Last night, I attended the first of two amazing concerts held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The concert celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The show, which will be broadcast on HBO in November (and certainly to be released on DVD), did not disappoint. Some of the greatest legends of Rock and Roll performed in a tour de force event that began at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and ended at 1:30 a.m. on Friday morning. The evening was kicked-off with remarks from Tom Hanks. The great Jerry Lee Lewis was the first performer. Afterward, the show structure consisted of four central legendary performers accompanied by other legendary performers. The first pillar was Crosby, Stills & Nash, the second was Paul Simon, the third was Stevie Wonder and the fourth was Bruce Springsteen. Although the concert was long, it was full of energy and special moments. Below is the setlist as reported by The New York Times.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-concert-set-list/
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert: Set List
By Jon Pareles
Chad Batka for the New York Times Jerry Lee Lewis performing.On Thursday night artists like Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon and B.B. King played the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Benefit Concert at Madison Square Garden (there’s another show on Friday). Here’s the set list:
Jerry Lee Lewis :
“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On”
Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Woodstock”
“Marrakech Express”
“Almost Cut My Hair”
Bonnie Raitt with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Love Has No Pride”
Bonnie Raitt and Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Midnight Rider”
Jackson Browne with Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“The Pretender”
James Taylor with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Mexico”
Crosby, Stills and Nash with James Taylor:
“Love the One You’re With”
Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Rock and Roll Woman”
Crosby, Stills and Nash with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and James Taylor:
“Teach Your Children”
Paul Simon:
“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”
“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”
“You Can Call Me Al”
Dion DiMucci with Paul Simon:
“The Wanderer”
Paul Simon with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Here Comes the Sun”
Paul Simon:
“Late in the Evening”
Little Anthony and the Imperials:
“Two People in the World”
Simon and Garfunkel: “The Sounds of Silence”
“Mrs. Robinson”/”Not Fade Away”
“The Boxer”
“Bridge Over Troubled Water”
“Cecilia”
Stevie Wonder: “Blowin’ in the Wind”
“Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”
“I Was Made To Love You”
“For Once in My Life”
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”
“Boogie On Reggae Woman”
Smokey Robinson with Stevie Wonder:
“The Tracks of My Tears”
John Legend with Stevie Wonder:
“Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)”
Stevie Wonder with John Legend:
“The Way You Make Me Feel”
B.B. King with Stevie Wonder:
“The Thrill Is Gone”
Stevie Wonder:
“Living for the City”
Stevie Wonder and Sting:
“Higher Ground”/”Roxanne”
Stevie Wonder with Jeff Beck:
“Superstition”
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“10th Avenue Freeze-Out”
Sam Moore with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Hold On I’m Comin’”
“Soul Man”
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with Tom Morello:
“The Ghost of Tom Joad”
John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Fortunate Son”
“Proud Mary”
“Oh. Pretty Woman”
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Jungleland”
Darlene Love with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“A Fine, Fine Boy”
“Da Doo Ron Ron”
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with Tom Morello:
“London Calling”
“Badlands”
Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“You May Be Right”
“Only the Good Die Young”
“New York State of Mind”
“Born To Run”
Darlene Love, John Fogerty, Tom Morello, Billy Joel, Jackson Browne, Peter Wolf and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher”
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Disney Offers Refunds to Baby Einstein Customers
The New York Times reports the Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for all those “Baby Einstein” videos that did not make children into geniuses.
They may have been a great electronic baby sitter, but the unusual refunds appear to be a tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect.
“We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds,” said Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which has been pushing the issue for years.
Anyone who thought that sitting their kid in front of the TV and popping in a Baby Einstein DVD was going to make them smarter than the next kid was just, um, kidding themselves. From my own personal experience, the Baby Einstein videos calmed my daughter down at night. They are very pleasantly engaging for toddlers. Make them smarter? Come on. You know what's wrong in my opinion? Too many parents looking to get their toddlers on the rat race treadmill too soon. Let kids be kids.
They may have been a great electronic baby sitter, but the unusual refunds appear to be a tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect.
“We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds,” said Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which has been pushing the issue for years.
Anyone who thought that sitting their kid in front of the TV and popping in a Baby Einstein DVD was going to make them smarter than the next kid was just, um, kidding themselves. From my own personal experience, the Baby Einstein videos calmed my daughter down at night. They are very pleasantly engaging for toddlers. Make them smarter? Come on. You know what's wrong in my opinion? Too many parents looking to get their toddlers on the rat race treadmill too soon. Let kids be kids.
Who? Lou! Hoo! Lu?
At an industry summit in NYC on Oct. 21, News Corp Deputy Chairman Chase Carey revealed that online video hub Hulu will begin charging users for content as soon as 2010, according to Broadcasting and Cable. Carey told reporters that a subscription system is likely, although some content will probably continue to be offered free of charge. “I think a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of our content. I think what we need to do is deliver that content to consumers in a way where they will appreciate the value,” he said.
If Hulu wants to charge for their service, they are certainly entitled to do so. I question the wisdom of this decision in this economy. There are so many alternatives that users have to record television episodes. TiVo, DVR, iTunes, DVD and even old school VHS tape are just some common alternatives. Of course, if one forgets to set the device, there are always reruns and box set DVD's. There are varying costs associated with each method. The difference is that none of these began as a free service. Hulu currently limits commercial breaks. Perhaps more commercials on the Hulu website and within the programs is the way to go. Hulu is a web convenience, but it's not a service that users can't live without. I may be wrong, but I see fees driving Hulu users away. I don't understand their business model going forward. Looks like a bait and switch.
If Hulu wants to charge for their service, they are certainly entitled to do so. I question the wisdom of this decision in this economy. There are so many alternatives that users have to record television episodes. TiVo, DVR, iTunes, DVD and even old school VHS tape are just some common alternatives. Of course, if one forgets to set the device, there are always reruns and box set DVD's. There are varying costs associated with each method. The difference is that none of these began as a free service. Hulu currently limits commercial breaks. Perhaps more commercials on the Hulu website and within the programs is the way to go. Hulu is a web convenience, but it's not a service that users can't live without. I may be wrong, but I see fees driving Hulu users away. I don't understand their business model going forward. Looks like a bait and switch.
The Disputes on the Edge of Forever
Let’s begin with something near and dear to my heart: a contract dispute. Even better, let’s add in my favorite television series ever, Star Trek. And let’s toss in one of the most talented and gifted writers ever, Mr. Harlan Ellison. Ever since Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry rewrote major parts of Mr. Ellison’s original script of the original series episode The City on the Edge of Forever some forty-four years ago, the creative and monetary disputes over that one episode have continued to the present day. If you want to read about these disputes, Mr. Ellison himself chronicled the history of events as well as the treatments and scripts in The City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay that Became the Classic Star Trek Episode (available from Amazon.com and other book retailers).
Back in March, 2009 the website TrekMovie.com http://trekmovie.com/2009/10/23/harlan-ellison-settles-lawsuit-with-cbs-paramount/ reported the Mr. Ellison was suing CBS/Paramount for merchandising royalties related to the classic episode. Last week, TrekMovie.com reported that the suit was over and that Mr. Ellison was “pleased with the outcome”.
Mr. Ellison is a man of great passion and a master of his craft. He also understands the entertainment business and the need to protect his rights and be compensated for his work. In the entertainment business, there is an ongoing chess game (or is it more like football?) between media corporations and participants. Corporations want to retain as much of their earnings as they can. Participants want to maximize what they are owed under terms of their agreements. I have always maintained that participants should get the most that they can negotiate in the advance because collecting on the backend can be problematic. Standard terms and defined net proceeds should be reviewed as carefully as the main contract before signing.
I would suggest that the struggle between corporations and third-party participants is a natural occurrence. This has always happened and it will continue to happen. I don’t consider one side or another to be good or evil. At times, the inability to reach a settlement consumes too much time and energy on both sides. Of course, when money is involved, the disputes will continue to happen.
Congratulations to Mr. Ellison. May his fighting spirit live forever! For more about Harlan Ellison, pick-up Harlan Ellison: Dreams With Sharp Teeth (available from Amazon.com).
Back in March, 2009 the website TrekMovie.com http://trekmovie.com/2009/10/23/harlan-ellison-settles-lawsuit-with-cbs-paramount/ reported the Mr. Ellison was suing CBS/Paramount for merchandising royalties related to the classic episode. Last week, TrekMovie.com reported that the suit was over and that Mr. Ellison was “pleased with the outcome”.
Mr. Ellison is a man of great passion and a master of his craft. He also understands the entertainment business and the need to protect his rights and be compensated for his work. In the entertainment business, there is an ongoing chess game (or is it more like football?) between media corporations and participants. Corporations want to retain as much of their earnings as they can. Participants want to maximize what they are owed under terms of their agreements. I have always maintained that participants should get the most that they can negotiate in the advance because collecting on the backend can be problematic. Standard terms and defined net proceeds should be reviewed as carefully as the main contract before signing.
I would suggest that the struggle between corporations and third-party participants is a natural occurrence. This has always happened and it will continue to happen. I don’t consider one side or another to be good or evil. At times, the inability to reach a settlement consumes too much time and energy on both sides. Of course, when money is involved, the disputes will continue to happen.
Congratulations to Mr. Ellison. May his fighting spirit live forever! For more about Harlan Ellison, pick-up Harlan Ellison: Dreams With Sharp Teeth (available from Amazon.com).
Welcome!
Hi, world! I’m Tony and I’m writing a blog called Showbiz Biz. Why Showbiz Biz and why does the world need yet another entertainment blog? Well, the emphasis here is on BIZ. Specifically the businesses behind the things that I’m most passionate about: film, television, music, sports, theatre, publishing and just about anything else that supplements everyday real life. You won’t find breaking celebrity gossip news here, although they will be mentioned. You won’t find breaking corporate media news here, either. That is the domain of the queen of entertainment bloggers, Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily (http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/), who knows the inside details of the entertainment business better than anyone on earth. This blog intends to summarize entertainment, sports and media business stories of interest to the blogger (that’s me).
And just who am I? I’m someone who has worked behind the scenes in film and television. You know, a number cruncher, a bean counter, a suit, a financial analyst, a royalty accountant, a participations manager, one of the little people who can see the big picture. I’ve seen the underside of the entertainment world. I’ve see some great accomplishments, too. I’ve seen the triumphs of the industry and the often mundane unpublicized details that drive this business. That gives me a unique perspective. Through it all, I’ve never lost interest in “the business”. In fact, my passion for the entertainment business has continued to grow. I hope to share some of my passion and enthusiasm for the entertainment business with you.
I intend to report and reference my sources, but I’ll also offer commentary. I’ll talk some sports, too. It’s all entertainment. Above all, let’s have some fun. I know this is a serious business, but I don’t want to get too serious here. I can be down right silly at times! It’s a crazy business, too. Let’s keep it light and have fun observing show biz in all of its many incarnations!
And just who am I? I’m someone who has worked behind the scenes in film and television. You know, a number cruncher, a bean counter, a suit, a financial analyst, a royalty accountant, a participations manager, one of the little people who can see the big picture. I’ve seen the underside of the entertainment world. I’ve see some great accomplishments, too. I’ve seen the triumphs of the industry and the often mundane unpublicized details that drive this business. That gives me a unique perspective. Through it all, I’ve never lost interest in “the business”. In fact, my passion for the entertainment business has continued to grow. I hope to share some of my passion and enthusiasm for the entertainment business with you.
I intend to report and reference my sources, but I’ll also offer commentary. I’ll talk some sports, too. It’s all entertainment. Above all, let’s have some fun. I know this is a serious business, but I don’t want to get too serious here. I can be down right silly at times! It’s a crazy business, too. Let’s keep it light and have fun observing show biz in all of its many incarnations!
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