Writing Songs on Twitter Is a Bad Idea

All it takes is to read one page from a Faulkner novel to realize that the inventor of Twitter wasn’t from the South. Maybe someone should create a Southern version of Twitter that allows you to ramble on and on and write so many sentences that the computer finally loses count. Maybe it could say something like “What are y’all doing?” and by default, it could throw in some Southern hospitality when responding to followers.

I always hated those timed tests in high school, and so that’s kind of what tweeting on twitter is like to me. It’s like this test essay that you know isn’t really ever going to turn into a work of art, but you feel compelled to write it. Will poetry awards be handed out on Twitter one day? Perhaps, but I know I’ll always prefer to read poetry in a hard bound book with yellowed pages and a distinct smell of basement. How about songwriting awards? Well, maybe someone will write a song on Twitter or maybe even compose an entire Twitter album complete with 30 second songs and liner notes just under 140 characters. I’m sure it would make a heck of a publicity stunt for some band to decide to write an album via Twitter. Isn’t that what every band dreams of, attracting the attention of millions of fans by creating some unique publicity stunt?

But even in this massive market of indie talent, music is capturing less and less attention these days. In most cases, the image is more important than the sound. Fans would rather text to musicians, than listen to their music. CD covers always emphasize the sexiness of an artist, particularly if they happen to be female.

Think about it, when have you last seen an album by a female artist who hasn’t had her airbrushed body on the front cover? Well, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams is one of the few exceptions that comes to mind. I suppose we could all blame MTV for ruining the album experience for everyone by demanding there be a visual image with every song. Today, the Social Media sites seem more interested in posting pictures, video and texting the artist instantly, than actually promoting what this artist happens to be singing about. 

My band, Peach League, has embraced social media to some extent, because there’s no escaping it these days. But rest assured, we will always put our music first. We believe in the process of making music. We believe in using real instruments at all times, and we prefer to record in interesting places where the music has time to breathe. We emphasize the songwriting and the art of the craft. But if you’re looking for commercial appeal, then wander into your nearest chain music store where you’ll find the latest trends in music fashion, but if you’re lucky, you’ll might actually discover one  album among millions that doesn’t have one multi-media bone in its body.

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