If I had a nickel for every time someone said I’m going to be famous, I wouldn’t need to be. Though I’d still do the music anyway. It’s ingrained in me and I can’t escape it. There are other things that would be interesting to pursue or maybe specific people, but that would not be a be-all-end-all thing like music is.
Something that struck me as highly poignant is a scene in the movie Hitch (I know beat me with a sledgehammer). You know that flick with Will Smith playing a consultant to guys about dating. You can’t come out and just say you like a girl as in “I like you!”. My favorite response when he says that is: “I tried that once and crashed and burned on it.” More directly most people won’t come right out and say something like that unless they get the inkling the person would like them back. The same happens in music. At least when it comes to people buying music they hear. Most people will tell you they like a song – they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Especially if it’s the artist that created it they have to tell it to.
That’s why when I have to get an opinion on a song, I have a very select group of friends that I can go to who will give me a straight answer. They know I can take it. Even if I stand my ground on a choice, I will accept their point of view and take it into consideration. After I’ve put a song through that stage, I know what I can expect from that point on.
The point behind this blog is for me to go out on the limb and express what I like or love about a particular song. Or maybe how I’m able to relate to it with things going on in my slice of the world. In a way it’s being an unpaid filter/A&R person for you. Provided of course that you like my choices and tastes in the music I bring here daily. Additionally provided that you find anything I’m musing on, particularly amusing or interesting.
Shandy is one such artist I find particularly interesting. I’ve met him once or twice at some songwriters gatherings. There’s definitely a mutual respect going on despite our extreme differences in styles. Shandy has a really great concept to the craft of musical story telling. I’d liken his ability to be on par with someone like Bob Dylan. The one difference is that Bob Dylan came at a time when his style could truly break through to the mainstream. Shandy on the other hand has a much harder road to navigate as popular music now has something else that is en vogue. Regardless that doesn’t diminish Shandy’s talent.
The beauty of If I Had A Nickel is it’s simplicity in arrangement. Then again that’s really the basis of the genre Shandy is firmly rooted in. Generally speaking, the fewer amount of instruments you have, the better the quality of their recording had better be. Of course Shandy got it right without issues here. The acoustic has a nice quality without sounding boxy. That’s a tough thing to get right, especially when you have to rely on a single acoustic guitar. Kudos for that.
Go share a nickel with Shandy.