"Oh, I LOVE this song!"

Ahh...a day off, and I've run my errands and not messed up the house...what do I do?

Yup.

Play.

Listen.

Mmmmmmmusic. *drool*

Question for ya'll:

Do specific songs have a tag on certain memories for you?

Like, does "2 Legit 2 Quit" by MC Hammer take you back to those awkward dances in junior high?

Just curious.

Speak up...there's too many tumbleweeds blowing around my blog these days.

Like A Record

I'm going to briefly make a statement about a new trend in "Let's Try Our Damnedest To Save What's Left Of The Current Record Label Business Model".

I'm talking about the "360" deal the majors are making the new bands sign.

Basically, since CD sales are sinking to such low levels, and labels haven't been able to adapt to downloads, they've decided they need to take a cut of artists' touring, merchandice, and publishing.

So, according to a nifty graphic in Rolling Stone, under these terms an artist goes on tour and a.) Label receives 10% of the touring income, b.) 10% of the sales at the swag tables, and c.) a bigger cut of the songwriting publishing, provided the artist is also a songwriter.

On the positive side, this type of deal would force the label to have an active role in promoting the artist because they would have much to lose if the artist doesn't have any commercial success.

Negatively, artists would have an increasingly difficult time even breaking even, let alone make an actual profit due to the label's dipping into a formerly sacred source of income.

I don't know what the answer is. I feel a major sense of desperation from the labels to come up with methods to remain viable in the music marketplace.

Anyone else want to weigh in on this topic?

Wandering Blogs Make Good Reads

Whew! A Day Off!

I'm listening to a slew of new music. (Thanks to the In-Store Play giveaways at work!)

J.J. Cale's "Rewind", Grace Potter and the Nocturnal's "This Is Somewhere", Killers' "Sawdust", Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's "Raising Sand", Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" among others. I love being a musician.
These CDs are alot better when I can actively listen to them, rather than have them on in the background while I sticker merchandice.


I've also slept alot. What is it with days off that require so much sleep?


Couple of insignificant things on my mind lately. Weigh in if you're annoyed, too.

1. Why hath Rolling Stone proceeded with desperate pleas for my renewal when my subscription isn't actually up until May? It's not even a great magazine anymore. I'm down with more "career specific" rags like American Songwriter and Paste.

2. Comcast is far from fantastic.

There are alot more serious things I could discuss but I'm just going to enjoy my music time.

Scattered Thoughts

I like Ryan Adam's version of When The Stars Go Blue. An Awful Lot.

I'm loving Married Life.

Typing with a Wedding Band on is Most Lovely.

Old Country is Pretty Stinking Great.

R.I.P. Porter. I hope you and Dolly got it all squared away.

It's getting Awfully Chilly. Winter is on the way. Unfortunately.

I just may download the new Radiohead. (It's getting Rave Reviews.)

Sandwiches made by someone who loves you are SO much better than sandwiches made by yourself.

I can't wait until I'm able to teach.

I'm in an awfully random mood this morning.

Hey All

You were all there...but I'd just like to say that




I'm Married.

It's Damn Good.

Damn Good.

Record Labels

I just thought I would chime in on the whole Radiohead-Self-Distribution thing.

A couple of points to consider, fellow musicians:

1. Radiohead has been in existence for about 20 years, and have developed relationships with media, major labels, fans, and distributors.

They are just using their pre-established notoriety as their promotional vehicle. This issue of their website and the band as a record label isn't necessarily "revolutionary" as many press outlets have claimed. They could all get together and fart simultaneously in a secluded room in Liverpool and the world would know, soley based on their previous fame-hood.

2. Bands like Collective Soul, Eagles, and Garth Brooks also use their previously established business relationships to work exclusive promotion/distribution deals.

3. The independent, unassociated artist doesn't have any opportunity to sell incredible volumes of their product without major label help. If I suddenly announced that I was releasing my music exclusively online at www.ihaveanewcdout.com right now, only a select few of you would go there and take advantage of it, because I don't have 20 years of music industry contacts to promote my recordings to the whole world.

Record labels are still relevant, even though their business models are about a century outdated, because they have relationships with major retailers, distribution, marketing, and promotion to get artist's works in to the ears of the general public.

I know this was a long rant, but I just needed to explain what a label does. I can't knock them, because they will eventually figure out a new business model, and I might go work for one.

Woo Ha.

Hey, Ya'll. I'm employed.

I start at Barnes & Noble on Thursday morning.

I'm really grateful and glad that my search has paid off.

I'm kind of sad, though.

It's not a huge deal. I hate feeling like I'm on the bottom rung again.

As though my collegiate and career experience has been worth nothing more than an, "Oh, that's nice and why are you not working in the Music Business?"

*Sigh.*

It'll be good. I'm just going to have to adjust.

Besides, there are more important things to spend my time thinking about.

Hmmmm, Okay.

I'm irritated.

I'm searching for jobs. It's already degrading. I don't need any more bullsh*t judgmental looks from employees when I hand in my applications.

Just now, I turned in an app to a music store, and I waited around forever to talk to someone; passing the time by browsing through severely incorrect hack-job transcriptions of Tori Amos songs and whathaveyou.

The 50ish dude at the counter says, "Can I help you?"

I respond, "Yes, I picked this up and filled this out the other day."

"Oh," he says, with a look trying to disguise his thoughts of, "Are you kidding me? You're not seriously applying here, are you?" before finishing with, "I'll get this into the hands of the Powers That Be."

"Thank you very much!" I said, cheerfully.

I'm wearing nice clothes. I'm cleanshaven. My piercings are tasteful. I work hard. I have the talent to do a multitude of things. Being poor and jobless is wearing me pretty damn thin already Mr. Incredulous Face. Maybe you could put yourself in my shoes, and empathize a little bit instead of being suspicious of my desire to work in your sissy little music store?

Okay, I must get back to work. Perhaps I'll find somewhere more hip to waste my energy on.

Bearing Witness To You

Holy Crizzzzzap! It's been a long time since I've posted.

Lots has changed for me.

The Rundown:

1. I'm not in Nebraska anymore.

2. I'm not employed currently.

3. I go to get into an apartment today. (I'll keep you posted!)

4. My Blazer is in critical condition.

5. 5 Weeks and 4 Days and then I'm a married man.

6. It's already fall. Brr.

7. Collective Soul's new cd Afterwords is pretty darn good.

8. I can whip up a mean batch of bacon if I have to.

9. Driving in Metro Denver isn't as difficult as previously thought.

10.I'm going to try and write more often, once things get settled.

I hope to hear from everyone soon!

Time to go get my background/credit checked.

Edge, You're a Genius.

I am a complete music nerd.

Truely.

Watching "Rattle And Hum", and the live version of "With Or Without You" is on, and I'm noticing a secondary feedback part that I've never noticed before.

And now I'm obsessed with it!

Damn you, Edge. Your "musical psychology" working in full effect. Sustaining that erie "D" (or Db, in this version), serves to subconsciously emote that desperate longing that Bono sings.

Baroque period writers utilized this very technique, only we know it as "text painting" in that context.

Why can't more artists make their songs sound like what they mean??

Okay. I'm done. For now.

Wrapping It Up

A few pix.

Barely representative.

Keep on RITFW.




Last gig in Chadron last night.

Listy Things v2.0

It's been a couple weeks, I'm sorry.

It might be longer than that before the next one...so many changes are about to happen in this drrtyworld:

1. I'm moving in 2 weeks.

2. I am going to San Diego with Katrina after I move.

3. I am going to find a job when I get back.

4. I am going to spend more regular time with Katrina.

5. Apartment Shopping.

6. Wedding!

I came to some conclusions this week.

1. I don't really like 100 degree weather...so if I said that to anyone at any time in my life prior to now, I apologize and hereby retract my heat-loving comment.

1a) Weather forecasters are truely ignorant.

2. The more I learn about my fiance', the more I love her. (Bless that book!)

3. The more about myself I learn, the more I can love myself and let God use me for big things. (More on this later.)

4. This debut by the Bravery is kind of cool, now that I've had a moment to sufficiently crank it.

5. Salad. Who knew?

Okay, tough things.

We're all sinners, saved by Grace. God doesn't see sins when he sees His children, rather that we've accepted His son's sacrifice.

I've had a horrible time letting go and forgiving myself for stuff I did during my "dark period." It was a stretch of time where I was focused on taking care of my own needs, ignoring God's hand in my life, and pretty much blocking out all communication with Him. Without His influence, life can be really not-good.

Over the course of the last few months, I feel like I've reconnected and begun to seek more Christ-centered attitudes and habits.

What is forgiveness? I've seen it put this way: God can't punish you for sin if He's forgiven you. I've been punishing myself. I haven't forgiven myself.

I think I've figured out how, though.

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Ah-ha!

Confessing!

I have to admit to sins! THEN comes the cleansing. Wow. What a revelation. God will forgive, but I have to own up to my shortcomings.

Thus endeth Joe's "truth discovery" moment. For today, that is.

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!

Last night, Katrina brought up how some males are "physical" with their expression of anger or frustration. I am not, in the sense that I don't bang walls or hit countertops or kick defenseless animals. But talk to my Yamaha P60, and it will tell you that when I feel helpless, or sad, or frustrated, or angry...I pray, and I talk about it with Katrina..and then I pound out Bruce Hornsby solos until I feel better.

And it doesn't take long!

Although my piano is a little worse for the wear when I'm done.

Fun Stuff

My sis sent me a text with lyrics from "Stuck in a Moment" by U2, to which I replied "How True, and also one of my top ten favorite U2 songs."

Should I even give it a shot?

Yes.

All opinions are subject to change, but here goes nothing (In order of favorite, too.)

10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2. Where The Streets Have No Name
1. With Or Without You

Okay, I can't do it...I tried, I really did, but I really love too many stinking U2 songs to prioritize and categorize.

Hope the day is great for you lucky readers.

Things

I learned some valuable life lessons this last weekend:

1. I love being in love with Katrina. (I knew this one already, but it's reinforced every time I see or speak to her!)

2. It is really okay to share all of my burdens.

3. I have alot of unresolved anger issues with my dad.

4. I love talking about the wedding.

5. I don't want to "leave" Katrina any more. (Also knew this, but bears repeating!)

6. I think I'll enjoy the grey showing up in my beard.

7. There are so many more wonderful things in my life than horrible things.

8. Prayer is of ultimate importance.

9. Thunderstorms still rock, but not as much when you have to drive through them.

10. Speaking of rock, R.P.M. fills the "post-grunge guitar noise" void that has existed ever since "Emo" came into existence.

I learned alot more, but there's a sampling for you all to chew on.

It's Not All Bad. Sometimes I Get To Be A Rockstar!

Here's some pics from last weekend's "Fur Trade Days" beer garden at the Olde Main Street Inn..

I'm Angry.

I really need a job that is not here.

I just got yelled at because my boss had to come in and work yesterday (and so did I, by the way, bossman!). He's mad because his baseball tournament is next weekend and I've made plans to be in Denver to make plans for my wedding. MY WEDDING. He said, "It's your responsibility to make sure those shifts are covered, whether you have to switch things around or work a different shift!" and, "You still have a job to do here." I'm sorry, but I've slaved for you too many times without appropriate compensation to deem my voicetracking shift more important than getting married.

What about all the times I was here thirteen or fourteen hours in a row without a break because someone didn't come in? What about the stretch of time I worked 50 days in a row without a day off? How about Labor Day weekend last year when I was in this building for 20 hours straight, only to return less than 6 hours later so we could get the new computer system figured out? What about when I bend over backwards to get a whole new category of music into rotation and all you do is buy my lunch?

I am getting sick to death of this routine. How about giving me a raise to match my performance? Oh, wait, painting our offices is MUCH more important...we should definitely spend a thousand dollars on that.

Is it this way everywhere? I hope not. I hate the feeling of being screwed all the time.

At War

I have alot on my heart this morning. These verses are standing out to me:



1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.



I'm feeling pretty attacked lately. Not by anything of this world, but on a spiritual level. I have a wonderful relationship. There are many reasons why, but the simple list includes elements like our ability to communicate, to be honest and real with eachother no matter the issue, our connection, our mutual desire to seek Godly things, our compassion for others, and many more characteristics that prove to me everyday that Katrina is my One.

Satan hates us. He hates everything good. He hates the way we communicate with God, and our desire to be closer to Jesus. He will be unscrupulous in his method to destroy us, but because we have accepted the sacrifice of Christ's death and resurrection, we have been given the power to deny the evil one.

This is all head knowledge for me, but each day, the heart knowledge of these facts grows.

I still haven't quite processed exactly what I'm trying to say, but it's taking shape. Perhaps opening the floor to discussion will help me figure it out.

Thank you for letting me share.

If I Were King

Why can't we screen our calls at the radio station?

I've heard two or three really awkward calls this morning while listening to the Morning Man.

It would really help if they could do things like any other major radio station in the world, and have a "producer" with some vague idea of the tone of the phone call about to go on the air.

The main thing I noticed this morning was the ignorant nature of the callers, and the ineptitude of the host to handle such telecommunicational dumbassery.

Why I still care is a mystery to me, but I just can't stand the lack of professionalism in our sound.

And while I'm at it.

Why the $&#* did we hire an illiterate newsreporter? There's over 60,000 hits a day to our station website and we sanction a story written so poorly, a 5th grader in remedial english could've written a more succinct, grammatically correct version!

It's called syntax. It's called punctuation. Please learn what these things mean before applying for a communications-related career.

God Went Bowling

God sure knows how to frame a day in greatness.

I usually abhor waking up in the early morning, but this morning was a dream. Bright flashes of lightning, and thunder shaking the whole house. Yay.

And the smell of rain, washing away that sick smell of ponderosa pine ash and soot.

It's going to be maybe 90 today. Almost 80 for a few days thereafter.

(Ask me sometime about forest fires...I still have unresolved trauma issues with them.)

May everyone have a beautiful day!

Lost in the Moment (In the Moment)

I feel like such a rockstar today.

I have to learn 2 songs before 5 ish.

I'm gonna be fine.

It's the rest of the band I'm worried about "Conducting" through the gig, and remembering to sing.

If only I had some sort of confidence in the guitar player's ability to believe in his playing in moments like that.

I added some guitar parts to "completely" last night..And I transplanted 8 notes from Shawn's previous version, corrected the tempo so it would match the new arrangement. I am a genius.


Well, I hope everyone's day is as beautiful as mine is forecast to be!

Oh, Boy...

It's a rejection letter!

Dear Joseph Lowry:Thank you for expressing interest in the position of Multimedia / AV Technician, in the department of Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. We have experienced a large response to this opening from a number of highly qualified individuals. With this response, we have been able to very closely match our job specifications with another candidate.Your interest in the University of Denver is appreciated, and I wish you success in your job search.

Back to the drawing board.

3:30 AM Hurts.

But in this case, it's a Good Hurt.

New arrangement of my song Completely available for your scrutiny:

www.myspace.com/drrtyjoe , as my profile song.

www.myspace.com/musicianjoelowry , with others I'm highlighting right now.

Comments, critiques, questions? Send a message.

Miscelania

Yay. It's Thursday. Day after. I had to drive through a bunch of hollowed out, burned up fireworks in the middle of my street. I'm all about blowing crap up, but any time I've ever done it I've always cleaned it up right after they were all done.

I'm in a random mood right now, so bear with me.

I hate this dramatic shift in attitude that occurs in me the moment I walk into the office. I woke up feeling quite right and good. Even in the car on the way down I felt fairly okay. Upon my arrival, I instantantly feel bitter, angry, and insecure. Time to move on?

I had the opportunity to check out some interviews and live performances online of one of my favorite bands, Collective Soul. They did an acoustic lounge session at the pop station down there in ATL, Star 98.7, for those who feel like searching. Quite brilliant.

Alright, I think I'm done blabbing for now.

Later.

Rawking Out

Ryan Adams, I adore your style.

The following is the oddball rock track from his new disc.

Halloweenhead.

An allegory for falling into temptation. And Hating yourself afterward.


Here comes that sh*t againI've got a halloweenheadHead full of tricks and treatsIt leads me thru the nighttime streetsBlack cats and falling treesUnder ladders always walkingSalt shaker spills just throw it over your shoulder, babeI've got a bad idea again, i've got aHalloweenhead, halloweenheadHead full of candy bagsCostume shops and punks in dragHead full of tricks and treatsPlaces where junkies meetAnd it leads me thru streets at nightThat's alright, i just watch i don't go insideIt's all the same old sh*t againI got a halloweenheadI got a halloweenheadLord, i got a halloweenheadGuitar soloI got a halloweenheadLord, i've got a halloweenheadI got a halloweenheadOh lord, i've got a halloweenheadHere comes that sh*t againI've gota halloweenheadHead of tricks and treatsIt leads me thru the nighttime streetsDowntownDowntownDowntownI've got a halloweenheadLord, i've got a halloweenheadWhat the f*ck's wrong with me, god i'm a halloweenhead.

I wish I could articulate.

Ryan Adams. Easy Tiger. Brilliance. One of the nice things about a long car trip alone is the opportunity to wear a new cd out. There are plenty of tracks on the cd worth repeating and repeating, all in the "alt country singer-songwriter" style- however- a "sore thumb" track that totally rocks my world is the "single" (who the hell plays RA?) Halloweenhead. It's the most rock, in-your-face cut right in the middle of the twangy syrup.

Driving away from the woman I love is the hardest thing. Every time we see eachother, the world is changed for the better. We grow immeasurably closer. Our conversations are life-altering. Our dreams are exponentially larger than life. All is right. And then-we have to seperate because our "adult sense of responsibility" kicks in and ruins it all.

I need a job. In Denver. We're both praying like crazy. Would you?

Ugh. The real world sucks.

I just looked at my paycheck. I'll bring home all of $13, 437.84 this year. On Paper it says I make $18, 300. Wow. Even the Gross Pay looks awful.

Praypraypraypraypraypray!

I suppose I'd better get back to work.


By The Way: I love you, Katrina.

Dirty Hippies, Part 2?

Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

I'm sick and tired of people posting bulletins on myspace about how "unashamed" of God they are, and how I'm not really a Christian if I don't attach my name to a list, or repost a misleading bulletin.

You might well be a Christian, but I don't believe you if you don't let His Spirit demonstrate the preceeding list of attributes in your life. I don't need told how Christian you are, I want to be see it in practice in your life.

Dirty Hippies

The other morning, I had the pleasure of interviewing a bunch of dirty hippies who were traveling through with a presentation on "Climate Change and the Individual Effort". It was a benign enough premise to begin with, and I figured it to be a very easy interview. Wrong.

First of all, they weren't even supposed to be my guests, they were subs. At any rate, the interview was tough from the get-go. I would pose a question and there would be 30 seconds of dead air while they would all decide who was going to talk, and when they finally came to a consensus, the ringleader, an obvious fan of mullets, weed, and never-removed aviators, would give the most insanely vague responses in the vein of "yeah, man...(random hippie gibberish here.)"

Even direct questions were answered with the vaguery of a three year old being interrogated by a reprimandant mother.

"What are some of the statistics that demonstrate the purported warming trend in our global climate?"

"I don't have any figures right off hand, but (blah blah blah rainforests, blah blah carbon output, blah blah blah killing off species of marmoset in Indochina blah blah blah."

"Do you support federal mandates encouraging the production and availability of bio fuels and alternative sources of energy?"

"Corporate Entities are bad, M'Kay. Blah blah blah the almighty dollar somethingorother. Big Brother. Ooga booga!"

"What can our community do to reduce our energy consumption and contribute in a positive manner to our climate?"

"Well, it requires a change in lifestyle, blah blah blah rain catchments, blah blah Composting blah blah blah don't truck anything into town blah blah grow your own organic gardens."

I have an idea. How about a shower. And take off those sunglasses. Also, lay off the weed, man, cuz it's affecting your ability to not sound like a complete ignorant a-hole.

The fun never stops. More Interview Stories to come, I'm sure of it.

Blue Blazes

Well, crap. It's uncomfortably hot. I love warm weather, in fact, I could live where it was 80 all the time. This 100 degree afternoon isn't fun at all. To make it more painful, the electric bill will reflect the need for a little more A/C. Blah. Whaddya do.

To counteract the negativity in the preceeding statements...

I'm totally in love. Totally. I was yesterday, and before that. I've been "officially" in love for a couple of months.
Today I woke up even further in it.
Love is a many splendored thing, indeed!

Faster Than Angels Fly

I know, I'm supposed to save money. I couldn't pass up the new Big & Rich cd.

I really like some of the tracks. Lyrically, they still suffer from the "Coming to Your City" syndrome, or the "I'm a white rap/rocker bragging about myself" tendency, but only in limited doses. What strikes me is the production: very well done.

I may write more if the mood strikes me; this was just a "Knee Jerk" reaction.

If I Have To Paint...

I decided to go with "Damn Cool".

Did You Know (aka Random Stuff Alert)

That there's a wicked-cool guitar track on "Lost In This Moment". And it's only one note. I love hearing things through 'el cheapo' speakers in the control room.

5:55 am and I'm up!?

And quasi-functional!

God Bless Coca-Cola.

God has blessed my family. And my new family. And Me.

Postin a Pic For My Blog

Layin It Down For Yous.

Okay, here's the deal. I wanted to get more "diary" like and personal in a blog. My real friends deserve more than the bait they're getting over at myspace. Friends, feel free to comment, and offer advice, criticism, or whatever. I'd prefer to keep this strictly friends. I hope I can write in an uncensored candor here.

Ah, Yes. A Blogspot Blog!

I'm here, and new to the Blogspot world! If you're a friend, please add me!