Re: Nu Metal vs. Steve Vai vs. Santana

[AKASHMUSIC@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/26/2002 1:40:28 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Luigimeloni74@libero.it writes:


> The WORLD is not the US.
> Here in Italy, for example, is full of 70's and 80's influenced bands,  even
> in the charts.

Question: Where are these bands you talk about and on what charts are do they actually appear?

Other than say Aerosmith who are the perhaps the only other old farts left who score on the top 10 ( actaully, as I think about it, ya also gotta factor in James Taylor, Celine Dion and Bruce Springsteen + Phil Collins & maybe sting ). but Aerosmith & JT/Phil C, etc aint adding anybody new to their sales roster as their demographic is well over 35 and the purchase of a JT or Areosmith CD is about all the music their respectvive audiences will buy thruout an entire year. 

That old fart demographic pretty much tends to listen to music they already have purchased years ago and will buy maybe one or 2 new items a year.

and if the old fart demographic does make more purchases than its usual one or 2 it is to buy an old album they had on vinyl that is now out on CD or somethin to that effect and more often its to buy the latest Britanny, Shakira, Ashanti, Nelly, P-Diddy, O-Town, N-Sync, Jah-Rule, Pink, Avril Lavigne, etc..thats wwhat is keepin the music industry aflot IMHO - not the old farts.

But @ least sting is hip enuff to get the ancient police material as sampled and out there as much possible as he could for hip hop artists in order to keep his ancient stuff in younger hands.

So really IMHO the old farts demographics dont count( in a quick and steady cash flow sense) much at all.

& more significatly the old farts dont have other merchandise which they are tied into that sells fashions or other merchadise which is bankable and image expanding with a consumer market that expanding and voratiously ( spelling?) consuming IMHO.

When you can sell your own line of Clothing with your autograph on them based upon the name and brand recognition you have as an "artist" that is really what influential means today and is really what is your paycheck more than making CD's and right behind the $$$ u make from touring.

& Sting if i recall, was recently hawking Jaguars.

& Im suddenly realizin Sting is an old fart who definietely aint no dummy.

and Sting is clearly a leader in terms of keepin himself relevant and adapting to marrket conditions IMHO.

Stig's music today is something I wont comment on but the point is today, no one has to be good or bad anymore in as much as the way to be relevant is to have a perception about you or by becoming branded in the very marketable imagery you need to sell ( anything really ) so it sticks to u.

   & remember that Carlos got an image upgrade from Wyclef Jean (   whose career now aint seelin that much product these days ) and The guy who sang that big hit ( as was pointed out earlier by Kim methinks ). 

But do ck these links out re: Europe & The USA and In particular Italy, please see 1st link mentioned: 

http://top40-charts.com/chart.php?cid=18
http://top40-charts.com/chart.php?cid=31
http://top40-charts.com/chart.php?cid=14

& do take a look at these off the cuff stats from top-40-charts.com's front page:
 - Paid My Dues (Anastacia): 289 entries in 20 charts   
- Hero (Enrique Iglesias): 450 entries in 26 charts 
- Escape (Enrique Iglesias): 282 entries in 23 charts   
- Without Me (Eminem): 344 entries in 30 charts 
- Don't Let Me Get Me (Pink): 269 entries in 24 charts  
- Underneath Your Clothes (Shakira): 246 entries in 24 charts   
- Hey Baby (No Doubt): 238 entries in 24 charts 
- Whenever, Wherever (Shakira): 527 entries in 25 charts    
- Hands Clean (Alanis Morissette): 250 entries in 25 charts 
- Ain't It Funny (Jennifer Lopez): 366 entries in 27 charts 
- In The End (Linkin Park ): 304 entries in 21 charts   
- A New Day Has Come (Celine Dion): 260 entries in 29 charts    
- Wherever You Will Go (Calling): 358 entries in 24 charts  
- Drops Of Jupiter (tell Me) (Train): 238 entries in 17 charts  
    
Also take a look @ this next article on a charting UK phenom & what they are all about - read about it here but pay close attention to the ages and demographics of the group and its obvious core audience: 
http://www.billboard.com/billboard/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1630998

And also, dont forget the Billboard top 10 singles as they really do set the pace or tone for the rest of the world IMHO:
http://www.billboard.com/billboard/charts/hot100.jsp

I just dont get a hint or whiff or Carlos Santana or Vai here in these charts or find anything other than what is for the most part comin from The USA and being exported and consumed in mass quatities worldwide -.with the exception being some middle eastern, african and asian countries.

but most stuff - music wise & around the world and especially in Europe, IMHO is directly fronm the USA & again comin on strong on all nations charts or rather the music of other countries emulates the stuff from the usa in many ways.

But Im also sure that all of the peoples in those aformentioned countries which may not be fully USA saturated in terms of its pop culture, do know who P-Diddy is more than they will ever know of Carlos Santana or Steve Vai or Zappa.

But these days IMHO everybody seems to keep score.

even kids know what the top 10 grossing movies of the week are at box offices as they keep certainly keep track of who is number one on the charts more than ever IMHO as the DJ's on air point it out, the artists themselves point it out and point to who is top dog.

But for an interesting perspective on all of this new state of the music biz ( actually old news ) plug steve vai or santana into the aforementioned numbers/ trends from around the world and based upon what types of genres and styles and artists you see charting, and its like talking about and also arguing about apples and cadavers & thinkin theres life in a corpse 

Personally I like and still listen to Vai, Zappa and Carlos and have been influenced by everything I hear.

But in the business of music, IMHO that dont count for a can of refried beans unless my music is selling those beans and getting me a cut of the action regadless as to whether its rock n roll, nu metal or crap :)

Warmest Regards,
John Price/AKASH
"The World's Most Erotic Band"
http://www.akashmusic.com
http://www.mp3.com/akashmusic
"Remember To Always Kill Your Expectations"