Posted by nuTsie Guy
Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:56:00 GMT
So, Randy Jackson has gotten up from the table of
Idol judgment and Coca Cola cups to produce "Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1", an album chock full of "stars" (including
Richie Sambora at the ripe age of 83, John Rich and the legendary...Barbi Esco?), releasing tomorrow, March 11th.
So, in honor of this moment in music history, I have decided to review the album for you, a la Randy Jackson himself:
"Yo dawg, Randy, you know, it wasn't that tight dawg. You know for me, it just isn't your best, know what I'm sayin', dawg? This is a mad game out here, and you got to put it down every time, feel me? Dawg?"
All that is missing from this musical gem is that duet with Seacrest himself. I mean, hell, what is he waiting on?
- nuTsie guy
Tags album, american, burn, idol, Jackson, music, randy, sambora, Seacrest, trail | 2 comments
Posted by Dave Dederer
Sun, 07 Oct 2007 05:03:00 GMT
A long time ago, I had quite a bit in common with Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead. My band shared the stage with them at radio station music festivals. We both had hits with slightly funny songs about odd characters ("Creep" and "Lump"). We both had our precious guitars stolen in Denver on concurrent tours, sometime in the fall of 1995 -- probably by the same assholes, as Radiohead was at the same hotel as we only days earlier. Our bands had odd names, didn't fit into the current music landscape particularly well and appeared destined for short-lived semi-hugeness.
Of course, Radiohead went on to have massive success with some of the most unlikely "hit" records of all time and are now one of the biggest bands in the world. The Presidents had a couple more hits, broke up for five years, reformed and now have settled into a workmanlike middle-of-the-pack success. They blew up and changed the world. We stayed at home, rode our bikes and went to the zoo with our kids.
Surely, if you're reading this, you know that Radiohead's new album is up for presale on their website and will start shipping this week. And that it can be had for whatever the buyer thinks is fair, with a base price of 45p just to cover shipping.
I think they'll make a lot of money on this. They'll cement their strong relationships with their fans...building even more trust. They'll mine their fans for huge amounts of information that will help the band sell tour tickets and other merchandise for years to come.
The stage has been set for a few years for an artist of Radiohead's stature to do this. The pieces all just had to line up. The digital commerce infrastructure needed to be in place, the artist needed to be out of their major-label contract, and the artist needed to have the balls to go for it.
I know of some other artists who could have done this in the last two years. Judging from their actions, I'd say they chose not to because major labels were still willing to write them huge checks for a one-record deal. From details I've heard of other deals, I'm pretty certain Radiohead could have gotten a check for $10M or more just for one record. But they chose to go for it...as they have in the past artistically...to forge a new paradigm.
Some in the music industry are saying that in another 18 to 36 months the business will be healthier and more profitable than it ever has been. If they're to be proven right, we'll need more bold steps like this.
The king is dead, long live the king.
Dave Dederer
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Tags album, Creep, download, free, Lump, music, new, Radiohead | 20 comments