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PrintableMattyJam said: "avant-garde"
That word hits it on the nail."Popular" is too avantgarde for just the sake of being "different".I still think some of the songs on this album lack simple songwriting basics like a melody you can recognize etc.It's not always that the audiences aren't ready for it - often that's just an excuse for poor songwriting, especially in these days where almost any niche has its market and where there isn't really a pressure anymore to go mainstream to "make it" as there used to be. At least his website has been updated - for months it seemd like nothing was goin on there with the latest "news" being 6 months old and such.If you're an unsigned artist at least keep your web presence up to date, so i'm glad to see some activity goin on there.Which brings me to the question: Why would he need a record deal at all anyway ? All he might need would be a distribution or promotion deal and connect that to a massive internet strategy.Why not following the npg club model that Prince successfully had ? The key in these kind of strategies is to not place your bet on one medium but mix the strategies.In other words, don't rely solely on the internet nor make yourself dependent from the holy grail of "record deal" - just mix the ingredients a little.Not all or nothing but a clever mixture of both online and common offline strategies. I see quite some artists where this works (Amp Fiddler, okayplayer.com and a whole bunch of other examples), and especially with a following that Van already has there is potential for making a good living as a musician without having to wait for "the record deal". . [Edited 7/12/08 8:53am] | |
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Interesting article. What I also find interesting is the ever-winding comparison to the anomaly known as Prince. Despite the fact that Van has released three well-done CDs (personal tastes aside), there is still this bar set to by others for him to attempt to have a career akin to Prince's. THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. Its not impossible because Prince is so great and prolific and no one else is. Its impossible because you simply can not be "popular" in the music business in this day and age without submitting to the will of the label. That is partially because of Prince and other 80s "megastars".
The problem is many people are about 15-20 years behind in their understanding of how things work. Let me help if I can: After the death of Pac, more labels realized that there is a true gold mine in shelving artists' songs. Pac recorded a lot of unreleased material before he died. When he died, there was a wealth of material for the label to sell. While recording many songs and picking from them had been standard practice for artists like Michael Jackson, the true implementation of it surfaced when 2Pac sold more CDs dead than alive. Now its standard practice for labels to make artists record up to as many as 40 songs for a CD just so that they (the label) can pick 15 or so. It is to their benefit that an artist writes and records a lot and then, if possible, die young at the height of their popularity. This is why you won't see artists like Prince anymore. Its not that no one is capable of the output, its that the output is not allowed. Labels won't blow you up into a huge super-artist and let you release every musical idea you have. They can make much more off your unreleased material. Prince was an anomaly. The game has changed majorly. Van is trying to maneuver his way through a tough business that is designed to suppress the very type of artist that he is. When I listen to Van Hunt, I don't hear an artist trying to find himself; I hear an artist trying to express himself and get away with it. When he talks the way he does, he doesn't think of himself as "unproven" because he's looking at a review of what he's already done. The general public hasn't heard it, so his perception of his body of work is different than others'. He's just trying to find ways to catch everybody else up. By the way Van, the safest place to be if a plane is going down is on a bus.  | |
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BlaqueKnight said: Van is trying to maneuver his way through a tough business that is designed to suppress the very type of artist that he is.
When I listen to Van Hunt, I don't hear an artist trying to find himself; I hear an artist trying to express himself and get away with it. When he talks the way he does, he doesn't think of himself as "unproven" because he's looking at a review of what he's already done. The general public hasn't heard it, so his perception of his body of work is different than others'. He's just trying to find ways to catch everybody else up. By the way Van, the safest place to be if a plane is going down is on a bus.  Exactly what I hear when I hear Van speak or listen to his music. He's one of the few srtists making music simply for the sake of making music, and as an artist, it's refreshing and inspiring to see someone taking the risk. | |
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CosmicDancer said: Making them both look foolish onstage...on screen..and being more prolific than both combined !
Bullshit. I've been a PRince fan for 30 years now and no way in hell is he more prolific than Sly or Curtis. WTF? Stymie said: If Van is doing Curtis and Sly impressions, what has Prince been doing? | |
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Anybody on here been to any of his recent shows? | |
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BlaqueKnight said: Anybody on here been to any of his recent shows?
Yeah, i've been to several. and i'm going again in august. He's got a good live show. He's got alot better, when i first saw him he seem a bit uncomfortable on stage, but he's relaxed and works the crowd really well. He recently did one man gutiar and paino set, which was very good, which i think he maybe currently on tour doing again. it's a good show. He's funny, def. check him out if you have the chance. | |
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Gotta read this later, I'm on my way out the door... LOVE Van    I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it | |
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P2daP said: BlaqueKnight said: Anybody on here been to any of his recent shows?
Yeah, i've been to several. and i'm going again in august. He's got a good live show. He's got alot better, when i first saw him he seem a bit uncomfortable on stage, but he's relaxed and works the crowd really well. He recently did one man gutiar and paino set, which was very good, which i think he maybe currently on tour doing again. it's a good show. He's funny, def. check him out if you have the chance. I've seen him before. I just wondered if he's doing his one man show on this tour he's doing now or if he has a full band. I just want to know what to expect when I go. CalhounSq said: Gotta read this later, I'm on my way out the door... LOVE Van
You're welcome.  | |
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BlaqueKnight said:[quote] P2daP said: I've seen him before. I just wondered if he's doing his one man show on this tour he's doing now or if he has a full band. I just want to know what to expect when I go. CalhounSq said: Gotta read this later, I'm on my way out the door... LOVE Van
You're welcome. I need to get tix to the show too - he's doing a 1 man show in SF in a few weeks, I'm not sure I can make it but I wanna  I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it | |
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Okay, WHAT THE FUCK?? I just bought my ticket yesterday... & just got an email that the event is cancelled  WHY???  I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it | |
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CalhounSq said: Okay, WHAT THE FUCK?? I just bought my ticket yesterday... & just got an email that the event is cancelled
WHY???  That's no good. | |
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Okay org....tonight's show was AWESOME as expected! 
Van Hunt rocked it acoustic-style with his guitar and keys...no 'new'tracks but I spoke to him after the show and he assured me that the new album would be out in January probably. When I said to him "Are you serious or are you just saying that?" he laughed & replied, "Don't worry, I'll make sure it's out" We had a nice little conversation and Van kissed me (without me asking him to) 
it was a good night If you will, so will I | |
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thekidsgirl said: Okay org....tonight's show was AWESOME as expected!
Van Hunt rocked it acoustic-style with his guitar and keys...no 'new'tracks but I spoke to him after the show and he assured me that the new album would be out in January probably. When I said to him "Are you serious or are you just saying that?" he laughed & replied, "Don't worry, I'll make sure it's out" We had a nice little conversation and Van kissed me (without me asking him to)
it was a good night Glad you had fun. NOw, a couple of questions: What sonsg did he do? How long was his show? Just guitar and keys? Did he have any tracks sequenced? (Drums and bass playing along with him? | |
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Tonight's show has been cancelled. 
I would've gone up to Maryland if I had known. I'm glad you had a good time, thekidsgirl. "Whitney was purely and simply one of a kind." ~ Clive Davis | |
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I apologize...
Much respect to Van... (and anybody trying to honestly express themselves..) I just couldn't dig the writer of the article being so Unaware that All Truly creative people are in the same exact boat at Van. Right on my man....  | |
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AlexdeParis said: Tonight's show has been cancelled.
I would've gone up to Maryland if I had known. I'm glad you had a good time, thekidsgirl. You should have!!If you will, so will I | |
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BlaqueKnight said: thekidsgirl said: Glad you had fun. NOw, a couple of questions: What sonsg did he do? How long was his show? Just guitar and keys? Did he have any tracks sequenced? (Drums and bass playing along with him? he did most of the usual songs...dust, down here in hell, her december, anything, highlights, hold my hand, daredevil, hot stage lights, being a girl, priest of police, character, if I take you home, ur a monster... I wish he had thrown in a few more new songs too (me and this other girl were yelling for Turn my TV On and he laughed at us)
The total show was pretty long with 2 opening acts, but Van was up there for maybe like 50 minutes (?) and just guitar and keys If you will, so will I | |
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thekidsgirl said: BlaqueKnight said: Glad you had fun. Now, a couple of questions: What songs did he do? How long was his show? Just guitar and keys? Did he have any tracks sequenced? (Drums and bass playing along with him? he did most of the usual songs...dust, down here in hell, her december, anything, highlights, hold my hand, daredevil, hot stage lights, being a girl, priest of police, character, if I take you home, ur a monster... I wish he had thrown in a few more new songs too (me and this other girl were yelling for Turn my TV On and he laughed at us)
The total show was pretty long with 2 opening acts, but Van was up there for maybe like 50 minutes (?) and just guitar and keys Thanks for the details. Were any of the songs sequenced tracks with drums and bass or was t literally all purely acoustic? | |
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BlaqueKnight said: thekidsgirl said: he did most of the usual songs...dust, down here in hell, her december, anything, highlights, hold my hand, daredevil, hot stage lights, being a girl, priest of police, character, if I take you home, ur a monster... I wish he had thrown in a few more new songs too (me and this other girl were yelling for Turn my TV On and he laughed at us)
The total show was pretty long with 2 opening acts, but Van was up there for maybe like 50 minutes (?) and just guitar and keys Thanks for the details. Were any of the songs sequenced tracks with drums and bass or was t literally all purely acoustic? can't speak for that show but I know someone that was allowed to record a recent show, seems like recent shows are performed in a similiar fashion, really stripped down.. | |
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BlaqueKnight said: thekidsgirl said: he did most of the usual songs...dust, down here in hell, her december, anything, highlights, hold my hand, daredevil, hot stage lights, being a girl, priest of police, character, if I take you home, ur a monster... I wish he had thrown in a few more new songs too (me and this other girl were yelling for Turn my TV On and he laughed at us)
The total show was pretty long with 2 opening acts, but Van was up there for maybe like 50 minutes (?) and just guitar and keys Thanks for the details. Were any of the songs sequenced tracks with drums and bass or was t literally all purely acoustic? purely acoustic If you will, so will I | |
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That's a little discouraging. Its not that I don't appreciate an acoustic set but EVERYBODY who does a solo show does that. I think he should take some pointers and do a show a little more like this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/wa...lK64n0jGB4 Jamie Lidell. The reason I say that is because some of Van's songs are a lot more "rhythmic" and when you make them acoustic, its takes the punch out. He should do a half acoustic, half sequenced set. (Seal did that a couple of times with his band) I'm still going to go to his show but the stripped down versions of some of the songs loose something when you take the bottom out of them. Part of his appeal is that he's got some funky material. It needs a beat and some bass guitar to complete the feel. Not everybody is going to be interested in "One Nite Alone" with Van Hunt. Some of his fans will show up expecting to party in a "Time-like" fashion only to be made to sit and listen. If he gave them a lil' something along with the acoustics, they might not go home disappointed. Even though he's a hybrid artist, the majority of his fans have an R&B background. If you take out the "R", you can loose some folks. Even the fans of his rock cuts want to feel the pulse of the song. Part of that comes from the beat. Acoustic sets are cool but not nearly as entertaining in my opinion. | |
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BlaqueKnight said: That's a little discouraging. Its not that I don't appreciate an acoustic set but EVERYBODY who does a solo show does that. I think he should take some pointers and do a show a little more like this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/wa...lK64n0jGB4 Jamie Lidell. The reason I say that is because some of Van's songs are a lot more "rhythmic" and when you make them acoustic, its takes the punch out. He should do a half acoustic, half sequenced set. (Seal did that a couple of times with his band) I'm still going to go to his show but the stripped down versions of some of the songs loose something when you take the bottom out of them. Part of his appeal is that he's got some funky material. It needs a beat and some bass guitar to complete the feel. Not everybody is going to be interested in "One Nite Alone" with Van Hunt. Some of his fans will show up expecting to party in a "Time-like" fashion only to be made to sit and listen. If he gave them a lil' something along with the acoustics, they might not go home disappointed. Even though he's a hybrid artist, the majority of his fans have an R&B background. If you take out the "R", you can loose some folks. Even the fans of his rock cuts want to feel the pulse of the song. Part of that comes from the beat. Acoustic sets are cool but not nearly as entertaining in my opinion. maybe he cant afford to take the band on the road. the last tour got cut because of something to do with the budget | |
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“Lately, I feel like I’m going to war. I feel aggressive for some reason,” he says, dressed, appropriately, in a button down, military-green jacket.
This century’s fiercest musical artisan
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all though its acoustic, I wouldn't consider it a "sit down and listen" type show. There will be enough people clapping to keep the beat up
I mean, some people were pouting, but oh well! me and the chicks that were around me were all jammmin like there was a full band If you will, so will I | |
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thekidsgirl said: all though its acoustic, I wouldn't consider it a "sit down and listen" type show. There will be enough people clapping to keep the beat up
I mean, some people were pouting, but oh well! me and the chicks that were around me were all jammmin like there was a full band I understand, but some people are going to want the "full band" experience and may show up expecting that. That's all I was saying. I'm cool with it either way. | |
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| I never met you, but I LOVE you & I will forever!! Thank you for being YOU - my little Princey, the best to EVER do it | |
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Meloh9 said: maybe he cant afford to take the band on the road. the last tour got cut because of something to do with the budget Which is why I was saying that another idea would be to do a Jamie Lidell styled one man show. Throw up some lights and sequences, invite the girls in the audience on stage for a few cuts, etc. | |
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