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
According to this and David Coverdale??, Zep will tour.
Led Zeppelin will mark their 40th anniversary with a £250million world tour, according to reports.
Calls for the band to reform for a full world tour have been relentless since they played a one-off show at the O2 Arena in London last December.
Yesterday (May 9th), David Coverdale, the frontman of Whitesnake and a long-term friend of the band, said the tour was “very likely”.
“I’m expecting a call from Jimmy any day asking my band Whitesnake to support them on their world tour. Am I on board? You bet. Probably worth billions,” he said.
Uhhh, yeah Coverdale…Keep your phone charged up Brother, don’t want to miss that call.
Why is David Coverdale talking about this? Check this out.
“Unlike rolling out the wheelchairs with the umpteenth Rolling Stones world tour, a Led Zeppelin tour will be incredible.”
Is David Coverdale being sent to the press as a surrogate the way American Presidential candidates will send a minion out to do the dirty work? The above is clearly a response to this earlier jab from Keef.
In the interview, he also belittled Led Zeppelin’s December one-off reunion gig, telling Uncut: “They had one? Well, well done Jimmy (Page) and Robert (Plant). F**k off. Stairway To Heaven don’t make it for me, baby.”
Led Zeppelin will tour, at some point. Whether Coverdale is a reliable source, who knows? But, Zep will tour. They are the one act in the world right now that would sell out the big sheds with no doubt about it. All this stuff you hear about big concert promoters signing 360 deals with major artists, Zep is a bigger draw than all of them. Can you envision Madonna or Jay-Z selling out stadiums? No, but Zep would do it. Zep is the big dog and they can name their price. They can name a ridiculous price.
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