[tomsett]

I hate to say it but I think the only possibility of the hip becoming successful in the states rides on their greatest hits record. I know that fans hate greatest hit albums but if properly promoted it could do very well.

[dofornop]

Although I agree and voted that the management has done a poor job at promoting the band, I am HUGE fan been to 13 shows fan for 15 years...have 7.6 GIG of their live shows on my hard drive....

I have to say that people reactions to others accepting the hip ....especially in the states .... like they NEED the hip to validate their devotion....I am just glad that I am a Canadian living in the US who can see such an amazing band in small clubs!

I am glad that I can enjoy such wonderful music... and yes I accept that all the americans here will love Barenaked Ladies (because they worked hard at getting the US attention tour like crazy here and lowest common denominator) they think that is the best Canadian band... or I accept the older guys who say that RUSH is the best Canadian band...


I just know that I can enjoy The Hip and know that for me and my fellow T'Hippers that they are the ultimate!

paul[/b]

[thipfan73]

I hate to say it but I think the only possibility of the hip becoming successful in the states rides on their greatest hits record. I know that fans hate greatest hit albums but if properly promoted it could do very well.

This has nothing to do with the states. It has everything to do with.....

- the lack of updates on the official site and the fact when you type in "tragically hip" in Google, the official site doesn't even show up in like the first ten results

- how long after they started to talk about the album and then released it. Heck, we knew what your painting for the cover looked like before they officially showed it on their site. We knew about this album in like february!

- It's also about the time it's taking them to annouce tour dates. We understand they want to spend time with their families this summer, however, being an avid concert goer, usually concerts are announced months in advance, here it is, august and they haven't offically announced ANY tour dates for the tour. There are three dates on rounder, but haven't seen any official yet and the tour is supposed to start in September?

- The downloads available before the album came out was a bad decision because they were only available to Canadians and then they complained about illegal downloads! How were people outside of Canada supposed to get the songs? I know as an American fan I certainly felt slighted.

It's just been a real fustercluck. It seems like many of these things were poorly thought out and it's become a rush job.

[Killer Whale Tank]

I think it's fairly normal for people to want to see artists they love get recognition. You read a fabulous novel, the most natural thing in the world is to pass it on, recommend it to someone else. And if it becomes a huge success, hell, then you get to read discussions of it in the press and in universities, etc.. Same with a great band. Now in the case of recording artists, they've got companies whose job it is to 'pass it on.' And the Hip's companies have failed in this way. So the Hip have not received the recognition they deserve. It follows that we, their fans, are irked.

I find the idea of trying to hoard a terrific artist---keeping them your own little secret, a special thing that only you and a few like-minded souls have discovered---much more anal than wanting them to be recognized, frankly.

[thipfan73]

I think it's fairly normal for people to want to see artists they love get recognition. You read a fabulous novel, the most natural thing in the world is to pass it on, recommend it to someone else. And if it becomes a huge success, hell, then you get to read discussions of it in the press and in universities, etc.. Same with a great band. Now in the case of recording artists, they've got companies whose job it is to 'pass it on.' And the Hip's companies have failed in this way. So the Hip have not received the recognition they deserve. It follows that we, their fans, are irked.

I find the idea of trying to hoard a terrific artist---keeping them your own little secret, a special thing that only you and a few like-minded souls have discovered---much more anal than wanting them to be recognized, frankly.

EXACTLY!!!!! Couldn't have said it better myself~

[cferneyh]

- The downloads available before the album came out was a bad decision because they were only available to Canadians and then they complained about illegal downloads! How were people outside of Canada supposed to get the songs? I know as an American fan I certainly felt slighted.

Such a great point! I saw an interview with the President of Universal Canada on ROB TV a couple of months back and he was talking about all of the illegal downloads of Vaccination Scar and someone said: "Well couldn't it be Americans downloading the song illegally since they don't have Puretracks?" And the prez of Universal said something along the lines of: "No, because the Hip don't really have a fan base in the US."

[The Horrible Esthete]

I find the idea of trying to hoard a terrific artist---keeping them your own little secret, a special thing that only you and a few like-minded souls have discovered---much more anal than wanting them to be recognized, frankly.

Who does this? Would anyone on this forum refuse to share what they feel is great music with their friends? I think not.

There's a huge difference between wanting to see a favorite band recognized for their achievements (i.e., acclaimed), and merely wanting to see them become famous. I, for one, love to see respected artists and critics praise The Hip and their material, but I don't give a rat's ass if The Hip ever climb to the level of popularity that the Barenaked Ladies have realized here in the States. As a matter of fact, I'd rather they didn't. Does this make me anal? Well, if my preferece is to be able buy an affordably-priced ticket for the privelege of standing within spitting distance of my favorite rock band while they perform, then I guess I'm the most anal sonuvabitch you'll ever meet.

As direwolf74 mentioned, they might have missed the boat when they passed on the Rush tour invitation. Even still, I think The Hip made a adequate pitch for Stateside notoriety in the mid-nineties, as they booked some bigger venues in prominent US cities, and actually pushed some singles onto the airwaves here. Hell, they even booked Saturday Night Live!! SNL is the premier stage for the advertisement of a popular music outfit, and what new fans did they reap? Obviously, not too many.

This thread focuses on the ‘handling of IBE’, not the marketing and promotional errors committed five to ten years ago. What’s done is done, and The Hip realize, as well you all should, that they have reached damn near every potential fan in their homeland, have rounded up about as many here in the States as they are going to without an all-out marketing blitz. How many pop artists have cracked the US market twenty years after inception? I can’t name one.

The Hip don’t want to rope in huge waves of fans. They are artists and want to be acknowledged as such, not as sex symbols or celebrities or icons. IBE, in my opinion, has been made accessible to almost anyone and everyone who is savvy enough to “get it” in the first place.

[direwolf74]

- The downloads available before the album came out was a bad decision because they were only available to Canadians and then they complained about illegal downloads! How were people outside of Canada supposed to get the songs? I know as an American fan I certainly felt slighted.

Such a great point! I saw an interview with the President of Universal Canada on ROB TV a couple of months back and he was talking about all of the illegal downloads of Vaccination Scar and someone said: "Well couldn't it be Americans downloading the song illegally since they don't have Puretracks?" And the prez of Universal said something along the lines of: "No, because the Hip don't really have a fan base in the US."

What a load of horseshit. I've met boat loads of American fans while seeing the band down south. Also, it seems he's forgetting about the massive amount of canucks living and working in the U.S. who are fans of the band. What a jackass. I really think the Hip should take a note out of Pearl Jam's book and say good riddance to Universal once their contract expires. There are so many other options out there besides major labels these days. Currently there are hundreds of great independent labels out there who could do a much better job than what Universal is doing. Universal may have the money, but indie labels are much more in touch with what works in today's musical climate, and they often have much more innovative ideas about promotion, touring, and album distribution. Take Wilco for example. In terms of their career, they've been able to accomplish way more with Nonsuch Records than they ever did at Warner. The Hip aren't stupid, and I'm sure they've already looked into this kind of stuff, but it's definitely something to think about once their contract with Universal is up.

[direwolf74]

I find the idea of trying to hoard a terrific artist---keeping them your own little secret, a special thing that only you and a few like-minded souls have discovered---much more anal than wanting them to be recognized, frankly.

Who does this? Would anyone on this forum refuse to share what they feel is great music with their friends? I think not.

There's a huge difference between wanting to see a favorite band recognized for their achievements (i.e., acclaimed), and merely wanting to see them become famous. I, for one, love to see respected artists and critics praise The Hip and their material, but I don't give a rat's ass if The Hip ever climb to the level of popularity that the Barenaked Ladies have realized here in the States. As a matter of fact, I'd rather they didn't. Does this make me anal? Well, if my preferece is to be able buy an affordably-priced ticket for the privelege of standing within spitting distance of my favorite rock band while they perform, then I guess I'm the most anal sonuvabitch you'll ever meet.

As direwolf74 mentioned, they might have missed the boat when they passed on the Rush tour invitation. Even still, I think The Hip made a adequate pitch for Stateside notoriety in the mid-nineties, as they booked some bigger venues in prominent US cities, and actually pushed some singles onto the airwaves here. Hell, they even booked Saturday Night Live!! SNL is the premier stage for the advertisement of a popular music outfit, and what new fans did they reap? Obviously, not too many.

This thread focuses on the ‘handling of IBE’, not the marketing and promotional errors committed five to ten years ago. What’s done is done, and The Hip realize, as well you all should, that they have reached damn near every potential fan in their homeland, have rounded up about as many here in the States as they are going to without an all-out marketing blitz. How many pop artists have cracked the US market twenty years after inception? I can’t name one.

The Hip don’t want to rope in huge waves of fans. They are artists and want to be acknowledged as such, not as sex symbols or celebrities or icons. IBE, in my opinion, has been made accessible to almost anyone and everyone who is savvy enough to “get it” in the first place.

Well said. Although for the sake of our European and Australian friends, I'd still like to see IBE released overseas sometime in the near future.

[VioletlightHeron]

And the prez of Universal said something along the lines of: "No, because the Hip don't really have a fan base in the US."

Is this guy a mental case or something??? cratch:

[The Horrible Esthete]

Yeah, I would too, direwolf. But I'm guessing The Hip do too, but all I can say is that historically for TTH, the overseas release of albums must have been impractical for one reason or another. I mean, realistically, the internet affords most anyone most anywhere the opportunity to have most anything shipped to their front doorstep. Are there Hip fans overseas are finding it more difficult to purchase IBE than any of the previous albums that were released abroad? I would be surprised to hear such a thing....

[cpgash]

This subject is certainly a worthy read.

A couple of points I would like to make:

1) The band's take from record/CD sales can be quickly eclipsed by a well-run tour. The band will get compensated for their efforts when they hit the arenas this fall.

2) The band's management (as opposed to the record company's) is responsible for booking and band-specific entities such as <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.thehip.com">www.thehip.com</a><!-- w --> and The Hip Club.

3) Record sales are usually energized/spiked by the supporting tour. Perhaps Rounder is initially feeling screwed by the Hip's management that a tour schedule is not set so that they can coordinate marketing to coincide with the tour dates.

4) You can't assume a built-in fanbase anymore. Not only do you have to market to the new fan, you have to market to your existing "casual" and "interested" fans or you will lose them. You can't even ignore the die-hards because they're the ones who will make the drive from Manitoba to Minneapolis to make sure the show is sold out.

[vicariousmartyr]

fustercluck

potty mouth

:lol:

New word of the day.

[thipfan73]

fustercluck

potty mouth

:lol:

New word of the day.

hahahaha that's technically not swearing. When I censored myself when I worked with the developmentally disabled, I'd say "CHEEZE AND CRACKERS!" instead of "JESUS CHRIST". Where I'm from they say "Jeezum crow" instead of Jesus Christ :lol:

I can swear like a sailor on shore leave! lol

[lord brazle]

Instead of God-Damn-Jesus-Christ,
when I was a kid, my grandpa tried to get me to say,
"Cod-Ham-Cheese-And-Rice"....

Didn't work...
every second word I said was the F-word...

:twisted: