No, it’s not April 1st 2010. This gave me pause. Lou Reed, he of the The Velvet Underground, of Metal Machine Music, of Andy Warhol’s Factory, Nico collaborator, of Transformer, bi-pal of David Bowie, the list goes on… has delivered an iPhone app, the Lou Zoom!
no more squinting..
It’s a strange step, and here’s why. It’s not because Lou Reed is an iconic rock star who’s bands and music changed the face of rock music decades ago – as Brian Eno said about The Velvet Underground.. “although few people bought the album, most of those who did were inspired to form their own band.” And it’s not because I begrudge Lou the chance to cash in on his brand by selling an iPhone app. No, it’s because the app is not a creative move for Reed, it doesn’t add a jot to his pantheon of work. It doesn’t change the game, move the needle or inspire me in anyway possible. Worse, the app seems to be a solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist.
Unless, that is, you have diminished eyesight as a product of old age.
Put down those bifocal’s boomers, Lou’s fixed things for you – no more pinching and scrolling on the iPhone screen, now he brings you LARGE LETTERS AND NUMBERS, as the app description goes, “Dramatically set in Helvetica Neue type, this contemporary take on classic Modernist design turns heads as quickly as it dials phone numbers.”
Finding this yesterday made me consider that this last decade in music and its struggle with technology, is rather nicely summed up with this app release. It’s a sad footnote to what could have been a decade of major opportunity for musicians, artists and record labels. Instead, what we see looking back for the music industry in general is a wasteland that wouldn’t look out of place in the movie The Road.
As we enter 2010, it’s worth considering what Seth Godin has to say about the past 10 years – “The internet transformed our lives forever. Opportunities were created (and many were taken advantage of). And, like every decade, just about everyone missed it.” Read the rest here.
I was a Velvet Underground fan. I’ll always associate Reed with the song “Heroin.” I don’t suppose anything he could do now would change that. iPhone app or not, the man is “Heroin” to me. Even if he were on QVC or in an infomercial to sell fitness equipment, I wouldn’t watch, and I’d remember “Heroin.” I guess it’s good that it was such a powerful image for me that it’s hard to shake.
December 31st, 2009 at 1:28 pmSuzanne,
What you point out, is how strong Reed’s brand is to you. Unfortunately, this app risks damaging that brand…
December 31st, 2009 at 2:02 pmI was thinking about Bob Dylan in comparison. I was listening to Blonde on Blonde about the same time as the Velvet Underground. Dylan was important to me then more than now. I got his Christmas album because it’s so bizarre I had to have it. So in his case he’s an icon for what he represented in the 1960s, but I’m getting his most recent album for the humor.
Leonard Cohen is a third example from that era. In his case, I am glad he has done nothing to tarnish his image. I’d rather he remain an elder statesman than to tamper with his image.
And I suppose yet another example, of an earlier era, is Pete Seeger. I loved his performance in celebration of Obama’s inauguration. He seemed ageless.
I guess, when it is all said and done, if I like the changes, I embrace them. If I don’t, I tend to ignore them. I don’t think of musicians as sellouts, but if they no longer represent what I remember them as, I don’t want to watch. I quit watching Dylan quit a long time ago because he wasn’t the same guy I remember. And then he went so far in another direction that I bought his latest album because it was one of the weirdest takes on Christmas that I have run across.
I wonder what Reed could have done with an iPhone app that would have worked, either to maintain his old image or give him a new one.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:20 pmIf anything, this App might just make people say, “Whatever” and then move on. As far as the decade goes, many individual musicians and groups did not grasp the opportunities, but others embraced it and thrived – Pink Martini (doing what they do best and expanding their brand), Ari Hest (52 Weeks experiment), Fanfarlo (growing with TopSpin), Sufjan Stevens (staying indie), The Decemberists (remember the guitar challenge with Colbert?). And there’s more. The Music Business is another story, it lost out on this decade for sure.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:59 pmSpencer,
Yes good examples although I think Fanfarlo are over-hyped already. The Music Business belongs to the musicians and bands – they just haven’t realized it yet..
December 31st, 2009 at 5:09 pmSuzanne,
Technology, eg an iPhone app, can’t help Reed “..maintain his old image or give him a new one.” He may well believe that the current app that he’s released will do that, but, if true, that would be a wrong-headed strategy. The app needs to provide the value regardless of Reed’s brand..
December 31st, 2009 at 5:13 pmWell, an app that makes the words bigger does provide value. It means you don’t have to pull out your reading glasses.
December 31st, 2009 at 9:06 pmSuzanne,
And that’s a game changing app? I think not..
December 31st, 2009 at 11:56 pm@Dave, if you think Lou Reed’s out of touch, you ain’t read NOTHING yet. Billboard has proclaimed Nickelback as “Band of the Decade”. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAaaaaaa.
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Nickelback-Named-Band-of-the-Decade-by-Billboard-20820.aspx
January 1st, 2010 at 12:12 amI think larger letters are a good idea. However, what I’d like to see is a SmartPhone without a $35 to $40 fee to connect to the Internet.
Rita blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide
January 1st, 2010 at 10:26 amLou Reed isn’t the only one out of touch…Bono really ought to stick to warbling about how “It’s a beatiful day” and leave the technical stuff to, oh I dunno…people who actually know what they’re talking about.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8439200.stm
January 4th, 2010 at 9:52 am