15 replies to this topic

[micawber]

Curious if anyone knows if festival organisers get to hear new material before booking bands with upcoming albums.

If so, then it might develop some confidence in two of our three headliners.

[readingyid]

micawber, on Mar 3 2010, 06:19 AM, said:

Curious if anyone knows if festival organisers get to hear new material before booking bands with upcoming albums.

If so, then it might develop some confidence in two of our three headliners.

They must do . Especially Reading as it's more cutting edge than other festivals like V. V just recycles past reading and v line ups.

[kev1664]

micawber, on Mar 3 2010, 06:19 AM, said:

Curious if anyone knows if festival organisers get to hear new material before booking bands with upcoming albums.

If so, then it might develop some confidence in two of our three headliners.

I'm not sure. They book them a year in advance, the bands may have a few song ideas but nothing like the final cut or sometimes a lot of songs don't make the albums and go as B sides.

I just think they have trust in the bands to produce another good album.

[mcalli2008]

What a stupid comment. All festivals recycle past lineups. Reading last year had 2 bands headlining that have played V in recent years.

And to the OP, my guess is yes. Surely they must hear new material before booking bands. I'd bet that some bands refuse to allow this though but are booked anyway just because they are 'big'.

Edited by mcalli2008, 03 March 2010 - 08:35 AM.

[rummy]

yes they do. Record labels send them copies months before they are released. While I was working with Done and Dusted who do T4 on the Beach, they were sent Billy Talent 3 a few months before its release for some reason.

[kev1664]

rummy, on Mar 3 2010, 09:02 AM, said:

yes they do. Record labels send them copies months before they are released. While I was working with Done and Dusted who do T4 on the Beach, they were sent Billy Talent 3 a few months before its release for some reason.

R&l book the headliners a year in advance. Sometimes the new albums come out just before the fest (arctic monkeys last year) Unless there is some agreement in the contract which says if the album is shite they reserve the right to find new headliners, but I cant see that happening. They will just book the headliners nd live with it whatever.

[Lithium05]

Doubt it very much. I would imagine they're more interested in market trends and pie charts

Seriously though, since when has the content of an album contributed to it's success?! It's all about the way it's marketed to the people who don't seek out music, but have to have it forced upon them. If Radio 1 etc. tell everyone that an album is a must have, it will sell, doubly so with the release of a catchy single (though am I right in thinking Paramore managed it without?).

[wooga]

but paramore did do the main song for twilight which got them big.

[metallimuse]

wooga, on Mar 3 2010, 02:37 PM, said:

but paramore did do the main song for twilight which got them big.

That was a stroke of genius getting themsleves attached to that francise and did wonders for their marketing appeal.
The fact that Muse constantly get mentioned along with Twilight has opened up many markets for them stateside and taken them more into the public eye rather than just the music world.

[gr4h4m]

wooga, on Mar 3 2010, 02:37 PM, said:

but paramore did do the main song for twilight which got them big.

they were big before hand would of still been big if they didn't do it, brandnew eyes is amazing

[ivan]

micawber, on Mar 3 2010, 06:19 AM, said:

Curious if anyone knows if festival organisers get to hear new material before booking bands with upcoming albums.

If so, then it might develop some confidence in two of our three headliners.

Had Festival Republic heard Humbug before booking Arctics , I think they would have chosen
Kasabian instead !

Who knows when the new Klaxxon's will come out , they recorded it , gave it to the record
company , and they were told to go back and do it again.

The Horror's played last year after the release of Primary Colours , but after getting album of
the year in NME their value will have gone up on it.

The Killers last album , or was it the last two were pants , but they were still in demand !

[ivan]

readingyid, on Mar 3 2010, 08:01 AM, said:

They must do . Especially Reading as it's more cutting edge than other festivals like V. V just recycles past reading and v line ups.

Kings of Leon
Radiohead
Maximo Park
Prodigy
Lost Prophets


I seem to have seen them at V in recent years

[jammy2211]

I'd assume they hear it as soon as it leaks on the internet, cause theres no way in hell any album is going to be sent out early and not on a torrent within 24 hours. You can put all the NDA's in you want but it'll still happen.

They do however, most likely get given marketing statistics for the band and the expected success of the next album.

Edited by jammy2211, 03 March 2010 - 06:40 PM.

[Talking to Pylons]

Anyone working in the music industry will only hear album Advanced copies if it is totally needed, which I would imagine in the case of Mean Fiddler. If they were deciding if for example Lostprophets are asked to play 2010, they would get a short copy of 'The Betrayed' more a previewer as such with 4 of the main songs off the album on it. To help with that decision.

Few people get full albums early though, well unless you work with that band outright as a tour manager, or manager, but you'd know all the bands' output anyway in that case. Above all else if one a tour manager asks another band for x album promo the answer will usually be no, it has to actually serve a purpose or it's pointless and a waste of money, which is vital not to do for the music industry right now.

[k1n60fthew0rld]

I'm on a record labels press list because I review for a blog, which the guy who runs it has contacts. Advanced copies aren't exactly few and far between, and any new release can be previewed by requesting a copy.

You would imagine though, that it's not just the content of the album that makes the person big. For example, the likes of Little Boots and La Roux who both featured highly on Radio 1's Top Tips for 2009 were probably booked on hearsay.

But again, with that said, bookers would also go and see bands live, or at least research them heavily beforehand.

It's serious business, and obviously a lot of the major bands are booked in advance, so an album by a Headline band being previewed as an advance now, would make no difference whatsoever, and they would be booked on the knowledge that the album was coming out and an expectancy that it would be a success, along with taking into account how much advertising and press coverage it would get, and the odd demo copy of singles confirmed for the albums well in advance.

[biglewhill]

jammy2211, on Mar 3 2010, 06:39 PM, said:

I'd assume they hear it as soon as it leaks on the internet, cause theres no way in hell any album is going to be sent out early and not on a torrent within 24 hours. You can put all the NDA's in you want but it'll still happen.

They do however, most likely get given marketing statistics for the band and the expected success of the next album.

Yeah im going to have to agree with that.