The BRITS ( British Record Industry Travesties )...Shame On You

Last week's BRITS were a spectacular demonstartion of most things that are responsible for the decline in the Major Labels .....sorry but it's true
 It showcased some real talent - Adele was fab as was Rhianna - but was undermined by witless presentation ,an excess of pyrotechnics and an absence of any charismatic artists .......to be blunt , if Take That are the Best Group then I'm Pixie Lott !
 In a complete Major Label carve-up of " Awards " the failure of Sony to " win " anything was a particularly sorry show for a once-great label ......Shame on You ! If I couldn't sign an artist good enough to win a BRIT I would stand on my head on the 4th plinth for a day ...Jesus wept !
  A lot of people tell me Mumford and Sons are " Great " ...yeah ,I'm Cheryl Cole too !
 In a year when UK Black Music dominated the charts it was disgusting to see Tinie Tempah be the " token RnB " winner .....Shame On You !
 I like Laura Marling but again if she's the Best Female then I'm Justin Bieber
 I could go on but I won't ....except to say that more people watched " My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding " on the night than the BRITS , Shame On You
 Meanwhile the orchestra played on as The Titanic sunk a little further and the deckchairs were rfearranged one final time !
 Shame On You All 

Where have all the visionary A&R men gone ?

It gives me no pleasure watching the industry I love(d) dying slowly and painfully ....well that's not quite true I must admit to a touch of schadenfreud ( look it up ! ) and smugness as it crashes and burns 

 As I write this I'm listening to Tom Waits " The Heart Of Saturday Night " and it makes me wonder....where did all the great,original artists go ? They haven't stopped making music I'm sure !

Perhaps the question should be where have all the visionary A&R men gone ...people like Simon Draper,Muff Winwood,Daniel Miller and me ? We changed the face of British music by signing great bands who dared to be different and didn't give a fuck about convention . 

  I feel sorry for current A&R men ,sitting in their offices like a row of " smoking beagles " only in this case they are killing them selves slowly by listening to  shit and trying to convince an increasingly sceptical public that look ...the king IS wearing a beautiful set of clothes ! ! 

  Instead of cigarettes they wear headphones and a beleagured expression as they try to persuade the current Producer or writer flavour of-the-month that their latest anorexic dimwit is the next Pixie/Cheryl or Ellie !

 Now I know just how much pressure these guys are under believe me but surely if a once-great business is dying through lack of interest of it's customers isn't it time to do something different ,sign GOOD music instead of rubbish ,sign artists whose strength is their individuality rather than some painter and decorator who can sing kareoke ?

 Of course noone in the business would be brave enough to employ me now coz I 'm, too opinionated and quite hard work - OK very hard work : ) - but great artist need great people to handle them and I was an expert at that 

 I'm going to tell you all the secret to great A&R .......it is persuading an artist to do what you want them to but have them think it is their idea ! 

 Sounds simple but you should try it ........I'm good at it ,it's my strtength . I can't sing or play or produce or m ix - believe me I've tried - but I can encourage artists to believe in themselves ,question them as to are they being the best they can be.

 Now if the music business IS dying - and sadly that is the case - then surely you A&R guys out there shouldn't die wondering ......the recent success of Plan B the new Chase & Status ( or nu-Pendulum ) and James Blake show that there IS a demand for excellent ,confrontational stimulating new music 

 So come on you smoking A&R men ,cast off your headphones and join us in the search for a brand-new bright tomorrow ! !

PS all  label MD's form an orderly queue for my services : ) )  

Managers/artists...friends or foes ?

This week ,after spending 8 months working very hard with a new  artist called Rahma I was politely informed that ,now I had got to the point of getting her a deal ,my services as a manager would not be required ,but she would be happy for me to do some synch licensing for her ... I'm sure you can imagine my reaction......that's right I told her exactly what I thought of her and we are no longer working together .
 She said that she wants to run her own business ,make all the decisions  and have a coterie of " advisers " at her beck and call. This is just about the stupidest idea I've ever heard - and I've heard plenty of stupid ideas from artists AND managers !
 I told her that " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing ...and she certainly has a little knowledge "
 However as well as being ,justifiably ,angry I was also very hurt that a young artist with great potential should ruin whatever chance she may have had of success by believing she can make every decision ! I'm not saying that I should be the manager ,I don't have a problem if there is someone better or we don't get along ,but the idea of any artist running their own business and making every decision whilst be the artist is utterly nonsensical ! !
 However it has made me think about the nature of the artist/manager relationship in the " new " music business and I've concluded that now with the onus more than ever on the artist to do so much of the work themselves ,and with decreasing importance of even having a deal with any of the dinosaur labels, a good manager is ESSENTIAL to a band or artists chances of success
 However that is easier said than done and I know that for every good manager there are at least 20 idiots and almost every artist has horror stories to tell about being exploited ,ripped-off or worse
 Do I think I'm a good manager ? I'm a " work in progress " but with my experience of A&R ,labels ,ad agencies,brands,PR and synch I think I'm on the right track
 As the business changes  people who really love music know that there is more to life than major-label rubbish and i-tunes ...there will always be a horde of us curious to hear new,exciting music that lifts our hearts and minds,Music For The Soul ........and this is where good managers can really help their artists .
 You need to have more than great music now to make you stand out from the crowd...the internet is a wonderful place to find music but it's not democratic and there is so much shit to wade through before you get to the Promised Land .......
 A good manager should  work WITH the artist to makes things happen.....and therein is the crux of the matter ....too many artist think a manger should work FOR them not WITH them....as long as they think like that they are doomed
 Every artist I've known has shared the same view...if they afre successful it's coz they are brilliant - if they fail it's because the label/manager/plugger etc were shit . It was ever thus and will probably remain so.........but at least I tried
 You know I genuinely hope Rahma goes on to achieve the success she deserves but unless she has a reality check she will end up like so many others before her....thinking of what might have been
 On a happier note I have heard some truly brilliant music recently from Because records - the new Errol Alkan track featuring Jarvis Cocker "Avalanche " is absoluely brilliant as is the new Django Django album . In fact all their new music is so amamzing Because Records will be the subject of my next blog
 The Soul Guru Loves YOU x

The State Of The Union

Welcome to the first post of 2011 ,the blog will now be posted weekly every Monday as I want to make it as good as possible and not find myself repeating myself .

 The New Year is always a good time to reassess things with a view to trying to improve ....and God knows the state of the music business needs improving.

 If you didn't see it last week HMV reported a sales drop of 13% year on year and their shares lost 21% of their value as a result .....all the majors - or should that be both as you can't count Warners and EMI nowadays - are losing money like a drunk in a casino ( hello Andy Carroll of Newcastle United ). 

 Sad but in life you get what you deserve........and the " major " music business deserves nothing ergo they get nothing. I saw the new C-Lo green album being advertised for sale on TV for a fiver in Tescos......there's nothing like treating you artists with respect ,and that's nothing like treating you artist with respect ! 

 The decline has been so predictable - when i worked at Sony we had countless meeting discussing the internet but while we talked about it how we could control it rather than embrace it the world turned and there we were ,selling horse-drawn carriages just as the internal combustion engine was invented .This was the point that the music biz started to unravel.

 Combine this with the labels doing a deal with 1 retailer ( i-tunes ) who control 85 % of the market , a whole generation of kids who have never paid for music and a complete absdence of anyone decent A&R guys what do you get ? Oblivion,extinction , death .

 The "majors " will take around 5 years to die but as they lay twitching and gasping for breath something beautiful is happening reminiscent of the rise of Punk in 1977........people are startuing to make music by themselves ,for themselves ...not worrying about "getting a deal ".......THIS IS A VERY GOOD THING !

 Of course shit like X-Factor will continue and brainless sheep with no sense or taste will continue to watch pasty-faced painter and  decorators murder a selection of kareoke favourites and buy their single before instantly forgetting them .....

 I started out in a record shop ,had no presumptions to be an A&R man but when I  started it was obvious that I was great at it ,mainly because I cared about music and never cared at all about the labels .

 As my career progressed I became known a s a " maverick " or worse and as the music business became increasingly bland and predictable it was inevitable that we would go our separate ways . Fuck them ,it was their loss...

 Despite everything I never lost my passion for music and now it burns brighter than ever inside me  - I love writing this ,listening to new music and working with great new artists.

 There is so much great music out there if you are prepared to look for it ,I spend a lot of time and money on music because it is a passion - I buy every album I write about here and always will . You can tell by the way I write I hope that I mean every word I say . I'm not bitter about the muisc buisness...it's just irrelevant nowadays

 I believe 2011 will prove to be a tipping point for good music - I'm already looking forward to new albums from Kode 9 & The Spaceape,Breakage,Andreya Triani,Jess Mills ( amazing vocalist who appeared with LeftField  live ) ,Rahma, Patrina and even PLEASE GOD some new music from  " The Greatest Band in the World " ..........LeftField ,and I know that I will hear new music from artists I've never heard before and it will raise my spirits and lift my Soul as great new music always does.

 As far as The Soul Guru is concerned the future has never looked brighter ,our destiny is in our hands......come walk with me to a brave new world 

 X

This Is My Record Of The Year.......

I've really enjoyed 2010 from a musical  standpoint .Despite what the naysayers and moaners may have led you to believe there has been some great Muisc For The Soul released this year.
 From the amazing Soul sound of Andreya Triani , through the epic sprawling masterpice of Kanye West's " My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy " album ,John Legend & The Roots BRILLIANT " Hard Times " album ,Nicky Minaj's great " Pink Friday " album ,Janelle Monae's incredible " The Arch Android " opus ,Danny Byrd'a Old-Skool Rave/Drum & Bass cracker " Rave Digger "and a plethora of fantastic electronic/dubstep albums from Phealeh, Darkstar,Ikonika ,anything on Hyperdub ( my label of the year ) and many many more there has has been so much to celebrate and enjoy .
 I am by nature an optimist not a cynic,I'm a music snob blessed with great taste in  and greater passion for music....

 MUSIC IS SO IMPORTANT ,IT IS ART ,IT HAS MEANING AND VALUE AND HAS HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON MY LIFE .........I WILL NEVER TIRE OF GREAT NEW MUSIC OR STOP LOVING THE ARTISTS THAT HAVE MADE ME SO HAPPY

RIP Lady T and Gregory Issacs,two artist I have listened to for years and will continue to listen to as long as I live....thank you both for your incredible voices and music............through your music you will live for ever ,God Bless You both

Now comes the time for me to anoint one track THE  First  "Soul Guru's Track of The Year " ....a track that is in my opinion the best of the year
 This is based on a lot of scientific data ...like how it made me feel when I first head it ,the great memories it brings back of The Big Chill ,and just how damn great it is..............Ladies & Gentlemen the winner is ........................Magnetic Man " I Need Air "..watch the video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2vWQFHP3D0
 Thanks for following me ,next year TSG blog will be better ,more opinionated and funnier than ever
HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Teena Marie will never die

Today's news that Teena was found dead in her bed by her daughter yesterday is genuinely shocking .The tragedy of her death at only 54  and that it should be her daughter who found  her dead on Boxing day gives the situation added poignancy ...........and let nobody doubt that we have lost a genuine Princess of Soul ,a real talent.
 I always find it sad when an  artist whose music has made made a major impact on me dies ,but I find this news particularly hard to bear. It could be because we are the same age but I think it is more that she just had such a huge influence on my life. When her first album - Wild And Peaceful - came out I was working in City Sounds and it was an instant hit with all the Soul Boys and Girls who made up the bulk of my customers.
The album artwork didn't have any photos of Lady T  because Motown didn't want the audience to know she was white ......you would never have guessed it by listening to her as she sang the seminal " I'm Just A Sucker For Your Love " with Rick James ,this track simply IS Funk
 Through albums like Lady T and the astonishing Irons In The Fire and tracks like Behind The Groove ,I Need Your Lovin,Square Biz  and Portugese Love she made Soul music of the highest calibre...a new Teena Marie album was a big event ,and she didn't let us down . Her move from Motown to Epic didn't really work and from then on the quality of her music was variable- but her voice and spirit remained.
 I've been listening to her music this morning and ,whilst listening to " Deja Vu ( I've Been Here Before ) " I heard her singing " When you die you come back again,I thank God I thank God when you die you come back again " . I'm not embarrassed to say I cried my eyes out - not just for Teena but for my Mum and Dad and all the other beautiful friends I've lost
 This is the essence of Soul Music I believe...it makes me FEEL.Sometimes the feelings are good but often Soul music brings me feelings that hurt ,and that's why I love it ,why it will always be a part of my life and why Teena Marie will never die in my mind,I am blessed to have known her through her music. If you're not familiar with Lady T here's an updated wikipedia account of her .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teena_Marie
God Bless you Teena RIP X

And So This Is This Christmas ....And What Have YOU Done ?

The Soul Guru sits and thinks .....so what has 2010 done to broaden the mind ,body and SOUL ? Actually I think it has been quite a significant year for me ......a year when I started to realize that music is becoming increasingly devalued ,that the dreaded X-Factor lowest common-denominator kareoke competition  was somehow important to 20 million people ..............are you lot ,mentally deranged ?
 The bloke who won that shit was a painter and decorator........guess why ? Coz he has no charisma ,talent or other redeemable feature ....give him a ladder and a brush and tell him to Fuck Off back to decorating !
 I can't stand this trivialization of music ,it makes me so  angry !
 In 2011 The Soul Guru is going to reach out to all of you who actually care about music ...and there are thousands of us ...and we are gonna talk about great music ,get together to listen and dance to great music and do what we can to prove to people that music IS important ,that we WONT be led like sheep ,that Soul music + Fashion + Clubs = being part of a movement of people who know how to have a good time and realize that taste and class are vital ingredients of Club Culture
 I'm just in my 50's now and I'm still interested in great music ,clubs,fashion,style ,class ...........and it will never change for me coz ITS MY LIFE ! I'm going to return to DJing ,playing only the records I like - they will be brilliant ,trust me, coz I've got taste
 So this is Christmas and what have YOU done this year to show that music,clubs,style and fashion are important to you ?
 I've started to write this blog ,now once a week ,and I love expressing my feelings about new music . To those of you who may say " So what " ? I say this .........at least I did something !
 Happy Christmas and let's stand up and be counted next year...starting on January 15th at The Soul Guru's Birthday Party
 The Soul Guru Loves YOU x