OCM Manifesto: 2008 Music Summary

It all comes down to 6 degrees of  OCM. The dots are getting smaller, and the connections are now quite intertwined. My affiliations have led to friendships. What started as a Blog to help expose music “I love and can’t get enough” has evolved into more. With Obsession Collection Music, I will continue to help expose music I love, believe in, and wish to share. It has been a pleasure writing about music. It takes time, and it is important to be accurate. I’ve worked hard this year to find my voice and develop a writing style that succinctly describes what I hear. Exposure is important for music but being accurate is necessary. So even though this is a laborious task, I find it quite satisfying. My writing has propelled some careers to move a little faster. Good words can help define a mission and redefine an outlook. I am not here to be critical. Although I do not like everything and find it painful to listen to the mediocre. I am still doing this site with every spare moment I have. Maintaining Obsession Collection Music solo makes it difficult to see or hear everything. I’ve mainly concentrated on writing about music you might not find elsewhere. I'm proud to have given some groups their first web copy.

Manifesto: Awesome Sites (Site Scavenger Series) I will continue to find great sites that expose music. Especially sites that are forward-thinking and have a unique point of view, like If You Make It. It is nice to find sites that start out on the grassroots level, watch them develop, and then analyze what distinguishes their sites from more established and sometimes corporate copycats. 

Music Movements I will write about music movements and collectives that combine music, art, and film, like Wham City (Baltimore), The B3nson Recording Company (Albany) The Purple Van Club (Paris). Or publishers like Showpaper that are moving the music and art culture forward from a street perspective, the way all great grassroots movements begin. This will continue to be a priority. Giving additional web presence to groups inventing new business models because the old one is antiquated and leaves so many behind. Most started out of passion and necessity. They are good people with Chutzpah and can shake things up. 

Art and Music I will also continue exploring the melding of art and music. An interesting trend of the last few years is going to a museum to see music. The group Lucky Dragons is a good example. Their bookings are in museums around the world, basements, and venues. I will continue to write about the photographers, like (Crackerfarm) filmmakers, writers, and artists who, behind the scenes, are moving the culture forward. 

OCM 2008 Year (not a best of) What I saw and wrote about has been an inspiring and uplifting experience. So many of the people I’ve written about are doing better and getting the exposure they deserve. Many have been signed to independent labels this year, allowing them to tour with a little more ease. It is interesting to see a band open shows to headline shows. This is nice for them but hard on me. The thought of an eleven o'clock start time has taken its toll. Being an opening act is over for many of the groups I’ve written about this year. A year can make a difference.  Langhorne Slim spread the love, signed to a label, toured the US several times this year, and returned to Europe. I’m waiting for them to become a household name, I think that’s possible. o’death signed later this year to the same label. Kemado has good judgment and taste. Peasant is a good example of someone I started writing about in 2006. He has been a pleasure to watch develop and document. Drink up, Buttercup, I’ve just had a blast seeing them and writing about them from the first show in NY in 2007 till now. What an awesome trip it has been. 

Another highlight was meeting Geo Wyeth (Novice Theory) at a party and committing to see him at The Trash bar on a Wednesday night. Glad I did. What an amazing talent. OCM 2009 and beyond What am I looking forward to this year: is the much-awaited CD by Hop Along Queen Ansleis and the debut release of Drink Up Buttercup. Both groups are finalizing recording and in the mastering stages. Peasant’s re-release of On The Ground for distribution with the help of Team Love Records will give it the boost it deserves. I am also looking forward to seeing some bands I have found that have not booked shows in New York yet. I’m waiting. 

OCM’s 2008 The great live shows I have seen this year and CD reviews are all documented within the pages of this blog. Many are in Google heaven and hopefully resurrected by this post. If you like: Deer Tick, The Felice Brothers, Langhorne Slim, Peasant, Hop Along Queen Ansleis, Viking Moses, Golden Ghost, Drink Up Buttercup, Conor Oberst, Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned, Novice Theory, The Lisps, and more, explore these pages.  Live reviews 08 CD reviews 08 The economy has fucked up my plans of moving OCM central to NYC. I’m still on it and remain hopeful. I will continue and hope for a brighter future with more readership. OCM has been steadily growing with one reader at a time since its inception in June of 06. Do me a favor. Spread this shit around! Happy New Year to all from Obsession Collection Music.