Tuesday, Jun. 24, 2003
Strange E-mail, posted at 11:19 a.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com It's been a relaxing week, with curriculum meetings filling up my days instead of students. I'm already excited about next year, as I'm designing the Freshmen year curriculum and choosing some slightly new works. Like, what do you think of pairing the film The Laramie Project with the study of To Kill a Mockingbird in the "Changing Perspectives" unit? Hmmm....I got a very interesting e-mail today that I think I'll transcribe here:
First, this is my stuff, from an on-line review I wrote probabaly five years ago. He transcribed it on this e-mail: "To me, this album is a real underrated gem. I love it. (Famous singer/songwriter with a #1 hit)'s songwriting isn't perfect (too many line repetitions, too many pretentious words) but her vocals and the production is superb. The best tracks are difficult to choose, but the superb guitar work of "Alone," the great production of "Snow Day" and the beautiful lyricism of "Do You Sleep?" are definite highlights. A very poppy, catchy, and fun album, with plenty to make it interesting."
The rest is him.
Dear (Epiphany):
Hi, this is (this guy's name). We've never met, but you were once familiar with my past work as (Famous singer/songwriter with a #1 hit)'s Record Producer. Bare with me as I don't even know the ethics behind this bizarre email I'm sending to you, but I was writing to ask a favor of you. Going out on a limb here.
Here's the setup.
Years & years ago.....perhaps 8 to be inexact, you wrote a glowing web-critique of our first (famous singer/songwriter with a #1 hit) album. Unfortunately, I never got to read it because I was categorically guarded against most album reviews (both positive and negative). As you may well know, many young artists, actors, producers, writers, etc, - read, consume, and start to believe their own occasional great press. Very dangerous. Even worse, and more often than not, they'll immerse themselves in the negative feedback.....which blisters into roadblocks, fear, resentment, and self-handicapping of their creative path.
Blah, blah, blah. Simply put, I resisted most commentary that (famous singer/songwriter with a #1 hit)'s and my 6 year collaboration ever spawned, but I'm glad to have just read about how much you dug the album; TAILS.
Alternately, you had a disappointing experience with FIRECRACKER; our sophomore release. Yikes. That's a drag. For the record (bad pun), that album was homemade and built mostly right here in my dopey little apartment....in exactly the same way, approach, & methodology as its predecessor. In hindsight, I too have several observations about what may have changed between Album #1 and Album #2, but we'll save that for a draft beer later this year in Fell's Point, or down the street,right here in Times Square, nyc.
Despite your concerns with FIRECRACKER, I remain really proud of having been nominated for a 1999 Grammy Award in the Best Engineered Album Category. Whoops. Tooting one's own horn : -10pts.
So then why this note? Why would I take 47 minutes to research & reach out to you? Ready? Ridiculous as this may sound, I've recently gotten a number of calls regarding "(his name)" GOOGLE search result #7 . You see, I'd gone completely underground for the last 4 years to write and produce my own early '70s, singer/songwriter, retro-futuristic neo-pop album. Disappeared. Hermit, recluse, monk. I'm the art�eest�, songwriter, producer, arranger, mixer, jerk who claimed to "do it all." Ultimately, many others came to my rescue and whatever.....it's completed and folks are grooving to it. (Never end a sentence with a preposition; Yes, I ould have loved to have taught 9th grade English)
Well herein lies the rub.As we set out to start shopping the album for it's own proper label deal, most A&R people, Managers, Indie Radio promoters, do their obligatory perfunctory GOOGLE search first and foremost. Actually, me too. (Dependent clause) Do a search on "(his name)" : and bingo, there you are at slot #7, with your ectoguide review of Firecracker from6 years ago! Ouch.
"(Famous singer/songwriter with a #1 hit) ... Many of her best songs, particularly from her sophomore album Firecracker, are ruined by a slick overproduction by boyfriend (his name). ... "
Yea, yea, yea.....I realize that this is life, & "if you can't stand the heat, get outta the kitchen," and that what we most love about the Internet is the ability to voice our purest opinion....BUT, damn - I suppose I'm really writing to ask if you would reconsider. I was excited to see that people are crawling their way to our new website to order my album. Unfortunately, I'm losing steam prematurely as some browsing civilians stumble over the bold claim made in your ectoguide review.
(Epiphany), I've really put some thought into this. I scanned through a bunch of your 35 Ectophile entries. I read your 8 Amazon Reviews. I even clicked through the friends & family photos at your website, your (personal) Teaching Portfolio, and your Holden's Lair House Concert Series. My conclusion, obviously, is that you're a good guy who is wickedly dedicated to the appreciation of new music, and super loves people. Maybe that's how I justified even sending such a crazy note. Yes, I can tell from your writing that you have an extremely high "get - it - factor" and yes, I hope you appreciate just how much i understand that you understand that i understand - how bizarro my request may seem."
Isn't that strange? I'm not sure what to make of it, and don't have any control or affiliation with that said website any more. The review was probably way too pointed and what-not, and I would change it if I could, but I don't think I can. The guy left his home number. He's borderline famous, so this is especially interesting. Any thoughts?