New Music Coming Soon ...

*** WARNING: This post has nothing to do with the bar; or booze, not even a drop! ***

Hi!

So for about 10 years or so, I've have this great idea about something to write entitled "Three Things the Internet Can Make Obsolete (But Never Will)" or something like that. I figured I could sell it to: I dunno, Rolling Stone if people still read magazines; SLATE or something; or maybe Woman's Day cause I'm sick to death of all the recipies and teasers about how I can walk off 20 pounds a week in just three minutes per day.

Anyway, there's a major record release about to happen on October 30th and I hope to the Great Architect that it will prove at least one of my theories correct. Because One of the Three things I believe the Internet can make obsolete is record companies.

When the whole mp3 craze started and the Napster contoversy got hot, it became apparent to me that the internet would be a great tool for unknown bands to promote themselves. Sure it's hard to reach that target audience, but at least they can put themselves out there like no band in the 80's, or before, could have possibly imagined.

I remember back then hearing about local bands in Philly from friends, "I'll get you a tape, you gotta hear 'em," and I only lived about 30 miles outside the city. Yeah, a lot of those bands might have been shitty, which is why they are all selling insurance and working third shift at the Wawa these days, but . . . BUT, think about how many of those bands might have made a name for themselves if the internet had existed 20 years ago! Maybe they would have been a Flash in the Pan, but at least they would have made enough coin to invest in a few Taco Bell franchises or something.

I imagine that might have been what everyone's friend Tom thought when he created myspace. I just never got the gears turning quickly enough to come up with something like that. Otherwise I would be rolling in it and this would be called terrispace.

Really, it might be hard for you kids to imagine, but the only way one could have heard about a killer band in Dubuque, Iowa (unless, of course, you live in the vicinity of Dubuque, Iowa) would be if someone you knew was living there and WROTE YOU A LETTER or CALLED YOU ON THE PHONE to tell you.

At one point, a long time ago, I was listening to a band in Erie, PA where I was attending college. I thought to myself, wow, this band is great, and I'll never, ever hear them on the radio. And for that matter, what about the bands this talented who are playing in Poughkeepsie, NY or Omaha, NE or Seattle, WA? Scratch that last one, at the time EVERYONE was listening to pretty much nothing BUT bands from Seattle, WA. Because that's where all the record companies were sending their A&R reps to at the time.

Now, on the other hand, for the known bands, the internet pretty much sucks. When someone illegally downloads their record, they don't see a dime. Which, by the way, is probably about how much the average artist makes off the average CD that you are paying upwards of $15 for. (And if there are five musicians in the band, divide that dime by five). I have no idea what they really make, but I'm pretty sure it's a miniscule percentage after the retailer, record company, and everyone else gets their take. This is what Lars Ulrich from Metallica got so up in arms about, and everyone thought he was a whiney douchebag because he wanted his royalties. Let me set the record straight. Lars isn't a douchebag because he wanted his fair slice of the pie. Lars is a douchbag because, well, he's a douchbag. Just kidding, sort of, I never met the man, so I can't say for sure.

This is largely why piracy exists; it's our way of "sticking it to the man!" The man being, of course, record company execs, who are nothing more than talent brokers and often find themselves making more money than the talent they are brokering.

No More! Support the artists who create the music you love!

Which brings me to the actual point of this rant:
There's an album coming out called "V is for Vagina"
Hey I didn't pick the title. I wanted to protest because I thought if there ever was a way to NOT sell a record, a title like that is a sure way to do it. Something tells me the creator has a theory of his own to prove. Plus, who am I to question any musician's creative expression? It was done without the "must-have" backing of any record company.

Most of you probably won't even like this music. You have infantile tastes and are not yet mature enough to appreciate it's aural value. In any case, to learn more about this groundbreaking endeavor (yes, by an already successful artist with more money than most of us can imagine, but that's beside the point; it's setting a precendent) please go here:

http://www.myspace.com/censorshipisacancer

or here:

http://www.puscifer.com

and just to set the record straight, this rant was insired by one of his own:
(begin quote)

"dearest supporters, street teamers, and mailing listers.
thank you for signing up to help.
first and foremost, if you don't like what you're
hearing from this project so far,
don't lie about it out of respect.
if you're compelled to support it in spite of what
you've heard and not appreciated,
then support it because you believe in the precedent of
independence i'm attempting to set.
promise me that much and then we can proceed from here.
this project for me is one part fun,
one part learning experience.
trying to go it alone, without a label to convolute
my efforts is very terrifying, chaotic,
and challenging. but all in a very positive way.
many many dark corners and unknowns. it's liberating but
still pretty damn scary. this is a very very expensive education.
i could very easily lose my ass on this whole thing.
but it's sort of ok. i can afford a new ass.
anyway...
lot's of controversy flying about regarding downloading.
time to throw my 2 cents in. downloading wont effect me TOO much.
but it will affect those bands right on the edge. bands who
could use the hundred bucks to make it to the next town to
play a show (gas and food aren't free. go figure) .
or could use some cash to record a new record.
( imagine that. it actually takes money to record a record.)
i can afford to pay for the recording of my record.
i'm one of the lucky ones. (thanks to nirvana and the
label feeding frenzy, i won the early 90's grunge lottery.)
but those days are history. in order for young bands
to survive nowadays, they need to get paid for their efforts.
touring costs money. recording costs money.
unless you're ok with bands recording their songs on
their Palm Treo. personally i went the extra mile and
tried to incorporate that ancient and illusive medium
known as "analog tape." because, and i can hear the
yawns welling up as i type... because it sounds better.
the machines are expensive and a pain in the ass to
maintain but they're worth it. that is unless people
are just gonna steal your efforts.
then it's a big fat FUCK NO, IT"S NOT WORTH IT.
so don't be douche bags. support the process.
devils advocate...
it feels like the digital landscape has widened peoples
appreciation of new music. it's placed alternative forms of
music in front of those who may not have been exposed otherwise.
it feels like people are more excited
about music than they have been in a long time.
but for fuck sake... pay the man for his song and dance.
otherwise the only people who can afford to record quality
music are the cookie cutter boy bands with their corporate
sponsors and media machines.
(Dick In Box Excluded, of course)
please do your best to support
bands like Autolux, the Burning Brides, Isis, etc...
they need you.
i need you, but they need you more. having said that...
i'm doing this pretty much on my own.
no label support aside from the distributor.
it's a HUGE learning curve.
but if i can navigate it, i will be able to share what
i've learned.
i can make it easier for other bands
that are trying to do it on their own.
make it possible for us all to survive in our little microcosms
rather than fall victim to the seductive song of the sirens...
the expensive and impersonal macrocosm
of the major label dog and pony show.
once again, thank you for your efforts.

m j keenan
professional dumbass"

(endquote)