The Yetnikoff Interview
His book may have been a disappointment, but this interview is FANTASTIC!
Don’t get bogged down in his defense of payola. Utterly ridiculous. If you don’t think the independent gatekeeper game was payola, then you were an attorney advising these people how to skate between the lines of the law. But, after giving his insight into Fredric Dannen and "Hit Men", Walter goes off on BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN!
Why did he need all that money? Can he really blame his lawyer and his attorney? Does that play when you’re fifty seven years old?
As for Bruce’s records… The last three suck, and "The Rising" was not a call to action and by the way, the last Bon Jovi record WAS BAD TOO!
Shit, who is this guy speaking English in a business where the insider press says everything’s groovy and the executives are superstars? Sure, Walter’s not in the game, so it’s easier to speak the truth, but AT LEAST HE’S SPEAKING THE TRUTH!
I love it when he says the majors, which don’t really exist, would wave a magic wand and get rid of the Internet if they could. And what about Guy Hands running EMI? A hit record is the solution to Warner’s problems, not some new technology.
Sure, he takes a shot at Donnie and Michele, and Tommy too. But give him credit, he’s not worried about retribution, maybe he’s too old, he’s PISSED!
And maybe things were better when Walter Yetnikoff ran Sony Music. Because it was about the music more than the trappings.
This guy is larger than life. Not with airs, like Clive Davis. Or faux hipness, I’m just a guy from the street, like Jimmy Iovine. Rather, Walter’s got CHARISMA! You want more, you want to hang with this guy.
Watch this and tell me if you feel otherwise.
A breath of fresh air.
