Take A Load Off

[kshamrock20]

Is anybody hearing this song? It is officially released as of yesterday correct? I read that Disturbed's new single was set to release on the same day and I have heard it in the Detroit area a few times but haven't heard TALO yet. This is dissapointing, I don't understand why STP is always an underdog. I haven't heard one peep about TALO in this market.

[loungefly611]

I checked Q101's song list for the last day and a half, and no sign of TALO. The Disturbed single has played quite a bit, but it's a Chicago station, so that was expected to be played heavily. They played other STP tracks like D&B, Dancing Days, Tumble, Vasoline, INS, etc. For some reason, it took them a week after it was released to get Between the Lines into rotation, so I'll check back next week.
 
 

[kshamrock20]

I am surprised there has been so little discussion in this thread. I am a bit disappointed that TALO hasn't impacted at all on radio airwaves in it's first week. I am actually beginning to wonder if this wasn't delayed and will be released in the future. It seems odd that it isn't getting any play anywhere. The band is coming off a number one single; why wouldn't stations be willing to play their new single? Is anybody else curious as to whether this has actually been released? If it has it has then it has been a weak first week. They aren't even playing it live.

[kravdog]

I am surprised there has been so little discussion in this thread. I am a bit disappointed that TALO hasn't impacted at all on radio airwaves in it's first week. I am actually beginning to wonder if this wasn't delayed and will be released in the future. It seems odd that it isn't getting any play anywhere. The band is coming off a number one single; why wouldn't stations be willing to play their new single? Is anybody else curious as to whether this has actually been released? If it has it has then it has been a weak first week. They aren't even playing it live.

I am thinking the same thing... I mean TALO is a good song, one would think stations would be playing it....then again,maybe  Atlantic has decided to stop promoting based upon the very low sales?

[kshamrock20]

If indeed Atlantic has already pulled the plug on promotion, that would be fucking horrible. I do wonder though if they are shocked at the low sales and have lost money from all of the promoting that they have done. If the push to promote this record is all over and we have yet another Shangri on our hands then that is a damn shame. TALO hasn't been played once anywhere in Michigan while the Disturbed single is all over the place.

[lovemachine97]

There is not another surefire single on this record like BTL.  The construction of the song often has as much, if not more to do with a choice as the quality does.

The reason TALO was picked is the same reason that DOTW and BTL were...the chorus hits very quickly.  Singles are chosen more by formula today than anything else.

It only takes :34 seconds to get to the chorus in DOTW.  By contrast, it takes 1:10 to get to the chorus in Coma, the song many of us thought would work better as the first single.

It takes BTL only :18 seconds to get to the chorus.  TALO takes :22 to get to the chorus.  By contrast, the song that I think is a much better rock song, Hazy Days, takes :54 seconds to get to the chorus.

Remember Alan Cross' review of BTL?  His first comment was that "the hook comes in at 19 seconds.  19 seconds and you're into the song." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amVhd0ORSqE)

I'm thinking that maybe it is more cost effective to, across the board, choose a single based on formula than to methodically think about each and every release.

Sadly, that's what seems to matter now.

As far as Atlantic, they probably lost their asses on the record.  Wouldn't surprise me if they cut their losses to focus on another record.  It's a few records a year that pay for everything.

[StoneTempleBrett]

I really wish the new record had been released on Virgin/EMI.  They have done a fantastic job promoting Alice In Chains' new album, first by releasing "A Looking In View" 3 and a half months before the release to create some hype for the album, then Check My Brain, and then Your Decision became a massive hit they've been getting it out everywhere.  Hopefully STP are able to get out of their contract and either jump to Virgin/EMI or release their next album independently like Pearl Jam.

I love Take A Load Off but Fast As I Can has the most radio potential on the album, it would be a hit if promoted properly.  The second single also should have been released the week the album was released.

[wayne gretzky]

AIC also sold twice as much as STP did in there first week.  You guys are throwing around to many excuses, TALO may/may not do anything on radio it was just released, give 'er a bit more time before abandoning ship.

[lovemachine97]

There was just much more interest in Alice in Chains with a new singer, either with fans that new the singer from AIC live or CWTF, or just mere curiosity.

Either way, AIC's record was promoted better, but I also think they had more to work with.  ALIV was basically an internet single to show fans that they sounded modern, but still maintained their "sound" without replacing Layne.  Check My Brain was the first radio single.  It was about on par with BTL for quality as well as hit potential.

But the hunger for new AIC, which grew in me when I heard ALIV (one of their best songs, really), was built up better.  Then again, what song would STP have done that with?  MAYBE Huckleberry Crumble, but that's all I can think of.

AIC has lucked out with Your Decision.  I think the song is boring; it's nothing like previous acoustic songs they have released. 

I love Take A Load Off but Fast As I Can has the most radio potential on the album, it would be a hit if promoted properly.  The second single also should have been released the week the album was released.

FAIC has the same problem that Hazy Daze does.  It takes 45-50 seconds til the chorus, or hook, comes in.

[kshamrock20]

At this point I am simply wondering if the single has even been released. It seems unlikely that it would be completely ignored after the success of Between The Lines. Is there anyway to see if this single has been pushed back? If it was released a week ago, it is disconcerting to see that it has received zero attention. I think if this song has been shunned this band is in trouble.
 
There is no way Atlantic will want another STP release under their label, and if so, they won't be spending any money promoting it. The boys will see that there albums aren't selling any longer and think that there is no demand for any new STP material. Consequently, they could tour for the next 5 or 6 years intermittently without plans to record anything new( Why should they? The money is made on tour and nobody is buying their new stuff). As a fan, that would be terrible. I enjoy seeing this band live but its the hits and the albums that I can hear everyday which keep me coming back. I hope the song catches on as i do believe this is a very important single for the band and its longevity.I hope Atlantic doesn't decide to jump ship, if they haven't already.

[stp080808]

Not sure why so many people are freaking out about not hearing TALO much on the radio yet.  The press release said later this month, no dates were given.  I know FMQB has it listed as already out, but its been less than a week since the supposed release dates of June 14-15.  Honestly, where I live (PA), the two stations I listen to didn't play Between the Lines all that much either.  You were more likely to hear old STP than BTL.

[stp080808]

Just e-mailed the alt station in Philly and the rock station in NY and asked them if they will be playing TALO soon.  Will post if I hear anything back...

[DeadAndNotForSale]

Yeah, not getting played in Austin, Texas or central Arkansas.

[wickedgarden23]

I think people are thinking way too much about all of this. Discussing how long it takes for a song's chorus to kick in?? Seriously?! Whatever...I think it would be awesome if STP had a huge comeback and the new album went gold and all that, but it really doesn't matter to me. As long as the band continues to tour, performs well with a solid fanbase, and (hopefully) puts out more albums, I'll be happy. The mainstream success is just an added "bonus" that really isn't that important to me. People seem to think that just because the new album hasn't sold well, that STP is in hot water. I really don't think the guys are THAT driven by money that they'll just abandon everything they've worked towards in the past 2 years. Besides, they KNOW that any other project they get involved in more than likely won't be as commercially successful as whatever they do with STP.

Take A Load Off is a great song. Classic STP in my opinion. If the masses don't think so, then fuck them. They can continue listening to Theory Of A Deadman and all the other shit out there. It doesn't effect me whatsoever. I'm going to continue to blast Take A Load Off driving around in my car, as well as all of STP's music because I love this band and wish them all the success in the world, but if they don't get it, oh well. I will continue to be a fan and that's what REALLY matters.

[nat]

There is no way Atlantic will want another STP release under their label, and if so, they won't be spending any money promoting it. The boys will see that there albums aren't selling any longer and think that there is no demand for any new STP material. Consequently, they could tour for the next 5 or 6 years intermittently without plans to record anything new( Why should they? The money is made on tour and nobody is buying their new stuff). As a fan, that would be terrible. I enjoy seeing this band live but its the hits and the albums that I can hear everyday which keep me coming back.

You make great points here, and it's something that is all too common in the music "industry," such as it exists in this day and age.

I'll make a comparison to one of my favorite bands: Blue Oyster Cult. This band pioneered heavy metal music in the 70s alongside Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. For almost 20 years they were on a studio-album-every-other-year schedule, and to date they have 15 studio albums under their belt, with millions of albums sold worldwide. Ironically, some of the songs they are best known for are their poppier non-metal tunes (Don't Fear The Reaper, Burnin' for You), surely a minority in their greater catalog. They are and always were a metal band at heart, but the casual fan comes to their shows to hear the hits (the aforementioned along with Godzilla, Cities on Flame With Rock 'n Roll, etc). In the past decade or so, the music industry has changed drastically. BOC released their last, and probably final, studio album in 2001 after which they were subsequently dropped from their label after almost 30 years. Was this because the music wasn't any good? Not at all-- the album had some of the best songs of their career on it. This didn't end their career, however, and they still tour to this day (with the same core members, no less). They probably won't ever record another album, because rock albums just don't sell like they did in the 70s, 80s, and even 90s. I know it's been said before on here, but I'll say it again-- it's all about the downloads. We live in an instant gratification-oriented society in 2010, and nobody wants to pay for music they can just download for free. Especially when there might only be one or three songs they are interested on any given album, why pay for the whole thing? This is not my mentality, by the way-- I am strong proponent for supporting the artists you respect and paying for their output, but this is the attitude held by society as whole. I say all that to say this: I see Stone Temple Pilots going down a similar path. People come to the shows to see the hits, and the sad fact is the majority of people that are even interested in their new music probably aren't buying the album, and as such the only incentive for artists to continue to produce new music is self-gratification. Touring is a far more lucrative way to make a living in today's digital age. You can't illegally download a concert ticket.