• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Death As Career Move?

brianrost

brianrost

Apr 26, 2000
18,698
28,570
Boston, Taxachusetts
Visit site
#1
It's often noted that Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan had more albums released after they died than while they were still alive. Well, it appears a list of the
13 highest paid dead celebrities of the year was revealed by Forbes on October 31st 2022. Musicians noted in red.

OK, so how the heck did Leonard Cohen earn more this year than two of the Beatles combined? Drummer Jeff Porcaro...how did that happen?

Anyway, I currently have no plans to off myself so my wife can be supported in style afterwards :laugh:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Outtaseezun, jj.833, Jim Kernan and 10 others
#4
brianrost said:
It's often noted that Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan had more albums released after they died than while they were still alive. Well, it appears a list of the
13 highest paid dead celebrities of the year was revealed by Forbes on October 31st 2022. Musicians noted in red.

OK, so how the heck did Leonard Cohen earn more this year than two of the Beatles combined? Drummer Jeff Porcaro...how did that happen?

Anyway, I currently have no plans to off myself so my wife can be supported in style afterwards :laugh:
Click to expand...
Lenny? Most likely one song. "Hallelujah", which took on a life of its own, or else more people are coming around to appreciate his work, possibly with that tune being the gateway. Interest in the Beatles goes in cycles; the "Let It Be" redux propped things up for them in '21, but that petered out after a few months. Now, here we are in late '22, and the expanded Revolver is released, just in time for Xmas(of course), so their stock should rise. Back in the day I think Buddy Holly did better after the plane crash, and then there was all that Nirvana product. On the other hand, Kate Bush's bank account will be bigger this year, and she's still around to enjoy it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Scarysharkface, Joebone, GregC and 4 others
#5
ShadowGroover said:
No real surprises on the list except maybe one.

Never thought of James Brown as being financially "rich" in his lifetime. Always thought of him as a super diligent journeyman that loved touring, performing, and making music.

One thing for sure now: his estate holder(s) are surely singing, "I feel good. . "
Click to expand...
Samples.
 
  • Like
Reactions: erratick, kobass, zubrycky and 6 others
#11
devnulljp said:
Do people get paid for samples now? I remember that was a thing
Click to expand...
Now? Always…it's still copyright/publishing.
I had the acquaintance of a guy named Harold Budd, a piano player in the Lenny Tristano mold who didn't persue a jazz path, but instead developed the concept of 'ambient' music…etherial, abstract, spacy tone poems(but not "new age", he hated that tag). Brian Eno picked up on that, and did a number of collaborative albums with him, giving Harold greater exposure, but this is still all on a niche/cult level. Eno, while producing U2's Joshua Tree album, used a sample of his work, and Harold made more money off of that than his own recordings. He went on to work with a number of people that make up a big chunk of my music collection, David Sylvian, XTC's Andy Partridge, Bill Nelson, Jah Wobble, John Foxx from Ultravox, the Cocteau Twins and others; not exactly household names, but quite a collection of work nonetheless. Still, it was U2 that paid the bills(my wife, a harpist, played on one of his last albums, Candylion). It just blows my mind that I got to know him(he actually lived, part time, in the town of Joshua Tree, just down the road). He was great to hang out with, and I miss him(he died due to Covid complications).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jim nolte, erratick, MonetBass and 19 others
#12
It has also worked well for Randy Rhoads and Dimebag Darrell. Dying before people can start complaining about you is usually a good move.

When Jaco died he wasn't working and was broke. I remember watching the 'instructional' video he released where he was saying "hire me!" His passing elevated him to a status he probably wouldn't have attained in life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tony Bassplayer, ColdEye, Maj7add9 and 2 others
#13
brianrost said:
It's often noted that Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan had more albums released after they died than while they were still alive. Well, it appears a list of the
13 highest paid dead celebrities of the year was revealed by Forbes on October 31st 2022. Musicians noted in red.

OK, so how the heck did Leonard Cohen earn more this year than two of the Beatles combined? Drummer Jeff Porcaro...how did that happen?

Anyway, I currently have no plans to off myself so my wife can be supported in style afterwards :laugh:
Click to expand...

Porcaro co-wrote a lot of Toto. He wrote for other singing artists/bands. He was also a cpmposer for several movie soundtrack songs and even songs used in video games. That's where the money is. Writing.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Scarysharkface and cornfarmer
#15
brianrost said:
OK, so how the heck did Leonard Cohen earn more this year than two of the Beatles combined?
Click to expand...
The Beatles cashed out when they sold their catalog in the 80s. Now the royalties from that IP go to the current owner. Macca has repurchased some of it, but Lennon and Harrison obviously have not and their estates aren't seeing residual from it either.

So whatever money their estates are still making is from use of likeness and IP they created other than the Beatles songs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarysharkface and ashtray
#17
"OK, so how the heck did Leonard Cohen earn more this year than two of the Beatles combined?"

"Hallelujah"

I wonder if the count includes royalties on sheet music, radio airplay, the recording sales and downloads?
 
#20
Michedelic said:
Samples.
Click to expand...

Michedelic said:
Now? Always…it's still copyright/publishing.
I had the acquaintance of a guy named Harold Budd, a piano player in the Lenny Tristano mold who didn't persue a jazz path, but instead developed the concept of 'ambient' music…etherial, abstract, spacy tone poems(but not "new age", he hated that tag). Brian Eno picked up on that, and did a number of collaborative albums with him, giving Harold greater exposure, but this is still all on a niche/cult level. Eno, while producing U2's Joshua Tree album, used a sample of his work, and Harold made more money off of that than his own recordings. He went on to work with a number of people that make up a big chunk of my music collection, David Sylvian, XTC's Andy Partridge, Bill Nelson, Jah Wobble, John Foxx from Ultravox, the Cocteau Twins and others; not exactly household names, but quite a collection of work nonetheless. Still, it was U2 that paid the bills(my wife, a harpist, played on one of his last albums, Candylion). It just blows my mind that I got to know him(he actually lived, part time, in the town of Joshua Tree, just down the road). He was great to hang out with, and I miss him(he died due to Covid complications).
Click to expand...

There's a name I hadn't heard in a while. Cocteau Twins were a big deal to people I knew back in those days....
 
  • Like
Reactions: jim nolte and dalkowski

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back