Live Downloads
 

So it seems that Springsteen is offering for sale downloads of his live shows. Personally I think it's an interesting concept.
An acknowledgement of the fact that people are recording the shows anyway with cell phones and posting them everywhere, he is offering an official release of each show.
This has been talked to death on the forum about whether Meat should or shouldn't be releasing board tapes and or fan recordings.
Completely his call.
I recently watched his last at bat concert in Germany on youtube and though it definitely wasn't the same as being there, it was the next best thing. Meat was fantastic in every song. So much better than I was expecting and to see him give such a heartfelt thank you to his German fans, beyond class.
Thats the sort of thing that everyone should have the opportunity to see. It should be up on his own website.
There are not a lot of true performers who put so much of what they are into every show, but Meat is definitely one of them.
It just needs to show more.

Many artist at least here in the states do this, maybe not every show bur several throughout a tour

Jimmy buffett for example has probably released more soundboards than just about anybody

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Robbie Williams did even better. People, attending this tour, got a download link with the audio from 'their' concert. :D

Elton did this. KISS DID this. Why hasn't MEAT DONE it

I think he's made his view clear again and again. However, he's done with touring so it's a somewhat moot point now. Meat isn't doing concerts any more. As to his residencies in Vegas, it would be for the producers of Rocktellz & Cocktails to decide surely, and I don't sense they would be likely to do it ... but not much point in another debate as to whether Meat should offer soundboards or not from concerts he has retired from doing

Now Meat isn't touring any more it's a bit of a pointless argument. A soundboard of the Vegas show will be 8 songs and a lot of talk. Without all the flashy visual effects I can't see it going down all that well. :shrug:

I think a better idea would be a boxset (box download :bleh:) featuring a show from each tour Meat has done. I suspect this may be something we'll see when Meat hangs up his red scarf and has the time to go through his tapes.

When his new album comes out, you don't seriously think he's not going to tour just a bit to support it? Meat has already said he is thinking of Austrailia and I can see him doing more in America than just Las Vegas.

Not necessarily a tour, but I definitely think he'll be doing at least a handful of shows to promote it. I also think one of them will be filmed for a DVD. A sort of Brave & Crazy/Last At Bat hybrid. I'd much rather have that than a random soundboard of a show.

Meat has a phenomenal back catalogue of live stuff which I'd love to hear, but only if the job's done properly. Churning out every soundboard of every show is quantity over quality and that's not a good idea.

Your right about that. Anything from 1985 to 1991 would be very interesting. Maybe a best of 85 to 95 respective

Linkin park has been doing that for years. Great idea!

I think those are doable from around 87-93 either as is or with minimal enhancement, but I doubt he releases it. The older stuff and the more recent stuff I do not think you will ever see officially released. I will just say it is my opinion and not go any further into it.

I don't think we'll see any retrospective while Meat is still active, as it will invite comparisons to his more recent produce.

As far as I'm aware, at least one show from each tour has been professionally recorded (audio, not necessarily video) apart from the MATLAF tour and the Lost Boys & Golden Girls tour. And I would be really surprised if a show from those were not done too.

Meat lost most of his soundboard recordings pre BBIS, but has most of the shows since then. However as I said above, I'd rather hear the professional sounding stuff.

8 songs? Is that all he sings?

I don't think that he has to provide full audio or soundboards, it would just be nice if he let people record clips and put them on youtube if they want.

As somebody else said 'it's his call'.

Last time it was 10 .. Running for the Red Light/Lemon, Dead Ringer, Frying Pan, Hot Patooti and Time Warp, AFL,Took the words, Paradise, All Revved Up and BOOH. Pretty good considering he had just 90 minutes (with another show waiting in the wings to follow him two nights each week) and the show is about so much more than singing. He says he will have longer on this next run, so we'll see what he can add.

People are doing that already with full concerts.
It's completely up to Meat to do what he feels is best for him. I started this thread as I found it interesting that Springsteen is doing it now after so many years of no official live releases save for a few.

I may not agree with Meat Loaf's stand on bootlegging but I'm sure happy he ain't Prince :lol:

Someone mentioned Jimmy Buffett...so glad to be a Parrot Head and be able to swim in not only a complete soundboard archive that is free, but also listen live to any live show the man does.

Bruce addressed this in a recent interview (bold emphasis is mine):

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2...ce-springsteen

I think Bruce is likely using the "Royal We" in the second paragraph. :lol: He used to be a HUGE perfectionist (to the point of OCD, I think- seriously), but that has changed gradually over the years.

Going by this interview and others he's given recently, I think he realizes that he's not going to be around forever, and he's looking to get more music out to the fans. He's regretting not releasing more. He's said, "The light from the oncoming train focuses the mind."

As a fan, this is a fantastic thing! It's not new to the music industry, but this is a huge change in thinking for Bruce- letting go must be difficult for him.

This is something the hardcore fanbase has wanted for many, many years. We have the bootlegs, but to (possibly) get some of those classic shows in pristine quality would be a dream come true. :pray: Not to mention, some of the unreleased material he's got sitting in vaults. Sure, some people will still download stuff for free, but most will pay. He's actually going to reduce the amount of bootlegging going on by doing this.

In regards to Meat, one big difference between his shows and Bruce's (as well as some other bands) is that every show is different, and that makes them more attractive to collectors, as opposed to only the fans who attended a particular show and want a souvenir.

Yeah, that was harsh! :shock: Way to alienate your most loyal fans.

He's going to have to demonstrate harm in order to collect anything, and that might not be very easy to do. Not to mention, you can't get blood out of a turnip. I know it's to make a point, but still.

Bottom line is that the music business is changing, almost everyday. I can respect that Meat wants to do things his way and I have no problem with that. But I hope he understands that his fans in North America did not see his last at bat concerts in Europe and the only way have any idea of how great they were is through youtube.

There will always be fans in some part of the world who did not see a particular tour.
The USA were the only people to see the Mad, Mad World tour for example but I don't think it gives us ay right to expect to see them on YouTube. If they're there and you want to watch them, then watch them and enjoy them but if they're not then it's tough luck.

You said you respect that Meat wants to do things his way and see no problem with that so what does it matter what some other artist is doing?

It doesn't matter what ever one else is doing. It's just an interesting twist to how things are changing. Everyone has their own choice to make and thats fine.
I appreciate being able to see what I can't attend.
We as fans have no rights and thats fair. We take everything we can get and are happy with that. Being an artist such as Meat is pure creativity.
He is one of the rare few who can make magic on stage. It's the sort of thing we won't see again once it's gone and then all we will have left are whatever recordings that were created.
I'm not saying he should do this or do that. His business.
I am saying how much I appreciate the youtube concerts that are up there as they were put together with an obvious amount of care.

If we the fans made whoever, we have at least the right not to spend our money. As far as taking what we can get, the artist should always give his or her best effort. I have helped make various artists very wealthy and provided them a living for their families in exchange for their work that I want. That is what is fair.
I think for any artist to feel that the fans have no rights would be at the very least ungrateful. Some may feel that way privately.
IMO fans shortchange themselves by feeling like they can just be taken for granted, called stupid, or whatever. When these guys and gals were struggling and wanted to be heard and had no money they understood these things and hopefully they still realize it.
Note I did not mention any performer, just addressed your point.

I think that Meat is at a point in his career where even if everything DID post recordings like this and they DID get illegally shared to hell and back, it can't possibly have any negative effect anyway. He's made all the money he could ever need, already has a reputation as an amazing life artist...having downloads being pirated won't change that. On top of that, there would be very little expense involved (and the little there is would be covered by the people that DO buy it anyway), you greatly please your fanbase, and you also solidify your legacy as an influential, historic live performer. So what if people pirate it? Is it really that big a deal? :confused:

If he's worried about people's opinion of his current / post Bat 3 voice, then just put up older concerts. Bat 2 era would be incredible :D

Of course, at the end of the day it might just come down to the fact that he's just not interested in it. Which is also fair enough and entirely his right. He's the artist, after all :)