CMJ Recap by Emilie: Day 2 pt. 1
Day 2: Wednesday October 21st
Andrew WK was the featured speaker today at the CMJ panels and I was super excited to hear what the man had to say since I listened to him a lot as an angsty high schooler. The scripted introduction before his entrance was promising and there was a wave of excitement throughout the room. Then Andrew himself walks out, fit, dressed all in white sans a bloody nose and begins his talk. What did he discuss? I’d like to know, because I have no fucking clue. The man bullshitted, used bigger words to bullshit more complicated ideas, ninja’ed a chair until it broke, then bullshitted some more. There was a Q&A section where individuals could come to a designated mic that sat in front of the stage and ask anything. Anything. Boy did they take advantage of that freedom. Topics that were inquired about:
“I have been in a band for 12 years and we really fit your style, will you take us on tour with you?”
“I am in a band and here is some shwag,” he hands Andrew his album and some propaganda then continues with some lame and awkward joke about something to do with Andrew’s shadow.
“Can you tell me how to party hardy?”
“Will you tattoo my arm” (Seriously. This was asked from one out of two boys who were sitting front and center dressed exactly like Andrew was dressed. It was obvious that they are die hard fans and that Andrew’s presence has made their lives complete.)
“Life is really hard right now, what advice can you give artists who have hit rock bottom and have nowhere to go? Who feel they cannot go on? What can you tell me?” A girl bravely asks in a trembling voice.
And finally, “What is going on? I read in the CMJ booklet that you’d be talking about your perspectives and what not on the music industry and I’d really like to know what you came to speak about.”
But Andrew does not answer anything. If each question was a puddle, Andrew merely dances around without getting his feet wet.
Finally he goes to the piano, calls up Wayne and Garth from the front row, and sings Party Hardy.
Big. Huge. Disappointment.
After the panel Ali, Jace, and I headed to the Cake Shop for the Terrorbird showcase and meet and greet. Spectre and Terrorbird are definitely my favorite promo companies at the moment, so meeting Eric from Spectre and Jessica Kizer from Terrorbird made me way too excited, like I was meeting celebrities.
Andrew WK was the featured speaker today at the CMJ panels and I was super excited to hear what the man had to say since I listened to him a lot as an angsty high schooler. The scripted introduction before his entrance was promising and there was a wave of excitement throughout the room. Then Andrew himself walks out, fit, dressed all in white sans a bloody nose and begins his talk. What did he discuss? I’d like to know, because I have no fucking clue. The man bullshitted, used bigger words to bullshit more complicated ideas, ninja’ed a chair until it broke, then bullshitted some more. There was a Q&A section where individuals could come to a designated mic that sat in front of the stage and ask anything. Anything. Boy did they take advantage of that freedom. Topics that were inquired about:
“I have been in a band for 12 years and we really fit your style, will you take us on tour with you?”
“I am in a band and here is some shwag,” he hands Andrew his album and some propaganda then continues with some lame and awkward joke about something to do with Andrew’s shadow.
“Can you tell me how to party hardy?”
“Will you tattoo my arm” (Seriously. This was asked from one out of two boys who were sitting front and center dressed exactly like Andrew was dressed. It was obvious that they are die hard fans and that Andrew’s presence has made their lives complete.)
“Life is really hard right now, what advice can you give artists who have hit rock bottom and have nowhere to go? Who feel they cannot go on? What can you tell me?” A girl bravely asks in a trembling voice.
And finally, “What is going on? I read in the CMJ booklet that you’d be talking about your perspectives and what not on the music industry and I’d really like to know what you came to speak about.”
But Andrew does not answer anything. If each question was a puddle, Andrew merely dances around without getting his feet wet.
Finally he goes to the piano, calls up Wayne and Garth from the front row, and sings Party Hardy.
Big. Huge. Disappointment.
After the panel Ali, Jace, and I headed to the Cake Shop for the Terrorbird showcase and meet and greet. Spectre and Terrorbird are definitely my favorite promo companies at the moment, so meeting Eric from Spectre and Jessica Kizer from Terrorbird made me way too excited, like I was meeting celebrities.