All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worried?

[Maurice E]

It's all a bit bizarre isn't it?
A TV interview with Andrew Marr, interviews with three radio stations, including two of the country's biggest?
All for the re-release of a compilation album?
There must be some other reason.
If it is just to boost sales of BD, Moz will be sorely disappointed coz it'll hardly make any difference (with the absence of a single on the radio). The album is likely to do almost as badly as Swords.
Is he trying to generate some positive publicity to counter the absolute PR disaster that was subspecies-gate?
There's something going on!

 

[Uncleskinny]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

It's all a bit bizarre isn't it?
A TV interview with Andrew Marr, interviews with three radio stations, including two of the country's biggest?
All for the re-release of a compilation album?
There must be some other reason.
If it is just to boost sales of BD, Moz will be sorely disappointed coz it'll hardly make any difference (with the absence of a single on the radio). The album is likely to do almost as badly as Swords.
Is he trying to generate some positive publicity to counter the absolute PR disaster that was subspecies-gate?
There's something going on!

That had occurred to me too.
Let me go back and find the posts where I said what might happen...not in an 'I told you so' way, but in the vain hope that something spectacular may happen. A vain hope indeed.

P.

 

[Dave2006]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

He's trying to show 'the man' in the 'business' that he's still worth investing in.

That he can tow the line. That he can shift units.

If it works, then 'the man' will allow him near a studio.

'The man' might even allow him to perform live.

'The man' might even organise a tour.

'The man' might even promote the tour. Book big venues. Even return to Liverpool.

Wishful thinking, I know

Dave

 

[Anaesthesine]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

That Sunday morning political show sounds particularly daunting. I immediately thought "damage control" in addition to "record promotion" (although I'm not familiar with most of these programs).

I cannot wait to hear/see what happens...

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

I'm worried. And during all but the last radio interview on the 5th, I'll be away from home helping a woman organize her wedding and have zero access to the internet. If it's earth shattering news perhaps someone could volunteer to call me on my cell.

 

[MORRIZSEY]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

I'm worried. And during all but the last radio interview on the 5th, I'll be away from home helping a woman organize her wedding and have zero access to the internet. If it's earth shattering news perhaps someone could volunteer to call me on my cell.

I very much doubt it will be "news". He wouldn't need several interviews to make one announcement. Just promotion, which becomes more mainstream these days (remember the One Show?).

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

I very much doubt it will be "news". He wouldn't need several interviews to make one announcement. Just promotion, which becomes more mainstream these days (remember the One Show?).

Yeah, but what if it's "Ahhh yes. Bona Drag is being re-issued and I've decided to retire to a farm in Tregannick where I will spend my remaining years raising baby geese and refurbishing antique bicycles." That's earth-shattering. ANother tour? Meh. Retiring? Earth shattering.

 

[MORRIZSEY]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

Yeah, but what if it's "Ahhh yes. Bona Drag is being re-issued and I've decided to retire to a farm in Tregannick where I will spend my remaining years raising baby geese and refurbishing antique bicycles." That's earth-shattering. ANother tour? Meh. Retiring? Earth shattering.

Don't worry Crystal, it won't be anything negative. He's planning to retire in a few years.... but then again, he said he would not be on stage when he's 50, and that kind of changed. I'm sure it's a promotion round, again.

 

[mywar]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

He has a record to 'promote'. I'm guessing he's under contract to do a certain amount of interviews, and prefers to just get it all over with.

 

[Maurice E]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

He has a record to 'promote'. I'm guessing he's under contract to do a certain amount of interviews, and prefers to just get it all over with.

fair point.
the trouble is, it's an absolute myth that interviews and press actually results in record sales. the impact is tiny.
look at the press coverage P Doh has received in the last 5 years but his solo and Baby Shamble record sales have been absolutely tiny.

Morrissey has an increasingly troubled relationship with interviews (saying things that make him look like a bigot, dropping out of them at the last minute etc) so it seems pretty ridiculous to go through the whole thing just to try and an increase sales for a re-released compilation album...

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

Don't worry Crystal, it won't be anything negative. He's planning to retire in a few years.... but then again, he said he would not be on stage when he's 50, and that kind of changed. I'm sure it's a promotion round, again.

He has a record to 'promote'. I'm guessing he's under contract to do a certain amount of interviews, and prefers to just get it all over with.

This is comforting. THanks guys. Or girls if you're girls.

 

[Kewpie]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

fair point.
the trouble is, it's an absolute myth that interviews and press actually results in record sales. the impact is tiny.
look at the press coverage P Doh has received in the last 5 years but his solo and Baby Shamble record sales have been absolutely tiny.

Morrissey has an increasingly troubled relationship with interviews (saying things that make him look like a bigot, dropping out of them at the last minute etc) so it seems pretty ridiculous to go through the whole thing just to try and an increase sales for a re-released compilation album...

Morrissey has to be in media in order to show the public that he's still in the business.

Hopefully he's in a process of making a new album.

I wonder what happen to a collaboration with Ennio Morricone.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

Hopefully he's in a process of making a new album.

I wonder what happen to a collaboration with Ennio Morricone.

This is something to consider. I mean, what was Janice Long so excited about that she had to be hush hush about? I doubt an album rerelease?

 

[mywar]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

fair point.
the trouble is, it's an absolute myth that interviews and press actually results in record sales. the impact is tiny.
look at the press coverage P Doh has received in the last 5 years but his solo and Baby Shamble record sales have been absolutely tiny.

Morrissey has an increasingly troubled relationship with interviews (saying things that make him look like a bigot, dropping out of them at the last minute etc) so it seems pretty ridiculous to go through the whole thing just to try and an increase sales for a re-released compilation album...

You know that, I know that, but do the EMI know that? Of course I wouldn't really think you or I know more about promoting a record than a multi-national major label company, but then again the music industry isn't exactly famous for it's progressive working methods.

 

[Clarksville]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

I don't think it's bizarre at all, it's what artists do every so often when they have something to promote.

Clearly there's something to promote - it may be a tour or another release.

It's not going to be a retirement, because there is no reason to promote a retirement. If he were giving up, there would be no reason to put himself through any promotional hoops at all. (The only exception to this would be if there were a release to coincide with the retirement, such as a "best of/carreer" round-up kind of thing. Even then, that kind of release-related retirement is often the kind that doesn't stick anyway.)

Promotion of any kind works, it's the only reason I'm on this forum (The Armitage interview) and it's the reason I'm listening to a lot more Morrrissey and the reason I would be more likely to pay attention to a new release if it came, so don't underestimate the usefulness of this kind of thing.

 

[joe frady]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

It's all a bit bizarre isn't it?
A TV interview with Andrew Marr, interviews with three radio stations, including two of the country's biggest?
All for the re-release of a compilation album?
There must be some other reason.
If it is just to boost sales of BD, Moz will be sorely disappointed coz it'll hardly make any difference (with the absence of a single on the radio). The album is likely to do almost as badly as Swords.
Is he trying to generate some positive publicity to counter the absolute PR disaster that was subspecies-gate?
There's something going on!

My own take on it is both parties are testing each other out. What Morrissey wants from a record company, as well as chart placings, is visibility and profile. EMI want sales. Perhaps this is a dry-run for the signing of a deal for a 'proper' record.
I seem to recall you had a somewhat negative opinion of Decca's PR and Marketing stategy. You'd have to agree though that, in comparison, EMI/Major Minor have played a blinder so far, yes? TV/Radio bookings, strong on-line promotion, delicious quality packaging. It is odd that it's all just for a 20 year old compilation. But that's the industry these days I guess.
Just my theory.

 

[GlasgowChivas]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

My own take on it is both parties are testing each other out. What Morrissey wants from a record company, as well as chart placings, is visibility and profile. EMI want sales. Perhaps this is a dry-run for the signing of a deal for a 'proper' record.
I seem to recall you had a somewhat negative opinion of Decca's PR and Marketing stategy. You'd have to agree though that, in comparison, EMI/Major Minor have played a blinder so far, yes? TV/Radio bookings, strong on-line promotion, delicious quality packaging. It is odd that it's all just for a 20 year old compilation. But that's the industry these days I guess.
Just my theory.

100% agree. This blitz of promotion really leaves Decca's efforts wanting. Here's hoping though that it meets up with Moz's high expectations. If EDILS fails to chart or does chart, but poorly, then I hope Moz sees that MM at least tried.

Hopefully, as Joe says, this leads to a new deal and another LP for us all to speculate over for months.

 

[Maurice E]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

I don't think it's bizarre at all, it's what artists do every so often when they have something to promote.
Clearly there's something to promote - it may be a tour or another release.
It's not going to be a retirement, because there is no reason to promote a retirement. If he were giving up, there would be no reason to put himself through any promotional hoops at all. (The only exception to this would be if there were a release to coincide with the retirement, such as a "best of/carreer" round-up kind of thing. Even then, that kind of release-related retirement is often the kind that doesn't stick anyway.)

Promotion of any kind works, it's the only reason I'm on this forum (The Armitage interview) and it's the reason I'm listening to a lot more Morrrissey and the reason I would be more likely to pay attention to a new release if it came, so don't underestimate the usefulness of this kind of thing.

for any normal pop star, your comments would be spot on.
but Morrissey's interviews, these days, are becoming increasingly counter-productive.

Armitage predicted that his interview would have a negative impact on Morrissey's profile and it looks like this is proving to be the case. The new single is picking up virtually zero airplay - what's more Morrissey's overall airplay has fallen considerably in the last month (just when you'd expect it to go up). http://comparemyradio.com/

so the Armitage interview might have got a trickle of people interested in him (like you) but all it's really done is bolstered the media (and the wider public)'s perception of him as being an unpleasant, humourless, animal obsessed weirdo (if not an outright racist). he was labelled a 'big-quiffed bigot' in the media before he made the Chinese comment.

if he gets asked anymore questions about race or immigration in the upcoming interviews, he's almost bound to make the headlines again for the wrong reasons.

the EDILS re-release is selling bugger all. it will probably be the first ever Morrissey single to miss the top 75, which Morrissey (who is chart-obsessed) will find extremely humiliating.
the idea that any kind of promotion works simply isn't true.

 

[Maurice E]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

I seem to recall you had a somewhat negative opinion of Decca's PR and Marketing stategy. You'd have to agree though that, in comparison, EMI/Major Minor have played a blinder so far, yes? TV/Radio bookings, strong on-line promotion, delicious quality packaging. It is odd that it's all just for a 20 year old compilation. But that's the industry these days I guess.
Just my theory.

No, I didn't have any strong opinion about Decca's marketing. It's a bit of a music biz myth that record companies can make a huge diffference in the success of an album - some difference but not much.
The number one thing that sells albums is having brilliant catchy singles (which don't grate) gettting played on the radio. Paris was quite a nice song (but not brilliant) and Squeezing My Skull had a horrible grating last 50 seconds or so meaning that no radio station in its right mind would (or actually did) play it.
Releasing brilliant singles is what you need to do to sell albums and it's the one thing that Morrissey has rarely done over the solo years (with the odd exception) since the Bona Drag era.
In fact, the only time a Morrissey album has gone back up the charts after its initial release since Viva Hate was 'Who Ate Me Curry' when First of the Gang came out and got A-listed by Radio 2, XfM and Absolute Virgins.
Jonathan Ross interviews, Later performances, newspaper/magazine features, prromotional videos, festival appearances, prolonged tours etc, none of these things really make much difference at all to album sales.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Re: All these interviews 4 re-release of BD. Anyone else a bit baffled/slightly worri

No, I didn't have any strong opinion about Decca's marketing. It's a bit of a music biz myth that record companies can make a huge diffference in the success of an album - some difference but not much.
The number one thing that sells albums is having brilliant catchy singles (which don't grate) gettting played on the radio. Paris was quite a nice song (but not brilliant) and Squeezing My Skull had a horrible grating last 50 seconds or so meaning that no radio station in its right mind would (or actually did) play it.
Releasing brilliant singles is what you need to do to sell albums and it's the one thing that Morrissey has rarely done over the solo years (with the odd exception) since the Bona Drag era.
In fact, the only time a Morrissey album has gone back up the charts after its initial release since Viva Hate was 'Who Ate Me Curry' when First of the Gang came out and got A-listed by Radio 2, XfM and Absolute Virgins.
Jonathan Ross interviews, Later performances, newspaper/magazine features, prromotional videos, festival appearances, prolonged tours etc, none of these things really make much difference at all to album sales.

That's my favorite part of the song. That horrible grating gets shit done.