I thought it was a terrific fun show especially the interval gig which highlighted some great music.
Sadly - that was the problem.
The music industry, no longer adept at making, finding or breaking mass appeal music, illustrated the difference between then and now.
There wasn't a hit in the show - other than these old songs.
Great visuals, good performances, great sets, costumes and effects.
But songs? Nothing.
I'm now old.
Very old.
78.
My last two big hits were in the last Century - Who Let The Dogs Out and I Get Knocked Down.
Both were mass appeal.
Both would have won Eurovision.
Both sold 16 million copies on vinyl, cassette and CD.
Before Downloads. Before Streaming. Before Napster.
I blame the current crop of music executives from top to bottom.
And the new technology - meaning people can write and make songs without the vital critical tweaking that used to happen pre-release.
Nobody realised how important the contribution producers, publishers, engineers, arrangers were.
Let alone the later label bosses, managers, pluggers, marketers.
And (in my experience) receptionists, doormen, phone girls, sales teams, retailers.
I used ALL those and more in my time in music.
I'm sad for the Global Music Industry that, thanks to Max Clifford, Surrey Police and nameless EMI executives, I was unable to take over EMI in 2000.
The industry today would be very different.
And I should say - far better.
With more Mass Appeal Music and stars.

My 2000 entry-that wasn't - would have won 2023.

Posters are welcome to disagree and post their own thoughts!

JK2006 wrote:
Posters are welcome to disagree and post their own thoughts!

Dear JK, I held a senior position with one of the major music companies at the time you are referring to and I can tell you that any belief you have that you could have “saved the music business” is so far off the mark as to be laughable. This is not a dig at you as I don’t believe there would have been anyone who could have taken on that role and lasted more than about 18 months. In the previous 6 or 7 years EMI as a corporation had made some very significant acquisitions and investments that required the overall market to increase or at a minimum be stable to service the debt. What was happening at that time was the start of the digital revolution and sales were slumping. There was in house fighting at all the majors as there were so many opinions on the best way forward. Companies were still making deals based on 1990’s type revenue streams and the technology men were making promises that never materialised in the time scale forecast. In many ways it was the “perfect storm” and no one could have navigated a safe way through it.

Oh BB you under estimate my approach then (1999). I had planned a huge involvement by EMI into the new world including the EMI equivalent to both iTunes and You Tube long before they happened. With detailed plans.

I was active at a very high level at the birth of the current digital age in the music industry and the legal, technical, and regulatory issues that were being faced were immense. It is difficult enough to find a compromise when dealing with two opposing sides but during that time there were a multitude of different opinions being championed.

In my opinion nobody could have lead EMI out of the mess they were in 20 or so years ago as the seeds for their downfall had already been sown. EMI did not have the resources or the confidence of the market to spend the required amount to develop any sort of itunes or Youtube venture

20 years ago - YES. 24 years ago - no.

Blue Boy wrote:
I was active at a very high level at the birth of the current digital age in the music industry and the legal, technical, and regulatory issues that were being faced were immense. It is difficult enough to find a compromise when dealing with two opposing sides but during that time there were a multitude of different opinions being championed.

In my opinion nobody could have lead EMI out of the mess they were in 20 or so years ago as the seeds for their downfall had already been sown. EMI did not have the resources or the confidence of the market to spend the required amount to develop any sort of itunes or Youtube venture

It's interesting to see what JK might of done with EMI, I am sure he might of a done cheaper option than iTunes. However Youtube Converter/Downloader has made it a lot easier to download videos in MP3. It's a pirate Bay backdoor. I have obtained a lot of non-album tracks by obscure country rock bands by this method. If Warner released the Bandana 11 or so singles on CD then I will buy it.

I was well set to start EMI owned online radio and TV "stations" (featuring all different label product) and also a way to purchase music as "downloads" - with links to retailers who wanted to join a scheme where customers coming to physical stores in person could download EMI product at a cheaper rate. Lots of ideas - all of which sadly disappeared courtesy of Max Clifford and Surrey Police.

JK2006 wrote:
I was well set to start EMI owned online radio and TV "stations" (featuring all different label product) and also a way to purchase music as "downloads" - with links to retailers who wanted to join a scheme where customers coming to physical stores in person could download EMI product at a cheaper rate. Lots of ideas - all of which sadly disappeared courtesy of Max Clifford and Surrey Police.

I love that idea, it was also near Freeview was launched or launching, Internet radio was in the infancy so was DAB. DAB was pushed heavily but it's hardly bothering with, if the signal drops it goes. At least with a normal you can fine tune. (Where I live it's all static on FM,AM,LW.)

I am sure you would of worked with the majors like Sony and not let them to swallow everything.

Cherry Red do a splendid job with the licences they have but I wish they could dig deeper with American/Americana bands.