ARTIST 2.0...

The New York Times is calling him "Artist 2.0." A local boy (though there are over 8 million "local boys" in the Big City) who appears to be making a decent living as a songwriter and solo performer without having anything to do with the Big Boys who control every facet of the music industry. If the "A List" in music consists of the Toby Urbans and Britney Spearses (before she lost her hair), then this guy Jonathan Coulter is at or near the top of the "B List." He may even be defining the "B List." A fellow to watch–and imitate, to the extent possible.

So what's he doing? For starters, he's all over the Web; a quick googling brings up over three pages of Websites. He's got his own Website, he's on MySpace, EventFull, and a bunch of others I never heard of. Every one's got a blog (they may be the same blog)–entries are short, but they're added to almost daily. He responds to every e-mail personally. His "schtick"–apparently developed some time ago–is the "Thing a Week": a song, in his case, written, recorded, and ready for download or sale every week. (He has the equipment to do this.) He's got a number of "Thing a Week" albums for sale. He does gigs in various places around the country, apparently in response to demands from fans–and those, too, are posted (of course). He has a lot of fans–which is why he's able to make a living at this.

Replicable? Definitely–and worth a shot doing so. The fan list is keep-trackable with modern computer technology I just happen to have (and haven't used). Responding personally to individual e-mails is also something I can do (and have started doing). Posting the gig schedule for Concert Season is something I've talked about doing this year (and it's time I did). I do a new "Writer's Blog" every week; there's no reason why the entries can't be shorter, and posted every day or so.

Even the "Thing a Week"? Well, I wouldn't want to commit myself to having a new song every week, but a lot of that may stem from a lack of self-confidence. I did do one a week in April (though that could have been a fluke). However, if one defines "thing a week" more loosely, it's possible. I wrote (and sang) lyrics to one of these Soundclick blues collaborations last week, for instance, have music (I think) to the Swedish song "Tugga Paw" (though I still can't sing it yet), have been asked to do music to another song, and may need to record another traditional Gospel song before the end of the month. Presumably, all of that stuff could count. And that still doesn't count the songs in the pipeline that are still waiting on more verses. Yup, ‘sdoable. I may need a longer timeline than Coulterdude, but I can still make things pop out of the pipeline once a week. I think.

And that's why this blog is shorter (and there will be another one sooner than a week). And why if you contact me, you'll get an answer. The bottom line Coulterdude may have found is people want a personal connection with "their" artist. That's something nobody on the "A List" can deliver–they're too big, and too remote, and the prisoners of a system that treats people like statistical masses rather than individuals. The folks on the "B List," however, can deliver the personal connection. And it may be our best hope.

--Joe