Who gives a shit?\u00c2\u00a0 This is news?<\/p>\n
Pearl Jam was the leading act of the nineties.<\/p>\n
Radiohead paves the way in the twenty first century.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Pearl Jam’s very first album was its very best.\u00c2\u00a0 And only hard core fans care about what the Seattle rockers are releasing today.<\/p>\n
They’re gonna get a big check from Target.\u00c2\u00a0 Even though Best Buy and Wal-Mart are better partners and would sell more product.\u00c2\u00a0 Target will do a ton of advertising.\u00c2\u00a0 But despite the carpet-bombing hype, the album still won’t sell much.\u00c2\u00a0 More than the band’s recent opuses, but not much more.\u00c2\u00a0 Because, like I said, their music is WAY past its peak.<\/p>\n
As for the fans crying sell-out…\u00c2\u00a0 Boofuckinghoo.\u00c2\u00a0 Recorded music is essentially a giveaway.\u00c2\u00a0 So the band is trying to monetize its efforts.\u00c2\u00a0 And has a big enough name that a big corporation, ignorant as to the band’s limited reach, will pony up some bucks.\u00c2\u00a0 Their kids need new shoes just like yours.<\/p>\n
But wouldn’t it have been better if the band did something innovative?<\/p>\n
Maybe JUST released the hundred dollar box, for fans?\u00c2\u00a0 That’s right, the hard core gets the CD, the vinyl, the MP3s and a signed book.\u00c2\u00a0 Hell, make it $70 unsigned, $150 signed.\u00c2\u00a0 The key is to get more from the hard core.<\/p>\n
Pearl Jam will probably do this.\u00c2\u00a0 But Trent Reznor did it first.\u00c2\u00a0 Trent’s got the best marketing ideas.\u00c2\u00a0 If only his music was a bit more mainstream.<\/p>\n
So, we’ve got no more heroes.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s sad, I agree.<\/p>\n
You just can’t believe in anyone anymore.<\/p>\n
Which brings us back to the great seer, John Lennon.<\/p>\n
He only believed in himself, and Yoko.\u00c2\u00a0 You should do the same thing.\u00c2\u00a0 Your supposed heroes will let you down.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re no better than you are.\u00c2\u00a0 And now, with all this information on the Internet and the ability to respond\/fight back, we’ve torn each and every star from his pedestal.\u00c2\u00a0 The only thing that remains is the work.<\/p>\n
Funny how in a business that believes William Goldman’s mantra that nobody knows anything, Pixar is on a ten for ten streak.\u00c2\u00a0 Because the animation company isn’t about the sizzle, but the steak.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s not about the marketing, not about the penumbra, but the story.<\/p>\n
It’s no different in music.\u00c2\u00a0 It revolves around the songs.\u00c2\u00a0 Shitty recordings of great songs will still break through.\u00c2\u00a0 Whereas no one wants pristine recordings of crap.<\/p>\n
I haven’t liked Pearl Jam’s music in eons.\u00c2\u00a0 And despite the protestations of the hard core, almost no one else has either.\u00c2\u00a0 Instead of focusing on maximizing revenue, if only the band could focus on SONGS!\u00c2\u00a0 Create something as good as "Ten", even better.\u00c2\u00a0 Maybe they wouldn’t make more money, but wouldn’t they be more satisfied?\u00c2\u00a0 And wouldn’t this elongate their career?<\/p>\n
Pretty soon, no one will want physical product.\u00c2\u00a0 These exclusive retailer deals are a last hurrah.\u00c2\u00a0 And I don’t give a fuck whether they’re done independently, or through a major label, bottom line is recorded music is the loss leader.\u00c2\u00a0 Yup, you make great records so people will go to see you live, so they’ll buy merch.\u00c2\u00a0 The key isn’t to get someone to buy your music and never play it (can you hear me Prince?), but rather to create something SO good, not only will fans play it, they’ll tell everybody they know about it.<\/p>\n
If you don’t have ten tracks in you, record five or four or even one.\u00c2\u00a0 Quality is key, not quantity.\u00c2\u00a0 Acts record albums because of the price point, not because an artistic statement has to be an hour long.<\/p>\n
As for Cameron Crowe shooting the commercials…\u00c2\u00a0 They’d probably be better off with Joe Pytka, someone who shoots commercials for a living.\u00c2\u00a0 Sure, Cameron featured band members in his movie "Singles", but when was the last time Cameron Crowe made a good flick?\u00c2\u00a0 He’s sailing on fumes too. They deserve each other.<\/p>\n
Enough with the hoopla.\u00c2\u00a0 How about the work?\u00c2\u00a0 If you record a song as good as "Jeremy", I don’t care if you sell it on cassette tapes at Pep Boys, word will spread, people will hear it.\u00c2\u00a0 These old players just haven’t realized we’re living in the twenty first century.\u00c2\u00a0 Where something good can be known by the public in an instant, but something overhyped, more about marketing than music, can be almost completely ignored.<\/p>\n
As for buying music at Target…\u00c2\u00a0 Isn’t that like buying weed at Bed, Bath & Beyond?\u00c2\u00a0 Or whips and chains at Toys"R"Us?\u00c2\u00a0 All those indie stores stocked every iteration of\u00c2\u00a0 the live show, and as payback…THEY GET FUCKED IN THE ASS!<\/p>\n
Pearl Jam, the people’s band…<\/p>\n
Utterfuckinghogwash.<\/p>\n
No better than the mercenary Eagles.\u00c2\u00a0 But at least the Eagles were big enough to partner with WAL-MART!\u00c2\u00a0 And despite bloat, there are some fantastic songs on "Long Road Out Of Eden".\u00c2\u00a0 As for this new Pearl Jam album..?\u00c2\u00a0 I’d say I’ll check out the leak, weeks before the record hits the shelves, but who really gives a shit.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, if they don’t make the album available at iTunes, they’re truly assholes.\u00c2\u00a0 You fight Ticketmaster, but to line your own pockets you don’t make the album available where your true fans want to buy it?\u00c2\u00a0 Oh, don’t tell me it’s available at your Website…\u00c2\u00a0 You can buy tickets at the box office too, but most people USE Ticketmaster.<\/p>\n
You see Pearl Jam is not only not blazing a trail, they’re running in reverse, refusing to deal with present day reality.<\/p>\n
Only one tune.\u00c2\u00a0 Truly great.\u00c2\u00a0 Given away for free online.\u00c2\u00a0 THAT would have a greater impact on the band’s bottom line than this Target b.s.\u00c2\u00a0 Then again, Pearl Jam are Americans.\u00c2\u00a0 Loath to think long term.\u00c2\u00a0 But the band used to…\u00c2\u00a0 They used to do what was right…<\/p>\n
No more.<\/p>\n
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