From: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org (harbinger-digest) To: harbinger-digest@smoe.org Subject: harbinger-digest V5 #132 Reply-To: harbinger@smoe.org Sender: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk harbinger-digest Sunday, August 20 2000 Volume 05 : Number 132 HARBINGER DIGEST To post, mail harbinger@smoe.org To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe harbinger-digest To get list info file, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info harbinger-digest Today's Subjects: ---------------- Re: (harbinger) Newspaper Article About Paula (#2) ["Michael Kleinert" Subject: Re: (harbinger) Newspaper Article About Paula (#2) While I understand that the music industry is in fact a business, and that record companies sign artists to make money, not music, I have a hard time considering an record album to be a failure. It is somewhat a shame that even intangible credit seems based upon sales alone. There are indeed many famous artist out there who have put out mediocre albums, but are star performers. There is also the opposite, likely much more common, where the performer can't even come close to living up to the quality of the album when they perform live. For example, I would place "Seal" in that category. Melissa Etheridge has built her reputation and following on her live performance, and Natalie Merchant was unimpressive live a couple of years ago, but has now turned that around. Rusted Root and Barenaked Ladies -- they've built their reputation on their live performance. It simply varies by artist. Tracy Chapman has had very solid live albums, yet has only built a gradual following for her live performances. I thought her recent album was a little disappointing, but after seeing it performed live TWO nights in a row at the Beacon Theater, the disc simply hasn't left my disc player! I am a firm believer that sales of any product is directly related to marketing, and nothing more. If you listen to the "hit" radio stations, you are hard pressed to find many songs that display real talent or quality. If you see many of those performers live, they are very disappointing. Paula has always surpassed her previous performances, with the current tour having simply blown me away beyond any expectation. She has many fans who absolutely appreciate her, and I certainly didn't think that the cowboy song was her best, though that's the one the powers that be decided was good for the radio listening-audience. I first noticed Paula when she worked with Peter Gabriel. She really stood out, and there was a certain something that spoke to you, even as a backup vocalist. That says quite a lot. Perhaps she'd be best recognized by putting out a live album? Perhaps it's simply unfortunate that much of the quality music from the real quality artists with the most talent just doesn't make it to the radio. Success measured by the Cowboy song on the radio? It's an unfortunate bottom line. Mike - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kenneth Carpenter" To: Sent: Friday, August 18, 2000 7:25 PM Subject: (harbinger) Newspaper Article About Paula (#2) > >From The Chicago Sun-Times, Inc. > August 6, 2000 > > >Paula Cole faces drought after hot `Fire' > > >In 1997, Paula Cole sang "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" and it >made > >her a star. Three years later, she might be thinking, "Where >have all the > >listeners gone?" > > >The transition from Cole's 1997 triumphs to the low profile of year >2000 > >marks one of the most precipitous drops in pop history. Cole's >1997 album > >"This Fire" sold 1.6 million, the cheeky "Cowboy" was a >Top 10 hit, and > >Cole received seven Grammy nominations, winning the >award for best new > >artist. > > >Then she released "Amen" last September, and it barely made a ripple. >To > >date it has sold fewer than 105,000 copies. > > :^O > > How many do you need to go gold? Anyone know? > > >That hasn't stopped Cole from touring, and it hasn't shaken her > > >confidence, she insists. > > >But it did hit her hard. > > >"It's been very crushing because I've just put so much of my life >energy > >into this, and I thought it would be bigger," said Cole, 32. >"But that's > >life, and we have to go on." > > >Cole, who brings an element of spirituality to her folk- flavored, > > >soul-spiced pop, mentions her own change of managers and some >executive > >shuffling at her label, Warner Bros. Records, as possible >factors in the > >album's failure. She's also willing to shoulder some >blame. "Perhaps I > >wrote music that didn't resonate with people. It could be that, too," Cole > >said. > > Well, you could knock me over with a feather... > > I suppose it's better late than never. Finally the pointed finger has > managed to work its way back around to the person to whom it is attached. > That's a good start. > > >But it's a halfhearted concession; she still can't understand why the > > >album's "I Believe in Love," with its Barry White-style disco > > >orchestration, didn't click. "I still feel in my heart that I wrote >the > >biggest hit song of my career, but it just didn't happen," she >said. > > >Cole will record a new album in Los Angeles next year, and she >doesn't > >plan to do anything differently with the aim of returning to >the charts. > >"When it comes to talent, I have no lack of confidence," >she said. > > >Copyright The Chicago Sun-Times, Inc. > > I have to say IBIL is an amazing song when you hear it remixed, but the > album version pales in comparison. When I think of it that way, I'd have to > agree with her estimation that it's the biggest hit song of her career (thus > far). > > Kenn > ________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > > ------------------------------ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: > unsubscribe harbinger > > Btw, if you are an AOL subscriber the above instruction will > work for your EVERY time. > > Digest, further unsub and problems FAQ at: > http://www.netaxs.com/~jgreshes/lists/harbinger.html > > - ------------------------------ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe harbinger Btw, if you are an AOL subscriber the above instruction will work for your EVERY time. Digest, further unsub and problems FAQ at: http://www.netaxs.com/~jgreshes/lists/harbinger.html ------------------------------ End of harbinger-digest V5 #132 *******************************