SnowGhost Music

After spending a few weeks in my problem solving lab in my very best problem solving labcoat, which also doubles as my problem solving raincoat as a result of previous problem solving, I have figured out how to save the music industry from another slow Holiday season. As is always the case when I am on the case in the PS lab, I first had to identify the problem. It seemed rather obvious to me almost immediately that the reason people do not flock to Target just to buy CDs for their loved ones is not due to the glaring lack of holiday-themed American Idol contestant releases. The obvious reason is that Americans have abandoned the CD as a gift because it does not fit well into a standard stocking.

While a series of self-co... read more >

Things were different when I was a youngster. Sixth graders did not carry cell phones or iPods, gas was under a dollar, a ‘laptop’ referred to a special kind of dance, and if you were discussing product placement, you were most likely asking someone which aisle you could find Coke Classic in. Eddie Murphy was the coolest dude on the planet, fast food was still priding itself on its unhealthiness, and fades and certain varieties of mullets were considered cutting edge hairdos. Something that was certainly not considered cutting edge was any type of selling out. Back then, selling out could even consist of an artist seen drinking a can of Tab onstage. Neil Young wrote an album and a made a video about it that MTV refused to play be... read more >

Five years ago I lived in a tiny beach town in Costa Rica. The town had dirt roads, a few restaurants and hotels, a fare share of gringo ex-pats, and a surf school where I was an instructor. There were plenty of waves in towns too, but not a whole lot of music. Actually, I was one third of the entire music scene. With two other singer/songwriters who happened to also be surf instructors, we played every Tuesday night at one of the local resaurant/bars. Eventually we started playing Friday nights at a place a little down the street that stayed open a little later. We even got paid a little, in addition to the free food and drinks. We had it good. and for some reason I can´t quite remember, we left.

Five years later, you... read more >

I don't mean to be a music snob, but I'm not that into cover bands. I'm not intrigued by anyone's My Sherona/ Green-Eyed Lady medley. I don't feel the urge to dance to Angel in the Centerfold, and I don't get pumped to see a Sublime tribute band. In fact, I'm liable to walk in a bar and turn straight around if there's a cover band that's going to come between me and the loving conversation I plan on having with at least two adult beverages.

But the existence of live music, even in it's most irritating, soul-wrenching, tasteless form, is a necessity. A blessing even, because for every 50 renditions of Margaritaville you might be subjected to, you might get one creative Martin Sexton cover. It's our right as Americans to fr... read more >

Now put yourself in these shoes: You've just left Ted's studio. Despite only knowing how to play three chords on his vintage guitar and refusing to ever play in front of anyone, Ted has ProTools and a studio and plenty of instruments. And while he dreams of one day luring Blonde Redhead into his home studio so he can help make the greatest record of 2009, he is happy allowing his actual musician friends to use his stuff in the meantime. Which is exactly what you've been doing for the past week, and now you've got an album's worth of songs to do something with, including one track which Ted considers to be, "revolutionary- maybe the best song not by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah since 2005."

You are also a relatively obscure art... read more >