Despite all of the negative publicity surrounding the future fortunes of EMI, their ownership of the master recordings of the entire Beatles catalogue is most definitely THE jewel in the crown of any record label. Whilst the supergroup officially disbanded more than 40 years ago and all possible recordings have been released to the public, enormous sales year-on-year warrant EMI’s marketing gurus to regularly dream up new strategies to exploit their most prized asset.
Christmas is the time of year for record labels to market their most lucrative product, and this year EMI have devised a masterstroke; blending the best in modern technology with the best in listening and viewing pleasure. The remastered Beatles catalogue will be released on high standard vinyl, lovingly packaged as a 14 album box set with familiar and little known photographs of the Fab Four.
In an era of declining sales of recorded product, EMI can’t lose this Christmas. The diehard Beatles fans will buy the box set, and the new fans will lap it up and test the sound quality on their recently acquired turntables.
After all is said and done, EMI is a business which needs to make profits in order to satisfy its shareholders. The general public will open their wallets at Christmas time, and for Beatles product. There will be a deservingly large Christmas bonus for EMI’s marketing team this year!!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
HAS THE “ANNIVERSARY” AND “CLASSIC ALBUM” TOUR TREND RUN ITS COURSE?
2012 is an important year for popular music. It is 50 years since The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones started performing and releasing music; it is essential that their ongoing existence be acknowledged. The Beach Boys are presently touring the world, performing their hits, and The Rolling Stones are recording some new tracks with the view to embarking on a global tour in 2013.
Life is all about leveraging off a great idea until it has been exploited to within an inch of its self. The music press has revealed plans for an Eagles’ 40th anniversary tour [better be quick guys, 2012 is almost done!!], and we have seen numerous world tours of lesser-known artists for their 30th or 20th anniversaries. Many of these artists haven’t been actively performing for at least a decade; is there a qualifying period for active service in order to meet the requirements for an official anniversary tour?
In recent years, we have seen many artists touring a “classic album” [i.e. performing their best-known album in its entirety]. I’m not sure as to when this concept commenced [was it Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”], however this trend is beginning to wear thin. The Smashing Pumpkins have recently been touring 1993’s “Siamese Dream” AND making the cover The Rolling Stone magazine. Surely this is a step too far…
Is it a case that today’s popular artists are unable to “hold” an audience in live performance, or is the general public’s demand for a “tried and tested” format simply overpowering the development of new and original artists?
Life is all about leveraging off a great idea until it has been exploited to within an inch of its self. The music press has revealed plans for an Eagles’ 40th anniversary tour [better be quick guys, 2012 is almost done!!], and we have seen numerous world tours of lesser-known artists for their 30th or 20th anniversaries. Many of these artists haven’t been actively performing for at least a decade; is there a qualifying period for active service in order to meet the requirements for an official anniversary tour?
In recent years, we have seen many artists touring a “classic album” [i.e. performing their best-known album in its entirety]. I’m not sure as to when this concept commenced [was it Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”], however this trend is beginning to wear thin. The Smashing Pumpkins have recently been touring 1993’s “Siamese Dream” AND making the cover The Rolling Stone magazine. Surely this is a step too far…
Is it a case that today’s popular artists are unable to “hold” an audience in live performance, or is the general public’s demand for a “tried and tested” format simply overpowering the development of new and original artists?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
LIVE MUSIC VENUES IN AUSTRALIA – IT’S TIME TO FACE THE MUSIC
Newtown’s Sandringham Hotel, a famous live music venue in Sydney’s inner city, has been the subject of plenty media coverage over the past 12 months.
The Sando [as it is affectionately known] last changed ownership in 2005 at the height of Australia’s commercial property boom. The valuations of live music venues have plummeted since the Global Financial Crisis, primarily due to restrictive anti-smoking and gaming legislations introduced in Australia during the past decade. The proprietor of The Sando simply isn’t generating enough cash flow to pay his loans, thus his Bank has decided to foreclose on the debt and sell the business.
There have been plenty of famous local musicians attempting to rally support to “Save The Sando”, due to its history and importance in the Sydney live music industry, however despite these best endeavours the actions have been in vain.
Let’s delve deeper into the sagging fortunes of Australia’s live music venues.
The live music scene peaked in Australia in the early 1980’s, when pubs and clubs were packed like sardines 7 nights a week with enthusiastic audiences. There were never enough bands and solo artists to meet demand, and Australia’s music fortunes were flying.
Over time, the introduction of the Internet changed everything. Our lives are so much busier in the present day; we simply don’t have time to go out 2-3 nights a week to see a live music performance. The Internet is a more convenient [and cheaper] form of entertainment.
It has never been tougher than now to make a living in the music industry, and this comment also extends to proprietors of live music venues. The local music scene has changed significantly in the past 5 years, with the electronic medium swiftly overtaking our historical values.
The Sando isn’t an isolated case; there are plenty of live music venues sitting dormant around Australia since 2008. These venues will most likely be converted into residential apartments, as this is an investment which will never go out of fashion.
The Sando [as it is affectionately known] last changed ownership in 2005 at the height of Australia’s commercial property boom. The valuations of live music venues have plummeted since the Global Financial Crisis, primarily due to restrictive anti-smoking and gaming legislations introduced in Australia during the past decade. The proprietor of The Sando simply isn’t generating enough cash flow to pay his loans, thus his Bank has decided to foreclose on the debt and sell the business.
There have been plenty of famous local musicians attempting to rally support to “Save The Sando”, due to its history and importance in the Sydney live music industry, however despite these best endeavours the actions have been in vain.
Let’s delve deeper into the sagging fortunes of Australia’s live music venues.
The live music scene peaked in Australia in the early 1980’s, when pubs and clubs were packed like sardines 7 nights a week with enthusiastic audiences. There were never enough bands and solo artists to meet demand, and Australia’s music fortunes were flying.
Over time, the introduction of the Internet changed everything. Our lives are so much busier in the present day; we simply don’t have time to go out 2-3 nights a week to see a live music performance. The Internet is a more convenient [and cheaper] form of entertainment.
It has never been tougher than now to make a living in the music industry, and this comment also extends to proprietors of live music venues. The local music scene has changed significantly in the past 5 years, with the electronic medium swiftly overtaking our historical values.
The Sando isn’t an isolated case; there are plenty of live music venues sitting dormant around Australia since 2008. These venues will most likely be converted into residential apartments, as this is an investment which will never go out of fashion.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
AND WHO SAID THAT DRUMMERS DON’T MAKE MONEY IN THE MUSIC GAME?
Continuing in the same vein as my previous article [“Song Writing Bass Players”], I recently read with interest that The Beatles’ Ringo Starr is the wealthiest drummer in the world [$300M].
It’s common knowledge that Ringo didn’t write The Beatles’ hits [or many songs at all], however the phenomenal level of artist royalties collected by Starr over the past 40 years fully justifies his top perch on the skin-bashing ladder. Let’s face it, The Beatles are in their own stratosphere when it comes to sales and popularity.
Who else features in the Top 5 wealthiest drummers in the world?
• Phil Collins [$250M] – the former Genesis drummer and solo superstar was everywhere throughout the 1980’s. A fair chunk of Collins’ wealth can be attributed to the large global tours undertaken by the British prog rock group, and as a solo artist.
• Dave Grohl [$225M] – isn’t he the singer & guitarist with The Foo Fighters? Whilst Grohl will have earned a minor mint from his stint with Nirvana, it is fair to suggest that he has profited most from his current band.
• Don Henley [$200M] – if his solo work was more frequent, The Eagles’ beat maker would be nudging Ringo for the top spot. Henley co-wrote all of the country-rock group’s big hits from the 1970’s, and The Eagles’ profit significantly from their ever frequent “reunion” world tours.
• Lars Ulrich [$175M] – Metallica’s huge album sales and monster global fan base can justify his estimated wealth. The California-based metal rockers like to tour relentlessly on a BIG scale.
Who features in the balance of the Top 10 wealthiest drummers?
• Charlie Watts [The Rolling Stones]
• Larry Mullen [U2]
• Roger Taylor [Queen]
• Joey Kramer [Aerosmith]
• Chad Smith [Red Hot Chilli Peppers]
It is TOUGH to make money in the music business, especially if you are a drummer [because drummers rarely write songs!!]. Whilst Collins, Henley & Taylor have all written Number One hit songs [i.e. very lucrative royalty streams], the 10 drummers listed above share one common thread which defines their wealth; they are all members of very popular rock groups who perform [or performed] in large stadiums across the globe.
In the present environment, big profits are made from big rock tours…
It’s common knowledge that Ringo didn’t write The Beatles’ hits [or many songs at all], however the phenomenal level of artist royalties collected by Starr over the past 40 years fully justifies his top perch on the skin-bashing ladder. Let’s face it, The Beatles are in their own stratosphere when it comes to sales and popularity.
Who else features in the Top 5 wealthiest drummers in the world?
• Phil Collins [$250M] – the former Genesis drummer and solo superstar was everywhere throughout the 1980’s. A fair chunk of Collins’ wealth can be attributed to the large global tours undertaken by the British prog rock group, and as a solo artist.
• Dave Grohl [$225M] – isn’t he the singer & guitarist with The Foo Fighters? Whilst Grohl will have earned a minor mint from his stint with Nirvana, it is fair to suggest that he has profited most from his current band.
• Don Henley [$200M] – if his solo work was more frequent, The Eagles’ beat maker would be nudging Ringo for the top spot. Henley co-wrote all of the country-rock group’s big hits from the 1970’s, and The Eagles’ profit significantly from their ever frequent “reunion” world tours.
• Lars Ulrich [$175M] – Metallica’s huge album sales and monster global fan base can justify his estimated wealth. The California-based metal rockers like to tour relentlessly on a BIG scale.
Who features in the balance of the Top 10 wealthiest drummers?
• Charlie Watts [The Rolling Stones]
• Larry Mullen [U2]
• Roger Taylor [Queen]
• Joey Kramer [Aerosmith]
• Chad Smith [Red Hot Chilli Peppers]
It is TOUGH to make money in the music business, especially if you are a drummer [because drummers rarely write songs!!]. Whilst Collins, Henley & Taylor have all written Number One hit songs [i.e. very lucrative royalty streams], the 10 drummers listed above share one common thread which defines their wealth; they are all members of very popular rock groups who perform [or performed] in large stadiums across the globe.
In the present environment, big profits are made from big rock tours…
Saturday, July 28, 2012
SONGWRITING BASS PLAYERS
Just how accurate is the “bass player/ drummer” syndrome in the history of popular music?
The long held belief that bass players earn their income solely from live performances [due to the fact that you can’t write a song on a bass guitar] can be put to the test when you examine the following list of songwriters who are well known for playing bass:
• Paul McCartney – one of the top 5 greatest songwriters in the history of music, firstly with The Beatles and then his solo career and Wings.
• Sting – the principal songwriter for The Police, who has also enjoyed a commercially successful solo career.
• Roger Waters – let’s face it, he wrote Pink Floyd’s most identifiable songs, “Money” and “Another Brick In The Wall [Part II].
• John Paul Jones – the “quiet one” in Led Zeppelin, albeit a key collaborator in the body of the group’s work.
• John Deacon – the “quiet one” in Queen. His compositions “Another One Bites The Dust”, “You’re My Best Friend” & “I Want To Break Free” are 3 of the British supergroup’s most enduring songs.
• Steve Harris – he writes all of the hits for Iron Maiden.
• Lemmy – what would Motorhead sound like without Lemmy’s input?
• Geezer Butler – whilst Tony Iommi is assumed to be the key writer in Black Sabbath’s golden era, Geezer was an equal contributor.
• Tony Mitchell – Sherbet were Australia’s most popular band in the mid-1970’s. “Howzat” forms part of Mitchell’s catalogue.
• Peter Cetera – the jazz-influenced group Chicago had many songwriters, however their 2 big hits “If You Leave Me Now” and “Baby What A Big Surprise” were penned by their bass player.
Let’s be realistic in acknowledging that the abovementioned artists are all multi-instrumentalists, as most popular songs are composed on guitar or piano/ keyboard. The “X-Factor” which makes bass players great song writers is that they understand the groove of a song. When this is combined with a memorable melody, you have the formula for a winning composition.
The long held belief that bass players earn their income solely from live performances [due to the fact that you can’t write a song on a bass guitar] can be put to the test when you examine the following list of songwriters who are well known for playing bass:
• Paul McCartney – one of the top 5 greatest songwriters in the history of music, firstly with The Beatles and then his solo career and Wings.
• Sting – the principal songwriter for The Police, who has also enjoyed a commercially successful solo career.
• Roger Waters – let’s face it, he wrote Pink Floyd’s most identifiable songs, “Money” and “Another Brick In The Wall [Part II].
• John Paul Jones – the “quiet one” in Led Zeppelin, albeit a key collaborator in the body of the group’s work.
• John Deacon – the “quiet one” in Queen. His compositions “Another One Bites The Dust”, “You’re My Best Friend” & “I Want To Break Free” are 3 of the British supergroup’s most enduring songs.
• Steve Harris – he writes all of the hits for Iron Maiden.
• Lemmy – what would Motorhead sound like without Lemmy’s input?
• Geezer Butler – whilst Tony Iommi is assumed to be the key writer in Black Sabbath’s golden era, Geezer was an equal contributor.
• Tony Mitchell – Sherbet were Australia’s most popular band in the mid-1970’s. “Howzat” forms part of Mitchell’s catalogue.
• Peter Cetera – the jazz-influenced group Chicago had many songwriters, however their 2 big hits “If You Leave Me Now” and “Baby What A Big Surprise” were penned by their bass player.
Let’s be realistic in acknowledging that the abovementioned artists are all multi-instrumentalists, as most popular songs are composed on guitar or piano/ keyboard. The “X-Factor” which makes bass players great song writers is that they understand the groove of a song. When this is combined with a memorable melody, you have the formula for a winning composition.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
VALE BOB WELCH
The untimely passing of highly respected American singer-songwriter Bob Welch has come as a shock to his many fans around the globe.
Welch, who took his own life in his Nashville
It is often overlooked that Bob Welch was a contributing member of Fleetwood Mac in the 1st half of the 1970’s, and his departure saw the recruitment of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks assist in taking the British-American band to enormous success, primarily on the back of 1977’s multi-platinum LP “Rumours”.
Whilst Welch may be viewed as having missed out on the financial rewards of Fleetwood Mac’s stellar commercial years, he himself enjoyed critical & commercial solo success in the late 1970’s. His 1977 LP “French Kiss” achieved platinum sales in the USA
As is all too common in the entertainment world, Welch’s life took a downwards turn when the adulation died down in the 1980’s, with some well publicised substance abuse problems interrupting his creative output. Welch wasn’t invited to partake in any of the lucrative Fleetwood Mac reunion tours from the late 1980’s onwards, thus one can only assume that he may have felt that his departure from the band was a career-changing mistake.
It goes without saying that Bob Welch will be missed. It can never be denied that he was an extremely talented songwriter and guitarist, and his body of work will live on.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
THE WIGGLES VERSION 2.0 – A SENSIBLE STRATEGY
The recent media announcement of The Wiggles’ member change at the end of 2012 has the doomsayers talking about “poor career choices”, however this may just be a very sensible strategy for Australia’s most lucrative children’s entertainment brand.
Come 2013, Jeff Fatt [the purple “Wiggle”], Murray Cook [red] and Greg Page [yellow] will step away from playing a public role in the group, and Emma Watkins, Simon Pryce and Lachlan Gillespie will join founding member Anthony Field as the ongoing faces of The Wiggles. Fatt and Cook will maintain their equity in The Wiggles corporation [allegedly worth tens of millions of dollars], whilst Page will join the aforementioned Fatt and Cook and continue with song writing and production duties for the supergroup.
So, why is the personnel change in The Wiggles a sensible strategy?
Age – let’s face it; the original members of The Wiggles are all on the cloudy side of 40 years old, and being a Wiggle is a very draining vocation. The group tours the world for 9 months of the year, whilst the balance of time is spent “being creative” – writing and recording news songs, designing new stage sets, et al. Greg Page and Jeff Fatt have both experienced very public health problems in recent years, and Murray Cook simply wishes to spend more time with his family. Anthony Field is passionate about The Wiggles; he focuses on maintaining peak physical & mental fitness in order to fulfil his ambitions for the group.
New faces – the unique factor of The Wiggles’ “brand” revolves around their ever-changing fan base. Once a child reaches 5 years of age and begins to lose interest in the group’s appeal, there is a steady supply of new fans being born to replace them! Whilst it is important to maintain some continuity by way of Anthony Field, the attraction of 3 new personalities [including a first time female Wiggle] will be a breath of fresh air for the group’s audience.
Public Relations – the replacement of recent yellow Wiggle Sam Moran by founding member Greg Page in early 2012 was terribly handled, and the media pounced upon the apparent “disharmony” within the Group. Further reports about The Wiggles’ financial losses in the past 2 years did nothing to quell the storm of controversy about the group’s future. In short, “something different” was required in order for The Wiggles to regain public favour.
Whilst the announcement of the personnel changes may appear to be contrived and rather hasty on the back of the early 2012 “controversy”, the change in strategy is most likely to prolong The Wiggles’ brand. Time will tell as to whether the group will remain as popular as the world-famous quartet of Field, Page/ Moran, Fatt & Cook; I’m supportive of their progression.
Come 2013, Jeff Fatt [the purple “Wiggle”], Murray Cook [red] and Greg Page [yellow] will step away from playing a public role in the group, and Emma Watkins, Simon Pryce and Lachlan Gillespie will join founding member Anthony Field as the ongoing faces of The Wiggles. Fatt and Cook will maintain their equity in The Wiggles corporation [allegedly worth tens of millions of dollars], whilst Page will join the aforementioned Fatt and Cook and continue with song writing and production duties for the supergroup.
So, why is the personnel change in The Wiggles a sensible strategy?
Age – let’s face it; the original members of The Wiggles are all on the cloudy side of 40 years old, and being a Wiggle is a very draining vocation. The group tours the world for 9 months of the year, whilst the balance of time is spent “being creative” – writing and recording news songs, designing new stage sets, et al. Greg Page and Jeff Fatt have both experienced very public health problems in recent years, and Murray Cook simply wishes to spend more time with his family. Anthony Field is passionate about The Wiggles; he focuses on maintaining peak physical & mental fitness in order to fulfil his ambitions for the group.
New faces – the unique factor of The Wiggles’ “brand” revolves around their ever-changing fan base. Once a child reaches 5 years of age and begins to lose interest in the group’s appeal, there is a steady supply of new fans being born to replace them! Whilst it is important to maintain some continuity by way of Anthony Field, the attraction of 3 new personalities [including a first time female Wiggle] will be a breath of fresh air for the group’s audience.
Public Relations – the replacement of recent yellow Wiggle Sam Moran by founding member Greg Page in early 2012 was terribly handled, and the media pounced upon the apparent “disharmony” within the Group. Further reports about The Wiggles’ financial losses in the past 2 years did nothing to quell the storm of controversy about the group’s future. In short, “something different” was required in order for The Wiggles to regain public favour.
Whilst the announcement of the personnel changes may appear to be contrived and rather hasty on the back of the early 2012 “controversy”, the change in strategy is most likely to prolong The Wiggles’ brand. Time will tell as to whether the group will remain as popular as the world-famous quartet of Field, Page/ Moran, Fatt & Cook; I’m supportive of their progression.
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