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LENNY: watch what happens with james blunt in the coming weeks, it's GREAT, it's break- ing big from grey's anatomy and it's about to be huge.

BEER'S HOLIDAY CHEER

Final Thoughts '05: In the Calm Between
Storms, Lenny Teaches a Wincing Ivana
About a Little Thing Called Hope.
IVANA: It was the best of times and the worst of times...
LENNY: thank you charles dickens
IVANA: was there a "best" this year?
LENNY: best movie: capote
LENNY: best new toy: the video ipod
LENNY: best book: saturday by ian mcewan
IVANA: best song?
LENNY: hmmmm, not quite as easy. i would vote off the top of my head for “ordinary people” by john legend. i also looooove james blunt’s “beautiful”
IVANA: i have a few picks: "brighter than sunshine"-aqualung
"always love"-nada surf, "honest mistake"-the bravery, "soul meets body"-death cab for cutie, "bom bom bom"-living things
LENNY: anything by tegan and sara
IVANA: is that a question or a statement?
LENNY: a statement. i love them
IVANA: why was this year so difficult? why am i ready for my 19th nervous breakdown?
LENNY: for who? steve jobs thought it was a pretty good year
IVANA: so did jesus
LENNY: i have no clever retort for that
IVANA: yeah, why start now
LENNY: oh nice, i think i have done well as your guest IM columnist this year. i even received some compliments on it in nyc last week
IVANA: just like my format, i too am being rendered obsolete
LENNY: i disagree, obsolescence is still some time away, i would rather think of it as a calm before the next storm
IVANA: but is this a disaster of our own doing?
LENNY: true, but rock n roll will never die
IVANA: did the business have its collective heads up their asses by ignoring the issues that now plague us? piracy, lack of artist development, bad music? malaise, ennui & complacency? (didn’t they tour with earth wind & fire?)
LENNY: i think steve jobs jobbed everyone back to the 60s when we were in a singles business
IVANA: how can record companies make money?
LENNY: i still think GREAT wins out, they must be more adventuresome in their signings, looking for great talent instead of soundalike format fillers.... something new breathtaking and culturally relevant is needed to light the fire—a beatles, a nirvana, an nwa
IVANA: but how do you convince a new generation to buy music
LENNY: by giving them something they HAVE TO HAVE, pride in ownership, they'll buy it as cd, as mp3/4 and as ringtone if it makes them cool
IVANA: i hope you're right.
LENNY: watch what happens with james blunt in the coming weeks, it's GREAT, it's breaking big from grey's anatomy and it's about to be huge
IVANA: because radio alone can't break an artist...
LENNY: they are a part, but not the complete puzzle
IVANA: i still can't understand why the biggest consumer demo in the country, girls 18-25, doesn't have a radio format
LENNY: maybe they will when they start drinking more beer
IVANA: the wb has done very well catering to that demo. girls buy soda, clothes, cars, and plenty of other products
LENNY: my daughter is in that group and she buys everything, mostly magazines, actually. what do your radio geniuses like dave beasing say to that?
IVANA: would you please tell one of your billionaire friends to buy me a station and i'll program to that demo?
LENNY: lemme go thru my list, hmmm billionaire friends.... i guess there's irving
IVANA: i think part of the challenge is finding a sales team that believed in the demo and could sell it. but enough about my dreams...
LENNY: ah, your fantasy continues. any people you want to call out for their efforts this year?
IVANA: absolutely. howie miura and christine chiappetta ruled this year
LENNY: true dat, homegirl
IVANA: fall out boy is the biggest breakthru rock band of 2005, and "honest mistake" is one of the biggest major market songs of the year
LENNY: signed by the hot a&r boy of the year, rob stevenson, who also inked killers and bravery
IVANA: and damone!
LENNY: there u go, so kudos to rob
IVANA: and to ted volk, darren and the rest of the capitol gang, who had 3 coldplay hits, a big yellowcard record and could have one of the biggest break-outs of 2006 with morningwood
LENNY: and ted is a diehard clippers loyalist.....
IVANA: jacqueline and her team remain as invincible as always, blowing up matisyahu, franz, mudvayne, chevelle, etc.
LENNY: jacqueline is not getting older, she is getting better
IVANA: i'm just getting older
LENNY: and more beautiful every day
IVANA: oh, please. bill carroll and howard p. have made people care about korn again, while also turning skeptics into fanatics about the gorillaz, and developing 30 seconds to mars into a meaningful rock band for radio
LENNY: and they did it all during management turmoil above and around them, so kudos from me also
IVANA: i think next year will be a good year for independent labels--interpol's antics will be gold by then, and matador has a ton of great records for 2006; touch & go will have new calexico and tv on the radio; merge is on a roll with 2 grammy nominations for arcade fire and spoon at 100k, and victory will have a new hawthorne heights cd that will debut at #1
LENNY: and artemis has some surprises up their sleeve as well
IVANA: plus astralwerks, domino with arctic monkeys, ato with the brilliant my morning jacket and mike doughty cds, and that's just off the top of my head! and massive props to columbia for the great job they're doing on coheed & cambria, while also breaking crossfade and establishing system of a down as one of the biggest bands in music
LENNY: cerrito, dimaio and guzik.... sounds like a law firm so hope springs eternal once again, i knew i could get you to be more positive
IVANA: on paper it looks great...in reality, it's exhausting! maybe i need a break, say maybe 3 weeks?
LENNY: breaking rock bands is exhausting
IVANA: which is your cue to say…
LENNY: or you could take weekends until it adds up. then again, i think EVERYONE needs three weeks right now to golf and refuel
IVANA: so, say happy holidays, gracie
LENNY: happy holidays to all..... and to all a goodnight. see you in January, sorry. but We Will Be Back
IVANA: and that's not just a threat!
LENNY: it's a promise… and now...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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