Megastar, Michael Jackson Dead at 50

Michael Jackson was a phenomenally talented individual. Most folks seem to agree that he had some very deeply rooted issues going back perhaps to his childhood. I do not know the whole truth, but I think it is fair to say that he deserves a place among the all time greatest singer/songwriter/performers of all time.

Michael Jackson sold over 750 million titles in his lifetime. This places him in an elite group of entertainers including Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, the Beatles, and much to the surprise of a lot of people, Mariah Caray.

I first remember the Jackson Five when I was maybe 12 years old. I had a few of their 45's including ABC and I'll Be There. I recall hearing two young girls singing I'll Be There in harmony as they walked home from grammar school one day. I did not know them, but they sounded really good to me.

A few years later, I bought a Motown set that had 3 or 4 lps. Those records are long gone, but I think I may have been the only white boy in Georgia who owned this particular set at the time. It had Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five and the Supremes among many other notable Motown artists of the time. I remember taking the record set to a party at a friends house and putting the records on the stereo. I just remember how the girls at the party seemed to favor this music over the harder rock music. Nonetheless, I was brow beaten into submission by my peers and I no longer shared my facination with this music openly with my friends. I would listen to WRDW Radio (owned by James Brown) in my car when I was alone, but I would quickly switch back to the Top 40 station or my tape deck when friends were around. Nonetheless, it was the beginning of a long journey for me and it all started with the Jackson Five. I bought records by Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix. When I got to college I started a retrospective of listening to blues artists like Muddy Waters, BB King, and Freddie King, a facination that continues today for me. I also still love funk and R&B music. But Michael Jackson's music was mostly dance and pop.

Anyway, many more years passed and I recall listening to Michael Jackson again when his song Billie Jean played at all the dance clubs. I was a lonely guy in a predominately male population at an engineering school, so dancing at the clubs was a way to get within a few feet of a female. I appreciated Michael Jackson, but not to the level of my wonderful wife. She loved Michael Jackson and still does. I admit that I was amazed by his dance moves, the relevance of his music and the shows that were drawing record crowds. This guy had a lot of everything. A great voice, great songs, great moves, and for a while, charm and boyish good looks.

I found out that Anne, my wife, was born in the same hospital as Michael Jackson in Gary, Indiana. My father-in-law loved to tell me that Michael's father, Joe had worked for him at Gary Works, a large steel plant that employed much of Gary's population during the late 50's and early 60's when Anne and Michael were born. I frequently played devil's advocate to Anne's insistance that Michael missed his childhood and was tormented by isolation and success. I would offer examples of his strange behaviors to counter her position, although I believed then and now that she was correct in her assertion. That is, I believe that Michael should have received help very early to deal with the childhood issues and spoils of mega-stardom. He certainly had the financial means to get help. I cannot help but wonder why he did not receive the guidance from friends and family. This story has become all too familiar. A very wealthy entertainer surrounded by sycophants.

We all witnessed a variety of transformations with Michael Jackson after Thriller. His appearance began to change and was seen many times with various veils to cover his face. He told the press that he had a skin disorder, but his skin color began to become much lighter. At some point, Michael indicated that he was teased about the size of his nose. His nose started to get smaller and smaller and his skin around his mouth started to change into a odd shape that reminded me of the cowardly lion on the Wizard of Oz. Perhaps it was no coincidence that Michael once had a role in the musical, The Wiz.

Then it was the children and Michael's insistance that sleeping with small boys was harmless. several allegations were made. The first involved a settlement of $20 million. The second was an undisclosed amount that was negotiated along with a final verdict of innocent. There were also many lawsuits that had no merit and it is not surprising given Michael's reported $500 million net worth during the pinnacle of his career. He made a few very good business decisions during this time, including the purchase of a significant portion of the Beatles song catalog. However, his career began to falter in the mid 90's and his extravagant spending quickly caught up with him. Michael was sometimes spending over a million dollars a day on lavish decorations and art for his home. Of course, everyone knows about the other stories of exorbitant spending including his Neverland ranch, a hyperbaric chamber, and rather large array of exotic live animals. He also attempted to buy the body of The Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick. Perhaps the incident that revealed the most about Michael, however, was dangling a very young son over a balcony in Paris. This was apparently too much for the public to dismiss as many began calling for the removal of the children from Jackson's custody.

Most recently, Michael had planned a comeback tour consisting of 50 shows in London. These shows were recently postponed, despite claims by his publicist that everything was going well. Several reports of various health issues continued to surface, but were somehow muted by a few earlier false incidents. It was to be, in his own words, "the final curtain call". Instead the final curtain call was at his rented mansion in Westwood.

On June 25th at 2:26 pm in Los Angeles, Michael died. The toxicology results of the autopsy are expected very soon, but there is much speculation that Michael's overall health had deteriorated significantly. There are also rumors of Michael abusing prescription drugs. Not many people would be surprised. I think it is interesting that Michael's doctor was at the residence and that someone had placed Christmas wreaths on the iron gates outside the home. However bizarre his life, I think I would like to remember Michael Jackson for his talent rather than his behaviors. It is not my place to judge another human being, so I will leave that up to God. I just hope that Michael is at peace.

Koko Taylor, The End of an Era

I was deeply saddened to hear that Koko Taylor passed away on June 5th in Chicago. Despite the inevitability of death, survivors feel the loss of those who pass before us.

In Koko's case, we also see the passing of an era. Koko was perhaps the last of a generation of notable women in this culture we call the blues. I do feel fortunate to have seen Koko perform live in the early 90's. She was an aging woman at that time, but she delivered in a way that would be exhausting for the youngest performer. This particular show was at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, a converted theater in Little Five Points. I attended with my friend, Joe. There were several other notable acts on the bill, but I do not recall anything about the others. I only remember Koko.

She came out dressed to the nines with a blond wig and she looked fantastic. Her band was tight, but she was in full command. She sang quite a few blues standards, but gave each one her signature voice. That voice! Powerful, gritty, raspy tones with spot on delivery. The sound of her voice was raw yet an integral part of the band, an instrument unto itself. She moved around on stage, engaged the audience, and put on a great show that left us all screaming for more. In short, she
pitched a Wang Dang Doodle that night.

There are only a few survivors from this era. For each one that passes, we lose part of the rich heritage that transformed music forever. There are a few who try to preserve the memory and the culture of the blues, but this music is not only a
particular sound or a rhythm, it is life itself. This music could only be authentically produced as part of an experience. A way that is no longer possible. It is now a part of history.

It is not that anyone really wants to live in such deplorable conditions. Most people do not. However, it is a way in which we remember what this generation endured. We honor them by preserving this authentic art form.

Like many others, I have attempted to play many of the great blues songs from these artists. But, I cannot truly understand the essence of this music and it will always be, at the very best, a form of tribute. Besides, today's blues is more likely to sound like jazz or rock at times, with amazing guitar licks and digital effects. Yes, there are some who do a good job of reproducing the original sounds, but a part of the culture is lost with the younger generations. It is the experience.

Unfortunately, almost all attempts to reproduce this music is still only a tribute and not to be mistaken for authentic blues from authentic blues artists. I think it is ok to be played as a tribute, but I think it is respectful to understand it as a tribute rather than the real deal. In the meantime, some blues purists need to lighten up a little bit, take a deep breath and enjoy the evolution of music rather than attempt to apply unrealistic standards on those who may give an occasional nod to the past.

While this era will soon be gone forever, some blues organizations help to preserve the culture of the blues. Some groups are also doing a great job of capturing at least a part of the blues, but with more refined sounds to please a different
audience. For example, The North Mississippi All Stars help to capture some elements of this passing era, but it remains influenced by rock and success. I like their music very much, but it is also a tribute.

At least from my perspective, we should honor this music by recognizing the impact that it had on our own culture. At the same time, I think it is ok to recognize and embrace the inevitable influence of later music styles that helped define our own lives. That is, I think that music culture is evolving and not a circle that can or will return to pure roots music as a means of coping with unimaginable conditions. Let's honor Koko by preserving her history while integrating her style into our own. In the meantime, we can also have some fun while singing and playing from our own experience.

Spotlight on Emerging Indie Artists, Vol 3

Welcome to a special edition of Spotlight on Emerging Indie Artists on Blue Muse Views and Reviews and on my podcast called Blue Muse Independent Voice. I would like to provide a review of select songs from the cd "Living Gifts" by the group, GraceFlock out of Peachtree City, Georgia. Of course, as always, I play the songs for you on the podcast which should post on the 10th.

I hope you will forgive me for my bias as I was once a part of this particular group. GraceFlock performs every Sunday at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church. They have two excellent cd's, "Living Gifts" and "Alive In The Lamb". I happen to be a little bit partial to "Living Gifts". Maybe it is because I played the bass on many of the songs and added a few guitar parts. I also wrote one of the songs. However, I will not say which song. I hope you will check it out and perhaps devote a few minutes of your valuable time listening to the much more talented, remaining members of GraceFlock who continue to inspire folks on a weekly basis.

GraceFlock is Lans Rothfusz, Kathy Rothfusz, Brandon Rothfusz, Preston Rothfusz, Gary Pederson, Christie Pederson, Karla Dietmeyer, James Callison, Penny Kahley, Mark Summers, Sue Summers, Frank Trembley, Robin Merriman, and Karen Ladman. Lans and Gary write all of the original songs (with the one previously cited exception) while Kathy, Karla, and Christie assist with arrangements. They also provide workshops on developing successful contemporary services and they have a songbook coming out very soon to accompany their two cd's.

The first song I would like to review is one of my favorites. It is called "Eyes of Hope". This song was written by Gary Pederson after he witnessed the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Biloxi Mississippi in 2005. Gary was so moved by the expressions on the faces of the victims that he wrote this song. This song jumps out and grabs me right away as it has a beautiful melody with great lead vocals and harmonies. The instrumental,performed by Kathy Rothfusz on recorder, sends chills up and down my spine. Of course, the lyrics are wonderful, but the building counter vocals in the end are beautiful and may symbolize the growing number of voices of those who respond in difficult times.

"Think About These" with a haunting melody sung by Gary is again very well done with counter vocals by Christie Pederson. Kathy's flute instrumental is very appropriate in this setting. The bridge section is a wonderful addition to the song leading into added percussion and back to the prechorus and chorus.

The song "Sacrifice" is another one of my favorites from Living Gifts. This song starts with an interesting reggae style keyboard leading into wonderful melodies in the verse and chorus. I love the violin fills provided by Karla Dietmeyer when she was only in 9th grade, I think. Karla's violin solo is very appropriate for the style of this song. The counter vocals are wonderful, as well as the return to the keyboard in the ending.

The next song, "The Lost One" comes straight from scripture. Many of the other songs on "Living Gifts" come directly from scripture or from Luther's writings. I love the violin intro and the soft acoustic guitar and congas in this song. Gary's vocals are very strong on this song. The melodies in the verse, prechorus and chorus are wonderful. Christie's voice lends a lot to this song. The cello and violin break in the middle fits very well. It is almost like the celloist and the violinist are sisters. Wait a minute, they are sisters!

The last song in my brief review is "Joyful Noise II", a remake of an instrumental (appropriately titled "Joyful Noise I) that was recorded by Lans Rothfusz with his group in Oklahoma. The baby in the intro is Lans' oldest son Brandon who is now a senior in high school. I love the rhythm in this song that reminds me a little of the song, Tequila. Kathy's flute is amazing. I think she must have gone to school or something. This song is really inspiring to me.

All of these songs have great lyrics and rich textures that come from excellent songwriting, arrangement, singing, and instrumentation. In addition, the production quality is extraordinary, particularly given that it was done in the Rothfusz home studio. Not bad for a meteorologist!

Finally, GraceFlock is kicking off their Midwest Tour on June 14th in Peachtree City, Georgia. They will play at Christ Our Shepherd in Peachtree City on June 14th, Resurrection Lutheran in Newnan, GA on June 18th, First Lutheran in Alexandria, MN on June 24th, St. Matthew Lutheran in Columbia Heights, MN on the 25th, Christ Lutheran in Glencoe, MN on June 26th, Jackson Lake Lutheran in Amboy, MN on June 27th, Dale Lutheran in Kenyon, MN on June 28th, Good Shepherd Lutheran in Rochester, MN on June 28th, Zion Lutheran in Shawano, WI on June 29th, Bethel Lutheran in Madison, WI on June 30th, Word of Life Lutheran in Naperville, IL on July 1st, and Faith Lutheran in Washington, IL on July 2nd. Each show is at 7:00 p.m. except Kenyon, MN which is part of the 10:30 a.m. Worship Service.

Spotlight on Emerging Indie Artists, Vol 2

We have a growing number of talented folk artists at BlueMusePublishing.com so Volume Two of Spotlight on Emerging Indie Artists will be devoted to folk music.

Folk artists are generally known for their wonderfully artful lyrics and simplicity. However, folk music can also be a lot of fun and infuse elements of style and rhythm. I hope to provide a nice spectrum of folk music and styles, but I know that I must create new volumes to recognize many artists who I am unable to include in a single blog/podcast. I hope those artists will accept my apologies and my pledge to return to this wonderful genre.

I should say that I had one foot firmly planted in rock music while growing up in East Central Georgia, but the other foot was planted in folk. I was, and will always be, a fan of Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, and John Prine. I suppose I should also add that I needed at least two more feet as I loved country and R&B growing up, as well. I cannot help it, I love a variety of music.

I also love to travel, but this will be a virtual trip of music from England, Holland, Colorado, California, Nebraska, and New York.

Confoundry is a duo in England that writes beautiful music and lyrics. The song Watching Swans has a very nice arrangement of vocals, guitar, flute, and harmonies that, I think, paints a very nice picture to go with the lyrics. Please make sure you check out the beautiful flute intro on She Moves Through The Fair.

Vast Countenance is a group out of Amsterdam, Holland playing a variety of styles. However, their song, Afterglow, is very much in the folk genre. This song has very nice guitar, piano, viola, vocals and harmonies.

Wes & Victoria are a husband and wife team from Colorado that have a solid repertoire of original music. These two share their life's experience through their music. There is great instrumentation, with guitar, organ, and harp fills throughout many of their songs, but the vocals are also very good. The song, Trail of Tears has a lot of emotion. It is well written and produced with great instrumentation and vocals. I want to acknowledge the wonderful talent that is on this CD, The Ballad of Billy Saigon. Aside from Wes Hamil on guitar, there is also Albert Lee and the late, great Stephen Bruton. In addition, Victoria Hamil lends her very distinctive harp style throughout. Victoria has also recorded with Roy Rogers, Johnny Cash, and was featured in a film by Robert Altman.

Gil Garcia, from California, is more like Neil Young than Neil Young. I am particularly impressed with Gil's song, Songs. This song has the signature palm muting and phrasing of Neil Young, but Gil's distinct voice gives it life. I am really amazed at Gil's ability to play harp while playing the guitar. This is an extraordinary skill that I wish I had. There are also some very nice harmonies in the chorus. Please check out Gil Garcia at BlueMusePublishing.com.

Artist Stephen Monroe from Nebraska also has a great range of styles with a lot of folk blues and some jazzier tunes. I include Stephen because he is a solo artist playing a style that is part folk, part blues, part jazz. I really love his song, Sorry I Lost Control. It reminds me very much of John Hammond, Jr. There is also a very nice 20's effect at various times during the song.

The last artist featured in Volume Two, is Dan-O from New York. Dan-O is short for Dan O'Connor and his music also ranges in styles. His song Crowd in the Palace is written in a folk style. I am not certain of the meaning behind Dan-O's lyrics, but I am among those who like lyrics that lend themselves to interpretation. It certainly provides a little something for us to think about while we enjoy a well crafted song.

Review of The Indie Band Survival Guide

I recently read The Indie Band Survival Guide by Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan. This book is extraordinarily readable, but is also a great reference for independent artists.

First of all, Chertkow and Feehan know what they are talking about. They experienced it first hand as part of their rock group, Beatnik Turtle. They have produced eighteen albums and they have written music for television and films, all without a label.

Right away, these guys do a great job of defining indie artists as well as the various support roles in the new music business. They also do a great job of describing the changing landscape of the music business.

This book is also honest and forthright regarding the challenges facing the indie artist. It places appropriate emphasis on the role of people in the development of any successful campaign.

I am particularly impressed with the layout of this great reference book and the use of specific examples that are woven into the detailed fabric of instruction. This reference provides an excellent overview of topics that include many marketing principles such as branding and creating effective web sites. There are many tips and resources that any indie artist should find useful in their endeavors to build a fan base. I especially like the section of the book devoted to getting noticed as it provides specific strategies.

The book provides sufficient information for developing a ground game, including how to get booked and how to make the best of each appearance. There is ample information about other elements of a successful ground campaign including pitching and various forms of direct promotion and publicity.

The Indie Band Survival Guide does a great job of describing intellectual property and rights.

The only issue that I have with this book is the application of The Long Tail to the product side of music. I read Chris Anderson's book, and I believe that it does apply to the distribution side of the music business. However, I am skeptical that it will apply to the production side of the music business as there is little justification to produce anything for one or two sales. If there are multitudes of distributors selling low volumes, then perhaps it might make a little more sense. Overall, on the production side, the tail needs to be more representative of the natural relationship between sales and quality. This, I believe, would be best represented by a linear relationship between popularity and quality. Of course, quality in this context must integrate the quality of the actual product with the quality of marketing and promotion in the real world.

In summary, if you have a great product (songs and ability to perform them) and you can apply the principles outlined in The Indie Band Survival Guide, then you have a reasonable chance of success. This book is well worth the $15 and I would consider it a must have for any indie artist.

American Idol Delivers on a Human Level, Falters on Image

Thank you Kris Allen and Adam Lambert for a great Season 8 of American Idol. The talent level this year was noticebly higher as many of the contenders would have won it all in previous seasons.

First and foremost, Kris Allen demonstrated a huge range of talent as a singer and as a musician, playing both guitar and piano. It is clear to me that Kris has a broad appeal with a lot of charm.

Adam Lambert has extraordinary talent that is difficult to summarize. I will only say that he should not limit himself to singing. I suspect that Adam has a great career ahead of him on stage and in film.

Danny Gokey really sang his heart out last night on Lionel Richie's "Suddenly". This guy has a lot going for him and he definitely won the hearts of millions of viewers with his voice, personality and story.

Allison Iraheta performed very well despite her 16 years. I believe that she will find success, but I hope that she will also continue her education as 16 is too young to put 100% into a career as a performer in my humble opinion.

The show was entertaining, yet the human element is what makes it enjoyable for me. I suppose I am not a huge fan of the outdated, rock god mystique. I really like the genuine human side of recent winners and runners up on American Idol.

while Simon insists on putting the "bigger than life" spin on the whole enterprise (and it is, along with Simon Fuller, his enterprise), I think that Carrie Underwood should provide a clue about what is working in today's market. That is, Carrie Underwood has demonstrated huge sucess without falling into the whole image trap.

Yes, there are some stars who continue to follow this approach. Prince perhaps best demonstrates the image approach to stardom. The guy definitely has talent. But, I believe his success has been muted by his image and attitude. There is no telling how much money this guy left on the table by alienating millions who just don't have the stomach for his super ego and self indulgence.

Recent winners and runners up demonstrating success with some grace and humility include Carrie Underwood, David Cook, and David Archuleta. Chris Daughtry has a bit of a bad boy look, but I think he is smart enough to not allow the image thing to screw him up.

This years winner and runners up will undoubtedly do well to remain true to themselves. Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, and Danny Gokey all exemplify an element of grace and humility.

Ultimately, I believe there is a price to pay for relying on an image. Nothing bears this out quite so clearly as some of the performers from last night.

Rod Stewart still has a distinct voice. But, I think Rod had the right idea when he launched a rather successful comeback a few years ago singing love songs and standards. Last night, however, he went back to his earlier image. The problem is, Rod Stewart is in his 60's. There is nothing that screams "NO" so loudly as a 60 year old man trying to dance on live television. Rod would have been ok to sing his mega hit "Maggie May" without trying to bust a move. In addition, I think Rod would have looked a whole lot better in a tux than the garish plaid jacket. I know he loves his Scottish heritage, but he reminded me of the Rodney Dangerfield character in Caddie Shack whose line,"It looks good on you, though", seemed appropriate for the occasion.

KISS is in the same category. C'mon guys! This is the problem with the image thing. You all looked ridiculous. Your days are numbered. Actually, your days have already expired. It just doesn't make sense to rely on image forever. How old is Gene Simmons? Having a 60 year old man slinging his unusually large tongue out on television is not entertaining, unless it was intended as a parody of themselves. I'm sure the ladies in the nursing homes went wild.

Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana and Brian May were all respectable, I think. However, this should drive the point home. They were respectable from the beginning. They are not doomed to maintain an image that is unsustainable over time.

I can list a whole lot of failed artists who would like another chance, but most of us know who they are. I could include those who died, perhaps in part, as a result of having an outrageous image. However, I don't think it is in good taste. So, I will leave it to you, the reader, to consider for yourself.

In summary, American Idol is alive and well. Yet, I really believe the rock idol, poser image is gone. The market is much more diluted these days, and the numbers will no longer support the extravagance of the 70's and 80's. Besides, we are wrong if we want our entertainers to maintain images that ultimately lead to obsolescence and in some cases, self destruction. Our entertainers should have the right to be ordinary people, living ordinary lives. I happen to like an entertainer who can appreciate their good fortune with at least a little humility and grace.

Indie Music Marketing: The Importance of Comparison

Indie artists are at a disadvantage. While there are some who will dismiss any thought of comparing themselves to other artists, I would like to offer a different perspective.

The Problem for Indie Artists

First of all, the biggest problem for indie artists is gaining exposure through unfriendly systems. The traditional systems that are in place today were built around an industry that has many layers of interdependency. These layers of interdependency are the various services that are frankly necessary to operate at higher levels. Agency, management, and promotion are only a few of these services. Some of these systems may seem "unfriendly" because they are reliant on larger publishers and labels. For the larger labels, publishers and related services, self sufficiency threatens their source of income. If we were on the opposite side of the fence, we would view it the very same way.

However, as indies, we are not on their side of the fence by definition. We are indies, which, aside from being a genre unto itself, is short for independents.

Part of the Solution for Indie Artists

Indie artists must provide many of the services through friends, by themselves, or by paying for specific services. New systems are developing to assist indie artists, but they are unfortunately mired among scores of new services that are yet unproven. Either way, it is an uphill battle for an indie artist.

It is necessary for an indie artist to create paths for themselves that are not always clearly marked. I would suggest trying to look at yourself from the perspective of your potential market. It is not an easy exercise, because it could not be further from the core business of making music. In fact, it can be discouraging. Most artists already have enough to discourage them, so it becomes a critical part of survival, for some folks, to avoid anything that is discouraging. However, if you don't have the money to pay for this service, then you may need to be a little more resilient. So, if you can be brave for a minute, take a look at yourself from a real market perspective.

How Do You Find You?

First of all, how do you find you? It is perhaps a silly question to some folks, because you already know where you are. But, the vast majority of your market has no idea where you are. This is very difficult for many people to imagine, but it can be powerful. Stated differently, how do you rise above the crowd?

Who Do You Sound Like?

I think there are many ways to differentiate yourself, but I want to address one of the easiest techniques for drawing people to yourself. It is actually very simple. Who do you sound like? Do not be afraid to compare yourself to well known artists. Why? Because your market already knows these artists and it can be like a beacon of light leading back to you.

"But I am unique", you may say. Yes, you are unique. But, there are elements that can be compared to other artists, including your style, the sound of your voice, and perhaps something a little less noticeable such as your lyrical phrasing.

It is a little contradictory in that you are trying to differentiate yourself by comparing yourself to others. However, you can also paint a very nice composite picture of yourself through comparisons with more than one artist. I know most everyone has seen it before, but you might say that you sound like the Allman Brothers with the funk style of Mother's Finest. It creates a picture that can lead people to you through association with well known artists.

The Added Bonus

Guess what? There's more. You can use these artists as keywords to help your prospective fans find you a little easier. The well known artists do not mind as it also helps them, but it is a very descriptive way to drive potential fans to you. What is the beauty of using well known artists as keywords? They are well known so they are much more likely to be used in search strings.

I would only caution that you should take your time to get this characterization right. Using an artist that does not describe your style or sound does nothing to help you because there is nothing more frustrating to a potential fan than to be disappointed at a poorly characterized comparison.

Get a Second Opinion

You should ask others for their thoughts on comparisons. It is very difficult to be objective about yourself sometimes, so this can be very useful. Ask a lot of questions. Ask them how you are similar. That is, are you similar in terms of sound, or are you similar in terms of style?

Spread It Out

Finally, try to create a composite built on well known artists from different generations. This also helps to attract potential fans, as you may have an appeal to a larger demographic that may surprise you. If you are an older artist, don't dismiss the potential for younger fans and if you are a younger artist, don't dismiss the potential for older fans.