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April 23, 2009
Expect More Classic Acts To Opt For Exclusive Retail Deals
The Eagles have done it. So has AC/DC and Guns ‘N Roses. Exclusive deals with major retailers seem to be a growing trend with veteran artists these days and it is a trend that seems to be heading in an upward direction.
The music industry continues to struggle with questions surrounding the issue of dwindling profits that are blamed on the easy availability of music in digital format that can be downloaded from the internet from an almost endless supply of sources by way of numerous techniques such as P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing programs, bit torrents and large file sharing websites.
Popular contemporary artists don’t seem to have as much trouble earning the big bucks from sales of their albums, but the challenge is more daunting for classic acts that don’t get as much attention from the pop scene and whose music is pretty much limited to airplay on classic or oldies radio stations.
One classic group that appears convinced that exclusive deals are the wave of the future for the artists of the past is Def Leppard. Frontman Joe Elliot now believes that these relatively new arrangements between artists and retailers is “the only way to put records out.”
Elliot, referring to the success that Australian hard rockers AC/DC have enjoyed as a result of their exclusive deal with retail giant Wal-Mart, said that, “Look what AC/DC just achieved — it’s phenomenal what they did, and if there is a blueprint to keep your eye on, it would be the way that Journey’s album and the Eagles and AC/DC has done.”
Although some contemporary artists have dabbled a bit with exclusive deals, it’s not something that the majority of them seem to have much interest in due to the exposure they are able to receive from generous helpings of airtime in major markets, not to mention television and movies.
In 2007, a RIAA survey revealed that the majority of consumers buying music are in the over-45 age group. Perhaps some of us aging music lovers just aren’t savvy enough when it comes to using the internet to download music, but there surely could be other contributing factors as well. Maybe we just want to give the artists their due or perhaps it’s that desire to hold something “real,” like a CD or DVD, that can be stacked or lined up on a shelf like our old LPs.
Whatever the cause for the success of these new exclusive deals, it is refreshing to see at least some in the music industry adapt to the challenges it faces from recent developments like internet file sharing. Keeping the profits from album sales flowing should only improve our chances of seeing more new material from old favorites like AC/DC, the Eagles and Def Leppard.
Few people want to work for free, and the older these classic artists get, the more difficult it must be to travel from venue to venue while touring. I’m sure the relative comfort of the studio is still appreciated by those that can still sell enough albums to put food on the table and pay the mortgage.
You can read more at the Providence Journal.
February 3, 2009
Springsteen Accused of Ripping Off KISS Tune
Accusations have surfaced claiming that a track from Bruce Springsteen’s new album borrowed portions of a song recorded by KISS. The track in question, Springsteen’s “Outlaw Pete,” which is featured as the first track on his new Working on A Dream album, is said to bear too much similarity to “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” a song recorded in 1979 by the face-painting New York City rock group that boasts over 85 million album sales worldwide.
It appears that some KISS fans believe that “The Boss” used elements of the KISS track when he wrote “Outlaw Pete",” claiming that some guitar and drum work is nearly identical. This has sparked an online feud between KISS fans and Springsteen fans, and has resulted in postings on the popular video sharing site YouTube, which demonstrate the alleged similarities between the two songs.
As the video below demonstrates, there are indeed similarities between the two songs. I’ve got no axe to grind with regard to this dispute, since I am neither a fan of Springsteen or KISS, although I will admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for KISS’ “Detroit Rock City", but that’s due solely to the fact that my favorite local band covered that song back in the late 70’s – and, dare I say it – pulled it off better than KISS did.
Even so, I have a hard time believing that someone as successful as Springsteen would have to resort to ripping off a 30-year-old KISS song for his new album. My take is that it’s simply a coincidence, or perhaps Springsteen even heard the KISS track in question at some point in his life and it just kind of stuck in the back of his mind without him even realizing it.
Like I said, I’m not a fan of “The Boss,” and cannot think of a single song I have ever heard from him that I liked, so there’s no reason for me to defend him. I just think it’s a bit far-fetched to think he would blatantly copy someone else’s material. He’s obviously creative enough to have written a lot of music through the years without plagiarizing someone else’s work, and besides, I can’t imagine he’d do something that stupid. I think he’s smart enough to know that a group with over 85 million album sales under their collective belt has a fan base that includes a few people that would pick up on a rip off like that.
In other Springsteen news, which there seems to be no shortage of these days, it is being reported that he’s in line to headline the Bonnaroo Festival this year. Along with “The Boss,” Phish, the Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dogg and Elvis Costello will be sharing the spotlight at the June event. Talk about a diverse line-up! Something for everyone, I suppose.
More good news for Springsteen comes by way of an Obama cabinet member who has defended Springsteen’s choice to ink that exclusive deal with Wal-Mart for his Greatest Hits CD. President Obama’s deputy director of the National Economic Council, Jason Furman, disagrees that the move was a slap in the face for the working man.
Furman says that Wal-Mart’s success has actually improved the lives of the poor and working class in America, and apparently feels so strongly about it that he authored a paper on the subject back in 2005 entitled “Wal-Mart: A Progressive Success Story.”
Furman’s paper may not change too many minds when it comes to Wal-Mart’s influence on the U.S. labor force, but it may make for interesting reading for those who wish to hear the other side of the argument.
Thanks to Opposing Views and The Independent for the head’s up on these stories.
January 31, 2009
Springsteen Feels Pressure From Fans Over Wal-Mart Deal
As “The Boss” prepares for his half-time performance at the Super Bowl tomorrow, he’s feeling a little heat from some fans who did not see his exclusive deal with Wal-Mart to sell his Greatest Hits CD as a smart move.
Exclusive distribution deals seem to be in vogue these days with other popular groups like the Eagles and AC/DC inking exclusive deals with the retail giant, but with Springsteen’s reputation as an advocate for working folk, there are fans that see this move as hypocritical, since there has been a lot of well-publicized criticism regarding Wal-Mart’s treatment of its employees, or as Wal-Mart likes to call them, “associates.” The company has paid large fines for violations of labor laws in the past.
As a result of the fan backlash, Springsteen has admitted that the Wal-Mart was a mistake. In an interview with the New York Times, Springsteen says, “We were in the middle of doing a lot of things, it kind of came down and, really, we didn’t vet it the way we usually do. We just dropped the ball on it.”
Although Springsteen’s manager defended the Wal-Mart deal (I suppose that’s part of the job) by saying that Springsteen’s albums have been at Wal-Mart for a while already and account for 15 percent of all sales, I’d have to say that “The Boss” deserves some credit for publicly admitting the mistake.
Springsteen want on to say that, “Given its [Wal-Mart’s] labor history, it was something that if we’d thought about it a little longer, we’d have done something different. It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be.”
It will be up to each individual fans to judge the validity of Springsteen’s public contrition and whether or not he deserves to maintain his reputation as the working man’s rock star.
July 15, 2008
New AC/DC Album Said To Be Coming In October
According to AC-DC.Net, the group’s new album is set to be released on October 28th in North America and on October 27th for the rest of the world.
The title of the new album is being reported to be Black Ice, and an earlier news item on the same site says it will be 
available here in the U.S. only at Wal-Mart stores.
The first single from the new album, “Runaway Train,” which was also a name that was considered for the album’s title, will be released in late August.
There is also word that the plans for a world tour will be announced next week, and the tour is expected to start sometime late this year. AC/DC is also reported to be in line for inclusion in the next version of the popular video game Rock Band.
There have been at last two bogus e-mail messages that were sent regarding the status of AC/DC’s new album, one of which arrived in my in-box a week or so ago. Having been duped by the first message that was sent out late last year, it was easy to recognize the most recent one was just another fake.
Thanks to AC-DC.Net for this update.
March 12, 2008
‘Revelation’ 3-Disk Set Coming From Journey
The release of Revelation in June will mark the first one since the legendary classic rock group was joined by singer Arnel Pineda.
Taking a page from the Eagles’ playbook, the new 3-disk set will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart. The Eagles did quite well with their release, which makes one wonder if these new Wal-Mart deals will be something we see a lot more of in the future.
The new 3-disk set will consist of two CDs and one DVD. The first CD will present 11 “classic” Journey tunes that have been re-recorded. The second CD will contain 11 new songs and the DVD is live concert footage.
Fans can expect information in the coming weeks regarding Journey’s tour which will kick off this summer. The group has already been confirmed for the Arrow Rock Festival in Nijmegen, the Netherlands on June 15. The festival will also feature performances from Def Leppard, KISS, Whitesnake and Twisted Sister.
