Two Piece and A Biscuit...

We've moved!

2011-07-13T01:08:00.000-04:00

We are pleased to announce that we now have an official website. Make sure to check us out and pass on this great piece of news!

Does Today's Music Represent Today's Youth...

2011-07-10T21:52:00.000-04:00

Here at Two Piece And A Biscuit, we make it a point to remain unbiased on all the topics we cover. However, because music is our "beat", if you will here and we have such a great passion for it, it is becomes very hard to remain unbiased at times when talking about the current state of music.

We had a great opportunity to speak with two young ladies, Tiffany age 25 and Jessica, age 24. We wanted to know how they felt about today's music and if it represents them. We were able to gain great insight into what type of music fits them as individuals and where they would like to see music transition, if at all.

What do you think? Are you fed-up with today's music? What things need to change in order for it to best represent you? Please leave your comments below. Also, be sure to re-post the video and have this discussion with your audience.

A Review of Baltimore's Music Scene...

2011-06-26T23:36:00.003-04:00

Earlier this month, Two Piece And A Biscuit had a wonderful opportunity to speak with concert promoter and DJ, 2Tru. On the heels of a successful concert in Baltimore, The Friday Night Jazz Club Host spoke with us about his method of preparing for his radio program, his overall view on Baltimore's music scene and his hope for the city of Baltimore.

Be sure to tune in to the Friday Night Jazz Club every Friday night 8p-12a on WEAA 88.9FM or on the web.

Interview with 2Tru of the Friday Night Jazz Club

Be sure to comment below and let us know what you think.

Conversation Preview...

2011-06-18T21:41:00.001-04:00

Next week on Two Piece And A Biscuit, we bring you a discussion we had with radio show host and concert promoter, 2Tru. In our conversation we talk about the Baltimore music scene, the struggles of a promoter and 2Tru's hope for Baltimore music.

Here's a preview of our conversation.

Be sure to join us next week on Two Piece And A Biscuit.

How To Create The Next BIG Thing: A Pop Star Tutorial...

2011-06-11T23:43:00.011-04:00

Teen sensation Rebecca Black seemingly became an overnight pop star with her single about her favorite day of the week, "Friday". Currently, this song has garnered nearly 164 MILLION hits on YouTube.

It's been spoofed, attacked, loved by some and hated by others. Whether you can relate to this song or not, it is a hit and has pushed Rebecca Black into the spotlight.

What does it take to create the next Rebecca Black? Is it a simple process? Here at Two Piece And A Biscuit, we thought we'd take a poke at what it would take to create the next pop star.

What do you think? Were we accurate with our steps? Do you think it's that easy? Did we over simplify the process? Let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to post this and see what your friends think.

Learning the Keys Of A Successful Production...

2011-06-06T21:33:00.003-04:00

courtesy of 20th Century Fox

The Summertime seems to be the biggest money maker for many major film studios. Big budget films consisting of high action and big hollywood names tend to dominate the box office.

Movies like X-Men: First Class and Kung Fu Panda 2 do not just come together haphazardly. There is an ingenious process involved when it comes to making these and many other top selling Hollywood movies.

courtesy of Dreamworks

With the help of Twelve Gates To The City Entertainment founder and CEO Tameka J. Harris, we've put together this presentation to give you a basic idea of what it take to make your favorite movies come to life.

We'd like to know what you think. Add more keys or suggestions in the comment box below.

Independent Artists Find Advantages To Not Being Signed...

2011-05-29T23:14:00.003-04:00

Over the past few years, the term "Indie Artist" has gained much attention in the world of music. JMD Distributions, the largest online music distributor, defines "Indie Artist" as a "colloquial term for artists not signed under a record label." However, the attention gained has now always translated into signed record deals for many artist.

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines Music as "vocal or instrumental sounds (or both)to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion" Over the past few hundred years, this harmonious form of expression has boomed into one of the most lucrative businesses worldwide. With such a general definition of music, why aren't more independent artists signed to major deals? Do independent artists see more benefits in remaining independent?

Recently, Two Piece And A Biscuit had to the opportunity to speak with PJ Morton. Morton is an independent artist who's musical talents have gained him much acclaim. During our interview with PJ, we asked him some of the benefits and challenges that come with being an independent artist.

"The benefits are definitely the freedom Says Morton". Not only creatively but schedule wise. You can release an album when YOU want to. You can do a tour when YOU want to.

"The biggest challenge is no question the financial position. Yes it is true that you get your money DIRECT instead of percentages that a major label will give you. But at the same time being independent is all about RE-investing. You make it and have to spend it to remain competitive and relevant. "

Morton says he is not anti- major label and believes that major deals work only when there is a "fair deal". His decision to remain independent stems from not wanting to "repress his art".

This sentiment of repression is not only felt by independent artists. It's also felt by those artists who've had major deals. In the 2007 documentary, "Before The Music Dies", musician Doyle Bramhall, II discussed his time with a major label and the decisions that lead to his departure from his label. In his discussion, Bramhall says his decision to leave his label came from the fact that the people in charge of the decisions "knew more about Wall Street than they did music."

Doyle says he spent much of his time with his label not appreciating his own music because the label deemed his albums flops. It wasn't until a chance meeting with Rock and Roll legend, Eric Clapton that Bramhall started to appreciate his music.

In fact, the opportunity for independent artists to be validated by major label artists is more and more common with the advent of social media. Sites such as Twitter, Bandcamp and Facebook give independent artist the opportunity to showcase their talents and gain a wider audience, including artists that are signed.

King, as one fan tweeted, "In a span of three months went from Twitter love to opening up for Prince..." In March of 2011, King released a three song EP called "The Story". Social media buzz has lead to opportunities like opening for Prince, being featured on BBC DJ's Giles Peterson's show and a fan-base that consist of music greats such as Questlove and Lalah Hathaway. How could an EP consisting of only 3 songs and selling for less than $3 gain so much attention in so little time?

"Radio the way it's supposed to be"

Gerard Bonner is owner and operator of an Internet based radio station, Bonnerfide Radio. In a conversation TP&AB recently had with Gerard, he sheds light on how artists like King can be so successful:

"I believe that the public is craving for good music. The average consumer doesn’t know the difference between major and independent labels. In fact, they really don’t care. LOL. All they want to know is if the music is appealing and if it’s available for purchase. I’ve never had a listener ask 'What label is that artist signed to?' However, they DO ask if the album is available in stores.

"I believe that technology has really made it much easier for all artists to reach their consumers directly. I believe that it has leveled the playing field for artists. After all, iTunes is the #1 music retailer in the world. If artists will keep themselves at the forefront of the technological move and educate themselves on their options, the independent artist will really have the opportunity to benefit. Technology is the great equalizer. As long as the independent artist keeps their work ethic high and continues to create great music, there will always be a hungry audience that will continue to propel the independent artist into greater national platforms."

Two Piece And A Biscuit: Your Source For Music News

2011-05-22T21:51:00.001-04:00

Over the past couple of months, Two Piece And A Biscuit has covered a wide range of topics. Topics ranging from the NBA fining Kobe Bryant to the ongoing feud between Tyler Perry and Spike Lee, TP&AB has brought you very informative news and commentary on these and many other topics.

In an attempt to become a more focused publication, Two Piece And A Biscuit announces plans to become a publication dedicated to bringing you the latest music news and events. Be sure to follow our Twittergroup, our Google Reader public page and Google Alerts.

By using great sites like The Mad Bloggers, LA Music Blog, and NPR Music as sources, Two Piece And A Biscuit will bring you the most comprehensive information on all things music.

If you have any suggestions on publications or news outlets that will help us bring you the best in music news and information, please comment below or email us.

Thank you for your support.

What Does The Digital Download Debate Mean For Older Artists?

2011-05-15T23:17:00.002-04:00

In last week's publication, we talked about the ongoing battle between artists and labels to determine the correct rates for digitally downloaded music. Recently, a supreme court ruled that rapper Eminem and his production team, FBT Productions are due up to 50% of Aftermath's net revenues on masters licensed to be sold digitally.

For an artist like Eminem who, due to his current popularity, has a number of endorsements to supplement the current 85/15 split between labels and artists, this just means more money in an already substantial bank account. What does this decision mean for an older artist without a great deal of popularity?

Sam Moore is hailed as one of the 100 greatest voices in the rock and roll era by Rolling Stone Magazine. Between 1961 and 1981, his high tenor voice was instrumental in the success of the R&B duo Sam & Dave. As reported by NPR, Moore, 75, now lives in Arizona on a fixed income.Wife and manager, Joyce Moore says that while he does receive a union pension, it isn't always enough to pay all of Mr. Moore's bills.

In this hypothetical situation, if Mr. Moore were to experience a sudden resurgence in popularity and he sells 500K album at $9.99 each, under the current 85/15 split, Mr. Moore would only make close to $750,000 while the label makes close to $4.25 million dollars.

Current 85/15 royalty rate

Conversely, if the Eminem case is used as a prescient for other cases and rates are changed to an even 50/50 split, in this same scenario, Mr. Moore's earnings could be substantially greater. In an even split, Mr. Moore would make close to $2.5 million.

Proposed 50/50 royalty rate

So why wouldn't one of rock and roll's top 100 artist be due this amount for his work? After all, Mr. Moore is not the only artist on the label. If his label has 10 artists signed, under the new royalty rates, the label could make close to $25 million on download sales alone.

Labels stand to make millions on the downloads alone with the 50/50 split. Of course other streams like merchandise and endorsements, labels still stand to see millions in annual revenue. While it is understood that the goal of every company is to make money, the question should be asked "at who's cost?".

The ability for an individual to use his or her talents to prosper is what makes America a great country. For years artists like Sam Moore, have sacrificed much using their gifts to entertain millions. While much of their fame came before the digital error, one thing should be a constant: the right thing.

Licensing vs. Sales: The Digital Music Download Debate

2011-05-08T23:28:00.002-04:00

Downloading music has become one of the world's most innovative revolutions. With lower cost and quick accessibility, it is easier to see why the digital download system is so popular. In 2010, the largest digital download host, iTunes, reached its 10 billionth sale.

In fact, the chart below shows at the time of the 10 billionth download, customers downloaded songs at a rate of nearly 9.2 millions songs per day.

courtesy of routenote.com

In short, that is a lot of money for record labels and artists. Or is it? In a recent news story, NPR reports that a battle between artists and record label owners has lead to a Supreme Court decision to allow royalty payments for artists who signed deals before the digital download era.

courtesy of Universal Music Group

The estate of R&B sensation Rick James, is suing Universal Music Group for royalties thought to be due from digital music sales. The estate is using the argument that digital music sold on sites like Amazon and iTunes are copies of the original. Therefore, artists are due royalties similar to licensing rates as opposed to sale rates.

To the average person, money received is money received. However, when an artist's song is used during a commercial or as an opening song for a television show, the split between the label and artist is 50/50. For all sales, the artists receives about 15% of the proceeds from CD sales.

courtesy of http://chrisdampier.wordpress.com/

What is seen as somewhat of a precedent in this matter is the case of rapper Eminem's former producers FBT Productions against Universal Records. The claim is they are due a 50% split for digital sales in 2007. Universal claims they are only owed 18% of those downloads.

The lawyer for FBT argues producing CD's amasses charges for packaging and distribution. However, when a mastered version of the album is sent to a download site like iTunes, customers download a copy of that master which is seen more as giving iTunes permission to use the music on it's site (licensing).

In a recent court decision, an appeals court has ruled that Universal must pay Eminem and FBT Productions the proper 50% for digital downloads. To protect itself against other lawsuits such as this one, many record labels have adjusted their contracts to guard against this.

People may see Eminem as a very relevant artist, one who is still creating hit records, gaining great sponsors like Chrysler and Lipton Brisk Iced Tea. However, a majority of these suits come from artists who signed deals way before the digital age of music. Most of these musicians have retired from the business of making music and are relying only on royalties to help make ends meet.

While a few may fine success with their songs being used on television/radio shows, commercials and/or movies, the reality is that most will not and deserve fair royalty payments. What does it say about the label and the music industry when an artist can't afford to pay hospital bills?

What do you think? Are current royalty rates to artists from labels fair? Should music downloads be seen as licensing? Please comment below. Feel free to re-post and see what your friends think.

Spike Lee or Tyler Perry: Whose Voice Best Represents the Black Community?

2011-04-25T21:51:00.000-04:00

Whether being fueled by the media to motivate movie goers to see movies or if it's an actual feud, the head to head between Spike Lee and Tyler Perry makes for great discussion. Whose voice best represents the "black community"?

Let's start at the beginning. In 2009, the media world was abuzz over comments by Spike Lee during an interview with Black Enterprise's Ed Gordon. In this interview, Spike says "Breaking records but we could do better. That's just my opinion. I'm a huge basketball fan and when I watch the games on TNT I see these two ads for these two shows and I'm scratching my head, ya know? We got a black president. Are we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep N' Eat?"

Lee says artists should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors but much of today's entertainment material contains a lot of "coonery and buffoonery." On his website, Lee contest that there is no feud and much of what he said was taken out of context.

Many people, including Perry himself, do not see it the same way. In late April, Tyler Perry released his latest offering, Madea's Big Happy Family. In a letter to his fans, Perry defends his body of work saying these naysayers do not understand the spiritual side of his work. He claims that many lives have been changed as a result of his characters and the subject matters found both in his plays and movies.

In a recent interview for Box Office Magazine, Perry is less ambiguous in his tone, telling the magazine "I'm so sick of hearing about damn Spike Lee". Perry says "Spike can go straight to hell!"

A lot has been said by people in the media. I wanted to know if the average viewer agreed with either Tyler Perry or Spike. Did they even have an opinion at all? I recently opened up this topic for discussion on my Facebook page. There were a range of responses and feelings on the subject.

"Russ Shanks" feels Spike Lee talks a good game but he leaves much to be desired when it comes to practicing what he preaches.

"Spike Lee doesn't practice what he preaches..."

Aaron Carter is a fan of Spike Lee and believes Spike should put more effort in correcting the "black image" on the big screen.


"Spike if you're right...get those correct black images on the screen."

Are we a community of people that "hate" on our own people? Are we a sort of self righteous group in that if you do not come up the way we think you should, then you should not come up at all.

"We don't have to worry about anyone destroying our people...We do a great job"

On his website, Lee says "I feel Artists should be able to critique each other's work, Athletes and Musicians have been doing this for ages. As long as it's given in a loving spirit (which my opinions were) it's all good. "

I am personally not a fan of Tyler Perry. I agree with Spike Lee in that everyone is entitled to his or her own means of achieving success. However, i can see where images of a tall, loud, obnoxious elderly black woman and a buffoon known simply as "Brown" stir up hurtful images that so many people fought to have erased.

While I believe it is our right to express our opinions without being told to "go straight to hell!", I cannot justify making comments that may effect a person's earning potential. The fact is, whether we agree or not, both Perry and Lee have both found ways to capitalize on the ups and downs of a community, even if they are at different ends of the spectrum.

I would like to know what you think about this topic. With whom do you side? Is it possible to critique each other's work without being called a hater or stirring up the old "crab in a barrel" mentality? How does this "feud" look to those of you NOT apart of the black community?

Your comments are welcomed below. Also be sure to post this and see how your circle of friends feel.

Two Piece and A Biscuit...: Cameras, Athletes and Emotions: A Commentary...

2011-04-19T09:22:00.000-04:00

Two Piece and A Biscuit...: Cameras, Athletes and Emotions: A Commentary...: "Earlier this month, after receiving a technical foul, Kobe Bryant was spotted on camera saying what appeared to be a homophobic slur. He wa..."

Cameras, Athletes and Emotions: A Commentary...

2011-04-18T22:35:00.001-04:00

Earlier this month, after receiving a technical foul, Kobe Bryant was spotted on camera saying what appeared to be a homophobic slur. He was later fined $100,000 by the NBA for this infraction.

If this is the penalty the NBA has decided to give Kobe for the slur (and not the expletive that came before the slur) so be it. However, on the court (or field) of play should we really expect athletes to conduct themselves in a 9-5 executive's definition of "professional"? Kobe was angry and he said what he said. It doesn't excuse it but if a camera wasn't in his face to pick it up, do you think it would be an issue?

What we experience as fans on game day differs greatly from what players and coaches see. The amount of sports talk articles, radio and television is enough to drive any athlete crazy. If the team is a top team, it's non-stop commentary on what they need to do to remain on top. If they're not a top or favored team, it's non-stop bashing and how they can improve.

As much as players say they don't pay attention to the commentators (good or bad), someone is using it as fuel during practice. Remember this post game outburst:

This is one of the best post game interviews of all time. This interview took place just seconds after an emotionally intense playoff game between the Jets and Patriots. These two teams also happen to be rivals during the regular season. This reaction is the result of an entire week of The Jets being subjected to commentators doubting them and favoring the Patriots. There is no doubt that head coach Rex Ryan fueled his men with this information the week prior to the game.

Every aspect of journalism in today's society is "get the story and get the story fast!" At times it seems if there is no story, put a camera on scene until a story develops. Did fans and viewers demand this much access first or are the networks' increased camera presence to blame for the demand of fans? This question is as much of a conundrum as "what came first, the chicken or the egg?"

How many times have we heard, "we put it all on the court/field." This is a very cliché statement used by every athlete in professional sports. However, this is a very true statement. It takes a lot to amp yourself up emotionally, physically and mentally for a game. Just as it takes much to bring yourself up to perform at a peak level, it takes that same amount of energy to come down from that state. The locker room or the field/court of play is not place to just stick a camera in a player's face.

Do you know players can be fined for leaving or not providing a post game press conference? Could you imagine getting off from a hard day of work only to come home to a large group of people with cameras and microphones in your face asking you questions about your poor performance? That is a very annoying notion to think about. However, this is the reality for some professional athletes.

Why isn't there some sort of set time frame for post game interviews to begin? It almost makes you wonder if the goal is to get good post game reaction or a weeks worth of soundbites from an emotionally charged player.

Journalist enter a culture that is very different when they seek player reactions during and after a game and there should be some respect for this fact. The expectation that athletes maintain the same level of professionalism during or after a game as you would on your 9-5 job, is very asinine. If the story cannot wait or if that particular shot is important during the broadcast, be prepared to capture every moment that comes with it.

"Tell'em Why You Mad..."

2011-04-13T19:02:00.009-04:00

In 2006, The Mad Bloggers began as a way for creators OC Supreme and Q to vent and rant about everyday life. Since then, the duo has focused on giving their readers what they deem "real hip hop."

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Q. In addition to The Mad Bloggers, Q is the program director for Skyy Hook Radio. He hosts two weekly podcast :The Mad Bloggers Show and Hip Hop For Breakfast. Q is also a contributor for Refined Hype.

In our conversation, Q and I discuss how The Mad Bloggers came to be, why they decided to shift their focus to hip hop and the state of hip hop and music in general.

Please, comment below and be sure to share this.

Intro/Outro Music:
Song:Raw Life
Album: Connected: Instrumentals
Artist: The Foreign Exchange

An Inspiring Moment with Whitney Glenn...

2011-04-11T21:38:00.002-04:00

What does a fourth grade project, Campbell's Soup and some positive feedback from mom all have in common? They are all a part of the inspirational story of Whitney Glenn.

Born in Columbia, SC and raised in Atlanta, GA, Whitney Glenn is a Masters of Arts student at Full Sail University whose goal in life is to "make the world a better place." A tall order for some, Whitney is already on that path through her ministry of mentoring young girls in her community.

"Change is difficult, staying the same is unbearable."

What's the point of going through life and never sharing what you've learned with other people "says Glenn."

"I feel like we as females, we stumble around through life because we keep everything in. We think we're the only people going through it. That's the craziest thing because we're all going through the same thing."

Whitney feels by sharing her story with young women and showing love of Christ, she prevents them from making some of her mistakes and helps to show that there is "true [spiritual] love that doesn't need a guy."

Possessing other great talents like graphic design and multimedia consulting, the decision to use her talents for ministry did not come so easy.

"It was a battle for a while deciding to use my talents in ministry" Whitney says. "I lived in California and New York for a while after graduating and I thought I could use my talents in Hollywood. It came down to I just don’t want to use my talents for Hollywood so I am going to stick to the 'Christian Realm' to help further the Kingdom."

Whitney is a young woman who desires to use her gifts and talents to help others. This is a story that should inspire and motivate us all.

In My Feelings...

2011-03-26T16:28:00.013-04:00

I am not a very overly sensitive person. At times, my family will accuse me of being a "jerk" (they're wrong!). I'm not a total jerk though. I do feel in journalism, some subjects should be treated with a little more care and tact. One subject is death.

I got this notification on Saturday afternoon about former Vice President nominee Geraldine Ferraro:

Now, I know the news is there to give us the facts about a particular event and let us, the general public, form out own opinions about it (well, at least in a perfect world that's what the news WOULD do...but that's another post). However, the usage of the word "DEAD" is very unsettling. Here you have a woman who's done a lot in the world of politics. At the peak of her career, she became a very serious contender for the role of Vice President of this country. There isn't another word to describe her passing?

Here's another example: A person dies on a cruise ship. Listen very carefully at how the report describes this event:

So, because this person passes from "natural causes", it's been downgraded from being a serious event to an "inconvenience." Then to add insult to injury, passengers leaving and boarding the ship seem to be a little too smug about it all.

I love the art of journalism. I think the process of deciding on a story, fact gathering and reporting your findings to the public to keep them informed, is a very rewarding process. I do wonder though, am I too much of a bleeding heart sap for this type of work? I mean to report that someone is simply "dead" or someone's passing is an inconvenience seems harsh. After all, this is a person who had a family, a network of friends and in some cases, made tremendous contributions to society. Why can't my journalism colleagues take a little more care in their reporting? Is writing "Geraldine Ferraro passed away:..."

As journalist, I think we should be a little more connected to the human condition as a whole. While we do report facts, I believe our word choices effect the story just as much as the facts and reporting themselves.

Is my approach to journalism too sappy? Will writing that a person has "passed" instead of writing that they're "dead" take too long and does it take away from the shock value? Am I in my feelings about this topic? Comment below and let me know how you feel. Also, take this post and pass it around to see how your friends feel about it.

Before I end, I'd like to send my condolences to the family and friends of Geraldine Ferraro.

As always, thanks for reading.

Tortured Teen Shares Bullying Story with Congress...

2011-03-20T04:26:00.001-04:00

WASHINGTON-- After being bullied by his classmates earlier this month, 13 year old Isma'il Clayton was given the opportunity to speak out against bullying to members of congress on Wednesday.

Clayton, an eighth-grade student at Windsor Mill Middle School in Baltimore County, suffers from a form of autism called Asperger's syndrome. Clayton shared his story with 11 NEWS earlier this month.

courtesy of wbaltv.com

In a recent video recorded and posted online by a fellow classmate, Clayton is seen retreating to a corner after being teased by members of his class. Moments later, Clayton pleads with his class for sympathy and understanding "How would you feel if you were teased and bullied? I feel that way. I feel sad and miserable because people are bothering me all my life, ever since preschool. Why do you guys have to be so mean to me?"

Wednesday's congressional briefing was co-hosted by U.S Rep. Jackie Speier, D-California. This event focused on a recent report by a group called AblityPath.org. Speier says that special needs children are two to three times more likely to be bullied than other children. She says that 85% of the bystanders in these situations do nothing to prevent it.

"Everyone knows somebody who has been bullied, and this is the message that we want to deliver: enough is enough, for my son and any other son or daughter," said Isma'il's father, Kyle Clayton. "We are not demanding that anyone has to be friends with anyone. We are commanding that respect be given to anyone and everyone" said Mr. Clayton to legislators.

Rep. Speier says she plans to introduce legislation geared at preventing the bullying of special needs children.

For more information on this story, please visit wbaltv.com. Please feel free to share you comments on this blog. Also, share this blog to help shed a little more light on the seriousness of bullying in our school systems.

America, The Prioritized...

2011-03-12T15:47:00.000-05:00

As we all know, times have not been very good for our nation. People are losing jobs, well known and well established businesses have closed for good and gas prices are sky rocketing seemingly everyday!

For the past few years, we've seen news story after news story about how American retail stores are suffering from the affects of this financial crisis. We've all seen news reports like this where we're told that the American consumer has slowed down or stopped their spending habits.

Now, for me, there is nothing more important than context when reporting the news. Often times there is either not enough context or the context is too general. Retail encompasses so much, however, in that video, the major focus was on shopping or spending at the mall. There are some very interesting findings on Google's Public Data Explorer. As stated before, retail is so vast. Everything from grocery shopping to buy gas is considered retail shopping.

I took a small sample from this data set and what I found was pretty amazing.

Here we have four areas of retail (Grocery Stores, Health/Personal Care Stores, Clothing Stores and Sporting Goods/Hobby/Books/Music Stores) from Jan. 1992 to Jan. 2011. To me, these four areas of retail are areas we use on a daily basis and they help paint a clearer picture as to what's REALLY going on with our spending.

The amazing thing about this data is there are periods where consumer spending take wild rides. The most recent was during the financial crisis in 2008. However, when comparing each of these groups, we see that Grocery Stores and Health/Personal Care Stores saw a significant increase in consumer traffic. This means that during hard times, Americans do not stop or slow down our shopping, we shift our focus on what's important.

Not sure about you, but this is very encouraging. Watching the news has me thinking the financial crisis has created a society of fearful hermits who are holding on to every single penny. That's not true. We're still spending and we are still contributing to the market. Instead of us going to our favorite malls, we've re-prioritized a bit to purchase the things that matter more.

Let me know how you feel about this topic. Do you have a different opinion? Do you feel that the marketplace has slowed down? Feel free to comment below.

What Exactly Does "Signature Recipe" Mean?

2011-03-03T18:00:00.002-05:00

Have you seen this? It's apart of Taco Bell's ad campaign to restore it's image and the consumer's faith in their ground meat.

As you probably have heard, A California resident is challenging Taco Bell's "seasoned beef" by claiming it is only comprised of 50% beef, with the other 50% being filler product. In response to the suit, Taco Bell has fired back with the claim that it's "seasoned beef" product is 88% beef with the other 12% being "signature recipe." They even tell you to go to their website to see this signature recipe. They almost had me. My faith in Taco Bell was almost restored (not completely, maybe to about 63%) but then I got to thinking. What in God's green Earth is "signature recipe" and why does it make up 12% of your meat product?

So I DID go to their website. Beyond the hip, trendy layout (sidebar: that interactive bell is pretty cool!) and the seemingly transparent nature of the site, Taco Bell thinks that I am stupid. Well not me personally but me as a consumer.

Take this for example:

www.tacobell.com/BeefIngredientFAQs

Translation: "You guys are a little too dumb for us to even begin to post those big words, so just take our word for it". In all honesty, they're probably right to assume that the average consumer cannot pronounce most of the contents of their signature recipe, but no one wants to be told to their face that they're stupid. Your mom doesn't just call her best friend's daughter, that she's trying to set you up with, a fat cow. Your mom says that young lady has a lot of "character." Besides, if my favorite soda or ice cream is required to put their signature recipe on their containers, what makes you so special?

Now, let's add a little context to this 12%. Most people will look at that and say "oh, that's not so bad." At one point in American culture, 12% represented the largest minority population (African-Americans) in this country. 12% isn't looking so small now is it? Let's say 300 billion pounds of meat to serve Taco Bell's customers. That would mean 36 billion pounds of this meat is made up of "signature recipe." No and thank you!

Now, as you can see, I'm not the healthiest person in the world. I will even put it out there that I love Taco Bell! (the grilled stuffed burrito is my jam!) Truthfully, 88% beef isn't all THAT bad when considering fast food industry terms (at least we have a percentage, right?). But this whole taking the mystery out of our meat by calling it Signature Recipe is a little disconcerting given that there is still a large mystery around this 12%

I've said A LOT about this subject. I'd like to hear what YOU have to say. Are you buying Taco Bell's ad campaign? What do you think about the fast food industry and culture in general? Feel free to comment below.

Thanks for reading!