Dear Alan,
How are things at CFNY Edge 102? You may recall I wrote you back in late March regarding the line up for Edgefest 2004. I wrote "Good Charlotte represents everything your station isn't. They have absolutely no edge. They wear black and make up and try to act "punk" when they're as popified as Matchbox 20. Their target audience is pre-teen girls who think they're cute and deep. I listen to a great deal of "modern rock", and I find the weak Good Charlotte sounds completely unlistenable.... I'm sure you stopped playing them because you realized your listeners don't like them and they are merely pop dressed in black. Promoting them as headliners for your Edgefest concert is just pathetic. You won't even play their music for heaven's sake." Amongst other things...
I appreciated your prompt reply. You wrote "Good Charlotte was part of the playlist until sometime last year and, believe it or not, they were insanely popular with a significant portion of our audience. We stopped playing them because the album had run its course and we moved on to other things. That being said, the band can still sell a ton of tickets--something that we need to do if we were going to make the thing profitable and thus worthwhile (again, it's FAR more complicated than just booking a bunch of cool bands. Trust me.) The drawing power of Good Charlotte is enough to help us pay for Something Corporate, Jet, Jersey, Billy Talent and the rest of the lineup...And if we manage to sell out the show this week (which is something we think we'll do), we'll have enough cash to maybe do something else this summer."
Alan, I couldn't help but notice you're heavily promoting Edgefest 2004 this week in a last ditch effort to sell the many remaining tickets. Lawn seats are suddenly available for $10.21. You certainly didn't sell out in a week as you hoped you would. In fact, you didn't sell out at all, did you?
I'm not trying to gloat here, but I saw this coming a mile away. Your listeners don't like Good Charlotte. In fact, the majority of them despise their weak-ass sound. You could not have selected a worse headlining act and I sincerely hope you take a bath on this one. With all due respect, you deserve it.
Your faithful listener,
Mike
