Fuel for the Fire:

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou

Musings:

– The music industry is stuck in a rut and it needs to make some radical changes if it wants to stop bleeding money, according to Forrester. The firm has several suggestions for how to overhaul music products and insists that they must be consumer-friendly, not business-oriented.

First, the firm says, consumers want and have the “right” to a fully-transparent, customizable music experience, complete with lyrics, videos, backstage photos and more. Secondly, consumers should be allowed to share. “Not only should users be able to make mashups and remixes, they should also be able to share their arrangements with each other [. . .] All music fans should have the chance to create, even if the only creating they do is sharing in someone else’s creation.” Forrester also calls for an extreme makeover of DRM, with it “primarily (becoming) an enabler of the consumer experiences, creative processes, and sharing.”

Essentially, Forrester believe music products should and will be more like iPhone apps. Full article here. Do you think these expectations are realistic? Does the consumer really have a “right” to full access? Do you believe music products will evolve and become interactive? Let us hear your thoughts.

– How does a guitar company sell 500 high-end guitars in two days? Ask Paul Reed Smith, who opened the doors of his Maryland factory to 1700 visitors this past Friday and Saturday. Can’t hurt to have Carlos Santana and Buddy Guy nearby. – http://su.pr/2gAORN

– While rumors reheat about the possible sale of the Gibson company (to Peavey?), it looks like we weren’t the only ones mystified when the guitar co. laid claim to the Hendrix name with a line of “Authentic Hendrix” brand guitars and merchandise. To read the blogs, you’d think the entire guitar community was headed to Gibson headquarters with pitchforks and torches. Now every mention of the Hendrix line has been removed from Gibson’s website. They’ve even pulled references to the Custom Hendrix Grand piano planned by their Baldwin subsidiary. That’s right — a Hendrix piano. Lighter fluid, please? – http://su.pr/8RG4nT

Guitar Video of the Day:

Learn how to make people say, “What Was That!?” (from Jeff McErlain’s new guitar course, 50 Blues Guitar Licks You MUST Know)