Toby Wants Out...Now!!

[drock89]

We all know that Toby wanst out of Dreamworks. He's on his way too..

KEITH TO RELEASE SECOND STUDIO ALBUM THIS YEAR - Honkytonk University is the next to the last Toby Keith album before he exits DreamWorks to start his own record label. Keith told GAC's Country Music Across America show host, Storme Warren, that he's planning on releasing his final album for them by the end of this year and will be in the studio later this summer to work on that record.

--countrystars.com

Does this suprise anyone?

[gcook]

Maybe on his own label he will get back to recording the good music he made in 2001.

[singingsparrow]

Why is he leaving DreamWorks again?

Wow, he's sure going to put all his releases right next to each other. Not that its not common in the country music business, with the way the names of Kenny Chesney and Brooks & Dunn seeming to never have a rest for one year on the format.

But Toby Keith is in a slump right now. Over the weekend it looked as though Toby Keith suddenly had gotten a boost for "Honkytonk U" but now it's back to a weak +5 bullet, and seems about ready to collapse.

Maybe the issue is Toby Keith is in a huge identity crisis right now with his musical personality and image and such. Many seem to have an increasing perception of Keith as overwhelmingly arrogant, and thus could possibly explain why even a lead single from him is stalling at this point.

I'm not sure exactly, again, why he's moving from DreamWorks, other than maybe he wants to manage his own label and try to appear less artificially.

It'll be interesting what the end result of this transition is for Keith, but overall, I imagine it will probably be a little more of a good move for Keith. Because his latest efforts with DreamWorks have been awful.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[arebomb]

toby shoulda been a cowboy instead of a crappy writer of "patriotic" anthems

[Deleted]

It's not really news that Toby wants off of his label.

Toby was very[/U][/I] blunt about his anger towards his label, and the whole country industry, in March of this year.

These 2 articles talk about Toby's comments on his label, the country industry, and the Grammys:


Keith takes on the Row, may start own label[/size]

By JEANNE ANNE NAUJECK
Staff Writer

Star pops off to country radio execs[/size]

One of country music's most bankable stars blasted major record labels and the culture of Music Row and told a gathering of radio programmers yesterday that he may start his own record label.

Toby Keith, who has sold more than 25 million records, said he would consider some changes after he fulfills his contract with Universal Music Group, which owns DreamWorks Nashville, the label for which he now records.

Keith owes Universal another studio album beyond Honkeytonk U, which comes out May 17, and said he would start recording it in July. Later, Keith announced the nominees for the Academy of Country Music awards show to be televised on CBS the same day. He'll perform via satellite on the show from a concert for American troops in Iraq.

''I'm going to move out of some places in this industry where I've been focusing and move into some new areas,'' Keith said during an appearance at Country Radio Seminar, a three-day music industry gathering that ends today. ''You're going to see some adjustments made where my energy's going to be better used.''

''Does that mean getting your own label?'' asked Lon Helton, host of the syndicated radio show CMT's Country Countdown USA.

''That could happen,'' Keith said. ''That's in the works — I mean, that's talked about. It's a unique situation to be in … being top of your game; you're making great music and to happen to come to the end of your deal where you can make your own calls. It's going to be nice.''

The outspoken Oklahoman unleashed a host of opinions, most of them negative, during a keynote address to country radio programmers attending the seminar at the Nashville Convention Center.

Keith didn't stop with criticizing his label. He also blasted Nashville's music business in general. ''In this town, everybody tries to run around and glad-hand everybody. Run up and smile and shake your hand, and the second you walk off, stab you in the back,'' Keith said. ''I'd rather know where I stand with somebody.''

Universal co-chairman Luke Lewis addressed Keith's comments briefly during a panel later in the day, saying the artist has strong opinions.

Keith has had a stormy relationship with Universal. He began his recording career with a 1993 debut on one of its labels, Mercury, getting out of his contract after five years. After moving to the independent DreamWorks label, he let loose a string of multimillion-selling albums and enjoyed his greatest creative and financial success.

But in an ironic twist, Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company, bought DreamWorks in November 2003. The deal brought the two Nashville companies under the same roof, to Keith's evident chagrin. When asked yesterday how he felt at the time, Keith said, ''Here we go again. Across the board, it's back to that same-old, same-old.''

The deal did make DreamWorks principal James Stroud a co-chairman of Universal's Nashville operations. Keith called Stroud ''a buffer'' between him and Universal. Keith has a close relationship with Stroud.

DreamWorks, which started its Nashville office in 1997, was close to closing when Keith joined it, the singer said.

''When things turned around, we built that little label into a powerhouse. We turned what was basically a glorified independent label, which doesn't do well in this town … into a powerhouse. It was just 'a little engine that thought it could' kind of thing. And then when corporate people came in and bought it out, that took away its identity …'

Keith's November 2003 album Shock'n Y'all has sold more than 4 million copies and Greatest Hits 2, which came out last year, has sold more than 2 million. He also had Billboard's third-best-grossing country tour and No. 10 overall last year, pulling in more than $44 million in ticket sales.

''I think people respect the fact that you'll stand up and tell them what you think,'' Keith said.



lounge.teamshania.com/showthread.php?t=5833

[Deleted]

Toby Keith Weighing Label Options[/size]

Whether he's serious or simply negotiating in public, Toby Keith surprised attendees at last week's Country Radio Seminar in Nashville by stating that he might leave DreamWorks Records, with whom he's enjoyed his greatest success. During a Q&A, Keith revealed that he may go elsewhere or even start his own label when his DreamWorks contract expires.

Keith started his career at Universal, and was bounced to several different imprints at the company before leaving for DreamWorks, where he became a superstar. Last year, DreamWorks merged with Universal, putting Keith back under the label group where he started. Since the merger, he said, it's back to "all that corporate bullsh*t ... The other day I had my first A&R meeting in 20 million albums."

But, he said, "it's different this time, because the first time I didn't have any power. Now I'm a brand name ... so there's a lot more compromising on their part."

Looking toward the future, Keith said he will be "refocusing my energies on other areas." Getting his own label, he said, has been "talked about," including the possibility of an imprint under the Universal Music Group umbrella.

In addition to his upcoming DreamWorks album, "Honkytonk University," due this spring, Keith said he has one album left on his contract and that he'll begin recording it in July.

Asked at a later panel about Keith's comments, UMG Nashville co-chairman Luke Lewis said Keith "might go somewhere else or [he] might start a record company. To that I say, 'Good luck.' The track record of artists running record labels is not that good."

Keith also said he is planning to start a "big time" publishing company, and hopes to sign 10-15 writers. Additionally, he revealed he will perform live via satellite from Baghdad for the Academy of Country Music Awards telecast, set for May 17.

Keith will play shows tonight (March 11) in Louisville and tomorrow in Terre Haute, Ind., and has scattered U.S. dates booked through early October.



lounge.teamshania.com/showthread.php?t=5833

[drock89]

You're planning to start your own record label. Once the word started spreading, did you start getting a lot of calls from other artists who are interested in working with you?

We have a great work ethic on the road. We've done things our way. I mean, there's a Nashville way and then there's a music industry way. ... And then there's just the way that we've done it. We've stuck to our guns. I've lost a lot of great friendships. Some of the closest people I've had to me in this business, our friendships -- all the way back through 10 years -- is tainted just due to holding your ground. I have a principle that I've got to deal with when it comes to my music. So it's tarnished a lot of great friendships. It's ruined some awesome friendships. But I'm very loyal if somebody is loyal to me. I think it shows these other artists who have worked with me in these past that they want to be a part of that. ... The other artists that come out and hang with me for very long, they sit and watch how I do it and they go, "How can I tap into that?"

So since I've talked about opening this label, we've had several calls. If we get to the point -- and we will -- it will change the way business is done, I think. Obviously, I think we did that with our music. I've been told by program directors across the country that "How Do You Like Me Now?!" single-handedly stopped the big conglomerate radio groups from pointing their antenna at the 35 to 55-year-old female. They said "How do You Like Me Now?!" single-handedly sent them back to the drawing board to go, "Maybe we were wrong. Maybe there is a male listener here, and we need to point our antenna at this demographic." They were really ready to just dial in on the 35 to 55-year-old females. It would have been a big mistake.

I know you can't name names, but have any A-list artists contacted you about being on your label?

We've been contacted by one A-list artist. Actually, one that has been an A-list artist and would probably be the first to tell you that they're not getting the respect and the attention they deserve right now. Both the acts that I've been in contact with have been double platinum. It's real easy -- and I saw it firsthand -- for [record labels] to pump you up and get you started. Then you run for a little while, and they move onto the next thing. And you just have to be creative for your own sake. That's why I went and did the 10-10-220 [long distance service] commercials. I wasn't getting nominated [for music awards]. I was having No. 1 songs, but I wasn't selling a ton of records. A lot of that is perception. You have to break through the critical mass. But I wasn't getting the TV time it took. The awards shows are important [because] people place you on the pecking order because of your performance on that. Well, I was getting none of that because you can't perform unless you're nominated. I was never nominated, so I started creating my own TV time. It's a thing about going out and self-motivating and using your resources. I think that work ethic shows through, and these other acts are sitting where I was -- needing that 10-10-220 commercial type thing.

Do you think major record labels -- as we know them now -- are running the risk of becoming obsolete?

My attorney came into Nashville and met with a lot of people in different businesses. He said, "Seventy-five percent of this town thinks you'll fail, and 95 percent want you to fail." ... But the longer they try to hold me down or put off what I'm trying to accomplish, it's gonna happen. It's been going on in rap music for years. It's never happened in country, and the acts that have gone on and started their own label aren't as successful as we are right now. I have complete confidence -- 100 percent, not 99 -- that we will be successful at this. I don't have any goals left to accomplish. The only thing I have left to accomplish is to go out and be the best label I can be. I've got a lot of music in me, and I know where a lot of wonderful, wonderful great songs are. I know where a lot of great talent is. It's just a matter of putting A with B and equaling C. I'm driven to do it. It's the only thing I have left to do.

CMT NEWS ARTICLE

[drock89]

I wasn't getting nominated [for music awards]. I was having No. 1 songs, but I wasn't selling a ton of records. A lot of that is perception. You have to break through the critical mass. But I wasn't getting the TV time it took. The awards shows are important [because] people place you on the pecking order because of your performance on that. Well, I was getting none of that because you can't perform unless you're nominated. I was never nominated

Sounds like something Shania could say...anyone have any ideas who the "A-list" artist is? I don't know of any acts besides Toby that openly says they are mistreated (although I know of some acts that are and don't say anything)....

[KMCB]

shaniagotchagood said:

...anyone have any ideas who the "A-list" artist is? I don't know of any acts besides Toby that openly says they are mistreated (although I know of some acts that are and don't say anything)....

I have no idea, but anyone else think it could be Travis Tritt?

[musicbuff78]

I wouldn't really consider him A-list anymore.

[KMCB]

steelo said:

I wouldn't really consider him A-list anymore.

I think that's the point, though. It hasn't been that long since 2001 when everyone was playing his 'Down the Road I Go' singles and now, as Toby describes, he's " not getting the respect and the attention they deserve right now."

Also, I don't know if it's Toby's general state of being disgruntled, but both 'Honky Tonk U' and "As Good as I Once Was' are the first two songs by him I have liked in a long, long time.

[jimmy74747]

steelo said:

I wouldn't really consider him A-list anymore.

Toby is one of a handful of country acts that can sell out ampitheatres and arenas. He's gonna sell about 350,000 albums this week, which still ain't bad. I would rank him amongst the top 5 or 6 stars in country music, which makes him A-List to me.

[drock89]

I wonder what Toby will do when HTU doesn't debut #1 pop..he blamed his label for putting his release on the same day as Shania's..

[musicfan_84]

jimmy74747 said:

steelo said:

I wouldn't really consider him A-list anymore.

Toby is one of a handful of country acts that can sell out ampitheatres and arenas.  He's gonna sell about 350,000 albums this week, which still ain't bad.  I would rank him amongst the top 5 or 6 stars in country music, which makes him A-List to me. 

That post was referring to Travis Tritt.

[jimmy74747]

ben1120 said:

jimmy74747 said:

Toby is one of a handful of country acts that can sell out ampitheatres and arenas.  He's gonna sell about 350,000 albums this week, which still ain't bad.  I would rank him amongst the top 5 or 6 stars in country music, which makes him A-List to me. 

That post was referring to Travis Tritt.

My bad. Travis isn't even B List anymore

[KMCB]

jimmy74747 said:

My bad.  Travis isn't even B List anymore

I just love these unnecessary insults of artists.