March 27, 2009 Morning Pages

So, how the hell do I start?

Oh, hell. We totally killed it!

Words cannot begin to describe how well things went last night @ Genghis Cohen. It was simply a near-perfect night. Not a perfect gig--at least on my part--but pretty damn near. Pretty much everything that could have gone right last night did. It was a nice change of pace. After a couple years of playing one-man-stupid-cover-gigs at sports bars for the bartender and sometimes 2 other people, it was a pleasant change of pace to be playing my own material hang having a whole room of folks enjoy it.

But before I get into all of that, though, let me comment on the restaurant that is Genghis Cohen, and then I'll later focus on the music venue. Although Christy knocked the décor as 80's retro, I actually enjoyed the look and feel of the place. All of that paled in comparison to the food, which was top notch. We downed a helping of pan-fried pork dumplings that totally got us stoked for the main course. She had the Kung Pao Chicken (her go-to dish) and I had the Cilantro Spicy Shrimp. Have to say it was all very tasty. We were very well taken care of by the staff had and weren't rushed out of the booth after. A very pleasant dining experience overall, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who's looking for good Chinese food in Hollywood.

Now for the gig. First of all, kudos to Lindsey, who was working the door at the place and made sure everything was taken care of for us professionally. The only disappointment was that for some reason the terms of my contract with the venue changed over the past month. So I had to clarify a few things with her. More on that later. Also deserving of big ups was Evan, our sound man. Haven't listened to the board mix that he recorded for us, but from what I could hear in the house and the feedback from the audience, we sounded pretty tight. He paid attention to my cues (less reverb on the lead vocal) and kept everything well balanced.

I couldn't be more proud of my musicians last night. Every single one of them. First off, they were all punctual. Didn't have to worry about anyone showing up late or not having their poop in a pile. Second of all, they looked perfectly classy, which I had requested at the last rehearsal. We were a good looking group, completely appropriate for the type of music we were playing. And then there's the actual execution of the songs last night--like I said, not perfect, but pretty damn near. The only thing I can remember being off was the ending of “Big Blue Sky,” which we flubbed, and maybe the tempo of “Twenty Days,” which was just a little rushed. Very slight mistakes which in no was affected my feeling of the performance. For my part, I have to say I was in really good form. I felt confident, no vocal issues at all, and it felt like the gig as a whole was pretty well paced. In the actual moment, I could see people in the crowd grooving in their seats.

That was gratifying, to actually see folks enjoying what we were doing. I guess I'm used to the indifference I get when I did my cover sets, also known as musician's hell. I think I almost got resigned to the fact that I'd never have a good show again. Last night was a breath of fresh air and something sorely needed to break the sports club curse.

I'm going to wrap this entry up soon, but I can't do it without thanking a number of people who went out of their way to show up last night. First up, my South Bay peeps: Wellman, Scott, Ram, Robb Fulcher, Susan. Every single one of you made my night with your enthusiasm and presence. My workmates: Jason, Patricia, Steve and Keon. Please tell everyone what they missed out on and how much they need to support the next time. Christian Beranek! Dude, I know how busy you are; thanks for taking time out of your night to be there for me. It meant a lot. Jeremy Ross, what a pleasant surprise to see you! Dax, thanks for coming with CB. I look forward to jamming with you sometime soon. Also, friends of my bandmates and folks that hung out after the preceding act: THANK YOU! Angela Meday! You rock my world!

Ok, more later. Did I mention I feel good?

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March 26, 2009 Morning Pages

Well, today's the day.

Really crossing my fingers that all the begging and bribing I've been doing will pay off in actual butts in seats. Sure, everyone says “I'll be there.” But it's really not until downbeat that I'll truly know who's simply give me lip service or who's serious about supporting. This is the worst part about being a musician. Day was, I used to believe there was a “if you build it, they will come” mentality to what I did. But in a music town like LA, clubs expect--nay, demand--that the acts that play their venues bring their following. So the responsibility has moved from the venue itself to try to fill the audience to the acts that are performing.

It's a real catch-22 for new acts. It's what makes it the toughest part of what I'm having to do since I moved out here. I took me a good 2 or so years to build my New York fanbase. Sadly, a lot of people in LA haven't even heard of me. So I've been working my ass off to try to change that.

Thank God for the internet. Facebook, Meetup, Google and ReverbNation have really made my life a lot easier in terms of dealing with this. I can, at the very least, keep my friends in the loop easier than knocking on doors and making phone calls. The ease of creating events and inviting folks with a certain region to said events has mercifully been streamlined for the artist who is self-managing and promoting. So has circulating PR. Thankfully, newspapers and media outlets are now just an email blast away.

Anyway, here's hoping all of that homework will get my numbers into the club so I can actually pay for this shindig. I realize that I've only got one or two more of these pay-for-play gigs in my budget, then I'm going to have to do something else. But I'm in it to win it, and this is an investment I believe will pay out in the end.

I fell pretty confident, actually. The only question marks in my mind are with the first new song. It's physically challenging, for both me and my bass player Noah. It'll also be a WTF moment for the audience, and I'm not sure they'll know what to expect. Volume will be a concern, as Genghis Cohen is a pretty small room. The first two songs of the set are powerful, so I expect some stern looks from the soundman. Then we'll settle into the groovier stuff. I guess my biggest fear is that I don't scare the crowd off in the first two tunes. But recently I've come to learn that sometimes art has to challenge its audience. I'm genuinely interested in seeing what the reaction will be. Let's hope we execute it well. I have no fear after the first two songs. We're just coming out of the gate with something no one's expecting from me.

For the bands part, they're pretty tight. Nikki, God bless her heart, has been working her ass off to learn these songs in a short amount of time. She's got a lot of talent, and it's great to have a feminine element to the band. Man, if I could also add a female keyboard player who could sing, I'd be gold. Putting that out to the internets.

Calm, reflective and relaxed today. Really trying not to think about the gig too much. I'll listen to a couple songs over my lunch just to mentally visualize performing those first two songs. But I really don't want to be bothered with anything until tonight. To anyone reading this in the LA area, you're going to catch an amazing show. Please spread the word if you can not attend to your friends. We're going to have a really fun time, and the band is going to tear it up.

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March 13, 2009 Morning Pages

Carpooling again. What a fantastic way to get a little writing done.

Well, it's official. We're in the two-week window where I'll really start pushing the Genghis Cohen gig. That's right, on Thursday the 26th I'll be bringing the band to LA and rocking the stage. So please let this go out as a general call to everyone with the in the view of this blog that lives in the greater Los Angeles area. I need you to come out and support! This is the only local gig on the books for the foreseeable future. Depending on how it goes, I may book more, but I know I'll be focused on rehearsing the band for the next record. To that end, the set list will probably look something like this (not in order):

Flipside in the Ghetto
Free My Mind
Romeo and Juliet
Thinkin 'Bout You
*undisclosed cover tune*
Tootie Got Bootie
Big Blue Sky
It's Only Love
Twenty Days
Only Woman on the World (time providing)

See that? There are two NEW songs that are going to pop into the set this show. That gives you, the audience, the opportunity to hear brand new Philip Clark material before anyone else in the world! How cool is that? Plus, you really need to hear this band. They really are talented, exceptional musicians. There's really only so much pimping I can do; you really just need to come see this for yourself.

Please go to http://reverbnation.com/philipclark for more info, or if you're on Facebook you can probably search for the event there, too. As long as your there, please add me as your friend and also add my fan page.

As long as we're talking about links, here are links to my various homes in the social networking scene. Please feel free to add these:

http://twitter.com/philipclark (my Twitter feed)

http://blip.fm/flipside (my DJ handle)

Speaking of, my friend Scott and I were having an interesting conversation last night. What with all these social networks out there, it's very easy to get your message to the masses, whatever it is. Scott was reading an article and pointed out that there are basically three kinds of twitterers: Mindcasters, Egocasters and Marketers. We observed that the best people to follow are the mindcasters--those that have interesting thoughts and observations and simple share them with the internet. The worst kind are the egocasters--those that simply tweet "check me. Me, me, me." Marketers are a necessary evil to any social situation.

That said, I know I try more to be a mindcaster, although I know that early on I started as an egocaster. with all the new sites and features coming out, it becomes more and more apparent that this is the age of digital narcissism. It's a potential danger for we as artists to get swept up in it all and stick to the business of creating.

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March 11, 2009 Morning Pages

I always say it's been a minute. Well, it's been a minute.

Carpooling with the girl today. Instant advantage is that I can sit in the passenger seat and write while she drives. It's a better way for me to take care of business on what is usually a wasted hour while I commute to work. In New York it was easier: sit on the subway and take care of whatever work I had. Out in La-La Land it's a little more complicated. Being a slave to the 405 only gives me a couple three things I can knock out during drive time. I can make phone calls, sadly, only to the East Coast; because, of course, it's too early to call anyone in LA. I can record voice notes for either story or song ideas. That, I don't do enough. Just haven't organized enough to do it, plus there's the added step of having to transcribe any such notes to the computer later. Most of the time, I listen to music; either stuff I look to for inspiration or rehearsal tapes or new compositions that I've bounced down to perfect. I just hate feeling like I'm wasting that time. It's two hours out of my day, and I don't get paid for it.

And so it is that I'm actually knocking out a morning page while my wife cranks out fair-to-middlin' Top 40 and Country music from the radio...

Oh, quick aside here. WILL EVERY PRODUCER ON THE PLANET STOP USING AUTO-TUNE?? Every fucking song I hear now has some gimick-y vocal track that's over-saturated with the god-damned Auto Tune plug-in. I think 10 years is long enough for this trend to die a quick and painful death. And let me add, DOING IT TO STEVIE WONDER'S VOICE IS A CRIME WHICH SHOULD EARN WHATEVER PRODUCER A LIFETIME SENTENCE IN GUANTANAMO BEING ASS-RAPED BY GREAT DANES AND FED COCK SANDWICHES EVERY MEAL. It is singularly the worst thing to ever happen to Popular music. The fact that the watershed moment for Auto Tune was a Cher tune should be a major fucking clue that it was a bad, bad, bad idea. Here's an idea, learn how to sing or perhaps even work a talk-box. Something that takes actual fucking talent.

Oh, and the Gitmo thing should just happen to Kanye anyway.

There, rant over. Ah, that felt good.

This is awesome, halfway to work and I've already generated over 400 words. As much as I fought the whole carpool thing with the wife, it might actually be a good idea. Plus, added bonus, I'm keeping miles off the leased Mazda. Lesson for next time: make sure the iced coffee is made. Winchell's will be the first order of the day once I get out of the car.

Ok, lots going on lately. Taking care of promo for the upcoming gig at Genghis Cohen (March 26th at 10PM, folks. I'll be making a big fucking deal out of it soon). This is one where I simply have to bring out bodies to support, so I'm a little nervous about it. Also, it's really the first real visible original gig here in LA-proper. Will probably be begging, borrowing and offering sexual favors to all of my friends and colleagues in town to get them to come out. The good news is that the band sounds pretty awesome and I'm adding new material to the set. I guess I shouldn't be to concerned with playing old SOBES songs, considering not a lot of folks out here have heard them. But I'm really trying to get into the head of the new record, and definitely after this gig I'll be teaching the band all the new stuff. I think the strategy will be to have rehearsals at least twice a month for the foreseeable future. I like rehearsing. I miss it. It gives me a chance to bond with my musical family. Not only will I be able to get the next record tracked, but I'll also be able to work up some cover sets. Doing to original showcase is well and good, but I know building a fanbase will entail getting to the regular clubs and doing some cover gigs every now and then. They're also arguably more profitable. Every gig and rehearsal is a financial investment at this point. I'd like to be saving money for the stuff I know I'm going to need later this year, like video production and recording costs. Regardless, it will all be seriously underground budget. The key is to come up with quality ideas that don't require a lot of overhead.

Well, rolling up to the jobby job. More later.

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My Quickie WATCHMEN Review, Pt. 1

So last night I was one of the reported $4.5 million worth of people that attended the midnight screening to Watchmen. Overall I was pretty happy with the results of what is being touted as the greatest comic book movie of all time. Much like the movie, I'm going to try to cram a lot of information in a little amount of time and give you the best quickie review I can given my impressions on about 8 hours of sleep after the fact.

**SPOILERS FOLLOW!! DO NOT PASS THIS POINT IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED**

My initial impressions of the movie are that this was about as good of a Watchmen flick as Hollywood will be able to deliver. Zach Snyder and his screenwriters were about as faithful to Moore's epic as they could be, given the fact that they had to cram 12 issues worth of very dense story into less than 3 hours (I will be buying the extended cut DVD and the Tales of the Black Freighter/Under the Hood DVDs when they release). So, you have to bear with the fact that the entire movies was extremely compressed and hurried. You just had to. You had to be able to grab on at bar one and hold on for dear life as the entire opus unfolded. And for this fact, I have to give up lots of props to Snyder for his pacing, right up until about the last 1/3 of the movie where it just gets to be very rushed. I could see each chapter rolling by at a pretty decent pace until after the prison break (and even really, after Jon and Laurie leave Mars), then it really careened to a finish. Kudos for the powers-that-be for keeping it on track for that long. In fact, my general disappointment begins and ends with the fact that the final "act" (we'll get to that in a second) seems very hurried. All of that aside, this is a really good comic book adaptation.

Why this was a great comic book flick and should be a lesson to those making them:

This is probably the first comic book adaptation, with the exception of "Sin City" where actual dialogue and panels of the comic are treated so faithfully into the end product. In my opinion this is crucial to adapting a work this like. Many critics I've listened to so far and really on Snyder's case about this, but it's my opinion that this is how all comic book movies should be done. Where Hollywood goes wrong in bringing comics to films is that they change too many things and are not respectful enough to the source material. I can say with pride that the first 1/3 of this movie is pretty much page-for-page, line-for-line of what Moore intended. Rorschach's soliloquy at the beginning, although rushed, is near perfect for setting the tone for this film. The fact that so much of the graphic novel is kept in this movie is a real testament to how much Snyder loves it and his craft. Critics and reviewers need to take note: this is what we, the comic book faithful want to see. And this is what those that aren't familiar with the genre NEED to see. This is absolutely the best representation of Alan Moore's (and Dave Gibbon's, respect) vision come true-to-life that we have seen to date. In this, we finally got to scratch the surface of where Moore's genius lies. Yes, it's lofty. Yes, it's dense and confusing. But SO IS THE ORIGINAL WORK, and as a result this movie does an exceptional job at capturing it and making it accessible to the mainstream. So, I'm not upset about the fact that Snyder stayed so close to the comic book panels and dialogue when making this movie. I relish it, and I appreciate it, and I would advise every other director and screenwriter planning on making a comic book movie to do the same. That's why they call it an adaptation. Stick with good source material and you can rarely go wrong. What changes that were made here were few, and they didn't bother me so much that they ruined the original vision.

Why linear storytelling should be abandoned and why the critics should get over it:

Another complaint that I'm hearing about this movie from the reviewers is that this movie jumps around too much; that there is no real 3-act structure, and the whole thing gets diluted with bouncing from current events to flashbacks and origins. Again, this is the whole point. Moore's original volume had three disparate stories going on at the same time and also covered all the ground work for establishing all the characters backstories and why the Watchmen universe was as it was. Again, this is part of the genius of why Watchmen worked. It was dense, it was bold, and it jumped around a lot.

This is the twenty first century, and film critics need to let go of 3-act structure and linear storytelling every once in a while. Look at why works like "Memento," "Lost" and "Pulp Fiction" are so well received. Sometimes you have to break away from what's been done, and typical structure, and all that and simply present the work in a manner that works best. Chronologically, there is very little wrong with Watchmen. The only serious deviations that I saw versus the comic made sense to me at the time. But to pan the movie because it jumps around or is confusing is playing into the hands of those that read the graphic novel for the first time and don't get it. It's supposed to be dense. It's supposed to jump around, and it's supposed to make you think or wonder what the hell is going on. This is why Watchmen is such a strong piece of art in the first place.

Pt. 2 forthcoming...

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March 2, 2009 Funeral for a Friend

This could go on a bit, so those of you that like the mini-blogs, please step along.

I can't say I'm one of those people that knew Cori Desmond well. I wish I could be one of those people, but I'm not. I'm just one of those people who have been drawn to the news of her murder and had to--just HAD TO--be at her service today.

I will give you what backstory I can. I'm a musician, and as such we musician folk have been known to play at the local pub now and again. When I moved to my new home of the Beach Cities of Los Angeles, I had the fortune of being hired to play a number of joints in my neighborhood. It's what a new musician does to build a crowd and make a buck or two. That's how it was when I had a resident Wednesday night at the BAC Street Lounge in Redondo Beach. I would go every weekend and do my stupid little cover gig (a nomenclature which will more than likely be capitalized in the near future) and be on my way. In my travels I met a girl who was local to the bar scene there, who had been a regular bartender and patron. This was my first meeting with Cori. She was a lean, cool, bubbly girl who instantly radiated...

Glee.

Can I say that without it sounding much too much gayer than it is?

Just. Out-and-out. Downright. Gayety.

I'm sure she got mad, upset, drunk, pissed--any of those other things you might put on someone. But all I got from every meeting or seeing Cori was just outright glee. She had a smile that lit up any space you happened upon. I never got a chance to really sit down and talk with her, but I did see her and say hi to her several times. And you just could not leave the room without remembering her and that damn cheerful smile.

That smile haunts me today. Today I took a personal day. I didn't see it coming, and I wish I could have just gone about business as usual. But today I had to stay in my community and pay my respects to someone that I can honestly say that my days will not be the same without seeing. This is no crush or infatuation or anything like that. I just have to say a very special girl has been wiped from the face of our planet, and I've been personally effected by her loss.

So much so that I was compelled to attend her service today. This will probably come of as some kind of review, but I'll really try to stick tot he facts. I have to say; it's probably one of the most beautiful memorials I've attended. I'm no stranger to loss or funerals. I've lost a lot of important people in my life: my cousin Larry, my Aunt-in-Law Karen, my Grandfather, my Aunt Sandy. Friends, colleagues, and all. The older I get, the more good people pass from this earth. I will probably have a whole other entry about that soon, but not now. Anyway, there I was, smack-dab in this church, mourning the passing of a friend I hardly knew, but felt somehow connected to.

I didn't do it for me. I didn't do it for anyone else. I just needed to BE there. Maybe for my new home and my community. Maybe to just lend my support to the family that had this girl stripped from them. I just had to be there.

I'll admit, it was long. 2 hours, to be exact. But it was the best two hours I spent today. I can't give the play-by-play. I won't cheapen the thing by doing that. I can say that we filled a huge church, and a family grieved, and we grieved with them. I will say the pastor, John Cusick, as eloquent, moving and respectful. I remember him saying, in a prayer, something like “and respectfully to whatever you believe, we say this in Jesus' name...” I found that actually very appropriate. No one was hammering any gods or mandate on anyone today. Any more than anyone was mandating that we all feel sad, or happy or angry. We all felt it all. Several family members came and gave appreciation for Cori. And it was all moving. Cathartic. The music, the sermons, eulogies, the image and video tribute, the memory cards. It was all as perfect as it could be. Every person in that room was there for a singular purpose, to send this angel that was lost to us skyward.

Yes, forgive me. It's lofty. It's trying to be poetic. And if it feels like I'm trying to blow it all out of proportion for a my own selfish blog, forgive me. But I was moved. Not only by the loss, not only by the ceremony, but by every thing that happened after.

We Irish know that after a good funeral comes a wake. Sad to say I didn't attend the main reception because I didn't feel close enough to the Desmond clan. I wouldn't just intrude upon a “Family and close friends of the family” get-to-gether. But I did go to the bars that Cori was last seen at. I wanted to drown my sorrows with the people that were there the night she was taken from us. So there it was that I went back to my local taverns, Bogey's and The BAC Street. And I was happy to engage people that I'd seen several times there but had never introduced myself to. One thing about a loss, you can't ignore the person you sit across the bar from any more. You're feeling the hit. He is to. About time you shook hands and exchanged names.

There's a whole gamut of things that has gone through my mind today. I know there's blame, and rage, and fear. Really, a lot of fear. I heard the story of how some people in town blame the staff at Bogey's for not letting Cori in when she was beating on the door at 2:30AM. How maybe, if someone had just let her in, this would all be different. Then I hear stories about how several other women in the neighborhood, also bartenders, have been attacked. One was even recently attacked and nearly abducted, like Cori. I try to console my friend who now feels the looks and hushed whispers from a community that's asking “why didn't you just let her in?” To those people I can only say that hindsight is 20/20, that even that act might not have changed anything, and that people have to be allowed to do their jobs.

This is a tragedy. And it's shocking. We're all dumbfounded by this. We're all shaken. But you can't blame the bar industry, or the city, or anyone else.

Except for the son of a bitch that did this. And he will see his day of justice.

What I would say is that the local law enforcement needs to WAKE UP. There are bad people on our streets. There are gangs, and perverts, and all of that. Burying it will not change what's happening. There are the Beccas and the Coris and the Chantelles of this town, and it's high time we all started looking out for each other.

I was mugged once, and this is the only common thread I have with what's happening here. I watch the news today, and I see story after story about an assault here, a beating here, a murder there.

There has been a murder here, on my turf. Someone I may not have been really close to, but was nonetheless relevant. A scholar, and artist, a friend.

I'm venting. Really, sorry, venting. And I've only really captured half of the moment today. I don't know if I did it justice, but it's out there.

I wrote some kind of hollow words on the “memory card” they gave us all to fill out during the ceremony. I guess I've paraphrased it here, and I hope I've expounded on it somewhat. Maybe that's some kind of closure for me. I'm sure it's only scratching the surface for everyone else.

Godspeed, Cori. I feel cheated that I never got to tell you what an angel you were. I'm sure everyone else does, too.

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Please take a moment to help out my friend David...

A. David Lewis is a valued colleague and friend of mine, and also a creator who's doing some pretty relevant comic book work. Please take a moment to read the press release below, and if you're a member of the comic book community, please keep him in your thoughts come nomination time.

________________________

For Immediate Release:

For Your Harvey Awards Consideration: Read Some New Kind of Slaughter for Free!

February 19, 2009 - Boston, MA. Some New Kind of Slaughter co-creator A. David Lewis is offering free access to issues #1 and #2 of the 2008 eco-epic mini-series at his website http://captionbox.net/harveys. These obligation-free viewings are tied to the recent release of the 2009 Harvey Awards ballot; Lewis is urging people who enjoyed the beginning of the series to consider nominating it for either “Best New Series” or “Best Limited Series.”

Lewis’s original collaboration with mpMann, The Lone and Level Sands (with Jennifer Rodgers), was nominated in 2006 for three Harvey Awards, including Best Graphic Novel. Since that time, Some New Kind of Slaughter has received praise from Entertainment Weekly garnering an “A-” and from Professor M. Thomas Inge (Comics as Culture) who said the series makes it “clear why the graphic novel is the literature of the future.”

Some New Kind of Slaughter concludes this June from Archaia.

(NOTE: Neither the Baltimore Comic-Con nor the Harvey Awards are responsible for the content of this release.)

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February 15, 2009 Morning Pages

Wow. It's been awhile since I knuckled down and did a morning page. So here goes...

It's a been a fairly productive 2009 so far. I think the best thing I did for myself in my New Year resolutions was to seriously manage my time and goals. I cut a lot of fat/projects that didn't serve me directly and also took steps to make my marriage and personal relationships more of a priority. The improvement to my quality of life has been significant. And I have technology to greatly thank for most of it. Because now I have everything quickly at my fingertips, what with being able to sync all of my contacts, calendars and tasks with both my Blackberry and my Google apps simultaneously. I don't think I've ever been so organized, and I can tell you that is a good feeling indeed. I feel effective. I feel focused. I feel consistently accomplished. Also, a zero-tolerance policy for bullshit has also gotten a lot of unnecessary people out of my life. Again, a good year so far. Hope I don't blow it.

Things are progressing pretty well on the musical front. Angela's already gotten me a couple gigs for Feb and Mar., and if you're in the greater Los Angeles area, I ask you to go here to join my mailing list and get the skinny on things. I'll be playing Genghis Cohen next month, and that's a biggie because I need to draw a decent crowd. So I really hope folks will come to support and listen to some really good music.

And the reason I can tell it's going to be good is because I had my first rehearsal with the band yesterday. (Quick aside: Band, I apologize once again. In hindsight I realize it may not have been ultra-cool to pull you all in to rehearse on Valentine's Day. Next year I promise to get you that Champagne I promised yesterday). Anyway, I have to say things well swimmingly well considering most of us haven't seen each other since June. And, in fact, one of us was new to the fold entirely. I was finally able to convince the lovely and talented Nikki O'Neil to join our ranks for the foreseeable future. Conversely, I will also be joining her group sometime soon. That's how we professional musicians do some times, we scratch each other's backs. I think Nikki is going to be a great fit and I look forward to future musical ventures with her. It's amazing that we never bumped into one another when we both lived in New York. Oh, well, guess fate is funny like that some times. Like I said, the rehearsal went pretty well, and, in fact, here is 12 seconds of it right here:


Rehearsal, now. on 12seconds.tv

Things are going pretty good on the comic book front, too. Diamond's announcement a few weeks back was a real game changer. It seems like the buzzword at New York Comic Con was “digital.” And with a lot of high profile indie creators already saying goodbye to print, I can see that I'll be changing my game-plan with future projects. Am working now to digitize all of QUANTUM so far and get them to a few online distros that I've been in talks with.

Have also been talking to a couple colleagues and am assessing my strategic partnerships. That's my buzzword for the year. Like getting Nikki in the band, a lot of what I'll be doing on all career fronts this year will be a lot of “you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours” kind of dealings. And since I'm not going to spread myself too thin this time out, I will be very selective of who I chose to work with. In fact, in my mind I think I've already selected those people. It's nice to already have my year planned out this far ahead. It's amazing what a little goal setting can do for a person.

Some final thoughts on New York Comic Con. No, I did not go. And part of the reason I didn't was because of a certain group of people whom I once considered my friends and colleagues. That group has completely betrayed my confidence and turned on me. They've taken the over seven years of faithful service I volunteered to the group and utterly shat on them. I didn't go to the show because I knew I would have ran into some of those people, and it would have been completely awkward. Better to save myself the drama of such a reunion and focus on the positive. I will make it a point to attend NYCC next October when I've been able to put some time and distance between me and said group. They know nothing of respect or loyalty and are at this point dead to me. Let them put their focus and money into parties and self-congragulatory award shows that no one else cares or knows about. Their insular and geo-conscious attitudes will be the nail in the coffin of their failing activities, which are hardly creative anymore. To them, I say one final “Suck it” and “Good riddance.”





Sorry to the rest of you, but I had to get that off my chest. Again, zero-tolerance policy for bullshit. And, lesson here: don't piss me off.

Today promises to be a good one. Need to get Christy out of bed so we can go get our Valentine's brunch at Pancho's in Manhattan Beach. All you can drink champagne for the wife, that's my secret to a happy marriage. That and actually including her in your schedule. Later off to the Wellman's to celebrate baby Gram Solo's first birthday. Preparing myself for the unyielding pangs of wishful motherhood from said wife later in the day.

An Open Letter to Independent Comic Book Distributors

The following is my diatribe on recent developments in the comic book industry since Diamond Comics Distribution announced they are raising the sales requirements (AKA "benchmark) for publishers to $2500. If publishers do not generate this number on their purchase orders their book will more than likely be pulled out of Diamond's catalog, and the purchase order may not even be filled. This move greatly affects how smaller publishers will be represented in the PREVIEWS catalog and reach (or not) comic book shops – and eventually their audience. For those unaware, the comic book industry is the only entertainment medium where there is pretty much one single distribution channel for retailers to directly get their inventory. This has led to in-deals with what we call the "Big Two" publishers – Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Currently Marvel Comics, whose primary genre is superheroes, holds over 45% of the market in comic book sales. Marvel, along with DC and Image, has inroads with Diamond so that their titles are published in the front of the PREVIEWS catalog. The remainder publishers, the smaller ones – the ones putting out stories that may not be about superheroes, capes or spandex – are all relegated to the back of the catalog. By the law of averages and attention spans, most orders that retailers place are from the front section of this enormous catalog. Once all "Big Three" (I'll include Image here) orders are fulfilled, anything a retailer orders beyond that is pretty much gravy. As a result, independent comics are a dying subset of a medium that is over-saturted with sub-par writing, childish plotlines and far too many "Big Crossover Events" designed mainly as a sales tactic to flood the market. I've had some time to reflect, with friends and colleagues, on this; and have my own particular remedy for how someone could give Diamond a run for their money while simultaneously giving retailers the tools to carry more diverse types of comics. The opinions contained herein are my own and do not reflect any other company or organization.
Dear Haven Distributors (and, subsequently, Enemi Entertainment):

Surely you have heard about Diamond's recent decision to raise sales benchmark from $1500 to $2500. As an independent comic book creator and publisher, I am very concerned how this change – however slight it may seem – will affect the comic book industry. It's hard enough for independent publishers to find an audience, much less get accepted into the PREVIEWS catalog given Diamond's rigid standards. By raising benchmark, Diamond has assured that even fewer small publishers will get distribution to the thousands of retailers nationwide.

This affects indie comics – and the very industry – greatly. Given the current global economic crisis, I predict certain factors that will become truths within the next year:

1) The 32-page "floppy," or single issue edition, will become a thing of the past. With the new benchmark in place, only the Big Three-type companies will be able to secure the orders necessary needed to hold their place in PREVIEWS. Not that they need to worry about ever losing it. The indies, however, will have to move to a new model – the Trade Paperback. Gone will be the days of single, serialized issues. The independent publisher will be forced to collect complete stories in a larger format. The reason is simple: better pricepoint and profit. Also, if the indie hopes to have a chance to be carried by Diamond, this is the format they will eventually have to adhere to in order to play ball with them.

2) If any kind of serialized story is to take place in independent comics, it will happen online in the form of a Webcomic. Webcomics are quickly becoming the wave of the future, with several independent creators already taking their fate into their own hands – opting to find a new audience online. The smarter ones use webcomics, published on a consistent and reliable schedule, to generate buzz for their stories. They then collect the story arcs into the aforementioned Trade Paperback and then sell those independently. If they're lucky and have some pull, they get the book distributed through Diamond.

3) The Big Three will eventually completely take over the comic book direct retail market. There will be a few hangers-on (IDW, Devil's Due, Oni, etc.), but the smaller, one-man publishers will be forced out of the market. Capes and spandex will be the only kind of books that can be found at a comic book store, prevailing the existing perception that Graphic Literature is a medium for children and the socially inept.

Many companies have tried to compete with Diamond and failed. The reason for this is that they are trying to play by the same rules and paradigms that distributors have attempted for years. The truth is that Diamond is a huge, unruly powerhouse of a monopoly. Let's just be honest. Most retailers aren't even aware that there are any other options. The reason is that too many potential competitors are trying the same old method to get their message to the retailers – the printed catalog. But this is a new era in technology. And what I propose is a completely new model that would allow a very smart and resourceful company to go toe to toe with the behemoth that is Diamond Distributors.

We live in a time where nearly everyone is tuned into the internet. I sincerely doubt that any comic book retailer is working without a computer these days. If any are, they probably don't even order indie comics, and this model wouldn't be for them. However, most are very web savvy, and I think that affords potential distributors an opportunity to generate a serious revenue stream while simultaneously giving publishers a new outlet for their work and retailers fresh new inventory to put in their shops.

There needs to be a new distribution model, and here's a few suggestions on what I think it needs to be:

Abandon the print catalog.
By publishing a print catalog for retailers, you are in fact becoming part of the overlying problem while at the same time throwing money away on a venture that will yield little – if any – return. What is the logic in spending thousands of dollars to create and print a monthly, quarterly or yearly catalog that most retailers will probably throw in the trash anyway? It's been tried several times before, and it's failed every time.

PREVIEWS is PREVIEWS. Let Diamond have it. Your future is online. By creating the catalog online, you're eliminating a definite financial risk. You're also combatting the problem of frequency issues of when the catalog becomes available, avoiding lag times between when retailers receive new content.

Take it online. Wordpress is your friend.
The problem with Haven, Enemi and other small press distros is that their websites are clunky, unattractive, and impenetrable to the end user. And while Enemi's "catalog" does an adequate job of showing which publishers are represented, there are no clickable links for DIRECT ordering on the initial page of their catalog. Websites nowadays, especially with the advent of Wordpress templates, are both easy to create and visually pleasing. They give the consumer clear, concise information on what's available and how to get to it.

By updating the content on a weekly (or steady) basis, you give retailers a steady stream of new material for them to stock their shops. By making the content available online, you sidestep the problematic and costly device of a printed catalog. Publishers are also free to solicit their content on their own schedule, not one pre-determined from an unruly distributor threatening to pull their books if solicitation deadlines are not met.

Also, the beauty of Wordpress and having online content is that people interested in your product can subscribe to RSS feeds of your catalog, which will circulate to your subscribers whenever you update your product listings. In terms of getting the word out on the streets, this is invaluable.

Offer 5-previews of EVERY comic available.
This is where the Big Three are clearly winning in the buzz game. For every solicitation, they offer a 5-page online preview of their upcoming titles. It makes it very easy for the consumer to decide what they want to put on their pull lists and the retailer an idea of what's good. It also gives the distributor a channel to reach comic book media with, reminding the general public that they exist. The problem with Haven, Enemi and the like is that practically no one know about them. Previews of every book they distributed – not just the cover – would be a fantastic solution. It would be up to the publisher to supply the preview pages that the distributor could easily put on the Wordpress site and subsequently send to comic book news sites (Newsarama, CBR, etc.) No one will use the distributor if no one knows about it. And, so far, indie publishers are the only ones making an effort to build press on their books. Diamond will occasionally highlight a notable book with a "Certified Cool," but even this distinction is generally given to a publisher that Diamond has made a deal (i.e. sold advertising within PREVIEWS) to. By sending the news sites previews of each weeks solicitations, you're reminding people of who you are and giving them more choices to buy something they're going to miss in PREVIEWS.

Make the catalog available to both retailers and regular consumers.
With an online catalog, it also makes it very easy for the non-comic-retailer types to access the same information and place their own orders. So why not create two types of accounts: retailer and consumer? The consumers would be able to place their orders – at cover price (or a small discount. Remember, you'd also have to compete with companies like DCBS) – and pay for the shipping of their own books. The retailers would get their books at the standard retailer discount that Diamond offers and save on shipping costs. Retailer orders could be required in bulks of 5 to 10 depending on interest. That way there would be a minimum commitment and incentive to sell more than one copy of any particular title.

The goal here, however, is to give as many people as possible access to content. Diamond makes PREVIEWS available to the every-day comic reader. Why not make the online catalog equally available? And, as stated previously, you're also going head to head with existing online distros.

That's the nuts and bolts of it. Given what I've laid out here, I've anticipated a couple stumbling blocks:

Generating the content.
Admittedly, what we're talking about is a serious full time job. The main issue is going coding the site and also making sure publishers know what format you wish to receive their 5-page previews in. But like I said, Wordpress sites are fairly pain-free in terms of creating. And online catalogs are much easier to set up and ever. A moderate team of folks should be able to handle this in a timely manner.

The actual Distribution.
This is the best and worst problem to have. Because with the influx of demand one could potentially receive with this kind of model comes the hassle of having to actually stock product and expedite orders. It's also what's made Diamond such a powerhouse of a distributor. Let's face it. They have huge warehouses all over the country. It's going to be a hell of an undertaking, especially if you're filling orders for both retailers and consumers. But this is the task of a distributor, and someone's going to have to step up to the plate to compete. I know the comic book audience in general is ready for another choice.

Some of you may read what I've written here and say, "hey, we're already doing that." Well, if you are, no one's heard of you. I certainly haven't. So you must not be doing everything it takes to truly carve out your own presence as a distributor. Now is the time to rise up and capitalize on the gap that needs to be filled from Diamond's unfair policies. I hope someone takes some of the pearls of wisdom here and runs with them.

There is such a marvelous legacy in independent comics. It's an genre that has elevated the medium and made folks who may not be familiar with graphic storytelling find new things to read. It's given us critically acclaimed gems like "Strangers in Paradise," "Maus" and "Blankets." With the current economic climate, it's going to be even harder for these great stories to find the light of day through the piles and piles of superhero fluff that is overshadowing the current comic book marketplace. Don't get me wrong, I love superheroes as much as the next person. But I also believe that the independent creator should have just as much of a voice and opportunity to reach their audience as the big corporate companies. Hopefully, sometime soon, someone will hear this simple plea and take matters into their own hands to combat the current distribution monopoly.

Philip Clark is a musician, comic book writer and creator currently living in Los Angeles. Follow his ever-entertaining Twitter stream here.

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This one is going to be short and sweet.

Coming in from a night of camaraderie and libation, feeling like I've seriously come home for probably the first time in a long time.

With a new year brings new promise. It feels like I've spent the past year clearing my life of the debris of my past existence, making room for the vast expanse of a tremendous future.

(Yes, long-winded and lofty. Bear with me.)

I've worked very hard at clearing my plate of all the yes-es I've agreed to to get me where I am today. This year is for me and mine. I'll be diving back into QUANTUM and my other comic book ideas, producing "Dreamchilde," my sophomore musical attempt, and focusing on my personal projects and relationships. And if I'm very, very, very focused, directed and lucky, I may actually consider procreation.

That said, the new year does bring a refreshing wind of change. Perhaps all of us Americans are just anticipating a new political administration. Or perhaps the very source of that change inspires us the way we have so desperately needed to be inspired for nearly 10 years now.

I won't spend much time questioning it. The bottom line is better management. I'd rather continue what I've started since December; watching what I take in, disciplining myself better in all things. Focusing on my intent. Working around mine and my wife's schedule. Diversifying yet becoming more effective. All the things I should have done in my twenties that I'm finally getting the hang of in my thirties.

Make no mistake, y'all ain't ready. Mark my words.

I know it's been awhile since I posted. And there's no decent excuse, although I'll more than likely try to make some up. To be honest, I needed to take some time to recharge and relax. And, it's official, I am on hiatus until 2009.

But I wanted to let everyone know things have actually been going better in my life and pursuits. Let's just get to the health thing first. A couple months ago I let my friends know that I'd had some bloodwork done, and my triglycerides (or fatty acids in the blood) were off the chart. Thanks to some medication and a complete change of diet I'm happy to report that I've gotten than number back down to a reasonable level and my risk of heart disease as significantly reduced. Also, as a matter of not having a physical exam in a long time, I also got a chest x-ray (mainly because I've been an occasional social smoker). That, also, came up negative. So that's the good news on the health front.

Also glad to report that my full-time job is going very well. After more than a year of championing my own cause to be brought on board full-time at the day gig, they finally did it. Have had a good couple month, feel a lot more financially secure, and even got a generous bonus from my bosses. In a time when things are on the downturn for the country, I thank my lucky stars I was able to pull this out of my hat. It made my Christmas a lot easier to handle.

Had a nice Christmas Eve with the wife. Ate lots of awesome cheeses and meats, drank lots of champagne and watched some holiday classics on the tube. The dogs enjoyed their presents and Beggin Strips. It was a nice way to cap off the holiday season. Today we head down to the in-laws and open our gifts. Ham and tri-tip on the menu. I'm so going off diet. I'm also taking Tom & Jerrys down with me.

HERE'S THE FREE MUSIC PART:

Since I'm feeling particularly jovial and generous today, I've decided to make my first record, The State of Blue-Eyed Soul, a free download. This is a limited offer until Christmas is over. Whether that's later tonight or through the weekend remains to be see. I guess it all depends on if the word spreads. So without further adieu, here is the link to the file:

http://ping.fm/kWdyS

Enjoy the music and tell your friends a really cool record is online for free.

Lastly, I want to thank some people who were instrumental in keeping me from totally offing myself this year. I honestly don't know what I would have done if you all weren't in my life.

Christy - We've gone through hell and back this year. I know it's been tough, but there is really no one on earth I'd rather do this with. I love you and look forward to making next year our best ever.

Doug Logan - Your friendship has been a welcome gift this year. I wish you all the luck possible through this difficult time in your life and will ever be there when you need a friend.

Scott Ludwig - In the brief time we've been friends, we've had a lot of fun and great conversation. It's so refreshing to have someone to lay all of the shit no one else understand upon. I appreciate having a kindred spirit, and I'll stop now before I start sounding too gay.

Michael and Donna De Lepine - Although we haven't seen much of each other of late, your continued support and friendship are never lost on me. I hope we all get a chance to hang out soon, and I wish you much luck with your future plans. I know I'll miss you deeply when you guys head out to the island.

Christian Beranek - We've had such a tumultuous journey, you and I. I'm very proud of your success and look forward to seeing what's on the horizon with you. Thank you for keeping me in your arsenal and giving me the opportunities you have--and for being a good friend.

Mike Wellman - Hey Daddy-O! Thank you for being about the most positive person I've ever met. If life ever gets to you, you never show it. And I wish I had that kind of grace and composure. Thanks for your continued support of my musical and comic book endeavors, and for showing me a great example of a new father.

Michael Ashanti - It's going to break my heart knowing that you're an ocean away now. I'm so glad you found a companion in life and I with the two of you all the love and joy I can muster. I can't wait until we're both in a place when we can work together in the same room again. For now our careers have sent us on opposite sides of the planet, but you will always be my musical soul brother.

Christopher North - What a crazy year for you! I'm so glad you have been able to set down the roots for not only a great family but a respected career. I'll try no to be so much of a stranger next year. You always have my well wishes and support.

Chris Woodward - Can you believe we've been friends for 29 goddamn years? When the hell are you going to move to LA??

James Rodriguez - I miss my artist and partner more than I ever let on. I'm ready to get the ball rolling again, and it seems like you've got some time on your hands. Let's talk.

Raquel Griffiths - Thank you for believing in me, championing me to S&B and being a class act of a boss and lady. I don't think I ever express how much you teach me. Just know it's greatly appreciated. I promise not to screw up on your watch.

Lauren Perry - You are a true friend to me and understand me in ways no one else does. I'm sorry you have to see all that. :-P

Denise Scanlon - For letting me in so deeply into your family I can only say thanks. Thank you also for being there for both Christy and I when times are tough. You're the coolest mom-in-law I've ever had.

The Band - Guys, I promise this coming year is our year. Thank you for the fantastic gig this past summer, your talent and professionalism. I'll be in touch very soon with my plan for '09!

Southbay Bob - Thanks for being a continued staple in the music scene here and always letting me know when there's an event I need to be at. You're one of my California friends that I really need to get to know better, and I'll make a point of that in 2009.

Jeremiah Roiko - Can't believe I almost forgot you. That would have been tragic, as you are an amazing  talent, a welcome colleague and a good friend. I truly love sharing the stage with you and hope we get more chances to do it in the coming years.

Keith Murphey - Thank you for continuing to be a valued friend and colleague despite whatever differences we've had. You are the reason I continued my comic book career, and that fact will never go undisputed. Best of luck with whatever you choose to pursue.

I'm sure I missed a lot of folks, and hopefully I'll get to them before the new year starts. Until then I say “Merry Christmas to All!” Have a great one!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

November 25 Midnight Pages

It's been a good minute.

Figured I was due to take to some time off of blogging. That and I've been very busy with other projects. And there was a certain amount of drama swirling around me that I decided I needed to shake. The one big problem with the internet is that it's very easy to have things misinterpreted and misconstrued. As a point of fact: I was right, everyone else was wrong, and I think history will, in the end, agree with me.

But enough of that. Things are proceeding apace. I spent a good few weeks drafting a treatment for Kingdom Comics, and while I'm still waiting for word from the Disney execs, the initial feedback was favorable. Even if I get rejected from the Magic Kingdom I have a decent IP that I can shop to other studios and/or publishers. It's probably high time to get a rep. A real one, this time.

Have decided to take a creative hiatus until after the holidays. I'll be milling around a few personal projects (read: the next record and QUANTUM), but my main focus will be on enjoying my family and friends and chilling the fuck out for a change. I've been busting my ass for a long time, and I think I've earned a respite.

That said, I'm ready to recharge. I have big plans for my musical endeavors, which I won't go into great detail about here. Suffice it to say the next Philip Clark record is icing on the cake. I'm ready to kick some musical ass in '09.

Speaking of, I've been hitting the Pro Blues Jam in Playa Del Rey at the Prince O' Whales. Good bunch of guys, and I feel welcome and appreciated on their stage. It keeps my chops up and puts me in good contact with other musicians. I'll try to repeat this as much as I can.

Anyway, I'm just filing a quick report before I nod off to beddy-bye. Two more days of work and then my first paid holiday since God-knows-when. I'm gonna be chillin' like a villain this weekend.

More later,
PC

Reposting this: 2+ years ago, my LA statement of purpose

From March 16th, 2006:

An open letter to the Los Angeles creative community

Hello all. My name is Philip Clark. I self-publish QUANTUM: Rock of Ages, and I'm a very active member in the NYC and independent comic book community. I'm writing this letter to let you know that I am coming your way, moving to the left coast, and I have some great things to bring to the table in the City of Angels. That is, if you'll have me.

I know it's pretty forward for me to just bust in on your sandy plane brimming with new ideas and all, but if you'll bear with me for a moment, I'll show you what I hope to contribute to the scene out there.

The first thing I propose to do is set up an LA chapter of the Comic Art Guild.

http://ping.fm/CoGiF

We are an organization of comic book writers, artists, inkers, letterers, publishers, and enthusiasts, united in networking and educating ourselves in the way of the industry. I will be hosting meetings in LA for anyone interested in getting into comics as a hobby or career. I'd also like to network with any such existing organizations and like-minded professionals.

Secondly, I will be setting up my publishing and production operation in Manhattan Beach, and I invite all LA area creators to contact me if they need any consultation regarding comic book pre-press or music production. I have published several successful comics, flyers, banners, and web ads. And I have an extensive music industry resumé and discography. I've been in the trenches, not only as a commercial producer, but also an art director, publisher, and an accounts/personnel manager. I will be posting my resume and portfolio online within the next week. If you'd like to read my comic book, you can do so at http://quantumcomic.net

Third, I will be forming a new band, recording a new Philip Clark record, and playing several live shows. Any musician who truly wants to flow with the funk should contact me. I will immediately be looking for a rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar) and possibly an auxiliary keyboard player. In addition to being a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, I'm a two-time winner at the Apollo, and I plan to bring my brand of Soul to Los Angeles. Feel free to listen to the first record at http://philipclark.com

I wish to meet and connect with all of my fellow independent artists, writers, musicians, and creators. I truly feel that if you help enough people, you eventually help yourself. As such, it is my goal to be an asset in any professional venture I undertake. If you have a gig for a guy who will put the team first, I'm you're guy.

At the end of the day, I simply want to have fun. I'm hoping to find a position that will feed that desire and still be productive.

I'm hoping you've read these words, and will contact me if you feel I'm the quality of person you'd like to associate with. It's my belief that positivity breeds positivity, and that's where I'm coming from.

My Cali residency begins April 1st. I'm hoping I meet some folks who might be willing to show me around town.

Look forward to hearing from you,
Philip Clark

WEB RADIO FEATURE

Please check out "Romeo and Juliet," featured at ATLANTIC WAVE RADIO right now! http://ping.fm/mginN

September 23, 2008 Midnight Pages

Wow, sorry it's been so long.

I literally haven't had a minute to write. Ok, lame excuse. But I guess I've been doing a lot of living and took an accidental break from journaling. Shouldn't happen again. It also shows a lack of discipline, and that's the kind of thing I'm trying to break.

I've been all over the map, truth to tell. Been nabbing one-man music gigs just to stay fresh. It's annoying that I'm still too cash poor to rehearse with the band, much less publish QUANTUM #7. Sucks having a book in the can and not being able to publish it. It's starting to piss me off.

The good news is that I'm being creative. Pre-production on the new record is proceeding apace. Working out the kinks and building beats for stuff. It's all really rough, but it's reassuring me that the songs themselves are pretty solid. There is going to be a decision soon, however. The record is a lot poppier (as in more pop-sounding) that the last. A lot more songs feeling like “Twenty Days,” which I suppose is a good thing, because that song's a fan favorite. And although I have a tendency to try to program the drums to sound more live, I think I'll be doing R&B drum mixes simultaneously. That will give me two arrangements of every tune, and then when it comes time to decide to Urban I wish this record to sound I can pick and choose by song.

That will also give me alternate remixes that I can release at another date. It's something I played with on SOBES and never implemented. Since I can't find any remixers right now, I'll just do it myself.



Logic Pro is some serious shit. I'm still learning it, and I've been a power user for years. I wish I could find a diagram of ProTools key commands so I could customize Logic appropriately. It'd be great to just take a couple days to really get it under my fingers. That may be my weekend project. But the features are completely out of this world. It really makes MIDI instruments superfluous. Still have to get the audio interface so I can start tracking acoustic stuff.

Lots to catch up on. Will try getting up early enough tomorrow to continue morning pages.

Peace and chicken grease,
P

Standby...

I know it's been a while since I've posted. I'll more than likely get something up tonight. Stay tuned.

September 10, 2008 Morning Pages

I have so little time to crank this out, so I'm going to type like the wind. Lots on my mind, no real organization, but want to get it down simply because that's what morning pages are for.

First and foremost: glad to be alive. Guess the Large Hadron Collider didn't destroy the planet after all. Crisis averted. Can we all move on now?

Item. Woke up this morning taken out of a fantastic dream I was having about being on stage with The Purple One by a hungry, impatient beagle. I love having dreams about simply being in the same room as Prince, as I realize that the likelihood of it actually happening is pretty nil. One part I vividly remember was him playing a huge 6-string bass, surrounded by scores of hot women who were also thumping on the bass in various places. Made for such a great visual. I must have been playing in the band in some capacity, because I was on stage and not watching from the crowd. God, I love a good dream.

Item. Got to give it up for the new iTunes. Two very significant improvements to the software, most notably the new “Genius” feature. iTunes now studies your music library and besides giving you recommendations on what music you may be missing (which it's done for awhile in its “mini-store”), it can craft you a custom playlist using your library based on any song in that library. Just to give it a good test, I plugged one of my songs into it and was pleasantly surprised at what iTunes chose to pair my music with. Also updated is the visualizer. It looks pretty amazing as well.

As long as were talking about amazing looking things, let's move on to TV. Caught two premieres last night. Ok, actually one and a half. I watched the full pilot for Fox's FRINGE and stumbled into SONS OF ANARCHY about halfway through. It amazes me at how much good drama doesn't take long to seep in, because I got more enjoyment out of the 30 or 40 minutes I saw of ANARCHY than the nearly 90 minutes I sat through FRINGE. And I wasn't even all that interested in catching this new FX series. It wasn't on my radar. I'd heard passing things about it from a couple friends at work. And it's definitely not my usual cup of tea. But there are so many great things about this show so far, that I think I'm instantly hooked.

First, it's like The Sopranos, but on Harleys. How brilliant is that?

Second, it's impeccably cast. Ron Perlman made a phenomenal choice taking this role hot off of Hellboy. And, prediction time:

KATY SEGAL IS EMMY BOUND. MARK MY WORDS.

There are so many other great aspects of this show that I haven't gotten hip to. I must see the pilot in its entirety. The set-up and premise to this drama is pretty engaging. I may have found a new favorite for fall.

...which means that I'm going to have to cut something else I was planning on watching, and that will more than likely be Fringe. For all the wait and hype, it got a serious “meh” from me in the end. I think, perhaps, because it really just picks up from where the X-Files left off, and I really wasn't that into the X-Files. Sorry, JJ Abrams. Sorry Joshua Jackson. I love you both, and I'll give this series a couple more chances, but I have a feeling I'm just not going to be that into you.

Ok, that's good for today. Off to the exciting world of graphic design.

September 9, 2008 Morning Pages

Wow, it's been a minute.

Have been so tied up personal health concerns lately that I've been missing my journaling routine. Today, fortunately I woke up early enough to correct that.

But, to be honest--and I won't say I was blocked because I don't buy into block--but I do believe that a great deal of my own creative engine is also tied to my confidence. And that, as of late, has been hanging pretty low. The good news is that I've spent a great deal of this past week focusing on the new record and pre-producing much of the material therein. The recently-puchased G5 runs like a top even without the audio interface, so at the very least I'm able to get basic sequencing and music demos cranked out. I'm actively working on 3 songs this week alone. Have very good demo-able versions of “All 4 the Love of U” and “Big Blue Sky” nearly out of first draft stage. “November Rain” looks to be a lot more challenging, however, and I'm going to have to take a long hard look at how it's going to be produced. On a songwriting level alone it's a early fan favorite, and I want to make sure I do it justice.

With the new Thicke record looming on the horizon, it's led to me think a lot about how my new record is going to sound. The answer hasn't really changed: it's going to sound like it's going to sound. This project has been gestating for the better part of six or seven years. It's material that's been back-burnered since “State of Blue-Eyed Soul,” and I need to get it out of my mental queue. Depending on how things sound when I've really got some finished songs done, we'll see how much makes it on the record. But I've got a good 12-14 songs that could come out of this. There is also the temptation to start fresh with some new sounding things as well. My main fear is that I've already dated these songs before they even see the light of day, but that's really going to be a production issue. The songs, in and of themselves, are solid enough in my opinion. And at the end of the day I can't be bothered by what the Robin Thicke's or Justin Timberlakes are doing. I can only make the best music I know how to make. That's all I've ever done.

But already this record is going to be a lot more pop-y, which may be a source of concern to me. I kind of wanted to lean more toward R&B, but at the same time didn't want this record to sound as self-produced. It is a goal to make sure this record sounds more like other, live musicians participated. So, again, I have to divorce myself from the status quo and just put out the next great Philip Clark album.

Anyway, it sounds like if worse came to worse, I would grow out my facial hair and make a killing as a Robin Thicke impersonator. I hear there might be some money in that.

Ha. There would have to be.

Continuing from yesterday, here is the rest of my tribute to my favorite Blue Eyed Soul artists:

David Pack



Probably one of the most under-appreciated of his era. As Ambrosia's lead singer, Pack's style and voice were absolutely genre defining. He also did a number of solo stints in the 80's that were totally overlooked. This guy gets many props in my book.


Paul Carrick



Another under-appreciated gem. But you'd know him if you'd heard him. Just go to Ace's “How Long Has This Been Going On,” Squeeze's “Tempted” or “Silent Running” by Mike and the Mechanics--not to mention his own solo work. A Blue Eyed Soul powerhouse.


Phil Collins



Phil had a soul, charm and sense of song-craft and rhythm that was truly his own and pushed him to the forefront of the 80's music scene as a member of Genesis. But album tracks off his solo outings will really show this guy had a deep love for old-school soul.


George Michael



Hitting with a massively luscious voice, good looks, and steady hooks, this brit took the best elements of his Stevie Wonder influence and ruled the late 80's and early 90's. His solo debut, “Faith,” is still ground-breaking to this day.


Annie Lennox



A complete soulful vocal powerhouse. I don't know many people funkier than this woman. She's outright dangerous with how much passion and soul she has. It's actually kind of scary.


Robbie Nevil



“C'est La Vie” indeed. This phenomenal singer, songwriter and producer is vastly under-appreciated. Go find his music and absorb it.


Richard Marx



Probably best known for 80's soft-ballads, Marx is a songwriter's songwriter and a hell of a vocalist. All commercial success aside, he is a prime example of all things true and blue.


Robert Palmer



How could this guy leave our planet so quickly and suddenly. This guy had pipes and pizzazz. A Blue Eyed Soul great.


Peter Cox



Most people will gloss over Peter as the frontman of Go West. But dig deeper and you'll find a fantastic solo career, lyrical vocal range and fluidity and a deep rooted passion. Singers, do yourself a favor and study this guy.


Jon B.



An absolute force to be reckoned in modern R&B, I truly can not believe this guy is white sometimes.


Jamiroquai



Pooling his own quirkiness with a huge Stevie Wonder influence, Jay Kay helped bring Acid Jazz to the masses.


Justin Timberlake



As a member of NSYNC and eventually a massive solo artist, you can't deny that JT is probably the epitome of what Blue Eyed Soul has become today. At times, I feel he does a better Michael Jackson than Michael Jackson.


Remy Shand



Unfortunately, this guy only had a couple of hits a few years back. But this one-man production and music prodigy has some serious chops--as both a multi-instumentalist and singer. You can hear Marvin's ghost coming out of this kid. Gives me chills.


Robin Thicke



Although probably the closest thing I'll ever have to a nemesis, you have to give the guy credit. He's a capable singer and songwriter who's paid his dues and struck a chord with the mainstream. His ground-breaking “Lost Without You” is as smooth as hot butter. Very much looking forward to the upcoming record.


Tomi



An overlooked Blue Eyed Soulster of this era. Go out and buy this guy's debut album NOW! Tomi mixes the best of what you'd expect from Justin or Robin, spins with a heavy Prince influence and then puts his own mark on it. Highly recommended.


Marc Broussard



What little I've heard of this guy I very much enjoy. Looks like he's very well on his way to helping usher in the next level of Blue Eyed Soulfulness.


Jamie Lidell



A relatively new voice in the genre, but one that's gotten high critical acclaim. Keep an eye out for this one.


Philip Clark



What kind of list would this be without...ME? Yes I'll keep the tooting of my own horn to the minimum, but be assured that you'll see great things coming up, and I'll hopefully earn my place on this list of legends.

September 3, 2008 Evening Pages - Philip's Blue Eyed Soul Hall of Fame, Pt. 1

Gonna take this morning to talk about “Blue Eyed Soul.” Now, some folks love the term, others hate it. Myself, I find it makes it a lot easier to effectively tell people what kind of sound I have. Yes, of course, it's all Soul Music. But “Blue Eyed” is a distinction that only a few of us can truly pull off well. Here's my quick tribute to the best of the best:

(I started this list, and I know I'm forgetting someone. I also realized this is going to be a 2-part blog. Forgive me.)

Elvis Presley



Got to give it up for the first. Elvis was really the first white guy to fool the masses into thinking he was black. His voice gave him the huge crossover it took the pioneer a whole new sound.


Jerry Lee Lewis



Taking the best of what Elvis had and adding his own sass and, more importantly, piano to the mix.


The Righteous Brothers



The original Blue Eyed Soul duo. Bill Medley's voice alone is about a dark as they come.


Teena Marie



One of the first Blue Eyed Soul divas. You can't deny how sultry and funky this girl is.


Bobby Caldwell



Just take a listen to “What You Won't Do For Love” and tell me this guy doesn't have soul.


Daryl Hall



Probably one of my biggest influences. Hall took vocal smoothness and combined it with keyboard elegance and sharp songwriting. A soul god in his own right.


John Oates



Not to be ignored but rather highlighted as his own entity. John Oates was more than simply the quiet half of a legendary duo. He composed and produced for several acts in the 80's and 90's to leave a strong legacy of his own.


Michael McDonald



More than likely my single biggest influence in this genre. Michael McDonald's voice took smooth to the same kind of level that Hall's took agressive. But what really separates Michael Mc Donald from the pack is this sheer brilliance as a songwriter. His songs evoke passion, change, heartache and romance all at the same time. No one writes like this guy these days.


Bobby Kimball



Possibly overshadowed due to the fact that he's with a group. But this, the original Toto lead singer, has a range and a mastery of voice that very few have. Bobby was probably one of the first guys I heard that could truly “riff” like a black vocalist but still keep the edge of a rock star.


Gino Vanelli



This Canadian Soulster stuck a resonant chord with smash hits like “I Just Wanna Stop” and “Living Inside Myself.” But the best gems from this guy are ones that never hit the airwaves. And songwriting! Don't even get me started. Take a listen to “Lucky Man” and tell me this guy isn't coming from somewhere uniquely genuine.


Boz Scaggs



Smooth, elegant, with a very dark soulful voice. Boz is undeniably someone you immediate go to for solid 70's soul, of any color.

END OF PART ONE. STAY TUNED FOR PART 2!

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