Reply to: Vindictive?

[Board Game Geek]

BGG your dates are out. Nine Inch Nails only appeared in 1989.

Indeed. Just checked wiki to get the facts on the dates for NiN. I could have sworn she said 80's, but then again I was only half listening whilst cueing up a song.

[eek]

BGG your dates are out. Nine Inch Nails only appeared in 1989.

[MarillionFan]

I'll ask my source later this week to see if she has any more information if you absolutely have to have it.

TBH, from my time in the industry, it wouldn't surprise me.

I believe it was a group called Bobby Dazzle and the Lickedy Splits.

See. You've never heard of them have you.

BGG was right.

[Board Game Geek]

Unless you can back it up with a band name and/or news references that just sounds like an urban myth told to scare little people into compliance

I'll ask my source later this week to see if she has any more information if you absolutely have to have it.

TBH, from my time in the industry, it wouldn't surprise me.

[Spacecadet]

You want an example of vindictive ?

I heard this the other day.

Unless you can back it up with a band name and/or news references that just sounds like an urban myth told to scare little people into compliance

[Board Game Geek]

You want an example of vindictive ?

I heard this the other day.

Back in the late 80's there was a band in the USA who were in a niche musical market (electro metal) and they had been accepted by a record label on the strength of their demos.

However, they were struggling to get a fan base, as they were unknowns, and it takes a lot of time and hard work to do that when you are starting out.

The record company boss wanted them to do a 2 singles in their first year with an album release to follow shortly afterwards.

The band put a counter proposal to him.

Release a mini-EP, which could be recorded and produced within a month or two, and ask Trent Reznor from NiN (Nine Inch Nails) to guest appear on the mini-EP, because loyal fans would check it out regardless of whether they knew this new band.

The record boss thought it a bad idea, and said that he wanted them to follow his original plan.

After much pleading and begging however, he caved in and greenlighted their idea.

It was a complete success and it launched the band quicker than normal in to the charts and got a lot of publicity. More importantly, it shifted box loads, and when all the receipts were in, it was discovered that the Mini-EP idea had earned far more money that would have normally be made by a 1st release album by an unknown band.

Several months down the line, the record boss called the band in to congratulate them.

He thanked them for making him a lot of money, more than he imagined a 1st time band could make, and praised their idea.

He then sacked them on the spot.

He explained that regardless of how much more successful their idea was, the fact remained that they had argued against his initial idea and not done what they were told.

He then explained that artistically, they were not allowed to work together as a unit for any other company for 2 years.

They folded and left the industry and got 9-5 jobs.

(For those of you who know that I was in a band and involved in music company shenannigans in the 80's, I can say that this wasn't our band involved in this affair. Ours was a bit less dramatic than that!)

I guess the moral is,

Regardless of how good or appropriate your idea is, even if instinctively you know it is 100% the right thing to do, if the person above pulling the strings doesn't like it, and wants you to do something else, even if it will fail, just eat humble pie and do it. (and make sure you CYA along the way).

[KentPhilip]

..

[Spacecadet]

Well in that case, may I suggest you pop down to Boots and buy yourself some lube. Whereas it won't stop the shafting you're going to get it may make it a little less painful.

hth

MF

I just think of the invoices and it keeps my mind off the pain

[MarillionFan]

without going into details there is no risk log and little documentation and there is a valid reason behind it (apart from us all being incompetents)

Under normal circumstances I would agree with you and have done that already

Well in that case, may I suggest you pop down to Boots and buy yourself some lube. Whereas it won't stop the shafting you're going to get it may make it a little less painful.

hth

MF

[Spacecadet]

WMFS. Stick it on the risk log and escalate it.

without going into details there is no risk log and little documentation and there is a valid reason behind it (apart from us all being incompetents)

Under normal circumstances I would agree with you and have done that already

[Old Greg]

Forget email.

Get him to sign off a document with at least another senior signatory to your own.

WMFS. Stick it on the risk log and escalate it.

[Spacecadet]

Dammit, The came on the call and agreed with me.

[EternalOptimist]

A lot depends upon why its a bad idea.

Is it costly
dangerous
misleading
not futureproof
risky

or what ?

[MarillionFan]

He's had the risks outlined in an email from myself already.

The requirements aren't his, they are someone else's but he's decided to step in and "sort it out".

Forget email.

Get him to sign off a document with at least another senior signatory to your own.

[Spacecadet]

He's had the risks outlined in an email from myself already.

The requirements aren't his, they are someone else's but he's decided to step in and "sort it out".