From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V2 #232 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.spectra.net/~ducksoup/pattyg/patttyg.htm * OR * go to http://www.amrecords.com * then click "tour" and fill in the blanks :) * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V2 #xxx or the like gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. mad-mission-digest Wednesday, August 12 1998 Volume 02 : Number 232 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: second single [Glen Hatchell ] Re: MM: Re: News & input from Mad-Mishers desired from Patty's manager :-) [Them97@aol.] MM: Mama [LeShawnte@aol.com] MM: 2nd SINGLE [LeShawnte@aol.com] MM: the next single [Mooodeee@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 23:40:29 -0400 From: Glen Hatchell Subject: MM: second single I assume that the second single will be released in the November, December timeframe...With that as the assumption, my recommendation is Go Now. (OK, before you read any further, you MUST be playing Go Now. Wait until she starts with "Heres your moon..." Otherwise, you won't get it) Winter season, holiday's, it's got a beautiful, wavy sound...I can see the video now...walking through the streets of New York, past Rockefeller Center, snow falling, horse drawn carriage in the background, my arm around Patty (oh, wait...I didn't mean to share that part), three guys against a building playing in the background as she walks down the street.....Patty walking out of a store in Vermont, big smile on her face....a wintery video to a smooth, loungy song that really shows how beautiful her voice is. Some lines from the song "here's the sun, here's the birds" "as the star that never fell" "as the train left the station" "here's the lamp" "here's the trees and the gold" "here's the snow" IMHO, I think the lyrics beg for a winter time video..... and videos make 98% of the hits these days, like it or not..... Remember....the masses, or lemmings as I like to refer to them, don't know who Patty Griffin is. A song like Tony or Wiggly Fingers will scare off the soccer moms that listen to the crap called commercial radio. That's why we like to say that the best music made will never be heard on commercial radio..... Maybe after 2-3 hits, Patty can release Tony as a single. I think it's a GREAT song, but it's not the second single for a new artist. And a couple of more things, I played this song a few weeks ago on my radio show that I do on the local community radio station (WMNF, 88.5FM, Tampa) and received 5 calls from listeners wanting to know who it was. This song hits a spot. Lastly, after listening to Patty since I heard her on a Leak CD compilation 2 yrs ago and immedaitely bought LWG, I finally got to see her live last week here in Tampa...met her after the show, got the CDs signed and had some pictures taken with her..... I love this woman......! Glen ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 23:43:38 EDT From: Them97@aol.com Subject: Re: MM: Re: News & input from Mad-Mishers desired from Patty's manager :-) I absolutely love Tony but I do think most Top 40 stations won't play it. Carry Me would be a great pick for the second single. The harmonies on that songs kicks. Themis ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 00:58:29 EDT From: LeShawnte@aol.com Subject: MM: Mama In a message dated 98-08-11 23:37:45 EDT, you write: << Hi All, Who's all going to the Mama Kin gig next week in Boston? I was wondering if anyone would like to make plans to meet up. >> I'll be there....shawnte' situated in Westport, MA ;-) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 00:57:29 EDT From: LeShawnte@aol.com Subject: MM: 2nd SINGLE I definately think it should be "Blue Sky." It's catchy & rockin', has a freakin great chorus, and also a wicked electric intro, but smooth outro, with a bouncing middle... many people will be able to relate to the universal message, at times we all say to ourselves or even outloud 'the farther i come, the farther i fall whatever i knew was nothing at all'... and think life changes, and falterings, and endless disappointment, but Patty offers hope in this tune, and gives the audience of listeners a chance to reach out to their supports with like the line, 'be my singing lesson be my song...when i tell you i'm falling you tell me i'm strong...etc. And i love the visualization she gives with flying high in the BLUE SKY (i feel everyone has dreams of flying high to get away from dissillusionment), and being sunkissed as well as sailing around planet venus....i think it's an undulation of good qualities...good-great-to definately hit single, then i think she should hit the masses with a softer Patty via Christina...Tony kicks buttocks also, though i'm sure she would get lots-o-flack from ppl who just don't get it. just my opinion :) Shawnte' "It's not healthy to live life as a succession of isolated little cool moments. Either our lives become stories, or there's just no way to get through them." - -Gen Xer ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 01:17:52 EDT From: Mooodeee@aol.com Subject: MM: the next single Okay, I have thought about this one thoroughly and this is what i have come up with. I am a record promoter and work radio---and I am a huge fan of Patty, so bear with me on my lack of brevity :-) lol. I hope my thoughts are helpful. Personally I think "One Big Love" would NOT have been my first choice single for first release. The reason being is that, although adequate, I think it is a little bit too weak for most categories of Gavin radio charting. I don't think it truely represents anything consistent with Patty's style and I think it is a bit too incongruent with any solid definitions of most Gavin radio formats, and possibly a bit too weak to represent her for top 40, but it is definitely worth going for based on its success so far. To me it is more of a soft sleeper hit and a little too understated. I credit its success due to her sophomore status, and that the release was highly anticipated and well supported by her previously acquired fans, along with the music director rapport and "press story" previously established from the success of Living With Ghosts. Top 40 seems to have bias towards Urban Dance and Active Rock and less of an influence from A3. A3 doesn't really have much of a meaningful impact on Top 40 chart action (with some considerable exception). I have also (because of other records I am working I am looking at the reports anyway) have watched local sales of Flaming Red and was very surprised to find that sales were quite humble considering all of the heavy local radio support and airplay. I was surprised that it was so humble given that this is her resident town and she is so heavily supported here!! I think that is a sign that "One Big Love" was not necessarily the best song to choose, in spite of its positive reception by radio music directors. (along with A3, I work jazz... i know what it means to get heavy nationwide airplay and to top the Gavin charts and not sell many records. In fact, that is a problem I am facing right now. But jazz only penetrates less than 3% of the retail market, so oh well). That is where the influence of choosing a crossover song comes in---it increases your sales potential and your exposure because it puts you on several charts, not just one. With this in mind, I believe that in consideration of the trend activity and influence of Active Rock on Top 40, I think that opening her options for multiple crossover potential would be VERY helpful in increasing listening audiences as well as increased spins in mutliple radio formats, therefore increasing sales (see Fastball, Matchbox 20, DMB, Smashmouth, Alanis Morrisette, etc.). Also, it is common to follow a sleeper hit with something a bit more aggressive. What is the most aggressive Active Rock radio-friendly song on Flaming Red? "Wiggley Fingers." With "One Big Love" and Living With Ghosts, she has nailed A3 category with some moderate sales results. She has reached that audience, but not her fullest potential. In order to break new ground it will require some groundbreaking moves towards the Active Rock vein of Top 40, since the A3 crossover to Top 40 approach will have already been taken with OBL. "One Big Love" covers the gentle approach, although had I done it I would have chosen "Blue Sky" as that first feminine radio friendly release. It is a stronger song in that sense and has an artistic intro with the speakers that really grabs your attention, along with an upbeat, summertime hook. Initially, I thought of "Blue Sky" as the next release for this reason, but again, I feel even then it doesnt show the power of her voice that we all know as being signature for Patty. The 2nd release needs to represent Patty's signature vocal power and ability. Undoubtedly, Wiggley Fingers shows it best. As for "Tony," this is another one of my favorites on the record and was also a major consideration for all the reasons above. But between Wiggley and Tony, I think Wiggley had more Active Rock strength and more punch to it, especially in regards to the introduction and vocals. It takes a bit too long to "kick in" in order for it to compete as strongly on Active Rock as would Wiggley. As strong as Tony is as a song, between the two, Wiggley shows off her vocal power much more---and how about that ending!! Pure power, much like the strength of "Every Little Bit" which is the first song I ever heard from Patty and had me running to the record store that same hour I heard it. There is a lot to think about as far as choosing the next release. By process of elimination, usually releasing the title track is a good idea to promote name recognition for the sale of the CD, but not in this case. "Flaming Red" is more of a noisy shock value explosion that says "Hello!! I am here and I am rocking!" but has no real substance or depth that would impact radio at all. "You've Changed" is VERY radio friendly and would also have been better than "One Big Love." It has great dynamics, and might be good as a release later on, but it doesn't compete with some of the other stronger songs on the record like Tony and Wiggley and Blue Sky. "Goodbye" is too country and too up beat for the tradgedy of the lyrics, and to me, it kills the passion of the solo acoustic version. Top 40 would cull it. "Carry Me" is a great adult album alternative record, not Top 40, and no crossover potential at all. I love the harmonies, but not enough instrumentation, really. The hook might be too repetitive at the end for radio, i dunno. Great for an album, but not the best choice for the thousands of dollars it would cost to invest in radio promotion. It pleases the ears of radio friendly listeners who were looking for consistency of radio sound on the cd as a whole, as does "You've Changed." It does this quite nicely. "Christina." My God I love this song! Adult contemporary and Hot A/C. Top 40 radio would probably shy away from it and wouldn't give it heavy spins it really needs to push the sales of this record. "Mary" A beautiful song, but not for pitching to radio. Adult Contemporary at best. "Big Daddy" ?? "Go Now" ?? "Peter Pan" ?? no way. So in conclusion, I pick "Wiggley Fingers." Runners up being "Blue Sky" and "Tony" in that order. Thanks for listening to me ramble! All comments welcome! Mimi Alidor Austin, TX ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V2 #232 *********************************