Yesterday I was on WNYC’s fine music-themed show Soundcheck, where I had the chance to discuss the fate of music magazines with host John Schaefer and Hitsville proprietor Bill Wyman. If you care to hear what we talked about—I did use the term “celebrity-industrial complex,” ha ha—the episode’s embedded after the jump; you can also stream it here.
The Future For Music Magazines [Soundcheck]
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someday, years from now, somebody is going to unearth some memos from whatever bullshit label eminem is on and it’ll read something about how even though the guy has the most annoying voice in the world and is a one-trick pony (read: pop-culture references ad nauseum), they were going to convince adolescents through mtv that this guy was the great white hope. and then everyone will look back, listen to the terrible beats and rhymes, and realize this guy blows, has blown, and will continue to blow until he retires. people who mock juggalos need to look in the mirror. at least icp know they’re a joke.
Of course magazines are dead, who’s got time to read them unless you’re on a plane, train or subway??? Sorry I use that time to read my grey matter burning secret agent books on my weekend commutes to see my wife and kids out of state. I’ve run 3 street dvd magazines in NYC since 2001 and I’m amazed that labels still give us the time of day. I guess any press will do for them, or they are still in denial that their business model is dying, despite the 70% cut in staffing since ‘04. But the writing (ahem, no pun intended) has been on the wall for us for 2-3 years now. Internet will kill all other “stars.”
I also do music videos. And just like everyone with a camera phone, let alone an hd camcorder, thinks they’re Spielberg, every “Netizen” has made the switch to “Citizen Journalist,” thinking they’re Connie Cheung or Dan Rather now. (I know, two blasts from the past). The era of uploading the most frivolous of content, that I waste hours getting distracted by, is upon us ’til the next “something better” comes along. Why wait to get a magazine, when I can see “whateva” uploaded on youtube within 24 hours, followed by the requisite response rebuttal he say she say “I’m gonna f you up if you mention my name one more time” videos that make the Vladtv, Worldstarhiphop, PerezHilton, MediaTakeOut, TMZ, yadayadayada.blog.wordpresses.com.net.tvs of the world go round???
Jay Z just released “Death Of Autotune.” Well it’s D.O.A. for all corporate media, especially when they consolidate like the labels did into just 4 behemoths.