+1 to Radiohead

[ScottyD]

I would like to give Radiohead the proper respect for releasing their new album WITHOUT a record company. Good to see another mega-act tell the record business to f themselves.

-ScottyD

[dj_who]

i hope more bands take this route.

[Popbott]

Amen brother. But doesn't that mean they are surfing on the coat-tails of their major label ride? Someone got them up there to begin with.

PS - and what does this post have to do with gear? hmmm...dunno. I think they use keyboards and stuff.

[Animus]

They got there from a decade of hard work.

[xmostynx]

i think the whole world needs to say **** the business- in every aspect of the business, and not just the music business

+1 for radiohead always enjoyed their music

[ScottyD]

Originally Posted by Animus

They got there from a decade of hard work.

Amen.

[olivia_nb]

Originally Posted by Popbott

Amen brother. But doesn't that mean they are surfing on the coat-tails of their major label ride? Someone got them up there to begin with.

That's a good point, however, at its best and highest use capitalism and the free market is a great indicator of what people want and if they had churned out garbage on those majors I don't think this move would even be newsworthy. The label that got them up there has been compensated and just as if they went to another label they are now no longer obligated to who got them there in the first place and there wouldn't be coattails to begin with if they sucked (see current Tila Tequila thread about hype and market forces 1.7 million hits or something to that effect and she still isn't really selling).

[zboy2854]

Too bad Radiohead didn't bother to make sure that the server and processing company handling the online orders wasn't up to par, and tons of people (myself included) couldn't actually place a proper order. Others were charged multiple times and got warning phone calls from their credit card companies.

Great idea by the band, utterly failed implementation. I guess that's why they say most musicians aren't very good business people...

[ScottyD]

Ouch. I hadn't actually made my purchase yet, guess I will need to wait a week or so and hope they iron out the bugs. I guess in a way it's positive... they are getting enough traffic to bring down their servers, so it must be selling.

-ScottyD

[Animus]

Originally Posted by zboy2854

Too bad Radiohead didn't bother to make sure that the server and processing company handling the online orders wasn't up to par, and tons of people (myself included) couldn't actually place a proper order. Others were charged multiple times and got warning phone calls from their credit card companies.

Great idea by the band, utterly failed implementation. I guess that's why they say most musicians aren't very good business people...

Yeah there site is ridiculous. I went through the whole order process then got to the final step and it said to type in the human verification code you see at the bottom. There was nothing there at all. 15 minutes on a slowass site wasted. lol Maybe I will just download it P2P and just send them 20 bucks in the mail. lol

[Sensual Ears]

there are few servers that wouldn't crash under a stress like that

[themaidsroom]

that that server is crashing is beautiful - it is hopeful - it is people trying to
believe in their world - that we can actually live concurrently with meaningful
music - i saw radiohead ten years ago at hammerstein ballroom - they blew
me away - they were more than their hype, much more - my experience
as someone 41 years old is that 99% of the past 15 years is hype - i felt so
good ten years ago, standing in that line waiting to see radiohead - i believed
in something and it was deep and real - they were amazing

sadly, you must remember we had lost the finest american singer in decades
at the beginning of that summer - and we were still three years
in the derivitive throes of mourning
an extremely limited singer and songwriter who was hyped into
mythic status - i did not resonate with the cultural fiction.
i resonated with radiohead.

let that server
crash
it is not about efficiency
it's about love



be well


- jack

[Recording David]

Yes, good to cut out the record company. But I think it's all well and good for Radiohead, who have made many millions from record sales the traditional way, to now turn around and give their music away. Isn't this just another way for people to think that music should be free?

What about the 99.9% of other bands who aren't multi-millionaires who actually have to try to make a living from it? I wonder if Radiohead would have done this with The Bends, OK Computer and Kid A?

[nyarlothothep]

Radiohead stand head and shoulders above all bands imo. They are beyond trends, they set them. Now obviously Im elevating them to the status of gods, but they are the oracles who are way beyond their time.

Its the greatest publicity stunt of the year. Bear in mind The Charalatans are giving their album away for free and the back catalogue of the BJM is free on their website. But Radiohead are better imo, and are a much more prominent band in the public eye so what they're doing has a greater resonance. I think it doesn't matter whether they could have distributed the bends, ok computer etc for free. During the years for their biggest selling two albums file sharing wasn't in the mainstream media, at least as I recall it, and besides it takes a while for people to formulate ideas. Its not a dead giveaway, the album will be released on cd. Its not the practicalities of the situation that are important imo, its what the act in itself represents. It shows that the standard corporate model is not the only one that need be followed. They have completely subverted the hype generating process too. So +1 to Radiohead.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by nyarlothothep

Radiohead stand head and shoulders above all bands imo. They are beyond trends, they set them. .

.... if you were from Oxford you may well have a VERY different opinion!!! Great band - but they've always hung around the local scene in our very experimental music town and focused much of the sounds around..... more noticed in their electronica. Yup , they always did it better, but then they always had more money from their label than everyone else!

I'm a litle miffed at them - perhaps if they diverted the same energy into shutting down the proliferation of music tech colleges in this country that they do diverting attention from new acts (less important) and furthering the common notion of music as a devalued artform i may be more impressed. It may well be a great album, i expect it to be - they're a truly great band. But they've just endorsed music as a valueless commodity used only to line pockets of those with marketing budgets - i expect their live ticket sales to rocket and also the price. Place your healthy bit of cynicism BACK into what big bands do. It aint just the labels.

And its the second greatest music publicity stunt. Prince beat them to it.

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Yup , they always did it better

You should've just stopped there.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by Jazzpunk

You should've just stopped there.

Why? - because I told the truth? I like 'em - but their anti label whinging is hypocritical and certainly not what they were saying when they were On a Friday many many years ago looking for a deal.... those days I remember very well. They've also not complained about the large amount of money they've made - which they deserve. Their actions are very good for them - not much good for other acts...... fair enough, it is a dog eat dog industry, but if they're gonna do that, they should quite the whinging.

[nyarlothothep]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Why? - because I told the truth? I like 'em - but their anti label whinging is hypocritical and certainly not what they were saying when they were On a Friday many many years ago looking for a deal.... those days I remember very well. They've also not complained about the large amount of money they've made - which they deserve. Their actions are very good for them - not much good for other acts...... fair enough, it is a dog eat dog industry, but if they're gonna do that, they should quite the whinging.

Just because they signed to a major label and didn't complain way back doesn't prohibit them from making valid points about the state of the music industry, greed culture and politics from chomskyian influenced perspective today. The system of capital production is omnipresent. Its makes sense to thrive off it while trying to change it from the inside by making symbolic gestures which will get people to think.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by nyarlothothep

Just because they signed to a major label and didn't complain way back doesn't prohibit them from making valid points about the state of the music industry, greed culture and politics from chomskyian influenced perspective today. The system of capital production is omnipresent. Its makes sense to thrive off it while trying to change it from the inside by making symbolic gestures which will get people to think.

kind of do as i say not as i do?

pathetic......not you, the principal.....

[nyarlothothep]

Originally Posted by narcoman

kind of do as i say not as i do?

pathetic......not you, the principal.....

No, that is not what they are communicating. You might as well say Chomsky is a hypocrite.

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Why? - because I told the truth?

Record labels are full of wannabes who make every dime off of the creative talents they will never be. They are the ones who whine (and sue!) when an artist finally has enough clout to tell them to piss off!

I absolutely love knowing that there are 'suits' everywhere shaking their heads at what Radiohead is doing. Poor little bastards! Hanging their heads and dreaming of every nickle and dime they could've bled from Radiohead's new release.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by Jazzpunk

Record labels are full of wannabes who make every dime off of the creative talents they will never be. They are the ones who whine (and sue!) when an artist finally has enough clout to tell them to piss off!

I absolutely love knowing that there are 'suits' everywhere shaking their heads at what Radiohead is doing. Poor little bastards! Hanging their heads and dreaming of every nickle and dime they could've bled from Radiohead's new release.

i guess its personal viewpoint, but as i said above - its hypocrisy. I certainly dont see the industry or artists as being very different to one another. they are all part of the same thing. I work and have worked as both - successful artist and now successful on the business side. I've made political statements, Ive rallied against overt capitalism whilst at the same time maintaining a healthy respect for those that work hard and get their fair compensation. I dont see anything wrong in Radiohead doing it their own way - thats good for them for being in that position. Lucky and hard working . Great. But I cannot endorse it as some great brilliant strategy to make the music industry a more fair place. It isnt - its exactly the same as what any label would do, apart from the fact that they didnt. Radiohead have done a great thing for themselves. It doesn't do music for other artists any favours. Bravo for slapping the major label status quo - great. but that STILL doesnt make it an endorsable move. They have given away with one hand and contributed towardds the devaluation of music with the other. They were the wrong band to be doing this - surely they could have supported new artists doing the same thing?

As for Chomsky - how can one call him a hypocrite for similar reasons? There isnt any similarity whatsoever. If Chomsky had been a founder member of Shell Oil and then moved into the senate THEN tried to denounce Vietnam after endorsing the Vietnam invading commitee - that would make him a hypocrite. As it stands Chomsky stands for Left Wing radical anti government (and pretty much anti capitalist) - I'd say he was closer to my own beliefs than the current business moves of Thom et al, a fellow radical and protestor on the front line. There was no subversion by infiltrating the US senate over vietnam or any other similar moves. Neither have I read any endorsement of such moves written by Chomsky - of course maybe you have! I could be way wrong. Chomsky's politique was always head on from what i can see. No sly getting inside and turning the power against itself.

Radiohead have done something that no struggling artist can compete with. They've made a fantastic grand sweeping all encompassing and pretty altruistic statement. I dont doubt their motives and intentions (not much anyway). The thing is, I dont think they have considered what they have endorsed. Intent is one thing - but you're not judged on intent. It's what you actually DO that makees the sandwich.... This makes Radiohead bigger, it doesnt democratize art for all to experience. Cool move for them and I'm in no way opposed to it - I just see it for what it (I think at least) is..... a great marketing scheme.

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by narcoman

kind of do as i say not as i do?

pathetic......not you, the principal.....

You are obviously a business guy. Why on earth would a band in Radiohead's position continue to give away the money they earn to a label that they have outgrown? That is just bad business!

Both parties have fullfilled their contractual obligations and Radiohead is now free to explore alternative methods of distributing their music.

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Bravo for slapping the major label status quo - great. but that STILL doesnt make it an endorsable move. They have given away with one hand and contributed towardds the devaluation of music with the other. They were the wrong band to be doing this - surely they could have supported new artists doing the same thing?

I really don't understand why you are placing so much expectation and responsibility on Radiohead's shoulders. Radiohead is a band. The one and only obligation they have as artists is to make the best records they can make and to put on the best shows they can. Judging from the influence they have had over the past decade, I would say they have suceeded quite well.

Twice now you have stated that Radiohead should somehow be doing more for lesser known artists. How is this their responsibility? Better yet, why have you not once stated that record labels should be doing more to support and promote lesser known artists?!

The 'truth' that you are avoiding is that the record indutry has a dark and and ugly history full of exploiting the very people that it makes it's profits off of. Where is Capitol Record's 'non-profit' division?! Where is J Record's roster of artists that they have decided to help free of charge?! Please show me a major label who is supporting new artists with no contractual expectation of recouping every single penny that they spend times twenty.

Even a figure as lauded in the industry as Ahmet Ertegün was had to admit that he had at one time cheated artists out of millions of dollars in royalties (funny how a lawsuit will do that!).

Suggesting that Radiohead somehow has done something to devalue music and the artists that make it is quite simply one of the most rediculous statements I've ever heard.

[taturana]

no they have not devaluated music... they actually did increase it´s value... just wait till the sales figures are in...

go radiohead...

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by Jazzpunk

I really don't understand why you are placing so much expectation and responsibility on Radiohead's shoulders. Radiohead is a band. The one and only obligation they have as artists is to make the best records they can make and to put on the best shows they can. Judging from the influence they have had over the past decade, I would say they have suceeded quite well.

Twice now you have stated that Radiohead should somehow be doing more for lesser known artists. How is this their responsibility? Better yet, why have you not once stated that record labels should be doing more to support and promote lesser known artists?!

The 'truth' that you are avoiding is that the record indutry has a dark and and ugly history full of exploiting the very people that it makes it's profits off of. Where is Capitol Record's 'non-profit' division?! Where is J Record's roster of artists that they have decided to help free of charge?! Please show me a major label who is supporting new artists with no contractual expectation of recouping every single penny that they spend times twenty.

Even a figure as lauded in the industry as Ahmet Ertegün was had to admit that he had at one time cheated artists out of millions of dollars in royalties (funny how a lawsuit will do that!).

Suggesting that Radiohead somehow has done something to devalue music and the artists that make it is quite simply one of the most rediculous statements I've ever heard.

hey - we're having the same chat on two fronts !! . Cool down bro'. Yup i'm a business person. But i'm also lucky enough to have been a moderately successful artist (not in Radiohead league though !!). I've also managed to make money without attacking anything else in music - I saved my vitriol for other political agendas!! In fact i made avilable my studio from my money to those that could not afford....

I never said they should give money to any label ... They have released the album for nothing, no dosh, nanda. People can pay what they want - is what they're doing. Its the luxury of the rich to be able to do that. How can underground artists compete with it? Anway - i'm repeating myself - you already read what i thought on our sister thread!!

[Diskordia]

this isn't really new but...Reznor is now also free, and he'll probably do the same or similiar

from nin.com

Hello everyone. I've waited a LONG time to be able to make the
following announcement: as of right now Nine Inch Nails is a totally
free agent, free of any recording contract with any label. I have
been under recording contracts for 18 years and have watched the
business radically mutate from one thing to something inherently very
different and it gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a
direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate.
Look for some announcements in the near future regarding 2008.
Exciting times, indeed.
posted by Trent Reznor at 10:45 AM. 1175 Comments


radiohead and nin can give away their music for free cuz they don't have to pay for those expensive drums rooms

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Cool down bro'.

No need to worry bro', the fact that you don't get what Radiohead are doing doesn't rile me in the least.

It's clearly a move that's meant to fuel these types of discussions.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by Jazzpunk

No need to worry bro', the fact that you don't get what Radiohead are doing doesn't rile me in the least.

It's clearly a move that's meant to fuel these types of discussions.

totally get it, just dont agree that its a constructive move..... HOWEVER - i did just spend my £40 on the vinyl and CDs to be delivered in december..... Looking forward to hearing the download tomorrow.....

[bexarametric]

Originally Posted by narcoman

i guess its personal viewpoint, but as i said above - its hypocrisy. I certainly dont see the industry or artists as being very different to one another. they are all part of the same thing. I work and have worked as both - successful artist and now successful on the business side. I've made political statements, Ive rallied against overt capitalism whilst at the same time maintaining a healthy respect for those that work hard and get their fair compensation. I dont see anything wrong in Radiohead doing it their own way - thats good for them for being in that position. Lucky and hard working . Great. But I cannot endorse it as some great brilliant strategy to make the music industry a more fair place. It isnt - its exactly the same as what any label would do, apart from the fact that they didnt. Radiohead have done a great thing for themselves. It doesn't do music for other artists any favours. Bravo for slapping the major label status quo - great. but that STILL doesnt make it an endorsable move. They have given away with one hand and contributed towardds the devaluation of music with the other. They were the wrong band to be doing this - surely they could have supported new artists doing the same thing?

As for Chomsky - how can one call him a hypocrite for similar reasons? There isnt any similarity whatsoever. If Chomsky had been a founder member of Shell Oil and then moved into the senate THEN tried to denounce Vietnam after endorsing the Vietnam invading commitee - that would make him a hypocrite. As it stands Chomsky stands for Left Wing radical anti government (and pretty much anti capitalist) - I'd say he was closer to my own beliefs than the current business moves of Thom et al, a fellow radical and protestor on the front line. There was no subversion by infiltrating the US senate over vietnam or any other similar moves. Neither have I read any endorsement of such moves written by Chomsky - of course maybe you have! I could be way wrong. Chomsky's politique was always head on from what i can see. No sly getting inside and turning the power against itself.

Radiohead have done something that no struggling artist can compete with. They've made a fantastic grand sweeping all encompassing and pretty altruistic statement. I dont doubt their motives and intentions (not much anyway). The thing is, I dont think they have considered what they have endorsed. Intent is one thing - but you're not judged on intent. It's what you actually DO that makees the sandwich.... This makes Radiohead bigger, it doesnt democratize art for all to experience. Cool move for them and I'm in no way opposed to it - I just see it for what it (I think at least) is..... a great marketing scheme.

I dont look at it as hypocrisy. Maybe they've grown. Maybe they were too naive when they were just "On a Friday, looking for a record deal". People grow and change. I doubt that they had the inside scoop on the industry back when they were practically kids looking to follow what everyone else was doing (looking for a deal). But then they grew up right on front of our ears. They slowly learned about the "industry". Look no further than the "Meeting People Is Easy" documentary. OK Computer immortalized them and, from that point on, they made their records. Then on