Whitten: The Story Behind "What I Am"

[Whitten]

We wished for a way to get our music to the masses without needing record companies and we got it, albeit with the issue of now being inundated with a sea of record company-less music (which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it isn't easy to get noticed amongst a crap ton of now available songs).

There is no issue with competing with a 'sea of music'. The issue is the file sharing that is a constant threat. In a recent UK parliamentary inquiry the tech companies were asked why they couldn't charge more and then pass on more money to artists, they cited the threat from piracy. They admitted that streaming fees had to be super low to stop people from just choosing illegally free. Music is a broken market, it isn't a functioning capitalist system. It is a system that is priced in competition with illegally free.

 

[Mcjnic]

Come On I been itching to hear one of your Voice Overs forever Come on Mac Jac

hahahaha
I messaged you.

 

[BennyK]

The jukebox and the ways to be heard on it may be different today , but the heroes are the same .

" What's wrong with that, I'd like to know ? "

 

[Mcjnic]

How so? Are you 'in the business'?
Links?

Joe (JDA) prompted me to respond via his recent PM comments.

In the past 60 days ...
I have received an award for one of my screenplays from The Royal Society of Television and Motion Pictures located in your country.
I have received an award from Monaco in the French Riviera for a VoiceOver performance in a film.
I will be traveling to the Carolina's at the end of the month to pick up two more awards for two different screenplays I wrote.
I have been on-location for the better part of the month of December and am wrapping up principle photography this week on a Sony Pictures feature film I am cast in - excellent script and great cast.
A miniseries was released that I am cast as one of the principle leads.
A Disney animated short film aired on HULU where I performed the VoiceOver for five characters and most of the sound effects.
A video game update was released where I did the VoiceOver for four of the characters.
And I'm setting up the session for early 2022 so I can lay down the drums for the soundtrack to the animated sitcom I am producing … I also created it.
I honestly do not know the number of awards I have received this year ... I don't pay much attention to them as they don't define me as an artist or a person.
I am relatively successful in quite a few different arms of the entertainment business.

The last music tracks that I acted as EP, Brent Mason and Paul Leim were there with several other Nashville session greats. RLPhelps was the vocalist. Kyle Lehning sat in the session producer chair. I have some experience.

I've been a part of this forum for many many years (pushing twenty) and very few people have a clue about anything I do outside of drumming. And that's because I don't need to lead with any of my accomplishments in order to make a point.
I'm just a drummer that enjoys talking about drums with a bunch of like-minded drummers.
Sometimes we agree ... sometimes we don't.
But for the most part, we are civil with one another - because we are all drummers.
I honestly can’t count the number of cymbals, drums, and stands I’ve blessed others here with.
Why? BECAUSE we are all drummers and that’s what drummers do for each other.

I have a firm grasp on the concept that we are ALL just people doing our thing and walking it out.
Just people.
I don't put anyone above anyone else. Respect is earned and no amount of accomplishments should ever give a person a pass for bad behavior ... or for treating another human poorly.

 

[Whitten]

Yes. And nope.
I don’t believe there is a buy-in for taking part in a discussion.
Nor is my business life of any relevance to this discussion.

You questioned my point and followed it by saying your view was obvious 'to anyone in the business'.
I didn't bring up who was working in whatever business, you did.

On the overall point, the thread was started by someone else about a video I made.
You started arguing with me about what or what didn't constitute a 'good drummer'. That was your choice to do that. I was just happy to talk about the Edie Brickell album.
I entertained the debate on band drummers vs session drummers, but then it started to get personal IMO. At all times I was patient and polite IMO.
I don't need to post here or at any drum forum. I do so for fun and sometimes to help people when I have experienced something they haven't. People message me along those lines.
I joined and posted at Drumforum over ten years ago, but gave up under a rather relentless sarcastic barrage of negativity from Joe (JDA). And I can see it's going that way again.
I read a great line over the weekend co-incidentally - 'don't accept any criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice'.

 

[drums1225]

I read a great line over the weekend co-incidentally - 'don't accept any criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice'

This!

 

[Browny]

You questioned my point and followed it by saying your view was obvious 'to anyone in the business'.
I didn't bring up who was working in whatever business, you did.

On the overall point, the thread was started by someone else about a video I made.
You started arguing with me about what or what didn't constitute a 'good drummer'. That was your choice to do that. I was just happy to talk about the Edie Brickell album.
I entertained the debate on band drummers vs session drummers, but then it started to get personal IMO. At all times I was patient and polite IMO.
I don't need to post here or at any drum forum. I do so for fun and sometimes to help people when I have experienced something they haven't. People message me along those lines.
I joined and posted at Drumforum over ten years ago, but gave up under a rather relentless sarcastic barrage of negativity from Joe (JDA). And I can see it's going that way again.
I read a great line over the weekend co-incidentally - 'don't accept any criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice'.

Well I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading your opinions and insight. It’s been great. Hopefully you continue to stick around. Cheers

 

[Bijan]

You questioned my point and followed it by saying your view was obvious 'to anyone in the business'.
I didn't bring up who was working in whatever business, you did.

On the overall point, the thread was started by someone else about a video I made.
You started arguing with me about what or what didn't constitute a 'good drummer'. That was your choice to do that. I was just happy to talk about the Edie Brickell album.
I entertained the debate on band drummers vs session drummers, but then it started to get personal IMO. At all times I was patient and polite IMO.
I don't need to post here or at any drum forum. I do so for fun and sometimes to help people when I have experienced something they haven't. People message me along those lines.
I joined and posted at Drumforum over ten years ago, but gave up under a rather relentless sarcastic barrage of negativity from Joe (JDA). And I can see it's going that way again.
I read a great line over the weekend co-incidentally - 'don't accept any criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice'.

Chris- the block/ignore feature is priceless.

 

[Whitten]

Onward.....

 

[JimmyM]

My apologies if anything I said came off bad or angry. I’ve got nothing but love for everybody. I must’ve been having a real bad day. I get those from time to time.

 

[Mcjnic]

My apologies if anything I said came off bad or angry. I’ve got nothing but love for everybody. I must’ve been having a real bad day. I get those from time to time.

Nothing bad or angry ... you were responding appropriately.
No one would question your responses here.
You have been above board.

 

[Frank Godiva]

You questioned my point and followed it by saying your view was obvious 'to anyone in the business'.
I didn't bring up who was working in whatever business, you did.

On the overall point, the thread was started by someone else about a video I made.
You started arguing with me about what or what didn't constitute a 'good drummer'. That was your choice to do that. I was just happy to talk about the Edie Brickell album.
I entertained the debate on band drummers vs session drummers, but then it started to get personal IMO. At all times I was patient and polite IMO.
I don't need to post here or at any drum forum. I do so for fun and sometimes to help people when I have experienced something they haven't. People message me along those lines.
I joined and posted at Drumforum over ten years ago, but gave up under a rather relentless sarcastic barrage of negativity from Joe (JDA). And I can see it's going that way again.
I read a great line over the weekend co-incidentally - 'don't accept any criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice'.

“I joined and posted at Drumforum over ten years ago, but gave up under a rather relentless sarcastic barrage of negativity from Joe (JDA). And I can see it's going that way again.
I read a great line over the weekend co-incidentally - 'don't accept any criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice'.”



And over a decade later; @JDA continues to be the resident Grand Poobah DFO PITA……

Nothing personal; just says it’s not you it’s him

 

[Mcjnic]

“I joined and posted at Drumforum over ten years ago, but gave up under a rather relentless sarcastic barrage of negativity from Joe (JDA). And I can see it's going that way again.
I read a great line over the weekend co-incidentally - 'don't accept any criticism from someone you wouldn't go to for advice'.”



And over a decade later; @JDA continues to be the resident Grand Poobah DFO PITA……

Nothing personal; just says it’s not you it’s him

Joe stated that this took place ten years ago on Cymbalholics and not DFO.
No idea.
It is what it is.

 

[Frank Godiva]

Joe stated that this took place ten years ago on Cymbalholics and not DFO.
No idea.
It is what it is.

Different place… same players… same result. An example of Proof Theory because the Negative Variable is a constant

 

[Polska]

 

[JimmyM]

One of these days I'm going to re-read this thread and find out the exact moment it went south. Today's not the day.