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So yesterday (Sunday) afternoon I'm driving home in front of Universal Music at about 4pm - it gets dark earlier now (clocks went back).
So what do I see in the Kensington hub of the UK music industry? Nothing.
Not one light on in the entire building.
I remember in years gone by - weekends didn't exist in our music industry. Neither did Christmas or Easter. Why? Because it wasn't work. Evening meant gigs and clubs. All day, every day, was 100% effort. Listening, replying, planning, paperwork so the day could be used for promotion, plugging, press. Weekends? Get contracts completed, check royalty statements, answer letters (e-mails these days - does anyone else ever get a reply from key executives? The silence after my "let's get Record of the Year back on terrestrial TV" e-m was deafening. Boost sales? Why?). Tidy desks. Hear demos. Change the bass line on masters. Chase Australian release schedules. Call Clive Davis.
Even fairly recently I'd drive past EMI in Brook Green and see lights on in every window. PolyGram blazed night and day as I waved at Obie's statue from the Chiswick flyover. Hundreds worked a few final minutes before dashing across to the Hammy Odeon to catch a metal band blazing loud into the night. Sony lit up Putney Bridge.
When I ran UK Records in the 70s with a staff of 4 we had three singles in the Top 5 one week. Only a couple of years ago John (RIP), Carole and I watched our tiny music publishing company pick up the No1 award for three out of four quarters thanks to Mamma Mia.
These days this Tipsheet board falls silent at weekends and is pretty quiet all week. Record of the Day is like a graveyard. The Velvet Rope sees two or three threads added to, if that, from Friday to Monday.
I'm busy writing new songs for the next movie, posting new quantities for the View/Download figures on both Vile Pervert; The Musical and Me Me Me, answering phone calls, listening to new demos and mixes from the younger musicians who, like me, don't stop making music, trying to think of new promotional ideas, getting this year's Record of the Year finalist list ready and updating the website, moaning at my industry friends for not breaking hits, checking charts and playlists, seeing if there's a new Orson on My Space or Sons of Admirals on You Tube... and posting about music on boards like this one.... my lights are never off.
Sleep? What's that when you're in music?
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