-
Dear Brandon, Stop Whining
May 1, 2009
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."
-- Babatunde Olatunji, the Nigerian drummer, bandleader and teacher who was a tireless ambassador for African music and culture in the United States..
In a new NME (New Musical Express) interview in London, the Killers' Brandon Flowers complained that American audiences haven't embraced the band like Europeans have.
"[In America], people are still so obsessed with Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, those sorts of bands, that nobody else is allowed to grow. It's not just us; there are a lot of great bands that have been held down or confined by the influence of these people that we've put up on pedestals. I'm tired of it, you know? I just want to knock them all off!" Flowers reportedly said.
Maybe someone should tell Brandon that people here in America are obsessed with many of "those sorts of bands," and that "those sorts of bands" all had one thing in common: they made GREAT music and left behind a GREAT history via their albums, and those albums have now become a permanent mainstay in music history because they have withstood the greatest test of all: the test of time.
Maybe someone should also tell Brandon that he and his band haven't really "been held down" all that much since they've enjoyed multi-platinum success. As for "these people" that have "been put up on pedestals," I suggest Brandon think long and hard about WHY those people (Nirvana, Zeppelin, etc.) are so revered by the audiences here. (And yes, even in Europe)
When the Killers make an album as good as Nirvana's "Nevermind" or "In Utero." or as consistently good as any in the Led Zeppelin catalog, maybe they too will become a long chapter in music history instead of a big footnote.
I like the Killers. I've liked them since 2005 when I first heard "Somebody Told Me" (from their "Hot Fuss" album) come out of the speakers in my car like a gust of fresh air.
I bought that album, and now four years later, I only listen to two songs on it, "Somebody Told Me" and "Mr. Brightside." The other songs are okay, but they don't equal anything close to all the songs on Nirvana's albums or Zeppelin's. In fact, after listening to the other Killers' albums, "Sam's Town," "Sawdust" (a throwaway now in my opinion) and their latest "Day and Age," I don't hear anything that's going to go down in pop music history as noteworthy, incredibly creative or extraordinary. I think when most people first heard Nirvana or Zeppelin (on any album), all those adjectives were applicable.
If Brandon wants to really "knock them all off" as he says, I suggest he sit down and write the kinds of songs that will make an entire album so damn good, the album will become a fixture in pop music history.
I'm sure there are thousands of young artists all over the world who would love to "knock them all off." You know, those other old bands people in America are obsessed with. Bands like Zeppelin, Nirvana, The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, The Eagles (and if America is "obsessed with any band, it would be them since they have the #1 all time greatest selling album in history here, "The Eagles Greatest Hits," with over 31 million sold), Springsteen, Elton John, Metallica, etc.
All it takes to "knock them off" is talent, Brandon. Loads of it.
So get out your pen, Brando,n and start writing something that people will still be talking about and listening to decades from now, as they do with the albums from the aforementioned artists.
Other artists struggle daily to get their music heard to an audience in hopes of supporting themselves financially through their music. You Brandon, and your group, are lucky enough to have "made it" in the very competitive music business. Consider yourselves most fortunate.
It's a noble goal to aspire to the greatness of a Nirvana or a Led Zeppelin.
Until then, be very happy you and the Killers have made a ton of money doing what you love to do: making music.
------------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 2
THAT TV LOVE/HATE THING
Back on April 10th, in my commentary, "TV Is Down, But This Ain't Rocket Surgery," I wrote, "The audience is not waiting anxiously anymore for the next episode of any hot show, unless the heat stays hot -- the shows are new each and every week, people are talking about it work and elsewhere, and the frequency of the show keeps audience interest high. When the shows aren't new each week and reruns occur in regular season, the audience has other entertainment options available with the click of a mouse or the push of a button on their remote control."
This past week, an article in the New York Times titled "What Is A Necessity" (http://tinyurl.com/c8wmho) called attention to a Pew Research Center poll (http://tinyurl.com/c8wxf4) that says only 52% of Americans now deem television as a necessity. (And that's the lowest figure since that question was first asked in 1973.)
One of the people responding to the New York Times article said, "A television appliance is not a necessity because you can replicate its function with a computer. Ask if television service is a necessity." And indeed, that would have been a better question in this multi-functional electronic device time we're living in.
The Times article does note that "The fact that television is seen as a necessity by younger individuals is because almost all of the content can be viewed on a computer. The same thing can be said for a telephone; since you can use a computer as a telephone or have the option of a cell phone a landline becomes increasingly unnecessary." But, the Pew Research people should have factored all this into the equation in collecting their data and coming up with their final analysis on just how much TV is a necessity.
With YouTube, Hulu.com, tv.com, and every major broadcast network using the Internet to broadcast shows to online viewers every day, the numbers of people watching content originally aired on TV is growing in big numbers.
People love their TVs, they just aren't watching it in the big numbers on broadcast nights like they used to because they don't have to.
------------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 3
THE CONTINUING TWITTER UPDATE TO KEEP IT ALL IN PERSPECTIVE
A recent study of some 425 Twitter users from Marketing Profs found about 70% of respondents did agree with the statements, "I find it gratifying to have people follow me," and "I want to generate new business." Respondents appeared to be evenly divided on the matter, as about 50% agreed with the statement "People who have a large number of followers are more respected than those who don't." (Source: http://tinyurl.com/czo5tj )
In an age when having "followers" can build your self-esteem, Twitter satisfies a whole lot of people who believe that other people really care about what they're doing every five minutes, where they're going, what they'll do when they get there, what they'll do after that, and so on, and so on, and so on. Trivial pursuit for many, and I guess this kind of stuff is interesting to those who "tweet." I urge anyone who hasn't "followed" someone's "tweets" to do so. If you find the trail of "tweeets" somewhat banal after a few minutes, don't be surprised.
It's also interesting to note that the majority of people using Twitter are just doing so "to generate new business." Nothing wrong with anybody wanting to generate new business, but all you "tweeters" should keep that fact in mind.
And now comes the news (surprise, surprise) that Twitter's retention rate is only 40% and that it "will not be able to sustain its meteoric rise without establishing a higher level of user loyalty." (See the article below "Nielsen Says Twitter Fails To Retain Users")
Just last week I wrote, "I suspect the burn rate will be high on Twitter as teen and college-age users get older, get into the workplace, and realize they can't, or don't need to "tweet" as much as they used to."
Maybe, the burn rate is higher than anyone anticipated.
Media in general is quick to jump on anything new that can capture new audience, and maybe that's why everybody is jumping on the Twitter bandwagon. It's cool, it's hip, it's hot.But ice melts, heat dissipates, and in today's tech world, what's hip today is passé tomorrow.
As someone once said, "Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except over technology."
Maybe that means at some point, parting with Twitter will be done with "tweet tweet" sorrow.
------------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 4
THE CONTINUING VINYL THING
The news is out that Best Buy is considering devoting eight square feet of merchandising space to vinyl after testing the idea in 100 of its stores around the country, the N.Y. Post's Peter Lauria reports. (That's enough space to accommodate just under 200 albums, which doesn't seem like much until you consider that a typical Best Buy store devotes just 16 to 20 square feet to music)
After increasing 15% in 2007, vinyl sales jumped 89% last year to 1.9 million albums, and this year is shaping up even better, with 670k albums sold by mid-April. While vinyl's growth obviously can't make up for the CD's decline, it does show consumers haven't abandoned the physical format. And the fact that a retailer of Best Buy's size is willing to expand vinyl offerings is an incremental positive for the music industry as it faces new challenges daily.
Read more about vinyl's comeback here: http://tinyurl.com/dmulnu.
------------------------------
THE 'A-SIDE' - TRACK 5
FOLLOW-UP: THE PIRATES VOW TO FIGHT BACK
"You take out the Pirate Bay and people will still make copies of movies. People will continue to share music online...It's been five years since Grokster. How has that helped the music industry?" -- Danny O'Brien, International activist, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Last week I opened my commentary about the individuals in Sweden convicted of violating copyright laws there on Pirate Bay with that quote.
This week comes news that "Pirates in that country now have a new safe harbor to escape law enforcement ... Three Swedish Internet service providers, among them Tele2, one of the country's three major broadband operators, have stated that they will erase traffic data to protect their customers' privacy ..."It's a strong wish from our customers, so we decided not to store information on customers' IP numbers anymore," Niclas Palmstierna, CEO of Tele2, told Swedish national news agency TT Tuesday morning."
You can read the whole article, 'Swedish ISPs Vow To Erase Users' Traffic Data' here: http://tinyurl.com/ctpouf.
42 Million Americans Listen to Radio Weekly on Digital Audio Platforms
The latest study by Arbitron and Edison Research shows continued growth in usage and ownership of various forms of digital audio platforms, including online radio, iPod/MP3 players, and podcasting.
The weekly online radio audience increased significantly in the past year to 17% of the U.S. population age 12 and older; up from 13% in 2008. On a weekly basis, online radio reaches 20% of 25-to-54 year-olds; up from 15% in 2008..
The complete study, The Infinite Dial 2009: Radio's Digital Platforms, may be downloaded free of charge via the Arbitron and Edison Research Web sites linked here.
http://tinyurl.com/5wjyv9 (Arbitron)
http://tinyurl.com/ctzypm (Edison Research)
Free TV On Your Cell Phone?
Broadcasters announced last Monday at the National Association of Broadcaster's annual conference in Las Vegas that a new pilot program is launching in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area that will allow people to watch free mobile digital television on cell phones and other mobile devices.
Local affiliate stations for CBS, NBC, PBS, Ion, and Fox will broadcast their programs beginning in late summer for mobile devices, which includes cell phones, laptops and car entertainment systems.
Read more about it by clicking here.
GE Says New Breakthrough Puts 100 DVDs on One Disk
General Electric says it has achieved a breakthrough in digital storage technology that will allow standard-size discs to hold the equivalent of 100 DVDs. The storage advance, which G.E. is announcing on Monday, is just a laboratory success at this stage. The new technology must be made to work in products that can be mass-produced at affordable prices.
Read more about it by clicking here.
TV On The Web
Cable operators and media companies are cautiously dabbling in on-demand online video, but this is one case where caution could be as dangerous as recklessness.
Recently, the nation's two largest cable operators have been talking about offering their cable lineup to subscribers online so they can view their favorite shows on their computers. And now, YouTube, the site Viacom sued for more than a $1 billion in 2007 and threatened to have shut down, is signing deals with big studios like Sony Pictures and Lionsgate, as well as TV network CBS. (CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.)
Read more about it by clicking here.
Nielsen Says Twitter Fails To Retain Users
AFPTwitter's phenomenal growth has been well documented, but its month-over-month audience retention rate is a mere 40%, says Nielsen Online, meaning that more than 60% of its users fail to return the following month.
By comparison, Facebook and MySpace have retention rates of nearly 70%. "Twitter has enjoyed a nice ride over the last few months, but it will not be able to sustain its meteoric rise without establishing a higher level of user loyalty," David Martin, Nielsen Online's vice president for primary research, said in a blog post. Martin noted that new users continue to sign up "in droves," and that Twitter' unique audience was up more than 100% in March. Even so, the microblogging sensation faces "an uphill battle" in retaining these users, Martin said.
Read more about it by clicking here.
The Real DVD Player Dispute
When it comes to RealNetworks' strategy to offer consumers a digital alternative to movie discs, RealDVD is only one facet.
"Facet" is also the codename for Real's prototype DVD player. The box, which Real CEO Rob Glaser demonstrated in court on Tuesday, comes equipped with a hard drive and software that enables owners to duplicate DVDs -- in a similar fashion as RealDVD -- and then store hundreds of movies on the device.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Is The Traditional Desktop PC On Its Way Out?
Some giants of the PC industry are just beginning to sell tiny and cheap Netbooks and all-in-one desktops, which have the monitor and processor in the same box.
But little-known Averatec, based in Orange County, CA, but part of Korean parent company Tri Gem, has been at it for several years. So you'll have to pardon Averatec CEO Tae-Hyun "Tiger" Cho if he believes he has a few insights to share regarding this small but growing market. Averatec's first all-in-one desktop was introduced in 2004. But the company's main business before jumping into Netbooks last year was making 12-inch ultraportable notebooks -- when most were churning out 14- and 15-inch portables -- and it was making them cheaply when the competition was charging hundreds more.
Read more about it by clicking here.
Gaming Continues To Beat The Downturn
BusinessWeekOnce again, gaming is going "gangbusters" in a downturn, except this time, "it takes a lot less" than producing powerful (read: pricey) game consoles and big blockbusters to be a success, says BusinessWeek's Sarah Lacey. In fact, some of the most impressive growth in gaming right now comes from games that are inherently social. Take "Guitar Hero," "Rock Band" and the lineup of interactive titles from Nintendo's Wii.
Much less talked-about is the surge in gaming on mobile phones and social media sites. Many of these games are simple and social in nature; most importantly, many are free. During recessions, people tend to look for such low-cost entertainment, Lacey says. These games also let social networking users share an activity rather than just photos and wall posts.. According to some industry estimates, the number of people playing social games is expected to hit 250 million in 2009, up from 50 million in 2008.
Read more about it by clicking here.
THE iPHONE PASSES ONE BILLION APPS MARK
In case you hadn't heard, Apple hit the 1 billion download mark on apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. The company celebrated the milestone Friday with large leaderboard and banner ads on the home pages of major Web publishers such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
SLASH TO IDOL
Slash has allegedly been asked to mentor the remaining "American Idol" contestants for the upcoming Rock Week.
DEF LEPPARD GOES COUNTRY
Def Leppard will play at this year's CMT Music Awards on June 16th. The rockers are nominated for their Crossroads performance of "Photograph" with Taylor Swift. Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts and Swift will also perform.
WILLIE, BOB, AND JOHN
Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson are teaming up for the 2009 Ballpark Tour. The jaunt kicks off July 2nd in Sauget, Illinois, with the trio playing minor league baseball stadiums across the country until August 15th.
PEARL JAM COLD CASE
The two-part season finale of the CBS drama "Cold Case," will feature a soundtrack with 16 Pearl Jam songs. The episodes will air May 3rd and May 10th, and will reportedly draw heavily from the Pearl Jam "Ten" reissue.
WELL, WHY NOT
Wilco will title their seventh album -- due out in late June - "Wilco (The Album)." There's also cut on the disc titled "Wilco, The Song." The possible title, "Wilco - The White Album" just would not have worked. Another noted group used that some time ago.
G&R UPDATE
Guns n' Roses guitarist Richard Fortus gave an update on the band's upcoming tour, telling St. Louis radio station KDHX, "I've been in rehearsals with Guns for the last little bit here ... We, hopefully, will be announcing dates soon, I hope."
POINT THAT FINGER ELSEWHERE
Billboard.biz reports that after being sued for sampling Karma-Ann Swanepoel's "Once" on his track "I Feel Like Dying," Lil Wayne is now suing Rebel Rock Productions for failing to secure the proper permission to use the sample.
TYLER AND "THE BIG MAN" HIT THE BOOKS
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and E Street band saxophonist Clarence Clemons will help open this year's BookExpo America in New York City on May 28th.
Quotes of the week
"I was not to be outdone, okay? So I mounted my girlfriend in front of 18,000 people."
-- Justin Timberlake, explaining why he was showing off for the "Kiss Me Cam" with girlfriend Jessica Biel at a Lakers game, on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'"I wouldn't call it a reunion. It's a renewing and a rebirth. I missed my boys and wanted to create music with them again. We're all thrilled to have a second chance to make a first impression."
-- Creed frontman Scott Stapp, on the group's planned reunion tour. (Translation: "I wouldn't call it a reunion, it's something we're doing because the potential to make big bucks is there and we're all doing nothing else.")"Are you saying he buys ladies underwear?"
-- Simon Cowell, after Paula Abdul complimented contestant Kris Allen for "shopping in the women's department" following his performance of disco diva Donna Summers's "She Works Hard for the Money," on "American Idol""I can't imagine not doing Britain's Got Talent and I can't imagine not doing X Factor. But I guess America is more likely to go because I have got one year under contract. Maybe that will be the end."
-- Simon Cowell admits he may leave "American Idol" in the not-too-distant future. (And once he does, watch the ratings dip big time)"I wasn't ready mentally. I wasn't ready to give up the drugs. I didn't really think I had a problem. Basically, I went in, and I came out. I relapsed and I spent the next three years struggling with it. Also at that time I felt like I wanted to pull back, because my drug problem had got so bad. I felt like, 'Maybe if I take a break, maybe this will help.' I started to get into the producer role more. I can still be out there with my music, but I don't have to be in the spotlight the whole time."
-- Eminem on his battle with drug addiction, which led to him stepping out of the limelight in 2005. The rapper's new album, Relapse, is his first in five years."I don't vote and I got nothing to do with it. I have no dog in that race."
-- Prince, on Tavis Smiley's PBS show, on the election of President Barack Obama. He went on to explain that he doesn't vote because he is a Jehovah's Witness, and that "prophecy is what we all have to go by now."
The B-Side - 'Blips'
THE ONION (www.theonion.com) STORY OF THE WEEK:
Thousands Of High-School Sweethearts Prepare For Post-Graduation Breakup
WASHINGTON, DC-In a time-honored annual ritual, thousands of high-school seniors across the nation are cramming for final exams, trying on their graduation gowns, and preparing to break up with their longtime sweethearts.
"Amy is an amazing girl," said Lancaster (OH) High School senior Jeff Reidel, who next week is planning to break up with Amy Pocoroba, his girlfriend of three and a half years. "I know we swore we'd be together forever, but, like me, she's got a lot of exciting opportunities ahead of her, and it just wouldn't be fair to her to keep her tied down."
As the seniors take one last look around the halls where they spent the past four years, they are also pausing to take one last look at the significant others they are about to dump.
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 Jerry Del Colliano's (the founder of INSIDE RADIO) daily blog, by clicking here: http://www.insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com