What follows is a rough transcription of the follow-up interview that Klick’s own Scotty Iseri may have had with international rock-star, sex symbol, and diminutive Jehovah’s Witness, Prince. Recently Prince was quoted in The Daily Mirror as saying “The internet’s completely over” regarding his decision to not distribute his new album, 20TEN, online.
Scotty: Hi Prince.
Prince: (Stares meaningfully into Scotty’s eyes)
Scotty: So..thanks tons for agreeing to this post-interview interview. Of course, you know this is about your recent comments in the Daily Mirror. You’re quoted as saying: “The internet’s completely over. I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won’t pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can’t get it. The internet’s like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good.”
So, I’d like to begin with the question that all the internet douchebags like myself are asking. And that is…seriously?
Prince: (nods slowly…like…really slowly…takes 30 seconds to complete a single nod slowly).
Scotty: Really?
Prince: (Nods slightly faster)
Scotty: Like…really really?
Prince: For g-d’s sake yes! It’s pretty self explanatory. I’m an artist…I make stuff. In order to keep making stuff as an artist, Shakespeare’s Got to Get Paid, Son! The internet doesn’t want to pay me to make stuff, but the Daily Mirror does. It’s simple economics.
Scotty: I don’t fully understand simple economics.
Prince: Okay, you have a supply of something…if it’s abundant, you make it cheap. So, music, being abundant, is very cheap. But if your supply is scarce, say, for example, the burning sexuality and transcendent spiritualism that is the music of Prince, you charge a premium and make people go get it however you want.
Scotty: So…celebrity is scarce, even on the internet, so you can control how people access that celebrity?
Prince: I prefer to think of it as burning sexuality and transcendant spiritualism that is Prince.
Scotty: Indeed; But the internet, you must admit, is something of a cultural force…a shifting of dynamics…a game changer in the way media is created and distribu-
Prince: Stop right there child. Didn’t you hear me? The internet is OVER! Had I gone on to elaborate on that statement in the original interview, I might have said something like this:
The social structure of the internet, and social media specifically, is an attention economy. And the quickest way to snag a gold-rush in that economy is with something mind-bogglingly new. The internet loves “the new”. What’s the latest Meme? What’s trending on twitter? What’s on top of the Real-Time web? Last week it was “Did you read what Prince said about the internet?” The week before it was Vuvuzela-haters.
Scotty: I have to admit, I honestly didn’t think you’d be this thoughtful about it. I thought it was a-
Prince: A tossed-off statement from an arrogant rockstar? You’re not far off…still, it got my result. It let people know I have a new album coming out and how to get it.
Sure you can talk all you like about the deepening of social relationships through online media, and there’s some truth to that statement, but in reality, the larger, first layer of that ecosystem is what most people are looking for at the moment: How many views does something get? How much traffic? There’s less interest in the more useful second layer…what kind of relationship was formed.
As an artist, I’m more concerned with that deeper relationship. That’s all well and good, but I’m more concerned about a deeper relationship.
Scotty: So how do you use “the new” as you put it, to create a deeper relationship? Whether you’re trying to do it as an artists to his fans, or as a brand to the people that buy that brand?
Prince: Search me.
(Long uncomfortable pause)
Scotty: I’m sorry?
Prince: I don’t know. I already have a deeper relationship with my fans. You’re humming Darling Nikki while we’re having this conversation.
Scotty: I have “Bat Dance” stuck in my head, but I heard you weren’t as proud of that album.
Prince: It’s okay. Hum whatever you like. But as I was saying, I have a deeper relationship with my fans. So when I haul out and do something new, it just serves to keep that relationship going. I’m also quite famous, which is an easy way to get attention these days. Other artists may try the “screw the internet” tactic, but it will probably fail. Because the purple one has done it already. But eventually we’re going to run out of the “Old Guard” Celebrities, and then who are you going to use as spokespersons?
Scotty: Well…web celebrities?
Prince: Maybe. And I hope that’s the case. I hope someday college kids will be sitting around the bong, waxing nostalgic about Amir Blumenfeld, iJustine, and Tila Tequila. At the end of the day though, because of this fascination with “The New”, we may see ourselves with a rotating roster of celebrities in the near future. I hate to be so gauche as to quote Andy Warhol, but…
Scotty: Indeed. Well…for my final question, do you have any thoughts about the Old Spice campaign from last week?
Prince: Well, I think you just put that mention in there for SEO reasons.
Scotty: That’s half true.
Prince: Well…look at it this way. Old Spice had something awesome on it’s hands…a true viral hit in an age where that’s getting harder and harder to do (and is exponentially harder for a brand to accomplish). They had to keep upping the ante. First, do more and different ads. Second, send their man out on a press junket. And finally, add interactivity. I don’t know how they’re going to top it and I’m sure there’s some smart minds trying to figure out exactly how to do that right now. But you have to consider this: a relationship with a brand is similar to a personal relationship. Early on, everything is new and exciting, but five years on, you must make an effort to keep things new and fresh. You have to continually fall in love over and over again; and you have to remind people about why they fell in love in the first place, while giving them new reasons to love you all the time. Are you crying?
Scotty: This interview is over!
