LENNY: Let's start by talking about the gorillaz
IVANA: I think we need to clarify something first—it appears that some who read this do not know your identity, perhaps mistaking you for lenny diana, the pd of wrzx indianapolis, as he is the most famous "lenny" in pomo
LENNY: i do not seek fame
IVANA: by the "tone" of this they are unaware that you are, in fact, my boss
LENNY: now, can we talk about the gorillaz. it debuted this week with 100k, which is very good. by the way, is this conversation on ipod shuffle?
IVANA: when PoMo radio does "shuffle" weekends, my promo peers and I spend the next week tapdancing around the lost spins. and yes, the gorillaz sold huge this week
LENNY: is it a red record, a blue record, or simply a cartoon
IVANA: mostly blue but the ipod shuffle exposure is making it appeal to red, although the commercial is mostly green and yellow
LENNY: well, it is a smash in any color
IVANA: and they don't even have to do radio festivals
LENNY: which is even better than being dead, because they can be alive in cyberspace but dead for festivals, saving virgin mucho dinero. well, good for bill and hilary… bill carroll and hilary shaev, that is
IVANA: they also have a smash with 30 seconds to mars. early adds already at kpnt, warq, wgrd, wpla, etc
LENNY: the incubus song that was most added this week is from what movie, is it in their album, is it in a soundtrack, is it in a future album?
IVANA: it's from the movie stealth, and it's one of four new incubus songs on the soundtrack, which is on epic.
LENNY: gotcha, so jacqueline is very happy this week, and i mean happy for jacqueline
IVANA: she's got a sold-out oasis ARENA tour about to begin and another of her bands, dead 60s, are touring with the bravery!
LENNY: she's busy, big action
IVANA: mike depippa from her department just got married last weekend. congrats to him!
LENNY: i like coldplay, i like their album, i want to get a copy, i used to get promos, what is wrong with our business?wanna know some of my other faves?
IVANA: do i have a choice, now that it's been established you're my boss?
LENNY: no choice then..... i looooove tegan & sara, which is the best power pop album i've heard since the gin blossoms, too bad neither the reds nor the blues play girls
IVANA: "walking with a ghost" was a radio hit in kansas city, phoenix, san diego, seattle, etc. I’ll see them this weekend at endfest in seattle
LENNY: it should be a hit everywhere, but there are also lots of other good cuts, will someone please listen
IVANA: you can't turn on the tv without hearing a tegan & sara song used on shows like grey's anatomy and the o.c.
LENNY: it is good for the band that sanctuary has patience, which is letting it develop naturally, but it could also be bad for them that their final destination has to be the pop charts and the label is not used to playing at that level. do you think it’s better for some acts to be on independent labels??
IVANA: definitely. it depends on the band and the label, of course
LENNY: i think matador has done an enormous job with interpol
IVANA: and continue to do so
LENNY: and merge certainly is succeeding with arcade fire and spoon
IVANA: and sub pop with the postal service and the shins!
LENNY: yet, will any of them have the leverage to crossover into the mass appeal market. and if not, are the bands better or worse off. it is not a black and white issue, nor is it red or blue
IVANA: it becomes more about the band and a career longevity than a song, since mass appeal tends to be song-driven, except in rare cases. and if the next song isn’t there, the band is vertical horizon.
LENNY: yet none of the indies have had a giant album since offspring, so it is a give and take
IVANA: the bravery is better off on island because their music is commercial
LENNY: agree, and island's commitment to new rock acts is enormous and paying off with hooba, killers, bravery and fall out boy all on the fast track
IVANA: agreed
IVANA: other bands, like mxpx, will do better now on sideonedummy than they did on a&m
LENNY: this is one of the issues we discussed in last semester's ucla class and will discuss again beginning july 6th....(promo for ucla music business now class)
IVANA: just as social d. has had a resurgence since returning to an indie
LENNY: which acts belong on majors vs indies
IVANA: it depends on the artist, their expectations, the potential of the record, etc.
LENNY: but where a band signs has a much bigger effect on their lives than most bands can possibly understand, it's not just about going where the biggest initial check is
IVANA: so i heard that chris williams was named pd at wbzy atlanta, but then i heard he's only “acting pd”
LENNY: chris has often acted as a pd without really being a pd
IVANA: did you hear about the bravery's saturday?
LENNY: i heard their manager pete galli was hit by a bottle
IVANA: they did a festival, then flew by helicopter to another town in the uk to open for duran duran and then helicoptered to london for their headlining show at the astoria
LENNY: they are becoming the new phil collins, who performed at the uk and us benefit shows
IVANA: i'll be with them in seattle and portland this weekend
LENNY: how many shows will they be doing a day?
IVANA: i'll be at 3 festivals in 3 days: chicago, seattle and portland
LENNY: i hope to be at 3 golf courses in that same time period
IVANA: for the first time ever, i wish i golfed
LENNY: you have probably attended more radio festivals than anyone in the business.... except phil costello
IVANA: way more than phil
LENNY: then you are the clear winner (loser)
IVANA: yay me. what do i win?
LENNY: a vintage bruce springsteen t-shirt, the right to edit this column in any way you see fit and the chance to get the last word in (of course)
IVANA: yippee! that’s the best boss EVER!
LENNY: i know that
IVANA: i was talking about my vintage bruce springsteen t-shirt!
LENNY: now say goodnight, gracie
IVANA: goodnight, gracie