[Slowhand] Record Company Rip-Off's

[Michael Sawin]

With all this talk about the extra tracks from Eric's new album, I thought I'd add my bit to the mixture.
After asking another EC aficionado on his view of the album, he said he felt it would herald the end of his relationship between him & Eric.
I understand his frustration and annoyance, and wouldn't go to that extreme. It's beautifully produced but has no fire. Of course it's not going to be another LAOALS or even 461, come to that. Thank God that when he's on stage he rarely disappoints. 

But enough is enough. After years of being financially abused, I'm going to strike back. This 'different tracks from different sources' idea really annoys me. I fully intend to download (for free) any additional tracks from torrent sharing sites if and when they become available. Ditto the new Crossroads Vid. Some sites will let you download the Blueray version so that's going to be my plan. I haven't purchased the new album and don't  really intend to do so. In 
fact I haven't got the previous two, either. I guess that's the luxury 
of the www, as you can preview and dissect any album well in advance of 
it's actual release and it's not too hard to get full non MP3 versions.
It's not that I haven't paid my dues. I've bought ALL the older official albums, often in different formats, some 3 or 4 times over as I wore them out. I've gone to hundreds of his shows, got most of the t-shirts, programmes, cups, key-kings and other tat. 
In addition-and this really rankles-we're expected to buy tickets for his constantly expanding 2011 itinerary 7 months in advance. I haven't got one Albert Hall or UK show yet and will get them much closer to the date. I've been doing that for the last 6 or 7 years and have only once not got into a show I intended to attend (George Harrison Tribute 2004-I gave my first ticket to my son and tried to score another one on the night to no avail).
We're just lying down like lambs. No wonder all the record companies are up the creek and are trying to recoup as much as they can from the ever dwindling fan base-which is not going to win them any more fans.





'Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid'  Frank Zappa


'The Music Business is a cruel and shallow money trench-a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side'  Hunter S. Thompson