16.03.2006 21:15 - An Unrivalled Opportunity
Are you a dead musician with a large back catalogue and a former drug problem?
Then you, my friend, are in the money, because Hollywood and the Music Industry want you.
It all started with good old Ray Charles. Now, Ray wasn't interested in a biopic being made when he was alive, for some reason, but the moment he croaked, his folks, greedy little dollar signs in their eyes, signed on the dotted line and the next thing you know, his living likeness is up on the silver screen, and the repackaged hit albums are walking out of the shops. Next thing you know, good Ol' Johnny Cash decides to get in on the act, and the man in black becomes the man in a wooden overcoat, actors are holding fist-fights to play him and again, the records are flying out of the shops.
Who's next? Well, good old Miles Davis is next. He's got all the credentials : classic platters, class A drug abuse, dodgy personal life. Presumably, they're working their way up to Jimi Hendrix, although it looks like Experience:Hendrix are holding out for a bit more money than Hollywood cares to dole out. But the message is there. New talent? Screw new talent. Dead talent doesn't argue, it has a ready-made back catalogue, and all you need is a biographical film with which to sell all those lovely re-mastered with minimal effort CDs and cash-in (pardon the pun) live concert DVDs.
Pete Doherty, it's just a matter of time.
