This Kesha vs. Dr. Luke vs. Sony Business
Look, before we get too involved here, I’ll just tell you right now that I have little to nothing of value to lend to this conversation, especially after who knows how many dozens of droning think pieces have been written about the issue already.
On the surface, it would appear to be something right in the wheelhouse of Saving Country Music, even though Kesha is not a country artist. I started Saving Country Music first and foremost to be an artist advocate and industry watchdog for musical performers who were having their music or their careers held hostage by overbearing labels. I’d also like to think that Saving Country Music has tried to at least lend to the effort of making sure females are treated fairly in an industry where women are systematically subordinated, if not abused.
This issue with Kesha accusing her producer Dr. Luke of drugging and raping her, and Sony refusing to let her out of her contract seems to be custom made for a site like Saving Country Music. I have a history of taking up the cause of artists who traditionally don’t make music that appeals to my readership, but on principle, should still have the freedom to do what they wish with their artistic expressions. And for a country writer, I actually have a fairly deep knowledge of Kesha’s back story, especially vis a vis her mother, who used to be a country music songwriter, and is very much a player in this matter.
In 2012, I wrote an article called “Ke$ha Will Be A Force in Country Music,” and delved deep into the back story of Kesha and her mom, including how Kesha had been quoted saying, “I’m really inspired by country musicmy mom wrote country musicand I love Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash. I think at some point there might be some country collaborations or records in the future,” and “I think people should know the classics Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, also Townes Van Zandt, I’m a huge fan of him.”
I highlighted how Kesha’s mom Phebe Sebert wrote the song ” Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle To You),” which became a hit for Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash, and how she moved from LA to Nashville in 1991 after signing a songwriting contract when Kesha was still very young. Kesha grew up in a songwriting environment. She was a music nerd growing up, and a nerd in general, scoring near perfect on her SAT’s before dropping out of high school to pursue music in Los Angeles.
Then of course Kesha released a trashy pop album in 2010, and became a mega star with terrible songs. But there was still something intriguing about Kesha’s from the country music perspective, and remains so to this day.
And as for Dr. Luke, there’s no love lost on his contributions to what has happened to country music in recent years, even though they may be separated by multiple degrees and buried well behind-the-scenes. Dr. Luke’s deal with Scott Borchetta and Big Machine Records in 2013 helped set the table for the whole “Metro-Bro” scourge we’re seeing grip mainstream country music today. By making collaborations between country and pop songwriters and producers much more accessible and lucrative, the Borchetta/Dr. Luke deal can be tied to songs from artists like Big Machine’s Thomas Rhett, and might be behind the whole fiasco with The Band Perry and their pop producer RedOne. So regardless of what Dr. Luke has done in regards to Kesha, he’s more foe than friend to those who would like to keep pop producers segregated from the country ranks.
But my opinion on Kesha vs. Dr. Luke vs. Sony saga happens to be that I don’t really have an opinion. That doesn’t mean I don’t support Kesha in her efforts to extricate herself from her label and Dr. Luke. If her allegations of being drugged and raped by Dr. Luke are all true, then I’m a staunch advocate for getting Kesha as far away from that worm turd as possible, and stringing him up by his balls in the public square and letting everyone have their chance at lashing him.
But the problem remains that we just don’t know yet that the allegations against Dr. Luke are true, and in the United States of America, we don’t presume guilt until guilt is proven. And in the case of Dr. Luke, nothing has been proven yet, and no charges have been filed. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, and that doesn’t mean that the court of public opinion can’t try Dr. Luke on their own. But at the moment, it is a “he said / she said,” and only Kesha and Dr. Luke know the truth.
And let’s face it, Kesha has a history of instability. She’s been to rehab. She’s had personal issues in the past, some of which she sings about in her music. That doesn’t mean we can assume she’s lying, and it’s just as unfair to chide Kesha for making accusations against Dr. Luke as it is to assume Dr. Luke is guilty. In other words, it’s a screwed up situation, and I don’t know that any of us have enough information to make an informed decision about what actually happened, and what the ramifications should be for the respective parties.
Yes, it’s very easy, and very popular and seductive to rally behind Kesha in this matter. The press and popular culture love to hate stories about women being kept down or even abused by overbearing men and the companies they run or hide behind. Kesha doesn’t have a particularly compelling reason to lie, though the way major label contracts are constructed, who wouldn’t want out of one, especially if you signed it at the start of your career when you had little to no negotiating power.
But that’s another sticky element to this story: the contract. Everybody is yelling and screaming at Sony to let Kesha out so she doesn’t have to record for her alleged abuser, but Sony and Dr. Luke have already said she can record whatever music she wants, and is totally free from working with Dr. Luke. But according to Sony and the courts, because Kesha’s contract is officially through Dr. Luke’s “Kasz Money” company, Sony doesn’t have enough control to terminate the agreement unilaterally even if they wanted to. Yes, most recording contracts suck. But BOTH parties are beholden to them.
With all the bad press Sony and Dr. Luke have received over this issue, with pretty much every major female star coming out in Kesha’s defense, including Adele, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift giving her $250,000 to survive (while us poor average American’s figure out how to survive on $50k), it’s by far not worth it to Sony to keep fighting if they had another option. But they’re bound to the terms of their contract as well.
From all accounts, Sony has said Kesha does not have to work with Dr. Luke. By all accounts, Sony will let Kesha record whatever music she wants. And by all accounts, Sony is legally bound, and couldn’t terminate the contract even if they wanted, by law, and by the ruling of the courts.
Does it suck that Kesha still has to record for Sony? Yes. Is the severity of Kesha’s claims on their own enough to warrant terminating her contract so he doesn’t have anything to do with Dr. Luke? Probably. But the fact remains that nobody, except for the people very intimately involved in this matter, really know the specifics and facts enough about this case to make an informed decision. We love to demonize people in culture these days, set folks up to symbolize the root of all evil, and tear them down through social media. But there are still laws, and rules, and regulations, and legally-biding contracts that supersede public sentiment.
Many of the fights that sites like Saving Country Music have taken up for artists is when the label or manager or producer are in violation of contracts, or wrote contracts that were too overbearing. In this case, that doesn’t appear to be what’s happening, or that’s yet to be determined as conclusive. We can conclude that most music contracts suck, but we already knew that. The one good thing to come out of this melee is now the rest of the world knows that too.
If Kesha can record whatever album she wants, then that’s what she should do. If she doesn’t want to blow her best material recording for Sony, go in an cut an acoustic album, just her and her guitar or a piano. Write some silly country songs and make a CD. Then get out of the contract and move on with your life.
Aside from that, I don’t think any of us have enough information to be rallying to one side or the other. This thing is in the spin cycle, and it’s best left alone until everything slows down, and all the facts come out, if they ever do.
February 26, 2016 @ 10:45 am
Trig – thanks again for a thoughtful piece. Rape is horrible. Wrongful allegations of rape are horrible. The reality that she could have been drugged and not be sure what happened is horrible. That last possibility is what makes this sort of thing completely impossible – she may have a credible suspicion but no memory and no witness.
February 26, 2016 @ 11:30 am
It’s a terrible situation and I feel really bad for Kesha. But you just can’t assume every rape allegation is true. A few years back there was a band I covered called the Goddamn Gallows who had two of its members jailed on rape accusations. Then it came out they were completely false. These guys had been falsely accused, falsely imprisoned, had to spend tons of money on their defense, and had their names dragged through the mud. I’m not saying that is what Kesha is doing, but you just don’t know. And if Kesha WAS raped, and she can’t prove it. That’s even more terrible. It’s a terrible situation all around.
February 26, 2016 @ 3:44 pm
Studies have shown that less then 2% of reported rapes are false claims. Also then factor in that only about 36% of rapes are reported at all (http://www.nij.gov/topics/crime/rape-sexual-violence/pages/rape-notification.aspx) and that 2% is now less then half of a percent. It’s actually a crime to lie about rape. Partner that with the world being privy to your private life, the victim blaming, what was she wearing, the “Kesha has a history of instability. She”™s been to rehab” comments which on the surface appear to be playing devil’s advocate but really serve to undermine the victims credibility, and the cost far outweighs the benefits of making a false claim. Does it happen? Sure, but in very very rare cases. Additionally, how does one prove rape? Especially after time has passed. The date rape drug is favored in part because of how quickly it leaves the victim’s body. Also, even 1 shower can remove any “proof” and many women are told that it can only be proved that they had sex with their assailant, and not that it was forced. Even under the “best” of conditions, rape is rarely prosecuted, and the attackers almost never do time. If a victim is drugged, or just scared and confused, they might not go right to the Dr or police, or they might not “preserve evidence” and unknowingly shower.
As to the idea that she could just record anything and finish off the 6 remaining albums she is under contract for, the label probably has it in the contract that they can turn down work that does not fit the style or quality that she has previously produced.
And yes, the offer is there to not work directly with Dr. Luke, who is in the court of law innocent, but it has not yet been seen in writing is my understanding. Imagine your landlord has been breaking in to your apt and stealing things. You both signed a lease, and you are told you can stay in the home, and just mail your rent. But he still has the keys, can still turn off the heat if you make him upset, doesn’t have to fix maintenance issues ect. Would you remain living there.
I understand that Dr. Luke has not been found guilty, or even charged with a crime, and that the court of public opinion has been running wild, and that you were just trying to bring some rational point forward, and I don’t disagree with many of your points, but it’s not as simple as “they both signed a contract.”
February 26, 2016 @ 5:47 pm
If you were ask my opinion, I would say that there is a good chance that Kesha’s claims are true. I’ve seen numerous people bring up this 2% number, and that is a strong statistic no doubt. But you also have to consider this from the perspective of that 2%. Perhaps the fact that I’ve reported on two people in the music business being accused of rape, imprisoned, having to spend tens of thousands of dollars on legal fees, and having the public stigma follow them around for the rest of their lives as rapists when they did nothing wrong is one of the reasons I give pause before giving 100% credibility to a charge of rape before it’s been proven in court. That’s the reason it is innocent until proven guilty. If Dr. Luke is found to have drugged and raped Kesha, then Sony will have no issues dissolving the contract because they can make a legal case of why they did so.
Honestly, this sort of discussion is why I didn’t want to broach this subject in the first place, and started this article off saying I don’t really have an opinion, at least yet. If you don’t come out swinging for Kesha, then all of a sudden you’re being callous. In my heart of hearts, I feel terrible for Kesha. But innocent until proven guilty remains the law of the land.
February 29, 2016 @ 1:15 pm
I completely understand that he us innocent until proven guilty, and that criminal charges have not yet been filed. But I wanted to highlight the difficulty of proving rape, the possible although incredibly unlikely instances of lying about such a claim, and some possible angles you have not discussed, or possibly thought of. And to be honest, your “Kesha has a history of instability. She”™s been to rehab” really struck a nerve. I know it wasn’t your intent to invalidate her claims, but her history seems irrelevant. If she had previously made accusations against someone else I could see bringing that to light, but seeking help for something shouldn’t forever be held against a person.
I know my initial comment was rather long, but I just felt like those things needed to be said. Is there a chance the claims are false, yes, but statistically it is very small. Having not been in the room or privy to court documents it’s all speculation at this point, and not a single person involved in this will walk away untarnished. Sony has clearly seen some backlash, although technically innocent Dr. Luke is guilty in the eyes of much of the public, and Kesha has both had to relieve the events, invite the courts and the public into a very personal matter, and had a backlash against her saying she is lying and much worse. No one walks away happy from a situation like this. It wasn’t my intent to dismiss your article, just to open up the dialog and maybe bring a different perspective.
I actually felt you did a very nice job on the article and maintained neutrality which can be very difficult in such cases.
February 29, 2016 @ 8:09 am
If I remember right, according to the affidavit filed in court for her current lawsuit, she called her mother the morning after she was drugged and assaulted. There appears to be no record of an emergency room visit or filing of charges.
While I could understand why a young artist wouldn’t act properly in a situation like that, there’s no excuse for a mother not tearing through the earth itself to get her daughter to an emergency room and the police. That’s why I’m a little suspicious of this whole thing.
Add to that the allowances Sony has claimed for recording, and the whole story seems like a regular contract dispute with the artist not getting paid enough.
February 26, 2016 @ 10:51 am
Trig, maybe I missed it but do you know how many albums she has left on her contract? Thanks.
February 26, 2016 @ 11:35 am
I don’t know for sure, but from what I’ve read, my understanding is there is at least one more album that she must turn in to Sony. After that, there should be more options for both parties. If that is the case, release an album of studio outtakes and remixes. Do an acoustic album. Give some of the proceeds to rape victims. I do think there’s a pragmatic way that Kesha could approach this, and Sony should help Kesha in making this as easy for her as possible.
Some are saying instead of letting Kesha go, Sony should let Dr. Luke go. But we don’t know what the contractual obstructions there are to keep that from happening.
February 26, 2016 @ 11:50 am
Three acording to an article on this site.
http://www.refinery29.com/2016/02/103876/kesha-sexual-abuse-case-support
“Now Kesha is asking to be released from her contract with Dr. Luke”™s label, Kemosabe Records. She still has three more albums to record as part of the deal, and Dr. Luke is contractually obligated to produce at least six songs on each of her albums. He, of course, would stand to benefit financially from these songs and albums. “
February 26, 2016 @ 12:00 pm
Thanks for the info.
Sony and Dr. Luke have already said they do not expect Kesha to work with Dr. Luke moving forward, so there’s nothing binding Kesha working with Dr. Luke. I think this shows that Sony is making concessions and doing what they can to resolve this situation amicably. Could they do more? Maybe. Sony is a massive, massive label, with tons of imprints and offices in multiple cities. Perhaps they could transfer the Kesha contract to a different imprint in New York or Nashville.
February 26, 2016 @ 12:10 pm
Yes, hopefully, there will be some kind of solution that works for everyone.
Reading these kind of stories is depressing…
February 26, 2016 @ 2:50 pm
Well, here’s where things actually get interesting if you dig into the financials here – Dr. Luke’s boutique label on which Kesha is signed (Kemosabe) is a subsidiary of Sony Music, starting in November 2011. Sony basically gave Dr. Luke financial backing and told him he had five years to make it profitable – and he failed. The only artist who has had any staying power from the label is Kesha, with the only other signee that has come close is Juicy J… back in 2013. The last top ten hit they’ve had on the pop charts was Rock City with ‘Locked Away’ featuring Adam Levine – and the album has sold miserably. There’s a reason Kemosabe is trying to push out a bunch of albums with as hasty promotion as they can this year, because if not, I can easily see Sony running out the clock and shutting down the imprint in November of this year, especially with all of the terrible press tied to Dr. Luke’s name and the increasing number of artists refusing to work with him in any capacity.
Until then, Kesha would be best off taking Jack Antonoff and Grimes up their offers and cutting something free to leak online – or if Wayne Coyne follows up on his threat to leak ‘Lip$ha’ in some capacity, if only to keep her hype and brand going. It won’t get her out of her contract with Dr. Luke (and from what I’ve read through the mess of contracts she’s tied to between four and eight more albums through Dr. Luke’s web of publishing companies, it’s really not clear), but it’ll do something.
February 26, 2016 @ 11:19 am
Is there a trial date set? Has she pressed charges? Or is it all accusations at this point?
February 26, 2016 @ 11:37 am
There is no trial, at least yet. There are no charges against Dr. Luke, and a judge a few days ago said that Kesha has no material basis for asking out of her contract. Since then Sony said they couldn’t terminate her contract even if they wanted. Nobody wants this negative publicity, especially Sony. It’s not worth it just to get another album from her.
February 29, 2016 @ 8:27 am
From Vanity Fail, Feb 22, 2016:
“On Friday, a New York State Supreme Court judge dealt a significant blow to Kesha”™s ongoing sexual-abuse lawsuit against her producer Dr. Luke and Sony by denying the singer a request for an injunction that would have put her recording contract with the two parties on hold while the case is ongoing. In the days since the ruling, many have interpreted it as a killing blow to the musician”™s fight, but the reality is that her case is far from over.”
Apparently she filed her civil lawsuit originally in California, but CA courts put it on hold because of a lack of evidence and residency by Kesha in CA, so Kesha transferred the allegations to the NY lawsuit. The NY lawsuit was filed by the producer claiming extortion to avoid the contract.
An ugly business when done badly.
February 26, 2016 @ 11:22 am
Anyone who committs rape shall have his genitals amputated.
#Doomforpresident
February 26, 2016 @ 11:45 am
I agree, but what should happen to the person who levies a false allegation? I had a good friend in college whose life was severely impacted by a false accusation. Not a damn thing happened to the skank who lied.
February 27, 2016 @ 7:09 pm
Simple remove their tongue so they can no longer lie.
February 26, 2016 @ 12:22 pm
Kesha is trashy, but I doubt that this story is fabricated. I’m sure if this was about money or revenge, she could frame someone else that has alot more money than this dirtbag. Simply put, this is likely a real story.
February 26, 2016 @ 12:34 pm
I think your thoughts on this are pretty reasonable. I, myself, am inclined to believe the allegations because other women who have worked with Dr. Luke, such as Kelly Clarkson and Lady Gaga, are supportive of Kesha. At the very least, they believe he’s the type of guy who *could* or *would* do such things based on their experiences with him. That being said, the fact that he is a known sleazeball doesn’t mean that he *did* do those specific things to Kesha. So, the judge probably ruled properly.
I’ve seen conflicting reports on how many albums she is obligated to do for Sony; from as little as one to as many as six. She did a rendition of Amazing Grace recently. Could she record an album of acapella hymns, hand it to the label and walk away? Or alternatively, an album of armpit fart noises?
I believe that both Sony and she are best served to come to some sort of agreement to get her out quickly. Presumably, she could still go after Dr. Luke for damages and such.
February 26, 2016 @ 12:50 pm
While it’s true that nothing has been proven, this isn’t about jail time or calling Dr. Luke guilty. If the public was rallying for Dr. Luke to be thrown in jail for life, then 100%, yes, nothing has been proven and people need to calm down. However, Ke$ha made these claims, and she isn’t rallying for anything to happen to Dr. Luke, except for the fact that she doesn’t have to work with him. That’s all the public is rallying for as well. Rape is terrible. False accusations are terrible. Less than 2% of reported rapes are false, so Ke$ha cannot be forced to work with the man just because there is a possibility the allegations are false. Obviously the relationship is toxic no matter what, and anyone making any serious claim like that should be taken seriously. They should also fall under the “innocent until proven guilty” moniker in regard to lying, and Ke$ha’s past of having an eating disorder or a reputation for partying should not come in to play in regards to whether we take her claim seriously. EVER. I know you aren’t saying she shouldn’t be taken seriously and that you noted she can work without Dr. Luke; I’m just throwing this all out there.
February 29, 2016 @ 7:31 am
Actually, it is about calling Dr. Luke guilty.
To let her out of the contract is to presume guilt; if he didn’t do it, she has no right to break a binding contract.
There seems to be some court sympathy for the notion of making these two not work directly together, and Sony ultimately agreed to comply with that request. However, it is clear Kesha doesn’t want Dr. Luke profiting off her music – it’s not just about not wanting to be in a studio with him. That’s justifiable in the event that she was raped, but he has a binding legal right to that money until such assault could be proven. Contracts would be utterly meaningless if an accusation is all that is required to break them.
Not sure why the 2% stat would be relevant. For starters, the stat is bogus — it’s not as if 98% of those who make rape allegations have video/undeniable proof that anything happened. From my understanding, it simply means that 98% accusations cannot be 100% proven false.
Think about it logically: how would we know 98% of the assaults DEFINITELY happened? We would need a confession or unequivocal proof, and if we had either of those, virtually every single accusation would lead to a guilty verdict.
But, that’s not even relevant, because we’re talking about Kesha & Dr. Luke – not society’s aggregate. Admitting a stat that far fewer than 2% of men are rapists would be just as preposterous.
We need to evaluate this case as its own case. The fact that Kesha has sworn under oath that no assault occurred doesn’t help.
February 26, 2016 @ 1:42 pm
I was wondering if this would be brought up here- I have been reading about this case on various forums online. I have my own opinion about the allegations (guilty), but interestingly, this case has led me to some research that affects how I feel about current country music. Sony, UMG, and Warner are the only 3 distributors of music in the US, right? And all 3 of those companies have parent companies that are not based in the US, right? (Vivendi, Access or something, and Sony). Wtf. So if we go up the ladder the top heads/stockholders are not even American? And they decide country music? F this. A few of these sales to parent companies (Vivendi, etc.) happened in the past 5 years, just as we all have been ranting about how country music has sucked. That’s because the more global and crossover this music is, the better for the stockholders. F this.
February 26, 2016 @ 2:00 pm
The challenge for country music has always been that the parent companies virtually all exist outside of Nashville. This was an issue in the 60’s and 70’s when they existed in New York and LA, and it exists today. It necessitates mid-level managers having to demonstrate increased cost controls and nominal risk as opposed to when parent companies can have direct involvement. Nonetheless, labels like Curb and Big Machine still cal their own shots and in Nashville proper. The distribution companies don’t really have a call over their day to day affairs.
February 26, 2016 @ 2:05 pm
And sadly, Curb and Big Machine both still suck.
February 26, 2016 @ 2:16 pm
Yes but there is still a trickle down factor. The name of the game is money. I hear what you’re saying, but it’s too coincidental for me that Vivendi bought UMG in 2006 and Access in 2011 and music has really been sucking, especially since 2011. Sad that I have been listening to mainstream country for 20+ years but I’m pretty much done. Also I like my money to stay within the US whenever possible, not go to European stockholders.
This all doesn’t feel very country, and doesn’t feel very American. So what is this genre anymore, anyway? I will be streaming more red dirt and bon voyage mainstream country. It turns out it was a blessing for the Dixie Chicks they were kicked out. I’ll see everyone at the next Wade Bowen concert.
February 26, 2016 @ 3:06 pm
I totally agree with you. Too much power in too few hands is a bad thing, and I think the fact that every major distributor is foreign owned doesn’t bode well for anyone. But there’s still a lot of regional control though. No distribution company is telling Scott Borchetta how to run his ship. If anything, it’s vice versa.
March 4, 2016 @ 4:04 pm
Well… sort of. Here’s a quote I found by Scott Borchetta in 2015. In a Big Machine press release, he is quoted as saying “…moments when our best artists hit a global stride and a deeper sense of engagement that speaks a clearer musical language.” In other words, I think Scott Borchetta’s ultimate goal would be to produce a song called
“Truck ” with the word truck over and over again. Truck! Truck truck Truuuuuccccckkkk. Then the song would hit a “global stride.” And his global parent company, Accessi, would be thrilled.
February 26, 2016 @ 3:29 pm
There are actually two cases – the case that was just decided was in New York (civil), and the abuse/rape allegation case is in California (criminal). Not enough information has come forward in the California case to be decided, and as such, was a factor in the decision for the NY case.
It’s very sad either way. Most people don’t realize how tightly bound artists are by these contracts; they are mostly followed word-for-word. Some may say, “There should be a clause for this kind of stuff and Sony should just release her.” OR, I’ve also seen “Can’t another label buy out her contract?” It’s JUST. NOT. THAT. SIMPLE. While I am pro-Kesha after reviewing the court documents that are presently available, not just reading sites full of opinions, all of it is a mess. As much as people can see clear-cut resolutions, there’s just a lot of moving parts on both ends.
February 29, 2016 @ 7:15 am
I’m pretty sure there is no criminal case. The rape/sexual case is a civil suit.
There wasn’t a case just decided; there was a motion for a preliminary injunction that was denied. Essentially, Kesha wanted to be free of her contract while the aforementioned civil case was being litigated, and the judge (rightfully) said no.
That seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle with a lot of celebrities who commented out of turn. The judge didn’t say “Kesha is forced to work with her rapist” — she said Kesha is forced to honor her contract until Dr. Luke is found liable for rape.
February 29, 2016 @ 9:04 am
The CA case was a civil lawsuit, called a sexual abuse lawsuit by the media, but largely a suit about the contract, claiming the contract should be voided bacause she signed it without full knowledge and because of the sexual abuse. The CA judge put the case on hold because of lack of evidence and residency in CA by Kesha.
There also apparently were counter suits filed in NY by the producer claiming defamation, as well as breach of contract. The NY judge has either thrown out the defamation suits or wrapped them into the breach of contract suit still running in NY.
March 4, 2016 @ 3:44 pm
I have also read parts of the documents as well as attorneys’ opinions about contract law on various forums. Based on what I know about trauma, ptsd and sexual assault, and the fact that several of Kesha’s colleagues are backing her up, ( including some who have worked with Dr. Luke like Kelly Clarkson and Miley Cyrus), yeah he’s guilty.
February 26, 2016 @ 6:32 pm
Wasn’t Dr. Luke in 2 Live Crew? Me So Horny….he sounds suspicious.
February 27, 2016 @ 6:53 am
This is just really sad. First of all what is his doctorate in? How is he “Dr. Luke”? He looks like a skinny white frat boy wannabe to
Me. Secondly wtf is up with the victim blaming” Kesha has a history of of instability ” you’d be unstable too if you’d been homeless, lived on the streets and your mother sucked up to perverted musicians your whole cchildhood can you imagine the trauma a child appearing as Kesha does must’ve gone through?
Come on poseur fake kelly Clarkson miss strong independent girl power bad ass you can do better than that
February 27, 2016 @ 9:04 am
Nobody is victim shaming Kesha. I think some folks need to actually get the definition of “victim shaming” before they accuse folks of it. First you say that it’s unfair for me to bring up Kesha’s instability, and then you acknowledge it and say it’s perfectly understandable.
Have no idea what Kelly Clarkson has to do with any of this.
February 27, 2016 @ 8:52 am
I am so appalled by the third sentence above
I was raped I didn’t report it I didn’t think I should
Fuck Dr luke
Who is this bad mother fucker?
Fuck trigger
Who you homeboy
You some fstfat ass in shive!
Who is trigger
February 27, 2016 @ 9:14 am
Huh.
February 27, 2016 @ 11:45 am
I agree.
This is all Kelly Clarksons fault.
It’s been happening ever since she got related to Reba.
Reba plays a part in it too.
Fuck Vince Gill.
Tik-Toc Trigger
February 27, 2016 @ 8:58 pm
You accidentally stirred up the knee-jerk hornet’s nest with this one. See, despite your very reasoned and non-opinionated post, you inadvertently gave yourself up as part of the horribly patriarchy which allows sick perverts like Dr. Luke the ability to keep Kesha forever enslaved in a sordid den of warped twisted abuse. You did this by a) not calling for Dr Luke’s immediate death and b) not immediately assuming that a troubled pop star is automatically correct about everything.
My Taylor Swift cover band (The Swift Kicks) is donating $12 to the Kesha fund so that poor kid who had that #1 single won’t starve to death or anything.
February 28, 2016 @ 7:31 am
I wonder what’s her next move? Taylor has one more album left to go before she’s free from Big Machine. Will she stay or will she go? What would you do if you were her? Does it make sense if she decides to leave Big Machine?
There’s an article about her though from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2016/02/26/whats-next-for-taylor-swift/#61224a9b5fe0
February 28, 2016 @ 9:51 am
I have just three words of advice for Ke$ha with regards of getting out of her contract, and in the spirit of Lou Reed, rest his soul:
METAL. MACHINE. MUSIC.
February 28, 2016 @ 10:42 am
In all seriousness, Ke$ha has an opportunity to make lemonade out of lemons if it’s found that she can’t get out of this contract. One that many great artists have taken advantage of. From the aforementioned Lou Reed, to Neil Young and Marvin Gaye – even Bon Jovi’s latest; sometimes contractual obligations make the creative process quite interesting.
If Sony did say she can “make any music she wants” then she needs to sit her ass down and write a trilogy (if there are indeed three albums left) of concept albums where she trashes “Dr Luke” and her label, and makes as personal a statement as she can. Bring in other writers and producers. She needs to take advantage of this moment and turn it to her favor. In “the old days” when folks actually thought about the creative process, this was the norm. Now the fact that it’s not already been brought up speaks volumes.
February 28, 2016 @ 11:59 am
Thank you for writing a fair and balanced article.
The foundation of the legal system is innocent until proven guilty. Therefore until such a time when Dr Luke is actually found to be guilty in a court of law, we should not pass judgement on him, especially given how little we know about the situation.
Your stance of not having an opinion is the correct one.