Pat Blythe – Busy busy…..and just a few tunes

It’s Tuesday…..writing day. Today’s column is short…..very short. I’m taking my writing time to cogitate, reflect and sort. I’m excited to have just published my 20^th episode of The Pandemic Interviews. I’m teaching, designing, programming, writing, editing and now podcasting. I’m considering bringing back the Back Deck Concert Series, am in the process of having my front lawn dug up and “converted” into a garden, and waiting for travel to open up so I can begin to plan (and book) my trip back to England this year. Sorting out the house lurks in the background. I have no shortage of projects…..things to do. All self-imposed (well except for the telecom work) including most deadlines…..I do like to be busy, but it’s getting a bit crazy busy.

Roxanne Tellier – What Do You Miss the Most?

A couple of weeks into the start of the COVID pandemic, I asked Shawn if he’d have done anything differently before we entered lockdown, now that we had a little experience with this way of life. We kicked around a few thoughts, but it all being so new, he couldn’t really think of much he could have done to prepare.

We’re pretty low maintenance. We’re retired, have a very small place stuffed with the goods of a lifetime of (my) conspicuous consumption, and really don’t need much to get by. But need is not want, and want is what drives our capitalistic society, which we are all a part of, whether we want to be or not. 

MUSIC IS DYING…AND IT’S YOUR FAULT by Jaimie Vernon

Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about music in the time of COVID, shall we?
In the Before Times (March 2020 or sooner) the music industry was teetering on the brink of obsolescence as concert tickets had skyrocketed to the price of, well, a moon-landing, and venues were closing down at a rate equal to Nortel distributors. The music itself had been co-opted by the tech industry through streaming platforms, leaving artists wondering how they got robbed so badly (here’s a hint: you’re the cow, the music’s the milk…insert cliché about not buying the former if you can get the latter for free). On a scale of economics, you’re either a starving creator or a billionaire exploiter. There is no middle class in music. And given that most weasels in the music industry aren’t clever enough to become billionaires, they turn to low hanging fruit and pick the pockets of performers and songwriters for pennies on the dollar.

Cameron Carpenter: The ABC’s Of Rock – Z

As in ZED for my American friends.

And 26 weeks later we reach the end of the alphabet and we have only scratched the vinyl surface. We will be back next week to do it all over again with more tall tales and bands you may have forgotten (or never heard of). Maybe I will give some numbers a chance next week before we take it back to the A’s. Thanks for all of your responses and comments, it has been pretty interesting to see how far these columns reach.