Raine Maida - solo and indie + Darryl Hurs and more

[indie at indiecan.com]

   Greetins music fans!

   There is a phenomenon attached to selling millions of records.   
People who have never met you have strong opinions about you; they  
think you suck, you?ve changed their life, your mother dresses you  
funny, or will you marry them.  Why is it when some members of the  
public open their wallet to buy art they don?t just feel they own  
rights to enjoy a piece of work but rather they have the secured  
rights to an opinion?  This is of course as true in sports as  
entertainment. 

People don?t even have to open their wallets to feel entitled to this  
public opinion.  If you or I record a song, make a video or consent to  
an interview that is publicly aired we now become public domain and  
everyone is entitled to a judgement.  Many of you may know the quote  
widely regarded as being from the mouth and pen of Sociologist,  
Philosopher, Psychologist, and Economist, Herbert Spenser (1820 to  
1903).

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is  
proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in  
everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to  
investigation."

    It?s not universally accepted that Herbert Spencer first coined  
the phrase ?contempt prior to investigation? but for the purposes of  
this rambling, who cares.  I would add that ?adoration prior to  
investigation? would offer the same direct route to ignorance and  
futility as ?contempt.?  What I find uncanny about what I  regard as a  
?phenomena? is that people who would generally embrace the above  
mentioned principal in the conduct of their personal life, toss it out  
the window when the topic of O.J. Simpson, Jessica Simpson or Homer  
Simpson come up.

Part of this weeks radio show is devoted to IndieCan?s interview with  
Raine Maida who is best known to many in the public as lead singer of  
Our Lady Peace (seven records over about a decade and selling north of  
4 Million copies). 

I did an informal survey of public opinion where Maida was concerned.   
Some knew the brand ?Our Lady Peace? but never got drawn in enough to  
know Maida or any band members who did a tour of duty with the  
franchise.  Others had strong opinions ? fond memories or harsh  
criticism.  Some knew people who knew people and some just knew what  
media threw at them.  When it came time to judge the solo work of The  
Hunters Lullaby, comparisons to Our Lady Peace, we unavoidable to  
those I surveyed.  We learned from Raine Maida when we spoke to him  
that he approached this work in an intentionally divergent way.  I  
hope this was for artistic reasons because if it was to avoid public  
comparison to his previous body of work, well, you can run but you  
can?t hide.

We do talk about many external things that sharply contrast the ?old  
days;? being an independent artist now as opposed to being beholden to  
a major label, being a dad, the perspective gained as an artist,  
producer and activist in 2007.  We talk about Raine?s passions and  
influences including slam poetry and War Child Canada, what motivates  
him now to make a video and what it means to him to have more artistic  
control over his work.

So, I am just putting my commentary out there and as I do, the words  
of Raine Maida tug at my sleeve ? ?I have yet to wrap my head around  
the distinction between pretentious and earnest. I?m either hopelessly  
misunderstood or an idiot.?

After spending some quality time with us at Redline Recorders, Team  
Raine Maida invited us to The Phoenix Concert Theatre that night to  
see his ?full band? show with opening acts Billy The Kid and poet,  
Jared Paul.  Our thoughts and images on the show are found @  
http://www.indiecan.com/reviews.htm

On the radio show besides our true-Joes from Etobicoke, we also  
feature great tunage from (West to East) Elias, Mother Mother, Why,  
Patrick Krief Pascal Picarde, Sproll and Chris Colepaugh.

IndieCan catches up with Darryl Hurs (Indie Week Toronto 2008) and we  
chat about a number of things including the different approaches to  
music marketing from different music genres.  Next week we?ll be  
hearing from 2007 Indie Week winners Vesta Varro, live at IndieCan.

Last week we asked you to chime in on your ideas about what the  
industry is calling 360-marketing or what Nettwerk?s Terry McBride  
calls, ?Monetizing Free.? ? How to make money from music in a world  
where songs aren?t being paid for.  For those of you who commented  
back, thanks for your input.  We?re all in this together and I am  
proud and honoured to be part of this community.

Thanks for supporting independent music.

Warm regards,

Team IndieCan
IndieCan Radio
www.indiecan.com
info at Indiecan.com
the best music you?ve never heard!

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