I had no idea Bush has made any music since the 90's. Seriously. I'm going to have to look that up. I liked Bush's first album.

I think Fish is right in a lot of ways, and if Live's goal is to catch a wave there has to be some kind of gimmick.

I feel like Live also has to capitalize on Ed's show in York when that happens. I have no idea how things will play out (as far as family/friends) regarding their personal lives (and I don't know about that, so I'm pretending it doesn't exist because I can't guess what will happen), but as far as their careers go - Ed will be all over local radio if he's got any smarts, and I believe we've all seen that he knows how to promote himself. His show in York is in October, I think? So he may or may not be still promoting himself as Ed of Live by then (I'm guessing it will depend on whether or not LIVE is actually up and touring - but who knows, at this point I wouldn't put it past Ed to keep trying to bill himself as Ed of Live even after LIVE is on the road) but however he's promoting himself, he will be interviewed by local radio and possibly news media (at least print media). the name LIVE will be heard, whether by him or by the interviewer.
LIVE needs to take advantage of that.
I do think that the awesome press they are getting regarding their real estate ventures is awesome, and helpful as far as name recognition goes, and Lord knows the York papers love them because there's nothing else good in York to report on.
But anyway, by the time Ed comes back to town to do interviews- LIVE already needs to have a single out on the radio. (and not just because that will make for interesting interview questions).
It's true that the release of Hold Me Up will not be enough, but it would be a start.
But like Fish said, it's not just the start, it's the follow through.
The website was great as a start, but I haven't looked at it in weeks.
Ed's little fb clip of him listening to his own ridiculous new song (jeez I'd love to be wrong about how bad that sounded) got, what? 3 days worth of chatter around here, and a ton of fb responses. Imagine if it had actually been a good song!
I'd love a 15 second clip of whatever they're working on. I'd actually share it with people and stir up some buzz.
Maybe they have something (I'm sure they do) better than Hold Me Up. Hold me Up sounds like a great option as a single because people have already heard it, but it's not like LC or I Alone, where it would be instantly recognized and dismissed as a remake.
A properly timed single and a newsworthy tour, some local dates in and around when Ed comes to town (just to make sure he doesn't get all the local news to himself because he certainly doesn't deserve it at this point)...

there have been several flashes in the pan so far... it needs to all come together.

Regarding Fuel. I had the first and 2nd albums. How many were there? they fell off my radar very quickly.

Amen

Regarding Fuel. I had the first and 2nd albums. How many were there? they fell off my radar very quickly.

Four albums that were released by major labels. The last album was with a different lead singer and they could never catch on. I think the label dropped them shortly after the release.

I think those are great points. I especially like the forward-thinking strategy around Ed coming to York. The York news media will be more savvy and perhaps more probing about Ed's departure from Live. It would be cool if CCCP scheduled interviews on the same media outlets before and/or after Ed's interviews to get some focus and momentum out of it. Then, they should have their PR firm share it with national media outlets in a press release style and see if anyone picks it up. Now I am not sayig that they should sabotage Ed or create a controversy. In fact, it would be pretty cool if they collaborated with Ed while he is in town and maybe even do a joint interview. The idea would be to get a visibility boost out of it and maybe draw some contrasts between where Live has been for the last 10 years, where Ed is now, and where Live is going in the near future. There is a real creative contrast to be drawn there.

This is my point. If someone is not sitting around thinking of opportunities to promote that are coming up two or three steps down the road - then they should be.

Fish, what you are saying is that they should hire me and you onto the team.

Live hardly needs to worry about the EK juggernaut . He's doing a good enough job on his own reminding everyone that there was much more to Live than La, La, De, Da. Actually, a good song or collection of songs can be the impetus for everything. Hold Me Up has/had that potential. Whether or not it makes sense I'm not sure. The song was already used in Zack and Miri and the opportunities were totally missed. The song should have been released to radio. It should have been licensed for other things, commercials, TV promo's, whatever. There should have been some creative marketing to tie in with the movie. Perhaps it can be re-recorded and utilized again, properly this time.

That is why I posted the OK go video. That is what they do. They capitalize on these things by making creative things, not opportunistic, but things that coincide and make sense with their music. I'll mention Gotye again. It was his video that had the impact. The song was released here last year and didn't do much but caught on again when the video was getting millions of views on youtube. KROQ started spinning it more, other alternative stations followed, it was all over the internet, he started getting late night gigs, and here we are. Licensing is huge these days. I'm sure Soundgarden made a pretty penny off Live to Rise, in addition to the Avengers soundtrack, it was plastered all over ESPN for weeks. Same for Linkin Park's new song. TNT is using it non stop in their NBA coverage. Live needs to come up with some stellar music, and take advantage of all the modern ways to get your art out to the public. The PR will take care of itself.

This post has been edited by themaestro: May 22 2012, 11:13 am

EXACTLY! and I don't wish either of them ill, so you're right - it's not about sabotage or attacks or anything... but I'd think if LIVE were to announce a show close in time to Ed's show, the media will EAT UP interviews of both of them, either together or just back to back.
it would be amazing of them to do an interview together. Even if Ed's "team of handlers" had to have all of the questions beforehand (as I'm sure they would) To have all of the guys in the same room with any microphone again would stir up some attention.

any good enough interview/s will get attention somewhere. but it has to be timed right. and there has to be something (ie music/tour) for LIVE to talk about at those interviews.

If any of the guys do read this, please hire Fish and Funky to stir up a shit storm of attention for you. Thanks

I'd be pretty disappointed if that was their approach. Doubtful it would resonate much beyond York anyway. They've already gotten the mayor, and local media on their side. I'm sure they'll be represented just fine when EK rolls through. It's clear they don't have the same type of loyalty to EK. He wasn't even included when they were recognized for their artistic contributions to York. I'm sure there was a component of CCP wanting to get their message out there but the show and everything they are doing in York and Reading has a much more organic feel to it. I'd much prefer anything that feels that way and not so opportunistic, contrived and gimmicky as suggested.

This post has been edited by themaestro: May 22 2012, 11:11 am

I wouldn't want it to be contrived. what I meant was that if they were to all do an interview together, there's no way Ed would do it without knowing what the questions were. I think an interview about the differences between artistic direction, like Fish said, would be legit, and wouldn't feel cheap. I don't think it would be cheap.
and I don't see anything wrong with taking the opportunity to capitalize on Ed's appearance in town. It makes sense. It's their hometown too. They've already made a lot of headway in the local media (who loves them - rightfully so).

yeah, I can see what you mean if it felt like some kind of freak sideshow grab for attention, yeah, that would be awful.
but I don't think the guys are capable of such a thing. Ed is, obviously, but they're not. And if they make sure to have something newsworthy - either a new song, tour dates, even more development news - to talk about in and around the time that Ed is in town, it's likely to get twice as much attention, simply because Ed will be drawing attention when he comes. When Ed was in town it was in the Lancaster paper. There was a fairly large picture of him in the entertainment section. I'm willing to bet there will be again. Has the Lancaster paper been covering CCP's real estate projects? I don't think it has (but I haven't really been searching). When Ed comes to town, I'm quite sure he will draw some attention. It's not cheap to take advantage of that, is all I'm saying.
Will it grab national attention? eh, maybe not. but if all of that was following some tour announcement, or hit single... who knows. it'd be worth a shot.

But it is contrived. Your talking about basing their plans around what EK is doing. Have a single out, get their PR team involved, do an interview, all because EK is in town. Totally contrived. Do you think they were concerned with that type of shit when they were making MJ, TC, SS? Absolutely not. If their record label even suggested such things as a way to garner PR they would have told them to fuck off. You mean I have to get my music done because of some PR opportunity? Yeah, fuck off. I'll be ready when I'm ready. Now let me get back to my pot smoking and music writing and leave me alone. That's what they should be doing. OK, maybe not the pot smoking. But seriously, they don't need to be concerned with this stuff right now. Maybe their lawyers do to keep EK in check, but otherwise they don't need to look at their PR opportunities. They need to get creative as they can with their "art". The music, videos, touring, licensing, like Damian Kulash says, "the stuff they make". They need to make the stuff they make as awesome as they can. I'm telling you, the PR and money will come. Stuff like Live's early music happens organically. Their success, while accomplished with a different business model, happened organically. Their art was the reason. They'll need to be savvy enough to work in this new business model but it has very little to do with things like PR from EK's show. Not that I don't think they'll gain some exposure naturally from it anyway, but I really don't see it as something they should put on their schedule of things to work towards.

It is not contrived to have a plan. Luck is what happens when opportunity meets with preparedness.

Bands do not get visibility by just having a good song or even a good album. Hold Me Up is not the messiah here. The only reason that Hold Me Up became a phenomenon is that Kevin Smith liked it and put it in a movie and it was not onthe sound track and a studio recording exists but no one has ever heard it or gotten ahold of it in digital format. In other words, there is an angle around that song and now everyone is suggesting that all Live needs to do is release that as its next singfle. That song is decent but it is not like it stands out as their greatest song or an instant hit.

I sure as shit hope there is music and a tour (at least announcement) way before October!
I also don't want the guys to plan anything around Ed's coming into town.

but if they want to be a name people know again (and maybe they don't, and if they don't, that's cool and this whole thread is moot), they have to consider the timing of things.

I'm gathering from the speed/timing of things so far (the website, for example) that they don't give a shit.

and that's totally wonderful for them. because that means they are free to make the stuff they make at their own pace in their own time and that's awesome (not so much for those of us impatient bastards).

Do they even have a PR team??? if they do, they need to fire them and hire fish and funky.

and the successes of MJ, TC, and SS were in large part due to the culture of music at the time. they caught a break and rode a huge wave.
not that the music isn't mind blowing. It is.
but if Live had never existed until - say 2002 - and MJ came out in 2002 - with the state of music where it was then, or even now 2012 - do you think it would even get a nod? On indie stations, some college stations, sure. but stadiums like they played in the 90's? no way. not a chance.

bottom line is I want amazing music. I want them to do whatever they have to to make that happen.
but it would also be nice (icing on the cake) to tell people I'm going to see LIVE and not have to sing Lightning Crashes to get them to know what I'm talking about.

case in point: the John Butler Trio has 5 amazing studio albums. I know one other American who knows who they are. sure, they're Australian so how would we know them... but if they had been around 10 years earlier, when there was room in the industry for things to just happen... people would know about them.

we all know amazing bands who no one knows. and unless it's country or catchy pop, it's even harder to get songs on the radio. (who here keeps mentioning that... I've noticed it more and more, it's awful - damn clear channel).

Of course the business model is different, times are different. Of course they rode a wave with TC. Alternative radio is not what it was. Gotye has 220 million views on youtube, most of which occurred before it even became a radio staple. OK Go got over 50 million views for their treadmill video with very little radio support. Bands are able to reach the masses in different ways these days. Bands build a following and earn a living working in a new business model. What I'm saying is they need to focus on that. Who knows if they can reach millions of fans again, but it is possible.

You make a good point about whether or not they actually want to, and that is the real question to me. It was a very soft intro to CS. I get the private show, but SXSW should have been a bigger deal. Were they even officially part of SXSW? They weren't on the band listing for the festival, neither was CB or TGF. Live playing with a new singer should have garnered some good press. They could have partnered with Youtube, Google, Yahoo or someone and done a live broadcast. Every major music publication online and print was surely in town. Lots of symposiums they could have been part of. Again, there are all sorts of ways they could have had a major presence at SXSW just by being part of all the new ways to interact with your fans. Festivals like SXSW or Coachella are great ways to do that. I know Coachella was broadcast by many different online and new media outlets. These types of festivals are at the forefront when it comes to attracting fans that are hip and savvy enough to interact with bands in this new frontier of music. Live should have taken advantage of that.

Live really doesn't seem like an active band right now. I don't know the reasoning behind it. I'm sure introducing a new singer is extremely tricky. Maybe there is still legal stuff. Lots of uncertainties. But they sure don't seem to have gotten full force behind their re-introduction. Where are the Churchbox Sessions? How about some other unreleased material. There are countless ways they could be releasing material. Do they do it as is with EK, or re-record it? I don't know. If they are 100% behind CS, maybe an EP would be a good idea right now. Maybe a new tune or two with a few re-recorded unreleased Live songs. Bottom line is, there are a ton of the artistic type things they could be doing to get the PR right now. The SXSW show should have been one, a more comprehensive website, more merchandise, release some new music, do some more shows, license some of your old material, make a kick ass video, give more updates, basically make the band active and current. These are the types of creative things they should be doing. Even though a band may not be working a full album, I think these days you need to be interacting with your fans and staying as active as you can. It's pretty much a full time job I think if you want to stay engaged, but if you want your band to be your primary occupation it can be done and done successfully.

Of course they need a plan. Not saying Hold Me Up is some magic potion for instant success. Far from it. But it is a damn good song, one that has that classic Live sound. My only question about re-recording it and releasing it is, is it already too recognizable as an EK song? If so, then forget it. Otherwise, it would be a great way to reinvigorate fans with a classic sounding Live song with their new singer. Those who haven't heard it would only know it as being sung by CS. But perhaps it is just best to leave it. It's a shame though, it is a radio ready material and is as good as something like All Over You in my opinion.