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Ladies and gentlemen, Jam! has arrived in bookstores
Posted by Jay on 29 May 2009
After two-plus years of planning, prodding, hoping and finally, writing, Jam! is now in bookstores. The book I wrote with 38 Special’s Jeff Carlisi and his business partner Dan Lipson, it’s a business-advice book chock full of both rock tales and tips on how to build and maintain your own team. Here, dig the inside-flap copy:
What do the world’s best bands and businesses have in common?
More than you’d think. In fact, the winning teams that built Microsoft, Disney, and Starbucks have much in common with the Rolling Stones and U2.
Like a business, a successful rock band is made up of both visionaries and devoted followers, leaders and team players. But the band only achieves success when the entire group is pulling in the same direction. When all members understand the parts they must play within the group—contributing creatively and playing to their strengths—that’s when the hits start coming.
In JAM! Jeff Carlisi, former lead guitarist and songwriter of 38 Special, tells his own unique story of rising to the top of the charts and the business world, offering one of the most fun, original approaches to team-building and acquired business savvy. Filled with stories of the rock n’ roll life, like that of the architect who became a guitar superstar and the multimillion-selling track that almost never was, this is an insider’s view to making it big and the pitfalls to avoid along the way. Each chapter examines a key moment in the development of a band—formation, early success, internal crises, falling out of the spotlight—and demonstrates how executives can use those lessons to crank their own businesses to eleven.
JAM! also includes insights from seasoned musicians who have played in some of the world’s best-known bands, including the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, the Allman Brothers, Night Ranger, and the bands of Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Joan Jett, and Sheryl Crow.
So how’d all this come about? Friend of a friend stuff. A few years back, I edited a book for a couple of colleagues entitled Enterprise Marketing Management. One of the authors handed the book to Danny, he contacted me, and lo and behold, right before Thanksgiving 2007 I found myself hanging with Carlisi, the guy who co-wrote much of the soundtrack to my high school life. We cooked up the proposal and the basics to the book, then thanks to my agent Adam Chromy, we got hooked up with a fine publisher in Jossey-Bass, and we were off and running.
I spent much of the summer of 2008 writing the book, talking with Jeff and Danny and combining their reminiscences and theories into the final product. But there was also a bit of sweet extracurricular activity too, like the time Jeff taught me how to play “Hold On Loosely” on guitar. It went a little something like this:
We also connected with a bunch of well-known musicians and band members; I interviewed Ricky Byrd (from Joan Jett’s band) and Jack Blades (from Night Ranger) while on vacation last December, and did an interview with Don Felder (former Eagles member) in the emergency lane of I-4 in Florida on the way to Daytona earlier this year. But finally, it all came together, and frankly, I’m pretty darn pleased with the whole thing.
The book is a lot of fun — Jeff’s story of the first night playing with 38’s new singer is Spinal Tap-esque in its painful humor, for instance — and hopefully you’ll learn a little something when you’re through. The Miami Herald calls it “breezy and entertaining,” and really — isn’t that what we all want in a book?
Pick up your copy at Amazon or any major bookstore, and when you do, drop me a line and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
These aren’t the alternative lifestyles you’re looking for
Posted by Jay on 28 Apr 2009
So it appears that the Star Wars universe isn’t exactly a gay-friendly haven, at least if we’re to believe reports about their new MMO are to be believed. Hmmm … I can think of a certain bounty hunter who might disagree:
Lady & The Tramp & Michael Vick: Family Guy FTW
Posted by Jay on 27 Apr 2009
You don’t even need a set-up for this one:
Hope Roger Goodell wasn’t watching.
If Lost were an ’80s action show, this would be its theme song
Posted by Jay on 16 Apr 2009
You know, I kind of love this little ditty:
We needed more shots of either Walt or Young Ben — they’re missing the spunky-kid-and-his-lovable-dog element — but overall, this here’s pretty awesome. Bless you, Internet.
Solved: The mystery of what happens to dead Pac-Men
Posted by Jay on 16 Apr 2009
Presented for your consideration, “Game Over 2″ by artist Scrappers, depicting the sordid side of a beloved ’80s video game:
I always thought that when Pac-Man died, he turned himself inside-out in writhing fits of agony, but maybe that’s yet to come. Wonder what Pac-Man tastes like shish-kebabbed over coals?
My favorite game back in the day was Robotron: 2084. I’d rather not see any kind of real-world deconstruction of that universe; the bodies would be piled up like cordwood. Leisure Suit Larry, though … how has that one not been made into a full-length movie?
Metallica’s James Hetfield has strayed a bit from his thrash roots
Posted by Jay on 14 Apr 2009
Master of Prada, I’m pulling your strings:
That’s just … that’s just precious. 1986 James Hetfield would eat the still-beating heart of the 2009 James Hetfield.
(Hat tip to Idolator.)
Watch carefully, and you may catch a glimpse of the Tiger
Posted by Jay on 06 Apr 2009
Just finished up a day at Augusta National. Plenty to spool out here over the next few days; since Augusta doesn’t look kindly on snapshots being used for commercial gain (i.e. Yahoo and Devil Ball), and since I’m trying to be a good sport and play by the golf media rules these days, I’ll post my shots and videos here, where there’s absolutely no commercial gain whatsoever.
First off is Tiger Woods, the man everyone stalked but almost no one could get in to see. Rumors of his presence were all over the course, but it wasn’t until late in the day that I found him on the practice range. The stairs up to the bleachers were so crowded that I did the old paparazzi-style hold-it-up-and-shoot, but I think it worked out okay:
Man, if I could figure out how to crop, I’d be awesome.
Buy this van, and you probably won’t get caught in the Dharma massacre
Posted by Jay on 30 Mar 2009
For Lost fans, this is great — a collection of “vintage” ads for the early-70s Dharma Initiative products. Jumpsuits, smokes, submarines, computers, and of course that infamous VW van …
Guaranteed to run for thirty years or until the Purge, whichever comes first. Namaste.
(Hat tip: io9.)
The logo for the Metallica NASCAR car this weekend disappoints me
Posted by Jay on 27 Mar 2009
Every so often, two of my obsessions collide, and the result is giddy joy and happiness for me (and usually me alone.) This weekend, NASCAR driver Aric Almirola will be driving a car sponsored by Guitar Hero: Metallica. Sweet, right? Well, sort of. Here’s the art for the car:
Okay, that’s cool and all seeing the Metallica logo on a NASCAR ride, but that’s pretty disappointing. What you need for a NASCAR race is something like this:
Badass, right? That logo would make Jeff Gordon wet his pants. Of course, you could also go for the horror:
All right, that’s a bit horrifying, I grant you. Still, there’s more possibility. I say that they should go straight for the jugular … or other body parts:
Yeah, there’s probably a reason why they don’t consult me on these things.
You will buy Jam! in May. You will see this cover and you will buy.
Posted by Jay on 26 Mar 2009
Presenting the cover to Jam!, the book I co-wrote with 38 Special’s Jeff Carlisi and Dan Lipson. It’s a business-advice book, with groupies, and you should buy it when it comes out on May 18 no matter whether you like business, or 38 Special, or even books in general. You should buy it because you love me.
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Jay Busbee runs Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR blog From The Marbles and golf blog Devil Ball, as well as Atlanta Magazine's Atlanta sports blog Right Down Peachtree. He also writes for damn near anybody who'll throw him a buck and a byline, including ESPN.com, Esquire.com, Slam, Arcana Studio and elsewhere.
Contact Jay by clicking right here or follow him on Twitter, whichever.