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IAC Prime Member
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Otis and the Professors
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1/29/2009 3:43:35 PM
Don't know how to get liscence for cover but...
Thought you guys might enjoy this one since it is getting a lot of attention on our youtube and facebook pages. It is a cover of Sarah McMlachlan's "In the Arms of the Angel" and Bob Dylan's "It's All Over Now Baby Blue".
http://www.youtube.com/user/profOtisReddingfield
You can also see some fairly old concert footage of us if you care to.
Peace and Love,
OatP
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Kevin White
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1/29/2009 5:09:34 PM
While I appreciate your creativity, your productions are continually recorded evidently in rain forest conditions. There is this underlying ssshhhhhhh going on in the background. It's distracting.
Sorry that someone had to be actually honest with you about that.
Not everyone can be an indie idol.
Damn Simon for putting such thoughts in my head.
You're very good, but pay more attention ... you are in the golden years.
HOW you present becomes a critical concern ... particularly at your age.
I just don't want you making excuses the rest of us here do as things eventually escape your grasp.
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Otis and the Professors
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1/30/2009 1:28:19 AM
No need to apologize for honesty, as we have never once asked for anything less. But, quite frankly, this revelation is only news to yourself, and it is a bit arrogant to assume that you simply "had" to be honest with us when we have gotten comments on these production woes from all kinds of people.
However, the idea that this somehow has something to do with paying attention is as naive as it is insulting. I'm not sure you know what our ages are (or how that really matters) but the idea that we CAN'T be "indie idols" because we lack not the drive but the resources to have the highest quality recordings, is quite silly. Our music flows from deep within and sometimes lacks polish (only in what we record), but I would much rather be absolutely passionate and genuine with every note I play and worry about that other stuff after we gain even more success than have all the production quality in the world and have no heart. We play live, we have been told on more than one occasion that our songs have moved people even moved them to tear, complete strangers. Many different songs here on IAC have been added to stations without us even asking, and without us having ANY friends here, despite these flaws you seem to think are holding us so far back to the point of being "critical". So obviously some people thought they were good enough that they wanted to share them, and some have even written incredibly humbling things about them.
We really do appreciate your honesty, and hope that you can appreciate the honesty of the people who have been able to see through these production flaws and hear our MUSIC. You are right, our production quality needs to get better. Luckily for us, someone loved our ssssshhhhhhh filled recordings enough to offer us some free studio time, so soon it really won't be a problem anymore.
I hope you don't spend time discouraging people less convicted in their passion than us because this kind of "insight" is what is killing passion for art in this culture.
Peace and Love,
OatP
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Susan Raven
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1/30/2009 1:38:33 AM
Wow - what an excellent response, well done chaps!
Satch and I will take a look and a listen later on...
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Conversation Suicide
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1/30/2009 1:47:46 AM
---- Updated 1/30/2009 2:02:47 AM
I would've just said FUCK OFF Kevin, you pompous, condescending twat, you.
But your more politically correct method of telling him off was MUCH better & might even actually sink into his THICK over-educated, richie-rich SKULL -
You've got some BALLS! But balls with well-worded retorts!
I'll be checking your tunes out this weekend hopefully! Rock on. And thanks for showing the eloquent way to deal with his "I'm an expert you really should DO THIS" stuff!
-another poor musician, anxiously awaiting more STUDIO TIME but doin' it to the best of our abilities (production-wise) 'til then.
- KEVin instead of dissing lower quality recordings all the time, why don't you offer up your skills & money, to travel around the world, recording bad-ass indie artists, who don't have a home studio? Wouldn't THAT be more productive?
-pHLeGm
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Kevin White
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1/30/2009 6:29:26 AM
---- Updated 1/30/2009 6:51:29 AM
"Making it" in the music business requires attention to detail in all aspects of what you do, top to bottom, starting with the music, continuing with the recording process and right on through how you sell what you are. Fall short in any category and your chances for success narrow to the equivalent of playing lotto.
THAT'S what I meant about paying attention. Sorry I wasn't more clear, but I get too busy and I rush to write.
You are at an age where, if you're serious about moving forward, you still have a chance to carve a name for yourself ... and you've enough talent to follow through with it ...
Putting amateurish recordings out there serves not that purpose, it sullies your impact ... regardless of whether people here load them into their stations ... and write nice things. This is a very nurturing environment, it's not the real world.
You send your recordings out to the masses, and you'll get a very different response. Believe it or not, they don't buy hissy recordings ... when there's so many non-hissy recordings to choose from.
Of course, if all you want is to play around and don't care about making a living in music, then nothing I say here is of consequence ... and you're always free to ignore me.
I was a touring musician for years in my youth, so I'm also not overly impressed by people's reaction to your music ... though I'm pleased for you that they like it.
I've made people cry, laugh, dance, shout for joy at the top of their lungs, all over my music (imagine!) as it's merely a part of being a musician, playing live, and getting an immediate visceral audience reaction to the music. Still, here I am years later doing something else to make a living.
Even more importantly, in my band days, young ladies would disrobe and dance about. Ever experienced that one yet? You know you're making an impact on them in a very obvious way at that point ...
lol ...
I'm truly glad you've been offered free studio time. Bully for you! I hope that works out well for you. I really do. I'd love to hear what's done there. While there, remember to watch how they do everything and ask a LOT of questions.
In the meantime, please know that aside from the fact that my well intentioned advice always pisses off Phlegm's delicate sensibilities, that it's offered in nothing more than trying to be brutally honest and sincerely helpful.
Your current recordings serve little towards advancing your future cause, and I strongly suggest you improve that aspect of your presentation.
If I can be of any help towards that purpose, I'm more than willing to lend a hand.
Please be aware that I will always come across as being unintentionally condescending ...
And Phlegm? Fuck OFF yourself. (We just like regularly saying that to each other. It's our new thing.) :^D
Kev-
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Andy Broad
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1/30/2009 6:53:29 AM
Kev it ain't what you say, it's the way that you say it!
Otis & P:
A musical career is a journey, you do the best at each stage of your developement, as long as you aim to better each time, you'll do well. I'll have listen to your music later and won;t be worrying about the hiss!
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Kevin White
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1/30/2009 6:55:40 AM
I know that's true, Andy.
I'm a constant ass ... but I'm a good hearted one.
:^D
Kev-
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The Man With No Band
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1/30/2009 6:56:26 AM
OatP .... and Andy .... you are wasting your breath ....
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Otis and the Professors
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1/30/2009 7:59:59 AM
HAHA... wow, I should probably heed Sam's advice because he seems to be right about these things more often than not, but I'm going to give this one more try.
You emphasis on "making it" and "success" in no broader terms than the ability to make money quite sharply highlight the difference between you and us. We have been playing music, bot together and in general, for only about one year and have focused on what really matters; honing our craft and putting ourselves into every song.
Again your insistence that we aren't paying "attention to detail" is simply unfounded as we are well aware of the hissy quality of some of our recordings and simply don't have the money to do anything about it now. We were poor starving students BEFORE we decided to do this so to act lack us not having access to very expensive equipment is some kind of affront or oversight is, I'll repeat, insulting.
This may be a very nurturing environment, but as people who constantly browse this community looking for good new music to add to our station we know that there is simply a TON of stuff here, and a lot of it quite frankly isn't very good. So to your point that these (admittedly) amateurish recordings are serving "little toward advancing your cause" you have just completely missed the mark. I must say that I am unmoved by your critique now as I find it disingenous, what was the point of all that even after we told you about the free studio time? You think our recordings are not going to get us anywhere... but they already have and to solve the only critiques we have ever gotten, in this nurturing community or in the "real world" that I guarantee you I am brutally familiar with.
On a larger note; you sir, are part of why I am still writing music. The precepts, cultural assumptions, about what it means to "make it" to which the most important, you claim, is getting women to "disrobe" and your constant emphasis on "making a living" is what is killing art. We (and by that I mean OatP and most of the people we have met here at IAC) are artists, we care deeply about what we do, we are trying to create something new and interesting, beautiful and soul sustaining.
Your claim that people won't buy hissy recordings when there are so many non-hissy recordings out there may be true. We never said we were trying to sell these recordings. And by all means, the crystal clear sounds of Britney Spears and Katy Perry certainly do fly off the shelves... our music is appreciated by people who would rather put up with a little hiss to hear something real.
We are trying to create art, you sir, are trying to create a product.
Ironically, our newest song is an examination of this very ideal, I very much look forward to placing it's hissy recording on this site for you to hear and to know.
Peace and Love,
Otis and the Professors
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The Mighty Jerkules
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1/30/2009 8:26:21 AM
---- Updated 1/30/2009 8:34:47 AM
Otis (yeah i know that's not your name)...thank you for saying what I've been thinking much better than I ever could. The whole Art vs. Product concept has been on my mind lately and it's nice to see the issue so eloquently discussed. I did listen to some of your stuff (before peeping this thread) and added a song to my station cuz the songwriting is tits. That's why I come here.
Ps. I haven't heard kevin's recordings so none of this has anything to do with him....the ideas of art vs.product have been simply floating in my head.
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Kevin White
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1/30/2009 8:42:24 AM
---- Updated 1/30/2009 8:48:08 AM
Of course, if all you want is to play around and don't care about making a living in music, then nothing I say here is of consequence ... and you're always free to ignore me.
Yes, women disrobing is my definition of success. It wasn't meant as an illustration of how people react to performance in an audience setting ... laughing, crying, shouting for joy ... and yes, disrobing ... so that too much isn't taken out of context as to how music will effect people in different ways ... so you can't put much stock in it or how people react when you play.
I'm glad you got that so well. You know you've hit the big time when people get naked. Jeesh ...
There is nothing inherently wrong with creating a product ... for the two aren't mutually exclusive ... art is a product. Otis Redding was a product.
And there is no line that clearly defines what you do as better than what Britney Spears does.
To claim so is to be an art snob ... claiming some sort of higher moral ground on basis of opinion that you're somehow more "real" and "authentic" than all the other artists doing their art.
Right. Go on thinking that way ... wander on ...
... and best of luck to you.
Keep it real,
Kev-
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LyinDan
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1/30/2009 8:45:20 AM
"Even more importantly, in my band days, young ladies would disrobe and dance about. Ever experienced that one yet?"
Yes.
Something about the way we played "Brown Sugar" made the women strip and the management lock the door. Sort of pissed off our wives, though.
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Kevin White
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1/30/2009 8:51:02 AM
See?
You hit the big time too! Everything is so downhill from there.
I starved for my art too. I got over it.
lol ...
K-
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The Mighty Jerkules
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1/30/2009 8:55:17 AM
I don't think there's anything wrong with creating music as a product either. There simply seems to be a big differential in how people/artists/performers approach their craft based on their mindset on this subject. I think one trying to tell the other that they are wrong is just silly. They're just different.
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LyinDan
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1/30/2009 8:55:50 AM
Maybe it was just the way I played my organ on that song.
(Vox Continental)
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Otis and the Professors
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1/30/2009 8:57:27 AM
By the way, I wrecklessly forgot to thank Sam, Susan, Phlegm, Andy and now Jerkules for their support.
You know what Kevin? There IS a difference between what we do and what Britney Spears and others do, you can call us art snobs if you like, but there is a HUGE fucking difference. I normally don't share the lyrics I have written out of the context of the song but since it will be posted soon I would like to share some snippets of the new one since I feel they are SO appropriate.
You turned art into a product
When a misanthropic jaw tucked
Away the mastery of freeing minds, of pulling strings
And the self-indulgent awe-struck
Swarming mobs, creating sawdust
Of what used to be ideas that we used to could believe
While the melancholy whispers
Ink a flavored wind that blisters
Onto a naked canvass, drawing out the sacred sound
Of the nuance in their silent breaths
Soaking in the perfect mess
Where a vivid blur comes tumbling after a dampened echo of laughter
That pours into the cracks in their souls...
Must you now be used by brushstrokes?
The way an empty lover’s touch chokes
Away the poetry of tenderness, of ecstasy
And the prepackaged meditation
The repression of creation
Frolic’s in the blind spot of a life of pageantry
Peace and Love,
OatP
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The Man With No Band
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1/30/2009 9:07:50 AM
---- Updated 1/30/2009 9:09:55 AM
I told ya OatP ... don't waste your breath ... :)
Some folks don't get it ... never have got it... and never will get it ...
Believe me I've tried ... :) ... It's just not worth the effort ...
Time better spent on folks that do appreciate you ... they will take you places that some will never have the pleasure of knowing ... and I know you are already aware of this ...
Btw ... Great lyrics ... I don't think Brittany could get past the first line though ... LOL
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Otis and the Professors
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1/30/2009 2:01:47 PM
Haha, thanks Sam. You are right, I think I will go spend my breath on better things, like finishing up the reviews for some songs, including yours which is what I should have been doing instead of arguing with Kevin.
Peace
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Andy Broad
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1/30/2009 2:39:07 PM
Okay,
Listening now.
Turtle Song is great! There a pleasant intamacy about this recording.
Finding you. Slightly shaking start but as the vocals and later the violin come in it does well, not as good as Turtle Song though.
Forty Nine Hundred, back on form, like the storm and rain sound back in the mix. (Had to laugh given Kev comment :-)). Like the usage of traditional folky sounds.
Doppler effect: Nice warm guitar sound, again intimate vocal recording. Not sure if that electric guitar is out on purpose, kindof sounds good despite being out of tune.
That's all I'm going to comment on for now, hope you don't mind my comments. Enjoy your studio time when you get there, I think you will make some good use of it.
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Andy Broad
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1/30/2009 2:50:40 PM
On a technical side I'm notice that hiss, is always associated with a vocal track, or it seams to be anyway.
How are you recording this stuff? Are the vocal levels really low and you have to boost them into the mix?
I'm no expert but perjaps you could find a way boosting the recording level earlier in the process, an external mixer perhaps. If you using a cheaper computer sound card then using the internal gain on those is a bad move, better to boost the signal in with a external preamp or something.
Anyway just a thought, I doubt I would have commented if not for Kevs above, as it's not so bad as to spoil the experince of the songs.
Paulo's Song was good BTW....
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Otis and the Professors
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1/30/2009 3:00:46 PM
Hey Andy thanks! Ya had it not been for Kevin's remarks here you may not have listened to our stuff and we may not have listened to yours, so at least some good came out of it, just added "Pretty Nose" to our station, liked all the tunes though.
As far as the recordings go, ya our early stuff was recorded with a really bad mic and my computer's weak soundcard. Some of the songs lower on the page were recorded after we got a better mic and an external soundcar, but that has a tendency to freeze my computer. Luckily we will be rerecording some stuff in the next couple of days and we will repost them here and hopefully make them more accessible.
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The CODE
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1/30/2009 3:05:48 PM
I kinda like the 'Buzz' (Or Hiss!) - Reminds me of my Guitar Sound
"Chip Shop - Frying Tonight"
Sometimes you cannot have ENOUGH Interference?
ROCK ON>>>
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Andy Broad
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1/30/2009 3:09:25 PM
Thanks for the station add!
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