February 2004

The Best Is Yet To Come!
Article by Steven R. Rochlin
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  As many of you know, my editorial usually does not give some type of "current issue synopsis". Instead i feely write about current issues or on other topics. Well, the time has come to give a type of "state of the Nation" here at Enjoy the Music.com™. First i will discuss the recent past, then move on forward to the present... and the future. Many of you have happily e-mailed us in the past month or so complimenting us on the white background and black text. New this month is our logo.

Unlike some magazines that began as the brainchild of a single individual and grew over the years, they later were sold off time and time again to now be designed by committee. No worries my friend as we are strong, one Nation, under one person's vision... mine. Not one to self promote, this can also be seen with my lack of offering countless awards, very rarely claiming a "Best Of Show" award, etc. With well over 65 show reports now online, i can happily count on my hands how many show awards have been given out since 1996.

And this brings us to marketing. It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that handing out awards is good for both a magazine and also the manufacturer. How often have we seen an advertisement from a manufacturer proclaiming winning an award? Yes, there are many great products that definitely deserve a bit more attention than others, yet having a good filter in narrowing these down is key! Simply giving an award out to nearly everything we have ever reviewed would be a huge disservice to our readership and also other manufacturers of equipment not yet reviewed.

Another part of promotion, better marketing through "brand recognition," is also desirable for a magazine's survival. The recent change in logo was in hopes of a more unified, marketable standard. Gone is the multicolored old, in with the happy orange 3D new. Am looking at the legalities of naming our admirations the Blue Note Awards. This is also to give homage and recognition of the great music label. If it is not about the music, then why bother... right?

And now the great part. As we have grown, our content has also become meatier. Our very first issue many years ago had only three Viewpoint, eleven music, and three equipment reviews. This month's edition offers four Viewpoint, sixteen music, and five equipment reviews. Add to that three new CES/T.H.E. Show reports, Salina's Blues Festival report, and an interview with musician/singer/songwriter Al Stewart. So we have gone from "only" 17 articles to 30 articles. My friends, this is only the beginning! Plans are in motion to enhance both the scope and the quality of our content. Naturally Enjoy the Music.com™ will be making the appropriate announces as they unfold. So stay tuned, relax, grab a great beverage and keep the music playing. As always, in the end what really matters is that you...

 

Enjoy the Music (Good ol' Blue Eyes "The Best Is Yet To Come" right now),

Steven R. Rochlin

 

"Out of the tree of life, I just picked me a plum
You came along and everything started to hum
Still it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come

The best is yet to come, and won't that be fine
You think you've seen the sun, but you ain't seen it shine

Wait till the warm-up is underway
Wait till out lips have met
Wait till you see that sunshine day
You ain't seen nothin' yet

The best is yet to come, and won't that be fine
The best is yet to come, come the day that your mine..."