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Rambling On
September 5, 2008
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"Without deviation from the "norm," progress is not possible."
-- Frank ZappaThanks to all of you who sent me e-mails and commented on the suggestions I offered last week in the newsletter for some possible ways the industry can move forward as consumers migrate more each year to purchasing their music online, and the Internet becomes the new media distribution vehicle for entertainment content.
As I say at the end of this newsletter every week, "DISC & DAT is meant to be your "forum" as much as mine, so your comments are always welcome and I encourage all to be pro-active in contributing ongoing dialogue and/or commentary.
If any of you want to chime in and have ideas you think the industry can benefit from, please take the time to write me this coming week, and if I get enough responses (you can remain anonymous if you wish), I'll put them together and share them with everyone else. Don't be shy, people. Speak now or forever say, "Why didn't they...?"
Now, down to business.
Last week, I put this quote from Staind's frontman Aaron Lewis that he made on MTV (in reference to why the Jonas Brothers would prevent their album from hitting the #1 slot on Billboard Album Chart) in my "Quotes Of The Week" section: "It's Hanson 2008, with Disney behind them . . . How do you compete with that?"
My comment was: "Really, Aaron? That's what kept you from the #1 slot? Then what stopped you from getting the #2 slot? Oh, yeah ... Kid Rock. Can't you compete with that? Evidently not."
As a follow-up, this week -- only the second week for the new Staind album at retail -- the album dropped from #3 to #13 on the Billboard Top Albums Chart and moved approximately 40,000 units. (Down almost 60% in sales from week one)
So, as I mentioned, it wasn't the Jonas Brothers preventing Staind from top chart domination at all. This week, like last, they failed to sell as many albums as others that ranked higher. This week, 12 ranked higher, including the soundtrack to "Mamma Mia," which contains Abba hits from three decades ago. Maybe Staind can't compete with Abba oldies either. Others obviously can.
Listen, I have nothing against Staind. But artists making inane comments about the success of others, thinking it makes improves their standing with their fan base, or betters their image with the MTV audience, aren't accomplishing anything.
Don't get mad, Aaron. Get even. Put together a great album that will compete with everything else in the top 10. Then you won't have to blame another act for selling more than you do. And next time, keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
And speaking of blame, while the labels still blame on iTunes for cannibalizing their albums sales (and as I pointed out in my commentary "Blame Canada" in the August 15th issue, that just isn't the case and the multi-platinum designations prove it), they have no problem at all putting out the "Now That's What I Call Music" packages. In essence, these K-Tel-like packages are the physical sales equivalent of the same songs people are buying on iTunes and other stores.
If labels and artists are so concerned about cannibalizing their album sales, they should stop producing the 'Now That's What I Call Music' packages pronto.
Of course, that won't happen because these are CD compilations that still reap big profits for labels. There's nothing wrong with that. But the artists who are on these compilations, and the labels that put them out, should think about how many millions of album sales were potentially lost by putting out the 29+ 'Now That's What I Call Music' CD collections.
Apple Expected To Unveil New iPods
Apple, Inc. is expected to unveil new iPod music players -- and possibly price cuts -- at a media event next Tuesday, but may not launch a long-awaited update to its MacBook laptop computers until a later date. Apple, which also makes iPhone mobile devices, e-mailed reporters an invitation to a September 9th event entitled "Let's Rock," which has an image of a man jumping in the air while listening to an iPod, with the words "playing soon." No further details were available from the company, which often sends provocative invitations to events that end up being product launches.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Will Apple Confirm Digital Beatles In 2009 At Tuesday Event?
The cover of the October, 2008 issue of Mojo Magazine, now on newsstands, features an interview with Paul McCartney, and next to his picture it says, "My White Album" Plus! The Beatles Remastered". The article reveals that Mojo was invited to a playback of 10 "White Album" tracks, and their verdict is "Better even than we'd hoped." The Mojo article also says that all the Beatles albums, including "Yellow Submarine," "Magical Mystery Tour" and the "Past Masters" albums, have been remastered, but not "The Hollywood Bowl." Two albums, "Rubber Soul "and "Revolver," will be available in three mixes, mono, original stereo and the 1987 stereo rebalances. No 5.1 mixes are planned for any of the albums.
Back in November 2007, Paul McCartney told Billboard, "It's down to fine-tuning, but I'm pretty sure it'll be happening next year, 2008." With the release of "off the record" info by Mojo this week of remastered Beatles in 2009, is it possible we'll be hearing an "on the record" confirmation of this by Apple next Tuesday?
Read more about it by clicking here.
Brian Wilson Opens Up About Life, Lyrics And 'That Lucky Old Sun'
Brian Wilson's new sun-splashed throwback to the fun, fun, fun '60s started inauspiciously with an even earlier touchstone. "I always liked that song," he says of "That Lucky Old Sun," first popularized in 1949 by Frankie Laine. "A couple of years ago, I went to the record store, got Louis Armstrong's version, brought it home and learned it. I rearranged it and taught it to my band."
Read more about it by clicking here.
The #1 Song On This Date In History
Thanks to reader Mark Gilman for this refernce!
Want to know what was the #1 song was on the Billboard charts on the day you were born? The day you graduated from high school? The day you were married? The day your child was born? The approximate date you were conceived? This website will tell you that in a matter of seconds.
Read more about it by clicking here.
AOL To Relaunch SHOUTcast
As an increasing share of consumers tune into Web radio, AOL is preparing the relaunch of its broad-reaching online radio directory SHOUTcast.com. Launched back in 1999, the SHOUTcast network now includes over 25,000 stations, which attract anywhere between 500,000 and 600,000 listeners daily.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Disney, MySpace Launch 'High School Musical' Contest
"We also bring out an inner Wildcat pride," says Angela Courtin, MySpace SVP for marketing, entertainment and content. "The promotion gets them to participate by bringing their community online, so it's not just one person in the school, but rather a collective group."
Read more about it by clicking here.
Meet 'Chrome,' Google's Shiny New Browser
The search giant makes its long-awaited foray into Web browsers, but just how far can it ride its online dominance?
Read more about it by clicking here.
TEEN LENNON PIC IN WORKS
A biopic detailing John Lennon's teenage years, titled Nowhere Boy, is currently in the casting stage.
LES PAUL RECOGNITION
Guitarist Les Paul will be honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Gibson Guitars on November 15th as part of this year's American Music Masters series. Paul is only the second living American musician to be honored by the American Music Masters series; past honorees include Sam Cooke, Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly.
PAGE STUFF FOR SALE
Unheard recordings by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page are among the 5,000 items from music producer's Joe Meek private collection that will go to auction tomorrow in London. And how soon do you think before it's all online?
STONES TONGUE LOGO SOLD
A London museum purchased the original Rolling Stones' tongue-and-lips logo over the weekend for $92,500. One of rock's most famous logos, "The Tongue" was created by John Pasche in 1970 and featured on 1971's Sticky Fingers.
AGUILERA GOES EXCLUSIVE WITH TARGET, DOES MTV VID AWARDS
Christina Aguilera will join the ranks of other who have made deals for releasing new albums exclusively with one retailer (The Eagles, Garth Brooks, AC/DC, etc.). Christina will release a greatest hits album, marking her 10-year anniversary as a performer, exclusively at Target and Target.com, on Nov. 11th. "Keeps Gettin' Better -- A Decade of Hits" will feature 10 hits and two brand-new tracks, "Keeps Gettin' Better" and "Dynamite." Aguilera has also re-recorded two classic songs, "Genie in a Bottle" and "Beautiful," which can only be found on this album. Christina will also perform the re-recorded "Genie In A Bottle" at the MTV Video Awards Show (this year marks the show's 25th anniversary) this Sunday, September 7th.
AND SPEAKING OF THE MTV VID AWARDS SHOW
Britney Spears will open the show, but supposedly she won't be singing. (Well, lip-synching isn't really singing anyway, is it?) However, the hype is it will be an opening not to be missed. After Britney's fiasco last year, which provided great entertainment for most of us - humor, that is, this will surely be another YouTube smash.
AEROSMITH 2009
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler told a fan club website that the band will go into the studio at the end of this month to begin work on a new album. The band has already scheduled their next tour, which is booked to begin March or April '09.
MELLENCAMP DYLAN
John Mellencamp has recorded a cover version of Bob Dylan's famed "The Times They Are A-Changin'. Mellencamp's version, recorded in stark black and white with Cougar performing solo on acoustic guitar, can be exclusively viewed now on his website: http://www.mellencamp.com.
GREAT WHITE FINALLY SETTLED
Great White has reached a settlement with the families of victims and survivors of the 2003 Station nightclub fire that claimed 100 lives. The band agreed to pay a combined $1,000,000 to the more than 300 defendants.
'SCUSE ME WHILE I SELL THIS GUITAR
The scorched Fender Stratocaster set alight onstage by Jimi Hendrix during a concert in London was sold at auction on Thursday for $497,500 to a U.S. collector.
Quotes of the week
"Here's a guy who had months to live and we're making small talk. And as we're talking, he's taking his guitar strap and hooking it, wrapping it around, then he puts the guitar into the case and he flips the snaps on the case and says, 'Here, I want you to have this, take good care of it.' I just started sobbing. He was giving me the guitar that he always used on the show. I felt like, 'I can't be in this movie, I didn't get my lines.' That was very tough."
-- David Letterman in Rolling Stone, recalling his "heartbreaking" meeting with Warren Zevon in a dressing room shortly before his 2003 death from cancer"I want to give a shout-out to all my Saudi Arabian brothers and sisters, and all my brothers and sisters from all the countries that have oil, if y'all could please send me some oil for my jet I would truly appreciate it."
-- Diddy, calling for some help after switching over from his private jet to commercial flights because of high gas prices, in "Diddy Blog #12 -- Gas Prices Are Too F- High," which has since been removed from YouTube. And people wonder why our children's values are screwed up."Whether it was McCain who used the song or if Obama had chosen to use the song, with the current political climate, the lyrics still have the same meaning," Sammy Hagar in a statement saying that he (unlike his former Van Halen members) has no problem with John McCain using the band's "Right Here, Right Now."
"I'm beating down the Internet as we speak."
-- Rapper T.I., on the Internet leak of his new song "Swagger Like Us," featuring Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne, to MTV. Keep trying, T.I., and see if you can do what nobody else can.
"I've had secret lovers...I can keep some things quiet."
-- Jessica Simpson, admitting that there are songs on her new album, "Do You Know," about ex-boyfriends the public doesn't know about, to People. Yeah, maybe you can keep things quiet, Jessica, but those guys you've been with might not be able to.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK?
"If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?"
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
Brett Favre Getting That Retirement Itch Again
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ-Although veteran Jets quarterback Brett Favre claims he still loves the game, dwindling enthusiasm and a desire to bow out while on top has him contemplating retirement again, Favre confirmed Monday.
"I always told myself I'd know when it was time to walk away," the guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer told reporters at the Jets practice facility. "But after 17 or 18, you know, practices as the quarterback of this team, I'm just tired, mentally and physically."
Favre's decision to sit out last Thursday's preseason game against the Eagles sparked rumors that Favre was already reconsidering finally hanging up his cleats again. Favre said that, although he had not yet made a decision, he and his wife Deanna had been discussing his possible retirement since he returned from retirement in early August.
Read the rest here and laugh: http://tinyurl.com/643zt2.
THE RADIO INTERVIEW on 'THE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE' - From newsblaze.com
"Steve Meyer is on the front line of global music sales and distribution which he expects will soar to pocket-bursting levels. What's more, he shares his insight and ingenuity with us. Steve gives us both historical perspective and futuristic vision as he chats with Judy about the love of his work, trends of the business and his personal points of view about success, happiness and blending life with the lust for life. Steve joins Judy and helps us discover the thrill of having it all with a sense of balance and purpose. "
You can listen to an interview I did with Judy Piazza of 'The American Perspective' by clicking here: (It runs about 15 minutes)
http://www.thesop.org/index.php?id=10306.
The Blogs
Check out a great blog by Jerry Del Colliano, the Director Executive Programs, Clinical Professor Music Industry & Recording Arts, at the Thornton School of Music,University of Southern California, by clicking here: http://www.insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com.
Box Office
Check The Daily & Weekly Box Office (and more film info) at: www.boxofficemojo.com.
TinyURL
Check out www.tinyurl.com where you can make a smaller URL that will work for any webpage you wish to link to or reference. (As you can see, I'm using it in my news stories above!)
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