to move on. Would you be surprised if you read in the Tallahassee Democrat that you were being called out?

Coach Bowden – Thank you for everything. Thanks for the national championships, the wide rights, the joys of beating the Gators, the pain of losing to the guys who wear a “U” on their helmets, the great defenses, the Heisman winning quarterbacks. Thanks for teaching us how to carry ourselves with grace and dignity in the face of adversity, for teaching us how to win and more importantly how to lose. You’ve made us all better and we owe you a debt we’ll never be able to repay. All we can do is to try our best to teach our own kids that while its nice to win, that we always must remember that we’re going to lose along the way too.

Geoff Cottrill

Class of ‘85

The Theory of Permanent Age

by Geoff Cottrill

October 2009

What is it about getting older that makes you want to be younger?

No, I am not having a mid-life crisis. I am not even sure what that means. I’ve seen friends go through it. I’ve seen them come out the other side of it happy with a new sports car. I’ve seen some come out of it miserable and without their family. I am not interested in that……although the car does sound kind of cool.

One day many, many years ago a woman said something to me that I will never forget. We woke up one Saturday morning and were chatting in bed. She said, “I have a theory. I think that all people are a certain age. And, I think that they are that age forever”.

I laid there and thought about what she had just said. I was 30 years old at the time. I had things figured out. I knew it all. Or, at least I thought I did.  I wasn’t married and was enjoying my days of being single. At this moment I didn’t want to buy into what this girl was telling me. I told her that I thought she was crazy. That was the end of the conversation.

Two years later I was laying in bed with that same woman. She was now my wife. In the past two years we had gotten engaged, moved to a new city in the midwest, gotten married, changed jobs, moved back to the city in the south where we met, and had our oldest daughter, and we had  our second on the way. We also got a dog in the midst of these crazy two years. I must admit it. I was feeling pretty old. I was feeling the responsibilities of life bearing down on me. I was happy. And, I was sad. And, I wasn’t ready for what I was facing. I guess maybe I had not yet grown up. I wasn’t acting my age. I was running away from it.

So, back to the real story at hand. After thinking about this “theory of  permanent age” for two years I decided it was time to finally tell this girl about the conclusion I had come to. So, I woke her up. She rubbed her eyes and looked at me with a twinkle in her eye and that little smile I fell in love with. I looked at her and said, “I’ve been thinking. I think you’re right. Your “theory of permanent age” is right, I think”. My wife looked at me as if I was a bit strange (which I am). She said, “have you been thinking about this for a long time?”. I said something to the effect that yes, I am sometimes slow to come to the right conclusions ( I went to Florida State for crying out loud – we’re not known for our thesis statements and theories on life…we’re not even known for a good football team anymore!) and in this case it had only taken me 2 years and a lot of craziness in my life to realize she was right.

So, think about it for a minute. How old are you? Are you as old as your true age? Are you younger? Are you an old person or a young kid? Close your eyes for a minute and think about it.

Me, I am a kid at heart, maybe 13 years old. My body and the lines on my face remind me every day that I am 46 years old. I can’t run as fast or jump as high. I have long ago given up one of my life’s passions – soccer. But in my mind and in my heart I am young. I am still the kid that stood there on my 13^th birthday and watched the fireworks on the day of America’s bicentennial (1976). I became a teen on one our country’s biggest days and it’s a day when everyone around me – friend and foe – was happy, smiling, and seemingly united around the ideas our country was founded on. It was one of the four greatest days on my life. So, maybe that’s why, in my head, I am still a kid. Life was less complicated. There were fewer meetings. There were fewer business trips. There were more friends to hang out with.  There was a lot to do after school and before dinner. Bikes to ride, soccer games to play, friends to hang out with. But, as much as I remember that day as near perfect I wouldn’t go back there even if I could. I like where I am now….46 in years, 13 in my mind.

If I apply this theory to people I know I see them in a new light. I have friends that I have known along the way that were 65 when they were actually 21 and in college. I have friends who were 35 when they were 14. I have 40 year old friends who are still 11, or at least they still act 11. I have a friend who is 45 and will forever be single and 25. I have another friend who is 43 and acts 17. His behavior cost him his marriage. I have seen the grandparents of my friends who are still 30 years old in their hearts – as happy as they have ever been.

You see, to me there is a difference between “acting” a certain age and actually “being” an age in your heart and your soul. Those who go through the dreaded mid-life crisis are merely acting a certain age. They are reaching back for something that can’t be regained. Those who are 70 and feel 30 are the ones that fit with this theory. These are the people who have embraced who they are inside. They aren’t trying to run back to a time in their lives when they were younger and free from the things that bring them down today.

So, this is the “theory of permanent age” that my beautiful wife taught me all those years ago. It took me a long time to come to terms with it, to understand it and to embrace it. But, after all these years I know that it’s true. I guess I didn’t have it all figured out all those years ago. Thank God for that.

Now, close your eyes once again. How old are you acting and how old are you truly feeling? Stay young at heart but stop acting like a kid…..because the kids you have are counting on you to show them the way through this world we live in. Skip the mid life crisis for their sake, if not for yours.

Thanks for listening.

G

 

Jacko the Whacko

By Geoff Cottrill

November 3, 2009

OK, my last few entries have been more on the softer side. This one is going to make a few of you mad……or at least question my understanding of music and its superstars that drive its business.

I’ll never fully understand the world of music. It’s a simple business. It’s a broken business. But, music itself remains a bit of a mystery. What makes one song a monster global hit and another song just track #7 on an album that will soon be completely forgotten about…….forcing that song to sit in its place on that record, never to be played again. Millions of songs have been written. Only thousands of them any good, or at least thought of as good by the people that seem to know about these things. There are plenty of lists. These lists will tell you about the great ones. These lists will never tell you about the bad ones.

I’ve kept my mouth shut (more or less) for the last several months as the world has mourned the death of a global superstar – Michael Jackson. I never had anything against Michael Jackson. I grew up with the Jackson 5 and the Osmond Brothers. I sided with the Jacksons all the way. Michael was a born entertainer and he captured the hearts and minds of many kids in a time when racial tensions were far worse (or at least much more visible) than they are today. Michael and his brothers helped to shape my musical taste. I am grateful for the Jackson 5.

Michael Jackson. Jacko as the UK press used to love to call him. As Michael became older he became more and more isolated from the real world most of us live in. The more that time marched on, the stranger he seems to be getting. He was on TV, shopping in a store, buying every tacky thing in there all while on camera. The audience watched and thought to themselves – “this guy is nuts”.

Michael Jackson. Jacko. The same guy that held his baby over the balcony. As the press hounded him, chased him, and snapped his every move, Michael fell further and further into solitary confinement. He thought it was ok to hold his baby over the railing in order to show the world. He held the baby over the railing because he probably was sick of being chased. He held his baby over the railing so the hounds could get their picture.

He retreated into his palace in California. Neverland. He had carnival rides, a merry-go-round, and animals. I guess some would say he was living the childhood he never had. He was accused of terrible things. He was accused of things that as a father make me sick to my stomach. He was never convicted for these accusations. He was never formally found to be guilty. If the common man had been accused of these crimes he would never be able to shake it from his reputation. Never – ever.

Michael Jackson. The King of Pop. I was a sophomore or a junior in high school when Thriller was released. It was a pinnacle moment in time. Music video was still in its early stages. The “event” album was still important to the business. The video is still relevant today. The album broke every record. Everyone knows this record. This record was released long before the crazy shopping spree, the Neverland ranch sleepovers, and the holding of the baby over the railing. This record was released long before that. Before Michael Jackson changed. Before he retreated. Before he started acting in unusual ways.

Michael Jackson. Crowned by the world as a king. Michael Jackson. The same guy that caught on fire during a Pepsi commercial shoot. Michael Jackson. The same artist who had one of his manager’s call me one day while I worked for another major soft drink company. The manager said to me, “Michael has always loved Coke. He’s always been a Coke guy”. When I asked him why he did a Pepsi commercial if he was a “Coke guy” he said he did it for the money. He then went on to say that Michael wanted to personally get involved with Coke. I told the guy, “no way. We don’t take Pepsi’s old celebrities”.

He then said something to me that I will never forget. He said, “So, what you’re telling me is that YOU are going to be the guy at Coke who says NO to Michael Jackson? Are you kidding me?”. True story. I said no to Michael Jackson. The manager went on to say, “when people find out YOU were the one at Coke who said NO to Michael Jackson when his next album drops, YOU are going to get fired”. No joke, this is all true. I said, “I appreciate your perspective but my guess is that when “they” find out that I was the guy who said NO to Michael Jackson, I will probably get promoted”. I then thanked him kindly and went on my way. The Company survived my mishap if you were wondering. Michael’s record came out and we somehow still managed to sell a billion drinks a day.

But, this isn’t what this story is about.

Michael Jackson. Jacko the Whacko.  The same superstar who, while on tour in Japan, had his manager call his lawyer in LA. He asked him to fly half way around the world to meet with Michael to discuss his new contract with his record label. Once the lawyer arrived he was asked to wait in the living room of Michael’s hotel suite for 4 hours while Michael did whatever he was doing. Michael then suddenly walked in, asked to see his new contract, flipped to a random section, underlined a meaningless sentence, asking the lawyer to explain it. Once the lawyer answered the question Michael abruptly stood up and walked out of the room without saying a word. The lawyer sat there for another hour before the manager came out and told him that Michael had asked him to come to Japan just to “remind you who you work for”. The lawyer flew home.

Michael Jackson. The freak show. Michael became a side show. He became fodder for the press. He helped to sell a lot of People magazines, a lot of Rolling Stone magazines, a bunch of newpapers. He helped to drive viewers to TV tabloid shows like ET, Extra! Extra!, and Inside Edition. People watched the local news to see Michael’s latest behavior. No matter what happened in the world, Jacko was always good for ratings. He did strange things and we loved to watch the freak show from the cheap seats.

Michael Jackson. The victim. Yeah, we turned him into the King of the Super-freak nation. We made him run away. We were the ones who took his childhood away. We were the ones who snapped the pictures. We were the ones who wanted to see that baby held over the railing.

Michael Jackson. The King of Pop. The same guy that wasn’t selling a lot of records the day before he died. Michael Jackson. The same superstar that most of us (if we’re really honest with ourselves) thought was a freak show. We weren’t thinking about Michael and what a wonderful humanitarian he was. We were involved with our own lives, our own problems, a broken economy, massive unemployment, government bail outs of banks, and Wall Street bankers still receiving massive bonus checks while the other 99.5% of the country is struggling. We were not thinking about Michael, his Neverland Ranch, his upcoming tour, his damaged reputation, or his obsession for privacy while at the same time a desire to be King of the world.

Nope. We weren’t thinking about any of this. The day before Michael passed away in his sleep, the day before his doctor allegedly injected him with something to help him sleep, we were not thinking about Michael. We weren’t driving in our cars listening to his music. We weren’t buying his posters or his catalog of music. We also weren’t buying his image as a humanitarian. We just weren’t buying anything he was selling.

But, then a simple twist of fate. The reclusive, obsessive, ego driven, morally questionable King of Pop sipped way from an overdose of something. Suddenly, we all cared. We dropped everything to cry for Michael. We lined the streets, filled the parks. We lit candles, left stuffed animals at make shift memorials, made signs, created thousands of Facebook tribute pages. The world stopped. The People Magazines started selling again, the people started watching programs like ET, Extra! Extra, and Inside Edition. We couldn’t get enough. Advertisers started buying time on these programs. And, for a minute, the death of  a King actually helped move the economy ahead. Businesses were selling trinkets. Record companies were actually SELLING music as anything by Michael Jackson rocketed to the top of the charts. iTunes broke download records. Newspapers sold extra copies. Special magazine tributes were printed. And, we bought it all.

A movie was released. A movie that showed the behind the scenes development of his tour that never happened. It showed the “softer side” of Michael. It showed intimate moments with his band and his friends. And, we lined up all around the block and down the street – all over the world – to catch one last glimpse of the King of Pop. We just couldn’t get enough of Michael. “We love you Michael!”, people cried all over the planet.

I’m no better or worse than anyone else. I am not above others. But, I do have opinions. And in this case my question is this:

Where the hell were all of you the day before Michael Jackson died? Michael Jackson. The King of Pop. Michael Jackson. Jacko the Whacko. I’ll bet that if you’re really honest with yourself you were not as in love with Michael Jackson and all of the “good he stood for” just before he died. If we would have been thinking about him. If we genuinely cared about this King, we wouldn’t have isolated him. We wouldn’t have sent him into exile. We wouldn’t have ostracized him for the terrible things he was accused of. We must not forget the things we thought about Michael the day before he died as we morn him the day after he died. Its just not right.

So, lets be honest with ourselves. We only really care about people like the King after they are dead and gone. Just like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis, Michael Jackson will live forever. We live in a world where we worship the idea of what somebody stood for, not what the person they actually were. Its much easier to worship a dead star than a living recluse. It helps us forget abut our own problems for a while. It somehow gives us hope.

It’s a shame that Michael Jackson is gone from this world. He gave us some good music. But, I am not going to cry for him now because I must admit, I stopped caring about him long before he died. I watched from afar as he turned himself into a super freak. And, when I heard he died and stood back and watched the reaction I found myself terribly disappointed in this world we live in. Instead of focusing our energy on making this world a better place, we stood still and cried over the death of a person we didn’t care about the day before.

Its just sad….and it kind of makes me sick.

Thanks for listening…..

G

 

“Connecting with Claire”

by Geoff Cottrill

October 2009

Yesterday, while I sat in a meeting, on the other side of the country from my family, a funny thing happened to me. What happened was another reminder that music connects us all. It is passed from generation to generation, person to person. The chain goes on forever.

Yes, the industry of music is sick with an incurable disease. It sits in its hospital bed blaming the world for their state of being. They are the old guy in the room just down at the end of the hall. You can hear the grumpy screams coming from the last door on the left…..”where’s my breakfast?”  They’ve been groaning so long that the doctors and nurses have stopped listening. With the exception of the occasional music talent show, its family business is nearing bankruptcy while they lie there and complain.

But, this is not what this piece is about. I have already written that piece – several times.

This is about how a text message from your 11 year old daughter can make your day, reconfirming why music is so important in our lives. It is about how something as simple as a song can forever connect you to someone. In this case, it’s my daughter Claire.

A little about Claire (aka “The Bear”). Claire is an 11 year old with the heart and soul of someone who has lived before. She as a keen sense of right and wrong. She feels things deeply in her soul. She is thoughtful, funny, sensitive, and complex all at once. She is 11 in age only – but not in spirit.

Claire likes to explore my music collection. My iTunes has something like 13,000 songs in it. Over the years I have taken advantage of car rides to school and to lacrosse practice, or a trip to the store. I have tried to expose her to some of the artists who have been important in my life. Artists like Radiohead, The Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, Beck, Bill Withers, The Beatles, Clapton, Motown, Pink Floyd, Jack Johnson, Gomez, and a dozen others. One day a few years ago from the backseat she informed me that she was “getting into jazz”. She went on to say something to the effect of “jazz makes me relax…..i really like the way it makes me feel Daddy”. So, this is a little context on Claire and her love for music. She is also the same girl who, on the day of the Jonas Brothers concert and a pre-arranged chance to meet them, looks at me and says, “Daddy, can we hang out at home….i’m not into the Jonas Brothers……they just aren’t that good”. No one was more happy than me to not have to endure a Jonas Brothers show…and have an 11 year old daughter who wanted to hang out with me instead of going to the show.

This is Claire.

About two and a half years ago, as I was kissing her goodnight, she removed her earplugs to say something to me. She said, “Daddy, I really like Beck…..his song e-pro is amazing”. I’d never played it for he. She found it on her on as she sifted through my iTunes folder. She did the same thing with the band Gomez’s song See The World. The same thing happened when she discovered Bob Marley and told me she liked that “song about the little birds”. It made my day.

Ok, back to the story at hand. I was in one of the biggest meetings of my career yesterday. The team I am on flew across the country to present our strategic business plan to our parent company. It was an important meeting. After our presentation ended, I was sitting in the back of the room listening to the next group’s presentation. I snuck a look at my blackberry. Yeah, I know. I should have been paying attention. But, I wasn’t.

I had received a text message from Claire.

Here’s exactly what it said:

“Hey guess what song i LOVE???  Hey jude by the beatles!”

So, as I sat in the room, in the middle of my important meeting, on the other side of the country from my wife, my two beautiful daughters, and my dog Tucker, I get this simple little text from my 11 year old music lover.

I wanted to stand up and scream! I wanted to say, “hey, guess what! My daughter just discovered Hey Jude for the first time!” instead, I typed her a quick response, “YES!!!!!!!!!!”, was my reply.

She hit me back immediately with, “Hah, its like my favorite song!”

I sat there for a few minutes as a proud father. I sat there with a new connection to my daughter….made as I was on the other side of the country…..sitting in a meeting.

And, thanks to the guys from Liverpool……..a lifelong memory that I will forever cherish. Thanks guys. Its safe to say that the torch has been passed and you will be remembered always.

Yes, music can and does do amazing things. I just wish it could be powerful enough to save its industry from itself……while it lies in its hospital bed and blames the world for its woes.

Stay tuned….and, thanks for listening.

G

PS – here’s a bit of advice I think we could all use right about now…….sing it out loud.

Hey Jude,  don’t make it bad

Take a sad song and make it better

Remember,

To let her into your heart

Then you can start

To make it better.

And anytime you feel the pain

Hey Jude, refrain

Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders

For well you know that it’s a fool

Who plays it cool

By making his world a little colder.

Reality TV

by Geoff Cottrill

October 2009

OK, its been going on long enough. I can’t stand it any longer. I’ve almost stopped watching TV as a result of it. Reality TV is reducing us to something that I don’t ever want to be. Reality TV is sucking our souls from us.

What is it about reality TV that has people so captivated? Why is it that almost every single night of the week the TV line-up is filled with these shows? There are housewives in Atlanta, Newport Beach, and in New Jersey. There are people who swap wives. They swap their families. There are nanny’s who come and discipline your kids. There are survivors on an island back stabbing each other for money. There are cop shows featuring bad-boy, bad-boy (what ‘ya gona do?) drunks. There are guys out at sea fishing for crabs. There are people locked in a house while George Orwell’s big brother watches their every move. There are talent-less talent shows. There are auditions to be the next great American star. There are people who can’t sing a note on these programs. We laugh at their failures so we can ignore our own. We watch a couple with 8 kids ruin each other’s lives while they give interviews to Entertainment Tonight. We watch bachelors sift through 20 women looking for true love. We then watch the rejected runner up from that show get her own so she can work through 20 guys of her own. After the season, the couple will be on Oprah. Everyone will cry. People who go on Oprah always cry. Oprah and her audience cry along.  They will be featured on the cover of People Magazine. After the last edit from the final show they will find that they now need to face a new reality. A world away from the competition and the cameras. A real life. And, chances are their  “true love” will fall apart. This will bring more People Magazine covers, more interviews on Entertainment Tonight. The cycle continues……and we’re caught up in it. We simply can’t get enough of the news coverage. The news coverage that is actually covering nothing at all. The empty news coverage that shows like Extra! Extra! pump out every night.

We sit and we watch. We leave our own reality behind, we clear our minds and we tune in almost every night. We watch someone else’s reality while running away from our own. It’s train wreck TV (the new and improved “Must See TV”). We drive by the train wreck and we know something terrible has happened. We are afraid to look but as we drive by we look through our fingers as we fake an attempt to cover our eyes. We can’t look away. This is today’s TV reality. We have little kids and their parents faking an emergency as the world watches the balloon float away glued to the TV as we hope the little boy will be OK. We then find the next day that this family has been on a few reality programs. It was all a hoax. They needed more time in the spotlight. So, they create a lie. They make the world believe that their young son is in danger. They do this because the need to be seen by the world. They can’t get enough of being in the public eye. Where does reality TV end and real life begin? Its becoming harder and harder to tell the difference.

What happened to us? Why are we so obsessed with the lives of some housewives in Atlanta, Orange County, or New Jersey? Why are we running away from our own reality just to watch someone else’s? I know what you are going to say. You’re going to tell me that these reality shows help you to escape. They help you forget for just a little while what your own world is really like. I don’t buy it any more.

Yeah, and the networks love them too. They are low budget. Any ya-hoo with an idea can get a reality show on TV these days. No experience needed. All you need is a camera, some people with 8^th grade educations, some family drama, a good guy and a bad guy. Once you have these things you call up almost any network executive or Hollywood agent and get it on TV. Chances are if you have an original idea like filming a raving jerk of a real estate agent as he sells houses in LA and you have a hit show.

Art imitates life and then life imitates art. The cycle continues to repeat itself as time marches on until we will no longer be able to tell the difference any more. When this happens we’ll live in a world where it’s acceptable to cheat, steal, and lie just to win the game. We need to escape from this reality that plays on our expensive flat panel screens every night as we sit there glued to the TV, waiting for the next couple to be kicked off the race around the world. We’re coming to the point when being able to see the difference between true reality or made-for-tv reality that isn’t really real at all.

Andy Warhol once said that everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame. From what I’ve seen on TV the past few years I’d say that quite a few people have completely wasted theirs.

So, that’s my two cents on reality TV.

Hey, if you have the number of that network executive at NBC can you send it to me?

I have an idea about a guy who wants to be a writer someday……he can’t sing. He can’t sell real estate. He doesn’t have a big brother. He doesn’t hang out with a bunch of rich housewives. He won’t get arrested or show up on a “most wanted” list. He doesn’t have 8 kids. Sorry, no hot air balloons. No kids hiding in a box while the world watches the balloon crash to the ground. He lives a fairly normal life. He has a fun job and it allows him to meet cool people from time to time. He has some issues of his own but you’ll have to tune in to see them. Stay tuned for another new reality program coming soon.

As the Josh Joplin song says  – its funny how life turns out, the odds of faith in the face of doubt, camera one closes in, the soundtrack starts, the scene begins….…..you’re playing you now. you’re playing you now. Take a bow. Take a bow.

There might just be something to this reality TV after all……..but hurry up. The 15 minute clock of fame is ticking.

Thanks for listening. Stay tuned.

G

Check out Josh Joplin on iTunes. The song Camera One comes from his album Useful Music. Enjoy.

Peace, Love, & Understanding

By Geoff Cottrill (with some borrowed lyrics from Elvis Costello)

November 5, 2009

Tonight I am flying back across the country. I use this time to catch up. I catch up on my reading. I catch up on my e-mails. I catch up on my music. Tonight, as I was writing another piece my iPod played. One of my favorite songs from long ago, a song I probably hadn’t listened to for several years, came on. The song Peace, Love, & Understanding by Elvis Costello. For some reason tonight the song seemed poignant. I am not sure what it is that I am thinking about as I listen to it but for some reason the song hit me in a way it hadn’t all those years ago when I liked it for its anger. What I heard tonight for the first time was its optimism. So, thank God for time to catch up.

The song was written years ago but somehow feels as if it was written yesterday afternoon.

Here are Mr. Costello’s lyrics (just in case you’ve forgotten)….. 3:31 of greatness

As I walk through

This wicked world

Searching for light in the darkness of insanity

I ask myself

Is all hope lost

Is there only pain and hatred, and misery

And each time I feel like this inside

There’s one thing I want to know

What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love, & understanding

What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love, & understanding

And as I walk on

Through troubled times

My spirit gets so down hearted sometimes

So where are the strong

And who are the trusted

And where is the harmony, sweet harmony

‘cuz each time I feel it slipping away

Just makes me want to cry

What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love, & understanding

What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love, & understanding

So where are the strong

And who are the trusted

And where is the harmony, sweet harmony

‘cuz each time I feel it slipping away

Just makes me want to cry

What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love, & understanding

What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love, & understanding

What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love, & understanding

(end)

 

Three simple words – peace, love, & understanding

Where is the harmony, sweet harmony?

So, ask yourself – is all hope lost?

I hope not.

 

Thanks for listening…

 

G

Thanks Mom & Dad

by Geoff Cottrill

July 2009

Life is funny. There isn’t a day that passes when I don’t find something to make me smile, to make me laugh. Yet, as funny as life is it’s also become complicated. At what point did life change from the carefree attitude of our youth to the responsibility heavy, chaotic life I am now living?

I am going to be 46 years old in a few months. No, this isn’t a piece about some approaching mid-life crisis. I’ve long ago accepted the fact that the clock is ticking. There isn’t much any of us can do about that and a fancy new sports car isn’t going to change it.

Instead of chasing things I don’t have anymore, like my youth, I am going to take a minute and think about all that I have. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I have a wonderful life. A happy family, love, a beautiful home in the country, a fun job, and hope that my two daughters will find peace, joy, and true love.

This one is about stopping for a minute and smelling the roses. I am going to leave the sharp tongue and sarcasm out of this entry. This piece is about giving thanks to two people I owe my very existence to. Yes, this one’s for you Mom & Dad. I have a feeling this piece is going to take a little time to write as I am finding the tears hard to hold back as I write this. You see, I owe these two people thanks because of all they have done for me; for my brother; for my sister; and for the rest of our extended family.

My Mom & Dad had me when they were 18-19 years old. They were living in Cleveland, Ohio. They were high school sweethearts who found themselves in love and in a situation that called for them to get married. Yes, I was born approx 7 months after they were married. Although we’ve never actually talked about this I am pretty sure that I am right. I was educated in the great state of Florida so sometimes my math skills are a little shaky, but I think I have this one figured out.

Yes, two kids in love that made a choice. As a result of the choice they made I am here today, typing away, sharing my thoughts with you.

The older I get. The more time I spend watching my own two beautiful daughters grow up in front of my eyes. The more I realize how difficult it is to raise a happy, loving family, the deeper I understand the amount of sacrifice it takes.

My folks provided me with everything in the world. They taught me right from wrong. They showed me the meaning of love. They showed me that using common sense and treating people the way I myself want to be treated was the key to success. They came to my soccer, baseball, and football games. They provided so much and at the same time sacrificed so much. They did this for us. Two kids in love, dedicated their lives to raising three kids, putting us all through college – something they didn’t get to do themselves.

I could go on and on about all they gave but I won’t.

Today, as I contemplate the middle of the crazy life I have lived. I stop for a minute and think about all that I have to be grateful for. There are many things. I don’t know about you or the state of your life today. I hope that whatever life you are living that it is filled with the simple and powerful joys of love. Take a minute to think about, and then take the time to reach out and say thanks to, the people you are most grateful to.

For me, today I’d like to say thanks to those two kids who fell in love 46 years ago and have never stopped giving since.

Thanks Mom & Dad.

I love you.

Lollapalooza – August 2009

Close your eyes. Imagine standing outside, a driving rain hitting your face as you look up to the sky. You look down and see your favorite pair of Chucks covered in mud. The used to be blue, didn’t they?  As the rain continues you bob & weave as you walk from one end of Grant Park to the other. Welcome to Lollapalooza 2009.

This is my second visit to this Chicago-based festival. I’m afraid to say that I’m old enough to have attended this festival when it was a traveling tour. As festivals go, this is one of the top three in the US. The organizers do a nice job of utilizing the massive space of the lakefront park. The two main stages are located almost a mile away from one another – although when walking in the rain and trying to avoid the massive puddles and drunk hipsters it seems more like 5 miles.

OK, so I’ve had better festival experiences than I had this weekend. Something was missing for me here. I haven’t been able to put my finger on it. Somehow the festival lacked a certain energy. Don’t get me wrong, there was certainly a lot of energy and excitement in the crowd but I couldn’t help but to get the feeling that the special nature of the music festival is losing a bit of steam. I saw some great bands and I heard some good (and not so good) music this past weekend. When I wasn’t trying to navigate my way to one of the stages through the VIP tents, the merchandise tents, the beer lines, lines for free water, and the general traffic jams that are customary with these kinds of events. Maybe I am just getting old. It’s a definite possibility.

Chicago doesn’t have the same requirements on their cabbies as cities like NYC have. In NYC or London you can name almost any street and they will get you there right away. In Chicago, when you ask to be dropped off at Grant Park, our cabbie told us he didn’t know where it was. Grant Park. Um, it sits on that big lake just over there. You do know there is a lake here, right? He looked at us with a blank look and said he didn’t know where it was. So, after a short ride and a stop at a red light, we jumped out and started walking. I travel quite a bit. I know that a lot of places count on the dollars from business travelers, conventions, festivals, and other tourist related activities. If I were you, I’d teach your cabbies how to get around your beautiful town. I’ve always thought that Chicago was a nice place. It is beautiful, especially in the summer. I do think however that it has a bit of a chip on its shoulder that it isn’t as cool as NYC, LA, San Fran, Boston, or a few other places. OK, back to the music……

The musical highlight of the weekend for me was the Saturday afternoon set delivered by Gomez. They started off a little slow with a few sound problems. Once they got a song or two into their hour long set and their sound team adjusted a few things it all fell into place. These guys are still considered by some to be one of the best mid-sized bands out there. I saw them years ago at Music Midtown in Atlanta. I believe it was their first visit to the states. They’ve come along way since then. These guys are on the verge of the next level, I think. They’ve put in the time on the road, built a fan base, and their music is interesting.

Other highlights for me included Fleet Foxes, Santigold, and Arctic Monkeys. These three artists are a great example of some of the outstanding music that is out there right now. Santigold (formerly Santogold) is in a class of her own. She brings a style and energy to the stage that’s unique. Fleet Foxes, one of the bands changing the scene in Seattle, were also solid. The Pacific Northwest music scene is thriving. I also picked up a bit of the Decemberists set. In my mind, they are the crème of the crop coming out of the PNW.

The Arctic Monkeys blew me away. These guys stepped up and delivered a good old fashioned rock show. These guys are young. They have an edge. They’ve channeled their youthful energy, angst, and anger into their music. These guys are for real and have a bright future as long as they keep their eye on the prize. Too many of these bands these days burn out too quickly. They put out a good record, begin to believe the reviews, party their brains out, and then fail to remember what got them there to begin with – the music.

For some reason though, I think these guys are going to be around for a while. They are the real deal.

The best part of the weekend for me was seeing Tool. I know very little about them. I’ve heard their music along the way but have never had the opportunity or desire to see them live. Had they not been playing Lollapalooza this weekend I’m sure I would have never seen them. These guys are a big-time rock band. Their set was powerful and their fans enjoyed every last minute of the show. Their video show was deeply disturbing. I have no idea who did it for them or what the hell they were thinking when they created it. This stuff is simply disturbing. Having said that, it all worked so well together. It was exactly what it was supposed to be. I don’t understand it, but I loved it.

The most disappointing performance of the weekend for me was Depeche Mode. Full disclosure, I never liked these guys to begin with. I am a child of the 70’s, graduated high school in the early 80’s, and was in my final year of college as these guys started to dominate their space in clubs all over the world. I was always more of a jeans and t-shirt guy, hanging out at the local dive bar drinking beer from a can. These guys come from a different place. Their set was boring. It had no energy. The guys in the band seemed old and trying to act young. I was standing in one of the VIP Cabanas during the show, after a full day in the mud and rain. I decided to go with the crowd and forego the Kings of Leon show at the other end of the park. So, I stood there and watched Depeche Mode’s set.  Shoot me dead if I ever have to watch another one of their shows. As far as I am concerned these guys need to go away.

Music can unite us. Music separates us, makes us into individuals at the same time it makes us a part of something bigger than ourselves. Music is subjective. One person’s favorite concert is another’s worst ever. That’s a beautiful thing. Standing in the mud, feeling the rain hit my face, bobbing and weaving to avoid the masses, I was reminded why I love music so much – even when I hate it at the same time. I have my fingers crossed that the music festival scene doesn’t lose the magic. There need to be fewer of them. They need to be special again. Each of them need to maintain their own sense of identity.

A parting thought -  I plead to the festival organizers – keep these things alive and fun. Celebrate the sense of freedom. Fire your jack-ass, power tripping, walkie-talkie wearing manager of the merchandise tent who was an absolute jerk to a group of us when trying to buy a hat. Whether or not he was right or wrong, he didn’t need to be such a jerk. As someone who manages a fairly large marketing budget , and spends a great deal of it to support the music world, I can tell you that dollars coming your way will dry up if your people keep biting some of the hands that feed the process. There’s at least one in every crowd, I realize that. Just ask your people to treat the fans with a little more respect than they treated a few of the sponsors.

Be nice. Remember why we came to begin with. We came to escape. We came to belong. We came to experience. We came to be free. We came to let go. We came for fun. We came to be with our friends. We came to meet new ones. We came for the music. We came because we love it more than anything else. When we come, we bring our hard earned money with us. In case you’ve missed the recent news reports, a lot of us don’t have as much money as we once had. So, our dollars are precious. We spend them on things that will help us forget. We spend them on things that will inspire us. We spend them on things that will transport us, physically, spiritually, and mentally.

We come because we want to hear the music. We come because we want to feel the music. We want you to remember these things. We thank you for creating the space and providing the experience. We ask that you don’t ever forget why we come. Please keep these things in mind as you calculate your wins and losses from the weekend.

If you forget why we come, we’ll stop coming.

Stay tuned.

G

 

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