U2 To Enter Digital Visual Age & More!
Paul McGuinness spoke with Paul MacInnes (tongue twister – I know) recently for The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. As the article also featured other content, here’s the meat-and-potatoes of what Goose had to say:
U2 manager reveals why people don’t normally bother interviewing managers
Let’s hear it for the managers! They’re the unsung heroes of the music industry! And just because they’re generally balding, overweight and devoid of musical talent doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be championed in a style formerly reserved for a Dragons’ Den panel. So let’s hear it for bigging up the big men, and where better to start than with U2’s Paul McGuinness?
There’s only one journo up to the job of interviewing the man Bono described as his group’s “iron first in a velvet glove”. That, of course, is Bono’s schoolfriend and chief music critic for the Telegraph, Neil McCormick. In a lengthy and, indeed, tedious encounter with McGuinness, we get to learn the following about his vital role:
U2 have control over when they release retrospectives and compilations. “We felt it was the band’s responsibility to compile and order its own catalogue”
McGuinness expects to see a new business model “in partnership with ISPs, where they effectively become revenue collection partners for rights owners”.
U2 are about to create a “digital visual co-efficient” for album sleeve artwork. “Watch this space because it’s something U2 are addressing on their next album.”
McGuinness also believes that “copyright is part of civilisation” and that “if new ways of stealing from department stores were being developed, you wouldn’t just give up running department stores”.
Well, Mr McGuinness, In the News and its pack of loyal street urchins ARE currently developing new ways of stealing from department stores. And when we bring down BHS, we’ll see who’s laughing then! And, as for the revenue collection thing, we wish you every success!
By the way, Mr. McInness – you may have been the only “journo” *granted* the interview. There are plenty out there (including yours truly) who’d be up for the job and love the opportunity to interview him!
Edwardo said,
July 31, 2008 @ 7:01 am
“U2 are about to create a “digital visual co-efficient” for album sleeve artwork. “Watch this space because it’s something U2 are addressing on their next album.””
What is he talking about?
Ivan said,
July 31, 2008 @ 7:10 am
I think, he is talking about improve how a music group use the new technologies. The next U2’s album will be more than a CD:
CD +DVD + booklet + Free web download?
Silvrlvr said,
July 31, 2008 @ 8:35 am
Paul McGuinness is interviewed ALL THE TIME, which is how we know he hates us downloaders who’ve ruined the music business (never mind that Radiohead said they wouldn’t have paid for their album, either.)
As for the mysterious “digital visual co-efficient” it sounds like a Web download to me. Of course, the difference is, U2 would sell it to you — you wouldn’t just steal it like some street urchin in a department store. And that makes it okay.
SirenSong said,
July 31, 2008 @ 10:14 am
I just can’t get too excited about this. McGuinness does not make a very good salesman for the group.
Edwardo said,
July 31, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Seems a little clearer here – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/07/31/bmutwo131.xml.
“”The artwork surrounding the release of new music from an artist that you’re interested in is, in many ways, just as interesting as the music. I can remember when carrying a 12-inch LP down the street was almost an expression of the kind of person you were, every bit as significant as what you wore or how you cut your hair. These things evolve, but I think the industry as a whole is missing the opportunity to produce the digital visual coefficient [of an album sleeve]. And watch this space because it’s something U2 are addressing on their next album.”"
caravox said,
July 31, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
Regarding the digital co-efficient McGuinness mentions, it sounds like interactive visual artwork of some sort packaged with a digital download, which may or may not be what people actually care about, but I’m interested to see what it is exactly. If he is hyping it, I am sure it is something unique that we haven’t seen before from other artists.
The idea that they want to create a package that goes beyond just a mere digital audio file, and make something with added value that people want to pay for, is actually not such a bad thing.
Of course, all we really care about is: please let the MUSIC on this new album be awesome.
(Sidenote: I think that the interview of McGuinness was actually done by Neil McCormick and the Paul MacInnes guy is just paraphrasing it.)
ZooTV8 said,
August 1, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Paul McGinness is a brilliantly talented and often savage “behind the scenes” business man; he keenly knows and understands how to market his clients –or more appropriately, his product. Mr. McGinness’ forethought to retain U2’s absolute publishing and distribution rights to their entire catalog before ever signing the band to a recording contract is akin to George Lucas striking a right-retaining marketing deal with 20th Century Fox and Kenney Toys (Hasbro); both contracts have netted the respective corporations (NOT US, Ltd. And LucasFilm, Ltd.) billions of dollars in revenue.
I once met Mr. McGinness on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL, USA, sticking out my business suit-clad arm to shake his hand and offer him my personal gratitude and congratulations on his and U2’s ongoing success. To this Mr. McGinness responded by giving me a once over glance and asked, “Who are you, exactly?” He did not shake my hand or offer thanks for my appreciation!
Let’s not forget that Neil McCormick is Bono’s doppelganger, so he’s guaranteed a pleasant conversation with Mr. McGinness. However, I’m not sure you (read, the normal, profit generating fan) would want to sit down with Mr. McGinness at length…
Just one person’s personal feeling…