Elton John calls for closure of the internet
/v3-uk/news/1952640/elton-john-calls-closure-internet
02 Aug 2007, Iain Thomson , V3
Elton John has said the internet is killing creativity and should be shut down.
He believes that the technology was stopping people going out and interacting with other artists, as well as making the general population too passive.
“Hopefully the next movement in music will tear down the internet," he told The Sun in an interview.
“Let’s get out in the streets and march and protest instead of sitting at home and blogging. I do think it would be an incredible experiment to shut down the whole internet for five years and see what sort of art is produced over that span."
He described himself as a luddite when it comes to technology and said he didn't own a mobile phone or an iPod.
In the past however he has been more than willing to use the internet, this year putting his entire back catalogue online for paid downloads. He also streamed his 60th birthday concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden live online.
In the interview John also decried the state of modern music:
“In the early seventies there were at least ten albums released every week that were fantastic," he said.
“Now you’re lucky to find ten albums a year of that quality. And there are more albums released each week now than there were then.”
Do you agree?
How unfortunate
What's this ancient musical relic smoking? Closure of the Internet? His point about music not being good anymore is valid but the rest is utter nonsense. He shouldn't be allowed to comment on technology he doesn't even use or want. Send him back to his flower-filled castle and don't let him back out!
Posted by TheTechnologyRules, 02 Aug 2007
Don't Shoot Me -- I Only Speak B*ll*cks
Elton has always been technology-averse -- he even required someone else (David Hentschel) to play the synthesizer on 'Funeral for a Friend'.
The Net has enabled many of us to exercise our creativity - e.g. by composing our own music, or producing videos on YouTube.
The only point where I can agree with Elton is where he says far more great albums were released each week in the 1970s. But sadly almost none of them was his: Elton was largely a singles machine.
Posted by Jo, 02 Aug 2007
His early work...
His early albums were great, with lots of gems that were never singles. That did perhaps change later, certainly during his difficult years in the '80's. His admitted attitude as a "Luddite" should probably simply make any remarks he makes about the internet or modern tech. irrelevant, not to be used to denigrate his musical contributions. He shouldn't comment on that which he doesn't know (tech and the internet), but he is correct in his observations on recent music. I think one needs to look to the rise of the "music industry" (aka. "Major Labels") rather than the Internet to see where promotion superseded quality of product. It isn't his fault that crap sells.
Posted by Whako, 03 Aug 2007
He's missing the point....
Elton John is really missing the point if he thinks there are fewer albums than ever. What he has noticed is that there are fewer albums than ever ***from the big record companies***!!
In actuality, the rise of internet distribution has brought about a truly huge collection of independent artists releasing their own albums without signing their lives away with major labels. As one example of many, IODA Promonet currently features close to TWO THOUSAND indy labels offering really good music from artists who are doing end runs around the big labels.
It's time Elton John took his head out of the sand and supported artists striking out on their own instead of trying to squash them...
Posted by Mister Ron, 03 Aug 2007
Laughing at the Loser
10 good musical albums a week from the early 70's? He's living in the past. The internet is democracy in action. Everybody from a child to a corporation can have equal presence on the web. Corporate music publishers don't like the competition. Screw this Poofter.
Posted by Ruthless Toothless, 03 Aug 2007
Antinet !!
Reginald John Dwight AKA Elton... or is that the other way round? What ever poor old Reggie, I think he needs a brain transplant. That's OK, he can afford one can't he. AND there you have it, the key to the whole affair. Reg is showing his true colours...greed and vanity. You don't suppose for one minute all that altruistic crap about creativity and this generation getting off its arses and becoming tactile and physically interacting with the real world; do you?
I am just a bit younger than old Reggie, young enough to have appreciated him in his hey day - but old enough and wise enough to see what an old and vain money hungry queen he's become. "long live the queen" and the NET she got entangled with!
Posted by stephen, 03 Aug 2007
Do something about it Elton !
There is more of everything on the internet but it is not all crap. I am one of the independent artists who has the opportunity to get my stuff out there to the public. I didn't have the chance to hang around a music publisher when I was young and bother them until they actually listened to my songs. I think my songs are pretty good. If Elton doesn't like the current state of the music business, he has the money to start his own company and support some of us undiscovered artists. He has had a record company before, he could do it again. It's easy to find talent now. Just listen to the podcasts and independent music websites (Podsafe Music Network). We are all out there !
Posted by Dave LaPlante, 04 Jun 2009