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Kate responsible for death of Record Industry?

Martin Townsend in the Daily Express  takes Kate to task for her remarks about the state of the record industry:

I like Kate Bush’s music but the interview she gave suggested some very muddled thinking. Bemoaning the “poor state” of the music industry she said that a lot of people who worked in it are “very depressed because record salesare really low” … During the early Noughties EMI, her record company, went through every variety of financial turmoil. How those struggling to keep the label viable would have loved the odd release from Kate to help them out ... After 30 years as a recording artist she has earned the right to do things at her own pace but that is not going to stop the record business dying and albums along with it. “

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18 Comments

  1. giulio

    ”How those struggling to keep the label viable would have loved the odd release from Kate to help them out …”: Is this supposed to be a practical joke?
    Kate Bush releases albums when/if she feels like. She’s not a robot, for a start.
    And I think it is a true fact that record sales are very low these days, due to a number of reasons.
    What a strange article

    • Lee Walton

      I agree with you ! As if its Kates responsibility to rescue the record industry. The truth is that the record industry created a rod for its own back because of the ways in which it operated, particularly n this country. Its quite idiotic of this journalist to point the finger at Kate in accusation- what a joke !

  2. Neil

    …….down loading llegally and file sharing is the cause

  3. Brandon

    Haha….what the? Did I just read that right? It is Kate’s fault that EMI is struggling because she didn’t release enough material over the years to “help them out”?

    This man is delusional.

  4. Perhaps Kate has signalled the death of the try hard, die hard culture of the Obvious. Box-ticking record companies interested only in popularity and revenue. The X-factor culture can only sit in awe of 50 Words For Snow. Less is more.

    The world is too loud.

  5. Keith

    I couldn’t follow him. His line of reasoning seemed pretty muddled to me. Ramble, ramble, ramble…what was his point by the end? I either couldn’t figure it out or I’ve already forgotten it. It’s almost as if he’s exploited Kate Bush as part of some approach to getting a loopy perspective across. Kate Bush: “You got some ‘splainin’ to do!” NOT, of course.

  6. Neil

    I know the record industry was in such a fragile place that it is collapsing because one woman doesnt release enough records! Gee Kate sure is more influential than i thought.

  7. Alex

    bull diarrhea.

  8. That column isn’t even really about Kate or the record industry, is it? I guess if anyone can recognise muddled thinking when he sees it, Martin Townsend can.

  9. John

    Martin Townsend would have been paid to write that wouldn’t he? Depressing.

  10. I was a bit puzzled about Townsend’s piece too! EMI also took on the Inside Out label, which released a number of albums by The Flower Kings. When this Swedish band released 2-CD sets in the 90’s and Noughties, a number of critcs took them to task over ‘quantity over quality’ matters and I didn’t. I don’t expect KB to have the prolific output of Roine Stolt and co, seeing as she’s got a son to raise.

  11. Rod

    I think he must have had a brain-fart. Record companies haven’t done too badly at all out of artists over the years, and every business over-extended itself and had problems in the early noughties.

    I tell you what, if he is whining about big record labels struggling in the “early noughties” he better have his hankie ready again. When the copyright law was revised in America (and most new laws are read-across in the modern age) in the the 1970s, musicians, like creators of other works of art, were granted ‘termination rights,’ allowing them to regain control of their work after 35 years, so long as they apply at least two years in advance. The Master Recordings from 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, and on, will have to be returned to the creators once the 35-year mark is reached.

    Don Henley, of the Eagles told Paste Magazine, “In terms of all those big acts you name, the recording industry has made a gazillion dollars on those masters, more than the artists have…” so you kind of get the impression from someone more involved in the music business than Martin Townsend that every artist, and some more than most, have more than paid their way. And the music business, as far as big labels are concerned, will be changed beyoond all recognition.

  12. D

    This is why she just avoids giving interviews or sound bytes to the tabloids anymore.

  13. Blaming one woman for the collapse of the record industry – WOW! WHAT A CONCEPT!!!

  14. Patrick Gleeson

    Words fail me – what utter tripe ….

  15. Wow the fate of a global record company rested on the shoulders of one artist! One of the most ridiculous articles I’ve ever read!

  16. Is this clown for real? I didn’t realize the fate of the entire record industry rested on Kate’s shoulders. I suppose it’s also her fault that there’s so much crap music these days. Let’s blame her for all the crooked people in the government while we’re at it. And can I just blame Kate for the fact that I’m ten years older. I also wish I was a couple of inches taller, so I’m blaming Kate for that as well.

  17. Harry Horton

    Internet articles:
    “How the Universal – EMI Deal will change the Music Industry” – Rolling Stone Music; Steven Knopper November 23, 2011. Excerpt: ..”.but if it is approved, just one label, Universal, would control more than a third of overall sales, leaving many in the industry nervous about its clout. Its going to be damaging in the end, says a veteran major label executive.” End quote.
    “EMI talks ialbums, experimental apps and iPod pay perview potential.” The Guardian 30 November 2011.
    “Universal’s takeover of EMI ‘bad news for almost everyone’ say independent labels.” NME Nov 18, 2011.
    “Universal and Sony buy EMI/Music/” Pitchfork.
    “BBC News – EMI sells music unit to Universal for 1.2bn (pounds).”

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