Editorial - March 2007

What’s So Funny ‘bout Peace Love and Understanding?

Over the years TCB has thrived simply because of the relationship that has been built between it and its readers – so – go grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair – we have some things we want to share with you.

Ready?

Here it goes…

Like many people these days, we’ve grown mighty weary of the over-abundance of intolerance that exists in this world. 

The most common phrase out of my son’s mouth when he hears the latest episodes of sagas that are running rampant in our lives on a daily basis is “Has the whole world gone crazy?” Sadly, I have to look him straight in the eye and tell him, “yes”, but as his mother, I also have the daunting responsibility of teaching him how best to cope with the onslaught in a multitude of ways, but hopefully, primarily by example.  I've always encouraged him to become part of the solution rather than tolerating, or worse yet, perpetuating the problem. 

More so than ever it seems that since the unprecedented and miraculous humanity that was exhibited after the tragedy of September 11^th we have tumbled steadily from grace and now live in a cold, distrusting, angry society of human beings who seem to be hell bent on making the first strike or gaining the upper hand above all things that used to be considered sacred – decency, mutual respect, honesty and yes – peace, love and understanding.

In fact, the Holmes Brothers’ version of the Nick Lowe penned Peace, Love and Understanding (State of Grace, Alligator Records) happens to constantly run through my brain these days. It’s seems to not only stand as a noteworthy reflection as to where we currently are as human beings on a planet that is rife with war, disease and poverty – but more personally, it serves as a reflection and illustration of my recent experiences in the music business. Which brings us to the point of why it is that you’re sitting there with that cup of coffee reading this…

For us, life over the past seven years at TCB can be likened to being a cheerleader standing in the middle of the football field while the game is on. We wanted to be there, be part of the excitement and accomplishments but truth be known, we were under-dressed, unprotected and wearing our hearts on our sleeves and so at times we ended up coming out pretty battered and bruised. I’m not sure if its tenacity or stupidity that kept us in play until the end of the final quarter – but we determinedly picked ourselves up after each tackle while bracing ourselves for the next offensive onslaught. 

Thankfully when we began this venture we were naïve enough to believe that we could make a difference. We have no delusions of grandeur here – we haven’t changed the face of country music, in fact honestly – from a mainstream perspective -- it’s in even worse shape than it ever was.  I do believe, however, that we that we have been successful in teaching those who’ve run across our site the “how and where to’s” of finding great independent music. We believe in some small way we’ve had an impact. Now before you go thinking that we consider ourselves’ holier than thou’, we are always ready to admit we’ve made some wrong decisions, been a little more opinionated than most and considerably cranky at times.

After seven wonderful years of existence that began as an oasis in a desert we are announcing a shift in priorities and direction as we now exist contentedly as a tree in a mighty forest.

TCB was never a big corporate entity; the core of TCB’s existence has pretty much been myself and my compadre, AnnMarie Harrington with some much appreciated and talented helping hands from time to time across the years. It was never our ultimate vision to enter into the conglomerate world of country music – but in 2006 we found ourselves smack dab in the middle. We’d heard since our conception that the music industry was not a pretty place, and when we discovered the depth to the truthfulness of that very fact it wasn’t long before we bolted quickly back to the other side.

To say this business is tough is an understatement, and  this past little while the reality of it was not only eye-opening but heartbreaking and gut-wrenching all in the same breath. We’ve had a rough year, and both Annie and I have had personal life changing experiences that have resulted in permanent alternations to our outlook. Some adaptations have been consequential and some out of sheer necessity to survive. Some changes have been for the better and quite honestly, some have not, but all of them have definitely been profound.

There’s something about the limelight of the entertainment business that seems to magnify not only the talent and gifts, but the fallacies, vulnerabilities and inherent human flaws, our own included. Truly, over the past year in particular we’ve seen the best and the worst side of this industry. We’ve been stripped emotionally and financially raw to a state of emptiness where nothing remains other than the stark reality of how small the circle of friends is that will actually stand by you when everything else is gone.

Was it enough to stop our vision? Perhaps momentarily, and definitely enough to change the course and alter our focus, but its also unearthed a steely determination to not only continue on, but to expand on what we’ve accomplished over these past few years. 

Despite our ‘moniker’ TCB has always been about more than traditional country music. We’re not giving up on promoting real country – that’s where our natural roots are and we still wear them proudly, but over the years we’ve also covered a wide breadth of Americana, bluegrass, rockabilly, folk, blues, Texas country and roots rock and now in the name of tolerance we’re re-committing the site and our efforts to promoting and support all roots based genres, some of which struggle significantly more than country ever has. This is no longer about survival of the fittest  - this is about making room at the table for everyone, sharing our resources, sharing the music and celebrating the roots of the music that moves and touches us. Good music is good music and you’ll continue to hear plenty of it via TCB.

Some of the changes you will be seeing are coming as a direct result of our collective experiences in 2006.  Our personal goals are such now that both of us need to be spending time outside of TCB tending to things that have become additional priorities in our lives. Although Annie and I still committed to taking the music back we’re also committed to taking our own lives back. We’ve spent many, many long 12 hours days at a computer working endlessly and have let many other priorities slide and its time to return to them.

There will be some exciting changes coming to our online site. We will be incorporating an indie friendly digital download service that was designed to address the corporate flaws of the current delivery system. We’ll be sharing more about that in a separate missive but suffice to say we’re excited about the opportunity to assist in its promotion. 

We’ll be streamlining our efforts and that will hopefully result in a more accessible and user friendly database of reviews and resources. TCB’s webcast will continue with an expanded and varied playlist. We continue with our weekly Top 20 list, editorials, listening rooms, select interviews and op-ed pieces and an extensive archives of highlights from our first seven years of existence. Keeping up with us and these changes are best done through visiting our frequently updated MySpace page at www.myspace.com/takecountryback .

Personally, while I will continue always to voice my independent thoughts via TCB, I am also looking forward to joining with many like-minded artists and industry voices to collectively speak up on behalf of and advocate for the furtherance of multi-genre roots based music on an international level via the newly formed Roots Music Association.

The challenge and experience is one I look forward to with great anticipation. I am thrilled to be in the company of so many dedicated people all speaking the same language and sharing the same vision. I invite you to join our collective voice if you feel this is something that may interest you. Membership is free in order to ensure a level playing field of participation. You can find out more and register at www.rootsmusicassociation.org. The opportunity presented to be involved in the RMA’s grassroots beginnings gives me much confidence in its goals and mission and in the ways in which they plan to achieve them. I will keep you informed as to its happenings and accomplishments.

Thank you to all for your support over the years and we look forward to still being a part of your lives, just in a very different fashion. Annie and I continue to believe that life without good music would be a sad place in deed but we also believe that a single-focused life is just as sad.

So back to the football analogy, this game’s now gone into overtime – and we’re determined to stand our ground and aren’t about to stray from our course now – but experience during the regular quarters has taught us well. If we’re going to remain a cheerleader in the midst of linebackers then we’re going to have to change the rules in the playbook, and from here on out TCB will spend a whole lot more time and energy on spreading a little more peace, love and understanding with the hopes that the resulting diversity, synergy and charity can and will somehow make a tiny difference in this crazy world.

Laurie Joulie, TCB, February 2007