--- Chadd Smith <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Hearing songs like these on the radio makes me hopeful that there's
> still
> a demand for the kind of pop music that the Connells play.

Mike, Perry Lin, and I were discussing this the other night.  As Perry
pointed out, unfortunately, it would be difficult to for the Connells
to get airplay on what Mike calls "the Young People's radio", because
their style is sufficiently unlike what is being played now.  I mean,
even the bands you enumerated really don't have that much in common
with the Connells' sound.  Really, most of what is played on
"alternative" radio (the only difference between alternative and
mainstream radio these days seems to be that on alternative, the rap
acts are white) is pure dreck.  At least around here it is.  The only
band that I've heard on the radio that I'm kinda liking these days is
Eve 6--I think they have a clever way with lyrics.  But I'm still not
convinced enough to buy their album, or pay to see them live.  And if I
hear one more annoying Third Eye Blind song (Hello!  Do none of the
other band members realize that their singer has an atrocious LISP?), I
may be forced lay violent hands upon myself.

> (Not that there's anything necessarily wrong
> with
> other acts out there.  It's just that somehow jangle pop, and pop
> with
> a little more substance, got forgotten along the way.)
>

The thing is, there are tons of great pop bands out there, only you
won't hear any of them on the radio.  Mitch Easter's new band, Shalini,
is just FANTASTIC.  I just got Bill Lloyd's most recent CD out of the
used bin at a store in Nashville--granted, he started out country but
this album is 100% pop.  Ditto Steve Earle--on his newest one there's
everything from bluegrass to Celtic to Beatlesque rock.  Haven't heard
the Aimee Mann, but everyone says it's great.  It seems like there's
this huge underground movement of fabulous pop and rock that everyone
who's into music knows about, but for some reason still can't break
thru to the public.

> I'm really hopeful that the time is right for the new album and that
> this
> time around the band can get enough promotion to generate the
> attention
> that it deserves.  Still Life was an excellent album, and yet no one
> seemed to notice except the die-hard fans.  I hope this album isn't
> similarly forgotten.
>

O.K., this is my take on it.  Since there's no label this time out, my
personal belief is that promotion is going to be up to US, folks.  I
have already decided, and told the band and their manager, that I will
do everything that's in my power to get this album out where people can
hear it.  I know others on this list have said the same thing.  I
really think this is a case where the fanbase can be an invaluable tool
to the band.  And then there's the Internet--the importance of which
the Connells and their management have ALWAYS underestimated.


> Okay, back to lurk mode.  Thanks for letting me rant.
>

Thanks very much for your imput, Chad!

=====
Dede

"You get what you pay for,
But I just had no
Intention of living this way."--The Counting Crows

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