U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
09-22-10, 05:47 PM
#26
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
I don't know it just sounded a bit sick to me. Here was Paul Stanley, a guy with millions asking for $1000 just to spend like a few minutes with him backstage and autographs aren't even guaranteed?! Not even guaranteed is he joking? I thought it was so insane it was unbelievable. I remember reading it in his answers from emails from fans. A fan wrote in saying he grew up with them, how important they were, how much the tickets were to begin with and how he wanted to meet them. Paul just says something like "maybe that's what you can afford" How can they parade two guys around as Ace and Peter too? Well the answer is the almighty dollar for those guys just like their insane merchandising of Kiss coffins and condoms. I think it doesn't show respect for their fans at all to even consider charging that kind of money just to meet them.
I've "met" them at least 3-4 times...That shot above was at a dress rehearsal that they let all the fans waiting outside into.
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/ric...ono-net-worth/
Bono net worth, according to the above: $200M USD
If I were an artist, I would do everything possible to make it affordable and easy to download my work online, instead of doing everything possible to block technical progress.
Bono net worth, according to the above: $200M USD
If I were an artist, I would do everything possible to make it affordable and easy to download my work online, instead of doing everything possible to block technical progress.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_U2
Last edited by Chrisedge; 09-22-10 at 05:53 PM.
09-22-10, 06:31 PM
#28
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
I guess it depends on how you define "major release", but They Might Be Giants' "Long Tall Weekend" was exclusively released digitally and online, and they beat U2 to the punch there by five years.
09-22-10, 06:45 PM
#29
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
I think they meant "Box Set" for the U2 release. I see the same wording on the TMBG wiki page as I do on the U2 wiki page. Only difference is "set" vs. "album"...
09-22-10, 06:53 PM
#30
Banned by request
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
It was the first big full catalogue release, but didn't you have to buy the iPod to get all the music? Or was it released simultaneously on iTunes?
09-22-10, 07:23 PM
#31
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
Like having your own iPod and launching it with a "Complete" artist package for downloading might include almost 100 unreleased songs? It was the first major release of a purely-digital online set by any artist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_U2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_U2
I still buy CDs, vinyl and legal MP3s, so I'm not trying to justify illegal downloads or anything.
09-22-10, 09:20 PM
#32
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
Release the album for free, play shows, sell merch, and license your songs. I imagine Sleigh Bells made just as much money by licensing one of their songs to Honda as they did in CD sales.
It costs literally nothing to distribute your album over the internet.
It costs literally nothing to distribute your album over the internet.
09-22-10, 09:54 PM
#33
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
I don't know it just sounded a bit sick to me. Here was Paul Stanley, a guy with millions asking for $1000 just to spend like a few minutes with him backstage and autographs aren't even guaranteed?! Not even guaranteed is he joking? I thought it was so insane it was unbelievable. I remember reading it in his answers from emails from fans. A fan wrote in saying he grew up with them, how important they were, how much the tickets were to begin with and how he wanted to meet them. Paul just says something like "maybe that's what you can afford" How can they parade two guys around as Ace and Peter too? Well the answer is the almighty dollar for those guys just like their insane merchandising of Kiss coffins and condoms. I think it doesn't show respect for their fans at all to even consider charging that kind of money just to meet them.
09-23-10, 12:18 AM
#34
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
I don't think anyone aside from hardcore kiss fans (which I am not by any means) would even be aware of it. I found it unbelievable when I read it years back and still do. My only intention with mentioning it was just to point out something I thought was incredibly insane under the theme of rock stars after cash.
09-23-10, 01:12 AM
#35
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
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09-23-10, 02:46 AM
#36
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
09-23-10, 06:26 AM
#37
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
Anymore, it really doesn't. That's another one of the reasons why so many bands are going the self-distributed route these days. I mean, sure, you can still ring up enormous expenses recording an album if you want, but a lot of the indie albums I listen to were recorded at home or on-the-cheap, and they sound about as good as a massively budgeted major label studio release.
09-23-10, 08:54 AM
#38
09-23-10, 08:59 AM
#39
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
It's easy to complain about millionaire musicians, but most of the musicians I listen to sure aren't millionaires--they're just people trying to make a living. I'm happy to see my favorite musicians compensated for their work, and I don't think any complaints I had about the music industry would justify me stealing from them.
09-23-10, 09:17 AM
#40
Banned by request
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
Here are two great articles about what it's like to be a working band/artist in the industry. The first is by Steve Albini, leader of Big Black and influential producer. It's from the 90's, so some of the numbers will be off, but the principles are the same. It covers what happens when you make a deal with a major label. The second is by David Byrne of Talking Heads, is more recent, and covers the spectrum of deals you could get, going from total corporate management (he cites Madonna's deal there) to doing it completely yourself, and the options/limitations of each.
The Albini article: http://www.negativland.com/albini.html
The Byrne article: http://www.wired.com/entertainment/m...urrentPage=all
These are just to give the discussion a little more context. Plus they're both good reads.
The Albini article: http://www.negativland.com/albini.html
The Byrne article: http://www.wired.com/entertainment/m...urrentPage=all
These are just to give the discussion a little more context. Plus they're both good reads.
09-23-10, 09:46 AM
#41
Moderator
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
Not sure why some are using this thread to bag on U2. Paul McGuinness is speaking for himself here, I see no indication that he's speaking on behalf of the band.
09-23-10, 09:54 AM
#42
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
09-23-10, 09:59 AM
#43
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
Bono has said all of those things, including about ISPs and etc. Also Bono suggested that since China can censor and crack down on the internet so effectively, we should implement that type of censoring and internet control worldwide to get rid of piracy.
Of course Bono and his manager have nothing to say about the more than $6,000,000,000 lawsuit against the major labels for stealing form them outright, decades of the labels robbing artists and screwing them on residuals and licensing. I mean naturally all that gets a pass.
09-23-10, 11:39 AM
#44
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09-23-10, 11:48 AM
#45
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
No, if you bought the U2 iPod, you got a $50 off coupon, but you could buy "The Complete U2" by itself for $149...Other bands (Depeche Mode, is one I know of) have also released "Complete" sets on iTunes as well.
09-23-10, 12:15 PM
#46
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Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
I remember thinking, you know, I bet they do double album remasters someday. Doesn't seem worth it. And voila! Although I only bought Joshua Tree I plan to buy Achtung Baby.
09-23-10, 12:24 PM
#47
DVD Talk Legend
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
Not to mention the massive amount of charity work they do...
09-23-10, 12:28 PM
#48
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
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09-23-10, 12:29 PM
#49
DVD Talk Hero
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
While that is true, someone has to front bands the money to pay for studio time, marketing and other costs. Average net margins for a business in the USA are around 5%. bands making $1 per cd is pretty good.
Same with touring. I doubt u2 takes home more than 5% of tour revenues. You have to pay the bills, salaries and the money you borrow to go on tour
Same with touring. I doubt u2 takes home more than 5% of tour revenues. You have to pay the bills, salaries and the money you borrow to go on tour
The whole argument supposes that CD sales are the primary source of income for most artists.
Unless you are a rich millionaire rock star in a limo, it probably isn't. Most acts don't make a dime off CD sales (or even legal downloads). The performers make their scratch by performing, not recording and releasing. Even the top acts that make millions off their CDs make tens of millions from touring (and associated merchandise sales).
The record industry would like us to think that tours exist to promote CD sales, but that's just how ass-backward the industry is. Recording started out as a promotional tool for the performing musician, a way to get butts in the seats for the show, and, for the most part, that's all it still is.
The hilarious thing is that an act like U2 doesn't need a record company. They could release their new album free on the internet, go on tour, and still make a bazillion dollars. That's the reality the recording is scared shitless about.
Unless you are a rich millionaire rock star in a limo, it probably isn't. Most acts don't make a dime off CD sales (or even legal downloads). The performers make their scratch by performing, not recording and releasing. Even the top acts that make millions off their CDs make tens of millions from touring (and associated merchandise sales).
The record industry would like us to think that tours exist to promote CD sales, but that's just how ass-backward the industry is. Recording started out as a promotional tool for the performing musician, a way to get butts in the seats for the show, and, for the most part, that's all it still is.
The hilarious thing is that an act like U2 doesn't need a record company. They could release their new album free on the internet, go on tour, and still make a bazillion dollars. That's the reality the recording is scared shitless about.
09-23-10, 12:38 PM
#50
DVD Talk Hero
Re: U2's manager says the 'free' ride for music via the Internet is over
The record companies screwed up their business model of constant format changes and making money off catalog sales. With iTunes and amazon they sell singles instead of full albums that are still paid for in production. And people don't have to buy their music a second time if they bought a cd.
I wouldn't care if I had to pay money to my ISP, but then it would mean I would be able to download anything I want from p2p. And most of the new music on p2p is straight from the record company. They need to police themselves if they want to stop leaks a few weeks before release
I wouldn't care if I had to pay money to my ISP, but then it would mean I would be able to download anything I want from p2p. And most of the new music on p2p is straight from the record company. They need to police themselves if they want to stop leaks a few weeks before release