#hidden target

[thespacebetweentrees]

“Hidden Target” by Barbara Cole in Chromatics

[unrxchen]

Hidden Traget

NonbenderTao: The fighter was at his normal training ground of course. Though he couldn't stay as long this time considering he actually had a job to do, people to lead. Even with that, it wouldn't stop him from training. It seemed to be the only thing that cleared his head, helped him think through problems. No matter how much he hated fighting, the act of it had a calming affect.

Though today he couldn't shake something. Something important was staring him right in the face and he just couldn't for the life of him figure it out. He sighed as he wiped his face with the towel he had brought along, looking down at the weapons and other items he had brought with him. Among them was a dagger, one of the most beautiful handcrafted ones he had seen - Yet he had found it, right in this area. No one seemed to care that it was missing. Nor could he figure out what had caused the ground around it to be red. It was confusing to him and he wanted to know why.

He sighed, decided to pack up and call it a day. As he was shoving his things back into his bag, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.  The fighter looked up and he saw Chen, with that he was instantly relaxing - atleast he didn't have to worry about being attacked today.

“Hey Chen, I’m about to leave if you need the area.” 

============ Chen almost breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Tao in the training yard. That meant at least he was armed and alert. He'd counted on the fact that Tao seemed to train as much as he did. However that still didn't mean his place was safe. Chen was not happy that he'd have to reveal what he did to another person, but just because he worked for the order didn't mean he didn't have a moral justice of right and wrong. Chen shook his head taking a moment to catch his breath. Damn that last mission"

"No,I was looking for you. We do not have a lot of time for me to explain everything," He looked around and spoke low so only Tao could hear" but believe me when I say there is a hit out on the new leader of the Antiva"  

He did not expect Tao to react well to that information. He knew he wouldn't but they did not have alot of time and Chen wasn't at 100%. His only advantage right now was that he knew the skills and style of everyone who'd been at the meeting. Chen himself was the orders best kept secret, his face was always shrouded in shadow.

He held up his hands and arms away from his body, his side was already protesting but he ignored it." I don't expect you to trust me right now, but being exposed right now is not the best idea, your place might not be safe either. Will you come with me?"

[randirusso]

oh, it's not so!

I recently read on someone's music blog (blog shall remain nameless for two reasons; one is that I can't remember which one it was because I've been reading so many lately & I read this several days ago; two, is obvious... for my own reasons, I would not like to reveal who said this... I am on the cusp of releasing a new record after all, and I don't need to go about pissing anybody off right now -- but with number one, who needs to concern themselves with number two?)...

ANYWAY... so yeah, I recently read something on someone's blog about how Radiohead's no-notice release of King of Limbs was changing the paradigm of how bands, large and small, no longer need to follow the old school way of releasing a record (used to be three months notice to give press enough lead time). Well, I agree that the whole explosion of online music journalism totally crushing print has changed it somewhat.  But, in no way can you lop in an unknown (or lesser-known) artist with a band as well-known as Radiohead. Sure, the paradigm hugely shifted for them. That's because they can shape it any which way and the journalists will follow. And major props to them... I think every large name in the business should do this... a nice, big fuck-you to the industry, as well as it being a way to have more direct contact with their fans. They've elevated their fans' status to that of critics and music snobs... gave them an inside look before the so-n-so's got their sneak peek and had some time to prepare their opinions to spoon-feed the public.

But, we small artists, as much as we've grown in power in some ways, do not have much power in getting journalists to take notice of a new album.  I'm closing in on one month before my record gets released (whatever that means these days when even big record store chains cannot even stay alive), and I'm sending out emails and packages like ever-madly! Sure, I have the old main-stays... wonderful people who have reviewed me in the past and remember me... so I reach out to those people, and they usually do get back... but all the cold-emailing in a world when everybody wants enough attention -- just to get some breathing room -- is such unrewarding work. And publicists, who fully know very well that doing this kind of work is very time-consuming and a pain in the ass, sure do charge a plenty for such a service.  ...which I "get"  but I can't *get* because I don't have the massive funds it requires (on retainer, mind you!), nor a company (a la record company du jour) to front the money (where's an accent grave when you need it?).

No, no... not bitter. Just EXHAUSTED from the amount of work Hidden Target has in front of it -- and all of us artists on the label work it like Willy Loman going door to door. We are our own promoters in addition to being artists, and all that in addition to holding down day jobs.

If only I had a magic slingshot... with a rock just big enough to knock Goliath out for a bit, but no concussion -- and certainly not death! -- just a little mellow time on the ground, so I can play him a new record he hasn't heard before or just needs some downtime to finally listen to it.

So to recap, NO... artists big and small are not the same; the rules have most certainly changed ...but for those who have the stride to take giant leaps. Otherwise, the lesser-known acts still have to walk like a gimp to get anywhere...

And so you have it: Radiohead... THE KING OF LIMBS!!!