Arcade Fire’s manager has written a statement responding to industry conspiracy theories surrounding their Best Album Grammy.
Promoter and record exec Steve Stoute paid for a full-page ad in the NY Times criticising the Grammys and alluding to the fact that Arcade Fire were ready to play directly after their Album of The Year Grammy constituted some sort of conspiracy.
He wrote, in part “As the show was coming to a close and just prior to presenting the award for Album Of The Year, the band Arcade Fire performed ‘Month of May’ -- only to... surprise... win the category and, in a moment of sheer coincidence, happened to be prepared to perform ‘Ready to Start’.”
Now Arcade Fire manager Scott Rodger has responded in a letter (typed on his Blackberry) to industry analyst Bob Lefsetz.
Brooklyn Vegan has posted both letters, on their site here.
In Rodger's letter, he explains that they had the final slot on the broadcast, simply because “the ratings are low at the end of the broadcast.”
He writes, “We were one of the least known acts on the bill for a network audience. Don't you think I wanted a better slot for the band?”
He also noted that their performance of 'Ready To Start' was only to fill time during the credits and not broadcast internationally.
Rodger finally defended the band’s album and win, writing, “I'm proud of this band and what they have achieved. We didn't lobby any organisation for this nor did the band play the game. We paid our own overhead to do the event, thus the lack of on stage gimmicks. No label picked up the tab.”
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