RIP: Amy Winehouse

[Leo Lakio]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

Courtesy of `Olelo Of The Day:

Ua pono nō ʻo ia e hele i ka hoʻopulapula.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

Death is no guarantee of that, as you well know; the music world is filled with posthumous releases. If she had been doing any recording over the past few years, the rights to the material are likely owned by her label, who would have covered the up-front costs of production. If they can milk a few more bucks out of the dead, they will...and her fans will gladly pay for it.

Israel Kamakawiwoole is a prime example of that. Unfortunately Israel, I know would have not approved of his marketing this way in death.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

Death is no guarantee of that, as you well know; the music world is filled with posthumous releases. If she had been doing any recording over the past few years, the rights to the material are likely owned by her label, who would have covered the up-front costs of production. If they can milk a few more bucks out of the dead, they will...and her fans will gladly pay for it.

I agree. And I would be most surprised if her label (Universal) doesn't try to put together a posthumous compilation as quickly as possible. Unlike prolific artists like Michael Jackson, Jim Reeves, and Buddy Holly, Amy reportedly only has a dozen or so unreleased studio tracks. So we're talking about one more "all-new" studio album that can be marketed. All other releases will only be able to offer previously unreleased material sourced from live concerts and radio/TV programs, some of which were performed erratically and does not present Amy at her best.

Israel Kamakawiwoole is a prime example of that. Unfortunately Israel, I know would have not approved of his marketing this way in death.

Well, Iz can stand in line on that. Lennon, Hendrix, Holly, etc. All of them have had unreleased material that were put out by their labels after they died. All of those posthumous releases were held back by the artist while they were alive for some reason. But once they are dead, they no longer have control over their recorded legacy. For better or worse, it is now in the hands of the heirs/trustees of the artist's estate and/or the recording label.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

For better or worse, it is now in the hands of the heirs/trustees of the artist's estate and/or the recording label.

Who are just as often in disagreement over the material's usage as they are in agreement. And the disagreements are generally underlined by who gets how much money out of the deal.

I've heard people who were close to Israel during his final years claim that he gave Mountain Apple's Jon DeMello authorization to do a lot with his recordings, as a way of bringing in ongoing financial support for his daughter (since he knew, especially following Skippy's passing, that he was not destined to live very long himself).

Here in Seattle, we regularly learn of ongoing battles over the images and output of Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain, between their estates and varied business interests. Most often, the estates won't let deals go through ... until they see a larger cut of the profits; whether or not the projects are good for the deceased artist's "legacy" is irrelevant.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

Who are just as often in disagreement over the material's usage as they are in agreement. And the disagreements are generally underlined by who gets how much money out of the deal.

Absolutely.

I've heard people who were close to Israel during his final years claim that he gave Mountain Apple's Jon DeMello authorization to do a lot with his recordings, as a way of bringing in ongoing financial support for his daughter (since he knew, especially following Skippy's passing, that he was not destined to live very long himself).

The bottom line is,... nobody knows what commercial/movie licensing deals Iz would or would not have approved of. Nobody (not even his widow) would have been able to authoritatively state whether the man would have given the thumbs-up on each and every one of Jack & Jon DeMello's orchestral overdubs. But alas, the music business is a business. And Iz's recorded legacy is a commodity that is too precious to remain just sitting in a vault somewhere.

FWIW, Iz recorded a "duet" with brother Skippy in 1995, some 13 years after the latter passed away. So it's not as if Iz was totally averse to the use of studio technology to put a new twist on an older recording.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

Well, that certainly didn't take very long at all.

And the "live poll" when I looked at this registered as expected:
Would you be interested in hearing new songs from Amy Winehouse?
* Yes. I'd take all I could get. 69%
* No. I was never a fan. 14%
* Maybe. But I'll always have 'Back to Black.' 17%

[AlohaKine]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

Another 27 was Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones.
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07...27/?hpt=hp_bn5

Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols made it all the way to 21 before he died of a herion overdose. Billy Murcia of the New York Dolls also made it to 21 before he OD'ed.

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

http://specials.msn.com/A-List/Enter...entid=29703994

Does that mean going cold turkey is worse?

[Leo Lakio]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

If she had been doing any recording over the past few years, the rights to the material are likely owned by her label, who would have covered the up-front costs of production. If they can milk a few more bucks out of the dead, they will...

I agree. And I would be most surprised if her label (Universal) doesn't try to put together a posthumous compilation as quickly as possible. Unlike prolific artists like Michael Jackson, Jim Reeves, and Buddy Holly, Amy reportedly only has a dozen or so unreleased studio tracks. So we're talking about one more "all-new" studio album that can be marketed.

As FM & I noted (and to no one's surprise, I am sure):
Posthumous Amy Winehouse Album Will Be Released in December

[Amati]

Re: RIP: Amy Winehouse

Israel Kamakawiwoole is a prime example of that. Unfortunately Israel, I know would have not approved of his marketing this way in death.

I don't find his marketing offensive - after all, commercial musicians want their material to be heard. And, I'm making an assumption here, but I'd venture that his wife and daughter benefit when his music is used; if so, no doubt that Iz would have liked that. Iz's music has been kept alive, and spreading, in large part due to its marketing.