04-18-2008, 12:23 PM
The only reason this interests me in the slightest is the Stax connection.
Stax has always equated with musical integrity for me and I hate that someone like Randy Jackson is involved with them.
Not a big secret to anyone who knows me that I think Randy is the consumate master of blowing with the prevailing wind while sitting on the proverbial fence.
Used to listen to his radio show online towards the end of AI5 and trust me Randy was no friend to Taylor.
Have been wondering why he has said some positive things recently (such as the America did get it right comment) and now wondering if he is back-peddling because of his new connection to a different segment of the music world.
And am keeping in mind that Simon has announced 2009 is his last season. If the show does continue they might empanel a whole new set of judges. All this activity from Randy seems like job replacement strategies while his marketability is still very high.
Credit goes to cochem on Boobie for this find http://www.mp3.com/news/stories/11049.html
It is a long piece - Randy spends quite a bit of time on his credibility - - this is just some of what I felt was pertinent
Stax has always equated with musical integrity for me and I hate that someone like Randy Jackson is involved with them.
Not a big secret to anyone who knows me that I think Randy is the consumate master of blowing with the prevailing wind while sitting on the proverbial fence.
Used to listen to his radio show online towards the end of AI5 and trust me Randy was no friend to Taylor.
Have been wondering why he has said some positive things recently (such as the America did get it right comment) and now wondering if he is back-peddling because of his new connection to a different segment of the music world.
And am keeping in mind that Simon has announced 2009 is his last season. If the show does continue they might empanel a whole new set of judges. All this activity from Randy seems like job replacement strategies while his marketability is still very high.
Credit goes to cochem on Boobie for this find http://www.mp3.com/news/stories/11049.html
It is a long piece - Randy spends quite a bit of time on his credibility - - this is just some of what I felt was pertinent
Quote:
Feeling Randy
By Jim Welte
Conducted March 23, 2008, 09:00 PM
Music industry vet and American Idol judge drops names, touts his new album, and defends his star-making talent show.
*****sidenote... (Randy)The native of Baton Rouge, La., was recently named Senior A&R Consultant and Producer for Concord/Stax.....I found this here dated 011408 http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/ne...-club-volume-1/
I wasn't aware he was connected to Concord/Stax...
back to the interview
OK. Sure. You've worked with--you just mentioned a few--some supremely talented artists over the years from a number of genres: Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Jean-Luc Ponty, Charlie Daniels, across the whole wide array of genres. I'm curious how many American Idol contestants in your six years would you say have the talent to sustain a 20-, 30-, 40-year career?
Well that's the whole thing. To me, American Idol has searched for the would-be undiscovered superstar, right? I think a lot of these kids have the ability to really try and become career artists, but I think what you have to do is set that benchmark yourself. Winning a show just gets you in the ring. It allows you in the ring with the greats [that are] boxing, so you can say, "You know what, I'm going to put my toe in this ring now. I've won this show, gone through the ranks and all the criticism and everything by the public and the judges. I now stand before you trying to put my toe in the ring."
It's now up to them to try and create their own artistry. I said to someone earlier today, "To me an artist is those people that can have a career that they don't even have to have records out." Being a great artist is beyond records. You take the Grateful Dead. They could have not had a record out, and they could have played 30 shows in San Francisco in the same giant stadium and have been sold out every day.
Yeah.
The Dave Matthews Band can just announce a tour, and it's not about record sales at that point. People turn out to see artists no matter where they are or whatever they're going to do. So it's a very different kind of a thing. So to me, that is definitely the question. I think a lot of these people have shots at being artists, but they got to prove it, and there's a long way to go. Winning Idol is maybe the first step because it's the rocket ship to the top. All these kids were obviously out there trying to make it on their own. But this is the real rocket ship to the top and then you go for it.
After that comes the hard work.
(this is my favorite part - AH)
Yeah. It's hard to become one of those career artists. And unfortunately, with today's music scene, we're not building a lot of legendary career artists anymore. So it's a little bit unfortunate. That's one of the most downsides for me about the music business as of today.
By Jim Welte
Conducted March 23, 2008, 09:00 PM
Music industry vet and American Idol judge drops names, touts his new album, and defends his star-making talent show.
*****sidenote... (Randy)The native of Baton Rouge, La., was recently named Senior A&R Consultant and Producer for Concord/Stax.....I found this here dated 011408 http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/ne...-club-volume-1/
I wasn't aware he was connected to Concord/Stax...
back to the interview
OK. Sure. You've worked with--you just mentioned a few--some supremely talented artists over the years from a number of genres: Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Jean-Luc Ponty, Charlie Daniels, across the whole wide array of genres. I'm curious how many American Idol contestants in your six years would you say have the talent to sustain a 20-, 30-, 40-year career?
Well that's the whole thing. To me, American Idol has searched for the would-be undiscovered superstar, right? I think a lot of these kids have the ability to really try and become career artists, but I think what you have to do is set that benchmark yourself. Winning a show just gets you in the ring. It allows you in the ring with the greats [that are] boxing, so you can say, "You know what, I'm going to put my toe in this ring now. I've won this show, gone through the ranks and all the criticism and everything by the public and the judges. I now stand before you trying to put my toe in the ring."
It's now up to them to try and create their own artistry. I said to someone earlier today, "To me an artist is those people that can have a career that they don't even have to have records out." Being a great artist is beyond records. You take the Grateful Dead. They could have not had a record out, and they could have played 30 shows in San Francisco in the same giant stadium and have been sold out every day.
Yeah.
The Dave Matthews Band can just announce a tour, and it's not about record sales at that point. People turn out to see artists no matter where they are or whatever they're going to do. So it's a very different kind of a thing. So to me, that is definitely the question. I think a lot of these people have shots at being artists, but they got to prove it, and there's a long way to go. Winning Idol is maybe the first step because it's the rocket ship to the top. All these kids were obviously out there trying to make it on their own. But this is the real rocket ship to the top and then you go for it.
After that comes the hard work.
(this is my favorite part - AH)
Yeah. It's hard to become one of those career artists. And unfortunately, with today's music scene, we're not building a lot of legendary career artists anymore. So it's a little bit unfortunate. That's one of the most downsides for me about the music business as of today.
Hardly a news flash that there is no help to build long term careers. Especially hard when a giant corporate bully decides to make it even more difficult to establish your career. If anyone not associated with Freemantle (the American Idol "19" companies parent) - and its insatiable push for more money and power at the expense of anything it deems expendable - made that statement, I would be standing and applauding. But Randy saying it just reinforces my thought that he always "loves the one he's with".
And you all can color me a perfect b*t*h if you like but I am delighted that the CD Randy produced has pretty much tanked - - has sold only 25,000 as of the 5th week out - - gee, maybe it needs like, promotion, or something 