Lou Reed talks about Spotify and the role of advertising at the Cannes Lions
Legendary US rock icon Lou Reed expressed strong views about the music industry and took a dig at Spotify during a rare non-performance appearance on Thursday at the ad industry’s annual mega fest in Cannes, South of France.
Speaking after a liver transplant in April and still looking slightly frail, Reed took part at a seminar hosted by the international ad agency Grey Group during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this week.
Speaking at a press conference afterwards, the former Velvet Underground member noted that the advertising industry finally appreciated the role of music after taking it for granted for several years.
“These days, things have changed. The advertising people actually pay you for what you do and people actually like the ads, which used to be thought of as selling out.”
He attacked the music industry, however, for still not valuing the fruit of its labors. “Income (for musicians) is 100% gone. Now, you make and record and it’s supposed to be an ad. You have things like Spotify for which sell (your music) and you get 1/37th of a penny. So starving artists stay starving. Meanwhile, Damien Hirst is selling for x zillion dollars.”
Music should never be taken for granted, he declared. “Without music, we might as well close the planet. Music is the lifeblood of everything. If we didn’t have music, we might as well be dead.”
In contrast, the advertising industry thrives on valuing its creative works, added Reed, who is also known for his professional photography. “There are some really creative people doing these things now (in advertising). Some are really funny, or very, very beautiful. In some of the car ads, the photography is monumentally gorgeous.”
When asked about his contribution to today’s music trends, he referred to Metal Machine Music, the controversial solo double album released via RCA Records in 1975. “Where did the Noise Festival come from? Metal Machine Music. Where did punk rock come from? Lou Reed. That’s not me being immodest; it’s a fact.”
Other high-profile music names participating at the Cannes Lions included Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who unveiled plans to launch Revolt TV, a new US music cable-TV channel.
(Juliana Koranteng)