Over the past few years there has been much discussion in the music trades that for the first time in a very long time, and perhaps since World War 2, the record business has had a measurable decline in sales. You couldn’t tell anything was amiss if you attended the massive North American Music Merchants (NAMM) convention in Anaheim, California, in recent years. Conspicuous consumption, corporate expense accounts and every type of promotional, marketing and advertising gimmick was in full effect at this trade show. It was an industry that seemed to be impervious to the economic rollercoaster that is a prevalent feature of the American economy. The music business it seemed could just tune out the hardships many others have been forced to endure over the past several years. In this respect, NAMM is kind of like the Republican National Convention except with smart creative people and perhaps a little more diversity.

As per usual, I attended this convention which runs on the third week of January each year. This year something was askew.

I should explain NAMM for those of you who may be unfamiliar with this trade show. If you are a musician or affiliated with the production, sales, maintenance, or distribution of music, NAMM is your Candyland. If you play an instrument, it will be there. If you use technology in the music field, it will be there as well. If you want a door bell that is an actual guitar over your front door, it can be found. If you desire a guitar pick with the fingerprint of Elvis or Jimi Hendrix it’s there too.  

You might see Kim Wilson blowing a harmonica at the Hohner booth or Elizabeth Pitcairn with her 1720 "Red Mendelssohn" Stradivarius shilling strings and winding pegs. Musicians of all stripes are paid to endorse the products you can order today. Money needs to be made and endorsement deals are not just for sports figures. No matter what your musical stripe, you can get an autograph of your idol promoted by a manufacturer of some music related product.

Part of any trade show experience is the small give-away items known as swag. These items can be as simple as pens or guitar picks with a company logo. They could be as lavish as a full software package. Even the lanyard straps that hold the coveted tradeshow credentials are usually a sponsored swag item for instance. These companies pay big money to be there and anything that has their name on it is seen as an advertising opportunity. The most ubiquitous item in recent years is the tote bag. We all use tote bags to help save the environment and a trade show floor is a good place to have these items in the hands of as many of the 90,000 trade shows participants as possible. These bags are functional as well as it makes it easier to carry all of the literature that is pushed at you from the booths.

NAMM is no different than any trade show in that you ask a guy for a business card and he gives you a drink coaster with his company name and contact info on it. At the next booth the guy gives you a shot glass, a ‘keep your beer cold whatchamacallit’, a key ring, sewing kit, ball cap, t-shirt or bottle opener. You name it. If a company name and logo can be emblazoned on an item they had it at NAMM. Who in their right mind doesn’t like to come home and dump 20 pounds of free useless plastic crap (FUPC) on the coffee table and think to yourself, “What a score,”? This simple joy it seems is no longer a part of NAMM experience.

This year swag was as hard to score and as thin as a trade show spokes model. In a great irony, I even, for the first time, actually had to purchase a tote bag from the good folks at Marshall Amplification Company out of the U.K. and then had no swag to stuff into the handy tote. I felt sort of violated. The two dollars went to charity so I didn’t feel all that bad.  I heard from a number of musicians bitching up a storm over the lack of swag. It’s hard enough for a blues musician to make a living, but adding insult to injury can you imagine going to NAMM and coming home swagless? That must be bitter pill to swallow.

I think the first victim of the downturn in the music business is swag. A near swag free trade show is a sign of the times. What next, the three martini lunch and hookers, a thing of the past? This is a high price for music file swapping, XM Satellite Radio, Pandora, folks staying home in droves and watching Glee.   

As many of our readers are already keenly aware, the blues music world resides in the slums of the larger music industry. We are used to this, but when you see hip hop nation skimping on swag it kind of brings a tear to your eye. Next thing you know Taylor Swift will be wearing Lee Press on Nails and Beyonce Knowles will be using Lady Clairol. I think I even saw Bootsie Collins wearing the same hat two days in a row at NAMM. I couldn't even get a t-shirt from the guitar door bell guys this year. Lord help us all.