Warner Head Lyor Cohen Discusses “Flexible Pricing” Using the Chewbacca Defense. WHY?
By Ze Pequeno on 01-16-2009
Last week, we reported to you two days late about Apple's revelatory news of changing their pricing model from a fixed 99¢ to a "flexible" model of 69¢, 99¢, and 129¢. To make up for it, we're going to report on the industry response early. Why? Because we're awesome like that.
For its upcoming issue, Billboard sat down with Warner Chairman/CEO Lyor Cohen to discuss recent developments, including Apple's announcement, as well as their pulling out of YouTube. On the matter of Apple, Cohen said the exact following:
I think it's important to make sure that the consumer has a choice and that we have the flexibility to give them an offer that makes sense. It's very hard to explain to Jimmy Page why "Stairway to Heaven" is 99 cents and Chumbawamba is the same price.
Eh, let's put this whole thing into context. So, Jimmy Page is the "consumer" in question? And he wants to buy "Stairway to Heaven," his own song, for 99¢? And he has beef that a pseudo-anarchist band sold themselves (not just any song, the entire band itself) for the same price? And he wants some form of "choice" and "flexibility," even though he could just choose not to buy either?
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Chewbacca Defense.
Head explosions aside, Cohen did make some sense in the interview. For example, his wording has suggested that the labels have shown little-to-no interest in changing the iTunes pricing model on the album level, something that was unclear from Apple's official announcement and press release. Further, he amazingly admitted to the old industry practice of packaging singles with albums that could be at best described as "shoddy" and at worst as "why did I spend $15 on one good song?"
Then there's this slightly mind-bending nugget:
I would love to get to a point that when T.I. has 175 million impressions, I can for a one-month period bring the single up to $2.99 as a bundle [with other content] or cut it out like I used to if I feel good about the album.
Putting aside the fact that he is describing a business model that is done in every other frickin' part of the world, 175 million people like T.I.? I'm... the only word I can think of at this point is "horror," so I'll go with... "stupefied."
Animal Collective Wildly Expand Tour… On The Wrong Continent!
By Mango Starr on 01-16-2009
My eyes slowly open. It's morning, and the sun is streaming in through gaps in the curtains. I'm on my back, with her head resting partly on the pillow and partly on my shoulder, her left arm across my chest, and her legs tangled with mine. I feel her soft breath against my skin, smelling her musky perfume. The smell immediately transports me back to last night -- the unforgettable moments of carnal lust, the moments of softness and intimacy that only flows between two lovers. I bury my face in her hair, which has now spread out over her pillow, marveling at its richness, its softness, remembering how she had teased me with the end of her braid last night, sending jolts of sensual feeling coursing through me.
I lightly trail my fingertips over her stomach, watching the sensitized skin quiver at my touch, still enthralled by her beauty. As our lips meet, her mouth slowly opens wider, allowing my tongue to sensually twist with hers. But what starts out as a gentle dueling of tongues soon turns into a frantic devouring of each other. Her eyes shoot wide open as her arms wrap around me, holding my head still as her mouth leaves mine, her big blue eyes full of passion and lust, taking little bites of my neck as she presses and rubs her body against me.
“You’re so beautiful Merriweather Post Pavilion,” I say. "I'm so lucky to have you."
She didn't say a word, but I know she felt the same, too
01.16.09 - Paris, FR - Bataclan
01.17.09 - Leuven, BE - Stuk
01.18.09 - Berlin, DE - Postbahnhof
01.20.09 - New York, NY - Grand Ballroom
01.21.09 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom ^
01.22.09 - Chicago, IL - Metro
01.23.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theater #
01.24.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour !
03.04.09 - Oslo, NO - Rockerfeller
03.05.09 - Lund, SE - Mejeriet
03.06.09 - Copenhagen, DK - Amager Bio
03.08.09 - Cologne, DE - Gloria
03.09.09 - Heidelberg, DE - Karlstorbahnhof
03.10.09 - Fribourg, CH - Fri-Son
03.11.09 - Lucerne, CH - Konzerthaus Schuur
03.12.09 - Florence, IT - Viper Room
03.13.09 - Rome, IT - Auditorium -Teatro Studio
03.14.09 - Milan, IT - Rolling Stone
03.16.09 - Strasbourg, FR - Laiterie
03.17.09 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
03.18.09 - Brussels, BE - Ancienne Belgique
03.19.09 - Lille, FR - Aeronef
03.20.09 - Nantes, FR - Olympic
03.22.09 - Bristol, UK - The Trinity
03.23.09 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
03.24.09 - London, UK - The Forum
03.25.09 - Leeds, UK - TJs
03.26.09 - Liverpool, UK - The Static Gallery
03.27.09 - Dublin, IE - The Tripod
03.28.09 - Belfast, UK - Stiff Kitten
09.12.09 - Monticello, NY - All Tomorrow's Parties
! Rings
^ Drawlings
# Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
