Du Brow Death Ruled Accidental O.D.
Quiet Riot frontman Kevin Du Brow died of an accidental cocaine overdose, according to the Clark County coroner. Du Brow was found dead in his Las Vegas home on Nov. 25th. He was 52.
12/11/2007
Can't Have It Both Ways
As we've stated before here and here, all the Writers Guild of America wants for its members is a fair share of the digital pie. The Hollywood studios are crying poverty or uncertainty of profit. Yet they like nothing more than to brag about their wonderful, new digital revenue streams to the media, shareholders, Wall Street, trade publications and anyone who'll listen. Except when they have to pay those who do the grunt work. You know, like writers, for instance.
As we've stated before here and here, all the Writers Guild of America wants for its members is a fair share of the digital pie. The Hollywood studios are crying poverty or uncertainty of profit. Yet they like nothing more than to brag about their wonderful, new digital revenue streams to the media, shareholders, Wall Street, trade publications and anyone who'll listen. Except when they have to pay those who do the grunt work. You know, like writers, for instance.
12/10/2007
Quote of the Day
Two different takes on the current state of the music biz from Wired.com:
"It was only a couple of years ago that we said, 'What's going on here?' Really, an album that someone worked on for two years — is that worth only $9, $10, when people pay two bucks for coffee in Starbucks? People never really understand what's happening to the artists. All the sharing of the music, right? Is it correct that people share their music, fill up these devices with music they haven't paid for? If you had Coca-Cola coming through the faucet in your kitchen, how much would you be willing to pay for Coca-Cola? There you go. That's what happened to the record business."
- Universal Music Group chairmain and CEO Doug Morris
"As one who makes a living making records for others, I have to tell ya the whole 'touring uber alles' meme is tired and deeply flawed. Setting aside the loss of a valid modern art form (the album, as distinct from it's compositions and performances), both club circuits and pay scales have been in decline for a couple decades now. While artists could make a good living touring in small clubs in earlier eras, not so today: Indie bands are doing good to make $200 in a mid-size city on a weeknight, which must cover gas, food and lodging for 3-6 people. Burger King is a better option. Touring is very difficult for bands who lack outside revenue (from album and merch sales or a day job). Even the most savvy artists with great merch and name recognition tour at their own risk: Typically only weekend shows are profitable outside major cities.
The notion of artists surviving on their live performances or touring revenue is naive and worthless. Venue attendance is weak across the country, gates are stagnant, and radio support non-existent. It's difficult to grow a following organically, requiring an investment of years and thousands of out-of-someones-pocket dollars in tour and life support. Suggesting bands give up royalties for recordings and instead rely on road revenues is ludicrous on it's [sic] face. It's a mantra chanted by people looking to validate the false morality of illegitimate file trading. It's easy to rationalize ripping off big labels, especially when their [sic] headed by douchebags who hate fans as much as they love money. But the fact remains, we need to find a revenue stream for recorded music, as venues move away from live entertainment and opportunity narrows for tour revenue."
- Mastering engineer D. Lincoln
"It was only a couple of years ago that we said, 'What's going on here?' Really, an album that someone worked on for two years — is that worth only $9, $10, when people pay two bucks for coffee in Starbucks? People never really understand what's happening to the artists. All the sharing of the music, right? Is it correct that people share their music, fill up these devices with music they haven't paid for? If you had Coca-Cola coming through the faucet in your kitchen, how much would you be willing to pay for Coca-Cola? There you go. That's what happened to the record business."
- Universal Music Group chairmain and CEO Doug Morris
"As one who makes a living making records for others, I have to tell ya the whole 'touring uber alles' meme is tired and deeply flawed. Setting aside the loss of a valid modern art form (the album, as distinct from it's compositions and performances), both club circuits and pay scales have been in decline for a couple decades now. While artists could make a good living touring in small clubs in earlier eras, not so today: Indie bands are doing good to make $200 in a mid-size city on a weeknight, which must cover gas, food and lodging for 3-6 people. Burger King is a better option. Touring is very difficult for bands who lack outside revenue (from album and merch sales or a day job). Even the most savvy artists with great merch and name recognition tour at their own risk: Typically only weekend shows are profitable outside major cities.
The notion of artists surviving on their live performances or touring revenue is naive and worthless. Venue attendance is weak across the country, gates are stagnant, and radio support non-existent. It's difficult to grow a following organically, requiring an investment of years and thousands of out-of-someones-pocket dollars in tour and life support. Suggesting bands give up royalties for recordings and instead rely on road revenues is ludicrous on it's [sic] face. It's a mantra chanted by people looking to validate the false morality of illegitimate file trading. It's easy to rationalize ripping off big labels, especially when their [sic] headed by douchebags who hate fans as much as they love money. But the fact remains, we need to find a revenue stream for recorded music, as venues move away from live entertainment and opportunity narrows for tour revenue."
- Mastering engineer D. Lincoln
Jeff Tweedy vs Wikipedia
The Wilco frontman has to explain his pot smoking to his pre-teen son after Wikipedia outs him on it. Damn! Tweedy speaks to the Associated Press about that and more.
The Wilco frontman has to explain his pot smoking to his pre-teen son after Wikipedia outs him on it. Damn! Tweedy speaks to the Associated Press about that and more.
12/07/2007
Quote of the Day
“Fuck the labels man, they suck. The last thing they’re stripping down is their own expense accounts and shit. I mean, Jimmy Iovine [chairman] of Interscope Records takes a private jet or rides first class to tell a band they don’t get tour support. You know what I mean? Fuck that shit, I’m tired of it. And I’m not gonna be quiet because the American label, not Canada, not Europe, but our American label’s fucking us like crazy, so fuck them. Why should I not say anything, what am I afraid of? I’m not afraid of them…all I want to do is what we agreed upon. And I’m not even bitter, people say labels are evil, no. They’re just lame…the fact that this is just their job and this is my life, does a flip flop on them because they can’t stop me from being me and from playing, but they can lose their jobs and have to fucking work at Shakey’s pizza like they should’ve all along.”
- Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme on antiquiet.com
- Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme on antiquiet.com
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