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Blogs - May 2010
May 14th, 2010 -
Don't be THAT guy.
From the desk of Michael Butts:
I have some bad news Ron Fans- music snobs are among us. And you all know
what I’m talking about…if you don’t know what I’m talking about then you probably
are one! But how can one protect oneself from these black holes of enjoyment?
Well, step one is knowing how to pick them out. Because knowing is half the
battle, I present you 4 major snobs of music. Be warned, they are out there!
#1: The One Genre Snob- These are the people who are so in love with a certain
type of music that they only think that type of music counts. It’s sorta like enjoying
a tree so much that you miss the forest. Disclaimer: We all have musical
preferences. I myself like rock/progressive and jazz…and that’s about it. I like
some blues, some funk, some random others, but not enough to claim them in my
list of specific likes. The danger of snobbery comes in if I start to think any music
BUT rock and jazz suck simple on the grounds that it isn’t rock or jazz. “If it ain’t
country, it ain’t true music”. I used country as an example, but replace it with any
other genre/adjective and it still works. It’s not that these people aren’t
passionate or are narrow-minded, but they’ve spent so much time in their genre
that they can’t appreciate anything else. I’m not saying you have to like everything
(we’ll get to that, patience), but the key word is appreciate. Sure some guy might
get up and play a death metal song where he screams the lyrics, and sure it might
not be your cup of tea…but on some level, you have to appreciate that that person
is using the tools and characteristics of music that speaks to them to express
themselves. I’ve said it in an earlier blog, musicians have every right to express
themselves in any musical form they wish- acknowledge that and avoid the 1
genre trap!
#2: The Obscurity Snob- These people, otherwise known as nearly everyone in the
Athens music scene, will (grudgingly) admit a band is good, but then offer 9 other
bands that no one has ever heard of that pretty much all sound similar. “Yeah, The
Ron Jonsons are good, but have you heard Thesaurus Slam? They’re pretty
obscure”. These people aren’t a fan of the music, they are a fan of the obscurity.
They want to hang around long enough for people to like a band, tell everyone that
will listen that they liked them “way before they were big”, and then jump ship
after the bands 2nd album because the band “lost their edge”. Non-conformists
listen: just because a band is popular doesn’t ALWAYS mean they sold out or are
band. Look at REM, Nirvana, Foo Fighters- it is possible to be liked and be good.
Bonus: I shall share a theory I have about these snobs. The perfect Obscurity
Snob band can never exist. Let me explain. Suppose there is a band practicing in
some back wood shed somewhere and they are THE GREATEST BAND THAT HAS
OR WILL EVER EXIST. An Obscurity Snob hears them and is blown away by the
band. He runs to tell another snob who likes it too. They find another, who likes it
ok (because 2 other people like them). Soon word gets out and 10 snobs like
them. At this point the band will be “alright” in the eyes of the snobs due to more
people knowing about it. The band hasn’t done anything different. My theory is a
perfect Obscurity Snob band will never exist because the sheer act of showing it
to a snob is proof that the band is known by people and will instantly turn the snob
off. It’s like testing for quarks in physics- the test itself will throw the results off by
administering the test.
Also, I copyright the name “Thesaurus Slam”!
#3: The Everything Fan- Told you we’d get to it. How many people have heard
someone say “oh I just like all music”? I’ve heard it many times. My friend Tim
even had someone say “I like anything with a beat”. Really? So I’m to believe this
person jams out to their pulse or thinks crickets are awesome soloist? Give me a
break, no one can like EVERYTHING. You might like A LOT, but you don’t like
everything. Wake up call snob- having a song on your iPod doesn’t mean you are a
fan of that artist, it just means you like that one song. I myself have a song by
blink-182. Do I like blink-182? No. Do I like punk? No. But I like that particular song.
Saying you like all music because you have a wide variety of single songs here
and there is like saying you’ve eaten at more than 1 Taco Bell and that makes you
a Mexican cuisine expert…and if that’s the case then me and Josh are Mexican
cuisine experts [Editor’s Note: Mmmmm yes we are]. The only way I’ll believe a
snob likes everything is if I look on their iPod and find an EQUAL number of tracks
in rock, latin, jazz, fusion, reggae, metal, Hungarian folk dances, chamber music,
opera, traditional Irish jigs, Chinese flute songs, Aboriginal dreamtime jams and
any other genre I can think of. Even if you have a huge variety, I bet if you counted
and compared, there are a least a few genres that have more songs than others.
You can like some of the music all of the time, and maybe all of the music some of
the times, but not all music all the time.
#4: The ‘Because I Said So’ Snob- There must have been some meeting or club
you can join to give you exclusive rights to declare music good or not cause I’ve
still yet to figure these people out. These people think they have all the answers.
Their taste in music is correct and supreme: infallible. At least the other snobs
have some TINY excuse or logic behind their attitude, but these do not. What’s
worse, most of them think you’re an idiot for liking what you do. I was buying
something in Guitar Center one day. This guy (who hangs out there like every
other day) started talking drums to me and I mentioned I like Rush. His response:
“Oh dude, Rush are has-beens, you need to get better taste in artists.” Seriously?!
It’s one thing to not agree with who I like; it’s another to insult me. News flash: all
art is opinionative and subjective. I have the right to like who I like for my own
reasons. You don’t like Rush? That’s fine because that’s your opinion, just like it’s
my opinion to like them. I’d also prefer you not to take bands that I like/connect
with/invest my time and emotions into/want to be like, and call them stupid. Here’s
some advice snobs- get over yourself and agree to disagree. Variety is the spice
of life people, enjoy the differences.
Bonus: The first flag that the guy I met in Guitar Center was a tool was when he
bragged that the company he owned was so successful that he only had to attend
board meetings once a month. Second flag was how he had enough talent and
time to be a “sought after local studio musician…beloved by engineers”. Making
this claim is like saying you’re the best golfer at your local 25 member country
club. You might be the best…but only out of the 25 smucks you know. Flag #3 was
when he insulted my musical tastes and said I should “listen to BAND X. They’re
pretty obscure but are awesome”. Yep, guy was too much of a snob to be
contained in only 1 category.
I say all this to remind all Ron Fans to be open to music. Even if someone plays a
song or style you don’t like, at least give them props for getting up there and
expressing themselves. Trust me, it’s hard to do, and not just the
playing/performing part. So enjoy who you enjoy, even if I have called them out in
earlier blogs, you have every right and privilege to enjoy whomever you want.
Respect all musicians from all walks of life. Just don’t forget to save your loudest
cheers for your favorite Hartwell-born Rockers!
Michael Butts, The Ron Jonsons
Don't be THAT guy.
From the desk of Michael Butts:
I have some bad news Ron Fans- music snobs are among us. And you all know
what I’m talking about…if you don’t know what I’m talking about then you probably
are one! But how can one protect oneself from these black holes of enjoyment?
Well, step one is knowing how to pick them out. Because knowing is half the
battle, I present you 4 major snobs of music. Be warned, they are out there!
#1: The One Genre Snob- These are the people who are so in love with a certain
type of music that they only think that type of music counts. It’s sorta like enjoying
a tree so much that you miss the forest. Disclaimer: We all have musical
preferences. I myself like rock/progressive and jazz…and that’s about it. I like
some blues, some funk, some random others, but not enough to claim them in my
list of specific likes. The danger of snobbery comes in if I start to think any music
BUT rock and jazz suck simple on the grounds that it isn’t rock or jazz. “If it ain’t
country, it ain’t true music”. I used country as an example, but replace it with any
other genre/adjective and it still works. It’s not that these people aren’t
passionate or are narrow-minded, but they’ve spent so much time in their genre
that they can’t appreciate anything else. I’m not saying you have to like everything
(we’ll get to that, patience), but the key word is appreciate. Sure some guy might
get up and play a death metal song where he screams the lyrics, and sure it might
not be your cup of tea…but on some level, you have to appreciate that that person
is using the tools and characteristics of music that speaks to them to express
themselves. I’ve said it in an earlier blog, musicians have every right to express
themselves in any musical form they wish- acknowledge that and avoid the 1
genre trap!
#2: The Obscurity Snob- These people, otherwise known as nearly everyone in the
Athens music scene, will (grudgingly) admit a band is good, but then offer 9 other
bands that no one has ever heard of that pretty much all sound similar. “Yeah, The
Ron Jonsons are good, but have you heard Thesaurus Slam? They’re pretty
obscure”. These people aren’t a fan of the music, they are a fan of the obscurity.
They want to hang around long enough for people to like a band, tell everyone that
will listen that they liked them “way before they were big”, and then jump ship
after the bands 2nd album because the band “lost their edge”. Non-conformists
listen: just because a band is popular doesn’t ALWAYS mean they sold out or are
band. Look at REM, Nirvana, Foo Fighters- it is possible to be liked and be good.
Bonus: I shall share a theory I have about these snobs. The perfect Obscurity
Snob band can never exist. Let me explain. Suppose there is a band practicing in
some back wood shed somewhere and they are THE GREATEST BAND THAT HAS
OR WILL EVER EXIST. An Obscurity Snob hears them and is blown away by the
band. He runs to tell another snob who likes it too. They find another, who likes it
ok (because 2 other people like them). Soon word gets out and 10 snobs like
them. At this point the band will be “alright” in the eyes of the snobs due to more
people knowing about it. The band hasn’t done anything different. My theory is a
perfect Obscurity Snob band will never exist because the sheer act of showing it
to a snob is proof that the band is known by people and will instantly turn the snob
off. It’s like testing for quarks in physics- the test itself will throw the results off by
administering the test.
Also, I copyright the name “Thesaurus Slam”!
#3: The Everything Fan- Told you we’d get to it. How many people have heard
someone say “oh I just like all music”? I’ve heard it many times. My friend Tim
even had someone say “I like anything with a beat”. Really? So I’m to believe this
person jams out to their pulse or thinks crickets are awesome soloist? Give me a
break, no one can like EVERYTHING. You might like A LOT, but you don’t like
everything. Wake up call snob- having a song on your iPod doesn’t mean you are a
fan of that artist, it just means you like that one song. I myself have a song by
blink-182. Do I like blink-182? No. Do I like punk? No. But I like that particular song.
Saying you like all music because you have a wide variety of single songs here
and there is like saying you’ve eaten at more than 1 Taco Bell and that makes you
a Mexican cuisine expert…and if that’s the case then me and Josh are Mexican
cuisine experts [Editor’s Note: Mmmmm yes we are]. The only way I’ll believe a
snob likes everything is if I look on their iPod and find an EQUAL number of tracks
in rock, latin, jazz, fusion, reggae, metal, Hungarian folk dances, chamber music,
opera, traditional Irish jigs, Chinese flute songs, Aboriginal dreamtime jams and
any other genre I can think of. Even if you have a huge variety, I bet if you counted
and compared, there are a least a few genres that have more songs than others.
You can like some of the music all of the time, and maybe all of the music some of
the times, but not all music all the time.
#4: The ‘Because I Said So’ Snob- There must have been some meeting or club
you can join to give you exclusive rights to declare music good or not cause I’ve
still yet to figure these people out. These people think they have all the answers.
Their taste in music is correct and supreme: infallible. At least the other snobs
have some TINY excuse or logic behind their attitude, but these do not. What’s
worse, most of them think you’re an idiot for liking what you do. I was buying
something in Guitar Center one day. This guy (who hangs out there like every
other day) started talking drums to me and I mentioned I like Rush. His response:
“Oh dude, Rush are has-beens, you need to get better taste in artists.” Seriously?!
It’s one thing to not agree with who I like; it’s another to insult me. News flash: all
art is opinionative and subjective. I have the right to like who I like for my own
reasons. You don’t like Rush? That’s fine because that’s your opinion, just like it’s
my opinion to like them. I’d also prefer you not to take bands that I like/connect
with/invest my time and emotions into/want to be like, and call them stupid. Here’s
some advice snobs- get over yourself and agree to disagree. Variety is the spice
of life people, enjoy the differences.
Bonus: The first flag that the guy I met in Guitar Center was a tool was when he
bragged that the company he owned was so successful that he only had to attend
board meetings once a month. Second flag was how he had enough talent and
time to be a “sought after local studio musician…beloved by engineers”. Making
this claim is like saying you’re the best golfer at your local 25 member country
club. You might be the best…but only out of the 25 smucks you know. Flag #3 was
when he insulted my musical tastes and said I should “listen to BAND X. They’re
pretty obscure but are awesome”. Yep, guy was too much of a snob to be
contained in only 1 category.
I say all this to remind all Ron Fans to be open to music. Even if someone plays a
song or style you don’t like, at least give them props for getting up there and
expressing themselves. Trust me, it’s hard to do, and not just the
playing/performing part. So enjoy who you enjoy, even if I have called them out in
earlier blogs, you have every right and privilege to enjoy whomever you want.
Respect all musicians from all walks of life. Just don’t forget to save your loudest
cheers for your favorite Hartwell-born Rockers!
Michael Butts, The Ron Jonsons
May 7th, 2010 -
Yup, that's them. Ladies, begin
melting at their utter cuteness.
Good day, Ladies and Gents!
The Hartwell Dam Run went without any hiccups or technical problems, which is
actually pretty uncommon. It was raining early that morning and it stopped as
soon as we started setting up our system. It proceeded to not rain the entire gig
and began to rain again as soon as we finished packing up our system. So that
was pretty awesome. Perhaps weather has finally decided to join the Ron Fan
Base.
We also went in to the studio to do a little more album work. I took a song count,
and folks, we only have 3 songs left to mix. After that, it’s off to the disc makers
and we’ve got a full completed professional album! It’s rather exciting to be so
nearly done with this project. You guys remember back in November when I was
like, “this album’s gonna be done by mid-December”? Seems like distant
memories now. But this time, it’s for real. We’re gonna be done with this album
soon!
On a side note, I got to work with little Golden Lion Tamarin monkeys at Zoo
Atlanta today. It was flippin’ awesome. And that’s all I got for this week! Stay
savvy, Ronnigans!
- Josh Bailey, The Ron Jonsons
Yup, that's them. Ladies, begin
melting at their utter cuteness.
Good day, Ladies and Gents!
The Hartwell Dam Run went without any hiccups or technical problems, which is
actually pretty uncommon. It was raining early that morning and it stopped as
soon as we started setting up our system. It proceeded to not rain the entire gig
and began to rain again as soon as we finished packing up our system. So that
was pretty awesome. Perhaps weather has finally decided to join the Ron Fan
Base.
We also went in to the studio to do a little more album work. I took a song count,
and folks, we only have 3 songs left to mix. After that, it’s off to the disc makers
and we’ve got a full completed professional album! It’s rather exciting to be so
nearly done with this project. You guys remember back in November when I was
like, “this album’s gonna be done by mid-December”? Seems like distant
memories now. But this time, it’s for real. We’re gonna be done with this album
soon!
On a side note, I got to work with little Golden Lion Tamarin monkeys at Zoo
Atlanta today. It was flippin’ awesome. And that’s all I got for this week! Stay
savvy, Ronnigans!
- Josh Bailey, The Ron Jonsons
May 21st, 2010 -
Eat it, Paint-by-numbers.
I've done my best to not write a blog that only talks about issues pertaining to
being a drummer....since that's what I am...but since I've hit writer's block this
week, I'm gonna have to fall back on that. So if you don't wanna hear a passionate
drummer complain about the annoyances of being a rock drummer for the next
few paragraphs, then leave now- TOO LATE!
should be everyone reading this blog...let me paint a picture for you. Let's imagine
For those of you who don't what it's like to be a drummer in a rock band...which
you are a great painter (I meant it when I said paint a picture!). You have your own
style, tastes and expressive tricks. Art critic hires you to paint a picture of a
mountain because he likes your style, tastes and expressive tricks. You start
painting and the critic immediately starts telling you "paint it like this" - "no, the
mountain needs to be taller" - "paint it like [insert artist name here] would" - "that
doesn't look right, try again". I think it's safe to say you would want to shove a
paintbrush up his nose. You have just experienced a day in the life of a
professional drummer...and painter I guess?
Few things are more frustrating to a drummer than to be brought in to drum for a
band, and then the bandleader immediately starts telling the drummer how to
drum. Specifically how to drum. Didn't you hire ME to drum? There's a fine line
between telling a drummer the style or idea of the songs (how to play) and to be
so specific and demanding in what we can do, that we can't do anything we want
(what to play). It just kills us when a bandleader is like "play like [this guy]"- even
more so when we try and it's still not good enough. Guess what, I'M NOT THAT
GUY! I have my own style, my own voice and it's different from who you want me
to play like. All drummers will be happy to try to imitate a drummer, but we can't
(and to some degree won't) copy a drummer note for note. Even if we could, it still
wouldn't be the same; drumming is such a personal art that even a perfect copy
of a song will not be a perfect copy. If you want a drummer to sound like a certain
drummer, just go hire that drummer and cut out the middle man! These
bandleaders are also usually the first to blame the drummer for ANY problem with
the music- whether it's our fault or not. This has actually happened to me: Leader
counts the tempo off WAAAAAAAAAY too fast. I take the leaders tempo, he's the
leader after all. Then after 2 measures or so he stops the song and blames me for
the fast tempo. At that point my brain explodes from anger.
Course that's assuming the band leader knows what they want- most
bandleaders pay so little care or attention to us drummers that they have no idea
what they want. They somehow think that just because we only play rhythms that
we aren't true musicians. I've been told to play- "better", "less loud but not
softer", "with more things" and my all-time favorite- "more beat-ier, like play that
beat, just more beat". The frustrating thing about working with these people is
they are quick to say no and slow to say yes. They don't know what they want, but
they know what they DON'T want. Doesn't sound so bad until you apply this
thinking to other jobs. "Well, we aren't sure which bomb-wire to cut, so we'll just
start cutting all of them and see where that leads". "We don't know where the
criminal is, but we know where he isn't...so we'll just wait till he shows up again".
As a drummer I don't expect you to know specific drumming techniques- you
hired me to know that. But at least give us a starting point and not be so quick to
dismiss everything we try. Work with is, and don't get frustrated at us when your
perfect beat doesn't appear immediately on our first try or two.
Luckily for me, The Ron Jonsons are different. They just give me a starting point
and say "Go!". Sometimes they just let me write the part and tweek it later. That's
how it SHOULD be done! Give me an idea and let me run with it. If any fans have
heard Night Ride, 11-8, Ellen or Genospace, you have heard what a drummer can
do when they are handled properly and treated as an equal musician. I just wish
OTHER bands could learn that lesson.
- Michael Butts, The Ron Jonsons
Eat it, Paint-by-numbers.
I've done my best to not write a blog that only talks about issues pertaining to
being a drummer....since that's what I am...but since I've hit writer's block this
week, I'm gonna have to fall back on that. So if you don't wanna hear a passionate
drummer complain about the annoyances of being a rock drummer for the next
few paragraphs, then leave now- TOO LATE!
should be everyone reading this blog...let me paint a picture for you. Let's imagine
For those of you who don't what it's like to be a drummer in a rock band...which
you are a great painter (I meant it when I said paint a picture!). You have your own
style, tastes and expressive tricks. Art critic hires you to paint a picture of a
mountain because he likes your style, tastes and expressive tricks. You start
painting and the critic immediately starts telling you "paint it like this" - "no, the
mountain needs to be taller" - "paint it like [insert artist name here] would" - "that
doesn't look right, try again". I think it's safe to say you would want to shove a
paintbrush up his nose. You have just experienced a day in the life of a
professional drummer...and painter I guess?
Few things are more frustrating to a drummer than to be brought in to drum for a
band, and then the bandleader immediately starts telling the drummer how to
drum. Specifically how to drum. Didn't you hire ME to drum? There's a fine line
between telling a drummer the style or idea of the songs (how to play) and to be
so specific and demanding in what we can do, that we can't do anything we want
(what to play). It just kills us when a bandleader is like "play like [this guy]"- even
more so when we try and it's still not good enough. Guess what, I'M NOT THAT
GUY! I have my own style, my own voice and it's different from who you want me
to play like. All drummers will be happy to try to imitate a drummer, but we can't
(and to some degree won't) copy a drummer note for note. Even if we could, it still
wouldn't be the same; drumming is such a personal art that even a perfect copy
of a song will not be a perfect copy. If you want a drummer to sound like a certain
drummer, just go hire that drummer and cut out the middle man! These
bandleaders are also usually the first to blame the drummer for ANY problem with
the music- whether it's our fault or not. This has actually happened to me: Leader
counts the tempo off WAAAAAAAAAY too fast. I take the leaders tempo, he's the
leader after all. Then after 2 measures or so he stops the song and blames me for
the fast tempo. At that point my brain explodes from anger.
Course that's assuming the band leader knows what they want- most
bandleaders pay so little care or attention to us drummers that they have no idea
what they want. They somehow think that just because we only play rhythms that
we aren't true musicians. I've been told to play- "better", "less loud but not
softer", "with more things" and my all-time favorite- "more beat-ier, like play that
beat, just more beat". The frustrating thing about working with these people is
they are quick to say no and slow to say yes. They don't know what they want, but
they know what they DON'T want. Doesn't sound so bad until you apply this
thinking to other jobs. "Well, we aren't sure which bomb-wire to cut, so we'll just
start cutting all of them and see where that leads". "We don't know where the
criminal is, but we know where he isn't...so we'll just wait till he shows up again".
As a drummer I don't expect you to know specific drumming techniques- you
hired me to know that. But at least give us a starting point and not be so quick to
dismiss everything we try. Work with is, and don't get frustrated at us when your
perfect beat doesn't appear immediately on our first try or two.
Luckily for me, The Ron Jonsons are different. They just give me a starting point
and say "Go!". Sometimes they just let me write the part and tweek it later. That's
how it SHOULD be done! Give me an idea and let me run with it. If any fans have
heard Night Ride, 11-8, Ellen or Genospace, you have heard what a drummer can
do when they are handled properly and treated as an equal musician. I just wish
OTHER bands could learn that lesson.
- Michael Butts, The Ron Jonsons
As cool as this looks,
we are ready to be done
Hullo!
Butts has given me a nice reprieve from doing the blog for a few weeks so I could
get settled down here in Atlanta. Things are going smoothly over here: I work at
TWO AZA accredited institutions. That’s the Association of Zoos and Aquariums,
and no, I’m not being paid for either. But also, we’ve got another Smith’s Olde Bar
gig coming up on July 6th at 8 pm. So CHECK IT OUT!
Also, I just learned that I can make Ron Jonsons ringtones. For reelz. I know this
because I just made a Yoshi’s Island ringtone for myself and it sounds great. So
as soon as the album is finished, we can start making those ring-a-dings as well.
Speaking of the album, here’s the deal: We now have 8 of 10 songs COMPLETELY
done and CD ready. We’ve been averaging mixing two songs per session, so that
means we’ll have one more session to finally mix the songs and press them onto
a disc. We’ll go over that disc with a fine-toothed comb and return to the studio
one more time to make any small changes we want to. So there’s the bottom line.
We will be done recording the album in (roughly) TWO MORE SESSIONS! Wahoo!!
In the meantime, I’m working with Robert Conner (creator of our logo) to finish the
CD art so we can send the orders off and be able to give you a professional
looking cellophane wrapped work of art.
Fun things are right around the corner for us, fans, so stay tuned to,
- Josh Bailey, The Ron Jonsons
