Christmas Cards and Butch Walker

Bibi thinks of Christmas cards as one of the treats of the season.  They make her feel all warm and toasty.  Better than fruitcake or egg nog, you get a respite from the day to day and think of old friends and acquaintances, family members you may not have seen for awhile.  Sometimes they send unintentionally funny pictures and those newsletter ones are often, truly sad, but informative in their way.  BTW--Bibi thinks fruitcake, in small portions, once a year is fine.
    
So, just saying, if anyone thinks of sending one, no problem.  It won't be re-gifted or automatically put in the trash.  another btw: if you enter fruitcake as a search term for the internet, you WILL get some weird pictures!
The point is, Bibi likes the custom of sending Christmas cards.  Every year, a lot of thought goes into THE cards Bibi will send, along with the stamps to be used, the best Martha Stewart frou frou to decorate the envelope, etc.  Every year, Bibi thinks:  day after Thanksgiving, will start the cards, be one of the first to get 'em out there....and....well, didn't quite make that objective.  Received a couple of cards yesterday.  Obviously, those people have no life. 

Bibi stays busy.

Bibi's life is so full:  work, naps, eating treats, chasing Hendrix, naps, breakfast, naps, blogging about Butch Walker, thinking of ways to get more recognition for Butch Walker, dinner, getting the new printer set up, learning the new phone, time just flies and before you  know it, time for another nap!  Just remembered one of Bibi's favorite jokes:  fruit flies like bananas.  time flies like an arrrow.  Funny, huh?  Just love that one!

Finally got the stamps for the cards--no not those really unimaginative Christmas ones--who makes the selection of the USPS Christmas stamps?  So lame!  Anyway, got the stamps and am assiduously working on the cards for the lucky recipients.  Should I include a Butch Walker Mixtape with each one?  whoa, lot of work with that idea...or one of the Butch Walker "looks like a business card" slipped into the envelope?  Too much like one of those annual newsletters?  Bibi will ponder on this.

Speaking of Butch, Bibi wrote to the reporter who reviewed the Stones concert in NYC the other day and asked that he consider reviewing Butch's Chicago concerts.  His name on the article was a hot link, so I saw it as an invitation to email.  We'll see.  My new phone can't seem to alert me when there's a new tweet, so I'm always a bit behind on those, but it does seem that Butch doesn't have time to tweet as much as he did in the past.  Bibi says that's GREAT NEWS!  He's busy working, working, working, which is really what a fan wants, right?  There will be new output soon and paws crossed, can't wait to hear how great it will be. 

Found out that in the Twitter world, you WANT followers.  Sure, I see that for celebrities or wanna be stars, but for the usual person (or cat), really?  Bibi leads a fascinating life (see above) and has lots of profound thoughts to share--check out the other blog posts--but in general, isn't Facebook and/or going to the analyst/or confession(!) already too much sharing?  Plus, Bibi still spends time talking to the fans at acdc.com.  We mostly complain about the site and wonder when we will ever see the guys in concert again, but still.  So, I'm not fully integrated into the Twitter concept.  Like any fan, I want to know what Butch is doing:  did he go to Starbucks today?  what weird art thing does he now have gracing his environment?  (an area where Butch and I would have to agree to disagree) what fan's birthday is he exalting by tweeting them? and the inevitable occurrence of no-matter-what-Butch-tweets, at least one fan will tweet back, "I love you, Butch!"  I think I like those the best.  A true statement of what being a fan is all about:  we love our object in a very special, but real way and we need a way to let them know now.  Sort of instant Christmas cards all the time.

Love you,  Butch! 

New York Times Review for Butch Walker, December 2012?

Sent out the requests for reviews of Butch's Chicago shows and WOW! got a reply from the NYTimes!  Not just the computer-generated "Thank you for your recent inquiry....", but a follow-up email  from an assistant to an editor.  I know, I know, it's not much, but he did say the Cultures editors would look at the request.  So, fingers crossed!  Although Bibi used the NYTimes email as a model for the other two, each was crafted with a view toward each publication's ethos; think I hit points that each will (hopefully) respond to.

Bibi feels good about the work put into the due diligence for review requests.  On other fronts, gave away another Butch Walker card yesterday to G who sold me my new phone, the Sony Xperia. (No complaints, so far.)  She seemed amenable to at least watching the Synthesizers video on YouTube.  Didn't have any of the Mixtape cds with me (what a bad fan I am!!), but did give Mixtape IV.2 to one of the profs today.  He's from Georgia so he was intrigued by my recommendation of Butch, interested to see how another Georgia boy is expressing himself.

No pictures of Bibi exhausted, so inserted one of Hendrix. 

You get the idea.

Am curiously fatigued by all this fan activity, although in a positive way.  Butch is busy in the studio--GREAT NEWS for all of us--so there's much anticipation in the Butch fan-world. Maybe he'll play some new stuff at the upcoming shows?

Butch Walker's Upcoming Shows in Chicago

Every Christmas season, Bibi swears she will NOT succumb to those sentimental Christmas movies one more time and yep, here she is just crying while most of Bedford Falls fills up George  Bailey's house, adding their donations to the basket of money, start singing carols, miraculously his hero brother shows up and everyone toasts to the richest man in town.  Get it?--George is engulfed by so many friends, who love him--the richest man in town and everyone realizes how lucky they are to be alive, including the viewers who watch this every year.  Gets Bibi every time.  (tiny litle sniff here)

So, hmmm....where has Bibi been?  During the Thanksgivng break, LOTS of big blog about action to be taken on behalf of Butch, spreading the word about his shows in Chicago . . . and then?  Loss of nerve, loss of focus, just plain loss of words?  No, actually Bibi was a bit under the weather after a regrettable encounter with leftovers.  But, during her few coherent, waking moments, she spent a lot of time thinking about the Butch review requests to the NYTimes, the NYorker and Rolling Stone.  In fact, the NYTimes version is just about done.  It's concise, makes cogent points that any subscriber to the Times would make, it's affable, reasonable with a dash of fan fervor mixed in; looking good.

Guess we can credit The Butch Walker Ameriorative Effect for the recovery Bibi made over the week, although it would have worked faster if Bibi had been able to even make the effort to listen to music.  After what remained of the work week was finished, had to run the errands, get a few Christmas decorations to fit in with this year's color scheme, so cranked up The Spade.  MAN...WHAT A RECORD!!! 


Opens with a great, crunchy guitar riff, the drums jump in and PUNCH IT Chewy!, we're into Bodegas and Blood for real.  Damn, it's good...no, IT'S GREAT!!!  Just the beginning, too.  The whole album is an unbelievable, pounding powerhouse of songs.  One after the other:  Every Single Body Else, Summer of ‘89, Sweethearts, Day Drunk, Synthesizers, Dublin Crow, Closest Thing To You I’m Gonna Find, Bullet Belt, Suckerpunch--all terrific, knockout examples of what Butch does so well--write, collaborate, sing, play guitars and banjolin in a fucking fantastic way that draws you kicking and screaming (in a rocking live-show way) into a totally energizing, full out immersion listening experience.  I've tried to pick a fave cut.  Got it down to Bodegas, Summer of '89, Sweethearts, Synthesizers, Closest Thing, Suckerpunch--you see the problem.  How can so many be THE favorite?  I listen to this cd a lot and it continues to please.  No fast forward, no skipping songs, just straight through every time I get in the car.  Don't play it at work--the f and s words, you know.  Truly, truly a great album, world!

FYI:  Bibi is not an iPod person.  It's not just the ears; don't really get that whole shut out the ambient noise thing.  Tried, but really, don't I need to hear what's going on in my surroundings at all times?  Sure, I'm in boring places as much as the next cat, but Bibi has found that a very good rule to live by is:  alert is better than not.  Crossing the street, waiting at a ___'s appointment, driving long distances, seems like being able to hear is better than not.  Also, have never been able to crank up the volume on an iPod like I can in the car.  Note to anyone thinking about buying a Miata:  the speakers are very good and if you have to drive places, there is NOTHING so satisfying as the pleasure of the top down with the music blasting while you're speeding down the highway.  Yep, your hair is a fucking mess, but you can always put on a ski cap and maybe a vest, and just try kinda hard to make it not look like ya tried at all.

OK, soldiering on with the review requests--want to send them out this week.  Will let you know!

And just because, here's a pic of Butch during the filming of the video for Summer of '89 with character actor Seymour Cassel. 

Adorable!

PR for Butch Walker

So, who does this for Butch?  Is the job currently unfilled?  Shouldn't there be frequent, or going with the absence makes them scream for more theory, even infrequent mentions of Butch in the media?  He played at the Los Angeles Petty Fest recently which gives Bibi a case in point:  where is the follow-up buzz about his  performance?  He KILLED with his version of Breakdown on the first night. 

Butch says: It's alright if you love me, it's alright if you don't...

                                                                      this pic is from the second night of Petty Fest West

Let's be clear on this:  Bibi would strongly vote (4 paws worth) against Butch appearing during half time at football games.    Seems that Lenny Kravitz's management is utilizing the any publicity is good publicity model to re-energize his career.  hmmmmm.  However, there must be some middle ground where knowledgeably timed press releases and/or noteworthy appearances, like Petty Fest, could raise awareness without being a sell-out junket for Butch, right?  This leads to discussion of why Butch Walker isn't better known and appreciated. Have lots to say about that, but that's a different post, or two. 

As devoted readers, you know Bibi intends to check with the NY Times and the NYorker about their plans to review Butch's upcoming shows in Chicago.  Oh, right, also something to Rolling Stone.  Content and stylistic questions arise:  use of the impersonal voice, signaling not only decorum and reason, but good taste?  Or, go with the naturalistic, giddy, total fan tone?  As a subscriber to both pubs, imply exasperation that this hasn't happened for Butch already?   (Maybe their people have already informed Butch they will be catching the shows?)  There's really no way to say to the NYT or the NYer, "Who does Butch Walker have to ---- to get attention from your organization?"  Maybe you could say it to RS, but why give those guys the satisfaction?  Bibi is saying this from a fan perspective, it's not what Butch would say--ever--since we all know Butch won't sell out--an issue germane to the point brought up in the last paragraph.

Have to craft a concise, coherent request, emphasizing increased readership satisfaction that such a review  would engender for the NYT and the NYer, both of which continue to seek ways to connect with a younger base.  (whoa, Bibi, MBA!) Need an engaging opening, finish with a flourish, of course.  Keep forgetting that I have to send something suitable to Rolling Stone, too.  Given their past unfathomably dismissive treatment of Butch, that will be a tough one.  Same music mag that dismissed AC/DC, right?  Anyway, back on point...include pictures?  Links to live performances?  Don't want that old Salieri criticism (something like):  Ah, Mozart, you are passionate but you do not convince.

Maybe Bibi hasn't mentioned a small pr effort she's been working lately:  made some business cards with Butch's picture, webpage and link for Episode 54 of Live From Daryl's House.  I leave them at just about every store or public place I go.  Today, at the Clear Lake Half-Price Books found the Letters cd--second time I've found a cd by Butch at this location!--and as I was paying, I told the guy about Butch and gave him one of the cards.  He said he'd check Butch out on the web.  Grass roots, I know, but presidential elections have been won using this angle.  It could help in raising Butch Walker awareness, too.

Butch Walker Story for the New York Times, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone

Bibi was wondering if any of the influential print/online news sources will be reviewing Butch's shows in Chicago.  Using Kevin's advice from Home Alone: don't be afraid of the basement, just check it out.  (That's what Bibi heard.) So, I plan to email the New York Times,  the New Yorker and Rolling Stone.  Not that I read RS with any regularity, but I do read the other two all the time.  AND, Rolling Stone seriously owes Butch after that introduction at Petty Fest a week or so ago.  Watch that flub here:

  Butch at Petty Fest, Break Down 

Can almost forget the mis-introduction.  Butch delivers a sizzling version of Break Down, like the pro he is!  Again!




It may be a long shot, but due diligence on the part of an avowed Butch Walker fan is the way I look at it.  They might not know that Butch will be performing in Chicago in December and if I don't say something, they could miss out on an article their readers would otherwise clamor for, right?   Butch has merited at least mentions by all three in the past, so it's not like he's an unknown entity to them.  He's talented, personable, a great interview, a notable crowd draw for boisterously memorable shows,  and the holiday season needs some non-holiday articles to get us into the new year.  Win, win, win, win all the way around.

Will begin work on the email tonight; has to be truly readable and worth following up.  Have some time before December 30, but want to give them some lead time and you know how it goes sometimes. 

Fingers crossed!