damondwyer1960

I've been calling her Alan Morris for years, well done that chap!

My girlfiend at the time (now wife) bought this Glen Ballard product about 15 years ago and I'm sorry to say (sorry love) that she is the only target audience likely to buy this stripped down version of Alan. She also likes Cath Kidston so we're talking swings and roundabouts, know what I mean?

I agree with a lot of what Steven Ansell says. I'm not going to analyse the industry here, I just want to share some lessons-learned with you guys...

I think that the focus needs to stay on the product and the audience. Forget the music business as much as you can afford to, they really are just opportunistic investors.

I think most successful artists forget about 'making it'. This will help keep the 'art' in the music alive and relevant to the audience. It will also keep you sane. Get this right and yes, of course you'll get the media attention and the investors. But, forget the art that made you famous at your peril.

How the A&R people hear about you is important. If you've forgotten about 'making it' then you're gonna appear more attractive. I think the more you ignore the business and concentrate on your art the more attractive you get. It's a bit catch 22. Also, ignore the blog journos, they are simply too busy or egotistical or both that they have lost all sense of humanity and 'touch'. Don't forget they really need your good 'art' to look important too.

As for guitars? People are fascinated by guitar music. It seems very human, emotional, enduring. I don't mind (and am guilty of) some era-hopping retro guitar sounds so long as it paints the right picture or nostalgic feeling and isn't a plaintive rip-off of the 60s (we don't fly Spitfires any more but they're very popular on History Channel). The top 10 selling albums of all time include many guitar musos so the appetite is there. If the song itself is catchy, has some clever or catchy guitar work and the lyrics aren't shite then the audience will love it.

Ahh, that's better, think I'll have a lie down now...

BTW, I really like the Little Red Shoes.

Damon Dwyer