What's next for GenRegardless?

I really hate college.

An accurate depiction of how I feel at the end of every semester.

Coming into this year, I felt so discouraged with journalism that it seemed to me GR would just end up being another project to fall by the wayside.  Yet, in another semester where I've questioned the value of that tiny piece of paper called a diploma, GenRegardless has remained my joy.  I've had a lot of trouble writing this semester (even this post is late and short) but my dream is still to get paid to write about music. 

What have I learned?

Well, most importantly, I found some great blogs that reminded me that people still want to read good writing.  Joey Sweeney of Philebrity showed me that it's okay to write about whatever I want, and that a laid back/conversational tone is not only allowed in blogging, but a highly effective way of writing.  Enrico Campitelli Jr., creator of The 700 Level, showed me that writing about what you love can lead to a legitimate career.

But Tom & Lorenzo get their own paragraph.

Image courtesy of philly.com

My favorite guest speakers of the year (and possibly of my college career) made me believe that I CAN do this.  Both of them openly acknowledged that luck has been a major factor in their success, but their gumption to MAKE it work is what truly inspired me.  As far as their writing goes, I can't describe it better than they do, "Fabulous and Opinionated." They're sassy, maybe slightly snarky at times, but never bitchy to the point where you want/need to stop reading. Most importantly though, the tone in every piece makes it sound important, like that post was all the writer cared about that day (despite the fact that they post multiple times a day).  This devotion to creating quality content, whether they're in the mood or not, has encouraged me to do the same as I approach a period in life where unemployment seems inevitable and forcing myself to write will be necessary. 

But what about branding?

One of the classic motivation killers that visits me is self-doubt.  I don't want to be just another person spewing their opinions on the internet. So an important aspect of my blog to establish is what makes me different.

It's probably not enough to just say that I'm different because I only write about what I want to write about.  However, if you look deeper, the main difference between GenRegardless and other long-form music blogs is the variety.  This semester I've covered Frank Zappa to KoRn, Katy Perry to simply working at Hard Rock.  I feel (and I hope) as long as I can keep my writing engaging, I can continue to not limit what it is I write about. 

I quickly mentioned in a previous post that I thought the GenRegardless brand was Picky, Honest, and Conversational.  The more I think about it, the more those three characteristics fully embody what I hope to accomplish.  

Picky: Slightly contradicting what I said above about Tom & Lorenzo, I don't want to compromise and write about anything I'm not super passionate about.  Sure, there may be some topics that are less exciting, but my addictive personality keeps me very focused on whatever I'm into at the moment.  I think that obsessiveness of wanting to know more about a topic than anyone else leads me to having a better knowledge and understanding than many other music bloggers.

Honest: I love Rolling Stone (despite my disappointment with their handling of "A Rape On Campus"), but their reviews are essentially useless.  Ever noticed that Rolling Stone's logo appears on every commercial for a new movie or album you see? Of course it's usually next to a word like "outstanding" or "breath-taking."  Their reviews have gotten so fluffy and weak just because of the mutually beneficial relationship between them and these production companies.  Since it feels like no one reads my reviews anyway, and I don't see GR searching for advertisers anytime soon, I can write with complete honesty.

Conversational:  The goal behind GR, other than a creative outlet, is to start a conversation.  I want people to read my posts and feel a need to react.  In class, we talked about how difficult it can be to deal with commenters.  I'd love to have to deal with that problem.  WHERE ARE YOU, INTERNET TROLLS?!?!  In all seriousness, I just want to talk to people about music, so all of my writing is intended to be responded to.  Tell me you couldn't agree more with something.  Call me a blundering idiot (as long as you back it up).  I just want to engage, and I'm trying to improve the voice in my writing to make that happen.

Another major facet of this course was using social media to boost our posts.  I've tweeted and shared every post on Facebook, but with little avail.  However, my Hard Rock post was shared multiple times, so I finally got to witness the exponential growth of page views.  When I was tinkering with GR 2 years ago, I set up a specific Facebook page and everything, so I hope to resurrect that and start a specific Twitter account for the site.  I don't want to feel like I'm whoring out GR, but it couldn't hurt to share my posts in a few more places.

Someday, I'd love to turn GenRegardless into a flourishing business.  It'd be awesome if I could be picky about what I want to write about, but also hire individuals with completely different musical interests than mine so that they could be picky too.  The ultimate goal is to make GenRegardless as inclusive as possible (music news and reviews, regardless of genre), but without sacrificing good content.

At this moment, GenRegardless and Carter Wintsch are one and the same.  In the future, I hope it is a place where ANY music lover can dive in and lose themselves in the conversation.  

(This post is checking in at almost exactly 1,000 words, which is half of what was suggested.  Sorry professor, but another thing I learned in class was to keep my posts concise and interesting. Maybe you taught me too well?)

Record Store Day: My Measly Two Picks

With the transition into warm weather nearly complete, Record Store Day could not have been more beautiful this year. I walked to Creep Records and arrived around 10 a.m. I envied those I saw who were probably dipping into their rent money in order to take home a giant stack of records. This year, my wallet and my heart told me I could only get two, so here they are.

Believe it or not, there were plenty of these left when I arrived at Creep. Maybe I just always assume there are more Allman Brothers fans out there. However, the record itself is one of my new favorites, and not just because it looks cool. Since it is a 10", it only features four songs, but those four are all proof that Gregg has still got it. The best track is when Allman teams up with Vince Gill and Zac Brown as they take on "Midnight Rider."

Maybe it's because I've had such bad luck getting the RSD specials I've wanted in the past, but my second must-buy was Untethered Moon since I knew it'd be available. The new record from veteran indie rockers Built to Spill was released on RSD and I haven't been listening to anything else. The record captures so many different energies, and it's definitely forced me to break out the air guitar while walking around Center City. Best tracks: "All Our Songs", "Living Zoo", "So".

Next year, I hope to budget in the months leading up to RSD so  I can just go crazy. For this year, I'm satisfied with my experience; the walk was enjoyable, the staff at Creep was very friendly, and I got two new records that I'm already in love with. That's what you call a good day.

Y'all know this is just his brand, right?

Anthony Fantano, the self-proclaimed "Internet's Busiest Music Nerd"

When I'm looking into album reviews, my go-to is The Needle Drop. Built around thorough (and sometimes lengthy) videos, Fantano covers hip-hop, rock, indie, and anything inbetween. In fact, his determination to cover seemingly EVERYTHING he listens to is one of the reasons I started GenRegardless. Yet, it is important to acknowledge that in a post where I'm discussing branding, I led off with a picture of the man himself as opposed to The Needle Drop's logo.

Anthony Fantano has become his brand. Anthony Fantano is the Needle Drop.

Fantano has created a space where the viewers have learned what to expect, but in the best way possible. I know that when I go to watch one of his reviews, it is probably going to be harsh. Fantano never holds any punches. If he thinks a project feels rushed or cheap, he doesn't dance around those feelings. Furthermore, no artist is safe from a bad review, even though some have criticized his love for Death Grips (on a personal note, it would take a LOT for me to write an unfavorable review of Kanye project. This is me being upfront about a bias; Fantano avoids any bias such as this).

He presents his opinions as if they are facts, just like a convincing reviewer should do. However, in the description for every video you'll find "Y'all know this is just my opinion, right?" Fantano is intentionally convincing, but remains open to criticism and audience engagement.

The Needle Drop has been established (to me, at least) as the number one source for no-nonsense reviewing. Advertising money and publicity have ruined reviewing in mass markets (the days of Lester Bangs are long gone, as Rolling Stone's reviews have gotten progressively worse). Fantano is personal and forward, and I'll keep coming back to hear him destroy albums I love.

Except for Yeezus. He was wrong about Yeezus.










P.S. Here's a video of Fantano being interviewed by another hero of mine, Nardwuar.

P.S.S. just so you know, I'd say the GenRegardless brand is:

Picky.
Honest.
Conversational.

Real commitment is attempting to become a Frank Zappa fan.

His music is weird, sometimes too weird for even me. He spent a large portion of his career parodying my favorite people, hippies. The only thing I really knew about the guy was "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", which I remembered as only slightly amusing. He tended to be an autocratic perfectionist. But, he's one of the most brilliant minds that music has ever seen. So for that reason, lately I've been attracted to the music of Frank Zappa.

Where to even begin? I shortly learned that Zappa produced 62 albums before his premature death in 1993 after a fight with prostate cancer. A quick Google search led me to some great lists of his best work (Top 10 Frank Zappa Albums, Top 10 Frank Zappa Songs). Upon my discovery of Zappa's second solo album, Hot Rats, I was in love as soon as "Peaches En Regalia" grabbed my ear with a snappy drum fill followed by a seductively hypnotic piano. Through the rest of my "research", Hot Rats is remaining my favorite...thus far.

Frank Zappa's 1974 album Apostrophe(') reached No. 10 on US Charts.

However, I needed to dig deeper. I found a great article on A.V. Club specifically designed as a beginner's guide to Zappa.  Thanks to that helpful guide, I next tackled Zappa's biggest commercial success, Apostrophe('), the opening track of which was my only prior knowledge of Zappa, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow." 

I first became acquainted with the song on a Dr. Demento CD that was given to me by my awesome parents (pictured above). However, I remember thinking I was too old to think jokes about yellow snow were funny, and I was more interested in my hero of the time, Weird Al Yankovic (I was a weird kid). But since I've revisited the track, I learned that it is best paired with the three that follow it ("Nanook Rubs It", "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast, and "Father Oblivion"). Together, the suite is random, yet every bit as fun and captivating as it is perplexing.

Further digging led me to Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention's first album, Freak Out!, and one of their most popular and satirical, We're Only In It For The Money. The progression between even these two albums is stunning, yet cohesive, as Zappa was a firm believer in his works being a part of a collective whole. As I became more fascinated with the man himself, I tackled more solo work like the ambitious Lumpy Gravy, and the bizarre Jazz From Hell. 

I've been listening to nothing but Frank Zappa for a week, and I haven't even scratched the surface. The guy just loved to make creative content, and I feel as if that love sounds like it is missing in a lot of modern music. Chalk it up as yet another time that my initial impression was wrong, because I am slowly but surely becoming a devout Zappa disciple. 

Working at Hard Rock Philly: Music, People, and a Sense of Place

When I first moved to Philly, I was majorly concerned with finding a job with an environment that didn't make me want to die every time I clocked in. In my hometown, I left behind working at a locally owned burrito shop where I got paid to hangout with my friends and sell a product I truly believed in (seriously, go to Neato Burrito. Chipotle ain't got nothin' on them). Fortunately, I only ended up applying at one place, and that place has been my home for the last year. If/when I leave this city, some of my strongest and most vivid memories will be associated with songs from Hard Rock Cafe.

image courtesy of Hard Rock Cafe Philadelphia

Upon arrival at the Cafe, you walk under a King Kong-sized Gibson Les Paul. Of course, the Les Paul has been played by some of the greatest of all time: Duane Allman, Jimmy Page, George Harrison, and Peter Frampton. What a welcome. But before you even come inside, the sound of our music videos can be heard from outdoor speakers. This is where I come in.

One of my favorite parts of my job is helping select the videos that play throughout the day. There is an iPad that is referred to as the AVDJ, and it is a highly sought after device. For the most part, I try to hog it at the host stand where I can keep a close eye on what gets played (my co-workers don't hate me for this...yet). 

The morning playlist always starts out with music based on what happened that day in music history. This means there's usually at least one Beatles song that must be played, but for the most part it is a fun way to acknowledge musician's birthdays or one of James Brown's arrests. After that, it's all curated from the collective mind of that day's crew. 

The first person I'm usually willing to hand the DJ over to is my best buddy, the Turk to my J.D., the Gus to my Sean, my Chocolate Bear, and ultimate bromance companion, Marcus. When I see the iPad dwarfed in his huge hands to compliment his 6'7" frame, I know I'll be hearing "Don't Worry, Be Happy", Joe Cocker's Woodstock performance of "With A Little Help From My Friends", some Temptations, and our favorite song to groove together too, Jamiroqui's "Virtual Insanity." I will forever associate these songs and artists with meeting one of the coolest dudes I know, especially the time we realized he looks like a dark-skinned Tom Morello. 

Christopher and Buck are two other servers who are immediately handed the DJ when they approach the stand. These two have expanded my music knowledge immensely. Christopher is the guy to go to for music trivia and knowledge of the memorabilia in the Cafe. Because of him and a pink, autographed David Gilmour guitar, I found an interest in Pink Floyd. Buck was the first server to yell at me, but has become one of my favorite people to talk to about music. Buck made me reconsider the Clash, and encourages my love of all things emo, as Modest Mouse is our usual go-to. 

Last but not least, I met my girlfriend at Hard Rock, so allow me to be gross for a moment. The Doors are her soundtrack to life, so the videos for "Roadhouse Blues", "Love Me Two Times", and "Wild Child" are her typical requests. However, even seeing her bounce around to One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" made me fall in love with the building that brought us together (barf).

My goal with this post was to create a sense of place, but I don't know if you can fully understand a place without the people who make it have personality. Come into Hard Rock and meet my friends, and you too will feel an energy radiating on the corner of 12th & Market. The food is good, the music is great, and the people are amazing. That's what makes Hard Rock Philly the place for me.