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August 26, 2020 6:40 pm  #1


selling the brand with a watered-down product

"we're a company, not a band, tom" john lydon once said to tom snyder about public image, limited.

i guess that's bill medley's formula, as well. he's got a new partner, and they are selling themselves as the righteous brothers.

i wonder how many folks who only recognise the brand name will buy tickets, clueless as to what they aren't really getting?

Last edited by gopher (August 26, 2020 11:52 pm)

 

August 26, 2020 7:15 pm  #2


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

gopher wrote:

"we're a company, not a band, tom" john lydon once said to tom snyder about public image, limited.

i guess that's bill medley's formula, as well. he's got a new partner, and are selling themselves as the righteous brothers. i wonder how many folks who only recognise the brand name will buy tickets, clueless as to what they aren't really getting?

I was a little skeptical at first, but then I looked up Bucky Heard, the new Bobby Hatfield if you will, and found that he has a solid background doing the Branson Theater circuit. I really wished that I saw his portrayal of John Belushi/Jake Blues as part of a "Blues Brothers tribute act for the world's greatest live tribute show." Righteous qualifications, to be sure.

 

August 26, 2020 9:16 pm  #3


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

 

August 27, 2020 12:34 am  #4


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

Bruce NZ wrote:

Funnily enough Goph, I think the name Righteous Brothers gives Bill some wriggle room. It is a created name not an actual family name. You could reasonably have a rotating door of people belonging to the Righteous Brothers, not so for such real families like the Osmonds, Pointer Sisters, Jacksons, Cowsills et al

fair point, bruce. but wouldn't it be more, ahem, righteous, if it were advertised as "bill medley's tribute to the righteous brothers, featuring...", or something along that line?

as people, and entire acts, continue to pass away, oldies fans do have to take whatever they can get more often than not as it is. truth in advertising obviously, as we have seen in recent efforts, apparently can't be legislated much less mandated.

granted many consumers don't know or care who or what they are getting for their money, so long as they feel as though they've been well enough entertained. however, artists with integrity otherwise shouldn't have to brand themselves as something they portend to be, rather than who they really are, wiggle room or not.

i mean, if ringo asked you, me, and karen to join him touring as "the beatles" would we? if we did, would we really be the beatles? i guess so, if someone buys a ticket to see us believing we are, and leaves our show happy.
 

Last edited by gopher (August 27, 2020 1:00 am)

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August 27, 2020 9:17 am  #5


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

To me, the litmus test has always been who's fronting the reconstituted group. If I go see Herman's Hermits and Peter Noone is doing the vocals, then to me, it's legit, even if all the other people in the band weren't even alive at the time of their hits. Same for Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers or Jay Black, if he were allowed to tour as Jay & The Americans. 

If, however, you've only got a drummer or a guitar player from the original band and they're calling themselves by the group's name, I think that's deceitful. The only time this standard may not apply is if there was more than one vocalist that took center stage during their recording career. If Mike Love toured as The Beach Boys but Brian Wilson did so separately, that would be confusing but in my mind, worth the money to see either one of them.

(Just don't ask about the The Drifters, which had so many different members over the decades that there used to be about 40 different ones touring at the same time!)

In the end, I just want them to sound as close to the original as possible. So if Bill Medley wants to claim part ownership of the Righteous Bros., I'm basically OK with that - provided I go knowing that his former partner passed away and someone new would be by his side.  

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go look for that lovin' feelin. Seems I've lost it somewhere...

 

August 27, 2020 10:04 am  #6


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

I have over the years often wondered about the still touring version of Herman's Hermits led by original drummer Barry Whitwam sans Peter Noone.

I wonder how many times the Whitwam's Hermits may have been booed off the stage, given  countless strange looks or at the minimum had audience members asking for their money back when they discovered "Herman" was no where in sight.

Can't you just hear them saying "he's not Henry the VIII" !!

 

 

August 27, 2020 2:42 pm  #7


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

aflem wrote:

To me, the litmus test has always been who's fronting the reconstituted group. If I go see Herman's Hermits and Peter Noone is doing the vocals, then to me, it's legit, even if all the other people in the band weren't even alive at the time of their hits. Same for Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers or Jay Black, if he were allowed to tour as Jay & The Americans. 

If, however, you've only got a drummer or a guitar player from the original band and they're calling themselves by the group's name, I think that's deceitful. The only time this standard may not apply is if there was more than one vocalist that took center stage during their recording career. If Mike Love toured as The Beach Boys but Brian Wilson did so separately, that would be confusing but in my mind, worth the money to see either one of them.

(Just don't ask about the The Drifters, which had so many different members over the decades that there used to be about 40 different ones touring at the same time!)

In the end, I just want them to sound as close to the original as possible. So if Bill Medley wants to claim part ownership of the Righteous Bros., I'm basically OK with that - provided I go knowing that his former partner passed away and someone new would be by his side.  

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go look for that lovin' feelin. Seems I've lost it somewhere...

well, regardless of who's in the band, if all you want it to do is sound like the records, you'd probably be better off to stay home and listen to them.
 

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August 27, 2020 6:37 pm  #8


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

Agree Goph!

 

August 28, 2020 5:58 am  #9


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

Strongly disagree; if the tribute artist group comprises accomplished musicians, that's a concert worth attending IMHO 

 

August 29, 2020 8:27 pm  #10


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

During the late 1960s and early 70s, the recording and touring Righteous Brothers were Bobby Hatfield and Jimmy Walker (of the Knickerbockers) before Bobby reunited with Bill.


Tom Diehl
 

August 30, 2020 6:40 am  #11


Re: selling the brand with a watered-down product

StereoTom wrote:

During the late 1960s and early 70s, the recording and touring Righteous Brothers were Bobby Hatfield and Jimmy Walker (of the Knickerbockers) before Bobby reunited with Bill.

yep, that's business and opportunity for ya. he did it, why shouldn't i? ...so much for artistic integrity.

as duo's go, i'm surprised no one has brought up peaches and herb as an obvious example. and didn't sam moore use a different dave for awhile, early on, after prater's passing?


 

Last edited by gopher (August 30, 2020 6:44 am)

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