Week 27. Atrophyliacs
Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:08 pm
Monday July 19
Jan.Feb.March.April.May.June.July
Teenage Wasteland
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then the one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you're older
And shorter of breath and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation in the English way
The time is gone the song is over, thought I'd something more to say
_______________________
The Root Word is Atrophy
I read those words in the 70's and made them my own but it seems more
fitting today...and best describes the frustration i feel right now. tick. tick.
tick. tick. Pink Floyd was pure genius.
Teenage Wasteland was a great song on the: "Who's Next" record
about the bloodshed in Vietnam...but lately, the lack of activity has made
it feel like a teenage wasteland around here. Gosh...whatever happened
to shows? Why can't Eisley be doing shows? Meanwhile, I notice Stacy
and Sherri are toiling into the wee hours of the morning on songs in
garage band - not from pressure; from inspiration, so there's great
productivity in the wasteland. In talking with Stacy last night in the
kitchen at 3:30am, she's all about the second record. Anxious to get this
one out; get over it; tour it. I tried to calm her worries about the world's
reaction to it. Life is weird. At 15, I was thinking about getting home from
school so I could jam in our upstairs bedroom with my brother and our
best friend. Pressure meant having to mow the lawn before Dad got
home. History has not repeated itself in our case. Well, maybe partially.
Wouldn't it be fun to announce that we're just going to book some shows
in Texas and hit the road for a few weeks? Ain't gonna happen... but,
wouldn't it be nice...if we were married. Well. Luke just called and I'm
gonna end it with that random song reference. Talk more later. bd
Tuesday July 20
Shooting it up
Eisley's New Schedule
It's looking like this: it's looking like we don't leave for LA until August 15
in spite of whatever story I heard last. It's looking like Eisley begins
recording 2 more songs the week of the 15th followed by several weeks
of mixing. It doesn't look like I know who the mystery producer/mystery
mixer is. I can't say for sure it will be Rich Costey. His manager said he
had previous engagements. It looks like I have no clue.
We're all upstairs watching a movie. Any guesses which one?
"The Shaz-a-'meter, the-daddy-o, the belly-go-round. the hoop-sucker,
the swinger...the hud-swinger". Probably my favorite film. Meanwhile,
Stacy has been working on recording in Garage Band all night.
I started the day by moping, making up beds, cleaning...mowing followed
by making a stiff pot of fresh ground coffee in time for Antrider's camera
to arrive. I desperately needed to do a photoshoot for the band, and
Jamie was cool enuf to let us use his super duper Nikon digital camera. I
didn't wake the band up until 11:00 because we were up last night till
about 3:00 am. (i wanted them to have their beauty rest)
After many, many hours, shooting indoors at our good friends - Tim and
Dianda's house, we left discouraged after only getting beautifully blurry
images. Second attempts to shoot outdoors as the sun went down were
more encouraging. I think I got some good stuff on top of the bus. I'll
look closer at the files tomorrow. There's always photoshop.
I'm so sleepy i can't stay awake. I'll post more tomorrow on this. bd
Wednesday July 21
Entitlements and Marketing
Atop the Bus
Woah, my golly. Ashlee moved 300k of her first record as a new artist on
it's first day on the shelf. Of course, there is that little MTV reality TV
show that gave Geffen the day one cash cow. It's brilliant.
You know what I was thinking today? Well, first of all, i listened to the
clips of her record on itunes. It's that typical, catchy, radio pop - written
by whoever writes those catchy hit songs... Anyway, I realized that for all
my critisisms (writers write the songs for her, vocal coaches sing the
songs for her, studio players play the songs for her...she sings as good
as the next girl, breaths air, is the sister of Jessica and has a TV show)...
in spite of all of that, radio listeners don't care.
All that matters to the listeners is that they can sing to catchy song when
it comes on the radio, right? Then they all go buy the record the day it's
released and a star is born... with no years of experience, no working her
way up, no gigs in dive venues where only a handful of people show up
and the broken toilets are full of poop and where you don't get paid when
you leave...paying dues is for bands.
So, I just thought... that's the way it is. Then I moved on. Not that I'm
not happy for her or them or Geffen, etc. No sour grapes. It's just the
way i process info. I just picked Ashlee Simpson because I got an email
with her sales figures and some hype.
Eisley will be lucky to sell ___ the first day their full length comes out...
for all the work they've done. (i deleted my guesstimate) Gosh, how
many active users are there on this forum? Plus, I figure there are those
who might buy it who aren't users. I can promise - Eisley won't be
looking at opening day numbers.
Like I said, we shot some pics yesterday. Here are a few shots of the
exciting day. Can't you just sense the electricity in the air?
The shot above was when a fat locus was buzzing around - it sounded
like a silver bug on a motorcycle... the girls were sorta scared. I snapped
this when they spotted it. The shots atop the buss will probably be used
for press. I'm not sure they're great for anything else. We'll see.
Anyway, you can see how we kid the ole bus in our narrow driveway. OK.
gotta go. Take care. bd
Thursday July 22
The Droning Sounds of Counter-Inertia
The Eisley Enigma Revealed
If the flavor of the week tastes like BellyAche, I can't whole-heartedly
apologize. You can take it with a grain of salt, but... bellyache with salt
isn't any less digestable. Maybe I should apologize. I just think the band
could be excersizing - working out - (well, they are these days, ha). But,
I'm frustrated! They could be working out at real clubs in front of you
guys. Playing SHOWS! Why can't they play a few shows in Dallas? Or do
a Texas Summer Tour?! They've been here for months now! sheesh-a
damn-molee. Excuse my French...but, I am a DuPree.
Moving on and picking back up:
Killer posts in response to my diatribe about Ashlee Simpson's first day
record sales. CanadianAlias and others waxed eloquent and I think it
might be fun to dig in that field for a bit.
First - a disclaiming reminder: I'm an open book...it's not like I'm hedging
for any desired outcome, so...it's typical that I would explore the gamut
of emotion. One side one day - the other end of the spectrum the next day.
Yesterday's topic was random - just a passing observation. Without that
reality TV show, I wouldn't even know of that strange pop kingdom. O.K.
I'm over it, but have to comment - I saw a bit of her show today; Here's
my last reality pill... She just performed her first show ever in front of a
live audience at "The Knitting Factory" in Hollywood with about 1/4th the
crowd that Iron and Wine, an indie band, had in the same room, yet she
just sold 300k records her first day. Oh, what a world we live in.
Another great thing I've learned from watching the Simpsons: I want to
go underground, so-to-speak. Beyond providing the best content I can
muster up for this forum and beyond communication-design, etc. ...and
loading, unloading, helping as a grunt, etc. I want no public role. After
seeing daddy Simpson MC Ashlee's first show ("this is a big day for the
Simpsons"), I will avoid camera's at any cost. It's too late for the CNN
piece. They tricked me. I can only hope they don't use any of it.
Brain Quenching Reality
This Eight O'clock dark roast - strained thru my new Starbucks French
press/coffee thermos is giving me a solid buzz. I did something weird. I
tossed in the grind AND the brown sugar AND the whipping cream before
I plunged so I could drink from the flacid, suculent, urn of magoomba
and reap the full monte-cafenoids from it's caverous belfy. I having a
coffee ecstasy, thankyou very much.
Pop Stars Aside:
Eisley is a band. Public opinion will vary but any way you slice it, there is
little to compare with the Avril's, the Jessica's, or even the Morisette's
that rule the popular scene. There is no contrivance toward a manufactured
heritage; Eisley's birthright is natural... not medicinal; They are nobody's
creation... and can certainly prove it. HOWEVER... National press hasn't
been very natural with their storytelling. Both of these extreme cultures
must come together in harmony at some point if bands like Eisley are to
survive. Obviously Modest Mouse is proving it can be done.
I'm not sure exactly how to describe what I'm saying; I'll try. And keep in
mind - this discourse is merely giving me/us something to discuss:
Eisley is going to puzzle the world. As they rise from whatever feeble
footing they have in an expanding underground market, they'll anger the
scene; Conversely, as they invade pop culture, they'll expand minds and
raise conventional eyebrows. As they join hands with the two worlds and
pull them together, they'll create a new market position in the real estate
of American minds.
"Cuz' we found all the dire dreams of men and machines
and turned them all around to enjoy them and benefit ourselves
- our paper back books, our charming looks, our identical hands
- imposing our commands."
Eisley's positioning, which I equate with their reality, will be very critical
in reaching a market that engenders progressive culture (the indie scene)
AND, as well, extends beyond - encompassing a larger element of society
(pop culture). You guys realize that they can't anchor in either - they
are who they are but if they don't appeal to both, they're not going
to persuade WB to protect their investment long term.
I cut the moon in halve...and stuck a piece to my hair
and made the back of my head glow gold and yellow
and then i took 10 stars on sticks and placed them in my
small medal bucket and i gave the other half of the moon
to you - oh, so you wouldn't forget me while i'm gone.
Do you really wonder why I ponder these things? Do you ever wonder -
who's rationale it was to sign such an act? Who believed the authors of
lyrics like this would appeal to a big market? And yet, like they...I believe
it. Like you, we believe it. Maybe we all need psycho-therapy. Or maybe
we need change.
I conclusion: as objective as i can be - and without sounding arrogant -
Eisley is, at the very least, something new. Try to put 5 very similar
bands in the box with them and label it "Same Brand X". At best, Eisley's
music transcends everything I've said about positioning and who they
are; Maybe Eisley's music is meaningful and stirs our souls. Nothing else
really matters.
BTW - This went to press yesterday. Don't hold us to these exact colors
but we should have them ready in about a week. It's going on a light blue
T-shirt. New MERCH. YES! cheers.
Friday July 23
I Went Non-Postal
The Eisley Smithsonian
We're darting out the door soon - for a wedding at the Rose Garden.
Friends Lucas and April are tieing the knot. (congrats!) I have to be
quick.
Eisley is doing well... chirpy, lolly, holding a hap-happy vibe in the middle
of this atrophoric state. There are always stresses looming o're-head.
The stresses try to steal everyone's chirpy soul. But overall, eisely is
doing all the things they do when they're feeling good - shooting photos
outside around the house with sib's, staying up late watching old movies,
new movies, going to local shows (see my post somewhere:
http://eisley.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7719&start=15 ), making
brownies, writing music, drinking coffee, hanging out with friends, sitting
around the happyroom in the morning talking with fam', online with
friends, etc.
Yesterday I went non-postal. (many distractions) Sorry. If I were to
really talk about what's really in my head at all times, this forum would
be more popular because we all love the really engaging, dramatic
stuff...the gossip and secrets and behind-the-scene stuff. But if I
unearthed...or unleashed that kind of content, we'd have to re-name this
forum, The Boyd Enquirer.
Anyway, it's not like anything bad or weird is going on, ok. But, honestly,
every time I sit down to this monitor I have a choice: Say what's really
on my mind or say what I can say that's on my mind that won't get me
into trouble but still makes you aware that I'm being vunerable and...
respect you guys as friends.
There's still no word on Eisley's apparent rendezvous with Snow Patrol.
We're totally in the dark.
(see: http://eisley.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7755
I emailed management to find out info so the band could actually be
involved in the info-chain, but haven't heard back. I'm sure we'll get
caught up soon. It is cool to think of actual shows for a change, huh?
But I have the weight of the world on me... design wise. If those crazy
kids could come up with a name for the record, it would help. It's like
naming a band...and they're super picky. I don't blame them.
Icurate reminded me that old Eisley posters should be vaulted and
entombed for safety and longevity. Posters at the old Rev.Room span
several years and one of them even bares the name: "Sinclair" - the
name that lasted a month or two - after The Towheads and before
MossEisley. I saw old signed posters on the walls that will come down -
from 2001... Wish I had kept more of this memorabilia for our own Eisley
Smithsonian. I have quite a bit, but wasn't REALLY planning for what's
happened. I would have saved every little nugget, ticket, flyer, poster,
photo... I'd have started video-taping shows regularly...earlier. As it is,
I think I left a great paper trail and am always fascinated with the past
and keeping good records; but, I regret I didn't do more.
Still....if this all fizzels, it won't matter much; just something to stuff in the
attick and show grandkids.
Ok. gotta go. I guess this is Friday and Saturday so I'll post something
else this eve for today. Have a great day, yawwwl. bdaway.
Saturday July 24
Showdates On the Verge
Eisley Fans - Meet Snow Patrol
I'll post this in the "Eisley opens for Snow Patrol" thread also, but... for
those rare few who only read this update - I spoke with management
while we were at the wedding reception today and... the offer from Snow
Plow is for the entire tour. Management hasn't confirmed it or spoken
with the band because they're trying to tack down the last details of
getting the record wrapped up. We only have about 5 weeks to get it
done so the band can get on the road.
So, it's pretty much a done deal. Just letting you know. Here are the dates:
bd
9/3/2004
Culture Room
Ft. Lauderdale , FL, United States
9/4/2004
The State Theatre
Saint Petersburg, FL, United States
9/7/2004
Cotton Club
Atlanta, GA, United States
9/8/2004
The Norva
Norfolk, VA, United States
9/10/2004
9:30 Club
Washington DC, United States
9/11/2004
The Call
Providence, RI, United States
9/13/2004
Paradise Rock Club
Boston, MA, United States
9/14/2004
Irving Plaza
New York, NY, United States
9/17/2004
Opera House
Toronto, Canada
9/18/2004
St. Andrews Hall
Detroit , MI, United States
9/19/2004
Newport Music Hall
Columbus, OH, United States
9/20/2004
Metro
Chicago, IL, United States
9/22/2004
Quest
Minneapolis, MN, United States
9/23/2004
The Bottleneck
Lawrence, KS, United States
9/24/2004
Bluebird Theatre
Denver, CO, United States
9/28/2004
Richard's On Richards Cabaret
Vancouver, Canada
9/29/2004
The Showbox
Seattle, WA, United States
9/30/2004
Aladdin Theatre
Portland, OR, United States
10/2/2004
The Fillmore
San Francisco, CA, United States
10/3/2004
Harlow's Night Club
Sacramento, CA, United States
10/5/2004
Avalon (formerly The Palace)
Los Angeles, CA, United States
10/6/2004
Canes Bar & Grill
San Diego, CA, United States
10/8/2004
Marquee Theatre
Tempe, AZ, United States
10/9/2004
Plush
Tucson, AZ, United States
10/11/2004
La Zona Rosa
Austin, TX, United States
10/12/2004
Meridian
Houston, TX, United States
10/13/2004
GYPSY TEA ROOM
Dallas, TX, United States
10/15/2004
Zydeco
Birmingham, AL, United States
10/16/2004
Voodoo Music Experiance
New Orleans, LA, United States
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