Quote:
Originally Posted by shackin'up
yeah, but Pollard didn't sell more then 20 million albums for the same label before. It's an irrelevant comparison. That guy has always been an independant. With Tusk, Lindsey did the biggest F*ck you to the industry in rock history. And they wanted UTS to be a more rocking album and he just did what he wanted. Don't lose reality here, Steve. I hate this move too, but let's keep perspective.
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Maybe that's part of the problem. My perspective has changed a bit over the years. I'd almost agree, but the whole point is about artistic merit. My line over the last few years is that Lindsey is trying to convince the world that he's Joni Mitchell with a penis. Lindsey has used the verbage of independent/artistic, but his record indicates otherwise.
Pollard, truth be told, has probably not even sold half a million albums throughout his career. The point is that he very easily COULD have. He had the right people in his corner, he was openly offered a contract with WB. He chose to be an independent. He chose to not whore himself out to sell a few million records. He actually is doing the types of things Lindsey says that he'd like to do. In some ways it hurt his career (as did his age), but he's had one of the most prolific careers out there.
And, I'm going to be fair to Fleetwood Mac on the artistic point. When Lindsey and Stevie joined Fleetwood Mac, it was a crapshoot either way. But it worked out. "Rumours" has the saving grace of being an honest album. And "Tusk" was the big artistic "f*ck you record industry" album. Lindsey says that "Tusk" is his favorite Fleetwood Mac album, AS IT SHOULD BE.
The fact that Lindsey has more money than he can spend in a lifetime, and his kids are set to go, makes this move all the more curious, IMO. Because, as far as I'm concerned, this makes him as much of a money whore as Mick Fleetwood. The ONLY reason he could be doing something this insanely cheesey is that he thinks it will either sell more albums and/or put butts in the seats.
("Alien Lanes" has become perhaps my favorite. They got an advance of $100K to make the album. It cost them $10, which includes the beer and cassette tape, to make. Bob paid off his house, and split the rest with his band.)