BEAT SHEET: No Rolling Stone Unturned
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THE INDUSTRY STANDARD'S
B E A T S H E E T
A Weekly Report on the Convergence of Music and the Net
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| http://www.thestandard.com |
Tuesday, May 30, 2000
TOP STORY:
* Rocking His Cyberlife Away
Anthony DeCurtis' bout with the "media beast" leads directly to
cyberspace
NET NOISE:
* Spinning 'round and 'round at BeHere.com
DOWNBEAT:
* To Blame or Not To Blame?
New study suggests song-swaps hurt retail music sales
* Dot Dot Dot
MyPlay.com raises some dough ... TVT sues MP3.com ... EMusic.com
promotion
SOUND OFF:
* Would you buy more digital music downloads from a particular
e-retailer if it meant you'd get free stuff like speakers and CD
burners?
LETTERS:
* No Cover weighs in on last week's lead story
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TOP STORY
~~~~~~~~~
Rocking His Cyberlife Away
Rock critic Anthony DeCurtis' bout with the "media beast" leads
directly to cyberspace
By Julene Snyder
If being a rock critic is a gig reserved for the young, someone forgot
to tell Anthony DeCurtis. The 48-year-old former literature professor
has been writing about bands since the mid-1980s. Now, DeCurtis has
made the jump into the virtual arena with an online interview show,
"The A List With Anthony DeCurtis." The first episode, a 40-minute
chat with members of the jam- band Phish, went up on GetMusic.com last
week. The site is backed by both BMG Entertainment and Universal Music
Group.
DeCurtis has written for Rolling Stone and other high-profile
magazines since he first started writing about rock, but along the way
he's also worked in television as editorial director of VH1, written
Grammy-winning CD liner notes, lectured to college students and
coordinated editorial coverage for beleaguered e-retailer CDnow (a job
he left last month). But if all goes as planned, it may turn out that
his move into the spotlight with "The A List" will bring him the kind
of face-recognition that rock critics seldom receive.
The concept of "The A List" isn't totally new for DeCurtis. "I had
done some of this kind of stuff when I was at VH1," he recalls.
Basically, the idea is to plunk musicians down with DeCurtis and have
them talk about their music in depth. "We came up with this idea to
try to do a show that would really be a serious conversation about
music," he says. "By serious, I don't mean stodgy, but to put music at
the forefront of the discussion."
That's certainly the case with the Phish interview, which goes on for
40 minutes and seems to cover every last riff. Even DeCurtis laughs
that the interview in question could have had 10 minutes shaved off
it. "But I hope that at the same time we can violate some of the
accepted truisms of the medium as well. A half-hour of solid talk
about music is not necessarily what people think about when it comes
to the Internet. We're betting that might be an audience of people who
want to engage (longer), and as the technology improves and the
imagery gets better, I think that we'll be right," says DeCurtis.
According to Joe Rosenthal, GetMusics managing editor, the average
hang time of those checking out the Phish interview clocked in at more
than 22 minutes, which he calls "a very high number for online video."
Rosenthal says that according to a source at RealAudio, this is almost
double the times for a Phish concert last year, and that the average
music-related talk show figure is 3 to 4 minutes.
As a music destination, GetMusic is hardly the top of the pops. The
site is somewhat confusing to navigate. And like so many music sites,
it seems unable to decide whether it aims to be a store, a streaming
video warehouse, a destination for those seeking exclusive articles or
a community (though the discussion of burning issues like "Who is
Christina's Number One Fan?" isnt likely to have musicologists
chomping at the bit). While adding "The A List" to GetMusics somewhat
meager roster certainly can't hurt, an argument could be made that
rather than plugging in new components, the site might want to find a
niche and fill it. After all, when you look at more successful models
for music destinations such as Amazon.com for shopping, SonicNet for
reviews and features, LiveDaily.com for music news and Napster for
swapping, what seems to work best is focus.
But DeCurtis has his hopes pinned on the program. "Once we do some
live ones, people can participate and maybe be able to chat while it's
going on," says DeCurtis. Both the Phish interview and an upcoming
episode featuring Carly Simon (to be "aired" June 7) have already been
taped. "We're working toward making this a weekly show that will have
a specific time where each new interview will go up," he explains.
While the show is technically sponsored by two of the "big five" major
record labels, DeCurtis was delighted that the first band to be booked
came from Elektra, which isn't affiliated with either BMG or Universal
(both major backers of GetMusic). "I'm happy to take advantage of
whatever access they can provide, but we're trying to make it clear
that we're not just doing their artists," says DeCurtis, "On the other
hand, we're hoping that it will open some doors and get us some people
that we'd like to talk to."
Although the show isn't live, editing thus far has been minimal.
"Essentially, it's pretty raw," confirms DeCurtis. This is not
something that he thinks is necessarily a good thing. "Even though I
think the Phish interview turned out fairly well, paring it back a
little bit might not (have been) a bad idea," he says.
As far as promotion, well, that's in the works as well. Phish put word
of the interview up on their Web site and it was promoted on
GetMusic's site as well. "We don't have the numbers yet," says
DeCurtis, "but we're hoping that the Phish faithful turned out for
it."
A reviewer of DeCurtis' book, "Rocking My Life Away," described him as
having "spent his life in the jaws of the media beast." If that's so,
DeCurtis is happy to be nestled in the creature's mouth. "There are
certain journalists who very strictly enforce the idea that you're
never supposed to cross certain lines, but I've never really seen it
that way," he explains.
He's nearly as excited to be smack in the middle of the online music
scene: "The Internet is so much at the center of what's happening now,
that rather than sitting around and thinking about it, I'd rather jump
in there and try to do something."
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NET NOISE
~~~~~~~~~
BeHere.com
Spinning 'round and 'round (like a record, baby) is an old staple in
the arsenal of music videos on the tube, but it's relatively new to
the Net. At first glance, the clip highlighted at BeHere.com from pop
rockers Hope Child appears less than amazing, just a slowly spinning
look at members of the band belting out a tune. But look closer and
you'll find a remarkable little feature: the visitor's ability to slow
the camera's spin, zoom in or out and focus on what you find most
compelling. Want to keep a close eye on the guitarist's fingerplay? No
problem. Prefer to watch the drummer beat the skins? You've got it.
Find yourself mesmerized by the lead singer's contortions? Zoom on in
and watch every twitch. While much of the focus at the site is on film
rather than music, there's potential aplenty for musicians looking to
amaze and delight their fans online. The site comes courtesy of Be
Here, which developed the software, and Intel, which developed the
technology.
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DOWNBEAT
~~~~~~~~
To Blame or Not to Blame?
New study suggests song-swaps hurt retail music sales
It's a question that's been debated endlessly by those consumed with
the rapidly accelerating pace of digital music: Does file-swapping
(read: Napster and others) help or hurt sales of records? A new study
by digital-rights management firm Reciprocal that was released last
week concludes that it's clearly the latter. Data from 9,000 record
stores within five miles of 3,000 college campuses showed a 4 percent
drop in sales in just over two years a period when the record
industry as a whole enjoyed an 8-percent annual growth. Of course,
there are those who say there are a variety of reasons college
students might be choosing to bypass record stores, including an
increasing preference for shopping at big-box retailers like Wal-Mart.
Execs at Reciprocal admit that this study is hardly the end of the
debate, and it should only serve as a first attempt to study actual
figures in an arena that's typically filled with anecdotal data and
hyperbole.
See http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,15407,00.html?nl=dnt
Dot Dot Dot
MyPlay.com raises some dough ... TVT sues MP3.com ... Emusic.com
promotion
Redwood City's MyPlay, which bills itself as "the first legal online
digital music service to provide consumers with a virtual locker where
they can access their music collections anytime, anywhere" announced
that it completed an $18 million round of private financing last week,
led by the investment organization of Paul G. Allen, Vulcan Ventures.
... TVT Records, home of groups such as Brian Jonestown Massacre,
Ministry, Nashville Pussy and Revolting Cocks, has become the first
indie label to file suit against MP3.com. The suit comes for songs in
the company's (temporarily?) suspended personal archive service
My.MP3.com. ... Internetnews.com reported late last week that
EMusic.com has a new promotion that should bring in a truckload of
business: The company is giving away free 32MB Creative Labs NOMAD II
portable digital audio hardware players valued at a penny under $230
for customers who buy $50 worth of music downloads.
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SOUND OFF
~~~~~~~~~
This week's question: Would you buy more digital music downloads from
a particular e-retailer if it meant you'd get free stuff like speakers
and CD burners?
E-mail your opinions to julene@well.com with "sound off" in the
subject line, and we'll print a selection of the responses in next
week's newsletter. Letters may be edited for clarity and length, so
keep them short and include your name and affiliation, if any.
Last week's question: Is it theft to return a CD to the store for a
cash refund after you've made a copy of it?
"If this isn't theft, then there is no such thing as theft. You're
robbing the music store of their proceeds from the sale, you're
robbing the performer of royalties, and you are most assuredly as much
a thief as if you went into the store and took the CD without paying
for it. Actually, this IS what you are doing. If enough people do
this, then you'll soon be paying $25 for a CD to help the companies
recoup their losses."
- John Garrett
"Depends on what you do with the copy. If you use it, then it's theft.
If you dispose of it or at least ignore it, I say no."
- Allan R. McCoy
"Theft of content, yes. Just as buying a book, photocopying it, and
then returning it is theft. Or buying a suit, leaving the tags on,
wearing it once and then returning it is theft. Once returned, a CD
cannot be sold as new (assuming the record store is honest.) If it can
be sold at all, it gets sold at a discounted price, and both the store
and record company lose money. However, considering the latest finding
that CDs have been priced too high for years, it serves the record
companies right."
- Brian R. Fitzgerald
Marketing Associate
"Yes, but the theft is from the labels, not the store. If the store
policy is to offer a cash refund when the buyer returns a CD, then it
cannot be considered theft from the store. I do, however, consider it
theft from the artist and label to copy the disc and return it for a
full cash refund. You're stealing from the whole industry if you SELL
a copy. But hey, Sony, Pioneer, Harman/Kardon, and others are selling
a lot of CD burners these days wouldn't you say? Just quit squabbling
and enjoy the booming economy. Please?"
- Rick Dickow
Sales Development Associate
DoDots
"Why would you buy a record if not to own it, love it and cherish it?
Is it theft? Yes, because some underpaid record store 'sales
associate' has to deal with your lack of ethics. Back to my point:
Music is a cultural experience, not some trick you turn. If you don't
care enough about an artist to buy their CD, overpriced as it may be,
and to support their artistic endeavors then why do you listen to
their music? Don't make yourself a whore."
- Daniel Poarch
Search Consultant
Randstad Creative Talent
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LETTERS:
~~~~~~~~
May 24, 2000
Letter to the Editor
The Industry Standard
In response to the following article printed May 23, 2000: "Love is a
Fickle Thing, SpinRecords.com lays off nearly half its staff."
No Cover Magazine is a free monthly music publication, which writes
about and supports local music. It has been inferred by the above
referenced article that for "less than $5,000, you can get your face
on the cover of a magazine without worries that the quality of music
will hold you back." Let me assure you that, the statement is wholly
inaccurate.
No Cover Magazine in its entire history of publication has never
accepted or will ever accept any type of compensation for putting a
band on its cover. Spinrecords.com is a minority shareholder of No
Cover Magazine and is entitled to three covers a year. Spinrecords.com
has no other say as to No Cover Magazines advertising, editorial
content or its cover. No Cover Magazine has a reputation in the music
industry of being an objective publication. In an industry where you
hear of graft and compromise, No Cover Magazine stands by its
integrity.
Sincerely,
- Jeffrey Fink
Legal Counsel
No Cover Magazine
Julene Snyder responds:
The conversation I witnessed between SpinRecords.com CEO Wayne Irving
and Paul Thomas was printed verbatim. However, I regret causing any
distress to the parties involved.
Editors Note:
The story misidentified Paul Thomas as a sales associate. He is, in
fact, part-owner of No Cover Magazine.
STAFF
~~~~~
Written by Julene Snyder. Send newstips and press releases to
julene@well.com.
Edited by Steven Zeitchik (szeitchik@thestandard.com).
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