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😥 Here’s my take on this: since Bruce is doing so many different kinds of shows this summer and his ad hoc bandmates (i.e. Ricky, Christian, Jack) might not allow taping, a blanket “no-taping” policy is being issued for the summer to cut down on confusion and (hopefully) will be lifted once they get back into a strictly Bruce and the Noisemakers groove. I have absolutely no official information, this is just my wishful thinking.
Throw us a bone, Si!?!?!?!?
I’ll be fine.
Funny though, there’s a rumored show date in my area (according to Pollstar) on the same day the Waybacks will also be playing in my area. Before, it would be a tough call, but I’d probably go to the Bruce show even though it’s more $$$. Now it’s pretty easy, and I’ll be at the Waybacks.
I hope Bruce notes this. this hurts the most loyal who also buy up everything that is put on the market more than it does the potential new customer. None of my friends ever want to here the stuff I download here or from Etree because of the relatively poor sound quality.
My Grandfather used to say you don’t s**t where you eat.
He was a smart guy.
Bit taken aback by some of the thoughts posted on this topic.
Really, we had a privilege – if not a gift – from Bruce for more than twenty years, that enabled us to tape his shows. Artists that allow that are few and far between, and it’s by no means a right that comes with your concert ticket.
Think about it – twenty years of archives to plough through. The concerts will continue, and BHlive.com will still remain.
I hardly think we’re being sold short.
Hmmm….I’m quite sure the rumored show I now plan to skip will sell out regardless. I’ll still see a couple of his other shows. No skin off anyone’s back.
That said, while allowing taping was indeed a gift to the fans it was one that IMO enhances the band-fan relationship, take that away and maybe I’d rather see a different band of awesomely talented, original musicians who also appreciate their fans enough to allow that gift.
If band A offers me a great night of original music with the potential to be a show for the ages, and band B offers me a great night of original music with the potential to be a show for the ages and allows me to take home a permanent record of that night, I’ll go with band B.
I’m sure part of this dynamic is that small bands can really use the free exposure whereas Bruce is now at a point where he really doesn’t need it. Still, what’s the harm? If he doesn’t want to look out in the crowd and see mic stands (or have to worry about people setting up stands in the wrong places), just institute a no-stands rule but don’t make it a problem to tape unobtrusively. Works for acts as big as Mark Knopfler and Pearl Jam, among others.
Maybe I was just struck by the irony of this announcement coming hot on the heels of Daily Dose day.
I don’t see it as a lack of appreciation of the fans at all, Will.
Ultimately, they are Bruce’s songs to do what he wants with.
But since you mention appreciation, that works both ways. I’m not speculating on reasons why the privilege has been pulled, but Bruce asked that the recent solo tour was not taped or distributed. Some chose to ignore that. Hell, some couldn’t even respect the need to be quiet when they were supposed to be. (And that’s no knock on anyone here; it’s been an increasing trend in recent years).
If Bruce and co give us a “show for the ages”, you can trust him to make it available. I still don’t think we’re being sold short.
To not go to a show because it may be a great night that you can’t hear more than once… that seems like cutting your nose off to spite your face!
Don’t anyone forget that not too long ago, anyone who went to a show was given – for free – a box set containing twenty years’ worth of work.
I think it’s a long time before anyone should be questioning Bruce’s motives, self-interest or nature. If we’re not to tape for now, then that’s a shame… but nothing more than that.
To be clear, I’m not that upset. I own every legal recording that Bruce has ever sold, along with every DVD and I did trek about 400miles to see a box set show and since Canada does not seem to know what it is missing I see some other major road trips in my future.
Bruce is well within his rights to run no taping shows. I just liked it better when everything else was just as good as it is now and I could get the other concerts as well. 😆 I do like to look at my cake and eat my cake.
I only think that doing this will not add a penny to Bruce bottom line while our customer experience has been diminished slightly.
This seems to be turning into a glass half full / glass half empty discussion that may not be worth pursuing further. But:
I’m not saying that not allowing taping shows a lack of appreciation for fans, but surey allowing taping shows an extra degree of appreciation?
Bruce is not the only talented artist out there. When choosing which artists to partonize, should we not consider the entire package each has to offer? If there are two or more shows at the same time, I can only go to one…And I will consider the full package whenever deciding between confliciting shows on the same date, or when choosing how to allocate my seasonal ticket budget. That is all.
I’m really interested in hearing the reason for the disallowing of the taping of shows. Perhaps some astute reporter will bring it up in an interview soon, or Bruce will volunteer a explanation on his own.
I feel as long-time supporters, we are at least owed an explanation as a courtesy. I mean there might be recording issues with all the special guests he will be playing with this summer; he might want to sell more bhlive stuff; these might be orders from Sony; he might not like having recent stage “walk-offs” documented for eternity; it might have something to do with the musical; or he just doesn’t like recorded live music anymore.
Bruce certainly has the right to disallow the live recordings anytime he wishes, but I would hope he just wouldn’t cut them off on a whim.
I am certainly interested in Hearing what the Man has to say on it. Were you given any other background on the stop Si?
Thank you for that Si.
I do think this comes off as sounding ungrateful when in fact I am so thankful for what we have now. There is still an awful lot of material available so I am very happy about that.
I am also sorry if I came across as implying that we as fans are entitled to tape, or that it shows a lack of appreciation for that privilege to be withdrawn. It was nice while it lasted, hopefully it will be back again.
Here’s my best guess on this ban on taping from Bruce
This of course it all speculation
Either A Bruce was browsing around on ebay and found one of his shows on it and got pissed.
or B, Distributing live versions could ‘hurt’ record sales. Which is why I beleive most bands ban taping. It seems these taping restrictions all started when he was doing solo gigs last year, which I speculated he was planning on releasing a solo live album, and now Ricky Skaggs. Who we all know just put out an album with bruce.
I just find it hard to believe that this ban is in place. Especially at this point in Bruce’s career.
I hope this ban is lifted soon.
thinking…
I might be wrong, but didn’t taping Bruce first come into play during his time with The Dead? Isn’t that kind of specific to a Deadhead/jam band audience? I just ask because I’ve never been a big Dead fan or a taper, and the two seem to go hand-in-hand.
If so, could this policy be Bruce’s attempt to step away from that influence a bit? It’s been a while since “The Other Ones” now, and though Bruce obviously still has affectionate feelings for those days and that music, I wonder if he isn’t trying to “flip” his audience similar to the way he did a few years ago with the “top 40” crowd.
Do any Dead/Bruce fans believe this to be the case? If so, are you offended? I personally would like to hear Bruce do an all-Dead cover album, since I enjoy his take on their stuff. He often praises Garcia and the Dead catalog of music, but he doesn’t seem so impressed with Dead fans:
“‘Jack Straw,’ that’s been sort of this thorn in our side for years, having done that, because so many Deadheads are just so sort of tunnel-visioned, so myopic, they’re just so into that one thing.” — Bruce, from a recent interview (one of the ones Dana Nejedlova posted here; I forget which).
Thoughts, feelings?
Tapes from before Bruce’s time with the Dead defintitely circulate, although I don’t know if taping was officially condoned back then. Certainly it was well established before the Other Ones.
There are certainly more tapes from 93 on, but then again Bruce had a much more varied repertoire by that point and individual shows were more different from each other, providing more incentive to keep more than just the very best recordings circulating.
Bruce’s latest ban on taping
Simply put – Sometimes we need to be grateful for what we already have – not for what we wish for.
I can give you a bit more detail on this after hearing back from Bruce.
Neither Ricky Skaggs, Jack DeJohnette nor Christian McBride allow taping of their shows, and since that forms the basis of most of the upcoming tour, Bruce felt that a blanket “no” would be best, so as not to raise hopes or cause any confusion.
He’s also trying out some new stuff at these shows, and would rather that it wasn’t recorded.
However! Don’t plan on a return to the old policy any time soon. If Bruce could really govern it, he’d rather that none of the old material was traded either, as he’s a real perfectionist for what he plays. Or, in his own words, “There is so much crap out there”… whether we consider it that way or not. He realises that it’s not possible to withdraw whatever is in circulation, so he’d rather concentrate on not adding to the list.
He has given an assurance, though, that BruceHornsbyLive.com is alive and well. So we have the benefit of getting the very best of what he puts out – and if he considers some of the older stuff “crap”, then we can be sure that what he sees fit to release will be a real treat. That’s not the party line, that’s just my opinion – but one based on enjoying all of the BHLive/Munck Music releases so far. Keep up the terrific work, guys!
Thanks a lot for following up Si. While it’s not exactly what I wanted to hear, I respect the man’s position and decision to not allow further taping.
I do have one idea to throw into the mix though… If Bruce wants to restrict the public offerings of recordings to the “cream of the crop” bhlive releases, it would be cool to have a short review (maybe a short paragraph) from Bruce himself letting us know what stood out for him in the show (sort of like what JV does every now and then on his blog). Just a thought.
I am comfortable with this explanation. Respecting the other artists who have not allowed recording is a must and I completely respect their desire to stay on this course.
I can also understand Bruce’s discomfort with some of the content out there even though I am still eager to get as much as possible. I know and have heard when his jumping from idea to idea can produce interesting interactions between him and the band and even within himself.
But I will still snap up every bit of content that I can including the etree stuff, the Si stuff and of course the official releases.
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