Running: Facing my biggest competitor October 18, 2009
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I am not an athlete.
That’s what I say to myself nearly every time I double knot my running shoes and step out the door for a run. Because in my heart of hearts, even though I’ve run hundreds and hundreds of miles over the past three years, I still do not think of myself as a runner. In my brain, I’m still an awkward teenager with no grace, no coordination and no athletic ability. I am, without a doubt, my own biggest competitor.
If they are lucky, some people run for love of the sport. A lot of people, I find, run for fitness. Many runners that I’ve met love the competition. Me, I run for the self-challenge. When I’m out there pounding the pavement, it’s all about beating that inner teenager geek: the unpopular bookworm who didn’t ever really fit in.
In high school, I was a really smart kid – graduated second in my class. I was in all the “honors” classes (or whatever we called them). A lot of the folks in my classes were the wealthier, popular kids that shopped at The Gap (to this day, I have an aversion to The Gap that is totally illogical, but it makes me feel inferior still!). The rich kids were all in the ski club. If you weren’t popular because you had money, you were popular because you played a sport. And man, we had some crazy good athletes at my school. Our cross-country and track teams were amazing.
Now me? I may have been in the smart kid classes, but I was not wealthy, popular or athletically inclined. I was on the newspaper staff, the yearbook staff, and in the creative writing club. I was a total geek. I never felt like I fit in with the kids in my classes. My clothes were not “cool,” I didn’t have the money to join the ski club, and I was always the last one picked for teams in gym class because anything the required coordination was totally beyond my ability.
I secretly wished every day that I was in the cool crowd. I thought that if I tried something and failed at it, that people would make fun of me, that they would like me less. I loved words and writing and being smart – those were the things I was good at doing, at which I knew I wouldn’t fail. And that was the world to which I relegated myself. I was scared of making a fool of myself for trying anything outside of my world.
Of course, I went to college and rapidly figured out that the balance of cool vs. geek existed everywhere and transcended money, athletic and intellectual ability – and that it was okay to be myself and that people liked me for being myself. But there are some emotional scars that never leave, and high school will always be there for me: this big, looming reminder that once upon a time, I wasn’t okay with myself.
Even now, as an adult, there are days when I face those high school fears – that failing at something new will make people like me less. I’ve learned to tackle the fears, of course, and realize that the only way you get good at something is to fail at it and get better at failing, then succeed clumsily, and then succeed well. But the fear of failure, of wanting people to “approve” of me, is always there, in the back of my mind.
And that idea, that version of me, is who I run against. Every time I go just a little bit farther, just a little bit faster, I’m keeping that scared, unsure of herself, uncoordinated little girl at bay. Because if I can do these runs, I can do anything that I never thought myself capable of doing.
Christopher Jak Does Movies? September 17, 2009
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Yup, he does!
Christopher Jak is an amazingly talented musician/singer/songwriter (originally from NJ!) who lives out in Colorado. He’s one of my all time favorite musicians….I can’t get enough of his music.
When he’s not making his own music, he’s often producing or promoting the work of others. He recently was the music supervisor for a documentary film called “The Edge of Never” about extreme skiing that’s going to premiere at Sundance at the end of the month! I’m super excited for him…. Check out the trailer and go see it if plays in a town near you….
Will Hoge Lovin’ on CBS September 1, 2009
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I love it when my musical loves get camera love on network TV.
My favorite live artist – on CBS Saturday Early Morning Show! Congrats to Will & the boys. Looks like his accident might bring some much deserved attention to the music (it should stand on its own, but sometimes it takes something big to wake the rest of the world up).
Green River Ordinance on CNN! August 28, 2009
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Many people know how much I adore Green River Ordinance, one of my favorite little rock bands from Texas. Josh, the lead singer, and Jamey, one of the guitar players, were on CNN this afternoon! I’m so excited for them. Check it out!
The Top 5…or 10…or maybe 20? August 21, 2009
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Once, in a business meeting with a vendor, the vendor asked me something music-related. I nattered on for a bit about whatever it was and the vendor then turned to my colleague and said, “Did you see the way her eyes lit up when she started talking about music?” ‘Tis true. I love it more than anything.
That said, lots of folks ask me to “name my favorite artists.” I don’t think many people realize what a difficult question that is for me to answer. My general response is usually “I really can’t “rate” my favorites in an order. The top 5 have equal status, in my eyes, and have been the same for years.”
Just the other day, Gareth was here and I made reference to Will Hoge being my favorite artist to see live and he said something like, “You have a lot of favorites.” It’s a totally true statement – I do. And I love them all for different reasons and just as equally. But if I were forced to get rid of all of my music and only keep a few, there are some that I could just not live without.
So, who are they, you ask? In no order:
Absolutely cannot breathe not being able to hear:
Bruce Springsteen
Counting Crows
Will Hoge
Wil Seabrook
Christopher Jak
Survival would be next to impossible without:
Alpha Rev
Josh Queen
Bon Jovi
Shane Hines & The Trance
Carbon Leaf
And it would break my heart if I couldn’t hear:
Edwin McCain
Gareth Asher
Sam Thacker
Pat McGee Band
Honor By August
Depression would set in without:
The Stereophonics
Tim Brantley
Green River Ordinance
Mieka Pauley
David McMillin
Seriously, in typing this I expanded from 10 to 20 because I just can’t imagine my life without the music of some of these amazing artists. But it was next to impossible. I had to cut Corey Hart off the list, and that’s just sad. “Sunglasses at Night” is immortal. 
So there it is, set in stone, or at least HTML, for all the world to see.
The Return of Rock n’ Roll August 20, 2009
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Late last August, I was sitting at my desk when an e-mail came through from a sorority sister who lived in Nashville. The title was “Oh no.” And all it had was a link. What it led to made me tear up sitting at my desk. One of my favorite musicians – and probably my favorite musician to see live – had been involved in a serious scooter vs. car accident. Will Hoge was in critical condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
His injuries were severe – broken collarbone, ribs, punctured lung, shattered femur and kneecap, over 100 stitches for various lacerations – it may have been shorter to list what wasn’t broken.
How does someone recover from that?
I watched, with thousands of Will’s other fans, over the next few months as he battled his way out of the hospital, into recovery, and through surgeries and physical therapy. I was so happy that he survived the accident, but as he came back to life, and it was apparent through blog posts and news from friends that Will was still Will, I began to worry about the music.
This is a musician known for his powerhouse live shows and his relentless touring schedule – we’re talking 300 nights a year doing shows. And I can’t even put into words the sheer … electricity of Will’s live show. To steal a phrase from Grace Potter – “three cups full of bottled lightning.” Going to a Will Hoge show is, for me, the utter epitome of what rock n’ roll is about, even moreso than a Springsteen show. Maybe because Will brings that old gospel church revival feel without the “show” of a Springsteen performance. To me, a Will Hoge show is all about making you feel the rock ‘n’ roll, to feel the emotion behind the music. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him perform “Woman, Be Strong,” watching him drop to his knees and wail and thinking “Oh my god, he loves that girl.” And then Annie and I catching each other’s eyes and her just mouthing “Wow.” Afterwards, she said, “I think we just witnessed a moment.”
Here’s the thing – in the 54 times I’ve seen Will, there are more of those moments than I can count. He is, plain and simple, a rock ‘n’ roll musician. There is a reason that I’ve seen him as many times as I have. I can’t explain it, I can’t put it in words to convey it, but watching Will perform makes me feel alive. He literally animates the emotions of his songs – pain, anger, hope, love, frustration, sadness, longing, injustice – you can watch them play out on stage. There is raw power in what he does. It is electric and fantastic and exhilarating. I want to bottle it and carry it with me at all times. Isn’t that what music should be about?
I know it was selfish, but I was so worried that I’d never get that feeling back again. How would Will’s injuries (and being intubated) affect his ability to sing? Would he ever be able to recreate the live magic?
One of those questions was answered in April. Just eight months after what could have been a life-and-career ending accident, Will went on tour. He played a short run of sit-down acoustic shows. I saw him in Charlotte and it was clear that his singing was just as strong as it had ever been. But watching him hobble onto stage made me want to cry all over again…He, of course, made light of it when I asked if I’d break him if I hugged him…”You can’t bend metal,” he said. But it did leave me asking the question as to whether or not the Will Hoge show that I had once known was now a note in history.
That question was clearly answered last month for me when I went to see Will and the band in Greenville. Will, back on the big stage, with a full band. It was just like the old days, with maybe a little less jumping around on Will’s part. The magic was all there. Hell, sparks may as well have been shooting off the stage it was so hot. They played the music with a renewed intensity; the old ones brought me back to where they started and why I have loved Will since the moment I saw him stand on a table in Nashville and sing “Carousel” for the first time, and the new songs are all about what’s to come. Will and the guys were explosive…and I was just so happy to be there, watching the magic happen again.
Welcome back, Will.
More Ruse News… May 31, 2009
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Check it out next week, everyone! The Ruse’s song “Beautiful is Gone” will be the iTunes single of the week beginning June 9th. If you dig it, pick up their album Midnight in the City on iTunes or at your favorite record store!
Fans & Musicians May 14, 2009
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So a musician friend and I were chatting today about what makes a good fan, and more importantly, what makes a good musician. Beyond the nuts and bolts of playing music, there is something else that has to go into playing music in today’s music environment – fan interaction.
I know it sounds like a given, but I think there are a lot of musicians out there that aren’t getting it. Who know they are talented and think they deserve their fans’ dollars for delivering a great product. And they do…but fan interaction is a lot like customer service. You can provide a quality service/product and not do that little bit extra that will make me a raving fan of your good product. The same goes for music.
Every fan is different. A hardcore music follower, like me, is going to have a different set of standards than average Joe listener hearing a cover band at a local bar. But when it comes down to it, I think there are a few things that today’s musicians must deliver on in the fan experience – whether diehard or casual – that can make or break them.
There are a MILLION bands out there vying for my attention, my dollars, my attendance at shows, and my word-spreading. I am not the greatest fan on the planet, but I’m a good fan. I buy records. I understand that you need to make money. I know traveling is hard. I get that this is your job. I don’t mean to sound cocky – but seriously, you should want me as your fan. So how do you make me a fan? Here’s my formula for delivering the ultimate fan experience – to me or the undiscerning casual listener.
Make great music. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to be a phenomenal musician. Everyone has to start somewhere. But love what you’re doing. Write good songs. Don’t half-ass it. Your fans know when you put a clinker out there to fill up a record. Trust me.
Have an awesome live performance. Okay, we all know that everyone has bad days, even musicians. But do not ever take the stage and not give it 100% of whatever you’ve got that day. Just because only two fans showed up to see you doesn’t give you the right to slack off on stage. Those fans paid their money and deserve a good show. Make your shows memorable for the fans. Take the time to notice people in the audience. Call them out. Listen to their requests. Don’t be too stuck on yourself or your talents to appreciate those who see the same talent in you. That doesn’t mean you have to play your cover of “Single Ladies” every time someone requests it – because we know you get sick of playing it. But if you’re not up for that one that night, ask the fan what else they want to hear and make sure you give them something that makes them feel special. We all understand that you can’t make everyone happy all of the time…but try your darndest.
A great example of this happened recently when I went to see one of my favorite bands, The Influence. They know I love one song of theirs in particular. It’s a number that requires an acoustic guitar. They didn’t have a lot of time to sound check and skipped checking the acoustic. The lead singer called me out saying, “Krissie, I know you love ‘Corpse Song,’ but we can’t play it tonight, so I’m going to play this one for you instead.” Was it one of my favorites? Not necessarily. But did it make me feel special? You got it. And even if I hadn’t known them and has asked a new band to play a song and they had denied me, if they had said, “I know you asked for X song, but so and so doesn’t know it yet…hope this will suffice for you,” I would have been happy.
Be genuinely interested in your fans. Talk to them before and after the show. If they take the time to come out to see you, sing along to all of your songs and buy a CD or a t-shirt, they DESERVE to have two seconds of your time for you to say “Thank you” and ask them a question or two about how they heard you, if they live in town, etc. If you’re paying attention to the audience during your set, you’ll naturally have questions to ask about them individually or at the very least, about the show itself (“How’d you like the new song? I’m interested to see what fans think of it…”). All it takes is one personal question to let someone know that you really are interested in hearing about them. Yes, there are hangers on and people that don’t know when to shut up or let the next fan approach – but you’re a professional musician. This is going to happen. Be honest and just say, “I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you, but this young lady/man over here has been waiting to talk to me and I want to make sure I thank everyone for coming to my show. I hope you don’t mind if I say hi to them.” They’ll get it…because, after all, they’ve probably been the one waiting in line before. Oh and P.S. I can tell when you could care less. Don’t let me figure that out. There’s nothing worse than someone who is being fake.
Be genuinely interested in making new fans – of all types. I know it sounds silly, but this is key. If a guy with piercings and tats hanging at the back of the room doesn’t look like your “typical” fan but stuck around for your whole show, dude, make an effort to approach him. You never know when the “new person” in the crowd is going to be one of those rare finds who can get you in the door with a whole new audience. If a long time fan brings friends to a show, pay special attention to them. A few minutes with them will gain you a handful of new fans at the next show. And while we know that looks sell, don’t forget about your less attractive fans. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a musician make a beeline for a bottle blonde Playboy model lookalike at the back of the room (who, by the way, was talking during your whole set) when someone who had just seen you for the first time and was genuinely interested in buying a CD was hanging out at the merch table for 10 minutes and eventually walked away. This goes for female musicians, too. Don’t just talk to the guys. Talk to the girlfriends and the wives.
Remember me. Now, this is of particular interest to indie bands whose audiences are still small, but damn it, remember me. If I’ve come to see you every time you come to my city, try your damndest to remember me. I know you meet a zillion people. I don’t expect you to remember my name. But if I’ve consistently come to see you as your audience grows, a smile and a “Thanks for coming out to see us again” will win you a billion bonus points with me.
Make it easy for me to see you live. Play in my city more often than once every six years. Let me know when you’re going to be in town (or even close by – I will travel!) – send e-mails, tweets, Facebook and MySpace bulletins. Hang posters. Hire someone to run your social networking sites. Ask your wife or your girlfriend to do it. Use your fans (this requires having a good relationship with your fans – which goes back to some of the above points). Train your pet monkey…I don’t care how you do it, but don’t make me work to find out about your shows. If you want people to come to your shows, you need to put the effort into making sure we know about them. Don’t expect that I’ll go to your social networking pages or the venue websites of the 10 clubs in town to check to see when you’re coming. Because 50% of fans aren’t that dedicated.
Anything you do above and beyond these things is bonus, really. And let me give you a clue: it’s not too hard to go above and beyond this. That kid who has been to see you the last 20 times you’ve been in town? Give him a free t-shirt. It’s a $10 loss for you which you’ll get back 50 fold in him telling his friends and bringing them all to the next show. Got a fan who has done an insane job of promoting your music or your shows? Guest list them at the show. Nothing makes a fan – especially a loyal one that you aren’t “friends” with – feel more important than walking up to the door with a friend and being able to say, “I’m on the guest list.” Make your college buddy who you haven’t seen in six years who didn’t care about you for squat until he found out that you were a musician pay the cover charge. Notice that a fan bought six CDs on pre-order? Take two seconds to send them a thank you note via e-mail (yes, you can use the “junk mail” account to do it so they don’t have your real address). Sending out the orders of new CDs yourself? Watch the mailing addresses and if you recognize a name, put a sticky note on the CD with “Hi”, a smiley face and your name on it. Thank a long time fan on a website, Twitter or other networking site or in the liner notes of your CD – unprompted. Mention a crazy fan’s antics in a video blog. It’s the little things, gang…those little extras…that make fans for life.
Words of wisdom? Probably not. But they could help make me a fan.
What makes YOU a fan?
(Thanks to all of the amazing artists and their management teams in my life who “get” it and gave me the background for writing this – Shane and Thumbs, Wil, Josh, Mr. Hoge, Sammy and the guys, Gareth, Honor By August, The Influence guys, Swifty from Georgia, Matty…you know who you are!)
I Won’t Say I Told You So… April 19, 2009
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Every once in awhile, I get something right…
Remember back in December? When I did My Top Ten Albums of ‘08? A little band from Cali called The Ruse was at the top of the list…Well, Ryan Dixon over at iTunes heard them and is now making waves for them, putting their “Midnight in the CIty” album on the iTunes New Music Tuesday podcast and now in the “What We’re Listening To” section of iTunes. I’m tellin’ ya, folks, it’s only a matter of time before The Ruse is a household name!
So excited for the guys!!
And while we’re speaking of California bands, head on over to iTunes and check out this great little band I stumbled upon… Venus Infers. It’s the perfect cusp-of-summer music. Super modern rock/alt-pop with surf influences kind of sound happening, a little Strokes meets Kooks kind of action. Digging them in a huge way!
Laundry List April 7, 2009
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Prepare for a boring, state-of-the-Krissie-union blog. You may just want to skip it.
It’s Monday night. I should be cleaning my apartment and preparing for my family’s arrival this weekend for Easter. Instead, I’ve been working on updating this blog and getting caught up on all things internet. It’s been a busy month…and I’m ready for things to slow down. Unfortunately, that’s not going to be happening anytime soon!
So yes, the family is coming down this weekend. I’m usually the one to travel, so it’s nice to be staying put for once. Not sure what I’m going to do to entertain everyone for three days, but I can pretty much guarantee that there will be a lot of Scrabble action.
I’m also less than two weeks away from Charlotte Racefest. This will be my third half-marathon in as many years. I have to admit – I have not trained as well as I should have for this one. A little overly confident going in, but now that it’s getting close, I’m really getting anxious. This is going to be a tough course, I think, more like Nashville than Virginia Beach (in other words, not as flat). I’m shooting for a goal time of 2:15 to finish. That would be a 13 minute improvement over my time for VA Beach last year. Ambitious, I know…and I’m going to feel super disappointed in myself if I don’t make it, but I have to push myself!
Work is quite busy right now and we’re coming up on three conferences in a row. Needless to say, once my race is wrapped up, I’ll be in a work zone until mid-May.
And, of course, I will have a few musical distractions to keep me singing happy songs…Tim Brantley, Will Hoge, Bruce, Amos Lee.
It will be Memorial Day before I know it…
And then, summer is here. I haven’t really decided what I’m going to do this summer for a vacation, if I take one at all. I do have one 3-day weekend that I’ve scheduled to go down to Isle of Palms for the weekend…Tonic and Green River Ordinance playing at The Windjammer. Want a combination that can’t be beat…give me the beach and two great bands, plus, good friends coming along for the journey (and hopefully, some Feil brothers in attendance to put the icing on the proverbial cake).
Speaking of friends, I’ve had a lot of solid “friend” time over the past four weeks. That makes me happy…I’m also surprised at how some of my friendships are changing. There’s a few that have been really “in flux” lately. Some of that is good, some of it is sad and hard to swallow. I hate watching friendships fade, but I guess it happens as life moves on. People get to different places in their lives and don’t understand what the other one is going through, despite their best attempts to do so. Yes, sometimes there are circumstances that lead to the closure of friendships, but more often than not, it seems to be just a gradual distancing. The time between phone calls gets longer, visits get shorter, your views diverge radically where they once were very similar, tempers flare, feelings get hurt and not discussed because it seems like too much effort…and before you know it, the friendship is gone. *sigh* Like I said, sad. But sometimes, it happens and you just have to think upon your once friend with fond memories and move on…No hard feelings, lots of love, and a wish for them to be happy.
2009 seems to be a year in flux for me. Moving. Friendships changing. The job becoming something entirely different than it once was. Despite the roller coaster up and down of it all, I feel surprisingly at peace. I’m trying to be more open minded about things. Trying to let the little things go. Meeting new people. Challenging myself. Setting new goals. A veritable laundry list of self-improvement items is getting checked off and tallied.
It feels good.
