Here we are in the final month of the year, and we are still able to do a multi-episode new release series. Decades ago, this would have been impossible. With the exception of a title or two, all superstar releases were out by Thanksgiving (not that this fact would effect The Ledge). Not only did the physical media have to be prepared weeks or months in advance, but all publicity (press, videos, TV) had to be scheduled to coincde with the date the material was coming out.
Obviously, non-superstar releases always had difficulties even getting noticed back then, and this fact was amplified in the run-up to the holiday season. If they were released without a label putting up comparable publicty dollars, they were usually buried. More often than not, records of this sort were just postponed until the new year.
Because of all that, the record companies basically took December off. It was the month of schmozzing (and I’m sure quite a “pile” of substances). The stores had their stock, radio stations were certainly not adding many new songs during this period, and record stores were just praying that they could restock what they sold.
Yes, it was a whole different world. Today, I could put a song on bandcamp just minutes after recording it in the privacy of my bedroom. (I wish I had that ability.) Elaborate publicity campaigns no longer work if your surname isn’t among a handful of household moniker. (This is why The Ledge works for those wanting to sell a few copies!)
So this month is once again a two part series…or could one call it another three-peat? This week and next week are the normal sort of new release shows, although there are more than the usual amount of double-plays. Then the third Friday of the month (12/19) will be the annual holiday episode of the show! I’ve already come close to filling my folder full of these types of songs, primarily from “friends” of this fine show! (And yes I screwed up a bit and accidentally included one of those songs tonight!)
What’s your fave record of this show?
For more info, including setlists, haed to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com