Quote:
Originally Posted by BobbyPeru  Whatever the business idea, it certainly makes it hard for newer independent artist to make a living. When there's Radiohead and NIN giving away their full-lengths for free, it kind of perpetuates the "Music should be FREE" adage that is growing more and more common today.
People who are in smaller bands playing <100 capacity crowds get the retort on their merch like "NIN's album is FREE and I've never heard of these guys, but I have to PAY for this record OMG!!!"
It makes it really hard to break into the touring game, ESPECIALLY with gas prices soaring. Here in Milwaukee, there used to be a good number of low level touring bands stoping by regularly at the 80 cap club I was doing sound at - these bands included: The White Stripes, Interpol, Queens of the Stone Age, Bright Eyes, The Faint, Cursive and other lesser known bands that were still VERY good bands. When gas prices hit $3.00/gallon this low level market kind of dried up.
It used to be that you could make a living traveling state to state playing smaller clubs and still be an adult - not living at your parents house. When it costs $140-200 in gas for a 6 hour drive, this really closes the window of oppurtunity of building a fan base regionally.
I am happy I can hear the NIN for free and not feel like a criminal though.
Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI |
I agree with your perspective and would add that this will be used by the torrenters & p2p'ers as a fake proposition for how the internet is empowering artists and that musicians aren't suffering when (a) Trent got where he is on the back of the traditional marketing&manufacturing machine (b) He's got enough dough to not care whether he makes a profit and (c) Everybody already knows him, he's got legions of fans, and no longer needs the advertising and distribution that got him where he is.
It's not so much an example of the 'POWUH OF TEH INTERWUB' as an example of an established artist adapting well to the new scenario.
My 2c.
m@