Kenny G to Prince: “Oh Yeah?”
July 8th, 2010 Smooth Jazz Network
It’s not quite Mothra Versus Godzilla, but two superstars are battling it out over the validity of the internet.
Prince recently told a British newspaper that the internet was “completely over,” comparing it to how MTV has become “outdated” since its heyday. The 52-year old singer has been famously stubborn about making his music available digitally, shutting down his website and even threatening to sue eBay and YouTube for misuse of his tunes. He plans to distribute his upcoming album partly by giving it away as an insert in a British newspaper.
But fellow Grammy winner Kenny G begs to disagree on the Purple One’s theory of the decline of technology. In an AP interview, the saxophonist joked that if the internet is dead, “then I must be dead too, ’cause I use it all the time.” He admits that his audience may not be as comfortable downloading music as the younger generation, but its a vital tool in staying connected with the fans.
He further addressed the issue in a recent blog posting [on www.kennyg.com]: ”I think a majority of my fans are more ‘mature’ and probably don’t feel the same about downloading [as younger fans]. They like to hold a CD …. read the notes….look at the physical picture…so since there are very few record stores around these days, it is difficult for people who want the physical CD to get them. And ordering on line … doesn’t give them the instant satisfaction that one get’s when buying something at a store. So…..how can I convince my audience that it is OK to download the music. that they will get instant gratification and have the music on their computer instantly!! This is my challenge…”
Kenny’s newest CD, Heart and Soul, was just released on June 29.
Beyonce narrowly avoided a tragic accident on Tuesday [July 6] when a taxicab smashed into the open door of her parked car. The singer was in London with husband Jay-Z, preparing to exit her private car and enter famed department store Harrods. A speeding cab collided with the open door and ripped it off, just moments before she stepped out.