Alizée Central

Institubes: 2003-2011

In a press release issued just hours ago, saying that the label is closing it’s doors. Institubes is the the independent label that helped release “Une enfant du siècle” and was the home base for acts like Teki Latex, Rob, Chateau Marmont, Para One, Tacteel, and numerous other French acts. 

According to the press release the current business model was no longer working out…

“We’re closing shop because the operation is losing too much money, this much is clear. Most of what we could have done to prevent or delay this outcome reside in two words: lifestyle and branding. Investing in t-shirts and co-branding, scoring “collaborations” or sponsorship deals with deep-pocketed companies. I have but a regret: we actually did it sometimes. We should have said no more often….. The fact that ours is a struggling industry, where 90% of your time is spent “staying afloat”, obscures an important fact: we are still playing by the rules that got us fucked in the first place. The way we do business is defective: our values are defective, our contracts are defective, our post-Napster economy itself is defective. I just read an article by a label owner who states that “anything we can do to stay afloat should be condoned”. I don’t think so, no. Staying afloat by any means necessary is a meaningless pursuit.”

The message goes on to say that many of the artists have started their own independent labels, and will be moving forward.

You can read the entire release at the Institubes Tumblr blog: http://institubes.tumblr.com/

Good luck to all involved, and we all hope for your success in the future!

There has been a rumour floating around the internet for a couple of weeks now, of a new EP release from Alizée. I hadn’t posted about this before because the information has been very sparse, but I didn’t want to be totally out in the cold if and when something pops up… So I’m here with a heads up.

What I’m hearing is that there should be an EP release in the next few weeks. There is no info on whether or not these are unreleased tracks from Une enfant du siècle, unreleased songs from the Psych era, or if they are totally new songs she has written and recorded in the last year. One would assume though, the EP is being released to create new buzz, and I would guess, to attempt to make a more mainstream impact after the lack-lustre sales of Une enfant du siècle.

The word is that it will be released at http://alizeestore.com , and could possibly be an independent release under the banner of Wisteria Song, without any help from Jive.

That’s all I have for now, but I will post any updates as soon as I get them.

Here are some new alizee store photos to hold you over until next time!

Yesterday was 14 décembre. Alizée reminded us by making a post on her Facebook linking us to a fan-made video of her song, 14 décembre. I found it odd that she linked to the fan video, which was the song with the Polaroids she shot for the the release of Une Enfant du siècle streaming by. I guess it just goes to show that Alizée searches youtube for fan vids. It goes to show that she is seeing your work if you have uploaded something. It makes you wonder… What does she think of the less tasteful videos? Has she ever had anything, or tried to have anything taken down? At the very least it shows that she is a good sport about it!

I was going to post this yesterday, but Tumblr decided to have a day off…

Alizée has made a couple of posts in the last few days reminding us that her store is going off line for 2 weeks. Dec. 7 is closing day. What will come back in it’s place? It has me wondering. I’m attempting to find the logic in closing during the Christmas buying season, only to come back 4 or 5 days before Christmas. Maybe she’s just out of stock? Maybe she’s changing web hosts? Or, maybe there will be a Christmas present for us in the form of new merchandise? Who knows.

Anyhow, if you’re looking for that last minute Alizée gift hit up her website:

http://www.alizeestore.com/

It closes later today. You have literally hours left!

And just a side note, maybe they should update the Alizée-Officiel website too? The front splash page still has a link to pre-order Une Enfant du Siécle…

Hey Alizée Fans!

There’s still not much to talk about. 2010 is quickly coming to a close, and looking back one year, remember how excited we were that the new album was coming out any day? It’s too bad we don’t have that excitement again this year. Let’s recap;

February 2010: Alizée performs at Les Enfoirés, and this is the first we’ve really seen of her in a year.

March 29, 2010: Une Enfant du Siecle is released. We are teased in the preceding weeks by the release of Limelight, and the release of the first official single from the album, Les Collines.

April-June 2010: There are many interviews on French and Belgian television with our own Alizée to keep us entertained.

July / August 2010: Alizée does a couple of one-off live performances, but none that really promote the new album.

Now: Nothing. No second single has been released, and the anticipated tour has not materialized. There are rumblings in the community now that it will take place in 2011, but this is rumour. We are used to that with Alizée. We never know what she is doing until the time for it to actually happen is upon us. Also, a 2011 tour strikes me as odd. The buzz about the album has died down, and it will be a full year since the release in just 3 short months. Maybe the album will have a second wind? I don’t know.

It’s no secret that sales of Une Enfant du Siecle were less than stellar. Maybe she has decided to cut her losses and start fresh. Could there be a new album on the horizon for 2011? She has not said publicly what her plans are. I personally thought it was a good album, but I can also see where it had no mainstream appeal. This is just my opinion, but a good idea would be to make a whole new album, more along the vein of Psychédélices, pump out 2 or 3 really strong mainstream songs, and have 6 or 7 more “experimental” songs on the album. She could surprise us with this offering, and have a strong tour based on the new album. Then we could all sit back and enjoy the resurgence of Alizée-mania!

Anyhow, these are just one blog writers opinions. Whatever she decides to do will be alright in my books, and as dedicated Alizée fans, we will always look forward to the next new song, or appearance. We love Alizée in the good times, and bad. That’s what makes us die-hard fans!

Also, on a slightly unrelated note, I have had to re-think the name of my blog. I was a bit short sighted naming it Alizée2010… being as there are only 365 days that it makes sense. Very soon I will be revamping the site, and it will be refreshed, with a new name. You will still be able to access it at the same address, but the title header will change. Look for the update in coming weeks.

Also, one last thank you to the blog readers and subscribers! Thanks for coming by and checking this space out for news and info. It’s not an internet top site by any stretch of the imagination, but I receive anywhere between 50 and 100 unique hits per day, and that shows there are a lot of fans craving any news that comes our way. Thank you all, and see you in the future! (Hopefully with more good Alizée news :P)

 Here’s a quick look back at Alizée in 2010… in pictures.

Alizee stopped by Facebook yesterday to wish us all a happy Halloween, and show us a picture of her costume.

It was nice to see something from her, all has been too quiet lately.

So, happy Halloween from Alizee, and from the Alizee 2010 blog also. Hope you all had fun!

Specjalne pozdrowienia dla polskich fanów. Zauważyłem, że wiele osób odwiedza polskiej stronie, i po prostu chciałem powiedzieć Specjalne pozdrowienia!

Wybacz mój biedny język. Używam google tłumacz.

Witamy Polska! :)

On the weekend Alizée confirmed she will be touring this year. She mentioned Shanghai and Paris as planned tour stops, but still gave no indication of dates or venues. All that was mentioned for a time line was “later this year” or “Toward the end of the year” (Translated quote).

 We know this will be huge news for the Alizée community, and I will keep my eyes and ears open over the next few weeks and post the confirmed dates and venues the moment they become available.

I know Mexico is expecting a date, and I can’t see Alizée not adding that country to the list of stops. Were just in a wait-and-see mode right now as far as anything to do with the tour or even a second single from the album goes.

Also, please remember to stop by my new Facebook page for this blog at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=151372844874635&ref=ts and remember to join for Alizée updates, photos and videos for those who join!

As most of you know, Alizée was on TF1 this weekend. (You know this unless you only come to my blog for info, in which case I am truly sorry I haven’t been posting more!)

Here is the interview, and I have to say that she looks amazing! She is going with a little more natural look, and slightly less contrived. This is the most natural looking I have seen her in a long while, and I kind of hope she sticks with it. Could this be the same thing we saw halfway through the Psychédélices run, when she went from the straight hair to the curly? i guess time will tell. 

Anyhow, enjoy the video! 

2 newer video interviews, brought to you by www.ados.fr

I can’t embed these, so just click on the links:

http://musique.ados.fr/Alizee/interviews/5176-alizee-enfant-siecle.html

http://musique.ados.fr/Alizee/interviews/5369-alisee-mode.html

There was a print interview with Alizee in 7sur7 yesterday, and there were a few answers that caught my eye I thought I would re-print and translate for you. There were the usual questions about Une enfant du siècle which we have already heard, so I will reprint the more interesting ones.

Enjoy! 

7sur7: Are you worried that the public does not follow you, and does not understand your approach?

  A: I was afraid so. When we try new things, you always fear.  The French public is very complicated.  It’s hard to suggest something else because in France, people are quickly routed. They fail to see people grow.  It’s like Vanessa Paradis, she started very young and people sometimes find it difficult to realize that it is a mother for example.

7sur7: You ma de your debut in the lap of Mylène Farmer.  You’ve been separated for a long time but today, is her opinion still important to you?

A:  This is a person I no longer see.  After that, I hope her life has been happy.  But she is not one of my priorities.

7sur7: On this album, you sing in French, English and Spanish for your Mexican public. You’re a star there, you’ve played in a TV series. Has it made you want to be an actress?

A: Not at all. I played the role as myself. The major players in the TV novela came to a concert and meet me after and it lasted four minutes. It was a pretty cool experience. After that, I’m not interested in a movie career. But I do not know what life will offer me. If something i like comes along, why not? But I do not run after that.

7sur7: If one day Annily decided to become a singer, will you encourage the child?

A: Yes, if that is what she wants and if she has the chance to meet people that are serious as was in my case at the beginning. It is very important because this is not an easy job. If she meets the right people, why not?

source: 7sur7 magazine Belgium. Excerpts translated from the original language.

Just a little something off the wire… there’s a little concert going on this month at palais des sports de Paris, May 12 to be exact and Alizée will be taking part. I’ll be honest… I don’t know what Generation 90 is… I do know that is the French title for the American movie “Reality Bites”, you remember the one with Eathan Hawke, and Wynona Ryder? So, I don’t know what the purpose of this get together is about, but I thought I’d pass it along anyway. I may have to go down and see what it’s about if tickets are still available. Along with Alizée, will be Yannick, Black Box, Joyce Johnathan, corona, and many more. 

Now, what I DO understand is that it is a gathering of big acts from the 90’s. I’m not exactly sure how Alizée fits into this group… first of all, we are coming up on the 10th anniversary of “Moi, Lolita”. Right, Alizée didn’t have her first hit until late 2000. Also, it seems she will be the youngest act at this show. Now don;t get me wrong, any chance to see Alizée live is a great thing. I’m just having trouble finding the connection here.

Any one have any theories?

I’m sure this has been done to death on other blogs and message boards, but I’m going to have a go at it also.

Today is the birthday of American model, actress and heiress Edie Sedgwick. Edie, as you know is the subject of the new Alizée album «Une Enfant du Siècle». Alizée shows us her fondness of the Factory days with her musical tribute, which includes the track “Factory Girl”.

Now in 2010, we have our own idol in Alizée, who seems to lead a clean lifestyle and is a modest person, in complete contrast to the life of Edie Sedgwick.

Happy birthday Edie, and ling live Alizée!

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Aujourd’hui c’est l’anniversaire du modèle américain, actrice et héritière Edie Sedgwick. Edie, comme vous le savez est le sujet de la nouvelle Alizée album «Une Enfant du» Siècle. Alizée nous montre sa tendresse des jours Factory avec son hommage musical, qui inclut le titre «Factory Girl».

Maintenant, en 2010, nous avons notre propre idole dans Alizée, qui semble mener une vie propre et est une personne modeste, en contraste total avec la vie d’Edie Sedgwick.

- “Une Enfant du siècle” has charted! according to SNEP, (Le Syndicat national de l’édition phonographique”) Alizee is at the number 24 place for the week of 03/29/10 - 04/04/10. The chart will likely be updated tomorrow, so I’ll update her chart position when it becomes available to me. For those outside of France, the SNEP is the body which oversees the French music industry similar to the CRTC in Canada, or the RIAA in America.

- It has been confirmed that Alizee will be making an appearance on “Stars à domicile” which is returning to TF1 (France Television) after a 6 year hiatus. She has been on the show twice previous in 2001, and 2003. No date has been announced yet, but i will post it as soon as I find out.

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- “Une enfant du siècle” se vend bien! selon le SNEP, Alizée est à la place numéro 24 pour la semaine du 03/29/10 - 04/04/10. Le tableau sera probablement mis à jour demain, donc je vais mettre à jour sa position quand il devient disponible pour moi.

- - Il a été confirmé que Alizée fera une apparition sur “Stars à domicile”, qui revient à TF1, après une interruption de 6 ans. Elle a été deux fois sur le salon précédent en 2001, et 2003. Aucune date n’a encore été annoncé, mais je vais le poster dès que je le savoir.