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The Lefsetz Letter
God Says Nothing Back
by Bob Lefsetz
The age of stardom is over. I was hiking in the mountains listening to XM's Cafe on my MyFi and I heard one of those ethereal numbers that sets your mind adrift, the kind of music that was popular back in the early seventies but is completely absent from mainstream radio today. I picked up the unit to discover it was "God Says Nothing Back" by the Wallflowers. I hate the Wallflowers. Jakob Dylan is too good-looking. But, worse, the machine foisted him upon me for two years straight, as if he counted, as if he could single-handedly save music. But, despite a couple of catchy tracks, Jakob Dylan is a mid-level artist at best. And now there's no room in the landscape for him. People like me were turned off and all the casual fans, who bought "Bringing Down The Horse", have either moved on to the next evanescent act or disappeared from the marketplace. Yes, the major labels will tell you these people have just resorted to STEALING the music, that the marketplace has just SHIFTED! I posit that the type of person who listened to the radio and enjoyed "One Headlight" is turned off by what he hears on the radio today and is listening to his old CDs, if he's listening at all. Who knew you could become rich and famous playing music back in '63. The songs on the hit parade were written by plain-looking people in offices. The performers were attractive, but not only did they not write the tunes they sang, they didn't play on them either. Rather, there was an infrastructure of session players who performed the hits. Then came the Beatles. But really, then came Led Zeppelin. The Beatles only made money because they sold SO many records, their deal was terrible. But Peter Grant turned touring into a money-making machine. Suddenly, everybody had a Zeppelin album and wanted to see the band, if they could get a ticket. There was a mania in the early seventies that ultimately caused all the indie labels to be purchased by conglomerates, there was just TOO MUCH MONEY INVOLVED, record labels were CASH MACHINES! And the present owners expect them to continue to be. But the landscape has changed. You see, we used to live in a narrow society. There were a limited number of radio stations, an independent couldn't get his record in the store, concomitantly, with the advent of MTV a successful record could sell in excess of TEN MILLION copies. Yup, they created an award they haven't used in years, the DIAMOND certification, to commemorate this. But, the people selling all the records, acts like the Wallflowers, they weren't outgrowths of Led Zeppelin, they were made not for music, but for MONEY! The game changed. Instead of discovering a good band and trying to find a market for their music, now it was about finding music that fit the MARKETPLACE! Music that not only MTV and radio would play, but that would appeal to the people who purchased the ten million records. A shifting crowd that followed trends and were not true music fans. But, suddenly, after creating blander and blander material, and genre-specific material like rap that a great percentage of the audience didn't enjoy, and the outlets, interested in money too and only exposing a few records, the audience tuned out. Music wasn't for them. Yes, even though nothing reaches you like a great record, the records weren't great, it was more fun to play videogames, watch DVDs, go snowboarding. The solution to this problem put forth by the major labels is to find MORE potentially broad-based acts and SHOVE THEM DOWN OUR THROAT! Major label priorities appear on "Today", in "People". They're two-dimensional. They're the OPPOSITE of what was sold in decades yore. You wanted to know the musicians because of the music they MADE, not vice versa. But those days are returning. This week "Rebel Sweetheart" sold 6,019 copies. Down from 7,964 the week before. It slid from number 128 to 186. And, before that, it was number 95. And the record was only released on May 24th. Obviously the band doesn't have much of a hard core fan base. And why should they? Who believes in a pretty boy band that you couldn't AVOID for YEARS! Used to be the opposite. You played for fans, hoping you could hit the mainstream. It was about establishing a base. But major labels can't be bothered with a base, they've got to sell two million copies out of the box, they call that artist development. That's sales history, there's no development involved. But, the irony is, "God Says Nothing Back" is pretty good. Not that you'll hear it on terrestrial radio. Not that you can check it out P2P unless you're really dedicated. The services are OVERLOADED with spoofs. THINK about that, Interscope is doing its damndest to keep the public from discovering a stiff record. They want millions to rush out and BUY it. There will always be a handful of stars. But that's all, a handful. We live in a decentralized society. An almost tower of babel society. Where everybody's into different things. It doesn't make economic sense to invest a million dollars swinging for the fences when the odds of success are infinitesimal. But this is what the major labels are doing, in some weird imitation of the National Hockey League. Not understanding that the audience is declining and the numbers don't work. If you want to be rich and famous, I'd recommend you study "Us". Go hang out at the places they feature, mingle with the stars in its pages. It's an easier route than trying to make it through music. No, you should only play music if that's your calling, if that's truly what you want to do, if you want to make a LIVING! The music scene is healthy. But it's not the major label music scene, nor the shed scene. People turned off by the system are finding out about acts that write and perform their own material, who speak from the heart. And they're going to see these acts in small venues. It's like it's been for centuries, except that via Net word of mouth, you can be known outside of your own village. The major label paradigm is broken. It's even worse than network TV. Instead of being on a cable system of a couple of hundred channels, they're in a marketplace where EVERYBODY can make and distribute a record...just go to cdbaby.com if you doubt me. And the people making these records have different goals from Ashlee Simpson. It's about making a personal statement, not getting rich, certainly not about being famous. Sure, some of these people will break through, become the equivalent of platinum artists, but this will come AFTER years of playing. Meanwhile, the majors are spending millions to reach an audience that doesn't exist. In the future, music lovers will own the equivalent of record labels with the sole goal of turning the public on to great music. Unless the majors adopt this strategy, they're doomed. It's not about signing indies and upstreaming, it's about hiring a bunch of A&R people, and letting them sign bands on the cheap. And trying to flog ones and twos. Hoping that the private jet overhead is reached by distributing something SO good EVERYBODY wants it, not because they've been told about it by the company, but because their friends have turned them on to it. Meanwhile, if you haunt the P2P services long enough (ten minutes), you can find the real "God Says Nothing Back". Download it. Don't sit there and play it and evaluate it. Just insert it in your iTunes library. And sometime in the future, when you're listening to your tracks on random on your computer or on your iPod, you'll hear it, it will take you away. You won't say it's a hit, you'll just like the way it sounds. Actually, the hit is dead. It's not about selling one song and filler, it's about creating an aural cocoon, that people want to revel in. Bob Lefsetz, Santa Monica-based industry legend, is the author of the e-mail newsletter, "The Lefsetz Letter". Famous for being beholden to no one, and speaking the truth, Lefsetz addresses the issues that are at the core of the music business: downloading, copy protection, pricing and the music itself. His intense brilliance captivates readers from Steven Tyler to Rick Nielsen to Bryan Adams to Quincy Jones to EVERYBODY who's in the music business. Never boring, always entertaining, Mr. Lefsetz's insights are fueled by his stint as an entertainment business attorney, majordomo of Sanctuary Music's American division and consultancies to major labels. While Rhino may occasionally disagree with some of Bob's opinions, we certainly agree with his right to state them. At the bottom of each column we give you, the reader, the opportunity to respond and we encourage you to do so. We will post select comments.
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Comments:
Mr. Lefsetz, do you really believe that Mr. Dylan is a mid rate artist? The man along with Jeff Buckley produced some of the best music of the 90's and his work has been consistent and I feel the need to point out that while The Wallflowers sales have declined, at least they haven't changed they're musical direction to accomadate radio.
i think its boring cuz the songs dont work
I agree music has become so corporate.
I totally agree with Mr.Lefsetz.I was born in 1951 started piano lessons in 56 and switched to drums in 1962. During my formative years I was exposed to and tried to listen to all idioms of music, big band, bee bop, folk, country, bluegrass, blues, choral,
classical,old time fiddle, marches,drum and bugle corp,show tunes,etc.etc. I ended up playing all of these forms in one type of music known as rock and roll. I'm now 54 and will go out to the clubs here in Northern New Jersey to hear the younger bands play( in the few places that are left to hear live music)and 90% of the time I'm disappointed. I may as well have stayed home and turned on MTV, which I dislike and have only watched it while my kids have it on. Rock stars, such as Robert Plant, that are constantly evolving through their love of music just for the sake of music are not getting the recognition that they deserve.I was never too big of a fan of the British groups because I felt a lot of them just reinvented what American musicians had already done. Zeppelin was unique, got to see them at the Fillmore East in Jan. of 69. They had a different spin on things. Thank God for the 60's and early 70's when musicains played for the love of playing. Love all who still are such as Elvin Bishop, David Bromberg, Harvey Brooks, Kal David, Poco, Clapton, and countless others.
Actually, I bought the new Wallflowers album as soon as it came out. The problem is that I only found out about it by chance. The big-labels are *not* pushing the Wallflowers now, so the new album gets no air-time. It has gotten so I don't listen to the radio, because it has pretty much nothing to do with playing new music anyway.
There are a number of good, interesting, talented groups around. But now you (the music lover) have to really work to find them.
i think you should go home to lubbock but then agaain youre joe ely
Well, I agree with you that "God Says Nothing Back" is a good song, but not much else. Yes, the Wallflowers were hugely popular in the 90's, but in no way did they make their music solely for the money. Their first record did very poorly, and there was little expectation that anyone would even hear "Bringing Down the Horse". Yes, Jakob Dylan is very attractive and the son of a rock god, but he has never tried to market that as a selling point. He refused interviews until he had any success on his own so that he wasn't just a curiosite piece so that people could mock how Dylan's son would even presume to think he could make competent music.
They definitely have been lacking much push from their label recently. It was just dumb luck that I stumbled upon them again after forgetting about them from the "Breach" years.
And you're advocating that people take music from P2P sites? How can you do that in good conscience?
Maybe that's why the Wallflowers record sales are down- you're telling people to steal their music!
When you base your musical preferences on how a singer/songwriter is or isn't gentetically endowed you lose your credibility. Jakob Dylan is a great artist and while I agree that he is shamefully good looking, his musical talent stands up way beyond such a shallow observation.
Wow. Mr. Lefsetz hates The Wallflowers because Jakob Dylan is too good looking and because the label decided to overwork their second album. What an immature reason to hate a band. And hate is really such a strong word. I think you could find more people deserving hatred than these guys. you truely are a sad individual.
To say that The Wallflowers were made for money and not music is so totally wrong and insulting. Do you really think you know why the band was formed and what their motives are? I could think of better targets than these guys. By the way, if you did your research, you might find that most of the members in the band have played on or produced a ton of other great albums......everyone ranging from Johnny Cash and Willy Nile to Macy Gray and more.....Nice that you like their new song, but, this is a very unfair attack on them. You assume so much about The Wallflowers, but you don't really know what they're about. Listen to the music they've made over the past 5 years, maybe you'll realize you're not giving them a fair shake.
Mr. Lefsetz, how can you call Mr. Dylan a mid-rate artist? The Wallflowers have been making great music for 15 years, never trying to change for the sole purpose of selling more records. Interscope is not pusing their album at all, and has not for years. They exist only for making good music, and that is what they do. I think you will find that they really do have a "hard core" fan base if you would just take a look on www.thewallflowers.com fan forum.
In case you haven't noticed, Lefsetz, The Wallflowers are like the only band out there today. They have been making great music for almost a decade. As a fan for 8 years, I like to call them as true musicians.
You can say whatever you like about them, but I still care about their music. The music today SUCKS, BIG TIME!!! I don't listen to that crap, AT ALL!!! I am more focused on istening to OLD SCHOOL music.
The Wallflowers are not a phony to the music industry. They are a 2-time Grammy Award winning rock band showing their creativity to their fans, including me. I TOTTALY DISAGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THEM(I don't steal music off the computer. I never do that.)
That's all from me.
Hmm...well you should check some of your facts before writing about them. For instance, if you go to www.thewallflowers.com, you'll see that the band does have a very strong fanbase. Though it is your right to "express" your opinions, maybe you could try giving out less insults. Don't worry, though, you're not the only many small-minded person to dislike Jakob because he's "too good-looking."
Lefsetz and this Rhino site (which no one cares about) keeps foisting his opinions on us as if he counts. As if he's going to single-handedly open everyone's eyes to how aweful the music business is. Despite a couple good points he's a mid-level critic at best. And there's no room in the landscape for him.
I agree with you that the music industry is a giant cash machine. But then again, so is every other industry in America. We are, unfortunately, a capitalist country-it's what we do!
I agree that the internet is changing the way the public gets into new music. I think illegal file sharing is okay because the major labels refuse to respect the consumer and the consumer should do likewise by stealing music.
However, I must disagree with your assertion about the Wallflowers. If anything they are one of the most underrated bands out there.
I believe their declining popularity is the result of neglect and abandonment from their label, Interscope, and the "Flavor of the Month" publicity habits of that ghastly industry machine you've discussed.
Jakob Dylan is one of the most talented songwriters of his generation and the Wallflowers are a superb group of musicians. Why, just two months ago, Carole King herself, on national television, acknowledged that the Wallflowers are true and worthy torchbearers of the legacy of American rock music. If you had bothered to pick up "Breach", "Red Letters Days" and the newest "Rebel, Sweetheart", you would know what Ms. King is talking about.
Hey there.I think that the Wallflowers have a different niche to target. Clearly they aren't mainstream and i think that they are not to be written off as mid level. why are they "mid-level"? that's only cause people are seeing in the perspective of how popular they are and how much sales they've made, which is a problem cos in this day and age so much focus is on your profitability and how much you can garner from the market share. That's unfair for many artists whose selling point is not based on how receptive their records are to the audience and whether their songs are mainstream enough. I think that bands like Wallflowers and Radiohead have to struggle in keeping the balance of commerciability (& thus hvg to go for glam photoshoots & interviews and keeping up appearances) and also to maintain a keen interest in keeping it real and making music their focal objective.
I think you're an extraordinary moron Bob.
hey lefsetz, i think you could have picked a better target than the wallflowers for your article. a boy band please. and whjat does being good looking have to do with their music. oh, i see, i just looked at your ugly mug on your page. now i get where all the hostility comes from. grow up, loser. you have a responsibility as a journalist to be fair and not spew a bunch of bullshit lies. start living up to it. as i see it, you practically bash every artist you write
about. you're pathetic.
ps. try listening to music for fun you angry fool.
dear rhino site editor,
i can't believe you edited my post.
i originally said, "********" and then went on with the rest of what you actually posted.
how come i can't say that, but he can say, "i hate the wallflowers. Jakob dylan is too good looking."
you're lame.
Your "industry legend" makes some good observations about the record industry, but doesn't know anything about The Wallflowers. Yes, Jakob Dylan is good-looking, but really...what does that have to do with his music? Here's a suggestion, instead of downloading "God Says Nothing Back" to your iPod, go out and buy Rebel, Sweetheart and the 4 other Wallflower CD's that you've never listened to. You'll find 1970 sounding music on the first - The Wallflowers - 1992, and you'll hear that the music/lyrics have gotten progessively better since Bringing Down the Horse. It's the iPod that has created the problems with the music industry. No one feels the need to buy a CD anymore. Jakob Dylan and The Wallflowers DO write and perform their own material. Jakob speaks from the heart. Really Mr. Lefsetz, you shouldn't let the fact that Jakob is better looking than you determine if you like their music.
The Wallflowers are a prime example of a rock band that never sold out and changed their style. Jakob Dylan is an excellent musician who has established himself apart from his father. I dont understand why you think the way you do, but I most definitely disagree with everything you had to say about the Wallflowers.
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