Also -- boy do you look cold in that one photo. That was inside the theater?

Suzanne, nice to read about the latest concert happenings in the blog, the pics are very nice-as usual!! Glad to see all of you wear snickers (on stage) -limiting the chance of catching a cold from the floor... though Mark's outdoor 'shorts' in the snowy environment don't actually communicate that... Hoping there won't be any cold virus circulated after that among You...

I'm very sad to hear about the record sales are not going well in the States! Hoping sales elsewhere in the world will balance the bad statistics, and sales figures overall will be good! 

 I saw Cookie having fun and relaxing in a special wooden chair in one of the pics -maybe under the influence of some alcohol:)    I'm sure his driving style is good and safe, and non-alcoholic on the road! 

 Starting preparations for my afternoon classes,- and drinking my black tea, flavoured with fine Portorico rum- but just a little:)  I mean, much tea, little alcohol:)

best wishes, Zoli

Hi, 

I've just read Suzanne's last post and I'm puzzled about the "disappointing sales" of B&C...I don't know exactly the number of CDs sold in the US but how did it go worldwide...It seems to me that the numbers are not too bad...

I read in a magazine Suzanne's audience has changed (as she signed Blue Note) and now people who used to listen to jazz are turning towards her music... And the music industry has also changed (sometimes againts it will) now with the internet. Do they count the volume of the downloadable materials in the sales? "Frank & Ava" and "Ludlow Street" (the singles) were only available on downloadable format as far as I can remember.

To my opinion the sales aren't the main parameter of the success of an artist anymore because nowadays we have so many ways to buy ( I didn't say "to get") music ( By the way, do they take it the account the B&C sales on eBay or second hand music online shops?) 

Some bands like Radiohead also sell their music by themselves online. Madonna left Warner Music as she considers the incomes of her concerts are sufficient. Some people also say  the CDs are just now "promotional supports"...

For those reasons, disappointing sales may be relativized as Suzanne is known worldwide and she's still touring and some of her shows are even sold out...That means the success is still there. And 25 years in the music industry is more than a honorable career.

Sorry for beeing long, happy holidays to everybody on this board and thank you  Suzanne for a such eventful year! 

Hi Suzanne,

Sorry to hear about the disappointing sales of B&C in the US, which I'm sure has more to do with the dominance of the big companies when it comes to marketing and radio-play than anything else.  I'd hoped that appearing on Letterman might have helped, but perhaps people are happy to hear something poignant about 9/11 - Anniversary - but not so much that they want to actually buy it and be reminded again.  It's a shame they didn't record you playing something with more popular appeal, Ludlow Street perhaps, for another show.

Would have liked to have caught your show at the Cadogan Hall in October, both for the performance including the then-new Laila, and the venue, which looked interesting, but I couldn't make it. (Had to see a man about a kora.)  Anyhow, I was pleased to hear it went well.  Also, that Laila has recovered from her later woes.  Thanks for keeping up the blog by the way; it's been a good read, not forgetting the pics.

Looking forward to seeing you back in the UK and Europe sometime next summer, but first things first. 

Wishing You a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year with your shows in the Far-East and Oz.

Chris

HOW CAN WE HELP PROMOTE BEAUTY & CRIME?

These are some suggestions – would be great to hear others too:

1.       Continue to request songs from the album to local DJs (either via email, sms, phone) on all kinds of stations (mainstream pop or alternative, rock or easy listening, etc)

2.       Recommend and talk about the album to friends, relatives, office colleagues, strangers you happen to get into conversation with…

3.       Buy a bunch for Christmas presents this year.

4.       Include as a signature in your emails a link to the album with a line of recommendation like “Check out the latest album of Suzanne Vega – it’s fantatstic!)  followed by

 http://www.suzannevega.com/Images/components/callouts/LaunchPlayer.jpg

5.  Request songs from the album at local stores or party DJs -

Last weekend I finally made a trip to Hollywood Blvd and dropped by at the Virgin Mega Store. There were about 5 copies of B&C as well as a couple of Retrospective on display but they were separated – the latter at the bottom with Suzanne’s name label behind them and B&C on the top at the next row (due to lack of space) but without any name label. So I took the SV label and moved it up with the B&C so that it would be more obvious and eye-catching. Then before I left with a couple of Christmas bargains in the bag, I went up to their in house DJ and requested for something from B&C. He began to search for it, even went through his ipod but unfortunately he didn’t have it with him! He did say apologetically though - “I do have it in the other store.” Oh, well, hopefully that might encourage him to include the album there next time since he agreed with me that it’s “a great album”!

I also happened to attend a “Hollywood party” – well, it was a wrap party for one of our productions at Paulist which just ended and there was a DJ there who provided the music to set the mood. Again I went up to him and asked if he had by any chance anything from B&C. He said “no”! But at least he took it down and said he will check it out!

So, let’s try and do our little part in helping B&C be heard and bought. Please add your suggestions too.

 

---

If you want peace, work for justice.

Hi Suzanne.

Ultimately, You all made one well crafted album that "feels" like New York City. I share it with everyone that I know. You're a featured artist on my internet radio playlists (which we can share as links) and I find ways to bring you up on other sites to spark more interest.

Questions: How's Blue Note been treating you? How's things with Aimee's old buddy, Michael?

Enjoy every last drop of Holiday and know that we, if we may be so bold, love you very much.

Pax,

huntre  

---

"The future has a brilliant future in it."

well, joining everyone's voices at the conclusion of the US tour,

So, thank you Suzanne, *humble oriental bow*, for the tour you are doing, and for the joy you share with all of your fans everytime you are on stage and interact with us.

Your fan community is steady and always growing. That is something you earned and conquered with who you are and what you give with your talent. Furthermore, everyday you get new people who are introduced to your wonderful work.

The sales in the US, they can change drastically according to cycles. And your albums are famous for having an immortal lifespan, never forget that.

Good ideas Wendy, i'm totally with you. But if it has the same adherence as my fan videos idea... Well, we do what we do because we love Suzanne's music and the person she is, and we always want to hear her voice and lyrics more and more. Moreover, Paul is great as well, what a wonderful couple ^__^

Merry Christmas to everyone  i haven't said so yet

Paulo

PS: my best xmas present would be seeing Suzanne on the Daily Show; 2nd best present would be a Suzanne's cameo appearance in Terminator 4. May Santa decide if i deserve both or not  

---

- Are you serious?
- Yes, i am. I'm your guardian angel.
- Amazing!I've never believed in that.Am i dead?
- No. You're just hallucinating.

 

Well Suzanne, all I can say is thank you for making such a beautiful album which has been a special part of this year for me - and I am sure for others too.  Bad sales is not nice to hear about - - do so many people out there have such bad taste not to buy it ? - but keep on making music like that and you'll always get a warm reception and full house here on the Undertow!!  And very glad to hear you love singing the concerts so much, because we love them too!  Looking forward v much to another (or two) next year. And to repeat something else others have said, keep up the blog when you head off again in Jan - it's really cool!!

Happy christmas and a peaceful and joyful holiday season to you and everyone else.

  

Helen.

 

 

 

This has been a special "music-year" for me too: I discovered a new band (called Rosenstolz, very successful here in Germany, the name means something like "proud of the roses" in English) and, most important, rediscovered my love for Suzanne's music. And being at two concerts, meeting Suzanne afterwards, reading the blog really made the difference. 

It is sad to hear about the low sales figures. I guess in these days radio and tv stations are more interested in discovering new artists. They don't care about quality. If someone is around for a while, they loose interest. And many people only look out for single hits. Well, they miss a lot, that is sure.

Beauty & Crime is a very important CD for us towies and I still hope it will get the broad attention it deserves. 

paulo:

PS: my best xmas present would be seeing Suzanne on the Daily Show; 2nd best present would be a Suzanne's cameo appearance in Terminator 4. May Santa decide if i deserve both or not  

 
Unfortunately, Paulo, The Daily Show is on indefinite hiatus because of the Hollywood writers' strike. But I'd love to see Suzanne performing on that program. It's based in New York, and the host Jon Stewart was very affected by 9/11, so he and Suzanne could actually have an intelligent discussion about "Anniversary" and the direction of the country. (He's also the only TV host I could imagine asking about Suzanne's "and to her/enter her" pun.)

Or she could go onto the companion show, The Colbert Report, which is famous for giving its guests the "Colbert bump." When Mike Huckabee first went on the show, he was a virtual nobody in the presidential election; now he's threatening to become the Republican front-runner. Of course, Colbert's questions can be a bit wacky, but Suzanne could always throw water on him if he got out of line.

Either way, we have to wait for the strike to end. Maybe in time for her return from Asia and Australia?

Persevere dear Suzanne. "The times they are a-changin'" It's about us.

Love you. 

Hi Suzanne

 A very warm congratulations on finishing this leg of the tour.Well done to you Suzanne and the band and crew and everyone involved for the great concerts.

I'd like to echo the sentiments of the other towies here by saying a very special thank you for a really wonderful album this year with Beauty and Crime.  The album was well worth waiting for and continues the fine tradition of brilliant songwriting and music. These set of songs have really been inspiring and for me, have given me a sense of hope and optimism about the future.

It was exellent to hear the songs in a live setting this year both at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in July and Cadogan Hall in October both in London. It was wonderful to meet you this year and was an out of this world experience to do so after listening to your music  for so many years. I walked away from Cadogan Hall and was in a complete daze and got lost in London but that's another story. 

I really have looked forward to and enjoyed reading the tour blog and seeing the photos.
Looking forward to seeing how your tour of the Far East and Australia goes and wishing you every success and the very best.

Thanks to all the towies for making these forums very special and to you Suzanne for sharing your thoughts and insight into B & C through your interviews on radio, press, on these forums and  the excellent tour blog.

Suzanne and family, band and fellow towies have a great Christmas and a very happy new year. The best to all of you.

Love and Best Wishes

Davison

P.S. Hello Web Girls!!

Hi Suzanne (and everybody)!

I've finally caught up with old undertow messages. It's been quite a busy period for me, almost since September I'd say. So I couldn't take much part in the Tow. But I've read most of it by now.

Thank you so much, Suzanne, for the thoughts, pictures and even music that you share with us in your blog!!! It's really great and something to look forward to, week after week. Even going back and adding bits and pieces is a good idea, it gives us something to do while we wait for new entries!

It's great to hear you had a good time during this tour, even with the problems you told us about. I'm happy I could see you even if just once in Stockholm (unfortunately Milan was impossible for me, weekday and in a busy time at work...), and I really hope there'll be other chances in 2008. I bet the upcoming shows will be thrilling too!

Beauty & Crime was this year's big news for me, music-wise. Not only because it's your much-awaited new album, but also because it's something different, it seems to bring a  fresh new breeze, to promise a good change, with its fascinated (and fascinating), colourful look at life. And I've needed new colours so much this year!! Also, your albums always seem to come out with perfect timing, while something big or particular is happening in my life too...and B. & C. was no exception! So, thank you for keeping the time once again!

I don't really understand how the market and music sales go in the US. I barely understand how they go here in Italy. I hope numbers will not bother you too much anyway, and that words (good words!) and lots of happy smiling faces (at shows and here  ) will make up for that. I'll try and do my best too, to keep spreading news about your wonderful music and your magic live shows, in the meantime.

Finally, let me just wish a merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and your family and Mike and your great band and to everyone else in the Tow! Keep up with what you are and what you do, please, all of you!

Best wishes to the website team too! Great work, guys!

Miki 

Hi Suzanne,

   I'd like to join the Thank You chorus for the gift of your concerts this year, and an amazing new album, "Beauty and Crime."  Your words and music have added such joy and meaningful introspection to my life, and having had the opportunities to see you twice this year has been the icing.  The shows were terrific, meeting you was fab, B&C is outstanding, and this message board has truly been fun.  You have given so much and been so gracious to us fans -- Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Best wishes for the holidays and your upcoming Asian tour. 

Peace,  Ra 

---

If sand waves were sound waves
What song would be in the air now?

Hi  Suzanne,

 I have just read the latest on Your blog, with the very nice pic of Ruby decorating the Christmas tree.

It seems a Christmas candy is hanging from the ceiling there... How did You manage to put it up there?...    it may be some lamp too, of course,- i can't make it out properly.

I visited my mother's place at Christmas. When all the decorations had been put on, we realized  the tree needed some 'modification' at the bottom, that is, it seriously started to 'bend' into one direction. It didn't completely 'fit' the holding structure at the bottom...Finally , with some 'tools', (using a little 'saw' as well) we managed to fix the problem...It was not that easy, though. 

glad to hear the great news about Beauty & Crime being within top 10 of the WFUV best 2007!! And the Baltimore Sun's position 07 is also remarkable!!

Nice to see Your podcast too! and what a brilliant performance and arrangement by You and Ben of Winter Wonderland!! I guess You should include it on the tour as well, it could be a great addition!  Thanks for sharing it , I really enjoyed/enjoy listening to it!!

 Have a great New Year, a very successful and Happy 2008!

best wishes, Zoli