Santana pulls "guest artist" stunt for 3rd time (new album, Spring '05)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

For the record: 1999's "Supernatural" didn't necessarily sell a zillion copies and didn't get played to death because it was Santana's "greatest album in years"...no, Carlos re-joined forces with Columbia and Arista "capo de tutti capi" Clive Davis, who (in a very Karl Rove-like move) made a few phone calls and called in favor after favor to put the album on the map. A lot of behind-the-scenes wrangling went on before the album's release. After doing it for a second time (2002's "Shaman"), Santana has either "found a formula" or "gotten stuck in a rut"...depending on your viewpoint.

All I know is that "Lotus," "Moonflower" and "Welcome" didn't have "guest artists"...and didn't NEED them, either.



http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news/14319561

Santana To Release New Album In The Spring; Getting 'Icon' Award

01/25/2005 7:00 PM, LAUNCH
LAUNCH Radio Networks

It looks like the wait for a new Santana album is just about over. A post on the official santana.com website reads, "Since the spring of 2004, Santana has been in the studio working on a new album, due out in spring of 2005. The album has some amazing Santana Band songs and some tight collaborations with guest artists that you will surely hear on your favorite radio stations this summer." There's no word on who those guests might be, but on his last two albums--1999's Supernatural and 2002's Shaman--featured appearances by Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Lauryn Hill, Rob Thomas, Michelle Branch, Macy Gray, and Chad Kroeger, among many others.

Santana's got a few dates scheduled for April in Puerto Rico; Panama; Costa Rica; and El Salvador. There are also plans for North American shows, but those haven't been announced yet.

Carlos Santana will be honored as the BMI Icon at the 12th Annual BMI Latin Awards at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas on April 21. The award is given to a songwriter who's had a "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers," and Santana is the first person to be so honored at the Latin Awards. Previous BMI Icons have included Van Morrison, Chuck Berry, and Brian Wilson, among others.

At the awards presentation, the music performing rights organization BMI will recognize the people behind the most-played Latin songs on the radio and TV in the U.S. Gloria & Emilio Estefan and Shakira are among the previous honorees at the BMI Latin Awards.

[DS1]

1. He sucks

His "music" makes me want to break guitars :puke: :eyes:

[coloradodem2005]

4. He was awesome at least until the early 80's.

Then he started doing nothing but collaborations.

[flamingyouth]

11. Thank you

For putting my feelings into words exactly. :D

[coloradodem2005]

2. I like Santana.

Supernatural was a decent album, but enough is enough. It just seems like he is staying on the map because of who is on his albums and not because he is a great guitarist and musician. I think it became obvious after the second album and a third album will just be painfully so.

[Cocoa]

3. I love hearing Santana on the radio

whatever it takes it's probably worth it.

[redqueen]

5. I would

if it were Samba Para Ti or something like that... this stuff I can do without, though.

[Mike Daniels]

6. Well Rod Stewart is now on his third album of "standards"

so I guess Carlos should be able to beat his formula to death as well.

I have a feeling a good portion of people aren't buying it because it's Carlos but because of the guest stars on his recent albums.

Everyone should be entitled to a crutch but I'll save my spending dollars for musicians that trust their own talent is enough to sell an album.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

8. Stewart's last stab at true, non-gimmick rock credibility:

...released in June 1998, two days short of the one-year anniversary of Faces member Ronnie Lane's death.



It featured Primal Scream's "Rocks," Oasis's "Cigarettes and Alcohol," Graham Parker's "Hotel Chambermaid," and a remake of The Faces' "Ooh La La."

It wasn't his BEST work, but it also wasn;t a disco clown show or an easy listening disc.

:toast:

[Mike Daniels]

13. I don't know who's proven a bigger disappointment (Rod or the Stones)

Both had talent to burn but got lazy (Stewart in the late 70's and Stones after Tattoo You) and started cranking out uninspired product that betrayed their talent and showed contempt for the fans.

At least Rod has seemed at times to show a certain self-awareness to the point where he'd light a fire under his ass and generate something that would indicate he still had talent to draw from.

Meanwhile the Stones' idea of ambition seems to be to release a live album every two or three years.

If it wasn't for the strength of the back catalogue neither would be able to fill a small concert hall at this point given their material from the last 20 years.

[coloradodem2005]

9. Santana is definitely a good enough guitar player that he should...

...be able to trust his own talent. I liked "Supernatural" but "Shaman" I thought was a little much and this is way too much.

[Zuni]

7. The old band Santana was great

there first three albums were exceptional.
But carlos's solo work is lame, very lame

[yinkaafrica]

12. The first album is a breakthrough album. His other stuff pretty much bites

[elperromagico]

10. More like he's a guest on their songs.

A lot of those songs sound to me like the "guest artist" just handed Santana a finished track. Then Santana overdubbed guitar. There are exceptions, of course...

But man, he was so damned good in the 60s. This is sad.

[Mike Daniels]

14. That pretty much sums it up

The guest artists are the ones with the audience base, star power and name recognition.

If it was Santana with a talented but no-name vocalist doing the signing on these last few albums the records would have been in the used and discount bins within a few months after release.