Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Jadi Norris: Thanks for My Favorite Range Comment (Possibly Ever)

Posted By on Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 10:12 AM

As you might remember (if the regression therapy hasn't kicked in yet), back in October of 2010, Rodney Glassman thought it would be a super idea to release a YouTube video of himself singing a re-written take on the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic "Sweet Home Alabama":

Somewhat predictably, the video ended up being more of an excuse to mock Glassman than a needed boost in his electability, and there was a little blowback towards Glassman's backing band the Robert Moreno Band and Jadi Norris. Apparently, Norris dug deep into Google results for his name last night because he chose to fire back on a long dead comment thread. His cranky, mildly racist, and Tucson bashing post, presented in its entirety, below the cut.

To Devil's Advocate:

CORRECTION: Robert doesn't draw YOUR crowd-nor does he care to.

Thanks for the criticism-I expect nothing less from the person who lives in their Mom's basement and imagines themselves a music critic. I did this as a favor to my friend Robert, with no intent of having my name associated with it, or seeking any kind of acknowledgement for it. In fact, I had gotten off the plane the night before this video after burying my father in North Carolina. I didn't give a damn about Glassman, the campaign, or the video. I was making good on a promise to be there-at eight in the morning and donating my time.
You are right-I do not play in Tucson any more. Tucson Country music scene has been taken over by amateur weekend hacks (you know who you are) and club owners/managers who know little about anything other than turning drunks out on the streets every night.

As for myself, I make no attempt to draw a crowd in Tucson-I make a good living performing repeatedly with my own band at premiere venues in Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, Cheyenne, Tunica, MS, Key West, Fl, etc.
(http://www.youtube.com/user/jumpinarmadill…), opening for national acts, recording commercials, soundtracks, and publishing my own songs. I have had two chart singles, am presently being played on 200 terrestrial FM and AM stations and 40 internet & satellite stations. My own most recent CD has received FOUR stars from seventeen major national and international magazines, including Robert K. Oermann (look it up) and John Shelton Ivany (look him up too).

I have no desire to impress anyone in Tucson, AZ. The scene here is truly the worst of any metropolitan area I have worked in the last twenty years. Armchair musicians like yourself are a joke. You are obviously a patron of the Maverick-a former great club now on life-support. The bands you mentioned would not, could not even be considered for any discriminating venue. Believe me, if they didn't work for free and build their crowds through drinking and screwing, not even they would be working at the vaunted and once-great Maverick (those qualities are mandatory for long-term employment at the Maverick). The standards have been lowered at that place to an embarrassing level. That's the thing about Tucson country music-it's not about quality of MUSIC, it's about ass-kissing and the lowest-common denominator. Nepotism and racism (yep, I said it-and you know what I mean-(No Habla? No job) are alive and well in the local music scene-in spite of the facade of Kumbaya that Tucson artists wrap themselves in. I have worked in Nashville, Orlando, Dallas, and other actual MAJOR metropolitan areas around the country and I have to give kudos to Tucson for being the most backwards and unfriendly music scene anywhere. Congratulations. You yourself qualify as both-easily impressed and good at voicing your opinion as long as you can remain anonymous.

No-this joke of a video is no representation of what I can do. This was my helping out a friend, Robert Moreno-who, by the way, is a fireman by trade and regularly puts his life on the line to help bitter little people like yourself. I have seen Robert entertain crowds up to five hundred people-and crowds as small as thirty. Robert has no desire to impress people like you-nor do I. Robert is arguably the most well-known country guy in Tucson, and that is well-earned. Unfortunately, Neil and the Flips cannot come close to his popularity, except maybe among their families. (Are you Neil's mom? Does your son play for Flipside?) I am not in competition with anyone in this town-I don't need to be. I hope your negative comments made you feel superior. It brings the whole music community down when empty-headed and biased comments like yours are posted publicly.

You know, if I were you, I'd want to remain anonymous, too. Your demonstration of ignorance and "uncivil" behavior could prove embarrassing if you actually had the cojones to reveal yourself. I would suggest that you get your head off of the bar and learn about those whom you criticize-as you are ignorant of any other work they might do.

Enjoy the illusion.

One bit of factchecking: Radio tracking service Mediabase does not list a "spin" for any of Norris' songs at the stations they track so far in 2011, although "Home Is Where The Heart Is" was played 43 times on 23 stations late last year.

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