Monty Byrom owes me five bucks - By N.L. Belardes
Oh yes he does. Just ask him. Oh don’t worry, it’s OK. I don’t mind spending five bucks here and there, especially on a good friendship. You might be asking, “Did Monty Byrom’s friendship really cost that much?”
That and some change. Read on…
Last week I received a cryptic message in my email inbox that for the most part said: “Monty Byrom wants to meet you.”
“Oh sure. I can do that,” I responded. But why? Why did Monty want to meet me? Did he use up his allotted lunch dates with Bakersfield Bob? Or was it that Bakersfield Bob would meet with him but never attend shows? Now that’s strange. Why would you interview someone, or eat lunch with them, write about your meeting, then never attend a show?
Why would you accept a book from someone, meet them in a lobby to receive the book, and then tell that person you would never review that book or write about it?
Very strange. Entertain your thoughts on that one…
Back to Byrom.
I wandered down to Jags coffeehouse last week and saw Monty hanging out, lurking about, checking out some of the crafts in the quaint old coffeehouse. I walked up and right away he knew it was me and vice versa. Here was the man from the big-time blues band, Big House; writer of glam rock’s heyday; Billy Satellite frontman from the early days of MTV; Eddie Money’s producer/writer; the blues gent who rubbed noses with everyone from the Grateful Dead, Grace Slick, Barbara Streisand, and untold list of songwriters and producers who worked with Elton John, Joe Cocker, James Brown, and more. The list is too long.
Monty is a tall guy. Must have been intimidating back in the early MTV days looking down from tall stages into the roaring 80s crowds. He picked up a gift and ordered coffees.
“We don’t take credit cards,” the lady behind the register said.
Monty came up short. Lucky, I had five bucks in my pocket.
“Oh you’re going to have fun with this one,” he said.
“Hey, I’d rather you owe me,” I chuckled handing over the cash.
Soon enough we were outside sitting in the warm afternoon heat. Christmas just around the corner, a heat streak had landed on Bakersfield.
“So what are you promoting,” I asked straight up. “You have a CD coming out? What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to meet you,” he said. “I’ve been reading your site. I like how you say the things people won’t say or wish they’d said.”
Nice cover-up. Monty Byrom is wrapping up a new CD. But Monty’s an ‘old school’ networking genius. He simply makes friends. There’s nothing sophisticated about such a tactic. It’s an honest approach. Why not? If you’re a real friend, then you’re in a friendship to make friends, and so you say you want “Nothing more.” That’s because, if people believe in you, they naturally help. I believe in that. If you have someone who says they are a friend but who wouldn’t give you the shirt off their back just as you would… Well, where is that friendship?
Show people your real side. People like Monty have dealt with so many shady characters in their career they can surely see through falsities. They can play the game, but they’re sick of the game…
Show people you want to help. That you’re honest. And that you’re a fighter for what’s right. And don’t blog about the famous just because you want people to see who you had lunch with.
Forget the politics regarding artist’s visions that might make YOU famous. Forget all that.
I’m with Monty. This guy gave me the biggest realization of the music and art scene I have ever heard. And he said it straight up and painted a vision like I was watching a movie. Our conversation was honest, trustworthy, revealing, and showed a commitment between artists on a simple level that only required coffee, a table and head nods in agreement. An agreement on what? That the big world of money-making and publishing is too revolved around the prestige of a few whose music awards take away from the hard workers of the global scene: folks who never see royalties from global sales…
Monty’s stories are what makes movies good: they’re rough-and-tumble survival, filled with conflict and narrative story-telling of a revealing nature; his stories climb to a glorious level, then fall destructively to the depths of an artist’s bare soul... “I stood there with all the big MCA people. The head of distribution, the head of radio, the head of marketing, all in a big room. I had my speech scripted before I looked into their eyes and said, ‘Isn’t it your goal to sell records?’ And that’s when I learned that it’s not the goal of the companies to sell records. It’s their goal to win awards, to win prestige… the day I received word I had a number one hit I said over the phone, ‘I need money to get to the next town. I can’t make it. I’ve got an empty tank.’ Where was all the money? We were selling 5000 albums a week. Wasn't that enough?”
Monty’s records for Big House outsold every other artist in Nashville at the time. But Big House got little airplay. That’s why he was in the meeting with the big boys; to find the truth.
“Big House was never meant to be a band. Those were just guys I played with for years who I jammed with. It grew from there… In Nashville, when we got our break at the Blue Bird Café it was just by luck. We were never a country band. We were a blues band. We were booked at the Blue Bird in Nashville at the last minute and they said, ‘We don’t allow drums’.”
And that’s no lie. Check out this text right from the Blue Bird Café site:
The Bluebird Cafe has gained a reputation worldwide for presenting the best original country and acoustic music seven nights a week. Performers do not generally play "cover" songs. Musicians do not jam here, and songwriters frequently are accompanied by just one guitar or piano.
As a listening room, quiet is requested at all times during a performance - which is why our slogan has become "Shhh!" You are welcome to drink and eat with us at any time, but if you are looking for an evening of conversation there are more appropriate places in Nashville. Between the sets you will undoubtedly have plenty to talk about!
New writers who have passed our audition process can be heard every Sunday night - it's a great opportunity to hear from tomorrow's hitmakers. Writers night on Sunday is free and we have a special guest hit songwriter as the finale every Sunday.
“How could we play without drums? We talked them into it but had to pad them. Turned into one of our biggest shows ever. Eleven record companies approached us after the show. The offers were enormous. How could we refuse? They pulled cards out of their coat pockets and spoke out of the sides of their mouth: 'Hey I'm so-and-so from such-and-such records...' MCA and Sony were there…”
You don’t refuse numbers like the numbers Monty whispered. Those are the numbers Bakersfield bands dream of, LA bands dream of, San Francisco and Seattle bands dream of…
But then MCA pulled the rug out. I didn’t ask why. It is important to know that’s what happens in the industry. The rug eventually comes out from under you.
Monty Byrom walked the streets of the music industry three times. Three times.
Not many famous performers have had so many chances. I was just a snotty-nosed youth watching people like Byrom in Billy Satellite on MTV. That was my generation; the generation that watched music unfold through unstoppable television during a non-war era. We were the voyeurs of the post-modern music television age. No, Elvis and the Beatles didn’t count. They weren’t on 24-hour music channels. But, Byrom was.
“Hey Monty,” I said. “Ever wonder why I never came to one of your shows?”
“You came to a show. You came to one, I think.”
“Nope. Never attended.”
“Then, yes, I wonder why you never came to a show.”
Because I thought someone like you would never give me the time of day. What would you want to do with a little home grown music and art blog and an unknown novelist?”
And here was Monty just making friends.
I snapped some pictures. “Your publicist says I need to take good pictures.” I said. “I told her I need to write a blog with the ten ugliest photos never used on nlbelardes.com.”
No, not one of us is getting any younger, Monty. Not a one of us.
That and some change. Read on…
Last week I received a cryptic message in my email inbox that for the most part said: “Monty Byrom wants to meet you.”
“Oh sure. I can do that,” I responded. But why? Why did Monty want to meet me? Did he use up his allotted lunch dates with Bakersfield Bob? Or was it that Bakersfield Bob would meet with him but never attend shows? Now that’s strange. Why would you interview someone, or eat lunch with them, write about your meeting, then never attend a show?
Why would you accept a book from someone, meet them in a lobby to receive the book, and then tell that person you would never review that book or write about it?
Very strange. Entertain your thoughts on that one…
Back to Byrom.
I wandered down to Jags coffeehouse last week and saw Monty hanging out, lurking about, checking out some of the crafts in the quaint old coffeehouse. I walked up and right away he knew it was me and vice versa. Here was the man from the big-time blues band, Big House; writer of glam rock’s heyday; Billy Satellite frontman from the early days of MTV; Eddie Money’s producer/writer; the blues gent who rubbed noses with everyone from the Grateful Dead, Grace Slick, Barbara Streisand, and untold list of songwriters and producers who worked with Elton John, Joe Cocker, James Brown, and more. The list is too long.
Monty is a tall guy. Must have been intimidating back in the early MTV days looking down from tall stages into the roaring 80s crowds. He picked up a gift and ordered coffees.
“We don’t take credit cards,” the lady behind the register said.
Monty came up short. Lucky, I had five bucks in my pocket.
“Oh you’re going to have fun with this one,” he said.
“Hey, I’d rather you owe me,” I chuckled handing over the cash.
Soon enough we were outside sitting in the warm afternoon heat. Christmas just around the corner, a heat streak had landed on Bakersfield.
“So what are you promoting,” I asked straight up. “You have a CD coming out? What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to meet you,” he said. “I’ve been reading your site. I like how you say the things people won’t say or wish they’d said.”
Nice cover-up. Monty Byrom is wrapping up a new CD. But Monty’s an ‘old school’ networking genius. He simply makes friends. There’s nothing sophisticated about such a tactic. It’s an honest approach. Why not? If you’re a real friend, then you’re in a friendship to make friends, and so you say you want “Nothing more.” That’s because, if people believe in you, they naturally help. I believe in that. If you have someone who says they are a friend but who wouldn’t give you the shirt off their back just as you would… Well, where is that friendship?
Show people your real side. People like Monty have dealt with so many shady characters in their career they can surely see through falsities. They can play the game, but they’re sick of the game…
Show people you want to help. That you’re honest. And that you’re a fighter for what’s right. And don’t blog about the famous just because you want people to see who you had lunch with.
Forget the politics regarding artist’s visions that might make YOU famous. Forget all that.
I’m with Monty. This guy gave me the biggest realization of the music and art scene I have ever heard. And he said it straight up and painted a vision like I was watching a movie. Our conversation was honest, trustworthy, revealing, and showed a commitment between artists on a simple level that only required coffee, a table and head nods in agreement. An agreement on what? That the big world of money-making and publishing is too revolved around the prestige of a few whose music awards take away from the hard workers of the global scene: folks who never see royalties from global sales…
Monty’s stories are what makes movies good: they’re rough-and-tumble survival, filled with conflict and narrative story-telling of a revealing nature; his stories climb to a glorious level, then fall destructively to the depths of an artist’s bare soul... “I stood there with all the big MCA people. The head of distribution, the head of radio, the head of marketing, all in a big room. I had my speech scripted before I looked into their eyes and said, ‘Isn’t it your goal to sell records?’ And that’s when I learned that it’s not the goal of the companies to sell records. It’s their goal to win awards, to win prestige… the day I received word I had a number one hit I said over the phone, ‘I need money to get to the next town. I can’t make it. I’ve got an empty tank.’ Where was all the money? We were selling 5000 albums a week. Wasn't that enough?”
Monty’s records for Big House outsold every other artist in Nashville at the time. But Big House got little airplay. That’s why he was in the meeting with the big boys; to find the truth.
“Big House was never meant to be a band. Those were just guys I played with for years who I jammed with. It grew from there… In Nashville, when we got our break at the Blue Bird Café it was just by luck. We were never a country band. We were a blues band. We were booked at the Blue Bird in Nashville at the last minute and they said, ‘We don’t allow drums’.”
And that’s no lie. Check out this text right from the Blue Bird Café site:
The Bluebird Cafe has gained a reputation worldwide for presenting the best original country and acoustic music seven nights a week. Performers do not generally play "cover" songs. Musicians do not jam here, and songwriters frequently are accompanied by just one guitar or piano.
As a listening room, quiet is requested at all times during a performance - which is why our slogan has become "Shhh!" You are welcome to drink and eat with us at any time, but if you are looking for an evening of conversation there are more appropriate places in Nashville. Between the sets you will undoubtedly have plenty to talk about!
New writers who have passed our audition process can be heard every Sunday night - it's a great opportunity to hear from tomorrow's hitmakers. Writers night on Sunday is free and we have a special guest hit songwriter as the finale every Sunday.
“How could we play without drums? We talked them into it but had to pad them. Turned into one of our biggest shows ever. Eleven record companies approached us after the show. The offers were enormous. How could we refuse? They pulled cards out of their coat pockets and spoke out of the sides of their mouth: 'Hey I'm so-and-so from such-and-such records...' MCA and Sony were there…”
You don’t refuse numbers like the numbers Monty whispered. Those are the numbers Bakersfield bands dream of, LA bands dream of, San Francisco and Seattle bands dream of…
But then MCA pulled the rug out. I didn’t ask why. It is important to know that’s what happens in the industry. The rug eventually comes out from under you.
Monty Byrom walked the streets of the music industry three times. Three times.
Not many famous performers have had so many chances. I was just a snotty-nosed youth watching people like Byrom in Billy Satellite on MTV. That was my generation; the generation that watched music unfold through unstoppable television during a non-war era. We were the voyeurs of the post-modern music television age. No, Elvis and the Beatles didn’t count. They weren’t on 24-hour music channels. But, Byrom was.
“Hey Monty,” I said. “Ever wonder why I never came to one of your shows?”
“You came to a show. You came to one, I think.”
“Nope. Never attended.”
“Then, yes, I wonder why you never came to a show.”
Because I thought someone like you would never give me the time of day. What would you want to do with a little home grown music and art blog and an unknown novelist?”
And here was Monty just making friends.
I snapped some pictures. “Your publicist says I need to take good pictures.” I said. “I told her I need to write a blog with the ten ugliest photos never used on nlbelardes.com.”
No, not one of us is getting any younger, Monty. Not a one of us.
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Tuesday, December 27, 2005.
You can leave your response.
Not getting any younger? What a novel idea, you mean we only get older? Hmmm, well I'll always be young! Younger than you anyways. Congrats on your new friend.
Nick
This is good and real stuff. Let me help you do some more of this. You could call this series Legends part one. I saw Billy Satellite at Suds Tavern,now it's Azuls.
Old Rockfish
I loved Billy Satelite. Did everyone know they recorded a second cd that was never release. How can I get a copy of this is the question :) Nice article!
Nick,
I got to your blog through Monty's site and read your interview.
Tell you what,if you haven't seen one of his shows yet you should.If you don't like it,I'll give you the five bucks myself.
He is the absolute best vocalist I have ever heard.And there is no-one,anywhere,that plays guitar better than Monty Byrom.Enjoy.
All the best.
Sammy Eubanks,
Coeur D Alene Id.
Monty is a friend of a friend and I had the opportunity to hear him play with my husband's garage band...he was absolutely amazing and blew us all away...anytime you have the chance, check him out! I acquired a copy of a CD he recently did of cover songs - it is awesome, his version of Dear Prudence ROCKS!
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