Bill's PurpleCrayon Blog

RELAX. THINK ARBYS. MOVE FORWARD. BOLDLY. UGH...

When I'm not listening to music, or interviewing musicians who make the music I listen to, I'm director of marketing and public relations for a non profit organization in Grand Rapids.

I've logged nearly 20 years in the profession of advertising and marketing, working with Fortune 500 companies here and there, as well as Mom & Pop shops.

Suffice to say I've learned a few things along the way.

One of those things is about branding -- currently the marketing phrase du jour, granted. But an important term nonetheless.

Simply put, branding is nothing more than the relationship a business has with its customers. A strong brand is one that customers repeatedly choose, even if the product or service sold is more expensive than competitor's productions or services.

Why am I writing about brands?

Because nothing bugs me more than seeing an advertising agency rip off its clients by telling them that a brand is a new, clever logo and even cleverer tagline. Their rationale? If you display it, they will come. Baloney. I hate most of the taglines I see on TV these days. They mean nothing. They're feel-good catch phrases that are as fleeting as the spring season in Michigan.

Example: Arbys. I'm thinking Arbys.

Say what? Of course you're thinking Arbys. That's the name of the restaurant. You're only thinking Arbys because you just said Arbys. Arbys. I'm thinking Arbys. Ugh.

Example: Centennial Wireless. Relax.

Relax? Are they selling mattresss? Sleeping pills?

Example: Toyota. Moving Forward.

Huh? Shouldn't a car do that without having to stake its claim that it's able to do that?

Example: Subaru. Think. Feel. Drive.

Very clumsy attempt to encapsulate the decision-making process customers go through when considering to buy a product or service. Some think. Some feel. Some do both if the purchase warrants it.

Example: Sprint. Yes You Can.

Yes you can what? Yes you can choose a cellular company with more imagination than that?

Example: Cinguluar Wireless. Raising the Bar.

Frankly, I think someone spent a little too much time at the bar when she came up with that one.

Example: Ford Motor Company. Bold Moves.

What in the heck is that -- the mantra of a desparate man in a singles bar? Something Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel-san in The Karate Kid movies? Dude, I don't want a car that's built on bold moves. I want one that sips gas, is environmentally friendly, and is safe as a mother's womb.

A tagline should be as descriptive of a company as possible, telling people at a glance what product or service the company delivers. It should be unique to that company, applicable to no other. If a tagline can be removed from one company and slapped under the logo of another, it has failed to be unique to that company. Try that with the taglines above. You can do that with every single one except for the Arbys tagline. But that's not because the Arbys tagline is good. It's because it uses the name of the company in the tagline.

Logos and taglines do not increase business. (Well, that's not entirely true. They increase business for the advertising agencies selling logos and taglines.)

What does build brands, increase business, and make company owners and stake holders wealthy? Simply this: Provide a remarkable product or service, at a fair price, and treat your customers as if they're worth their weight in gold.

That's it. That's the secret to success in today's wicked world. If you want to strenthen your company, start with a remarkable product or service. Then excel at customer service. Treat your customers as kings and queens. With plenty of respect. Let your customer service be so astounding that your customers do the advertising for you. Let them tell the world (at least, the world they encounter in their day to day lives) how good you are.

How can music groups, artists, sculptors, playwrights, etc., apply this thinking?

First, be remarkable. Be extraordinarily talented. Unique. Then keep in constant contact with your fans, clients or customers. Treating their fans/customers with respect. Go out of your way to reach out to them. Acknowledge their role in helping you succeed. Do something special for them now and then. MySpace.com is a great vehicle for doing that. So are Forums on band web sites. Or blogs on Artist web sites. So is (whenever possible) rubbing elbows with fans after a performance. Or hosting a seminar, autograph signing, or painting exhibition.

In short, by being remarkable.

If you're a company, and you're going to create a logo, make it the greatest, most easily recognized logo the world has ever seen. Make it as unique as special as your company is. If you're going to create a tagline to go with your logo, make it say something unique about you -- what you do, who you are, and (most importantly) what you can do for your customers/clients/fans.

Advertising is not rocket surgery. It's just common sense applied to the marketplace. It's doing what businesses used to do 40 years ago. It's applying the Golden Rule to customer service. It's thinking as if your business is in downtown Mayberry and Barney is about to walk into your shop at any moment.

Try it sometime. Pay attention to the taglines you see and hear every day. See if they make sense to you. Then see if you can swap one for another, putting tagline A into Slot B under company logo C. If you can do that without changing what you perceive to be the company's key product or service, you've just discovered for yourself how awful today's crop of taglines are.

Keep Purple!

Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.

"WE WANT TO BRING METAL FOOD TO A STARVING NATION," SAYS VERONICA FREEMAN OF BENEDICTUM

Presenting Part Three of My Exclusive Three-Part Interview With Benedictum

Even now, after dozens (if not hundreds) of listens, I still find something fun, fresh, and catchy about Benedictum's debut album Uncreation. For example: the album’s huge guitar sound, Veronica’s powerful, soaring vocals, the pristine production quality, the covers of Dio’s Sabbath-era masterpieces "Heaven and Hell" and "Mob Rules"...right down to the cover art. Uncreation is an amazing achievement in the annals of debut albums from metal bands.

This final installment of my exclusive interview picks up immediately where Part Two left off. Enjoy!


VF: I wanna be in front of people that get it. And Italy gets is, you know? Europe gets it, for the most part.

BM: Speaking of classic rock, what was it like for you to read that story about yourself in that magazine?

VF: [laughs] Which one are you referring to?

BM: The Classic Rock magazine with the, let’s see here, you’re on page --

VF: The picture with the motorcycle?

BM: Yeah.

VF: I loved it!

BM: Was that good?

VF: I cracked up. That was the first. I had done some phone interviews, and that was a phone interview, but that one was written in a different con...it was the first time I thought, like, not in a question and answer format. So they took some of the things I said, they took a lot of liberties with it.

BM: I can imagine.

VF: But it’s so funny, ’cause when I read it, I rolled! I thought it was great! I just thought it was just a great thing. I was so thrilled with it. And I may… I think with that one…is that the one where they put the little thing with the Dio worship in it?

BM: Yeah. [laughs]

VF: [laughs]

BM: Yeah, there’s a --

VF: You gotta love that!

BM: Oh yeah.

VF: You know, yeah. Well, coming to a high-heeled boot emporium near you?

BM: Yeah. [laughs]

VF: You gotta love that! And I just thought, you know what, you get it. It’s like, a joke. I’m not meant to be a joke or anything, but I mean, it’s like they were having fun with who I was in the right way, you know? So, it was like, wow, this chick’s great, and all this kind of stuff, and the band’s great, and let’s have fun with them. And let’s just enjoy them. And that’s what we want to be about. Just enjoy the music, have a good time, you know?

BM: [laughs] Hey, let me ask you just two questions, and I’ll let you get back to everything here. I appreciate your time. The first one is, are you guys playing a lot of gigs right now in San Diego?

VF: No. I’m not gonna lie to you, we’re not. I am focused on getting this store opened, ’cause it’s a store that, you know, I’m dealing with the city and permits and fire and hazmat and everything else, and everybody’s doing their thing. We knew that our target market was going to be Europe at first, and we are hoping, we’re hoping there’s going to be a place for us at the table here in the states. Because now, you being one of them, I’m just now getting a lot of inquiries from the States, but it took a while to even get that. And, but I dream big. So I’m hoping that we’ll start a new revolution over here. You know, for us and for other people. ’Cause there’s a lot of bands out there that are playing really good stuff. And it’s like I said, it’s about money.

BM: Well, I can tell you, Michigan might not be the warmest state, but this is a metal state. There are a couple of venues here, one in Detroit and one in Grand Rapids, that host metal bands constantly. I mean --

VF: You think they’d like us?

BM: Oh yeah. What day is this, Friday? Just this past Wednesday night, Opeth and Devil Drive and a bunch of bands just played in Grand Rapids.

VF: Really?

BM: The place was packed. I mean, absolutely packed.

VF: Well, what I’ll do is, I’m gonna forward you...I just got the information on our U.S. promoter. I just got it yesterday. And our album released here on the 14th. Well this is the third? I’m just now finding out- I already knew coming off the bat, that the US promotion was- that they didn’t have a whole lot of roots over here. So, but I’m glad they have something going over here. I have not dealt with it. So I don’t want to in any way undermine them, I’m just saying, I didn’t even know who they were until a couple days ago. So I’m gonna forward them to you, and maybe you can contact them and say, “Hey, what about --

BM: I can give them, yeah, I can give them the names of four or five likely venues in just Michigan alone that would host you guys.

VF: Ok! I’m all for it! Is it really cold? [laughs]

BM: Well, right now it is. It’s only 20 degrees here, man!

VF: Ok, what is your definition of cold? Is it 20 degrees or --

BM: 20 degrees is cold, you know?

VF: Ok, well, we need to talk about this. [laughs]

BM: Well, it’s not that way year round! If you come here in May or June you’ll be fine.

VF: Well how warm does it get?

BM: Well in July and August, it gets to be --

VF: 25 degrees? [laughs]

BM: [laughs] No! 80 or 90, babe, let me tell you!

VF: Ooh, don’t break out the suntan lotion! [laughs]

BM: Yeah, we don’t get a lot of sun here, but it gets hot.

VF: You have no idea how much I would love to do something like that. I wanted to say I -- WE would love to do something like that. It’s not about just me. Hello?

BM: Well, Grand Rapids here, where Opeth played, I was surprised there were that many- the place was packed.

VF: Was it!

BM: It’s a pretty good-sized venue and, yeah, we’re kinda starved for that stuff here. So --

VF: We want to bring metal food to a starving nation.

BM: Well -- [laughs]

VF: [laughs]

BM: That’s a great quote, you’d better write that down.

VF: Wasn’t that good? YOU better write it down!

BM: [laughs]

VF: Yeah, we want to bring metal food, metal sustenance, to a starving nation.

BM: That’s perfect!

VF: [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

VF: And I really mean that. I know, from the shows that I’ve done here, whether it be with Malady or this band or whatever, after the show, people will come up and go, “Where have you been, oh my god.” You know, male or female. It kinda transcended the male/female thing? That’s why I get a lot of questions about, “How do you feel about being a woman?” It has really so seldom been about that. It has at times. But the majority of it hasn’t been about male/female. It’s been about the music that we play. And, “Oh my god, you guys really rock, but it’s not like the death thing or, you know, being a loner.”

BM: I really cannot stand...I can’t think of anything that takes less talent than to play that sort of death speed metal stuff. That’s crap.

VF: I’m not gonna speak to that.

BM: [laughs]

VF: But all I can say is for my own...I’m just not. Because everybody has the right to do their thing.

BM: Oh sure.

VF: And I really mean that. But, I mean, it’s just not MY thing. And so, you know, I mean, people in the band that have their own influences, and so, we gotta when we come to the table, we gotta stick with what’s working for Benedictum. And if you want to get your ya ya’s out doing something else, that’s fine too. You know? But I just -- it’s almost like a starving for it. I’m a very, a person that really feeds on energy, more so than anything else. So I feel people. I know this probably sounds weird to you, but I just do.

BM: No, I know.

VF: You know what I’m saying? So I get off the stage and people come up to me and they’re like, almost like in tears. I don’t know how to explain it. “Oh my god, you’re so rad.” I’m not that rad, but ok, that’s great. But, “You’re so rad, I haven’t heard anything like this in a long time.” But it’s not about, later on it goes into, “You being a chick it’s even better.” But it’s like, “Oh my god, you’re singing this kind of music that I really love. “ And this is from people that are like, half my -- well, not half my age, but a lot younger than me, or just like, oh, like you said, they’re starved for it. And they haven’t heard anything like this in a long time. And I get this a lot from the UK. And it’s like, I wanna get there so bad, and feed them. [laughs]

BM: [laughs] A metal missionary. That’s great.

VF: I’m on a metal mission to feed the world.

BM: [laughs]

VF: [laughs] To save the world from metal starvation.

BM: [laughs]

VF: [laughs] Oh god, that’s a quote, isn’t it? The band’s gonna KILL me! But you know what I’m saying, I’m like the Mother Theresa of metal. [laughs]

BM: [laughs] Man, you’re talking in quotes. I gotta be writing this down.

VF: You should be! You’re not?

BM: I’m taping it, so I’ve got it all.

VF: Oh god, that’s even worse. Oh god! [laughs]

BM: Well listen, I’ll ask you one more thing. And I think I can guess the answer. But, in 2005, you said you were at one of the lowest points of your whole life.

VF: Yes, I did.

BM: Where are you now? Is this like, you’re the happiest you’ve ever been? Or you’re on the verge of that? Or what are you feeling right now?

VF: I feel relief. I feel relief from the absolute crushing depression that I had in 2005. The first week of 2006, and I know this sounds really silly, but it to me was an omen. I get this e-mail, like, on New Year’s Day, from, was it DNX radio. which is an online radio thing, and someone -- long story short -- someone from MySpace said, “I think you’re really beautiful, why don’t you submit some of your pictures to the ‘Babe of the Week’ for some web radio thing”. And I was kind of laughing, I got on there, and these girls are like, so beautiful. And I’m like, I don’t even, you know. I’m not even, don’t even look like that. And they got back to me and said, “Congratulations, you’re gonna be the first ‘Babe of the Week’ for 2006.” And I kinda thought to myself, this is gonna be a good year.

BM: [laughs]

VF: [laughs] And I read my horoscope and I had my full-on chart done, and it was like, this is gonna be a year where things start happening for you, and you can define your future from this point. And you know, I believe that. Not just because, you know, the horoscope thing, but I’m seeing that. And it’s been a rough -- 2005 was -- there were days when I didn’t want to wake up. That’s how bad it was. I just didn’t wanna draw my next breath. I don’t mean to get that personal with you, but I don’t know how to express how bad it was. And I just felt like -- yet that was also -- that’s why I think it’s ironic that the song “Heaven and Hell” is on the album. Because 2005 was indeed heaven and hell. It was the year that I recorded this album on Creation. Well, the band recorded it, but for me on a personal basis that I recorded, you know. But I had Jeff Pilson draw out of me things that I never thought I could do. That things were presented to me -- if you look at it in retrospect, I think, oh my god, the synchronicity of things, that this person came into my life at this time. And this person happened to be in San Diego at this time. And this person said, “You need to listen to this.” And I had a chance to be in a Judas Priest tribute band. And it was like, an all female Judas Priest band. I’m like, “But I’m not even...my register’s not, I can’t even do that stuff.” And if you’d known what I’ve done before, you’d understand that the stuff I did on this Uncreation album with the high-pitched screams? That was relatively, let’s see, I did that in the last month before the recording. I’d never done that before. I never thought I could do it. And it was, the manager that we have now said, “You need to listen to this.” He turned me on to this song called Defenders of Creation by a San Diego band called Warrior. And they’re awesome. I’m sure you probably heard of them.

BM: Not really.

VF: But their lead vocalist is absolutely flawless. And his voice was so fantastic, I was inspired by it, and so I would try to sing it like he did. And all of a sudden I was finding I could push out these really weird screams and stuff. So I went to Jeff, I said, “Jeff I want to try something different.” Because we’d already done like, maybe half the songs on the album at that point. And I said, “I wanna try something.” I said, “Don’t laugh if it doesn’t come out right, but I’m able to do these little scream things.” And it ended up being part of the album. And it ends up being now, a lot of what I’m getting -- I don’t want to say recognition for -- but comments on.

BM: Well I think it’s cool!

VF: Really?

BM: Yeah, I thought it was great.

VF: It’s new to me.

BM: Well, you know, Halford doing “Green Manalishi,” you know.

VF: Yeah!

BM: Those kinds of notes, you don’t hear anymore. Especially from guys. So I like that sort of thing. I thought that was kind of, really cool on the album.

VF: Good, I’m glad you like it. ’Cause it’s not the easiest thing to do, because for me. I don’t know how it is for anybody else, but for me, I have to go to a completely different place to get there. And I’ve never had any vocal training. Well, that’s not true. But the vocal training I’ve had would have made me sing a completely different type of music. I would be doing Celine Dion stuff or something. [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

VF: I went to an operatically trained person.

BM: Really?

VF: Yeah. And for a while, and they were like, “Oh my god, your voice is so powerful. You have one of the most…” you can tell by my speaking voice, I’m probably blowing your ears out. But, I have a loud voice. I don’t mean it to be that way, it’s not necessarily that gruff, really rough style, but when I sing, it really comes out. It’s very loud and powerful. And so, they didn’t speak a whole lot of English. They were from Mexico City, opera singers from Mexico City. And so, what they came out with, “You are like wild animal” [laughs] --

BM: [laughs]

VF: -- “That needs to be tamed. You’re a wild animal.” And I’m like, ok. And then, recently, last year, one of the highlights of last year, was I got to go to Korea as a job, as a like, liaison with a band, which was a female AC/DC tribute, called -- it wasn’t AC/DC. It was Whole Lotta Rosies.

BM: Oh yeah.

VF: And, yeah, you had to believe I was eating my heart out, ’cause while they’re singing and up there, and I’m just like, making all the arrangements, I’m thinking, god, I wanna be up there doing it. But they were beautiful and wonderful and all that kind of stuff. And one of the -- the lead singer for that band is also a vocal coach. So we talked, and I told her, you know, I told her what I did when I sing, and that I really sing really guttural and all this kind of stuff. And she’s all, “Oh, you’re not going to be able to do that for very long.”

BM: [laughs]

VF: Basically, she goes, “Probably, to be real honest with you, what I would teach you is, you know, to probably undo everything you’re doing right now. So if you want to continue singing the way you do, you probably want to keep doing what you’re doing and not have any lessons. ’Cause any professional is going to teach you to sing completely the opposite of what you’re doing it.” I’m like, thank you. [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

VF: You know, I mean, she’s like, “You’re not going to be able to do that, ’cause you’ll burn out.” And that’s one of my fears, is when I get my, what I call, quote unquote, metal voice, you know, it’s -- I don’t always sing with that really hard core, gruff type of thing.

BM: I hope not!

VF: No. I’m not -- I know, it’s probably why I’m single. People get scared. [laughs]

BM: [laughs] No, it’s just-

VF: Can you imagine getting in an argument with me? If I put on the metal voice? You’d lose! You know? [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

VF: But you know, what can I say?

BM: Well let me ask you one more thing. You mentioned reading your horoscope. Do you really believe that? What sign are you? I hate to even ask --

VF: Sagittarius.

BM: Are you really? Ok.

VF: Double Taurus. Sagittarius with a double Taurus. Taurus ascended, Taurus moon.

BM: I’m like a complete, pure Gemini.

VF: Ooh.

BM: Start to finish. [laughs]

VF: Are you really?

BM: Oh, if you read the description on me, and everything about it is exactly me.

VF: I subscribe to this thing -- ok cat? My cat is on my lap now.

BM: Really?

VF: My cat is my -- you have to mention my cat in whatever you do, ’cause --

BM: I’ve got a cat you wouldn’t believe.

VF: What kind of cat do you have?

BM: It’s a Scottish fold.

VF: Is that like the really cool kind with the folded up ears?

BM: Yeah, the round --

VF: Oh, you’ve got one of those?

BM: I’ll send you a jpeg of him.

VF: Yes, you will. [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

VF: Don’t make me get my metal voice on. [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

VF: Wow, I’ve got a cat that I got through -- she’s the love of my life, and she’s sitting on my lap right now, totally, like interrupting everything I’m doing. But that’s what she normally does. And, um, she owns the house.

BM: Oh yeah.

VF: She’s got the mortgage in her name. [laughs]

BM: [laughs]

VF: But she’s been my best buddy through all this crap. So are you going to write something nice about me?

BM: Yes, of course. I’ll just have you say what you’ve been saying. It’s very good.

VF: Yeah well...That could be scary.

BM: [laughs] No, I appreciate your time, I really do.

VF: I appreciate yours! Hello?

BM: You know what, do have me get in touch with your promoter, ’cause I know a lot of places you guys could play around here.

VF: Ok, what I’ll do is this, I’m getting back on my computer as we speak, ok, so I’m going to take you, and I’m going to forward it to my manager. Do you have, like a number? Did you ever give me your number?

BM: Sure. I’ll give it to you now. [Reads off telephone number.] Well hey, you have a good evening. And keep in touch, would you please?

VF: No, you promised me that. You’ve been really wonderful, I appreciate that. And I’m going to forward your info to my manager. But please, by all means, if you have someone that’s interested, we’d love it.

BM: Well, you’ve got it. I’d love to help bring you guys here, how’s that?

VF: You gotta give me an extra blanket. [laughs]

BM: [laughs] Just don’t come now, you wouldn’t like it at all.

VF: I’ll get over it. I was in Chicago. Chicago’s not bad.

BM: No, it’s not. All right, girl.

VF: It was snow on the ground, I really freaked out. I thought it was really cool.

BM: [laughs]

VF: I had just missed the big snowstorm they had, so it was actually quite beautiful. When we touched down it was like this nice blanket of snow. And the storm had passed and it was like blue skies, and it wasn’t that bad. It was like 43 degrees?

BM: Oh wow.

VF: That was cool. I was like, walking around thinking I was all that in my little t-shirts and everyone was like, “What’s wrong with you?” I thought I was looking great, so it’s all good. But do keep in touch, honey. And much success to you.

BM: I will. Thank you so much. Same to you.

VF: Thank you. Ok, take care of yourself.

BM: Bye, now.

VF: Bye.


And so ends my interview with Veronica Freeman of Benedictum. I hope this has given you a glimpse into Veronica’s personality, creative thought process, and professional background. I don’t know about you, but I always appreciate music more when I know the hard work that went into creating it.

Thank you, Veronica, for your time. Good luck to you and your band. Hope to see you out this way sometime!

Keep Purple!

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