Jaylene Johnson's Blog
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Cats, songs and viral videos
Just some thoughts I need to get out of my head…
First of all, the video of Marc Martel singing "Somebody to Love" that has gone viral for the Queen Extravaganza contest is one to which I keep returning. I'm fascinated by what's happening. I've always loved Marc's voice…It's perhaps my favourite male recorded voice of any current (living) band. Years ago, I opened for his band, Downhere, in Winnipeg. Afterward, I said to him: "Your voice reminds me of Freddie Mercury" Anyway…
Reading the comments is what has me interested. Downhere is a great band that's been working really hard and with tons of integrity for years. They write intelligent songs, are fantastic musicians…and they were "picked up" years ago and have been in the music industry since the beginning. Yet, people are JUST NOW hearing Marc's talent. Comments like, "Someone should pick you up" intrigue me. He did get noticed. He has been part of "The Machine"…With all due respect to his label (and I do have a TON of respect or Centricity) Why is it only now that Marc is getting this kind of exposure? Is it because he's been in a Christian band, and that just doesn't intersect with the mainstream marketplace? Having met the head of Centricity and heard him speak, I think he's probably thrilled to see the crossover into the mainstream marketplace that's happening as a result of this audition…And I hope that Downhere's music is heard by the masses because of this. They're a great band with lots to say. Also, the "success" here could simply be because it's linked to Queen and the contest. I'm sure that has the most to do with it…
Secondly, the weirdest thing happens to me when I go for walks in the neighbourhood…Random cats come bounding (literally) over to me, purring, meowing, even jumping into my arms for a cuddle. I LOVE IT! I adore cats, but due to allergies in my household, I don't have one. I can't tell you how happy it makes me when this happens, but seriously…Do I smell like fish?
Finally, I have some cool stuff happening this week…Sept 30th (Friday) I will be mentoring along with Chris Burke Gaffney and Keith MacPherson (Keith and Renee) at Manitoba Music…We'll be working with Ila Barker (who just won a big NCI contest) Dana Bean and Adam Hanney…The workshop is called "WritersConnect" sponsored by Songwriters Association of Canada, Manitoba Music and Culture Days Manitoba. It's free, if you'd like to come and watch how collaboration/mentorship works in songwriting…but do register by emailing roland@manitobamusic.com. On Saturday, October 1st, all of the participants will be performing at The Forks (under the canopy) from 4-6PM…also FREE!
Be well, people... -
Spare Gas or Banana Bread?
Just a quick note from me…As artists, we are in a climate where music is stolen from us, without our consent…Art we made is given away by thieves for free on the internet. I hate to advertise this, but you can get pretty much any Jaylene Johnson song without paying a red cent, somewhere on the worldwide web. I have never consented to this.To add insult to injury, I unwisely followed what I thought was the new way, and gave away over 150 downloads of my album Happiness when it first came out. (Do you recall the Sesame Street character Don Music banging his head repeatedly on the piano? I have a major goose-egg on my forehead)I can hear a rousing chorus of "Who cares?! Stop winge-ing! Get with the program! Exposure will build your fan base!" Quite true in some ways…Almost 300,000 hits to a YouTube site using clips from a popular show and MY MUSIC…I did not give my permission for its use, but hey…that's a lot of views! This exposure, however, has not correlated to sales, even though the fans "love" the song…And did any of the people to whom I gave my album bring me exposure by sharing my music, or even eventually buy it to show support? Maybe a couple. But why should they when they got it (and can pass it on) for free?Look, I'm bringing this up, not to make anyone feel badly (truly) but because my friend, Alana, a hardworking, risk-taking artist, is on the road with zero backing, pouring her heart into a project she believes in, and one that I believe in too. A post from her on Facebook saying that she'll send a personal postcard from the road in exchange for a donation of a tank of gas reminded me of T-shirts I want to have made:"If you won't buy my music, can you give me a ride?"or"If you won't buy my music, will you buy me a drink?"or"If you won't buy my music, would you feed my dog?"I don't have a dog, but that's not the point.Support music by supporting artists. If you can't get on board with someone like me or someone like Alana, get on board with someone you love. Buy a tank of gas. Donate a loaf of Banana Bread! Consider it your contribution to the ongoing preservation of culture, for I believe wholeheartedly that if good people like you stop generously giving to artists you feel are important, you will be left with a lot of options for "just okay" albeit free music made at an affordable level (ie "zero budget" and recorded by joe or jane friend on their laptop because they took a digital arts class in grade 10) rather than music with depth, properly aged in a cask of development and experience, recorded by artistic and tech-savvy producers and savoured for its excellence. To put it crassly : no money = no development budget, no recording budget, no marketing budget…Heck…no blinking' gas budget!If music plays no part in your life, this note is not for you. But if it does, I implore you to reach out to the creative people in your circle…you know, the ones who are a bit crazy but who make art that makes your world a better place to be in…Those ones. Reach out with encouragement and, yes, your money too.To read more about Alana's project, visit http://www.inquestofmusic.com/To follow my whereabouts this summer, I'm easy to find…In addition to my own website, I have a Facebook artist page, a page on MySpace, a Twitter account, an account on Reverb Nation…Thanks for reading. I know there are many points of view, and that this conversation will continue. It's an important one, to be sure!Happy music-making, life-living and love-giving.Jaylene xPS-I have to add a big thank you to all of the lovelies in my life who have bought my music and been so generous with their own versions of "Banana Bread" You have my gratitude and appreciation. :) -
Teen Moms Retreat
The sun is finally shining here, and it looks like summer just might be on her way...She's been slow to arrive this year...It has felt like March, but it's the middle of May.
I spoke and sang at a retreat for teen moms this past weekend. I'm tired, but it was worth it, even if only for perspective. Not all teen parents face the exact same challenges as those I met this weekend. My parents were young parents. There were things we struggled with because of that...But the circumstances facing some of the young women I met are so far beyond what I, or most of my friends, know...To see the raw, raw pain in their eyes...pain, mixed with love and hope for their kids...
I have felt despair, but I've never been afraid for my life. I've been angry, but I've never faced racism. I've been wounded and emotionally scarred, but I have never been without any support. And through it all, my faith...Faith encouraged in me and taught me by countless people who cared...carried me...comforted me...lifted me and propelled me forward. This is what led me to speak, I suppose.
The potential for radical transformation in these young lives is enormous. They have seen and experienced enough deceit and vile, disgusting abuse of trust that when squared off with truth, they recognize it. They can suss out a phony from a long way off. I truly believe that given the opportunity and support to find truth, goodness and health, they are going to become strong, strong people...And their kids will have a fighting chance at changing generational history and living beautiful lives. If ever there was a time for the gospel to be true...life-changing, non-religious, raw, real gospel truth...it was this past weekend. I hope I shared it with palpable honesty, and I hope it took root.
Pansy religion, fluffy theology, black-cloaked and stringent ritual...I don't believe this will ever impact, especially the people I met. It's certainly never made a lifelong impact on me, except to make me really frustrated. But I've experienced the power of God in real ways...Ways too deep and too crazy for me to ever deny my faith. This is my prayer for these women...That they will know that they know that they KNOW He's real and He's FOR and not against them, no matter what their circumstances.
I play my songs. I twiddle my thumbs. I contemplate where my life is going. I feel artistically frustrated. I complain that I found out who won Survivor before watching the show...It's not that my life is trivial...Just that I am far removed from what life will be today for the women I met. I'm glad I had a chance to cross their paths, if only to renew my gratitude for the many blessings in my life. Things could have been, and could be, much, much harder.
If you want a chance to read more about how people are coming alongside teen parents in really cool ways, visit http://www.yfc.net/teenparents
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