Have any of you guys listened to my old solo project?
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 Have any of you guys listened to my old solo project?
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| Author | Topic: Have any of you guys listened to my old solo project? |
| #1
notesleb Guru Posts: 573 |
posted 03-29-2001 12:03 PM
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http://www.besonic.com/stephenleblanc It's been on the net for a while but I don't talk about it much. Is this stuff the shit or is my ego just out of wack (or both IP: Logged |
| #2
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 03-29-2001 02:16 PM
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quote: Wack? Shit? Or both? The eternal question. Ego? Well, that goes without saying. Most of us aren't egocentric enough to be successful at this. I listened to the first two tracks. You'll Never Know Runaway OK. It's great shit. And very sellable. Radio Ready. Vocals, Tune, Tracks. If I was your producer? I would say to you that the tracks and vocals are all there. The guitar breaks seem to distract from that though. On Runaway, the wah wah solo break loses the continuity that was there before. Basically, Stephen, I'm a huge fan of your keyboard work and your vocals and writing. Not as enamored of your guitar work. Technically, it is top notch guitar, but the feel is not up to your other talents. In other words, if I could hear these tunes without the lead guitar track, it would work better for me. All of this is My Not So Humble Opinion. Which I assumed you posted the link just to get a version of. Is my opinion the shit? Or am I out of wack? Or both? ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #3
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 03-29-2001 03:35 PM
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And furthermore. I'm listening to the rest of your page. I hear some stuff I like better than the first two tunes. Will post further scathing critiques soon. ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #4
notesleb Guru Posts: 573 |
posted 03-29-2001 04:24 PM
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Great opinion Kenny, it proves you're listening, I mean really listening. These songs were recorded in 1996-97, I was only playing electric guitar for about 2 months at that time so yeah, the guitar is really weak. The right notes are there for the most part but the timing and feel aren't always. Something you didn't mention which I probably would have if asked to review, THE DRUM MACHINE, I hate sequence machines, unfortunately I wasn't making the big bucks back then so I had to make it work.
quote: Yeah I probably would have quit music altogether a long time ago if it weren't for my crazed belief that I'm one of the baddest Mofos out there. Ego is important for artists, artists just receive too much abuse from those who don't know and can't keep their mouths shut. The seven songs on my solo proj. page have been run through the mud so many times by people who think they've figured it all out, I can only laugh. This ego topic has been on these BB before, I gave The Count a lot of shit and so did we all for having such a high opinion of himself. I told Cole through email and might have even said it here, his crazy ramblings about how much of a genius he is were my favorite posts of his. I respected him for it regardless of whether it was true or not Later. [This message has been edited by notesleb (edited 03-29-2001).] IP: Logged |
| #5
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 03-29-2001 05:51 PM
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quote: Well, no problems with the drums. Sound fine to me. I didn't listen to see if they were a machine. But I don't have a problem at all with drum machines. The early models had no dynamics, so the tracks seemed robotic. By now you can play notes at any volume level, so drum machines can have the same feel as a live player. Without the drug addiction and stealing your girlfriend problems. It's all the singer and the song for me. And the feel. Or as my old mentor Billy Vaughn used to say, continuity. Your tracks, with the exception of the lead guitar, have a great feel. My thoughts are, it can be an old black man stompin his foot and playing a cheap quitar with a pocket knive recorded onto a prewar reel to reel. Or it can be a young white man with a sequencer that doesn't know any chords. As long as the message is clearly delivered, it doesn't matter which mechanism delivers it, to me. From looking at the music scene today, it doesn't seem to matter to the rest of the world either. More scathing comments to come. ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #6
notesleb Guru Posts: 573 |
posted 04-01-2001 02:36 PM
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Where's the scathing?  IP: Logged |
| #7
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 04-01-2001 03:56 PM
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Slight scathing delay due to other musical commitments. Later today we hope to be able to rip out your heart and stomp on it. Metaphorically speaking, of course. ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #8
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 04-02-2001 05:29 AM
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OK, it is time to pick on Stephen's music and rip his motherfucking heart out and stomp on it real hard. Lonely Nights and Rainy Days Fingerpicking an acoustic guitar you do great. James Taylor vibe going on here. Since it is just vocals and guitar you don't have any of those nasty jazz funky things in the track that we all love but nobody buys. Charlie and April I like this too. James Taylor and Steely Dan record a song. Stevie Winwood and Traffic at the end. Funky Jazz groove changes make it not really radio ready. Kids may have a hard time dancing to this one. Well, white kids anyway. My Friend Vocals and Strumming guitar. Jazzy Folk feel. I like this a lot. Acoustic guitar and vocals are your most accessible stuff, I think. Be Bold Heavy Bass intro. Uh, you been listening to Bassic? Or is it the other way around? Cool major 7th jazzy feel. Nice wah wah guitar fills. Cool Vocal Harmonies. There's a fuzzy guitar at the end trying to be a blues man. Blues is heavy on the 1, Stephen. Aggression is not your strong point. Intelligence is. Hell of a great tune though. The fuzzy guitar is mixed back in the track, thankfully. I'll Always Belong To You Ah. Another Vocal and acoustic guitar tune. Intro is too long for me. Good tune, but it's not really doing it for me. Kinda got a down feel. More like a "Damn! Guess I'll Always Belong To You and Nobody Else, I'm Trapped" vibe. Probably not what you intended. Pretty Free Finally, Piano. My favorite part of Stephen. Fuck Ernesto. You da man. Short and Sweet. But I love it. --------------- In summation. Your image does not reflect your music. your picture looks like some long haired guy with an electric guitar in a bashing alternative band. To me. Nothing personal, but guys with a picture like you have on your page are assumed to be not too smart. Whereas your music is extremely intelligent. Musically you can do so much, you are hitting the customer with a lot of information. Which is because you have a lot of choices to make in putting together a composition. Unlike most people who only know just enough to get something together. Anyhow, Lonely Days and Rainy Nights and My Friend are your most accessible tunes on this page. Pretty Free is next. I really like Be Bold as your best band cut. I really like everything you do except when you go for Bluesy Electric Guitar. Raw Aggression is not your strong musical direction, seems to me. Heavy on the 1, Stephen. But aside from that one comment, musically your shit is top notch. As good as any motherfucker on the planet. Better than 99.99% of what people are calling music these days. And there are real commercial possibilities in a lot of it, seems to me. Businesswise, you could do better with an image that told people what your music contained, I think. Long haired T-shirt guys aren't supposed to be able to play this well, so we think. And that concludes my scathing review of your lifes work. Stomp Stomp Stomp. One man's scathing opinion. Stomp Stomp Stomp. ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #9
notesleb Guru Posts: 573 |
posted 04-02-2001 12:50 PM
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hehe. Heavy on the 1, got it  .I'll never have "The Look," good thing I'm not trying very hard. Thanks for listening Kenny, I hope you'll have the same willingness to listen to our new album. I think I've figured out that Heavy on the 1 thing in a couple of our new tunes, either way it only gets better. I know you enjoy the Fender Rhodes, there's a lot of that on the new record. We just finished mixing this weekend, 45 minutes of music, every song an album in itself.
quote: Thank god it's not my life's work, I have a case at home that contains 75 full CDs of music, believe me this isn't the best shit. I've been saying boldly for sometime now that I think music should be free to download, etc. etc. etc. I'm starting to realize I've been blowing smoke a bit because I've never uploaded anything that really means a lot to me. I've only given away music that I don't feel is up to par or finished. Now that we have an album that I do feel is done right and "finished" I'm lost, I really don't know what I'm going to do in the next couple of weeks. One idea I have is to make the songs available for a limited time, that way I can gauge how much money I'm not making and cut it off at some point. If the music takes off on Napster I lose some control but I think that would be a good thing, Napster seems like a good place to be. None of the music on our new album was made with money in mind but the hard work we've put in (including building a top notch studio from scratch) and clear worthiness of these tracks has me sitting on the fence and feeling very protective. This whole free vs. selling your music thing has finally become very real to me, 95% of the jams I have on the internet were drug induced snippets of my learning curve on guitar. I love them all and hear a lot of other people do to but our new shit is different. Sorry to ramble but I really don't know what to do. Maybe if I can get some money (ie. a grant) to release it and pay some of the cost incurred my decisions will be easier. IP: Logged |
| #10
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 04-02-2001 04:16 PM
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quote: Everybody has "A Look". Your's is the "I'm not trying very hard" Look. Which would tend to make most people think your music was sloppy, raw, Low IQ stuff. In other words, you have High IQ music and a Low IQ image. Your look does not even have to be you. Tom Aragon (who I hear is ugly as sin) has done great with just artwork. As far as your new album and the commercial possibilities of it? Well, the world sucks. The only way I know how to make money and not go through the RIAA is to play live a lot. Sell your album at gigs. Even with the million dollar p4p at MP3.com, only a small percentage of the artists have made $1,000.00 or more. The majority of these guys are in Electronica, it appears. Independent recording artists with High IQ music (I know a lot of these guys) make money playing live or playing on other peoples Low IQ sessions. So you got two choices, Stephen. Just like everyone else. The same choices we have always had. Before and after the straw man known as Napster. Play live or sign with the RIAA. The internet is good for getting your music heard. Which has a value. The internet does not hurt your live playing or session work. I don't see people saying "I'm not going to see the band, I heard them on Napster". Nobody is saying. "I'm not hiring him for my session, I heard him on Napster". If people see you live, they will buy your record just for the autograph and the handshake. So the internet doesn't hurt your money making business opportunities. May not help them either. I view it like radio. Except it's hard to get your music played on the radio without going through the RIAA. All these independent recording people raising hell about Napster and the internet live in some kind of fantasy world. They think that they are part of the Mafiosi known as the RIAA. They think that they are like Madonna. When in reality, they are like Jerry Garcia, whther they want to admit it or not. Anyhow, I really want to hear your new album. Especially if it's got lots of your Keyboard work. Your Keyboard work knocks me out. You do not have to put it at some OMD for me to do that. *Tom Aragon cannot read italics. Some kind of visual acuity problem he has. Hence all the gaudy artwork. But he is actually an attractive guy. Just a tad overweight. I've seen a picture. Anyhow, he lurks everywhere and my comment may just drive him nuts. ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #11
notesleb Guru Posts: 573 |
posted 04-02-2001 04:42 PM
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quote: I know, actually for the effort you put into reviewing my solo stuff I'll be glad to send you a free CD. I can get mailing info from you through email when I have a few copies to send.
quote: I totally agree with you here. I guess I'm more worried about combating what deel has often talked about, the I want everything free trend. I don't want people who visit my website or find my music online to get the feeling that it will always be there freely available, the "Why would I spend money on the CD when I can always listen to it here" mentality. I don't know, maybe a little "trick" advertising that "leads" people to believe they won't always be able to get it that easy would be a good thing. Disclaimer: The above bolded statement goes against everything I'm trying to do with JamFree This is the kinda stuff the big guys have success with. Irregardless of what I typed above, I will be putting the album in its entirety on the net for free. How I try to market it - help people realize it's worth their hard earned money - will be to try a bit of everything. I would love to be the first artist to generate real sales on the internet, probably ain't gonna happen for anyone though. I'm happy though, very positive here, I know if nothing else this album will make an impression on those who hear it (some will follow, some will puke - probably both for the same reasons).
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| #12
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 04-02-2001 10:43 PM
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quote: Well, alls I can point out is the obvious. At least obvious to me. The majority of music listened to has also always been "free". Free Radio and Free TV. Turn 'em on. All the hits 24/7/365. The artists actually PAY to give the music away free. Now, naysayers will chime in "Yeah, but we get ASCAP royalties." Bullshit. The amount of money paid for getting songs in heavy rotation is much more than the artist gets back. Radio and TV get PAID to play the hits. Independent promo men get PAID to get your song played. Videos ain't cheap. Palms must be greased. Everybody gets a cut. The artist pays all expenses. Even the biggest of the big have to pay. Or else they won't be the biggest of the big anymore. But, the public gets it FREE. The reality of the music business is seen on the streets of Nashville or any major city every day. Some guy on a street corner with his guitar case open, singing for passersby. If they like what they hear, they throw in some bucks. I got no problem with that. In fact I enjoy it. My only gripe, as you know, is that all the good street corners are owned by the RIAA. Anyhow, I look forward to hearing your new album, Stephen. I've been listening to Pretty Free and Be Bold since yesterday. Love 'em both. ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #13
notesleb Guru Posts: 573 |
posted 04-03-2001 01:46 AM
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Cool Kenny. I'm just spouting things that come to mind, art is emotional I'm glad you dig the tunes. The new album is a lot more balls out with trippy arrangements, jam sections and shit. I think you'll enjoy it, you might even dig the guitar I'm gonna upload the songs tonight, might be temporary I haven't decided yet. IP: Logged |
| #14
deel Guru Posts: 263 |
posted 04-03-2001 09:14 AM
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i've been online now for 4 years exploring this vast internet and trying to make some sense of it. so much has changed in such a short period of time. the best thing that the internet has done for me as a musician is put me in touch with other musicians. i would have loved to have seen mp3.con continue on as it was about 2 years ago without the trading and gaming. if they had just nurtured the in house independent talent uploading music to the site instead of chasing after the beam-it stuff things may be different. maybe not, i think it has alot to do with who is at the helm over there. at least, maybe now there is a face being put on independent music, whereas 10 years ago independents were virtually an unseen group of people. myself and my bandmates have been stuck in scene one of proverbial "band makes good movie". scene two would be the fleeting glamour and rush of fame, a fun ride i'm sure, but it exits into scene three where you realize that you've been duped by some fatcat lawyer lobbyist record exec and in effect you duped your fans into making them richer. not to mention some 5 year record deal that you signed early in scene two. things get heavy..stuck with the bills, and my how the creativity suffers..album sales plummet, your fans are now someone elses fans. notesleb - yes you have to get your music out while it's fresh. my case is being 14 years older and sitting on 20 years of recordings, with only a small handful of people to witness it. i've often thought of building my own server and just start the process of filling it up and showing this progression from point a to point b. but, this would absorb so much time that in effect i would have to stop playing music in order to do it. i'm torn. aside from all of this i'm really looking forward to hearing your new music! ------------------ IP: Logged |
| #15
notesleb Guru Posts: 573 |
posted 04-03-2001 12:08 PM
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I understand what you're saying deel. I've been through the ups and downs of major labels, I've experienced it first hand. I was showered with money...we thought we'd be famous...self-respect got in the way...they wanted me to sign things that were totally unreasonable...they expected me to mold my music exactly to their ridiculously stupid criteria... the last 3 years of jamming freely without any limitation has been reward enough...not only for us but I've received emails from artists all over that have been inspired by our music to let go and make music for the same reasons. Our little statement on the JamFree website is kinda silly and perhaps a bit naive but I do believe it at least to some degree.
quote: Not just JamFree but all musicians, I think there is power in music. If you believe our conciousness are connected in some way (like Carl Jung's theory), people don't even necessarily have to hear the music, the very fact that it was made and heard by somebody is powerful enough. The Freedom is the important thing, we play music with no fabricated limitations, in time perhaps more people will listen the same way. The new album is available here: I'm gonna kick back and see what people think of the stuff before getting too wound up about selling it. I haven't mastered the mixes yet either, I have so little time with my son coming up on 22 months old, I'll have cheaply mastered versions up this weekend. Thanks for allowing me to think this out, I'm sure I'm not done IP: Logged |
| #16
KennyLee Guru Posts: 1717 |
posted 04-05-2001 03:53 AM
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quote: Well, just like in Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, music is truly the universal language. As is mathematics. Science has proven that plants and animals react to music. The universe vibrates and resonates. Even at the most minute level. And that is where music touches every living thing. There is a difference between the way I play an A note and the way everyone else does. The timing, vibration, inflections, will be different. A great musical composition comes from the truth of the universe. Which is why it exists outside of the economic and political structure. And why endless generations respond to it, regardless of the marketing or business conditions involved. Science is trying to deal with the truth of the universe. String Theory. Quantum Mechanics. Maybe one day. But certain musical compositions and performances allow us to hear that truth right now. Music and mathematics are all that really last. Sculptures crumble, paint fades, words lose their meaning. Music and mathematics are always here. and will always be here. And there. Which may explain why we have a lot of Aliens on this website right now. ------------------ [This message has been edited by KennyLee (edited 04-05-2001).] IP: Logged |
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