Wht has ROTT sold more than 200,000 copies less than Quarry?

Spineless Swine

Spineless Swine

Are you loathsome tonight
I dont get why the difference is so vast? Sure I'd expect it to be a bit less but by this many???

someone please explain, surely its not just the 'first of the gang' effect?
 
i really think ROTT is a superior album to Quarry - and i rate them both

but i think ROTT has fared worse in sales because Quarry was released on a wave of "comeback" publicity - first album since 97, first concert in Manchester for 10 years etc etc

eventually, ROTT will catch up i am sure - as it will be recognised as one of THE albums of 2006 that you have to own
 
Sales have nothing to do with quality. To the radio stations it's all about the "plot". Unless you are a major artist they won't play a record unless the record company can show there is a story behind it.

In 2004 Morrissey had a great comeback story. In 2006 it was just Morrissey.
 
In other words you're saying if ROTT was released in 2004 it would have sold the same amount as quarry...

I think that there is some truth in that but I also think you can't underestimate the First of the gang effect... It had widespread radio play and was played at all the indie clubs (in manchester anyway) whereas the ROTT singles were simply not poppy enough to get the same airplay. In fact i reckon 'first of the gang' still gets more radio play today than any of the 2006 releases.
 
I think First of the Gang got a lot of airplay because of the "plot". I don't think it would have got the same airplay if it had been on ROTT two years later. The reason it still gets attention is because it made an impact at the time. Similar to the Smiths records that get the most attention. It tends to be an accident which songs an artist is best known for. Radio stations are lazy, they just play the same records over again.
 
Spineless Swine said:
In other words you're saying if ROTT was released in 2004 it would have sold the same amount as quarry...

I think that there is some truth in that but I also think you can't underestimate the First of the gang effect... It had widespread radio play and was played at all the indie clubs (in manchester anyway) whereas the ROTT singles were simply not poppy enough to get the same airplay. In fact i reckon 'first of the gang' still gets more radio play today than any of the 2006 releases.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you're quite right as I explain in some length (!) on the following thread.
http://forums.morrissey-solo.com/showthread.php?t=65896

Quarry would have petered out too after about 150,000 sales had it not been for First of the Gang. ROTT's fortunes can only be revived by a BRIT award (pretty unlikely unless new Moz mate/BRITS presenter Russel Brand has any influence) or a song appears on the soundtrack to a popular film (even more unlikely).

Ironically, all Moz (or any band for that matter) needs to sell loads of albums is two (or preferably three) brilliant, upbeat, catchy, zingy singles like First of the Gang. ROTT, despite being a pretty good album, had none. The question is, can Morrissey and his band write any more songs of this calibre?
 
Last edited:
Will Whyte/Boorer/Tobias write anymore 'zingy' singles? The answer is probably not, the only two songs I can think of that fit into that bracket over the last 14 yrs are 'First of the gang' and 'the more you ignore', (and possibly alma matters).

I suppose the real question though is does sales figures really matter? the answer to that is also probably not, i'd much prefer Morrissey to make an album high in artistic merit rather than one that makes concessions to the singles market.
 
guns sell records
1.jpg

not violins
 
Visconti's production style worked for Bowie and Bolan but it dosen't mean it works on all that Moz does, plus can't say I'm a fan of Jesse's Michael Farrell's work. Still better then YATQ's production though.
 
Spineless Swine said:
Will Whyte/Boorer/Tobias write anymore 'zingy' singles? The answer is probably not, the only two songs I can think of that fit into that bracket over the last 14 yrs are 'First of the gang' and 'the more you ignore', (and possibly alma matters).

I suppose the real question though is does sales figures really matter? the answer to that is also probably not, i'd much prefer Morrissey to make an album high in artistic merit rather than one that makes concessions to the singles market.
Click to expand...

It's an ancient debate but, to put it simply, when Moz stops selling records, record companies start to lose interest as happened in 97.
After Quarry's success, Sanctuary (and probably others in the record industry) might have thought that Moz had enetered a new era of platinum selling records in the UK (or million-selling worldwide). As ROTT has sold much less than Quarry, any record deal for the next album is going to take that into account. Artistic merit is all well and good but not when it means 7 years without a record deal!
 
Its true. Morrissey has plenty of artistic integrity...he is not going to release an Xmas album for example. BUT...BUT...BUT he gets the game. He gets that he needs to sell albums. He wants to sell albums...he wants to tour. I am sure he is at the stage now where he does not take any of it for granted. But he is also smart...he releases selling good records (Vauxhall/ Arsenal) provide the artistic integrity AND the $$ to buy homes in Hollywood that Gable had built.
 
Didn't Sanctuary have financial problems? Maybe distribution for this album hs been poorer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Lost
Kristeen Young, More Bjork than Bush.
Replies
7
Views
1K
duchess_of_fork
duchess_of_fork
A
Any Song on ROTT Is Better Than Any Song on Quarry
Replies
0
Views
470
Andy-Mats
A
Houdini
TYWTML sold 9798 copies
Replies
8
Views
1K
Tbevie
Tbevie
C
Yayyy! I've, thus far, forborne hearing ROTT in its entirety... less than 24 hours to go.
Replies
1
Views
681
Math Tinder
M
H
ROTT sells 62,709 copies
Replies
2
Views
605
The Dullard
T
Back
Top Bottom