NASCAR: David Archuleta starts all engines!

More info:
At the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana right now! Wanted to let you guys see the track while the racers get ready for the Royal Purple 300 as well as the Sprint Cup tomorrow. Had such an AMAZING time riding the Goodyear Blimp! Thanks so much to Goodyear for the experience.

Tags:
David  Archuleta  NASCAR  racing  Royal  Purple  300 Goodyear  Blimp
Auto  Club  Speedway  Fontana  California  National Anthem

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Wow, I am on NASCAR overload right now. That vlog? His face at 2:22 when he searches the sky for his beloved Goodyear blimp?? That anthem??? The buzz???? … oh, wait, apparently there’s some sort of car race that goes on too … anyway, scroll below for just a sampling of the twitter frenzy that erupted after David sang the Star Spangled Banner. I can’t believe I get chills right up to my earlobes and my eyes start to well with tears for another country’s anthem … that’s the Power of the Archuleta!

Source: ACSupdates

Let the buzz begin……

@_Miriaamm: Oh My David Archuleta, Is Here! 😀

@kathryngx14: Omg. I gotta record the beginning of David Archuleta’s anthem. The girls that screamed when they announce his name…I laughed so hard.

@brian_fletcher: From those 14 year old girls shrieking, I couldn’t tell if David Archuletta was singing the national anthem or listing puppies.

@killercoreyy: LOL I’M WATCHING THE RACE. just for david archuleta.

@nascarchick_3: David Archuleta! 😀

@chelsearaehall: @99_AflacRacing did you hear the screaming for David archuleta? I didn’t know that many 12 yr olds went to NASCAR races

@sammikns:…Meanwhile, I’m twenty, a Nascar fan, and would scream for David Archuleta as well. So what 12 year olds? @chelsearaehall

@RichBohr: Did you hear all the girls scream when they said David Archuletta’s name! lol #NASCAR

@njnauman: David Archuleta is singing the national anthem at the race today…I loved him on Idol!! #pumped

@raquelnavarro77: Just met david archuleta omg omg omg hes soo cute

@CassandraMcKown: oh good lord you could hear the girls screaming when they announced that david archuleta is singing the national anthem for the race.

@RichBohr: @jjyeley1 My ears are ringing after the high pitch scream of the girls that sreamed for David Archuletta. lol

Rumour has it: David's starting his own Goodyear blimp fansite (called the Snarky Blimpies).

@MuseicalEP: @DavidArchie Excellent job with the National Anthem today! Are you available every weekend? Enjoy the race! 🙂 #NASCAR

@Nascarfan_21420: @DavidArchie Wish I was there, but watching it at home. U did a great job singing the National Anthem. Have a great time. 🙂

@MelissaM88: IDK who David Archuleta but, he did a helluva job on the National Anthem. #nascar

@sopapilla: Just heard @DavidArchie sing the national anthem. #beautiful

@ElisseMayo: @DavidArchie you sang the national anthem so incredibly amazing..

@dtallmon: ….David archuletta is awesome #NASCAR

@kithymanningfau: David Archuletta is the Bomb!!Awesome National Anthem 4 Nationwide Nascar! YES!!

@nascarchick_3: i think @davidarchie should sing the national anthem again this year! 😀

@ShannonGilhooly: @DavidArchie I skipped going out just to watch 55 seconds of you on the television. You’ve got a dedicated fan on your hands sir =)

@josieatwood23: Wow @DavidArchie you sounded fantastic singing the National Anthem for NASCAR! You looked good too!!

@betseybydesign: i loved david archuletta’s anthem–he did a lot better than i thought he was gonna’ do!!:)

@blakebraceface: i have a man crush on david archuleta

@Nascarfan_21420: He is so cute. Love David Archuleta. 🙂

@dexterdame: @Buffythecat David someone-runner up a couple of yrs ago at AI. He did a good job-color me pleasantly suprised!

Source: @NASCAR

@SummerDreyer: I’d never heard this guy sing before…. He’s pretty good actually. #NASCAR … I’m gonna try not to butcher his name here … I think David Archuleta?

@sammikns uhm: @jeffgordonweb, please convince @nascar to bring David Archuleta back to sing the Anthem at a Cup race someday? :).

@matt_castillo: @DavidArchie You sang so beautifully :]

@Angie_Rua: David Archuleta performed a beautiful version of the National Anthem today in Fullerton CA at the NASCAR Royal Purple 300 car race.

@missbianca: National Anthem is trending…

@FKayeNASCAR: I don’t think I’ve ever heard fangirls screaming before an anthem. #nascar

@FKayeNASCAR: @davidarchie landed that anthem. Nice pick, @ACSupdates.

@TheVoiceDA: Text from djafan (she’s at NASCAR) “…he’s watching now. He rode the first lap with grey cars” / from ITTO88: He rode on the back of one of the convertibles during driver introductions.

@striegle: Great anthem today by @DavidArchie & always enjoy a flyover! Especially for Nationwide. Probably the best anthem for the series I remember

@ZontarLives: @DavidArchie GREAT JOB DOING THE ANTHEM!!! SO NICE TO SEE YOU TODAY! Thx for the great performance. Love ya Bro!

@mandm731: @davidarchie beautiful job with the anthem David!! Your voice is untouchable 🙂

@11and20lover: David Archuleta was amazing♥

@MsTorisMommy09: @DavidArchie aww ur so freakin cute and ur eyes are beautiful im so glad u had fun!! I wanted to go see u sooo bad today but i couldn’t = (

@celticsfaninNH: @DavidArchie Awesome job with the Nat’l Anthem David! Ya done good 😉

@NShoutNfans: Wow I just saw @DavidArchie sing on ESPN that was amazing!

@Brooke_Smith9: Wow! Best anthem of the year from @DavidArchie. I wish he sang the National Anthem before every race!

@paolaure: Omg @DavidArchie was sooooo goood and he looked nice and his voice was amazing:)

@ikisstheground: Beautiful job on the national anthem at the NASCAR Nationwide race, @DavidArchie!

@YoSwanny @Jas5809: @DavidArchie Archie should be our designated national anthem singer.

@Mrkennyschafer: David Archuleta did so good on the national anthem 🙂 def. a great voice. NOW LETS GO RACING!

@jeff_gluck: David Archuleta doesn’t know any of the drivers, nor does he have a favorite. “I’m just impressed by whoever shows their skills,” he says.

@tracyg619: Doing homework at home while my uncles watching Nascar. suddenly i hear @DavidArchie singing the National Anthem. my day has been made! =D

@IndySkye: Christina Aguilera and others should listen to how @DavidArchie sang the national anthem today. That’s how you make magic.

@RockOnFrank: @DavidArchie #FOLLOWED

@NorCal_: Forgot to mention David Archuleta sang the National Antthem today. Didn’t think I’d say it, but he was great. Perfect job.

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , , | 55 Comments

David Archuleta: Whataya want from him?

Yes, there is always the emergency exit.

Lots of fans (me included) have been suggesting David sing a cover song in his next vlog. I’m thinking “Whataya Want From Me?” might be a good choice.

Not getting enough info? Not getting enough tour details? Think you deserve a front-row-seat for confidential career negotiations and strategic planning that could affect the course of David’s career?  Three albums, tours, a book and MoTab not enough for you?

If you answered yes to those questions, I feel for you, I really do. Perhaps your fan energy would be better compensated by the 7/11ish 24-hour-product-dispensing music machine that is Mr. Biebster.

Maybe I’m the one expecting too much … from fans. Maybe being a music-loving, concert-going freak from back in the Paleozoic pre-twitter vinyl era means that I’m used to waiting YEARS for ONE album to come out, more years still for a precious concert tour and career info solely from the pages of Rolling Stone.

Sorry, guys, I know most of you are not tweeting David and bugging him for, well everything, but when I see fans threatening (yes, threatening) to pull their support for him, I can’t help but question their definition of “support.”

Yes, David said “communication is key” but anyone who’s been a fan of his for five minutes knows that telling us he enjoyed a pear peach almond avocado habanero smoothie is his idea of communicating with us. I’d rather wait and get actual information that’s confirmed by him than empty promises, maybes and teasers that don’t amount to anything. But that’s just me. At least he does his own tweeting and vlogging, lots of artists either don’t do it at all or delegate that to faceless, anonymous staffers.

It’s a brutal, grinding, chew-’em-up-spit-’em-out industry he’s involved in — even megastar Rhianna has had to cancel underselling concert dates lately — and David has said that part of what encourages him to keep putting one foot in front of the other is our fan support. So let’s give him the time and space he needs to lay that foundation and build that tower, or bridge, or whatever the heck it is he’s building … it’s gonna be worth it, ’cause that’s what love is.

And David will likely never cover WWFM, but then again, who knows….

Just don’t give up, I’m workin’ it out
Please don’t give in, I won’t let you down*

Yikes, rant over. What do you guys think?

*Confession, I had to look up the actual WWFM lyrics.

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 86 Comments

He’s got that pressure, that David Archuleta

Source: Tumblr/thedavidarchuleta

Even before David Archuleta’s St. Patrick’s Day vlog, where he talked about planning, organizing and laying a foundation to build … a tower? … the fandom has been speculating like crazy about David’s next career move. Are major labels fighting over him? Will he go the indie route? Does he still not care if Jeff Fenster is calling?

I’ve been reading a lot lately about all the options open to artists these days. Signing with a major label — once the only path to success in the music biz — may offer bands and solo artists many advantages, but it’s certainly not the only route anymore. In fact, there are so many possibilities open to David, I can’t even begin to imagine how much pondering he’s been doing lately.

One thing that’s crystal clear is the most valuable asset that both artists and labels are chasing is a loyal fan base. That’s David’s secret weapon right now — along with his unparalleled talent. So — not that I was worried or anything, because I have moved on to excited expectation for whatever the future holds — but it’s reassuring to know.

Here are two videos I found fascinating and I hope you will too. Both feature Owen Husney, a musician, artist manager, and concert promoter based in Minneapolis. He was Prince’s first manager, and the person who arranged a (now famous) contract with Warner Brothers that allowed Prince nearly unprecedented creative control over his music.

In this video, Husney explains the pros and cons of signing with major label versus an indie label. That indies can offer artists more individual attention than major labels but less money to make a record and for major airplay. He explains that major labels are basically bean counters and if they feel you aren’t making enough money, they will drop you quickly. He feels the ideal situation is a major label with an indie offshoot, which can offer the best of both worlds. (If the video doesn’t show up below, check the top vid at right in “Must See” sidebar or watch HERE … sorry, I fail at embedding.)

Vodpod videos no longer available.

In this next video, Husney explains the duties of a manager — such as understanding, communicating with, fighting for, and protecting the artist. Husney also advises managers to surround themselves with the right kind of people.

Interesting stuff … what do you guys think about what he has to say?

Source (and more clips) HERE.

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P.S. These Goodyear blimp pics are just too amazing not to post! Full. Of. Win. Source.

“This past January, American Idol favorite David Archuleta posted a blog on YouTube stating that his biggest New Year’s wish was to fly in a blimp. We thought it would be great fun to make his wish come true, and last Friday it did as David and five of his friends took to the skies in the Spirit of America. Pilot-in-Charge Jon Conrad flew them along the scenic route up the California Coast along the Palos Verdes peninsula, and for over an hour he was rewarded with a private performance from David and his friends as they sang a medley of hit songs a cappella. A highlight of the once-in-a-lifetime flight for David was watching a pod of dolphins playing and chasing the SOA’s shadow on the water as it passed overhead.

“Thanks for riding with us David! We enjoyed having you!”

Group shot! David, five of his friends and Pilot Jon Conrad just after their flight above southern California's beautiful coastline.

David takes the co-pilot's seat on Spirit of America.

David gives the SOA a boost as it prepares for it's next flight.

 

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , | 41 Comments

David Archuleta: Blimps and bucket lists

LOVE this! (From tumblr via Absolute Archies)

After having fun yesterday afternoon spazzing with everyone as we waited for blimp news (how often do you get to use that sentence?), I missed the big event entirely.

I got a call last night from my dad telling me his sister, my aunt, had passed away. It wasn’t entirely a surprise, she’d been in the hospital for some time after a series of strokes, but he was very upset, nonetheless, and I was on the phone with him, then other family members, for most of the night.

After I finally got off the phone close to midnight, all I wanted to do was listen to Angels (the iheartradio “Stripped” version) and, strangely enough, Parachutes and Airplanes. That’s when I finally saw the blimp news … perfect timing … nothing like a shot of David joy when you need it most!

It got me thinking about how cool it is that when David sets a goal (for career, family or just for fun), he doesn’t let anything break his stride… he does everything in his power to make it happen. He makes every day count.

David, and the songs he sings, are helping me try to do that too. So excuse me while I go “move forward” on my own to-do list … but first a song in David’s ongoing theme of flying high (ZG, P&A, Elevator) (thanks, bluebarsa for reminding me of this one! 🙂 ) ….

Too funny that "Blimp" tied with "Narnia" in the poll! (Photo: goodyear.com)

P.S. Results of the Vlog Location Poll:

36% – At the piano singing
16% – Kitchen table – talking about Japan
15% – Laundry room
11% – Attic – with a glow stick for lighting
7% – Blimp – oh please make this happen
7% – Narnia
4% – Elevator – ‘twould be cool
4% – Garage – while parking the car
1% – Tool shed – putting shovel away while
clearing neighbour’s walk

P.P.S. So what’s on your bucket list? (And what songs (David or otherwise) get you through tough times?) (& I declare it “Lurkers/Hoverers Day,” so come on down & add your two cents! … especially if that’s on your to-do list! 🙂 🙂 🙂 )

Posted in Diary of an Archuholic | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Location, location, location

Source: tumblr/yoonhae28 (Click pic for more RSO shots.)

So we might not know what’s up next for David Archuleta, but one thing we do know is that he made a New Year’s resolution to keep us updated by filming video blogs.

(Okay, I use the term “updated” loosely.)

Source: tumblr/thedavidarchuleta

We also know that he likes to mix things up a little in terms of locations and costars.

Most recently, we’ve had closet vlogs, banana tree backdrops, snowy cats, random gorillas, and a striped fabric enclosure that looked like he was Harry Potter living under the Dursley’s staircase.

So in the absence of any real news of any kind, I put together this poll just for fun, to find out where you think the next vlog location might take place … and if you choose “at the piano,” I’m particularly interested to learn what songs you might like to hear if he did ever decide to serenade us. (Just puttin’ that out there. 🙂 ) My first choice would have to be “A Case of You.” *dreams* … changed my mind to “Free Man in Paris” (which seems appropriate right about now … “stoking the star-maker machinery behind the popular song” 🙂 )

P.S. Just read this on IDF (by dolls17) and loved it so thought I’d share:

"With music, we can all speak the same language and we can relate to one another's joy and pains." ~Chords of Strength (Photo: tumblr/peacelovedavid)

I just want to encourage everyone to hang in there with David, although we have no idea what he’s doing right now. lol. IDK about you guys, but when things aren’t clear, I go searching for the things that are. And these are the things that are clear to me:

(1) When David first tweeted about making tough decisions, alot of fans responded and said they’d stand by him & continue their support through whatever decisions he made.

(2) David was very thankful for that, and he said “That means alot”. I think that whatever he’s facing, he draws strength from believing that we’ll still be there when it all works out.

(3) He said in his vlog that, as an artist, he’s going in a different direction. And that he’s excited about being able to go in that direction. Which tells me that he’s definitely planning on continuing in music.

(4) He’s been working hard at writing songs. He could be doing that just to keep his mind mentally fresh until a label comes along…Or because he needs to narrow down and define his sound more, to help him decide which label & mgmt would suit him best. I know that when Ciara was “dropped”, one reason was because she didn’t have a “defined-enough” image. Maybe JIVE advised him to work on this before going any further…Or maybe he needs some songs to submit to prospective labels…

I know that the “not-knowing” and waiting has not been very fun. I’ve seen people getting extremely worried, discouraged, irritated at David for not saying what he’s up to, starting to feel disconnected, feeling guilty that they feel disconnected…the list goes on an on. I can honestly say that I’ve felt all those things, depending on what day it is. And I’ve reached the conclusion that those feelings are normal (unless I’m not normal, which is entirely possible. lol)

A few fans were trying to cheer me up awhile back, & they pointed out a few things…One is that David needs to do this if he wants to get further in the industry. He needs to regroup, define himself, define his goals, and figure out the best next step to reach those goals. Going through the process can take a long time. But if he doesn’t, he’ll just keep spinning his wheels and won’t get any further than this….Also, it could be that David is being tight-lipped because what he’s dealing with is a very personal and private matter to him, so all we can do is respect that and be patient (I’m not very good at that, but I’m trying). Or, if he’s like me, maybe when he’s facing big decisions he needs alot of alone-time and family time to…ponder. lol.

Anyway, I don’t know if that will help anybody. But I just want to say “hang in there” because I’m sure that David needs us to, and because we’re usually awesome that way.


Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 82 Comments

Pondering 101

So I took the David Archuleta Pondering Challenge tonight. I sat for 20 minutes, no TV, no computer … no TOSOD … and just (to quote David’s vlog tags) began “pondering ponder thinking think meditate.”

Three guesses what I thought about.

This is me writing it down.

I started thinking about how let down I felt immediately after watching the vlog. That I’d hoped he was going to spill music news, the “dates to be announced” hinted at in @jennyFOD’s tweet. Or maybe something about the songs he’s been working on, the ideas twirling around in that jukebox mind of his. Anything but American Idol.

I thought about how weird it was to hear him get so excited about watching Idol again, when just hearing the intro music gives me hives … how much he says he learns watching them … “you could give each and every one of them a masterclass!” I felt like screaming at him.

And when he talked about how much he loves singing the song “I Need You Now” — in his room!?! — I held my breath hoping he’d belt out the first verse in that closet soundbooth and knock that gorilla back off the shelf.

And then my pondering turned into laughing at myself as I realized what I learn every time I watch one his vlogs:  To step back. To let go. To let David be David.

We love him for being special and unique and … so very David. And yet, for me anyway, it’s so easy to sometimes wish he’d be like every other celebrity … be a self-promoter, be a schmoozer, play the game, work the system, get those album sales up, try out new hand gestures on TMZ.

I never think that for long, however, usually just when I see a Kardashian pretending to be a singer and actually getting airplay.

Then I remember the antidote to all that is fake and false and shallow that we have in David. He is so real it hurts. Because he’s not afraid to be himself and follow the path he’s surefooted on. He’s braver than I’ll ever be.

He’s exactly where he needs to be right now — otherwise, he’d be somewhere else.

So David, try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time … we’ll be right here … pondering how we got to be so lucky.

TOfan

p.s. Be honest, guys, am I reading too much into this vlog? lol


Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , , , , , , | 80 Comments

A little too not over TOSOD

Seeing a David Archuleta tweet pop up on my timeline is usually a cause for celebration. Virtual corks are popped and cartwheels flipped. It’s the online version of that little wave David gives in the middle of even the most serious song. I swear, he could be starring in a production of La Bohème and just before belting out the last note of “La Gelida Manina” … *wave*.

But I digress. This time, after reading his tweet, a wave of sadness washed over me. The love we still show for TOSOD??? Like he’s surprised? As if maybe he thought we’d all moved on and tossed our Fan Packs in the corner with the recycling?

Yes, okay, this album didn’t sell as much as his first record, but I hope he realizes that has nothing to do with the quality of his songs and everything to do with the fact that few people outside his core fan base heard about its release.

"I feel communication is key … it’s the relationship with you guys that’s the most important ... that's why I'll be announcing tour plans on Pi Day."

One great thing about MelindaGate was that a lot of the websites that ran with the erroneous “Jive dropped Archie” story also linked to David’s page on Amazon. And the album started to climb almost immediately from down in the 2000s up to 25 in Vocal Pop even before the Angels for a Cause CMN Children’s Hospital CD campaign.

David might have tweeted because fans were trying to let him know about The Other Side of Down‘s ranking on the Barnes & Noble “best sellers” list, along with the AFAC campaign. But I do hope he realizes the campaign wasn’t the only reason for the bump in sales.

I lost count of how many comments and tweets I saw after the Jive-split story saying “David Archuleta has a new album out?” … usually accompanied by “I loved him on Idol.” Clearly, a lot of people checked it out and bought it once they knew it existed. … funny how that happens. 🙂

And as excited as I am to hear whatever music comes out of this new writing David’s doing, and the new direction he mentioned in his vlog, I’m not the least bit tired of TOSOD. I still listen to the whole album every day, more than once if I can. Not out of loyalty. Not out of support for David. But because it’s damn good.*

As much as I love the new albums from Adele, The Civil Wars and Mumford & Sons (who self-financed their album, btw, and toured all their songs before they recorded them!) … it’s TOSOD that I keep coming back to most often … I get totally absorbed by it, the melodies, the quirky lyrics, that Voice … it takes me over and changes the way I feel … in a good way, the best way.

I confess I skip over SBL (sorry, that’s just me), but I find something new in the other songs every time I hear them. I’m not done with it yet, not by a long shot. And if David thinks we aren’t interested in hearing these songs on tour, and plans on “out with the old, in with the new” … that couldn’t be further from the truth. For me anyway.

Anyone with me?

*Sorry, dang good.

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , | 69 Comments

An objective review of Richard Rushfield’s ‘American Idol: The Untold Story’… okay, not so objective

David Archuleta does get a full-page pic! (thanks for twitpicking YJfan!)

When the lovely Pastel gave me a copy of Richard Rushfield’s book, American Idol: The Untold Story, I admit I was tempted to look up “David Archuleta” in the index and read only those pages* … that’s likely why Rushfield didn’t include an index, bwahaha.

I’m glad I started from the beginning however. I learned such fascinating facts as:

  • Idol creator Simon Fuller was known as “Svengali Spice” for concocting and managing the Spice Girls as a “product” more than a musical group.
  • Simon Cowell’s early record exec sucesses were for Teletubbies and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which his peers may have laughed at but made him filthy rich.
  • Ryan Seacrest isn’t the laid-back host you see on camera — he’s a strategic show-biz power player who has choreographed every career move with cunning and steely-eyed ambition. (Fascinating to find out who negotiated RyRy’s first lucrative Idol contract for him — his dad, also his manager.)

In other words, this book only confirms what many of us already think of Idol. It’s a show created not to fulfill the dreams of its young hopefuls, but to use them as pawns in a ratings game designed to line the pockets of a select few.

In my view, Rushfield could have dug even deeper on that theme. He reveals a few telling anecdotes — such as Simon wanting to push Kyle Ensley of Season 7 through to Hollywood Week only because, as Simon himself says: “I want a character on the show. I want someone I can pick on.”

But overall, he’s fairly soft on the Idol Machine and glosses over many of the more notable scandals (and conspiracy theories). He’s also inconsistent in his observations. For example, early in the book, he mentions that Simon was known to strategically criticize a contestant, knowing the audience would often rally to support them and the votes would pour in. (And then Simon could signal a “dramatic turn” by praising them later.)

But Rushfield seems to forget this astute observation by Chapter 16 when he mentions Simon recanting his criticism of David Cook on Season 7 finale night. Rushfield says, “The admission was part of Cowell’s enduring appeal, his ability not to take his opinions too seriously, to admit mistakes, which projected the unfailing sense that this is one man who tells the truth no matter what.”

It’s unfortunate Rushfield drifts away from his more hard-hitting early chapters and doesn’t call out Simon’s faux-criticism (and subsequent recant) for what it really was — manipulating the audience into thinking Cook needed “saving,” then doing an about-face the next night to support his favoured winner — and engineering yet another “dramatic turn.”

Also uneven is Rushfield’s coverage of the outstanding Idol “moments” — Fantasia’s “Summertime” and Adam Lambert’s “Mad World” are mentioned but where is Carrie Underwood’s “Alone” or David Archuleta’s “Imagine”? Rushfield mentions the key to Idol’s sucess is its placement on a weeknight for maximum “watercooler” buzz the next day. Well, people *cough*JLo*cough* are still buzzing about “Imagine,” so how the heck do you not even mention it?**

That said, the book was very well written and a real page turner. It was fascinating to read about how the show came about, both in the U.K. and the U.S. I sensed, however, that Rushfield didn’t want to burn any bridges in order to maintain his access to the show, so it’s not as hard-hitting as it could be … in other words, “The Untold Story” is yet to be told.

I’m hoping by Paula! 🙂

* Brief mentions on pages 203-208 & 211, in case you’re tempted to do the same thing
**okay, so perhaps I’m somewhat biased here. A tad. Or two tads.

P.S. So has anyone else read the book? Is anyone into A.I. this year?


Posted in Book review | Tagged , , | 35 Comments

David Archuleta cuts the Jive ribbon as it starts to fray

More info:
Just wanted to fill you guys in on what’s been happening lately with some of the decisions that have been on my mind lately. Sorry again for how long it is but wanted to make sure I got everything in. Had a great time with my little sister this weekend going to the Monster Jam, Six Flags, and other things. Been excited about songwriting too and can’t wait for you guys to hear what may come from it!

Tags: David  Archuleta  Monster  Jam  Truck  Six  Flags  Magic  Mountain  Decisions  Jive  Record  Label  Sony  Barry  Weiss  Jeff  Fen

Transcription of this epic vlog:
Howdy folks! It’s David here. And as you can see I’m outside today, because the weather is amazing. It’s been raining like crazy the last few days. But it’s blue skies, sunny.  So I just couldn’t resist coming outside. I just wanted to check in with you guys, let you guys know what’s been going on.

First off, this last Friday was my youngest sister’s birthday and so I brought her down to Southern California, and got to spend time with her, take her out to places to eat, it was just really cool getting to do that. And then we also went to see monster truck racing [laughs]. It was called Monster Jam at Dodger Stadium and it was a pretty interesting experience. It was pouring rain, it was freezing, but it was fun. We weren’t allowed to take in umbrellas, so we just wore garbage bags, because we had to leave the umbrellas in the car. But it was an experience, that’s for sure. It was fun.

Another thing we got to do, yesterday, for Presidents’ Day, we went to Six Flags Magic Mountain and got to ride the rollercoasters there. It was fun, both my sister and I love rollercoasters so it was a lot of fun getting to do that. Then we also got to go to the batting cages and things like that. I really hope my sister had a good time. So, Amber, hope you had a good birthday weekend.

"It’s the relationship with you guys that’s the most important."

So, next thing, to get down to business here. Just wanted to let you guys know about things that have been going on. I know a lot of you have been worried about it. Hearing that I’m no longer with my record label, Jive, and I’m no longer with my management anymore, either.

So I’ve kind of been talking about it in my tweets and stuff, about decision-making … making decisions. And just kind of figuring out, okay, who’s David, who is he supposed to be. What direction is he trying to go as an artist and things? And just really thinking about that. And something I’ve been doing a lot is writing. I’ve done a lot of writing in the past, but lately I’ve been trying to focus on writing by myself. What comes out of me? And trying not to be self-conscious, I’m a self-conscious person, but just don’t worry what comes out, just let it come out. And it’s just been really cool getting to say “Okay, this is how I’m feeling, this is what I’m thinking, and this is how it comes out in music.” That’s the reason music … that’s the purpose of music anyway, right?

So I’ve been excited about doing that and getting more involved in writing, and seeing what sound comes out from here, [points] David’s head. So I’m excited for you guys to hear what may come out of it. It’s just a fun time getting to … I think the most important of all the … doing is the relationship I have with you guys. You guys are the ones who are hearing this and listen to it. And I just want to make sure that whatever it is that I’m sharing is real and something that I feel a real connection to and feel good about. That’s the most important part of music, so isn’t that the number one thing I should be focusing on? And giving myself time to do it, I’ve never really given myself time to do it. Now I’ve just said, this is important. (Sorry for the noises outside … anyway.)

How appropriate for a discussion of former labels and management ... bananas.

So with Jive … Jive has been changing as a company. There have been a lot of changes. The president of Sony, Barry Weiss (who’s also over Jive Records) is no longer with the company anymore, he left Sony. And same with my A&R guy, who is the person I would make the albums with, Jeff Fenster, he’s no longer there, he left too. So a lot of people have been leaving and there have just been a lot of changes. They’re changing as a company. And I feel like I’m changing as an artist. I’m changing the direction I’m going too [hands diverging directions], so there were offers to continue working with them but it just didn’t feel like the right thing right now.

I’ve loved working with them, they’ve been so great, you know the people there are just awesome, I love going over to visit them and talk to them and I’ve learned a lot from them as a company. They’ve helped me get to this point from what I’ve learned with the music business and the way it all works. But I just felt like I need to start going in a different direction now, it just felt like the right time to part ways.

It’s scary making those decisions sometimes you’re like, “Is this the right decision? Am I crazy?” but I’ve learned also throughout my life, you have to follow your gut. You have to follow that instinct, that feeling you have inside of you. And I just feel like, sometimes it’s hard to make decisions but it’s the right thing to do, so I’ve been excited, I’m looking forward to the future … what David is going to be giving to you guys, in the future and how also I’ll be developing as a person and as an artist, with my music.

Another thing is with management. I’m no longer with the management company I’ve been working with. It’s another great company I’ve been working with, they’ve had so much success, and they’ve really been fun to work with, but it’s just another thing, it’s like, I realize this is not where I need to be right now. This is not what I want to be doing right now, not what I want to be focusing on. I mean, not like they were doing anything bad, or anything wrong you know, they’ve been great.

But just thinking, “Okay, what do I want to focus on right now?” and “What’s the right thing for me to do right now?” And I’ve just learned, only recently I’ve learned, it’s an obvious thing, but I have control over my life, the decisions I make, that’s what’s going to make or break, not necessarily just my career but my life too. So I’m just excited where to go, the direction that I’m hoping to go with music.

I’m sorry for scaring you guys with things but I just wanted to thank all of you for the support you’ve been showing. It means a lot to me. Even if sometimes it’s like “What’s going on?” you’re still supportive and so positive and it helps keep me … I mean, I already feel good about things but it makes me feel so much better to know that you guys are… there are a couple of things coming up that will be going on soon that I’m looking forward to letting you guys know about in their own due time. Anyway this always gets long, I’m sorry. I don’t know if I mentioned it, but there’s a banana tree behind here, I thought it would be kinda fun to have some platanos, bananas, growing right there.

Anyway, so that’s all I have to say for now, sorry it’s so long. I will talk to you guys later and will fill you guys in on more what happens in the future. I didn’t want to leave you guys in the dark. I feel communication is key. And this relationship with music … you guys … it’s the relationship with you guys that’s the most important. So, anyway, thanks for hearing me ramble, I’m sorry if it got complicated but, have a great week you guys!

P.S. I am over the moon after this vlog … even though we have no idea what’s coming next, we know David’s writing songs, he’s more excited than ever to pursue music … in fact, a new direction, more soulful maybe? More David, for sure. And we know how much he lives to perform so I’ve gotta believe plans for that are in the works too. … It’s the butterflies, that keep you feelin’ so alive, so alive…. What do you guys think???

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Other Side of Down: Where does David Archuleta go from here?

Count me in the camp that says good riddance to Jive! Actually I think everything is going according to plan and I would be far more concerned if the “big news” was that David Archuleta compromised his principles in order to increase profits for the label and manager.

That press conference during his Asia trip gave us a glimpse of the challenges David faced during his tenure with Jive, and for him to talk about the challenges to that extent tells me that there was likely a lot more going on behind the scenes.

The music industry is fascinating. I think that when industries are in such flux it is innovating thinking that leads the way. Hopefully David has advisors who are innovative thinkers. I found the article below by Jeff Price. He has a worked for a number of years in the music industry. Granted he does have a bias towards independent music since he owns a company catering to the artist. Nonetheless I think he makes some great points.

He writes the article from the perspective of an independent or alternative band but the concepts are easily translatable to individual artists.

Tumblr: thedayaftertomorrow16

Arrested Artist Development
by Jeff Price
Sometime in the 1990s, “artist development” for rock and alternative bands, got turned on its head. Gone were the days of a major label aspiring to propel an artist over many years to “rock legend” with multiple releases, tour dates, interviews and in-store appearances (Led Zep, Rolling Stones, Springsteen, The Byrds etc). Instead, new artists were given six weeks from the street date of their debut album to have a radio/MTV hit.

If the first single from the album failed, the artist would typically get dropped; their career effectively over before it even began. This change occurred with the consolidation of the music industry under multi-national billion dollar companies (many publicly traded). Gone were the days of patience for a “return on investment.”

Instead, the world boiled down to revenues earned over the last 90 days. Shareholders demanded quick growth, the value of a company lived and died by what was reported and booked every quarter of the year. If the company invested $1 million into a band in January, it cared only about how quickly it could see its money back and how much profit would be made.

This get-rich-quick strategy helped destroy the value of labels and the careers (and potential careers) of thousands of artists. Before the record label consolidation, an artist would get signed, an album would get recorded, the release would get set up and distributed. The artist would tour as the label promoted the artist/album building up the fan base and credibility. The band would gain experience playing live, learn things in the studio and grow as musicians. About a year later, the next album would be released, this time to some anticipation by the existing fans, and the same cycle as with the first album would repeat – building, playing, learning, touring, gaining new fans – until the next album came out.

It was the artist’s later album, built on years of learning and credibility, that would go multi-platinum providing the final piece of the puzzle in defining them as a “legend.” Once at that status, an abundance of opportunities and wealth would arrive for many years to come via gigs, merchandise sales, advances and band and publishing royalties. The label would experience a huge spike in back catalog sales from new fans discovering and buying old albums selling as many copies of a catalog album in a single week as they did over the previous year. There were no label marketing costs directly tied to these catalog sales thereby generating huge amounts of high margin money for their bottom line.

Or said another way, the value of a major label like EMI (or make that Citigroup due to its recent acquisition) is not from one new Beatles’ album, it’s from the entire Beatles’ catalog. These older albums sell and sell and sell yielding huge financial returns that dwarf income made off of just one hit album. In the old music industry, the true monetary value for the record label and artist was in the catalog of created and released works – each song, album, EP selling a little (or a lot) each day, week and year creating a large and steady recurring and predictable stream of income (“recurring and predictable income” is the holy grail for financial institutions).

The shift to a new strategy of just six weeks to “have a hit or you’re dead” flew not only in the face of artist development but also in the face of long term financial gain while radically changing the way the game was played. A quick financial return strategy in the music industry could only be accomplished in one way, a mass-consumable commercial radio/video hit single. Bands began to be signed not for their current and future value, but for just the one hit they may have written. All label bets were placed on the one single as it was sent to radio and MTV with hopes of airplay, reaction and consumer sales. Radio and MTV gained massive power being the only outlets to allow this quick explosive growth, and the labels were willing to pay them whatever it took to gain the media exposure.

The music world went topsy turvy – debut albums became an artist’s best selling album with subsequent releases selling far less (Spin Doctors, BloodHound Gang, Alanis Morissette, Hootie & The Blowfish, Third Eye Blind, Better Than Ezra, Marcy Playground etc etc etc). Gone were the days of development, catalog and box sets; in their place came the world of “one hit wonders” whose value dissipated as quickly as it arrived. This is not to suggest that these bands or songs were good or bad, nor is this to suggest that the phenomenon of “one hit wonders” was not happening through the entire history of the music industry. What was different was the lack of bands being nurtured, supported and given time to grow and develop at the world’s largest labels.

Lawyers, calculators and quarterly profit and loss statements replaced the ears and creative passion of music executives like Seymour Stein, Ahmet Ertegun, Lenny Waronker and Mo Ostin. Bloated artist contracts were an additional side effect of this new get rich quick strategy – understandably, artists, lawyers and managers were demanding larger and larger advances on future albums as a major label would only exercise the option due to the previous album being a financial hit.

Percentages of these large advances went into the pockets of the managers and, in some cases, the lawyers, incentivizing them to take the money and run. Marketing spends went through the roof as the labels tried to hit grand slam home runs. Albums selling a few hundred thousand copies that were previously seen as a success were now redefined as failures. As more than 98% of the bands signed were not hits, the labels could not justify nor afford the huge advances previously negotiated and the bands were dropped, their careers stunted and ended before they even really began.

As this new shortsighted strategy progressed for over a decade, the labels woke one day and realized what they had done – for the past 15 years they neglected to build up a valuable catalog of work that people would continue to buy over a long period of time. The older “legacy” catalog of Pink Floyd still sold, but there was nothing taking its place, nothing being incrementally added – even rock legends die, taking their chest of musical riches with them to grave. This left only one option, buy even more into the new vicious cycle, do even less artist development, spend more money on marketing, invest more in videos, up advances, swing like mighty Casey at bat for that elusive home run and hope to god something hit.

Had there been more patience, less greed, less focus on next month’s bottom line the magnificence of the industry could have been perpetuated through its creativity. Not only would these media companies have been reaping far greater financial rewards, but the artists and the music fans most likely would have had a different view of the entire industry.

The good news is the cycle has been broken, artists no longer singularly need a label to have a career; there is now a choice. The lessons of the past combined with the technology and opportunity of today can quite possibly create a return to the true cultural and long-term financial value of music. Through new media outlets and social networking, bands and fans can connect in more personal and meaningful ways. Fans are now able to more directly and meaningfully support their favorite musicians over the long term enabling the artist to create a significant body of work through their lifetime. The control of a band’s career has shifted from the label to the artist – be it the path of Vanilla Ice or Radiohead, the choice, success (or failure) is the artists to make.

P.S. Where do you guys think David goes from here?

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