If you hear New York street musician playing what sounds the new Oasis single over the next few days don’t be surprised. It’s part of the British rockers promotion of their upcoming new album “Dig Out Your Soul.”
Oasis, along with its label Warner Bros. Records, is working with NYC & Company, the tourist and marketing arm of New York. On Friday, the musicians will teach a clutch of street performers to play their single “The Shock of the Lightning” along with three other songs from the album. The buskers will then fan out to different locations across the city including Grand Central Terminal, subway platforms and Times Square to perform their usual sets as well the Oasis songs. (A full list of locations is here nycvisit.com/oasis)
The street performers will have a sign next to them that says “You are the first to hear this new Oasis song”. No money exchanged hands between Oasis, NYC & Company, according to a spokeswoman for BBH.
The whole thing will be filmed by music video directors The Malloys and turned into a full-length documentary by NYC & Company’s advertising agency BBH. The documentary will have a fast turn around as current plans call for it to be released online when the album hits stores on October 7.
“This is a great example of new thinking applied to an album launch, a sort of backwards album release, where the music starts on the streets instead of ending up there,” said Kevin Roddy, ecd, BBH New York, in a statement.
