If U2 at the End of the World is the U2 bible, is Flanagan the U2 prophet?

[UnforgettableLemon]

From page 235 (remember, this bit was written in 1993-1994):

Record stores could become obsolete as music is delivered over cable, telephone wires, or satellite transmission directly into consumers' homes. This raises amazing possibilities. One is that in the next century top acts such as U2 will no longer need record companies; they will be able to make their albums and sell them directly to their audience by direct transmission. Both Bellcore (the Bell Telephone research company in Livingston, New Jersey) and Philips (the company that owns Polygram, U2's label) have set up crude working prototypes of home music delivery systems by hooking up recordable CD players to fiber-optic telephone lines. Imagine a future in which U2 finishes making an album at the Factory, and then just walks over to the computer, puts it on-line, and waits for their fans to punch in credit-card numbers and download it into their homes. No record store, no record company, no one to grab that other 80 percent of the profit.


I'd have to say he was onto something.

 

[Lancemc]

Bill Flanagan...what a guy!

 

[Queen Bee]

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Obviously this was probably information known to business insiders even at the time... but still, given U2's overwhelming ties to the digital music industry...

 

[starsgoblue]

I wish Bill would follow the boys around again and write another 'testament'.

 

[anitram]

Now you've made me want to go and re-read that book. And I even know what book shelf it's on in my house.

 

[U2_Muse]

I should re-read it, too. It's been awhile. But I need a new copy; somebody defaced mine.

 

[dazzledbylight]

I wish Bill would follow the boys around again and write another 'testament'.

i was almost ready to read that book aourd ZOOTV tour time , but nastiesss way-under employment cut that out. And a year after i got better and almost full employment again [after the extralong recession in NYC finally crawled away}, some terrible things happened to me and I forgot about it.
One of these days I'll see if it's in the library. I just bought me 2 early Christmas U2 presents.

 

[nurse chrissi]

spooky
It's a great book - I've given it to casual fans who are just into music and they loved it
little side note of interest Flanagan wrote the liner notes for the introduction to each u2 album for the complete u2 - very interesting....

 

[kakvox]

Hah! I am in the process of re-reading this excellent book. Haven't gotten to the above mentioned part yet, but boy do I love this book.

 

[ylimeU2]

It wasn't just Flanagan, Bono said something along those lines in that interview with Kurt Loder. He asked Bono if he thought music was heading in a highly technological "new media" direction (or something like that) and Bono responded by saying something like, yeah we won't even have to go to gigs in the furture. They could just be phoned in.

Which, kind of sadly, isn't too far from the truth.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I wish Bill would follow the boys around again and write another 'testament'.

Or another Rattle And Hum type of documentary.

 

[ultrraviolette]

I love that book; I think I'm going to re-read it over Christmas

 

[firstlove]

suprisingly, or not so suprisingly it's the only U2 book in all of our city's public library. (and it's pretty big) and I LOVE THIS BOOK! it sparked the begining of my real U2 obsession

 

[rjhbonovox]

From page 235 (remember, this bit was written in 1993-1994):

Record stores could become obsolete as music is delivered over cable, telephone wires, or satellite transmission directly into consumers' homes. This raises amazing possibilities. One is that in the next century top acts such as U2 will no longer need record companies; they will be able to make their albums and sell them directly to their audience by direct transmission. Both Bellcore (the Bell Telephone research company in Livingston, New Jersey) and Philips (the company that owns Polygram, U2's label) have set up crude working prototypes of home music delivery systems by hooking up recordable CD players to fiber-optic telephone lines. Imagine a future in which U2 finishes making an album at the Factory, and then just walks over to the computer, puts it on-line, and waits for their fans to punch in credit-card numbers and download it into their homes. No record store, no record company, no one to grab that other 80 percent of the profit.


I'd have to say he was onto something.

Except for the fact that a lot of people have not used their credit cards to get the album. Just a bit torrent share site.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Re: Re: If U2 at the End of the World is the U2 bible, is Flanagan the U2 prophet?

Except for the fact that a lot of people have not used their credit cards to get the album. Just a bit torrent share site.

While it's true that many people did download the album illegally, many people also purchased it via ITunes... enough to make it #1. So

And yes, I know you ed, but still. I'm a defensive bastard.

 

[Diane L]

Bill Flanagan's book is available at many public libraries, including the one I work at. If your library doesn't have it, it can probably get you a copy via inter-library loan.
(Says the grad school student who is currently working her way towards a Masters in Library Science!)

 

[U2utah2U]

yeah, I started a similar thread to this with the same exact quote about two weeks ago. It slowly died out, though. Nice to see I'm not the only one that noticed the connection between that quote and iTunes.