ETA: Check out this new interview from The Skinny Dip.
Thanks EOTW!
We want YOU!
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No idea what a moneybomb is, but I do like your conviction and enthusiasm. :-) Don’t despair however, bshorty4L– Blake’s career will be here for a long time to come. He has every intention of making music his life’s goal, and has his finger in many pots.
Where the rub is, is that it may not be the exact career some of the execs had in mind for him as a star ala Daughtry. As a lesser-luminary, he will however continue to shine, and give off a beautiful glow. He may have to play smaller venues, and work to keep his corner alive, but so many people like him and want to work with him– wouldn;t surprise me if HE became the next “feat LupeFiasco” to have on a track.
I am somewhat comforted to see Natasha Bedingfield still playing these smaller venues and Summerjams in “group concerts”, because I perceive her as doing pretty well popularity-wise. Seems an awful lot of these lesser luminary types need to stick together, and seek exposure in a group setting. There is a market for that, and in that market, continued viability. Ferras is someone they are known to be high on at a “push” level, but he’s still in a group concert setting. So are a BUNCH of other names I could name,like Jordin Sparks, if you want to point a finger, and she has sold a good deal.
He can still become a big star. GUARENTEED he would be all over radio now if he hadn’t passed on that timbaland beat. That was the dumbest decision of his life. I dont care if he didn’t like it, he knows who timbaland is and how huge he is. Retarded move on his part. Blake’s BIG chance to make it big is to release KMN Ft. Lupe. Either that or his fans rally together and push ADD to relevence.
And bully,
Dont settle for less, blake can be huge.
So Blake’s CD sales have reached 298,000. I was just thinking that it won’t be too long before he reaches 300,000 (a couple of weeks). Should we try and do something fun in celebration? Should we try and have some kind of virtual Team Plaid partay???? Any ideas??????
I think he already is huge. People know who he is, and they flocked to the concert last year in droves, to see him perform Live. Now the hurdle is, a fanbase not based on the fickle whim of television. Even Daughtry and Carrie Underwood needed time to build that.
I am not the person to ask about popularity issues, as I generally don’t concern myself with what is. However, I do believe in his appeal, which I feel is vast and endearing– and that crosses happily all sorts of types and boundarylines. :-)
I think it’s that determination not to be pigeonholed which actually hurt him as to marketing and promo. Labeling and expectation are an odd thing, but all too needed when it comes to music. I think what has come out of this post-album phase is the reputation for being independant, eclectic, electronic-based, and a bit of a bad boy no matter how genuine his smile is. What do you do with something like that, except enjoy him, and if you’re another artist, try to put the talent to work for you? I think that’s where he will dabble, and feat, and even help produce sound for other people…so yeah, he will be out there. I have faith in him, even if he does defy pigeonholing.
How Many Words just debut in this week’s Billboard Hot Club Play chart at #48.
It seems Blake is getting back to his alternative/electronic/club roots, judging by his forthcoming projects with BT, KJ and Darude. He always said he went on Idol to make top 10, do the tour and boost his profile so he can spring out of Seattle. He managed to do better on AI than expected and he used the opportunity to make his “Michael Jackson Bad” album. I think while Blake has his pop side, at heart, he’s an alternative musician. If he didn’t want to work with Timbaland because he didn’t like Timbaland’s sound, then good for him for having the integrity to say “no”. I’m sure compromises were made in making ADD, but by and large it seems to be a project made with integrity and it’s reflected in the overall quality of the album. Given Blake’s tastes and influences (he lists a song by Edit as his most played song on his ipod) he’s not a mainstream pop/adult contemporary artists like the most successful AI alumni. It’s best to accept him for what he is and what he’s trying to do which is to carve out his own place in the music industry which will allow him to earn a nice living without having to fall back on survival jobs. There are enough musicians out there who are able to live comfortably well, make music and do shows with integrity and all without having to ascend to the top of the charts. I think Bully’s message above is excellent and well stated.
nice input from Bully and Charles C….
the only complaint I really have from Blakes’ AI show, is that his management team did NOT promote his CD correctly nor $$ wise for radio play.. I don’t care if he is Pop or an alternative musician. ALl I know he that he can make music and that speak volumes…Many artist have to have music written for them. That’s why he will have longetivity in the music industry
BUT I would so love to hear his songs on the radio
So I was watching QVC this morning. A ring came on that I really liked, so I got on the phone to do automated ordering. At the end, there was some kind of problem with the computers, so it said I had to wait for a representative. While I was waiting for her to come on the phone, they put me on hold, and music started playing. On come the words: “Now that it’s over….now that you’re not here…..” I was like what? That sounds familiar! It was 1000 miles!!!! Just wanted to share.
Thanks CharlesC.– You said it well yourself, too. :-) I was talking about this very thing with someone just last week.
LOVE the talk about integrity, seriously.(and ITA)
Like Joyce, I can’t deny that I wish people would have sent the album to the top of the charts…I do wish he had had that kind of success. However, I think the universe may have something else in mind for him. He’s friends with an awful lot of people who have made it, so who really knows WHAT could happen, you know? He’s not even scraped the surface of what he is capable of.
1) Well-thought posts from Bully and Charles C.
2) Joyce stating the truth about Blake’s immense talent
3) EotW with good news, and ready to party.
Is there nothing not to love about Team Plaid?
Sales from two weeks ago were at 2000, which was up from where we were before that. I just hope that he stays above 1000 for a while longer.
New interview!
The SkinnyDip
Bully and Charles C,
ITA. This is what I think some fans were struggling with posidol experience. I personally think that Blake was pretty clear from the beginning, and I did not follow his interviews in the past religiously, about what type of music he liked and would like to make. It is just my feeling that some fans who moved on, might have had difficulty letting go of the image of Blake from AI and to embrace the music that really represents him as a musician. They might simply do not have a liking for electronicly influenced music; and it is ok, not evereyone has to like it.
The video that EOTW (thanks for that) posted is very interesting, given the topics that were raised. I really liked some questions later in the interview. Blake was very clear when he addressed beatboxing criticism, that it is part of his music, he loves it, and it is not a gimmick to him. The second critism of his music is also well addressed. If people attended his preidol shows they would know what music he is influenced by and what is important for him.
I also find his “refusal” to use music or bars of someone who really does not appeal to his musical sensibilites as a sign of his musical integrity. He might have lost some fans and maybe opportunities as a result of it, but I think in the long term it should help him in the music industry. I think it might help him creating the music that he loves, finding people who will support his projects because they will value his input as opposed to trying to fit him in what gives maximal profits without considering his artistry, and gaining fans who will accept the music just the way it is.
After listening to that interview, I would so love for him to get a chance to do a character voice in like a Pixar movie. He would be so great at it.
Also, at the end of the interview, Blake mentioned that he wanted his next album to be like a jazz, Medeski Martin and Wood meets Acid Rock kind of album. OK, I don’t even remotely know what that is, so I looked up Medeski Martin and Wood. Here are two of their videos on YouTube. What this would sound like mixed with Acid Rock, I have no idea!!!!
Medeski Martin and Wood Uninvisible
MM and W Big Time
Love all the comments from everyone today about Blake being true to himself and maintaining his musical integrity.
Great, insightful comments today about Blake’s career, music, and integrity. Yes, shooting to the top of the charts would have been nice (and would have deflected a lot of the bashing) but it isn’t all about being “huge” and sounding like you’re doing what everybody else is doing. Blake meets Medeski Martin and Wood meets Acid (breakbeat?) sounds incredibly interesting. I’m looking forward to whatever music comes next. And it will come.
EOTW– As always girl, you are all over the latest news for us! Wow! I don’t even know what to say, with the new fact there actually is something called “acid jazz”. (I suppose it comes under the header of ambient music, but I will have to listen in to those clips more, when the internets are more cooperative.)
So neat that you got to hear 1,000Miles on the QVC line! :-) Maybe all our ADD prompting made them check it out for themselves!
And yes M4M, I’m with you on the sentiment above. That he is exploring with us, these interesting thoughts and musics is rather amazing, you know? He is on the journey, and he’s taking us along too.
In random news, which has me a little stunned, I just heard D Cook’s TOML on my Top40 radio station here. The one that refused to even play Blake one time?? Yeah, that one. Maybe Cook will be getting the push he needs to really make it.
Of course will get the push he needed ladies. He is the winner. Unlike Blake, Archie got his record deal announced the next week or two and is showing huge fan support on the webs. We know Blake has huge fan support at the AI Tour. The record company should have capitalized on that and put him on a tour immediately when the record came out. There mistake. I may happen sometime this year, but won’t have the impact it would have say in Feb. or March.
Have a great weekend everyone.
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I agree with you on this Charles. Blake has stayed pretty true to his roots. We all agree the album is great but alot of the mainstream powers don’t know what to do with it. They haven’t recognized the talent they have and have no idea how to promote him. Maybe thats where we went wrong in trying to help him along, we were thinking like mainstream radio, maybe we need to regroup and think outside of the box so to speak. There is plenty of room in the music world for Blake we just have to find it and capitalize on that and then maybe mainstream music will see what they have been missing. We need to keep his music out there even if it includes his older stuff. We need people to know Blake and appreciate him for the multitalented musician he is.
I think this is a new appearance?
Summer Meltdown
More info on the Summer Meltdown.
“Blake Lewis aka……Bshorty . Singer/Songwriter/Noise Conditioner/Vocalist/Performer”
Noise Conditioner
I’m sorry if we already knew about this appearance. I have lost track. :)