Let’s see… where did I leave off?
Oh yeah. I was crying like a little girl about having to blog more, and my business partners had just offered me a Kleenex.
ME: I can’t…(sob)…breathe…(sob)…in the blogosphere.
THEM: Here’s a tissue. Take the box. It’s a good thing you don’t act in your own movies, because you have zero believability.
This, frankly, hurt my feelings. I started rocking back and forth like Rainman in my Aeron chair, counting prime numbers with my fingers. This seemed to alarm them, as if maybe they’d pushed me too far. I could feel their resolve starting to crumble. Steve: 1 / Intervention: nil
Then one of them waved his Flip videocam in my face and threatened to post the footage he’d just secretly captured. Checkmate.
ME: So what do I blog about?
THEM: Blog about anything. Quantity is more important than quality.
ME: You mean, like mid-career Prince?
THEM: Huh?
ME: Give me examples.
THEM: Well… What would the Most Interesting Man In America blog about? Philosophy? Technology’s two-edged sword? The inner life of the aesthete? The age-old dialectic between art and commerce?
ME: No. No. What’s an aesthete? And no.
THEM: How about we post all those old music videos you directed and you can do a written director’s commentary? That way you can disguise your self-aggrandizement as an act of public service to your ever-shrinking fan base, all while reminding yourself of mistakes not to repeat when you finally make the movie?
ME: Hmm.
THEM (going for the kill): Blogging’s like a beauty contest. And the public is the panel of judges. You’re trying to convince the widest audience possible that you’re pretty.
ME (nodding solemnly): You’ve finally used a metaphor I can relate to.
So that’s the plan. I’m going to blog about stuff we can all relate to, like how I got those twins to cry in the “On The Fritz” video. And maybe I’ll blog about stuff that’s obscure, too. (I’ll shoot for one or two posts a week.) You’re going to tell people I’m pretty. And this will all make for a better movie.
The request lines are open.
Ok–I love your movies, well, ok your one movie, so far
Second Chance was amazing. Who knew Smitty could act? Anyways, what I and I am sure everyone else wants to know is, wait for it…. When will the ever relevant Steve Taylor come back to music and save all out ears from the drivel that is out there nowadays? I would ask when will you return to “christian” music, but I think we can all agree that that idea of music has run its course. Yes, we need your movies , Steve, ( I personally can’t wait for “Blue Like Jazz”-an amazing book that changed my faith and my life) but it is and was your music that got me through teenage-hood and most of my 20’s and yes even my 30’s. Your music was ahead of it’s time and is as relevant today as it was when it was released!! We need Steve Taylor and Some Band back in the world of music!! Save us Steve from the mindless, mind-numbing fluff that now passes as music.
mid-career Prince………now THAT’S funny!
(cash cow rules)
Now we have to see that Flip videocam footage! Just go ahead and share it since TMZ will get their hands on it anyway. And the mid-career Prince reference… brilliant!
Wait…WHAT?!? Prince reached a midway point?!? I need to get on the Interwebz more often.
P.S. Thankfully I won’t be breaking any of the Decalogues by announcing your beauty either. I can sleep well tonight
how about a music project?
Brilliant! Seriously ….
I’m ready for you to finish this movie so:
#1 – I can watch it.
#2 – You’ll have some free time and can get on with the Chagall Guevara reunion! (Second record, anyone?)
Fred has hit the nail precisely on the head. Music desperately needs Steve Taylor. Those of us who have been fans ever since “I want to be a clone” have listened for one thing: what Steve Taylor has to say. Not that you’re not an OK singer or musical composer, but the *lyrics* are why we listen.
“Philosophy? Technology’s two-edged sword? The inner life of the aesthete? The age-old dialectic between art and commerce?” – I would pay money to hear Steve Taylor pontificate on all of those things. “The Most Interesting Man in America” isn’t too far from the mark, in my opinion. But then, i’m not American.
P.S. Before you scoff and change the subject to something more comfortable, like interventions, hear us out. I felt like you were just hitting your stride as a solo artist when you released “Squint”. The first five tracks of that album (plus Cash Cow, of course) were some of the finest moments in music that i would care to mention. Your involvement may end up being more in production and songwriting, but music REALLY needs you.
to all,
let’s start a campaign to push steve to do some music (solo or chagall) while becoming a great movie director. it’s been 15-17 years since we’ve heard that profound quirky guy.
let the pressure begin.
Ever-shrinking fan base? I think not! Who but a devoted fan would be scouring the web for “harder to believe than not to” chord charts this week (no luck, by the way, care to help out)? Your songs changed our lives! We are still out there, Steve! Blog, please!
Woo-hooooo! Steve’s gonna say more stuff!
I like when Steve says stuff.
“Ever-shrinking fan base” more describes Donald Miller than you, for sure my friend. When I heard you were directing this mockumentary, I was excited and ready for a good laugh. Guess these money-grubbing business partners aren’t so much so. And I agree with Paul’s comment: “music desperately needs Steve Taylor”… please.
You’re very pretty. Keep it up.
Don’t flinch Mr. Taylor – but your post here actually got me to broach the general theme of Christianity with a co-worker.
Hey – I’m timid, he’s a music lover and just as cynical as I am. We also write blogs for a living and had to sit through yet another blog planning session – PERFECT!
Muahaha!
Sorry – no uplifting beyond that, but hey – it’s something.
*eyeshifts and goes to book mark the site*
Didn’t know half the stuff you were working on. Now I do
I just stumbled across this blog while try to find out what has happened to Steve Taylor. Like many of the people here his music has had a huge impact on me (and my husband who first introduced me to his music & Christianity – but that’s another story all together).
I loved the movie the Second Chance and am definitely looking forward to this one as well.
And I echo the other comments that say we need more music like Steve’s. Too much just sounds the same these days. Where has the creativity gone?
Looking forward to reading/seeing/hearing more.
“You’ve finally used a metaphor I can relate to.”
This line and something like the build-up to it should probably appear in a screenplay. SO very rich.
Last time you blogged was on my little sister’s birthday. It is now June. almost July… Maybe this is why you didn’t want to start.