Easy Street Records: Word on the Street

Easy Street Blog

Word on the Street - 3/12/10

POSTED BY Rod ON Fri Mar 12, 08:44 AM

OK Go Ditches EMI Over Video Policy

OK Go has left EMI by mutual agreement after feuding with the label over their no-embedding policy for music videos. The band launched to stardom after their video for "Here It Goes Again" became a viral smash. Naturally, they wanted to spread their new clip around with the same methods - an embeddable YouTube video. However, EMI implemented a "no embedding" policy, since the label only gets paid if the viewer watches the clip on the YouTube site itself. The band claimed that after the policy went into effect, the number of views for the "Here It Goes Again" video dropped from about 10,000 views a day to about 1,000. After OK Go wrote several articles and open letters complaining about the ban, EMI rescinded the policy for their new video, "This Too Shall Pass," (see it above) but the damage was done, and the band is starting their own label called Paracadute Records. More fun EMI stuff below!

Pink Floyd Does Not Do Songs

No sirree, the inventors of album rock do not want us to waste our "Time" and "Money" on mere songs. The Floyd believe that all of their albums should be sold as, well, albums, while their label, EMI, insists on offering digital downloads of those individual, bite-sized morsels that make up the whole. Y'see, way back before iTunes, EMI agreed to a clause in Floyd's contract prohibiting the sale of individual songs. They clearly were not interested in being a singles band. Now, however, sneaky EMI argues that the word "record" in the band's contract "plainly applies to the physical thing - there is nothing to suggest it applies to online distribution." (Well, duh, there was no such thing as online distribution back then.) The judge sided with Pink and ordered EMI to pay $40,000 in court costs with damages costs to be determined later. With head firmly in clouds, EMI issued a statement saying that "today's ruling does not require EMI to cease making Pink Floyd's catalogue available as single track downloads, and EMI continues to sell Pink Floyd's music digitally and in other formats."

Pearl Jam To Hit the Road Again, Play SNL

Pearl Jam is preparing for a month-long US tour in May, which will kick off with an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival on 5/1. They then will hit ten midwest and east coast cities, before wrapping things up with a two-night stint at New York's Madison Square Garden on 5/20-21. You can also check out PJ this Saturday on Saturday Night Live. Band of Horses has been tapped as the opening act for a few dates, including one of the MSG shows.

The Strokes To Headline Lollapalooza

The Chicago Tribune reports The Strokes will headline the Lollapalooza Festival, taking place on August 6-8 in Chicago's Grant Park. Still no word on other acts, except for a flurry of rumors. More later...

Owners Spin Record Stores in The Stranger

Pretty cool pair of articles in this week's Stranger about the state of indie record stores in this here town. Dave Segal interviewed five record store owners (and one manager), including our own Matt Vaughan (who gets not just one, but two photos). Happily, the vibe is pretty optimistic all the way around. And, yes, vinyl is a big reason why things are good as they are. Links to the articles are below.

Download, But Not Out

Are We In a Music Retailspin?

Out and About This Weekend

Friday

Demon Hunter - Easy Street Records, QA (7pm)

Mike Doughty - Triple Door

Supersuckers, Zeke, Hollowpoints - El Corazon

The Big Pink, A Place to Bury Strangers, Grave Babies - Neumos

Gumshen, Chris Ballew - Rendezvous

Mike Watt & the Missing Men, Lite, Sandrider - Chop Suey

Hypatia Lake, Electric Jellyfish, Scriptures - Comet Tavern

The Clientele, Wooden Birds, Surf City - Tractor Tavern