Re: Bankrupt Record Chains

["John D. Walker" <jdwalker@post.cis.smu.edu>]

Not only is the retail aspect of the music biz in trouble, but from my 
knothole the whole business is screwed and headed for big problems.

Is this an appropriate forum to discuss the state of the music industry 
in general? I can rant about it for hours on end, how the performers get 
screwed, how the industry is destroying the creative process, etc., etc.,
ad nauseum.

I think it's a safe bet that without Kate Bush, there'd be no Lilith 
Fair. It's also a safe bet that if Kate Bush hadn't had an awful lot 
of things go her way, had the right friends/connections (David Gilmore 
is ONE HELL of a major player, especially in the mid-70's), and then been 
able to deliver the goods when called upon to do so, this newsgroup 
wouldn't be here. I also think that if Kate were trying to make it right 
now, that it wouldn't happen, regardless of the talent and connections. 
Kate always had integrity, which is basically dead now. I can't see her 
whoring herself out as "KT Spice" or something just to make it, and there 
ain't no way you'd get a "Wurthering Heights" on the radio in 1997. Kate 
is an incrediblly gifted person, but she was also real lucky, in the 
right place at the right time, and able to maintain control of her career 
because she did so well out of the gate. Madonna is smart like Kate in a 
business sense, although I don't think she's as talented, and she lacks 
the artistic integrity. Who knows what Madonna REALLY wants to sing?

It's also interesting how the media/radio/advertising steers that little 
"under-25" demographic around. I think we get a little harder to lead 
around by the nose as we age, which is probably why the labels ignore the 
over 35 set (besides the fact that we don't spend as much money).

Enough ranting - like I said, I can do this for hours.


JW      jdwalker@post.smu.edu

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