Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Another nail in the coffin of music DRM

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  • Simon Grigg,

    Gotta disagree with Mr Grigg on this one. I don't think the 'people' know that when Kylie, Madonna, Britney, et all get a song credit it's because their contract demands it.

    Yep, I think I misstated that. Of course the kid with the iPod doesn't know the contractual intricacies of how it actually works, that the producer made a record and banged several session vocals on top with the acts voice mixed in there somewhere. Nor do they care, they just want to be entertained.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Farian should have got the grammy himself, he was a master craftsman and still is.

    The thing that struck me about Milli Vanilli's Grammy being taken off them was that it seemed to imply that Grammys are not just about the music, but also the videos and album covers and marketing.

    Well, perhaps that's what it really is about.

    FYI, Milli Vanilli won the 1990 Best New Artist Grammy over Tone Loc, Soul II Soul, Indigo Girls and Neneh Cherry.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    FYI, Milli Vanilli won the 1990 Best New Artist Grammy over Tone Loc, Soul II Soul, Indigo Girls and Neneh Cherry.

    therein lies the real crime, and a testament to the validity of the grammies (which have a glorious history of getting it oh so wrong).

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    Yep, I think I misstated that. Of course the kid with the iPod doesn't know the contractual intricacies of how it actually works, that the producer made a record and banged several session vocals on top with the acts voice mixed in there somewhere. Nor do they care, they just want to be entertained.

    Yep, and I do too. One of things I really liked about early House was the idea of a generic band name recorded onto white label vinyl. It was totally punk, remove the poncey 'look at me' artist personality from the recording and just have the sound. Love that. If Madonna and Britney are as much an idea and a sound as a specific person with specific music skills, I'm cool with that.

    In fact, it's preferable to the carefully cultivated singer-songwriter idea of the mega-talented muso. Just give us some good sounds to be going on with and get over yourselves. There's a lot of snobbery about pop music compared to the proper serious stuff (i.e. the same old 4 on the floor, hairy blokes with guitars crap).

    And the amount of people I've turned on to reggae music because they immediately 'got' Rivers of Babylon by The Melodians makes me at least a little fond of Boney M for doing the ground work. They're way preferable to your U2's or even worse, Pearl Jam *spits* who did their best to wreck music for the a good decade or more.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    a testament to the validity of the grammies (which have a glorious history of getting it oh so wrong).

    As we know, A Taste of Honey ('Boogie Oogie Oogie') beat Elvis Costello for best new artist, 1978!

    I only recently found out that Young MC (of 'Bust a Move' fame) wrote both of Tone Loc's hits. Makes sense.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • robbery,

    I mean, look at them...seriously....

    next thing you'll tell me the women in the Robert Palmer video (RIP) aren't his real band.

    Thanks for explaining the Farian situation. if only he'd been better looking he could have mimed to his own music.

    Lets also not forget that there are thousands of artists who do infact play their own material on their own records (the odd guest artist included for good measure) and represent themselves as such, and a large swag of the discerning music listeners do care. (notice I said discerning as opposed to background listeners)

    can we have another clue on the faker nz artist please.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    or even worse, Pearl Jam *spits*

    Ill spit to that. loath that band

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    I know of at least one 'credible' NZ album that was made when the artist was not present for much more than a few overdubs and the photoshoot.....
    can we have another clue on the faker nz artist please.

    3 The Hard Way?
    OMC?
    Others Requiem?
    see here for list of further suspects
    :)

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • robbery,

    I'm going to go for nathan haines. I bet all those wind lines are synthesisers.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell,

    I read in the listener how he'd spend days sifting through vinyl and wearing out needles to get just the right moment of hi-hat sizzle to sample... so yah might be right about the samples/synthesis, but I don't think haines would reliinquish control of his music...

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • robbery,

    I was going to say carly binding but you did say they were credible so that rules her out

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    to get just the right moment of hi-hat sizzle to sample...

    has he never heard of a drummer and a microphone?

    drummers are kinda like drum machines although you only have to punch the info into a drum machine once.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    3 The Hard Way?
    OMC?
    Others Requiem?

    nope, and that's all you get. Others Requiem did it pretty much all in their own studio and just added vocals and mixed the mighty fine result elsewhere

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell,

    you can sizzle a drummer? (I'd just keep the mic, me. Could come in handy.)

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    I was going to say carly binding but you did say they were credible so that rules her out

    Carly made here own records of course but Truebliss was mostly Anthony Ioasa (with added vox).

    Nathan was and is ever the perfectionist (and one of the most inspiring people I've seen in a studio).

    As we know, A Taste of Honey ('Boogie Oogie Oogie') beat Elvis Costello for best new artist, 1978!

    And then there was Jethro Tull vs. Metallica in best hard rock album in 1989.

    Then we have The Beatles.....you may have heard of them..the Grammys had a problem with that

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • 3410,

    The Beach Boys didn't play on their records until 1967 (although Brian did create them)

    Oh, come on! They played all instuments (though mostly not very well) on pretty much all of their first five albums ('62-'64). It was only about late '64 through mid-'67 that the Wrecking Crew handled almost all of the studio playing.

    That said, I certainly agree with your general thesis regarding the "authenticity" of Pop and Rock; it's show business.

    FYI, Milli Vanilli won the 1990 Best New Artist Grammy over Tone Loc, Soul II Soul, Indigo Girls and Neneh Cherry.

    It makes sense if you remember that the Grammies are not music awards, but music industry awards. Hence "Best New Artist" means something like "most likely to generate whale-sized revenues in the coming financial year".

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • robbery,

    you can sizzle a drummer?

    well yes you can but more importantly a drummer can sizzle a hi hat in which ever way you tell them too, unless the sizzle nathan was referring to was the vinyl stylus combination.

    I wonder if Nathan would mind me sampling his albums. like the whole lot to mp3,....... :)

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    One of things I really liked about early House was the idea of a generic band name recorded onto white label vinyl. It was totally punk, remove the poncey 'look at me' artist personality from the recording and just have the sound.

    ain't that the truth..the house revolution encapsulated the spirit of punk absolutely and to a degree the bedroom electronic thing still does, especially in the way its driven by Mp3 blogs and the likes which have have been embraced as a part of the culture by fans and producers alike.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Carly made here own records of course

    yeah sure she did.......
    all by herself. no help from anyone, burnt them all off individually on her laptop too,

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    Oh, come on! They played all instuments (though mostly not very well) on pretty much all of their first five albums ('62-'64). It was only about late '64 through mid-'67 that the Wrecking Crew handled almost all of the studio playing.

    Yes, overstating though I'm thinking of the crucial period, the Summer Days and Summer Nights / BB Today era onwards, the stuff when Brian was getting ambitious, after he stopped touring when he made the records whilst the others were away.

    And the playing on those early, 2 hit singles and a bunch of filler albums, ain't too hot, I agree.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    yeah sure she did.......
    all by herself. no help from anyone, burnt them all off individually on her laptop too,

    No, she was adamant, almost fanatical that her first solo album was to be her work. It was recorded by her with Chris Van de Geer and she had control.

    We did some early stuff with her and had her signed. The early, unreleased, wall of sound "This Is it", produced by Alan Jansson, was magnificent but it wasn't what she wanted to do so we sold her contract to Festival who had the bucks to let her do what she wanted to do, which wasn't where we wanted to go.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • 3410,

    And the playing on those early, 2 hit singles and a bunch of filler albums, ain't too hot, I agree.

    Hey, I know "five albums" kind of overstates it a bit. ;)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • robbery,

    so we sold her contract to Festival who had the bucks to let her do what she wanted to do

    so its your fault she siphoned of mountains of cash from nz on air producing radio pap and video clothes horse nonsense.

    why oh why when she asked you "do you think my songs are any good I was in true bliss etc" didn't you say, please, get a job in a cafe. you and your manufactured stars simon :)
    if you want to play god why don't you start out on something simple like shrubs or small aquatic animals.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    ain't that the truth..the house revolution encapsulated the spirit of punk absolutely and to a degree the bedroom electronic thing still does

    I remember going into a music shop on Haight St up near Golden Gate Park in the early 1990's. It was all house music. Shop was painted completely orange and the stock was all white label releases. Not a piece of cover art or a title in the place. You could only tell one release from another by a small sticker on each white cover.

    It was like Mies van der Rohe had opened up a music store!

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    why oh why when she asked you "do you think my songs are any good I was in true bliss etc"

    actually the second TrueBliss album was gonna be Carly songs, and produced by Tony Moran, big NYC dance producer for the US market but she decided she wanted to be, um, Carly Binding..so it never happened. Good or bad thing, I'll leave that up to you......

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

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