This is both a hilarious and depressing article. All the more reason for people to turn off MTV and "the Buzz" and listen to local music instead. The comments about Van Halen were really interesting - I wonder if all the Guitar mags would be kissing Eddie's ass so much if they knew he didn't even play on his last album. Of course, ghosting hasn't exactly been a secret for a long time, but I'm suprised to see Van Halen named as an example. I'm not so surprised about Creed - they just suck.
Balance wasn't Van Halen's last album, I don't think. And the article didn't say he didn't play at all on the album. It said: Sounds to me like Eddie got wasted, couldn't put a solo (or part of a solo) down the way they wanted, and got Lukather to play it for him.
FYI, the webmaster for the site (http://www.melodicrock.com) setup a discussion board just for the interview. Here is the link: http://www.melodicrock.com/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=22 BrianKagy, Balance was the last VH album with Sammy Hagar. VH did one more, very forgettable album named III, with Gary Cherone (Extreme) on vocals.
Really good stuff. If you guys find this interesting, there are quite a few books out there on the subject. The music industry is a big steaming pile of crap. The combination of the radio station monopoly held by Clear Channel and the Big 5 record companies squashing every ounce of competition out there is devestating. This WAS supposed to be art. So much for that.
Q: What's the worst culprit – CDR trading, advance copies leaking out or just MP3 downloading? I believe CDR's may impact sales slightly, but no more than tape recording did years ago. The labels shouldn't gripe about CDR's either, as they get a percentage of all CDR's sold, even if they're being used strictly for data. Same goes for audio cassettes. Hell, even CD burners are slapped with a $2.00 surcharge that goes right to the RIAA. -------- If you haven't read this interview... you absolutely must!!
This is a good book, not only about Neil Young, but about what a soul sucking void the music industry has probably always been.
The all-time classic is Hit Men: Power Brokers & Fast Money Inside the Music Business by Fredric Dannen. It is older and focuses primarily on payola and how the biz was formed but it gives tremendous insight into why the business is the way it is. One essential for all musicians is "This Business of Music: The Definitive Guide to the Music Industry" by M. William Krasilovsky. It is in its 8th edition and gets better every year. It covers about every legal angle of the business you can imagine. The Musician's Legal Guide is great for that as well. Here are a few other good ones I've heard good things about: - Confessions of a Record Producer: How to Survive the Scams and Shams of the Music Business by Moses Avalon - Secrets of Negotiating a Record Contract: The Musician's Guide to Understanding and Avoiding Sneaky Lawyer Tricks by Moses Avalon - What They'll Never Tell You About the Music Business: The Myths, Secrets, Lies and a Few Truths by Peter M. Thall - Follow the Music: The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture by Jac Holzman - The Operator: David Geffen Builds, Buys, and Sells the New Hollywood by Tom King - The Last Mogul: Lew Wasserman, MCA, and the Hidden History of Hollywood by Dennis McDougal
Jeff, thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into them. BTW, I have a recording-related question for you that I'll send along in email this weekend, if that's OK.
Not jealousy, but dismay that so many more talented artists are ignored because their hairlines and fashion sense don't meet the exacting standards of MTV. I can't wait until Creed gets pot bellies - wonder if anyone will listen to them then.
My bet would be that yes they would listen. Creed is an established act that have a loyal following. In a way they remind me of Pearl Jam since their success is more fan driven than label driven. Now when they get older their newer material will never seen on MTV or played on the radio. But their fan base will still support them in CD sales and concerts. Musically, Creed is not my thing (like Pearl Jam) but I can hear what other people like about them in their music.
There's nothing inherently wrong with Creed. They are an easy target at times but they can defintiely play. If you don't like the songs or the style, to each his own. I'm not a fan or anything, but I do understand their appeal. I just think that there is not a lot of great rock music out there any longer. Rock has been surpassed by hip hop, rap and r&b because rock music didn't really know what to do with itself after grunge died. Alt.rock is fine, but does anyone honestly expect Hoobastank (who I really like by the way) to get big time airplay on the classic rock station in 15 years? I said this about a month ago. Bruce Springsteen, a near 30-year veteran of the rock music industry, should not have the best rock record on the market. Neither should Carlos Santana and he's been around even longer. Up until last week when the Foo Fighters (God bless them) released their new one, Springsteen's record was the best rock record out there and I'm not a big fan of the Boss. No one is making GREAT rock records anymore. There are catchy or funny or funky or heavy rock records. There are some that have decent songs and others with a ton of energy. But no one seems to be able to manage the combination of energy and hooks that have been the staple of great rock music since Jimi Hendrix. The other night, I heard "Gimme Some Lovin'" on a commercial. Who doesn't remember that hook? It's like the bassline from "Heard it Through the Grapevine." It is an instant classic. Name one instantly classic ROCK hook written recently by a young band. There aren't any. Rock music has become a characture of its former self. It accentuates bits and pieces of what great rock music is supposed to be. Groove. Hook. Energy. It's like bands can get one of those, two on a good day. They might even get all three on a rare occassion. But none of them can sustain it for more than a song or two. I honestly think that there are some great bands out there now and I like a LOT of them. I listen to new music and think a lot of it is cool. The problem isn't that the talent isn't there. The problem is that there is no development time. There is no time for artists to hone their craft and get great at what they do. There is also little or no respect for those who came before. It's one thing to be a Zepplin fan; yet another to actually treat that music with the respect it deserves. In some countries where musicians don't become master artisans and really popular until they are middle aged or older, there is a deep respect and reverence for the musicians who came before them. This is similar to the jazz tradition in America where musicians pay tribute to the forefathers of their craft. Rock music is having a mid-life crisis. Younger artists have yet to learn that this isn't just about the money or the women or the fame. Rock and Roll is a great American art form and is old enough to have earned its place alongside the other great American music forms. It is part of the culture in which we live but it is treated like a red-headed stepchild; like something for which we should be ashamed. We should be PROUD of our rock and roll heritige. It is a great tradition of being honest, speaking out, having fun and being creative. There are a few bands that get it but the majority of them haven't been given the time by the record industry to learn and we are just as guilty for not demanding better.
