Johnny Cash & the chicken suit

[kittybeast]

I just finished reading the autobiography of Johnny Cash the legendary man in black. I just had to share one part with you all because I think any musician or music fan can appreciate the message he was trying to send....

"It was coming up on ten years since the release of John R Cash My contract with CBS was set to expire in 1986.

Though I made some records between '81 and '86 that I still like---I really wasn't motivated and neither were the people at CBS. I got so tired of hearing about demographics, the "new country fan," the "new market profile," and all the other trends supposedly working against me, that I just gave up and decided to have fun with it. The last record I gave CBS was called "Chicken in Black," and it was intentionally atrocious. I was burlesquing myself and forcing CBS to go along with it; I even made them pay for a video, shot in New York, with me dressed like a chicken.

If I were running a record company and one of my artists did that, I know exactly how I'd respond, so I wasn't surprised when Rick Blackburn at CBS Nashville declined to renew my contract in 1986. "

His words are so true in any Genre...how the industry is always looking for the next big thing, wanting to change an artists' style (even though he's sold millions) to make it more like the current style of music.

F.Y.I The Cash discography:
228 different record labels
450 singles
108 extended play albums
1,500 lon play albums
300 CD'S
records released in 26 different countries and also released records in Spanish and German

 

[Wyvern]

228 different record labels

That's sad IMO, I wish labels will really care for their artists instead of looking at them as potential cash registers. I know it's a business and all business comes down to money in the end, but there's also the artistic component to be care for.

I know JC record career was long, but 228 labels seems sad to me.

 

[Hawk]

I always liked Cash and his music. I remember hearing him first in 1969 when the head teacher of our school played this "At San Quentin" album to our class. He also Jimmy Hendrix and The Who for us. Gooood teacher!

Anyway, I never stopped liking JC's music. I think of him as a real trooper! And he had my utmost respect.

 

[Fangface]

It could have been :
228 labels => 227 times he said "kiss my ass, I won't release a trendy record for the sake of it" to label executives, now that's metal

Anyway the chicken story is funny, thanks for sharing Kitty.

 

[Wyvern]

It could have been :
228 labels => 227 times he said "kiss my ass, I won't release a trendy record for the sake of it" to label executives, now that's metal

That's my point exactly. Is not sad that an artist has to say KMA 228 times because not one label had the values to support him/her no matter what the music is?

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Johnny Cash never sold out. He wrote countless great songs and never sold out. The whole chicken-suit story just proves how cool that guy really was. First time I "noticed" music was Ring of Fire in the early 70s (I was but a wee little pup back then). I can't credit my parents for much when it comes to music, but I can credit them for exposing me to Johnny Cash.

NP: Queensryche - The Warning

 

[ElectricWiz]

I'm really looking forward to "Walk The Line," I believe it's called - the biopic of Johnny that stars Jaquin Phoenix. Did I spell that right? Anyway, the preview makes it look awesome.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/walk_the_line/