Needless to say, the music world was shaken up by the demise of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, 47, leaving his group with an impossible void to fill.
Or, will they fill it later…and tour?
To explain, thanks to the great strides made in the hologram industry (see hologram Tupac at Coachella), a musician’s final exit may not be so final after all. And, a hologram is more controllable than an uncontrollable personality like Axl Rose, who refused to appear at his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Then again, Mr. Rose and his talent have been MIA for so long, him missing an engagement fits his MO to a “T.”
Much like computer graphics, there’ll be great technical strides in the hologram field; so great that the only way an audience will be able to tell a (human) musician from a hologram is if:
The human is a no-show/is late/is hungover at his concert.
The human asks for bizarre-o perks in his contract (like Van Halen, who asked that they have a supply of M&M’s—and all the brown ones removed.)
The human takes an unexpected detour through the court system (renegotiate a new contract, DWI, alimony, etc.)
Of course, holograms won’t be made just for musicians. There’ll be hologram actors.
After all, for financial reasons, Broadway musicals now have replaced live orchestras with “canned music.” Broadway producers, who realize there aren’t any unions for holograms—yet—will then employ “canned actors.” Thirty years from now, you’ll see a young Hugh Jackman, “hologramically” singing and dancing in a Broadway revival of “The Boy From Oz;” while the real 74 year old Hugh Jackman watches from the audience, adjusting his hearing aid and saying to his caretaker, “Look at me! I still can act, mate!”
So enjoy real actors while you can. That is, the few real ones that can really act!