MUSIC producer, Clive “Mono” Mukundu has rapped people who pledge to buy CDs during album launches, but neglect to fulfil the promise. BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI
Mono told NewsDay last week that musicians and their managers were often responsible for calling for such bids.
“The MC gets their instructions from the musician and the manager. (But) a launch is not a profit-making thing. It’s just a way to market the product. That’s where the artistes are getting it wrong,” he said.
Mono’s sentiments sparked widespread debate on social media, during which he said auctions put guests under pressure.
“I am of the thinking that CD auctions must fall. One should just announce that the CDs are available at $10, but if you want to pay more, feel free,” he said.
“Personally, I do not do auctions at all my launches, although some people go on to pledge without being requested, then fail to pay.”
Mono said during interactions with several other musicians, they told him that many of the bidders never honoured their pledges after the launch.
Mukundu said he had asked one musician at whose launch he had been the guest of honour if the bids — which started at $500 — made during the auction had been honoured.
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“Just as I expected, it was just for show, so that they get applauded. No one paid up,” he said.
One artiste reportedly got into trouble with his band members who wanted their share of the money yet the pledge was never honoured.
Top gospel musician, Togarepi Chivaviro, who recently launched his 15th album, said he only started doing bids on his 13th album.
He admitted that sometimes, it pressured people, who would have come to celebrate the launch and scares them off from future invitations.
“Well, of late, our organisers have insisted we do it just like others, although I am not very keen on that because my experience is that most people will never fulfil those pledges and it’s very difficult to follow up on them,” Mono said.
He added that he preferred a situation where people would buy the disc at special prices, they could afford, even if they differed individually.
