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Unsung Forum » The Roxy by proxy. The great Zappa experiment |
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Deepinder Cheema 1972 posts |
Dec 01, 2012, 03:06
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https://getsome.zappa.com/roxy-by-proxy-the-license/ The reactions have varied from King Canute and some that regard this likened to becoming a subscriber to a publishing venture. I wish the Zappa family well with their experiment, but there is already much cynicism about this proposal already. |
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IanB 6761 posts |
Edited Dec 01, 2012, 11:44
Dec 01, 2012, 11:10
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Wrong on so many levels. I wouldn't wish attempting to turn a profit out of cd distribution on my worst enemies. Pyramid selling. Nothing more. Nothing less. Well nothing more other than the glow of doing business with the family. From what I heard the kind of money they were asking from Europeans in advances on the ZPZ DVD was crazy. So maybe they simply don't have their finger on the market pulse. You would not just be competing with the family's distro deal with eONe or whoever but with anyone else in your neighbourhood in the same boat. Then there is the issue of finding a retailer that wants to sell cds at all. Madness on any level.
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zphage 3378 posts |
Dec 01, 2012, 11:36
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yeah, it's a bad deal and nowhere does it say the Zappas can't bring out their own version and compete against yours instead of waiting for the possibly of something selling this gets them the money up front and someone else has to worry about recouping their money other than bragging rights, it's probably a bad deal maybe, the reissues didn't do the numbers needed so they are looking formonet in new ways
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IanB 6761 posts |
Edited Dec 01, 2012, 11:49
Dec 01, 2012, 11:47
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zphage wrote: yeah, it's a bad deal and nowhere does it say the Zappas can't bring out their own version and compete against yours instead of waiting for the possibly of something selling this gets them the money up front and someone else has to worry about recouping their money other than bragging rights, it's probably a bad deal maybe, the reissues didn't do the numbers needed so they are looking formonet in new ways Yes, and all the economies of scale are lost along the way. Which is really stupid. If they were pressing 20,000 and selling pepople boxes of cds to sell-on then that might have worked a bit better but this seems grossly unfair. Not to mention that in the US the retail music market is now at best 50/50 between cd and digital on new releases. This looks more like an exercise in punishing the most loyal fans rather than a business opportunity. Shall we say musguided rather than cynical?
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Citizensmurf 1703 posts |
Dec 01, 2012, 16:20
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I did not get the point of this, simply because most people will want to buy the official version of this cd, and I'm certain there will be one, with proper artwork, and a properly mastered cd. Why anyone would want to buy a "homemade" version is beyond me. Here's a better idea ZFT, just release a limited edition of 1000 deluxe copies (with a special, never to be released again bonus track) for a premium price, watch it fly out the door, and fund the movie through those sales. Then put out a regular release once the limited is sold out, and keep selling that forever.
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Sin Agog 2253 posts |
Edited Dec 01, 2012, 18:36
Dec 01, 2012, 17:46
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IanB wrote: Shall we say musguided rather than cynical? No, I think cynical's just fine. Zappa's kids always struck me as quite bratty. I remember listening to an interview with Moon Unit and Frank on the Howard Stern show shortly before he died and Frank gave off the impression that he agrees with me. There was also an appearance by one of the sons on the Adam & Joe Show where he came across like a bit of a preening douchebag suffering under the delusion that he was a lost member of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
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Dog 3000 4611 posts |
Dec 04, 2012, 00:29
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I don't know what to think about this, on any level. I have read that Frank told Gail to sell everything and get out of the business before he died, and they did sell all the "original records" for something like $40 mil I believe. However, she/they (The Family Trust) kept the (vast) unreleased tape & film archives and the record company (Barking Pumpkin), in order to sell the former. ZAPPA was always a family business, I guess it makes sense that if anyone is going to finish the Roxy movie and put it out there should be Zappas involved (probably including whoever worked on his movies with him -- he must have had collaborators, it's not a one-person job). But this is a strange way to finance it. Make fans sell a few hundred copies apiece in order to break even? Most never will, that seems obvious. I wonder how many will take them up on the offer (my guess is "not enough", and they'll pull the whole deal on Dec 28 at 5am). It does seem like the kind of crazy "hippie financing" that only the rock industry could come up with though! I give them points for "trying something different." Coincidentally, I'm gonna see Dweezil's ZPZ band this weekend. Curious to see how that will go (never seen his group or dad's band before).
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Deepinder Cheema 1972 posts |
Edited Dec 04, 2012, 10:35
Dec 04, 2012, 09:26
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The rights which Ryko had for $40 Million or so has now expired and reverted back to Zappa's. The funding operation that GZ has proposed has in part been inspired by fans wanting the Roxy performances with a monotony that has been a likened to a stuck record, so at the very least it is an interesting experiment. I reckon some fans will buy into it just to have a trophy of the kit that will be sent out to them and leave it at that at the most. Who know's it could be a collectors item occasionally seen on ebay. Plenty of FZ maniacs have paid £600 + for an FZ collectable.
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Dog 3000 4611 posts |
Edited Dec 05, 2012, 00:23
Dec 05, 2012, 00:23
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The $40 million contract was for a limited time only?? Shit, how many records is FZ selling these days?! (More than when he was alive it seems?) Makes me wonder why they need to raise a million (1000 X $1000 "licenses") to finance the movie in the first place. Gail & the kids couldn't possibly have spent that much already?!!
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Deepinder Cheema 1972 posts |
Edited Dec 05, 2012, 00:49
Dec 05, 2012, 00:42
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I hear you man. I think there have been a few divorces to pay for! I think the money has not been wasted but they keep a staff which spends much time looking at the vast archive FZ left behind which needs to be carefully assessed and lots which need remedial attention, stuff like baking tapes readying it for a one time deal for duplicating before it disintegrates. Stuff like that. Money can be quickly inhaled I believe. Its only recently that Dweezil has been touring with his fathers music lest it disappears with people of my generation and older. FZ died 19 years ago today/yesterday.
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