OdysseyLive: Death before Launch

http://www.pinoytunes.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=33

Webmusic International Limited Inc.(HK)
Hong Kong Office:

Unit B 19/F Cheuk Nang Plaza
250 Hennessy Road
Wanchai, Hong Kong

Tel Nos.: (852) 2572 4337, (852) 2572 4571

Contact Person: Beth Nejbo

Philippine Office:

Unit 1504 Annapolis Wilshire Plaza,
#11 Annapolis Street, Greenhills,
San Juan, Metro Manila

Tel. Nos: (632) 7268249
Telefax: (632) 7245308

Email Address: ****@****.***

Yes he is a relative of the present owners of Odyssey. He is the younger brother. What people must know though is that he conceptualized and started Odyssey and handled it for 20 years from a small music store in Greenhills to the top record store chain until he sold it… to a relative. That is part of his history that can never be erased.

Bambi Fonacier was the founder of Odyssey Records. He founded it in 1976 while he was still a popular radio announcer and disc jockey at DZBM (among others) and a TV show host. In fact he named Odyssey after his morning and evening radio shows called “Morning Odyssey” and “Evening Odyssey” and his own TV show called “Odyssey 2” aired on the then channel 2. That goes to show that he founded Odyssey and ran it as its President from 1976 up to 1996.

I should know as I used to work in the record industry!

alrite, just to set the record straight – odyssey music and video stores and odysseylive.net have no current connection with bambi fonacier, touch music video or pinoytunes. since the late 90s, odyssey has been run by bambi’s nephew, jay fonacier, and this period has coincided with their growth to 100 locations nationwide and becoming the top seller of music, video and accessories in the country.

odysseylive.net is the digital media project of odyssey, and it is FAR from dead. check it out. its one of the hottest sites on the philippine net right now, and is making big waves in the local music scene. its totally on the frontier – they have downloads of ringtones, wallpapers, the latest videos and songs, etc.

Me again. Just checked out all pinoy downloading sites now.

After reading the fine print above, I’d like to say that i dont think pinoytunes lacks content. I think pretty much of the music that “baby-boomer” Pinoys in the U.S. or elsewhere would want can be found in the current listings they have. They’ve got thousands to choose from and are way ahead of the pack…knowing Bambi’s “connects” w/ the record industry. I can’t speak for the youth though, but I can speak for their parents who control the $$ & the credit cards.

I’m sure a lot will follow the lead of Bambi again, the labels themselves, in trying to develop their own downloading sites. Mark my word. At least, bambi was ahead of the game again (though I dont think he’s after that).

When I left Manila, Bambi had 20 to 25 ODC stores to his credit. I left in ’95. Knowing how conservative and low-key Bambi tried to be (or how he portrayed himself to his rough & tumble colleagues like me), I remember once he told me that it was his obvious love for music that made him put up ODC and not his desire to have mushrooming stores all over town that may turn out to be white elephants later.

Now PinoyTunes! I’ll spread the word around pal!

looks like both you guys aren’t really cool about the issue…hahaha!

are you both representing the respective sites? you seem to know things not everybody else knows. and i’m speaking of the comments i read on this blog or forum.

let the people judge! let me check out both sites and i’ll give you my feedback. whether you’re both in manila or in the states, what matters is content. not “publicity”.

so as you say, let me check out pinoytunes and odysseylive, in manila or states, uhh, this don’t matter. dont give yourselves away. let’s uncomplicate it. content is most essential to us in the net looking for a place to download pinoy music. downloading matters. quality matters. or else, i’ll just stick with itunes which now carries pinoy music. that;s even cool–er!

i visited both odysseylive and pinoytunes… im sorry but the two sites are completely different.. as a musician, i think odysseylive has more value for me since i can do my promotions there.. i need a facility to sell my music and are welcome to independent musicians.. i hate site that monopolizes and just entertains major labels…truth is, independent musicians MIGHT be more talented than the ones you hear or see on TV.

regarding pinoytunes, well, it just works for purchasing..and nothing much more interesting..

in odysseylive, well i got to talk to other bands and a got invited to a gig when we posted our original music.

so i think odysseylive gave us more.. supported us more… so i dont know why this is even a discussion, im a musician, ill go for odysseylive..

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