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Can I be spared the whole thing?

Just as TimeTeam has made a dull boring old subject such as archeology an interesting and popular programme - so these sanitised classic "pop" tunes will appeal to those who donl;t normally like classical music.

Just add in the TV advertising campaign (and the displays in Tesco) and there you go !!!!!!

I agree MM, but it`s music for people that don`t like or know music, and that is a massive audience indeed, the occasional cd buyers and "stocking filling consumer."
How very depressing it is indeed,(or maybe not) that we are in a state of music sales, in which the largest part of the market, don`t really like it, but Aunty Agnes will like to play it on Christmas day.(once)
I agree with your point of sale topic about Tesco`s etc, but I have to care about what I like, and new product, or we will have nothing left one day, and nothing to talk about.
I would prefer the Time Team dvd by the way for a pressie:woohoo:

We should always remember that its the mass sellers that generate the profit and allow the more quirky / less mass market things to be financed.

Without things like this there would be NO music at all !

(btw - Tesco's already have the "Buy Now" link on the Angelis website !)

Don't forget that the oddest of things can place one into a whole new milieu.

Carl Sagan's Cosmos broadened my musical horizons in 1981. So did Napster. Hell, I was glad when they closed Napster down because I was spending a fortune on new music I'd stumbled over.

So, if it gets you into 'real' music (what ever that is!) I doesn't matter if it's 'pap' (whatever that is)

One may not like cross over music personally (I find it good driving music... nothing too interruptive) but there is little 'bad' music, just stuff that isn't to one's taste.

I think this corner of the market has already been occupied by the famous London boys choir Libera. They have attracted many non-classical fans across the world, selling millions of their CDs. Angelis will gain some support because of the involvement of Simon Cowell, but I think they'll be no more successful than the Choirboys.

Fair point, and I agree that finances for obscure projects like my own, and others, are helped by mass market sales, but I also will put forward that without my own eccentric nuttyness in projects, and many other people there would be nothing new. So I stand half corrected, and will split the subject with you 50/50, or in the case of mass marketing sales, 0.1%/99.99 % , if that.lol.
I look for new stuff all the time though, both live and on the net, and thats what is required by everyone, including the audience that has not been found yet for many wonderful acts.
Oh dear, us outspoken indies are still helping the A+R:whistle:

Martin wrote:
Fair point, and I agree that finances for obscure projects like my own, and others, are helped by mass market sales, but I also will put forward that without my own eccentric nuttyness in projects, and many other people there would be nothing new. So I stand half corrected, and will split the subject with you 50/50, or in the case of mass marketing sales, 0.1%/99.99 % , if that.lol.
I look for new stuff all the time though, both live and on the net, and thats what is required by everyone, including the audience that has not been found yet for many wonderful acts.
Oh dear, us outspoken indies are still helping the A+R:whistle:
Not wanting to put too fine a point on it, you're being a terrible snob, Martin! ("people that don`t like or know music" - tut, tut). The two extremities are not incompatible.

Music obviously progresses through innovation and the left-field acts as a lab for that. It's worth remembering that the kids that were into 2 Unlimited went straight into Nirvana, No Doubt and Prodigy afterwards.

I'm dubious about the argument that marketing budget alone determines success. No matter how much money you would throw at Blurt, it would remain the wacky arthouse phenomenon it is (and I love it dearly).

I'm happy that someone is trying something outside the TV show/indie rock format. Good luck to them, budget and all!

Had a bit of a listen to the samples on the Official site.

Hmmm...

Trying to get into Libera/Hayley Westenra territory is dicey.

Some interesting switching in breath techniques (from diaphragm to stage to contemporary... )which indicates no small talent. Whether I like it or not is an entirely different matter... I'm not sure. I really don't like the production values... the thing sounds like it was recorded in an empty tube station. and I don't account synth 'drone' as accompaniment.

Finally, the publicity photos...

Whoever took them should be shot. Call me 'Queen Bitch of the North' but Amy (who is a pleasant enough looking child by all accounts) appears to have a soul patch on the macromedia splash... I could have done it better, and I have NOTHING in common with children until they're in their 20s (being a founder member of the King Herod Appreciation society)

Angelis Home Page

Finally, looks like the black market for this kind of thing is of between minimal and no interest to LE Cowell, although the Far Asians get a minority look in..

Cynical? Moi? Oui! Vraiment!

I`d love to be a terrible snob Michael, but I can`t afford to be, but I`m sure you appreciate the humour which is hard to convey with "internet speak" messages.
One of my oldest mates is in one of the , granted (in his case)"getting on a bit now operatic boy bands", and will still get no spoken or written favours from myself, and he would not expect any.
And I don`t hide behind a keyboard being a critic,(I know you know that I don`t so no offence intended) I even embarrasingly enough told the board-host to his face that I did not like some of his work this week!(sorry JK)
Just had a listen as well, as did GHarley, I don`t like it, therefore, thumbs up, and a million quid waiting to happen, but only ONCE they get the initial investment back.

It may introduce someone who'd never normally listen to other music the push to try and find the original version of some tracks covered... which is a good thing.

As I've said elsewhere, there's no such thing as 'bad' music, just material that is not to one's taste. (Case in point for me - Van Morrison. The man is a fine and talented musician and song writer. Do I like a lot of his stuff. Not really. I can hear he is very good, possibly brilliant... It's just not my taste)

Additonally, Ref: The Material of Mine Host... one would have to be dead to have stuff in his back catalogue that one didn't love, and equally covered in flies eggs to not have something one loathes... the problem with a catholic approach is that, by it's very breadth, you get the extremes... Thus I should think it's acceptable not to like some of it... almost expected, in fact.

But only Da Man can say for certain...

Martin wrote:
I`d love to be a terrible snob Michael, but I can`t afford to be, but I`m sure you appreciate the humour which is hard to convey with "internet speak" messages.
One of my oldest mates is in one of the , granted (in his case)"getting on a bit now operatic boy bands", and will still get no spoken or written favours from myself, and he would not expect any.
And I don`t hide behind a keyboard being a critic,(I know you know that I don`t so no offence intended) I even embarrasingly enough told the board-host to his face that I did not like some of his work this week!(sorry JK)
Just had a listen as well, as did GHarley, I don`t like it, therefore, thumbs up, and a million quid waiting to happen, but only ONCE they get the initial investment back.

We all know you're one of the most musically active people on these boards! In fact, when it comes to being a critic, I've no lessons to give as that's exactly what I did for 15 years and have no problem with the flack about it being easier to criticise than to create anything worthwhile. It most definitely is, but both are important.

I just worry occasionally that we as an industry forget we serve people, and tend to think they are there to consume our output. I'm exagerating, I know, but it's just to make a point.

Meanwhile, I'm lookng forward to your next leftfield idea!