RASPBERRIES ARTICLE FROM BILLBOARD ONLINE

[Jimmy the Nick]

Any new CD's, DVD's or Box Sets MUST have the return of the scratch and sniff Raspberries sticker. How retro cool would that be?!

[Kirk]

I don't think McCartney could stand the heat. Most opening acts don't get more than a dozen songs (give or take). You take the best dozen Raspberries tunes and McCartney will have to resort to the entire Beatles catalog to find as much good music. O.k., Marvin, I'm waiting Kirk.

[Bill C]

Eric, don't underestimate your popularity in those medium markets. I think Eric is going about it the right way. You need to create interest outside the current 'berries circle. Everyone is contributing to that right now, but if the band can get a label to bite and fund a new CD package and promotion...I think this was the plan all along. Eric and the band have a plan from beginning to end. So far so good, Now for the next step. We need more radio airplay on the oldies stations. I mean "Go all the Way" is great, but I haven't heard any other songs on radio airwaves forever!

[aggiesjc]

Speaking of airplay on oldies stations, I just heard "Go All The Way" on our local oldies station yesterday, and that is very rare around here! Caught almost the whole song - what a treat!

[Raspbernie]

A box set with bonus tracks is LONG OVERDUE! Write Capitol Records! Write your Congressman! Consider the fact that the four Raspberries albums have NEVER been released on CD in the United States! Now is the time!

Bernie

[Tim From Wisconsin]

Being from a suburb of Milwaukee - I can't believe that Eric not only once, but twice mentioned that he didn't think the support would be there for them. I would certainly do everything I could to get the word out if they were going to come to town. I know a lot of local radio and newspaper people. Eric did play here with Ringo Starr's All Star Band a few years back. They played at Summerfest (The countries largest outdoor music festival!) that year. That would be a perfect place for the Raspberries to play this Summer - There isn't as much of a need for publicity since over 100,000 people from all over the country attend each day. I had the good fortune of seeing them in Chicago, and I can't wait to see them again! Once is not enough!

[marvin]

Ah Kirk regardless of what I say, you know that I still love ya!

Randy although opening for McCartney would be a plum spot to say the least, and something that I and many others would love to see, we all know it could never happen. Paul's show is already in excess of 2 hours, and at outlandishly high ticket price. Other than the vidoe montage that he uses, I don't believe that Paul has ever had an opening act.

Do the 'berries really want to go out and be the opening act and play an abbreviated set (1/2 an hour or so) even if it presents the opportunity to expose their music to many more people than would normally hear them? Tough predicament.

I think that in any of the so-called softer markets, the 'berries need to align themselves with either:

a) a higher-profile band

or

do as Eric says, get the publicity machine in high gear ensuring that people in these markets know about the show.

There's enough fans on this and the other sites who can do a pretty good job of spreading the word and marketing the 'berries. The proof is the Chicago show: Pat and Gina (among others) went beyond the call of duty to get the word out and made that show a phenomenal success. It can be done. So Eric, if it's publicity you need, you know where to come knocking.

Marvin

[Argee]

PBS is signing acts for Season three of SOUNDSTAGE right now and they tape it in state of the art High Def and DOlby 5.1, in Chicago and do release the performances on DVD as well. Seems like a natural.

[darlene]

PBS would be amazing! Argee, what a great idea. I would say the guys are listening to what's being proposed. We could really help with publicity, but they'll decide if they want a "national" publicist. I'm sure they have more than their hands full making many decisions behind the scenes. When they've sorted everything out and put a framework in place, they can start considering more music, etc.

One thing's for certain, "haven't we come a LONG way, baby...!"

--Darlene

[gordharris]

You know I was thinking earlier of the Public Broadcasting Service, in New York.

It's a sponsor program to help sponsor music artists, while watching a some of the program, not all.

You can donate to become a member to help support

WNEB PBS.

Here in Hamilton, you watch channel 17, they showed, Roy Orbisons-"In Dreams" Bobby Vinton- In Concert, Andy Williams, Luciano Pavarotti and many more.

They even showed that ELO- In concert the live cd album, a while back.

They even put on a great show, I certainly didn't miss that show.

They say, if you want to see the whole show, you have to buy the CD/OR DVD.

[Jeff]

Do the 'berries really want to go out and be the opening act and play an abbreviated set (1/2 an hour or so) even if it presents the opportunity to expose their music to many more people than would normally hear them? Tough predicament.

Marvin

Actually, thinking about it, to open for someone like McCartney would be the best the 'berries could hope for. There are certain marketing facts to consider;

1 - McCartneys audience, for the most part, would be the correct age to "jar" the audience memory of the Raspberries. And this would be a terribly enjoyable experience for that audience. In addition, McCatneys music, after the Beatles, is perfectly in line with the "innocent" pop/power po as the 'berries. The audience would love it.

2 - As much as it is a dream come true if the berries produce new music, we cannot expect any sort of new wave of berries hits. Unfortunately, the publicity machine of the new millennium isn't geared to push somethng like that to the top. The same goes for McCartney (but, in my opinion, for him, I feel the reason is his crativity has expired, unlike EC). So, the 2 would compliment each other, and would really boost audience awareness.

3 - Doing somethng like that would automatically raise the awareness for the "softer markets" for future solo dates.

4 - Since I believe that EC was "hand picked" by Ringo to do his tour, he gives immediate credability for someone like McCartney to consider EC/Berries. And I gotta believe McCartney is a Raspberries fan.

5 - Finally, it would never happen. Also, I assume PMs tour is all completely set up. But PM and EC share a "musical prodigy" and "creative genius" link, as they both know how to write a pop hit song, that isn't rebellious. The 2 acts would compliment each other.

I don't think it is tough predicament at all ... it would be the best for all involved.

You know that, after a Madison Square Garden Concert, you can bet the general consensus would be "Wow, McCartney was amazing .... and the Raspberries totally surprised me -- I had totally forgot about them, but, now I hear them again, they really rocked the house!"

[marvin]

Jeff I could be wrong here, but I don't believe that Eric was 'hand-picked' by Ringo. In fact I recall reading that Ringo was not even familiar with "Go All the Way." The connection between Ringo and Eric was that they were both managed by David Spero at the time.

Marvin

[Jeff]

Oh well, still doesn't change my thought, but that's a little disappointing to hear. I thought it was a Ringo decision.

[mannoman]

Personally, I don't think The Raspberries should open for anybody. They've paid their dues. They don't need, nor should they even appear, to ride in on someone else's coat tails - (PMc). This isn't about starting over (whoops). It's about moving on.

There is always room for older groups to showcase their talent but in the long run most can't sustain the quality level and fall by the wayside. The Berries are a cut above. They have what it takes to sustain. Nonetheless, let's assume the tour happens and the response is as good as we all want it to be. The window for "continued" success, at a high level, will eventually close because most people move on [except us Berries fans - who won't go away] to the next bit of gratification. Knowing that it will end (maybe sooner than later) I am sure the guys want it to be on their own terms so it will be an enjoyable ride.

We're the ones in a hurry but they need to sort it all out - make a plan and work it.

Ted

[Trindy]

Bernie, can our congressman really help with THAT? ... but seriously folks, aggiesjc was talking about hearing GATW but nothing else on oldies radio...well, when was the last time you were listening to oldies radio and heard GATW and the DJ (assuming it wasn't some automated station) actually said "That was the Raspberries" or "Now for the Raspberries"? I cannot even recall, that's how long it's been! I have heard oldies stations PLAY the song but NEVER ID the band anymore! What's up with that? If they have an identity problem, that may be part of the reason!

Oh well. Bill C, I guess they do have a carefully worked out plan for all this. And this time it doesn't involve matching suits, right?

[Trindy]

I just wanted to add to what I just said, I think Jeff is right...it would be near impossible for the 'Berries to have "hits" again, not only because of the kind of stuff that gets onto the charts today due to "popular taste" but due to what gets there thanks to payola...read an article about it today by John Gorman (who I think used to be program director at WMMS in its glory days, I could be mistaken)--well, anyway, he says the shakedown is coming but reading the article was still depressing...it made me want to write a parody of "Overnight Sensation" called "Overnight Sen-PAY-sion" with lyrics that go:

"Do you wanna hit record, yeah?

Wanna hear it on the radio?

Wanna big hit record, yeah?

Then you better pony up some dough!"

[Jeff]

Cute, Trindy -- "Payola" as it was coined has been around broadcasting for over 50 years now.

[darlene]

I love Ted's idea: it's not about "Starting Over" but "Moving On." Title for a next cd?(!) Or, as Monty Python once said, "Now, for something completely DIFFERENT"!

Who said the Berries could never have another hit/string of hits? Forget about poor popular musical tastes, payola, deejays' pet preferences, etc. Anyone who believes that sure is satisfied with aiming low! Those who don't believe Berries can have a string of hits must be the same people who used to say, "Raspberries get together? It'll never happen. You're dreamin'." Well, guess what! Dreams come true! While I'm dreamin', I'm going to go for it all...

--Darlene

Or...stranger things than a hit or several more have already happened...(hear another prediction in that?) The simple truth is, (and I've always believed it): If there is extraordinary talent, it WILL be noticed, if you put it out there. They didn't for a long time. But look what's happening just 60 days after they DID! (See what I mean???!!!)

[marvin]

Darlene we can always count on you to keep us dreaming I'll play devil's advocate: The reality of the matter is that there is no room in today's Top 40 Radio or even Rock radio formats for a band like Raspberries. Heck, big-selling acts 'older' acts like Mellencamp and the Eagles, to name just two, have a hard time getting their new material on the radio. They've got to hope that the 'oldies' or 'classic rock' radio stations will pick up their music. Another act, Sting, had to resort to getting one of his newer songs on a car commerical so that it could be heard by a wider audience. Since that exposure, he went on to Platinum sales of his cd. Don Henley even said that as much as he abhors the commercialization of music, he admits that acts like the Eagles or Sting aren't left with much choices to get their new music heard. Unfortunately one major difference between the Eagles/Sting and the Raspberries is, even without airplay, they have a built-in audience that guarantees any of their new music will still sell in the millions.

Marvin

[Raspbernie]

Just like that scene in "Meet The Parents," where Robert DeNiro says to Ben Stiller, "I will be watching you!" -- Eric (who is watching us :-) wanted to set the record straight on Ringo selecting him for the All Starr Band.

Bernie

- - - -

It's true that Ringo was unfamiliar with "Go All The Way" and probably the 'Berries as well. He was however VERY aware of "All By Myself" and that is what got me into his band. David Spero has never been Ringo's manager. Just wanted to set the record straight.

EC

[marvin]

Hey I didn't say I was I certain of my statement. Thank for correcting me Eric.

Marvin

[Raspbernie]

Marvin,

Duly noted. In fact, you did start your original post with, "I could be wrong here, but…"

:-)

Bernie

[Jeff]

Sorry I started that little "mini discussion", Eric -- was really just hoping that Ringo was a 'berries fan ... but I would bet that PM is cognizant of the group

[hosskratz]

The soundstage on PBS is a great idea. A very popular dj here in Chicago, Steve Dahl, (he of the disco demolition fame), has played Raspberries music on his show before, and his show is not even a music show. He has done work with the people of Soundstage before, so maybe a email campaign to heywhatsup@dahl.com, could get the ball rolling. A lot of emails may get them thinking.

[hungryeyes]

Soundstage is a great idea!

My favorite radio station sponsored a show

that we went to. The station gave away tickets

for the show. Once again it is Bob Stroud from

THEDRIVE 97.1,maybe he could help out with this.