Idol Speculation
Is American Idol fixed from the start? One more ex-contestant on the show claims that it is. Of course, we would say it really doesn’t matter if it is a con or not, the show demonstrates everything that is wrong with the music business.
One has to wonder how shows such as this skew the American public’s (and British audience’s… since that is where the show started as Pop Idol) sense of the music industry. As anyone who has worked in the music industry understands, so much of what happens in the conventional music business is focused on big hits rather than careers because big hits makes the labels and their corporate owners profits.
The idea of support for a career in music is not something American Idol is meant to do. It is meant to generate public interest in a small group of handpicked musicians (though being able to write and play is secondary) who can be marketed in the short term for large profits.
So, is it really a surprise if the show is rigged? Would you want to bet your stock portfolio/investor profits on an investment that you could not in any way control?
Recommended Website
How many of us remember — as Joey Ramone sang in the classic Ramones song — hiding under the covers listening to the radio so no one else could hear that we were listening to the radio?
The radio of today is a poor reflection of what it once was… the same 20 songs over and over and over again. Or radio in its efforts to bring back the iPod generation plays one random pick after another without anything that holds the tunes together. Rarely do we find radio that we like in addition to our own show (hey you knew we had to say that), of course. But we have a recommendation for you:
Try Radio that Doesn’t Suck for what radio is supposed to be like: http://www.radiothatdoesntsuck.com/
What radio do you still listen to?
Rock Hall of Fame Concerts
Concerts are being planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the usual array of well known artists (Springsteen, U2, Clapton, Franklin, Wonder, Metallica, Simon and Garfunkle, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and others). One problem that we see… the event is not even going to be held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Its in New York.
I know, they are going to celebrate the anniversary of something and not even go to the place to do it. Sound a little silly to anyone else?
Of course, this is not surprising as few of the induction ceremonies are held at the actual Hall of Fame. It is a strange realization that they build the Hall of Fame near the origins of Rock and Roll and then avoid it.
But then… when was the last time that the RIAA and the Board of Directors of the Hall made a decision that made sense? Remember this is an industry that made it a habit to sue their own fans.
Should Music be Free?
Many are debating this basic question… should music be free?
We have Radiohead’s response to the question in making In Rainbows so widely available for a price determined by the fan rather than the band or the label. While that position was fought with some difficulties, there remains a debate on whether or not music should be free to the fans.
Robert Smith of The Cure has weighed in on this with his concerns that we should value the artistic statement. And is it possible that giving the art away for free devalues it? This is a question that deserves much more consideration than the Entertainment Tonight mentality of reporting on something is the same as deep analysis.
Would we ask any artist(s) to create their art without a means of support for themselves or their families? Those who say that all artists should give their music away for free ignore the fact that many artists simply cannot afford to do so. Look at how grossly we compensate individuals who are supposedly managing these large record companies. In fact, their success — and compensation — does not appear to be tied to the actual performance of their companies.
Perhaps the absolutists on either side of this debate are wrong about the issue — its not music must be free for all or music must be controlled. The real issue is how can we support art and the artists and make it available for as many as possible.
And those who claim that Radiohead should not give away their music are ignoring the fact that Radiohead can do whatever they want with their music. Of course, assuming that they own their copyrights… own their music. Just ask John Foggerty about that one.
But what if there comes a time when Radiohead decides not to give away the music they make (for whatever reason they choose). Will we still worship them for thinking outside of the usual record company structure then? And believe us, we want artists to rethink the usual paradigm when it comes to record labels.
Robert Smith has every reason to speak highly of the record company which has supported his art, yet we believe that statement ignores the fact that most record companies specialize in profiting on the backs of small bands and artists and therefore make millions off of the work of others while the actual creators of the art receives very little in return. Consider the situation with Semisonic. They had a huge hit with “Closing Time” – toured the world in support of the album and song and still ended it all by owing their music label money.
In the end, with the emergence of the Internet and digital distribution, most artists would be best served by shedding the now unnecessary record companies and selling their products themselves online, where they could then make much more money and charge less for their music. However, should they decide that they want to release their music through record labels and make a decent living doing so, shouldn’t they be allowed to do so?
What do you think?
School of Rock w/ Dr. J Radio Show
We have a great show planned for tomorrow 2-4pm (our summer hours) on Flyer Radio, WUDR: The Voice of UD!
New songs from the Young Fresh Fellows, Michael Carpenter, The Lovell Sisters, Dr. Pants, Better than Ezra, Passion Pit, Magnolia Electric Co, Matt and Kim, Muse, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Deer Tick, Morrissey and We Were Promised Jetpacks. Classics from The Connells, Whiskeytown, Dirty Vegas, and Heavenly.
We will be debating the downloading controversy courtesy of posts from Robert Smith of The Cure and a number of local Dayton musicians. Would you like to contribute to the conversation? If so, call in.
Atta J. Turk of the Rising Hegemon blog will be calling in to discuss national politics and the price of reasonable footwear. Ok, we’re just kidding about the footwear.
If you would like to hear some great alternative music give us a call 937-229-2774.
Check out the music stream at http://flyer-radio.udayton.edu
The Producers
A student of popular music asked Dr. J: ‘What is the difference between a music producer and a film producer?’
That is a very good question. The job description of a film producer — the gal or guy (or group) who acquires and administers the financial resources that enable a film to be made – can be quite a bit different than a music producer.
In the film and television industries the producer brings resources together to get the film made, writers to work on the project, directors to film it, casting directors to well… cast the actors, or other resources. This is very different than a music producer, whose job tends to deal more with the creative side of the musical project than with the financial and administrative needs of the effort.
However, it’s not unprecedented for someone to receive a producer’s credit on an album for fulfilling a role that’s actually closer to the cinematic use of the term. This depends on a simple issue: who writes the credits and attributions on a CD or DVD.
Most producers are brought into a music project because of the specific aspect of the sound, style, and character that they are able to create in the studio (e.g., Phil Specter, Steve Albini, Tim Harper, Timbaland, George Martin, Pete Anderson are all great producers in different musical genres). Producers may or may not be the engineers who actually adjust the equipment to capture the sound. Often producers work with technicians and engineers who set up the microphones and adjust the recording equipment. Mixers are the personnel who adjust the different quality or nature of the sound as it is recorded; they mix the different sounds and level together often at the direction of the producer. Some music producers do all of those tasks — engineer, mix, and produce.
Any comments or corrections?
What Music do you Listen to in the AM?
What music do you listen to in the morning to get yourself going? For Dr. J it is a mix of The Connells, vintage R.E.M., Frightened Rabbit and Kings of Leon. It just wakes us all up!
What music do you listen to at the start of your day?
McCartney’s Mini-Concert for Letterman
The songs include some classic wings and Beatles tunes: “Coming Up,” “Band on the Run,” “Let Me Roll It,” “Helter Skelter,” and “Back in the USSR.”
What do we think?
Interesting Suggestion
Newsweek suggests that McCartney should consider some more adventurous set list choices.
We agree.
