Dear Kelly Clarkson …..
p2pnet news view | music:- This afternoon after getting back from the rifle range, (I’d just put together a new AR-15 I was itching to try out), I was browsing around to see what had taken place this afternoon while I was out target shooting.
I stumbled across a story on Fox News about Kelly Clarkson apologizing to Clive Davis. The stiffly worded apology came off a bit, well, stiff —- as though it was written for her and she was forced to read it, much like hostages are often required to do. I could be wrong, but that’s the impression I was left with.
The article goes on to talk about her most recent album ‘My December’ which has sold ‘only’ half-a-million copies thus far. And there’ve been ‘only’ 875,000 downloads of her single from the album.
This is being called a disaster. In any other business in the world, if you can sell half-a-million million of anything, you’re considered a raging success. But in the music industry, you’re finished.
Just ask Mariah Carey. Hell – even ask Michael Jackson.
Both were called failures because they sold ‘only’ several million copies of their respective albums.
This didn’t live up to the record companies hype and hopes, however. (Of course with MJ he spent $30 Million making one album, but that’s another story).
Kelly Clarkson brought a fresh outlook to the face of music and was overwhelmingly selected as the first American Idol winner.
Her music shows great promise. And she does too. If she survives the major label system.
A copy of a first year American Idol contract was leaked and it basically (the first season of AI anyway) gives RCA dominance over her entire life while she’s signed to the label.
There’s an article entitled ‘Slaves of Celebrity’ on Salon.com.
Some of the excerpts are listed below:
1. I hereby consent to Producer’s filming, taping and/or recording of me for use in and in connection with the Series … I acknowledge and agree that Producer will be the sole and exclusive owner of all rights and material filmed, taped, and/or recorded pursuant to this Agreement.
… I hereby grant to Producer the unconditional right throughout the universe in perpetuity to use, simulate or portray (and to authorize others to do so) or to refrain from using, simulating or portraying, my name, likeness (whether photographic or otherwise), voice, singing voice, personality, personal identification or personal experiences, my life story, biographical data, incidents, situations and events which heretofore occurred or hereafter occur, including without limitation the right to use, or to authorize others to use any of the foregoing in or in connection with the Series …
… I understand that, in and in connection with the Series, I may reveal and/or relate, and other parties … may reveal and/or relate information about me of a personal, private, intimate, surprising, defamatory, disparaging, embarrassing or unfavorable nature, that may be factual and/or fictional.”
In other words, the producers can record any and all behavior of the contestant “in and in connection with the series” and use the contestant’s likeness, voice and any or all biographical material, whether true or false, any way they want to. The producers own all this material forever and “throughout the universe.”
I personally look forward to the day Miss Clarkson leaves the major labels behind and goes it as an independent.
I’ll buy her first independent release as a way of sending a big FU to the majors.
In the meantime Kelly, learn all you can, make all the contacts you can and be nice to those you meet. Develop your fan base. Build your brand. And when it’s time to go, go with your head held high. You’ll find you don’t need to sell millions of albums to make good money.
Head back to Texas and chow down on some real Texas brisket, and you can sing what you want, when you want, without a dinosaur breathing down your neck.
Bill Evans – p2pnet
[Evans founded Boycott-RIAA.com, but is no longer associated with it.]
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July 24th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I’ve noticed that P2Pnet.net is turning into more of a blog than a news site.