Frustration across the pond ...

[Pottel]

i sent a scan to dikke leo and jbaent..

[lauries]

Great, is it in this thread? Just trying to determine the best way to locate it in the mass of threads. Search function is not getting me too far...

[knopfling]

Pottel, thanks. Would love to hear your recordings.
Joan, no way I would leave MK. Just had to vent a bit.
Sweet, we went through that stuff last tour, and it all worked out okay, so I'm hoping all is all right this time.

[sweetsurrender]

No pain no gain girls! But that is why I will be recording all the shows I'll be going to, so I can share them with you, hope many people will do that

Thank you, Pottel.  Maybe I'll continue being a fan after all. 

I'll forever be a fan no matter  how painful it is ! That's what "true love for MK will never fade" haha.

[vgonis]

So October started and I still haven't received but the simple edition, made in EU, sent to Canada and then recent back to me, in  EU. And that not earlier than the 15th of September. I guess it had to do with the cheaper way to get things in and out of  Canada. I also fear that a large pack containing the SDB (super deluxe box) might find some problems with customs. Even though it was made in EU. 

It sort of reminds me the original dispute with the Beatles albums been totally reconstructed for the US audience, due to different calculation of "rights". Maybe that is the reason. Of course it would have created a totally different version, but companies and artists react differently nowadays. In the 80ies Eric Clapton was sent back TWICE to find new material for his albums!!! (In retrospect they were right, but hundreds of artists issued garbage records at the same time.No respect at all)
  The fact that MK is no.1 in many European countries doesn't mean a thing. Most of the fans rush to buy it early on, but it is the continuing sales in depth of time that actually make the difference. Sailing to Philadelphia sold about a million copies, and that would be impressive for a new act, but rather small for MK. And all these different editions, mean that many homes have 3-4 copies of the album (I know I have). So expensive to promote and produce so many editions, and relatively small sales. I was reading a Lindsey Buckingham interview (I think it was him) and the reporter asked him about his solo albums and why they didn't sell. The answer was shocking. He said that the company prefers to pay 100$ for an investment that will pay back 1000 times, than 1000$ for one that will pay back 100 times. And this normally means that they completely don't back up the album they thing it is going to sell relatively  small anyway, and leave it high and dry. It sounded like the stock market of music and it was terrifying.

My flatbed scanner broke down, but I can still take digital photos of the booklet. PM me.     

[superval99]

Sailing to Philadelphia sold about a million copies, and that would be impressive for a new act, but rather small for MK.

According to Wikipedia:

"By 2002, the album had sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide."



I remember reading somewhere that it's sales had exceeded 4.5 million copies.

[vgonis]

Thanks Val for the info!    I really had no idea that went that far. 4.5 is impressive.      Maybe that is what gave WB the "right" to dictate new rules and contracts. They seem to think that they were right back then, forcing for a single disc and different track listing.
But my point still stands because I  was referring to  the initial sales, that make the album jump in the no.1 spot. Golden heart sold (if I am correct) 2 million copies, but is not selling fast anymore, and it was no.2 and 3 in many European countries at the time of release.  The DS albums still have healthy sales, the first one over 11 millions and BiA more than 15 and counting with the new editions.

[superval99]

I have trawled through my archives and found this from MKNews in 1998 - so it is not up-to-date, of course:

Dire Straits        10,406,805
Communique       7,331,619
Making Movies     7,627,688
LOG                    8,460,104
Alchemy              4,977,645
BIA                     25,243,216
OES                      8,552,350
MFN                    13,232,223
On The Night         2,820,799
Live at the BBC         506,203
Local Hero            1,515,779
Cal                          658,767
Lasty Exit                 246,220
Princess Bride           511,585
Screenplaying           400,198
Golden Heart         1,557,196
NHB (Missing...)      1,738,511
Wag he Dog               139,355
The Very Best of DS 2000,000       

As at December 1998

I believe the sales of BIA are now in excess of 35,000,000 worldwide
       

[vgonis]

I haven't done my homework, Val.    BiA 25 millions by 1998! And by far their weakest record! I will look it up, because if it has reached 35, it is up there with the Eagles greatest hits and very close to Thriller.  My source was "The 100 best - selling albums of the 80ies" Amber-Igloo editions from 2004, and it states 12,900,000    and I assumed that 2 millions more are moderately fair to add.   Thriller is no.1 with 29,300,000 and back to black 2nd with  19,100,000.

[Hoops McCann]

I think this situation exposes the stupidity of the music industry. There are some countries that haven't seen a MK tour in years, even though there is a large number of MK fans that would probably pay for tickets to see him live. (Australia...India...Argentina..etc..) I don't know why MK doesn't tour in these countries, but I suppose at least one reason is that MK's management doesn't believe that a true market for MK tickets exists there or perhaps they feel the logistics of sending all of the gear there for a few shows is too expensive. Meanwhile, in the US, there has been a market for MK solo shows for many years now. The large majority of his solo shows either sell out or come close to selling out. However, due to the fact that MK and the record label can't come to an agreement over whatever it is they're disagreeing over, they're now giving up the revenue they would have earned had they released the album here and toured here in 2013! This is coming from an industry that claims to exist to make sure that the artist gets paid their fair share. Well, good job Warner Brothers! Keep up the good work.

[Rkd]

  I have this fear that my tix is not there. So, I'm gonna bring my receipt, ID and all.

I see seat assignments are arriving to folks for the 2013 tour. Does anyone besides me not have any seat assignments for the tour that is beginning in a few days in the U.S.? Does this seem odd to anyone else?

[nababo]

I haven't done my homework, Val.    BiA 25 millions by 1998! And by far their weakest record! I will look it up, because if it has reached 35, it is up there with the Eagles greatest hits and very close to Thriller.  My source was "The 100 best - selling albums of the 80ies" Amber-Igloo editions from 2004, and it states 12,900,000    and I assumed that 2 millions more are moderately fair to add.   Thriller is no.1 with 29,300,000 and back to black 2nd with  19,100,000.

According to RIAA, the USA official certification bureau, BiA sold 9x multiplatinum, which means a sale in excess of 9million copies.

In the UK, the Official Charts Company verified sales of 13x platinum, making BiA the 7th most successfull album in british charts, with 3.900.000 units.

So your account is right, but considering the sales on just two countries... BiA was a huge blockbuster all over the world, so I think these 25 million copies are surpassed. Wikipedia, citing the BBC, estimates the sales of BiA in over 30 million.

Well, but probably Eagles greatest and Thriller have done well on the market, too. According to the same wikipage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums), Thriller may have sold up to 110 million copies! The source is not completely reliable, but for me is a good start.

[nababo]

And a little more official info:

BiA in the 4th best-selling album in Australia. 1,2 million copis.
As in April, 1986, have surpassed 1 million copies in Canada. Sixteen years after, how much would it be?
In France, other million units.

[vgonis]

Thanks for the info nababo. My head is about to explode with all these assumptions. Thriller 110 million records! It  is roughly what DS and MK sold in all their career!
But it has not aged as good as the DS records I might add.
I thought BiA was the best selling album in UK with  Dark side second, with sales more than the measly 3.9. Phil Collins (excuse me Dusty) said something about it in Mont Serrat concert when he was introducing MK.  Anyway thanks for the link as well, very informative, but confusing at the same time. I don't get how they base their total estimate of 35 millions on a BBC comment in 2003, while all the certified (but one) sales are either from 2011 or 2012. I know they have been using Thriller's first position as an advertisement, and they might be blowing up the sales to keep it strong. But BiA has no need of that, it is so much better and stands the test of time. Oh it really doesn't matter, only a glimpse to see how the system works.

[Pottel]

the 110 mil is plain wrong.
too bad universal (NL) will not release the updated figures, as in, at all...biiiiiiiggg secret.
and guy directed me to them as "it is a record label thing"
screw those labels, we should really go underground, this ultimatively stupid stance really pisses me off.
let them die damnit.