Posted on 10/25/2002 7:30:10 PM PDT by ejdrapes
Tom Petty Is Pissed
And he's got plenty of good reasons
Don't do me like that
The man who told the world "I Won't Back Down," "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Don't Come Around Here No More" doesn't need any assertiveness-training course. Tom Petty's determined, sometimes defiant attitude has collided with the music business throughout the years. For instance, in 1982 Petty recorded Hard Promises with the Heartbreakers, only to find that his then-record company had plans to use his name to initiate a new, higher $9.98 list price for albums. Petty withheld the tapes and threatened to retitle his record $8.98 in protest. That same spirit is alive and well on Petty's latest album, The Last DJ, which takes a hard look at the lack of moral grounding in the music business. The title track has kicked up considerable controversy, with some radio stations seeing the song as a slap in the face and banning it. But Petty is not just biting the hand that feeds him. Music is only the beginning of what's pissing him off these days. "The Last DJ is a story about morals more than the music business," he says. "It's really about vanishing personal freedoms."
1 Radio is not even worth listening to "I don't really give a flying fuck about any of it. I've tuned out. But I was elated when my song was banned. I mean, nothing could have complimented me more than to hear they just banned it at such-and-such a station because it's anti-radio. Now, in 2002 to have a song banned that doesn't have a dirty word, doesn't advocate violence -- it's fascinating, you know. Like, what are you afraid of? No record has ever been made that was more pro-radio, you know.
"I remember when the radio meant something. We enjoyed the people who were on it, even if we hated them. They had personalities. They were people of taste, who we trusted. And I see that vanishing. I thought it was a good metaphor to start the album."
2 All anyone thinks about is money "You don't hear any more of, 'Hey, we did something creative and we turned a profit, how about that?' Everywhere we look, we want to make the most money possible. This is a dangerous, corrupt notion. That's where you see the advent of programming on the radio, and radio research, all these silly things. That has made pop music what it is today. Everything -- morals, truth -- is all going out the window in favor of profit.
"I don't think it's a good attitude in your life to feel that you have to be rich to have self-esteem. You know, I saw a billboard in New York I wish I had photographed. It was for the TNN network. It said three words against a patriotic background of red, white and blue - BIGGER, YOUNGER, RICHER. Now, I find that fascinating: 'Bigger, younger, richer.' This whole idea of being wealthy has gone too far. I never ride in a limousine, you know. I feel gross if I get in a limousine. One good thing about the Sixties was it sort of was the opposite back then. You looked silly trying to appear rich."
3 It's ridiculous to make people pay twenty dollars for a CD "It's funny how the music industry is enraged about the Internet and the way things are copied without being paid for. But you know why people steal the music? Because they can't afford the music. I'm not condoning downloading music for free. I don't think that's really fair, but I understand it. If you brought CD prices back down to $8.98, you would solve a lot of the industry's problems. You are already seeing it a little -- the White Stripes albums selling for $9.99. Everyone still makes a healthy profit; it might get the music business back on its feet."
4 Only a complete greedhead would charge $150 for a concert ticket "My top price is about sixty-five dollars, and I turn a very healthy profit on that; I make millions on the road. I see no reason to bring the price up, even though I have heard many an anxious promoter say, 'We could charge 150 bucks for this.' I would like to do this again and maybe come through and not leave a bad taste in people's mouths. I was at one of our gigs recently, and I was just stunned driving in that it cost thirty dollars to park your car. It's so wrong to say, 'OK, we've got them on the ticket and we've got them on the beer and we've got on everything else, let's get them on the damn parking.' You got to care about the person you're dealing with."
5 Record labels don't care about artists "An act like ours wouldn't even be around today if someone hadn't brought us along and let us make mistakes and grow at our own pace. Today it seems that if you don't have a hit -- or even if you do -- they have no use for you the next time. It's like, 'Well, why wait for these guys to come back with another hit when we can bring in somebody else?' It's an asinine way to conduct yourself. These people are looking at balance sheets, not music. Most people involved in putting this music on the air or bringing it to us aren't really listening to it."
6 Filthy lyrics make me sick "I'm frustrated by what I hear. Maybe it's not meant for me. Personally, I'm way too bright for a lot of the hip-hop lyrics to affect. I'm much too smart to think that jewelry or how cool I am is really going to change much about my personality. If you're dumb enough that it entertains you, have a great time. But I am seeking more than that.
"When I was a young rock & roll star, I was really fascinated and shocked at times by the power that I had, by the power of my words, and shocked that it can be taken wrong. I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that an artist has to take some moral responsibility for what he or she is putting out there. And I think a lot of these young kids are going to have to learn the hard way before they realize that you can actually do some damage if you're being careless or frivolous in what you're saying."
7 Only a sick culture would sexualize young girls "It's disgusting. It's not just pop music, it's fashion, it's TV, it's advertising, it's every element of our culture. Young women are not being respected, children aren't being respected. Why are we creating a nation of child molesters? Could it be that we're dressing up nine-year-old women to look sexy? And even if we're wrong, let's not do it anyway. I really don't put it past these advertising people to say, 'Well, look, we made a lot of money when we brought the nine-year-old out and made her look like a hooker. Let's do it again.' "
8 Why are we rewarding people for being rich? "Getting back to the whole issue of ticket prices: We don't do the Golden Circle/VIP thing. I don't see how carving out the best seats and charging a lot more for them has anything to do with rock & roll. A lot of the time, some corporation's bought up these seats with someone's money who doesn't even know it's being spent -- and they are going to use it to entertain clients. A lot of the people who buy these seats don't give a damn about the music -- they're going to get a waiter. What you see from the stage is a group of people just talking to each other, not really interested in being there at all. And the poor guy who really is interested, he's sitting way in the back."
9 And TV is worse "I think television's become a downright dangerous thing. It has no moral barometer whatsoever. If you want to talk about something that is all about money, just watch the television. It's damn dangerous. TV does not care about you or what happens to you. It's downright bad for your health now, and that's not a far-out concept. I think watching the TV news is bad for you. It is bad for your physical health and your mental health. The music business looks like, you know, innocent schoolboys compared to the TV business. They care about nothing but profit. They will make a movie about murdering their kids, you know? And they'll put the guy who killed them on TV. And before long, he might even have his own show."
10 A lot of artists are as greedy as the industry "Let me say this so it's definitely in the story: I don't think the industry is entirely to blame. Let's face it: The music industry has always been laughably corrupt, always. It's the artists themselves that often cause problems. Artists aren't necessarily business people. And they aren't neces-sarily aware of all the things that go on in their names. Some just want to make some music, but there is a lot of greed among artists as well. Whether or not we know it, we are all to blame. I think it's time -- starting with the artist -- to try to be a little more responsible and aware of what goes on in our name."
I'm a member of Columbia House and every now and then they run specials, like buy 1 at regular price, usually from $15 to 18 dollars and get two free. After shipping it comes out to around $8.50 per disk, which isn't too bad at all. But then I buy mostly older music, not what's around today which doesn't cut it for me anyway.
Btw, I miss the days when a local station would play a new album every week in its entirety, without commercials. You would know beforehand how good it was, and could even tape it if you wanted. They stopped doing it for some reason, maybe the record industry got a hold of them.
As far as CD and concert prices are concerned, well, the industry will charge whatever people will pay. I refuse to pay more than $25 for a concert ticket, so obviously I haven't been to a show in a long time. I refuse to pay more than $10 for a CD (and love paying $2-3 for a used record!), so I peruse the racks at the used record stores all the time, or haunt the half-price listings at e-Bay. Sorry, Tom, but as long as the people are willing to bend over and take it in the shorts, the industry is only gonna charge more and more.
As far as his societal observations go, I'm in full agreement.
What disappoints me most about TP is that he was an Alwhore supporter. I've never liked Bon-Jovi, so that didn't bother me a bit, but Tom Petty and I go way back.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
"My top price is about sixty-five dollars, and I turn a very healthy profit on that; I make millions on the road."
"Only a complete greedhead would charge $150 for a concert ticket"
I'm confused Tom. Is making millions good or bad? Perhaps, considering your wealth, you can just give free concerts from now on. You know, for the 'little' people.
I know it's true of sports figures. They made sacrifices in the old days just out of love for the game. And not just so these narcissistic dirtbags of today could reap gazillions.....(Cal Ripkin excluded, of course. He's priceless)
But in a capitalist society, I guess they can charge whatever the market will bear.
I don't think this is an attitude conservatives can really afford to take. It is a fact that there are a lot of talented artists out there who get completely brainwashed by liberal politics. I think it's their hunger for approval and crowd-love--they think if they mouth the certain correct things they'll get the love. Or maybe talent genes get teamed up with stupidity genes--talented people are often the substance abusers, too...?
Appreciate the talent wherever you see it. Otherwise, we won't get to enjoy much!
I happen to love that old musical movie, "Hello Dolly" with Streisand. If I can enjoy her...!
Actually it will go even further than that.
Consider these factors: Back in the fifties we had the boom of post-war manufaturing that produced Televisions and radios in previously unheard of numbers.
Then new technologies in radio broadcasting and recording as well as distribution gave us cheap yet quality recording formats (Lps and 45s with stereo playback)
Then the market was new and fresh and anyone with any talent at all could get a record made since there was a huge vacum to fill thus you get Elvis, the Beatles, the British invasion, the motown sound, etc.
Flashforward to the Eighties and MTV and CDs, Digital technology cheaper to make and a new way to get your music heard. This is why Cindi Lauper, Men at Work, Duran Duran, Madonna, Bon Jovi, Def Leps, etc. became stars not because of the Music but because of the VIDEO!
New Format and new technolgy begets new wave of music.
Now we have the Internet and Broadband is growing.
Mad Dawgg's prediciton is the Next big wave in music will be the internet format but sans the "Recording Industry." We will see a new style of music that is totaly created on a PC with a visual display as well and (this is the cool part) there will be no hard copy save for those who burn it to CD in their homes!
And, the Artist will recieve any and all profits by paying him directly for the download.
The CD/Music industry is Dead and they (The music industry moguls) know it.
The same will happen to the DVD/Movie industry!
Maybe Tom was trying to destroy Gorebot before he became president and caused REAL damage!
There is one radio station here in Boston however that is an exception, and it is a reminder of how FM radio used to be. It is WMBR 88.1 out of MIT and you can pick up a live feed here. I listen to the station hour after hour and have been turned on to some excellent music.
If you pick up the live feed, don't judge the station on what you hear at the current time. They are currently playing punk music but will start the "Bats in the Belfry" show at 6PM (which is a goth show that starts with ancient music and then plays two hours of goth rock.) Just about every type of music is heard here. Bluegrass, Celtic, Blues, Jazz, old style country, Cajun, Mexican, you name it, they play it at some point during the programming week.
Many of the singers today aren't going to have long-lived careers, maybe they know it, they have to get rich quick because without talent they're not going to be around more than a few years.
It's not like people weren't copying 8-tracks and cassette tapes, I don't really see the big issue in burning a CD.
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