Jul 12
They say I was paranoid…
Radio One’s head of music has been telling record label A&Rs to consult him before signing any bands… because what would be the point without knowing if you were going to get any airplay on One.
This quote is from Popbitch but I have heard it from many other sources. Bands being described as “too white” or “too rock” for Radio 1 even the home grown ones.
David Cuthbertson has touched on this subject over at ASI.
If you are interested in pursuing this some more. Please read my piece on this for the ERC. Creative Destruction in the Music Business: a pamphlet for the Economic Resource Council
3 Comments so far
The Popbitch item is about George “Egg and two chips” Ergatoudis - Editor and Head of Music for BBC Radio 1. Rumour has it that a witch hunt has started at Radio 1 to find the source - reputed to be someone not so far away from Ergatoudis’ own office!
>> Radio gone gaga
The Popbitch item is about George “Egg and two chips” Ergatoudis - Editor and Head of Music for BBC Radio 1. Rumour has it that a witch hunt has started at Radio 1 to find the source - reputed to be someone not so far away from Ergatoudis’ own office!
Radio gone gaga
Does anyone in music know arse from elbow?
Radio One’s head of music has been telling
record label A&Rs to consult him before
signing any bands… because what would be
the point without knowing if you were going
to get any airplay on One.
And they say the music industry is
in crisis…
Putting it mildy, Radio 1 would like to be in at the forefront of music signings. This would involve a state-paid bureaucrat with a fairly basic knowledge of the music industry gained from 16 years work at the BBC (brief stint in the real world at Kiss FM) getting to decide what bands should be signed or left alone, purely based upon his notion that he is the ‘expert’ of music taste in the UK. Ergatoudis is also, from what I hear, rather fond of detailing to record companies and their promoters exactly why he has rejected their record. In fact the only time I know of someone getting a record straight through the Radio 1 playlist meetings was after she bought tickets for Ergatoudis and his family to go and see his his favourite soccer team, and even then he left the track on the playlist for just one week.
unfortunately bribing 2 chips aint always a guarantee either enrique inglesias pr team flew george halfway round the world on a gratis first class jolly on which the eggy one agreed enrique was going to the top of the playlist …
after 10 seconds back in blighty of course the usual about face ensued and poor enrique was left off the playlist altogether the result? a number 2 record bang on as ever george…