Insider Column 23

An insider's look at Townsend...
Chapter Twenty-three


December 8, 2001

Here it is, Saturday night and I’ve decided to write an insider’s column. It’s better than watching the Wizard of Oz for the umpteen time. If are a first time visitor to this column, you might find yourself confused; t isn’t likely that it will make any sense. This column is primarily directed at those Townsend fans that are going through Townsend withdrawals.

I’m thinking that this might be my last column on the Townsend site. I know, I know, I said that before. I’m not sure, maybe I’ll write one more after this. That’s not to say that I’m going to give up the column. I’m thinking that I’ll move it. Todd asked Wendy and me to do a website for him. So, what the heck, we might just do that, and then I’ll move my column to that site. It seems like no matter what I write in my column I manage to upset someone. Usually it’s one of the guys or one of their family members. I think that the only person I haven’t irritated yet is Todd. No, wait. I seem to recall irritating him with one of my earlier columns. I am sure that the only reason that I haven’t irritated Todd lately is because he stopped reading my column four or five months ago. At least that’s what he says. I look at it this way; if he doesn’t read it I couldn’t possibly irritate him. If he won’t let me write my column for his site, maybe one of the Townsend fan sites will let me post my column. I bet if I write in verse, Tamara will let me post it on the Townsend Street Team site.

As some of you may have heard, Wendy and I were planning on taking this site down on December 5th. I figured that we had met our obligation and had exceeded our usefulness. Well, it looks like we will be leaving it up for a while longer. The guys will be way to busy for a while to worry about coming up with a new website. Their management is also very busy, so we’ll keep this one going for as long as it is needed. Ya know, maybe we’ll just convert this site to Todd’s site after Townsend gets their new site. Of course we will have to come up with a new domain name. Let’s see, how about the SonOfTrex.com, or TownsendTodd.com, or maybe townsendt&t.com?

How many of you read my Halloween story before I took it down? Several of you asked me to email you a copy of the finished story. Actually, there are two different final versions to the story. There is the one that I wrote and the one that Wendy wrote. Big difference! In the one that she wrote she included T Rex in the story. Of course T Rex died in the end. Wendy figured that was a good way to let you know that we were no longer going to do the Townsend website. Maybe I’ll rewrite the final version and post it on Todd’s website. Todd’s website is going to be a lot of fun. I think that I’m going to take the tabloid approach to writing it. "TODD WAS RAISED BY SPACE ALLIENS" "T REX IS A COLAGINOUS CREATURE FROM MARS" "TODD WAS BORN WITH WEBBED FEET" "TODD WAS A BEAUTIFUL BABY"

Todd dropped off a CD scratch copy of one of their new songs. Actually, it’s a cover song. I haven’t been authorized to tell you the name of the song, but I can tell you that the song is awesome. There is some talk that they might release this one as a single. I am serious; this song is awesome. If I had to describe it, I would have to say that it is hip-pop-rock. I have to LOL every time I listen to it. When I first started working with the guys many months ago I told them that they needed a little more rock in their pop. They all looked at me like I was off my ROCKer. After listening to their new song I feel vindicated. I LOVE it. If it doesn’t bust the charts, I will bust someone’s chops.

Todd also gave me a copy of their new version of Understand This. It’s much better. I have yet to hear their other two new songs. Todd and the others have been spending a lot of time in the studio. Between the studio, vocal lessons and preparing for the tour, I hardly see Todd anymore. I’ve seen the other guys twice in the last two months. Three months ago I was seeing the guys several days per week. Now I never see them. I must say that going from fully involved to barely involved has not been without a few heartaches.

Talking about heartaches, over the last two months or so I have received a dozen or so emails asking me what is going on with the guys and their new management. It seems that we have a few concerned fans in our midst. It’s mostly coming from some of the original Townsend fans that believe that they are seeing a change in the Townsend attitude and management philosophy and even the personality of the guys. Todd and I chatted about this a few days ago. We agreed that I should discuss it in my column. My intent is to provide some explanation to the fans on what has happened and why they (the fans) should not be concerned. Todd understands why some of the fans may feel that the guys have changed and why it may seem that "management" isn’t as much fun as it once was. He also understands why some of the fans may believe that "security" is rude. He understands it and he wants you to understand it, because if you do understand, you will not be concerned.

In spite of what it may look like, the guys have not changed. We’re just not in a position to see all that is going on. Never assume that perception is reality. More often than not reality is somewhere between perception and desire. Let me explain. It may be our desire that the Townsend guy’s walk on water, that they have time for everyone, and that they are perfect in every respect. Our perception is that they are changing and that they no longer care as much about us as they used to. The reality of it is that they never walked on water. We just wanted them to. They are the same great guys that they were when we first met them except now they are required to focus their energies elsewhere.

I’m going to do something that may irritate some folks. I’m going to talk about management kind of stuff. Many of the complaints that I have heard lately are that the new Townsend Management Team doesn’t seem to care about the fans as much as "T Rex" did. I want to explain the difference between how I managed Townsend and how the new management is and will likely continue to manage the group. This will also explain why many of you have notice a difference in the apparent behavior of the guys.

The most important thing to realize is that my job was totally different from what Townsend’s new manager’s job is. They signed with a management company that’s primary purpose is to help the guys make money. They are running a business. My job was not to make money!! My job was to get Townsend signed to a reputable management company. What I did was a horse of a different color (Okay, so I did watch the Wizard of Oz). Most management companies, if not all, are not likely to sign a totally unknown band unless they believe that they have a better than even chance of making them successful. Let’s face it; it takes a bunch of cash to make a band successful, especially a "boy" band. My job was to make these guys look good enough to interest a personal management company. They had to be able to sing and dance but that was not enough. I never would have gotten involved to the extent that I did unless I believed that they had the necessary talent. Remember, my job had nothing to do with making money.

My job was all about marketing an image. The first thing that we had to do was show that they had what it took to excite fans. That came naturally for the guys. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how to take advantage of what the guys had to offer. The guys were naturally charming and caring (they still are). It was their job to make fans. It was my job to help keep the fans interested. That was simple for me. I love young folks and if God gave me a gift it was the ability to understand and reach youngsters. With Wendy’s help, and the help of about a dozen or so totally loyal fans we were able to keep the new fans interested in Townsend . No big thing, all I had to do was write an Insider’s Column, spend a couple hours each day responding to email from the fans, and hang out with the fans at performances and meet and greets while being myself.

Part of what I did was to make the fans feel important. That was also easy, because that is the way the guys felt. I just put it in writing for the guys and made sure that everyone realized it. I also made sure that the fans participated as much as possible in the growth of Townsend. They liked it, the guys liked it and it was a critical element in marketing Townsend. Some of the original fans have spent countless hours supporting Townsend. More often than not, the fans did it without any reward other than the occasional mention in the insider’s column. For those of you that have been around for a while, you also know that the website played a critical role in making the fans feel like they were part of Townsend. It was used to keep the fans interested and involved in between Townsend appearances. Thanks Wendy!

Early on in the evolution of Townsend the guys had more time for their loyal long time fans. Not that the guys were always perfect. Occasionally, one of them would slip up and irritate a fan, never intentionally. It was usually because they were tired or because their mind was preoccupied with something that they were concerned about. No big thing, when that happened I would deal with it. If I didn’t, one of the long time fans would help me. Times were easy. We were all having fun.

Let’s face it, management companies are willing to take a chance when a group can show that it knows how to reach and keep fans. Once that happens the ground rules change. During the early stages of the change there is a transition period where the band/group has to adjust to a new way of doing business. Their emphasis must change. They are being "managed" very closely. Good for the guys if they want to achieve their career goals, frustrating for some fans that knew the guys when they had more control over their own affairs.

Also during this transition period the new management team has to figure out what works well for the group. Every good manager recognizes that with change comes pain. There is a learning curve for everyone involved with the group, including the fans. Does that mean that their new management team doesn’t care about the fans? Does that mean that security is too protective? Does that mean that the guys do not really care about the fans as much as we led you to believe? No! That is not what it means!

When T Rex was Townsend’s manager the fans had the opportunity to be more involved and to spend more time with the guys. Right now, neither the guys nor the fans have the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company as much as they had in the past. Are the guys happy about this? No! Even though it may seem like the guys have forgotten some of their loyal fans, I can assure you that that is not the case. Townsend will never forget their fans. They miss you as much as you miss them. This I know for a fact. There just are not enough hours in the day to do everything that they need to do let alone what they want to do. So, be understanding when their management tries to keep the guys focused on the business side of things. Do not be upset when their security has to be concerned about the liability associated with the guy’s desire to actively involve themselves with the fans. I was lucky; my job was to make it fun for the guys and the fans. That’s still important. Except now it is just one important piece in a larger more complicated puzzle.

One unfortunate side effect of the Townsend growing pains is the tiny little bit of friction that seems to be developing between some of the fans. Not a big thing, "what we have here is a failure to communicate". Speaking of communications, who reads Dear Abby? Ya know, maybe I should replace my Insider’s Column with a Dear Bobby column. I’m not suggesting that I would be any good at providing advice to preteens, teens and post-teens. Every now and then I get an email from a Townsend fan asking me for advice. It amazes me at times that young ladies actually ask me for advice. Heck, Todd doesn’t even ask me for advice. But, now that I think of it, my daughter Tami occasionally asks me for advice.

I have to tell you, that the fans are the number one reason that Wendy and I have agreed to stay involved in support of Townsend. Townsend’s manager, Robert Hayes, asked us to stay involved because he feels the same way that we do about the fans. Eventually, we will be replaced. It may be in 30 days, it may be longer. Who knows? Townsend is about friends and fans. We will do our best to make sure that you all know that. And, if that means that I irritate a few people along the way, so be it. Townsend fans rock!

T Rex

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