RickyRocksters ...."Whats on my MInd"

The disillusion of the music business

2012-01-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else besides me, feel there is a lot of good music being created that is not getting heard by the public? This is because the people who would enjoy it don't even know the music or the artist exists! Being a Musician/Songwriter for many years I have met many Musicians. I have even played in bands with some musicians who have gone on to become famous, I mean really famous. And I have always wondered why not me? I mean at the time, those guys weren’t any better than me. So what separates those of us that have really put forth a big effort and failed, and those who have succeeded? My one fellow Musician friend (you know studio Musicians) who worked at the time in the studios in Nashville told me a story. After hearing it, it kind of made sense to me on what was going on even though it was hard to swallow. My friends name is Dougie, those who know me, know I have two friends named Dougie. Both either work or have worked in Nashville and it was one of those Dougies. Anyway, he told me this story once on a visit home for Christmas. He said, and I quote, “Dude you won’t believe this, there are 7 of us Guitar players down here in these studios where I work. And there all these big name bands here recording and we are laying down most the solos tracks!”

I’m like what! He’s all excited saying “yea we can nail it better the 1^st time than the dudes who wrote it”. He’s like: “it’s all about time and money, time is money”, “now they will be playing their stuff live in their shows and concerts but what you hear on the CD 80% of the time won’t even be the dude playing in the show. Hmmm I thought what a bunch of smoke and mirrors. My friend Dougie said that he gets invited to go on tour and play with the bands and sometimes he’s on stage. Sometimes he’s hidden back stage playing in a booth. I’m like WTF! He started laughing referring to me and saying that I’m a way better player and song writer than a lot of the dudes in the business that he’s met. He said I would try to hook you up but it won’t do any good. I thanked him for the compliment thinking he’s just being a good friend. He’s like:”No dude I’m serious. He’s like, “I don’t even know what’s up! I keep trying to hook up these bands I run on to all the time with recording opportunities with the record labels but they don’t want anything to do with them! I never try to hook up bands who I think don’t have their shit together. I always try to find ones who are clean you know drug and alcohol free as possible. And the ones who I have got signed by a record label got there albums shelved.

I said for what reason? He said because those particular bands sounded too much like another band they were already developing. He said some of the bands that he was doing the studio work for really suck, Country or Rock. They can’t play, someone writes their stuff. What they do manage to write, needs song doctors, they are rude and got this holier than thou attitude. I’m just sitting there with my mouth open in disbelief. But not everyone Dougie said, some of the guys are the real deal just not as many as you think. He said it didn’t take long to figure out after making friends with the engineers in the studios. That if you have this certain look or were someone’s son or daughter or any relation to a person in a management position of a record company and they got some horse power and can throw their weight around you would get taken care of. These record labels are control freaks. They like you to have talent but not too much because they need to control you and your situation. These big labels don’t want to nurture someone or some band and then have them run off on their own after they learn the ropes of the business. They are afraid that the band or artist will no longer want or need them because the label is squashing their creativeness by forcing them to write what the label wants not what the artist wants.

What dissolution of the business! So either you have to be that 10% who is so talented that they can’t ignore you, you have to have money, influence or you have to have a relative or friend in management working for a big record label to get a shot at it. Thanks to places like Reverb Nation and shows on TV who showcase talent for what it is! None of us would ever even get a chance to get our stuff heard. Thanks Reverb Nation! Anyone have any thoughts or experiences on this subject?

Peace Out

Rock Tay Tay

Rickets Glen, PA The Falls trail Hike

2007-08-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

Rickets Glen is a state park located about 30 miles northeast of Williamsport Pa and 30 mile due north of Bloomsburg Pa. It has a 3.3 mile hike that has 23 water falls on it. On this hike the starting elevation is 2343 ft and 1.5 miles later after a descent of 1000 ft the final elevation is 1348 ft where you reach the half way point at the waters meet area. The two creeks that create all these great waterfalls meet here. While at the waters meet area you find an information bulletin board and you’ll see the trail go in two directions. If you go left you are about to embark on a very difficult ascent after descending on down creek. The trail will link up with the Bulldozer trail. This will also add about 5 more miles to your hike. This part of the trail has a huge 900ft ascent almost straight up over ¼ mile. Eventually you will loop back to the parking lot where you started from. You will also miss about 8 or 9 waterfalls if take this trail. If you choose to go right you will climb back up the remaining 1.9 mile ascent with the same 1000 ft gain making it very cardiovascular work out.

There were some very slippery narrow areas with some treacherous 18” wide stone ledges with drop offs of 90ft. It is paramount you wear the proper clothing, gear and boots or you could end up as one of the many annual accident statistics. Most people fall either because they are out of shape for this hike get tired and trip and fall or because they attempted to hike this trail in a pair of flip flops, sandals or cheesy sneakers. I would suggest taking water, daypack loaded with the basics, a good pair of 6 or 7 inch hiking boots, at least one trekking pole and a camera to record this beautiful hike. We got through this hike in 2 ½ hrs with stopping to take photos. It was raining and very humid and my lenses kept fogging up so it wasn’t the best conditions for photography but I did what I could. I don’t know of any other place that has 23 waterfalls in a 3 ½ mile hike making this place a must see.

Get to the parking lot early though, or you won’t get a parking place because it fills up early rain or shine. It is a state park with tons of primitive camping sites and a few modern cabins to rent and a lake known as Lake Jean. The whole park is nice and I recommend the trip. There are hotel accommodations in Bloomsburg next to Interstate 80 if camping is not possible.

Link to Picasa Photo Album

Rickets Glen PA Falls trail Hike

Slide Show

Desacration of a histroical Landmark

2007-08-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

I took some photos of a place I love to go to until now! Freedom Falls is a 15 ft high falls which is in sight of a turn of the century almost fully intact iron ore furnace, ¼ mile from the Rockland tunnel and the rails to trails project and 2 miles from the Kennerdell scenic overlook. This has always been a beautiful place to visit... but... after a visit there today 7/29/07 I am very sorry to say that the hard core dirt bikers and 4 wheelers have moved in and turned this place into a hard core party scene! Not the thoughtful type of off road ATV and dirt bike riders but the ones who completely tear up the terrain and leave their garbage behind. They left broken beer bottles, paint ball stains, used condoms and food wrappers. Not to mention it smelled like 500 people urinated on every square inch of all of the way cool areas to explore! It stunk so bad I had to leave after only being there a 1/2 hr. It was humid today with no wind it was unbearable. These are the guys who give the respectable quad riders and bikers a bad name. I don't mind saying this pissed me off. Of all the places these assholes could have picked to ride and they had to pick a historical landmark WTF. Apparently the old guy that owns this place and use to watch the place has passed on "God rest his soul"! He would have never let this happen! I was just thinking… I wonder if these idiots would mind if I went to their house and road my mountain bike through the bed room and did my business on their bed and left a bunch of garbage and paint balled their house up like they did this area. I think NOT! OK, I feel better now that I have ranted a bit about this truly shameful disaster. I just couldn't recommend any one go there now! I will post information about this place if returns to its natural state then it would be worth the visit. I did map it at picasa just incase you wish to see for yourself. The photos at picasa were taken 9 months ago before the total disregard for this nice little get away!

Link to Picasa Photo Album below

Kennerdell, Pa Freedoms Falls, Rockland Tunnel and Look Out Point

Slide Show below

Hike at Beaver Creek state Park, Ohio

2007-08-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Beaver Creek Park has a deep gorge, a river at the bottom and Gaston's Mill, a pioneer village with abandoned canal locks. There are16 mi. of trails, or ride your horse on 23 mi. scenic bridle trails, they tell you to (B.Y.O.H.) LOL. Mountain bikers are welcome on bridle trails too. The park also has camping and picnic tables everywhere. And these huge strange bugs that I have never seen before that I managed to photograph. I thought they were hummingbirds at first, and then I looked closer and thought they were teeny tiny Lobsters, with wings, "tee hee", but they are actually moths! H-m-m-m! They are big and strange and I'm glad they don't sting because they were everywhere. There would be no escaping these things if the attacked because they can fly as fast as a hummingbird. They were kind of tricky to photograph too. Anyone knowing me would know I hate stinging flying critters and that I would rather wrestle an alligator than deal with stinging flying critters, So anyway, they weren't stinging flying critters so that's cool. The old village is nice and well maintained but it wasn't nearly as exciting as my trip to Ricketts Glen. As far as the Hiking goes at Beaver Creek Park there are trails but not nearly as good as the ones within 14 miles of my house. Namely McConnell's Mill State Park and Moraine State Park which has a lake known as Lake Arthur in which I have posted pictures of both places at Picasa which is where these photos are linked to. It's a nice place and a nice trip but it's really hard to justify going back there when we have parks much nicer and much closer to home. One closing thought if you are an avid horse back rider then it would be a kick butt place to go and I would highly recommend the trip "B.Y.O.H."

Picasa photos of the event below

Beaver Creek State Park, Oho

Slide Show below