The Rolling Stones' Business Model

reallocate writes "These pages were graced a few days ago by a piece that included comments on the future of the music business from the Stones' Keith Richards. Now, here's a detailed Fortune report on the business side of the Stones -- Keith and Mick seem to know what they're doing and may not be all that concerned about the future -- the Stones have ground out $1.5 billion (yes, that's a 'b') in gross revenue since 1989."

Comments

Alright, where's the Stones MS Bashing

[JasonUCF]

SOMEBODY out there in /. land has to have a logical correlation rant on how the Stones are evil because they came into all their new billions by becoming Microsoft's little bitch for the 'Start' me up campaign.

Re:Alright, where's the Stones MS Bashing

[gl4ss]

it is quite evident though why they can't get no satisfaction, i'd be dissatisfied with only windows too.

Re:Alright, where's the Stones MS Bashing

[silentbozo]

Well, they are using SACD, does that count toward classifying them as evil?

Re:Alright, where's the Stones MS Bashing

[odaiwai]

On the contrary, they clearly associated the phrase: "it makes a grown man cry" with Windows 95 even before it was launched. I'd say that makes them proper slashdot linux zealots.

dave

Re:Alright, where's the Stones MS Bashing

[wowbagger]

Actually, the Stone didn't really WANT to license "Start Me Up" to Microsoft. When MS approached the Stones about it, the Stones set what they thought was a ridiculously high price, figuring MS would balk.

When MS (metaphoricly) reached into its back pocket, withdrew its billfold, and started counting out bills, the Stones realised they had forgotten who they were dealing with.

Re:you're all a bunch of goddamn commies

[SecretMethod70]

I hate to bite on a troll, but as quite a few people might think this way, I don't think this article is saying the Stones are evil because they make money - I think it's saying just the opposite in fact. It is that they have a decent busines model, unlike most of the music industry these days, and I think the point of this article is to point towards it as an example others should follow.

They're Going On Another Tour!

[scott1853]

For the biologists here, is it possible for someone to spontaneously mummify?

Re:They're Going On Another Tour!

[mumkin]

IANAB, but if by mummification you mean desiccation, freeze drying is probably the closest thing to spontaneous mummification, and even that could take a year I'm guessing (since freeze drying a large dog can take up to 6 months). Don't know how else to gently remove all of the liquid content from a human body.

If, however, you're talking about getting the Full Pharaoh done in 15 minutes or less, then no. Not only is there the whole brain-removal-through-the-nose business to take care of, but also the internal organectomy (with associated preparation and individualized packaging into a charming array of Canopic jars), the stuffing of the cavities with delicious herbs and spices, the extended natron soak, the wrapping with fine linens... If you're doing the job right, of course, there will also be a tomb of opulent design upon which skilled artisans have been laboring for at least a decade, as well as kick ass grave goods...

Keith may well have a good head start on the process, depending on how much of his grey matter he's already removed via his nasal passages. Heavy alcohol consumption wouldn't be bad for traditional mummification either, but it would probably fuck up a nice predictable freeze dry -- too much alcohol in the blood and it doesn't freeze, and then where are you?

Moderately impressive

[panurge]

So Mr. Jagger is now the CEO and a major investor in an SME with a turnover of around $120M per annum. He has well chosen business associates and, presumably, a considerable degree of autonomy. And because the business is built so closely around him and his close associates, his position is rather secure. Unusually, too, he is a celebrity who is actually famous for doing something, rather than just famous for being plucked from obscurity and made famous. Pretty good

Moral: Kids, stop trying to get on reality TV and go to economics classes.

(This is just a plug for my new single, Smack up ma CEO of a Fortune 500 company)

Re:Moderately impressive

[rodentia]

Elvis drove a milk van in Memphis and started gigging for the girls. The Colonel made him and broke him.

Re:Moderately impressive

[Pogue Mahone]

If you were old enough, you might remember that Mick studied at the London School of Economics...

If you had read the article you would have known that too.

Re:you're all a bunch of goddamn commies

[silentbozo]

Essentially the message of the article is this: you can't ignore the business side of things unless you want to end up penniless and eternally controlled by the suits.

Stones

[NetGyver]

"Well folk rock, punk rock, power pop music
Turned out to be the latest trends
And ther ain't no more progressive music
The business has put it to an end
Ol' "Rolling Stone" has gathered some moss
No they ain't what they used to be
They try to look like "Look" with their political pages
And advertising all over T.V.

So na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
I bet you've heard this song before
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Take your cocaine and hit the door.

- "Cheap Shot" John Mellencamp, 1980.

A penny for my thoughts? Here's my two cents. I got ripped off!

Education

[Lucky_Pierre]

Well.....Mick *did* attend the London School of Economics.
http://www.mick-jagger.com/bio.htm

Re:Education

[Innominate Recreant]

But he mostly studied economic history, not business.

The Record Labels are Protecting the Artists

[SailorBob]

Riiiight....

Of course, it wasn't just the taxman's pinch that forced the Rolling Stones to focus on the bottom line. They also got screwed by record labels. "In the early days you got paid absolutely nothing," recalls Jagger. "The only people who earned money were the Beatles because they sold so many records."

By the mid-'60s the Stones had reportedly sold ten million singles, including "Satisfaction," and five million albums, but the band was still living hand to mouth. "I'll never forget the deals I did in the '60s, which were just terrible," says Jagger. "You say, 'Oh, I'm a creative person, I won't worry about this.' But that just doesn't work. Because everyone would just steal every penny you've got."

Longevity (not the mummification variety;)

[Observer]

Interesting article, not least for the information that Charlie is involved in the merchandising side of the operation - not that it's a particularly big earner, but it's an indication that the original founding Stones like to keep things in the family, so to speak.

Just one point: the article didn't mention it, but the Stones (and the Beatles, and The Who, and Bob Dylan, and... ) hit the top in the mid to late '60s when the trailing edge of the post-WW2 baby-boom had reached adolesence, which hasn't harmed the longevity of the respective brands... Keith Richards once remarked apropos his love for R&B, that people tend to remain attached to the music that was popular at the time of their first significant interpersonal relationship.

Well, he may have put it a little more pithily than that, but you get the idea.

What ?

[tmark]

No mention in a Slashdot article of the Stones' stance on P2P and file 'sharing' ??? Sounds to me like, as astute businessmen and musicians, their opinions would be highly relevant.

LSE

[mgkimsal2]

He wasn't there for very long (less than 2 years, IIRC) and didn't do all the much even when he was there (lots of gigging, etc)

Tasteless but relevant...

[kubrick]

And because the business is built so closely around him and his close associates, his position is rather secure.

All those paparazzi must play hell with any exit strategy, though... unless he takes the Brian Jones route?

Keith Richards quotes

[GOD_ALMIGHTY]

Did anyone else catch how akwardly showhorned in the Keith Richards quotes were? It seemed like the editor felt compelled that Keith must be quoted at least once per page.

page 2.
Keith, for his part, just shakes his head: "It's a mom-and-pop operation," he laughs. "Mick is the mom, and I'm the pop, and then we have these offspring that need feeding."

Perhaps Keith sums it up best: "With our business, who really knows what's what. You go and look at Lake Superior, and you say, 'Look at all that water, and that's just the top!' "

I'd go on, but they're much funnier in context, so go read the article.

Rich and Famous

[bartash]

Why is everyone so surprised that Jagger and co. are interested in business? After all don't rock stars want to be "*Rich* and Famous". And like most things in life it helps to be talented *and* hardworking.

There was a cool profile of Puff Daddy in a recent New Yorker in which it was revealed that he spends more time at the office than in clubs. But no one ever made it in the hip hop world by shouting about how they are a suburban catholic school educated grind.

Success as has-beens

[Animats]

The really funny thing about this is that the big money came long after they were has-beens. The big breakthrough seems to have been when they dumped Bill Graham Presents in 1989, and started producing their own tours. It's not that they're any more successful as musicians, it's that they got their business model under control.

This could go on for a long time. Elvis dead makes more money than Elvis did living.

Re:Isn't it ironic...

[david duncan scott]

What the hell, Dave Brubeck still tours, and he's 80-something. Granted, his performances are a lot less athletic, but all the staying-in-hotels-and-sleeping-on-airplanes crap is the same (maybe worse, since Brubeck doesn't have the entourage to smooth the way.)

Touring can be a lot less wearing then they used to make it. After all, tearing up hotel rooms is optional, like riding motorcycles through the lobby and pitching TV's out the window. If you cut back the really wearing activity to the actual performance (and if you take the nannies on tour with you, I'd say that's a safe bet,) then it becomes a much less daunting task.

rofl

[joss]

nuf

Re:IF YOU TAKE DRUGS, YOU'RE SUPPORTING TERRORISM!

[joss]

I know its a troll but wtf, its sunday. Its only illegal drug profits that go towards terrorism [unless you include taxes which support a fair bit, but thats another issue]. Solution is obvious: legalize all drugs.

Re:Isn't it ironic...

[david duncan scott]

Great minds think alike. I started to look up BB, and then got distracted trying to decide if Little Richard still tours (looks like not.)

steel wheels

[rodentia]

'89. Their first, maybe second, farewell tour. That is, they've booked a bil and a half since they *quit* touring. And they still suck.