I never thought about making money with Mike's music.
197 1 year, guitarist Mike Overfield tried to hand over his recorded tapes to the record company. They all rejected him. A year later, Simon and I decided to set up a record company. We called Mike, and to our delight, he still hasn't signed a contract with anyone else. He felt completely ostracized by the recording industry. He felt at a loss when we really planned to release his music.
As Mike Offield is the first artist we signed, we don't know what kind of contract we should give him. As a result, Mike will produce 10 album for Virgin, and get 5% royalty from 90% of the wholesale price of the record (in addition, 10% will be used by the record company to pay for packaging and breakage). Since Mike has no money, we will give him a standard virgin salary of 20 pounds a week, and everyone's salary is the same. We will deduct this salary from the future royalties-if the royalties can be realized. Although Simon and I both like Mike's music, we never thought we would make money from it.
Mike began to record what was later called Guan Zhong with great interest until 1973. This is a series of very complicated recordings, which he and Tom Newman recorded over and over again in the studio, mixing and dubbing, and fine-tuning all different music levels. Mike played more than twenty different musical instruments and recorded 2300 different records until he was satisfied.
Throughout the winter of 1972 and the spring of 1973, Mike Offield lived in the manor, recording the Guanzhong. I think it was the happiest time of his life. He stayed there with Tom Newman, who was fascinated by recording technology, and they kept improving their records. 1May, 973, Guan Zhong was finally ready to release.
When we started selling Guanzhong, we knew that the music we had was different. Simon brought the records to the sales meeting of the island record company, and they will distribute them. At the end of the music, the meeting room burst into warm applause. This is Simon's first sales meeting, so he doesn't know that this scene is unprecedented. Since then, he has never heard a room full of salesmen who are tired of life applauding a new record.
Persuade the radio station to play Guanzhong
On May 25th, 1973, Virgin Records released its first four records. What really captured people's imagination was Guan Zhong: its brand-new creativity immediately attracted fans like a spell. People think it's addictive, and they never get tired of listening to it. While listening to the music, they were surprised at the way Mike weaved the melody. I remember there was a comment about this album in New Music News. I read it several times before I realized that although I could never understand what the critic was saying, he was obviously fascinated by it. New Music Newsletter is the most influential music newspaper. With its praise of Guanzhong, everyone will pay attention to this album.
Apart from these comments, I know very well that as long as people listen to Guan Zhong once, it will become popular. Indeed, the problem is to make people hear. I tried desperately to call all the radio hosts to persuade them to play Guan Zhong. But at that time, the music played on the radio was mainly a three-minute single, and there was no room for a 45-minute song without lyrics. Radio 3 rejected the record because it was not Mozart's work. Radio 1 rejected it because it was not the work of Gary Cerit.
In the first two weeks after publication, sales in Guanzhong showed no improvement. Then, I invited John Peel to Alberta for lunch. We have known each other since I interviewed him for students. He is the only one who plays serious rock music on the radio, and the program he hosts is Guan Zhong's only chance to win the broadcast time. We had lunch in Alberta and sat on the sofa to have a rest. He was surprised when I started playing Guanzhong.
"I have never heard such music." John finally said.
In the last few days of that week, we heard John Peel's neat voice on the radio.
"I won't play a lot of records tonight. I will only play one album for you, which is played by a young composer named Mike Offield. This is his first record. It's called Guanzhong I have never heard such music in my life. This record was published by Virgin, a new record company. This record was recorded in Virgin's own studio in Oxfordshire. You will never forget this album. "
In this way, "Guanzhong" began. I was lying on the sofa. Everyone is lounging in a deep armchair or on the carpet. I could see that the others lying down were completely fascinated by the music. But I'm still worried. I find that at any time, I can't stop my brain from thinking about all the ideas and possibilities I face. I want to know how many people are listening to John Peel's program, and how many people will buy Guanzhong the next day, whether to wait until Saturday or forget it then. Did they order from Virgin Records or Smith Records? How long will it take us to receive royalties? How much will we reprint? How to promote it in America? To some extent, I am listening to the music attentively, but I feel like an outsider. I am well aware that Virgin needs to sell a lot of records to make money to pay the customs tax compensation next month. I know "Flying Teapot" and "Faust Tape" are hard to beat the Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan in the charts. However, Guan Zhong is different: tonight's broadcast must be effective. Virgin can no longer afford such a long broadcast time to advertise.
All day the next day, the phone of the record store that ordered Guanzhong kept ringing. John Peel not only broke all traditions, but also played the record completely on the radio, and wrote a comment for Guan Zhong in Audience magazine:
I am often told that the records of contemporary rock musicians are works with "eternal value". At this time, I always want to reach for my hat and run to the vast wilderness. ..... Gary Gerrit and the "Sweet" band have no eternal value and cannot represent the true voice of the 1970s.
Having said that, now I will tell you a new record with this strength and spirit. This is a real masterpiece. In my opinion, it represents the first breakthrough in the history created by those rock musicians. Mike Offield ...
John Peel has quite a few followers, and thousands of people in this country have accepted what he said.
Seduce Mike Bentley with a wedding present
What I really care about is the brilliant concert Guan Zhong held on June 25th, hoping to let the national media witness the music festival at that moment.
On the day of the concert, Mike came to see me at the boathouse. "Richard," he said quietly, "I can't finish the concert tonight."
"But everything is arranged." I said.
"I just can't go on." He repeated in a low voice.
I felt a rush of despair. I know Mike will be as stubborn as me if he wants to. I tried to forget that the whole concert was ready, the tickets had been sold and even the TV station agreed to broadcast it. I can't convince Mike for these reasons, because it will only make him more determined. I must be smart.
"Let's go for a ride." I said flatly, and then led the way in the old Bentley outside me. I know, Mike has always liked this blue-gray car and its faded leather seats. I hope that driving past the Queen Elizabeth Concert Hall and having a pleasant ride will change Mike's mind. Mike sat upright in the chair and we drove away. Soon I arrived at Queen Elizabeth Concert Hall, and I slowed down. There are posters of Mike Offield everywhere, and a group of people have started to enter the concert hall.
"I can't go on stage." Mike repeated.
I can't tell him: it's in his best interest, and this concert may make him soar to the top, on an equal footing with Pink Floyd. I stopped the car. "Do you want to drive for a while?" "all right." Mike said cautiously.
Let's keep driving. "Mike," I said, "do you want this car? As a gift? "
"a gift?"
"Yes, I'll get off from here and walk home. You drive straight ahead and the car is yours. "
"Stop fooling around, this is your wedding present."
"All you have to do is drive to the Queen Elizabeth Concert Hall and perform on the stage tonight, and it's yours."
We both fell silent. I looked at Mike, who was holding the steering wheel and imagining himself driving. I know he is tempted, and I hope he will agree.
"That's settled." Mike said.
I must tell my wife Christine and my parents what I did to Bentley. However, I know they won't care too much. No matter how charming Bentley is and what emotional value it has, it is just a car after all. It is the key to let Mike perform on stage and sell Guan Zhong in large quantities. If he succeeds, I can choose my favorite car at will. My mother will agree.
Guan Zhong's last few bars disappeared in the Queen Elizabeth Concert Hall. The stage was silent and people were still immersed in the music they had just heard. They seem to be hypnotized, and no one wants to break the heavy spell. Then, they jumped up, stood up and applauded warmly. We also stood up and applauded loudly. Tears filled my eyes. Mike stood up from the organ, short man, and bowed to the audience to thank him. Even the band applauded him. He is a new star.
That night, we sold hundreds of Guan Zhong records. Mike was exhausted and didn't know what to say to the media. Watching everyone cheering around to buy his records, he said, "I feel raped." Then he got on the Bentley he just got and disappeared. In the following years, Mike refused to go on stage. From that night on, Michael Offield's Guanzhong gradually became the most famous album of the year. Virgin Records became famous in one fell swoop, and its financial resources were rolling in.
Guan Zhong's word of mouth began to spread, and by July 14, it ranked 23rd on the album charts. In August, it became the first on the list. In the next 15 years, every new album released by Mike Offield will be in the top ten. Guan Zhong finally sold 6.5438+0.3 million copies, ranking 1 1 the best-selling album in British history. It's worth sacrificing Bentley. I have never bought this kind of car again.
Published by China Social Sciences Press.
Guan Zhong: Virgin Records released its first album, making Mike Offield (left) the most popular artist in the 1970s.