On May 9, punk god Iggy Pop was in Paris to launch his new record ‘Après’, a collection of cover songs. During a press conference, he explained why he was not putting this new record out via a label, but was rather releasing it directly to the fans. Actually, Iggy appeared quite bitter when talking about labels:
‘They would have preferred that I do a rock album with popular punks, sort of like 'Hi Dad!' I was not going to do that!’
‘What has a record company ever done for me but humiliate and torment and drag me down?’
The album is sold online in CD and download form, like it should be, but, according to the Telegraph, Iggy was contractually obliged to offer it to his label Virgin EMI, which refused it!
‘They didn't want it. They didn't think they would make any money, they didn't think my fans would like it – very sensible attitudes for a sensible sort of person – but that's a different sort of person than I am.’
He added, joking:
‘I've always had a very rough time in the big time music business, I got kicked off every label.
May be because the album features several covers of French standards (like Edith Piaf's 'La Vie En Rose', Serge Gainsbourg's 'La Javanaise') he put himself the album on sale on the French website vente-privé.com.
His label had already dropped him when he put out ‘Instinct’ in 1988 because the album was a departure from his previous record ‘Blah Blah Blah’… and I guess ‘Après’ was too old-fashioned for his label.
‘I think a lot about my relation with time’, he added, ‘I wonder how to use it well rather than spoil it. I have to think about it when my professional entourage tells me it could be awesome if I could live up to 87. How much money do I need to be able to stop working? Way too much!’
Good move for him, I can’t predict how much money he will make from this but labels are doomed anyway!