Stop Releasing Old Songs!!

[Stu08]

y dusnt damien start releasing new stuff....how many times has volcano been released now??? a year ago it was in the Bargin Bin in woolworths!
Great song....but...i think im ready for new stuff
CHEERS
stu

[Juzzza]

You and three thousand other eskimos Stu...

However, remember that Damo went it alone, without a big record deal and distribution, his fanbase has grown steadily by word of mouth and it has taken Cannonball, exposure in movies like CLOSER and some high profile fans, to get him the recognition he now enjoys... plus with 'O' still in the top 50, he should leverage his popularity now he has more people prepared to listen. It would be a shame if people only ever heard Cannonball, so Blower's Daughter and now Volcano get some radio play... It's all good and makes sense.

Of course the downside for us is that if they do well, it is even more unlikely we will see the follow-up album anytime soon, as the success of these singles will bolster sales of 'O' and probably see it enter the top ten AGAIN!!!

Longstanding fans like us, who've had 'O' since 2002 are going to get impatient, sure... but look at David Gray!!! It was four years between white ladder and new day... Also expect more touring of 'O' it it flies again...

Feel impatient, it's your right... but understand the strategy dude.

[Bumpman]

I'd very much expect that "O" is done with, damien said so himself... even if it does get back into the charts again, the new album is being gotten ready, and will come in due time.

[Chrysler]

forget it. ;-)

Damiens famous now and they're making a lotta money with this old stuff.
I recently heard blowers daugther in the background of some crappy german single show. The Damien sale-out...
Sometime soon maybe i will be able to buy 'O' at the supermarkets counter.

what a pitty :_( he deserves it however

[Wheels]

Why is it a pity that you can buy it everywhere? It's great that so many people have grown to like such great music.

[Juzzza]

Originally Posted by Bumpman

I'd very much expect that "O" is done with, damien said so himself... even if it does get back into the charts again, the new album is being gotten ready, and will come in due time.

Damien has said a lot of things... like the radio edit for cannonball would be the only radio edit... that the radio edit of Blower's Daughter would be pulled... and so on. Releasing a new single is an unusual way to 'done-and-dust' an album.

[Funky Avocado]

Originally Posted by Juzzza

However, remember that Damo went it alone, without a big record deal and distribution, his fanbase has grown steadily by word of mouth and it has taken Cannonball, exposure in movies like CLOSER and some high profile fans, to get him the recognition he now enjoys... .

Jeez, so much for the organic, grass roots vibe he was shooting for in the beginning...<THUD> Whatever the case, if recognition is what he enjoys I'm betting I see him in the next Burger King commercial (can we start a poll for that too?).

Originally Posted by Juzzza

plus with 'O' still in the top 50, he should leverage his popularity now he has more people prepared to listen. .

I'm guessing you work at a large label, no?

Originally Posted by Juzzza

It would be a shame if people only ever heard Cannonball, so Blower's Daughter and now Volcano get some radio play... It's all good and makes sense.

Refer to my last comment... Again, I smell label exec

Originally Posted by Juzzza

Of course the downside for us is that if they do well, it is even more unlikely we will see the follow-up album anytime soon, as the success of these singles will bolster sales of 'O' and probably see it enter the top ten AGAIN!!!

Money, it's a gas.
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I'll buy me a football team

Originally Posted by Juzzza

Longstanding fans like us, who've had 'O' since 2002 are going to get impatient, sure... but look at David Gray!!! It was four years between white ladder and new day... Also expect more touring of 'O' it it flies again...

This has got to be a culture/geographic thing as you inadvertently pointed out. You see, singer/songwriters in the U.S. like Ryan Adams and Ani DiFranco do just that...Write songs, sing them, put out an album or two each year.. They are constantly evolving and being creative.

What's going on over at the other side of the pond? Is your pot better than ours?

Originally Posted by Juzzza

but understand the strategy dude.

Ok Coach, <BREAK>.



Enough teasing But seriously, I haven't been to this site in ages and for good reason(nope, not the site per se, great job emmett!).. Nothing to talk about concerning Damien. I might be a little harsh on the guy but its not to be nasty but more I think the guy has some talent and he let this priorities slide...SO be it but he can bet I am not going to spend another $40 to hear "O" live again.. I guess I come here from time to time hoping I am pleasantly surprised he gave the big f-u to the white man and wrote another kick ass album. Ok, done whining and complaining.. See ya in a couple of months. Cheers.

[Juzzza]

If I was a label executive, don't you think you'd be seeing my album next to Damo's?

I think the main reason why the brits and irish take so long to release an album is demonstrated nicely by damo's story... Sure, you can do well in your home country and build a niche fanbase in the states but it takes time to 'break' the US (the largest market in the western world). If you are IN that market like Adams, you can be more prolific in your recording because you're in your main market and well known in it. What about Jason Mraz, John Mayer and of course Buckley wasn't exactly a factory of tunes when he was alive (God rest his incredible soul). I could fire names of british singer/songwriters who chuck out a couple of albums a year but you've probably never heard of them, because they only care about their own markets and... it's irrelevant.

Also, let's see if Adams stays as prolific before claiming he releases a few albums a year... what he's released 3 albums his whole career? 4? Woooooooo, prolific!!!

[Bumpman]

Yeah, you'd have to consider that people who like Jeff Buckey or Mic Christopher are still going to love their one album just as much in twenty years time, what gets released by anyone else is irrelevant. I'm not suggesting that Damien is as likely to release a new album as Jeff Buckley is

What i'm saying is that when someone releases an album that you love, it's a fantastic thing, but no-one has the right to demand more... just because some people can release an album of great music every 6 months, dosen't mean that damien rice can or should. I'm happy to hear the album when he feels it's ready, furthermore i'm happy that he makes good music, and he's still alive, because all the good musicians are the dead ones.

[Juzzza]

What he said.

[Loveless]

Originally Posted by Funky Avocado

Jeez, so much for the organic, grass roots vibe he was shooting for in the beginning...<THUD> Whatever the case, if recognition is what he enjoys I'm betting I see him in the next Burger King commercial (can we start a poll for that too?).

speaking of Burger King commercials, if you ever wondered what Hootie And The Blowfish were up to these days:

www.boardsmag.com/screeningroom/commercials/1580/

[Gazel]

From a commercial point of view I don't blame the guy. If O is still selling well theres no need for him to bring out a new album just yet, doing so would cut short the shelf-life of O, if that makes any sense.

Would you really do any different if you were in his shoes?

[Bumpman]

If i were in his shoes i would keep doing what i was doing, because i'd know that what made "O" so good in the first place is that it wasn't made to impress people, it was a product of sheer musical ambition and imagination... and i'd realise that the less i listened to what people outside the band thought, the better the album would work.

And i'd continue to put the good music on the albums, but make money to eat, record and tour from singles, because the albums are the only things that will be around in 5 years time.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Gazel

From a commercial point of view I don't blame the guy. If O is still selling well theres no need for him to bring out a new album just yet, doing so would cut short the shelf-life of O, if that makes any sense.

Some musicians have, of course, artistic ambitions. Damien's appear *primarily* commercial at this point.

If he were to release a second album, new fans would still buy 'O'. It's always rewarding for fans to have a back catalog to dip into.

[Keiras Girl]

One of you mentioned that Damien's become a sell-out... but I'm curious...why is it looked down upon when artists actually begin to get popular and make money off their music? We get a lot out of his music as listeners/fans, so why shouldn't he make the profit he deserves as an artist? I'm not sure I've got the proper definition of "sell-out" in my head, because right now I can't understand why people criticize & call artists that get popular and sell lots of records sell-outs.

[dara]

im with the funky avocado on this one I use to come on here all the time a year or two ago and basically the last time i seen damo last summer i think it was my 4th time seein him and it was just the same polished gack being churned out and i got no goosebumps at all this went from when i seen him first just him in a pub with an acoustic guitar that literally blew me away undoubtly the best performance ive seen from anyone except the frames cauuse them lads still deliver everytime. The damo works for kerrygold hes a churner. by the way hows everyone doin

[Bumpman]

doin' ok... i'd bet if you got enough bootlegs from their tours it would feel like a pretty churned out set of shows alright. I got the troubador show from december recently though and it's bloody incredible, it's so different to the other shows that i have.

I think the whole giving people goosebumps thing can't really happen every night, it happens the first time you see the band, my fist time was witnness '03, i saw them last february in vicar st and it was ok, but not spectacular, pretty churned out as the night wore on... if anyone was at the solo show last may in vicar st, that was the best i've seen him, and the whelan's show from september was really good too.

I've been lucky enough to only get one bad one really.

[Sinead]

Originally Posted by Loveless

speaking of Burger King commercials, if you ever wondered what Hootie And The Blowfish were up to these days:

www.boardsmag.com/screeningroom/commercials/1580/

That's really scary!!!

[SilentNight]

Volcanos erupt on the first day of spring.
i don't care too much about this releasing business.

[SilentNight]

where can i watch the video with this image in it? i like this picture

[Funky Avocado]

Originally Posted by Juzzza

Sure, you can do well in your home country and build a niche fanbase in the states but it takes time to 'break' the US (the largest market in the western world).

I think that is only partially true. I really don't think Damien was at it enough doing excessive touring of every sh!t dive in America to really be that dramatic. If I recall, he might of done 1 or 2 tours (one I caught in Boston) solo at less than filled capacity before he was selling his shows out in America. I'm sure someone like Emmett can give more accurate statistics. Whatever the case maybe, I'm just curious as to what defined to him as great, "I finally made it in the U.S.".

Originally Posted by Juzzza

If you are IN that market like Adams, you can be more prolific in your recording because you're in your main market and well known in it.

This might be clear to you and everyone else, I just don't get where you are going with this but I am exhausted so please pardon me.

Originally Posted by Juzzza

What about John Mayer?

HEY!! Let's keep this civil and not curse hahaha

Originally Posted by Juzzza

and of course Buckley wasn't exactly a factory of tunes when he was alive (God rest his incredible soul).

Very talented yes, but should he be on the same level of singer/songwriters like Dylan or Neil Young, hell no. He just wasn't around long enough unfortunately to do his time in the music world and judging by the unfinished "Sketches" it was a far cry from the masterpiece "Grace" but who knows so...

Originally Posted by Juzzza

I could fire names of british singer/songwriters who chuck out a couple of albums a year but you've probably never heard of them, because they only care about their own markets and... it's irrelevant.)

Singer/songwriters come a dime a dozen and in this day of age, many have their own affordable studios at home and even started their own labels. The trick(expense) is getting their music into the monopoly of exposure(outside of places like cdbaby.com).

Originally Posted by Juzzza

Also, let's see if Adams stays as prolific before claiming he releases a few albums a year... what he's released 3 albums his whole career? 4? Woooooooo, prolific!!!

Actually he has released officially 5 solo albums, before that the leader of the famed band "Whiskeytown"(which I assume you never heard of?!?!) who put out a bunch of albums, and has so many damn unofficial releases, leaks, and b-sides its impossible to keep track of all of them. And he is only 29 and putting 3 more albums out alone THIS YEAR, one even a double album. The guy is no slouch. He is the real deal.

Webster says Prolific means = "marked by abundant inventiveness or productivity <a prolific composer>"

Ryan Prolific? Feck yeah.

Anyway, stopped by to post something over at trading. Have a happy week.

[Juzzza]

Well as the saying goes, there's no accounting for taste. I like Ryan, but would take one of Damo's albums over his five, I would take Grace over five hundred...

Jason Mraz is another lazy bastard (I'm joking, he tours hard), but he really needs to release something new, especially as 'Curbside Prophet' did not show off how incredible he is.

Anyway, I doubt 'being prolific' is a cultural issue, perhaps more a geographical one (you can have more fans in one state in the US than the entire UK!). I think the muse and the passion and talent to write music is universal in those lucky people who are gifted with that ability. Being able to record and release said talent is another thing, there are so many variables and political influences.

You mention b-sides and leaks, have you SEEN the trading section for Damo!?! He could release three albums back to back, so he IS a prolific songwriter, just not a prolific distributor. He is certainly prolific at releasing singles from one album and then re-releasing them!

Anyway, the debate is kind of inane to me, as I said, it's quality not quantity I go for and whilst I'm not suggesting the singer/songwriters of old (and some new) are not quality, I just don't care for Young, Dylan, Cohen, Tim Buckley as much as people in my generation, singing about my issues. Give me Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Damien Rice, Jeff Buckley, Tom Baxter, Tom McRae, Jason Mraz & David Gray and between them, there's always something in my CD player.

Happy week straight back at ya pal.