Thoughts about the music business

Eurynome said:
They've become very practised in the art of deflecting critical questions, as I have witnessed on more than one occasion. The interviews they did for "Circle" sounded almost scripted.
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I meant a private friendly conversation, nothing more. I know better than anyone how things with interviews work these days - you send the questions beforehand, they are being reviewed by the PR person and management and then the PR person sits alongside (if the interview is in person).
Blah-blah-blah! :yuk:
Even those e-mail or telephone interviews - I haven't read more than two regarding Circle. And why would I read the same questions and the same answers over and over again?
Even if they are not coached by management what to say, they still have a mental image of what the questions will be and have the ready answers. And they usually sit all day by the telephone doing interviews - same stupid questions, same stupid answers.
If you catch them off guard with a strange question, they get totally confused. Like my favourite story with the "Hair question" I made Vassil ask Tomi J. in the Silent Waters era. And no, it had nothing to do with Tomi J.'s hair (though, of course, I was dying to make the connection), but rather with the lyrics in "Weaving the incantation" about the hairbrush. I had just read Kalevala back then and noticed that hair is sometimes mentioned, so I made Vassil ask Tomi J. if hair has some magical properties in Finnish mythology. The answer was "What? No." Ever since then Vassil doesn't let me suggest question for interviews :tickled:

Eurynome said:
One of the more obscure items in my vinyl collection is an "interview disc" Grace Slick recorded in the late 70s to promote her second solo album. It was distributed to radio stations and contains ready-made answers to questions the DJ was supposed to ask on air, as to give the illusion of a "live interview".
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Now that's a very cool idea ;)

Eurynome said:
but it appears that instructions from the management to the label concerning the refusal of interviews to potentially critical journalists are already reality.
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Really? How pathetic! o_O
 
Yeah, it's rather useful that you sent me back the t-shirt :D BTW, didn't I have photo with it from Tuska? Must check.

In other news "the greatest rock festival in Bulgaria" announced its lineup... Offspring, 30 Seconds to Mars, Alcest and two bands I've never ever heard of. The most ridiculous part is that 30 Seconds to Mars will be selling ... VIP packages.
 
I'd rather celebrate Ronnie James Dio by listening to his own work. I'd rather keep my fond memories of that nice tribute they gave him in Tavastia in 2010. I'd rather make a direct donation to a local cancer fund.
 
Wanna get rich through streaming royalties? Be patient. Be very patient.

Camper-Van-Beethoven.png
 
Going to see Amon Amarth, Enslaved, and Skeletonwitch tonight up in LA. Should be a great show. At least that's what I think, but it seems that the Beardo-Kvlt types at Invisible Oranges disagree:

In 2007, this would have been the tour of the year. Amon Amarth, fresh off the triumph of their career high water mark, With Oden On Our Side, presiding over a bill filled out by an Enslaved in the midst of their transformation from black metal to Viking-prog, plus a hungry and — try hard to remember this — buzzy Skeletonwitch. You can probably picture the Decibel cover that might have been — Johan Hegg, Grutle and Chance Garnette mean-muggin’, all beards and teeth and size-72-font announcing the impending Viking plunder. The shows, it should go without saying, would have ruled.

But this is not 2007. It’s 2013, and those dudes have had more to drink and less to say every year in the interim.
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I really don't get the attitude here. Enslaved and Skeletonwitch are both still vital bands that continue to grow and evolve. Yes, they have an identity. So what? And complaining that Amon Amarth is still playing stomping melodeath about vikings and mythology is like complaining that AC/DC is still playing loud, sloppy blues about booze and women. Hello...

I hate it when metalheads start sounding like spoiled children, and I hate it worse when they are part of the metal blogosphere and their whining is basically trying to persuade other metalheads not to support good bands just because they have lost a bit of the underground feel with age and success. I think this attitude is harmful to the scene. It's not as harmful as label greed, but it is just one more stupid sense of entitlement that makes it harder for musicians to support themselves and their families because it punishes bands for taking the long view.
 
I wouldn't know about Skeletonwitch, never heard anything of theirs, but I do think Amon Amarth is getting weaker, but I never liked them much anyway.
Enslaved is awesome, their last few albums/EPs are top-notch and I'd love to see their show.

As for spoiled metalheads, eh, opinions are opinions, but I do see your point. I constitute all that as an off-shot form of metal elitism, a crappy outlook on music that only underground and kvlt stuff is good. Or worse, "old-school". (God, I fucking hate that term)
Quality should be the main determining factor here (along with personal taste, after all), not the fact that they're over or underground, or if they're mixing influences, evolving in this or that direction and what not. As far as I know, Enslaved is still good quality, so that would be good to me.

If I were you, I'd try to enjoy myself. This guy may or may not be right, but I wouldn't bring any conclusions before seeing the actual show.

In any case, I envy you and wish you a good time.

Post your thoughts later on.
 
Remember how it takes nine metalheads to change a lightbulb? One to change it and nine to whine that the old one was better... Well, maybe I'm the wrong one to tell this joke, as I freely admit to hoarding a stash of old lightbulbs in reckless defiance of EU regulations, but as far as metal goes, I'm right with you. In 2007, Enslaved hadn't even released their best albums yet. Never seen Skeletonwitch, but Amon Amarth are always a safe bet (here's my review of their recent HKI gig - not very well written as I had to do it in a hurry, but anyway, it was a good show) and as for Enslaved, I envy you with all my heart. :headbang: They still haven't played a single show in Finland since Riitiir came out... :err:
 
Amon Amarth may be in a bit of a rut with their last couple releases, sure, but their live performances make up for that. Not a band I listen to a lot, but their material comes across best on stage and the crowd at their shows is always lively. The Wiltern Theater claims that tonight's show is the only one in North America that will have their viking ship stage, so it should be extra cheesy and epic tonight, especially since Enslaved is finishing tonight and won't travel on to San Diego.

Missed Enslaved last time they were here. Bad timing and I did not like any of the supporting acts. Have not seen them since they were on tour with Opeth and supporting Vertebrae. Concert venue for that one was hotter than 30 C inside, but no one minded once Enslaved started. Just a great band to see live because they are both amazing musicians and fairly lively.

Can't say much about Skeletonwitch except that a friend of mine that does metal photography says they are down to earth guys and completely committed on stage.

Worst thing about the show is going to be paying for parking. I'll be surprised if it ends up being less than $20. LA sucks for parking.

Will let you all know how the show turns out.
 
Eurynome said:
Well, maybe I'm the wrong one to tell this joke, as I freely admit to hoarding a stash of old lightbulbs in reckless defiance of EU regulations, but as far as metal goes, I'm right with you.
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Cool joke and review :kickass:, but it's this part above that has me going WAY off-topic for the thread...

Article from nofilmschool about why Hollywood film is going through a transition that will forever mark the way that films look:

After Michael Mann set out to direct Collateral, the story’s setting moved from New York to Los Angeles. This decision was in part motivated by the unique visual presence of the city — especially the way it looked at night. Mann shot a majority of the film in HD (this was 2004), feeling the format better captured the city’s night lighting. Even the film’s protagonist taxi needed a custom coat to pick up different sheens depending on the type of artificial lighting the cab passed beneath. That city, at least as it appears in Collateral and countless other films, will never be the same again.
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Looks like the future LA will be brighter than Blade Runner LED us to believe.
 
Similar lighting was introduced into the main street, a boulevard (!!1!), in my town, at least through a part of it.
It looked a bit weird at first, but I like it. The orange light is annoying me, though I guess it had its unique feel.


Anyway, how did the show go?
 
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