samedi 30 janvier 2016

The Rewards of Being "so Lucky"

First off, to you my tiny twelve followers, I don't blog anymore. You probably miss my poorly-written low-end music analysis, but that's just how it is. I'm sorry. I started Tu Joues? as a writing practice when I was in Cambridge learning english, but life moves on while Blog stays behind. The reason for me to write today is because I write every day as a copywriter in New York, and I need that to get better. Significantly better. This post is my candidature to the DamnFine Words writing contest, organized by Men With Pens, and offering a ten-week online writing course to the winner.

My New York settlement is probably one the boldest and most emotionally intense event in my life. I always dreamed about being an advertiser in New York. And after I graduated last May, I was finally set to start this chapter of my life. I already got my U.S. working Visa, I earned enough money over the summer in France to make it happen, and I had until November 16th to find a job. There was no real obstacle between me and the city. But suddenly, something unexpected happened at home and I had to stay and help my parents. I remember that violent pain in the chest when my parents told me, like if someone stabbed me or something. Of course, I couldn't be angry at them, they needed my help. Although, everyday spent at home seemed like my hopes to make it to New York were being carried further and further away. Until October 30th, a Friday morning, when my mother told me they had found a solution. I could finally leave, and yet I was scared. I had barely two weeks left to find a job. But I decided to go no matter what. On Saturday I told my girlfriend I was leaving, on Sunday I booked my plane ticket, and on Monday, I was sleeping in New York. No time to fool around -as soon as I landed I got a phone number and went to the public library every day to access internet and network. After five days, a one day trip to L.A., and some hundred something emails sent, I met Daniel Korkhov, co-founder of Ludique, a small advertising agency whose work I couldn't find anywhere. I was very intrigued.

We met on a morning in a café, I had a hair cut before because I wanted to present myself at my best. After we sat, he started “Okay, I am going to be honest with you.” I knew it was going to be bad. You never hear someone say this and they tell you you're the best whatever in the world, so I prepared myself for the worst. He glanced at me and said “you are close to average, average at most.” Boy, it was the first time someone ever told me that. I was kind of glad actually, of him being so straight with me. Then we went over my portfolio that I had sent him the day before, and he made comments for each work, before finally handing me the agency's portfolio. At that moment I almost fainted. It was world-class advertising, pieces of art put together for commercial purposes. He earned my complete admiration, but also sort of broke my heart as I knew he would never hire me after what was said in the meeting. I gave him back the cellphone, he laid back in his chair, paused for a few seconds, then looked at me and said “if you want, you can come work by my side.” I was completely lost. Why? How? Somehow, Daniel found a certain affection for me and decided to mentor me through my beginnings in advertising, and it's now been three months we work together.

You want to know why I participate in the Damn Fine Words writing contest? If you care digging through my blog, you'll see my writing skills have been propelled to a whole new level in a few years. It's actually pretty good, considering the world's average level of writing. But let's face the truth, Daniel was right, I'm an “average at most” in copywriting. I got to realize it by myself too once I started writing real-life copies on a daily basis and that I'd take a lot more time to write and proof-read than I should. My ambition being ruthless though, in a heart-beat I took a radical turn to foster my english. I picked up reading again, about three books a month on average, and about hundreds of Flipboard's headlines per day for their succinctness. Regarding my grammar issue, I invested in a couple of grammar and copywriting textbooks to solidify my writing's foundations. Yes, I am dedicated to become a first-rank copywriter. But regardless of how much effort I will put into this complete self-reformatting, in the end I will only become a good copywriter. I'm not aiming for good, I'm heading for the excellence. Especially since I have someone behind me spending his time and energy for me, someone that believes in me. It is my duty to try as hard as I can to succeed. And that's why I'm competing for the scholarship.

Finally, what I'd like to do with better writing skills is to write meaningful advertising. I know only too much how people consider advertising to be a shameless immoral practice. And I understand how the confusion could occur, too. I wrote a thirteen page paper on the subject, which actually got published -I'd say I'm a published author if my writing wasn't so average. However, I prefer to look at advertising as a powerful tool to bring people to develop a sense of critical thinking, essence of free thinking -I'm not trying to start a hard-determinism vs free will debate. From raising questions about life, to opening your mind, and all the way to coming up with concepts like the democracy, critical thinking is an asset which I believe has the potential to change the world. The advertising which promote such education, are those good captivating oblique ads that stops you, engaging then a reflection, and creating a reaction almost unique to each of us. Those ads are the fruit of three competences put at work together
First, you need to be an advertising nerd with a theoretical expertise as sharp as a knife. Great social skills comes next, being naturally good at communicating. And finally you need to be an amazing copywriter who's able to pitch meaningful ideas in a clear, concise and compelling way. Fortunate enough, I was born naturally good at communicating and I got so passionate in my studies that I have a very good picture of the theoretical aspect of advertising. You got the idea, I really need to step up that writing.

It's funny, this whole narrative reminds me of my ex-girlfriend. She used to say “You're so lucky” because of events like me finding a copywriter job in just a week in New York. Between you and I, if the rewards of living your life with nerves is being lucky, then yeah, in fact, I'm damn lucky.

mardi 22 mai 2012

"Take A Walk" vers le nouvel album de Passion Pit, Gossamer.


Wahouu!!! Passion Pit sort son nouvel album, Gossamer, le 24 juillet prochain. Je sais que pour vous grands fans de Passion Pit ça va faire encore un peu long, mais pas de soucis, il y a déjà une chanson qui est sorti, "Take A Walk".
Je ne sais pas vous, mais moi j'adore. Alors vivement le 24!
Vous pouvez écouter Take A Walk en bas de l'article!

Hi!! Passion Pit release its new album Gossamer the next 24th of July. I know it might be long for you huge fan of the band, but don't worry! There is already one of the album's song, "Take A Walk", avalaible on the band's website.
I'm looking forward the album is released, the first song is awesome.

Ready to rock'n'roll, enjoy your music.

R'c.

jeudi 17 mai 2012

La chanson du jour/Song of the day: Yuksek - I Could Never Be A Dancer (2009)


Bonjour à tous!

Hier sur ma route pour la capitale du vélo DH, Whistler, je suis retombé sur une chanson que j'adore, tellement puissante! C'est I Could Never Be A Dancer du prodige français Yuksek.
Écoutez, c'est top! Au passage, l'année dernière il a sorti un deuxième album qui est pas mal non plus.

Hi everyone!

Yesterday on my way for Whistler I listened by chance a song I love, so heavy, which is I Could Never Be A Dancer from the french prodige Yuksek.
Listen, it's awesome. By the  way, last year he realeased a second very good album.

Ready to rock'n'roll, enjoy your music.

R'c.

mardi 15 mai 2012

Allé viens! écouter Alabama Shakes avec moi.



Ma période d’examens venant de terminer (en réalité elle a maintenant finit depuis deux semaines, mais je suis parti en voyage) je peux enfin vous faire part de mon nouveau coup de cœur qui m'a accompagné dans toutes mes révisions. Vous en avez sans doute déjà entendu parler, si non, vous me remercierez plus tard ;)
Ce coup de cœur c'est Alabama Shakes! Un groupe qui nous vient de l'Alabama (of course) et aux influences franchement blues. Personnellement je ressens toujours un petit truc quand je les écoute, un sentiment qui se partage entre douceur et excitation, je ne sais d'ailleurs jamais si je dois pleurer, être heureux ou alors les deux en même temps. Quoi qu'il en soit, c'est ce sentiment qui fait que je ne me lasse jamais de leur musique. En réalité l'émotion qu'est transmise est tellement forte de chaque chansons, que quand j'écoute l'album, je ne peut juste rien faire d'autre que rester là, assis, à écouter et me laisser emmener dans une magnifique balade où je me prendrai en même temps claques après claques.
Alabama Shakes fait désormais parti des groupes tel que Arctic Monkeys, The Klaxons ou bien encore Justice à qui la notoriété est monter en flèche grâce à la réussite et l'innovation de leurs premier album. J'entends déjà certain d'entre vous me dire "elle est où l'innovation là?" et bien réécoutez et vous verrez. Alabama Shakes est une des innovations du blues (tel la thèse de Darwin, plusieurs sortent d'innovations peuvent émerger), qui à ce jour me paraît la plus adapter au tendance du moment. Mais je pense que ce qui fait la réussite de cette album, en plus de toutes les autres chose que j'ai pu dire, c'est grace à la parfaite coordination des musiciens. Leurs chansons ne sont pas simplement des lignes de basses, de guitare avec un rythme de batterie que l'on aurait mit ensemble. Non, c'est un tout. Chaque instrument en complète un autre et ainsi de suite, ce qui nous amène à un beau cycle bien réglé qui donne ce superbe résultat.
Moi j'adhère totalement, maintenant à vous d'écouter, si ce n'est pas encore fait!

Ready to rock'n'roll, enjoy your music.

R'c.


Now I'm done with my exams I'm able to right for the blog, and to let you know my favourite band of the moment which followed me in all my revisions. You certainly heard of it, if not you'll thank me later. This band is Alabama Shakes
From Alabama (of course), highly influenced by blues music, Alabama Shakes give us a new and innovated version of the traditional blues. Up to me, it is for now the most adapted blues we've got nowadays.
Every time I listen to the album, I have strong but unclear feelings that come up, so I never know if I wanna cry of if I'm gonna explose of happyness. There are so much emotions transmited in these songs that when you're listening you just can not do anything else than just wait and take slaps after slaps. I thing the perfect coordination of the musicians is the key of this amazing effect. Compared to many of today's bands, Alabama Shakes' musicians play together, and that's for sure the secret of the success of this album, in addition to the quality of the songs of course.
I let you make up mind about them, check at the bottom.

Ready to rock'n'roll, enjoy your music.

R'c.

jeudi 29 mars 2012

The Shoes, live at théâtre Lino Ventura.



Souvenez vous, je vous avais parlé il y a près d'un an de The Shoes, un jeune groupe français, et bien je vais enfin pouvoir vous dire ce qu'ils valent sur scène. Samedi dernier les deux jeunes se produisaient dans la salle Lino Ventura à Nice. J'étais un peu septique à la venu du concert, car étant bon client du groupe, j'avais la crainte que la transition studio/live ne passe pas. Mais j'avais tord!
Quand je suis arrivé dans la salle, il y a quelque chose qui m'a tout de suite frappé sur scène. Se sont les deux percussions au centre de la scène, un peu relevé, qui donne un effet imposant. Plus bas, il y avait les deux set de synthé/instru des deux musiciens du groupe, qui paraissaient beaucoup moins énorme, mais bon, on s'en fou. Maintenant que j'y pense, j'avais beaucoup insisté sur les percussions dans mon article sur l'album, comme quoi elles ne sont pas négligeable. D'ailleurs sur scène heureusement qu'elles étaient présentes, sinon tout aurait été beaucoup plus plat.
Après les quelques minutes d'installation, les lumières s’éteignent,  et de la scène sombre sort un souffle puissant venant tout droit des percussions, le concert commence.
Bon il faut le dire tout de suite, les deux musiciens ne sont vraiment pas à l'aise avec le public. Les seuls chose qu'ils ont dit c'est "Salut ça va?" "ouaiiiiii" "ok" "euh, je sais pas trop quoi dire. Tu veux parler toi?" BREF, une vrai catastrophe!
Mais bon, la musique étant vraiment cool, on passera là dessus ;)
En gros, avec des bonnes variantes qui se démarque pas mal de l'album et une ambiance super dansante du début à la fin, c'est le genre de concert que je cautionne. Si vous aussi voulez danser avec un bande de fou frénétique (comme moi par exemple), c'est le concert qu'il vous faut.

Ready to rock'n'roll, enjoy your music.

R'c.

As I'm tired I'll do a quick summary. Last Saturday I went to see The Shoes in live at the theatre Lino Ventura in Nice. The gig was really good, even if the musicians were unable to speak to the audience. Maybe they were shy, maybe something else was going on... We don't know, but anyway.
The two percutionnists added a lot (a lot!!!!!) to the concert, a kind of powerful sound which were wonderful and very welcome. Without it the concert would have been a bit poor I think. However, there were lots of variations from the album so, the surprise was there.
I recommand it.

Ready to rock'n'roll, enjoy your music.

R'c.