I took this from the Hammer Smashed Sound website, hoep they don’t mind me posting it up here, but I think some very good points are made! In a time when records aren’t selling very much I think it’s important to think before you download something. You know what? Most of us aren’t asking very much for CDs, every penny you spend here goes straight back into the next release, so please don’t nick stuff off of download sites. You’re not sticking it to the man, you’re fucking it up for everyone.
Well, here we go again. Many readers from back in the HSJ days remember when I wrote more opinion pieces here, but as time has gone on, it’s been more about keeping up with news from a million different bands and labels. And just like the reason I don’t do reviews (my opinion being no more meaningful than you the reader’s) , I really don’t like to step out and complain about things in music when there are so many good things happening. But sometimes things affect us all, and where we’re headed.
First up… today, the man behind LoDubs Records decided to post this on his Facebook page…
With all honesty, we here at LoDubs release 12″s and full lengths as we believe it is the only way to properly document a particular moment of creativity, and preserve it for the future. As we are not based in any of the media anointed hotbeds (LA, London, ETC) we realize that regardless of how culturally important a record we release…, It will always be drowned out by the jet wash of releases coming from bigger labels and locales.
We do this because it must be done, and in turn, it is a constant struggle.
Furthermore, the trend we are now noticing is that each time a release comes out, that the physical release sales decline, and it does far better on illegal download sites that post it up than those 100 legitimate vendors of downloads such as Boomkat, Bleep, etc. It has gotten to the point where we are actually beginning to question whether this can even be done anymore without it leading to our personal ruin.
We do what we can to ask these people to remove these links. Most of the time these individuals act as though they are doing us a favour, and much of the time are quite insulting both to us and to our artists in their conversation, reviews, and general insinuation.
This utter disregard and hurtful behaviour has spilled out and over onto the shoutbox at Last FM. We have, in as clear and eloquent of a way possible, expressed to those on their who where responsible for these download blogs how their actions prevent future creativity, and contribute to monoculture. They have done nothing but attack us in kind.
We encourage you to read the thread at the link below, and please express you opinion there, should you feel like it. We wrote such thorough arguments on their as a hope that just like the records, over time the right people would see the reasoning, and see how bad this is on a label like ours.
http://www.last.fm/music/Clubroot
Okay, so it’s something I’ve heard a lot of lately. I love Clubroot (LoDubs recording act) and have bought both of his CDs so far. Regardless of whether you like that kind of music is irrelevant. It’s going on everywhere across the board. Now the thing that really bothers me are the people in that thread talking shit back to this guy for his stance. These people believe it is their right to this music… that it is public property.
Again, old readers already know where I stand on this. One of the most amazing pieces of music I’ve ever experienced was Irezumi’s “Endurance” CD from 2008. Unfortunately, the man behind the project was so disheartened by the Russian pirates giving his music away that he gave up making music under the Irezumi moniker. Keep in mind, we’re not talking Metallica/Napster level shit here. We’re talking a beautiful digipak limited to 1000 copies. This CD got great press everywhere, but the pirates got out of the gate fast, and they couldn’t even sell a grand in Europe, where ambient stuff is huge.
Again, even I understand that Manu from Irezumi made a rash decision. It’s the fact that it even got to that point that is so sad.
Understand that right now, we are all privy to more free music than ever before. You don’t even need old cassettes like we did back in the day. What I really don’t understand from a listener’s point of view is this… how much is enough of a “preview”? You can easily go to a million places (MySpace, Youtube, etc.) and hear half of a record. If you like that half, why wouldn’t you pay for the rest?
Now, again… I’m not talking about the bigger labels. That is not a world I live in or understand. Most people believe that they fucked everyone over in the 90’s and are now getting what they deserve. Again, I don’t know. BUT, I do have a young daughter, and if she wants a CD from the hot young pop star, we go and we buy it. Just how I am I guess.
Again, I really don’t have too many solutions at this point, so unfortunately I feel that I’m pissing in the wind. My only solution to all these bands and labels is to put a number on your shit. We live amongst a society of hardcore collectors who are more apt to snatch up your shit first if it’s a limited, numbered collectible. Sounds slimy and shitty but what else can you do? Tell em it’s a limited edition CD or something.
And on that note I’m going to take on a few sacred cows that will probably have me fucking burnt at the stake.
First up… download blogs who “spread the word”. Stop it. Fucking stop it. Is it any wonder that when I recently posted info about the new Orthrelm CD, Weasel Walter posted a comment asking me to remove the album? There was no download link! But now I’m bundled in with the rest of the bloggers ripping off bands. Also… do you know that the Sludgeswamp started right about the same time as me? I watched as their readership went through the roof, while mine went up oh so slowly. I wasn’t in a competition to have a ton of readers. It just illustrated to me exactly what was happening in music. Hey Sludgeswamp, I know you get the word out from small bands who ask for the coverage, and that’s fine. But how about keep it to that? You love 16, High On Fire, Nadja… stop giving their shit away. You too AttilatheHun. New bands need a break? Fine… but leave it at that.
The other sacred cow? Vinyl, and record collectors. And I know I will take heat for this, and I don’t mind. Let me just say this. You absolutely have the right to spend your hard-earned dough the way you want to. But just think about this. Many labels are using it as an exercise to get more money out of you per-release. They have taken your love of feeling “underground” and turned it against you. They wouldn’t dare ask you for $20 for a CD, but if it’s a double LP, then $20, $25, hell even $50 for the Lotus Eaters or KTL. Again it is your choice, but just think of it like this… you could’ve bought more tapes or CDs, and thereby supported a few more bands with your dollars. Spread that shit around.
Again, that is just a suggestion. I see people spending less on music overall, but more on just a few records. Like I said, you guys work very hard for your dollars. I get that. But next time you want that Nuclear War Now die-hard, just think of all the other bands you could be supporting, and what it would mean to them. Again, people have a lot less spending money nowadays but are paying waay more per release.
BUT, I understand that labels almost HAVE to press vinyl LPs nowadays because people aren’t buying CDs. The thing is, while vinyl keeps getting bigger, it will NEVER be a big enough format to support all the bands out there. Kids with Ipods and Droid phones and XBoxes don’t collect vinyl most of the time.
Goddamn, I hope this shit doesn’t sound preachy, because I don’t know any more than the next guy. Maybe we can just consider it the beginning of an ongoing dialogue here about ideas moving forward. And this post is just my opinions and thoughts… not necessarily the other dudes here at HSS.
Cheers…
http://hammersmashedsound.blogspot.com/