allen weiss

This is the first song we had on the radio…reached the top...

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:38:00 -0800

This is the first song we had on the radio…reached the top 10 on the main rock station in Kansas City - all from a tape we gave to the station manager.

The final performance of Passing Fancy by Cole Tuckey. The...

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:13:18 -0700

The final performance of Passing Fancy by Cole Tuckey. The video quality isn’t great, but gives a sense of the place and crowd at the end of a band’s career.

A song I wrote several years ago, and recorded in my studio.

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:07:00 -0800

A song I wrote several years ago, and recorded in my studio.

The chicken with granny’s touch. Ok, this is another...

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 21:35:50 -0700

The chicken with granny’s touch. Ok, this is another jingle I was involved with. This time you can hear the voice over.

What do you think? To me this looks like the person clicked the...

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:20:00 -0700

What do you think? To me this looks like the person clicked the wrong rating button (did they really think this was a terrible app - like they rated it?)

But, here is a letter I just got from Apple (when an appeal was made to remove mistaken rating):

“While we are constantly working to improve how our rating and review system works for applications and other content types on iTunes, our review system allows customers to review and rate applications that they have purchased that are tied to the specific version number of the app. Under our review system, customers have a right to freely discuss and rate an application as they wish.”

“In Apple’s judgement, this customer review does not meet criteria for removal and will not be removed. Reviews that are offensive in nature may be eligible for removal from the App Store but this is not guaranteed.”

To me, this a very lame response. I very much like Apple’s products, but they certainly don’t understand how people can make mistakes.

Jobs I've Had

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:26:00 -0700

Not too long ago I made a list of every job I’ve had in my life. I did this, along with my wife, to try to impress our kids about getting a job. The effort didn’t work. Nonetheless, it made me think about all the things I’ve done to earn money, and that in of itself is revealing about one’s own history. Here’s my list. What would be on your list?

Cleaned houses
Newspaper delivery
YMCA counselor
MG/Volvo dealership parts deparment
Sailboat dealership
Coffeehouse owner
Nightime security for residence halls at UCSB
Dishwasher in dorm cafeteria
Resident Advisor at UCSB
Resident Advisor at OSU
Assistant to the Vice Dean at OSU
Picker in garment district
Waiter in KC restaurant
Professional musician
Jingle writer
RA/teacher at University of Kansas
RA at University of Wisconsin
Statistician at Lands’ End
Stanford faculty member
Consultant
USC faculty member
Writer for Upside media
MarketingProfs CEO
Teacher at InsightLA

Some of the MarketingProfs crew at the end of the day at Social...

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 22:34:01 -0700

Some of the MarketingProfs crew at the end of the day at Social Tech 2010

This was my introduction to marketing. I was asked to write a...

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 19:36:54 -0700

This was my introduction to marketing. I was asked to write a jingle for the First National Bank of Columbia, Mo.

Why Marketing Theory Works

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:18:00 -0700

Back in 2000, I was a writer for Upside magazine (the online edition). Using marketing theory, specifically the adoption of innovations, I said the e-books would take a long, long time before they would replace paper books.

Here was a typical response I received at that time.

“In response to you on your article “The Problem with E-books” on Upside Today.  I believe you are totally wrong on the prospects of e-books and the  electronic distribution of intellectual property. Today, more technologies are being developed that will facilitate the mass  acceptance of e-books.  A new generation of PDA’s, cell phones, laptop computers and flat panel  displays will make the efficient distribution of reading material an  absolute pleasure.  And your argument that books are to be “treasured” as a personal symbol is  ludicrous.

I can’t tell you how many books I purchased that I don’t like  but can’t throw out. They sit in my closet collecting dust because they a) really sucked and/or  b) became an eye sore.  Now if I had a hard drive to archive them all I would be alright.  Maybe I could give the electronic copy to a friend as a gift.  If I really wanted a particular book to treasure for my library or coffee table, I’d go out and buy it.  All of the other benefits you point out in your article are further  evidence that this will work.  In conclusion, I think you’re way behind the times. E-books are for real.”

As you can see, this person felt like e-books were taking off immediately, while theory predicted it would take a long time.

Now that there are so many e-book readers out there, you’d think that books were dead. They are not. While e-books are gaining market share, they are still about 9% of the market. True, this might mean the eventual demise of paper books, but this will take awhile - and this is exactly what was predicted by marketing theory.

This is an example of a song Cole Tuckey had on the radio..I...

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:41:00 -0700

This is an example of a song Cole Tuckey had on the radio..I remember this led to my getting a contract to write my first radio commercial. This song is called “It’s Got to Feel Right” - its recorded from a live show, the audio isn’t great.

The Story of Cole Tuckey

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:33:00 -0700

I’ve been meaning do this for awhile - namely, telling the brief history of a band I was involved with during an earlier time.

Cole Tuckey, a band that blended folk and rock into original music, played in Kansas and the Midwest from 1975-1980. Inspired by the early success of having one of its songs (Passing Fancy) as a top favorite on the main KC rock station (KY102), as well as songs played on stations in other cities, including Saint Louis, Columbia, Mo, and Wichita, and opening for Lynard Skynard and Bonnie Raitt, the band went on to play major venues and clubs – making the Lawrence Opera House its home. Due to its large fan following, the band was picked up by major recording artists (Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Kenny Loggins) to be the opening act when they came to the Midwest.

Eventually, the band headlined in concerts in Kansas City, Saint Louis and elsewhere. The band was composed of Janet Jameson (lead vocals, violin), Allen Weiss (songwriter, lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Paul Dalen (guitar), David Grund (bass), Bill Brennan (drums), with other drummers including Stuart Doors and Keith Boucher. Jimmy Harlow also spent time in the band on keyboards. Jim Stringer joined us as well.

Janet recently recalled the events in Lawrence and Columbia when we played, of how people lined up/ camped out / with the lines winding around the block as early as 2:00pm to get in for our final shows. They even covered the people lined up on the localTV stations. I was told we held the attendance record at the Lawrence Opera house long after that.

Cole Tuckey focused on original music but also played songs that highlighted Janet’s unique singing and playing styles. This led to some songs (e.g., Nobody Knows You When Your Down and Out) becoming standards for the band. Other major songs that received airplay or became favorites of the band’s followers included Jitterbug Cowboy, Last Chance Fever, Takin’ More Time Now, and It’s Got to Feel Right.

Finally, how did we get this funny name? Try coming up with name for a band sometime, and then if you choose something good enough, well, if you become somewhat successful, the name stays with you.

People do not meditate like this. If they did, their arms would...

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:14:00 -0700

People do not meditate like this. If they did, their arms would be in great pain after two minutes (probably less). So why do I keep seeing this picture all over the web?

Has Tweetmeme and Likes Killed Off Comments?

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:49:00 -0700

I have a theory. Before Twitter came along and, more importantly, all the services that allowed people to easily retweet or Like some article, people used to leave comments on web sites. Of course, this practice continues on political blogs, but not so much on other web sites anymore.

On MarketingProfs and on a number of technology sites I regularly visit, I’ve seen this trend. The number of retweets has been going up, but the number of comments has been decreasing. Is there a relationship? Are people finding it easier to simply click a button to show they’re engaged? If so, what does this say about how engaged people are?

"What, when I do it, would lead to the most long-term happiness?"

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:45:00 -0700

“What, when I do it, would lead to the most long-term happiness?”

- Thanissaro Bhikkhu, speaking on the subject of skillful living. This is the question you ask before making any decision.

In a past life, I wrote songs. Here is the first song I wrote...

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 12:47:00 -0700

In a past life, I wrote songs. Here is the first song I wrote that I heard on the radio. It was very exciting to hear this through the crappy speakers on a car radio.