I finally got around to reading John Mellencamp’s post of the same title (above) on The Huffington Post. After 618 comments, John’s post was closed to further comments, so I am leaving my comments below.
When well-known artists (or their managers) pen something, I usually find a bit of a rant, some tired history, minimal solutions, a big audience, lots of fan comments, and very little substance. This post did not surprise me. However, there are a couple of things I want to selectively respond to:
John Mellencamp Quote One
“I’ve always found it amusing that a few people who have never made a record or written a song seem to know so much more about what an artist should be doing than the artist himself. If these pundits know so much, I’d suggest that (they) make their own records and just leave us out of it.”
My response is as follows…
My feelings are hurt. As I don’t write songs or make records, I find this statement to be rather shortsighted. In the real world, pilots don’t build planes; cooks usually don’t kill or grow food; carpenters typically don’t fashion trees into boards; and history has shown that some of the most effective industry leaders don’t come from the industries they lead.
If you remove the word “records” and substitute any product or service that relies on an expansive and symbiotic ecosystem (as this industry does), you can see the absurdity of telling everyone else to pick up their toys and go home.
John Mellencamp Quote Two
“I once suggested to Don Henley, many years ago after I had left Polygram, that we should form an artist-driven record label, much like Charlie Chaplin did with the movies when he, more than 90 years ago, joined forces with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to form United Artists. Don’s response was correct. He said that trying to get artists and business people together to work for the common good of everyone involved is akin to herding cats.”
My response is as follows…
John, it’s 2010. Your first instinct was correct. Why did you let Don Henley convince you otherwise? If record labels can repeatedly convince artists to sign deals they end up hating, why wouldn’t it make sense to form an artist-owned consortium that provides superior services; it’s NEVER been easier to bypass traditional media channels and longtime relationships to get things done; especially when you have the clout of nine or ten mega artists behind you? This takes leadership. It’s kind of denigrating to all artists to suggest that none of you has the capacity to get the job done, and that the rest of you are as confused as cats.
My final response…
It’s really time for established artists to stop living in the past and complaining about the future. You have such the power to make a difference. If you don’t know what to do, consider asking someone that has never “made a record or written a song”. I suspect this is where you will find the answers the rest of us are waiting for.