Is it Just me? How Come No one has ever heard of MMJ?

[thebigbang]

10. No big arrests for drugs, DUI, punch photographers, paternity suits, etc.

They have a couple of intimidators to keep that stuff out of the headlines! Don't be fooled.  They are bad, bad, troublemakin', heartbreakin' freaks!

[thebigbang]

OK, got to test the the idea in the thread out a bit today.

I'm currently in Seattle on a business trip, and started talking to a couple this afternoon in Pike's Market who were also clearly visiting.  They were probably early to mid-30's and did not look like they lived under rocks.  I asked them where they were from and they said Louisville.  I said my favorite band, My Morning Jacket is from there, and they said they had never heard of them.

This kind of blows me away, I mean, how many things are there that really give Louisville national attention, anyway?  Even if you aren't a music fan, don't you think you would at least know the name of the biggest band from your town and one of the few local international touring acts?

Music (and pop culture in general) is walled off into separate rooms these days and have been getting more and more so for that past 20 years here in America.  If it were not for the internet and youtube, it would be downright oppressively segregated.

For example, Nichole Scherzinger is another performer from Louisville who has toured internationally with Edens Crush and the Pussycat Dolls. I have read about her in the Louisville Papers, but I am not in the teen dance pop market niche and have never heard her music. To this day, if I have heard one of her songs on radio or television I was not aware of it. I would have to search YouTube intentionally to hear her.

Other Kentucky bands I have read about that are fairly big internationally but never heard on the radio are Cage the Elephant and before that Days of the New.  Heck, I have rarely heard Will Oldham and Nappy Roots.  Unless I read about them on the Internet and seek them out I never will most likely.

Commercial radio is almost exclusively hip hop, country or dance pop in Louisville.  The local PBS station plays 80 percent horrible singer song writer material. They have generally awful taste, and their efforts to attract younger listeners (the other 20 percent) are just as bad.

So, the internet or a friend is about the only exposure to My Morning Jacket or any other contemporary rock band one is likely to get around here, except for the promotional tie-ins that flourish these days; sound tracks, commercials and PR tricks.

[Willard1979]

I kinda like that MMJ isnt super popular. It makes it just. That much more special.

[lpkell2145]

I kinda like that MMJ isnt super popular. It makes it just. That much more special.

I totally agree with you Willard.  In fact I'm real funny about introducing people to MMJ's music. Only when I think they have generally good taste in music and are open minded enough to appreciate a band you can't pigeon hole into a specific genre do I elect to tell people about the band. And so far that's been a whopping 2 people.

However I work with a lot of young southern hipster types who all know and love MMJ.  Lucky me :)

Sent from my LG-E739 using Tapatalk 2

[arhubs]

they definitely reach an older demographic. i've turned on a number of people to them---mostly by taking them to shows---and my friends in their 40's definitely get it more than the 20-somethings i've intro'd. my 30 year old GUITAR INSTRUCTOR didn't even know who they were. after teaching me dozens of MMJ riffs, he's a fan.

i think with all of the music out there and all of the digital access, people get into there niche and aren't exposed to much else. that's despite the fact that it is easier than ever to find new music. too many "if you like A, you'll like B" computer generated suggestions that keep you from ever finding "C".

[bhyman]

It's our job to educate and evangelize. I've trained up my 3 boys (20, 18, 15) properly as they've become big fans. They are spreading the word too, but unfortunately falling on too many deaf ears.

We should enjoy this moment though. If they blow up I suspect there will be no more sound check sets, and all the floor seats will get scalped within minutes. Even worse, they'll end up playing arenas and stadiums instead of intimate theaters and mid-size amphitheaters. I love the Black Keys, but I much prefer seeing them stripped down at the Tabernacle instead of from the upper deck of a basketball arena.

Peace.

[scosby2]

in my opinion they are in a very good place...not too many fans yet just enough to fill historic venues and give us affordable ticket prices...still a few too many frat boys but it's not as bad as some popular bands these days. i quit trying to convert people years ago...if they really want to they will find it...you all did

[Fully]

Wise words, scosby2.

[LeanneP]

I'd have to say, their growth has been pretty organic. They've made consistently good (if varyingly styled) music and that's built their audiences at a manageably steady pace. These are guys who LOVE playing music. The quality of their performances is astoundingly high. I'm pretty sure if they could get $50 000 to play a 200 person club they'd do that in a heartbeat. I'm also certain that if they could fill a stadium consistently, they'd look for ways to avoid that by playing multi shows at theatres or mid-sized arenas. In fact, we can see them avoiding arena shows now by opting to do 3 nights at the Wiltern, etc.

I'm reminded of the line from Steam Engine, "take your money and your drugs". I always interpreted that as a statement to the corporate rock world who could have taken MMJ and offered them all the money and drugs they could dream of - in exchange for their souls - and that MMJ deliberately rejected that in favour of reimagining the dream of success as musicians. And I'm sooooooo glad they did.

Yes, it blows me away that so many people haven't heard of MMJ. But it also blows me away the quality of fan they have. We are the obsessives, of course, but even the more casual fans seem to have a healthy respect for the band's music and understand its place in the world of rock.

I like it all the better that in order to get exposed to MMJ, one has to read pretty decent critical writing about them or be personally introduced by other fans. I like that I don't hear them on the radio when I'm shopping in a mall or see stories on Entertainment Weekly (that's still a thing, right? Haha!). It sort of guarantees that the folks who are buying tickets to an MMJ show would be people whose vinyl collection I'd feel good about rooting through.

[iLikeBeer]

Words to live by indeed!  Well said scosby!   

I was just talking about this the other night with my wife about how perfect of a band MMJ really are.  Obviously their music is kick ass and damned near perfect.  But also, their popularity seems to be just right for my tastes.  They seem to have plateaued for the time being and I am damn fine with right where they're at.  They aren't too big to where you have a bunch of teeny boppers and drunken frat boys running around ruining the shows like what you see at DMB concerts these days.  And they aren't too small that they are struggling to make ends meet. 

Seems like the perfect balance to me and I hope it continues because the intamacy with the fans is one of the MANY things I love about this band...

[bartel]

I like that MMJ are our secret. But, on the other hand I get annoyed when people haven't heard them.. so I'm a bit both ways on this.. I want them to be our secret but still credited as being a great band... hows that.

[tbear]

I started this thread before the summer tour, and I think my position has shifted a little. I was really gratified to see both the Mann center and MWP considerably more full this summer over last (if not totally sold out.) I agree with the posters who say we are lucky that they are at the level they are at now--- intimate venues, incredible energy and, finally, varying setlists!

My only disapointment was bringing my older (50) brother and his nephew to Brooklyn. I asked my bro, who saw the Dead 50+ times what he thought in the middle of it and he answered that he was "not impressed". The brooklyn venue did not have great sound, and the crowd was relatively subdued  - too cool - but it still kinda bummed me out. I had hoped for his, if not approval, at least some appreciation.  To be honest, my bro never really moved on from the Dead -- which is too bad for him.

On the other hand, I grabbed my nephews (13, 14) and we snaked our way upfront - I think they enjoyed it thouroghly.

(Edit: Ok I just checked to see if there are still tix availible to Capital Theatre  -- yup --- all three nights. WTF? -  this is the kinda thing that makes no sense to me.)

But, on the other hand, at least I have not seen Yimmy on any Gap adds. The Avett Bros. are posted all over NYC in Gap adds and I fear the Avetts have jumped the shark.

So, like allot of people, torn.

[e_wind]

i seem to find A LOT of dead heads that aren't impressed with MMJ. The last one in particular that I spoke with, who was cool as hell, said he went to the Yum Center show and there were a fantastic band, but the pop-ier, non guitar heavy songs weren't up his alley. On the other hand, my mom, not a big music person at all, and dad, loves the eagles  , LOVE Circuital, but can't seem to get into pre-evil urges work. Guess its all just preference. For those of us that "get it", theres a beauty in the fact that they're so diverse that different people like only chunks of their catalogue.

Then again, there are a ton of ton of dead heads that are jacket fans.

[itrainmonkeys]

This is like my favorite/biggest band that people regularly don't know anything about. I like exposing them to others though :)

[kev]

Yeah, it happens often to me when the subject of "favorite band" comes up... people are like "My what?" and then I repeat it and they just look at me funny. Just the other day a co-worker asked me what the best concert I've been to is and immediately I said MMJ - been to quite a few, RCMH, orange peel, others... anyway, she's like "Who?" SMDH

[EverythingChanges]

I recently moved into a new apartment and the family below me has a son in high school.  His favorite band is Pink Floyd, so I started chatting with him about Animals, Echoes and all the goodies that band has put out.  He was also really into the Grateful Dead.  At this point I figured it was best that I bring up MMJ.  Not surprisingly, he had never heard of them before.  I told him to listen to Dondante live Okonokos on YouTube.  I had to leave for work, but I told him if he liked what he saw that I could give him some MMJ to try out.  I came home that night and I had just sat down when I heard my doorbell ring.  I walked downstairs to find the kid from earlier at my door.  He had a friend with him.

Me: "Hey, what can I do for ya?"
Him: "Dude, I listened to Dondante and I need that music."
Me: "Go grab your flashdrive and I'll let you try some of their stuff out."

He sprinted to his house and came back shortly afterwards.  I haven't heard from him since I gave him the music, but I am sure if he loves Pink Floyd as much as I do, he will surely love MMJ. 

MMJ is my favorite band, but not only that, MMJ is the best rock band and live act going right now.  They are the Zeppelin, GD or Floyd of this generation and so many people are missing out.  My generation is pathetic (I'm 20), all they listen to is rap and top 40 and never try to expand their tastes.  None of them are adventurous.  I have turned on a couple of my friends to MMJ, but they hardly listen to them.  One of them acts like he loves them, but he really never takes the time to just listen to their music.  I'll ask him what he thought about Steam Engine or what have you and he won't know what I am talking about. 

[johnnYYac]

I recently moved into a new apartment and the family below me has a son in high school.  His favorite band is Pink Floyd, so I started chatting with him about Animals, Echoes and all the goodies that band has put out.  He was also really into the Grateful Dead.  At this point I figured it was best that I bring up MMJ.  Not surprisingly, he had never heard of them before.  I told him to listen to Dondante live Okonokos on YouTube.  I had to leave for work, but I told him if he liked what he saw that I could give him some MMJ to try out.  I came home that night and I had just sat down when I heard my doorbell ring.  I walked downstairs to find the kid from earlier at my door.  He had a friend with him.

Me: "Hey, what can I do for ya?"
Him: "Dude, I listened to Dondante and I need that music."
Me: "Go grab your flashdrive and I'll let you try some of their stuff out."

He sprinted to his house and came back shortly afterwards.  I haven't heard from him since I gave him the music, but I am sure if he loves Pink Floyd as much as I do, he will surely love MMJ. 

MMJ is my favorite band, but not only that, MMJ is the best rock band and live act going right now.  They are the Zeppelin, GD or Floyd of this generation and so many people are missing out.  My generation is pathetic (I'm 20), all they listen to is rap and top 40 and never try to expand their tastes.  None of them are adventurous.  I have turned on a couple of my friends to MMJ, but they hardly listen to them.  One of them acts like he loves them, but he really never takes the time to just listen to their music.  I'll ask him what he thought about Steam Engine or what have you and he won't know what I am talking about.

You're with family now, EC.  Welcome to the fold.  Don't stop trying to spread the word, but take heart in being part of the best kept secret in music.  Not really "kept", this secret, as we all try to convince others that the only sane choice is to agree to MMJ's greatness.  Still, our frustration is also our joy, and - perhaps - the joy of the band, too.  They seem mighty happy where they are.  I'm sure they wouldn't turn down a hit record, but that will change a lot, much the way it changed the Dead. 

[APR]

I met a family of 5 from Kentucky the other day (oldest kid probably low teenager and parents probably around 40), and I had to ask.  Surprisingly, they never heard of MMJ.  That pretty much ended the conversation..... although I did say how incredible they were and recommended them.

[Willard1979]

I just gave a friend a copy of Okonokos on CD. He says he likes it, and its relaxing to listen to. He says he likes Lay Low.

[EverythingChanges]

I recently moved into a new apartment and the family below me has a son in high school.  His favorite band is Pink Floyd, so I started chatting with him about Animals, Echoes and all the goodies that band has put out.  He was also really into the Grateful Dead.  At this point I figured it was best that I bring up MMJ.  Not surprisingly, he had never heard of them before.  I told him to listen to Dondante live Okonokos on YouTube.  I had to leave for work, but I told him if he liked what he saw that I could give him some MMJ to try out.  I came home that night and I had just sat down when I heard my doorbell ring.  I walked downstairs to find the kid from earlier at my door.  He had a friend with him.

Me: "Hey, what can I do for ya?"
Him: "Dude, I listened to Dondante and I need that music."
Me: "Go grab your flashdrive and I'll let you try some of their stuff out."

He sprinted to his house and came back shortly afterwards.  I haven't heard from him since I gave him the music, but I am sure if he loves Pink Floyd as much as I do, he will surely love MMJ. 

MMJ is my favorite band, but not only that, MMJ is the best rock band and live act going right now.  They are the Zeppelin, GD or Floyd of this generation and so many people are missing out.  My generation is pathetic (I'm 20), all they listen to is rap and top 40 and never try to expand their tastes.  None of them are adventurous.  I have turned on a couple of my friends to MMJ, but they hardly listen to them.  One of them acts like he loves them, but he really never takes the time to just listen to their music.  I'll ask him what he thought about Steam Engine or what have you and he won't know what I am talking about.

You're with family now, EC.  Welcome to the fold.  Don't stop trying to spread the word, but take heart in being part of the best kept secret in music.  Not really "kept", this secret, as we all try to convince others that the only sane choice is to agree to MMJ's greatness.  Still, our frustration is also our joy, and - perhaps - the joy of the band, too.  They seem mighty happy where they are.  I'm sure they wouldn't turn down a hit record, but that will change a lot, much the way it changed the Dead.

Thank ye sir!