Ticketmaster Parent Bought Stake In Azoff Management in May

[StringsOfJoy]

Azoff's company is now called Front Line Management. Timing-wise, this development coincides with some of the weird and confusing juju in Journeyland:

IAC Buys Front Line Stake, Expanding Stage Presence

Some interesting excerpts:

- "Warner Music Group Corp., isn't selling what was described in a public filing last year as an 8% stake in the management firm, for which it paid $9 million."

- "The Front Line investment appears to signal IAC Chief Executive Barry Diller's desire to double down on live music, which was a bright spot last quarter, thanks to strong results at Ticketmaster. IAC attributed a 17% increase in tickets sold to signing strong performers like The Police."

- "Front Line also has been aggressive in moving into new business areas on behalf of clients, such as "VIP" concert ticketing and unorthodox relationships with retailers, such as one recently struck between the Eagles and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in which the classic rockers sell their music directly and exclusively via Wal-Mart, without the participation of a record label."

Takeaway? Live is where the money is and where investors will expect the emphasis to go; it's interesting that The Police (a reunion) was the band exemplifying the driver in last-quarter ticket sales; Warner Music remains invested in Front Line, although they apparently lost out to IAC in an effort to increase the share of its investment in Front Line (had they -- a record label -- prevailed and increased their investment in Front Line, would there be any reason to expect that Journey would have made a different decision about Jeff because they could have secured an album deal AND taken some of the concert receipts, instead of what may be a greater emphasis on live shows with IAC on board?).

Either way, all of this stuff is taking place in the background, but I would just mention that these developments are pretty seismic shifts in the music industry, which has needed to clean its pipes for way too long. Assuming that Journey is trying to stay on the bull, it's going to be a bumpy -- if potentially lucrative - ride.

[Shadowsong]

Frontline....Say Goodbye to Flea N Frick...

http://frontline.us.merial.com/home/

[separate_wayz]

StringsOfJoy, can you break it down a little bit more, for those of us who rode the short bus to school?

Is this to be intrepreted as: Had Warner Music increased its investment in Front Line, Journey and JSS might have had a direct marketing pipeline to retail (like Wal-Mart) and therefore might have emphasised creating new CDs, but instead, because IAC increased its investment in Front Line, the emphasis will be more on live performances (and hence the need for a Perry-soundalike)?

[Greg]

StringsOfJoy, can you break it down a little bit more, for those of us who rode the short bus to school?

Is this to be intrepreted as: Had Warner Music increased its investment in Front Line, Journey and JSS might have had a direct marketing pipeline to retail (like Wal-Mart) and therefore might have emphasised creating new CDs, but instead, because IAC increased its investment in Front Line, the emphasis will be more on live performances (and hence the need for a Perry-soundalike)?

That's what it sounds like to me.

[larryfromnextdoor]

StringsOfJoy, can you break it down a little bit more, for those of us who rode the short bus to school?

Is this to be intrepreted as: Had Warner Music increased its investment in Front Line, Journey and JSS might have had a direct marketing pipeline to retail (like Wal-Mart) and therefore might have emphasised creating new CDs, but instead, because IAC increased its investment in Front Line, the emphasis will be more on live performances (and hence the need for a Perry-soundalike)?

That's what it sounds like to me.

..and journey and co. aint about the long run anymore, its about what profits are right NOW!! why pay jss for 6
months or however long until the next show,, they dont want to write,, thats cash in pocket,,
its really really not that complicated,, just imagine how an 8 year old kid would think,, and
youll be pretty dang close,, its all about big money and shallow friendships,,

[whocares]

I thought it was about burning things with a magnifying glass.

[larryfromnextdoor]

I thought it was about burning things with a magnifying glass.

heheheehehehe

[Rockindeano]

why pay jss for 6
months or however long until the next show,,

They don't get paid when they don't work. They aren't salaried.

[larryfromnextdoor]

why pay jss for 6
months or however long until the next show,,

They don't get paid when they don't work. They aren't salaried.

hmmmmm...,paid by the gig huh,,

[StringsOfJoy]

StringsOfJoy, can you break it down a little bit more, for those of us who rode the short bus to school?

Is this to be intrepreted as: Had Warner Music increased its investment in Front Line, Journey and JSS might have had a direct marketing pipeline to retail (like Wal-Mart) and therefore might have emphasised creating new CDs, but instead, because IAC increased its investment in Front Line, the emphasis will be more on live performances (and hence the need for a Perry-soundalike)?

That's what it sounds like to me.

Yep. That's in the ballpark.