Bill "Wolfgang" (as you refer to him) would most certainly not want any of this to be done in the way it has been done on this website.
These recordings were the personal, private collection of Bill Graham's own concerts that he would have NEVER shared with the public in any way without the FULL blessing of the artists involved.
The artists that Bill Graham worked with (regardless of whether or not they particularly liked him) all respected him. One of the reasons they respected him (and often knowingly allowed him to record their shows) was due to the fact that he was a man of his word. Sure, he could be aggressive and drive a hard deal - but he was not in the practice of routinely f**king over the artists he worked with.
If this was indeed not true, then ask yourself: how could Bill Graham have maintained the close relationships that he held with so many artists for so many years? Why would any of them ever play for him again? Why would so many speak of him with such high regard, even now - some 17 years after his passing? I challenge you to name another concert promoter that has been so beloved, so honored, and so respected by so many artists for more than four decades.
Bill Graham was, and always will be peerless. No disrespect to others in the industry (and there are some great figures) - but there will never be another person quite like Bill Graham. What he overcame, built, and accomplished throughout his career (and lifetime) is absolutely incredible and can never be repeated.
Does the widespread sharing of these recordings make a lot of fans happy?
Yes, of course. I won't even attempt to deny that.
But to focus on this alone misses the point.
The artists who are featured in these recordings - their music is their livelihood.
Do not forget this.
To say that a great deal of the artists featured on this website abhor its very existence would
be a vast understatement. Not all of them do, but a great deal of them do.
A great number of them have had their art exploited without their permission because this website decided to make a business partially founded on creating the illusion of, in some way that is not entirely clear, being sanctioned by Graham and his family. From what I hear, nothing could be further from the truth.
The integrity with which Bill Graham carried himself and with which he treated the artists is not even remotely paralleled by this website, with respect to the personal relationships it maintains (or doesn't, as it were).
As a friend of mine told me, it is exploitation without honor, style without substance.
These recordings are being used for purposes never intended.
It's like reading someone's private diary or journal to the world, without ever having been granted permission by them, or by any to which they rightfully conveyed that authority to.
Is this legal?
Perhaps, but I would venture to say more like questionable, at best.
I'm not an attorney or judge, nor do I have a material stake in any of this.
Litigation is still ongoing, so the jury is still out on that one.
Is this honorable?
Make no mistake: absolutely not.
Many of you probably don't care one bit about this, and may regard my diatribe as mere ranting.
Perhaps you just dig all the free tunes in Concert Vault that you can't find anywhere else. - I get it.
Or perhaps you just focus on the law, and feel that if no law was perceivably broken (as far as you know), then nothing else really matters. You too, are entitled to your opinion.
I can't expect everyone to know what I know about Bill Graham (or care).
But for those of you who do (and I know your numbers are many), know this:
Wolfgang's Vault and Concert Vault are shameless exploiters of the legacy of a great man whom
was never personally known to them. What WV has in its possession carries a responsibility - and it is a responsibility that they could care less about - UNLESS it serves the tandem purpose of driving revenue into their coffers. WV is first and foremost a business - not a museum, nor a charity, nor an educational institution.
Yes it may inform and educate some, and may contribute to charity here and there (hey, it's a tax and PR incentive). I don't fail to recognize this. However, I strongly caution all of those who read this to bear in mind that ALL of this is merely a by-product of their very ambitious and aggressive 'by any means necessary' business plan.
WV has made a very crafty PR effort to persuade the public otherwise, and is flanked by some
of the best legal defense money can buy.
Despite this, a significant population of the artist community that is featured on this website has deep resentment towards it. Some have sought resolution legally - I'm sure many of you know about the lawsuits.
The fact is that WV has extremely deep pockets, and is apparently willing to go pound-for-pound, dollar-for-dollar via its legal team to fight back.
These recordings were not "discovered" in a "vault".
The lineage of these recordings is far more complex than most people realize (and WV wants to keep it that way). The more they can spin the facts and romanticize their role, the more they can influence the perception of the fans who flock to their site and spend their money there.
All the money in the world can't change the truth.
Returning to the original point - that is, what Bill Graham would have wanted, I will conclude by saying that
no amount of money in the world would ever have tempted him to do that which is being done by this site.
If this post is deleted, I will not be surprised.
If it remains, I hope it inspires a great deal of discourse.
Cheers,
A Friend of Bill Graham
