January 25th, 2007
This entry was posted on January 25, 2007 9:12 AM and is filed under Music.
January 25th, 2007
Some of you might have noticed that we didn't perform on ABC-WLS Channel 7 in Chicago at 11:00 - noon today. No, we weren't in a accident, in fact, everyone is feeling very healthy and united this morning.
At 7:30 AM we received a call from the producer of the 11:00 AM News saying she only wanted 7 performers and not the 15 that have been performing with us throughout this whole "Bear Fight Songs" campaign. Who do we tell to stay home? Should I call the horn section and ask them not to come down to the studio and we'll play Bear Down Chicago Bears on kazoo? Do we cancel the drummers and play the drumline from We ARE Who Ya Thought We Were on our knees? Do we tell the guitarist to stay home and play those parts on rubber bands ... should we wear wigs and pretend we are the girls?
There comes a time (even if we are lip-syncing ... lol) to make a stand as brother and sister musicians. We have been out in the freezing cold on the early morning news. We were pushed into studios and asked to perform without sound checks. We have gotten up at 4:00 AM and we have walked in the door at 2:00 AM, ... we all have loved every minute of this once-in-a-life-time trip we are on, but we all did it together. John was a bit upset with Bill Archer and me for taking the "it's all or none" stand at first, but after the shock of US canceling a TV appearance (free publicity on Chicago's #1 station) and "pulling together as a team" set in, John is now standing right with us. (I think he just needed his first cup of morning coffee, ... lol)
To date, we have the #1 selling CD in Chicago. (50,000 units and counting) Late last night we received two more 10,000 CD unit orders from White Hen and 7-Eleven. (that's 20,000 more folks) We are ready, willing and able to perform as a unit on ABC but we DO NOT want ABC-WLS Channel 7 telling us who is in our band!
Did Ed Sullivan tell The Beatles to leave Ringo at home? Did Merv Griffin ask The Rolling Stones to keep Keith Richards in the dressing room during the performance? Would there have been a Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour without a Smothers? No my friends, ... and there is not a John Steele and the Grizzly Bears without a Grizzly!
Bill has to perform year-round with his band. I have a world tour starting up very soon. The worst thing you can do is tear a band apart at the whim of some young TV producer who think she knows what's "good TV."
The producer is beside herself, ... she told John "You blew it, ... I wasn't gonna tell you this, but we were gonna enter your CD into our own ABC-7 Bears Song contest!" (Hummm, is that even legal?)
We don't need to be in a contest, ... we already won baby! LOL We have the #1 selling CD in Chicago and the only CD available in stores. We did our homework and did things right by sticking together as a team and not budging. Remember, this is the only CD with Bill Archer's Bear Down Chicago Bears! We ARE Who Ya Thought We Were is being played by every radio station and every TV station (except for WLS-Channel 7 ... he he)
As for Linda Yu, we are all very disappointed we didn't get to meet her. Chinbaa, Sarnai, Bogi and Sundre were very excited to meet a fellow Asian who fought through the red-tape and became a very successful part of the American dream. We all eat at her parents restaurant; YU's in Schaumburg, every week. (The best Chinese food in the Chicago area!)
Yes, we all would have loved to perform on TV, ... hell, ... that's what we do. But there comes a time when you have to go over the window, open it up and scream as loud as you can, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it any more!"
Some of you might have noticed that we didn't perform on ABC-WLS Channel 7 in Chicago at 11:00 - noon today. No, we weren't in a accident, in fact, everyone is feeling very healthy and united this morning.
At 7:30 AM we received a call from the producer of the 11:00 AM News saying she only wanted 7 performers and not the 15 that have been performing with us throughout this whole "Bear Fight Songs" campaign. Who do we tell to stay home? Should I call the horn section and ask them not to come down to the studio and we'll play Bear Down Chicago Bears on kazoo? Do we cancel the drummers and play the drumline from We ARE Who Ya Thought We Were on our knees? Do we tell the guitarist to stay home and play those parts on rubber bands ... should we wear wigs and pretend we are the girls?
There comes a time (even if we are lip-syncing ... lol) to make a stand as brother and sister musicians. We have been out in the freezing cold on the early morning news. We were pushed into studios and asked to perform without sound checks. We have gotten up at 4:00 AM and we have walked in the door at 2:00 AM, ... we all have loved every minute of this once-in-a-life-time trip we are on, but we all did it together. John was a bit upset with Bill Archer and me for taking the "it's all or none" stand at first, but after the shock of US canceling a TV appearance (free publicity on Chicago's #1 station) and "pulling together as a team" set in, John is now standing right with us. (I think he just needed his first cup of morning coffee, ... lol)
To date, we have the #1 selling CD in Chicago. (50,000 units and counting) Late last night we received two more 10,000 CD unit orders from White Hen and 7-Eleven. (that's 20,000 more folks) We are ready, willing and able to perform as a unit on ABC but we DO NOT want ABC-WLS Channel 7 telling us who is in our band!
Did Ed Sullivan tell The Beatles to leave Ringo at home? Did Merv Griffin ask The Rolling Stones to keep Keith Richards in the dressing room during the performance? Would there have been a Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour without a Smothers? No my friends, ... and there is not a John Steele and the Grizzly Bears without a Grizzly!
Bill has to perform year-round with his band. I have a world tour starting up very soon. The worst thing you can do is tear a band apart at the whim of some young TV producer who think she knows what's "good TV."
The producer is beside herself, ... she told John "You blew it, ... I wasn't gonna tell you this, but we were gonna enter your CD into our own ABC-7 Bears Song contest!" (Hummm, is that even legal?)
We don't need to be in a contest, ... we already won baby! LOL We have the #1 selling CD in Chicago and the only CD available in stores. We did our homework and did things right by sticking together as a team and not budging. Remember, this is the only CD with Bill Archer's Bear Down Chicago Bears! We ARE Who Ya Thought We Were is being played by every radio station and every TV station (except for WLS-Channel 7 ... he he)
As for Linda Yu, we are all very disappointed we didn't get to meet her. Chinbaa, Sarnai, Bogi and Sundre were very excited to meet a fellow Asian who fought through the red-tape and became a very successful part of the American dream. We all eat at her parents restaurant; YU's in Schaumburg, every week. (The best Chinese food in the Chicago area!)
Yes, we all would have loved to perform on TV, ... hell, ... that's what we do. But there comes a time when you have to go over the window, open it up and scream as loud as you can, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it any more!"
Comments
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January 25, 2007 3:31 PM
JoanneMcD wrote:
I applaud your integrity.
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January 25, 2007 4:45 PM
Monica Z wrote:
I was watching American Idol last night and Simon told one the contestants, "A rule of thumb in the entertainment business, ... If your friend is ever down, kick her."
Joe, I find it so refreshing that you would not compromise your integrity and loyalty to your fellow "Grizzly Bears."
You may have lost a chance to promote your CD and sing on TV, but you and your partners have restored faith in entertainers across America!
ABC in Chicago are the big losers in this case.
Go Bears, ... I hope you sell millions of CD's.
Reply to this -
January 26, 2007 3:48 PM
Lisa Smith wrote:
I think you did the right thing. The rest of the group should have been included. The CD is selling and though it would have been nice, you really don't need WLS-Channel 7 to promote it.
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