A while back, I had a post, “Radiohead Encourages Cycling Journalists”, about the band’s effort to diminish their carbon footprint on their current tour, and their urgings to fans and journalists to do the same.
One idea was to only issue 50 press passes for the Paris show and, only to journalists who came a begging for them on bicycles.
I said…
I wonder how many showed up. I wonder how many reporters raced to the record label office, on bikes, and didn’t get a press pass because they weren’t one of the first fifty.
Well, the results are in. From The Sun.
The egghead rockers, known for their right-on eco credentials, came up with a potty ploy to test our Continental cousins’ commitment to green issues.
And they were roundly ignored for their troubles.
There’s no byline on the piece but that is fabulous. “Egghead rockers”, “potty ploy”; Man, that’s good, right there.
Anyway, only 15 of the 50 passes were claimed; 15 out of 50!
Radiohead, Radiohead, Radiohead. I know that you guys are the second most important band in the world but, you got to get wise. French music journalists don’t care about your noble cause and, they aren’t going to pedal down to your label’s office just for a chance to see your show. French music journalists want the same things all music journalists want; free booze and free food. Duh!!
Here’s what you should have done, Radiohead; hired 50 scantily clad women to ride bicycles to the music journalists and had them hand deliver the passes along with some organic goat cheese and environmentally friendly bottles of wine. That’s rock and roll, babies! Start thinking like that and you will promote the cause and get good reviews.
Start thinking like that, and icons like Gene Simmons will start to respect what you are doing.
Gene, discusses Radiohead’s, “In Rainbows”, promotional strategy.
“That’s not a business model that works. I open a store and say ‘Come on in and pay whatever you want.’ Are you on fucking crack? Do you really believe that’s a business model that works?”
I tell you what, that Gene Simmons has been too quiet for too long. But, just in this last month he’s gained some considerable ground on Keef in the “Wrinkle Rocker Says Whatever The Hell Comes To His Addled Brain/All Press Is Good Press” sweepstakes.
But, back on point. Radiohead, I like what you are trying to do, saving the world with rock and roll and all. But, you could use a little Sam Phillips/P.T. Barnum in your game.
Just because you were wondering……
The Current “Wrinkle Rocker Says Whatever The Hell Comes To His Addled Brain/All Press Is Good Press” Standings
1. Keef
2. Gene Simmons
3. Steve Miller
4. Sammy Hagar
Related posts
Tags: david coverdale, gene simmons, goat cheese, Keef, Radiohead, rock and roll, sammy hagar, steve miller
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
Previous post: At first I figured he meant Utah Jazz, and I was all for that. But of course I buckled to my free association tendency again.
Between the previous and this post, may I interject a query somewhere in here? Well I’m going to anyway: as I read your rants I am comparing St Charles, MO with New Orleans…. what do I get?
Seems too obvious that a place of supposed entertainment basis for existence must have something I have failed to give a name to. The something is like this: New Orleans has [maybe lost a few after Katrina] a large mega base of roadside personnel that can put on a show just by delivering a beer to a table. Just witness the karoake talent available in New O.
Sadly lacking in St Charles and now all corners of the country is links of missing “questionably gender, triple threat waiter/tresses, drunk bartender, walk on vibraphonist, cops on horse back, Hurricanes in plastic cups, crazy short Greek guy manager tearing new anuses in the kitchen staff,” and so on.
Without “local color” it’s like going to a tent meeting where they’re serving cappuccino’s. Huh? Or a favorite one: “like serving beer at truck stops?” (RJP)
Without the presence of homosexuality, freaks, ladies of the night, promise of underground culture, hackneys, chicken hawks… the regular touristy will stay uptight, and not loosen up. Even a few commodore dragons let loose in the streets of St Charles would help.
Humans > Hunters > Gatherers > Sexual > Subversive > Original Sin… ?want entertainment that reeks of this, no?
Does anyone notice why the “Planet Restaurants” fail? One visit and well no reason to go again. No repeat bidness… I’ll never go again to St Charles, and probably never to a Radonhead event. And Miami has a suck factor just lower than Houston.
This bit of rant goes for the previous post on Miami’s stink finger meeting. No one knows how to party anymore… that’s a fact Jack, you said it many years ago… I listened and it is prophecy come true.
I truly hope I am not the only one who has a good healthy yearn for the old ways of locale and uncertified entertainers. BoooohRah
Pat Darnell and Friends’s last blog post..Gina Provaccatoria reporting live
Link | June 19th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbItoJlfSyI
I submit this to make up for all my errors in previous comment: Ft Lauderdale, not Miami… etc.. but you gits the drift maties, no? blah blah blahshe
Pat Darnell and Friends’s last blog post..Gina Provaccatoria reporting live
Link | June 19th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Pat Darnell and at least one Friend wrote,
Is this the definition of epiparasite…?? as in Anti-Rockers?
By MIKE DANIEL / The Dallas Morning News / Wednesday, June 18, 2008
“GRAND PRAIRIE – Smoke and mirrors should not be associated with a band such as Death Cab for Cutie.
…pop-rock band’s concert Tuesday at Nokia Theatre. No lasers, no sequins, no polished stainless steel, no chrome – unless you count the tuning pegs on Nick Harmer’s bass…
“But a smoke machine belched nonstop stage right during the band’s 80-minute, 17-song set, almost as if to mask the space that Death Cab has always had trouble filling, both physically and sonically.
“Even two albums into a big-label deal, a large part of Death Cab’s charm is its simplicity. Ben Gibbard’s voice is one of rock’s most innocent and unadorned, yet it holds a plaintive and romantic quality backed by his poetically disarming lyrics and the band’s damp yet firm grasp on melody.
“The issue was one of projection and showmanship. Mr. Gibbard sways as he plays with more energy than most of his songs contain; Mr. Harmer stalks the stage as if he’s defending a point guard in a basketball game;
“…Fortunately, that’s Death Cab for [Cootie's] strength. Unfortunately, the crowd reacted to it as if it were at a freshman-level science lecture. Maybe that’s where the smoke machine should have been placed.” (Daniel, Mike; June 18, 2008)
So… all sure signs of a garden on the decline… due to epiparasitic activity? Hmmmmm …heavy concept.
Link | June 19th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Pat Darnell and Fair Weather Friends wrote,
Fresh from PopReFLUX spit-back up from crawlers for Cliteratipopsugar gossip
I swear I mailed in your application, Pribek. I guess it’s because you never played left field.
I know this is not he update you wanted me to send in tonight for The Current “Wrinkle Rocker Says Whatever The Hell Comes To His Addled Brain/All Press Is Good Press” Standings… maybe there is an error.
Link | June 19th, 2008 at 11:52 pm