How Radiohead Stole the Charlatans’ Thunder
By: Charbarred | in: Music |
I once read this story in a Todd Grimson novel. I don’t know if it’s true, and since I no longer remember the exact book it was in I can’t really corroborate it. In the end of the 70’s there was this punk musician who had a simple objective: He would make one punk record, appear in one important punk film and then kill himself, becoming a legend in the process. And so he did. The media reported this, paving the musician’s way to becoming immortal. A day later John Lennon was shot, thus making our musician friend’s suicide…well, yesterday’s news.
On September 30’s of this year Allan McGee, the force behind Oasis announced that The Charlatans, another band he manages, would be making their upcoming album available for free download. McGee claimed that people weren’t buying CD’s anymore and since downloading the music illegally has become so acceptable, they might as well give it away for free and make money from gigs and merchandise.
Sounds familiar? A few hours later someone updated the Radiohead website letting everyone know that one the world’s biggest rock bands is allowing their fans to pay as little as they want for a download of Radiohead’s new offering.
Ten days go past and Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” is released to the roaring thunder of a media blitz. The following day everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Madonna gives Warner Bros. the finger, Oasis and Jamiroquai are considering a similar move, Nine Inch Nails are onboard, and even Prince gets a mention for starting this whole movement. You can even find some articles claiming that The Charlatans decided to follow in Radiohead’s footsteps.
Allan McGee is a big talker. In the end of the 90’s he would blab to anyone who cared to listen that the music industry as we know it is dead. His proposition was to start an internet only label that would sell Oasis’s fourth record online and allow the fans to download those new files everyone was talking about – MP3’s. A true visionary, you might say, but he never put his money where his mouth was. Oasis’ 4th was not made available digitally at the time, and only when iTunes came soaring in things really started to change.
In a strange way The Charlatans whose biggest hit “The Only One I Know” dates back to 1990, are getting a piggyback ride from Radiohead. British Band The Crimea did the same thing almost six months ago and never really gained the traction they deserved for their bold move. Had The Charlatans done the same without Radiohead’s move would anyone care? I’m not a big fan of The Charlatans, but since they do deserve some credit for driving another nail in the industry’s coffin, I will be downloading their album when it comes and giving it at least one thorough listen.
The Charlatans - The Only One I Know
Posted on October 15, 2007
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9 Responses to “How Radiohead Stole the Charlatans’ Thunder”
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Good points. I found out of the Charlatans similar marketing move, after doing some research on the Radiohead shocker, and found out as well that indeed they had the same idea prior to Radiohead. To bad they didn’t actually apply it. Yet.
Their manager had the same idea almost 10 years ago, he just never had the balls to do anything about it.
It’s like Windows! Mac had the idea first, and they stole it from Xerox. But Windows was the first one to show it off…. So they got all the notice.
Would it be too early to dance around the graves of the music companies and sing Ding Dong The Witch is Dead? For years we have heard from artists and consumers how the record labels are ripping people off. Digital distribution of all media is the approaching tsunami and I hope it drowns those parasitic businesses, a watery paradigm shift indeed. I’m curious tho, what do you guys think?
I’m not sure the music industry is dead per se. The bottom line is that Radiohead could afford this stunt because for the past 10 years a record label has made them rich and famous. Sure, it was down to their talent how famous they got, but the point still stands that if no one would push Creep in the 90’s, Radiohead wouldn’t be as big today.
Essentially record labels are marketing and distribution companies. You can go to your local record shop and put your CD’s there. You can even close a deal with a national chain if you work hard enough. But how would you deal with putting your album in every store in every country in the world? You can hire a distribution company to do this for you, which will cost you a lot of money. But even if your album is on every shelf in every country, why would someone care? So you can also hire a marketing company to hype you up, which also costs a ton of money. OK, now you have to start touring your album…why would someone give a slot in a prestigious club? So you need a booking agent as well. You also need an accountant and a lawyer, as you are running a worldwide business. Don’t forget you’re an artist, you want to create, but essentially you’re now a full time CEO of a company, you need a secretary and other people to work for you, when are you going to have time for all the music, especially when you’re on the road half the time? Now if you’re nobody, you can hire the right people to do all this for you. Even if you really skimp on the costs you will end up with about $100,000 initial cost. Don’t forget you’re not earning a salary for the first year so you need to also pay your cost of living somehow (plus tour busses, hotels, food etc…). There are also videos to be made, merchendise to be produced, a radio plugger to be hired and a ton of other things. After a whole year of touring and promotion and all of the above, there is still a very low chance that you’ll actually make it.
Or, you can get signed with a record label. If they sign you, it means they see at least a little potential. They know distribution, they know marketing and they know how to run tours. They’ll also put you on a retainer throughout the year, essentially paying you a salary to just “be a musician”. In return, you will have to part with up to 90% of your profits. If you fail though, you don’t have to return the money. If you succeed, you can ditch them after 5 years and run stunts like Radiohead did.
The music industry is very evil. They drop artists after one unsuccesful single, they reduce your chance of succeeding by paying radio stations to play someone else’s music, they are suing your fans, they won’t develop you, they don’t give a shit about you and they’ll take all your money if they can. If you die of drugs or hunger or depression, they’ll just make more money.
It’s up to you to decide which course you take. I find that a lot of musicians who are business savvy and have $100,000 lying around, would still choose to invest their money in real estate and seek out record companies.
Personally I would still go it alone, but it’s good to understand who you’re up against as a compeltely independent artist.
I meant to give you 5 stars.
Damn char, that’s one hell of a dissertation.
That’s my “just after the morning coffee” state…2 hours later I can hardly type my own name
[...] Following on from last week’s topic, Radiohead have caused quite a storm haven’t they?! Now they’re all queuing up to give material away; The Charlatans confirmed their next album will be free, there are rumors of Oasis using the same model and, wait for it, Ocean Colour Scene (as well as The Charlatans) announced today that their new single will be a free download! I downloaded the album and paid £0.00 for it as I’ve never been a huge Radiohead fan but if I like this album I’ll definitely consider going to see them live. So far after the first listen I think it’s alright, I rather like track 2 ‘Body Snatchers’ but the rest of it is yet to grow on me. [...]