Korn Website
Wake Up on iTunes
I’m starting to learn that in music and it’s business you have to start being ready to sound like you’ve been up for several hours, even if you’re getting a call waking you out of deep slumber. I had just such an occurance today. Maurice Starr is calling me and waking me up. Being that I’m on the west coast I’m sure that this can happen fairly often with businesses calling from the east coast when they forget where they’re calling.
Turns out I was on the phone with Maurice and another gentleman by the name of Ben who works for Octone Records. So immediately, I’m attempting to sound like I’ve been up and not buried in bed. I’m clearing my throat in hopes that I don’t sound like I’m full of gravel. Maurice has been on a mission and it feels great to have that fight in my corner. A call like this feels like the lyrics you’re hearing now – Wake the fuck up. Wake up because you’ve got business on the line.
Maurice learned yesterday while we were on the phone to a booking agent from CAA that industry folk pay a lot of attention to Myspace. It was the first and only thing the agent asked for. I know that Maurice had seen my page but I think he puts more stock in hard copy and face to face contact. However after the agents words about how everyone who is a musician needs to be on myspace or they really aren’t going to spend a ton of time searching you out was also a bit of a wake up call to Maurice. Thus this morning while I was on the phone Maurice instantly mentioned the Myspace page and that I had one. To which Ben asked me the address and I could hear him typing in the background.
The call ended with Ben giving me his e-mail address and asking Maurice and I to e-mail him. Then said he’d get back to us. It was also enlightening to know that people do have memories. Ben was very aware of Maurice and his ties to people like Clive Davis – not Jonathan Davis (the guy you’re listening to now). That was cool to hear his admiration for Maurice. It’s certainly a thrill to hear someone like Maurice speak so highly about your music. Not that I don’t enjoy a fan’s appreciation I truly do, but with the clout Mr. Starr has it takes on a different meaning when it comes out like that to other people that can help fast track something.
Between you and me I wasn’t an immediate fan of Korn. It took a while for them to grow on me. Even now I’m not a fan of their first record. I’m not a fan of all their music. I respect them big time though. They achieved something that a lot of artists dream about. I also understand the trail they blazed. They did something different. What’s insane to me is how they’re supposedly the spearhead to the style of rap-rock. Uh, hello?!? Korn doesn’t rap. So how they got linked to crud like Limpbizkit and their genre is totally beyond me. The only thing that is a unifying tie is guitarists in both bands played 7-string guitars. So does that make me rap-rock too? I mean, I play 7-string guitars as well.
What’s funny is, when I finished Practical Insanity and was shopping it to a few labels, I was asked if I’d be willing to take it more rap-rock. I turned that down. I don’t fit in there. I don’t know why 7-string guitar stuff instantly got associated with it. Seriously, if you listen to the CD and to songs like Going Around or Material Things, does they even remotely sound rap-rock? I don’t think so, and those are songs that are played on 7-string guitars. I used 7-string guitars on other songs to but just for layering.
Another reason why I respect Korn is that they are helping forge a new model for record deals. In fact their new record deal is very similar to my business plan that I had developed with Maurice Starr. Go figure. Are we of great minds? Do we think alike? Could be. So for that I express that you should support them. I don’t care if they’re huge. Like any artist if you find material you like you need to support it and not steal it. So buy today’s song. Put it on your wake up clock and use it to get yourself motivated in the morning. Wake the fuck up!
(** Disclaimer: If Korn’s label decides to wake me up with a lawsuit, I’ll be putting the audio to sleep faster than counting sheep. The post will remain to show my new understanding. **)