Features
@IrvingAzoff
The Live Nation chairman had a Twitter account that he set up right after signing Josh Groban as a management client, but he didn’t use it. Then, June 27, there was a faint tweet from the chairman: “Emails.” But, much like the faint beep of Sputnik, it was a historic event, ushering in a new era of the Interweb.
Azoff’s tender first step was followed by a stomp Aug. 3. “So if you want ticket prices to go down stop stealing music.”
That 6:53 p.m. post was the harbinger to Aug. 4, one of the most entertaining days the concert industry has ever seen.
Glenn Peoples of Billboard took exception to the Aug. 3 dinnertime tweet. That led to Azoff calling Peoples a “jerk,” which led to Peoples’ boss, Bill Werde, defending his reporter on Twitter.
But Twitter is an aphrodisiac and Azoff was learning quickly.
“What I love about Twitter is that so called journalists no longer get the last word.”
Target: Ethan Smith of the Wall Street Journal. Mission: To note his status in the world.
“Fact of the day: Esteemed journalist Ethan Smith from WSJ is ranked 1,348,614 on Twitter Grader.”
To use a word that all esteemed journalists know too well, Ethan just got p’wned.
Smith was the first to announce the Live Nation / Ticketmaster merger and the reporter behind the “Project Showtime” exposé that chronicled Azoff’s flirtation with the secondary ticketing companies. He was called “clueless.”
AEG Live President Randy Phillips got served, with Azoff noting an old controversy involving Phillips former management client Rod Stewart and the allegation of scalping his client’s tickets.
Rich Greenfield of BTIG Media, however, is cool. And Azoff is following, among others, Casey Wasserman, Bob Lefsetz, Josh Groban, Calif. Attorney General Jerry Brown and Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian? This is not as strange as it may seem. Azoff, through a connection via Radio & Records, is old friends with Kardashian’s late father Robert. Kim’s wedding was held on Azoff’s estate.
Everyone started writing about Azoff’s Twitter ascension – from the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and New York magazine to Best Week Ever and Crapatmyparentshouse.com. Meanwhile, fake Twitter accounts for Azoff, Don Henley and Lefsetz had a field day.
But there is always something to be said for brevity. Hypebot’s full commentary was simply the following:
“12 tweets in, he’s already more entertaining than many Live Nation amphitheater shows this summer.”
Click here for Irving Azoff’s Twitter page.