Where is music headed???

If you want more detail on why the music industry is crappy right now check out the last two pages of the thread- Our Joke of the Music Industry. Goes into detail about record producers, A&R etc...and how they're screwing up the industry at all the major lables. Even on how the engieneers are ruining things too.

Originally posted by brokenwindows
Record companies are now, literally controlling their best selling artists and band musicians lives through their contracts. They even hire people, to "make" the image of druggie, crazy, alcholic...

They don't just hire PR people to create these images. It's worse than that.

Some record companies actually supply drugs to musicians in order to make them malleable and dependent on the company management.

This was proved during a lawsuit in the 1970s between members of the Allman Brothers and their management, when the fact that company executives were supplying drugs to band members came out in court.

Tony Bennett, who's been in the music business longer than just about anybody, talks about it in the September 2006 issue of Q, the music magazine. He specifically mentions the case of Janis Joplin.

Noel Gallagher, the leader of Oasis, has referred to the practice in interviews with Q and elsewhere.

Apart from the tobacco business, I don't know of any other industry in which people are deliberately turned into drug addicts for business purposes.

Yet nobody seems overly concerned. It's shocking.

Country music just pisses me off, The only bands i listen to that are not that old are system of a down, linkin park. but the best are ac/dc ,gn'r, dirt straits, lynard skynard, head east, and boston.

oh wot a kick ass topic, which i have to say i have yet to read any of it... but... music, IMHO, is headed to the focking pisser, as it has been for the last wot, 10 years or so... to me, it seems like all these focks are interested in is trends and making a quick buck, ya know getting their quick 15 minutes and then never hearing from them again... it's not about the music anymore, which is quite sad... i am a die-hard metal fan, and metal today is just not metal, it's crap... there are a few 'mainstream' bands still alive and kicking ass as always, like IRON MAIDEN, SLAYER, DIO, MOTORHEAD... and there are a few other lesser known metal bands still rockin' as well, like BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY, LUCA TURILLI, RAMMSTEIN... and the original ANTHRAX finally got back together earlier this year, which also rules! it also seems that the Europeans have a better metal scene than anyone at the moment, they still sell out major events over there, and most of the good metal only plays over there, which licks for us in the USA... i dunno, i focking hate almost anything that comes out today, it pisses me off... i gotta have something that rocks, more than 3 or 4 chords and has rippin' guitar solos... other bands to note are SOCIAL DISTORTION, BEATALLICA, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, old MEGADETH, pre-Black album METALLICA, NIGHTWISH, old JUDAS PRIEST, PANTERA, old SEPULTURA, STRATOVARIUS, WIZARD, HELLOWEEN, and last but DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, ICED EARTH (they focking rule!)... anywayz, i also dig a lot of oldies and old classic rock as well (JIMI HENDRIX, BOSTON, BAD COMPANY, ALICE COOPER, BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPLIN, NEIL YOUNG, etc.)... and on the opposite end of the spectrum, i am also a HUGE FAN of CLASSICAL music... if you cannot appreciate classical then i don't think you can appreciate music on more than a superficial level, but that's just my own opinion... MOZART is by far my favorite, then BACH, BEETHOVEN, and VIVALDI just to name a few... it's also sad to see the old Seattle/grunge scene disappear... i graduated in '94 so during high school was the height of the grunge era, NIRVANA, PEARL JAM, MOTHER LOVE BONE, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, ALICE IN CHAINS, TEMPLE OF THE DOG were the main ones that i can recall... i still love to go back and listen to them at times... but i dunno, focking today's music just plain blows, that's about all i gotta say...

for those that (still) know how to rock, i salute you!






[edit on 29 9Sep 06 by m3rlz]

It sure does suck! Check out the other music sucks thread titled-Our Joke of a Music Industry. The last 2 pages will proove enlightening on the subject.

Good posts everybody, I am glad to see people are finally getting my point! lol. Anyways keep the discussion open!

-Jimmy-

Forget it. It's just depressing. Celebrities have way too much power these days.

Originally posted by Astyanax

Originally posted by brokenwindows
Record companies are now, literally controlling their best selling artists and band musicians lives through their contracts. They even hire people, to "make" the image of druggie, crazy, alcholic...

They don't just hire PR people to create these images. It's worse than that.

Some record companies actually supply drugs to musicians in order to make them malleable and dependent on the company management.

This was proved during a lawsuit in the 1970s between members of the Allman Brothers and their management, when the fact that company executives were supplying drugs to band members came out in court.

Apart from the tobacco business, I don't know of any other industry in which people are deliberately turned into drug addicts for business purposes.

Yet nobody seems overly concerned. It's shocking.

But Pop Stars, and pop artists are now trying to do this to fans. In order to stop up and coming writers, they lied to poor and naive freelance writers. Then if you see them acting "outside" their image. They try to potray the fan(who questions them at all.) as those or make the fans do those things. I've seen this on one message board inpecticular. They hire people to literally harass and do illegal things to their fans and former fans who may hurt their image and everything. Including trying to make them feel like they must go unemployeed, etc.

It's disgusting, they even got some poor boy back in 1998, get so upset and harassed he got hooked on pot. They found out later he was a clerk on another job, and was too afraid to become a writer at all. This harassment shouldn't be allowed whatsoever. They'll lie to other celebrities,agents, editiors, publishers, record companies not to let people in at all and that's what they did to me and this one boy, who was my age at this time. That's what they did to me this time, including a few rape videos they are calling "porn tapes". It's disgusting. But it's horrible. You all should be ashamed of yoursleves for it, no matter what you do.

Celebrity is no excuse not to be reasonable or legal with people.

[edit on 9/30/2006 by brokenwindows]

[edit on 9/30/2006 by brokenwindows]

Originally posted by brokenwindows

Originally posted by Astyanax

Originally posted by brokenwindows
They even hire people, to "make" the image of druggie, crazy, alcholic...

Some record companies actually supply drugs to musicians in order to make them malleable and dependent...

But Pop Stars, and pop artists are now trying to do this to fans. In order to stop up and coming writers, they lied to poor and naive freelance writers. Then if you see them acting "outside" their image...

I honestly don't understand what you're getting at here. Are you saying that pop stars try to get their fans hooked on drugs? They've been accused of that by the establishment ever since the first drug-referencing single was denied airplay, but surely you aren't suggesting that musicians actuall give drugs to their fans?

Anyway, if this is the worst they can do...

Some poor boy back in 1998, get so upset and harassed he got hooked on pot...

...it can't be all that bad. Hooked on pot, anybody?

Are you, perchance, speaking from personal experience? It sounds as if you are.

Yes, I am. They have been trying to do this to me since I was 12. Because I know how their managment controls them, how they harassed their fans off the site who try to encourage their fans to think more for themsleves.

Not all pop stars do this of chrous, but some will, depending on how poor or middle class they came from. Their management supplies them drugs, beer, sex, etc., then screws them out of the money, and blames it on the fans, anti-fans, and former fans on the message boards questioning their images.

If the fan doesn't give their address, they trace the computer. If famous enough, they do this when they can. What's wrost is the oldest member of this group has been telling me this for years just to be rid of me. If the fan becomes "famous" enough or attracts enough intrest in TV, Music, and writing, like I did with my myspace works.

They lie to keep celebrities(by saying I was a con-artist, blackmailer, etc.), agents, etc. from ever doing anything careerwise with me. They even gave me Micheal Chrition, Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts, World famous , Brooklyn book agent John Campbell's NYC number and completely refused to leave my store. Until I was embarassed, and relised he was already selected on a "rigged" court case for them. They lied to Usher, told him I was a whore, porn star, alcoholic, and a drug and sex addict,a plagerist, which I've been against since hs, and that I would kill/hurt him on his next tour.

He then bragged about it to my brother on a local students borrowed myspace, while at a summer school thing about 6 weeks later. He(the oldest group member) constantly refused to leave the store, unless I did things to make me look bad so they can get defamation on here, specificly and go to court.

To top it off, they have my store in their back pocket. Trying to get me unemployeed, because if the teen public finds out their on more drugs then their ex porn star girlfriend and went to rehab at least a few times each. Then they would lose their whole audience. I've only been able to local fans the whole truth. Which is sad. Also, that's why I can't really read anything outside the net or write. Because I'm too scared to become a writer myself. I wish someone would tell the world, without telling me whom I am. But the moment they do, my store will fire me.

What's sad is the girlfriend who has gotten the DUI that everyone has been talking about recently was because her jerk ex-boyfriend told her he would make sure I wouldn't hurt her reputation. I could here him talking outside the veichle during the latin guy trying to do it to me. But the truth is, if she would've helped me, I would've been so happy to help her with anything, me, my family, they wouldn't have mind. As long as it was in reason. But that Jerk, that's her ex, has TV show on TV tonight, and it's all just sick.

They just couldn't get me hooked on anything, because I would get sick real bad that evening or the next day, or I would feel feverish or naushish. I'm already hooked on choclate geneticlly so, it always fights back. But their exs and their currets WAGs were in on it. What's more wrost my job totally screwed me into it, and the supervisors called me a "whore", I heard them at a "blackmail" meeting, when I left, and it was just like Veit Cong brainwashing methods they use on prisoners and stuff back in the 70s and female POWs. Just some sick stuff, I'm sure the CIA would've done. Plus, their memebers on here. Which is wrost.

Excuse me, sorry,
:

I hold no gruges against theppl mentioned or their exs, but what they did to me, on so many levels is harassment, and lies, and BS, and then to innocent girls and women, who don't know why my story hasn't change, but think I'm liar. Because they did the full load on me.

Sorry,


Sorry for all the emoticons.

Sorry, I'm a little tried and it came out wrong.

[edit on 9/30/2006 by brokenwindows

[edit on 10/1/2006 by brokenwindows]

Person above me, I voted you way above for actually wanting to listen. Thank you.-Sorry, I'm so scared.

The oldest member rapped me the first two weeks of school, just for being a smart-butt on two pop star message boards. Then he rapped me again and made into a porn tape. Since one of them is friends with the music producer of the GGW tapes, they lincenced deals to make two or three more. Since, appaertly people will watch anything with a girl naked.

Then I got too much power the last two years, finally. Then they did this to me, since the drugs, the harassment, the lawsuit threats, the losing my job threats,etc. I have people at work who hate me and they want to do it.

They also refused to take me home away from the resturant that night, unless, I did everything they wanted on videotape, in the contracts, etc. while they had me on some morphine, rudefinal, and other stuff from the latin guys' MD girlfriend. Then when I became conscience, they gave me Mike's Hard Lemonaid, Jack Daniels' and Miller Light, till I was legally drunk. Then when they finally let me go, they threated to kill me, if they got any police reports in that night. I was lucky, I didn't like the alcohol, the drugs, anything. I just cried after a shower that night. Then I cried all night in bed. I've thrown stuff away, I've gotten so scared. It's just depressing. Then last week, they played the Jerk's new song, which is based off an Alica Keys song, I was inspired by. My brain now has certain triggers set off by the media, and I only have so much control.

Now, the new guy is acting weird at work. Because I think someone told him about it. And said, they might fire me soon, or they're convinced I'll quit.

Woh, you are serious about all this? although its of topic, this is very serious. Do they still contact you? Do you still see them?? This is ver dangerous. Anyway you should watch out for them if their still after you.

-Jimmy-

I edited it for possible work and legal reasons, sorry.

[edit on 10/1/2006 by brokenwindows]

Althrough all of that is true. I'm scared to go into the details for multiple reasons. All of those contracts and papers have questioned legality.

So I don't know about coming here anymore either.

[edit on 10/1/2006 by brokenwindows]

I don't feel safe on here, including Jimmy and others.

You should feel safe, we know nothing of you, and you shouldn't share anything unless your absolutly sure you want to. And I am not dangerous at all, I am a 15 year old high school kid that is intersted in this awesome site, and that is way to smart for his age. I am not, and never will be, able to hurt anyone or anything, not that I am not able too, just that I couldn't. Anyways, I will leave you with your thoughts.

-Jimmy-

I work pretty deep behind the scenes in the music industry, and yeah the execs and handlers are pretty vicious but not to that extream. More like slandering other handlers/managers to others on phone conversations and meetings to screw up other peoples deals that they're working on, stealing confidential info and giving it to rival firms. But doing anthing that can be documented is a big, big, collosal f***up, cause the other people have money and can sue you back for sedition,loss of revenue,interferance, etc...Harrasing fans not as much, unless they have something really damning, but then they usually just buy you out to shut you up ala Michael Jackson style. They will try and discredit you so others don't believe you but not to the degree you're talking about.

Fans are fans, they will always be the same to the industry people. Some will act crazy and say things like "Michael you had my illegitamit son," and some will go to the ends of earth to support the artist(s). But this element has always been factored into the equation and handled in less extream ways than you're hinting at by the handlers, for as long as the industry has been around.

BW-You just sound crazy. Not crazy in a "wow thats crazy" kind a way but crazy in a "have been institutionalized for half your life" kinda way.

Anthony Pelicano wannabes busy harrasing you and everybody else lately huh?

People with power can do some pretty horrible things because they can get away with it, so it's theoreticlly possible you're telling the truth. But usually they have much simpler less illegal ways to deal with crazy fans.

They don't force feed the drugs to the artists they just give the artists more of the same that they've already been doing to keep them happy and in what ever state they were in when they wrote the music that is selling so well and making the handlers rich. THey don't want them getting so far off the path that they fall apart and not make them money again. If the artist doesn't get paid than the people handling them don't either. They won't want the artist doing things that heal them either so that they can again stay static in their lives and generate the same product consistantly.

You are correct that alot of artists from lower economic backgrounds usually get taken advantage of by their handlers, becuase they don't know what their doing(sometimes arrogantly so) and get screwed. Sometimes they'll facilitate the drugs and act as inablers to keep the artists high and not aware, but those are usually the crappy managers who don't last very long and neither do their talent rosters stay very large. A lot of the artists blame this practice as a scapegoat for their failures and then attack the handlers for doing so. Usually those handlers are busy ruining the careers of their clients via their own ineptitude. So the artists anger may actually be warrented but usually not for the reasons they are claiming. Usually they get screwed because they don't read the fine print or just aren't on top of their money, when they're getting it,where it's going before they get their checks,do their royalties add up correctly or are the managers taking too much commision, etc... Most of the artists are too stupid to even get a book keeper to make sure they aren't getting robbed.

So if you were hanging with these lower economic background recently successful artists, then no suprise that they used you and then tried getting rid of you, thats what those types do and shame on you for falling for it. But don't worry about it karma catches up in the end, one way or another. THese guys that just hustled you are probably about to get hustled by thier managers/handlers and then the managers get hustled by the IRS and end up broke.

Originally posted by BASSPLYR
They don't force feed the drugs to the artists they just give the artists more of the same that they've already been doing to keep them happy... They don't want them getting so far off the path that they fall apart and not make them money again.

Right. That's exactly what I was saying. Although I'm sure they also put plenty of temptation in the way of likely-looking innocents.

I've just finished reading So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star? by Jacob Slichter, who used to play drums in the late, lamented (by me at least) Minnesota group Semisonic. Nothing about drugs in it -- one gathers the band members were fairly abstemious -- but it does explain, in great detail, how the music business operates, particularly in America. Anyone who really does wanna be a rock 'n' roll star is likely to change their mind after reading the book. There's very little art involved in the business, it seems, just never-ending promotional hell.

Another great read is a book called Life On Planet Rock. Barnes and Nobel recognized the book by name instantly when I asked for it at the help counter, and then took me strait to the book without even searching the computer for it.

THe book is writen by a guy who was real deep behind the scenes in the industry from the late eighties to the late 90s. He tells it like he experienced it, with honesty. Great read if you're interested in the soap opera lives of the music industry people.

The book also has plenty of funny parts, some sad parts, and some outragous parts, but all of it is a good read. I even know some people he talks about in the book, what he writes sounds like the people I know.

Hopefully I wasn't too hard on BW. I feel like maybe I was,or could have said it in a nicer way. But thats my perspective.