Before They Were Superstars

The past couple of days, I spent some time listening to the new U2 reissues of “Boy,” “October” and “War” - three tremendous albums in the U2 catalogue. This is where it all started for U2.

These new reissues are done in a first class manner containing deluxe packaging along with extensive liner notes and a full bonus disc of extra tracks. One of the best features is that the band’s guitarist, The Edge, contributes to the liner notes where he discusses the background of the bonus material.

The Edge may feel some ambivalence or embarrassment toward some of the band’s earlier work (particularly from the quickly assembled October album), but even with the flaws he claims it has, the music is superior to the band’s later experimental, and mature crap of “Zooropa” and “Pop.”

There is something special about the initial burst of creativity from a young, talented band. U2 basically locked themselves into a basement and composed and arranged an entire album of material in a very short period of time. There were arguments, elements of writer’s block to overcome, exhaustion from months of touring – but the youthful exuberance and drive to create music that they knew they had inside won out. The Edge even points out that the creativity was flowing to the point that a half-baked musical idea in the morning could turn into a completed song by the evening. That is particularly impressive when listening to the final product.

The same story has been told many times. It is amazing when one looks at all the incredible music produced by young bands with their backs against the wall; starving and struggling to stay afloat. Once they hit the big-time, it can take years to produce an album not nearly as impressive as a hastily produced album from their youth.

U2 isn’t the superstar stadium and arena act it is today because of mostly forgettable music found on “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” and “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.” U2 secured its place in this elite level because of milestone albums like “The Joshua Tree” and “Achtung Baby,” however, the path and roots that led to the masterful sounds on those albums was laid by the band’s first few albums.

The unique sound that embodied the band’s work during this prolific period from 1980 thru 1984 was a combination of The Edge’s signature, reverberation guitar assault containing layers of sweeping, lush landscapes and the inspired production standards set by Steve Lillywhite, Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno.

There may be some fans of U2 that simply are not overly aware of the band’s work from the early 1980’s – in fact, some may have just been born during that era. The band had a lot more to offer during the 1980’s than what is currently found on “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.” These U2 reissues along with last year’s reissue of “The Joshua Tree” (and the yet-to-be reissued “The Unforgettable Fire”) are must-have rock albums. These sounds are what launched U2 and gave the band a lasting musical identity.

It has been awhile...

Island Def Jam Music Group and Procter & Gamble's TAG are creating a new record label together to be run by Jermaine Dupri. It is another example of non-traditional entertainment companies jumping into the music business. Does anyone think this new venture will result in anything artistically relevant? This is all about TAG attempting to market directly to a particular audience and demographic by collaborating and being solely connected to certain artists and product in order to drive attention and sales to its own products. It could be a great marketing/advertising concept, but the music plays a secondary role here.

Isn’t that what unsigned, inspiring artists dream of? Signing a deal to make music that will essentially tie into a corporation’s product and marketing campaigns? Some young hip-hop artist must be thrilled about the prospect of having Dupri produce an album that will be connected to body spray.

How about the 360 deals Madonna and Jay-Z have with Live Nation? Who cares? New product will be issued to coincide with over-priced tours. It is more about a large-scale marketing campaign than the desire to produce lasting music. And no one should forget - Live Nation is making their company more attractive by aligning itself with star power so it can jack up the price for a big sale of the company later on down the road. These artists are financially secure – why would they ever want to be owned by a large company? Looks like there can never be enough money. With Michael Cohl out of the picture, perhaps the next deal will not be made so quickly.

All these deals are short-sighted attempts to cash in on the moment. These aren’t in place to create art. For the most part, there is no soul in anything being produced. It is all about the money and short-term gain. That definitely was not the basis during the making of “Born To Run” or “Pet Sounds.”

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Speaking of Madonna, has anyone seen the on-stage images from her recent tour? Wow. She looks like a clown. When does the consensus view of her current image finally become the definition of pathetic? The woman is 50. She may be in good shape, but she isn’t pulling off 35. It is an embarrassment. Not sure why anyone would want to see her version of a Las Vegas show with loads of dancers, lighting and dazzling props while she lip-synchs through half the show. The propaganda machine claims she is still a nightly sell-out, but that isn’t exactly the truth and everyone in the concert industry knows it. Madge, watching you deal with your mid-life crisis over the next few years should be entertaining…

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So, The Rolling Stones are going to be reissuing their post-Abkco back catalogue via Universal in the upcoming months as deluxe editions.

http://www.albumvote.co.uk/news/article.aspx?headline=368

The writing was on the wall for that one. How else is Universal going to recoup their multi-million dollar investment? New Rolling Stones’ product is not going to sell. A few die-hard fans will blindly make the purchase of a new album, but after a few hundred thousand copies leave through the doors of Best Buy, the album will be forgotten (even with reviews in Entertainment Weekly stating it is the best work the band has done since “Exile On Main Street”). What else can Universal do?

Here is the deal. The Rolling Stones are going to screw their fan base with this move. In order to get the unreleased studio tracks and live material, fans will have to repurchase the original albums to obtain the bonus tracks. Universal should just release a box set of outtakes and live material. They will still make a killing since there is little-to-no vault material in the market place. But, that would be too kind to the consumer. So, loads of fans are going to shell out hundreds of dollars for new remasters just to get their hands on the bonus tracks.

Hey, the same thing is happening with Creedence Clearwater Revival. A great set of remasters was issued a few years back. But now that John Fogerty is working with Fantasy Records again, he is approving a latest batch of remasters. And of course, this latest batch will have unreleased bonus tracks. So, fans that shelled out money the first time around will shell it out again to obtain the rarities. Thanks John. I guess he needs to pay off his huge legal bills from decades of litigation against Fantasy’s former owners one way or another.

These artists and their record labels should give away a free jar of Vaseline with bulk purchases since they are fucking consumers in the ass.

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So, The Who are going on a short tour of the U.S. this fall. Just for fun, I went to check out what it would cost for prime tickets. Now, everyone knows the trend for promoters and artists is to create V.I.P. packages built around the ticket sale. But, at the end of the day, the consumer pays triple the price of a great seat for a bunch of lame “V.I.P.” crap. So, for $500+ dollars to see The Who, I get a seat in the first 10 rows. That is cool, but what else do I get since I am a V.I.P.?

*Exclusive, High Quality Who T-Shirt
*Collectible Who Tour Poster (Limited Edition, Numbered, Exclusive to Ticket Packages)
*$50 coupon for use in the official Who on-line store

Wow. How exciting. For $500+ dollars, I get a t-shirt, a poster and coupon for the future purchase of some lame item from the band’s website. This is V.I.P. worthy? You would think for $500+ dollars, one would get a meet and greet with the band or at least a premier parking pass at the venue plus a free beer.

This, my friends, is a total rip-off. I’m not picking on The Who here. All artists are doing this with their V.I.P. ticketing packages. It is simply a way for the band and promoter to make more money. They aren’t interested in giving the consumer true value for a highly excessive ticket price. They are looking for any possible way to screw the fan. This is GREED.

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Axl Rose’s Guns N Roses may be the next band to have a Wal-Mart exclusive release with their “Chinese Democracy” album. Universal music has apparently invested around $15 million dollars in production/studio costs into this project since the mid-1990’s. Various rumors of release dates have come and gone. Now Irving Azoff is part of the management team for Axl Rose and the word is that Azoff is in negotiations with Universal to get this album finally released.

What exactly needs to be negotiated here? Axl Rose owes Universal this album. They have pumped huge amounts of money into it.

Clearly, the only reason Azoff took on Guns N Roses was to make money. The band is no longer a strong touring draw and the only way to generate the possibility of strong ticket sales on the road is to have some new product or to reunite the original line-up. Now, there is no way the original band will reunite, so the only other option is to finally get Axl to agree to release “Chinese Democracy.”

The interest in the band is waning. Even if “Chinese Democracy” is released, there is no guarantee it sells the millions it would have sold a decade ago. So, Universal will probably go along with Azoff’s Wal-Mart exclusive since those releases are proving to be quite the sales tool. Maybe Universal can break even on this baby by giving up a piece to Wal-Mart (and to Irving). Time will tell, but this could end up being available as a 2008 holiday stocking stuffer.

Teaser

I’ve been listening to Tommy Bolin a lot recently. He was such a tremendous talent. From the time he broke into the mainstream in 1973 with his dazzling guitar work on Billy Cobham’s “Spectrum” album through his final solo show opening for Jeff Beck in December 1976, he left behind a prolific body of work.

In that short span, not only did his influential work with Cobham shine, but he also released two albums as a member of the James Gang, two albums as a member of Deep Purple, two solo albums, and as a guest on various other projects with artists such as Moxy and Alphonse Mouzon.

Fans of Bolin will tell you that most of it, if not all of it, is essential listening. And, in all actuality, his playing and/or writing on all of the projects he was involved with during that period is impressive.

His fantastic playing on “Spectrum” opened a lot of doors. After a very underrated stint in the James Gang, Bolin was set to launch his solo career. He had all the intangibles – a dynamic stage presence, looks, songwriting ability and a supreme skill as a guitarist. So, in 1975, Bolin began recording his solo debut, “Teaser.”

“Teaser” was an exciting collage of genres and styles, yet everything blended together. He rocked hard on numbers such as the title track and “The Grind,” he dabbled in Reggae with “People, People,” and tore through some outstanding Jazz Fusion instrumentals like “Homeward Strut.” He displayed a talent for singing with his impassioned vocals on the ballad “Dreamer” as well as his sensual approach on “Savannah Woman” and “Lotus.” The material was strong and impeccably played by notable musicians such as Jan Hammer, Narada Michael Walden, David Foster, David Sanborn, Jeff Porcaro and Phil Collins.

While recording “Teaser,” he also auditioned with Deep Purple to replace Ritchie Blackmore who had recently split to form Rainbow. After a lengthy jam session, he was hired on the spot. So, as Bolin worked on finishing his first solo project, he also was simultaneously recording a new Deep Purple album. Even with exerting so much energy between these to mega projects, the quality of his work did not falter.

“Teaser” was a stronger album than what ultimately became his debut with Deep Purple, “Come Taste The Band.” But, the opportunity to be part of one of world’s biggest rock bands was too much to pass on. With Bolin on tour with Deep Purple, “Teaser” was unable to receive the necessary promotion to break. Sadly, it sort of became a lost gem, as it was one of the finer rock albums from the mid-1970’s.

Understandably, during 1975, Bolin’s solo career took a backseat to Deep Purple. By the time Deep Purple disbanded the following year, Bolin not only had a lot of work to do to get his solo career back on track, but he also had fallen deep into heroin addiction. He still managed to release his second solo project, “Private Eyes,” but it lacked the dramatic style and diversity of his debut. On December 4, 1976, one night after opening for Jeff Beck in Miami, Tommy Bolin died of an overdose.

There are many tales of young musicians dying before their time, passing away before they were able to reach their fullest potential. This is absolutely the case with Tommy Bolin. He was an extraordinarily talented musician. One is left to wonder what could have been because he had the goods to reach superstardom and to take his creativity, music and guitar playing to special places. There didn’t seem to be any boundaries in his way other than his reckless lifestyle. The title of his debut album “Teaser” defines what his career was.

Anyone not familiar with Tommy Bolin’s work, or anyone curious to hear his brilliant guitar work should check out Billy Cobham’s “Spectrum” and Bolin’s debut solo album “Teaser.” It is an inspiring musical ride.

“…an ancillary business.”

There was a short Q&A session from The Eagles’ manager, Irving Azoff, in the NY Post yesterday.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02172008/business/eagles_soar_97980.htm

At one point in the article, he says that the music industry will have to wake up and realize that recorded music sales are an ancillary business. He says touring revenue is much more substantial.

Well no offense, but isn’t that obvious? Does anyone in the music business really think recorded music sales should (or could) somehow compete with touring revenue? Isn’t that why record labels are trying to get a piece of their artists’ income from their live appearances?

Again, why is there such a discrepancy between the income generated through touring and record sales? The answer is overpriced tickets. The Eagles have sold millions of copies of their new album through Wal-Mart, but those are priced out at around $12. What is the lowest priced concert ticket to one of their shows, maybe $50 for nosebleed seats? Of course touring revenue is by for the most profitable avenue for artists to take – especially when they can charge over $200 for certain blocks of tickets every show like The Eagles do.

Let’s face it - this isn’t some sort of answer to the industry’s problems. The legacy artists currently are taking advantage of the high guarantees offered to them by promoters. Why wouldn’t they? Other than The Eagles, what other legacy artists are moving big units of their current studio work? This will not be an indefinite scenario, however. Christina Aguilera or the Foo Fighters will not be commanding $200+ tickets on a nightly basis in 25 years. As soon as The Eagles, The Who, Streisand, The Rolling Stones, and U2 stop touring – managers like Azoff will not be able to tell the promoter to sell tickets at $200.

There is no question that Irving Azoff is one of the best managers in the music business. He shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss recorded music because it is one of the greatest creations in history. It drives inspiration and evokes emotion. It helped make The Eagles legends. And it can still be lucrative. Azoff’s deal for The Eagles with Wal-Mart looks like a stroke of genius. He gets them a 2-3 album deal with a guarantee in the neighborhood of $30 million. And even better, the new album is moving units. Is it because it is a Wal-Mart exclusive? No, most likely it is because The Eagles are still a viable act and more importantly, it is effectively priced. Consumers don’t mind spending money on music, but they aren’t thrilled having to pay nearly $20 for one CD, so when a new double disc release comes out from one of America’s all-time biggest selling acts under $12, it is going to move.

Yes, recorded music currently is an ancillary business and frankly, it would also have been in 1975 if Eagles concert tickets were $200 instead of $10. Recorded music does not have the same short term value that concert tickets currently do. But recorded music has a lasting effect – that is why The Eagles can charge $200+ for tickets because of the magic they once created in the studio.

At one time, recorded music, radio and the concert industry somewhat worked as one. It was a vehicle used to break artists. It will never be the same again. The business changed and currently is having an identity crisis. Labels still are occasionally breaking acts, radio is still playing certain artists in heavy rotation and agents are trying to break bands on the road. But it doesn’t work as often or as well as it once did. The model is outdated. There is less room for error. The cycle has been damaged beyond repair.

How will acts break in the future? A clear cut, definitive way has not been revealed. I certainly don’t pretend to have the answer. It is a scary time for new artists, but in some ways, possibly liberating because they have to know they have more control over their destiny than their forefathers did.

The music industry can’t assume that a healthy outlook is to continue overpricing concert tickets in order to continue overpaying itself bloated salaries. Azoff knows this. But he isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. He is trying to help his artists earn as much as they can and right now, that place is on the road. Most likely, recorded music will continue to be “an ancillary business” because in no way will it generate the gross dollars of concert revenues. However, there is value in reestablishing a sense of importance for recorded music. The current musical landscape and the greed of record label executives helped kill the album and value of recorded music. Hopefully someone swoops in and saves the sinking ship. Does Irving have any ideas?

The Police To Disband

If this were 1984, it would be huge news. But in 2008, no one really cares. Last year, The Police finally decided to cash in on the lucrative touring business available to legacy artists. Sting claimed the band “was back” at last year’s Grammys. Yes, they were back to rape the consumer with excessively high ticket prices, but let’s all be clear – the band was not back as a creative unit.

The news is that the band will make one more profitable round of tour dates in N. America and Europe in 2008 with Elvis Costello as support. After they play their final concert in the summer, they will walk off into the sunset as very wealthy men. And after all, isn’t that what this little reunion was all about? The money? It certainly wasn’t to create new material for the love of playing.

Many reports claim the band still does not get along. So why extend the tour? The Police certainly aren’t playing another round of dates because they love their catalogue and the magic they are creating on stage. In fact, I am shocked that the band isn’t issuing a new set of remasters and a hits compilation for this next run of shows. Why not go all the way and screw the fans in the name of greed?

I still love “Regatta De Blanc,” “Zenyatta Mendatta,” and “Syncronicity.” Those are albums that have stood the test of time. But I can guarantee that I won't spend a dime to see this band in concert in 2008. Good riddance.

Empty Award

The Grammys mean nothing. The show and the actual awards have lost credibility. It is a vehicle for labels and industry elitists to push their agendas. There is no way anyone can objectively say the Grammys is a legitimate awards show celebrating the best that music has to offer. The whole thing has become a huge joke.

Now, of course there always has to be a big, extravagant moment planned. Last year, The Police used the Grammys as a platform to announce their reunion tour. It was pathetic on all levels - particularly for the band. Sting is simply a guy with a massive ego that embraces fame. It was a no-brainer for him. But, the fact The Police chose the Grammys as the launch pad for their excessively overpriced concert tour shows they are just part of the current system in place. Their tour was all about the money - for them as a band and for the promoter. Again, the Grammys proved to be a stage for an industry agenda.

This year, one rumor suggests Michael Jackson may perform. Jackson is completely irrelevant as an artist in 2008. That isn’t to say that his body of work from the past should be forgotten, but what is the reason for his potential appearance? Sony is on the brink of reissuing a 25th anniversary edition of “Thriller.” Why not promote the release with a performance by the extremely bizarre former star? He may have been declared innocent of the charges against him a couple of years back, but a vast majority of the public certainly sees him as a guilty man. So, other than a shrinking devoted fan base, who is really going to buy a reissue of “Thriller?” Will his appearance be enough to draw an audience? Most likely he won't perform due to his own ego and excessive demands. Guess viewers will have to settle for Justin Timberlake.

How about the actual artists being celebrated with Album Of The Year nominations?

Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Vince Gill – These Days
Herbie Hancock – River: The Joni Letters
Kanye West – Graduation
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black

If this is a true indication of the best music currently has to offer, it should be no surprise that music sales are down. This is a lackluster mainstream musical landscape currently in place. Herbie Hancock? He is a brilliant piano player, but this is a cliché addition to the line-up to show audiences that there is still some musical credibility associated with the Grammys – has anyone really heard this album? Kanye West? Will anyone remember this album a decade from now? Foo Fighters? Another forgettable rock album – it isn’t terrible, but is it that good? Vince Gill? Seriously…. Amy Winehouse? She is at the top of her game musically, but is it the best album from 2007?

And what happened to Bruce Springsteen? When “Magic” was released, weren’t we all lead to believe it was his finest effort in 25 years? What about the so-called depth of McCartney’s “Memory Almost Full?” Didn’t Timberlake bring sexy back with “FutureSex/LoveSounds?” Not to worry, these three will win awards in other categories. The list goes on and on with soulless, overproduced and lifeless albums released in 2007. What a joke.

And this is why there is absolutely no reason to tune into the Grammys on February 10. There is nothing to celebrate. There is no music to celebrate. It is depressing. The industry is a sinking ship. These are the “best” artists it can celebrate. These are the best artists and projects the pathetic labels are developing. It is a cesspool. Passionate music fans will continue to stay away.

Archives Update

As reported last fall, Neil Young’s ongoing development of his “archives” project was once again delayed. The news was frustrating, if not unsurprising, but many felt the first volume of the “archives” project was finally going to arrive. The project’s existence is decades old. On a few occasions, it had seemed as though the release was imminent, but ultimately a delay would always occur. The most recent delay seemed to be related to product design issues, so a 2008 first quarter release was likely the new time period.

Well, last week the news of additional delays was announced. This time, the apparent delay is due to technology. Neil has never been a fan of CDs. He hates the sound. He has on a handful of occasions said nothing will ever replace the ambiance and sound of vinyl – and he is probably right. However, vinyl will never be back as a mainstream music format. With the versatility DVD/Blu-rey technology offers, Neil has decided he wants the first volume of the “archives” to be issued as DVDs.

With the DVD/Blu-rey, Neil feels he can offer consumers a more interactive experience by allowing them to view articles, film clips, lyric sheets from the eras of individual songs. His concept is understandable from an artistic standpoint. But it is also somewhat impractical and not user-friendly.

Who really has quality time to sit in front of their computer or television for hours listening and watching multiple hours of archival Neil Young material? It is a novelty. The CD is still the preferred format of listening to music around the world. Its popularity is waning, but it certainly is the preferable choice with consumers if they are choosing between CDs or DVDs as a format for playing music. Yes, the DVD allows for top-notch sound quality and other bonuses like what Neil has suggested, but the CD offers more flexibility because it can be played anywhere.

This project should be more than a novelty. There will be a LOT of music to digest and explore. Long-time fans that have been clamoring for Neil to open up the vaults for years will want to spend significant time embracing the music – they will want to play it in the car, at the office, and on their iPod. They won’t be happy having few options and opportunities to listen to the music. Their only option for unlimited accessibility to the music will be to rip the audio from the DVD/Blu-rey files.

How can Warner Music Group agree to this and why would they? It is hard to imagine Warner and Neil’s manager wanting this to happen. If anything, Neil should offer an audio-only version as well as the grandiose version he appears to be pushing. There is still a large consumer base that does not want to be forced to embrace a technology that is not the most popular mainstream format. Shouldn’t the desire to spread the music in the most easily accessible way be a goal among not only labels, but artists as well?

This potentially goes a little deeper than Neil suddenly wanting to embrace DVD/Blu-rey technology for the “archives” project. Some believe that Neil may feel that once he finally opens the floodgates to his archives, he will no longer be seen as a relevant contemporary artist. Well, if this is true, Neil should understand that for the most part, the general music consumer does not see Neil as a mainstream musical force. While the reviews for “Greendale,” “Prairie Wind,” and “Chrome Dreams II” were pretty strong overall, no one outside of die-hard Neil Young fans really noticed. The biggest selling album he has had in years was his 2007 archival release of “Live At Massey Hall 1971.” That should say something to him. While his devoted fan base still supports his new endeavors, there is a big audience for his work from his prime years as an artist.

So, now Neil claims that his first installment of his “archives” project is definitely coming out in 2008 – and will be only available in DVD/Blu-rey format. If this is true, it will be a fantastic experience to hear some of the treasures he has had locked away in the vaults, but it will also be very difficult to find time to enjoy the music. What an exciting update Neil….