WARNER REPRISE PULLS NEIL YOUNG YOU TUBE VIDEOS

From our roving road reporter Scoop Asphalt:

In a move that was made without consulting artists, Warner Reprise has pulled all Warner-Reprise videos from You Tube. This is apparently part of a negotiating strategy the label is engaging in while making some sort of deal with You Tube.

Since there has been no communication from the label to the artists, it is not known by artists what the deal is about or how it impacts the artists.

One thing the artists do know is that one of the best ways of communicating with the people has been pulled out from under them. This has an impact that will affect all artists who make videos.

To many artists, You Tube and the internet are the new radio.

Videos are now the way artists communicate with the audience, letting the people know when they have anew record to release.

Neil Young’s latest video, “Fork in the Road”, is among the new videos pulled. It is a video that has had well over 100,000 hits and continues to grow. The impact of it being pulled with a new album (CD/DVD/BLURAY) of the same title due in weeks is immeasurable but it is certainly a negative impact.

Artists at the label have organized and will be issuing a joint statement publicly on Monday if the issue is not resolved.

According to Lookout management, Young’s representative, a meeting between the label and You Tube is underway today, Friday February 27th.

Neil Young has been a Warner artist for 40 years and his current contract with Reprise records for new product has been fulfilled.

What an outrage.

And the music industry wonders why it is in decline? It is by alienating the most core, loyal supporters and customers.

Also, Neil is clearly pissed given his concluding observation. Doesn't look like he's going back to WB. maybe a new label???


Fork In The Road from Shakey Pictures on Vimeo.

Probably the key line of Neil's memo is: "To many artists, You Tube and the internet are the new radio.". Streaming video killed the radio star.

So just like with Napster and MP3 files, the content just moves along the internet. The record company clowns just don't understand that the videos on YouTube will just move to other services like Vimeo. We're sure Vimeo is celebrating WB's move.

Will this be the second time in a decade that the music business totally blows a golden opportunity to save itself? Given how the industry played its hand last time, we'll bet that this is the last dying gasp of the traditional music industry. But maybe they'll light a candle?

More on reaction to Neil Young's "Fork In the Road" video.