U+G: when fans turn on artists

Michelle Shocked has seen her fanbase all but disappear this week after apparently issuing stridently homophobic remarks onstage (she rejects the claims). The Guardian article below looks at other cases where this happens (they could also have mentioned Megadeth, whose vocalist Dave Mustaine has taken to issuing right-wing statements since becoming 'born again', but then they're not a very Guardian band!).
Useful to consider in the light of theories such as McQuail's uses and gratifications, and the whole idea of fans forming part of their identity through their musical allegiances.

Michelle Shocked her fans – but she wasn't the first musician to do so

Dixie Chicks, Morrissey, Donna Summer, Moe Tucker and Eric Clapton all faced a backlash when they surprised their audiences with unexpected views

Michelle Shocked: and she did. Photograph: Rex Features/Startraks Photo

Guitar-strumming Michelle Shocked used to be beloved by beardy folk fans and granary lefties. So it came as a curveball at a gig on Sunday night when she put down her acoustic guitar, pushed aside the mung beans and delivered an astonishingly anti-gay rant that claimed "same-sex marriage will be the downfall of civilisation". And which city did she choose to air these "robust" views? Only gay capital San Francisco.
Yet Shocked isn't the first musician to, well, shock her fans by revealing surprising views ...

Dixie Chicks

Dixie Chicks performing in 2003, when they were monstered by the US right for gently criticising George Bush. Photograph: Mb Charles/Retna UK The mild-mannered Texan country trio were monstered by the US rightwing and blacklisted by American radio after gently criticising George Bush in 2003. On tour in London shortly before the invasion of Iraq, lead vocalist Natalie Maines said: "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We don't want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed the president is from Texas." Public protests saw their CDs bulldozed into the ground. The band later posed naked for the cover of Entertainment Weekly with slogans such as "Traitors",

VEVO vertically integrates with TV channels

VEVO, as a coalition of 2 of the 3 remaining global giants, Universal and Sony, already had a production arm; YouTube acted as the main distributor/exhibitor for its wares (music videos) until now, arguably being of greater importance than MTV and suchlike. Now they've launched their own channels, so are able to boast in-house production, distribution and exhibition.
There's more in the article below, including the assertions that "Part of what we're trying to achieve is that element of nostalgia but 70% of our audience is under 34."
YouTube has now bought a 10% stake in VEVO.

Article source.

Vevo launches 24-hour digital music channel in US and Canada

Video website hopes to recreate MTV's 1980s heyday with service for internet-connected TVs, tablets and mobiles

• Josh Halliday
• guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 12 March 2013

Rihanna: likely to feature on Vevo TV. Photograph: Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

Thirty-one years after MTV flickered into life to the sound of the Buggles hit Video Killed the Radio Star, the video website Vevo has launched a 24-hour digital music channel in the US and Canada.
Vevo, the site created by record giants Universal Music and Sony, hopes to recreate MTV's 1980s heyday with the channel, showing a selection of music videos, live concerts and original programming.