tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953012319328810713.post2561343048724197363..comments2023-08-10T09:32:48.842+01:00Comments on UKHotviews: Morons and Youtube - Sept 06Richard Holwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00182392836051848979noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953012319328810713.post-61033798626172954772007-09-03T17:03:00.000+01:002007-09-03T17:03:00.000+01:00Alwyn Welch, Chief Executive, Parity Group plc, se...Alwyn Welch, Chief Executive, Parity Group plc, sent me the following interesting comments and agreed to me posting this on the site.<BR/><BR/>Richard<BR/><BR/>Thinking about your blog comments groups now make all their money from concerts, TV appearances and merchandising.<BR/><BR/>Whilst I agree that today there is a totally different business model for well established acts (as it is rather difficult to bootleg a live act itself!), I am not sure how a new act becomes a well established act in this new era. <BR/><BR/>Is it possible to get the wide, multi-national, audience without heavy promotion and touring? Distribution of recorded music via the internet will reach many people, by definition, but will it generate enough demand to sustain ticket prices of say £50+ each?? Will it create another Stones, or even (god forbid) Robbie Williams…?<BR/><BR/>It would be ironic however if the business of popular music completes the full circle…. <BR/><BR/>· Originally a composer published sheet music (in the days when you had to copy by hand) and made money through sales of pieces of paper; but most musicians made all their livelihood by live performance. <BR/><BR/>· Then along came the days of recorded music for the masses, probably in the 20s, and the live performance (even by radio) evolved to be a means to generate publishing and recorded music sales (except for the niche interests – say Delta blues pre-1960s); and the performer started to dominate the industry (Sinatra, Miller, Armstrong et al)<BR/><BR/>· Then the popular music sheet music sales became less of business, as the song construction became simpler, and very guitar-oriented; and many composers were performers; and recorded music made all the money – touring generally was a loss-leader (late 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s)<BR/><BR/>· Now the live performance is the profitable vehicle, because you can easily and infinitely copy and distribute any recorded material, digital or analogue.<BR/><BR/>I had this debate the other evening with one of the Stones support musicians, a very talented jazz sax player called Tim Ries. He agreed that the business model for emerging or niche musicians is far from clear – and he is certainly one of the latter.<BR/><BR/>Look forwards to hearing you tomorrow<BR/><BR/>Alwyn<BR/><BR/>_______________________Richard Holwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00182392836051848979noreply@blogger.com