Oh, Yeah, Like We Have a Choice....

I've been putting together my new CD in the past weeks. This will be my 3rd release. It'll be here soon. I'm looking forward to it. It'll be fun.

I can't help acknowledging, however, what I know to be true: the record business is a sucker's game! It always was in a way. Artists historically have never gotten rich from record companies. But now? Forget it! Even record companies aren't getting rich off of record companies!

So why do we do it? I've been surveying all of my artist friends with CDs out. It's an endless money pit: recording expenses, mixing, mastering, artwork, manufacturing, publicity, promotion, etc, etc, etc.

The consensus seems to be that apparently we do it because we don't have a choice. It's the same reason I basically became a musician in the first place. Being a musician is a sucker's game! You want to be rich? Be a (bailed out) banker. You want to be famous? Maybe being a serial killer is a quicker route to that. But if you feel, as I do, that you would rather play music in a smoky bar for tips than sit at a desk for one second longer, rent payments and light bills be damned, then by all means jump right in.

There are ways to be smart about it, pragmatic, practical; music school and things like that. But it's still a sucker's game. I can't recommend it as a lifestyle unless you have NO other choice. The amount of work and dedication it takes to get from the smoky bar to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is staggering.

Don't get me wrong. Playing the big stages is the greatest thing ever. But you don't walk straight from the music store buying your first instrument onto the concert stage. It's a long hard slog.

Putting out a CD is almost akin to buying a lottery ticket, albeit a very expensive one. The chances of me putting out a "hit" record are staggeringly against. One has a better chance of getting hit by lightning...twice...than winning the lottery. But instead of allowing this information to convince me against buying an occasional lottery ticket, I'm now afraid of lightning. Such is the tortured internal calculus of the artist's lifestyle.

My CD is coming out whether I like it or not. I may sell tens of copies. I may be heard by literally a dozen people on the radio. But I don't have a choice. I'm compelled to document my work. I'm forced to make my material available to the world. If the world chooses to ignore it, that's fine. I have to put it out there.

For me the journey is the reward, as it is in so many other aspects of life. I'm having a blast being a musician, touring the world, playing with talented and/or famous people, occasionally creating art or at least some unified purpose of spirit within a room of like-minded musicians and audience members. If my CD turns out to be little more than a musical photo album of some of my experiences, so be it. I'm a richer person for being able to look back at the keepsake of some work I've immensely proud of....

Ivan Bodley
Brooklyn, NY

Check out my website: www.funkboy.net
Visit me on MySpace: www.myspace.com/funkboynyc
Follow my blog at: http://funkboynyc.blogspot.com/

Spinal Tap: The Voice of a Generation

I was reminded as our band traveled to Ohio last week of the enduring legacy of the Christopher Guest masterpiece mockumentary: "This is Spinal Tap." Our entire trip we were constantly intoning "Hello, Cleveland!" in homage to Spinal Tap. This is the 25th anniversary of the release of the movie in 1984. And to this day I think I quote Tap almost daily, hourly.

Something about the film captured what it means to work in the music business so perfectly, with such nuance and accuracy, that it took a parody of the business to paint the real picture. You have to laugh to keep from crying sometimes. I've met all of the character types portrayed in the film in my travels. I've been lost trying to find my way to the stage in unfamiliar theatres too many times to count. I even worked for the lady that the character Bobbi Flekman was based upon. Fran Drescher had it closer than she knew.

To think that this quarter century old film still has such presence today is staggering.

I met Harry Shearer very briefly at a gig in Austin, TX a few years back. Despite his enormous body of professional work, all I could really say to him was: "I'm a huge Derek Smalls fan. I even have your action figure!" He replied: "Thank you for not calling it a doll." Yes, I own the set of three Spinal Tap action figures in testimony to my respect of their achievements.

I was thrilled in 2005 to see Tap perform their classic "Big Bottom" at the Live 8 concert before about a billion people. In a continuing show of their genius, they invited every bass player performing at the entire festival to join them onstage for the song. Brilliant. Even Derek Smalls' wig is now salt and pepper to reflect that he's a rock star of a certain age now (see photo above). If you didn't see the performance, here's a youtube link.

I recommend the deluxe edition DVD release of the movie too because it contains nearly another feature film's worth of deleted scenes, equally brilliant to the main cut of the movie. And there's and entire commentary track to the film done by the three principals in character! It's like having a third entire movie. Hysterical.

I'm not on Christopher Guest's payroll, nor Embassy Pictures. But what I am is a working class musician who appreciates the unique voice Spinal Tap gave to my profession. Turn it up to 11!

Ivan "Funkboy" Bodley
Brooklyn, NY

Check out my website: www.funkboy.net
Visit me on MySpace: www.myspace.com/funkboynyc
Follow my blog at: http://funkboynyc.blogspot.com/

Gigs That Do NOT Suck

There are gigs that suck. And then there are gigs that do NOT suck.

Last night we played the official VIP after party for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland, OH with Hall of Famer Sam Moore.

This is from Rolling Stone online:

"Drenched, drummer Lars Ulrich mugged for photographers and showed why he’s been a driving force in the band: After more than 25 years playing speed metal, he’s still got fast feet — and a quick wit. When a journalist asked where the after party was, Ulrich had an answer ready for the room: “Your mom’s house.”

"Soul man Sam Moore (of Hall of Fame duo Sam and Dave) played the official after party at House of Blues, turning in a set that included a nuanced rendition of the Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo was at the bash, but our party reporter said the rest of

Metallica weren’t in sight. Maybe Lars wasn’t kidding."
The lovely and talented Will Lee and Sid McGuiness from the World's Most Dangerous Band joined us onstage for a couple of songs each. It was really nice of them to stop by after having played the ceremony.

A good time was had by all....

Ivan "Funkboy" Bodley
Brooklyn, NY

Check out my website: www.funkboy.net
Visit me on MySpace: www.myspace.com/funkboynyc
Follow my blog at: http://funkboynyc.blogspot.com/