I don’t want to offer up any overly-cheesy statements in this, my first column for InsidePulse.
I can’t resist, though — mostly because there is no other statement that would accurately portray how much music means to me.
I come from a long line of musicians. My grandfather, parents, aunts and uncles all make their living via music, and so it has become with me. I swore up and down when I was a kid that I would be an astronaut so as to avoid following in their footsteps, but now that I’m an adult, I can look back and realize that there literally was no other path for me to follow in life.
Music just means that much to me — it is the very lifeblood of who I am, and it is the pulse of my life.
Like John Cusack’s character in High Fidelity, I tend to organize my musical preferences in a chronological manner. Put on “Much Afraid” by Jars Of Clay, and I’m instantly transported back to 1996 when I toured the country in the back of a van with Moriah (now known as The Fallout). Give me anything by Derek Webb, and I can tell you the exact moments I sat in my room with a 65 Gibson hollowbody, trying to learn the unique chord voicings that added so much depth to the songs I loved so dearly.
Yes, music is who I am.
I’ve been writing on the internet for ten years or so, mostly about pro wrestling. Yeah, I’ve done music reviews, and for the past three years I’ve done a Top Twenty albums list for 411. Music never was the focus of my journalistic leanings, though, and I really can’t understand why. It is the thing I love the most, and it is the thing I am the most passionate about…so why did it never occur to me to make the connection and write about it on a regular basis?
The answer lies in the surroundings. I never had a place where I could stretch my musical wings and fly, because the emphasis was on wrestling and nothing but. That’s all anyone wanted to read, so in the interest of getting readers and correspondence, I complied.
Now, though, is a different story.
When Widro asked me to join InsidePulse in an editorial position, I needed no prodding — the decision was instant and swift, with no room for thinking or deciding. My decision had actually been made months ago, when I started talking to Widro about overseeing the music zone at 411. The guy always has more on his plate than he can possibly handle at any given moment, and I wanted to help out. I’d been looking for a spot to do what I love, and Widro gave me that spot.
We have a really, really good thing here, folks. I don’t want to devolve into a regular column here, because my job today is to give you a schedule and let you guys explore the rest of the site.
Without furthur ado, here’s the music staff.
If you’re a publicist, please send all information about reviews, concert dates and
interview opportunities to botter@4sternstaging.com
EDITORIAL STAFF
Matthew Michael
Jeremy Botter
DAILY COLUMNISTS
Monday — Jeremy
Tuesday — Gloomchen
Wednesday — Blottie/D’Errico
Thursday — Mathan
Friday — Aaron
Saturday — Jeffrey
NEWSLINE
Blottie
FEATURES COLUMNISTS
Widro
D’Errico
Matthew
Jeff
Daniels
Smilo
Claire Flynn Boyle
REVIEWERS
Botter
Aaron
D’Errico
Blottie
Smilowitz
Gloomchen
Jeffrey
In addition to our regular features, we’re going to have a few new additions that we think you’ll enjoy.
INSIDEINDIES — These month-long spotlights on independent artists will introduce you to some of the best unsigned talent in the world. We’ll host images, audio downloads, interviews, and more for each band in an effort to help you discover stuff that normally only exists under the radar. We’ve already got several months worth of bands secured, so stay tuned for this exciting new feature!
INTERVIEWS — Our music staff has inside access to some of today’s most exciting musicians, and will feature our conversations with both stars and up-and-comers, giving readers a look at what makes them tick.
MUSIC TECH — A spotlight on the latest in the digital music revolution. From the iPod and iTunes to sound recording technology, we’ll be bringing you deeper into the future of music than ever before. You’ll also have the chance to win portable music players and more!
Now you know a little bit about what we’ve got in store for you. Do yourself a favor and make us a daily visit, because we’ve got a LOT of good content lined up — believe me when I say that you don’t want to miss a single moment!
