commercially disappointing major label rock/alternative albums of 1996

Freak*On*Ica - Let's just pretend it didn't happen. GvB broke up after House of GvsB.

man has there ever been a band that dropped the ball harder than GvsB

So after signing an $80 million contract, they could've just walked away? Interesting. I'd love to hear about how that would work. (I'm being sincere, by the way; how would they have gone about that?)

the first thing you wanna remember about contracts like that by the way is here's how they don't work: you sign a contract and then they send you a check for the full amount. most such contracts stipulate the number of releases the figure in question buys, with dates and amounts of dollar distribution linked to delivery of albums, and probably, with a contract that big, certain amounts of touring stipulated, promotional assistance, etc. A recording is not "here's a bunch of money, enjoy," they're really baroque arrangements. However, when a band is as big as REM, the contract almost doubtless includes "in the event of" clauses that include "in case the band no longer wants to make records" thing that sunset the future $ distributions w/o penalty to the band, and that's the sort of lawyerly strongarming that labels just have to eat if they want the marquee act

you or I would not have the luxury of get-out-of-jail-free clauses but REM almost surely does

Thanks for the explanation, aero. Some of that I knew (artists don't get the full amount up front), some of it I didn't ("in case shit" clauses). Most of the situations I'm familiar with involved lower- or mid-level bands, but I do know of at least one instance where a band had to pay back their advance (or whatever portion of it they'd just received) when they broke up (the Who with Warners).

Apologies for the thread derail. Carry on.

i'm gonna listen to as much of wax ecstatic as i can until i have to pick my gf up

this may not have been a great idea

2 minutes too long.

i still like the little squealy riff from the song wax ecstatic, but my good everything else. the rhythm section of this band is a bunch of fucking stiffs

Originally intended to be a concept album revolving around the death of a Memphis drag queen, that idea was aborted, though many of the tracks that ended up making the cut originated from this idea.

this makes track 4, the drag queens of memphis, slightly less inexplicable but it's a horrible woozy genre exercise. you're supposed to save those for the second half of the album guys!

i'm gonna listen to as much of wax ecstatic as i can until i have to pick my gf up

― call all destroyer, Saturday, May 5, 2012 1:21 PM (12 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this may not have been a great idea

― call all destroyer, Saturday, May 5, 2012 1:25 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol

man you can't listen to the actual recording of "molly" on spotify which is their only ok song.

actually i'm listening to it on youtube and it's better than ok.

amped-up jangle rock shouldve been more of a thing

"Plowed" is a pretty decent song.

yeah i'm always on the fence about plowed.

listening to it now, the chord progression thru the verse is nice

jesus, youtube really wants me to watch the video for "in the meantime"

fine youtube, happy now?

''Mungo City'' would sit well on this thread.

otm. does that album have a cult following or am i making that up?

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

bump

Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop

really debating which one of these album titles makes the best euphemism for alienating a fanbase. "oh yeah, they Razorblade Suitcased that shit up on that one." "jesus, they dropped a Fairweather Johnson on that second abum." "you think they went Tiny Music last time? this one is straight up Friction, Baby."

fyi i still probably listen to no code ~10 times per year.

I never really got that into No Code, not like I did the previous three. That was where I got off the PJ train, in fact. Aside from "Hail, Hail", which is pretty killer, I remember more about the packaging gimmicks than I do about the music. And that was during a summer when it was rattling around in my backpack with about 15 other tapes that were on near-constant Walkman rotation. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't my thing (anymore).

And I have a deep emotional connection to most of those other albums (New Adventures In Hi-Fi, Sebadoh's Harmacy, Cibo Matto's Viva La Woman, and the Kids soundtrack, among others) as a result of the trials of that summer that's strangely absent wrt No Code.

Sebadoh's Harmacy, Cibo Matto's Viva La Woman, and the Kids soundtrack

what a time to be alive

Missing Poll Choice:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_afSZ14Vjy8U/SmaqqvPW-aI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/ot9054Pz4nU/s320/shes_the_one.jpg

When I was 16 IIRC my top 5 albums of 1996 went something like 1. Tiny music 2. odelay 3. she's the one 4. evil empire 5. sublime s/t

yeah i loved tiny music when i was 12 or 13. thank god i got into indie rock.

Dust vs. Black Love vs New Adventures for me. I'm going to plump for New Adventures but it's very close. Probably sold more than anything except the Metallica album now I come to think of it.

I never realised so many people liked No Code... I remember in the late '90s I couldn't find a single person who had anything good to say about the record!

Are we supposed to choose the one we like or the most disappointing one?

that petty soundtrack is kind of great -- if only it weren't saddled to that horrible horrible movie.

Voting for best/favorite/etc.

I love that She's The One soundtrack, despite association with Ed Burns bleeeeegggggggghh

"Walls (Circus)" is still one of my favorite later-Petty songs

"Walls" is rull good. I used to listen to She's The One while playing PC games. Also I didn't realize "Asshole" was a Beck cover until I bought One Foot In The Grave a year or 2 later.

Considering the success of Wallflowers and "Mary Jane's Last Dance," I'd say She's The One would've fit into this poll perfectly.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

otoh

did markers vote twice?

Porno For Pyros - Good God's Urge 4

wau

Stone Temple Pilots 6

It appears I don't understand a lot more things in this world than I thought

The Cranberries - To The Faithful Departed 0

DAMN RIGHT! :D

heavens to murgatroyd, this thing got nearly 150 responses! some kind of record?

heavens!

gracious!

The Cranberries - To The Faithful Departed 0

This one really deserves its last place.

It's a topic near and dear to everyone's heart.

its the last decade before most ilxors got jaded

now I wish She's The One had been a part of this

yeah Petty along w/ Cracker definitely shoulda been options but tbf they probably both would've been down in the 2 vote ghetto with Type O Negative.

i kinda figured this would have a good turnout and wide distribution of votes, but i really didn't think all but 3 albums would get votes!! also v happy that Hi-Fi beat Pinkerton.