Emma McIntosh is offering her first public reading with Erik! Be sure to sign up in case space is limited! Here’s her message with all the information you need.
Hey guys
As I am currently booked until September I would like to give you all the opportunity to ask your questions during a public reading on March 19th at 2pm EST.
You can find more information at https://www.learnitlive.
Kim: Aw!
Me: It’s probably because it was Erik’s birthday yesterday, and everybody pretty much figured I’d be a little down. “Dear Elisa, your blog and Erik have lifted my spirits on many occasions, so I want to thank you for your selfless devotion to humanity.” Aw! “We all love you so much. From your blog member, Veronica.” I wish she had put her last name. I just don’t know who it is. Thank you, Veronica!
Kim: How sweet.
Me: These really should be for you, Erik. Anyway, to go on, “When will it be possible to replicate master source tape without a loss in quality? CDs and vinyls can’t do that without some quality loss.” Just really brief on these last few questions, Erik. Sorry. We’re running out of time.
Erik: Within ten years, we’ll be able to replicate without a quality loss. We’re well on our way.
Me: Good. Will we finally abandon album format and release a song or two over the span of several months?
Erik: Yep.
Me: Okay, when will that be?
Erik: The album concept is actually really hard for artists. It’d be easier for them to release singles here and there.
Me: I would think so!
Kim: When will that be?
Erik: That’s a control thing throughout the music industry. It’s kind of like one record label versus the next. They all scratch each other’s back, so to speak. It’s a, “If you don’t do this, then I won’t do that” kind of thing. They all want to be in agreement before any change can happen. It’s politics, Mom.
Me: Oh, okay.
Erik: So that’s going to get hairy. It’s tricky.
Kim: He won’t give a timeframe on it.
Me: Maybe the albums are kind of important for somebody to be on tour. They can’t just release one or two songs and go on tour with those, maybe. I don’t know. I don’t know much about the music industry.
Kim: He’s also showing that artists are going to have more control over things. They’ll have their own labels. Not being owned by another, they’ll start releasing their own music that way.
Me: Awesome. Last question. What kind of purpose does modern Top 40, cookie cutter Pop serve like Taylor Swift, Katie Perry, Rhianna, Arianna Grande, etc.?
Kim: What was the question?
I repeat it.
Kim: Hm. That’s a good question.
Erik: Fulfillment. When songs are made by these types of artists in the cookie cutter world, it’s to fulfill what you already know and what you’ve already experienced. You achieve fulfillment through music, through a song.
Me: For example?
Erik: For example, it might be a song that references what you’ve gone through at a certain age like your teenage years or something. We’ve all been there. We’ve all experienced it, so that cookie cutter music—even with country music. A lot of it can be that way, too. “I’ve been there. I’ve ridden in a pickup truck on a dirt road with my girlfriend in the front seat.” Fulfillment is brought to us through our memories. We’ve been there and experienced that, and it sort of makes us feel validated through a celebrity’s music.
Me: I see. That’s fascinating! Anything else you want to say about the future of music before we close, Erik?
Erik: Mom, I could talk about music all day. You know that!
Me: Aw, you love music. But there’s nothing that you’re yearning to divulge?
Erik: Not really. The only thing I want to do to encourage you to grow is to listen to something you normally wouldn’t listen to. If you’re someone out there who hates hard rock, listen to it and ask yourself why. You might just find fulfillment.
Me: Okay.
Erik: Listen outside the box.
Me: That’s sounds great. Well, thank you so much.
Erik: I love you.
Me: I love you, and thank you so much for this, Kim.
Kim: Always a pleasure.
Finally, enjoy Part Two of Raylene’s February Q&A with Erik.
