Hyundai Responses

Hey Pat,

Funny you say this. I work for Jeff Bridges and yes, he is the "voice of Hyundai" but just last week he turned in his 7 series BMW for a new Hyundai. Sure he got a deal but it drives great, has a kick ass stereo system and all the bells and whistles.

The Dude LOVES the car..

Jean Sievers

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Pat,

While of course I don't know about the music business except that I've learned to swing from vine to vine as best I can for the last 35+ years, I can say this: here at our camp, we have a 2006 Hyundai and an old simple tank Mercedes. Both cars are fantastic, the equal of each other. The Hyundai, of course, is far more fun, more bells and whistles...:) The Hyundai was a complete surprise to me when researched-I was very very broke (as opposed to now when I'm just very broke)-the price was amazing, the warranty also great and buying it was a great move. Interestingly, very under the radar, not a sexy car, just reliable, great, inexpensive to run (cheapest gas, as opposed to the old M, which takes 91), and liberating. The tank Mercedes came after in a family transaction, and it also was a great surprise, showing that in the old days, they too made great, reliable, solid cars, a product you could really trust to be excellent--but no fun stuff like the Hyundai has--all the cool features in the Hyundai, for about $200 a month.

Out here in the wilderness, musicians are indeed scraping out a living, actually attempting to deliver a quality product to our audience. I'm fortunate to find a small, demanding, but loyal audience now--and they buy cds. But you have to put your all into every show and every cd, or they'll just shake their heads at you sadly...you don't want to see that.
Happy hunting.

Wendy Waldman

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Pat,

Just finished a three week tour of the US. We had a KIA. Handled like a dream and talk about being economical. Definitely helped us make extra money on the tour!

Peace

Barry McCabe

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Pat -

We did 175 shows in about 40 cities in the midwest and south in 2007 in a Sonata. Three guys over 6'2'' with P.A. , drums, guitars, and luggage. Hell...we slept in the damn thing most of the time as well. When it was all said and done we put close to 110,000 miles on it and the only thing I ever had to do was change the tires and the oil.

I always felt kind of like a D-Bag rolling up to venues in a Hyundai when everyone else had vans and shit...but you really couldn't beat the damn thing.

Dave Huffman
guitar/vox
Jakob Freely

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I bought a new Hyundai Elantra in 2001 for a little over $13,000, just after they had brought in engineers to make good cars, but well before their name had any of the stigma removed. I got a great deal because Hyundai still had mud all over their name, and I wasn't taking any crap from the dealer. And actually, my sales guy was kind of awesome, and we went back to him when my wife needed a new car after coming here from Australia.

Since then, everyone in my family has bought a Hyundai - wife, brother, sister, mother, father, everyone. I'm still driving my Hyundai with 140,000 miles on it... It was less expensive than, but bigger and more reliable than the Civics and Jettas my friends had bought.

I felt like I was in on a big secret. It had a great warranty but I never needed it. The tech manuals were all available online for free, which encouraged me to get my hands dirty and do some of the smaller things (thermostat change, a few comfort upgrades) myself, or see exactly what work I was paying for before I went in. Hyundai corporate has a site where you can give direct feedback on upcoming models & features and get 'inside baseball' type stuff if you're a superfan.

And the community that built up around this otherwise nondescript looking, seemingly boring car I bought easily rivals that of the Nine Inch Nails communities I work with, not just in size, but in friendliness and socialability (is that a word?) - ElantraXD.com, ElantraClub.com, and more.

The Genesis Coupe apparently destroys the Ford Mustang.

If my Elantra ever gives out, I'll be replacing it with a Hyundai that perhaps better suits my income now that I'm nearly a decade older.

--Matt Dunphy

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nice post. very surprising.
i own a 2008 Veracruz. it is the raddest car EVER! i've owned a honda, toyota, subaru and porsche.

fuck perception.

hyundai is killing it!

Renata

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Pat, I just rented one two days ago and thought the same thing but until you mentioned it was I reluctant to toot their horn.

Arma Andon

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Pat -

You nailed it. After years of getting my requested RAV-4 from Hertz - I was handed the equivalent Kia model a few months back at the Indianapolis airport. Was initially bummed, and even a little embarrassed to drive away in such an unsexy thing. At least Toyota is Toyota I thought.

My reticence was however - gone in the proverbial 60 seconds. Wow. Amazing little car. I wanted to buy one that day. While I do enjoy my German driving machine at home, that one rental experience has totally recalibrated my thinking on this topic. You're right - consumer perceptions can be changed about any brand.

Deb Wilker

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I am a Honda guy.
I had a similar experience...

In April, we drove an "unwanted" rental Hyundai Sante Fe from Vancouver to Santa Monica, and back ( sorry, we should have called you!). We went with this rental company because they had cross border unlimited mileage ( others don't, read the fine print).

We put 5000 kilometers on that baby in 10 days, and not once did we wish it was a Honda!

Surprised me too.

Tom Bona
Toronto

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HELL YEAH! I've driven a Hyundai for 3 years. If it can handle New Jersey AND Los Angeles traffic, it can handle anything. Even drove it straight across the country. Hasn't needed ONE repair yet. They've been making a name for themselves and it's taken years, but now everyone is getting hip to it. ole!

Greg Garbowsky

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Hey Pat,

You should go drive one of the Genesis's for a hoot, they are a fun car! Take traction control off and do some donuts; throttle modulation is perfect, engine note is great, peeling rubber is like a switch....not sure how long the engines hold together the way I put a car through its paces but sure fun to play with for a while & hand the keys back.

And when you are done having a blast, back to reality and safety with traction control on and it forces you back in line of a "normal" driver.

They've sure come a long way since their "Stellar" beginnings....& I'd buy one of their backhoe's if I was in construction.

R.

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Hi Pat,

You gotta drive the 300 horsepower Genesis coupe....it's fantastic! Like you, I was just blown away with how much car you get for the money.

-ca

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I love my Hyundai!

For a BMW rival, check out the Hyundai Genesis sedan and coupe. You will be even more surprised! Unbelievable. Do the online coupe 'test drive' which was taped at a track.

Harry Reynolds

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Pat - My 2005 Acura TL came off lease in late 2008 - it was a great car and I was considering leasing a new one, notwithstanding that it is now much uglier. But, I decided to check out Hyundai first. I ended up leasing a pearl white Genesis - the lease payment is LOWER than the TL and there is no comparison. The Genesis has EVERYTHING - great stereo, nav system with huge screen, bluetooth, backup camera, heated and cooled seats, etc. and it is a real rear wheel drive luxury sedan - much more comfortable than the TL. I got the 6 cylinder and it is a rocket - I can't imagine what the optional 8 cylinder is like. But, I get 28 mpg highway.

So, two months ago my wife's 2006 BMW 530xi came off lease and, guess what? We leased another Genesis (black this time) - monthly payment is half of the BMW! Frankly, the Genesis is a better ride, faster (with the 6 cylinder) and the technology is MUCH better - the BMW was always in the shop for a "system reboot". They really never got the iDrive system down in Munich, I guess.

Alright, I now have to say I drive a Hyundai (even though you won't find that name on the car - only Genesis) instead of an Acura or Beemer. But, the cars are fantastic, have bumper-to-bumper coverage for years and I'm about $600 a month lower in total lease payments than I was a year ago. And, my iPod syncs beautifully with the system and sounds great through the mighty Lexicon stereo.

Cheers - Jock Clark

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Hey Pat -

I took your advice. I totalled my Chrysler and bought a Hyundai Azera. I love it. Thanks!

Larry Butler

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Pat,

I am really glad to hear that you enjoyed Hyundai - my dad works for Hyundai, responsible for Genesis/Genesis Coupe and YF sonata which will be introduced in North America next year - they really deserve the praise because they worked really hard on it and invested in billions. In these days people want value, and hopefully music industry will understand to lower the price yet bring up the overall quality - just like what Hyundai is doing. Sure people who can afford U2 will always go to U2 shows.....but what about the others?

Ky Choi

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I can relate. My wife and I got "stuck" with one in Hawaii and loved it. What blew us away was the trunk space (we're not light packers). Holy shit -- didn't have to throw any bags in the back seat or on top of our kid!

Niels Schroeter
Surfdog Records

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Hundai's rock. A solid car for the money. A great value. We took a test drive in a Sonata and bought it right there. The ONLY car we looked at! We were sold.

Bettine

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Pat:

My father has had a top of the line Lexus sedan for five years. My brother-in-law just got the Genesis. Now my father is seriously considering replacing his Lexus with the Genesis. It's a sweet, quality, high-end ride. And he swapped out the Hyundai logo for the Genesis one on the trunk. Over a three day visit there was at least one person a day stopping him in a parking lot asking if the car was a Bentley. People were mistaking his Hyundai for a BENTLEY. Yep Hyundai got it right with that one.

Reis Baron

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And check this out: http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org/. Very philanthropic company - they've given to our program for years. I guess when you're actually making money you can give more of it away!

I might have bought one but they didn't have the size I was looking for.

Best,

Jeremy Shatan
Special Events Director
Hope & Heroes Children's Cancer Fund

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Dear Pat,

About a year ago I was cut off of a highway in the Chicago area and almost hit a semi-truck in the result of a careless driver. I made a spit-second decision either to hit the semi dead in its side or turn my wheel as sharp as I could and hope for the best. I ended up flipping my car 5 times in the highway, going to the emergency room in an ambulance and being able to walk out of the hospital a few hours later. Did I mention I was in a Hyundai?

I honestly don't know how I could have managed sleeping in my own bed the same night after the horrific incidence that happened. My Hyundai was totaled but it kept me completely safe and alive. I am proud to say after not having a single complaint with my Hyundai I decided to purchase another one! The roadside assistance and warranty are amazing too not to mention great acoustics and stereo system...who would have thought?

Sincerely,
Leslie F.
One very happy Melfi reader and Hyundai Owner.

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I've been a Hyundai owner for 6 years now. I love my Sonata and will never buy another make than Hyundai. Plus America's Best Warranty ... 10 years. Great idea, too, with the comparison to the music industry's present situation.

R. Emmett McAuliffe Esq.

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Pat -

About a year ago, I was involved in a Hyundai Genesis test-drive program through Road & Track Magazine and Acme Branding, a Michigan marketing company. After a brief orientation and a videotaped interview, we let five participants use a new Genesis for a week. This went on for a total of ten weeks with five different participants a week. Most of them were car-types who had experience in other luxury car brands. Most, like you, were skeptical about driving a Hyundai - until they came back after riding around in the Genesis for a week. To a fault, all were duly impressed with the experience, and a couple or them said they would buy a Genesis the nest time they traded cars.

The video interviews were collected as an effort to supplement the wonderful ad campaign that Hyundai had launched with the Genesis, but I'm told that the dealers (as the economy became more of an issue) wanted advertising more along the lines of "no cash for 30 days," and the ad company was dropped. You don't hear too much about the Genesis these days, and I haven't seen many of them on the road around here, but the the car can easily go head-to-head with any luxury brand - for ten grand less.

Best,
Edgar Struble

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Hey Pat,

I'm glad your eyes have been opened. I was in Korea in 1979 and again in 1981. ALL the taxi drivers drove a car called the Hyundai Pony. That's a lot of cars, and those guys drive like maniacs. They drove the shit out of those cars, and I always wanted one, they were fantastic. This was before Hyundai was sold in America. And now Hyundai has great cars here too. I think the styling of these cars is awesome, better than any other car to my eyes.

It's too bad American cars suck so bad. Yes, they have statistics showing how reliable US cars are, and what great gas mileage, blah blah. But these statistics don't hold up. What does "best in class initial quality" mean? What class? At what point does "initial" expire? Three months? Nobody wants a car that's noisy, where interior plastic pieces start popping off after six months, and exterior pieces discolor and warp after a year. Americans COULD build the best cars in the world, but we don't for some reason.

Between Hyundai and Samsung, South Korea is really doing something lately. It's a great country.

Jack Huggins

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Pat

We rented a Hyundai last August while in Miami.
Didn't really want to, but like you this was all they had. Beside it was
about 95 outside with 100% humidity so what can you do...we took it. We needed the aircon.

Good lord were we surprised! Top quality, well built and damn spacious.

If it had the V6 in it instead of the standard 4-banger, I would have
bought it and driven the damn thing all the way back to Toronto!

And people wonder why the big 3 died...

It's all about quality and bang for your buck. Thinking of a Santa Fe to replace the Saab.

Rob Johnston

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Great note. I rent a car every week, and I ALWAYS ask for a Kia or Hyundai.

It really is something when you see how simple it can be to be
disruptive. Price is different than value, that's for sure.

Ethan Bauley

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Hello Pat, I bought an Accent in 2002, insisting that I wanted the one in the ad for $7999. It is the best built car ever. Last year they made the mistake of running an ad with an Accent for $8999, so i bought another one. Nobody will believe how great these cars are.

Paul Martin

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Pat,

I, too, recently rented a Hyundai (at OC's John Wayne Intl), drove all
around your Pico hood, visiting day-job clients, slack-jawed at how cool the car handled, and how 'solid' it felt. You're right about this:

I have a day-job so I can afford to have a band. My value-proposition is this: if you send me a mailing/postal address, I will send you a free promo CD. At shows, I announce: here's a stack of free cds, just sign our email list to take one. I took my cue from a piece you wrote about singer-songwriter who mailed music and personal notes to folks who wrote him from myspace. I gotta tell ya: the shit works.

Yeah, postage and materials get expensive, but the value in the interaction can't be beat. I've long abandoned myspace (just a billboard for my band these days, as those "friends" likely don't even exist or have moved on) for Facebook --far less anonymous and superior web analytics are provided. AND these folks interact, they write back, they comment on my blog, they send me money even though I don't ask for it, and send friends to the band's shows and websites.

I've mailed out over 800 CDs to folks all over the world. And even if I never make it out of my latin rock niche or even my city, the emails, the kind words, the support, and folks' opening up their lives to me in response to me doing so for them...all of it makes making and performing music all the more worthwhile, and teneble.

Giving Away Music in SF,
Investing in my Future,
Jorge

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Pat,

Word! Great analogy. I get visions of Jerry Seinfeld snapping in the air stating, "Anyone can just TAKE the reservation, but the reservation keeps the care HERE." But I digress.

The real gem for me in this story is the fact that I'm going to send this to my mother. We went car shopping at the beginning of the year for what her heart was set on, a Toyota Corolla. She had $10K to spend and I knew it would be a stretch getting something for that amount, but the economy is in a slump right? Maybe we can strike a deal.

Not so. These dealerships don't budge for anyone. What does he suggest? "We have a nice Elantra for $9K, but we can't put you in the Toyota for that amount." Huh. Not even a used one for $10K. I pushed the Toyota with my mom because I've become somewhat loyal. And she wanted a Honda, which I KNEW she couldn't afford.

He brought the Hyundai around. How cute and snappy! My mom was already set on not buying it before she drove it and made remarks such as "it looks like a rollerskate", "these cars are cheap and I never hear anyone talk about them". It goes on and on. We head out for the test drive and I'm suddenly wanting one for myself. I even ask to take a spin for myself. LOVED driving it!! I thought to myself, "A Hyundai Elantra, for $9K even! What a great deal!"

Reluctantly, my mother caved because she desperately needed the car. She complained tirelessly for MONTHS about how it looked and all the perceived "problems" with Hyundai. We thought about summer and how we're going to take her car (because the parking fees for residents are cheaper than non-residents...with the extra bonus that she's officially a "senior citizen" and we pay even less. I even tell her that I'll drive even when we take her car (because it's such fun to drive). She still complained.

Next thing I know, she shows up to pick me up for our first trip of the season to the beach. I notice she's got new sunglasses. I say, "Hey ma, nice shades! Did you lose your other ones?" She responded, "No...I thought they looked nice when I drive the car. See how they match?" So now she's having a love affair with the Elantra.

Nicole V.

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Pat, Hyundai has come a long way.

I worked for Mercedes-Benz selling cars until March of this year. Earlier this year, at the official GLK model training they actually spent 15 minutes to talk about Hyundai and how they're #1 at CSI (JD Power & Assoc. Customer Satisfaction Index) and how Mercedes was #9 (if I recall correctly). The Hyundai Genesis has Mercedes on its heels and worried that it's going to dip into their C-Class sales.
As nice as German cars are, they typically aren't problem free and can be quite expensive to fix (even VW's).

As far as GM goes; I think GM has delivered a sub-par product far too long and consumers are jaded. The Cash for Clunkers program sales results speak for themselves.

GM is a dinosaur and should be extinct.

Mark Reda

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Interesting and refreshing look at our egos. Our egos prevent us from doing a lot of fiscally responsible things...like buying a Hyundai, Honda or Kia.

I had a similar experience with a Kia a few years back. Apparently Hertz in Atlanta had secured a bunch of KIAs. Instead of getting the usual ugly full sized Ford or Chevy they gave me a KIA. I shuddered a little bit and drove off. It was a great car. Drove a bit like my Benz and had lots of options. Boy was I surprised. I was a bit embarassed by my elitism.

Rocky Del Balzo

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Hey Pat,

This year, my partner's Kia was totaled in a hail storm here in Austin. We bought a Hyundai Elantra and we could not be happier. While we were shopping, a Nissan sales manager tried to persuade us into changing our minds by saying "A Hyundai is not a Sentra". To which I replied "You're right. The Hyundai gets better ratings and has a much better warranty." He didn't like that very much. Truth hurts.

I always enjoy a quality product at a fair price. You're right. This is the era of value. I give away my tunes and also sell them for 69 cents/song. And by the way, I sell more music on my website and at itunes when I let people download my songs for free.

Not a shameless plug. I just felt the need to share, so I'll sign...

-Anonymous

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After reading your blog today, I am going to buy a new Sonata. These cars may be Korean, but they are made in the states for the most part. The South is the new Detroit. I live in Alabama now (left Nashville and the music Business). We have the Mercedes plant down the road. They make all the M,G and now C class here. Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan and BMW all have plants in the south east. The good ol' boy network in Detroit killed them selves. Between the unions and the greedy execs, they made a poor product that no-one wanted. They were so concentrated on their pay-checks that they lost touch with the consumer. Sound familiar?

Keep Preachin' Brother

Brian Henry

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My brother in law bought an Elantra about two years ago. He drives about 60 miles round trip to work everyday. The car has basically paid for itself already.

And my mother in law bought a Santa Fe last week. Beautiful car. Decent gas mileage for an SUV and $5k - $10k cheaper than the other SUV's in it's class. She actually sold her Lexus SUV for the Santa Fe.

Jeff Sackman

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As a frequent traveller I've had the "wow it's a Hyundai" experience myself. But here's what they did after the debacles around Eileen's car. They didn't try to convince anyone that the car didn't have problems. They went away, licked their wounds & came back with a better car, and a better car, and a better car. They listened & learned, then they put a 100K mile warranty because they knew that was the best way to rebuild customer confidence.

And they learned all this from the Japanese who 40 years earlier did the same thing. The running joke became the #1 selling car in the US. Hard work, a great product, an ear for critiscm and a belief in themselves.

But the labels aren't paying attention. They're got the same old car in a different color & they're trying to tell the public it's all new & everyone else is buying one so you should too.

I type this from my room at the Hard Rock Hotel which is not really hard rock or much of a hotel either!

Philip Barrett

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Pat,

With regard to the Hyundai - back in May, I was driving home from dinner on a trip to St. Martin with my friend and mother in our Hyundai Getz (compact) rent-a-car, when an SUV came up behind us, side swiped us and blocked our car with theirs. Three thugs jumped out and rushed the car and one opened my door which happened to be unlocked and tried to get in. My mother screamed and I threw the car into reverse and started driving with the door open to get around their car. I got back on the road and they caught up to us once again smashing into the back and the sides of the car, trying to disable the wheels, and at one point, hit us so hard that the car was pushed across to the other side of the road through bushes into a shallow ditch. The thugs came toward the car once again and I thought for sure the wheel was broken, but I had to try. The car miraculously was still able to go and I got back on the road. With the pedal to the floor and the wheel wobbling all the way, I skidded around the dark windy mountain roads until finally we came upon a good Samaritan sitting in his car who helped us, but not before the thugs caught up and smashed into us once more. The chase lasted about 20 minutes and I thought we were going to die at least three times that night, but I didn't give up, and neither did that little Hyundai. I will never judge the value of a Hyundai again.

With regard to the music industry, yes, time to rebuild. Music will always have value to fans, no matter how high or low the price, but shame on the Industry if it doesn't adjust to the current economic climate. Let me point out that Collective Soul's show at the Fillmore in NYC went for about $35 a ticket, and Lenny Kravitz's show at the same venue is going for $65 a ticket atthe same venue...does that mean that CS's music is less valuable because the tickets were cheaper? I think not. I'm a fan of both artists and I saw Collective Soul three times on this tour. I don't think I'll be seeing Lenny at all, just on principle. From my wallet - Collective Soul = +105, Lenny Kravitz = -65. Multiply that by every other music fan who thinks the way I do and it starts to add up...

Vanessa A. Ferrer

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My family including myself have been GM customers our whole lives. Once my third GM vehicle began falling apart after the warranty ended this past spring (paint peeling in the exact same spot on all four quarter panels, replaced a new head gasket at my expense at 3grand etc etc etc) I decided it was time to start looking for another GM vehicle. Why ANOTHER GM you ask...because GM was all I knew. I went back to the GM dealership I had bought my 2 previous vehicles from hoping they would cut me a better deal considering I had previously bought two brand new vehicles from them AND I figured they would cut me some slack because of the recent problems I was having with my vehicle (that I purchased from them) and I had expressed how UNHAPPY I was with my current GM vehicle. Long story short I figured they would give me a decent trade in on my vehicle so I could upgrade to a much more expensive vehicle (yup still willing to give them more money...much more, considering what I had my eye on). Other than the paint peeling on the quarter panels (which they could fix for next to nothing), and the fact I needed new breaks, my car appeared to be in mint condition. I have been meticulous in maintaining the exterior and keeping up with regular maintenance. They offered me a MAXIMUM of 1000 dollars for my car towards the 40 thousand dollar vehicle I wanted to buy from them. So basically they were saying the vehicle I spent 30 thousand dollars on 5 years ago at that dealership was worth NOTHING now and a was a piece of shit. At that very moment I WAS DONE with GM FOREVER!!!!

One week later I ended up buying the first vehicle I test drove (without test driving anything else)... a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD!!! Once i took it for a test drive my mind was made up in nano second (I was also a person that shit on Hyundai in the past). The price was right and they actually gave me 4000 dollars for my GM which was 3000 more than what the actual GM dealership was going to give me AND they gave me another immediate 4000 dollars off the sticker price without me even having to open my mouth. SOLD!!!! I have never been happier with a vehicle. Did I also mention 0% financing over 5 yrs and a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty?

As far as ticketmaster goes...there is ABSOLUTELY NO INCENTIVE in buying tix early for a show other than paying more money for the tix and getting shittier seats. I attended the SOLD OUT KISS show (I know Gene's your favourite) in Toronto last fri which was sold out the day tix went on sale. I checked on ticketmaster the day of the show and 4th row on the floor suddenly came available (which as you know typically happens as excellent tickets ALWAYS get released days leading up to the show). Instead of buying the tix on line and paying all of those wonderful "convenience" fees and service charges I went straight to the box office and purcahsed the same tickets...MINUS the 29.50 "convenience" fee PER TICKET. Yup I saved 60 dollars NOT using the "CONVENIENT" services of Ticketmaster.

P.S. Kiss is my favourite band but excellent job with putting Gene in his place at CMW. I have not heard a muttering about SIMMONS RECORDS since.

Mark Kniahnicki

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Hi Pat,

I am pretty new to your list, having been talked into joining by Christine Lavin after she played my venue in Portland, ME. (What a sweetheart!) I have been lurking in the background, reading and trying to pick up a few nuggets that might help my venue succeed in these tough times but have been reluctant to contribute...until now.

This last email meant a lot to me. I manage and book a small 200 seat venue in Maine. We have a great room, very intimate, great sound, with a friendly and comfortable environment. We have had our share of success and very slow times but one thing we have always stuck with is this - no additional fees for ticket purchases! If it says $20 on the website or the poster, it's $20 to get a ticket. No handling fee, no service charge, no BS venue fee.

Granted, we handle our own ticket sales through our website and by the phone and our costs are significantly lower than the big venues but the model is the same. Why do these charges exist? They are purely designed to rip a few extra bucks out of the consumer's wallet. They hope that when folks get far enough in the order process to see the actual cost, they will just suck it up and keep going.

If these fees are legit, then why not just include them in the ticket price, that is at least honest. Our customers really appreciate our policy and they let us know. They feel good about buying the ticket in the end because it's actually less than what they expected, because they expected some BS fee. We also do our best to keep the ticket prices as low as possible. Venues work on percentages, as we know, the higher I can make a ticket price, the more I can squeeze out of a show.

There have been times when I could have padded a ticket price for a sure sell-out show but we resisted. We want to present a fair price and provide a great night of entertainment. We are content with our profit, when there is one, and don't feel the compulsion to maximize it at the expense of our customers.

The industry has been pushing people for too long and it doesn't
have the legs to stand on anymore. People want honesty. They want to pay a fair price for a performance or a CD - get a good value. If you give them that, they will continue to support you. Well, at least I hope so.

I bought a Hyundai in 2001 - a little Accent. It was the first year they came out with a really good product. I am old enough to remember when they were the absolute worst car on the road but all of the consumer reports pointed me toward Hyundai. I took a chance and I am still driving my little Accent today. It is not fancy or flashy or particularly fast but, in 8+ years I have never had to make a repair on it that was not covered by the warranty other than routine maintenance. It still gets 35 MPG on the highway and drives like a little sports car.

I'd like to drive something new at this point but I have no reason to replace this car as it runs like a top and has been fully paid off for several years. Value. That word used to apply to every aspect of business in this country but has been sorely missed of late, particularly in this screwed up music business. So, leave it to the people. The people are smart. They want value and those that provide it will persevere. Well, at least I hope so.

From the front lines,

Tom Rota

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I am 56 years old. Until recently, I had been in the music business for my entire adult life - I have never had a full time job that was not music biz related. I have been to thousands of concerts - many that were free to me and many, many concerts that I paid for out of pocket. It is something I have always been a fanatic about and still love to do. I did not hesitate to buy tickets before I ever worked at a record label or later on when those much loved and sorely missed record company tickets were not available.

Unfortunately, the number of concerts that my wife and I go to has decreased significantly due to the egregious cost of tickets along with the ridiculous add-on fees. It is not that we cannot afford it but that we find it objectionable to go to a show that costs as much as airfare to Hawaii. So, we generally skip the big shows (mostly artists we love but have seen many times over the years) and pick and choose very carefully all the others.

As a caveat, I have to say that after all these years of shows we are spoiled and just a bit snobbish of where we sit. I don't want to be in the far corners of the orchestra nor in the upper realm of the balcony.

You recently wrote about tickets offered by Goldstar. Roger Daltry is a good example of a show we might have gone to see but chose not based on the prices. Then this morning I see the weekly email from Goldstar and suddenly those same said rear orchestra and rear balcony seats are available at half-price.

One has to wonder if this show had been properly priced to begin with would it have sold out without the indignity of having to sell the remaining seats at half-price.

pb

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yeh we've had bmw's for years - but only because robin's company pays for them, the gas and the maintenance.

they are a joy to drive - but good lord, yeh just the starting price. we just got the new 750li and it is quite an advance. nothing like it.

me, i just paid of my lexus sc 430 last year and will just drive it into the ground.

we are all tired of being fucked in the ass over everything - robin was bugging me not to shop at gelson's anymore - too expensive - well, guess what - yesterday went there - big sign out in the parking lot "see our new lower prices, hundreds of lower prices"

and at the greenday concert in San Diego - promoter's rep wandering around with a sandwich board sign on here saying KILLERS TICKETS FOR NEXT WEEK'S SHOW 20 BUCKS

It is a new era. The Great Gatsby time of our generation is fucking done.

Christmas sales are going to be horrific.

William Anderson

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Exactly. The music industry has a small window of opportunity to remain viable. I can pretty much download anything I want these days for free. But it takes time, and it can be frustrating dealing with dead links and trying to find a high quality copy. Of course, it still takes less time than it would take me to drive to 4 different stores trying to find the $18 disc. If the industry can make available high quality downloads at reasonable prices ($10 a record is not reasonable), I'm in. They can have my money. But technology is going to continue to improve to the point where I'm not going to have to deal with those dead links and poor burns anymore. If the industry waits too long, it will be too late.

James Filiault

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Hey Pat,

I'm from Mallorca, Spain, quite far to you guys but, on this particular article, i've felt quite identified... I am a big Muse fan, and when the new cd came out, i went and bought it... i am an Spotify user as well, and the whole album is there for you to listen, for free. Still i wanted to "own" the physical cd, part because of my supportiveness of the band, part because i wanted to see the artwork, the touch/feel experience of the music... it turns out that there are many different editions, being the least expensive 21 euros, that is, almost 30 bucks for a cheap piece of cardboard and plastic. Still i bought it, but, then is when i totally identified with your bottom line on this article, where was the value in this? Just because i am a fan, do i have to get ripped off, specially when it is to get something that's out there for free???

Cease to fool the fans and try to find a reasonable price where all parts win, and you might sell your cds, at least to those who still have an aim to own the actual format, not the music only.

regards,

Javier Ruiz

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Hi Pat,

South Korea is a great example of how Value works, but certainly not the only great Asian example. My Korean girlfriend, who had to move back home, introduced Me to a world of Value. All of it is predicated on various price points for similar goods, some knock offs, some high standard originals.

We're not hearing about the battles the Major Labels are having in Asia, as they've all but given up fighting P2P. The real sound recordings, as released by Majors, are pirated and sold within hours of street dates. Concert prices, however, have maintained their integrity.......surprisingly. Cheap sound recordings, but expensive Live shows.............and everyone lives with it.

As for the Cars.................they are principally valued by the exchange rate. As long as the value of the producing countries currency is kept low, they can pay their workers less, and sell competitively. Look for extremely aggressive trade tariffs, and massive problems with importing things We've come to Love.

We in North America have simply let our currency develop too much artificially created Value. Think of the U.S. dollar, valued at half of its current level, and then see where We would be shopping.

Randy Geider

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As long as you know the Korean mantra of merchandise/business is to take whole systems already in place, (Toyota, Mercedes SONY) and copy (rip off) them completely into a car that is made up of 6 different exact models from other sources. They "sample" good stuff and create a car that has no originality whatsoever, but that creates value , as you say..the result is fine(Jonas Brothers ...not Everley Brothers or Bee Gees).

Marty Simon

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Brilliant! Unfortunately the music industry still seems to subscribe to what that guy in the Nixon White House used to say (I think it was Charles Colson) "If you've got 'em by the balls, the hearts and minds will follow." Except they (the music industry) can no longer find the balls...

Brian Illes
Mechanicsville VA