GUEST POST by Kyle Bylin of indie label 50 Entertainment

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point, he describes the levels at which the momentum of  change becomes unstoppable.  Expanding on the notion that once an idea hits it's threshold there's a point when it proceeds to spread from its niche market origins and spills over into the masses.  Gladwell states, "Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do."

The success story of Staind can be traced back to a chain of events which lead to a moment called The Tipping Point of The Ballad.  Beyond their early fans, they were still a relatively unknown band upon the release of their second album Dysfunction in April of 1999.  The highest chart ranking it received was #74.  It wasn't until October 31 on the Family Values Tour, seven months later, that the path of the band changed forever.

Ten minutes before going on stage, Lewis decided to play the song “Outside.”  What happened that night in Biloxi, Mississippi Lewis later recalls as, “An accidental phenomenon.” Up until this performance the lyrics were often changed, but there... 

in front of thousands, he finished them while he sang.  This live acoustic version was picked up by radio stations across the country and the music video saw frequent airings on MTV2, becoming an instant hit through both mediums.  The compilation released in May 2000 featured “Outside” as a bonus track and went on to become gold-certified.

The buzz generated by the live acoustic version built the perfect bridge between Dysfunction and their follow up Break The Cycle by successfully introducing new fans to the band a few months before the album was released.  When Break The Cycle hit shelves on May 22, 2001 and it sold 716,000 copies it's first week.  By week fifteen, the album had sold nearly 2.9 million copies and went onto spill into the masses by selling more then 7 million copies in the US alone.

Gladwell goes onto describe that there are three rules which govern these types of epidemics.  In The Law of The Few he notes that the attainment of a tipping point requires the intervention of a number of influential people which he classifies as Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen.  Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, a Connector, had a special gift for bringing the world together.  After discovering Staind, he signed them to Flip which gave them a platform to launch their career.  Napster (The Net), Television (MTV2), and Radio DJ's played the role of Mavens, the people we rely upon to connect us with new information.  The Salesmen, the staff of Flip's parent company Elekra, were the charismatic people with powerful negotiation skills who put Staind in front of the world.

In The Stickiness Factor, he examines the specific content of the message that makes it memorable and have impact.  Expanded upon by Dan and Chip Heath in their 2007 release Made To Stick, the brothers explored the principle of SUCCESs (Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, and Stories.)  “Outside” was Simple because it was at the core of the idea of what Staind was about.  Unexpected due to the heaviness of their previous single “Mudshovel.”  Credible on Fred Durst's endorsement.  Most of all, the Story of Staind, four guys being discovered at a bar gig and getting signed, hits at the very heart of the romanticized notion of how “making it” in the music industry is defined.

Last, but not least, in The Power of Context Gladwell says, "Epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur."  With Napster at the height of it's popularity, mass-radio play still thriving, the rise of alternative/nu-metal movement, and major label budgets still intact, it becomes quite clear that the environment which Staind arrived in was more then receptive and quite likely to adopt the idea of behind “Outside” and a band of their nature.

As Aaron Lewis begins to strum his guitar, the crowd in the background roars, and his voice projects, “And you, can bring me to my knees,” you can feel the impact of years gone by and the burdens they bear.  In the space of just under six minutes, Lewis engages you with every word.  In reflection of this story, what other occurrences can you think of when a ballad caused a tipping point for an artist?

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Bela Fleck is widely considered to be one of the greatest banjo players in the world and his backing band, the Flecktones, is fantastic. It should be interesting to see what the group has cooked for its “Holiday Tour.”
8 and 9 p.m. thru Nov. 22, 7 and 9 p.m. Nov. 23, Yoshi’s San Francisco, 1330 Fillmore St.; $45; 415-655-5600, www.yoshis.com.

Portugal. The Man
Having wowed critics at the ‘08 South by Southwest Music Conference in Texas, the small-town Alaskan band with the funky name _ Portugal. The Man _ is now set to deliver its bluesy, psychedelic mix for local fans.
8 p.m. Nov. 24, Slim’s, 333 11th St., San Francisco, $13-$15, 415-255-0333, www.slims-sf.com.

Bonus video:

Bela Fleck photo by Flickr user isubiker
Portugal The Man photo by Flickr user Kevin K
Photos used under Creative Commons license

Ordinarily, I’d never presume we were popular enough to worry about recruiting votes. But Fong wrote to let me know that Cover Lay Down comes up first on the autofill options for blogs beginning with the letter C; the autofill is generated when “several people” have already voted for a particular blog, so someone out there obviously thought I was worthy of mention.

Honestly, it’s an honor just to be on the autofill. Thanks to those who have voted for me already; may the best blog win. Oh, and vote here. One lucky voter will even win the top 50 CDs of 2008, as chosen by voters like you.

While you’re over at Stereogum, sign up for the Gum Drop, and you’ll net this week’s free mp3, an *exclusive* solo acoustic cover of Husker Du’s Celebrated Summer, as performed by Mark Kozelek of Sun Kil Moon and the Red House Painters. Tell ‘em Cover Lay Down sent you, and maybe I’ll even make the blogroll.

For bonus points before you go, here’s one of my favorite Kozelek covers, from his acoustic AC/DC covers album, plus Denison Witmer’s lovely take on the Red House Painters, previously posted here as part of our partnership with Denison in the weeks before he released his newest album. If you like the Kozolek, let me know; maybe one day we’ll do a full set.

• Mark Kozelek: Up To My Neck In You (orig. AC/DC)
  (from What’s Next To The Moon)

• Denison Witmer: Have You Forgotten (orig. Red House Painters)
  (web release only)

When Kenny of Fresh Selects and I met up with The Mighty Underdogs—the new hip-hop supergroup backed by Def Jux’s label and comprised of Blackalicious’ Gift of Gab, Latryx’s Lateef the Truthspeaker and Crown City Rocker producer Headnodic—inside Satyricon’s sticky, all-ages space in Old Town last night to talk to the lyricists about their brand new album (Droppin’ Science Fiction), Lateef was popping Lemon Heads and fiddling with his iPhone. Gab eyed the little box of yellow candies longingly as he slid onto the booth bench next to Lateef, and when I asked him what his favorite candy was, he said he was diabetic. So I asked him what his favorite vegetable was. “Artichoke,” he said smiling, exposing a set of deeply indented dimples. Thus began our pre-show chat with two (Headnodic was not on the Portland bill) of the most versatile, talented and long-standing emcees in the industry.

WW: The Mighty Underdogs are being coined a “super group”. If you could each have one superpower, what would it be?

Gab: I would be able to travel at the speed of light so I could just be out – ohh, I’m about to go to France, I’ll be right back (makes spacey sound effects), boom boom!

Lateef: I’d be able to regenerate anything instantly, including dead cells. Or be like Banshee and have sonic powers, to just blow the crowd away.

Do you feel like you’re industry underdogs?

Gab: No. We say Mighty Underdogs because an underdog is always hungry. The underdog always has something to prove. I feel like when you get to the point where don’t feel like you have anything to prove, that’s when you start falling off a little bit. Back against the wall, everything to prove, everything to lose, that’s the Mighty Underdog, that’s what makes the Mighty Underdog strong. The Mighty Underdog feeds off of adversity. (Pauses thoughtfully) I don’t think I’ve ever explained it to that much of a detail.

Kenny: What is your guys’ relationship, either work or otherwise, with the city of Portland because you’ve got the Quaanum and Lifesavas connection here? [Editor’s note: Lateef is owner of the Quaanum music label]

Lateef: We’ve been coming to Portland for a long time. And we always come all the way up, not just Portland but Oregon in general, Eugene. Gab did his solo record with Jake One and Vitamin D so we have a good relationship with the whole Northwest.

Kenny: How do you feel about the music scene in the Bay area, specifically the hipster and hyphy movements? And where do older school, industry veterans like yourselves, fit in?

Gab: I’m feeling the hipster stuff. To me, it’s just music changing and it should always change. That’s what we try to do as the Mighty Underdogs – Droppin’ Science Fiction isn’t anything like a Blackalicious or a Latryx record. I’d like to see more people get back to the culture of emcees battling and focusing on making great albums. Do it because you love it, because you get a rush from doing it. That’s when the best music is made.

Kenny: With your group name being what it is, who are some industry underdogs that you’re rooting for?

Gab: I like the Cool Kids, the Kids in the Hall.

Lateef: I think even though people are giving him dap, Wale is a little bit of an underdog right now. I feel like Blu and Exile are a little bit in that category.

WW: With hipster hip-hop taking over the airwaves, did you feel any pressure to conform to that sound or does this album reflect the sound you truly wanted to make?

Lateef: I don’t think there’s any pressure on us to do anything. This album, in and of itself is almost a concept album. At this point, when I sit down to make a record, I can creatively make the record I want to make. Hip hop has gotten a little bit stale lately and getting some new blood in there, I don’t have any problem with that, however you want to go with it—reggae, electro, shit, go all the way back to Planet Rock. Planet Rock still rocks.

WW: Are you hoping that the younger generation will just take the Mighty Underdogs at new group face value or that kids will look up your individual past groups and re-discover that sound for themselves?

Lateef: I think both are true. I think that this is it’s own chemistry and has it’s own identity but yeah, hopefully people will go back and check out history. The more they know their history, the better they’re going to be [as artists]. When you’re able to synthesize all of those influences and make something new with all of that, it’s going to be the best it can be.

WW: We’re in political times right now. What is a music industry policy change that you would make?

Gab: People wouldn’t be able to download. Sorry listeners, because I understand what it is to like music but at the same time, this is how we make our living as artists. It sucks that you do work and you bleed and you sweat for this music and then people can just take it for free.

Lateef: I’d say the same or at least there’d be a regular, institutional things across the board in terms of financial kick-back for the artist. If we were making a car instead of an album, you wouldn’t be able to steal it legally. You’d have to go buy the car, otherwise, they’d come arrest you. One of the things that I don’t think people realize is that there’s a whole trickle-down effect that happens as a result of piracy [in which] you cheat yourself out of an experience that the artist might attempt for you.

WW: How fair is it to make a Lucy Pearl comparison? [Lucy Pearl was a group popular in the late 1990s that, like the Mighty Underdogs, was comprised of three break-away solo artists that had each come from other, established groups and joined up to create a new group]

Gab: I think it’s like apples and oranges. I think that they’re two different groups going for two different sounds.

BONUS ROUND: Word Association

To Lateef, whose father used to do security detail for the Black Panthers: The Black Panthers

Lateef: Righteous. Revolutionary ideas of change and thinking outside of the box.

To Gab: Corporate buy-outs

Gab: Shit, I would like to see us buy out corporations one day.

What’s next for the Mighty Underdogs?

Gab: More touring, campaigning this album, getting on the road. We’ve both got solo records coming out next year, so continuing to make and put out good music.

Droppin’ Science Fiction, the new full-length album from the trio, is available now

Links:
The Mighty Underdogs’ space

Photo credit: Arian Stevens

In celebration of my first ever visit to Scotland next month (I will be traveling for work, or should I say, “traveLLing” - with two L’s), I wanted to post up this video that I found in my inbox today. The Glasgow rock band, Glasvegas (clever), is set to release a special deluxe debut, which will feature a Christmas themed bonus disc, A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like a Kiss). The above video is for the Christmas album’s single, “Please Come Back Home,” a U2 style track with a vintage sound and a holiday feel. The self titled debut came out in September in the UK, and will see a US release in January of next year (which is much sooner than you think it is). Maybe I’ll pick up a copy in Edinburgh!

UPDATE: Go to youtube to watch the vid

Tracklist:
01. Say You Will
02. Welcome To Heartbreak Ft. Kid Cudi
03. Heartless
04. Amazing Ft. Young Jeezy
05. Love Lockdown
06. Paranoid Ft. Mr. Hudson
07. RoboCop
08. Street Lights9
09. Bad News
10. See You In My Knightmares Ft. Lil Wayne
11. Coldest Winter
12. Pinocchio Story (Freestyle Live From Singapore) (Bonus)

To Download, Click Here.

The top 666 songs of alltime countdown continues, one day at a time all the way to #1. Today’s is # 614:

Curtis Mayfield – So In Love

Long, lush, absolutely gorgeous keyboard-and-guitar-driven soul ballad from 1972. The song gets bonus points for being the prototype for the Stones’ Fool to Cry. Available at the various mp3 sites; if you must have a cd version, it’s on most of the greatest hits packages out there

When we announced Blake Scharzenbach and Aaron Cometbus' Thorns Of Life, a few days ago, commenters brought up another recent '90s resurfacing: I wouldn't put the Get Up Kids in the same league as Jawbreaker (sorry), but the guys did just play a reunion show at the Record Bar Kansas City in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Something To Write Home About. They performed the album from start to finish, along with six bonus encore tracks. Let's start with "Holiday" since that's where they started.