© 2001 Stephanie Smith
Guitar practice in Virginia with my grandmother's metronome and Cortney the Corgi
Feb. 13, 2001
Feberberry Bop
I could do a big old rant about how much I hate Valentine’s Day, but if you know me you’ve heard it all before, so I’ll skip it. I have a much better attitude than I have in years past, I’ll have you know. All the heart-shaped boxes full of chocolate will be on sale on the 15th, and that beats true love any day. Shut up, I am not bitter!
Guess what? I got a gig in Greensboro, NC. Check me! I’m a touring artist!
Hey, guess what else? My CD is available online! If you’ve been thinking to yourself, “I really, really want to buy Lindsay’s CD, but I sure don’t want to send a check through the mail,” worry no more! Tales From the Fruitbat Vat is available at CDStreet.com and at CDBaby.com. Both of these sites are really cool, and they specialize in independent music, so I highly recommend checking them out. All the artists have sound files you can listen to for free!
Speaking of free, today’s great debate in the Atlanta Opera offices is "Napster: Force of Good or Force of Evil?" We usually have a pretty short attention span around here, but this conversation seems to have lasted most of the day. Me, I like Napster. It’s a brilliant idea. And freaking out because people are downloading stuff and not paying for it is like freaking out because you can tape CDs. I maintain that people will always want the real thing. It’s fun to look at the cover art, it’s fun to read the liner notes, and CDs make great gifts for just about anyone. Plus, there’s nothing like the plastic-y smell of a new tape right after you take the wrapper off; it smells kind of like grape Kool-Aid. (My sister maintains that there is no “new tape smell” and that I have made it up entirely, but it’s not my fault her nose has no imagination.) CD sales higher than ever before, so I don’t see why we can’t all just get along. As Barrett says, it just means you can skip the purchase of all those CDs with only one good song. To me, there’s not much difference between downloading the one good song off Napster and taping it off the radio.
What happened to how the radio stations were going to play more female artists? Do you guys remember that? Lilith Fair was this big deal, and there were all these interviews with DJ’s and station managers saying, “Yeah, back in the day we weren’t even allowed to play two female artists back to back, but all of a sudden it seems there’s a demand for women’s music. Who’d a-thunk?” Now the only female artist on 99X is Dido. Seriously, name one other current female artist on alternative radio right now. It seems women are “out” again. What is the deal with that? Are we not 50% of the population? Did the Lilith Fair girls all get simultaneously dropped by their publicists? Why? And don’t tell me it’s because all the male-fronted bands are making better music right now because that is just patently false.
So I still don’t have a name for the band. I know, I know. But I don’t want to get stuck with something I don’t really like, so for now I’m just going to keep changing it. I found a fun toy: an online anagram generator! I found out that if only I were in a Goth band I could call it "Dismal Thy Sin." Or if I were a gansta rapper I could call my album "I’m Sly and Shit." And if I ever got a really swelled head and wrote an autobiography I could call it "A Stylish Mind." Go on, try the anagram generator! Put in the names of all your loved ones. Sure, you’re wasting valuable company time, but your boss will be thrilled when you’ve found the anagram of his or her name that describes him or her perfectly! (Or not. I don’t know your boss.)
What's in my stereo at home
What's in my CD player at work
What's in my car
Guitar practice in Virginia with my grandmother's metronome and Cortney the Corgi